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Where Abundance Meets Compassion The Over flow We believe that God's blessings are meant to be shared. Just as His love overflows into our lives, we're here to overflow into our community — providing nourishment, hope, and support to those in need. Whether you're facing a temporary challenge or seeking a helping hand, our hearts and hands are open. Because when we have more than enough, it's meant to overflow to others. "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me. . . whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"– Luke 6:38 Get Help Donation Guidelines We are deeply grateful for your generosity! Your donations help us provide essential support to individuals and families in need. To make sure all items are safe, helpful, and respectful to those we serve, please follow the guidelines below. Accepted Food Donations We accept non-perishable items only (boxed, canned, or shelf-stable). Items must be unopened and within their expiration date. Please avoid glass containers if possible (they can break in transit). Suggested items: Pasta/pasta sauce Canned soups Canned vegetables Canned beans Canned fruit Canned tuna Canned chicken Rice Oats Trail mix Cereal Granola bars Applesauce Crackers Broth Salsa Chips Instant mashed potatoes Hamburger helper Bottled water Accepted Clothing Donations We accept clean, gently used clothing. Please avoid clothing with stains, rips, or heavy wear. Seasonal items are especially appreciated (coats in winter, lighter wear in summer). We also welcome shoes in good condition and new socks and undergarments. Suggested items: Adult clothes Kids clothes Baby clothes Coats Hats Gloves Scarves Socks Underwear Shoes Boots Accepted Toiletry Donations We accept non-perishable items only. Items must be unopened and within their expiration date. Please avoid glass containers if possible (they can break in transit). Suggested items: Toilet paper Paper towel Soap Tooth paste Toothbrushes Deodorant Detergent Disclaimer: All donations will undergo a quick check by our team before being accepted. This helps ensure food is safe, clothing is in good condition, and all items are useful for the people we serve. Schedule a Donation Have a question or looking for additional guidance? Speak to a Bridgeway ministry leader at one of our services or contact us here .

< Back Summer Bods Series Pt. 6: Bad Habits Pastor Nate Brosher Jul 21, 2024 2Kings 5:20-27 NLT - 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, "My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the LORD lives, I will chase after him and get something from him." 21 So Gehazi set off after Naaman. When Naaman saw Gehazi running after him, he climbed down from his chariot and went to meet him. "Is everything all right?" Naaman asked. 22 "Yes," Gehazi said, "but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them." 23 "By all means, take twice as much silver," Naaman insisted. He gave him two sets of clothing, tied up the money in two bags, and sent two of his servants to carry the gifts for Gehazi. 24 But when they arrived at the citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house. 25 When he went in to his master, Elisha asked him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" "I haven't been anywhere," he replied. 26 But Elisha asked him, "Don't you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants? 27 Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman's leprosy forever." When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow. 1. Flesh Habits - Greed – an excessive, extreme desire for something, often more than one's proper share. 2Kings 7:1-11, 17-20 NLT - 1 Elisha replied, "Listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver." 2 The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, "That couldn't happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!" But Elisha replied, "You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won't be able to eat any of it!" 3 Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. "Why should we sit here waiting to die?" they asked each other. 4 "We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So, we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway." 5 So at twilight they set out for the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! 6 For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. "The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!" they cried to one another. 7 So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, as they fled for their lives. 8 When the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating and drinking wine; and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and hid it. 9 Finally, they said to each other, "This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace." 10 So they went back to the city and told the gatekeepers what had happened. "We went out to the Aramean camp," they said, "and no one was there! The horses and donkeys were tethered, and the tents were all in order, but there wasn't a single person around!" 11 Then the gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace. ... 17 The king appointed his officer to control the traffic at the gate, but he was knocked down and trampled to death as the people rushed out. So, everything happened exactly as the man of God had predicted when the king came to his house. 18 The man of God had said to the king, "By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost one piece of silver." 19 The king's officer had replied, "That couldn't happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!" And the man of God had said, "You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won't be able to eat any of it!" 20 And so it was, for the people trampled him to death at the gate! 2. Learn from bad decisions. Lamentations 5:7 ESV - 7 Our fathers sinned and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. Leviticus 26:39-42 ESV - 39 And those of you who are left shall rot away in your enemies' lands because of their iniquity, and also because of the iniquities of their fathers they shall rot away like them. 40 "But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers in their treachery that they committed against me, and also in walking contrary to me, 41 so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies--if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ■ No Longer Bound! John 9:1-3 NLT 1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" 3 "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins," Jesus answered. "This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. Matthew 5:17-18 CSB - 17 "Don't think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished. Galatians 1:4 NLT - 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. Romans 7:4-6 NLT 4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Romans 6:23 NLT 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Previous Next

