Fearless LA Podcast Fearless

Jesus walks through the garden of our lives and he reaches in to see if there is fruit. Sometimes we advertise that we are fruit bearing believers but when the Lord looks for it, He might not find anything. God prunes us because that is a part of Him extending His grace towards us. God is constantly trying to remind us of how far we have come, especially if we’ve allowed life to make us stingy with our praise and generosity! God didn’t need Mary’s worship just like He doesn’t need one more voice to fill the choir of heaven, but He honored Mary because she understood what time it was and who it was that she was honoring. If everything in this life belongs to God, there is absolutely nothing that did not come from the generosity of God including the breath in our lungs. With this resource all He is asking is that we take care of His bride and we as believers will take care of what he loves the most for the following reasons:
1) How much we’ve been loved will determine how much we love.
2) It’s not that we don’t have a seed to sow, it's that most of us are sowing it in the wrong place.
3) God doesn’t want our money, He is only after our hearts!Stewardship is all a test and God is looking for people that are willing to trust him with taking care of their lives. If we sow our seed in the right soil it produces a tree that produces fruit that continue to carry seeds. When we sow something it gives it the potential to bear fruit that will continue to bless us in the future. So if we want more seed in our lives, let's begin to sow what we have into God and all that He loves. Our God did not hold back when He gave all of heaven to save us so in return, let’s become a group of people that give him everything!

There comes a point in life when we realize that we cannot control anyone other than ourselves and we need to develop our weaknesses into strengths. If our self control starts in our minds then we need to become masters of what thought patterns are cycling through them and by living out the fruit of the spirit, its evidence will convict those around us! Sometimes the things we choose to do might not be sinful but we do need to ask the question if it was helpful or beneficial. We need to live to a standard that raises the people around us also to a new level. We need to look at every area of our lives when it comes to discipline because everything we have been given is for others and not for us.

1. Self control and discipline is a way we get to honor God. 
2. Discipline in one area will bleed into other areas. 
3. There are consequences to a lack of self control and can cost you your call

We need to take ownership and authority over our minds, our mouths and our actions. If we are more concerned about what people see instead of what God sees we have completely missed the point. If we continue to live a life that pleases our sinful nature eventually it ends up feeling right. But the Bible doesn’t tell us to follow our flesh, it asks us to crucify it and we need to be people who pursue that discipline till the end. Jesus himself displayed the greatest moment of self control by dying on the cross for us and He did so that we have a model to look at as we are on this journey!

Application:
What are some areas that you lack self control that you need to be made obedient to Christ? Prayer:
Father I ask that you help me self control and discipline. I long to please you in every area of my life so I ask that you help me strengthen and work on my weaknesses so that I continue to look like you! 

God loves us for who we are and not what we can give him. He loves us even when we don’t produce but sometimes we get distraught over the problems that are inside of us and we, just like Hannah, can have everything we want and still be unhappy. When we don’t love the person God created us to be we will never be satisfied. We think material and earthly things bring value to who we are but all the Lord is wanting us to do is be at perfect peace with who we are.Here’s why we need to press into God now more than ever:

1) If we  live life vertically focusing on God, it will be our best year.
2) Whatever we lost we didn’t need.
3) If we focus on what isn’t perfect, we miss what is good.

Pastor Christy Johnson preaches a message "Kingdom Scales: Worth The Weight".
 
When we ask God to use our lives, what we don’t realize we are asking for is for the Lord to prepare us. We are going to have to go through some moments of pressing and pruning which end up being quite painful but instead of complaining when those things happen let's aim to become people of prayer! The weight of God’s glory on our lives might not happen easily but it will happen faithfully and that glory will always be worth the wait. We cannot abort the assignment because on the other side of our faithfulness we will experience the beautiful birth of something impactful.

Pastor Jeremy Johnson preaches a message "MAGNIFY" and explains when we MAGNIFY God instead of the problem, you're able to get a kingdom perspective. 

Read: Matthew 5: 14-16 | Proverbs 23:7 | John 7:22 | 2 Timothy 2

As we continue to dive deeper into our walk with God we realize that Church is not a hiding place but a rallying place to get fired up for the next mission Our only objective in life  is that people discover Jesus so how we represent Him is going to be more effective out in the world that inside the walls of the church. In order to complete this mission we have to stand on the truth that we are both kings in ruling but also kings in waiting, so as we are expectant to God to take us to that “next big thing” we can still influence the atmosphere of where we are at. 
Here are some things to think about as we continue to reflect the light of Christ: 

1 Sometimes our lack of promotion is just a season of preparation. 

2 To bring glory means to excel in whatever it is we do and that excellence will speak to people.

3 We have to be overt and covert at the same time. 

It’s our mandate to change this city and to change this country for the Lord. A city on a hill cannot be hidden the word says, which means that if each of us collectively shine the light that has been given us, together we make a massive impact on the darkness that surrounds us. We often feel ineffective because we are isolated but look around you and see that you have been placed in a body that is running this race alongside you! 

Application -
Where are you positioned: a job, your family, your friends. How can you begin to bring that unique light into their lives?

Prayer -
Father help me reflect the light of Jesus on to those around me. I pray that I will excel in all the skills you have given me and in that process that I will bring you utmost glory. Help me see this season of preparation as the training grounds for what you have in store for the future! In Jesus Name!