When Jesus first began calling disciples, He used two words: "Follow Me." He didn't say "clean yourself up" or "work harder." The call to follow Jesus is a call to our souls to find rest. He invites us to be with Him and enjoy Him. Let's look at the story of Jesus calling the disciples.

What is a Going & Glorifying Christian? God calls all Christians to "go and make disciples of every nation" (Matt 28:19). God wants everyone to know about His gift of salvation. That purpose can only be fulfilled if we will "let [our] lights shine before others, so that they may see [our] good works and give glory to [our] Father" (Matt 5:16). Let's take a look at the 4th & 5th G of our series.

What is a Giving Christian? Growth in our relationship with Christ should bring comprehension of the magnitude of what God has done by solving our sin problem. A desire to "serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace," comes from the marriage of gratitude for what God has given to us and the growing love for others that they would know God's love as well. Let's take a look at the third G of the 5 G series.

What is a Growing Christian? When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we start a direct relationship with Him. If we receive nothing besides salvation we would still be blessed beyond comprehension; however, God's loving plan doesn't stop there. God calls us to exercise spiritual disciplines and to grow. Let's take a look at the second G of the 5 G series.

What is a Genuine Christian? How do we know if we are truly following Christ or simply going with the flow? The starting point is to acknowledge our need for a relationship with God and to recognize that Jesus is the way to have that relationship. Through confession of sin and the Lordship of Christ we become Genuine Christians and become part of the family of God. “…To all who receive Him (Jesus), to those who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God…” John 1:12. Let's take a look at the first G of the 5 G series.

We've all felt some degree of hunger at one time or another. We may have had a long day and feel the hunger from missing a meal not eating much. Jesus was hungry when he was in the wilderness, and it was there that Satan tempted him to desire things different than His heavenly Father's will. Jesus set the ultimate example for us to hunger only for God's way.

In the Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism, we see John the Baptist offer words of warning that lead us back to the question “what gives you hope?” John warned the Pharisees sternly that no family, tradition, or outward practice is sufficient to pay for the consequences of sin. It is only by accepting the grace of God received through faith and repentance that we are saved. That is good news and John the Baptist preached that news!

This weekend we read how Jesus was born and dedicated! God had promised the birth of His son, the coming of a Savior. When Simeon and Anna saw Baby Jesus, they knew he was the Messiah, the Savior. We can trust Jesus to save us from our sins and just like Simeon and Anna - we can tell other people the good news!

Our VBS theme this year is Breaker Rock Beach. The theme reminds us that amidst the shifting sand of our world, God is rock solid. That is why our main focus is "God's Truth Never Changes." The verse is Romans 12:2 which says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

5th Sunday Weekend is a weekend of fellowship, worship in main service, and fun! Join us as we take a break from our unit and watch Story Keepers Episode 5. Next week we begin our next series!

This week we see that confession of sin is lead by the genuine recognition of the holiness of God. God's people had promised to be faithful, but following their return from exile, the people turned to being unfaithful to God and disobeying His commands. Yet God remained faithful. The people saw the greatness of God which led them to repentance.

Ezra was approached by the nations leaders who shared the negative behaviors and lifestyles of the people. It was as if they had forgotten God. Ezra's response of honest confession before a holy God ought to teach us something about his character and about our need to do likewise. Ezra confessed the sins of the nation to God through prayer and sought forgiveness. Ezra took his sin seriously, asked for repentance and celebrated God's grace .

Anger and bitterness are common reactions to bad news. However, Nehemiah responded in the right way by recognizing God's faithfulness. He asked God to hear him. He showed his reliance on God even in hard times. Nehemiah's response demonstrated a deep love, trust, and confidence in God.

Mordecai was faithful. He was faithful to take in Esther, his cousin. He was faithful to sit, wait, and watch every day at the gate of the king's palace to see what God would do. He was faithful to speak up, and when he stepped into power he helped the king in an honorable way. He could have chosen to do wrong, but he didn't.

In Jeremiah 31, there is a phrase that is repeated by the Lord to the hearer of these words. The phrase "The LORD's declaration" occurs 10 times in these 40 verses. These words even appear at times in the middle of a thought or sentence, uniquely placed to garner attention. The message is repeated to ensure a message is known: that God can be trusted.

During the Prophet Ezra's time, the work had begun to rebuild the temple. There was an eager desire among God's people, leading them to anticipate what that place would afford them upon it's completion. As the people worked and waited, even in the midst of their exhaustion, they made time to worship.

Zechariah was a prophet who encouraged God's people to finish rebuilding the temple. He also encouraged people to rebuild their relationship with God and Worship Him. He pointed people towards God's promises. It is in Him we can have true rest and security.

In Ezra, God's remnant is instructed to recover from their exile with....work. This work would be costly, demanding, and long; but this work actually aimed to bring rest. This rest would be found ultimately in encountering God. At times, we may be exhausted, but Ezra's story can remind us to dwell and rest in a relationship with God.

Life circumstances can be hard at times. It is in those hard times that we need to remember God's promises. God's promises remind us to trust Him. Ahaz was reminded by the prophet Isaiah of these promises. God is present!

Daniel's past faithfulness opened the door for future opportunities. His faithfulness to God showed his character and whom he served. This character was evident to those around him by Daniel's name being known as someone who served God. See how Daniel's faithfulness to God was able to serve others.