In this uplifting message, J.John uses the story of Lazarus to encourage us to remove any barriers between ourselves and God, and to respond to His call in our lives. He explains how to overcome our inhibitions and be bold in sharing the gospel with others.

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“Misusing God’s Name.” How do we misuse God’s name? Many believe it has to do with swearing. But at its core, when we claim to be His people, but fail to live His ways, accidentally or deliberately, we misrepresent Him to the world. This Commandment goes far beyond a simple cuss word.

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Sermon Overview
Scripture Passage: Galatians 6:1-5

Whether we are saved or lost, we will all carry burdens at some point in our lives; but we do not have to bear them alone. Galatians 6 shows us what to do with our burdens.

First, this passage addresses the burdens we willingly take up.
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).

As believers, we are called to take up the burdens of another brother or sister who is hurting—to restore those who have backslidden. We must remember that a broken person doesn’t need a lecture; he doesn’t need to be ignored or reported, shot down, or cast away. Instead, he needs to be brought back to fellowship with God.

Adrian Rogers says, “The church is the only army in the world that shoots its wounded.”

A backslidden Christian is like a broken place in our net of believers. He needs us to approach him gently, humbly, and sympathetically. He has broken fellowship with God and is weighed down by a guilty conscience, the enemy, and the threat of public shame. To fulfill the law of Christ, we must love our brother back to fellowship with God and mend the broken place in the net.

There are also burdens we must faithfully endure.
“But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6:4-5).

We are not called to lives of ease, but to lives of discipline. God lays burdens upon us and expects us to bear them ourselves. It is our own responsibility to repent and be saved.

Finally, there are burdens we wisely lay down.
Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you...”

Our loving Father urges us to bring our broken hearts to His throne; how beautiful that our burdens can be used to bring us to our Master’s feet.

Apply it to your life
If you are a believer, you are called to lift another’s burdens and bring backslidden brothers and sisters back to Jesus. Realize your own burden of responsibility to know God and to share Him with others. Cast your heartaches upon Jesus, for He cares for you.

Our country has the strongest economy in the world. Is it the happiest country? No. It didn’t even make the top 10. It didn’t make the top 20! Money is not the key to happiness. So...what is? Well, Pastor Greg Laurie addresses that pressing question today on A NEW BEGINNING. The Bible isn’t silent on the subject . . . in fact, Jesus Himself addressed the issue in a memorable way. If happiness seems to be in short supply these days, you’ve tuned in for the right study.

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In this Q&A episode, Mark addresses some tough challenges parents are facing with their teens today. He answers listener questions on supporting a teen dealing with depression and drug use, how to respond when teens show no interest in talking about relationships and what to do if you feel desperate about getting your child help — especially when resources are tight. Mark also shares advice for parenting special needs teens, managing explosive anger outbursts, and what to do when your 18-year-old ignores chores and becomes glued to video games. All throughout, Mark emphasizes the importance of realistic expectations and knowing when to set firm boundaries as you guide your teen through an ever-changing culture.

Stumped by your teen's behavior? Ask Mark about it! Send in your questions at markgregston.com

What if financial success isn’t the destination, but simply the foundation for something greater?

We spend a great deal of time thinking about how to earn, save, invest, and manage money wisely. Those things matter. Faithful stewardship requires care and wisdom with what God has entrusted to us.

But what happens when you’ve done many of those things well and still find yourself wondering, Is there something more?

Scott Highmark, President and Co-Founder of Mosaic Wealth, a Certified Kingdom Advisor®, and author of The Significance Pyramid: Climb Beyond Success to Find Lasting Significance, believes there is.

His “Significance Pyramid” offers a framework for moving beyond financial success toward a life increasingly shaped by purpose, generosity, service, and ultimately surrender to Christ.

Our culture often encourages us to keep moving “up and to the right”—more income, more achievement, more possessions, more recognition.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with achievement. The problem comes when we expect it to satisfy desires it was never designed to fulfill.

Highmark points out that even people who reach the top of their professions often discover that the fulfillment they expected doesn’t last. Accomplishment may bring genuine satisfaction for a season, but our appetites continually reach for something more.

Ultimately, the human heart's deepest longing cannot be satisfied by another financial milestone or professional achievement. We were created for God Himself.

That conviction is at the heart of the Significance Pyramid. Every life points somewhere. The question is whether ours ultimately points toward ourselves or toward something greater.

The pyramid's first level is stewardship.

Stewardship involves wisely managing all God has entrusted to us—not simply our money, but our time, abilities, opportunities, and relationships.

Financially, that means understanding what we have, knowing where it is going, and learning to live within our means. Practices such as budgeting can sometimes feel restrictive, but healthy financial boundaries can actually create freedom. When our finances are in order, we can spend and give more intentionally instead of constantly reacting to financial pressure.

But stewardship is only the foundation. Once money consumes less of our attention, we can begin asking deeper questions about what our resources are actually for.

As Highmark puts it, money can help fund our purpose, but it cannot help us find our purpose.

The second level is symmetry, or alignment.

Most of us can quickly name what matters most to us: faith, family, marriage, generosity, service, relationships. But would someone looking at our calendars and financial statements reach the same conclusion?

Symmetry means aligning the way we actually live with the things we say we value.

James 1 describes a person who looks at himself in a mirror, walks away, and immediately forgets what he looks like. In a similar way, we can profess certain priorities while organizing our lives around completely different ones.

Highmark tells the story of a successful executive who traveled more than 150 days a year. His children were nearin

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