Stonecreek Church

Is your prayer life uncomfortable and awkward? Do you dread praying because you just don’t know how to relate to God? This past Sunday, we heard from Pastor Aaron Bennett as he unpacked what it means to enter into prayer as God’s friend. Relationships are powerful and real prayer starts when we learn how to love being in God’s presence. Real prayer is deeply personal and it connects us to God’s power. Maybe you haven’t seen God move the way you truly desire because you have had a wrong perception of prayer: after all, the house of God is a house of prayer. It is written, “My house will be called a house of prayer.” Matthew 21:13 What if THIS house became a house of prayer? What if YOUR house becomes a house of prayer? Prayer is complicated. The truth is… You weren’t made to perform for God. You were made to connect with God. What if we could ask Jesus for advice on how to pray? MATTHEW 6:5-13 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” Real prayer is deeply rewarding. Real prayer is deeply personal. Real prayer gets better with practice. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends.” John 15:13-15

Shame is the ultimate identity thief and only Jesus offers restoration. This past Sunday we closed our sermon series, “Questions From Jesus,” as Pastor Steven tackled Jesus’ most repeated question: “Do you love me?” While we might remember our mistakes and live with regret, Jesus remembers and restores. We don’t have to live with the shame of our biggest mistake; we can live in a new identity found in Jesus, our Savior. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” John 21:15-19 Regrets don’t have to rule the rest of your life. What happened that I need to talk to God about? God allows you to fail so that you can see that it is his grace, not your success, that is the basis of your acceptance.

Your consistent habits communicate your crucial values. Are you creating habits that bring you back to the goodness of God or do they have you looking for Jesus in places He can’t be found? This past Sunday we heard from Pastor Steven as he unpacked Luke 2:41-52 and the first question Jesus ever asked: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” When we take Jesus for granted, we run the risk of losing track of Him all together. Jesus is waiting for you; He’s inviting you back to His Father’s house. “Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.’ And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:41-52 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 Consistency will take you where convenience can’t. What do your consistent rhythms say about your crucial values? For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36 Have you taken Jesus for granted? It’s in the grind that you find the goodness of God. What is your growth plan? Is there something you need to go back to? For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father! Romans 8:15 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; so we are. 1 John 3:1 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11

 Are you settling for crumbs when a feast is within your reach? This past weekend, we heard from Pastor Steven as he unpacked what Jesus meant when He asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Jesus to do for him. So often we discount all that Jesus wants to give us because we don’t have a category for the miraculous in our lives. And when we hope for the miraculous, we might find that our sight has been recovered and that it was Jesus we wanted all along. And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:46-52 What if Bartimaeus only asked Jesus for a snack, when sight was available? “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” C.S. Lewis Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6 Am I settling for crumbs off the floor, when God wants to give me a seat at the table? Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to their graves with their song still in them. Thoreau What have I stopped hoping for? What truth do I need to face? What do I want more than God? Is my way the way of Jesus?

If we can’t bring our doubts to church, where else are we supposed to take them? This past Sunday, we heard from Pastor Aaron Bennett as he taught on what Jesus meant when He asked Peter, “why do you doubt?” If we really believe in the power of God, then our doubts aren’t the place for deconstruction, but the questions that can finally unlock the move of God we long for. Addressing our doubts might just change our life. Have you ever noticed that the right question can change your life? Sometimes we don’t really like questions. We see them as an intrusion. What if we saw them as an invitation. Jesus asked over 300+ questions in the Bible It’s not because he needed info It’s because He wants to invite us into the life he designed for us Matthew 14:22-32 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Why do you doubt? Doubts of unbelievers: 1. If God is so good, then why is the world so bad? 2. If Christ is so kind, why can Christians be so cruel? Doubts of believers: God — I’m pretty sure that you can... I’m not sure that you will... for me. Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt It takes a whole lot of faith, to be honest about your doubt. 1. Life gives us some pretty good reasons to doubt. 2. Jesus is the safest place to bring your doubts. 3. Doubt doesn’t have to be your destiny. 4. Dealing honestly with doubt can lead to the deepest faith.

