NewDay Messages

God's Blessing & Your Response 
Sunday, July 24, 2022 
Pasto John DuBall 
Proverbs 3:9-10, 28:11-12 
 
The Apostle Paul reminded us of this in Acts 20:35… 
 
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘ 
It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 
 
 
Have you discovered the joy of learning this amazing truth?! 
This past week I stopped by the local Holiday Station store to get my daily free soda fill up (actually you pay $7.99 a month for that privilege). I filled up and was waiting in the checkout line while a disheveled looking man was digging in his pockets to find his wallet. Suddenly the lady directly behind him shouted to the cashier, “I’ll cover his costs!” I thought maybe they were together, but as I watched the interaction I realized this was their first time meeting. I listened as this man said, “you don’t have to do that.” She responded, “Hey, I’ve been in your shoes. I want to do this.” I watched as she headed out to her car with a smile on her face. 
 
She was genuinely happy to give of her resources for the sake of another. What caught me about this interaction was that I had never even considered the possibility that I might have the opportunity to help someone out when I went in to get my soda. That moment has been a catalyst for a change in my own behavior that I’ll share with you on Sunday. 
 
I’ve also found some great insights from the book by John Cortinas and Gregory Baumer called, “True Riches: What Jesus Really Said About Money and Your Heart”. 
 
They have invited us to experience four transformations in our financial lives, moving from… 
… pride to gratitude so that we see everything as a gift; 
… coveting to contentment so that we spend wisely; 
… anxiety to trust so that we save appropriately; and 
… indifference to love so that we give extravagantly. 
 
Jesus knew that how we think about money shapes our character. Our approach can make us more like him—full of contentment, purpose, and freedom—or it can cause a tragic separation from God and the joy he offers. 
 
Are you experiencing the reality of how it is “more blessed to give than to receive?” 
 
Looking forward to worshiping our Lord together with you this Sunday! 
 
Grateful for you, 
Pastor John 
 
P.S. Thank you for all the prayers you have offered for my wife, Mary, and our family with the passing of her mom, Ruth Klanderman, on July 14th. It has meant a lot to us! 
 
Sunday Sermon & Study notes can be found one our website: 
http://www.newdaycov.org/lessons-worth-learning/2022/7/25/gods-blessing-amp-your-response

God's Blessing & Your Response
Sunday, July 24, 2022
Pasto John DuBall
Proverbs 3:9-10, 28:11-12

The Apostle Paul reminded us of this in Acts 20:35…
 
And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘
It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 
Have you discovered the joy of learning this amazing truth?!
This past week I stopped by the local Holiday Station store to get my daily free soda fill up (actually you pay $7.99 a month for that privilege).  I filled up and was waiting in the checkout line while a disheveled looking man was digging in his pockets to find his wallet.  Suddenly the lady directly behind him shouted to the cashier, “I’ll cover his costs!”  I thought maybe they were together, but as I watched the interaction I realized this was their first time meeting.  I listened as this man said, “you don’t have to do that.”  She responded, “Hey, I’ve been in your shoes.  I want to do thi

God's Blessing & Your Response (Proverbs 3:9-10, 28:11-12)

How Envy Destroys You 
Sunday, July 17, 2022 
Pastor John DuBall 
Proverbs 23:17-18 
 
Envy verses Contentment: Which one are you finding? 
 
Do not let your heart envy sinners, 
 but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. 
There is surely a future hope for you, 
 and your hope will not be cut off. 
Proverbs 23:17-18 
(Saying 15 of Thirty Sayings of the Wise) 
 
 
A few years ago one of my youth ministry interns decided that he would create a memorable game night for students. One of those activities I now refer to as, the “Great Crisco Crabwalk Catastrophe”. He covered a 4’x8’ platform in black plastic and set it at a 30 degree angle. The goal was to crabwalk backward up the ramp to the top. BUT… to make it more difficult, this young man decided to cover the entire area with Crisco shortening to make it especially slippery to accomplish the goal. The harder students tried, the more they slipped until they were completely covered in Crisco. What made it a fiasco was that everything they touched or sat on was affected by their contact with this greasy, slippery stuff. (I think I got more calls from parents that night than any other time in ministry!) 
 
