Many news outlets report the increasing military strength of the Taliban and a repeat of the terrorist attack that shocked America. John MacArthur gives advice on how to respond to fear with faith. “I’ve had many ask, Since the attacks on September 11, I’ve been anxious—even afraid. How can I be content when I’m worried the terrorists will strike again, perhaps where I live? Government officials warn another attack on the United States appears likely and despite their best efforts to protect, none of us is guaranteed safety. And so you’re certainly not alone in how you feel. All of us have felt unsettled since the terrorists assaulted our nation. People are afraid of the chaos surrounding our world today. With the media giving alerts on anything remotely related to terrorist activity, some tremble, fearing the frontline may lurk anywhere—around the corner, at work, at home, or even in the atmosphere or drinking water. Others are more worried their business or retirement fund won’t survive the blow to an already over-burdened economy. Doubtless, these are fearful times for many. Yet there is good news to report. But you won’t find the headline tracking across the screen of any news broadcast. The good news is found in God’s Word. It declares that though we are weak, vulnerable humans, God’s children can find strength and grace in Him even in debilitating circumstances. In fact, His resources are so abundant that He often displays His power through our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). In a world that fears death, lives in complete emptiness, and has no hope or peace, God’s people can stand as testimonies that He is alive and gloriously at work, ministering in the hearts of His own. Here are a few biblical principles we trust will quiet your heart in contentment, even when all you may sense right now is weakness or worry. Face Death Confidently The first principle is this: death is inevitable for everyone. At first glance, that doesn’t appear a helpful cure for anxiety at all, does it? But unless you come to grips with that reality, none of the other principles listed below will provide you with any contentment at all. There are many ways to die, whether by terrorist attacks or “natural causes,” but each one ushers the dead before God in judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Are you prepared for that judgment? Do you have confidence God will spare you? On what basis do you hope to have God’s eternal acceptance? We urge you to examine your spiritual state before God. Click here to read an article that can guide you through that examination. Once you’ve settled the matter of your eternal destiny after death, Scripture says you can have confidence in the face of danger. You’ve learned the comfort Jesus delivered when He said: Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31) Face Tomorrow Hopefully At times you can lose focus on your security after death and tremble over tomorrow. God, in His fatherly compassion for our child-like weaknesses, has given us biblical instruction on how to deal with that kind of worry and anxiety. Matthew 6:25-34 contains tailor-made instruction for peace and contentment. In that passage, Jesus gives us three reasons for not worrying about this life: Worry is unnecessary because of our Father, uncharacteristic because of our faith, and unwise because of our future. Unnecessary Because of Our Father. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they (vv. 25-26)? Uncharacteristic Because of Our Faith. And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith (vv. 27-30)! Unwise Because of Our Future. Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (vv.31-34) Face Today Actively Just as Matthew 6 is Jesus’ great statement on worry, Philippians 4 is the apostle Paul’s charter on how to avoid anxiety. The teaching is clear, compelling, and direct. In Philippians 4:6–9, Paul says not to worry, but he doesn’t leave you there. He helps you fill the vacuum by directing you toward positive steps: right praying, right thinking, and right action. Right Praying. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (vv. 6-7). Right Thinking. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things (v. 8). Right Living. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you (v. 9). Reflect on God’s truth expressed in those verses, meditate on the Bible—especially the Psalms—and you will find your heart settled by a kind of peace that abides no matter what circumstances or uncertainties come your way. www.gty.org . Used by permission.

When you think about coming to church, what aspect do you look forward to the most? For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume your answer is something spiritually noble—nothing vain or selfish like wanting people to see you dressed in your finest clothes, showing off a new car, or trying to sell goods or services to friends at church. Instead, let’s assume the best—that whatever it is you look forward to most is somehow related to ministry. Some people might say the teaching keeps them coming back each week. Others would say the music. For some believers, it might be the deep relationships with other Christians they find through their churches—relationships that they can’t cultivate elsewhere. Others might just appreciate the temporary relief from the pressures of life, work, and the world. But let me suggest something to you: If we really understand Scripture—particularly some specific promises from Jesus—the thing you should look forward to the most is the  offering . God’s Word clearly teaches that our giving is actually a direct pipeline to His blessings. In fact, two simple statements from the Lord ought to make every Christian eager and thrilled for opportunities to give. If Scripture had nothing else to say about giving—if it was only these two promises from Christ—it should still be enough to compel us to line up and give generously, abundantly, and sacrificially. The first of those promises is found in  Luke 6:38 , where Jesus told His followers, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” If we want to receive from the Lord, we need to be willing to sacrifice. You’ll hear the apostle Paul echo the same sentiments in  2 Corinthians 9:6 , where he writes, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” It’s a simple principle but one that we too often ignore: God is going to measure out His blessings to you in accord with what you’ve measured out in your giving. If you give a lot, you will receive a lot; as Scripture says, it will be “pressed down, shaken together, running over.” The imagery Christ used in Luke—the idea of pouring blessing into our laps—comes from the ancient Middle Eastern grain market. People would go into the grain market to purchase, literally, a  lap-full  of grain. The loose material of their garments extended all the way to the ground and was belted at the waist with a sash. When they went into the grain market, they would simply pull up some of that garment, looping it through the sash to create a huge pocket. The grain would be dumped into the makeshift pouch, literally filling their laps (cf.  Ruth 3:15 ). This would have been an everyday experience for the crowd listening to Jesus in Luke 6 , and they would have immediately understood the meaning of the illustration. The Lord wants to overflow your life with His blessings, and those blessings correspond to your own generosity—in fact, they’re triggered by it. Your giving is a direct route to the abundant blessings of God in your life. There is a comforting reassurance in Christ’s illustration. Regardless of how much you give, you can’t outgive the Lord. You give and He is always faithful to give back more. That gracious promise alone should drive us to be cheerful, generous givers, but Christ had more to say. In  Acts 20:35 , Luke attributes these words to Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” As abundant as God’s blessings are in our lives, what we give away results in even  greater  blessing. The concept is counterintuitive to our society’s mindset—we’re encouraged to accumulate and save as much as we can. But God’s Word is clear that believers are to avoid the love of money ( Matthew 6:24 ,  Hebrews 13:5 ), and this promise from Christ is consistent with those exhortations. Greedily storing up wealth and resources limits their usefulness to your own selfish purposes. It’s far better to surrender them to the purposes of God and reap the tremendous blessings of being part of what He’s accomplishing in the lives of His people. Faithful, sacrificial giving also knits you into the life of your church. In one simple act you’re helping support your pastor and the rest of your church’s staff, meet the needs of missionaries supported by your church, provide for the maintenance of your church building and other facilities, fulfill physical and financial needs within your congregation, and much more. And on top of all that, the Lord uses your support of ministries like Grace to You to reach people in your part of the world and beyond with the truth of Scripture. That doesn’t mean we should recklessly give away everything—God’s Word clearly advocates wise management of your money (cf.  Matthew 25:14-30 ). But if we’re going to store up treasure, we ought to store it “in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys” ( Luke12:33 ). Give generously, and count on the Lord to be generous with you. www.gty.org . Used by permission.

