Sunwest Fc's Weekly Sermon Podcast

Fear is like a set of glasses. These glasses change what you see. They tint what you are perceiving. They convince you that you are seeing things clearly, the way it really is. God wants you to see things from His perspective, a more real perspective. Our understanding of God and our position with Him will move us from the pursuit of security to the pursuit of adventure. Chase the Lion.

Often in the pursuit of our dreams we find ourselves in the exact opposite place we hoped for. David, before he became King, found himself in a cave running for his life. Little did he know that this was going to be the place where God shaped and formed him for his destiny. It was also a place where other dreamers found refuge and hope. Your greatest roadblock may be the very thing God uses to prepare you to chase down a lion and realize your dream.

Bennaiah chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day. Josheb fought an entire army and won with 800 to 1 odds. Eleazor fought till his hand froze to the sword. In this series we focus on the fears that we have run away from that God is asking us to chase down. That 500 lb lion is not an excuse but an opportunity! Many of us give up the chase and the fight too soon. Eleazor encourages us to be determined and to persevere even when the victory doesn't come easy.

When the image of a man-eating beast runs through the optic nerve and into the visual cortex, the brain sends one message... RUN! But Lion Chasers aren't wired that way. Lion Chasers run to the roar. They don't see a 500 pound problem, they go after a 500 pound dream that God has given to them. During this series called "Chase the Lion", our prayer is that you would be able to identify the dream God is calling you to chase, and step out in faith and courage to go for it.

When the image of a man-eating beast runs through the optic nerve and into the visual cortex, the brain sends one message... RUN! But Lion Chasers aren't wired that way. Lion Chasers run to the roar. They don't see a 500 pound problem, they go after a 500 pound dream that God has given to them. During this series called "Chase the Lion", our prayer is that you would be able to identify the dream God is calling you to chase, and step out in faith and courage to go for it.

Today we hear from Olive Aneno, of Compassion Canada. She was born and raised in Northern Uganda. At age 6 she was sponsored into compassion's child development program. She moved to the U.S. on a volleyball scholarship and has earned a master's in social work. Come listen to the impact of sponsorship on a child's life.

Have you ever needed a translator? Maybe when you were in a different country? Maybe with your co-workers... maybe with your spouse!? We have a communication problem... we are all entrenched in our own way of thinking, listening, and speaking. Jesus calls us to a future of unity that is not based on uniformity but embraces diversity. But to get from here to there we will need an interpreter to help us.

2017-07-09 God Through My iPod - Part 10: The Frozen Man, Trent Berstad by

2017-07-09 God Through My iPod - Part 9: Last Night of the World, Matt Dyck by

When in the midst of the storm, sometimes worry and doubt creeps in and causes fear. Jesus promises His presence will be with us at all times. He will never leave us. This Sunday, we will listen to the song on my iPod, "At the Mention of Your Name" by Jenn Johnson, a reminder of His promise that in the storm He comes close and comforts us.

The first track on this year's God on my iPod is "My Back Pages", by Bob Dylan. In the song, Dylan challenges us to continue to grow with an open mind, and rethink what we thought we once knew. It sounds very similar to a conversation Jesus has with a man named Nicodemus calling him to be born again. What would it look like for us, as we get older to become younger, and even child like in our faith? Join us this Sunday to discover what can happen when we sit in relationship with Jesus.

The apostle John gives us the definition of true love: Jesus giving up His life for us. What are the implications of Jesus' selfless example of love for the early church? How do we follow Jesus in being living examples of love to each other and the world around us based on what Jesus did? How do we relate to each other during this season in the life of SunWest given what John calls us to?

Paul writes to the church in Corinth because they were disputing over who was more important because of their teaching or leading ability. Paul helps the church refocus on the importance of Christ as the foundation for the church and for the individual.

Having the Holy Spirit is one thing but He is useless to us if we don't use Him. He is there to guide us and protect us but He is also there to lead us to a closer relationship with Christ. Do we really believe that the Holy Spirit can do what He says He can do? Do we truly trust God with the details of our lives? God has glorious, unlimited resources available to us as stated in Ephesians 3:16. Come discover a God who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or imagine!

Have you ever struggled in your relationship with Jesus? Maybe you feel like no matter how hard you try, something always gets in the way. Come learn more this Sunday from II Corinthians 3:16 that when we turn to Jesus, the veil can be removed for us to experience His love more fully. That love changes us into a reflection of His likeness and glory for the world to see.

Have you ever felt frustrated and stuck in your spiritual growth? Or perhaps you're currently feeling as though you should be further along in your Christian journey than where you are. This Sunday, come explore the Colossians 3:16 passage where the Apostle Paul gives some practical, down to earth, gritty advice about how we can grow in our faith walk. This message will be inspired by a small church that made a global impact. Come dive into Colossians and see how this 3:16 reference, written 2000 years ago, can kick start even the most stuck individual.

Every week we gather and talk about the Book. We encourage people to read this Book. We try and live our lives by the teachings of this Book. This Book is the Bible. What is it? Is it any different from other religious writings? Why should I trust it? Have you been asked any of these questions and struggle to answer them? If so, this Sunday is for you.

Philippians 2 is one of the most foundational scriptures on Servanthood. These verses are likely the words from a common first century hymn. So, how does this 2000-year-old hymn help us today? We will consider some very practical applications for work life and real day-to-day living.

Today, we can be addicted to selfies as a way to promote ourselves, but what happens when we turn the camera around and focus on the people around us? When we start to focus our lives on loving God our eyes can't help but be opened to the needs of our neighbours. When we make servanthood a value we begin to work together with God to expand His Kingdom.

Nehemiah leveraged his time, talents and treasure to respond to God's call to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But this was only possible when others did the same. Being generous is good, but being a generous community is better. We can do more together than we can do apart.