The Well Church of the Nazarene

Israel arrives at the fortified city of Jericho to find the gates are shut tight, but God delivers the city through unusual means: seven days of marching around the city.

God calls us to action. Oftentimes, it's not as we expect. We are called to forgive when it seems more natural to attack. We are called to give when we feel like holding back. We are called to rest when we feel the need to produce.

Are you moving with God's rhythm?

The Israelites finally enter into the Promised Land, not with Moses, but with Joshua--an unlikely hero in his own right. He's a freed slave who doesn't have the formal training of Moses, and yet he's the one who leads Israel home. Interestingly, the priests do not cross on dry ground, like in the crossing of the Red Sea. God requires they get their feet wet this time.

Perhaps this is a requirement of maturity. As we mature in our faith, God will not always part the water completely before us; instead, we will have to walk by faith into the water. After the Israelites cross the Jordan, Joshua stops and they place memorial stones by the river to remember. Memorial stones like these remind us of how far God has taken us.

Graduation is a memorial stone. It is not the end, but a memorial to remind yourself there is more to do. There is significance in stopping along the way to remind yourself of where you're going and how far you've come. It's not the end. We need to keep moving on the journey.

Pastors Paul, Mara, and Josh talk about what it means to be good followers and how that relates to finding our place in God's epic story. Being good followers requires good leadership, and good leaders need to be good followers. We all have a calling (and a responsibility) to lead others to Christ. How can we follow the example of the priests (leaders) who stood in the Jordan River as the people crossed?

After the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were instructed to assemble memorial stones and to use them to remind future generations of all God has done. What stories are we telling future generations? Are we using our words to speak truth into their lives?

In this Bible Study series, we're taking an in-depth look at the Armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18, and discussing the tools we can use to accomplish God's mission to invite, include, and train others while facing the battle within ourselves.

Today's focus is on the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), which is both an offensive and defensive tool we can use in our spiritual battles. Unfortunately, the Bible is often used inappropriately as a weapon to judge and/or discriminate against others, when it should be used as a means of grace. It is a lifeboat, not a battleship.

So how do we guard ourselves against misuse/misunderstanding of the Bible? Answer: Context. Community. And JESUS.

Pastors David, Paul, and Mara discuss this week's passage, Joshua 2:1-15, where we learn Rahab's story, and the risks she was willing to make for a God she didn't know. Rahab became an unlikely hero in God's epic adventure.

We are called to live epic lives. If we move with Him in trust and faith, adjusting our perspective and taking risks, we can experience all God has for us. But how do we do this in a risk-averse culture that fears failure more and more?

Playing it safe runs counter to living like Jesus. How can we live with a "holy boldness" when things start to feel comfortable and we're less likely to take the kind of risks He's calling us toward?

In this Bible Study series, we're taking an in-depth look at the Armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18, and discussing the tools we can use to accomplish God's mission to invite, include, and train others while facing the battle within ourselves.

Today's focus is on the Helmet of Salvation. The mind can play tricks on us, sometimes making us think or worry about things that aren't true. Salvation reorients our mind, reminding us that we are saved for something more. To don the helmet of salvation is to be aware of all God has done for us, to know we are worthy. YOU MATTER. You belong.

So protect your head--your mind. Protect your thoughts, your emotions, your attitudes so you can truly understand who He is, and who you are within the body of Christ.

Israel has wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and are once again being led into the Promised Land. And once again there are spies in the land, who find shelter in the home of Rahab, a prostitute.

Rahab is an unlikely interloper in God's epic story, yet she finds a significant place in the story. She is listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews, and is included in the genealogy of Jesus. We see this over and over in the ministry of Jesus--he invites unlikely heroes.

Perhaps you feel "less than." Here's the good news: there are no "less thans" in God's kingdom. YOU have a part to play in God's epic adventure.

We're now two weeks into our Epic series, exploring the story of God interacting and moving amongst His people, and how His working in and through them was (and is) truly epic! What we're learning is that God is inviting us to be part of His adventure, His story...but playing our part requires having the right perspective.

What does it mean to have the right perspective? Because, in the circumstances of our culture today, perspective matters. It can either propel us forward or hold us back. But following Jesus means we have "skin in the game." If we want to be active participants in His story, we need to change our perspective to align with His.

It's not going to be comfortable. It's not going to be easy. But as we move forward, let's move with God.

In this Bible Study series, we're taking an in-depth look at the Armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18, and discussing the tools we can use to accomplish God's mission to invite, include, and train others while facing the battle within ourselves.

Today's focus is on verse 16, where Paul urges the Church to take up the Shield of Faith. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle, and we all need to be warriors against the enemy's attack, pushing our way forward toward Jesus. It is evident that we live in a broken world. When we begin to believe God is not at work because we don't see and understand what He's doing, or we resist His plan, we're headed for defeat. But even at our lowest points, in our struggles, Jesus is the fulfillment of our faith. He's holding us close.

God has Moses send out twelve spies to report on the Promised Land. Ten come back with negative reports, two spies--Joshua & Caleb--come back with positive reports. Each report was shaped by each spies' perspective.

Israel decided not to take the land because of the negative reports, so God caused them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. There is grace even in this wandering, because God stays with them and provides.

This is good news for all of us who have failed to fully follow God because of a faulty perspective. God does not give up on us. We need fresh eyes to see and follow God's kingdom. Is your perspective moving you forward in God's epic adventure, or is it holding you back?