Walking in Truth

There’s a special feeling when it comes to weddings. They’re memorable and a sweet moment in time for a couple and their relationship. There’s much excitement in entering into a new phase of life with the person you love. There’s also some nervousness about what that will look like. Now think of being married to Jesus! Today, Pastor Johnny helps you see how that will come true someday in the future. Being with Jesus will be so amazing and He’s caring for you and preparing a place for you!

You’re headed to a bonfire and you’re so excited because it’s an opportunity for the town you live in to have community and rally around the high school and its students. There’s warmth, laughter, maybe even music is being played to further set the mood. But take this bonfire and set it in the middle of a forest, and you have a different story! It’s no longer fun and inviting. It’s dangerous, it’s destructive, and it’s harmful to you and others. Today, Pastor Johnny relates this to the topic of alcohol.

The whole point of a tug-of-war game is to see which side, or which team, is stronger, and can win…pulling the other team to their side. Well in today’s message, Pastor Johnny speaks of a different type of tug-of-war…on your heart. When you willingly enter into a relationship with someone, and they’re not on the same page with you about God, you’re torn as to whether you stay true to God or follow the person you love instead. It can become a very damaging place to be, so it’s best to avoid it!

You may not get the attention that you crave, but it’s ok. You may not be the superstar that’s on the stage, visible for all to see, but that’s ok! You may not even be known for what you do here on earth, but that’s ok. Why is this so? Pastor Johnny reminds you today that what you’ve done isn’t missed by God. If you have a heart for Him and do things that draw people closer to God, there are rewards you can’t even imagine. But it may not be here on earth! So don’t get caught up in the fame of the game.

Today, Pastor Johnny talks about earthly elements. You have hard, rocky cliffs that seem immovable, but then you also have soft, grainy sand that can squish between your toes. On top of one, you can build a solid house. With the other, it would be foolish to build anything on it because it would surely sink. So today, what kind of foundation do you want to be on? A solid rock that’s sure to withstand the forces of nature, or are you choosing to plant yourself in the sand, that shifts at every turn?

In baseball, you have a starting pitcher that helps get the ball rolling and hopefully, gets your team off to a great start. But there’s an important role that another pitcher owns…and that’s finishing the game. When the points are close and the way you pitch is clutch to winning the game, you have your best pitcher at the end. Well today, Pastor Johnny makes a point about Jesus being the starter and the finisher. He’s there from beginning to end and everywhere in-between. And He wins!

When you’re afraid and timid, you end up not doing anything, and then later, you wish you had. You might regret not climbing that mountain or taking that risk of being truthful with a friend, or opening up to a stranger about your life. But today, Pastor Johnny empowers you to be bold and courageous in the things that really matter. Don’t let fear be what holds you back from doing some amazing things….especially when it comes to the things of God! Go out and be fearless rather than fearful!

So many times, you think you have to get all your ducks in a row before you can do anything of importance. You have to get all the information figured out in your head before you can act on anything of value. Well, Pastor Johnny has a news flash for you today. God wants you to come to Him as you are and when you over-think things, it doesn’t do you any good. Rather than having tons of information swirling around in your brain, just take what you’ve heard and apply it to your heart, where it matters most!

There are those humble people who always direct the attention away from themselves and onto another. They don’t care for all the acclaim or accolades. They just want to give credit where credit is due and they’re convinced it shouldn’t belong to them. This is the best way to live for God…pointing the attention back to God. Today, Pastor Johnny gives a great example of someone who did this during Jesus’ time. He could’ve claimed things for himself, but he directed people to Jesus instead.

When you go to the ocean, the waves are steady and unrelenting. They never stop! It can seem a bit overwhelming at times…especially if you’re afraid of water! But today, Pastor Johnny states that God’s grace is consistent and regular, washing over you like the waves that come continually and never stop. God’s grace is amazingly real and unending. So why on earth would you ever think to refuse this grace that He’s giving to you so generously? Embrace it and sink into it!