Faith Among the Faithless Esther 3 The Adversary You never forget the clang of the steel vestibule doors of a jail. My first time in jail. One week until graduation. Cat calls. Doors rattling. “Fish!” Fear. Fear is natural and good. It can alert us to danger. It can protect us from harm. A certain level of fear is appropriate in jail. It is good to fear a red hot stove. A gun. Fear God or fear the circumstances around us. But fear can also control us. A decision awaits each of us: will we ultimately fear God or the circumstances around us? A story of people with misplaced fear. Haman. Xerxes. Saul. How do you respond to fear? When the principal calls you into his office? When your boss calls you into her office? When you see that it is doctor’s office calling with results from the biopsy you took yesterday. In the midst of the swirling fears of this world, God invites us to release the fear of the world and fear him. “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”” Romans 8:15 Fear doesn’t just change our actions, it changes our identity. We live out of slavery when we live in fear. We have been loving this sermon series on Esther. If you are jumping in with us now, we would love for you check out the earlier sermons on YouTube, but let’s catch you up with the action. The players: Mordecai, Esther, Xerxes, and Haman. Last week Mordecai saves the King from an assassination attempt. Esther 3:1 Chapter 3 begins “After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite.” Wait a second. After these things Haman gets the promotion??? Not Mordecai. Life isn’t fair. Tex set up the scene so well last week: Haman and Mordecai are the same guy. Hungry for power and prestige. The fuel of compromise is fear. Three truths. We become who we don’t want to be because of fear. Haman exists because of compromise and because Saul didn’t fear the Lord. The Agagite. Haman was a descendant of Agag, who was the king of the Amalekites, the people who God commanded Israel to destroy, but they failed to do so because of their lack of obedience. You might remember the story of Moses’ arms being lifted when the Israelites fought the Amalekites. God promised to blot out the Amalekites (see Deut 25:17-19, Ex 17, and Num 24:7-8, 20). God repeats the commandment to Saul to destroy the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:1-3). Saul defeated the Amalekites, but spared Agag and took the best of the livestock. Because of this, God removed his blessing over Saul (1 Sam 15). Esther 3:2 Haman was only happy if everyone else was below him. Mordecai was no better. We think we are so unlike our opponents, but are we? Purim: booing and hissing Haman. Cheering Mordecai. Not that simple. Black hat and white hat. Haman and Mordecai. Old proverb about a crocodile: the more you feed it, the hungrier it gets. We think that we will satisfy our fears by feeding them, but it never works. A security system won’t cure your fears. An insurance policy won’t cure your fears. A promotion won’t cure your fears. They just morph and grow. It’s the same with all desire and sin. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 Kneel to God, not to your fears. God is in control. Esther 3:3-6 Who fills you with rage (v. 4)? Who is an annoyance? Unborn children who take away our freedom. Christians in India. Political opponents. Esther 3:7 Month of Nisan: celebrate deliverance from Egypt. Now they are about to be destroyed. The adversary they didn’t destroy is about to destroy them. 11 month reprieve. God is always in charge. Prov 16:33: The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. The resolve was taken up in the first month, in the twelfth year of the king, when Esther had been his wife about five years. Esther 3:8 Haman leverages Xerxes’s fear of a loss of revenue and a loss of respect. Esther 3:9 Master manipulator. 10,000 talents of silver in today’s dollars is about $321B Turn the King’s financial fears against him. Leverage greed. Esther 3:10-12 Even more power in Haman’s hands now. And yet Haman's true purpose was to advance himself and to see that everyone bowed low before him. So we treat this strange invader in our lives as though he were a friend -- we promote him and advance him. Isn't it interesting that we are not ashamed of our pride? We boast of it, we trust it, we regard it as an essential to life. We think that this principle, which demands that we think of ourselves first, is the very essence of living -- if this were destroyed, we would lose all. Thus we may recognize the Haman in our lives. Esther 3:13-15 There is no evidence of crime. No formal charge. And yet the command for genocide is compelled. Do not be confused. Jesus promised that his followers would be persecuted. It is certain, that persecution will only increase before Christ returns (Rev 17:6). And yet, we are not to fear. We are not to hope in political power of allegiances. We are to trust Christ, the crucified one. 35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Matthew 5:35-36 Kneel to God, not to your fears. What fears are you vulnerable to? We are all vulnerable to different types of fear. Fear of missing out, fear of physical harm—sickness: covid. Fear of a lack of security. Temptation of cheating on taxes. Fear of losing respect. Fear of powerlessness. Every generation is tempted to bow to the government. We just came out of a season where two sides tried to convince you that your only hope was to elect their candidate. The same thing is going to happen in another three years. Fear we will be trampled: our rights. What drives you? Where are you vulnerable to the enemy’s temptation to fear? There is a problem with our problems are big and our God are small. Are we going to fear our problems or God? God is big and God is good. “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”” Romans 8:15 God offers peace when we kneel to him and not our fears. But Haman expected, what the Persian kings frequently received, a species of Divine adoration; and this is implied in the word החש shachah, which signifies that kind of prostration which implies the highest degree of reverence that can be paid to God or man, lying down flat on the earth, with the hands and feet extended, and the mouth in the dust. Luke 12:31-33 31 Instead, seek his[a] kingdom, and these things will be added to you. 32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. When we sin, there is a price to pay even our grandchildren pay. But, when we obey, there are blessings to our grandchildren. Saul is 1050. Esther at 450. 600 years. Misplaced fear is the issue. We ought to bow. In the midst of the swirling fears of this world, God invites us to release the fear of the world and fear him. Fear doesn’t just change our actions, it changes our identity. We live out of slavery when we live in fear. Queen Esther had to face her adversary, the wicked Haman, and trust God that He would prevail. Preached at New Life Bible Fellowship, Tucson, Arizona. Sermon begins at 26:45. Team sermon by John Beeson and Greg Lavine

What do you do when you feel like you’re slipping? Discover four handles for when what you are holding feels too heavy and how to carry on when what you are carrying is too much. Preached at Fresh Life Church. trial

