June 30, 2024: The Rumble of Grumble with Brian

Valley Christian Center

June 30, 2024: The Rumble of Grumble with Brian

June 30, 2024 • Brian Coons

In this illuminating word from Brian Coons, he talked about the way grumbling/complaining affects our lives. Starting by explaining that grumbling comes from agreeing with something that doesn't align with God's truth. It is rallying to a selfish cause and arises from a smoldering discontent. Brian showed us how the literal meaning of the Hebrew word for grumble is Without Foundation/Unjustified + Narrow Thinking/Self Importance + Lack of Faith. Proverbs 18:21 Death and Life are in the power of the tongue... Our grumbling can be like a negative prophecy against ourselves and opens the door to discord and division as our words echo out and have a ripple effect around us.

He went on to show what happens when we complain, signs that we complain too much, what we call it and why we say we do it (justify it), why we really do it, and the effects it has on our brain (Who knew 30 minutes of complaining a day damages your brain!?)

Brian showed us that the solution(s) to grumbling is

-Having an attitude of gratitude

-Set a goal or purpose - a solution to what is bothering you

-Return to Joy - Practice appreciation

-Savoring - Park in the positive not the negative

-Awareness/Watchfulness - Taking our thoughts captive

November 3, 2024: Taking Offense with God with Brian

November 3, 2024 • Brian Coons

Brian Coons continued from his last sermon on taking offense. This time he talked about how we can sometimes be offended with God using the story of Jonah as his example. Brian said we can get disappointed when we think God is doing the wrong thing. We can tend to project human expectations and characteristics on God and what we believe about God's character can conflict with the outcomes of His character. He says My thoughts are not your thoughts and My ways are not your ways. (Isaiah 55:8) Everything that flows from God is out of love, so even if we don't perceive God's ways to be "good" from our human perspective they ARE good. But just as with Jonah, God doesn't get upset with us when we express anger with Him. In fact, the best place to go in an offense is to Him! We certainly don't want to run/hide/avoid like Jonah did! Brian said, "God isn't looking for our agreement, but for our trust and partnership." God wants us fully surrendered to Him. Brian went on to share a "To-Do List" for us if we find ourselves offended with God.

September 15, 2024: That's Offensive

September 15, 2024 • Brian Coons

Brian spoke on taking offense, what offense really is, and how offense affects our brains. He said that the number one thing that distracts and takes Christians out is offense. We think of it as something done to us not as something we choose, but it is an active concept, as in "taking" or "choosing" to be offended. Brian pointed out that the definition of offense is "the breach of law or rule", in other words sin. But most offenses are actually disagreements not offenses. We can disagree and still live in community with one another. We take offense because of insecurities and assumptions. There is a threat to our sense of self. It's like the enemy sets a trap and we take the bait. Proverbs 19:11 A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense.

April 7, 2024: Reconciling Love & Anger

April 7, 2024 • Brian Coons

Brian continued with his deep dive into the topic of emotions with an insightful word on Reconciling Love + Anger. He broke down how human anger is (technically) a 90 second chemical response but how we can get stuck in a cycle of anger if we ruminate on those feelings and circumstances. Usually, the thing that triggers our anger isn't the root cause of our anger. Anger is meant to be a protective emotion, but we can spiral down into areas that we aren't meant to be if we don't take our thoughts captive. Then Brian pointed out how God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and neither are our ways His ways. (Isaiah 55:8) We tend to interpret God's character based on what we experience as humans. But God IS love so everything He says and does is coming from pure love. He defined God's wrath as His love in action against sin. "The wrath of God is not an emotion or angry frame of mind, but instead the settled opposition of His holiness to evil."