There is an emotion that can create the same kind of catastrophe in a person’s life. It is called “Envy”. It is triggered when you start comparing yourself with others… who they are or what they have. Envy has to do with feeling unhappy about the success of someone else, or about what they have and, at the same time, secretly feeling inferior yourself. 
 
It can squash healthy contentment faster than anything else. It often starts with a subtle desire that can lead to an all out obsession. It is one of the most destructive forces that can tear apart individuals and relationships. Just look at one of the first families in the Bible about the brothers Cain & Abel (Genesis 4). Cain ends up killing his brother because of envy and jealousy! 
I want to address this because envy silently slips in and begins to leave its residue on many areas of our lives. 
 
Learning to be content can only come about if we know how to effectively battle against envy! It is my hope that this Sunday you will be enlightened by the wisdom God longs to give us! 
 
Grateful to journey together with you! 
Pastor John

How Envy Destroys You Sunday, July 17, 2022 Pastor John DuBall Proverbs 23:17-18 Envy verses Contentment: Which one are ...

How Envy Destroys You (Proverbs 23:17-18)

The Joy of Friendship 
Sunday, July 10, 2022 
Pastor John DuBall 
Proverbs 28:24, 27:5-6, 27:12-25 
 
May I ask you a question right now? Who are your closest friends? 
How do you value and nurture those vital relationships? 
 
 
From the very beginning of creation we were designed for relationships. God never intended for us to be alone. Jesus, Himself, was surrounded by faithful disciples and friends during the span of His life and ministry on earth. As we share the joyous truth of the gospel, we are united by something deeper and stronger than bloodlines. As followers of Christ, our friendships are founded in Christ. C.S. Lewis puts it, “What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.” 
 
In a recent U.S. government survey they discovered that 27% of the Millennial generation say they have no close friends. 22% of them say they have no friends at all. The latest surveys say that about one third of people in America struggle with loneliness. We have had a global pandemic that has caused more isolation and disconnection making it difficult for people to re-engage with others. One of the blessings I desire to flow out of our NewDay community is the ability to make and nurture true and lasting friendships. 
 
Proverbs 18:24 states, "There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." Or as the Good News Translation puts it, “Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than brothers.” Do you have those kinds of friendships? 
 
This Sunday I want to give you some tools that will help you nurture those friendships that can be life-giving and lasting. I know the risks, but I also have experienced the JOY of a deeper friendship with Jesus and others that is worth it all! 
 
Grateful to journey together with you! 
Pastor John 
 
Sunday Sermon & Study Notes can be found on our website: 
http://www.newdaycov.org/lessons-worth-learning/2022/7/9/the-joy-of-friendship

The Joy of Friendship
Sunday, July 10, 2022
Pastor John DuBall
Proverbs 28:24, 27:5-6, 27:12-25

May I ask you a question right now?  Who are your closest friends? 
How do you value and nurture those vital relationships?


From the very beginning of creation we were designed for relationships. God never intended for us to be alone. Jesus, Himself, was surrounded by faithful disciples and friends during the span of His life and ministry on earth. As we share the joyous truth of the gospel, we are united by something deeper and stronger than bloodlines. As followers of Christ, our friendships are founded in Christ. C.S. Lewis puts it, “What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.” 
 
In a recent U.S. government survey they discovered that 27% of the Millennial generation say they have no close friends.  22% of them say they have no friends at all.  The latest surveys say that about one third of people in America struggle with loneliness.  We have had a 

The Joy of Friendship (Proverbs 28:24, 27:5-6, 27:12-25)

Seeking God's Heart 
Sunday, August 29, 2021 
Pastor John DuBall 
1 Chronicles 16:1, 8-11 
 
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. 
Psalm 57:3 (NLT) 
 
There is a longing in everyone of us that only God can satisfy. When the Creator of life designed us, he shaped us out of a reflection of himself – he made us in HIS image. It is only fitting that he understands best what we most need. This “craving” is so real and hard to get at that many people only experience the slightest fulfillment because they are unwilling to dig deep enough to discover the true joy of being united with the One who knows us best and loves us most. 
 