SERMON DISCUSSION GUIDE The Doubters Club The Doubters Club: The Uncertainty Principle April 10th & 11th Speaker: Dr. Mark Batterson Scripture: John 20:24 Series Overview “The Doubters Club has many members, from Job to Sarah, to Thomas, one of Christ’s own disciples. Doubt is both a common and shared experience for many of us in the Beloved community. Although doubt can be a disorientating and a confusing experience, Christ walked through a wall to sit with Thomas in his doubt and he would do the same for you. As Thomas Merton once said, “though I may seem to be lost… I will not fear, for You are ever with me.” Series Discussion Questions Where have you experienced doubt in your life? Message Overview Life is infinitely uncertain and God is infinitely complex. The net result? Doubt. We think of doubt in negative terms, but it’s a key catalyst when it comes to faith. Doubt breaks down our false narratives, false assumptions, and false beliefs. It forces us to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith by digging a little deeper. How do you deal with doubt? 1. Seek Wise Counsel 2. Keep Asking Questions 3. Create a Deuteronomy 29:29 File 4. Take a Field Trip 5. When all else fails, Eat A Watermelon. Yes, eat a watermelon. Trust me, it’ll make sense when you listen to the message! Message-Specific Discussion Questions How do you respond when you have moments of doubt? Read John 20:24-27. In this passage, Jesus comes to Thomas and says: “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” When was a time that Jesus showed up during a time of doubt in your life? How did you respond? © 2021 National Community Church Page 1 SERMON DISCUSSION GUIDE The Doubters Club Pastor Mark stated: “Faith is a lot like the apps on your phone. If you don’t update them, if you don’t upgrade them, they will eventually stop working.” Take some time to think about an area of your life where you need to grow in faith. What can you do to strengthen your faith regarding that area this week? Pastor Mark presented five applications to do when you are feeling doubt: 1. Seek wise counsel, 2. Keep asking questions, 3. Create a Deuteronomy 29:29 file, 4. Take a two-foot field trip, & 5. Eat a watermelon. 1. How has a mentor helped you in a time of doubt? 2. Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” What questions do you need to ask? 3. Deuteronomy 29:29 says that the secret things belong to God. What do you need to release to the Father today? 4. In Genesis 15 God tells Abraham to look up at the sky. What has God promised you? 5. Pastor Mark said: “Anyone can count the number of seeds in a watermelon. Only God can count the number of watermelons in a seed.” What uncertainty do you need to embrace? Practical Application □ Take some time to journal through the five applications that Pastor Mark presented this week. Send a message of thanks and encouragement to someone who has helped you in a time of doubt. □ Join us throughout The Doubters Club series, as we dig into God’s Word and practice the S.O.A.P. (Scripture, observation, application, prayer) method of Bible study together throughout the week. Subscribe at NCC Daily □ Climb the stairs to the Upper Zoom each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:14am. We’ll come together as a community to start our days in His presence together, listening intently, and responding in prayer. Register at ncc.re/UpperZoom. © 2021 National Community Church Page 2 Life is infinitely uncertain and God is infinitely complex. The net result? Doubt. We think of doubt in negative terms, but it’s a key catalyst when it comes to faith. Doubt breaks down our false narratives, false assumptions, and false beliefs. It forces us to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith by digging a little deeper. How do you deal with doubt? doubt   Preached at National Community Church. Used by permission.

Church shopping is weird. It seems normal today. But it’s a very strange idea, when you think about it. The notion of “church shopping” first became a possibility in 20th century America. Consider just how odd this concept would be in any other era of the church. The early church, spread out across the Mediterranean, met in homes. Individuals and families who came to believe that Jesus was Messiah and Lord would naturally go to the house church of their neighbors who told them the good news. And because of the church’s small size, there were very few homes in any given geographic region that met. The only hint of any competition we see in the New Testament is Paul addressing the Corinthian Church: “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”[i] Notice how different this is from our circumstance, though. Even while claiming the authority of different teachers (Paul, Apollos, Cephas (Peter), or Jesus), these groups were still meeting and worshiping together! Even so, Paul demolishes such divisions: there can be none but Christ who is the authority. But they were at least meeting under the same roof. Today, doctrinal distinctions are only the beginning of our differences within the church (I am Reformed; I am charismatic; I follow Bethel; I am a Furtick guy). The fact that we split up over doctrinal differences is a given. How we choose a church based on things like worship style and programs—that would have been completely foreign to Paul. Fast forward to the formation of the Roman Catholic Church on through to the Reformation and you had, actually, a fairly similar experience of the local church to those in the early church. The Roman Catholic Church is a church that spans the globe and yet is made up of various parishes, with nary a square foot overlapping. For a millennia and a half there was no choice of what church you attended: you attended your local parish. The Reformation, believe it or not, didn’t change this reality. Due to the geo-political realities after the Reformation, very few people had a choice. Most were still given one choice. Whether you were a peasant in Luther’s Germany or Calvin’s Geneva or in Roman Catholic Naples, you attended the only church available to you. The reality we currently live in, then, where I can select any number of dozens (or hundreds!) of churches within a 15-mile radius of my home is a radically contemporary phenomenon. And in a post-denominational world, it is even more exacerbated. In the 19th and early 20th Centuries, such choices existed, but most people were rooted within one tradition, we and thus the appearance of choice was nothing more than an appearance. Today few people have a strong denominational commitment, and churches have followed this drift into a post-denominational reality. What this means, then, is that there has become a mutually reinforcing consumeristic beast that has grown up in the church marketplace. In this world we choose churches based on how we have been trained culturally as both consumers and churches are reshaped as retailers of a spiritual product: peddling our wares with little differentiation from the shopping mall. Church shopping might feel as natural as selecting your favorite grocery store, but we ought to pause and consider the ramifications of having church shopping be part of our lives. There are gifts of church shopping. It is a good thing to be able to leave a church when it stops proclaiming the gospel or offering self-help instead of the Word of God. I am grateful people can leave churches where there are abuses of power. But the ease at which we can and do move from church to church comes with a significant cost attached. How are we to be the contributors to the family of God we are intended to be when our posture is that of a shopper? How are we to care meaningfully for the people of God when we are perpetually dating the church? How are we to pray for the needs of the leaders and our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ when we are perpetual “just checking things out”? Church shopping is odd. It’s time we recognize its impact on us and God’s family. thebeehive.live . [i] 1 Corinthians 1:11-13.faithfulness

