Obedience is hard because it is the absence of control. All obedience is driven by faith. You’re trusting someone or something that is bigger than yourself. Every day in this next year is going to be impacted by people and events that you can’t always control. This is life. Most of the best things in my life I didn’t orchestrate, and the bad things I didn’t anticipate. So many today are frustrated because they can’t make life work the way they want it to work. Some things are uncontrollable so we overcompensate: Some men are workaholics because it’s about control: if I can just gather enough stuff the future can’t touch me. Some men or women have a bad temper, the fear that he might explode lets him get his way. Some teenagers unfortunately bully others because it makes them feel in control of a life that often feels out of control. Time and chance happen to everyone. A wise person realizes that life is uncontrollable at times. We have the choice to be obedient to a higher way or attempt to sit on the throne of our lives and pretend to be God. We are creatures, not the creator. We’re all recovering control freaks in some ways, which is why obedience can be a challenge, and control freaks live with a constant irritation: people. “If only all these people would just get out of my way. You people are constantly doing what we don’t want you to do.” Already during this holiday season, over the span of 24 hours I saw more illegal and dangerous driving maneuvers than I witnessed in all of this past year. It’s one thing to be obedient to God in a casual way, in a manner that fits your timing or your schedule. It’s quite another to be obedient to God when life is hard, to be obedient in the moment of tension or despair or when it isn’t easy. To be obedient in the moments you cannot control. It’s the difference, between a “yes” and an “obedient yes” or to put it another way, an “inconvenient yes”. When you talk about an obedient yes, you have to include Mary in the conversation. Mary was placed in a situation where she was not in control and had to be obedient. Mary is given earth-shattering news: an angel visits her! And speaks! And tells her she is going to be pregnant with God’s son! She hears all of this and doesn’t lose her mind, but responds with beautiful obedience. Would this be inconvenient for her? Yes. Would people gossip and assume the worst of her pregnancy? Undoubtedly. People in the Bible are just like you and me and they often get it wrong. It’s nice to hear a story when a regular person gets it right and gives an obedient yes.

The Bible says that parents should "Train them up in the way they should go." Notice it doesn’t say that “in the way they WILL go”. This is perhaps the hardest part of parenting: your children are their own people. Parenting is perhaps the most challenging and yet potentially the most rewarding role you will ever take in your life. Families are like a garden. Great families create a culture of growth. The parents' role is to teach them in love and leave the results up to God. Along with faith, there are five things kids must learn in your family as a child that affects us as adults, per Rick Warren. What to do with your feelings “keep it to yourself” stop crying. Why? Nothing to be ashamed of. How to handle conflict: most become mute, martyr or a maniac. Or a skunk or a turtle. How parents handle conflict teaches kids the same. How to handle loss - nobody wins all the time, a loss is not the end of your life. Losses can teach us many lessons. 1980s - 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Now - ribbons for all. Cat died: my dad buried, had a funeral. They didn’t say “move on, we’ll get another one”. It taught me its ok to be sad and how to process it. Prov 24;16 - even if good people fall, they get back up again. Resilience is the most important aspect of life in order to be successful, to keep on getting back up. Successful people don’t quit. Learn what values matter most - the world teaches that everything is about sex. Its not. Getting praise makes you happy. Not true. Values are being communicated: sex, status and power. Good habits: habits determine your character. We grow through example. Jesus - since I have washed your feet, I have given you an example to follow. Kids don’t want to hear a sermon, they want to see it. We grow through conversation. Most of our conversations center around practice or homework. Deut 6:7 - you must teach God’s words to your children. Talk about the Bible. Prayer habits.

November 24, 2025 (Final Session)

The Bible provides guidance for those who are single: dating to marry, and celibacy in singleness. Both are equally valid callings in life. As we see in 1 Corinthians 7, the Bible teaches us how to single and Christian.

Most single Christians have the good desire for someone special. What happens many times is that well-intentioned Christians will follow that desire without thinking or praying it through. There’s more to you than just chemical reaction. If you follow that good intentioned craving without thinking and praying it though, you may end up in a bad relationship that is built on desire but no discernment. Don’t follow desire or desperation, but use prayerful discernment. Half of marriages will end in divorce. The number one question to answer in life is, what do you do and believe about the person of Jesus Christ? The second most important question in life is, who will you marry, if at all? Don’t merely follow the desire, everyone has the desire. Follow the God who created you with that desire. Matthew 633 seek first Kingdom of God and it’s righteousness, and all things will be added onto you, seek righteousness first, seek holiness first seek the joy of the Lord first, seek the giver, not the gift. When it comes to dating and or singleness,If you do what most people do, you’ll get what most people get. If you want something different, you’ll have to do what most people don’t do. And what most people don’t do is give that desire over to God and wait on him to develop his character in you, to trust the giver and not seek the gift first.

November 19, 2025

November 17, 2025

November 12, 2025

As the holidays approach, it is important to discuss the most fundamental of human relationships: marriage, singleness (next week) and parenting. In Ephesians 5, we see a beautiful definition of Christian marriage: mutual submission, covenantal love, service, sacrifice. All of these qualities mimic the love Christ has for His Church. Christ lived and died for the Church in order to make her holy. When we love our spouses in the same way, we further their holiness, too.

November 10, 2025

November 3, 2025

October 29, 2025

October 27, 2025

October 22, 2025

October 20, 2025

Spiritual growth doesn't happen by accident. As we see in Joshua 24, there is power in choice.

October 15, 2025

October 13, 2025

Consecration is an act of the will. Consecration is led by the Holy Spirit, for we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Consecration is an ongoing act of worship in the life of the believer. Human beings grow by degrees, either toward holiness or not.

October 8, 2025