Church in the Valley Alhambra

People are made to contribute to something bigger than ourselves. If we decide to hold back and not engage and contribute to the group (church community or family, etc.), then we “shrivel”. What happens is that our lives and our self get smaller.

We either leave a trail of hurt and pain as we go through life or healing and joy. To a great degree, the 4 essentials will determine which we experience. We need to be accepted and belong – humility and forgiveness help us to give and experience acceptance and belonging.

essential trust factors in family relationships and friendships are love and integrity (faithfulness). They are the building blocks of relationships that flourish and benefit all. As Christ followers, we are commanded to imitate God in love and faithfulness. And God, through His Spirit, will work in us to grow these essential qualities.

Human efforts at character development always fall short. We need God’s help. This is why self-help seminars, books and methods are ineffective. We must rely on God to make us the people He wants us to be so we can enjoy life and bless others in relationships.

Learning how to follow His agenda is my life long focus…(When our agendas clash, I have to make a decision...abandon or follow).

Baptism is the most important declaration that Jesus commanded new believers to make.

Our primary assignment given to us by Jesus is to help others commit to follow Him, wherever He may lead.

The core of getting even is resentment. Revenge and resentment cause all sorts of problems in relationships with others. Walk through “injustice gap” and show how to give yourself to something bigger than getting even.

How do we deal with the masks we put on to hide who we are? How do we move from a secret life (or being unknown) to living an honest and open life with those around us?

We have the hope and cure for the sin infection in all of us—Jesus Christ. This is why we take risks to make Him known.

Faithfulness in the midst of the unknown.

Moving from comparison/jealousy to work together, and competing vs cooperating. Life goes better when we team together.

Allowing purpose to drive you to act—not giving in to passivity.

Overcoming fear in the midst of the unknown or trying time.

Box office wisdom must match God's Word to be real. It's important to read and evaluate the movies we see and filter the ideas you collect through the truths in the Bible.

Faulty communication habits create frustration and pain in our family circles. If our words are motivate by a desire to please ourselves and get what we want our “circle” is going to be a miserable, discouraging, defeating place to live. Gracious speech that aims to build others up creates a family atmosphere that fosters encouragement and growth.

God has given us various stewardships in life. He wants us to be faithful to handle them in a way that honors Him and there are boundaries to my stewardships – my stewardships are my responsibility before God and yours are yours, etc. The purpose of the family is to prepare and grow children into adulthood who carry the weight of their responsibilities well. Serious problems and dysfunction develo...

If we are not careful, we look to our family to meet our deepest needs – this is something only God can do. When we expect our family to come through for us and meet our needs, we drain the joy out of our family circle. We have deep needs for security and significance – these were meant to be met by God, not our family (or anyone else). Learning to deal with expectations in faith (not demanding is...

A follower of Christ has an overriding objective in every decision they make: to bring glory to God. It’s right for people to bring God glory because He made us. When we do bring Him honor, we really hum inside and out (life has meaning). Christ followers have already decided to live for His glory and this is at the heart of our reason for living. Which brings us to the final question: The right q...

Often, we have a plan worked out that we want to see materialize – we want it real bad. Examples: a dating relationship that works out; a business plan that succeeds; a ministry effort that multiplies and blesses many. We make a plan and set out to work it. Along the journey to accomplish anything worthwhile there will be roadblocks and challenges and discoveries that we need to alter our plan. In...

Many times, inner turmoil is connected to a decision we are facing. This can be a warning signal that we need to slow down and make sure that the choice we are about to make lines up with God’s will that He has already revealed in His Word. The right question to ask: Is there a tension I need to pay attention to? (Andy Stanley) Is there a moral or ethical dilemma (something inside, like a gut chec...

Every decision you make becomes a part of your story. Over and again, we are faced with a choice between something that looks like it will bring immediate satisfaction (or is expedient) or in taking the long road that we know to be God’s will trusting Him to work out His purpose for us. The right question to ask: What story do I want to tell? In the story of Joseph, we see a man who chose to do wh...

When we are faced with a decision that surprises us (positive or negative), a difficult but crucial thing is to discover what’s real underneath all of the swirling thoughts and emotions. The right question to ask is: Am I being completely honest with myself? We are constantly in danger of self-deception (Jeremiah 17:9) and must do whatever it takes to get the facts (Proverbs 18:13) and refuse to r...

Jesus came to give His life as a ransom for many, this was His purpose for living (Mark 10:45). When He faced the reality of the price He would pay on the cross, He surrendered to God’s will. By His example, He showed us what to do when we face hard choices in life. He asked the right question and surrendered to God’s will. The right question to ask: How does this fit into my purpose for living? O...

Genuine friendships and family relationships thrive when the truth is spoken in an atmosphere of love. This message will provide a practical guide for speaking the truth in an atmosphere of love.