The enemy wants to create an identity crisis in our lives. While he wants the believer to question their identity, he wants the unbeliever to embrace an identity apart from God. We were all once rebels, but Jesus wants to rescue us from being a rebel to being redeemed. For those who are in Christ, the enemy wants to keep us stuck in our past and defined by our struggles. But when we can’t out-think the enemy, we out-truth him with the Word of God. You are not your past. You are not your struggle. You are not defined by your scars but by Jesus’ scars. Because of Jesus, you are redeemed, you are new, and you are His. There is only One who has the authority to name you, and it’s the One who purchased you. As Satan tries to name you, don’t forget that the Savior calls you His. Quit looking back and look up. There’s an empty cross and an empty tomb that names you.

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In our Pieces series, we’re exposing the spiritual war we are in and learning to understand who our enemy is. The devil will never appear the way we think he should. He is cunning, crafty, and deceptive, and he wants to appear harmless and appealing in order to lure us away from the security of God’s presence and God’s people. Satan is still running the same plays today that he ran on Adam and Eve. He tempts us with the lie that what he offers will satisfy, provide peace, or won’t really matter. Then, when we give in, he immediately becomes the accuser, telling us we are guilty, unlovable, unforgivable, worthless, or too far gone. But Satan is defeated. When we can’t out think the enemy, we out-truth him with the truth of God’s Word. No one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand. He has purchased us with a price, and He has not let go of us.

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As we begin our new series, Pieces, we are shining light on the spiritual war we are in. For the child of God, arrows will be fired at you with an attempt to shatter your faith and get you to compromise who and what you trust. We are not fighting for victory. We are fighting from it. But what happens when the faith that was once so strong becomes tested, shattered, and broken?

Through the story of his family, Pastor Brian shares what it looks like when the same people, with the same faith and the same God, experience two totally different outcomes. When God performs the way we want Him to, it can be easy to celebrate His faithfulness. But when He doesn't, we may find ourselves asking, “God, what do You want to do with my faith when it's shattered? What can You do with my brokenness?” Throughout Scripture, we see what God does with broken pieces. He restores and reassembles what has been broken. He re-members what has been dismembered. God loves to put broken things back together. Whatever you are carrying, bring what is being done in darkness into the light. Be bold in your brokenness and trust the only One who can put the pieces back together.

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In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches us what prayer and fasting are meant to look like in the Christian life. Prayer and fasting are not optional disciplines or add-ons. Prayer is not the preparation for the greater work. It is the greater work. Prayer is about communion with God, walking with God, and coming into His presence. What if the greatest reward we could ever receive from prayer is not the answered prayer but God Himself? Jesus gives us a model for prayer that begins with who God is and what His mission is: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” Prayer teaches us to depend on God today, to pray as a first response instead of a last resort, and to remember that we are in a spiritual war. The beauty is that our Heavenly Father already knows what we need, yet He still invites us into His presence. Fasting allows us to starve ourselves of something so that we may feast on God. We say no to our flesh so that we may say yes to His presence. Prayer draws us into the presence of God, and fasting clears us up for His presence. The answer is Him. His presence is the better life.

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As we look at the values that root us in who we are as a church, Surrendered Obedience means letting go of control and letting God take control. When life feels uncertain and the road ahead is confusing, the safest place for us to be is not in control but in a place of surrender. Real faith trusts God enough to obey Him, surrenders enough to let go, and believes God enough to expect Him to provide. In Genesis 22, God asked Abraham to do something that didn’t make sense. Abraham’s “yes” was already on the table. Surrendered obedience always comes before understanding. When God speaks, obey. Our part is to show up, take God at His Word, and follow Him one step at a time. Surrendered obedience isn’t the absence of failures. It’s choosing to trust God beyond our last mistake. What God wanted from Abraham was not his son but his surrender. What is it that God has asked you to do that you haven’t done yet? Take the first step of obedience. Say, “God, here I am. Speak.” Whatever He says to you, do it.

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As we look at the values that root us in who we are as a church, Grateful Generosity means being open-handed with what God has given us. Grateful generosity is the action of being generous as a result of being grateful for how generous He has been to us. Being generous is not a have-to but a get-to. It is simply an expression of thankfulness for what God has already done. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul points to the churches in Macedonia as an example of generosity. They didn't have a lot, but they understood the grace and generosity of God. Their circumstances didn't dictate their generosity. Generosity isn't about the amount but the posture of our hearts. We give because we understand what God gave when He gave us His Son, Jesus. God doesn't need our resources to accomplish His will, but He gives us an invitation to be part of the work He wants to accomplish. Give yourself first to the Lord, trust Him, and ask, "God, what does generosity look like for me?" We live with grateful generosity so that more people can know Jesus.

