Blaze Church

Sex has become a god of sorts in our culture. We are told that sexual experiences are the greatest forms of pleasure. We center our identity our sexual orientation and preferences. This is nothing new. The Greeks worshipped Eros, the god of love and sex. When we follow their example, the results are clear: heartache, brokenness, dysfunction, pain, and shame. Sex is not the problem; idolizing sex is. God created sex to be enjoyed. He gives us the best plan for sex and romantic love. There are two approaches to sex: covenant and consumerism. Whether you are single or married, discover the freedom that Jesus alone brings by embracing Him as the Living Water for your soul.

Agape love is defined as “a love that serves others”.  In this message, we will unpack what Jesus said about this type of love, what Jesus did to show Love, and what we can do in light of knowing Jesus’ love.  Believers are called to serve others out of a place of being LOVED, not to be loved. When we know the Love of the Father, we can selflessly serve those around us!

Family – it’s a word that brings up so many varying emotions. Love. Appreciation. Joy. Heartache. Family drama. As believers in Christ, we are called to love our family members well. How? In this message, we’ll hear a story of family love that shows us practical ways that will help us. But even with all our determination, there will be a time you will inevitably fall way short. The only way to truly love our families well is to experience for yourself the transforming and empowering grace and love of God through Jesus Christ! Being part of a new family helps us love our family in a new way.

“Don’t you care?” It’s a question we ask God and others when we face a storm in life. We long for someone to meet us in our distress, and hopefully bring peace to our pain. You’re not happy when you don’t have peace. If we want to be peacemakers, we need to have peace! While the disciples were in a storm, Jesus was sleeping in the boat. Jesus rebuked the waves and questioned if the disciples believed in Him. They asked the better question that we need to ask if we want peace, “Who is Jesus?” The storm of sin has been hushed by the power of Jesus. Because we have peace with God, we can be peacemakers.

Does being a Christian mean that we should feel guilty about pleasure? Is everything off-limits now? When God made the world He said, “It is good!” But what does it mean now that this world has been tainted by sin? There are three questions that a believer should ask to discover what kind of pleasure we get to enjoy, not that we have been saved by Jesus. Happiness is found in recognizing God gives good gifts! Don’t settle for sin. Share what you have. And be ready to surrender anything God calls you to lay down.

Wouldn’t it be nice to experience happy days every day of our life? If we connect our happiness to our circumstances, we will be at the mercy of life to provide that happy feeling we all desire. God offers us something better: contentment. What if contentment is the key to experiencing happy days? When we discover that contentment is connected to Christ, not circumstances, we will live a truly happy life! This way of living is not easy, but it is possible when we trust in Christ for our strength.

We are told that the pursuit of happiness is a right for every person. But what if our definition of happiness is wrong? We could find ourselves pursuing something that won’t actually make us happy. God wants us to be happy, but not the way we think of happiness. Discover how much greater God’s definition of happiness is, and how happy people truly live.

What is Christian fasting? If you want to see Jesus increase in your life, fasting is essential. When we go without, we are able to see who/what we look to for satisfaction in life. Jesus fasted for forty days in the wilderness, and overcame the temptations of the enemy so that He could achieve for us salvation! When we fast, we remind ourselves that we most need to be satisfied by the Bread of Life.

What are you dreaming about? We all have dreams, but we all experience moments where our dreams do not come true. What do we do then? The message of Christmas is that God came to us! To an engaged, young Jewish couple, the birth of Christ meant personal dreams would be lost. The angel’s words to Joseph provided the needed courage to trust God’s plan, power, purpose, and presence. Discover a hope that outlasts every dream. Anchor your soul to the One who came to save you from your sin.

How busy are you this holiday season? Between the shopping, parties, hosting, and family photo sessions many of us are busier than ever. Why? Who are we doing all this for? If you’re honest, you may realize that the person you are trying to make happy during the holiday season is YOU. It’s very easy for selfishness to creep in. As we look at The Grinch, we see that both the people of Whoville, and The Grinch, missed the meaning of Christmas because they were all focused on themselves. God sent His Son to the world to be a Light that exposes our darkness. There is hope this Christmas season for you to be set free from selfishness!