WHY AM I NOT GOOD ENOUGH?

“This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.” – Jeremiah 17:5-6.

Many people in today’s world often battle with a common question: “Am I good enough” is a common question in today’s culture. Christians, especially, are prone to wonder if they will ever be enough for themselves, the ones they love or perhaps even God. As a result, we as believers tend to work at pleasing other people and trying to be good enough to please God. That is a recipe for frustration. Trying to outperform our inadequacy is exhausting as we desperately try to prove, protect and perform to other’s expectations.

Our inadequacy, our feeling that we are not good enough is an opportunity and an invitation to trust. In Jeremiah 17, God paints a picture of two different kinds of trust. He declares that the person who trusts in themselves resembles a desert shrub planted in a parched, deserted salt land. (Jeremiah 17:5-6)   Jeremiah is warning the people that those who trust in any human, including themselves will not succeed. When you trust in others, you will be let down. When you trust in yourself, you will be let down.

Yet those who place their trust and confidence in the Lord are described this way: “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). When all of our trust is in the Lord it is like a tree planted by water with roots sent out by the stream, that does not fear when heat comes.  Strong, fruitful, and continually growing in the Lord, regardless of the season or the storms.

We can view inadequacy as a disqualification that propels us to strive to be enough. Or, we can view it as an invitation that compels us to lean on Christ and let Him be enough. When we lean into our weakness, we will experience God’s provision, power and peace. So we don’t have to panic when we come face to face with our own shortcomings. We can trust God and watch Him do something we couldn’t possibly have done without Him.

This is a message of hope for all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, that even when we are faithless He remains faithful, and that when we are weak and fail Him, He remains strong and His love and grace towards us is never changing. The Psalmist Asaph once doubted and was anxious and despairing. But God led and taught him, and he was able to say, “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.… But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,  and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do” (Psalm 73:25,28).

   

Discussion Questions:

  1. Were there times when you didn’t feel like you were “good enough” or when you didn’t live up to people’s expectations for you? How did you see yourself in those situations? How did God see you in each of those situations? 
  2. In what areas of your life do you currently feel like you don’t measure up?

FINDING MEANING IN THE FUTURE

  “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south…Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him. On that day the sources of light will no longer shine, yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light. On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter. And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.” – Zechariah 14:4-9.

We have always been intrigued about tomorrows. Predicting the future is something we continually attempt to do as we seek to know what’s around the dark, unknown corner of “what will be.” After all,  imagine how wonderful it would be to foresee the future.

We like to control our schedules, our habits, health, playlists and posts, and most of all, our future. Wouldn’t it be great if we could be sure of where we’ll be, who we’ll be with, and what we’ll be doing in the years ahead? But of course, that’s a dream. We might have a pretty good handle on our direction, but life has a way of handing us detours when we’re least expecting them. Proverbs 19:21 says: “You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” That verse is a pointed reminder that God is running the show and in control of our future.

In Zechariah 14, the prophet pointed the people of Israel, not only to the salvation of the coming Messiah but also to a future reality with God. This would be far greater than anything they could imagine, understand or explain. Though there remained a great trial in store for them, God held the world and its future in His hands.

In the last 25 years, we have learned as a church community that following Jesus is an act of faith because it acknowledges that our future belongs to God and not to us. This can seem unsettling, but it is actually liberating. You learn to let more things go. You learn to stress less. You learn to focus on today. You learn to enjoy the journey and living by faith one day at a time. Because in Christ, your eternal destination is sure, even if your specific roadmap is littered with twists and turns.

The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we realize that we really don’t know what each new day may bring. A phone call can come in the middle of the night shattering our joy. Suddenly everything changes.  Those unforeseen instances remind us that God alone knows our future. And there’s no safer, no better, no more rewarding place to be than in walking hand in hand with our Lord and Savior.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this devotional? 
  2. How does this future hope inform our present reality?

FINDING MEANING IN THE PRESENT

“Give us today…” – Matthew 6:11.

God is clearly a God of the present. One of the most noteworthy qualities of Jesus is that no matter who He interacted with, no matter what He was doing, and no matter what He needed to do for the rest of the day, He was always fully present in the moment. Whoever He was talking to had His undivided attention.

