Once rebuilding of the city and temple were underway, opposition emerged. There were those who did not want Nehemia and the faithful to complete the work and endeavored to distract them. Nehemiah kept his focus on the Lord...the haters grew angry. How do you deal with distractions, critics and haters in light of what God is calling you to do? How do you keep going?

Upon hearing of the destroyed temple, Nehemiah is heartbroken. His king asks, "what's wrong?" Nehemiah contemplates a response and demonstrates wisdom by praying first for direction and God's will; a moment that changes everything. The king grants his request to leave his post as cup bearer to the king and return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple -- and his nation. Today's lesson shows us the wisdom and importance of prayer to seek God's will in every situation before we make a move. Take this one step and see if God will blow your mind with the plans that He has for you.

The first step to restoration is to assess the damage and to own it. Once you do that, you’re ready to rebuild. Sometimes it’s not the devil, it’s the decision. Confession. Taking an honest look at the wreckage and confessing your part -- personal and generational.

Are you living a life of adventure? A life free from fear? Jesus came so that we could have that life here and now - and Heaven thrown in! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living in us!

Have you ever loved someone so much that you were willing to literally give your life for theirs if it came to that? Jesus did that for us. Join us this Easter to see what a Greater Love he had -- and still has -- for us.

Good Friday 2019

This Sunday, we observe an exceedingly significant moment as Jesus enters Jerusalem in what has become known as the Triumphal Entry; a humble scene as the savior arrives on the back of a donkey. There will be many more significant moments as things shift from jubilant praise to chants of "crucify Him!" as we see Jesus fulfill prophecies on his way to the cross.

Jesus’ life and ministry were built on relationships. He didn’t rent large synagogues, put on a special program, and invite people to come hear Him preach. His whole strategy of impact was rooted in entering into people’s real-world lives. He was constantly going where the people were, meeting their needs, and investing in them. What would it look like for us to do the same thing? Our world would change!

Jesus attitude toward the word of God was evident - He studied, trusted, learned from, submitted to, and used the scriptures to fulfill his destiny. His respect for, Knowledge of, and dependence on the Word of God was evident at every turn in his life. What would it look like for us to approach God’s word the very same way?

Jesus did not say that life revolves around His own desires...it was about the Father and His desires. In the same way, living a life worth pursuing is not about us, nor does the world revolve around our desires. When we make it all about us, then we feel pressure to live up to other people’s expectations. But when we exalt the Father as the source of all the good we do, we live in genuine humility and peace comes our way. It’s not about us, it’s about Him. This is how Jesus Lived.

“Yes” is the word of Obedience. And obedience is God’s love language! Jesus always and only obeyed His Father’s desires. He knew that the question was not, “What do I want to do?” but, “What does My Father want me to do?” Jesus knew that life presents two choices. We can follow either the world’s agenda, which involves living for ourselves; or we can choose to always and only follow the Father’s Kingdom agenda (John 5:30). He knew that His life revolved not around His desires but around the Father’s greater plan and story and He invites us all to live the same way.

The prayer life of Jesus was key to his ability to minister powerfully into people’s lives. The Scriptures record thirty-three different instances in which Jesus takes time to pray. Prayer was a way that he renewed his energy and and determined his next step. Prioritizing prayer the way that Jesus did will lead to life changing results that change the future!

What if, for one day and night, Jesus lived your life with his heart? Your Heart got the day off and your life was led by the heart of Christ? What would change if His priorities governed your actions, His passions drove your decisions and His love directed your behavior? The Life of Jesus is the aim of every follower of Christ. Not just to think like him but to act like him!

The question is are we the type of body that tries to convince the world that Christ exists by getting them to come to church so they can hear someone from the front talk about the existence and reality of the risen Christ. Or are we the type of body that is so well acquainted with our own shortcomings, our own pain, and our own healing that we are willing to step into places that are locked down and guarded and having those who don’t know Jesus see our scars? There is something to be said about the evangelistic capability of seeing scars. We find this truth in the narrative we have been given.

When you feel like you are in a battle in life, do you know you have access to weapons through God? This week we dive into Ephesians 6 where Paul tells us about the armor that God and how we, as believers, are equipped to handle the spiritual battles of life.

