What Psalm 23 would be if everything was up to me

This past Sunday I shared about how Psalm 23 is a picture of what happens when we allow the Lord to be our shepherd. The following is what happens when we try to be our own shepherd:

I am my shepherd.
I always want something I don’t have.
I lie down in worried places
I hear the roar or noisy waters
It depletes my soul

I feel confused on my path
Trying to achieve something for my name sake

When I walk through the darkest valley
I fear every evil
I wonder if God is even with me

My possessions and popularity
They try to comfort me
I have prepared a table, but I can’t even enjoy it because of the enemies all around me.
I anoint my life with hurry and distractions; my cup is empty

Surely busyness and worry will follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of anxiety forever.

I am so thankful I am not called to be my own shepherd. I have a shepherd and His way is the best way. Let’s trust the shepherd this week!

God’s Promises about Generosity – Part 3

This week I have been sharing promises about generosity from God’s Word that we can circle and stand on! Here are three more promises for us to circle today!

#7 GOD PROMISES TO MEET ALL MY NEEDS

Paul: “I want you to have the good that comes from giving . . . My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everythingyou need.” Phil. 4:17b, 19 (NCV)

“He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to their needs will receive curses.” Proverbs 28:27 (NIV)

“You should give as you have decided in your heart to give. Never give reluctantly or under pressure because God loves the person who gives cheerfully. THEN God will generously provide for you, so that in ALL things at ALL times you’ll have ALL that you need and plenty left over to give more to every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

#8 GOD PROMISES HE WILL MULTIPLY WHAT I GIVE HIM

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)

“Just as God gives seed to farmers and bread for food, God gives you a supply of seed (to plant) then he makes it grow so there’s a great harvest from your generosity. And God will make you rich enough to be generous at all times.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11

“Be generous, and one day you will be rewarded.” Eccl. 11:1 (CEV)

#9 GOD PROMISES MY GIVING IS STORED UP IN HEAVEN

“Use your money to do good . . . and give generously, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given you. By doing this you will be storing up real treasure for yourself–it is the only safe investment for eternity!” 1 Tim. 6:18-19a (LB)

Let’s circle these promises of God today!

This Sunday we are celebrating City Hills' 6th Birthday!  It's going to be a party as we celebrate what God has done and look forward to all that God has in store in the future!!  Invite someone to join you at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am!

God’s Promises About Generosity – Part 2

a person sitting on wooden planks across the lake scenery

God has called you to make a great difference! You have a great calling and purpose from your creator! Part of our calling is to be generous with our time, our talents, and our treasure. This is why God has given us so many promises about the blessings of being generous! He knows the more generous we become the more we will step into our calling and destiny! Here are three more promises we can circle today!

#4 GOD PROMISES I WILL BE HAPPIER

“Remember the words of our Lord Jesus himself who said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.'” Acts 20:35

#5 GOD PROMISES MY INFLUENCE WILL INCREASE

“The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.” Proverbs 11:24 (Mes)

#6 GOD PROMISES I WILL END UP WITH MORE

Jesus: “Give, and it will be given back to you in full measure. What you receive will need to be pressed down and shaken together, but it will still run over and be poured into your lap! The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.” Luke 6:38

“Some people give generously and end up with more, while others don’t give what they should and end up poor.” Proverbs 11:24 (NCV)

“Being generous to the poor is like lending to the Lord, and God will pay you back for what you’ve done.” Proverbs 19:17

Let’s circle these promises today!

This Sunday we are celebrating City Hills' 6th Birthday!  It's going to be a party as we celebrate what God has done and look forward to all that God has in store in the future!!  Invite someone to join you at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am!

God’s Promises About Generosity – Part 1

On Sunday I was overwhelmed thinking about all of the blessings that God gives to us as we are generous with all that He has given us. If you missed the message from Sunday at City Hills you can visit www.cityhills.com to watch and listen. Here are some promises that we can circle as we are generous with all that God has blessed us with!