A few years ago I read the book, “Searching For God Knows What” by Donald Miller. He observed that… 
“If the Gospel of Jesus is relational, that is, if our brokenness will be fixed not by our understanding of theology but by God telling us who we are, then this would require a kind of intimacy of which only Heaven knows… Imagine how much a man's life would change if he trusted that he was loved by God.” 
 
I find it fascinating that many of the most amazing saints of the past spent years trying to “please” God in some way in order to win his favor, only to realize later in life that God loved them and just wanted them to be overwhelmed by the depth of that truth. The more I embrace and cherish that reality, the greater peace I experience in spite of any difficulty I am facing. 
 
When I stop and look at the world situation, my heart breaks for those living underneath the tyranny of abusive power. It hurts for those suffering the loss of place, the loss of people, and the loss of purpose. It can quickly become my undoing as I feel the weight of all this. BUT – when I come and place these concerns before God, he takes them with a reminder that he knows exactly what is going on and has a plan already in place to deal with it. 
 
Then he hands back to me the specific responsibilities He wants me to join him in taking care of. These new burdens are lighter and more satisfying in the long run as I depend on him in a greater way. 
 
I’m seeking more of God’s heart these days and I challenge you to do the same. In the final week of this series, may your eyes be opened to beauty of who our God is and what he is all about. 
 
Grateful to journey together with you, 
Pastor John 
 
Sunday's Sermon & Study Notes can be found on our website: 
http://www.newdaycov.org/seeking-gods-heart/2021/8/31/seeking-gods-heart

Seeking God's Heart
Sunday, August 29, 2021
Pastor John DuBall
1 Chronicles 16:1, 8-11

I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.  
Psalm 57:3 (NLT)

There is a longing in everyone of us that only God can satisfy.  When the Creator of life designed us, he shaped us out of a reflection of himself – he made us in HIS image.  It is only fitting that he understands best what we most need.  This “craving” is so real and hard to get at that many people only experience the slightest fulfillment because they are unwilling to dig deep enough to discover the true joy of being united with the One who knows us best and loves us most.
 
A few years ago I read the book, “Searching For God Knows What” by Donald Miller.  He observed that…
“If the Gospel of Jesus is relational, that is, if our brokenness will be fixed not by our understanding of theology but by God telling us who we are, then this would require a kind of intimacy of which only Heaven knows… Imagine how muc

Seeking God's Heart (1 Chronicles 16:1, 8-11)

Blinded by Desire 
Sunday, August 15, 2021 
Pastor John DuBall 
1 Samuel 17:1-15 
 
I wish I could say the above scenario is a rare occurrence in my years of working with young people. This IS the number one area of struggle for young men in our culture today. Both secular and Christian surveys regularly indicate that the vast majority (over 70 percent) of men age 18-24 view it regularly (at least weekly) – and those are just the guys who are willing to admit it. One Christian website asked “What is the number one sin you would like to put to death in your life?”, 60% of men under 45 years named sexual sin. 
 
I was told by one of my trusted mentors that, “it’s the small things that are going to eventually lead to a larger failure later on. It is the regular, ongoing habits that you develop will either become your strength or your downfall." It has been my goal during my ministry to help others embrace those habits that keep us closely connected to Christ so we can hear his voice over all other voices of desire that would lead us to catastrophic results. 
 
No chapter in the bible strikes more fear into my heart than 2 Samuel 11. When I read of how David, the man after God’s own heart, who courageously followed Him, fell into the sins of adultery, deception, murder, and hypocrisy, I am terrified. The frightening thing is, this did not happen when David was in his teens or early twenties. He was about 50; he had walked with God for years. 
 
