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Ecclesiastes 5:10-20 Our lives are remarkably privileged. We have the ability and freedom to accumulate more objects, relationships, and experiences than most of the people who have lived on the face of this planet since Eden. Even the less wealthy among us are inarguably blessed when compared to any objective standard in history. And yet we are often dissatisfied and empty inside. Why? Because it is not what we have but, rather, what we appreciate that makes for happiness; we need to learn how to be grateful and present in each moment if we are to be happy.

The church is made up of many individuals, and none of us could do the work of ministry all by ourselves. In fact, even if we all pitch in together, our efforts are not enough for the mission before us; we can ONLY do the work in God's power and with one another's love and commitment. Our FORWARD campaign has been immensely successful, thanks to God and generous hearts. It has been truly incredible to see how God and the people of Sunshine are stepping out in faith and courage together into the future! Now, it is time to use these gifts boldly and together!

Luke 8:4-8 We are called and commissioned to scatter the life-changing Gospel invitation wherever we go and with whomever we meet. ~Kevin Harney shares this message about the power of prayer and Organic Outreach.

Zechariah 4 God loves to get things done in ways that highlight his majesty and glory. That means he prefers his people to be willingly dependent, weak, and yielded to him. That way, when he shows up, everyone can be sure that the results came not by our might, not by human power, but by his Spirit! The best part of leaning into a Sabbath year is the revelation of the difference between our visible "power" and God's invisible Spirit. When we willingly refrain from doing things in a way that rests on human effort, the miraculous power of God shines through all the more!

Hebrews 3:7-4:13 For some strange reason, we often prefer self-salvation over God's salvation. We prefer to let everything ride on our own performance and goodness, rather than accepting God's generosity and grace. Because we are so stubbornly prone to rely on our own flawed plans and weak wills, we will always be fighting our rebellious hearts and spending ourselves to relax into the promises of God. Learning to rest well somehow always demands immense self-control, patience, and discipline; ironically, real rest is actually very challenging work!

Leviticus 25:8-22 The second message in the series: GIVE IT A REST!  This sermon talks about rest and the best way to relax into the good promises of God and the healing boundaries he has set for us. We want the church that can only be built by his power, and we see his power best when we are still and waiting on him. This message looks further into Leviticus 25 and the concept of Jubilee. This chapter teaches us that we periodically need a clean slate and a fresh start together; we need to tare the scales!

Welcome to our series, Give it a Rest! We are taking time to consider the concept of a Sabbath year rest for the land, as commanded in Leviticus 25. In this passage, God reveals that he wants us to take periodic rests from our intensely-driven version of harvest to experience a more dependent and humbling way to be nourished directly by him. Regular intervals of rest are essential for healthy Christian community; we need to periodically rest ourselves and even the fields of God's harvest.

Ephesians 4:25-32 Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness is a central component of Christian faith - the idea of a Christian who is unfamiliar with it or unskilled in its application would seem laughable, if it weren't already such a tragic and epidemic reality. We are commanded to forgive others swiftly and sincerely; yet many believers are slow to forgive or - worse yet - refuse to do it because of the other person's worthiness or readiness. Considering the serious warnings and consequences the Bible lays out for unforgiveness, it seems like it would be wise for us to talk practically about how to do forgive fast and fully!

Jeremiah 9:23-24; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:13 ~God always accomplishes his will, and he even does it using people like us! Mr. Roy Nagelkirk, one of our Missionaries brings this message.

Ezekiel 40-48 In this last chapter, Ezekiel gets to see the part of the restoration he has been wanting most of all. He saw God leave the temple and leave Jerusalem at the beginning of the book. In these last chapters, he comes back! The temple of the Lord WILL be filled with his glory, and out of the temple WILL flow water for the nations and healing for the world; will you see it and receive it, or miss it?

Romans 12:1-21 In this life of sacrifice, we know God's will by turning away from the world and living by grace with a renewed mind.

Ezekiel 38-39 The end of Ezekiel starts to sound like the book of Revelation! This is because the story of Israel includes the Church, and the final battle at the end of the story hasn't happened, yet. This passage talks about events and even nations that aren't clearly known to us, yet. This can be disconcerting, but God is in control! No matter what happens in the future history of the world, God will restore and heal the True Israel by his Messiah and his Spirit.

Ezekiel 37 This passage is one of the most popular and recognizable in the entire book of Ezekiel. The imagery and message of the valley of dry bones is haunting, encouraging, and downright exciting. It sounds like something Hollywood would be challenged to depict, even with all their CGI and technology. But the picture is powerful - God can use his Word and his Spirit to bring real restoration to every part of a human life. Revival and reanimation are within the Lord's power; he can bring the dead and desiccated back to vibrant life!

Ezekiel 35-36 This message is hugely comforting and deeply humbling, all at the same time. It tells us that, in terms of our salvation, we bring absolutely nothing to the table except problems and brokenness! God doesn't owe us anything besides wrath. We don't have any special power or influence that would compel him to love us or long for us. Yet, he gives us gifts and showers us with his love. Salvation is IMMENSELY beneficial for us! First and foremost, it is about the Lord's Name and glory; he saves us to show who HE is.

Ezekiel 33-34 This passage turns the corner into the amazing promise and comfort of Ezekiel. It tells of the Lords desire and plan to save his people, even though they don't deserve it. It starts to point unmistakably toward the New Testament, the Lord Jesus, and the Gospel. When we consider the scale of our sin and idolatry, it is tempting to wonder how he will respond; these chapters show us that the Lord is tender-hearted toward his people, always saving a remnant; he rescues us, even though he must do the work.