Anchored to Hope

An anchor is something that holds a boat in place. Once the captain arrives at a destination he drops the anchor. He does this because the boat will drift without an anchor.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
Hebrews 6:19

As a believer we have access to the anchor called “Hope” because of what Jesus has done for us! God always keeps his word! As believers we are anchored to the hope that God is in complete control. We may drift for a moment, but hope pulls us back to where we are called to be.

An anchor has no value if you don’t drop it in the water!

God is for you. He is with you in every season. He has not forgotten you, you may just be in a storm right now. It’s time to drop the anchor of hope! How do we drop the anchor of hope?

Reach Out

If you are in a storm now is not the time to disconnect yourself from God and people. In storms it is easy to feel isolated. When you are drifting you can get discouraged so quickly. This is the time to reach out to God and to others! Reach out to someone that you were in small group with! Reach out to someone who can pray with you! Reach out to God. Don’t get caught drifting. When you feel overwhelmed reach out to God and then reach out to God’s people!

Speak the Promise

The enemy does everything he can do to lie to you about who you are and what this situation is going to bring about in your life. He wants you to drift in the storm without an anchor. He is intimidating you because victory is near! One of the ways that we drop is the anchor is to speak God’s promises over our lives every day, especially when we are in a storm. What are you speaking over yourself right now? Speak God’s truth over your life and watch as the anchor of hope begins to pull you back into a place of hope!

Here is a link to 50 promises of God you can speak over your life today!

Drop the anchor today! Lean into Jesus. He is our anchor of hope!

Join us this Sunday, August 22nd at City Hills for "THE BEST SUNDAY EVER!"  There will be food, fun, bounce houses for kids, and giveaways after each service!  Invite friends and family to join you!  For more information visit cityhills.com

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

How To Pray With Confidence

According to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
Ephesians 3:11-13 (NIV)

God is a CARING Father

“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
Isaiah 49:15

God is a CONSISTENT Father

There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle.
James 1:17 MSG

God is a CLOSE Father

I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down or relax my hold on you. Assuredly not!
Hebrews 13:5 AMP

God is a COMPETENT Father

Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.
Ephesians 3:20

4 Ways To Make A Difference

God put you on this planet to make a difference for His kingdom! You are a difference maker. You are a leader who has influence. Satan works so hard to cause us to doubt that we can ever make a difference because he knows that if believers know who they are anything is possible!

So how can we make a difference? I want to share with you 4 ways that a man named Philip in the Bible made a difference in the life of his friend Nathaniel:

Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.
John 1:45-46

#1 Allow Jesus to Change You First

We can’t give people what we don’t have. Philip met Jesus for himself first before he told his friend about Jesus. Many times we are so focused on Jesus changing others that we don’t let him change us first! Stop looking at the issues in the world and allow God to heal the issues in your world. Sometimes we are such “Fixers” of other people’s problems that we don’t slow down enough to get real with Jesus about our own problems.

#2 Share Your Story

After Jesus changed Philip’s life he couldn’t keep it to himself. He had to share the story. Have you shared your story of what God has done in your life? Sharing your story is one way that you can make a huge difference in the lives of others. People can argue with theology but they can’t argue with your personal story of what God has done in your life! Share you story today. Share it online, share it with a friend, family member, neighbor, or coworker! A great way to share your story is by sharing “Before, how, and now.” Begin by telling where you were before God changed your life. Then share how God changed your life. Then conclude by sharing the hope that you have in your life now on the other side of Jesus touching your life.

#3 Don’t Try To Win Arguments

You can’t win souls and arguments at the same time. You can have all the right facts, but if people are closed off and trying to fight you they will never listen. I love that when Philip’s friend Nathaniel gave him an objection about who Jesus was and where he was from he didn’t try to give a big theological rebuttal. He just loves him and continues to invite him. Don’t be surprised by people’s doubts. Don’t be surprised if people have questions. God can handle their questions. You just be real and love them! Share the Truth from the scripture with grace and then trust God to do the work.

#4 Make An Invitation

I love that Philip just invites his friend to “Come and see.” He wanted his friend to just experience Jesus for himself. After Nathaniel met Jesus everything was different. It is the same in your life. If we can just get people in an environment where they can experience the presence and power of Jesus their lives will be changed. You can make a difference through simply taking the step of making an invitation. A lot of times we don’t invite people out of fear. This had to be a scary thing for Philip to do, but I am so thankful he did because without his invitation Nathaniel wouldn’t have met Jesus and his story has encouraged me for nearly 20 years now. You never know what God will do if you take the step of making an invitation!

