Walking In Truth

Going to a tropical island sounds wonderful, even magical, because you need to get away from your job and your stress, and just relax. But the truth is, if you were forever on an island, isolated from the rest of society, there’s no way that would be a good thing for you. God created people to be in relationship with each other and with Him. Today, Pastor Johnny wants you to see that being alone isn’t what God intended. He wants the very best for you…and that means living in the mess with others.

So many people are afraid of dying. There are all kinds of measures people go to, out of fear of the end of their lives. But what would it take to help people see that the end of this life doesn’t have to be where it ends? What if there was no end to life? Today, Pastor Johnny gets into how Jesus’ resurrection not only means that Jesus died and is now alive, but it directly relates to you and your life too! You can believe and be alive…forever! Doesn’t this sound too good to pass up?

It’s easy to be happy and joyful toward God when things are going your way. But what about when things are really hard….when you’re in a huge trial in your life? These are the times when true relationship and connection with people and with God are tested. When you have someone who comes beside you in your darkest hour, it means the world to you! It makes you want to do the same for them, or someone else. Today, Pastor Johnny speaks on how this is how God intended!

Death in this life is a somber experience….like it just wasn’t supposed to be this way. Even if a person is old and it’s expected, dying just feels wrong. The truth is, it wasn’t supposed to be this way, but death is one of the biggest signs of sin and its effects on the earth and on everything that lives. But Jesus defied death; He overcame it. And by doing this, He can help you overcome the eventual process that happens here on earth - death. Today, Pastor Johnny explains how you can live forever!

When you hear about the different parts of Jesus’ life, you realize that He was just temporarily in places. When He was conceived, He was in Mary’s womb for a time. Then when He was born, He was in a manger for an evening. When Jesus died, He was placed in a tomb for 3 days. But when you believe in what Jesus did, He comes and lives in your heart…not temporarily, but permanently! Today, Pastor Johnny helps you see and understand that Jesus came as King.. to reign in you!

To drive well, you need to be looking at the road ahead of you. Sure, you might glance at that rearview mirror every now and then, to make sure no one’s tailing you, but for the most part, it’s best to keep your eyes on the road in front of you. Today, Pastor Johnny gives some tips on what the essential things are - to be a follower of Jesus – 100%! You don’t want to be one of those drivers who ends up looking at the pretty sunset, and then you hit a deer. You want to be laser-focused on what God has ahead!

Sometimes you wish you could’ve just said one more thing, in the heat of the moment. But would that have been the best, or would it have just added more fuel to the fire? Well in today’s teaching, Pastor Johnny shares some of the final words of Jesus, as He was on the cross. These were not words spoken out of anger or resentment, but out of a heart that was fully surrendered to God the Father. Jesus, in his final moments of life on earth, still had compassion for those who were lost.

When something is put under a lot of pressure, many times, it bursts, because of all the tension that’s been pressing in, and there needs to be some kind of relief. It’s realistic to think that a man named Pilate was feeling the weight of this, as an angry and violent mob put pressure on him to make a decision he knew was wrong. In today’s teaching, Pastor Johnny exposes the areas of weakness that this man had. He also reminds you that Jesus was there to fill those gaps if only Pilate was willing to receive it.

You hear of people being tortured in other countries. People are treated unfairly and experience cruel methods of pain, being forced to come clean about who they are. Well, Jesus went through the most torturous beating, before enduring the cross. Today, Pastor Johnny helps you get a better understanding of what it meant when Jesus was punished. It’s easy to skim over some of these verses, but there’s a very raw reality to what He went through. Jesus was willing to do this so He could save you!

Imagine being a criminal who was on death row, and then realizing that someone decided to take your place so, that you could be free. You feel so undeserving and almost wrong for agreeing to be set free. But Pastor Johnny wants you to know today that you shouldn’t feel bad about it! Jesus did this very thing for you…you can live in freedom because He took your place! Don’t wallow around, feeling guilty about it. Be glad and rejoice that you were a prisoner of sin, and you’ve been set free!

