Adventurous Living - The Meadow Springs Community Church Podcast

What we do in this life echoes in eternity. Much like the ripples that go out from the point where a child has tossed a pebble into the water... those ripples intersect with others and so on. When Jesus Christ created His church, He dropped a stone in the water and there have been ripples. Whether they reach the shore remains to be seen.

In the eyes of the world, the end to our story - the greatest story ever told - just might seem too good to be true.

"Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea The Great High Priest whose name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me." Soak that in. Jesus is always interceding on our behalf. Because of His strong and perfect plea and His atoning sacrifice for our sins, the Father in heaven looks at us and says, "Because of what my Son has done for you, you are free to go, and I give you all...

When death tries to swallow the Author of Life, death can't contain it... doesn't understand that darkness cannot stand in the face of the Bringer of Light.

It was a clear and majestic declaration, yet no words were spoken. And now we say, "Rejoice, our King is here."

Most of us won't be giving our lives for Jesus Christ in an epic, "going out in a blaze of glory" sort of way. We will lose our lives for Jesus in all the little things that seem like nothing, but really are everything.

Caearea Philippi was not a friendly place in the minds of the Jewish people. In fact, it was the "Sin City" of the ancient world, yet Jesus took His disciples there. Did even those 12 men, loyal followers of Jesus, need to decide once and for all to what and to whom they were giving their lives?

Finding a home full of brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers. My name is_______", they say. "And if you ever need_______". We cannot be the family of God without other people. Fill in the blanks.

It isn't a myth or cleverly told story. It is a first-hand, personal and life-changing encounter that ignited the hearts of people to follow Jesus.

Are you an evangelist in your own church? Are you sold out for God's Word or do you just tip-toe through its pages? Do you dive in for the feast of a lifetime or do you just nibble around the edges and leave hungry?

He redeems. He provides and He protects so that we can live in community with one another practicing love, faithfulness, generosity, justice and mercy.

Jesus did not come to abolish the Law and the Old Testament. If we think "I've got to do all these things and do them this way", we'll never get it right. Jesus tells us He will instead fulfill the law. God knows we aren't capable of perfection and He promises to cleanse our hearts of flesh and provide for our ultimate redemption.

"You tell the truth... but not the whole truth," Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well. Why such a gentle approach? Because His purpose was to highlight her pain, not her sin. Jesus wanted to expose her real need - she thought she needed water to drink; but He knew that her thirst was much deeper.

Where Adam failed, Jesus succeeded. Where the nation of Israel failed, Jesus succeeded. Friends, where you and I have failed, Jesus has succeeded and He, the One undefeated by temptation, is our champion and our hope.

There's one problem with Christmas. We gear up, decorate, sing the carols, exchange the gifts then take down the decorations, put away the gifts and go on as before. For all the drama and festivity surrounding it, does the birth of that little baby - the Christ child - make any real difference in our lives?

Our Creator/Redeemer God - full of mercy and grace, patient with failure and overflowing with an unwavering love shown to a thousand generations. But, also perfect and holy and waits for us to turn back to Him.

God's purpose and plans often do not make sense to us. Some advise? Just go with the flow.

Love someone that is unloved - that is the ultimate act of rebellion.

God is the only one who is able to perform the sort of heart surgery we desperately need.

God has set before you blessings and cursings; life and death... choose life.

The danger of coming to church is that we can replace a real, personal and daily relationship with God with a once-a-week check-up. In other words, God will ignore us in our Sunday morning worship if we ignore Him in our week.

When everything gracious and lovely and pure are corrupted by evil; when the tongues of the proud and mighty structure the earth and when the weak are constantly sacrificed on the altars of power. Even then, God has a plan.

If the role of the prophets is to speak God's Word, then the role of the people is to hear and respond to God's Word. Our relationship with God depends on it.

Being raised with Christ is the earthquake that relocates the center of your universe - it shakes you to the core and reorients your life.

Good king...bad king. It doesn't matter because at the end of all things, every king and their countries will spiral down and face death as the consequence of their disobedience to God.