There are many examples of that fact in the Bible.  One of the most well-known stories about Jesus is when in the middle of teaching, something interrupts Him. Here is what it actually says happened in Matthew 19:13-15, “Little children were brought for Jesus to lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded those who brought them. “Don’t bother him,” they said. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and don’t prevent them. For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.” Jesus saw a greater opportunity and He stopped, blessed and prayed for the children. Another example is found in Luke 18.

Jesus was walking into Jericho. Large crowds are gathering all fighting for His attention. In the midst of this, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” There are plenty of reasons to just keep walking. Jesus doesn’t have time for this guy because He is going somewhere and He is too important to stop for every person who calls out His name.  The disciples rebuke the blind beggar and then Jesus rebuked the disciples. In that moment, He was fully engaged with Bartimaeus. Jesus stopped and asked what would you like for me to do? The blind man says he wants to see. Jesus gives him his sight.

How often do we miss fully living in the present moment because we are so busy rehashing the past or rehearsing the future?As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Northstar we rejoice over what Jesus has done and look with great anticipation towards what He has promised to do; yet we often fail to consider what He is doing right now, today, in this very moment. Jesus has done great things for us and has promised to do even more, but we should not miss out on what He is doing right now. Scripture tells us that Jesus is actively working on our behalf, interceding and advocating for us. While He has redeemed our past and secured our future, He is also uniquely and intimately involved in our today.

Jesus was and is always fully present in the moment. Our goal is to be like Him. Our goal is to be engaged in whatever or whoever is in front of us. Who in your life needs you to be present for them today? There is someone around you that just needs you to be present in their life. There is someone who simply needs to know that somebody would love them enough to think about them — to be near to them.

Jesus gave the gift of His presence. Our presence has the potential to bring healing and peace to those around us.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who in your life needs you to be present for them today? In what ways has God been present in your own life? In what ways has He demonstrated His nearness to you? And in what ways could you be His reflection today?

FINDING MEANING IN THE PAST

“but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” – Luke 2:19.

American author Howard Thurman defines memory as, “one of God’s great gifts to the human spirit without which neither life nor experience could have any meaning.” In a sense, memory allows us to relive moments that were special in times past. Reminiscing about our past takes us to a moment in time that often brings a smile to our face.

We all have memories; good and bad ones, regrettable and unforgettable ones that leave footprints on our hearts. There are those precious childhood memories that revisit our mind as we age. There are memories of that sports championship, high school and college, the first job, the wedding, the first child. Then there are the spiritual memories: coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; baptism; the first small group, the first time serving in the church. Each event helps to shape us into the person we’ve become and to experience God’s faithfulness.

What if you had no memory? Every second, minute and hour of every day would have to begin for the first time. Learning would be impossible, and education would be meaningless. Fortunately that is not the case. God has given us the power to store vast amounts of information and experiences throughout their lives. All we must do is rewind the tape and remember the experience whatever it is.

The 25th anniversary of Northstar Church is a time of remembrance. In Luke 2 41-52, we read about Jesus at the age of twelve, who was left behind in Jerusalem, and was found talking with the Jewish leaders, who were amazed at His understanding.  And so the bible says in verses 48 thru 50;  “His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant.” Then we read in verses 51 and 52: ”Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.  Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people”. The Bible doesn’t tell us but it seems reasonable that Mary treasured that memory all her life.

God has done some amazing things in and through our church community in the past 25 years. Remembering our stories together is the life blood of any church community. Because when we aren’t certain what to do next, we turn to our memories to make meaning of our experience. Where have we come from? How did we get here? What then should we do next? Our memories serve as a touchstone, a benchmark for evaluating where we’ve been and where we are going.

Isaiah 49 (TLB) says “Never! Can a mother forget her little child and not have love for her own son? Yet even if that should be, I will not forget you. See, I have tattooed your name upon my palm, and ever before me is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Reflecting on your entire experience at our church, remember a time when you felt the most engaged, alive, and motivated. Who was involved? What did you do? How did it feel? What happened as a result?
  2. What are the most important contributions the church has made to your life? Tell me when this happened. Who made a difference? How did it affect you?

25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT NEXT?

“I’m looking to the future because that’s where I’m going to spend the rest of my life.” – George Burns.

Over 2,000 years ago a young Greek artist named Timanthes painted an exquisite work of art. One morning when he arrived to admire his work, he was shocked to find it blotted out with paint. Angry, Timanthes ran to his teacher, who admitted he had destroyed the painting. “I did it for your own good. You are so enamored with that painting that it is hindering your progress. Start again and see if you can do better.” Timanthes took his teacher’s advice and produced Sacrifice of Iphigenia, which is regarded as one of the finest paintings of antiquity.

