The Bridge RSM

Pastor Chad Halliburton visits us from Oakhouse Church to explore John's account of the Palm Sunday narrative, focused on the devotion of Mary who anointed Jesus with a jar of expensive perfume before His triumphal entry. He challenges us to have right thinking along with right practice as we worship Jesus, learning from His Word to follow His Way.

Two kingdoms cannot rule in the same place at the same time. As ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven, we've been entrusted with authority to confront the powers of darkness in our world. We realign our perspectives to God's and establish God's presence as we go about our lives Taking Territory Through Prayer for the Kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in Heaven.

What do you think about when life gets hard? What effect do circumstances have on your outlook? The difficulties of life are real. They're true. But there is a higher truth that God's is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. It might be raining on the ground, but the sun is still shining above the clouds. It's this assurance that allows us to pray "Our Father in heave, hallowed be Your name."

We all struggle with things. We're all tempted by some things. But we're not alone! We stand with each other, braced by our God as we petition Him to "deliver us from evil". He sees us and is equipping us as we continue to be made whole in Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit in us. We just keep coming back, keep asking day by day.

You cannot love God and hate others. That truth is, however, easier said than lived. Have you ever felt relieved at another's suffering, satisfied that they've received their just deserts? We've all been there to some degree, but Jesus formed in us looks at other differently. He taught His disciples to pray "forgive us as we forgive others". It's a radical call to extend the mercy and grace of God to other people who bear His image just like we do and it's the means of grace by which we're formed into forgiving people. As we pray, we invite the Holy Spirit to transform us by the renewing of our mind and into people who embody the love of Christ for our neighbor. So who do you need to forgive today? Ask God to help you as you are made more like Him.

Matthew 6:7–13

One simple line in the Lord's Prayer stoked extra exposition from Jesus as He taught His disciples to pray. "Give us this day our daily bread" contains three key directives that will help us see God as the pinnacle of our source, schedule, and supply. What does it mean to trust Him daily with your needs? Do you trust Him or do you order your life around other sources? He is inviting us into deeper trust to know Him as Father, align our hearts with His, and come daily before Him for all of our needs.

Matthew 6:7–13

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them to pray for God's will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. He didn't teach them to simply ask for the desires of their hearts or that God would do their bidding. He taught to pray for God's will. In prayer, we come to a place of seeking alignment with the Father. We invite Him to shape our hearts, days, and influence to bring His Kingdom to shape our present reality; not the other way around. When we do this, He will do greater things than we could have possibly imagined as He moves history toward the renewal of all things.

Matthew 6:7–13

Luke 11:1–2

Have you ever felt intimidated by prayer? Ever wondered where to begin? You're not alone! You're not alone in your experience or in your practice. We've all felt that way. We've all had to begin to learn to come to God in prayer. And He even offers His own help! We have a teacher in Jesus and a helper in the Holy Spirit to help us train in coming to the Father in prayer.

Luke 15:11–32, Hebrews 4:14–16

Have you ever felt unworthy to come to God in prayer? Maybe the picture of Father God doesn't evoke a positive image. Maybe you just recognize the sin in your life. Maybe you're too busy striving for righteousness that you don't feel like you've done enough yet. Wherever you find yourself, we have a God that reaches across the divide and pulls us in. He always goes first to declare that we are His, He loves and accepts us, that we have access to Him, and that He excitedly awaits our coming to Him in prayer. Will you come to Him today? He's longing for you.