Lord, I pray that you would change my life today!  I want to meet you in a powerful way and never be the same.  Before I focus on you changing the world, I pray that you would change my world.  I give you everything and I trust you God.  Have your way in my life.  Also, use me today to reach out and share my story with people in my world that need you.  Help me to be like Philip in the Bible who gave an invitation to his friend Nathaniel.  Use me today.  In Jesus Name.  Amen!

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday for SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER! This is the perfect opportunity to bring someone with you to church! Faith and film will collide for an unforgettable experience! Join us this Sunday at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am in person and live online – www.cityhills.com

Do you know where you come from?

My oldest son looks just like me. Recently, while visiting his grandparents, he went back to my hometown. He came back and said to me, “Dad, everyone kept telling me, “I know who your Dad is. You look just like him when he was your age.”” People who saw me grow up could spot the resemblance.

We are often aware of our natural heritage or lack thereof. Maybe the legacy of your family is something that makes you proud, or not. Do you know that if you are a follower of Jesus, you have a spiritual legacy that far surpasses any natural legacy that you have or don’t have. The Book of Hebrews says:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
Hebrews 12:1

In heaven, you are surrounded by a huge arena filled with overcomers cheering you on! They are cheering you on right now.

Do you know where you come from? You come from a long line of overcomers! You look just like them! I can see the family resemblance!

You are an overcomer!

People just like you have overcame problems just like the ones that you are facing right now! Don’t quit, don’t give up. This is the family that you are part of. Read the stories of the people in the Bible, this is your spiritual heritage. These are the overcomers in your family. If they made it through the fire, so can you!

You are part of a grand story!

As followers of Jesus, we are a small part of the grand story of God. We are just part of continuing His story. When we think it is our story we can easily get stressed out. However, when we realize this is the story of God and He has invited us to be part of it it fills us with joy and confidence!

Do you know where you come from? You have a mighty spiritual LEGACY! You are from a long line of overcomers! Just read the pages of Scripture and be encouraged. If God did it for them, he will do it for you! Don’t forget where you come from. You are an overcomer! You are a son or daughter of the most high God!

Father, help us see that we are a small part of your grand story.  Thank you for calling us.  Thank you for having a plan for our lives.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your presence and power in our lives.  I pray for anyone today who feels inferior because of their natural family!  Help them to see that they have a great spiritual legacy of faith!  Help them to know that they are not alone today.  Fill them with encouragement and hope to keep trusting you and facing the battle with faith and trust!  In Jesus Name!  Amen.

The Password to God’s Presence

grayscale photo of people raising their hands

It’s Sunday morning! As we prepared to worship together I want to share what Psalm 100 says about worship:

On your feet now—applaud GOD! Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Know this: GOD is God, and God, GOD. He made us; we didn’t make him. We’re his people, his well-tended sheep. Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him. For GOD is sheer beauty, all-generous in love, loyal always and ever.
Psalm 100 (The Message paraphrase)

There is nothing more frustrating than needing to log into a site and you can’t remember your password. I have to click the “I forgot my password” button often!

There are times in life when I get spiritually dry and loose perspective. I don’t feel God’s presence and wonder where He is in my life. I can’t log in. In my pain and in my fear I forget my password.

What is the password to God’s presence? God could have made it anything.

He could have made the password “Perfection.”

If perfection was needed to be in the presence of God then we would never be good enough! That may be the case for people. There may be people that have given up on you because of your imperfection and they have rejected you because of past mistakes. God does not reject you! God has a plan and purpose for your life.

We can wait to enter God’s presence because things are not perfect in our lives. We have our own idea of what things should be like. When things are not going our way we miss the presence and power of Jesus.

What is the password? Psalm 100 says:

Enter with the password: “Thank You.”

The password is praise. When we focus on everything in our lives having to be perfect and to go our way we get so frustrated. However, when we just decide to praise the Lord we enter His presence and find the fullness of joy!

As we worship today, let’s lay aside all of our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Let’s lay aside our hurts and fears. Let’s enter God’s presence with the password: “Thank You.” Let’s thank God that even when things are not going good, He is good! Let’s thank God that He is sovereign even in the storms of life. Let’s thank God for the blessings. Let’s thank God for the battles.

Lord, as we come to worship you today, we give you all of our imperfections.  We give you all of our doubts and fears.  We give you the hurt and the pain and we choose to praise.  We praise you for Your goodness in every season.  We worship You today with all of our hearts.  We enter into your presence, not with demands, but by simply saying, "Thank You."  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

See you this morning at City Hills! Join us at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am in person or live online at www.cityhills.com!

