Mental illness is currently the most common health crisis in the U.S., affecting people across all demographics. Yet, many struggle in silence, particularly within church communities, due to stigmas and shame associated with mental health challenges. It's essential that we ensure that this church remains a place where people can come in any condition. This is a place for anyone with any struggle to experience the grace of God in their life.

Easter represents more than just remembering Jesus' death and resurrection - it's an invitation to experience your own resurrection story and learn to reign in life through Christ.

The Resurrection is a story for when all hope was lost. Jesus didn’t just rise for Himself but for you. We’re not called to struggle and be unfulfilled, just surviving. We are called to be thriving and living the life God designed for us. His victory is your victory. His life is your life. 

Life doesn't always go according to plan. Even when we receive promises from God, challenges and setbacks can make us question everything. But there's a powerful lesson we can learn from the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 about maintaining faith when circumstances seem hopeless.

Everyone knows someone who used to be strong in their faith but has fallen away from church and God. Whether through discouragement, hurt, poor choices, or life circumstances, many have stopped showing up. This message explores our responsibility to go after those who have fallen away and help restore them.

The Bible makes it clear in the book of James that it's our job to go after those who have fallen away from faith. We can't just miss them or wish they would come back...

We had such great response to our Creating Your Own Economy series but there was one lingering topic we will address today. That is the topic of debt. It’s hard to have financial freedom if you’re drowining in debt. It’s not just a financial problem, it’s a spiritual problem causing anxiety, hopelessness, discouragement, limitation on generosity, no peace and reduced fulfillment of purpose.

Living with debt weighs on your finances, your family and your future.

Discover powerful insights on finding hope and maintaining faith during life's toughest storms. Learn how to overcome challenges by shifting your perspective and staying focused on what truly matters. Understand the true purpose of trials, the constant presence of God's love, and how to maintain unwavering faith despite circumstances. Perfect for anyone facing personal struggles, financial difficulties, relationship challenges, or spiritual doubts.

Where you are is just as important as who you are. Location, location, location! 

Genesis 2:8 shows us that God planted a garden, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And there. Places were created by God before He created people. Understand this. The place was created before the man so that when man arrived, everything he needed to fulfill his destiny and calling was already there.

Life often presents moments where we need to transition from one season to another. Just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into their promised land, we too face our own "crossover" moments. 

Joshua 3:16 is where I want to land today. The picture drawn for us in this passage is revelatory. The Israelites had been in captivity in Egypt for 430 years, freed by God through Moses and then wandered 40 more years in the desert. They are at the cusp of going into the Promised Land. But this came with a need to cross over. 

As we look to establish biblical economic principles in our lives, we in effect partner with God in the world rather than seeking prosperity apart from Him. We can’t ignore these principles that unlock wealth according to scripture if we want biblical prosperity. Tithing is at the ground floor, the bronze level if you will.

God has an amazing financial plan for your life that goes beyond just accumulating wealth. The key is understanding that prosperity isn't about hoarding resources, but about distribution; having financial peace, and being a blessing to others.

God has purposes for your prosperity...

Dr. Dave delivers a timely and relevant message based on his newest book, Creating Your Own Economy: A Guide to Financial Freedom and Generous Living. The world's economy operates on debt, scarcity, and competition. However, God has established a higher system - one that isn't shaken by inflation, recession, or market crashes. This divine economy is governed by faith, obedience, and supernatural provision.

You know we all face situations that we don’t like. Someone’s not treating us right or business is not growing as fast as we had hoped… We’re single and still haven’t met that someone or… you’re married and wish you hadn’t met that someone.  

It is easy to live uptight and all stressed out on the inside because we don’t understand why things are taking so long. We are frustrated why this person hasn’t changed or why our prayers haven’t been answered. We end up fighting against everything that we do not like and never being at peace.

Here’s a key…

Life's spiritual battles require preparation and divine guidance, much like athletes preparing for a major championship. By inviting God into our darkest moments and recognizing Him as our ultimate coach, we can overcome challenges through faith. Unlike temporary athletic victories, triumph in Christ offers eternal significance and is freely available to all who choose to participate in God's divine game plan. Watch now to hear from some of our Motor City Church leaders!

Pastor TJ Blaszyk brings a message on spiritual warfare that sets the listener up for success. Spiritual warfare is a real battle between God's kingdom and Satan's influence that impacts every believer's life. While Satan is a real entity seeking to destroy, he must submit to God's authority and to Spirit-filled believers who take a stand. God has equipped believers with powerful weapons: the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, and the Word of God. Through daily submission to God, closing spiritual doorways, and actively confronting evil through prayer and scripture, believers can effectively engage in this spiritual battle. Watch now and learn more.