Luis Palau reminds us (from his book, Heart After God) that, “Immorality begins with tiny things sown in your youth. Little things, little attitudes, little habits… Little things. Yet if you don’t crucify them--if you don’t bring them to judgment--if you don’t face up to them for what they are--SIN--they can destroy you. They can blur your moral judgment at a critical, irreversible juncture in life.” 
 
 
My desire this Sunday is to walk us through the resources God gives us to keep us from being blinded by desire, find forgiveness in failure, and receive the gift of restoration in his strength! 
 
Grateful to journey together with you, 
Pastor John 
 
Sunday Sermon & Study Notes can be found on our website: 
http://www.newdaycov.org/seeking-gods-heart/2021/8/23/blinded-by-desire

Blinded by Desire Sunday, August 15, 2021 Pastor John DuBall 1 Samuel 17:1-15 I wish I could say the above scenario is a rare ...

Blinded by Desire (1 Samuel 17:1-51)

Dealing With People Who Hurt You 
Sunday, July 25, 2021 
Zach Lovig 
1 Samuel 24 1-6 
 
Greetings Friends, 
 
This Sunday, July 25, we will be reflecting on 1 Samuel 24 when King Saul and his army were pursuing David to kill him and explore our on-going theme of Seeking God's Heart, even in our interactions with the people that hurt us. Join me as we discuss "Dealing With People Who Hurt You" as we see how God honors our pain without abandoning us to despair. 
 
Peace, 
Zach

Dealing With People Who Hurt You
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Zach Lovig
1 Samuel 24 1-6

Greetings Friends,

This Sunday, July 25, we will be reflecting on 1 Samuel 24 when King Saul and his army were pursuing David to kill him and explore our on-going theme of Seeking God's Heart, even in our interactions with the people that hurt us. Join me as we discuss "Dealing With People Who Hurt You" as we see how God honors our pain without abandoning us to despair.

Peace, 
Zach

Dealing With People Who Hurt You (1 Samuel 24:1-6)

Jesus & the 10 Commandments 
 
Even though the 10 commandments that God were given to a specific group of people for a specific period of time, they show us something profound about God’s character and desire for us as humans. Jesus actually gives us greater understanding of what they meant as we go through the teaching of the New Testament. 
 
There was that time when Jesus walked this earth that the religious leaders of the laws and commands of Moses tried to trap Jesus with his words. They were proud of their ability to come closest in their attempts to hold to the 613 commands from the books of law (at least in the functional aspect of it). One such teacher came to Jesus and asked him this question… 
 
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 
 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 
 
This is SO significant because this is the DEFINING IDENTITY of a person who has truly entered into a life-changing relationship with Jesus. One of the key ways you can know IF you are truly connected to Jesus is 1)HOW you view yourself in relationship to Him. 
And secondly, 2) how you view others around you. 
 
I’ve been reading this book called, “Renovated: God, Dallas Willard & the Church that Transforms” 
In one chapter the author challenges us to try on some wording and see if you can identify with it. Here is the phrase: “I am an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.” 
 
Do you believe that? 
 
The following 10 Commandments can be seen in a more profound way when we discover how Jesus and the NT writers give us more clarity on what was behind them. 
 
1st Commandment: You shall have no other gods (Exodus 20:1-3; 1 Corinthians 20:20-21; Matthew 4:9) 
 
2nd Commandment: You shall not make or bow down to an idol (Exodus 20:4-6; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; Ephesians 5:5-7) 
 
3rd Commandment: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD (YHWH) your God, for the LORD (YHWH) will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7; Matthew 5:33-37; Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 5:20) 
 
4th Commandment: You shall remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11) 
 
5th Commandment: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-2; 1 Timothy 5:8) 
 
6th Commandment: “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13; 1 John 3:15) 
 
7th Commandment: “You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14; Hebrews 13:4) 
 
8th Commandment: You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28) 
 
 
9th Commandment: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16; Colossians 3:8-10) 
 
 
10th Commandment: Do not Covet! (Exodus 20:17; Colossians 3:5)

Jesus & the 10 Commandments

Even though the 10 commandments that God were given to a specific group of people for a specific period of time, they show us something profound about God’s character and desire for us as humans.  Jesus actually gives us greater understanding of what they meant as we go through the teaching of the New Testament.  

