Author: BrandonShanks

Share the Secret

I take it that you’re familiar with the part I was given in God’s plan for including everybody. I got the inside story on this from God himself, as I just wrote you in brief.”

Ephesians 3:2

You Are Loved

“As you read over what I have written to you, you’ll be able to see for yourselves into the mystery of Christ. None of our ancestors understood this. Only in our time has it been made clear by God’s Spirit through his holy apostles and prophets of this new order. The mystery is that people who have never heard of God and those who have heard of him all their lives (what I’ve been calling outsiders and insiders) stand on the same ground before God.

Ephesians 3:3-4

There is Hope

They get the same offer, same help, same promises in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3:5-6

You Are Invited

The Message is accessible and welcoming to everyone, across the board.”

Ephesians 3:5-6

Join us this Sunday at City Hills for “Summer Blockbuster” – Invite someone to join you this Sunday at 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am

Praying for Breakthrough

Psalm 5


1 Listen, Yahweh, to my passionate prayer! Can’t you hear my groaning? 2Don’t you hear how I’m crying out to you? My King and my God, consider my every word, for I am calling out to you.

Call out to God

3At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice as I prepare my sacrifice of prayer to you. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart.
Making It Right

Surrender your life to God

4 I know that you, God, are never pleased with lawlessness,
and evil ones will never be invited into your house. 5 Boasters collapse, unable to survive your scrutiny, for your hatred of evildoers is clear. 6 You will make an end of all those who lie. How you hate their hypocrisy and despise all who love violence! Multitude of Mercy

Surrender your battle to God

7 But I know that you will welcome me into your house, for I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you.

Thank God for His mercy and love

8 Yahweh, lead me in the pathways of your pleasure just like you promised me you would, or else my enemies will conquer me.
Smooth out your road in front of me, straight and level, so that I will know where to walk.

Ask God to guide every step you take today

9Their words are unreliable. Destruction is in their hearts,
drawing people into their darkness with their speeches.
They are smooth-tongued deceivers, flattering with their words.
10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their own schemes be their downfall! Let the guilt of their sins collapse on top of them, for they rebel against you.

Give God the people who hurt you

11 But let them all be glad, those who turn aside to hide themselves in you. May they keep shouting for joy forever! Overshadow them in your presence as they sing and rejoice. Then every lover of your name will burst forth with endless joy. 12Lord, how wonderfully you bless the righteous. Your favor wraps around each one and covers them under your canopy of kindness and joy.

Thank God for His favor on your life

More Ways to Connect:
• Find a Small Group – www.cityhills.com/groups
• Attend Next Steps – www.cityhills.com/nextsteps
• Make a Difference at #ServeDay21 – www.cityhills.com/serve
• Join us at City Hills on Sundays – 8:30am / 10:00am / 11:30am

God is Building a Home

You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.

Ephesians 2:19-21 (The Message)

Do You Know Your Rights?

So, you are not foreigners or guests, but rather you are the children of the city of the holy ones, with all the rights as family members of the household of God. 20 You are rising like the perfectly fitted stones of the temple; and your lives have been built up together upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, and best of all, you are connected to the Head Cornerstone of the building, the Anointed One, Jesus Christ himself! 21 This entire building is under construction and is continually growing under his supervision until it rises up completed as the holy temple of the Lord himself.

Ephesians 2:19-21

Proclaim Freedom

The Emancipation Proclimation had been signed. The battles had been fought. The war had been had been won. Yet, people were still enslaved for years because the news had not reached them. Then on June, 19th 1865 a group of union soldiers brought the message of freedom to the last slaves in Galveston, Texas. Today commemorates that day and the announcement of freedom! That is something to celebrate!!! Today we REMEMBER the past, we CELEBRATE freedom for all, and we PRAY for a better tomorrow!

As I have thought about this holiday and all that is represents, I couldn’t help but think about the Freedom that we have in Jesus:

The freedom for all humanity was purchased on the cross. The battle was fought. The war was won. Our God was victorious! Satan no longer has a hold on humanity. We are not slaves to sin. We are all children of the most high God. We are free from any stronghold the enemy would try to set up in our life. We don’t have to live one more day without hope! However, many in our world today are still enslaved because they haven’t heard the news. Maybe they have heard about religion, but religion cannot set people free. Religion only enslaved them more. They haven’t heard the freedom that is found in a real relationship with Jesus!