Pastor Dave Lomasney brings a challenging message on spiritual warfare. Spiritual warfare manifests in our lives through unexpected challenges and obstacles, particularly when pursuing God's purpose. Understanding this battle requires three key strategies: actively resisting the enemy's influence, utilizing Scripture as a defensive weapon, and engaging in worship during difficult times. Through these approaches, combined with complete surrender to God, believers can effectively combat spiritual attacks and walk in victory. The key isn't fighting for victory, but rather fighting from a position of victory already secured through Christ. Watch now to learn more.

Dr. Dave has been focusing on worship these past few weeks and we have realized that worship looks very different in the Bible than it does in most Sunday church services. If you want to know more about the descriptions of worship in the Bible, check out last week’s message. This week we find out what happens WHEN we worship. 

Worship brings victory. Worship arms you to win on your best but more importantly, on your worst day. In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat was having the worst day of his reign, yet he experienced an amazing victory. He had multiple armies attacking all on the same day. As we study this scenario, we can see three schemes that the enemy uses against us.

We are in the second week of our series, The Heart of Worship. My purpose in this series is to redefine worship. Worship is not just the song service before the message. Everyone worships something. Worship occurs when you express your love to something. Worship is your response to the things you value the most. What do you adore? Are you putting these things before God in your life? 

In this series, we’re reordering our lives. We are making God first. We all agreed that 2025 will be better the closer we are to God. James 4:8 promises “Come close to God and He will come close to you.” Today we are talking about how we worship.

Today Dr. Dave introduced our Heart for Worship series. Worship is a big part of a “God first” life.  Join us for the next few weeks as he shows how to draw close to God in worship. 

We all worship something. Worship is love expressed. It is a response to what we value the most. What are you adoring? It is only an issue if you are setting those things as a priority before Him. You’re created to bring pleasure and honor to God. He only is worthy of worship. 

Is God first in your life?

As we step into 2025, let’s build our faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. I want to build faith around what God has given us access to. 

In Mark 10, people were bringing children to Jesus, but the disciples were rebuking them. However, Jesus said, “Let the little children come.” He did not want the children’s access to Him to be cut off. We need to be careful receiving a “no” from people when we are getting a “yes” from God. It's important to understand that we serve a God of permission and possibility, not restriction. While our world often focuses on limitations and "nos," God's kingdom operates on a foundation of "yes" through Christ.

There are a lot of different versions of the Christmas story, but the only real reason to celebrate Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ. Dr. Dave takes us on a journey of discovery into the true essence of Christmas. Through this message, we are reminded of the profound impact of God's divine gift.

Today, Dr Dave is in week four of our series, “Made for More”. God so loved the world that He gave. The story we are using for this series is the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10. From that passage, we know there was a man traveling on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho and he was attacked by robbers and severely beaten. A priest and a Levite both passed him by and did not help him but a despised Samaritan stopped, treated the man with supplies he had on hand, and then took him to a nearby inn, paid for two days' stay and care, and offered more to the innkeeper upon his return, if there was a balance owed. 

We are in Week 3 of our “Made for More” series. Today’s message continues with the focus on the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10 and to summarize this message, it is “to get off your donkey”. This story teaches us about the importance of compassion and generosity. The Good Samaritan didn't just feel pity for the wounded man he encountered, he took action. He used his resources, time, and energy to help someone in need, setting an example for us to follow.

Today, Dr. Dave continued our series "Made for More," focusing on the incredible power of generosity in our lives and how every act of kindness, no matter how small, can make a significant impact. God so loved the world that He gave. Being generous is about pleasing God but also helping our community. When He speaks to you about a seed (generosity extended), He always has a harvest in mind (a bigger purpose and a blessing bigger than we can ask, think or imagine).

Today, Dr. Dave delivered a powerful message about living a life of generosity and discovering the extraordinary purpose God has for each of us. Let's explore how we can make a difference in our world by embracing the teachings of Jesus and living a life beyond the ordinary.

Welcome to Vision Sunday 2025! Dr. Dave shared an inspiring message about the future of our church, emphasizing the importance of what we’re called to do.  Let's commit to living a God-first life, building meaningful relationships, and being salt and light to the world, becoming a generation of disciples who don’t just survive, but thrive and make a difference in Jesus’ name.

