Joy!cast

Soil matters! Fruit trees produce more fruit and sweeter fruit depending on the quality of the soil. The same is true for spiritual fruit such as love, joy, and peace. Listen this week as Pastor Mark discusses the soils we can plant ourselves in where God seems to do God’s best work producing fruit in us.

Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to lead and empower every Christian (Acts 2:8).  However, as Paul points out in Galatians 5, there is a constant battle between the Holy Spirit and our own sinful desires.  Paul introduces the fruit of the spirit to help Christians identify the evidence of the Holy Spirit in their lives with the nine “fruit” (attributes) he outlines in this passage that all Christians should be producing in their lives.  As we give the Holy Spirit more control of our lives, the Spirit shapes us to be more like Jesus and rid our lives of the evil things in our sinful nature.

Difficult people are less difficult to love when we forgive them. 

If we fill our buckets with love, patience, etc we can actually become loving and patient. And then we can pour love and patience on the people in need.

Take the next step. You can play it safe and fly 2000 feet above the highest mountain, or you can learn to be a better pilot and fly through the valleys. We become better neighbors and love people better when we fly with them through the valley’s rather than play it safe and stay clear of their struggles. Playing it safe doesn’t help us grow. Being brave means our trust in God grows, our need for God grows. God is with us in the valley, growing our faith in Him. We don’t need to have every step through the valley planned, we just need to be ready to take the next step.

If we are called to love everybody always how do we love the person who lives under a cloud of shame? Do we remind them of what they did the mistakes they made? the decisions they regret? Or is there a better way? Listen to this weeks message as we learn how Jesus dealt with the shame Peter felt for denying even knowing who Jesus was in Jesus’ most dire hour.

Hospitals, organizations, and even laws are named after the Good Samaritan. Why? Because the story of the Good Samaritan is a story about a person who was known for loving others. What do you want to be known for? Someday someone will give your eulogy and it will be based on what you are known for. You won’t be there to edit it, but you still have time to influence it.

How did it get to the point where working 7 days a week is common and answering emails and texts while on vacation is expected. Even though we know, “that all work and know play makes Jack (and Jill) dull,” we fined less and less time to rest and play. Does our play and rest matter to God? It does! And would you like to know why? Because you matter to God. Listen to this week’s message on the value of adopting a Sabbath lifestyle.

Whose work matters more to God? The African Missionary serving in Mozambique or the Starbucks Barista working in Gurnee? The Youth Group that plays soccer with under-resourced children in Guatemala. Or the youth playing football with each other at Warren High School? Everyone wants their work to matter to someone. This week we explore how it matters to God.

Jesus says to deny ourselves and pick up our cross. In today's message we explore exactly what that means and the implications for us who choose to follow Jesus.