GraceLife Sarasota

“STILL A MAN BELIEVES WHAT HE WANTS TO BELIEVE, AND DISREGARDS THE REST” – SIMON & GARFUNKEL, “THE BOXER” Have you disagreed with someone who refused to acknowledge important obvious points in your argument? We have all been on both sides of this equation though. Every human in history has been. Sometimes stubbornness starts with ignorance, in that situation there’s hope information & persuasion w...

What is your first reaction to the phrase “the last days” or the return of Jesus? There is the churchy answer “Oh man what a glorious day that will be”, but all of us have a little anxiety right? Do you think biblical prophecy, signs that point to the possibility that the end is just around the corner? The topic is a little intimidating theologically, it makes you anxious. It should be the most co...

What is your first reaction to the phrase “the last days” or the return of Jesus? There is the churchy answer “Oh man what a glorious day that will be”, but all of us have a little anxiety right? Do you think biblical prophecy, signs that point to the possibility that the end is just around the corner? The topic is a little intimidating theologically, it makes you anxious. It should be the most co...

My wife Laura grew up in NY, she used to always tell me how bad chain restaurant pizza was, but I dismissed that. Then, we moved to NY just outside of Queens, a couple block away was Angeleto. It’s the best Sicilian pizza you’ll ever eat. The perfectly tangy sauce, fresh cheese, crunchy edges… transformational. In the city, on the corner of Spring & Mott was Lombardi’s (PIC) the best thin crust fi...

My wife Laura grew up in NY, she used to always tell me how bad chain restaurant pizza was, but I dismissed that. Then, we moved to NY just outside of Queens, a couple block away was Angeleto. It’s the best Sicilian pizza you’ll ever eat. The perfectly tangy sauce, fresh cheese, crunchy edges… transformational. In the city, on the corner of Spring & Mott was Lombardi’s (PIC) the best thin crust fi...

Have you ever had someone you care about wounded, misled, or taken advantage of by someone or a group? How did that make you feel? What did you want to do? What did you want to say to those who did it? Did you play scenarios in your head what you would say, how it would go if you had a chance to unleash? When people we love are victimized, it’s fertile ground for outrage or anger, sometimes justif...

Have you ever had someone you care about wounded, misled, or taken advantage of by someone or a group? How did that make you feel? What did you want to do? What did you want to say to those who did it? Did you play scenarios in your head what you would say, how it would go if you had a chance to unleash? When people we love are victimized, it’s fertile ground for outrage or anger, sometimes justif...

Do you ever wonder why God sometimes seemingly lets evil have its way? Why doesn’t He judge it immediately? We know evil is caused by sin, perhaps even our own… but why does God even allow sin to be a thing in the first place? Wy must we even tolerate false teaching? Didn’t’ Christ suffer on the cross to defeat evil? Will evil ever get what it deserves? We grapple with these questions today, same...

Do you ever wonder why God sometimes seemingly lets evil have its way? Why doesn’t He judge it immediately? We know evil is caused by sin, perhaps even our own… but why does God even allow sin to be a thing in the first place? Wy must we even tolerate false teaching? Didn’t’ Christ suffer on the cross to defeat evil? Will evil ever get what it deserves? We grapple with these questions today, same...

What is the problem with false teaching? Why is it so bad? Why is it so important? You may not realize it but without your church family & constant reminder you are very vulnerable to false teachers. Why are people so susceptible to false teachers? What makes false teaching so attractive, so alluring? It has Something for everyone… atheistic, deistic, philosophical, theological. It can be radical,...

What is the problem with false teaching? Why is it so bad? Why is it so important? You may not realize it but without your church family & constant reminder you are very vulnerable to false teachers. Why are people so susceptible to false teachers? What makes false teaching so attractive, so alluring? It has Something for everyone… atheistic, deistic, philosophical, theological. It can be radical,...

Why do we follow Jesus? Why do we go through the trouble of living in accordance to His commands? - Why do we put our faith and trust for eternity in His promises to the degree it changes how we live on earth? The reason? You have been convinced the words of Jesus are true, reliable enough to devote your life to Him. That makes sense, right? We follow Jesus, trust in Jesus because we’re confident...

