Bloom Church Podcast

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:26 NLT   “While true Grace is the full justification of the sinner, cheap Grace is the justification of continued sin. The Christian continues too often to model himself on the world standards in nearly every possible sphere of life, counting it presumption to aspire to a life under grace different from that which life has been under sin.”  Dwight Small   “Costly Grace is costly because it cost a man his life, and it is Grace because it gives a man the only true life. it is costly because it condemns sin, and Grace because it justifies the sinner.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer   Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT   Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the m

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23 NLT     Jesus had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Philippians 2:6-8 MSG   THE GIFT OF JESUS IS…   1. THE GIFT OF PEACE   You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:12-14 NLT   And it

“What do you Expect – Power of Expectations”   EXPECTATION   “…My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT   EXPECTATION   Expectations, with the right heart, are the breeding ground of miracles   FRUSTRATION DISAPPOINTMENT ANGER   If we aren’t careful, we could begin to project our frustration, disappointment, and anger towards God when He doesn't meet our expectations   “JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHO WAS IN PRISON, HEARD ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THE MESSIAH WAS DOING. SO HE (JOHN) SENT HIS DISCIPLES TO ASK JESUS, ARE YOU THE MESSIAH WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING, OR SHOULD WE KEEP LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE?” – Matthew 11:2-3 NLT   “…are you the messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Matthew 11:3 NLT   What happens when you go one way but God goes another?   GOD MAY NOT ALWAYS LIVE UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS, BUT HE WILL ALWAYS LIVE UP TO HIS WORD   1.     Inspect Your Perspective   PERSPECTIVE INFLUENCES EXPECTATION   “Now while John the Baptizer was in prison…” Matthew

Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there. Luke 9:12-14 NLT About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! Matthew 14:21 NLT Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers! Luke 9:14-17 When the day began to wear away. Luke 9:12

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:1-6 NKJV 1. THE ENEMY OF GENEROSITY This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:6 NKJV Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Isca

Blessed Life – Week 4 The Principal of the First What is up family? We are in week four of our series the blessed life based on a book with the same title written by pastor Robert Morris and this book radically changed my life! At the beginning of this series Pastor Mike made a challenge for you to not miss a week of this series because I truly believe these principles will radically transform your life, but if you miss any weeks so far you can go online and catch up because I really layout some foundational truth about our heart and the purpose behind why we do what we do in regards to these principles.   Today is probably one of the most difficult messages to speak and teach on as we are going to be tackling some meaty teachings today, but I believe it is probably the most important message out of the series as we are going to be talking about   The Principal of the Firsts If God is 1st in your life, then everything comes into order. Now I’m not saying that you won't go through trials or tough times becaus

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Psalms 119:1-5 NLT And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. Luke 16:9 NKJV He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16:10-12 NKJV No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God

Life is good for the one who is generous and charitable, conducting affairs with honesty and truth. Psalms 112:5 TPT Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Malachi 3:6-7 NIV “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ Malachi 3:8 NIV “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Malachi 3:8-9 NIV Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Psalms 106:3 NIV Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise. Psalms 106:4-5 NIV You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 NIV “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38 NIV Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:

What am I doing?! – Purpose   “Why am I here”   Purpose   Do you feel like you are living in the purpose God designed you to live in?   1.     You’re blatantly living in sin   “don’t let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to god, for your were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of god.” Romans 6:12-13 NLT   2.     You lack joy and excitement   3.     You don’t feel much fulfillment in life   4.     You feel stuck 5.     You have no direction   A life of purpose brings focus   “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV   We will find our purpose less in what we do and more in what we are willing to surrender Surrender leads to obedience and obedience fuels our purpose   “Its in Christ that we find out who we

YOU WILL ONLY RISE UP TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR IDENTITY   Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 NLT   YOU MUST SWITCH FROM PITY TO POTENTIAL IF YOU ARE GOING TO GROW IN LIFE.   'These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7 NLT   A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Ecclesiastes 7:1 NLT   GOD IS LESS CONCERNED WITH OUR SHORT-TERM HAPPINESS AS HE IS WITH OUR CHARACTER.   1. GOOD TIMES CAN BE DECEPTIVE   Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a ref

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD LIES BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS   'I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. Romans 7:19 NLT   WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS INEQUITY IN THE WORLD?   And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. Ecclesiastes 3:16 NIV   'I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” Ecclesiastes 3:17 NIV   'The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 NLT   WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS OPPRESSION IN THE WORLD?   'Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD LIES BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS   And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NIV   There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV   In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 NIV   a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a tim

Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:15 NLT   “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.” -Marianne Williamson   'Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14,17-21 NIV   TRUE JUSTICE IS PAYING ONLY ONCE FOR EACH MISTAKE. TRUE INJUSTICE IS PAYING MORE THAN ONCE FOR EACH MISTAKE.   1. HOW DO YOU RESPOND INWARDLY?   …For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luk

Life of Community – Critical Need for Community Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 NLT   LOVE IN ACTION   “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” Romans 12:15-16 NLT   Community   Surgeon General’s Warning: Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation – Dr. Vivek H. Murthy   58% of Americans feel alone   73% of youth feel alone   Epidemic: an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time   Disease: harmful deviation from the normal structure or functional state…   29% increased risk of heart disease 32% increased risk of stroke 50% increased risk of developing dementia   60% increased risk of premature death   The Critical Need for Community   1.     We were created for community   “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will

Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 NLT   Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13 NIV   When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:13 NLT   You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35 NLT   SIMPLY PUT, A GENEROUS LIFE IS A BLESSED LIFE.   Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:24-26 NLT   The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 NLT   THERE IS NOTHING MORE CHRISTLIKE THAN TO SELFLESSLY GIVE   'For God so l

Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:20 NLT   Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:21 NLT   'Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Matthew 25:11-13 NLT   “Money creates problems. climbing one mountain exposes another, higher peak. however, there is something better out there: real virtue. it is its own reward. virtue is the one good thing that reveals itself to be more than we expect and something that one cannot have in degrees. we simply have it or we don't. And that is why virtue is The Only Thing Worth striving for.”  Ryan Holiday   “If the path you're on isn't making you a more generous, compassionate, hope

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Romans 12:9-17 NIV   I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you