How Many Sundays Are In 30 Years?

“If your organization requires success before commitment, it will never have either. Part of leadership (a big part of it, actually) is the ability to stick with the dream for a long time. Long enough that the critics realize that you’re going to get there one way or another…so they follow.”
Seth Godin, (Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us)

I love this quote about leadership because so many times when pursuing God’s purpose we wait to fully commit. We wait to see how things are going to turn out before trusting God with everything. We stop too soon. We fail to remember that we are living for an audience of one.

When my wife and I moved our family to Knoxville from Florida to start City Hills in 2015 we were doing so because the Lord give us a big vision. However, when we moved here there was no evidence most days that the vision was going to come to pass. A few months after the church launched I distinctly remember the Sunday when we had our lowest attendance ever. There were about 30 adults there that morning and one of the Kids Serve Teamers came to me asking if they have to stay in the kids rooms because no kids were there. I remember feeling so low. I did my best to preach an encouraging Word and afterwards I went home and slept from that Sunday afternoon until the next morning. The next day when I woke up I had a word in my mind that another local pastor had said to me. He said, “Don’t forget, one bad Sunday does not define your future.” I thought to myself, “How many Sundays are in 30 years?” I made up my mind that day that I was not going to focus on that one Sunday when there were still over 1500 Sundays left in 30 years. We were here for the long-haul and were not going to wait to go all in until things were going better. I was following a calling God gave me and was committing to leave the results up to God. That day I went to a local store and bought 1500 pieces of candy and put them in a big glass jar. Each Sunday for the next few months I would eat a piece of candy and be reminded to stay faithful and enjoy the journey. Then my kids knocked the jar off the counter and broke it. But that’s another story. #DadLife 🙂

What has God called you to do? Don’t let the circumstances you are seeing right now discourage you from following God’s purpose for your life! Don’t quit! Don’t give up! God is not finished with you yet. Go buy you a big jar of candy and keep trusting the plan and purpose of God for your life 🙂

Father, I pray for anyone who is discouraged right now.  I pray that they would sense your love and grace in their lives.  I pray that they would have the courage to keep trusting you.  I pray for anyone who has been knocked down my circumstances in life.  Give them the strength to get up again and trust you!  I thank you that You are a God of second chances.  We fully commit our lives to you Jesus!  Have your way.  We trust your plan and purpose.  We give this day to you.  In Jesus Name!  Amen.

I can’t wait to see you this Sunday at City Hills! Join us in-person at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30 am and live online at www.cityhills.com

3 Weapons To Use In Spiritual Battles

Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. 22 They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars. 23 Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, 24 “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!” 25 Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” 26 The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out. 27 Everyone there was incredulous, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and sends them packing!” 28 News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28 (MSG)

A few years ago my wife and I were on a date-night in Nashville and got in a traffic-jam. The usual roads were closed and police were directing traffic. We couldn’t turn around or get out of the line. We thought the line was due to a wreck. At one point we rolled down our window and asked someone what was happening. “You’re at a concert.” They said. We didn’t expect that. We were in Nashville though, it shouldn’t have surprised us. Instead of trying to turn around, we bought tickets and had a fun and unexpected date-night to a concert we didn’t know we were in line for.

Many times as believers we get surprised by the fact that we are in line for a spiritual battle.

‘The problem is that most people overestimate or either underestimate spiritual warfare. It’s funny how the devil likes it when we over believe or under believe instead of Bible believe.’
C.S. Lewis-

Right at the onset of the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus be interrupted by someone who was possessed with a demon. I love seeing the response of Jesus to the evil spirit. He used the authority that he had to tell the evil spirit to be quiet and leave the person.

Jesus Has Authority

We see in this passage who is in full control of this battle. The evil spirit had to obey Jesus. There was no great conflict. One word from Jesus was enough to cause the demon to start packing. Jesus has all authority. As you go throughout your day, think about the authority that Jesus has over everything in our world. He is in full control.

You Have Authority

As believers we have authority over anything that would come against us through Jesus. We are not powerless. Many times as believers it is easy for us to live from a defensive posture when it comes to the world. We are trying our best to just hold on and hopefully we will make it. This is not the posture that Jesus had. He understood His authority and pushed back the kingdom of darkness wherever he went. We are called to do the same and bring hope and life wherever we go today! Understand the authority that you have in Christ and use the weapons that God has given you against the enemy.

