God never designed you to do life alone. Friendship isn't a bonus feature of a good life; it's woven into the way God made reality. Walking through Genesis 1-2, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 29:5, and Hebrews 10:24-25, this message unpacks why the people closest to you quietly shape who you become, why a real friend will risk telling you the truth instead of flattering you, and what it actually takes to move a relationship from casual to close. You'll be challenged to take an honest look at your five closest friendships, to become the kind of friend who offers wisdom and not just comfort, and to take one intentional step toward real community this week. Watch, listen, and then invite someone to take that step with you.

Your phone is discipling you — the question is toward what. This message opens Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 4, Philippians 4:8, and Proverbs 15:1-4 to ask three honest questions about life online: who we follow, what we consume, and how we communicate. You'll come away with a biblical filter for the influencers and content you let shape you, and a sharper sense of what your posts, shares, and likes reveal about your heart. Give it a listen, then open your phone and take one step — unfollow, unsubscribe, or think twice before you hit post. If you're near Portage Lakes, we'd love to have you join us in person.

Envy is the sin almost no one admits to — and Proverbs warns that it rots the bones. Working from Proverbs 14:30, James 3:16, Psalm 73, and the tenth commandment in Exodus 20, this message looks at why comparison quietly drains our joy, how envy hides behind ambition and a sense of "fairness," and what it costs a heart left unchecked. You'll find practical steps for naming envy honestly, trading comparison for gratitude and generosity, and growing into the kind of contentment Paul says he learned in Philippians 4:11. Watch or listen this week — and bring a friend.

How do you actually know God's will? Proverbs answers with something better than a hidden map you might miss — a Father whose aim is to make you wise. Working through Proverbs 16:1, 3, 4 and 9 alongside Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 119:105 and Romans 8:28, this message holds God's sovereign plan together with the real weight of our choices, and shows why no failure or wound in your past is beyond what God can redeem. You'll leave with clear next steps: get into Scripture daily so wisdom becomes who you are, invite several mature voices into your big decisions, be faithful with what God has already asked of you, and trust the Father whose love was proven at the cross. Watch or listen this week, and bring the decision you've been wrestling with.

Is work a curse to endure or a calling to embrace? From the opening chapters of Genesis, work shows up as part of God's good design — wisdom woven into the fabric of creation long before anything went wrong. This message traces that thread through Genesis 1-3, the diligence of Proverbs, Paul's charge in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, and the call of Colossians 3:23-24 to work heartily as unto the Lord. You'll name the lies that quietly distort how we see our jobs — idleness, entitlement, and treating retirement as an escape — and leave with practical ways to bring wholehearted effort and honest diligence into your very next shift. Come discover why your ordinary Monday is holy ground, and pass it along to someone who needs a new way to see their work.

Why do we so often regret what we say and do in the heat of anger? Proverbs teaches that unchecked anger pulls us away from wisdom—but that same anger, surrendered to God, can be met with grace, forgiveness, and real transformation. Drawing on Proverbs 15:18, 14:29, and 16:32, along with James 1:20, this message unpacks the difference between righteous anger and "the anger of man," and offers practical wisdom for becoming slow to anger and quick to forgive. Come discover how the truth of God can reshape one of our most powerful emotions—and consider who you may need to forgive this week.

Your words carry the power of death and life—so how will you use them? Drawing from the wisdom of Proverbs (including Proverbs 18:21 and 15:1) alongside Ephesians 4 and Matthew 12, this message reveals why our speech shapes our relationships far more than we realize and how the gospel can transform the way we talk. You'll leave with practical ways to speak life this week: trading reckless words for gentle ones, gossip for encouragement, and letting a soft answer defuse conflict at home, at work, and online. Come be challenged and encouraged—press play and let God begin changing you from the inside out.

Your words carry the power of death and life—so how will you use them? Drawing from the wisdom of Proverbs (including Proverbs 18:21 and 15:1) alongside Ephesians 4 and Matthew 12, this message reveals why our speech shapes our relationships far more than we realize and how the gospel can transform the way we talk. You'll leave with practical ways to speak life this week: trading reckless words for gentle ones, gossip for encouragement, and letting a soft answer defuse conflict at home, at work, and online. Come be challenged and encouraged—press play and let God begin changing you from the inside out.

What if wisdom isn't one big decision but a daily path you choose one step at a time? Walking through Proverbs 4, along with Proverbs 3:5-6 and Proverbs 9:10, this message shows why God's wisdom is woven into the fabric of reality, how small compromises pull us onto the path of folly, and how the fear of the Lord sets us on the path of the righteous that shines "brighter and brighter until full day." You'll walk away with practical next steps: reading God's Word daily, seeking wise counsel, and trusting the Lord in the small choices that shape your life. Watch, listen, and join us as we pursue the wisdom that leads home.

The Way The World Works - Week 4 (Proverbs 3:9 & Deuteronomy 26)

Are you tired of feeling stressed about your money, or wondering how faith and finances actually connect? Join us this week as we dive into a practical, "fire-hose" introduction to God's design for our resources, exploring four foundational principles and key life applications straight from the book of Proverbs and Deuteronomy 26. Discover how shifting from a mindset of scarcity to one of biblical wisdom can bring true hope and freedom to your financial journey, and learn how honoring God with your "first fruits" transforms your daily walk.