Front Porch Confessional

It has been my great joy to be with you all over the last 5.5 years.  This podcast has been the journey of my life with Christ and with you all.  Along the way, Solomon inspired by the Spirit of God has helped me discerned my days.   THANK YOU  Ecclesiastes 7:13 Watch the way God works and fall in line, don't fight the ways for God, for who can makes straight what God has made crooked.

You are powerful, but do you know where that power comes from? 1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

We are afraid of our sin...so we avoid and run away from it.  David models a life lived in the presence of God, and he is not afraid to confess his sin. Psalms 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

We tend to trust ourselves when we shouldn't.  Solomon is trying to show how arrogant and prideful this is, and ultimately leads to death.  Jesus wants to give us life and life to the full...trust in him. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

This is so hard, but you can protest God and have hope in him.  He is greater than your circumstance. Job 13:15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face

We struggle with God's timing.  We believe we know what's best.  God makes decisions with all of eternity in mind and Pastor Peter is reminding us and this church, to rest in God's timing. 2 Peter 3:8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

We are always returning to the Lord!  In Jeremiah 29 the Lord is laying out a plan to the Israelites on how they will go away and the will faithfully have them return.  We need to learn to return to the Lord with our whole hearts. Jeremiah 29:12-13 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 

Jesus says it so beautifully here...eternal life is not just something we experience in heaven, it starts right now!!! John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

As humans, we're control freaks.  We believe as we hold on we're gaining something instead of realizing what we're losing.  Jesus knows, and he trying to help reorient us Matthew 10:39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

God is calling his people out so he can restore them, but we have a responsibility. Humble--Pray--Seek--Turn  2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

This passage is for those longing for safety.  Where do we do in times of need?  We go to the ONE who promises to protect us. Psalm 27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

ONE thing...that is what David is directing us toward.  The problem is our ONE thing is typically different than his.  Our deepest desire should be to desire the presence, beauty, and wisdom of the Lord. Psalm 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple...

We are in such a hurry that we don't realize that Jesus wants to disciple us.  We think we know who Jesus is, but we don't.  Slow down, and let Jesus teach you. Mark 8:30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

We should be known as people who do good.  When people talk about Christians, they should proclaim...those people make things better.  Is that what you/we are known for?  Paul says to us...may it be! Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

God is inviting us into himself...into relationship, but so often we are so busy trying to figure out our problems in our lives on our own.  What happens when we direct our attention to God...mysteries are revealed. Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

All of life is all for Jesus.  This should be the focus of every moment of our lives. How would that change the way we exist?  Would we be more joyful and at peace?  Paul is trying to get us to reframe the way we live our lives. 1 Cor 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

This passage is so important.  We are people who evaluate ourselves on what the outside looks like, but Jesus flips the script- Look inside! Mark 7:15 There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.”

So much of our life is being pulled away from the Love of God.  Pastor Jude is trying to help us get our chins up to see what really important. Jude 1:20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,   keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

So many of us are pursuing after our own truth and it's why we're so lost.  David realigns us to the real truth of life. Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.

There is so much evil in this world...we can change that.  Each person gets to make the decision to look and live like Jesus. Paul is instructing us to change the world by doing this. Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We have a peace problem...and because we have a peace problem, we have a God problem.  Our minds are "stayed" on the wrong things.  We need to recalibrate and reconnect with the Lord. Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

This passage is such a gift, but also a challenge.  Let us commit to seeing how Jesus talks about his Father and receive it. Luke 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

We are autonomous people, but we were never meant to do life alone.  From the beginning of time, to Jesus, and in the present...people together is the plan that God has for us all.  Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

We have a love perception problem, and it's impacting every part of our lives.  John is refocusing this young church (and us as well) back to the love of the Father through through Jesus the son.  1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

We need to  acknowledge God here on earth, but sadly so many are afraid to vocalize with what they believe because they fear man and not God. Luke 12:8-9 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.