Walk As He Walked, with Pastor Cam Stevens

Giving, praying, fasting, confessing, etc… all these things Jesus teaches are things we ought to do. Yet it can be difficult to fall into a disciplined structure of consistent practice. Being spiritually disciplined as a follower of Jesus is not only beneficial to our lives, it can serve as a powerful testimony to those around us of the transforming power of God.

What does it mean to 'fast'? Is it something we are commanded by God to do? If so, how do we do it? For some it's a diet trend that keeps their body and skin healthy. Yet from God's intended meaning, it has spiritual implications that go way beyond the outer layer. Fasting is something that should and can be done in a proper way that honors God.

Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we have at our disposal. As children of God, we have direct access to come before our heavenly Father. Jesus teaches and provides us a model of how we ought to pray. While not a legalistic standard, it is imperative to remember who it is we are praying to. Our reverence for God must come first, with a willingness to yield to His will in all things.

Mothers Day serves as a day to honor the women in our lives who have nurtured, raised, taught, and loved us in fulfilling God's call on their lives. The various roles a mother fulfills can bring on a slew of emotions, all of which are natural. Yet what should motivate a mother is her unreserved love for God because of who He is.

As Jesus just clarified certain laws that had been misconstrued, He now begins to teach proper righteousness. As we live in the grace of God, we ought to practice righteousness according to His Word, not religious tradition. The first way in which we can practice right living is in the way we give to those in need. Too many "sound the alarm" to let others know how good they are by their giving. We don't need to let others know we give. We should seek to honor the Lord, not to receive the praise of those around us.

**This is part 2 of 2 from the same sermon entitled, "Unwelcome Impositions" from Matthew 5:38-48. When others impose upon us in a way we don't appreciate, Jesus calls us in that moment to exert self-control and not retaliate. Yet He also calls us to love those who insult and take advantage of us. We are to love everyone with the same love that God shows towards us: agape/divine love. Our love, regardless of the ill treatment we are given, will display grace upon grace to those who need it. Yet, how are we to get to such a place of spiritual maturity? Jesus give us His instructions on how to be perfect. The question is, are you willing to obey?

**This is part 1 of 2 from the same sermon entitled, "Unwelcome Impositions" from Matthew 5:38-48. Has anyone every imposed circumstances upon you, that you weren't prepared to accept, with or without your approval? In this portion of Jesus' sermon, He gives us one of the most difficult things to do as Christians...exhibit self-control and love in the moment of insult and imposition.

We serve a God who is faithful and true, and always fulfills His promises to His people. Jesus gave us the example of a life that stands on the truth of God’s Word. He even made the proclamation that He is Truth! We are to therefore be people who live a life of integrity in all circumstances. In the eyes of God, there is no justification for lies. At all times we are to speak truth, and live truth to be an example to others to the righteousness of God.

After discussing the real issue behind our anger and lustful issues, Jesus directly addresses divorce. Many look to justify divorce for a myriad of reasons. Jesus clarifies that true biblical marriage is a covenantal agreement that should never be broken. Forgiveness, grace, and truth should mark every marriage relationship as it reflects all that God has done for us. What God has joined together, let not man separate.

As Jesus continues through His sermon, He covers "issues of life" that everyone will wrestle with. In this portion, He addresses the heart issue of lust. True, not everyone will commit an act of adultery, but everyone will struggle with the sin of lust. What matters to God is the condition of your heart. The more we gaze at others to satisfy our own desires, the less we fix our eyes on Jesus. Jesus then offers us an immediate and extreme resolve to this issue. Are you willing to gouge and cut to remain pure before the Lord? *Due to the nature of the content, parents please preview prior to showing your children. Or use the material to address this issue with your pre-teen and teenage children. It's an issue that affects them as well.

The next portion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount pertains to six issues of life that everyone will face. In this message, we look at the first: anger. Jesus likens anger to murder. Every one of us has the capability to murder. But God has given us the ability to consider the source of our emotion prior to it manifesting into something greater. God cares about the purity of our heart and our relationship with others.

There is no greater moment in history than the resurrection of Jesus Christ! It is the single greatest day in history for those who believe. For those who have not put their trust in Jesus, the proof is undeniable. Even atheists and agnostics believe in the basic truths of the resurrection: Jesus died. The tomb is empty. There were eyewitnesses. The church that has lasted for over 2000 years. Everyone has to reconcile the truth of the resurrection. It's implications are eternal. Put your trust in Jesus today!

