Proverbs 15:4

Christianity can sometimes get a bad rap due to professed Christians being insincere. They say one thing, yet do another. And it results in one of the biggest excuses people have for not going to church: "It’s full of hypocrites."

The word hypocrite means one who simply acts like a Christian, or one who wears a mask. Many people try to convince the world that they are Christ followers only to turn around and take the mask off when they think no one is looking.

True sincerity, though, is seen when no one is watching. How do you behave behind the scenes when no one you know is watching? Make sure you are sincere in all that you do, even when you think no one is watching—because God always is. And His opinion of you is truly the only one that matters.

Class of 91`

Pastor Todd Bush is in the opening scene and the ending scene...

Pure...

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure..." James 3:17

When you wake up in the morning, one of the first things you do is look in a mirror. You brush your teeth and comb your hair. But no matter what, people don’t typically leave the house until they’re confident that all basic grooming behaviors have been covered. The goal is to have that polished look—clean, spotless, pure.

It’s ironic that we can spend so much time trying to perfect our outward appearance, yet neglect our most important feature - our hearts.

No matter how well put together we may be on the outside, we will constantly find our lives in disarray if we lack God’s wisdom and guidance in our hearts. Without that, our hearts become dusty, dirty, unkempt, creating a less than desirable living space for the things that matter most.

Spiritually, God is the only one who can make us clean. And when we seek His wisdom, the "wisdom that comes from heaven," we are seeking the one thing that can truly make us pure — inside and out.

True or ...

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies." Psalm 141:3-4

Armed guards and No Access Allowed signs seem to accompany celebrities, high-ranking government officials and professional athletes in order to ensure their safety. But did you know that we need that same type of protection for our mouths?

Saying we have faith in Jesus is a step in the right direction, but true power comes when you’re able to put substance behind those words. When you become a follower of Christ, God calls you to display an authentic faith. And one of the ways you do that is by guarding the words that come out of your mouth.

In the above passage, King David asks God to put a guard over his mouth because he knew that the words he spoke did more than just communicate what was on his mind. The words we choose communicate the truth about our faith in God.

Do you need to shift your thinking around?

"In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:25-26

Rahab had a bad reputation. And it may seem surprising that James speaks of her as being righteous. But that is one of the most powerful things about God.
If you have faith in God, if you trust him, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done in the past. He will declare you righteous. Once you put your faith in Jesus Christ, all your sins are completely forgiven. Justification by faith is not something that any of us can earn; it’s something God simply offers us out of his love. It is something we can receive.

Despite her occupation, Rahab is "considered righteous" because she was willing to put her faith into action, even though it could have cost her everything. So, don’t just say that you love and trust God... show God you trust Him. Because it’s your actions towards other people that will enable you to tap into your true significance.

Love won't let you down...

"Love your neighbor as yourself." Romans 13:9

Scripture should be the standard that we use to measure how we live our lives. In every situation and circumstance, we need to allow God’s Word to determine how we behave, rather than allowing our feelings to determine our actions and reactions.

If Scripture is going to be our guide for life, then love has to be the law. The essence of Christianity is love. In fact, it was because of love that God sent Jesus Christ to die for us. And because of that, we should initiate this outflow of love to others.

But the love described here isn’t a fleeting feeling or evaporating emotion; it’s an action word that takes a constant commitment in treating others the way God treats each of us. And as we learn to treat people with kindness, respect, mercy and grace, we will discover that we are being transformed from the inside out.

Tithe? Pt.3

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35

There’s a philosophy in our culture that breeds mediocrity. Most people do only what is necessary to get by.

If there’s a job to be done, it’s done adequately. We tolerate people we work with, instead of actually taking an interest in them. And when it comes to really important matters, like our relationship with God, our spouse, our family and friends—some offer indifference instead of creativity and an eagerness to engage.

Our God is not a lack-luster God. Our God is overflowing with power and a desire to know you, to bless you, and to offer you his peace and hope for the future. But to receive that, you have to be willing to share what you have now with others. God’s design is that in order to get more, you have to give more. And once we understand that, our lives will be blessed and go above and beyond anything we’ve ever dreamed.