There was that time when Jesus walked this earth that the religious leaders of the laws and commands of Moses tried to trap Jesus with his words.  They were proud of their ability to come closest in their attempts to hold to the 613 commands from the books of law (at least in the functional aspect of it).  One such teacher came to Jesus and asked him this question… 

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
 This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 
All the Law

Jesus & the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1-21)

How did the people of Israel get to this point where they now are forgetting all that God had done for them up to this point? He had rescued them. He had protected them from the plagues. He had delivered them from slavery. He was guiding them by a pillar of fire at night and by a cloud during the day. God even parted the Red Sea and wiped away the Egyptian army bent on destroying them. When they were most thirsty he gave them water that went from bitter to sweet. 
 
Now 30 days until this journey, after waiting 400 years and slaves, this is what happens... 
 
Exodus 16:1-3 
The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord ’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” 
 
Q: Why is it that they moved to grumbling and complaining and could not see the blessing of God's presence and power in their lives? 
 
In our message for today we're going to learn some things about our human condition that I'm hoping that is becoming more clear to you especially in the environment that we find ourselves in today.

How did the people of Israel get to this point where they now are forgetting all that God had done for them up to this point?  He had rescued them. He had protected them from the plagues.  He had delivered them from slavery.  He was guiding them by a pillar of fire at night and by a cloud during the day.  God even parted the Red Sea and wiped away the Egyptian army bent on destroying them.  When they were most thirsty he gave them water that went from bitter to sweet.

Now 30 days until this journey, after waiting 400 years and slaves, this is what happens...

Exodus 16:1-3
The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord ’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brough

Moving from Anxiety to Awe (Exodus 16:1-3)

NewDay Friends, 
 
To this day one of my favorite films is The Matrix—my fan fare is limited to the first film only. Years ago I was working for Prodigal Human Services, a nonprofit that had a focus on addiction recovery. The Matrix was a tool for conversation for group sessions where clients checked-in and described how their week actually went. The scene from the film that struck a cord with the groups was, without fail, where Morpheus offers Neo the ‘red pill or the blue pill’. As Neo reaches for the red pill, Morpheus says, ‘Remember, all I offer is the truth, and nothing more.’ If you have seen the film you know this is the point where Neo, played by Keana Reeves, is ripped from the ‘computer-generated dream world’, that is the Matrix, and finds himself finally unplugged in a human farm where machines are harvesting he and millions of others for fuel! If you are not a fan of sci-fi, viewers tend to drop off about here. But in the context of addiction, clients were quick to identify that scene as what the journey of recovery felt like—a falling into what was really true about their world. 
 
I imagine that the level of exposure and truth about who we are is not far from what many American Christians are feeling in these days. Watching on the news or knowing of friends who charged the U.S. Capitol —some with the cross of Jesus in hand— might be cause to reflect if we too have bought into a version of the gospel story that lacks coherence, truth or love. 
 
My mentor, teacher and all around hilarious British scholar John Goldingay writes, ‘It is of the essence of Israel to be a people with a story—irreducibly it is a group that has a common story.’ Over and over again in the Bible the people are reminded, told to remember, given rituals of remembering, and as the pages turn, readers of the Bible often notice echoes of previous stories of God’s work with the people. The point of all this repetition, as any parent or teacher knows, is so the people listen! Not just know in their heads, but rather, live in light of the truth concerning God’s world and their role in it. Jesus clarifies the trajectory of God’s hope for humanity—but notice how familiar Matthew 1-4 is set next to Exodus 1-4. God loves retelling stories, like a grandparent telling a little one for the 100th time why Llama Llama’s pajamas are red! The Bible patiently reminds us of key themes if we hang with it. My hope is sermons do a similar thing, they are a retelling. 
 
peace. 
 