CHOOSE JOY | ENJOY THE JOURNEY In 1996, National Community Church was just getting off the ground. We averaged 25 people on a good Sunday. Total income as a church was $2000 a month, and it cost $1600 to rent the DC public school where we met. That left $400 for our salary and all other expenses. If we’re being honest, it was downright discouraging. We were coming off a failed church plant in Chicago, and NCC wasn’t trending much better. This is a little embarrassing to admit, but I remember thinking to myself that when we hit a certain attendance, when we hit a certain income—WHEN we had 100 or 500 or 1,000 people, when our income doubled or tripled or quadrupled—THEN I would start enjoying life and leadership. In retrospect, I fell into what I would call the WHEN/THEN trap and it comes in dozens of disguises. When I go to COLLEGE, when I graduate from college, when I pay off my college loans, THEN I will enjoy life a lot more. When I get a JOB, when I get a raise, when I get a promotion, THEN life will be good. When I start DATING, when we get married, when we have kids, when our kids are out of diapers, WHEN/THEN. I think a lot of people are waiting for the planets to perfectly align and solve all their problems, they’re waiting for this magical combination of circumstances that will fulfill their dreams—THEN, and only then, will they experience joy. Please hear me, you can experience UNSPEAKABLE JOY right here, right now! So I’m standing in the back of the cafetorium where NCC met way back when, and I will never forget this moment. It’s August, which means two things. One, it’s hot and humid and the school where we met didn’t have air conditioning, and I used to wear a suit and tie! Two, Congress was on recess and school were out of session, so there was this one Sunday when thirteen people show up, and that may include Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I’m standing in back, I’m throwing a little pity party, and that’s when and where I hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit whisper these inaudible yet unforgettable words: “Mark, ENJOY THE JOURNEY.” Easier said than done, right? But that was a defining moment in my life and I made a defining decision that I would try to enjoy EVERY AGE and EVERY STAGE, not just of pastoring, but of parenting, of marriage, of life. Question. Are you enjoying the journey? Or have you fallen into that WHEN/THEN trap? Now, I don’t want to pretend to have this all figured out. I still get discouraged. I still experience self-doubt. I still throw an occasional pity party. But I’ve learned two things about joy. One, JOY is a PERSON and His name is Jesus. Joy is more RELATIONAL than it is EMOTIONAL. There is joy and then there is the joy of the Lord. And it’s unlike anything else. The world can’t give it, and the world can’t take it away. Why? It’s RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with my Creator, with My Heavenly Father, with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Two, JOY is a CHOICE. It’s more VOLITIONAL than it is EMOTIONAL. It’s not always the EASIEST choice. It’s not always the OBVIOUS choice. But you can CHOOSE JOY anywhere, anytime, anyway. But you don’t know my PAST? You don’t know my PAIN? You don’t know the CIRCUMSTANCES I find myself in or the CHALLENGES I face? I don’t know those things, but I do know this. Joy isn’t getting what you want. Joy is appreciating what you have. So here’s the challenge in no uncertain terms. It’s the title of this message: CHOOSE JOY. Welcome to National Community Church. This weekend we kick off a new series called JOY. Along with our weekend messages, we’ll unpack the book of Philippians verse-by-verse, Monday to Friday. If you don’t subscribe to NCC DAILY, it’s great way to jumpstart your day! NCC.RE/DAILY. We’re also kicking off our summer semester of small groups, which include a DEEP DIVE and DISCUSSION GROUPS on this sermon series. Small groups are the COMMUNITY in National Community Church. NCC.RE/GROUPS. Here’s my prayer for you at the outset of this series. I’m praying Nehemiah 8:10—“May the joy of the Lord be your strength.” I’m praying James 1:2—"COUNT IT ALL JOY when you face trials of many kinds.” I’m praying Psalm 51:12— "Restore unto us the joy of our salvation.” I’m praying Philippians 4:4—“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice!” Ready or not, here we go. Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: GRACE and PEACE to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. In Judaism, there is a hermeneutic called PARDES. It consists of four levels of learning, four stages of study. You’ll see them on the screen. Level one is PESHAT. It is the plain reading of Scripture. You don’t need a seminary degree to rightly divide the Word of Truth or to hear the still small voice of the Spirit. That said, PESHAT is like the tip of the iceberg. It’s the 13% above water. The second level of study is called REMEZ, and it literally means “hint.” According to Rabbinic tradition, every word of Scripture has seventy faces and 600,000 meanings. Remez is turning the kaleidoscope to reveal the cues and clues within the text. The third level is called DERESH, and it means “search,” as in Google search. Deresh is connecting the dots between Old Testament and New Testament. It’s letting Scripture interpret Scripture. The fourth level is called SOD, and it means “secret.” This is where we need the Holy Spirit’s help. The same Spirit who inspired those originals writers works on both sides of the equation. We talked about this during our last series. The Holy Spirit quickens us with His Word. We don’t just read the Bible, the Bible reads us. The goal isn’t getting through Scripture. The goal is getting Scripture through us! What I want to do week one of this series is SET THE SCENE. If CONTENT is king, CONTEXT is queen. There is a fundamental principle in hermeneutics: text without context is pretext. There is some difference of opinion as to WHEN and WHERE Paul writes this letter. Best guess? Paul is writing from a prison cell in Rome, somewhere around 60-62 AD. And He’s writing to the church at Philippi. The city took its name from Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. It was one of his military strongholds in northern Greece, but his primary interest was mining for gold and silver. According to ancient records, those mines produced an annual revenue of a thousand talents. Fast-forward a few centuries, and Philippi is conquered by the Romans in 31 BC. So Paul is writing to Roman citizens. They speak the Latin language. They wear the Roman dress. There coins have Roman inscriptions. The city itself was patterned after Rome, and it sat on the Via Egnatia. I’ll show you a map. The Via Egnatia was a major military road in the Roman Empire. It ran east and west, and this is the road Paul would have travelled on his second missionary journey, which we’ll come back to. This is where I want to deresh. Paul is not writing to strangers. He’s writing to friends. As he writes this letter, he can see their faces and they can hear his voice. You can feel this deep-seated affection in verse 3: I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It’s been a decade, but as Paul writes this letter, he’s having flashbacks to his first visit to Philippi and it produces this flashflood of emotion. What I want to do is retrace Paul’s steps. Everything Paul says in this letter has to be seen against the backdrop of the events recorded in Acts 16. I want to talk about how Paul got to Philippi in the first place. Before I show you a map, let me put this in perspective. In the first century AD, the average person never travelled outside a thirty mile radius of their birthplace. Some scholars suggest that Paul logged as many as 10,000 miles on his three missionary journeys. That’s like walking from DC to LA four times! The Apostle Paul is one of the most travelled people on the planet in the 1st century. Alright, let me show you the map. Like his first missionary journey, Paul’s second missionary journey starts in Antioch. Antioch is home base for Paul and Barnabas. Antioch is their home church. At some point, they decide to go back and visit the cities, visit the churches they had been to on their first missionary journey. Their first stop is Tarsus, which is Paul’s hometown. So they probably get a home cooked meal. Paul sleeps in his old bed. Then they travel west through Derbe and Lystra. This is where they add Timothy to their team. And that’s where we pick up the itinerary in Acts 16:6. Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. We read right past this, but this had to be frustrating. Paul and Silas plan on preaching the gospel in Asia, but the Holy Spirit prevents them. Asia was PLAN A. Verse 7. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to go there. We read right past this, but this had to be confusing. If Asia was Plan A, then Bithynia was Plan B. At this point, the compass needle is spinning. Where do we go? What do we do? I know many of you grew up on GPS, but some us are old enough to remember Rand McNally maps and AAA Triptiks. And that gives us a unique appreciation for what’s happening here. If you don’t stick to the itinerary, there isn’t some GPS voice with a British accent who will make midcourse corrections for you. You are off the map. You are off the grid. Verse 8. So instead, they passed through Mysia and went down to Troas. That night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. This is when and where and how Paul gets to Philippi. They set sail across the Aegean Sea. They land in Annapolis, I mean Neapolis. This is where Paul picks up the Via Egnatia in verse 12. From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. Let me zoom out and make a couple observations. If you’re taking notes you can jot these down. One, if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans. Two, what we see as a DETOUR is often the DESTINATION. Three, someday we’ll thank God for CLOSED DOORS as much as open doors. Four, God wants you to get where God wants you to go MORE THAN you want to get where God wants you to go, and He’s really good at getting us there. Let me make this personal. When I was in seminary, Lora and I tried to plant a church in Chicago. We had a core group. We had a bank account. I even had a 25 year plan! I was pretty proud of that plan. Plus, my professor gave it an A s it’s gotta work, right? Wrong! Chicago was PLAN A, but that church plant failed. It was disorienting. It was discouraging. It was embarrassing. And it’s one of the best things that ever happened to us. Why? Because that’s how God got us from Chicago to DC. DC was our PLAN B, but I think it was God’s PLAN A. Are you picking up what I’m throwing down? Philippi wasn’t Plan A. Asia was Plan A. Bithynia was PLAN B. Philippi was PLAN P. There is a Proverb I’ve learned to love. Proverbs 16:9. In his heart a man PLANS his course, but the Lord orders His footsteps! If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. But here’s the good news. What we see as a DETOUR is often the DESTINATION. I love the way Corrie Ten Boom says this. “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off.” What do you do? “You sit still and TRUST THE ENGINEER.” Corrie Ten Boom and her family were arrested by the Nazis in WORLD WAR II because they were hiding Jews. Her father and her sister died in the concentration camps. Somehow, Corrie survived. A movie was made about her life in 1975. It was called The Hiding Place. It was after watching that movie that a five year-old kid named Mark Batterson put His faith in Christ. If you want to make God laugh, tell Him YOUR PLANS. What we see as a DETOUR is often the DESTINATION. Someday we’ll thank God for the CLOSED DOORS as much as the OPEN DOORS. This week, we begin to PUNCH LIST 20,000 square feet of Kid’s space at our Capitol Hill campus. I can’t wait for you to see it. Honestly, you have to see it to believe it. But I will show you a couple pictures. Here’s a few shots of the inside—you’ve got main street, the playspace, the loft. And we’re giving the building a facelift. We’re taking the blue out of the blue castle. The bottom line? We’re going to impact thousands of kids in that place, in that space. Can I let you in on a little secret? The Capital Turnaround was not PLAN A. If you reverse engineer how this happened, it started with a CLOSED DOOR that scared the living daylights out of us. We had met at Union Station for thirteen years when the movie theaters shut down. I honestly wondered if our best days were behind us. Praise God for closed doors! Why? Because it was those closed doors that prompted us to look for property. We ended up assembling six properties with a block of frontage on 695. We went through a charette. We were ready to build on that property when CSX announced that they were going to build a double decker train tunnel under Virginia Avenue. I was frustrated out of my mind. It was a FIVE YEAR delay, a FIVE YEAR detour. Our plan was totally derailed, pun intended. But it was during that DELAY, come on somebody, it was during that DETOUR, can I get an amen, that an entire city block, right across the street, are you kidding me, came on the market and we bought it for $29 million! Well?! The city block we call the Capital Turnaround was not PLAN A or PLAN B. It was PLAN C or D or Z. I have no idea. I lost count because of all the detours, all the delays, but here’s my point. Praise God for CLOSED DOORS. There is a promise that I pray all the time. Revelation 3:7-8. These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. We love the first half of that promise, right? We love it when God opens doors, but you can’t pray half a promise. Why? Because most OPEN DOORS start out with a CLOSED DOOR. I want you to put up that map one more time. If God doesn’t close the door to Bithynia, He doesn’t go to Philippi. And if Paul doesn’t cross the Aegean Sea and visit Philippi, I don’t think he visits Thessalonica or Athens or Corinth. I’m not sure he doubles back to Ephesus. Are you picking up what I’m throwing down? I’ll say it one more time for good measure. God wants you to get where God wants you to go MORE THAN you want to get where God wants you to go, and He’s really good at getting us there! Maybe you feel like your life has taken a DETOUR. Maybe you feel like there is a DELAY of game when it comes to your dreams. Maybe you’re frustrated with the CLOSED DOORS. I have tremendous empathy for what you’re feeling. I’ve been there and done that. Here’s my advice? TRUST THE ENGINEER. And while you’re at it, ENJOY THE JOURNEY. Let me connect one more dot. Acts 16:13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer and we sat down to speak to some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshipped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with members of her household. This is major tipping point, a major turning point in the book of Acts. This is a day when decades happen. Lydia becomes the first convert to Christianity on the continent of Europe. How does it happen? This may be PLAN P for Paul, but God turns a DETOUR into a destination, God turns a CLOSED DOOR into a divine appointment on a riverbank outside the city of Philippi. And the rest is history! Let me close with this. Paul is writing this epistle from a prison cell, but it’s not his first rodeo. Paul was in and out of jail almost everywhere he went, including Philippi. Here’s how it happened. One day, Paul was on his way to the place of prayer when a girl who is demon-possessed starts trolling them, starts baiting them. Eventually, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Whatever you TOLERATE will eventually DOMINATE. At some point, you’ve got to turn around, look the problem in the eye, and exercise your spiritual authority. That’s what Paul does. He casts out the demon, but there’s a catch. Acts 16:16 says, “She was a fortune teller who earned a lot of money for her masters.” When you start messing with people’s money, it’s about to get real up in here. The entire city ends up in an uproar. Paul and Silas are stripped and beaten. They end up in the inner dungeon with their feet are clamped in stocks. Verse 25. Around midnight, Paul and Silas feel asleep. I wouldn’t blame them if they did. They had to be exhausted. But that isn’t what it says. Around midnight, Paul and Silas were complaining. I wouldn’t blame them if they were. They had to be awfully frustrated at this point. They were being