Why do we follow Jesus? Why do we go through the trouble of living in accordance to His commands? - Why do we put our faith and trust for eternity in His promises to the degree it changes how we live on earth? The reason? You have been convinced the words of Jesus are true, reliable enough to devote your life to Him. That makes sense, right? We follow Jesus, trust in Jesus because we’re confident...

What if, I told you God says its ok to indulge the flesh with anything we want for the next 30 days? Eat or drink whatever, whenever, don’t worry about health repercussions, they aren’t important for this month. Don’t worry about sexual purity, integrity, or any biblical righteousness… for 30 days, none of that matters. Likely, if you are a follower of Jesus,, you know this is a bad idea. Even wit...

What if, I told you God says its ok to indulge the flesh with anything we want for the next 30 days? Eat or drink whatever, whenever, don’t worry about health repercussions, they aren’t important for this month. Don’t worry about sexual purity, integrity, or any biblical righteousness… for 30 days, none of that matters. Likely, if you are a follower of Jesus,, you know this is a bad idea. Even wit...

When your faith is challenged, by friends, family, or the world, how competently, confidently can you recall those things? Are you able to give a reasonable summary & defense of teachings of Jesus, & why they are reliable, trustworthy? Can you remember important things to enlighten those who don’t know truth, and encourage those who do? Of course, one person alone can’t know it all, but here are s...

When your faith is challenged, by friends, family, or the world, how competently, confidently can you recall those things? Are you able to give a reasonable summary & defense of teachings of Jesus, & why they are reliable, trustworthy? Can you remember important things to enlighten those who don’t know truth, and encourage those who do? Of course, one person alone can’t know it all, but here are s...

Have you ever had the privilege of spending significant time with Christians in other parts of the world? Several years ago, I went on a missions trip to a mountain village in Peru, mostly native south American Indians. Most of them didn’t speak Spanish, they spoke Quechua, an ancient Peruvian language before the Spanish came. Life was very different there, it was quite the experience. But the exp...

Have you ever had the privilege of spending significant time with Christians in other parts of the world? Several years ago, I went on a missions trip to a mountain village in Peru, mostly native south American Indians. Most of them didn’t speak Spanish, they spoke Quechua, an ancient Peruvian language before the Spanish came. Life was very different there, it was quite the experience. But the exp...

A Christmas Eve message: - Did you ever receive the perfect gift? Can you remember your favorite Christmas gifts ever? For each person, the gift of faith from Heavenly Dad is unique, with exceptional circumstances, meaning, special revelation. -Sadly, over time we can forget how precious that perfect gift is, we begin to forget that very 1st day we opened it.

A Christmas Eve message: - Did you ever receive the perfect gift? Can you remember your favorite Christmas gifts ever? For each person, the gift of faith from Heavenly Dad is unique, with exceptional circumstances, meaning, special revelation. -Sadly, over time we can forget how precious that perfect gift is, we begin to forget that very 1st day we opened it.

Imagine you’re in a burning building, & firefighters show up to rescue you, would you question their orders or direction as they tried to get you away from danger? Would you say, I don’t need trained firefighters to get out of this. All I need is God! He and I can handle anything! NO of course not, because as the heat and flames intensify, you’d be fully aware of the danger & do what they say. You...

Imagine you’re in a burning building, & firefighters show up to rescue you, would you question their orders or direction as they tried to get you away from danger? Would you say, I don’t need trained firefighters to get out of this. All I need is God! He and I can handle anything! NO of course not, because as the heat and flames intensify, you’d be fully aware of the danger & do what they say. You...

Have you ever heard the term “Sheeple”? What does that mean? Is it a compliment or an insult? Ever hear phrases like “dumb sheep”, or “led like sheep”? Nobody likes to be called a sheep. Sheep are very useful livestock, providing wool, protein (delish), keeping fields from being overgrown. But sheep are high maintenance, the get lost easily, and they can’t find their own way back home. They have d...

Have you ever heard the term “Sheeple”? What does that mean? Is it a compliment or an insult? Ever hear phrases like “dumb sheep”, or “led like sheep”? Nobody likes to be called a sheep. Sheep are very useful livestock, providing wool, protein (delish), keeping fields from being overgrown. But sheep are high maintenance, the get lost easily, and they can’t find their own way back home. They have d...