Dave Rinker 
 
Study Notes 
 
As you reflect or study this week ask yourself: 
 
What do I believe, understand, know about the story the Bible tells? (Get specific and write something down. Open the Bible, read a bit.) 
How does Jesus fit into all of this? (Notice what he embodies and shows you about God’s love) 
Where do I fit into all of this? (Ask God to draw certain truths to your attention) 
 
 
Genesis 1-3, 9 
Exodus 12, 15-17 
Leviticus 19 
Deuteronomy 6 
Isaiah 43, 55 
Matthew 1-5.1 
Luke 10.25-37 
John 13 
Ephesians 1 
James 1

NewDay Friends,

To this day one of my favorite films is The Matrix—my fan fare is limited to the first film only. Years ago I was working for Prodigal Human Services, a nonprofit that had a focus on addiction recovery. The Matrix was a tool for conversation for group sessions where clients checked-in and described how their week actually went. The scene from the film that struck a cord with the groups was, without fail, where Morpheus offers Neo the ‘red pill or the blue pill’. As Neo reaches for the red pill, Morpheus says, ‘Remember, all I offer is the truth, and nothing more.’ If you have seen the film you know this is the point where Neo, played by Keana Reeves, is ripped from the ‘computer-generated dream world’, that is the Matrix, and finds himself finally unplugged in a human farm where machines are harvesting he and millions of others for fuel! If you are not a fan of sci-fi, viewers tend to drop off about here. But in the context of addiction, clients were quick to identify 

Being Saved From Ourselves, pt. 2 (Exodus 15:22-26)

Message Notes For Further Study 
 
“A mystical spirit seems to pervade the wilderness: the spirit sought by hermits and social outcasts as they chose to escape from the noisy world of vain pursuits and oppressive demands. It is the spirit sensed by the solitary prophets who wandered into the desert’s stillness to evade the mindless and heartless cruelty of ordinary society and to ponder the ultimate meaning of God’s works and of their own higher calling.” (Daniel Hillel The Natural History of the Bible, 119) 
 
As you listen and study this week take some time to get out in the cold: early morning, after work or with companions. If you can’t get out, just imagine yourselves in open space. The psalmist says, “You [God] set my foot in a broad place.” Think on that line from Psalm 18 as you walk or imagine. It’s this picture of freedom that the wilderness offers us. God takes back from pharaoh God’s firstborn beloved child Israel and invites her to walk through the sea, to trust and to explore who they truly are—children of the Most High God. 
___________ 
Genesis 8-12 
Exodus 1-4, 14 
1 Samuel 17 
1 Kings 19 
Psalm 105 
Hosea 11 
Mark 5 
Revelation 15

Message Notes For Further Study “A mystical spirit seems to pervade the wilderness: the spirit sought by hermits and social ...

Being Saved From Ourselves (Exodus 14:5-31)

Exodus 13:7-14:4 
Moving Forward Means Letting Go! 
 
Key reminders from this study is found in Exodus 6:5-7 
 
You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, 
who are now slaves to the Egyptians. 
And I am well aware of my covenant with them. 
“Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the LORD. 
I will free you from your oppression and 
I will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. 
I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. 
I will claim you as my own people, 
and I will be your God. 
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you…” 
 
How are you experiencing these promises of God freeing you, rescuing you, redeeming you, and claiming you in your own life right now? 
 
Overarching questions for this series: 
Why did it take 40 years for the people to be ready to receive what God so wanted to give them? 
 
Why does it often take a long time for us to be ready to receive what God wants to give us?! 
 
In what ways do we have more access to God’s presence than the Israelites did during this time with the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire constantly before them? 
 
