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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DontStopNow.jpg” title_text=”June8Blog_Insta” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium”]As we near the end of 21 days of prayer, I’m believing what won’t end are the habits of daily prayer and the daily reading of God’s Word that we have developed in our personal lives during this time. One of the most eye-opening things I’ve discovered is that when I’m intentional about carving out space for God to speak to me, He does! As I’ve created space for Him and pressed into His Word, He has shown me new revelation.

I would say for many of us, the greatest challenge moving forward will be to protect the time we worked to create from becoming filled again with futile things. What do I mean by futile things? Well, the definition of futile is “incapable of producing any useful result; pointless.”

Another revelation for me personally has been discovering how much time I do indeed have, and how easy it is to waste it on things like TV/Netflix, oversleeping, “vegging out;” all those things not being ‘bad,’ just futile.

I want to take what 21 days of prayer has accomplished for my personal walk with Jesus into everyday moving forward! And I know that if I’m not intentional about protecting it, it’s a given that other things will compete and take over this time I’ve been setting aside just for Jesus.

Another thing I’ve been reminded of is how we always make room for what is most important to us. Yikes! Let that thought sink in for a minute! Consider your marriage or time spent with your children – can you imagine if you neglected carving out time for those relationships? Undoubtedly, those relationships would suffer, and there would be a disconnect resulting in distance and the inability to grow closer in a meaningful way.

We always make room for what is most important to us.

It’s the same with God. When we nurture our relationship with Him, we get to know Him in a deeper way and our hearts become aligned with His heart.

Have you ever been driving your vehicle when the alignment is off? Your vehicle starts pulling to one side or the other. It’s harder to move forward with ease when your vehicle is out of alignment. When we spend time with God, He keeps us in alignment. That alignment with Him affects everything! Prayer isn’t about getting God’s will to align with mine, but my will to align with His.

C.S. Lewis said the following about prayer, “Prayer does not change God, it changes me,” “We must lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us.”

The value of prayer and reading God’s Word, isn’t just for our benefit.

Philippians 1:9-11 (AMP) says, “And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more, displaying itself in greater depth, in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent, identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences, and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, actually living lives that lead others away from sin; filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God, so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized”.

In conclusion, there are two kinds of knowledge. Knowledge that is raw information or head knowledge and the other is knowledge that comes through experience. We need to develop ‘knowledge that comes through experience.’ It’s the experience of knowing Jesus in a personal way that will not only change us, but can be both revealed and recognized, which will set in motion in us, the way Philippians describes as, “living lives that lead others away from sin.”

Let’s continue to seek the presence of God and let this new habit become a permanent one![/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/suzannecampus.png” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SoulFilter1920x1920.jpg” title_text=”Hydrate” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium” sticky_enabled=”0″]In 1854, the world’s greatest city was gripped by fear. An outbreak of the disease known as Cholera was sweeping across London, England, killing people seemingly at random in a terrifyingly brief window of 24 hours. The randomness was the product of confusion around how the disease worked. No one really knew how Cholera thrived and was transmitted. So, when one house on a street would have an entire family stricken with the disease and all of their neighbors would fine, it only added to the terror. Thousands of otherwise healthy people were being bedridden, and many were dying with no known cure.

And into that fear stepped maybe the most important person you’ve never heard of: an English physician named John Snow. Snow, helped by a Reverend named Henry Whitehead, was treating victims of the outbreak when he made an earth-shattering discovery: all the victims, regardless of where they lived, had drawn and used water from the same well pump on Broad Street. Although the limits of microbiology at the time meant that he couldn’t prove conclusively that the pump was responsible, he was able to convince the local authorities to remove the handle of the Broad Street pump. When the handle was removed, the outbreak quickly ended.

Dr. Snow is considered the father of epidemiology, and his discoveries lead to one of the most important breakthroughs in the modern world: the idea that poor sanitation leads to the transmission of disease. His influence lead many major cities in the Western World to invest heavily in sanitation infrastructure in the second half of the 19th Century, and if you track life expectancy trends in the Western World you will find that they have doubled since the implementation of modern sanitation. 