As a church we are not a museum of religious artifacts, or a preservation society of how things used to be. The church of Jesus is a growing, fluid, dynamic, changing body of believers that are attempting to work out this surprising, yet life changing idea that Jesus has risen from the dead and that means something for our context, in our day and in our time! Join us this week as we reveal our New Logo and how this pertains to us in what the Lord has laid out for us as a congregation and people.

Grace Fellowship Church is nearing the one-year anniversary of Make+Multiply; Life Worth Pursuing. This week, we take stock as a church body and celebrate all that God has done in our midst in such a short time and worship as a community with a special in-service baptism.

Do you ever compare yourself to others? Your kids, abilities, home, car, job, struggles? Sizing things up and wondering where you fit and how you define your value? Why do we so easily fall prey to comparing ourselves to others? God can free us from the bondage of comparison.

As we continue in our series Baggage Claim, this week we take a look at what its like to carry around our 'Stinkin Thinkin '. How does the way you think of yourself, your job and relationships effect you as a whole? What if God has given us tools on how to change our thinking and bring more Joy to our lives? Let's replace our thinking of anxiety for peace and our thinking of negativity for positivity.

Are you consumed by your habitual bad habits? We often revert to bad habits out of comfort, out of protection and out of just knowing we will safe. This is a falsehood. Jesus wants to teach us that our bad habits don't define us and are certainly not things we need to keep going to. He is the answer and will provide all-in comfort, provision and protection.

We all carry "baggage" with us; things that hamper our relationship with others and with God. Over the coming weeks, we'll "unpack" our baggage in a series of messages where we'll learn how God has already made a way for us to check our baggage with Him and live a life of freedom in Christ.

What do we trust the Lord with? Do we pick and choose the moments that suit us to Trust God? Join us this week as we take a look at how important it is to trust the Lord always!

God With Us - in the valley of tears, in the fire, in the storm and now...with us always. Always. God, who became flesh and dwelt among us. Not a distant God, but one who was human in every way that you and I are. Let's celebrate His birth -- the most significant event in human history -- and learn about the ultimate gift that is Jesus!

The storm moments in our lives are the difficult moments that blow up out of nowhere. Divorce, negative medical report, a friend’s betrayal - These are the moments that surprise us and brings us to our knees. This message explores how the lord of the storm speaks to the storm, “Be Still!” Never let the presence of a storm make you doubt the presence of God. Peace isn’t found in the absence of a storm. Peace is found in the presence of a Good God!

Fiery trials are never pleasant - All of us go through intense seasons where our faith is tested. This weeks message will explore how God is with us in these fiery episodes and how He actually uses them for our good!

Welcome to the Advent Season! God With Us. We will make a few stops each week leading up to Christ's birth and see the places where God is with us. Today, we're in the valley -- the place of sorrow and loneliness. The place where we sometimes believe we have to possess all the answers and figure it out ourselves. We'll find out, however, that God is with us and there is power and freedom in understanding that He is in control...if we let Him be.

At this time of year are running around frantically or are you calm in the most celebrated time of the year? This week we will take a closer look at the story of Mary and Martha. Where would you think you would fit? Would you be frantically running around prepping to be with Jesus or would you just sit as his feet and be in his presence. Let's see how either of them bring glory to the Lord.

As we move along as a Church that is inspiring a life worth pursuing, we need to share our vision from time to time. This week we will share what our vision as a church is for our area and beyond. How do we as a congregation and community inspire others to follow Jesus!

After spending three years with his disciples, Jesus brings them to the final tipping point. It’s in an upper room that Jesus shows them the way of the towel. It’s here that he gives them the final instructions and reveals the ultimate plan… They are to go and do what he has done for them.

After the resurrection, Jesus has one last talk with his disciples on the cliff in Galilee. Here he gives them one final charge, and one BIG promise. The biggest tipping point of all, is “I am with you always!”

After the twelve return from ministry work, Jesus expects the disciples to take some initiative. Jesus teaches a huge crowd for the better part of a day and the disciples plead with Him to feed the crowd. Instead, Jesus tells the disciples, "you feed them!". When the crowd is hungry, he says, you feed them! There comes a time - a tipping point - in the life of a believer when God expects us to move from being fed to being equipped to serve. Come learn about this important Tipping Point.