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As we look at the values that root us in who we are as a church, biblical teaching means we will proclaim the truth of God’s Word week in and week out. Everything we do is guided by the truth of who God is and what He has called us to do. If we are going to saturate the world with the Good News by making disciples, we have to know who Jesus is, what He has called us to do, and what He taught us to do. The beauty is that God has not left us in this world without a way to know Him and follow Him. We have the Bible. Like a compass, God’s Word is our guide and direction for how to live this life and know Him. In a world inundated with information and claims that twist the truth, we can trust that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy. The Bible doesn’t answer every question we have, but it answers every question we need to know about who God is.

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As we look at the values that define who we are as a church, our second value is Intentional Community. From the beginning, God has always had a heart for community. His design is for us to do life together. If God’s plan is to create and establish community, Satan will do everything he can to disrupt and dismantle it. If the enemy can isolate you, he can destroy you. Hebrews 10 reminds us why we need each other and why God puts people in our lives who need us. We need people around us who will help us look up, wake up, get up, and stay up. We need people who will encourage us when we begin to pull away, care enough to call out sin, help carry our burdens when we fall, and lock arms with us as we keep marching forward. God wants you to do life with people. If you have found yourself pulling away or living in loneliness and isolation, don’t listen to the voice of the enemy. Be bold enough and humble enough to say, “God, I need community.” We all need people to do life with because it’s the way God created us. We have to be intentional about community.

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As we begin our new series, ROOTS, we take a closer look at the values that define who we are as a church. We begin with one of our core values, Persistent Prayer. Prayer is the life source of who we are and everything we do. It is the source of peace, comfort, wisdom, direction, and power. Prayer isn't the preparation for the greater work. Prayer is the greater work. In Luke 18, Jesus teaches the parable of the persistent widow to remind us to never give up on God in prayer. Persistent prayer is an ongoing conversation with God without giving up because He desires a relationship with us. Because of Jesus, we have direct access to the Father and can approach Him with confidence. The Creator God desires to spend time with you, hear from you, and meet you where you are. Could it be that your unanswered prayer is the very thing God is using to keep you coming back to Him? If we want to see God move in our lives and in our church, it starts with persistent prayer.

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In Numbers 13–14 and Joshua 14, we follow the life of Caleb, a man who walked by faith and not by sight. While the other spies saw giants, fortified cities, and reasons they couldn't, Caleb believed the promise of God. The Israelites had many reasons for not entering the Promised Land, but God gave only one: unbelief. Forty-five years later, Caleb is still following the Lord fully. At eighty-five years old, he declares, "Give me this mountain," because his confidence was never in his own strength but in the strength of God. He didn't let fear, doubt, or circumstances determine his faith. He started with faith and let it lead his sight. When we walk by faith, giant challenges lose their power, faith reframes the facts, and our weakness becomes His strength. Whether you've stopped walking, grown weary, or you're ready to take the next step, God is calling you to trust His promises. When Jesus returns, may He find us walking.

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God continually shows up for the Israelites. He makes a way, provides for their needs, and invites them into His presence. Yet while Moses is on the mountain with God, the people grow tired of waiting, forget what God has done, and turn back to their old ways. Though God is a God of miracles and provision, His greatest gift is His presence. When we become focused only on what we want God to do, we can miss the beauty of who He is. Remember what He has done, and look for His presence. The tabernacle points to Jesus, the greater fulfillment of God's plan to dwell with His people. Jesus is the Door, the Bread of Life, the Light of the World, and our Great High Priest who intercedes for us. Through Him, the veil has been torn, we have access to God, and we can walk with Him. Don't miss the greatest gift of all: His presence.

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In Exodus 16–17, the Israelites go from the victory of the Red Sea into the wilderness. Though they had been delivered from Egypt, they struggled to wait well. Yet the wilderness was not a prison but a classroom where God wanted to teach them, shape them, and prove His faithfulness. God provided bread from heaven, water from the rock, and people to help carry the burden. A wilderness reveals what's in us and who's around us. When it seems like there's no way, God will provide in a way that makes no sense. God has entrusted each of us with a "staff" to lift up for His glory. Even when we grow weary, God uses His people to help us keep holding it high. God is not finished with you. Praise Him in the wilderness.

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The whole purpose of 1 John is to give us confidence in who we are, whose we are in Christ, and where we will spend eternity. John reminds us that we can have confidence in our access to God because when we ask according to His will, He hears us. We pray boldly not because we always receive what we ask for, but because we know who is listening and trust His will. John also reminds us to have confidence in our adoption. Because we belong to Christ, we can rest in the victory He has already won and encourage one another through prayer and loving accountability. His final command, "Keep yourselves from idols," is the natural result of knowing who we are and whose we are. When we know who we belong to, we will never be satisfied by a substitute. The answer to temptation is not more willpower but filling our hearts with the knowledge of Christ, His love, His Word, and His will until there is no vacancy. When Christ is magnified, everything else shrinks.