< Back The Romans Journey Pt. 6: In Christ Alone Pastor Nate Brosher Mar 26, 2025 Romans 7:14-20 NLT - 14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 1. Identifying your problem Hebrews 12:1 ESV - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Weight – ogkos – Whatever is prominent, burdened, encumbrance/dependent upon. Sin – hamartia – To miss the mark, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act. John 15:5 ESV - 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Romans 7:21-25 NLT - 21 I have discovered this principle of life--that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God's law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So, you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. 2. In Christ Alone John 1:29 ESV - 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 1John 2:1-2 ESV - 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. Propitiation – hilasmos – an appeasing, satisfies divine justice and allows for forgiveness and reconciliation. Romans 3:25 NLT - 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT - 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. Hebrews 12:2 ESV - 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3. Death could not hold Him! 1Corinthians 15:55-57 ESV - 55 "O death, where is your victory? O death where is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. - Victory in Jesus! Revelation 12:10-12 NLT - 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has come at last--salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth--the one who accuses them before our God Day and night. 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time." Previous Next

< Back Sabbath Series Pt. 4: Leisure & Liturgy Chase Radford Jul 23, 2025 Full notes here: https://estd.craft.me/SS4-Leisure-Liturgy Previous Next

< Back Encounters Series Pt. 6: Wait Pastor Nate Brosher Sep 15, 2024 Isaiah 40:27-31 ESV - 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 1. It’s so hard to wait. “Impatience is the nemesis to our waiting and being patient.” Wait – (Qava) - to wait or look eagerly for, hope, trust and expect. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT - 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. 2. What are we longing for? Psalm 42:1-2 NLT - 1 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Solomon said, “I Thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him?” Matthew 5:6 NKJV - 6 Blessed [are] those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Filled – (Chortazo) - to fulfil or satisfy the desire of anyone. 3. What are we desiring? Psalm 27:4-5 NLT - 4 The one thing I ask of the LORD--the thing I seek most--is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. House – (Bayit) – Dwelling habitation of abode of light and darkness. Jewish word Sheol/Greek word Hades. 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 NLT - 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long aswe live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord (to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord). 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. How do we abide in his presence? Psalm 22:2-3 KJV - 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou [art] holy, [O thou] that inhabits the praises of Israel. Inhabits – (Yasab) - to dwell, remain, sit, abide. God dwells with us when we praise him. Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV - 1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. Previous Next

< Back The Journey Series Pt. 5: Any Way You Want It Pastor Nate Brosher Dec 1, 2024 Matthew 24:4-14 NLT - 4 Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. 9 "Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. 1. My Way is the Right Way. - “Don’t offend me.”. (My feelings outweigh truth.) Matthew 15:11-12 ESV - 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person." 12 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" - “I’m comfortable in my lifestyle of sin.” (You can’t judge me!) Matthew 7:1-2 ESV - 1 "Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 ESV - 33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT - 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths. - “I go to church, I’m ok.” (Form of Godliness) 2 Timothy 3:5 NLT - 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV - 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. ■ Abstain – Refrain, hold yourself back from. - “I don’t have to share my faith.” (God knows my heart.) Matthew 10:32-33 NLT - 32 "Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Ephesians 4:25 ESV - 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Romans 12:1-2 NKJV - 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 2. Don’t be Misled! Matthew 24:4 Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many. Matthew 24:11 - And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Previous Next

< Back Pathways: The Gifts of the Spirit (Session 6) Pastor Nate Brosher and Chase Radford Jun 5, 2024 Link to study guide: https://estd.craft.me/gifts Previous Next

< Back Under Construction Pastor Nate Brosher Oct 27, 2024 Ephesians 2:17-22 NLT - 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. 1. He’s the potter, we are the clay. Isaiah 64:8 ESV - 8 But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Potter – a person who makes objects from clay. What prohibits us from allowing ourselves to be put under construction? ■ Discomfort? ■ Fear of Change? Hebrews 10:11-14 NLT - 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. - If God is the potter of our lives, why are we trying to get off the wedging board when he is molding us? Hebrews 10:14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. 2. Being Made Holy ■ Holy/sanctified - hagiazō - to separate from profane things and dedicate to God. To purify by expiation: free from the guilt of sin Philippians 1:6 NLT - 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Psalm 127:1 ESV - 1 Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. Romans 8:31 NLT - 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Isaiah 55:11 NKJV - 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper [in the thing] for which I sent it. Previous Next

