Conflict is seen all around us in culture, religion, and everyday life. Join us as we seek to navigate our faith through the reality of conflict around us. 

Life is a roller coaster, it’s full of ups and downs; in the same way our spiritual life is full of ups and downs.

Proverbs 24:16

"For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes."

Just as a child, when learning how to walk, falls often, so we in out journeys fall - but we are encouraged to get up and keep going.

The truth is that the struggle is itself a sign of life. In our struggle we can call out to God and cast our cares on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Many Bible characters struggled, including Job, David, and Joseph. In their struggles and confusion, they continued to trust in God though they did not understand why they were in their predicament.

Jesus also struggled in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38) and at the cross (Matthew 27:46) and he shows us that it is okay to express our pain, emotions and feelings when we are going through the struggle. It's okay to have questions.

The reality is that God wants us to find Him sufficient in the midst of our struggle rather than just demanding that He deliver us from it. God also wants to help you in your situation so that you may help others in the same situation.

One day we will see how God used our pain and losses to accomplish far more than we could ask or imagine.

Edgar and I wrestle with the concept of Worship and translate it to a modern, more-practical understanding.

Worship is anything we see is worthy of our: time, affection, money, energy, desire; meaning that we worship that which takes our time, money, affection, etc.

Worship tends to be seen as an event that occurs once a week, but in reality, worship is every single day.

Joseph Kidder in his book Majesty: Experiencing Authentic Worship, says:

"Worship is an encounter with God. It happens when our hearts touch the heart of God... Worship is finding ourselves engulfed with the grace, mercy, and warmth of God’s presence. Thus worship can take place anytime, anywhere, under any circumstance, when we meet God and desire to be changed by Him... Worship is an active response to God whereby we declare His worth. Instead of being passive, it is participative. Nor is it simply a mood or feeling, but a declaration of our awe and wonder."

We worship God in response to what He is done and-because He is worth our worship. Worship is about what you do, and not what is done for you by the church and pastors, since God already did all for you - we respond/react to God's initiative.

Bible passages:

Romans 12:1-2

Rev 14:7

Quality time is essential to a healthy relationship. We explore how that looks in our relationship with God.

It's about spending valuable and intentional time with God, listening (Bible & Meditating) and talking (Prayer) with Him. We do it to keep our relationship alive, because any relationship without communication and quality time fail and fall apart.

Location is crucial! Find a place where you go and automatically know this is where I spend time with God; rid of distractions and can be outside, in your car, in your closet, in your room, on the floor.

Devotional Ideas:

My Utmost for His Highest

Sabbath School Quarterly

Ellen G White books

Remember to dive into the Bible for yourself.

Think of The story:

Your Study (Proposed)

Pay Attention to:

Bible Verses used in example:

Psalm 32:1, 10; Daniel 3:27; Hosea 11:2, 7

Sebastians Study:

Pray before that God helps you understand and learn something new to apply today.

Read a chapter of Bible a day

Understanding your love language will help your relationship with Jesus.

Find your love languages: https://www.5lovelanguages.com

[Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gifts, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch]

Jesus to Us

Words of Affirmation

- Jer 31:3 - Everlasting love; Joshua 1:9 - Do not fear; Psalm 139:14 - Fearfully and wonderfully made; Jer 29:11; Jer 1 - set apart from birth

Gifts

- John 10:10 - Life abundantly; Matt 11:29 - Rest; Eph 2:8-10 - salvation

Service

- John 13 - Washes disciples feet; Mark 10:45 - Serve and Give life

Quality time

- John 14 - Be where Jesus is; Rev 21:3 - We will be with Jesus; Zeph 3:17 - God is with you

- Sabbath -- made for quality time -- “date night”

Physical touch

- Luke 5:13 - Jesus touched people; Rev 21:4 - Wipe every tear away

Us to Jesus

Words of Affirmation

- New song of praise each day - for His mercies are new. Thank God for His love, goodness, and mercy

Gifts

- Give of ourselves to Him

- Tithe and your time - Trust Him for everything is His (Mal 3:10 - Test God's faithfulness)

Service

- Serve God with whole being - missionary/service trip

- Daily serving others = serving God

Quality time

- Personal TAG (Time Alone with God)

- Be interruptible

Physical touch

- Face to face - Zeph 3:17 — "He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

- Closeness to God - intimacy

We speak of the Christchurch shooting in New Zealand that took the lives of 50 individuals and injured others who were worshipping at two mosques during Friday prayer, on March, 15, 2019.

We fear what we don't understand, therefore it is necessary to take time to understand and learn for ourselves.

It is important to take the counsel of James 1:19 to heart. “Quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

- Take time to listen

- To understand

- Show empathy

Be a bridge builder

- Commit to helping others understand and see from a different point of view

We all crave community and being with others. It may look different, but at the end of the day we need each other. 

We are all a part of community, whether that be through sports, music, politics, religion, or even our careers.

Bible Passages: Genesis 1:28, 2:18, 29; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; Hebrews 10:24-25; Psalm 133:1; Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:4-5; Mark 2:17; Matthew 5:3-4

A faith community serves as a support group where broken and real people can come together to journey with each other and draw closer to God.

Sebastians cousins triplets:

Annie - May Triplets

Fernando - Rigacci Triplets

Bible and Community:

1. Community is encouraging -- you learn from others and you are able to help others grow.

2. Community is fun -- engaging with others who love the same as you is energizing

3. Community helps ones spiritual journey -- learning from others' past experiences and through dialogue and discussion helps you to move in the right direction.

4. Community fosters love -- you learn to love others and to be loved

5. Community shows that we are better together than we are alone

*Points found in following Stewardship.com article: https://www.stewardship.com/articles/4-reasons-the-bible-calls-us-to-community

Seek a community, learn from others, and journey together.

Prayer is opening your heart to God. Raw and real. Daily.

Prayer is opening your heart to God. Raw and real. Daily.

Bible Passages: Matthew 6: 7-13; Proverbs 16:3

PRAY = Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield

ACTS = Acknowledge, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication

"Prayer is the openings of the heart to God as to a friend, not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him." (Steps to Christ pg. 93)

The Bible is the story of God leading us back home. 

*Minute 19:04 — Book of Judges, not Genesis.

Bible Passages: John 5:39; Psalm 119:105

Resources: [Click on Name - it is linked to website]

1. Bible Project

- Youtube channel

- Podcast

2. Streetlights Bible (Found in Youtube + Spotify)

- Phil 2

- Col 3

3. YouVersion

4. BibleHub

5. Bible Gateway

6. EGW App

- Website

- Apple

- Google

7. Sabbath School App (Quarterly)

- Website

- Apple

- Google