All this progress happened because Dr. Snow discovered something powerful: what we allow into our bodies, even if it is microscopic, can make a big difference. So, we should make sure we have a filter. The same is true for our souls.

This principle is worth considering as we enter a season of prayer, because 21 days of prayer is intense. Many of us are fasting, reading multiple hours of scripture, and gathering daily to seek the presence of God in order to get a greater, deeper and more powerful experience of the presence of God.

But greater presence always demands greater sacrifice.

Greater presence always demands greater sacrifice.

This is true all throughout scripture, and a great example of this comes from Exodus 19, when God is about to renew his covenant with his people through Moses, and verse 12 he tells Moses to do something very strange, “Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.”

Now that seems a bit harsh for the God of love and grace. But remember, He is also the holy and eternal King over all creation. And because of this, there are certain things that he will not allow to be brought into his presence. 

That’s the challenge of prayer. Prayer begins as a conversation with God, but as you pursue the life of prayer you discover that prayer is a greater revelation of the spiritual truth revealed by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6, that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The God of the universe wants to make your life His dwelling place. This is why a greater experience of the presence of the holy God of heaven demands a greater degree of holiness. Because God sees the sin that seems microscopic to you and me for what it is; an affront to his nature that is slowly poisoning our souls from the inside out. And he will not allow it into his presence. 

It’s not that God doesn’t love you, it’s that God has standards about where is presence will dwell.
So, as we ask God for revival, it is worth remembering that every documented revival that we have record of included an embrace of a greater degree of personal holiness. Not so that God will love us, the cross already proves that he does. But a pursuit of holiness is what he is worthy of. As we journey together in prayer, I would encourage you to ask God for the gift of conviction. Allow him to place his finger on an area or two of your life that he wants to change. Because you have not been left alone to struggle, you have been given the gift of the presence of the Holy Spirit. And with God, all things are possible.  [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/TonyLutyk2.png” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.1″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/HideAndSeekPost.jpg” title_text=”June8Blog_Insta” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium” sticky_enabled=”0″]Growing up I was the definition of a strong-willed child. I was also the middle child. And while some middle children describe the frustrations of being ignored and often resentful of the parental attention doted upon the oldest and youngest children, I reveled in my middle child obscurity. I couldn’t have been more content flying under the radar as I happily created mischief wherever I went. Nothing to see here!

In fact, although I was younger than all the kids in my neighborhood, for some reason, they did whatever I said. I guess it was because I always had a plan, which usually had a hint of risk, trouble, or danger. I was the instigator, the leader, engaging them in daily adventures. Unfortunately for me (and them for that matter), a lot of those shenanigans resulted in all of us getting into trouble.

But what I remember most as the one thing that would bring the biggest consequences for me with my parents, even more than what I did, was when I lied about it or covered it up. It’s interesting because the hiding and covering of sin is nothing new. In fact, it’s been a ploy of the enemy since the beginning.

The Bible says in Genesis Chapter 3:1-8 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they realized they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”

You see, the enemy is a liar. He works hard to influence, manipulate, and plant seeds of doubt and mistrust in us towards God. His endgame goal is to cause us to hide from the presence of God, the very presence we need, when we fall short. After all, only the presence of God can sustain us, heal us, and redeem us.

We weren’t created to live in an echo-chamber of our own thoughts and perspectives. We were created for relationship. And it’s through relationship that change happens.

Proverbs 28:13-14 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.”

The enemy knows what concealing and hiding does to us on the inside and to our relationship with God. We know that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, however, sometimes carrying the weight of guilt and shame – the hidden things, causes us to want to hide from God, and even people. The Bible says it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. It’s God’s overwhelming love for us that causes us to let him into those places – the deep places, the hidden hurts, and the struggles that the enemy wants to keep us chained to.

