Author: Tyler West

“I Believe in God but Don’t Know Him”
Ever feel like you know someone so well and then you meet them…and they aren’t anything like what you thought they were! They spoke like they loved something so much…then you get to know them and they don’t really know anything about it. Believing in Jesus and doing what He says is very similar!

3 Types of People Believe In God

1. Believe in God But Don’t Know Him!
   • Jeremiah 8:5-13 ; Acts 9:1-9
     • Even Demons Believe in Jesus! What sets us apart is the relationship we have with Christ!
     • These folks are good people a lot of times. They go to Church, Give and like the Mission…but that’s where it stops.

2. Believe in God & Know Him but don’t Fully Trust Him!
   • Romans 12:1-2
     • Information + Application = Transformation
     • This is where the rubber meets the road…where action takes place to change
     • These folks know God and have met Him…but are stuck because they aren’t being obedient to what He says!

3. Believe in God & Serve Him Wholeheartedly!
   • Psalms 63:1-4 ; Psalms 1:1-3
     • These folks Walk with Jesus, Listen to Him and do what He says! They live a like that shows others that God is not only worth Believing in…He’s worth knowing!
     • As I get to know Christ More: Heart breaks for things, Hunger for his presence, Forgive quickly, Quick to share faith, Generous heart, Grieve over sin, Care for the poor, Compassion for the outcasts & Desire to worship and pray

Take Away:

Write down three ways you’re living like God doesn’t exist. Bring these to Christ in prayer each day this week:

1._____________________________­­_________
2.______________________________________
3.______________________________________

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

 “Important OVER Urgent”

Luke 7:38-50 ; Luke 10:38-42
Ever just feel stressed to get everything done? Who really has enough time in the day to get everything they set out to do done? Scrolling through your insta feed…do you ever think How do they get it all done? They are like a super hero!

1. Choose Between the IMPORTANT and the URGENT
   • Luke 7:38-50
     • Important
       • Laying everything at Jesus’ feet! Not just saying we were in the same room with Jesus…but instead having an encounter with Him!
     • Urgent
       • The cost of the oil! Making an appearance with Jesus…not having an encounter! Comparing the sacrifice of others to ours!
   • Luke 10:38-42
     • Important
       • Resting in Jesus at His Feet and spending time with him regardless of how messed up our life is
     • Urgent
       • Getting everything ready to look like we have it together before we spend time with Jesus! Have the cleaned up life…then we go to Jesus! Feeling Overwhelmed because we are operating in our own Strength!
   • What if the reason we are so stressed is because we are constantly pursuing the urgent over the important? The important takes intentionality…the urgent comes like a wave!

Take Away:

What’s the Most Important thing you’ve been distracted from pursuing?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

I Choose “Discipline OVER Regret”

Matthew 25:1-13

This time of year if you follow football…it’s a fun time of year! We know that someone will win the SuperBowl and go to Disney World! Yet, if we’re not careful we’ll miss out on the discipline it takes to win the SuperBowl! No Ice Cream or Macaroni & Cheese? What?!? That’s just a few things these athletes have to give up for a chance to win the Championship!

1. Choose Between the Pain of Discipline or the Pain of Defeat. But this life will have Pain!
   • John 16:33
     • Jesus told us that in our lives on Earth we will experience pain but we can take heart because He has overcome the world!

2. Choose Between What You Want Now and What You Want Most?
   • Matthew 25:1-5
     • What Do You Want Most:____________________________________________
     • We see here that all 10 women were pure and lived a good life
     • The difference between the 5 wise & 5 foolish are that the wise virgins were preparing for what they want MOST—not just meeting the Bridegroom but going to the feast! It wasn’t about the appearance of having it all together…but instead the separation is in the preparation.

3. What Do You Need to Choose Now for what you want Most?
   • Matthew 25:6-13
     • What we see here is 5 women were interested, 5 women were committed
     • It will be a lot of Hard Work…but you get to choose your pain. There is purpose in every step.
     • We must refuse that at the end of our life we won’t say: “I wish I spent more time with my kids”; “I wish I would have forgiven to keep that relationship alive”; “I wish I had taken better care of myself”; “I never knew that would ruin my life”

4. Significance of oil in this Parable:
   • Oil is used as faith in this story! The oil is a representation of the discipline and faith that the 5 wise women had! Their willingness to be vessels of faith allowed them to be a part of the feast! They not only meet the Bridegroom (Jesus)…they faithfully walked step by step with Him.
   • Ever tried to catch oil? That’s how faith works! We are trying to catch it instead of being the vessel for it. With just a little faith…BIG Things can happen! What is your faith leading you? What’s the thing God’s calling you to so that you can live out your MOST?