obedient to the vision God had given them and it lands them in jail. They could have played the victim card. They could have thrown a pity party. But that isn’t what they do. Around midnight, Paul and Silas were PRAYING and SINGING HYMNS to God, and the other prisoners were listening. If that isn’t CHOOSING JOY, I’m not sure what is! Long story short, this jailer ends up getting baptized in the middle of the night. As Paul pens this letter, these are the moments that fire across his synapses. These are the memories that flood his heart with faith, hope, and love! I’ve already issued a few exhortations. I’ve challenged you to CHOOSE JOY. I’ve challenged you to TRUST THE ENGINEER and ENJOY THE JOURNEY. Here’s one more. PROPHESY YOUR PRAISE. Gratitude is thanking God AFTER He does it. And that’s great. But sometimes you need to STRETCH YOUR FAITH, sometimes you need to EXERCISE YOUR AUTHORITY, sometimes you need to PRAISE GOD BEFORE IT HAPPENS. That’s what Paul and Silas do. They prophesy their praise and look at what happens. Their praise causes an earthquake that results in a jailbreak. I’m not sure what circumstances you find yourself in. I’m not sure how else to say this. Sometimes you need to WORSHIP YOUR WAY OUT. Sometimes you need to PROPHESY YOUR PRAISE. Whatever you don’t turn into praise turns into PRIDE. Whatever you don’t turn into praise turns into PAIN. I want to invite our worship team to come. We’re going to prophesy our praise! I’ll close with this. On July 23, 2000, I ended up in emergency surgery in the middle of the night for ruptured intestines. I spent two days on a respirator. I should have died. I lost twenty-five pounds in a week. I had to wear an ostomy bag for six months. I had to have another surgery to repair it. I have a scar all the way down the middle of my abdomen. I have a two pack! It was the hardest year of my life, hands down. I wouldn’t want to go through it again, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I learned some lessons that can’t be taught any other way. And this is one of them. I learned to prophesy my praise! I remember lying in my bed. I felt so weak. I felt so scarred. But I made a choice. I decided to enjoy the journey. It wasn’t easy, but I decided to CHOOSE JOY. I remember this line of lyrics from a Darrell Evans song—I’m Trading My Sorrows. I am pressed but not crushed Persecuted not abandoned Struck down but not destroyed I am blessed beyond the curse For His promise will endure That His joy's gonna be my strength I put this song on REPEAT. I must have listened to it 417 times! I'm trading my sorrows, I'm trading my shame I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord I'm trading my sickness I'm trading my pain I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord Can I tell you something? He’s the God who gives beauty for ashes. He’s the God who gives the OIL OF JOY for mourning. He’s the God who gives the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Would you prophesy your praise?! Don’t let what’s wrong with you, wrong with your circumstances, keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. The hardest praise is the highest praise. It’s called the sacrifice of praise. Joy. It’s not getting what you want. It’s appreciating what you have. Joy isn’t always the easiest choice or the obvious choice, but joy is a choice. The Apostle Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice!” And his life is louder than his words. Paul writes his letter to the Philippians from a prison cell. You can choose joy anywhere, anytime, anyway! https://national.cc/media .

I live in Arizona, and since moving here some 23 years ago, I’ve learned to look to the horizon at sunset and sunrise. They are simply spectacular here, and I see God there each and every time. However, looking at the horizon can be a hazardous thing for a believer, at least symbolically, and to tell the truth, the Bible quite clearly teaches something altogether different. Sadly, though, looking to the horizon—or the future or tomorrow or what might happen next—is exactly what has permeated not only humanity these days, but the majority of the Christian community. In today’s political, social, and healthcare turmoil, everyone—believer and non-believer alike—is looking to the future and trying to ascertain what might come next. What does all of this mean? What’s actually happening? What does our future look like? Some say it’s because we live in such uncertain times, but I ask you, when have they ever been certain? We’re promised that we don’t know what the next second holds, so why would all of that change now? My office is full these days, and I have a waiting list a mile long, all people wanting biblical counsel. What I’m finding is that almost every single one of them is living in fear and anxiety, the likes of which they’ve never experienced before. They rightfully come to me, knowing that the answers are going to be in the Bible, but the greatest majority of them are almost paralyzed by anxious days and nights. They come to me, wanting biblical answers to their fears, which is exactly right. However, the answers they get are generally not the ones they were seeking. You see, God never once tells us to look to the horizon, or the future, if you will, so that we will know which way to turn. As a matter of fact, every direction we receive from God’s Word tells us to look down, at our feet, not out, at the horizon. We are always directed to follow His path, that He will light our feet, and that we must follow His way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:6) The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way. (Psalm 37:23) My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. (Job 23:11) It will always be the propensity of man to look out. We are physically made that way, not to mention our spiritual and emotional predisposition to try to figure out what’s coming down the pike. Yet God tells us to instead look down. He tells us to watch the path, to pay attention to where are feet are treading, to trust His way. We are never instructed to try and deduce what God will do in any situation, whether good or bad in our eyes. He is good so the answer will be good. Period. Instead, you and I need to pay attention to our feet. Am I following Him? Am I being obedient to Him? Do I trust Him? And then, just do today. That’s a tough pill to swallow sometimes. Everything seems so uncertain, and no matter which way we look, there seems to be some national or international crisis pulling at our attention, trying desperately to take our eyes off of the path and put them on the horizon. The truth is, brothers and sisters, that we are the only anchor to truth the world has today. What truth are we conveying when we join the throngs of onlookers, gazing in fear and anxiety at tomorrow? The truth we should be conveying is found in Psalm 2, Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together…. The Lord sits on his throne and laughs. Only we can show the world the anchor of hope that is Jesus, and only then if we truly anchor ourselves in Him first. The next logical question is, How? How do I let go of my anxieties and live in true peace when the world is anything but? The answer is to do what’s in front of us. Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow, so we won’t. Instead, we’ll keep our eyes on the path in front of us, moving where He directs and trusting our tomorrow to Him. Jeremy Camp has a relatively new song out now called, “Keep Me in the Moment.” That song has become my anthem, and I’ve encouraged every one of my clients to print out the chorus and tape it to their mirrors at home. “Lord, keep me in the moment; keep my eyes wide open. I don’t want to miss what you have for me.” Christian, God promises to light your path and guide your feet, and believe me, you don’t want to miss what He’s going to show you. As for the rest, God’s got it. He always has. debwaterbury.com .

