Summer Stories - Grace City Church

"How to Handle Uncertainty"

August 18, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 37:5, John 14:27

How To Handle Times of Uncertainty? Cast https://biblia.com/bible/niv/1%20pet%205.7 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Commit https://biblia.com/bible/niv/ps%2037.5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Claim https://biblia.com/bible/niv/john%2014.27 27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

The C’s of Uncertainty

August 11, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • 1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 37:5, John 14:27

How To Handle Times of Uncertainty? Cast https://biblia.com/bible/niv/1%20pet%205.7 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Commit https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/ps%2037.5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Claim https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/john%2014.27 27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

How to Keep On Keeping On

August 4, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • Philippians 3:12–14, Hebrews 12:1

"How to Spiritually Move in the Right Direction" 12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/phil%203.12-14 How To Spiritually Move in the Right Direction 1. Keep pressing on. Things That Stop Our Spiritual Growth: Change of Schedule Struggle with a Sin https://biblia.com/bible/niv/heb%2012.1 (GNT) As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Season of Dryness 2. Focus on the future not the past. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/phil%203.13 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

Called and Sent

July 28, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • Romans 10:13–15, Romans 12:2, Romans 1:7

A Life Well Sent 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/rom%2010.13-15 The GOOD NEWS of JESUS Involves 3 Things: 1. A calling to be saved. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/rom%2010.13 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 2. A calling to be set-apart. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/rom%2012.2 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3. A calling to be sent. V.14 “how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? V.14 “how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” V.15 “And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/rom%201.7 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people How Do You Live a Life Well Sent? Extend an invite. Share your story.

The Grip of Grief

July 21, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • Psalm 34:18, John 11:33, John 11:17–21, John 11:5, John 11:34–37

HOW TO HANDLE THE GRIP OF GRIEF 1. Grief will make you question God. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/john%2011.17-21 17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 2-Areas You May Question God. 1.) His timing. 2.) His love. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/john%2011.5 5 So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/john%2011.34-37 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?” https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/ps%2034.18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 2. Grief will make you go through a wide-range of emotions. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/john%2011.33 (NLT) 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/john%2011.38 38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. … https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/heb%202.14-15 14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. 3. Jesus wants to go to the places that stink in your life. 4. There will be a great family reunion one day!

What Obedience Means

July 14, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • 1 Samuel 15:20–23, 1 Timothy 6:10, Ephesians 5:16, 2 Timothy 3:1–5, 1 Samuel 15:9

What Obedience Means 20 “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/1%20sam%2015.20-23 OBEDIENCE to GOD means: 1. Doing what GOD says. What’s evil? Anything you love more than God. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/1%20tim%206.10 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. Anything you put before God. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/eph%205.16 (CET) These are evil times, so make every minute count. Anything you desire above God. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/2%20tim%203.1-5 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2. Not giving excuses. 3. Fully submitting. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/1%20sam%2015.22 Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/1%20sam%2015.23 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

How to Suffer Well

July 7, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, 2 Corinthians 12:8–9, Matthew 5:45, Job 2:9

How to Suffer Well Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/2%20cor%2012.8-9 8 How To Suffer Well: 1. Understand everyone will experience suffering in this world. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/matt%205.45…For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 2. At some point you must accept it. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/2%20cor%2012.8 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/job%202.9 “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” 3. Find encouragement in God’s promises not pointless explanations. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/2%20cor%204.16-18 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 4. God has a purpose in our pain.

Characteristics of Cults

June 30, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • 1 John 4:1–3, 1 Timothy 4:1–3, 1 John 4:2–3

"How to Recognize a Cult" Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. 1 John 4:1-3 (NLT) The Bible Gives Us Some Warnings: 1. Don’t believe everyone who speaks about Jesus. 2. Test the spirit. 3. We can know. 4. It’s a sign of the end times. https://biblia.com/bible/nlt/1%20tim%204.1-3 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. Here’s the Test: Deity of Christ. Bible ultimate authority. Church or Denomination exclusivity. Infallible person.

What it Means to be Compassionate and Caring

June 23, 2024 • Pastor Danny Bennett • Proverbs 17:5, Proverbs 21:13, Proverbs 28:27, James 2:15–17, Romans 12:13

1. Bible has very strong words towards those who aren’t compassionate. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/prov%2017.5 Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/prov%2021.13 Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/prov%2028.27 Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed. 2. Has to be lived-out in the church, if it’s going to be lived outside the church. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/james%202.15-17 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/rom%2012.13 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 3. God commands us to give a portion to the poor. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/lev%2019.9-10 9 “When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. 10 It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the Lord your God. 4. We are to use discernment. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/matt%2010.16 16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/2%20thess%203.10 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” https://biblia.com/bible/niv/prov%2010.4 4 Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. 5. God rewards those who are compassionate. https://biblia.com/bible/niv/matt%2010.42 42 And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” https://biblia.com/bible/niv/prov%2019.17 17 If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!