Elements City Church Podcast

Are you Edging God Out (EGO) with trying to control things that you shouldn't be? Are you filled with fear, anxiety, and worry because you don't trust God with your life?

We all pursue trophies...they just change with time; but Solomon has some words for us who are aiming our lives at those pursuits – the trophies of life under the sun. There's nothing wrong with WORK, we've been wired and entrusted to work - but when we allow 'work' to become our pseudo source of identity, we're asking it to do something it can't. Life is much more about who loves us and who we love - than what we know or what we do. Learn the secret and power of practicing PRESENCE.

Throughout his life Solomon experimented with a variety of pursuits and pleasures. Although he accomplished everything you can imagine, he was unable to find true and lasting satisfaction. When we pursue our ultimate satisfaction in what we find "under the sun," we arrive at the same conclusion as Solomon. That's because only a relationship with Jesus brings true and lasting satisfaction.

Everybody craves the Good Life! But what will truly deliver it? Tonight we begin a new series in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon tries to find The Good Life in most any way possible and he discovers that life 'under the sun' doesn't ultimately offer it. So life-giving hope, meaning and significance must be found elsewhere. Chapter 1 is a rough way to start a book, but it sets a foundation that will help us as we examine these Scriptures. Join the journey in through this series.

We're examining a silent labeler that weighs down our heart and keeps us from experiencing the joy God longs to foster within. Whether it's the lies we tell ourselves or the ones spoken over us - shame has a way of sinking us. But shame doesn't have the last word...thanks to the grace of Jesus that enables us to walk with a new identity!

Tonight we're examining the potential destruction of distraction. We're called to keep our focus on the things that matter most, the priorities of God. To seek Him first and foremost. In the world in which we live that is FILLED with distractions, how do we keep our devotion from becoming detoured?

Tonight we're examining the drama and destruction that can occur when ANGER gets control over us versus us being able to manage it. The truth is: we all get angry. And the Bible is filled with wisdom to help us when it comes to dealing with anger whether we're a spewer, stuffer or schemer. We unpack some practical principles to help us deal with anger in a healthy way.

As we continue this series - tonight, we're examining the impact of fear in our lives. How God has equipped us and is empowering us to live beyond the paralyzing effect of fear. Your fear reveals what you value most. Your fears also reveal where you trust God the least. We're called to live beyond fear and allow our faith IN God to get us there.

Many of us carry around an invisible measuring stick - where we measure our talents, our heart, our mind, our abilities, our actions, our character against others to see if we're okay. Sometimes we're greater than, sometimes we feel less than. In our culture we are inclined toward a compulsion of comparison and if left untreated, comparison becomes a cancer within. We can be free from that when we live empowered by God and not enamored with anyone else. Be YOU.

We're excited for the mission God has us on as a church and tonight we're examining a bit more of what our calling is as a church to bring the hope of Jesus to the heart of our city and inviting people into a life-giving and life-changing relationship with Jesus. We are the benefactors of God's Good News! And we have a choice to make: do we stockpile or share?

Are you more concerned about your reputation for today or the legacy you will leave behind? What you do in life echoes in eternity

Often times we assume that doubt is the enemy of faith. We think that for faith to thrive, doubt must be eliminated. But what if our doubt is the very thing God wants to use to draw us into a closer relationship with him?

What does it look like to aim our lives toward adventure with God? Living with a courageous faith isn't about reckless leaps of faith on our own, it's about intentional steps of faith next to Jesus. We examine Matthew 14 and the call Jesus still has for his followers to walk with him.

We looked into the movie: "42"... the Jackie Robinson story and the church's role in reconciliation. The Church stands as the movement of Jesus that by its very description – is proclaiming: the gospel is good news for ALL PEOPLE. The gospel is the hope of Jesus that SUMMONS not SEPARATES. God’s grace, power and love are the only things that can BREAK down the walls of separation and BUILD up relationships with God and others.

Have you ever wished you could go back in time to 're-do' or 'un-do' something? Regrets are a part of our past, but they don't have to stifle or sideline our future with God. Tonight we examine Philippians 3 and five keys to being able to move forward with God.

You are an investor. The Bible over and over calls us as parents and grandparents and friends to be investors on a spiritual level. Focus on being a proactive person in making deposit of faith in others. We're looking into 3 actions you can take to make faith deposits into others. Make your relationships "P. O. P."

Please welcome James Ruiz, Lead Pastor at Living Word Chapel as our guest speaker tonight. We all will face opposition in this life of following Jesus. People may ridicule your faith and push back against you. But we must remember that no one is un-savable. Don’t give up on those who seem impossible. God transformed the Apostle Paul from Hater to Hero, to show His love knows no limits. No One is TOO FAR GONE. Pray for opportune times to invite them toward an encounter with the real Jesus.

We're leaning into the practice of prayer and looking into a parable that Jesus tells to encourage us to persist in prayer and never lose hope! For Jesus - prayer was never a last resort, it was always a first priority. Friends, there is no area of life where the Bible encourages perseverance more strongly than in the area of prayer.

Tonight we're leaning into this practice of celebration. Did you know that celebration matters to God? Celebration has a way of stirring our soul to savor and remember like nothing else. All throughout the Scriptures, you'll see it's power and the WHY we need to practice it rightly today.