The crucifixion and death of Jesus is something that should be viewed as tragic. An innocent man dying doesn't seem right. Yet because of who He is, and why He came, this moment holds so much more for us than many realize. Jesus was not just a man. He was God in the flesh who died to forgive us of our sins, because that is the only way we could receive salvation. We serve a God who loves us and desires a relationship with us. That's how He redefined such a tragic moment into something we now call good.

On Palm Sunday, we remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion. Yet to better appreciate why He entered in the way He did, we look at a couple preceding stories to gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and why He came. The resurrection of Lazarus shows us God's power and grace, even in the most difficult of circumstances. The anointing of Jesus shows us sacrificial worship that He most certainly deserves.

With Easter season upon us, it's important to take a look at who Jesus is and why He came. This may help us have a deeper appreciation of why He entered Jerusalem to cheers and praise, only to be mocked and crucified a week later. The very character of God is what we need. Apart from God, we are obscure, crude, and deceitful. But the free gift of God is salvation in Jesus, in whom we receive glory, grace, and truth.

Jesus came to fulfill the law...every ounce of it! Jesus calls us to something higher than "just keeping the rules". He calls us to live right in a wrong world. He calls us to live pure in an impure world. The righteousness He gives flows freely from the cross at Calvary. We live accordingly because God deserves the glory. We live so others can see Christ. So yes, you are extremely valuable in the eyes of God and have an amazing opportunity to live in His kingdom here on earth.

Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and lights in this world. In light of the beatitudes He just explained, how are these expressions lived out in the midst of the world around us? We can be salty to bring flavor to the world, or we can be too salty and have the world spit us out. Make sure you live in a way that brings a better understanding of Jesus to others. He get the glory!

Jesus is our Prince of Peace. We serve a God of peace. He promises us peace. And He calls on us to make peace by our words and actions in this chaotic world. The final Beatitude is something different. It’s the external reaction of a dark world towards those who are living out the aforementioned character traits. If we are being who God has created us to be, we will be mocked and reviled by society. It’s a promised expectation from the One who experienced it all. Jesus promises to be with us through it all.

Jesus continues His teaching through the Beatitudes by calling us to be pure. Purity simply means to that we are to have a single-minded devotion to God alone. Anything else that does not meet the standards of God and His Word does not belong in our line of sight. By no means do we just play the part by looking religious. A pure heart allows us to see God in all things, and in that, have a greater ability to make decisions that benefit His kingdom.

Jesus calls us to be forgiving and compassionate to others, at all times and in every circumstance. Of course when we are hurt or harmed, this doesn't come easy. So how do we attain a deeper commitment to forgive others? Look to Jesus. How to do we attain a greater sense of compassion? Look to Jesus. These are not character traits that come natural to us. We do not have the strength to accomplish this on our own. Yet we have the very Spirit of God in us that empowers us to forgive the seemingly unforgiveable, and to show mercy to those we don't feel deserving of it. Yet, if we remember how God showed us mercy, we can see how others deserve it just as much as we do.

This next beatitude Jesus teaches is one we can all digest a little easier :) Get it? When Jesus calls us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, it's something we go after. It's something we pursue. We all understand what it means to be hungry and thirsty. We know when our body sends us signals that we are running on empty and need more energy. The question becomes, what are you feeding on spiritually that will bring you satisfaction to continue to run this race?

Meekness is one of those terms we don't use much in our day and age. Yet it's meaning has tremendous implications on who we are and how we live in the kingdom of God. If humility is the inner position of a self-controlled spirit, then meekness is the external display of that spirit to others. Meekness is gentleness and self-control. Jesus gave us the perfect example of what that looks like lived out. So let's look at some practical steps on what it looks like to be meek.

Jesus begins what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached! He begins with multiple statements of blessing, and therein lies something amazing if we take the time to grasp what Jesus is telling us. In His first two statements, Jesus says those justified by faith are blessed if they are poor in spirit and who mourn. Those doesn’t sound encouraging, but we need a deeper understanding of just what He is saying. Once we understand, everything else falls in line.

Jesus begins His ministry by proclaiming repentance, choosing His disciples, and calling them to follow. The depth of our life as disciples of Jesus is marked by the degree of our fellowship and followership. He leads. We follow. How close are you in proximity to your Rabbi?

Prior to the start of His ministry, the Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness. There He is tempted by Satan in three ways: to satisfy His own desires, to test the faithfulness of God, and to remove Himself from the will of His Father. Yet, Jesus responds to each temptation with the power and truth of the Word of God. As we identify with our Savior, He gives us the perfect example of how to deal with the temptations we face in life. It’s up to us to arm ourselves with the sword of the Spirit as we continue to walk like Jesus.