Take Away:
What will your life look like in five years if you don’t make changes to the undisciplined areas of your life?

What would you need to do differently now to achieve the thing you want most?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

I Choose #2 “Surrender OVER Control”

Genesis 3:1-12
Wouldn’t it be great to have a remote to control life like your DVR? Car Break Down…no pause…maybe tomorrow! Forgot to pay that bill? REWIND! Regret that hurt in your relationship? REWIND! Waiting on the Blessings from being obedient to the Lord? FAST FORWARD to blessing!

3 FILTERS TO HELP CHOOSE SURRENDER OVER CONTROL

1. Is it Worth My Attention?
   • Genesis 3:6
     • How Many Days did Adam and Eve get to hang out with all of the trees in the Garden of Eden? Hang out with all of God’s creation? Then…this one tree!!
     • Ever Notice how what you focus on expands?
       • Focus on the good of others…you’ll see it. Focus on the bad…you’ll find it.
     • Often the wrong thing grabs our attention in seasons where our focus goes from God to ourselves (seasons of loneliness, isolation and self worth)

2. Is it Mine to Steward?
   • Genesis 3:1-5
     • God has given you what He intends for you to steward…nothing more. When your focus changes outside of what God calls you to steward it leads you to destruction.
     • Stewardship starts with surrendering control! It doesn’t mean you sit back and wait for God to do all of the work…it means you do what He’s called you to do…which is give back what you’ve been given in better shape than when you received it.
       • If you are called to steward something…do something about it!

3. Is it for God Alone?
   • Genesis 3:7-12 ; Philippians 4:6-7
     • The Tree was for God Alone! He gave everything He had created but that one thing…that’s where we all can get caught! We have all of these things but the one thing we want isn’t for us to have!
     • Often when we try to control what we aren’t supposed to…we fear losing it….so we try to control it more…causes more anxiety/fear…the fear cycle doesn’t end
     • Can You Fix Your Spouse? Heal Your Loved One? Control your kid’s future?
       • Nope! But God Can. Rest in that!
     • When we get to follow Jesus step by step…we aren’t leading Him…He is leading us! We aren’t in control!

Take Away:

When was the last time you felt completely out of control?

How did this affect those you care about?

What did you learn?
I am trying to control these Area(s) Of My Life: ______________________________

____________________________________________________________________.

This Week Pray: Jesus, I’ve been trying to run my life like I know better than You! Forgive me Lord & help me to loosen my grip on control. Father, I surrender (what’s written above) fully to You! Amen.

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

I Choose “Purpose Over Popularity”

John 6

Imagine a world where everyone likes you…awesome isn’t it? If we are truly honest with ourselves we know that this world doesn’t exist—yet it’s often the world we want to live in! When we try to live in this world we sacrifice God’s purpose for our lives for the sake of Popularity.

1. Purpose Diminishes Distractions  .
   • John 6:1-24 ; John 6:15
     • Jesus shows us here the power of distractions. He is about to be made king by force from His popularity instead of by His purpose
     • Our biggest hiccup here is we get caught up in the Comparison Game.
       • We see the sacrifice(s) we’re making and others aren’t & yet they are having more “success” than us.
       • OR we see the Crazy things others are doing & question them for it!
         • Why Tuna to work? “Serving a Greater Purpose”
         • Why Stay Pure when it’s so easy not to? “Serving a Greater Purpose”
         • Why Be Stay at Home Parent? “Serving a Greater Purpose”

2. Purpose Pushes You Through the  Pain.
   • John 6: 25- 67 ; John 6:60-67
     • Jesus has just fed the 5000, walked on water and explicitly explained why He is here…just to be told following Him is too hard & then many desert Him
       • Can you imagine that pain? Yet…in this moment where Christ is fully God/fully man He asks the Disciples if they will leave Him as well! It is a glimpse of what the beginning of going to the Cross will look like
     • When you do what God’s Called you to…others won’t get it—may not even like it.
       • They may say “You Can’t”…In Christ “You Can”; They may say “You Won’t”…In Christ “You Will”
     • The pathway to your purpose is paved in your pain. God will never waste a hurt!
     • Your purpose makes you stay later, go harder and stay disciplined!