Paths of Wisdom: Family 4/25/2021 J: We all have a few phrases we remember our parents or grandparents saying. My grandfather’s sayings: “The finest tiger in the jungle.” “Ice cream fills in the cracks.” What did your grandparents say to you? Maybe “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” Or “If you can’t sy something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Or “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” What do you want your kids and grandkids to remember? Series: paths of wisdom. The path of family. G: God has given us his family as a place where wisdom is multiplied. Applies beyond our blood family. 1. In the family, God calls us to pass on wisdom and receive wisdom. 2. God uses family to help us establish boundaries. 3. God makes the path of family bigger. J: The book of Proverbs is given to us as sons (46x in Prov!). Sons are those who inherit. The most important inheritance is wisdom. Prov 4:1-7. You have something to share. You need to receive wisdom. Objective: of parenting is the heart. David and Solomon’s sexual failures. Our trip to Zion and Bryce and sharing about sexuality. G: Snowmobiling and peeling an apple story. Prov 30:17. J: God calls us to put boundaries on the paths of family. Discipline= conforming our heart to look like our master’s. Positive and negative in nature. Encouragement: Proverbs 22:6 G: Boundaries are good! They make a child feel safe (story of a fence). Proverbs 13:24. Original sin. Our hearts are wayward. Our hearts need correction. Children are not innocent and pure. J: Our hearts head are naturally selfish. Impermanent pain is much better than permanent pain. Ps 23:4b “your rod and your staff they comfort me….” A shepherd’s rod = painful, but safe. G: God desires our character to reflect his. Hebrews 12:5-6: those who aren’t disciplined are in trouble. They aren’t sons at all. A loving parent disciplines. A loving parent puts boundaries in their child’s life. The danger of anger. J: God makes the path of family bigger. Are you discouraged? Children who have cut ties. Parents who have neglected to offer wisdom. Pursue those. But we have more encouragement. Our family is bigger than our family. Ancient Jewish family: multi-generational. Like my parents and sister! At times, the “son” is clearly family, at other times, it appears to be more of a master/apprentice relationship. Both are at play. G: Jesus: who is my father? Paul calls himself a father to Timothy and Titus. We are invited into familial relationships with one another in Christ. Next Steps. 2 Tim 1:2a “To Timothy, my beloved child…” J: Story of Curt and Dezra 2,500 miles from home. Their care. Baptism. The book of Proverbs provides us with great advice about the importance of family and the responsibility to pass on wisdom, good character and integrity to the next generation. God uses family to help us establish boundaries. Team sermon preached by pastors Greg Lavine and John Beeson. New Life Bible Fellowship, Tuscon, Arizona

If you have ever tried to walk straight while aboard a ship being tossed by the ocean’s waves, you know how hard that is. The motion around you challenges the strength and the stability within you. If the New Testament repeatedly warns against falling away (see Matthew 13:1-9 , 24-30 ; 1 John 2:18-19 ), if the apostles predicted that many would “depart from the faith” ( 1 Timothy 4:1 ; see also 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ; 2 Timothy 3:1-14 ), what are we to do? Jude gives his audience a five-fold corrective for when people around you (even in the church) seem to be dropping like flies, carried by the current of this world. Preached at Calvary Church, Albuquerque, New Mexico. https://connectwithskip.com

Paths of Wisdom: Wise Speech May 2, 2021 Story of Luke Ditewig: questions, attention. Wisdom! What was the last time you had a conversation you walked away from and said ‘there was wisdom there’? The power of the tongue: Prov 18:21a: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” We can’t underestimate the power of wise speech. James 3:3-5a The power of words: Kevin’s youth pastor who hurt with words. Goal: not just looking wise, but being wise. Proverbs: a master’s course in speech. Around 44 verses on speech (out of 915). Prov 18:4: The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right tone to the right person from the right person. Wise speech is the right word. Proverbs 12:19: The right word is true (not shading it for the moment or the audience). “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” Prov 25:18: The right word brings life, not death. “A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.” “Sticks and stones…” Gossip and slander. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time. Proverbs 12:18a: The right time is patient. “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,” Right time brings life, not death. My talk with Clay about teaching Sunday School. Wrong time could have crushed me. Right time: in private? Is their heart ready? Slow to speak. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions. Prov 12:18: Right intentions desire healing—life. “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Prov 12:6: Right intentions desire rescue. “The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them.” Proverbs 13:2b: Right intentions desire peace. “… but the desire of the treacherous is for violence.” Proverbs 27:2: Right intentions are humble. “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Ephesians 4:15: Right intentions are loving. “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…” My talk with Dr. Wilson about being a Detention Officer. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right tone. Prov 15:1 The right tone is gentle. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Paths of Wisdom: Wise Speech May 2, 2021 Failures as a dad. Not dropping truth bombs. Not to crush. The danger of social media and email. Is it life giving? Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right tone to the right person. Proverbs 12:15: The right person is ready to receive wisdom. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Matthew 7:6: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.” Type? Scornful? Foolish? Simple? Wise? Responding to criticism re: blog. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right tone to the right person from the right person. Proverbs 10:8: The right person knows if they have the credibility to offer wisdom. “The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.” Social media: might be best to send a direct message. Don’t listen to my car advice. Conversation with Sarah and Anders about finances. Story of meeting with Jon at Starbucks. Is there someone else? Not an out for lack of courage. Pray: ask the Holy Spirit. Jesus: the paragon of wise speech. Why he spoke so differently to the Pharisees, Pilate, Zaccheus, and the woman at the well. Jesus overhears the foolish talk of his disciples. Luke 9:46-48 Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right to the right person from the right person. Call to repentance for speaking our tongues. Repent to God. Repent to others. Today: an opportunity to bring death or life. Bring life. Wise speech is the right word spoken at the right time with the right intentions in the right to the right person from the right person. Team sermon preached by co-pastors Greg Lavine and John Beeson. New Life Bible Fellowship, Tucson, Arizona.

