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more than you can handle

6/28/2017

This weekend we wrapped up our message series, Half-Truths, by looking at the common saying that God won't give you more than you can handle. This is true if we mean that God is provident and in control or that he is always with us. However, God often gives us more than we can handle. God allows us to be overwhelmed by the demands and struggles of life. Why is that? When life is good, we tend to think it is our creativity or skill or intelligence that has made it so. We get deceived into thinking that we can manage life all on our own and that we don’t need God. God allows us to be overwhelmed so we will turn to him and rely on his presence and his power. Ultimately God gives us more than we can handle so that we can grow in faith. Faith and trust in God grows when we are challenged to meet the demands of life. The whole truth is that God will not give you more than you can handle without his help. Spend some time with God today sharing the biggest struggle you are facing right now. What’s overwhelming you and why? Pray that you will walk the valleys of life with faith and trust in God’s power and presence. Try praying with this song: Mountain
Missed this weekend’s message? Want to share the message with a friend going through a difficult season of life? Watch the message video online.

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more than a symbol

6/21/2017

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We’re in week 4 of our message series Half-Truths. The half-truth we confronted this weekend is that the Communion we share at Mass (we call it the Eucharist) is a symbol. (If you missed this weekend’s message or could use a second viewing, watch the message video online.) It’s true that the Eucharist is a symbol--all sacraments are symbols. They are physical signs of what God is doing spiritually to our souls. Communion is a sign or symbol of what God wants to do for us. It is a sign that he wants to nourish us and provide for us. Just as our body needs food and nourishment, taking Communion reminds us that our soul needs nourishment as well. Communion is a symbol, but it is so much more than that, too. We believe that the Eucharist truly is the body and blood of Jesus Christ and that when we celebrate Mass and receive the Eucharist, we are participating in the very death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Spend some time this week reflecting on the Eucharist and your approach or attitude towards it. Do you approach it prayerfully and gratefully? Do you return to the world with a renewed commitment to service, to loving others, and to following Jesus? Ask God for the grace to be an active participant in the Eucharist. Ask God for the grace to allow the Eucharist to change your heart and your life.

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a community of love

6/14/2017

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We’re in the middle of our message series, Half-Truths, and this weekend we looked at the half-truth that says: all religions are the same. This is true if we mean that all religions ask many of the same questions, such as: Who is God? What is the meaning of life? How should we live? But the whole truth is that all religions ask the same questions, but they arrive at very different answers. In this weekend’s message we explored how our Christian faith answers one of the most fundamental questions that all religions ask: Who is God and what is God like? Christians believe that God has revealed to the world his very nature. God is a community of love we call the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The community of love that is the Trinity confirms our hunch that love is the greatest value that exists. For all eternity, the three persons of the Trinity have loved each other. And the goal of our life is to be drawn into that community of love. Pray today for a deepening understanding of the truth of the Trinity. Pray that through your life, you will be drawn into God's community of love.

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The church

6/7/2017

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This weekend we explored the half-truth that says: you don't need the Church to connect with God. This is true if we mean that you don't need a church building to connect to God. We can connect with God anywhere and everywhere. But the Church is not primarily a building or an institution--the Church is the people of God. We absolutely need the Church in order to deepen our relationship with God and to become the people God has created us to be. In this weekend’s message we explored three specific reasons why we need the Church to connect to God. (If you missed it, you can watch it here.) We need the Church to connect with God which means we need to be connected to a local church--and not just connected, but actively involved and committed. Today, reflect on your commitment to your own local church, whether that’s New Roads or another church community. Reflect on your current connection with that church community, and then, select a concrete step to further your commitment to your local church. What does committing to a local church look like?

Signing up to serve as a volunteer
Serving in a new way, perhaps outside your comfort zone, in a ministry your church is looking to grow
Increasing the amount of your weekly offering or making the move to online giving
Sharing with a friend who doesn’t have a church the reasons you love your church and inviting them to be a part of yours, to join you on a specific Sunday

We need the Church to grow in relationship with God. Commit to a local church, love a local church, help make a local church great. Because the Church is not a building; the Church is God’s plan for connecting us to God and to one another, and for renewing the face of the earth.

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more than you can handle

more than a symbol

a community of love

The church

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