Steven Furtick's Blog, page 76

The Source of True Joy

Wealth. Love. Acceptance. Success. These are the typical responses that come to mind when we think of what gives us joy. But at the same time, when we let our joy be determined by these parts of lives, we also give them the power to steal our joy. In this clip from our series The Joy Genome, Pastor Steven teaches a powerful truth about the source we should access for our joy.

The Way To Do The Will of God

It is not enough just to discover the will of God. That’s only one step. Besides, many of us are educated well beyond our level of obedience. So what do we do once we understand God’s will for our situation? And how do we do it the next time? And the time after that? In part three of our series God’s Will Is Whatever, Pastor Steven teaches us how over time, the will of God can become the desire of our heart.

You’re not the first

But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short?

Numbers 11:21-23

The Israelites wanted meat. God said he would provide it. But Moses doubted it because he didn’t see how it was possible. 600,000 men. Not enough corresponding animals.

It seems simple enough, but that’s because Moses’ conclusion is based upon an estimation made from logic. And logic, while God-given is not a reliable companion when it comes to calculating God’s infinitely great power.

In fact, it can be offensive. When we calculate God’s capabilities and limit God according to our logic, it insults His ability. It confines an unlimited God to the realm of possibility that has been constructed by our limited imaginations. It allows His ability to only stretch as far as our minds and our faith allow it to. And that’s infinitesimally small compared to an infinitely great God.

Unfortunately a lot of people still feel that their situation is the first to finally break the limits of God’s abilities. It seems like there’s a natural tendency in us to feel that our present predicament is the one just beyond the reach of God’s arm.

Your financial situation is such that even God can’t provide for it.

Your illness is too strong even for even God’s power to heal it.

Your marriage is too irreparably damaged for even God to restore it.

Your addiction is so overwhelming that even God can’t break it.

Your friends and family are so far from God that even His arm can’t reach them.

But each of these estimations is just like Moses’. Limited by our own conception of what’s logically possible. We have to get used to the fact that God and His abilities don’t make sense. And that’s a good thing.

Because then He can pour out provision that doesn’t make sense.

He can heal in ways that don’t make sense.

He can restore marriages in ways that don’t make sense.

He can break the power of a sin in your life in a way that doesn’t make sense.

He can save the lives of the people who seem the furthest away from Him in ways that don’t make sense.

Whatever situation you’re facing right now, you’re not out of the reach of God’s arm. You are not and never will be the first to break the limits of God’s abilities. It might not seem logically possible to you. But never forget that what seems impossible to us isn’t even remotely difficult for God.

This entry was originally posted September 29, 2010

The Next Thing You Should Do

We want to directions. We want the next steps. We want to know where God wants us to go. But for many of us, God simply wants us to follow the last instructions He gave us, before giving us something else to do. In this clip from our series Grey Matter, Pastor Steven explains that when we want our lives to align with the will of God, there is only one decision we can make that will truly matter.

Elevation Creative: The Fatal Place

During our series IN•FIN•8, we showed how the story of Jesus, His sacrifice, and our salvation was foreshadowed throughout the stories of scripture. The series culminated on Easter weekend, as we shared with our church The Greatest Story Forever Told. As part of our Easter worship experiences, our creative team developed a short film based on the story of Abraham and Isaac, which itself foreshadowed the sacrifice God would make on our behalf through our Savior, Jesus.

Just Who Is Jesus to You?

The foundation for all we believe as Christians is built solely on who Jesus is. It’s not a list of do’s and don’ts. It’s not trying harder to be a better person. It’s not simply believing in a supernatural power bigger than ourselves. It’s Jesus and only Jesus. And in this clip from our series I Know He Is But What Am I? Pastor Steven reiterates just who Jesus is to all who believe in His name.

How Are We Supposed To Hear from God?

Chances are most of us aren’t hearing from God with an audible list of instructions when we are seeking direction for our next steps. We want to trust Him and step out in faith, but there’s no burning bush or blinding light. So how are we supposed to hear from God when it comes to the important decisions in our life? In part two of our series God’s Will Is Whatever, Pastor Steven uses the life of Jacob to explain the different channels God can use to reveal His will to us.

Strange packaging

Sometimes God interprets our prayers in strange ways.

Sometimes you pray for something and God gives it to you, but the package doesn’t look like what you prayed for.

You prayed for humility. You got demoted.

You prayed for contentment in Christ. You stayed single longer than you wanted.

You prayed for the ability to love unconditionally. You married someone who was imperfect that made it possible.

You prayed for God to be enough. You were put in a bleak circumstance where He had to be.

You prayed for increased faith. You found yourself in a situation that required it.

You prayed for patience. You got in-laws.

This might tempt you to not pray for these things at all. But that would be your loss. Not your gain. I love 2 Peter 1:8. Peter tells us that if we possess qualities like those above, “they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The package might not look like you thought it would. But it’s going to help you become the person you should.

Our best prayers are often the ones that the Holy Spirit interprets, filters, and presents to God in such a way that it gives us exactly what we need even if it’s not exactly what we want (Romans 8:27). Or gives us what we want in a way that we don’t want or couldn’t have imagined.

God’s packaging is precise. He’s been at the business of answering prayers for a long time and He knows what He’s doing.

Keep praying and trust that what you get is exactly what you need and asked for. Even if you didn’t know it at the time.

This entry was originally posted Dec 16, 2010.

Why You Don’t Really Need to Know The Plan

We’ve all thought how much better life would be if God would just give us a plan to follow. Some instructions for the life He designed for us. The right wife, the right job, the good choices, the best life. But where would that actually leave us? In this clip from our series, Treatment, Pastor Steven explains how knowing the entire plan would get in the way of the real purpose for of our lives.

Elevation Creative: This Is My Story

To open our Easter worship experiences this year, our creative team designed a projection mapping element that included motion graphics, lighting, and interpretive dance, to recap the seven stories our church walked through during our IN•FIN•8 series, culminating with the greatest story forever told, the death and resurrection of our Savior – Jesus.