You have weapons against the enemy that are available to you today!

#1 The Name of Jesus

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Luke 10:17–19 NIV

The Name of Jesus is the highest name on earth! That name is the highest authority. Like a law enforcement officer that has the authority to say “Stop, In the name of the law.” We are able to tell the enemy to “Stop, in the name of Jesus.” He has to obey the name of Jesus!

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Philippians 2:10 NIV

#2 The Word of God

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness by Satan in Matthew 4 and Luke 4, his weapon was to tell Satan, “It is written.” Jesus used the Word of God to win the battle. The Word of God is more than just something that we should use for devotions. The Word of God is a sword that can be used to defeat the enemy in battle.

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Ephesians 6:17

#3 The Blood of Jesus

Another weapon that we have is to remind the enemy about the victory of Jesus on the cross! My grandmother used to say, “I plead the blood of Jesus.” When things were coming against our family. She was reminding the enemy about the victory that Jesus won on the cross! This is one of the ways that we triumph over the enemy according to the Book of Revelation.

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony…
Revelation 12:11 NIV

So today, let’s not be surprised when experience a spiritual attack. Let’s understand that Jesus has all authority and that he has given us authority through, His Name, His Word, and His blood that we can use to fight the enemy. Let us not be passive, but let us be bold and take the fight to the enemy!

Jesus, thank you for the victory that we have in you!  Today we trust you!  Help us to recognize the attack of the enemy today and take the authority that you have given us.  We submit our lives completely to You Lord!  Have you way in our lives today.  Use us to advance Your Kingdom today.  In Jesus Name!

Lock Eyes with Jesus

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.
Mark 1:16-20 (NLT)

It is graduation season again! A few years ago I attended a local graduation that was hosted at the Thompson-Boling arena downtown. This massive graduating class looked as small as ants while on the floor of this arena with 20,000 seats! Each of the students were doing the same thing when they walked in wearing their cap and gown. They each were looking for the faces of their family and friends that came to see them. Then they would smile and wave once they found them. Yes, there was a huge crowd, but what made it special was the fact that they were seen by those that loved them.

In life it is easy to think that we are just a face in the crowd; that we are not that important. Maybe you have heard negative words spoken over you. Maybe you hate what you see when you look in the mirror. You think that you are not someone that anyone cares about. You feel invisible. I want to share some hope with you; Jesus sees you.

Jesus sees you

Mark’s account of Jesus begins with the note that Jesus saw Simon and Andrew. That didn’t just mean that he physically saw them. It meant that they were so valuable to Jesus that he knew who they were individually. He saw them. Jesus sees you today. You are known by God. Think about that statement. The God of the universe knows you. He knows everything about you. He knows your ups and downs. He knows your fears and your tears. He knows you. The number of hairs on your head are numbered.

Know that as you walk throughout this day you are known by God. If he had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a cell phone, your photo would be his background. He sees you!

Fishing was not a prestigious job in this time. It was an average blue-collar occupation. They probably did not fell very important or noticed, but here they are being noticed by Jesus.

Jesus invites you

Not only does Jesus see you, He calls you. Like Simon and Andrew, Jesus invites you to be part of his team. He believes you have what it takes to be someone who makes a difference. You have what it takes to change the world. You were created on purpose for a purpose!

Jesus invites you to follow him and as you follow him he will show you how to step into your purpose and become fishers of men. Why did God allow you to wake up today? What is your purpose?

Leave Your Nets

All of this would not be possible if they did not say yes to the invitation. The scripture says simply: “They left their nets.” This was huge because it represented how they made a living and so much more. It represented their time, training, andtheir reputation with friends, family, and coworkers. They knew that they had to leave the nets if they were going to take this next step with Jesus.

We all have nets. We all have a comfort zone that keeps us from following Jesus with everything we have. Maybe your net is your popularity or financial security. It is something different for everyone. Jesus was going to fully supply all of their needs, but they had to trust him and leave their nets.

You are seen by God. You are invited by God to a life beyond imagination. Let’s let go of our nets and follow Jesus with all of our hearts today!

Lord, thank you for seeing us.  Thank you for your great love for us.  Help us to look up from the struggles and anxieties of life and see your invitation today.  Help us to put down our nets and be followers today.  Help us to fish for men today.  Help us to make a difference in the lives of others.  In Jesus Name!

Take a moment to answer the following questions:

Am I following Jesus today?
Are there things that I need to let go of that are holding me back?
What is the next step God is calling me to take today?
What is something I can practically do today to reach out to someone who needs the hope?