Today’s message, delivered by Pastor Mark Ramsey, is a powerful exploration of our potential and purpose as believers. It’s not just about getting to heaven; it’s about bringing heaven to earth. Let’s dive into the key points of this inspiring sermon and discover how we can position ourselves for influence in our world.

Why Are We Here? We must understand our purpose. Many believers think their ultimate goal is to get to heaven. However, once we accept Jesus, our goal shifts from getting to heaven to bringing heaven to earth.

Today’s message is a powerful reminder of the importance of embracing change and preparing for increase in our lives. Maybe your marriage is good but your career needs some improvement. Maybe your ministry is going well but your relationships are suffering. What can you do differently? What do you need to change? You must learn to recognize the need for change and be ready for God’s blessings and challenges that come with them. 

Our focus today is on discovering your purpose—a topic that resonates deeply with many of us. Let's dive in and explore how understanding our purpose can lead to a more fulfilling and rewarding life.

There’s a challenge we have in life that needs to be accepted and met. Many of us grapple with the question, "Why am I here?" This challenge is universal, and finding the answer can lead to a more fulfilling life. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that you might have life, and have it in abundance." This abundant life is what we call the ultimate life, and it starts with discovering your purpose.

There’s power in pain. No one likes pain and no one invites pain but know this, God can use pain. 

Pain makes people dig deeper into promises of God and their own future. Thank God for success, but the reality is that success will never make you dig deeper. Popularity and happiness don’t make you dig deeper either. 

We’re in a series we call “You Asked for It”. Today the topic is “Forgiveness”. People wanted to know about pain, hurt and unforgiveness and how to get past things that are bothering them. 

The goal of this message is for you to know that God can do a healing work in your heart. Can you identify with the statement, “I DON’T CARE ANYMORE”. Just the fact that you say you don’t care means that you care.  

Have you ever wondered if God cares about the decisions that you make? Have you prayed for direction and feel that He is silent on the matter? Pastor TJ Blaszyk gives us guidance on how to discover God’s purpose for our lives in “How Do I Know God's Will for My Life”.

Today’s message, delivered by Pastor Tony Stewart, is a powerful reminder that we are all destined for victory through God’s anointing. Pastor Tony explores how God’s promises and anointing prepare us for the battles and transitions in our lives. Let’s dive into the key points and lessons from this inspiring message.

God’s nature is timeless. He is not bound by our concept of time. He exists in eternity, covering our past, present, and future simultaneously. This understanding is crucial as it reassures us that God is always in control, regardless of our circumstances.

Did you know the Bible is packed with politics? You cannot read the Bible and think God is not interested in our national and state lives. The same Bible that directs our spiritual and family life, directs nations. If we want God’s blessings upon our nation, we will pay attention and live by these standards. 

In this election season, with all the tension and controversy, our hearts are at risk for what I call “election infection”. Passions are spiked. Thinking is clouded. Relationships can be damaged. Everywhere there’s a post, a comment or a conversation puts us at risk for election infection. Meanwhile election ads promise policies that are going to save us all. And, if this wasn’t enough, we really do have problems that need to be dealt with. This all works to make it easy for our hearts to become jaded. Election infection is an epidemic.

The twelve words in Proverbs 3:6, “​​In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths” changed my life. You have heard that one word from God can absolutely change your whole life and it happened to me. 

Look at this verse and draw a line after the first six words. We tend to live on the wrong side of the line. I have been a pastor for 30 yrs. When my dad, Tommy Barnett,  obtained a building in one of the worst areas in Los Angeles, he began looking for someone to pastor the church. I was the son of a pastor who had one of the first mega churches in the nation. I grew up thinking I would follow in his footsteps. But he had an opportunity to save a church from being taken over by their bank and he didn’t want to lose this church. Sometimes we save something instead of being called to something.

We are in our series “You Asked For It” and it makes sense why “Are we living in the last days?” would be one of our top areas of interest. The news portrays horrific things that are taking place around the world; murders, pandemic viruses and resulting widespread fear, not to mention the rapid moral decline.

Even if you know very little about what the Bible says about the last days, you know enough to say “Hey, wait a minute. There seems to be some kind of connection here.” There’s a poll that confirms over 30% of Americans are putting together the end time events of Scripture with the evening news. So, what does the Bible say?

Well, you asked for it! I’m excited about this first week because if Jesus was standing here, He would say it’s the most important thing He could teach His kids about. One of the major goals of Christianity is that we reach people who are far from God. Luke 19:10 (NLT) says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

We've always wanted to build a place where people that are far from God could come and experience not only God, but His people. We want them to be comfortable and feel accepted. The Bible says that when one person gets saved, all the angels in heaven rejoice.