One of the plays we run as a church – Love Church’s Playbook – is small groups. We are passionate about small groups, because we know that healing and growth always take place through relationships. No wonder the enemy fights so hard to keep us from connecting. We all need a trusted circle to do life with. We need people in our corner who will encourage us, speak truth, and sharpen us. Let’s be real – even Jesus had his small group.

The truth is, we were not created to do life alone, and Jesus demonstrated that for us. It’s in isolation that the enemy works to undermine God’s truth. We weren’t created to live in an echo-chamber of our own thoughts and perspectives. We were created for relationship. And it’s through relationship that change happens.

The enemy would love to keep you isolated and alone, ‘hidden’. He would love to cut off the voices of Godly relationships. But God has more for us. I would encourage everyone, whether it would be your first time jumping in, or if you need to reengage again, join a small group. We truly are better together.
To find a group, go to welovechurch.com/smallgroups.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/suzannecampus.png” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Confidence.jpg” title_text=”KeepPushing” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium” sticky_enabled=”0″]

A super weird and not very Christian thing that my husband and I do is watch a reality dating show called Love Island (The beginning of that sentence was scary, huh?). Yes, we have a guilty pleasure in watching what are typically “non-Christians” trying to find “love” on national television. We yell at the TV, telling each character what to do and how to act, because we know what decisions are right, right? The funny thing is we don’t know what will happen in these people’s lives or if they’ll find love on this incredibly silly show, but we are convinced they’ll do what we think they’ll do. This guy will break this girl’s heart. This chick will two-time this dude. But these two will love each other forever, we just know it! 

Now, I bring this up for this reason: The men and women on this show describe themselves as “confident”. And while the contestants on this show are incredibly attractive and “confident,” they all seem to be immeasurably insecure. Why do people who have seemingly perfect lives act not-so-perfect after a while? Why do all the men and women on the show, who say they’re confident, eventually end up falling into the trap of insecurity? I want to judge them. I want to make fun of them. But what ends up happening is I relate to them. I’ve cried and I’ve felt hopeless. I’ve been in similar situations where I am controlled by my anxieties and I put my faith in one human or one thing, and I don’t let go. But that’s the problem. Dating or otherwise, we create our own idols through other people, items, experiences, you name it. The question is: what do we put our confidence in — ourselves, others, or God?

Paul gives us his prayer for us in Philippians 1:6: 

“And I am certain that God, who began a good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ returns.” 

The question is: what do we put our confidence in — ourselves, others, or God?

Yes, get it, Paul! With words like this, it leads me to ask: Where does our insecurity come from? On Love Island, the “islanders” are insecure because of their future with their partners. They are insecure because they are stuck with another person’s poor decision-making skills. They are insecure because they are unsure if their journey on the Island will end with or without their boo. What Paul is asking here is that we take confidence in what God has for us. We are required to let go of any insecurities, for we know God has a plan and purpose for our lives. I know for a fact that I struggle with anxiety about my future on a daily basis. What do we have to fear? What do the islanders have to fear? We are afraid of getting hurt. We are afraid of the pain we would have to endure, and often we endure it alone. We are afraid of losing others, making the wrong choices, and afraid of being rejected. These are all worthy concerns. However, God tells us, through Paul, that we must trust Him no matter the insecurity.

Whatever you are worried about today, God will make a way. God will work within you to finish His work, in whatever way He will. I’ve heard this phrase a million times now, but it is true; “Let go, and let God,” (Easy for the internet to say). But what God wants to hear from us about all our worries, all our troubles, all our insecurities. Pray to God and ask Him to lift your burdens off your shoulders. They are not yours to carry, anyway. That’s a good thing! As we all know, life can get heavy. We are not meant to carry it alone. Let go of your insecurities and let God fill you with confidence in His plan for your life. Paul was certain. Let us be certain, too.

