Liquid Church

When it comes to change, there are three questions you may be asking yourself that are truly fascinating. How do people change? Why is change so hard? And why do we not change when we want to? These are age-old questions, and thankfully, the Bible has answers to guide us on our quest to figure out how to change and embrace the freedom that comes along with it. If change were simply about our intellect, about AWARENESS, that would be great! Many of us would probably want to be thin, wealthy, have supportive friends and be on vacation all the time. If only it were that simple! Say you want to get in shape, but you love donuts and cheeseburgers. The obstacles to change are real!  When it comes to change, there is a string from our hands and feet to our heart. Growth requires two things; new awareness and new actions. We realize we need to change, and we can change, when we put new actions into our lives.   Watch this message from guest speaker Pastor Alan Briggs, and consider how Christ can grant you freedom and

What loss or death are you mourning? The truth is, all of life is loss. Some of us have lost dreams - of marriage, children or a career. Every time you change jobs, or move to a new place, it’s a loss. And then some of us have experienced catastrophic loss. A spouse has an affair. You lose your job after 25 years. You struggle with infertility. A family member dies. How do you handle your grief? When you go through a tough time, God doesn’t want you to suppress your grief. He doesn’t want you to repress it either. He wants you to express it to friends and confess it to Him. That’s how you start your path to healing! You have a God who CARES for you! Even when you can’t see it, God is working for your good. Let us encourage you to have an “even now” kind of faith, where even in the bad times you hold onto hope and you hold onto faith. Jesus doesn’t promise us a life free from pain. And he doesn’t always do what we want when we want it. But, God loves you even when He is late! And when you believe in Jesus, the

Be honest, has your anger ever got the best of you? For the majority of men, this can be a struggle. You know that you have to work to tame your temper. So, how do you manage your anger in a Godly way? Because anger is one of the most common emotions and one of the most misunderstood. There’s a right way and a wrong way to express anger.  One is helpful, one is harmful. Typically, men have one of two stances. When angry, they either become a maniac or a mute. In other words, they blow up or they clam up! Here’s the good news: God’s word outlines 5 steps to tame your temper for good.  #1) Resolve to manage it. Stop making excuses for your anger and acknowledge that anger is actually a choice!   #2) Remember the cost. There’s always a price tag to anger.  You can get people to do almost anything by scaring them.  But the long-term effects are devastating. #3) Reflect before reacting. In other words, you think before you speak. If you’re gonna tame your temper, men, you’ve got to watch your words. #4) Release it

Every single person reading this has let someone else down. You’ve failed to live up to others expectations. And you’re worried about what others think of you. But, if Jesus were here, He would tell you that if you are doing right by everybody, you are doing it wrong. It’s not possible to make everyone happy.  And there is so much freedom in that realization. It’s so much better than the prison of constant worry of wondering who you offended, who you let down, who you need to talk to, who you need to give more attention to. Did my boss think I did a good job this week? My friend came over to my house, did they think it was clean enough? I haven’t called my mom in a few days, I wonder if she’s mad at me? I met a new client at work, I wonder if they were impressed with me? That is exhausting. So how do we break free from this? How do we move on from this fear that drives our lives? Set your sights on Jesus. Focus on being His servant. Be who He tells you to be. Set that as your goal, and everything else will wo

It’s funny how temptation works, isn’t it? It will lure you in and entrap you. Temptation convinces even the most disciplined people that one little peek won’t really matter. Temptation is all around us, and if we’re honest, every single one of us will admit that we have some area of weakness. The good news is that Jesus understands temptation, and is right there with you in the face of it. Jesus can help you learn how to fight temptation even when the urge seems too great. The truth is, Jesus is the only human being to ever experience temptation and not fall prey to it. Hebrews 4:15 in the Bible tells us that Jesus can empathize with our weaknesses: He’s been there. He understands. But even though the Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way, he did not sin. Jesus lived a perfect life and fought temptation by the power of the Holy Spirit within Him!  In the person of Jesus, we have a real man, who went through real things just like we did. And as Christians, the power of the Holy Spirit is availabl