< Back Pathways: The Gifts of the Spirit (Session 4) Pastor Nate Brosher and Chase Radford May 22, 2024 Link to study guide: https://estd.craft.me/gifts Previous Next

< Back Letters from Paul (1 Timothy): A Good Servant Pastor Nate Brosher Nov 20, 2025 1Timothy 4:1-5 NLT - 1 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. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. 3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. 4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. 5 For we know it is made acceptable/holy by the word of God and prayer. 1Timothy 4:6-7 NLT - 6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. ■ Why are we wasting our time arguing with the Godless? Matthew 7:6 NLT - 6 "Don't waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don't throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. 1. Discernment 1Corinthians 15:32-33 NLT - 32 And what value was there in fighting wild beasts--those people of Ephesus--if there will be no resurrection from the dead? And if there is no resurrection, "Let's feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!" 33 Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character." Hebrews 12:15 ESV - 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. Proverbs 13:20 NLT - 20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. 2. Self-awareness A crowd can either pull you up, pull you down or push you off course. 1Timothy 4:8-11 NLT - 8 "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come." 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. 11 Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. ■ How do we train for godliness? ■ Train - “Gynmazo” - to exercise, discipline, practice with effort. Scripture Intake: • Daily Reading • Applying what you read. • Meditation • Memorization We can’t become what we don’t consume. Prayer: • Set times of prayer • Short prayers throughout the day • Honest prayers (not just eloquent ones) • Listening as much as speaking Prayer is not only communication, it’s formation. Worship: • Personal worship • Corporate worship • Consistent gathering with believers What you embrace consistently shapes what you become. 1Timothy 4:12-13, 15-16 NLT - 12 Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. ... 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. Previous Next

< Back The Aftermath Pt. 2: His Spirit Pastor Nate Brosher May 4, 2025 Acts 2:14-18 NLT - 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, "Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o'clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants--men and women alike--and they will prophesy. 1. His Spirit is for ALL PEOPLE! Joel 2:28-29 ESV - 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. God was setting a precedent! John 14:6-7 ESV - 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Fatheralso. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Romans 8:16-17 ESV - 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God , 17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Suffer – sympaschō – To suffer evils, persecution, troubles together, feel pain together. 1Peter 5:8-11 ESV - 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Persecution comes in many different sizes. Accusations: Matthew 24:13 ESV - 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Slandering/Mocking: Galatians 6:7-9 NKJV - 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 2. We are all witnesses! Acts 2:32-33 NLT - 32 "God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God's right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. Ephesians 1:13 NLT - 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. What does the Holy Spirit do for me? 1. Reveals God’s Truth John 14:26 NLT - 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. 2. Empowers with Spiritual Gifts Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT - 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 3. Transforms Lives Galatians 5:22-23 NLT - 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Previous Next

< Back Clothed: A Gospel of Many Colors Chase Radford Sep 14, 2025 Genesis 37:1–4 1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. God’s Plan > Our Pain John Piper: "God is so sovereign over the disasters and the disappointments of our lives that He is able to make every one of them serve our everlasting joy. This sovereign grace is the ground of your joy IN sorrows — not after sorrows, but in the sorrows of deep disappointment." Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. God will use life's disappointments to shape you into a disciple worthy of His calling (Eph. 4:1) Look again at the life of Joseph: from the pasture to the pit, Potiphar's house, and prison… this was all preparation for the palace. What is God preparing you for? Charles Spurgeon: “the Lord’s presence did not shield Joseph from hatred or temptation or slander or pain or disappointment. The Lord does not promise us that we will have what looks like prosperity, but we will have what is real prosperity in the best sense.” The Source of Who We Are John 5:39 …the Scriptures testify of me [Jesus]. Galatians 3:26-29 ...for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. God’s chosen people, holy and dearly beloved (Col. 3:12; 1 Peter 2:9) A royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) Vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory (Rom. 9:23) Overcomers (1 John 5:4-5; Rev. 12:11) More than conquerors (Rom. 8:37) The righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21) Blessed of the Father (Matt. 25:34) Brothers and sisters of Jesus (Matthew 12:48-50) The Bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; Rev. 19:7-9) Seated with Christ in the Heavenlies (Eph. 2:6) Heirs of the new Heaven and Earth (Gal. 4:7) Sons and daughters (Eph. 1:5; Rom. 8:29) Accepted and beloved (Eph. 1:6) God's treasure (Mal. 3:17) Children of the Promise (Rom. 9:8; Gal. 3:29) Children of the Light (John 12:36; 1 Thess. 5:5) Children of God (1 John 3:1) This became your identity when you trusted in Jesus! Previous Next