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,

Jesus (Luke 4:18)


Let’s celebrate freedom today in our nation and in our soul! Let’s spread the news everywhere we go! FREEDOM IS HERE!!!!

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.

Give Up or Go On?

In his book “Holy Sweat” Tim Hansel wrote about what made a person successful. 413 famous and exceptionally gifted people. 392 had went through huge obstacles that they went through before they were famous. For example, the following were the opinions that others had of the following people:

Fred Astair – After his first screen test in 1923, the director wrote the following memo: “Cant act, slightly bald, can dance a little.”

Vince Lombardi – “He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation.”

Beethoven – “He wont practice on improving his technique. He is hopeless and incompetent as a composer.”

Walt Disney – He was fired from a newspaper for “Lacking ideas.” He found a minister who paid him a small amount to draw advertising pictures for his church. Disney had no place to stay, so the church let him sleep in a mouse-infested garage. One of those mice, which Disney nicknamed Mickey, became famous.

Anyone who made a difference had to overcome obstacles and others opinions. Maybe you are here today facing some big obstacles in your life and you feel like giving up. In Genesis Chapter 37 Joseph dealt with many obstacles on the journey to the dream that God gave him. He undoubtedly felt like giving up many times. He had to make the choice… should he give up, or should he go on!

Here are two truths about the obstacles you are facing:

#1 Just because you are facing an obstacle does not mean that you are not following God.

Along the journey to the dream God has for your life there will be obstacles. You may be feeling down because of the obstacle that is standing in your way. Let me encourage you, God is with even in this trial! You are not alone. Joesph had to feel alone as he was sold into slavery by his brothers, lied on by Potiphar’s wife, and forgotten in prison. These circumstances were not the end for him. These obstacles were all part of the path to purpose!

#2 God has brought you to this obstacle so that He can get all the glory and you will share it with others.

Why did Joseph’s story have all of the twists and turns? Why does our stories feel disjointed at times and we don’t understand God’s plan? God was more focused on the man that Joseph was becoming through the ups and downs then he was just about getting him quickly to the fulfillment of his dream. If he didn’t feel powerless along the way he would not have the patience and humility needed to lead the nation and to save the people of God. God could not put him in a place of leadership in Egypt until he knew he would not kill his brothers that harmed him. God’s whole purpose in calling Joseph out was to save his entire family so that the nation of Israel would be saved during the famine. The future messiah was going to be brought forth from this tribe and Joseph had to have the right heart. When the time was right and he was the second in command in Egypt he had a heart to save his brothers instead of hurting them. This was God’s plan all along. Watch the heart of Joseph when he saved his brothers.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20

Let us keep moving forward today! Let’s see God as being in control of it all and even using the obstacles that Stan in our way for His glory. God wants to use you to share His story through the obstacles that you are facing. Don’t face obstacles alone! Connect with others on the journey and be encouraged. If you are not in a small group click here to find a small group today! Don’t give up… Go on!!! 

Father, I pray today for anyone that is facing an obstacle and feels like giving up.  Give them the strength to trust you in this season.  Help them to see you in complete control of everything!   Help them choose to not give up on the calling that you have on their life!  Help them to go on despite all opposition.  In Jesus Name!  Amen.

Pray This Over Your Life

1 Praise the LORD!
How joyful are those who fear the LORD
and delight in obeying his commands.
2 Their children will be successful everywhere;
an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.
3 They themselves will be wealthy,
and their good deeds will last forever.
4 Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.
5 Good comes to those who lend money generously
and conduct their business fairly.
6 Such people will not be overcome by evil.
Those who are righteous will be long remembered.
7 They do not fear bad news;
they confidently trust the LORD to care for them.
8 They are confident and fearless
and can face their foes triumphantly.
9 They share freely and give generously to those in need.
Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor.
10 The wicked will see this and be infuriated.
They will grind their teeth in anger;
they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

Psalm 112 (NLT)