Jesus is not content in allowing his followers to stay comfortable. He brings them to the brink of another tipping point when he calls and appoints them for the next level. He doesn't call them to just observe and watch as he does all of the work… He has a bigger picture in mind. Jesus is going to bring these men and women to a point of no return and set them up for a life changing tipping point that will change them forever. Calling and appointing the apostles and sending them out…

After 24 months of building relationships with his disciples, Jesus takes the relationship with his friends to the next level: Follow me. This call begins a journey of lifelong learning and challenge to become an apprentice of Jesus. Peter and the others went on to lay down everything to follow Christ. This next step was a tipping point of no return when Peter and the others went all in. Will we follow suit?

Small moves can make a huge difference. One decision can change your life. Jesus invites his disciples to “come and see”, and their decision to participate became a tipping point that changed their lives. The same invitation has been extended to you and me - the question is, will we RSVP to the invite of a lifetime?

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old life is gone, the new life has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 What a great verse—except if the old life’s gone, why do we constantly keep battling it? If we're living a new life with Christ, then why do we still struggle with anger, sadness, and sin? This message teaches us that although our old life of sin will never leave us, our faith in Christ prevents us from being enslaved by it.

It’s easy to let our thoughts run away with us—and when those thoughts are fearful, anxious, or discontent, it can be difficult to reign them in. But we don’t have to surrender ourselves to every negative thought we have. In this message, we will explore what it means to take our thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ.

Whats your greatest weakness? Think about it; what's a weakness that you wish you didn't have? You're too short, dont like your hair, think you're not pretty enough, strong enough, brave enough, or smart enough? Whatever it is, God has a special purpose for it. In this message, we look at how God's power prevails in the midst of our weaknesses.

No one likes tests, do they? As much as we don't like them, we can all agree we like when other people are tested. Pilots, Doctors, Dentists , and Teachers all need to be tested before they can practice. Why? Because what's been tested can be trusted. But what about your faith - has it been tested? Can it be trusted when you need it the most? In this message we will learn what it takes to have a shatterproof faith.

Sorry! Hmmmm.... Do you like saying sorry? Do you know how it feels to give a meaningful "sorry"? What tools does the bible have for us in being able to get past pride and forgive others? This is a powerful way to wrap up the series - 5 Words to Change Your Life.

The word Yes is a powerful word, but it has a cost. It can change your life if you know when and how to use it. What does a "real" yes look like? Isn't it actually a "no" to other things?

Can gratitude change your outlook on things or even your physical well-being? Thanks is a word that is life changing. We fall prey so easily to grumbling about our current situation and longing for things, but God instructs us to take stock of today and say Thanks.

Help! Who likes to ask for help? This week, join us as we talk on our next word: HELP. When you encounter situations that are tough to handle and navigate, do you know how to ask for help? What does the bible say about the people and moments in scripture where help was needed? Discover provision that the Lord has for and even how he wants to shape you in time of asking for Help.

Join us this week as we kick off our new series, 5 Words to Change Your Life. This week we will look at the word WOW. What circumstances make us use the word WOW? God loves the word WOW. Otherwise why would we need taste buds? Taste is not necessary to survive but God wanted to WOW us and gave us several thousand taste buds to enjoy what we eat. What moments in your life has God WOWed you; when you have no words to describe his greatness?

Has someone ever hurt so badly that you feel the need for revenge? Or is forgiveness something you looked for in a person? As we close the series Blockbuster Truths, we will be looking at the movie The Avengers (or as we have named it, in The Revengers) . What does it do to our soul when seeking revenge on someone who wrongs us and what does it look like to forgive them?

This week we take a look at the movie Jaws. What is lurking in the water in your life? Why is this something you will always go towards? By putting God at the forefront and as our shepherd, we can know his voice and follow the truth He has for us.

This week we take a closer look at what the movie Wonder Woman and the biblical truths it asks; how can we know our true identity and how can we be wonder women and men. How can we know our purpose and destiny and how can we walk boldly in it?

