Celebration Center

Sometimes doing the right thing costs us. When others take the easy way out, it can be tempting to move away from what we know is right, in order to avoid potential pain or consequences. Our soul desires to move in alignment with God no matter what the circumstance, but those outside pressures can be hard to overcome!" Judges 16:16 “…she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death”

From soul music to soul food, we use the term soul to describe cars, people and preferences. Yet what is a soul? Do we have a soul? If we have a soul, what does it need? In Mark 8:36 Jesus says, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world yet forfeit his soul?” Jesus implies we have a responsibility for our soul. What could that mean?

It’s amazing how often fear and anxiety are the deciding factors in our lives. When we’re overcome by fear, safety becomes our new god; a weight that mere safety cannot bear. Fear is an inevitable element of the world we live in, but it doesn’t have to rule our hearts.

We all face seasons where we wonder if anyone knows or cares about what we are going through. However we also know that God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) So how do we guard our heart against loneliness?"

The Bible is clear that our heart needs protecting. A firewall is an intentional layer of security, designed to keep out specific threats. This week, we will explore how anger presents a threat to our heart, and how managing our anger affects our heart and helps determine the direction of our lives.

How do we overcome when faced with a Civil War? We have the hard conversation. Jesus taught us how to manage tension with people we are close with. Matthew 18 show us that going to a person and working through the issue is part of the process. However, it takes two to resolve a “Civil” War. If they are not willing, then it’s time for healthy boundaries.

What do you need to forgive someone? Do you need them to feel bad, do you need to get even? Do you need to feel like they have paid back whatever they owe you? A war can get pretty “un-civil” if it cannot end until we are “even”. This week we will focus who handles the revenge part of our lives. We need to learn to invite God into the tension – and trust he has this part handled.

Every conflict I experience has one thing in common. Me! When there is conflict one of the hardest things to do, is see things from someone else’s perspective. Even when we disagree with someone, seeing things from their vantage point can help us develop some empathy. With empathy we are on the path to reconciliation. The more we learn to see things from other perspectives the closer we are to winning a civil war.

James has been teaching us that interacting with God is a huge piece of our faith journey. As he wraps up his letter he stresses that prayer factors into every major area of our life. So how do we do it? We all have to start somewhere. Pick a time. Pick a place. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Perhaps we should do the same?

We all want to know the future. We all want to have the answers before we take the test. However, only God truly knows the future. I can make plans – I just can’t “guarantee” they will happen. Only God has that kind of power. James wants us to learn this important lesson – when we attempt to control every part of our future – we actually reject Gods will and Gods plan for our lives. That kind of brash declaration is a recipe for disappointment. How does God want us to handle our plans?

This episode the Holy Spirit will be speaking to you about an extremely critical principle of life. It is a foundational pillar! In fact, if sequence or order means anything in Scripture, it may be ranked among the most important LIFE HACKS in all of God's kingdom. "Okay Pastor, quit hanging the proverbial carrot out there and tell me what it is? What is this all important biblical principal I cannot live without?" Hmmm...I think I'll let you look it up for yourself! It is the first "spirit" in the seven Spirits of the Lord in Isaiah 11. And it is the first "gift" in the nine gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12. But it comes with a warning label...like all medications. Beware!: There are two kinds - one from above and one from below. Join us as we unpack this marvelous truth.

Resistance. James teaches us that though we will all face temptation, we don't have to be overwhelmed by it. In fact, we can partner with God to resist. When we recognize that some of our greatest internal and external battles come from wanting the wrong things for the wrong reasons, we can learn to trust God in new ways. [Creed Audio Clip - Copyright MGM, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema] - [God is Better Audio Clip - Copyright Francis Chan]

“…and God said...” When God created the universe – He spoke. From that moment on, it was clear that words are incredibly powerful. The bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. As people created in the image of God, we have to be incredibly aware of how we use our words. James warns us that great fires begin as a small spark. Knowing when to speak and choosing to speak life can make all the difference.

James the brother of Jesus writes to us in Chapter 2 that one of the pitfalls followers of Jesus should avoid is playing favorites. Often times we fall into a trap of treating people differently based on what we think that person can do for us. But God the Father modeled a love that was freely given to all – genuinely caring for who the person is and not just what they could do. A true Father’s love, the love God modeled for us, doesn’t give some people special treatment, but sees the incredible value in every one of us.

James, the brother of Jesus, lays out for us some very practical keys to living life as a follower of Jesus. One such key challenges us to take our faith and put momentum on it. Learning is important, but action changes things. James asserts that there is a “dead” faith and we have to guard against it! Join us as we figure out how to put our faith into action.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Trials of many kinds! Oh yea! What was James thinking when he asked us to consider this pure joy? James knew that the secret to our attitude lies in our thinking, and that the way we think about our trials, and ourselves, can change everything. Let’s see what life hack James has for our thoughts that will cause us to rejoice about our trials.

When you have a mess to address, first options aren’t usually the best options. First options often make messes messier. Sometimes what appears to be the easiest path actually leads to a larger mess! In this message, we explore an approach that can take the "er" out of your messy situations.

Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. But that’s easier said than done. What are the limits of our responsibility to others? How can we love people that are difficult to even like? How do we embrace messy people? Jesus gives us a model for moving towards the mess.

A common misperception is that the Christian life is all about avoiding messes and staying out of trouble. However following Jesus is not about avoiding the mess; it’s a journey towards becoming more like him. Jesus invited people to follow him while they were still a mess! The more time we spend with him, the more like him we become.

We have all experienced the mess! One of the great realities of our faith is that Jesus comes and meets us right in our mess. We don’t have to get it all together before we are ready for a relationship with God. In fact, your mess has the potential to bring God near you. Once we acknowledge that we are all a mess, we can recognize that we all need the grace God provides.