Many ask the questions, "Why did Jesus get baptized? Does that mean he wasn't divine?" The simple answer is no. Jesus is fully God and fully man. He stepped into baptism for the same reason he took on human flesh, to identify with those he would save, and so that we would be able to further identify with our Savior. His baptism is the fulfillment of so many things, and gives us a model to follow in humility, obedience, and righteousness.

The ministry of John the Baptist was foretold in scripture on a couple occasions. And an angel appeared to his father Zechariah to tell him that he would be a significant individual for the Lord. So we see the account of John in all four gospels. His purpose was to prepare the way of the Lord. He arrived to call people to repentance as their Messiah had arrived. The call of John is in a sense our call today. We are to live as those set free from sin and herald the good news to let others know that Jesus is coming soon!

The story of Jesus’ early life is one fraught with turmoil and transition. So we get a glimpse of what His life and ministry will be like later on. Yet through it all, Matthew gives us a beautiful snapshot of willing obedience in the face of turmoil. Joseph and Mary display pure trust in the word of God. Even though they had to uproot and move out of the country, God provided for them. In a few circumstances of prophetic fulfillment, Matthew shows us that all of Scripture points to Jesus as our Savior. Trust God. Pray. Seek Him with all your heart.

There are some questions to consider in our worship. When does it happen? Where can it happen? How does it happen? Who does it come from, and to where does it go? If our worship is conditional, doesn't that mean there will be limitations, if not an end to it? But we serve an infinite God! If we are trying to define worship, it must be solely dependent upon the recipient of our worship. Reflect on this past year and move forward with a greater sense of who it is we praise!

The story of the wise men is intriguing. We don’t know a lot about them, other than what’s revealed to us. Ultimately what we take away from their story is the incredible response of faith towards Jesus! King Herod tries to destroy Him. The religious elite, despite having the Word of God ignored Him. But these outsiders go to great lengths to worship Him! What is our response to God’s truth and the revelation of His Word? May we allow this Christmas to remind us to focus our eyes on the light of Jesus and make our life a sacrifice to Him.

Do you know what your name means? Does it hold value to who you are and your family's heritage? As we begin our study of the first gospel, we look at Matthew's account of the genealogy of Jesus. Beyond the list of names from Abraham to Jesus, it contains so much value as a beautiful picture of the grace of God, and His eternal gospel. And, as an added bonus, we get to use this week and the next two as a part of our Christmas series, "Above Every Name"! Follow along as we begin an awesome study of the life of our Savior, King Jesus.

When we go through hard times, or even know when hard circumstances are going to present themselves, our response will be predicated on our knowledge of God. The more we understand and know God, the better our response will be to difficult seasons of life. Habakkuk asked God his questions in confusion, and that eventually gave way to a song of praise. When we trust in the sovereignty, faithfulness, and goodness of God, we can be at peace.

Jesus was very intentional where He went and who He ministered to. As we follow Jesus, our lives should be marked by intentionality and purpose. As we keep in step with the Spirit, He will lead us where we need to be and place before us who we need to speak to. Our job is to be obedient and willing to share the love of Jesus with others.

One of the more influential verses in all of God's Word is first delivered to Habakkuk, "the righteous shall live by faith". This verse would go on to be repeated 3 other times in the New Testament. When adversity strikes and/or when sin creeps at the door, our charge as followers of Christ is to live by faith. There is no nothing else that will allow us to conquer this world than that. Take hope and comfort that God listens to your prayers, and will answer in His perfect timing. Until then, live by faith.

The world has been in a perpetual state of chaos and there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. Wars in Ukraine and Israel, riots and disputes here at home, political upheaval, personal distress, and the list goes on. So what do we do? How are we to respond? How do we maintain our faith in God when there doesn't seem to be any hope or peace on the horizon? Thankfully, the prophet Habakkuk asked these very questions to God over 2,500 years ago, and God answered! So let's learn from our Sovereign Lord and what our perspective should be in times of chaos.

One of the greatest things we can do is pray. Jesus taught us how to pray. Yet, we fail to take advantage of this great weapon as we go in to battle every day. Paul makes it very clear that we are to pray at all times, in the Spirit, with alertness and perseverance. We should pray for others as they’re in the midst of their battles, and we should ask for prayer as we go through ours. Stop underestimating the power of prayer!

