Steven Furtick's Blog, page 60

Finding God In the Middle of Your Storm

As Christians we are not promised a trouble-free life. Mary found this out as she was ostracized and ridiculed when she was pregnant with Jesus. The disciples learned this in the middle of storm that they thought would be their last. And the same is true for each of us. We will all at some point in our lives, find ourselves in the middle of our own personal hurricane – and we will struggle to find God in the midst of it all. But in this clip from Timeless Christmas, Pastor Steven explains that God is not only with us in the storms of life, but He is also there to carry us through them – no matter what we are facing.

Elevation Creative: Symmetry

Symmetry. Balance. Every reaction, and it’s opposite or equal reaction. The Bible speaks about the symmetry in our lives in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. It gives us comfort knowing that we’re going to experience good days and bad days. Barren seasons and times overflowing with favor. Vague beauty. Exact pain. A time for everything. In this video from our Creative team based on the short film by Everynone, we are reminded that no matter our current circumstance, God is able to work everything together for our good and His glory.

How Jesus Changed Everything

Before Christ came, things were different. The law said that when you sinned, you had to make it right with God. There were priests you had to go through. Sacrifices you had to make. Under this law, the penalty for sin was death. But when Jesus was born, everything changed. He was the redeeming sacrifice for all of our sin, for all of time, for those who accept Him. In this clip from Code Orange Christmas Pastor Steven reminds us why Jesus came, and how, since that day, the world has never been the same.

Discovering How to Embrace Every Season

Our life is not one fluid, unobstructed movement of progress. Rather, it’s a collection of different times and seasons, filled with mountain tops and valleys, blessing and drought, fulfillment and brokenness. And when we realize what season of life we’re currently in – good or bad – what is our response? Do we try to knuckle down and just get through it? Do we pray for our days to just fast forward to the next season? Do we wish we could even switch lives with other people in better seasons? In the first part of our series Times and Seasons, Pastor Steven teaches us how through Christ, God has equipped us to find purpose in every season of our lives.

The Sabotage of Entitlement

One of the things I try to emphasize regularly with our staff is the importance of us not taking the incredible things we’re experiencing for granted. We have been blessed to see God do things in our few short years that most people won’t get to see in a lifetime. And the danger for us is that we could normalize the abnormal. Or even worse, come to see what we’re experiencing as something we’re entitled to.

But this isn’t just a danger for us. Or for people or organizations that are doing or seeing things that are considered extraordinary.

It’s a danger for all of us.

Whenever you have something that is essentially a privilege for too long you can begin to feel it’s something you’re entitled to. Something that’s yours by right.

When in fact everything you have is by the grace of God. Everything.

You are not entitled to have a spouse. You are blessed with one.

You are not entitled to have a job. You are provided one.

You are not entitled to healing, forgiveness, or salvation. You are given them.

We sabotage our story when we begin to see the benefits and blessings of God as things we’re entitled to. And that’s because entitlement is the enemy of genuine thankfulness and appreciation. Both to God for what He has given us and for what He has given us.

I think that’s why throughout the Bible God repeatedly tells His people to recount His deeds on their behalf and the blessings that He had given them. It wasn’t because He needed to be reminded of how good He was. It was because they needed to be reminded of how good they had it. And how much they did not deserve it.

We need to be reminded too. None of us deserve anything we have. None of us are entitled to anything. But that’s what makes God’s benefits and blessings so extraordinary. God’s grace is the grounds for our gratitude.

Trusting God During the Hard Times

When we find ourselves in real times trouble, despair, or confusion in our lives, it can feel like the whole world is against us and God is nowhere to be found. But we aren’t alone. In the Bible, Job, Ruth and Elisha all faced overwhelmingly bad circumstances, and trusted God nevertheless. In this clip from our sermon series I Won’t Survive the Holidays Pastor Steven reminds us that we serve a God we can trust, no matter how bad our circumstances may appear.

Elevation Creative: Jesus I Come

Churches are not made up of perfect people. We all have our issues. Our struggles. Our shortcomings. Choices we’ve made and circumstances beyond our control that have made us who we are. But in spite of our own brokenness, God loves us. He seeks us out and offers us the grace only He can give. And when we look back and remember where we’ve been and how our lives have been forever changed though Christ, our hearts can’t help but to be filled with gratitude and praise. During our Banner Years weekend, our creative, worship, and production teams created a unique and memorable way to celebrate the impact Jesus has made in the lives of the people of our church.

The Gift of Fear

Isn’t it strange how two people can look at the exact same thing but see something different? What some might see as a burden, others see as an opportunity. Its all a matter of perspective. And the same is true of our fears. Depending on how we look at them, we may see our greatest threat, or find our greatest hope. In this clip from the the sermon series Room 101, Pastor Steven teaches us how to flip our perspective and find Jesus in the midst of our greatest fears.

The Right Way to Approach Your Overwhelming Circumstances

There will be times in all our lives where we will be standing face to face with our most intimidating situations. And we have a choice as to how we respond. Do we run away in fear? Do we crush ourselves under a weight we were never meant to carry alone? Do we give up and just accept inevitable failure? Or is there another way – a better way? In the second part of our series 52 Days of Thanks and Praise, Pastor Steven teaches us how our relationship with Christ allows us to reframe the perspective of our problems.

God orders my steps

The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

That’s a great verse. A powerful promise.

And it’s even more powerful in its context.

Because the verse right after it continues:

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

(Psalm 37:23-24)

I’ve been encouraged many times by reminding myself that God orders my steps. He helps me make wise decisions. He guides me in my choices.

But doesn’t it encourage you even more to know that He even orders your falls?

He doesn’t just help me choose the right path. He redeems me graciously even when I choose the wrong one.

He doesn’t only order my successes. He orders my failures too.

And it all works together for my good, and His glory.

This entry was originally published August 27, 2008.