THE BRIDGE CHURCH Nashville

For those who constantly beat themselves up for not being further along in their faith or those feeling like a disappointment to God & for everyone else this message is for you!

Not death by a 1000 cuts, but death by a 1000 distractions!

"If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine...

Is this all there is? If this is how you feel in life or even in your walk with Jesus, you are not alone & the answer to your question is all over scripture!

Headed the wrong direction, disappointed, down & out, confused, broken, afraid, & feeling like it's over or feeling like what a waste. We have all been there. But Jesus Christ in His great grace meets us where we are & turns everything around!

Jesus has risen in power & glory & is reaching in grace to you!

"If you don't know what it means, you can't know why it matters"!

Follower of Christ, you may be under attack, but you under the Lord's protection! You may be in trouble & feeling overwhelmed, but you are secure in His hand!

Truly life & death are in the power of the tongue (Prov.18:21) & we have all experienced the building up & the tearing down of a word spoken! But there is a greater Word we must hear, receive, & deliver to others.

Are we, as a Church, bearing the burdens of others like Jesus or multiplying their burdens like the religious elite?

Child of God, do not rob God of the glory due His name by devaluing God's calling on your life & His gift in you!

Our Keeping King! Hope that produces Endurance!

When what appears upside down is really right side up! Acts 17:1-17

When you know who God is & you know who you are in Him, it changes everything!

A good book, movie, or song will move you in a wide range of emotions from moment to moment or line to line. The Birth of Jesus Christ shows us that sometimes life & following Him involves several emotions colliding all at once and that's ok!

Luke 1 :26-38. If you have never been confused by a God whose ways are not your ways & thoughts are not your thoughts, then your God is not big enough!

Matthew 9:35-10:16

Gratitude verses Thanksgiving

Psalm 138 1.) Cling to the One clinging to you! 2.) There is only One King worthy of your total allegiance 3.) Fully Commit your life to the One fully committed to you

Psalm 33...The invisible God making Himself visible to those who feel invisible!

I love "beach days" with my family, but I spend a lot more time in my life in "cave days" where I feel like I am all alone! Psalm 57 has been such a great encouragement to me & I hope it will be to you!

Jesus is the true & better & greater!

Psalm 95 1.) The call to worship God alone in covenant community 2.) The warning of false worship by not walking by faith

What does a life overflowing with praise to the Lord & a life committed to pouring into the lives of others look like? The one who has tasted & seen that the Lord is good!

Putting the "courage" back into encouragement by having the right frame of reference & focus!