When we talk about spiritual warfare, there are lot of things to consider. Yet through them all, we are assured of a few things: 1) Victory has already been won before we take one step. 2) We need to grow in our strength of the Lord and armor up. 3) We stand our ground in the face of attack. Where so many of us fall short is fully believing the battle has already been won. Jesus has defeated the enemy. He has conquered and demolished any stronghold. We stand firm in that knowledge and move forward in confidence and courage.

As we walk with Jesus, we are not alone. The Spirit of God is always with us. But there are others that are always watching how we walk, and it’s those we spend hours and hours with each day; our family and coworkers. It is vital that our faith in action is truly reflective of the Spirit of God in us. We model for our children and those we work with what the transformative power of Jesus looks like. It's a high calling, and one we are called to walk in.

As we pursue our walk in unity, holiness, love, and light, the Apostle Paul now gives us practical examples of how to live that out in life. The first of which is in marriage. God has ordained the husband and wife to walk hand in hand based on the example of Christ. In so doing, our marriage becomes an example of Jesus’ sacrificial love.

Continuing our walk through the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul calls on us to walk in love, because God is love. He calls on us to walk as children of Light, because the light of Christ is in us. He calls on us to walk in the wisdom of God, because this world is evil and we need to walk carefully. What do each of these look like in real life? Allow God's Word to speak very loud and clear, and in so doing, God will reveal His will for your life.

Our life in Christ is so much more than the attainment of knowledge. If we don't live out what we've been given, it is a form of idolatry. We've been created to live, move, and breathe the light and love of Christ. Yet so many say Christianity is nothing more than a list of 'can'ts' and 'don'ts'. While true in part, there is so much that we can do that the world is blind to seeing. Our job is to be an example of Christlike humility and love so the world can see how they can be set free in Jesus' name!

Discerning the voice of God is important for us to be able to live out the call He has given: to live in & maintain unity in the church under the authority of the one true God. He has given us His Spirit, His Word, and His instruction through man to teach us how to live this out in truth and love.

The complexity & diversity of the church is a beautiful thing. It’s something we get to be a part of!! So long as we submit to the Lordship of Jesus, believe in the value He places on us, and ground ourselves in the truth of His word. Only then can we be witness to His powerful work in our lives.

Once and for all, Jesus tore down the wall of separation between us and God. By His blood, we are free from the restraints and shame of who we once were. What a beautiful thing to know God and His incredible love for us. However, many live with built up animosity and even hostility towards others. What must we do to give those differences over to the Lord and truly live in the peace that only Jesus can supply?

The beautiful story of God's grace is that it's completely free. We don't have to work to attain it. We don't have to find ourselves in good standing before receiving it. We just have to believe and have faith in the mighty name of Jesus. He chose us. He loves us. It's by His grace that we are forgiven and set free.

The Apostle Paul prayed 4 specific things for the church in Ephesus that I believe are meant for us today wherever we find ourselves. We may be okay with the fact that Jesus has forgiven our sins and even believe that He defeated death. Yet we should keep pining for a deeper knowledge of God, the grace He gives us, and the hope we have in Him as we live out our days on Earth. There's always room for more. Dive into deeper fellowship with Him today!

The list keeps growing in the ways God blesses us, all because He has loved us from the beginning of time. If we really pause to reflect on Him, so much of our worries disappear. When we believe in Him, He sets us free and secures our place in glory until Jesus comes again. What favor! What grace!

The book of Ephesians is a strong word of encouragement to the church and individuals seeking to follow Jesus at a deeper level. The basic principles taught in Ephesians can radically shift our perspective of who God is, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The first step is to reflect on who God is and the beautiful love He has for us that began before He uttered the words, "Let there be light". We were on God's mind before anything was made. He desires a relationship with you. That's why He created you. If we spend time on that fact, it'll change the very nature by which you see yourself and the world around you.

We make choices every day, some good, some bad. However, in Psalm 1, we are told to be very careful not to go down the slippery slope of apostasy (falling away). It can happen to anyone who doesn't keep their eyes on Jesus, and God's word before them. May we be encouraged to make the deep-rooted choice to plant ourselves in the living water of God's truth.

As a part of the body of Christ, we have an obligation to encourage and support others, especially those in the church. John provides a short glimpse into the life of one such individual. How he supports others brings honor to God, is obedient to God, and brings significance to the kingdom of God. We should surround ourselves with those who are living in such a way to encourage them, and be motivated to do the same. Just as the Apostle Paul stated, "imitate me as I imitate Christ."