3. Purpose Empowers You To Please God
   • John 6:68-70
     • You won’t be able to please everyone…but you will be able to please God by staying in your purpose.
     • Value in being Liked by people             Greater value:  Loved  by God.
       Value having Fun with friends              Greater value: Faithful to God.
       Value start something Important        Greater in Finishing!
       Value in Comfort                                       Greater value in Calling.
       Value in being popular                            Greater value serving God’s Purpose 

Take Away:
Fill Out and Take Action (share with a friend and pray for each other these things over the next year)

My main purpose is:

My main distraction is:

My greatest pain is:

To choose purpose, I will:

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

 “Send Me”

Isaiah 6:8
How Many Of Us Pray Safe Prayers? Keep Me Safe Lord, Let Me Pay The Bills, Get Me Through This? What if we took a different approach and prayed Dangerous Prayers? Prayers that are so dangerous we couldn’t help but be changed by them! In our last week we pray “God Send Me!”

1. 3 Responses to God’s Call
   • Here I am Lord-I won’t go!
     • Matthew 19:16-22
     • The Rich Young Ruler
       • Much like the Rich Young Ruler, we seek out the Lord, have him meet us right where we are and He answers us…THEN we give the excuses why we can’t do what He’s called to. The very answer to our question!
       • Common Excuses by us all are: I’m too busy, I don’t have enough money, and I don’t have enough time!
   • Here I am Lord-Send Someone Else
     • Luke 14:15-24 (Also Moses in Exodus 3)
     • The Great Banquet
       • Many times we are invited to come in by the Lord to the great feast, but make the excuse of not being the right person! We are like the 3 who received the invitation, but rejected it.
       • Common Excuses by us all are: Send Someone else, I’m not the right person, I’m not worthy OR the call isn’t big enough for me to do!
   • Here I am Lord—SEND ME!
     • Isaiah 6:8 1 Samuel 3:4-11
     • Be open to God’s Call and Go
       • When we step into what God has for us the blessings overflow! When we see that God wants us to live a life more abundantly…then the more abundantly we get to be a part of what He is doing
2. How to Respond “SEND ME” to God’s Call
   • Luke 14:15-24
     • We literally have to be the servant and do as the Master calls us to.
       • Be in God’s Presence
       • Hear His Voice and What He’s called Us to
       • Do what He Calls Us To
     • When we do this we get to be a part of the feast and fill the table
     • When we pursue God as He has pursued us it completely changes our perspective and our capacity to be a part of His blessings when He says Go!

TakeAway:

• When was the last time you felt compelled to do something out of your norm? How did you respond? Could it have been God sending you?
• To What, Where or Who are you being sent now?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE

“Break Me”

Luke 22:19
How Many Of Us Pray Safe Prayers? Keep Me Safe Lord, Let Me Pay The Bills, Get Me Through This? What if we took a different approach and prayed Dangerous Prayers? Prayers that are so dangerous we couldn’t help but be changed by them!

Break Me

• Genesis 32:22-33
  1. God Must Break Us Of Our Self Dependence
     • Jacob’s whole life had been on his self reliance: Held Esau’s heel at birth, gained birthright by acting like Esau with mother’s help, Gained Blessing by breeding sheep to look like they had blemish, married Rachel after long time working and now was scheming to save what he could from his brother’s perceived wrath.
     • Jacob’s tries to go back to make sure he leaves nothing behind when he runs into God!
       • He wrestles with God all night! God could have killed him instantly, but instead allowed Jacob to wrestle him until he had to give up!
       • When God was finally ready to help Jacob, He broke his hip ligament…so Jacob schemed to beat his brother and didn’t factor in God coming into the mix! Don’t we all do that sometimes?
  2. God’s Greatest Breakings Lead To His BIGGEST Blessings
     • Here’s the kicker…only through Jacob’s breaking did he receive God’s blessing!
     • We impress others through our strengths but connect deeply with others through our brokenness…that’s what happened with Jacob!
     • Through his brokenness Jacob becomes Israel and get’s to live out the promise God made to his grandfather Abraham!
     • Those who are most broken are the one’s God uses the most…He never wastes a hurt!
       • Look at Peter! He denies Christ, goes back to fishing, is restored by Christ and appointed to be the Lead Pastor at Pentecost when 3000 came to confess Christ as Lord! We serve a God of redemption stories!

TakeAway:

• Start each day by asking God to give you opportunities to rely on His strength alone.
• Are you trying to stay strong in an area of weakness or hold on to something you need to pour out? What’s keeping you from giving it to God?
• How has God has used broken areas from your past to help others?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Night Bible Study: CLICK HERE