In week 3 of our series Blockbuster Truths, we talk about the problem of Idolitry. What in your life do you sometimes put first before Christ? Is it as simple as candy or is it something bigger, like a toxic relationship? Join us as we take a closer look into what it means to truly follow the Lord with everything.

In this weeks sermon we take a look at Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. the truth that presents itself in this movie is FAITH. Faith is the main theme that runs the entire way through the Bible. There is no denying that Faith is a key element in following Jesus. But how do we develop Faith and What exactly does it mean, but most importantly how much power does it hold. join us this week as we explore Faith.

As we start our new series Block Buster Truths. We are going to look at popular movies and dig deep into what kind of biblical truths can we find. This week we look at Back to the Future. When you think of the future what do you see? What does the bible say about the future? Join us this week as we take a deeper look into Back to the Garden/Future.

This week as we close out this wonderful and highly practical book of James, we will be taking a look at what controls/ rules our hearts - desires and longings. It impacts what we pursue, how we pursue it and how we relate to others and approach life day to day. Be sure to join us as we dive into what James has to say about our desires.

As we continue in our series Faith: Some assembly required we take a look at what James has to say about words! What damage or greatness can our words do? Join us this week as we dig deep into James 3 and see what James says about us using our tongues!

In this weeks sermon we dive into faith = trust. But how do we involve this idea of faith in all areas of our lives? Things like struggle, our money, raising kids, staying faithful in our marriages? what about times of struggle and pain? What is really required of us in regards to our faith? If faith is just believing something or is there some assembly required? in other words, how much is just believing and how much is actually doing?

have you ever been in a situation where you just liked someone better than another? or has favoritism hurt you directly? Join us for the 2nd installment of Faith: Some Assembly Required, where we look at James more closely. how did he write his book, when being the brother of Jesus? Did he ever experience favoritism first hand?

Have you ever ordered furniture from Ikea? When you get the furniture you have always wanted you discover there is some assembly required to put it together? Did you know our faith has the same process? There is some assembly required when building your relationship with the Lord. Join us this week as we kick off our new series and get helpful guidance in building your Faith: Some assembly required.

Have you ever had a situation where someone took something from you and you wanted them to give it back? Mostly as children we call on our father for assistance. We often let the Evil one take from us so easily. Lets delve into giving God the authority as our Father to tell the Evil one to " Give It Back"

When someone asks you "How are you doing?" Do you answer "Busy!" or "Relaxed, I have more time than I know what to do with" Im guessing option 2 is never uttered. This week we take a look at, with Gods help, how to choose correctly between what is important and what is urgent.

Do you know your purpose in life? What has God called you to pursue? In this weeks sermon we breakdown Purpose vs Popularity. What do you constantly avert to? Look at what God wants for you, will it bring you profound purpose or complacent popularity?

As we enter week 3 of I Choose, have you ever mad a choice that has bought you spiritual death? Join us this week as we discuss Life vs death and be reminded how this doesn't always mean the physical.

When making choices in life, do you do it out of surrender to God's choice for you or try to control the situation yourself? In this week's sermon, join us in learning how complete surrender to God's will alters your life in more ways than one.

We are the result of our decisions. We agonize over every choice we make in life. Whether it be what clothes to wear, what song to listen to or what meal to eat. What about the big choices? Do I trust the Lord? Do I believe in the purpose he has given me? Am I really doing right by the Lords word? Over the next 5 weeks we will take a closer look at those defining choices. We will cover topics like surrender, priority and urgency. We will learn to be more intentional when saying “I Choose”.

Easter Unveiled In the beginning, God made the garden with freedom and no shame. Sin entered in and created a veil between God and his people. The sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, would tear the veil to reveal hope, freedom and truth for humankind and, most of all, restored the fellowship between us and God, the Father.

Many of us in the world today could use a victory, a win or a breakthrough! Let’s take a closer look at what has been called Jesus’ Triumphal entry. While there were plenty of people around waving their Palms at him to welcome him in, Jesus’ entry was nothing like the victorious kings or generals of antiquity. Jesus knows he is about to change the course of human history as He confronts and Defeats the forces of evil and death in an unrepeatable way. So why not make a grand entrance? Maybe there is a deeper message in His method…

How will you be remembered? How do you want to be remembered? Will your children be proud of the legacy you leave (to them and to the world), and not just excited about the inheritance you give them? Are you working harder on your legacy or your estate? These are questions that can, and do, and should keep us up at night. A life worth pursuing is about multiplying your impact and leaving a legacy, not just building the net worth of your estate.