The majority of Americans today would say that no one in their lives really knows them well. We battle loneliness on a regular basis. Our relationships are an inch deep. So, what’s at the root of this? It’s our own insecurities. Our own brokenness. Because even though we all want to be known and loved, there’s something inside of us that makes us hesitate. We wonder if we’re actually loveable. So we keep a safe distance.  So, how did Jesus build relationships? His strategy was eating and drinking with others. Seriously, look at the Bible and all the meals Jesus had in community with others! Think of this as Biblical Hospitality. It’s the process of turning strangers into friends. And guess what? As Christ followers, we are called to this – to share food, and time, and space, and conversation with others around a table.  This is so much more than socializing. God’s table is a hospital. It’s where he performs surgery and administers medicine. It’s where isolation is healed. It’s where hearts are shared. If we w

God wants nothing more than to spend all day, every day speaking with you. He wants to hear about every single mundane detail of your life. He wants to share the moments of beauty with you, He wants to sit with you in the moments of heartbreak and defeat. He wants to share every single waking moment of every single day with you. Yes, you can have a conversation with God! You can hear the voice of the almighty creator speaking directly to you! But sometimes it feels like a one way conversation instead. Maybe it was the prayer request that you prayed over and over and over again that went unanswered. Maybe it was the big life decision that you faced that you needed guidance for, but felt like you didn’t receive any. Maybe when you sit down to talk to God, you end up asking the question…is anyone even there? The truth is, you’re not alone. God IS there and God still speaks today! But, we learn in Scripture that God doesn’t shout or show off. He whispers to us. Do you know why? Because you only need to whisper if

What dreams do you have for your children? To do well in school? To fit in? To conquer their social anxiety? What happens when your dreams for your kids don’t come true?  For instance, you want them to do well in school, but instead you find they’re not meeting milestones. Their reading is going slower than other kids. They’re not performing well in math. The tutoring you arranged isn’t helping them. On Mother’s Day, we look for an example in the Bible and we find Hannah - a woman wanting desperately to become a mother and her approach was this: She prayed, she believed, and she waited.  And Hannah didn’t just pray quiet prayers, she unloaded on God! She didn’t hold anything back and told Him exactly what she felt: pain, hurt, anguish, and disappointment. Guess what, you can do the same! Our God would rather have you yell at Him in disappointment than stay silent in defeat. Take your pain to God, because He can handle it and he cares. Then, turn your child over to God. Release those expectations you have. Rel

We would all love it if God would multiply our money, our resources, and our impact. Good news: God can do it! Let’s talk about how God can work miracles with your money and bless your generosity. Many people have heard the story from the Bible when Jesus turned 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish into enough food to feed a crowd of at least 20,000 people (that’s a conservative estimate). And there were even leftovers!  When you examine this story, we discover that the food didn’t multiply in Jesus’ hands when He blessed it. It happened when He put the food in the hands of his disciples to give away. But catch this principle – your resources must be blessed by God BEFORE they can multiply in your hands! You bring your FIRST resources to Jesus, He blesses it, and then He gives you more to help others. That’s another principle to pick up on here… only what is GIVEN AWAY can multiply. Jesus doesn’t want to bless you so you can have a fat bank account. He wants to bless you, so that you can make a difference by helping

I bet you would like God’s hand of blessing on your plans and your life, right? Good news: God wants to bless you! He wants to bless your family, your finances, and your faith, so you can be a blessing to others. But, guess what? You gotta learn to put God first. You gotta learn how to be generous with your finances. In our series, The Blessed Life, we’re learning about 2 principles guaranteed to attract the favor and blessing of God.  This week we look at “The Principle of First.” When God is first in your life, everything else comes into order. Now, this doesn’t mean you won’t have problems. What this means is you can survive whatever situation you have, because God is in charge. He’s in control in your life, because you have put him first. And putting him first also applies to your finances.  The Bible makes it clear that the people who put God first should give a tithe every week (tithe means a tenth, so that’s 10% of your income) to the local church. And it gives faith to give the first of your finances!