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I remember feeling so frustrated in the hospital as the doctors diagnosed my baby girl with Type 1 Diabetes. I knew that Jesus had already bore this awful disease so she wouldn’t have to. I knew that by Jesus’s stripes she was already healed and that no weapon formed against her would ever prosper. I stood on the Word, casted out the sickness, prayed and believed, but her condition didn’t change. It broke my heart to see my daughter lying there, lifeless, with IVs in both arms look up at me and say, “Cast it out, mom. I’m healed. Take me home.” But her body didn’t agree with what we believed, so we stayed. 

We’ve all been there, but it may not have been in a hospital room with a bad doctor’s report. It could have been sitting on the couch looking at an empty bottle, knowing you promised never again. It could be you crying in your closet after an awful fight with your family. Or maybe you’re staring at your phone digesting rejection. Maybe even, you find yourself sitting in your car wondering how you’ll make it another day. You’ve been praying, you believed, but something in you just wants to quit. 

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I would love to tell you that my daughter is completely healed and doesn’t need to take insulin, but that is not so. She is healed, but her healing has not been manifested at this time. We continue to use artificial insulin to help her body each day. I don’t know why she hasn’t received complete healing manifestation, but I believe God’s word to be true over what I see, hear, or feel. I choose not to get caught up in the whys; instead, I ask God, “What now?”

I don’t know what struggles you are going through, but I can promise you that God is faithful. God loves you and is for you.

Throughout my journey with God, I have learned that I receive healing or freedom when I seek the Healer, not the healing itself. I don’t know what struggles you are going through, but I can promise you that God is faithful. God loves you and is for you. As you seek the Healer, you will receive your healing, transformation, or freedom from whatever has you bound.  Depression, addiction, anxiety, and fear can no longer keep you captive as you seek God and build an intimate relationship with Him. Fix your eyes on Him, not your circumstances or setbacks. Allow Him to come into your life and trust Him completely.

Romans 10:17 tells us that, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” If you are struggling in any area of your life and doubt is trying to set in, I encourage you to get into the Word and find out what God’s promises are for your life. Believe Him over what you see, hear, or feel today.

My daughter may not have received manifestation of her physical healing yet, but what we did receive is supernatural Peace. God supplied us with His wisdom, His joy, and His peace. We continue to believe that she will receive complete manifestation of her healing, and until that day we will keep praising our wonderful Lord and thanking Him for all he has done.  

I don’t know why you haven’t received your breakthrough, but I know God is for you. So today, don’t give up, don’t give in, continue to press forward focused on God’s goodness. He is faithful and true to His Word. Choose to walk by faith and not by sight; so that you too can experience victory. 

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If you’ve had a child in our Kids Ministry for any length of time, your side of it likely looks like lollipop sugar highs and incomprehensible fractions of Bible stories. Our side looks like specifically scheduled rotations in each service, each rotation designed for each age group to develop social skills and learn about Jesus in different ways. One would be quick to assume that the kids get the most hectic in their classrooms, but in reality, this happens in the hallway. The hallway is where we transition from one activity to the next. From your child’s perspective, it’s when we take away the toys and seemingly change from being fun-loving to tyrannical. But the reality of it is that our heart for those kids never changes, we love them and just want to give them every opportunity to know Jesus we can. It’s obvious to us when we look at our children that the changes are for the best, but we lose that simplicity when we apply it to our own lives. The hallway is just as intimidating to adults as it is to the kids, not only because it’s in the midst of transition, but because we can’t see our next destination.

Familiarity is the enemy of awe, and the lack of awe is the enemy of faith.

Ecclesiastes 3 states, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”, but Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” So how do we reconcile the necessary vulnerability in the transition while reminding ourselves that God’s heart for us is the same throughout? We intentionally remind ourselves who God is. When I read the many miracles that God performed, I’ll catch myself limiting my comprehension to what He did, not what He’s doing. Familiarity is the enemy of awe, and the lack of awe is the enemy of faith. In losing our awe in who God truly is, we detach ourselves from the miracles God performed and it decreases our faith that He will do them again. Losing our faith in God, is losing track of who He really is. When we lose track of who He is, it’s that much easier to forget why He’s bringing us from one season to the next.

