Connexus Church Audio Podcast

Guardrails are designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas. They minimize damage by keeping us in the safety zone. But the highway isn’t the only place we need guardrails.

Blame. It damages marriages, destroys partnerships, harms teams and twists relationships.  None of us like to get blamed, but somehow most of us still find ways to blame others.  Why do we do that?  What would life be like if we stopped blaming others?  What would it do to your faith, your friendships, your family? How would you get there?

In a world of outrage, it’s easy to be angry. Whether your anger shows up in private, public or whether it’s just something you feel but rarely show, what’s underneath that? We’ll look at where your anger comes from, how to deal with it, and how to replace it with a profound gratitude.

Remember when you were a kid and trusted at a level that seemed, well, childlike?  But our trust gets broken. Over time, we become suspicious of people, organizations and even God.  What happens to us when suspicion becomes our dominant view? Everything changes when you stop assuming the worst, and start believing the best.  

It’s so easy to judge others, to think you’re better than others or to think they’re less than you.  It’s so easy to look down on other people while giving yourself a break. Why do so many people rush to judgment? This week, we'll look at how people who want to change actually find transformation.

What a morning to celebrate how Jesus has changed people’s lives and their choice to follow Him. It’s amazing to see what God is doing. Baptism is also a time for all of us to reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus, and celebrate the freedom He brings us.

I know that true freedom is found in Jesus, and I know the Holy Spirit wants to remodel my heart so I can live freely, but here’s the problem … people. It seems like relationships can rob us of our freedom when they aren’t going well. Whether it’s our kids or spouse on a bad day, the boss who stresses us out, the person who takes advantage of us, or the person who cuts us off on the road, people have the power to rob us of living in freedom. How do we pursue relationships in a way where we can experience freedom?

I know that true freedom is found in Jesus. It’s amazing that He has made a way for us to experience a loving relationship with God. At the same time, I don’t always feel like I’m living in freely in my day to day life - I give into temptation, lose my temper, fall into bad habits, get overwhelmed, etc. How do I experience this freedom as I live my life each day?

We live in a culture where we've never had more options to choose from, but in many ways, we also feel chained down by those same choices. We can feel the pressure that comes from being tied to our job, to a broken relationship, to our past, to our financial situation, to inner battles, etc. No matter how hard we try, why is it so hard to feel free in our daily lives? We'll be talking about what it means to experience real freedom in our souls and lives. What if it really is possible to live free?

To wrap up this series, we’ll look at how you can talk with God. From ancient times, people have called this practice prayer. We’ll look at how prayer is different from meditation, what prayer changes, and how prayer can become part of your daily life.

This week Carey gives a BONUS interview with author John Ortberg on spritual formation and hearing from God and his book on connecting with God called "Soul Keeping".

So how do you exactly hear from this invisible God? Do you hear voices, or is that just for crazy people? Do you listen to your emotions? Is God...silent? We’ll look at 7 ways God speaks to people today. They might surprise you.

When learning how to have a relationship with God, one of the top questions is "How can I know I’ve heard from God” closely followed by “How can I know God’s will for my life?“ Author Mark Batterson has studied the subject in-depth and shares 7 key ways people hear from God, and how hearing his voice can help you find his purpose for your life.

So many people are getting into spirituality, self-discovery, meditation, mindfulness and finding themselves. But is that all there is? Jesus gave us a powerful illustration of what happens when a person moves beyond themselves and connects with Him. It might be exactly what you’re missing.

Love sees who you really are and sticks around anyway. And that’s exactly what Jesus did. In the days after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus surprised his disciples by making them breakfast on the beach. To their utter shock, it was the beginning of a whole new relationship. Jesus wasn’t finished with them (or with you). He was just getting started.

On the night before He died, Jesus sat down for dinner around a table with his closest friends and followers. All of them would desert him. He refused to desert them. Jesus showed us an extraordinarily rare love that sees you for who you really are, and sticks around anyway.

Sometimes you think you can’t make a dent in the problems the world is facing. And besides, you feel like you barely have enough to live on yourself. As a result, many of us often feel indifferent toward the situation others face, and our response is usually a response of inaction. Is there another way? Can something make a difference?

Happy couples decide they owe each other everything but are owed nothing in return. But that requires effort. Every married person makes a choice every day. That choice feels more like a reaction, so most people don’t think they have a choice at all. But they do. Happy couples make the happy choice.

As long as you think your spouse owes you, your marriage will be all about keeping score. That destroys intimacy. It destroys love. But what are we supposed to do about our hopes, dreams, and desires?

We all enter into marriage with hopes, dreams, and desires. They create expectations. But when you put those expectations onto your spouse, it turns your marriage into a debt/debtor relationship. Your relationship becomes marked by the belief that your spouse owes you something. So, how do you keep your hopes, dreams, and desires from becoming expectations?