Branches Oc

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone" - Ephesians 2:19-20

Mark 2:5 “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

Words Can Build Or Tear Down. There is a reason we have a library of words that either built us up or tore us down. Our words have the superpower of either bringing life or death.

Works are not something added as extra to faith - they go together. The real contrast is not faith vs. works. One cannot exist without the other. Faith without action is a faith that hasn’t yet been activated.

James 1:9-10 NLT “ Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them.”

The brother of James had words for the suffering of the early church. It doesn't take the pain away, but these words are a gift to us today.

As followers of Jesus we realize we are not righteous people called to correct the unrighteous. We are people who know His love for Us and are compelled to invite others to this freedom. Make sure you stay in you lane.

Pete fills in this Sunday morning to expand on the beauty of the gospel.

The Bible is a library and not a book. For that reason, we can allow the Word to more easily transform us when we have understanding and a plan on how to approach it.

Jesus gives many descriptions of what it looks like to be 'successful.' Spoiler Alert: It probably isn't what you think it is.

The truth is that Jesus left. But, He promised He wouldn't leave us alone like orphans. Let's look at what that means.

Does this mean I have to go on more service or mission trips? No. This discipline is a lifestyle of seeing a need and filling a need.

You can submit from a place of weakness. That’s giving up. You submit like Jesus, from a place of strength. We choose to treat others as more valuable than ourselves. Phil 2:3-8

Simplicity is meant to set us free. It takes time, but there is reward immediately.

Confession is a spiritual discipline that has gone off the rails over the years. Why should we do it and what does it look like?

We take on what we focus our mind upon. But, how can we study Bible if I'm not an academic or scholar?

If your direct tv service stops working in your home and you know you paid the bill, you don’t assume the waves from the company aren’t surrounding your dish. Something is wrong on our end. It’s not that God is not whispering, it’s that we’re not listening.

Ryan continues the spiritual disciplines series, with a deep dive into what it means to worship.

1/29/2023 Stephany Rose by Branches OC