Multiply Church

     Let's dive into something that struck me as absolutely beautiful today: Grace. Not because of how it sounds when I hum that tune, "Grace, grace, God's grace," but because of what it truly means. It's this overwhelming, never-ending grace of God that makes any relationship with Him possible at all. And it's not about any righteousness of our own – trust me, we've already established we're not bringing anything impressive to the table.      Remember that analogy we talked about last week? Our so-called righteousness being like that lost, stinky diaper in the backseat of a car. Yeah, that's us trying to boast about our goodness to God. It's laughable, isn't it?      It's all about grace, folks. Our faith in His grace is what saves us, as Ephesians 2:8-9 spells out. It's a gift, meaning nobody gets to brag about it. If you ever catch someone boasting about their salvation or their Christian life, hit the mute button on them. They...

     This theme has been rolling around in my mind: "Only One." It sounds simple, right? But in a world that's all about options and choices, this notion feels almost revolutionary.     We're constantly bombarded with messages telling us we can have it all, do it all, be it all. From commercials that cost millions for just seconds of our time, promising happiness and success, to the endless stream of choices we face daily. It's overwhelming, isn't it?      But today, I was hit with a different message, one that goes against the grain of our culture: "Only One." It's a reminder, a mantra, that not everything is about having more, doing more, or being more. It's about focusing on what truly matters.      Every person is born only once, lives only one life, and yes, eventually, dies. It's a 100% guaranteed statistic. But the kicker? Every one of us will live forever somewhere. That's right, eternity is real, and where we spend it ...

     As we closed the first month of this year and stepped into February, our collective spirit has been in a place of reflection and anticipation. It's like we're collectively pausing, taking a deep breath before we dive into the rest of 2024. We're asking, "Lord, what do you have in store for us this year? How do you want to shape, use, and mold us?"      This journey of pausing and seeking isn't just about slowing our pace but about redirecting our focus entirely away from ourselves and toward God. It's about acknowledging that, while we may have plans, God's timing and His plans are what truly matter. It's a lesson in humility and trust, one that we're learning together as a church family.      I've been thinking a lot about our church. We're not a large congregation, but the size isn't the point. There have been moments of impatience and frustration, wishing we could reach more people, and see more lives transformed. But I'...

     You know, sometimes we get so caught up in the routine of praising God through songs and prayers that we forget how powerful it can be just to take a moment and pour out our praise from the depths of our hearts. It's like, our lips move, and the melodies swell, but do we really pause to think about what we're saying? So, I tried something different the other day. I just stopped. Stopped and really thought about how thankful I am for everything God does in my life, how He's been my keeper, my sustainer, and honestly, how He's the one holding my whole world together.      It got me thinking about how everything in this world, including us, was created with a purpose. I mean, we're not just here to mindlessly scroll through our phones or veg out on the couch with some Oreos (although, let's be real, Oreos are pretty great). But seriously, God didn't create us to just go through the motions. He's got this whole purpose thing figured out, and everything ...