1. We have the complete… __________________________ 
His Word tells us the story of the past. We not only have the paper Bible, but we can access it digitally anytime, any place, anywhere! 
2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 
 
2. We have received the very Spirit of God into lives that guides us internally without the need for… ___________________________________ 
John 16:13 - But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 
 
3. God gives us constant access to himself… We call this… _____________________________ 
James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 
 
4. He gives us community – the ________________________________________ 
Ephesians 1:22–23 (NLT) - God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. 
 
God is going to use our wilderness experiences for his glory that will impact many people around us. We are invited into letting go of where we were to go where God wants to lead us!

Exodus 13:7-14:4 
Moving Forward Means Letting Go!

Key reminders from this study is found in Exodus 6:5-7

You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel,
who are now slaves to the Egyptians.
And I am well aware of my covenant with them.
“Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the LORD.
I will free you from your oppression and
I will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt.
I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.
I will claim you as my own people,
and I will be your God.
Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you…”

How are you experiencing these promises of God freeing you, rescuing you, redeeming you, and claiming you in your own life right now?

Overarching questions for this series:  
Why did it take 40 years for the people to be ready to receive what God so wanted to give them?  

Why does it often take a long time for us to be ready to receive what God wants to give us?!

In what ways do we have more acce

Moving Forward Means Letting Go (Exodus 13:7-14:4)

Here is my question for you today: How does hope give you strength? 
 
This fall we went through a series in the book of James called “Trials that Change Us”. We are going to finish up studying James in our present series because it speaks to how hope can make us stronger. Take a look at James 5:7-11... 
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s coming. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage (strengthen your heart) for the coming of the Lord is near. 
Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door! For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. 
 
Here is a way to remember how hope can make you stronger.. 
 
H = ____________________________________________________________________________ 
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 
 
O = _____________________________________________________________________________ 
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess 5:18 
 
P = _____________________________________________________________________________ 
I rise early, before the sun is up; I CRY OUT for help and put my hope in your words. 
Psalm 119.147 
 
E = ______________________________________________________________________________ 
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 
 
How is God giving you opportunity to practice these things every day of your life?!

Here is my question for you today:  How does hope give you strength?

This fall we went through a series in the book of James called “Trials that Change Us”.  We are going to finish up studying James in our present series because it speaks to how hope can make us stronger.  Take a look at James 5:7-11...
Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s coming. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.  You, too, must be patient. Take courage (strengthen your heart) for the coming of the Lord is near.
Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!  For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the L

Hope that Gives You Strength (James 5:7-11)

In my conversation with many people these days I find that most of us are feeling the weight and disorientation of continuing to live in a world of fear, uncertainty, discouragement, and disorientation. A lot of us are tired and growing weary as the effects of Covid-19 continue to spread and we are having to change our routines to adapt to this. It’s the main reason I felt compelled to title this message this morning on “Finding Hope When You Are Discouraged.” 
 
I’ve been trying to find a word that describes our current situation. The one that repeatedly comes to mind is – “DISORIENTATION”. To become disoriented is defined as… 
 
Definition of disorientation: Loss of one's sense of direction, position, or relationship with one's surroundings. It can also include mental confusion that impairs one’s awareness, especially regarding place, time, or personal identity. 
 
 
Before the worldwide pandemic we had a set of routines and practices that defined our lives. Well… a lot of that has changed. We are having to learn new ways of interacting, of connecting, of “being” that just doesn't fill our cup. It can truly get discouraging. 
 
 
Today I want to invite you into a place to find greater hope by looking at a time in history when another group of people found themselves in a wilderness they were not prepared for. You can begin to read about this in the book of Exodus, chapter 16. 
 
 
Jesus understands the wilderness better than anybody. It's a place He is ready to meet you at and walk through with you. 
 
 
Matthew 12:17-21 (from Isaiah 42:1-4) 
This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him (Jesus): 
18 “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me. 
I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 
19 He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public. 
20 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. 
 Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. 
21 And his name will be the hope of all the world.”