#1 GOD PROMISES GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO ME

“Goodwill come to him who is generous . . .” Psalm 112:5 (NIV)

“Generous people will be blessed . . .” Proverbs 22:9 (NCV)

#2 GOD PROMISES MY CHILDREN WILL BE BLESSED

“The godly are always generous…and their children will be blessed.” Psalm 37:26 (NIV)

#3 GOD PROMISES HE WILL BLESS MY WORK & BUSINESS

“Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will overflow with the
finest wine.” Prov. 3:9 (LB/NLT)

“A generous man will prosper and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

Let’s circle these promises of God today!

Click here to take the 90-Day Tithe Challenge: Because we believe what the Bible says about tithing, we commit to you that if you tithe for three months and God doesn’t hold true to His promises of blessings (Malachi 3:10), we will refund 100% of your tithe. No questions asked. After you sign up, we’ll send you resources and encouragement.

Prayer Under Pressure

O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You;
Psalm 63

We Seek You Lord

My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
Psalm 63

You Are The Answer

2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
Psalm 63

I Remember What You Have Done In the Past

3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Psalm 63

I Worship With My Whole Heart

5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.
Psalm 63

You Are My Provider

6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
Psalm 63

You Are My Peace

7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
Psalm 63

You Are My Help

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.
Psalm 63

Thank You For Your Protection

11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.
Psalm 63

I Rejoice In You Lord

Make plans to be part of "21 Days of Prayer" beginning Sunday, August 1st. Daily Prayer services Monday-Friday 6:00-7:00am & Saturdays 9:00-10:00am (There will be a special prayer experience for kids as well on Saturday mornings.). For more information visit www.cityhills.com/21days

Help! I’m Struggling to Forgive

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Three Truths About Forgiveness:

In order for relationships to work, we must let the One who designed them define them.
My relationship with God is inseparable to my relationship with the people God has put in my life.
“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.”

Forgiveness is Not:

It’s not minimizing the seriousness of the offense.
It’s not reconciliation.
It’s not forgetting what happened.

1. Pray for them.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
(Matthew 5:43-44 NIV)

2. Bless them.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
(Romans 12:14 NIV)

3. Forgive others as Jesus has forgiven you

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

21 Days of Prayer - Make plans to be part of "21 Days of Prayer" beginning Sunday, August 1st. Daily Prayer services Monday-Friday 6:00-7:00am & Saturdays 9:00-10:00am (There will be a special prayer experience for kids as well on Saturday mornings.). For more information visit www.cityhills.com/21days

Change Your Words, Change Your World

Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].
Ephesians 4:29–32

Your words affect you.

Your words affect others.

Your words affect God.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin]. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]. Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29–32

Challenge

Ask for God’s help with your words
Ask for people to help you with your words
Be slow to speak and quick to listen
Use your words to encourage the people in your world today

21 Days of Prayer: Make plans to be part of "21 Days of Prayer" beginning Sunday, August 1st. Daily Prayer services Monday-Friday 6:00-7:00am & Saturdays 9:00-10:00am (There will be a special prayer experience for kids as well on Saturday mornings.). For more information visit www.cityhills.com/21days

An Attitude Adjustment

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Praise

Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Surrender

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Thankfulness

For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Trust

Make plans to be part of "21 Days of Prayer" beginning Sunday, August 1st.  Daily Prayer services Monday-Friday 6:00-7:00am & Saturdays 9:00-10:00am (There will be a special prayer experience for kids as well on Saturday mornings.). For more information visit www.cityhills.com/21days

Watch It

1. Watch Your Mouth

“Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ].
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Speak Life

2. Watch Your Anger

Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Forgive

Watch Your Work

The thief [who has become a believer] must no longer steal, but instead he must work hard [making an honest living], producing that which is good with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with those in need.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:25-28‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Be Honest & Generous

Challenge: What harmful behavior do I need the Holy Spirit to help me with today?

What Fuels You?

“And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd.
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Pleasing God

They’ve refused for so long to deal with God that they’ve lost touch not only with God but with reality itself. They can’t think straight anymore.
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Truth

Feeling no pain, they let themselves go in sexual obsession, addicted to every sort of perversion.
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Purity

But that’s no life for you. You learned Christ! My assumption is that you have paid careful attention to him, been well instructed in the truth precisely as we have it in Jesus. Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it!
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Conviction

And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Worship

Challenge: Check your heart