Life worth pursuing is about living your life the way Jesus lived his. One of the things that characterized Jesus’s life was his ability to make moments significant. It must have been exciting to be in the close circle of his followers because there were no ordinary days or ordinary encounters with Jesus. His life was significant, and he made moments significant wherever he went. This week, we’ll talk about what true significance is, what’s required to live a significant life, how to see every moment as significant, and perhaps how to make some significant moments of your own.

Our culture teaches us to look out for ourselves … to hold on tightly to our wealth … to build our status … to climb the ladder of success, and measure success by how much we accumulate … to do what feels good. But a life worth pursuing often goes against what our society encourages and what our neighbors are doing: it goes against the grain.

Do you ever hear yourself saying things like: “Where did the time go?” “I can’t believe it’s almost March already!” “That’s due already? thought I had more time to work on it.” “How old is our grandson? No way! He can’t be that old!” These kinds of statements make it seem like we have no control at all over our time, and maybe it does feel like that to you. And while it’s true that we cannot control time in the macro sense – the steady progression of days, months, years – it’s also true that we can and should be more aware of and in control of how we spend our time, where our time goes.

Welcome to our 5-week exploration of “Life Worth Pursuing”. Over the course of our time together, we’ll look at our own life, asking questions like: “Am I pursuing things that matter?” “Are the things I’m pursuing really worth attaining?” “Is my life the kind of life I really want?” We’ll also look at the life of Jesus as the example and model of the life worth pursuing. We’ll look at His priorities, His choices, His values. We’ll notice how He spent His time and invested His energy. And as we discover what mattered to Jesus, we’ll be inspired to begin to make any changes necessary for our life to more closely model His life -- the life worth pursuing.

In our eyes, setbacks are unexpected delays, frustrating obstacles and crushed expectations. But for God, seasons of setback become a launch point for a new vision. We overcome our setbacks when we proclaim God's goodness in the face of our challenges.

Bitterness is anger that has been frozen. When we lock the moment away or imprison the person involved, we imprison ourselves.

Most of us battle fear from time to time. But God did not give us a spirit of fear. Find out how to turn our "what ifs" into "even if" in this powerful message about overcoming fear.

Like it or not, we are described by labels; a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive. Some are positive, some are not.

Does anyone care these days? Apathy is not caring when maybe you should. The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates this well.

Comparisons are a trap that keep you from the purpose that God has planned for your life and blessing others. We're given one person that we're allowed to compare ourselves to; Jesus.

Is it possible to hear God's voice? What role does the Holy Spirit play. Learn about the power available to every believer to hear from God.

For the entire Advent season we have been on a Journey to reach this point. As we gather this Christmas season, we do so with grateful hearts around the manger. What a beautiful night this was, in the small town of Bethlehem. Angels were singing and shepherds were rejoicing. Let us join in the chorus of worship as we gather around the manger to worship the child born unto us.

The wise men saw the star and traveled many miles to see this one who was born as the “King of the Jews”. They brought to him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were very precious gifts that they gave in an act of worship. These indeed were “wise men”. In our day, what does it look like for us to imitate this group of worshipers by offering our “gifts” in worship to the lord? What does worship look like in this season of Advent? May we continue to worship him with all of our lives as we continue the journey to the Manger.

The announcement to Mary by the Angel was that she was highly favored among all. What does this favor look like? It plays out very differently than we might imagine. She becomes pregnant outside of marriage at the risk of being misunderstood and judged. Even Joseph, her soon to be husband has to be talked down from being understood. Is this “Favor”? Apparently so. Sometimes favor doesn’t look so favorable in the moment, but God has a way of setting us up for something far beyond what we could ever imagine as good.