What you think about Jesus is the most important thing about you. This past Sunday, Pastor Steven unpacked what it meant when Jesus asked His disciples, “who do YOU say that I am?” The questions that Jesus asked us are an invitation to life as it is supposed to be, and an invitation for a new identity. Are you pursuing a life that helps you hear God’s questions? Or are you pursuing a life that perpetuates bondage to the lies we’ve been told our whole lives? Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Matthew 16:13 - 20 Questions from Jesus aren’t for information, but are an invitation to the life He wants for us. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Appetite Approval Ambition Am I pursuing a life that helps you hear God’s questions? “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14 Where do I get my view of Jesus? He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15 Must get Jesus right, or nothing is right. Who do you say Jesus is? Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Matthew 16:16 - 20 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:13-14 Am I pursuing a life that helps you hear God’s questions? Where do I get my view of Jesus? Who do I say Jesus is?

We all long for something deeper in our lives and relationships, and thankfully, there is Someone who satisfies that deep well of longing. This past Sunday, Pastor Steven Gibbs talked about what it means to have a real, living relationship with God Almighty. We learned about the real gospel, real Christianity, and what a real relationship with Jesus looks like. The invitation to know Him as our savior and friend is up to us – it just begins with us showing up. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:12-17 Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel Mark 1:14-15 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ Galatians 1:6-7 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 Do I live a false gospel? You are my friends if you do what I command you. John 15:14 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Acts 11:25-26 Who would Jesus be if Jesus were me? You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:16-17 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 Do I know him? And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3

DO YOU HAVE FRIENDS? What work do you need to do to develop meaningful relationships? This past Sunday, Pastor Steven Gibbs taught us the necessity of having deep, meaningful friendships. Scripture tells us that friendship begins when we take off the masks that we wear in our everyday lives. Are you willing to be real with the people in your life? Are you ready to get in the trenches with the community that God has provided for you? You might just find that, in the mess, there is beauty. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Romans 12:9-13 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:14-15 “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.”  - Dietrich Bonhoeffer Real Friends Create Value “Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.” Romans 12:9-10 (MSG) Transaction vs. Treasure Who values me enough to make me better? Real Friends Create Work What work do you need to do to develop meaningful friendships?

What is your vision for your life? Does it align with God’s plan for your life? This past Sunday, Pastor Steven Gibbs was back with an awesome message about what it takes for us to live our best, real life. Life change begins when we become willing to sacrifice all that we have for the One who paid it all. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ The world has a vision for your life, do you? Power in us is fueled by the patterns of Jesus. The mercy of God is our motivation. Have you considered how much mercy God gives you? Sacrifices are serious business. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17 Is your sacrifice bringing you the life you want? How did you get here? What are your inputs? What systems are shaping you today?‬ God’s vision for your life is the person you are becoming. Broken thoughts lead to broken beliefs; ‬ ‭ Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2 Where is the joy of my salvation? And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Death is inevitable, we have one life to live – life with Jesus gives us the purpose and meaning that our souls desperately crave. This past Sunday, Pastor Aaron Bennett reminded us that when we set our desires, our cravings, on the eternity of Heaven, we can trust that God will provide for us as a good Father. Real life is found in Jesus and it lasts forever.  CBS News Poll: Most people don’t think about death. → But we spend a lot of time and money trying to avoid it. Is that really how we want to live? Is that really what God wants for us? Matthew 6:25-33 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Jesus knows you want everlasting life and He wants for you to experience everlasting life. Have you received eternal life from Jesus? What are you doing that will last forever? Real life is offered to everyone.  Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Real life from Jesus is given, not earned. Real life isn’t about changing what you do. Real life is about changing what you want.  What are you doing that will last forever?