Marysville Nazarene

It took Elijah three years to be shaped and prepared in the "forge." It required obedience, and listening--the most important component to prayer. 

Trial by fire is necessary for many, but we often miss out on glorifying God because we can't take the heat! We bow down. Conform. And what we fail to see is that God uses those fiery experiences of life to purge and purify us. The fire doesn't destroy--it burns out the impurities. It refines us. And when you're in the fire for His sake, you'll discover that you're never alone in the flame.

Spiritual formation is about God moving us, improving us, making us stronger, giving us purpose, and showing us what love looks like. When we become comfortable, we put ourselves at risk without realizing it. But Jesus models for us what it looks like to be sharpened, and it's not for position, authority, or title. We are sharpened to serve! Let's stop striving under our own efforts and begin thriving in the purpose to which our refiner has created us!

We were created for community, and faith leads us into a relational process of formation where God uses our failures, struggles, and experiences to shape us until we find our place and purpose within our faith community. It's also in our gatherings that we are shaped. Our shared worship, in our accountability to one another, and within the safe spaces where we can be honest, vulnerable, and transparent... all of it resulting in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Belief leads to transformation. What informs us about God, Jesus, grace, hope, and love is more than knowledge. These pieces of faith equip us for purpose and ministry, resulting in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Relationship with God requires growth, nurturing, and development. This growth shows itself as we move from reaching others to making disciples, and our character is forged over time--often through fiery trials. But allowing God to purify us is the first step toward transformation, and only when the Refiner sees a clear reflection of himself is the process complete. 

Christ forgives, redeems, and is still making old things new. Bring your empty jar, everything you have been, and claim who you are in Christ! For God has renamed you, there is a spring of water inside you, and He is doing a new thing! 

Celebrating baby dedications, children's quizzing, baptism, and of course--the triumphal entry of the long-awaited King!

What we "believe" is what we build our lives around--our time, our money, our priorities, our hopes. Belief is critical, for belief born out of conviction is what compels us to be different, allowing a spring of water to well up inside us and spill out. So our question today is simple... do you believe?

Many of us keep covering the things in our lives that cripple us, and until we're ready to "take up our mat"--acknowledge and address the real reasons for our brokenness--the answers we need will remain just out of reach. But Jesus knows what we need. What we are lacking. What needs fixed. We are not "in valid"--he sees us! And because the Living Water Christ offers requires something different from us, it's time to for us to "pick up our mat" and live like we've been restored.

How many oppportunities for ministry do we miss beacuse we don't recognize the strategic positioning of the Holy Spirit in our lives? How many hurting people do we walk past, not recognizing their need for grace? How many people do we fail to offer a drink of the living water we profess to have? Real, life-changing water MUST be poured back out! We are prepared to redefine who we are as a church and how we are known in our community, for we want to be a body that invites those who are thirsty to come drink from the well, to experience The Living Water.

Lent is about purifying ourselves, choosing to obediently follow God's leading, much like the jars in John 2 that were empty, waiting to be used. Once the jars were filled, Jesus transformed what was inside. He didn't just meet an immediate need, he responded in abundance! And this transformation, abundance, and the very best of the best is why Jesus came. He's offered us living water--sacred and pure.

Understanding our vision and mission is essential for us to be who God created us to be--individually, of course, but also as a church. We've already been tasked with the Great Comission--to go and make disciples, but what is a disciple? What does it mean to "make" disciples? And what might that look like in this church? As God continues to reveal what He wants us--Marysville Church of the Nazarene--to look like, the more we hunger and thirst to share the hope we find in Jesus.

This "Super Sunday," Jordan Thompson shares his story of football, faith, and family. His journey has been unique--from time in the NFL with the Detroit Lions to working on HGTV's While You Were Out--yet once you get to know him, you'll quickly realize he's not defined by a number on a jersey or seeing his name in the rolling credits of a television show. Jordan discovered his identity and purpose through the steadfast love of God, the One for whom he "plays." He now lives his life for an audience of one, using his story of perseverance to share with others about God's faithfulness. 

Our community is growing and changing. We believe what we do today will prepare and position our church to impact our community tomorrow. This week, we'll discuss the next big step we're taking to help us share the hope we find in Jesus.

Jesus speaks of covenant in Luke 22 at the Last Supper, proclaiming the “new covenant” is found in him. In our final message in this series Jesus invites us to remain…to abide in him as a way of living our covenant with him.

We are Mephibosheth--despised, struggling with the gods of this word, and tempted to step out of covenant with God. But David does for Mephibosheth was Jesus does for us, making room for us to join him in covenant at a table where we are embraced, given a new home, and a never-ending feast! Healing and the King's palace is waiting for you... who are you in covenant with today?

As we grow to understand what covenant means, losing ourselves and becoming one with another, we should begin to see scripture differently. Perhaps the giants are not to be viewed as obstacles to a "better" life, but rather opportunities to show others the difference walking in the covenant can make in our lives. Just as David beat Goliath because he realized and then lived out his covenant relationship with God, we too can have the confidence to face whatever is before us. The battle is the Lord's!

We were created for one reason--that we would know God. The word "covenant" was a unique, culturally relevant, and understandable term that describes God's relationship with you and me and defines his interaction with us. Without that relationship, there would be a void in our lives, for to know Him is to love him, and to love Him is to give ourselves TO him. The covenant is about oneness with God. It's in our blood!