On the 24th, Northstar will celebrate our 25th anniversary. The past weeks have been somewhat of a reflective journey for all of us who call Northstar home. So many people have been a part of these twenty-five years, and so many special events have taken place. There have been challenges and trials; probably more than we expected, but that is only a fraction of the story. Overwhelmingly, these twenty-five years have been full of the goodness and blessings of God. We seen God do the miraculous here. We’ve seen Him save souls and change lives. We’ve grown to know Him more, love Him better, and serve Him more fully. We are thankful for this special commemorative day to look at our roots and see how God has prospered us, we are equally excited about what He will do in the future.

We can be confident of the future because of the promises we have in God’s word which says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. It does not matter whether we have 25 more years ahead of us, 250 years ahead of us or 2,500 years ahead of us.

What do we want for the next 25 years? We want more of the love of Jesus Christ to flow through us into the lives of others. We want to be that church, where anyone can come and know they will be accepted, and that they will hear the truth which comes from the word of God. We want to be people who love one another as Christ loved us. We want to be fully surrendered and fully reliant on God. C. S. Lewis said, “Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done.”

So on September 25, the next chapter in the life of Northstar and the people who call Northstar home begins. The next anniversary is on the horizon. God is faithful and sovereign, no matter what occurs in the future. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23 NIV).  We know God will guide us as He has in the past. And as in the past we believe He will do great things.

“But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV).

   

Discussion Questions:

As you think about the future ask yourself the following questions:

  1. How would I define my relationship with Jesus? Am I more in love with Jesus and more intimate with His Spirit than in the past? What do I do in the future to improve my relationship with Jesus even further?
  2. Do I ponder the fulness of the Gospel daily? How can I make that part of my daily routine going forward?
  3.  Is the Holy Spirit real to me? Do I experience His source, power, mind, and attitude daily? If not, how can I change that in the future?

GOD’S COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT: LINE FORMS HERE

“I cry out loudly to God, loudly I plead with God for mercy. I spill out all my complaints before Him, and spell out my troubles in detail.” – Psalm 142:1-2 (MSG).

Tyler has one of the worst jobs you can have. Tylers full-time job is handling customer complaints. Tyler gets calls all day long from people whose sole purpose in calling is to tell you what they don’t like. All day he converses with angry, frustrated people just waiting for somebody to pick up the phone and ask, “How may I help you?” It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it, and in Tyler’s case, it’s him. There always has to be someone to call when you need support or simply need to get something off your chest. Every believer has a 24/7 365 days a year help desk and complaint department all rolled into one.   

The Bible provides many examples of God’s people bringing their troubles and complaints to the Lord. We see this most notably in the Psalms. In Psalm 142, David says this: “I cry out to the Lord.” It sure sounds like he’s hurting, struggling and frustrated, if not overwhelmed. “ I plead for the Lord’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn… ” (Psalm 142:1-3) David took his complaints to God.

The Amplified Bible reads like this: “I cry aloud with my voice TO THE LORD; I make supplication with my voice TO THE LORD. I pour out my complaint BEFORE HIM; I declare my trouble BEFORE HIM. When my spirit was overwhelmed and weak within me [wrapped in darkness], You knew my path. In the way where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look to the right [the point of attack] and see; For there is no one who has regard for me [to act in my favor]. Escape has failed me and I have nowhere to run; No one cares about my life. I cried TO YOU, O LORD; I said, “You are my refuge, My portion in the land of the living. Give attention to my cry, for I am brought very low; Rescue me from my persecutors, For they are stronger than I. “Bring my soul out of prison (adversity), So that I may give thanks and praise Your name; The righteous will surround me [in triumph], for You will look after me.” (Psalm 142 AMP)

 Imagine how happy Tyler would be if he had someone to pass on the complaints to. As believers we don’t have to worry if Tyler is in a good or bad mood, or if he showed up for work today, or even if he can help us, because when we have life complaints, we can go straight to our Heavenly Father. The Lord invites us to pour out our complaints or troubles to Him in prayer. There are times in our life when it pours and we need to pour out our hearts to God.  Disappointments. Uncertainties. Worries. Troubles. Concerns. Questions.  You should pray when you’re confused, and you should pray when you have complaints. The Bible says, “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises” (James 5:13).