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The whole purpose of 1 John is to give us confidence in who we are, whose we are in Christ, and where we will spend eternity. John reminds us that we can have confidence in our access to God because when we ask according to His will, He hears us. We pray boldly not because we always receive what we ask for, but because we know who is listening and trust His will. John also reminds us to have confidence in our adoption. Because we belong to Christ, we can rest in the victory He has already won and encourage one another through prayer and loving accountability. His final command, "Keep yourselves from idols," is the natural result of knowing who we are and whose we are. When we know who we belong to, we will never be satisfied by a substitute. The answer to temptation is not more willpower but filling our hearts with the knowledge of Christ, His love, His Word, and His will until there is no vacancy. When Christ is magnified, everything else shrinks.

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Psalm 91 reminds us that when life happens, we all run somewhere. Dads, your children are watching. As they follow your tracks, where are you leading them? When you need security, strength, courage, comfort, and hope, where do you go to find it? The psalmist declares, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” We are not God, and there will be days when we need what our children need too. The question is not what we say we trust, but where we actually run. Do we run to God or to the things of the world? Psalm 91 invites us to dwell in the presence of God, not just visit when we want something. Whether the attack is expected, unexpected, or fueled by fear, God is inviting us to come to Him. Your children are watching. Where do you run, and where will your tracks lead them?

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In 1 John 5, John revisits familiar territory as he reminds believers why he wrote this letter: that our joy may be full, that we may not be deceived, and that we may know we have eternal life. Surrounded by false teachers and competing beliefs, John points us back to the truth that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. John reminds us that loving God's children and obeying His commands is not a burden but a delight. As followers of Jesus, we are called to go to everyone, everywhere, every day with the Good News that whoever believes in Jesus can be born of God. Most importantly, John declares that everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. We were designed to overcome, not through our own strength, but through faith in Jesus Christ. The world can never satisfy the desires of our hearts, but Jesus can. Stay connected to the Source of life, trust in Him, and take what you know to be true and teach it to someone else.

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John reminds us that God is love, and because He has loved us, we also ought to love one another. This is not a love based on feelings or emotions, but a self-sacrificing, servant-hearted love that we see most clearly in the person and work of Jesus. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus showed us what perfect love looks like. He loved people nobody expected Him to love, loved people up close and personal, loved people others had written off, loved people who thought they were too sinful to be loved, and loved people who failed Him. Perfect love moves toward people, makes contact, pursues restoration, and refuses to give up on those who need grace. Because Christ first loved us, we now have the opportunity to love others the same way. The way we love one another is the most honest picture of how we love God. Perfect love is not something we earn; it is something we receive from Jesus and then extend to others.

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Psalm 116 begins with a spoiler alert. David tells us where he landed on the other side of the trial: he loves the Lord because God heard him and turned His ear toward him. Even when it seemed like God was not moving, David kept praying, kept watching, and kept expecting. God showed up in David's darkest valley, and the reminder for us is simple: God hears you and God sees you. When David was surrounded by trouble and there seemed to be no way out, he realized his only hope was for God to meet him right where he was. Real trouble produced real prayer, and that desperation created a heart of dependence. His peace was not found in knowing the answers but in knowing the God who guards and protects His people. When God revealed Himself in the valley, it produced a response. David took up the cup of salvation, called upon the name of the Lord, and recommitted himself to what God had called him to do. Because Jesus has been committed to us, our commitment to Him cannot be persuaded by circumstances.

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In a world with increasingly more information, opinions, and beliefs, how do we know what is true? John calls us to test the spirits and discern the difference between the real and the counterfeit. Not everything that claims to be from God is from God, and not every version of Jesus is the real Jesus. John gives us a belief test and a behavior test. The belief test asks what we believe about Jesus. The real Jesus is Jesus the Christ who came in the flesh. A substitute Jesus, a customized Jesus, or a watered-down Jesus has no power to save. But John doesn't stop with what we know. He reminds us that belief changes behavior. What we say we believe should affect how we live, how we love, how we handle conflict, and the fruit that comes from our lives. Our behavior should reflect what our mouths declare is true. As followers of Jesus, we must know what we believe, why we believe it, and be equipped by God's Word to discern the counterfeit when we see it. The world needs believers whose lives point people to the real Jesus.

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John reminds us that God is light and God is love, and because we belong to Him, we should love one another with agape love, a deep affection that moves beyond words into action. The longer we follow Jesus, the more we will bear the character of our Father and love people the way He loves people. This is how we know love: Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. The cross is where we see love most clearly. To experience His grace is to be radically changed forever, and that love should overflow outward into the way we serve, give, and care for others. John challenges us not to just talk about love but to live it out. Love radically because you have been loved radically by God. Believe in Jesus and love people the way Jesus loves.

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