In my conversation with many people these days I find that most of us are feeling the weight and disorientation of continuing to live in a world of fear, uncertainty, discouragement, and disorientation.  A lot of us are tired and growing weary as the effects of Covid-19 continue to spread and we are having to change our routines to adapt to this.  It’s the main reason I felt compelled to title this message this morning on “Finding Hope When You Are Discouraged.”

I’ve been trying to find a word that describes our current situation.  The one that repeatedly comes to mind is – “DISORIENTATION”.  To become disoriented is defined as…

Definition of disorientation:  Loss of one's sense of direction, position, or relationship with one's surroundings. It can also include mental confusion that impairs one’s awareness, especially regarding place, time, or personal identity.


Before the worldwide pandemic we had a set of routines and practices that defined our lives.  Well… a lot of that has ch

Finding Hope When You Are Discouraged (Exodus 16; Matthew 12:17-21)

James 1:19-25 
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: 
Everyone should be quick to listen, 
slow to speak 
and slow to become angry, 
because human anger 
does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 
 
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, 
which can save you. 
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. 
Do what it says. 
Anyone who listens to the word 
but does not do what it says 
is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, 
after looking at himself, goes away 
and immediately forgets what he looks like. 
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it 
—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it 
—they will be blessed in what they do.

James 1:19-25
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak
and slow to become angry, 
because human anger 
does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, 
which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. 
Do what it says. 
Anyone who listens to the word 
but does not do what it says 
is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, 
after looking at himself, goes away 
and immediately forgets what he looks like. 
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it
—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it
—they will be blessed in what they do.

Listening AND Doing! (James 1:19-25, 10/11/20)

June 14, 2020, Worship Service (Mark 12:1-9) "What Will The Owner Do?"

CHALLENGE THIS WEEK: 
‘When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything in the universe.’ -John Muir (Nature Writings, 245). 
 
 I love this quote from John Muir, we have it hanging in our boys room and just recently our oldest (Levi Muir Rinker) was able to read it for himself! When I study the Bible the idea that things are ‘hitched to’ one another proves fruitful. Certainly seeing how the Bible is a story that is hitched to our own story is helpful, but notice too, how the Bible relates to itself. Below are some bread crumbs through the Bible, passages where bread is key to its message. Some of these passages are mentioned in the sermon, some are not. My challenge for further study is to read a few (or all) of these passages and write down in a word or phrase what it means to you and remember it throughout the week, let God’s words to you rewire your thinking this week. 
 
peace. 
Dave Rinker 
 
—————- 
Genesis 18.1-15 
Exodus 16 
Leviticus 19.9-10 
Numbers 11 
Deuteronomy 8 
Judges 6.1-24 
1 Samuel 21.1-6 
2 Kings 4.32-44 
Isaiah 55. 1-3 
Matthew 13.33 
Mark 2.23-26 ; 6-8 
Luke 3.7-14 
John 6 
1 Corinthians 5.6-8 
Galatians 5

CHALLENGE THIS WEEK:
‘When we try to pick out anything by itself we find it hitched to everything in the universe.’ -John Muir (Nature Writings, 245).

 I love this quote from John Muir, we have it hanging in our boys room and just recently our oldest (Levi Muir Rinker) was able to read it for himself! When I study the Bible the idea that things are ‘hitched to’ one another proves fruitful. Certainly seeing how the Bible is a story that is hitched to our own story is helpful, but notice too, how the Bible relates to itself. Below are some bread crumbs through the Bible, passages where bread is key to its message. Some of these passages are mentioned in the sermon, some are not. My challenge for further study is to read a few (or all) of these passages and write down in a word or phrase what it means to you and remember it throughout the week, let God’s words to you rewire your thinking this week. 

peace.
Dave Rinker

—————-
Genesis 18.1-15
Exodus 16
Leviticus 19.9-10
Numbers 11
Deuter

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