Another way to have peace in seasons of transition is to remind yourself, not just of who God is, but of what He did in your life. He has been something different to each of us, a fortifier to the weak, a Father to the orphaned. When you are able to remember that, you can remind yourself of that because He’s done it before, He will do it again. The kids in Kids Junior go from their classroom to Kids Theater for one of their rotations each week. These kids are younger, so they don’t always remember exactly where they’re going, but they remember that they had fun the week before.

In the song, Oceans by Hillsong United, we sing about walking out into waters where we can’t stand on our own, but that our faith will stand. I want to challenge you to take a step past singing a song and proclaim that your faith will stand over every aspect of your life.

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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”-82px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||12px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”|0px||0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheRealQuestions.jpeg” title_text=”TheRealQuestions” disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||8px|||” border_radii=”on|8px|8px|8px|8px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” custom_padding=”||25px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Ogg Medium” sticky_enabled=”0″]I’ve gained this reputation in a lot of my social circles for being “real”. Perhaps it comes from the season of my life where my most common sermon commentary was, “That’s real.” Or perhaps it comes from the fact that I’ve been very vocal about topics that were historically taboo like mental health in the church. Or maybe it’s because I’m the wet blanket in youth planning meetings who is asking what I like to call, “The Real Questions.” Like sure, giving students sparklers during a youth baptism night SOUNDS like a good idea and would look really cool in pictures, but have you ever met a middle schooler? It’s for this reason that I love characters like Thomas and Gideon; they ask the real questions.

Gideon doesn’t have quite the negative reputation that “Doubting Thomas” does (justice for Thomas – clear his name!), but he is known for asking God for a sign not once, but twice and even some clarifying questions a few times before that. Some may see this as doubt, but I see this as authentic. He’s exercising that kind of real-life faith that we all have experienced in one season or another. The kind that has questions for God because life isn’t quite so neat right now.

An angel shows up while Gideon is hiding because of Israel’s enemy; the enemy had become so powerful that Gideon had to hide to thresh wheat just so they wouldn’t steal it. And this angel has the nerve to say, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” (Judges 6:12). This man is hiding in a winepress by himself threshing wheat, and the angel has the nerve to not only call him a “Mighty hero” but also to remind him that the Lord is with him.

You ever had the truth of God directly contradict what you see right in front of you? I imagine that’s exactly what Gideon was thinking. I imagine him looking behind him on the left and then to the right and then back at the angel with a dumbfounded look on his face before saying,

13 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” (Judges 6:13)

Like, yes, Gideon! Thank you! These are the real questions.

You ever had the truth of God directly contradict what you see right in front of you?

If God is with me, then why is my family falling apart? If God is with me, then why am I drowning in debt barely able to provide for my family? If God is with me, then why have I been praying about the same thing for 10 years with little to no breakthrough? If God is with me, then why can’t I stop feeling so anxious? 

Where are these miracles the Bible talks about? Where are these miracles that I’ve heard my fellow believers speak about? 

These are the real questions we all have and honestly, I feel like God expects them from us because as humans we have such a limited understanding, but it doesn’t mean he gives us the full game plan as an answer either. 