Jesus is alive today! God is still moving and still changing lives. He can change yours too! So, if you’re asking yourself… Why should I get baptized? That’s the answer: Because it will change your life! Baptism isn’t something we created or conjured up. Jesus Himself was baptized and commands us to do the same. In fact, Jesus' last words on earth include the following command: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” When you are baptized, first you must repent. You first change your mind about God (admit sin will destroy you). Then, you change your heart (about God-- He’s not mad, He’s forgiving and wants to give you a fresh start). And, finally you let His love change your life!  Believe God will give you a second chance. If you confess your sin, He will wash them away and raise you to new life in Christ!  Watch this message from Pastor Tim Lucas, and learn about Baptism, and whether it’s the next step for you and y

Easter isn’t some religious myth or legend. Easter marks a historical event - the resurrection of Jesus Christ, when Jesus rises from the dead, proving He is the Son of God. Jesus was arrested and crucified on a cross although He had committed no crime. Yet, Jesus wasn’t a victim. He was victorious! His death and resurrection defeated the power of sin and death. He is ALIVE today!  Because of Jesus’ resurrection, eternal life is granted to everyone who believes in Him. Yes, we’re talking about heaven. Christ followers can look forward to a reunion with loved ones in heaven. And nothing in this world - not addiction, divorce, or death itself can separate you from the love of God.  So, if you are heartbroken right now, if you are in a dark place, let us encourage you to let the light of Christ dispel that darkness. There is hope with Jesus! If you never made the decision to trust in Christ, the Holy Spirit is inviting you to do that right now! Go ahead and declare that Jesus is Lord and God raised him from the

We all have a choice. We can receive the truth of Jesus or we can reject it. What will you choose? On Good Friday, Jesus was crucified in the middle of two men - two thieves. Interestingly, they each had a very different response to Jesus. As they are hanging from crosses, side-by-side, one criminal mocks and insults Jesus. But, the other confesses his guilt, proclaims Jesus’ innocence, and asks Jesus to remember him when he ascends to Heaven. And you know what Jesus said? “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”  This is incredible! This thief never read the Bible, never got baptized, never took Communion, never served on a Dream Team! Think about this… he was a criminal! Whatever crimes he committed were so bad that he was sentenced to crucifixion. But, what God shows us here is the GIFT OF GRACE! It’s truly radical.  The gift of grace points to this truth: Good people don’t go to Heaven. Good deeds don’t get you to Heaven. It’s not about what YOU do, it’s about what Christ does FOR YOU! A

Good Friday is the day Jesus was crucified and died for our sins. The truth is, it was good for us, but excruciating for Jesus. Good Friday is actually the darkest day in human history when men murdered God. Why did Jesus die? He was nailed to a Cross, suffered and died for us. He carried all our sins to the Cross and selflessly suffered so that you could be saved and have eternal life! That’s how much He loves you. On Thursday night, just before His Crucifixion, Jesus wrestled with the reality of his coming Crucifixion. He knew He was going to die. So, he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane and He prays to God “take this cup from me.” He’s asking to be spared the suffering in front of Him. But, then He says “your will be done.” It was a prayer of surrender to God. He asks for what He wants (to be spared the suffering), but ultimately says you know what’s best. And the Holy Spirit then gives Jesus the strength He needs to face the Cross in front of Him.  How do you apply this to your own life? If there's a s

The Last Supper is the final meal that Jesus shares with his 12 best friends, the disciples. And if we examine what Jesus did during this time together, it reveals to us that Jesus has a plan for your life. The key is that we need to walk alongside Him. In our Passion Series, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ during the last week of his life and one of the cornerstone events of this week is The Last Supper. Before Jesus shares a meal with his friends, he does something truly scandalous. He kneels down and washes their feet. The God of the Universe serves and honors his followers by washing their feet - a job usually saved for servants. And this communicates something to us, that we too are guests of honor! When Jesus invites you to his table, he is saying 100% that you are accepted and loved absolutely exactly as you are. You do not have to change a thing to sit down with Jesus. Jesus doesn’t need anything from you, but he does have so much for you. So, how do you invite Jesus to transform you

