Who… Are You?

Other Messages In our daily lives, we often wear masks – projections of our personality intended to portray a certain image. This isn’t inherently negative; we all use these masks to navigate social situations, present a professional front, or to protect ourselves. However, problems arise when these masks prevent us from revealing our true selves, keeping us distant from others and God. Our need to be known, I believe, mirrors God’s desire to be known. Yet, our fear of shame, rejection, and weakness often leads us to hide behind these masks. Whether it’s the people-pleaser mask, the tough-and-in-control mask, or the one that blends in the crowd, these masks shield us from our own hurt and insecurity. Instead of masking our insecurities, we are called to “put on Christ.” As written in Ephesians 4:22-24, we are taught to lay aside our old selves and put on a new self, created in God’s image. Galatians 3:27 further emphasizes this, stating that by being baptized into Christ, we have put on Christ. By choosing to put on Christ, we become part of a community that heals through love. The church provides a safe space where we can reveal our truth without fear …

The Victorious Life – Part 3

Other Messages The biblical narrative of the “Jericho March” provides potent spiritual lessons and practical guidance for today’s believers seeking liberation from personal “Jericho” – seemingly insurmountable challenges standing between them and God’s promises. Analogous to Joshua’s life journey – from Egypt’s enslavement, through wilderness experiences, to the Promised Land – the believer’s path includes initial enslavement by sin, acceptance of Jesus Christ, leaving behind sinful ways, baptism, learning, worshiping, and experiencing God’s power. These steps lead us towards our “Promised Land” – God’s purpose for us. Yet, like Jericho for Joshua, many believers face daunting obstacles. Jericho, in our lives, may represent various hurdles like overcoming debt, breaking an addiction, achieving a degree, starting a business, defeating a disease, or reconciling a relationship. These challenges often appear walled off, causing fear, and doubt, seeming too vast to overcome. Yet, they stand as spiritual strongholds impeding our divine destiny. Crucially, every “Jericho” in our life is conquerable with faith and God’s Word. Joshua’s victory came not by human strength but through the power of God’s presence symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant. Analogously, believers need to march against their Jerichos armed with the Spirit and the Word. St. Paul’s …

The Victorious Life – Part 2

Other Messages Living a victorious life, overcoming past regrets, and embracing a promising future are all profound spiritual themes mirrored in the lives of biblical figures Moses and Joshua. They epitomize the redemption and grace of Jesus’ ministry, a guiding light for Christians seeking spiritual growth and redemption. Embracing the Presence of God, like Joshua, is a transformative experience, empowering us to overcome personal weaknesses, sins, and life’s challenges. Joshua’s story, as recorded in the Bible (Joshua 1), holds invaluable lessons for leading a victorious life, two of which are vital: releasing the past and facing the future with faith. Our past, filled with successes and failures, can often become an impediment to present growth. Learning to view the past as a closed chapter allows us to embrace the new day with open hearts and minds, stepping into the victorious life God promises. Furthermore, God’s promise to Joshua reassures us of victory, prosperity, and unwavering companionship. This assurance emboldens us to confront the future without fear, grounded in the knowledge of His eternal presence. In our turbulent world, the Bible serves as an unshakeable foundation of truth, shaping major socio-cultural transformations and providing an unwavering moral compass. Engaging deeply with …

The Victorious Life

Other Messages God has bestowed upon us a divine call: to live a life of victory, guided by His Spirit. As we journey through life, we undoubtedly face trials, tribulations, weaknesses, and fatigue. However, we are not alone; God’s Spirit empowers us to conquer. Ephesians 6:13 tells us to put on all the armor God provides, so that when faced with adversity, we remain unyielding, standing firm in our faith. Romans 8:35-37 assures us of Christ’s enduring love, which remains inseparable from us, even amidst hardships, and enables us to be more than conquerors. God’s ultimate desire is to see us standing in victory, our hands raised high, triumphant in our faith. One of the greatest examples of victorious living is through the life of Joshua. In the Old Testament, Joshua’s Hebrew name ‘Yehoshua’ translates to ‘Iesous’ in the New Testament Greek, which is the name of Jesus. Joshua is hence seen as a foreshadowing of the Spirit of Christ, and his life provides invaluable lessons on victorious living. Just as Joshua led Israel through the Jordan river into the Promised Land, broke cultural barriers, and empowered his people to conquer their world, the Holy Spirit of Christ leads and …

Don’t Hold Back

Other Messages Synopsis There are those who have such a firm grip on themselves, such a myopic focus on their situation, such a shallow view of life, that they cannot grasp or truly see the Kingdom, for both their hands and eyes are full. They think they have it all together. But then there are those who drop every ounce of dignity, every notion of shame, forget how unworthy they are… and GRAB HOLD to hope! It doesn’t matter anymore what someone else will think. It doesn’t matter… what I look like… what I have done… if I have it all together. You don’t get in shape before you go to the gym. You don’t get better and then take the medicine. You don’t get your finances in order then start budgeting. Come as you are! Don’t hold back! Jesus won’t leave you in the same condition!

The Other Side (Launch Sunday)

Other Messages Synopsis John 21:4-5 When it was already very early morning, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. So Jesus said to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?” They replied, “No.”  We are all “fishing” for something – Peace, Contentment, Joy, Freedom, Fulfillment, Purpose. Our “nets” are things like: Marriage, Job, Money, and Stuff. But time and time again, it just doesn’t work out like it’s “supposed to.” John 21:6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they threw the net, and were not able to pull it in because of the large number of fish. Jesus takes one look at your life and he knows exactly what the problem is… You don’t need a new boat – you don’t need a new life… you shouldn’t have been born anywhere else… you don’t need to be like anyone else… your life will work! You don’t need new nets – You need a new direction; His direction!