What the angel said next was so crucial to me, and it reminded me a lot of the grace we are met with when we ask God these kinds of questions. He said, “Go with the strength you have.” That was his answer to Gideon’s questions. No reason why, no specific directions, just, “Go with the strength you have.” And I love that he didn’t say, “Go with great strength,” he just said, “with the strength you have.” Because I imagine for Gideon after constant, day after day defeat from the Midianites, he was exhausted, and you are too, aren’t you? After trudging along in the same struggle day after day, you probably don’t have much strength. That’s ok, neither do I, but you don’t have to have a lot. Keep going and go with the strength you do have. God is really good at filling in our gaps especially where strength is concerned. It’s like He’s got an unlimited supply of it or something.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.0″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”80%” width_phone=”80%” width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_width=”1920px” module_alignment=”center” locked=”off”][et_pb_row custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.7.4″ background_color=”#ffffff” width=”100%” max_width=”1920px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|true|true” custom_padding=”51px|60px|51px|60px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”60px|40px|60px|40px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”40px|20px|40px|20px|true|true” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” locked=”off”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.0.3″][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiJCeSAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@” image=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MeganPic.png” image_max_width=”150px” content_max_width=”860px” image_tablet=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/joshbairdblog.png” image_phone=”https://8kwd60.p3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ShawnBaird2.png” image_last_edited=”off|tablet” image_max_width_tablet=”150px” image_max_width_phone=”150px” image_max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.9.7″ _dynamic_attributes=”title,content” header_font=”New Montreal Medium|600|||||||” header_text_color=”#333333″ header_font_size=”22px” header_line_height=”1.4em” body_font=”Neue Montreal||||||||” body_font_size=”16px” body_line_height=”1.9em” text_orientation=”center” animation=”off” hover_enabled=”0″ header_font_size_tablet=”18px” header_font_size_phone=”17px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” body_font_size_tablet=”15px” body_font_size_phone=”17px” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_css_main_element=”font-weight: 400;” border_radii_image=”on|200px|200px|200px|200px” box_shadow_style_image=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical_image=”10px” box_shadow_blur_image=”20px” box_shadow_color_image=”rgba(0,0,0,0.1)” sticky_enabled=”0″]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3JfYmlvIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIifX0=@[/et_pb_blurb][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

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Why does having faith in God have to be so difficult? Why didn’t He just say, “Hard work is the solution to all things”? I mean come on, get real; wouldn’t my life be better if I worked harder at the things I wanted? Hard work has its rewards, no doubt about that. However, to accomplish all God has for you, it’s going to take more than your coordinated motor functions to achieve.

Faith is a spiritual concept and habit that has tangible rewards. The truth is that we are so used to our plans and agendas being at the center that the idea of faith creates an instant hurdle for us. To put it more bluntly, we want to be – and have been – lord of our own lives. Control much?!

If we are honest, we put our faith in lots of menial things that have no spiritual genesis. We believe chairs will hold us up when we sit down. We believe our tastebuds will work when we eat that delectable slice of cake. We even believe when we jump, we will come back down and land on our feet that thrust upwards in the first place. It’s like we’ve simplified our life and our own abilities into a simple equation: if/then.

Why the difficulty then when it comes to believing in God? You understand how a chair works, you understand how your tastebuds work, you even understand how your legs and feet work. The plan of God rests in the unknown.

What if I told you your life could be greater than it is now

The Bible in totality offers us heaps of narratives that give us experiential knowledge into the person of God and His plan for the earth and ultimately His plan for you. Most of us don’t actually take time to understand the character of God, so, when a pivotal decision comes up that requires faith, we default to our own abilities and understandings. If we follow our simple equation that we established earlier, it looks something like this: if I don’t know God, then I will not trust his plan for my life. A little bit deeper. If I don’t trust the infallible character of God, then I won’t trust the results either.

“No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them.”
Joshua 1:5-6 NLT

Joshua had seen, heard, felt and experienced the God of Moses, and it was incredible to say the least! But Joshua still needed a little push to be courageous and brave to step into a new place of leadership. I like to define faith as trusting God to be everything He says He is. So, God reassures Joshua that He will continue to be who He says He is. The God that Joshua has seen, heard, and felt. That, in itself, eliminates the unknown at the beginning of our equation. Now, let me propose this. If the infallible character of God starts the equation and we leave the results to the same infallible character, the only variable is… us and our lack of faith.

As Joshua moved forward in faith, we see God’s plan become tangible for Him and all of Israel. Pastor Tony Lutyk says it like this: “Faith is progressive in what it demands of us.” The difficulty is in continuing to trust God in the unknown. What if I told you your life could be greater than it is now and the only hurdle for that was you? Do you trust that God has incredible things planned for you and the only thing required is total faith in Him? Let me lay it out more simply:

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