For 5 weeks in our Passion Series, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ to observe the events that took place during the last week of his life. This week is referred to as Holy Week on the Christian calendar - and today we’re learning that Jesus got angry - and righteously so - upon his visit to the Temple. During Holy Week, on Palm Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem with incredible fanfare. Then, Jesus then goes on to defy the expectations of the Jewish people. He did this by showing a display of righteous anger, turning over tables in the Jewish Temple. Jesus did this because merchants were wrongly buying and selling goods at the house of God. Later that week, we learn that Jesus dies on Good Friday and rises from the dead 3 days later on Easter. But, before we can celebrate Easter, we will experience Jesus’ “Passion,” which is His suffering born out of love for us. You can journey along with us in the Gospel of Mark, which covers the last 8 days of Jesus’ life in its final 6 chapters. In this mess

For 5 weeks in our Passion Series, we are going to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ during the last week of his life. This week begins with Palm Sunday and is referred to as Holy Week. Jesus ultimately dies on Good Friday and rises from the dead 3 days later on Easter. But, before we can celebrate Easter, we will experience Jesus’ “Passion,” which is His suffering born out of love for us. You can journey along with us in the Gospel of Mark, which covers the last 8 days of Jesus’ life in its final 6 chapters. In this message, we start with what happened on Palm Sunday - the first day of the final week. This is when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It’s important to know that Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to him this week. Three times, he told his disciples that he was going to Jerusalem to suffer and die. But, what ends in a crucifixion begins as a coronation of a king - King Jesus! When Jesus entered Jerusalem, he rode into the city on a donkey and people spread palm branche

We want to introduce you to an awesome tool: the ladder of integrity. This is designed to help you get rigorously honest about what you are feeling so that you can identify your values. When you identify your values, or why something matters to you, you’ll be able to express what you’re feeling without resorting to dirty fighting tactics. In other words, you can act with integrity. The ladder of integrity is a step-by-step process, like rungs on a ladder. And it’s a personal tool that’s not meant to be shared with anyone. It’s actually for you to process through your thoughts and feelings with God. And, if you’re processing a conflict you’re having with someone, what’s interesting is that this will require you to take the “plank” out of your own eye before you take the “speck” out of someone else’s. In other words - you have to own your piece of the conflict. Ultimately, the ladder is meant to help you get clear and be able to respond respectfully based on your values, as opposed to merely being reactive, or

Emotionally intelligent adults would rather resolve the tension in their relationships than dissolve the relationship. You can avoid friction in the first place if you clarify expectations. We all have expectations, but they are not valid if they are unconscious, unrealistic, unspoken, and un-agreed upon. The #1 source of tension in most relationships is unmet expectations. We expect other people to know what we want before we say it. For example: My kids should know I need help around the house. I shouldn’t have to ask. They should just know! And when we have unmet expectations, we start telling ourselves a story. We make assumptions about another person’s behavior or motives. We end up believing a lie about a person that we made up in our own head! But, you can never assume you know what a person is thinking or feeling. So - the solution is to share the story you’re telling yourself and ask the person for the truth. Check your assumptions! This is part of what it means to be emotionally intelligent. Remembe

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions, regulate them, and understand and influence the feelings of others positively. It gives you the ability to decode emotions (yours and others) and use that awareness to guide your decisions! Some people say EQ is more important than IQ, because people with really high IQs can at times be really tone deaf emotionally. So what does EQ have to do with loving Jesus? A LOT! Turns out, the degree to which we love people is the degree to which we love God. We are called to love people. Now, one practical tool you can use to love people better is to take their temperature. This is an exercise that allows each person in the relationship the ability to express themselves. When you take someone’s temperature, what you’re finding out is what’s really going on inside of the person Watch this message from Pastor Kayra Montanez, and start improving your EQ and your relationships. #EQ #Emotions #Relationships #Temperature #Jesus #Christianity #ChristianChurch #