It is estimated that around  one in twelve children struggle with depression  at some point between the ages 9 and 16, with girls more likely to be affected than boys. Unfortunately, depression is a common childhood challenge that often goes unnoticed by adults, including parents, teachers, and pediatricians. This means that a lot of children are entering into adulthood with unmet needs, and feel that they have to cope with the challenges they face alone. Childhood depression  can have a lasting effect  in someone’s life if left unmanaged, including an increased risk for anxiety and substance use disorders, worse overall health and social functioning outcomes, less financial and educational achievement, and an increased risk of criminality. It is no wonder that  researchers  argue that depression in youth between the ages of 10 and 24 is both a leading cause of stress and a possible risk factor for future diseases and impairment! Of course, all children will experience feelings of sadness, depression and anxiety at some point in their youth. These are normal human reactions to the struggles that both children and adults face.  These feelings act as warning signals that something is going on in our life, and they can be very helpful IF we learn how to understand them, what to look out for and how to manage them. This is something we should teach ourselves and our children, because the sooner we learn to manage our thinking, feeling and choosing, the more empowered we will feel over our emotions and our lives. What does this learning look like on a physical level?  There would be no conscious experience without the brain, but our experience cannot be reduced to the brain’s actions.  The mind is energy; it is our aliveness. It generates energy through our thinking, feeling, and choosing. (I call this our mind-in-action.) When we generate mind energy through thinking, feeling, and choosing, we build thoughts, which are physical structures in our brain. This is called neuroplasticity. In my most  recent clinical trials , we saw how the energy in the brain changed as the subject thought, and this stimulated neuroplasticity (which I discuss in detail in my latest book  Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess ). The brain responds to the person experiencing “something” with their mind. Essentially,  the brain is an extremely complex neuroplastic responder .  This means that each time it is stimulated by your mind, it responds in many ways, which includes neurochemical, genetic, and electromagnetic changes.  This, in turn, grows and changes structures in the brain, building or wiring in new physical thoughts. The brain is never the same because it changes with every experience we have, every moment of every day, and this is especially true for children whose brains are still developing. The good news is that we can help our children learn how to manage these changes. This is incredibly important, because unmanaged traumas (big and little, acute and chronic) can be cumulative in nature, creating toxic reactions in the brain and body that, over time, can increase our vulnerability to disease, early mental health issues and even death. It is essential that we teach our children how to process the struggles they face from youth. We need to let them know that it’s okay to feel sadness, depression, guilt, anger or whatever emotion they have—that there isn’t something wrong with them. We need to let them know that it’s their mind, brain and body’s way of telling them they are going through something and need to process it. Our children need to know that even though we can’t always change what has happened to us, we can influence what happens in us, and how it plays out in our mind, brain and body. This process starts with us being authentic about our own feelings and demonstrating this to our children as parents, teachers, leaders and so on. We need to learn HOW to speak to our children about difficult situations and emotions, not run away from them or say that our children are “too young”. The truth is, we can’t hide what we are going through from our kids, no matter how good at “adulting” we think we are. They are incredibly observant, so it is important that we address the elephant in the room (in an age-appropriate way, of course) and let them know what is going on before they think to blame themselves or keep how they are feeling inside. For more on this, listen to my recent  podcast  with child psychologist Dr. Becky Kennedy). Indeed, we need to create a more open environment at home so that our children know that they can come to us with their struggles.  But, you may ask, where do I start?  If you see your child struggling, help find ways to calm them down so that they feel comfortable enough talking to you  —  but make sure that you don’t shut them down or make them feel judged! Some easy ways to do this are: 1. Do some deep breathing with your child before talking about a difficult issue: A breathing exercise will help get lots of oxygen and blood flow to the front of the brain and decrease your child’s feelings of neurochemical chaos, which will, in turn, increase their decision-making capability, reduce impulsivity and help them calm down their brain and body. You can do a 10 second pause exercise: breathe in for around 3 counts and breathe out for around 7 counts (or for however long your child can handle). Tell them to put their hand on their belly and feel it rise up in the inhalation; on the exhalation, tell them to ‘whoosh’ it out forcefully, which forces oxygen to the front to the brain. Repeat this around 6 to 9 times, for 60 to 90 seconds—or for however long your child can manage. It is best to explain and demonstrate how to do this first, then do it with your child (you may have to teach your child what a deep breath looks like). This is best done when your child is lying on their back on a couch, on their bed, on a mat on the floor or wherever they are comfortable. There are some great articles and videos online to help teach your child what deep breathing is and how to do it using props like stuffed animals and bubbles. 2.  Make talking about stuff as fun as possible : Do something fun with your child to get them into an “eager-to-learn” state of mind, which, in turn, primes the brain for learning. As you know your child best, start with a subject that they find interesting, such as animals, sports or cars. For example, you can spend around 5 minutes or so reading the latest news on football and discussing it or looking at certain cars and reading why the new Tesla sedan is superior to the old one and so on. This will make sure your child is engaged and ready to do some thinking work with you on the hard stuff. At the same time, you should be careful to set a time limit for this activity, so that your child knows it’s a small session and a “brain reward” to make their brain and mind stronger and healthier so that doing the hard parts will be easier. This will help your child look forward to starting the session. In fact, schools do something similawith young kids, starting the day with a certain routine like sing-a-song before going into lessons, to make sure the children are in a good mood and are engaged and paying attention. This facilitates a good balance between the two sides of the brain and improves the mind-brain interaction. 3.  Do a gratitude exercise : You can also do an optional gratitude brain-building activity with your child before you talk about something hard like depression, which will increase theta energy across their brain and improve focus. Just have your child talk about 5 things they’re grateful for and why, but try not to make this a toxic positivity experience. You are using gratitude to help them talk about their struggles, not to put a band aid over an emotional wound. Of course, it is almost impossible to help your child manage difficult human experiences like depression if you are not aware that they are struggling. This means being there in an intentional way for your child, observing possible shifts in their emotional state or behavior, and being open to listening to what they are trying to tell you.  WebMD  has a useful list of some signs to watch out for: Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness Social withdrawal Being more sensitive to rejection Changes in appetite, either increased or decreased Changes in sleep (sleeplessness or excessive sleep) Vocal outbursts or crying Trouble concentrating Fatigue and low energy Physical complaints (such as stomachaches and headaches) that don’t respond to treatment Trouble during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, during extracurricular activities, and with other hobbies or interests Feelings of worthlessness or guilt Impaired thinking or concentration Thoughts of death or suicide And, if you find it challenging to help your child on your own,  don’t be ashamed to ask for help ! There are so many great child therapists, counselors and psychologists out there. Being a parent or guardian can be incredibly difficult, and we all need support at times—there is no shame in asking for help when you are struggling or are not sure what to do. We also need mental health education in schools, churches, community centers, libraries—in all our institutions, because  we are all human and we all have human emotions . If schools are meant to prepare our children for the real world, mental health needs to be a part of the school curriculum as a subject, because we don’t go three seconds without thinking or experiencing the world, and we all struggle with mental health ups and downs. Indeed, no amount of extra math tutoring is going to help if a child’s mental state is a mess!  We need to petition school boards to add more mental health education to our children’s education .