When going through varying trials, take it to God, not people (or social media). David took his complaints and poured them out to God, follow his example. Take your complaints to God thorough prayer.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think it is wrong to complain to God? Why or why not?
  2. What complaints do you need to express to God?
  3. Are there things you have been complaining about instead of entrusting to God

ARE YOU CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JESUS?

 “And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did]; 11 so that I may attain to the resurrection [that will raise me] from the dead.” – Philippians 3:10-11 (AMP).

What does it take to make you curious? If you’ve ever considered the life of Jesus Christ as described in the New Testament gospels, surely, there is something to pique your curiosity. The truth is, curiosity and questions come rather naturally to human beings. The real test of our character is what we do with that curiosity and the questions it engenders.

Jesus is knowable and relational.  We can interact with Him, know Him and love Him personally and deeply, just as we would with a close friend. He is not a distant, stoic God.  He is not just a religion or a concept. Although we can’t see Him, through His Spirit He makes Himself known to us. Our job is to be constantly curious and working to know Him better.

Growing in the knowledge of God means we are learning more about Him, which is the most satisfying, uplifting, edifying, expanding, and glorious task we can ever undertake. Psalm 100:3 says, “Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Nothing is more important than having the desire to learn all we can about God. According to Philippians 3:10, that was the deepest aspiration of the apostle Paul. He summarized his life’s purpose in one phrase: “I want to know Christ…”

Knowing God is good and absolutely essential; knowing God is more than knowing facts about Him. It’s like trying to get to know your wife by reading her resume. Or, as someone has said, it’s “like having an understanding of all the intricacies of the postal service based on one’s ability to lick a stamp.” Or one relevant to today is to think you know a person and thus judge their character and competence, based solely on their political party affiliation.

We want to go deeper. We want to discover who God is and be drawn into a deeper, more personal relationship with the God of the universe—a relationship that will enable each of us to confidently display God’s strength in life’s most challenging circumstances. When you want to deepen your relationship with God, you need to move beyond head knowledge to know Him well enough to seek personal encounters with Him. We want to be constantly curious. Daniel 11:32 (TLB) tells us, “…But the people who know their God shall be strong and do great things.”  

Discussion Questions:

  1. Would you say that the purpose of life has to do with knowing God? Why or why not?
  2. Why is sincerely following a religion not the same as knowing and loving God?
  3. What areas of your life should see greater change because you know God?

PERSISTENTLY PRAYING

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere….Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results….Never stop praying.” – Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Have you ever prayed for something or for someone for so long that you were tempted to give up? Have you grown weary of praying but know in your heart you should continue? The Bible encourages us to remain steadfast through the stories of men and women who faced prolonged trials or challenges yet never gave up in prayer.

Psalm 116:1–2 David says, “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” The apostle Paul said, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians. 6:18), He also talked about “Devote yourselves to prayer” (Colossians. 4:2) and “keep on praying.” (Romans 12:12). He also wrote to “Never stop praying” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Jesus taught and modeled persistence in prayer. Jesus told His disciples a parable of a persistent widow. It begins with an explanation of its meaning: “that they should always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). When Luke wrote this passage, he wanted to make Jesus’ point crystal clear: being persistent in prayer was important, even though the disciples would face harsh opposition, lose their motivation to pray, become discouraged, and be tempted to give up. Jesus knew His future disciples, you and me, would also need this encouragement.

We also read in the book of Luke how Jesus “…often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer (5:16). During His short time on earth, Jesus modeled the importance of having consistent times alone with His Father in prayer.

So what does this mean for us? Persistent prayer is a confession that I will seek what I need only from the hand of God. Being persistent in prayer means to pray consistently about something over an extended period of time. Persistently praying means to pray boldly and without giving up when we get discouraged. Persistent in prayer means not being distracted from our prayers by other things we must do, or by distractions such as television, phone calls, or texts. Persistent prayer means to pray in agreement with other Christians; for example, your church family, small group, or prayer team.

When I bring my need to Him, I am saying that He is the source of all I need. The persistent prayer says, “I will look to God for this need. I will continue to look for His supply, and I will continue to pray until God answers me. I don’t pray until something happens, I pray until God answers.” Persistent prayer is a statement of faith that my loving God will answer my prayer.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does persistent prayer mean to you?
  2. What can we do this week to become more persistent in our prayer lives?

