abundance

I have a little thing I call my movie conscience. It also applies to television shows. When I feel someone is about to make a complete fool of themselves, or if things are going to get really awkward, I have to leave the room. I have never been able to watch many episodes of “The Office” because of my movie conscience. Pretty much any Ben Stiller movie is off the table.

There are few conversations that can cause the awkwardness in church like the money conversation. Let me admit/apologize something to you off the bat. Traditionally most churches (preachers) do a bad job at it. I’m sorry.

So we are going to just call out the awkwardness and have the first honest conversation this week in worship. I will clue you in on this though…we aren’t the primary actors when it comes to conversations of abundance and giving. We are focusing our worship this week around Ephesians 1:3-11, and 17-20

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

See you in worship this Sunday!

Chad Brooks - March 9, 2014

Practicing Prayer

Practicing Prayer

Have you ever felt like you bumble through prayer or are dissatisfied with your prayer life? One of the keys to the Christian life is understanding how prayer builds a big vision of who God is. This week we look at the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 and find out how it helps us build a great prayer life.

Scripture and Discussion

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