Serve each other. Don’t be stingy. Spend time with Him. When we put God first and honor Him with our time, we develop a heart for Him.  If you can’t be generous toward the One who gave everything to you, you will never be generous toward your family or friends. Put God first. God will never owe you. He will never allow you to give more to Him than He is going to give to you.

These are challenging times and God is looking for people who will stand out and stand up on His Word.  We’re not to settle and accept things as they are. Don’t miss an opportunity to walk in all God has for you. Rise up and walk in the anointing and dynamic power that He has ordained in you. I’m not only talking to you, but I’m talking to the generations to follow. 

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He hasn’t changed. Today we are in Galatians 3. Have you had times when everything is falling apart and it seems that foreign voices overwhelm every other voice, like a market salesman shouting and proclaiming his services and wares? I’ve felt that way about faith. I tried to live by faith and all hell broke loose. The enemy starts talking and you get to the place where you say, “God, if you’re real can you just touch me?” Would you be interested if I gave you something that would keep you from doubting ever again?

Why should you be happy when your faith is in the fight? It doesn’t make sense. We’ve been talking about building our faith muscle. If you want to grow in your faith, you have to exercise it, and the way to exercise it is to use it. In a fight you have an opportunity to use your faith. 

When your faith is tried, count it all joy because God is giving your faith a chance to grow.

Has your faith ever been pushed to the limit? Have you ever walked through something that caused you to doubt the strength of your faith? Have you ever felt like you were in a fight and didn’t know if you were going to make it another round?  Welcome to the Faith Fight.Times are tough but God is tougher. No matter what your fight or how impossible the situation, God is always bigger and more powerful than what is happening to you.

Listen to this message by Pastor Troy Gramling, author of “Potential”, as he identifies three enemies and three allies of your potential. Enemies of potential work against the fulfillment of your God-designed destiny, but you can employ allies to conquer those enemies. You are created for significance. This is not the time to give up but it is the time to press forward.

Make the rest of your year the best of your year. Make new good habits and break some old bad habits. If the next six months are going to be different, what are you going to do differently?  What do you need to change? 

The Bible is full of wisdom that we can apply. When Solomon became king, God offered him whatever Solomon wanted. Solomon asked God for wisdom. The more wisdom you have, the fewer miracles you need. My book, Make That, Break That  was written to help you with your habits and is based in the wisdom of God’s Word. 

You need a mentor. In Proverbs, King Solomon offers to be your mentor in thirty different areas including attitude, work, and relationships. You need help and here’s what you need to know. 

Let’s start with a question about what you already know. Do you know what you are doing? Do you know what God wants you to do? The number one way God leads all Christians is the Bible. The Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit and it is God's will for your life. When you are reading the Bible, you are literally reading the thoughts of God. In fact, it is the only book that, when you read it, the author shows up!

If you listen to the news, you will learn about the failures that are happening in the church. My new book, Hope After Church Hurt, is God's answer to a crisis we’ve been in. It is a positive turn, knowing God wants to heal the church and His people.Churches are here to reach the lost and heal the found. God is not done with the church.

Today we conclude our AI series. Lives are being changed by the understanding of our authority as we learn. As a servant of God you need to realize that you have been given authority and you have the right to use it. Know your authority in Christ. It is the truth that you know that sets you free. Our authority is found in one word, and that is the name of Jesus.

This past Sunday, we continued our series on the authority of the believer. If you are wanting to know more about who you are in Christ and the authority you have in His name, then these messages are for you! 

Understanding my authority changed my life and I believe that it will change your life too. We can no longer “play church”. We have got to understand the battle we are in, gathering intelligence and exposing the enemy and his schemes. There are many battles that we fight for health, relationships, and daily living, but God wants you to know that he has given you authority. Get knowledge on this subject so you can stand up and do something. God has already won the victory for you.

As a Christian, God has given us authority over all the power of the enemy! In this message to start our Authority Intelligence series, Pastor TJ Blaszyk unpacks where our authority comes from, what our authority is and how to exercise authority in our lives.

As a Christian, God has given us authority over all the power of the enemy! In this message to start our Authority Intelligence series, Pastor Dave Lomasney unpacks where our authority comes from, what our authority is and how to exercise authority in our lives.

To love is to be caught in a great irony. You can't love without opening your heart, but by opening your heart, you risk pain because we cannot control outcomes. Listen to the final message from our #RelationshipGoals collection and learn how to break out of heartbreak.