When you like something enough in the store to buy it, you’re not looking to return it. But when you get it home, you realize it may not fit, or it’s not quite what you wanted. Pastor Johnny talks about a different kind of gift today that you don’t want to return! This is something that will alter your life forever. You may be surprised that it doesn’t fit your current lifestyle, or you may realize it’s not exactly what you thought you needed. But it’s exactly what your soul longs for….acceptance and freedom from yourself.

Can you even try to imagine living your life without doing a single sin? This is an impossible task for any human….except for exactly one person in history. In this message today, Pastor Johnny helps explain that Jesus came to earth and experienced humanity, without sinning Himself. No loss of temper that was out of control, no jealousy or envy that brings about more sin. No lying or deceiving others in a way that would benefit Him. What an amazing thing it would be to live without the stain of sin.

“Your personal truth” is a common phrase that you hear these days. It’s a very individualized idea that what you personally think is true - makes it true. Well, this so-called “truth” is false. Today, Pastor Johnny expresses how people in Jesus’ time, and people, now get confused and skeptical about what’s true. But what it boils down to is if you believe the Bible is accurate, and if so, you have the best place to look for actual truth. If you don’t believe it’s true, then there’s no foundation to lay your life on.

When you think of political regimes of the past, you are reminded that not much has changed between then and now. People are put in positions of authority to rule and reign, but many times, they don’t know what they’re doing, or where they’re going. This was the case in Jesus’ time too! Today, Pastor Johnny talks about a man who had some control over Jesus’ trial. He sought to get the approval of all sides, rather than doing what was right, and what his conscience was telling him.

You get close to a fire to keep yourself warm. The further away from the fire you are, the colder you’ll be. Well, in today’s case, the fire could be a good thing or a bad thing. It really depends on what kind of fire it is, and what it's setting ablaze in your heart. Pastor Johnny discusses a man named Peter today, who moved away from one fire, to find acceptance somewhere else. Today, you’ll get to hear how this all played out, and what it means for you…on a personal level. Are you staying warm by the fire?

It’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of going to a concert. You feel the energy and excitement of all the people, singing along to the latest hit song. But the next day, you feel a bit let-down, that the hype of the concert is over. Well, today, Pastor Johnny wants you to see that following Jesus is more like a marathon….pushing through, and viewing the journey as a whole, rather than one moment, that’s here today and gone tomorrow. So don’t grow weary in the day-to-day of life.

Maybe you used to play games where there was a secret password or code that you needed to get entry into a place. Well today, Pastor Johnny wants to fill you in on something that’s not so secret. When you call on the name of Jesus, you’ll be amazed at the power that holds. In prayer, in your daily life, Jesus should be the first One you run to - to gain access to places that seem impossible. He’s the code you need to know, to get to the place you want to be. But don’t keep it a secret!

In math, you have word problems, where you have to work through them to get to the solution. Well in life and relationships, you have to put in the same kind of work. When there’s a problem, it’s better to work through it, so you can get to a resolution. In today’s teaching, Pastor Johnny continues discussing unity with those that you’re with, and what your part is – individually, as well. Jesus was a great example of unity Himself! He showed this by being humble and serving.

The president has bodyguards, to protect him physically. Those who intend to harm him might think twice if there’s extra coverage around the person who’s leading the country. In a similar way, Pastor Johnny is saying today that guarding and protecting unity within a church is one of the most important things. You might think you’re fine, and that there’s no harm or danger in your path, but you must know that there’s an evil enemy. He’s seeking to destroy everything that’s good.

How boring would it be if everything in the world was the same color? What if the trees and the ocean were all green? What if every single flower was also green? You wouldn’t get to see or experience all the beauty that could be there. But when you notice the variety of colors that stand out in creation, you start to have an appreciation for how it all works together…in unity. Pastor Johnny wants you to see today that having unity in a church doesn’t mean that you’re identical…but your heart is the same.