DEEPEN YOUR CONVERSATIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

“The Lord is close to all who call on him,  yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.” – Psalm 145:18-19.

Conversations are a catalyst to deeper connections, fresh ideas, and a better understanding of ourselves and our world. When we have the courage to move beyond small talk and explore people and issues at deeper levels, we grow from the experience. Conversations also help us get on the same page. When we converse, we become aware: aware of the other person, his rights, his privileges, his feeling, and if we converse long enough, his total personality. Relational conversation implies that we must take turns about and do it gracefully. When one person does all the talking it is called a monologue. A monologue is what we are trying to avoid in building a conversational relationship with God.

Most of us picture prayer as sort of like a monologue: We talk to God, sharing our heartfelt thanks and offering up our petitions and requests. But prayer is really more like a dialogue, where we speak with God and the Lord speaks to us.

A listening prayer centers around a clear request for God’s guidance. In making our request, we give God’s guidance authority over the other voices we hear throughout our daily lives. Then we hit the pause button. We wait on God in a time of silence, giving the Lord the opportunity to speak to us. We focus our time of prayer on intentional, purposeful listening and let God do the talking.

This is really important because as followers of Jesus, we all desire to do the right thing and make the wisest choices. Yet we are constantly being bombarded with the noise of the world all around us. There are lots of voices telling us very different messages, and too often we find ourselves challenged and confused about what we should do in a given situation or what is really the best way ahead. These are times when we can seek God’s guidance through conversational prayer.

Jesus said we are His sheep, the flock of his pasture (Psalm 100:3) John 10 expands on this theme. As Jesus’s sheep, we should be able to listen to his voice and follow him because we clearly recognize his voice. Jesus is able to lead us precisely because we hear his voice and follow after him. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice” (John 10:3-4).

Being close to God means communicating with Him—telling Him what is on our hearts in prayer and hearing and understanding what he is saying to us. We need to learn to pray in His presence and to let Him speak with us, to be in tune with Him until we are willing to hear what He has to say to us. In Jeremiah 33:3, God says to the people of Israel, “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. How does reframing prayer as an ongoing conversation with God help you rethink what prayer looks like in your own life? How can we determine if our prayer life is a real two-way conversation?

DEFINING MOMENTS: CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

“This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s Celebrate and be glad today….The Lord is our God, and he has given us light! Start the Celebration!…Sound the trumpets and horns and Celebrate with joyful songs for our Lord and King!“(Psalm 118:24, 27; Psalm 98:6 CEV)

Northstar will celebrate the church’s 25th anniversary on Sunday, September 24. That day will be a day of celebration of what God has done, a celebration of what God is doing, and a celebration of what God will yet do as we look back at the defining moments over the past 25 years. Northstar has 25 years of defining moments that demonstrate God’s love and faithfulness.

We are so grateful to God for blessing us down through the years.  While 25 years is certainly a reason to rejoice, it means much more to us than just reaching a milestone in ministry.

The story of this church is not the story of a man; it’s not the result of the work of a man. It isn’t the work of many men and many women. It really is the story of God’s love and faithfulness.

 The world is very good about celebrating its achievements – but we believe that God’s people are the ones who really have a reason to celebrate. So often, though, we do a poor job of stopping and thanking God for the work He’s done. As we turn a page in the history of our church, we can clearly see that God has done more in 25 years through Northstar than we ever thought possible. It almost feels surreal when you take a step back and look at the lives being transformed and how the Kingdom of God is being added to every single week. This a testimony of how great our God is.

We all know today that life is more than a moment. Life is made up of many experiences. Your life is a myriad of ups and downs, victories and defeats, good times and bad. But there are those snapshots that forever capture and imprint upon our hearts those particular moments in time, particular occurrences, or defining moments. Jesus had a defining moment that affected everyone who ever lived. This choice was not an easy one to make, but He submitted to follow God’s plan even to the Cross. Before Jesus was betrayed and crucified, He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. “… He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

As we look toward the next 25 years, we believe that our faith in the future is really a by-product of God’s faithfulness in the past. It is as we look back at God’s faithfulness, it is as we remember all the defining moments that build our faith to believe in God for bigger and better things.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some defining moments in your life?
  2. How can those defining moments help you navigate the future?