Church In The Valley - Alhambra Campus

Treating each other a certain way is crucial to accomplishing the mission. When we love another—people will know we are His disciples.

In this message the goal is to walk through the mission we have been given… OUR MISSION: To know, love and glorify God and be used by Him to help unchurched people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and to help create churches and other ministries that do the same. In short—To Love God and Love Others.

The fact that death is the destiny of every man brings the meaning of life into focus. Evaluating the ultimate outcome of all of our pursuits and efforts to find meaning without God help us to draw the right conclusion and give ourselves to the things that really matter.

My religious habits themselves and what I do for God will bring meaning to my life. It’s a trap to start promising God that I will do something for Him to attempt to change His mind about what is best for me.

To power up on others does not bring satisfaction and leaves a person empty. Money seems to be the answer to solving my problems and allowing me to live the life I want, but it leaves us empty as well. Riches do not create the kind of life we really want.

Our work can easily become our world and dictate the shape of the other areas of our life. Solomon shows us why this is not true and also why it’s important to enjoy your work.

When we’re doing what we have to do (fulfilling my responsibilities), we often think: “If I could only do what my heart desires I would be happy.” Solomon testifies to the reality that fulfilling my desires is not the path to ultimate happiness.

We’re uncomfortable with uncertainty and facing problems and decisions where we can’t get our mind and heart around all the issues. We tend to look for the latest discovery that will help us live a great life and unlock the keys to life so we never again have to deal with pain and uncertainty.

At one point, Solomon turned away from God and things didn’t end well. He is asking and trying to answer the question “WHAT IS THE POINT OF LIVING?" And he tries to find meaning (the “point” of living) without God.

A biblical perspective on death and suffering.

If you like to run with the crowd, kingdom living will challenge that desire. If you decide to follow Christ, don’t expect to run with the crowd. A decision to follow Christ is a decision to go against the crowd. Our lives are filled with decisions, some important while others unimportant. The most critical of all is our decision about Jesus Christ and His kingdom which determines our eternal destiny.

If we’re not careful, our minds can become consumed with worry and anxiety over all of our problems, future decisions or unsettled challenges. God has given us the top priority (Kingdom First), which guides our focus, and He has also provided a strategy for how to deal with the worries of tomorrow.

Our use of God’s resources is an expression of His rule over our lives. The grip of greed and materialism is strong and the only way to break free is to continually grow in generosity.

God to provide, He’s a good Father, who gives good gifts and guidance to His children. Jesus commands us to “ask, seek, knock” and promises that the Father hears and is concerned.

How we see ourselves really matters! Our identity shapes much of our outlook and activity. When we look in the mirror, who do we see? When others see us or interact with us, what impact is made? God has called us salt and light, and the world desperately needs us to encounter this part of our identity.

Can you imagine if people were trustworthy and could be counted on to straighten out the damage they do to others? Our ability to relate long term is critical since we live so much out in platoons of people.

Since God has given leadership to specific people of His choosing in each arena, a good follower accepts this and works under the leader to help him/her to accomplish God’s purpose.

A godly leader uses their authority and influence in a way that blesses their followers as they direct them to accomplish the mission.

God gives authority to whomever He chooses (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). It is through this authority that He chooses to work to accomplish His purpose in the arenas of life (government, church, home, other institutions). He works through authority and not around it.

The Plant of the Apes genre is built on the premise that humans will be overtaken by apes and evolution ultimately wins. While many movies can devalue humanity for a variety of reasons, when you dig into the Scriptures, humans have a unique role on the earth that no other animal has. We are made in the image of God and because of this we have a purpose and destiny that provides hope despite our shortcomings.