The Jewish people had great expectations for a messiah who was promised to come and save his people. Isaiah 9 sees the day when this baby would be born who would eventually rule the world. What if this is exactly what happened in the strange events that surround Christmas? This child is said to rule the nations - If this is true what does this mean for us today? What does it look like for us to live as though this is true? When we live already submitted underneath his leadership strange and marvelous things happen. The kingdom of this child begins to grow like mustard seed and spread throughout our lives and throughout the world!

Is there a formula for gratitude in the Bible? The world tells us that if good things happen to us it produces happiness, which in turn produces gratitude in us. But what if the Bible can show us a better way? A way where gratitude first produces joy in us?

We live in a culture of greediness and consumption. The kingdom of Jesus is one of open hearted and open handed generosity. His kingdom is one of giving and not one of taking. How do we become people of generosity at Grace. How do we position ourselves to be a pass through of God’s blessings to touch the nations?

When kingdoms collide with division versus unity, whose side will you be on? So much division today, but much opportunity to be the bridge to unite people.

The Kingdom that Jesus brings is one of connection and community. In His kingdom relationships are central to growth. In His kingdom iron sharpens iron. This stands in stark contrast to the culture of individualism and isolation that we find ourselves in. Together we are being built into the house of God!

Jesus Kingdom is marked first and foremost by love. Love believes, gives and sacrifices itself. This is very different then the concept of Lust that is perpetuated continually in our culture. How do we become people who embody the powerful truth of love?

When worldly success comes into your life, can you see the line between success and significance? What lasts? What's important? When kingdoms collide, which side will you be on?

Pride eventually kills everything it touches. Humility enhances the ordinary and makes the great even greater. Jesus introduced the idea of humility during his time on earth. Clash continues with this contrast: Humility vs. Pride.

What happens when kingdoms collide? God's kingdom is counter to our culture. He calls us to a new way of life and peace. Which kingdom will you choose?

A pattern is revealed in the Bible for God's intentionality with our purpose. When we find our "to" and "so that", we'll find we're effective in how we function in our sweet spot.

How do we find the way to fulling and lasting relationships in our lives? At the core of all relationships that last is the idea that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. Implementing Jesus teaching of treating others the way that we want to be treated with revolutionize our relationships, in every area of our lives.

All of us are wired a certain way. We have God given talents and abilities that are unique to us. Finding a sweet spot where we can use these God given gifts is the key to experiencing fulfillment and being the very best you, you can be!

God has a purpose for your life and wants to use you to make a difference. How do we find the SWEET SPOT of God’s will and our desires coming together to create catalyst for change? This series explores how we can find our SWEET SPOT and live the life of our dreams.

God gave us the 4th commandment as a rhythm of six days of work, one day of rest. Learn more about the Sabbath in this important message reminding us that rest was created by God.

A man who had been paralyzed for 38 years has lost hope of being healed meets Jesus. He tells Jesus that nobody is there to help him into the healing waters, but Jesus asks, "do you want to get well?". Have we fallen victim to complacency? Do we give excuses why we don't want to change? Do you want to get well? God has mercy for you!

Before Jesus began his mission, the bible provides an often overlooked statement about how His father felt about him; "I am pleased". Jesus had done very little, visibly, up until this point. What was the Father pleased with? What did He accomplish during His time of obscurity?

Jonah had a calling on his life - to reach the people of Nineveh, but he resisted because he felt they were unworthy of God's mercy. The further he ran from this calling, the more he encountered God. Where is God calling you to go? What looks like Nineveh to you?

An amazing story of a man demon-possessed who is freed by Jesus. What controls you? Is anything causing you to lose a grip on reality? There is power in what He can and wants to do for you.

The Jewish people were slaves in Egypt for 400 years and they were treated horribly. They were beat, whipped and forced to work. Despite their situation, God had a destiny bigger than what they could see. Just when it looked like it was over, God used Moses to part the sea. God will part your Red Sea toward destiny, toward freedom.

Overwhelmed in your present circumstances? God is not so far from you that he cannot hear or reach you. He is the I Am!

Ever find yourself falling in the same place over and over and over again? Peter did. Find out about his moment of transformation down by the shore.

Reflection on the past year as we took up batons to run the race; how have we done? What has God done in our midst? We re-commit to go All In!