Connexus Church Audio Podcast

Guardrails keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off limit areas. We need personal guardrails so we don't stray into areas of life that can harm us or the people we love. If there's one area in which personal guardrails are most needed but also most resisted, it's in our relationships.

Have you ever met someone that later you wish you'd never met? Is there a person you wish your husband, wife, son, or daughter had never met? Sometimes people are our greatest regrets because they influence us to ignore our guardrails and step into the danger zone.

Guardrails are designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas. They minimize damage by keeping us in the safety zone. But the highway isn't the only place we need guardrails.

Blame. It damages marriages, destroys partnerships, harms teams and twists relationships. None of us like to get blamed, but somehow most of us still find ways to blame others. Why do we do that? What would life be like if we stopped blaming others? What would it do to your faith, your friendships, your family? How would you get there?

In a world of outrage, it's easy to be angry. Whether your anger shows up in private, public or whether it's just something you feel but rarely show, what's underneath that? We'll look at where your anger comes from, how to deal with it, and how to replace it with a profound gratitude.

Remember when you were a kid and trusted at a level that seemed, well, childlike? But our trust gets broken. Over time, we become suspicious of people, organizations and even God. What happens to us when suspicion becomes our dominant view? Everything changes when you stop assuming the worst, and start believing the best.

It's so easy to judge others, to think you're better than others or to think they're less than you. It's so easy to look down on other people while giving yourself a break. Why do so many people rush to judgment? This week, we'll look at how people who want to change actually find transformation.

What a morning to celebrate how Jesus has changed people's lives and their choice to follow Him. It's amazing to see what God is doing. Baptism is also a time for all of us to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus, and celebrate the freedom He brings us.

I know that true freedom is found in Jesus, and I know the Holy Spirit wants to remodel my heart so I can live freely, but here's the problem … people. It seems like relationships can rob us of our freedom when they aren't going well. Whether it's our kids or spouse on a bad day, the boss who stresses us out, the person who takes advantage of us, or the person who cuts us off on the road, people have the power to rob us of living in freedom. How do we pursue relationships in a way where we can experience freedom?

I know that true freedom is found in Jesus. It's amazing that He has made a way for us to experience a loving relationship with God. At the same time, I don't always feel like I'm living in freely in my day to day life - I give into temptation, lose my temper, fall into bad habits, get overwhelmed, etc. How do I experience this freedom as I live my life each day?