Did you know, you are living in the “more”. Let’s explain what that means. In Romans 8:35-39, the Apostle Paul proclaims and declares, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Who can separate us from the love of God? Paul said that he and those accompanying him faced death all day long, but that they were more than conquerors - in all those things through Him who loves us. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. What are you facing right now? What do you need in your life?

We have been exploring the different relationship dynamics, and one of the biggest ones many of us stand in, is the relationship between parent and child. 

In this generation, a lot of people have a lot of different opinions. Now when you are a parent, the world of opinions gets larger and larger as everyone who has children is trying to navigate how to raise a child in this day and age. There was a survey done on how parents felt they wanted to raise their children. 85% percent were uncertain of how they should effectively raise their child in today's world.

We’ve been exploring relationships and the reality that no one enters a relationship expecting for it to fall apart. Yet, we’ve all experienced brokenness and dysfunction. 

So, why is it we want one thing but get another? It turns out that there are habits, attitudes, and actions we ‘slip or trip’ into, and even though they are unintentional, they still cause damage. This series is meant to help us avoid painful pitfalls in our relationships that matter most. 

Outside of your relationship with Christ, your marriage is the most important relationship you have.

Today, we continued our series on Relationship Goals. Regarding relationships, keep in mind, we don’t fall in love. We commit to love. We choose to show respect, kindness, and forgiveness. We choose to be selfless and to serve. We are better together. We choose to be intentional in our relationships. Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.”

Last week, Dr. Dave’s message was on singleness. It was not just for those who are in a single season. Likewise, if you are in a relationship of any kind, today is also for you. Relationships can be for a short-term such as some friendships or business partnerships but we are focusing on long-term relationships such as serious dating, or marriage. That’s the focus, but these principles can be applied to all relationships.

This series on Relationships is meant to help us avoid painful pitfalls with those we love. We’re doing it by studying the life of an Old Testament figure named Abraham. His story speaks to all of our stories, no matter the season of life you’re in. 

Last week, we covered some principles that work for every relationship. In a couple weeks I will talk about Parenting. Today, I want to unpack a message for those who are living in a SINGLE SEASON. 

There’s no area of our life that carries greater impact than our relationships. Relationships are our greatest source of joy and sorrow, stress and satisfaction. 

So, why do relationships get broken? No one ever goes on a date, into a marriage, or has kids intending for those relationships to fail. The only way to avoid a break is to see with a new set of eyes.

Abraham and his wife Sarah were the two God chose to establish the Jewish race. Abraham is called the ‘Father of Faith’ because of his unflinching confidence in God. The irony is, as faith filled as Abraham was, he was one of the most relationally dysfunctional people in scripture. 

Baptism is vital to your spiritual journey. My goal today is that you understand the priority of baptism. The Lord gave us two ordinances, two ceremonies, that he wants us to observe as we worship together. One is holy communion and the other is water baptism. Matthew 28:19 (NLT) speaks of Jesus commanding, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” You could say baptism is as important as the great commission because it is part of the great commission. So why do so many believers go without being baptized?

Did you know, your tomorrow can be better than your today. I’ve been going through a list of words that will help each of us make the rest of our year, the best of our year. The tenth word on my list is “expectation”. What are you going to do with the days you have left this year? Let’s start with what you are expecting.

I am continuing with my list of 10 words that will help you make the rest of your year the best of your year. First of all, be reminded that everything that happens to you is not God’s will. What will be will be is not a true statement. Our decisions determine where we’re going. Our choices matter.

We are halfway through the year and I want to pause and help you understand that no matter how your year has gone, whether great or terrible, you can make the rest of your year the best of your year. God works all things together for your good and no weapon formed against you will prosper. All things are made new in Him.

A couple of weeks ago, we talked about humility - what it means to be humble. Today, I want to continue on that topic. A lot of people have the wrong idea of what humility is. They think being humble means you have to let people walk all over you, that you can’t do anything, or that you don’t have anything nice.

Today, I want to talk about pride. A message on pride, for purposes of actual change in people’s lives, is a frustrating topic because the people who need to hear it don’t think it’s for them. I want to challenge you as you read this article to be open to considering that you have a little bit of pride. Keep in mind that if you’re not open to receiving this message you probably need to hear it.

Do you feel like you’re in the middle - emotionally, financially, relationally? Your situation is better than it used to be, but you’re not where you know you’re supposed to be.  In James 1:2-4, James tells us “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

So, what made Jesus mad? I've been processing this the last few weeks in my series “Angry Jesus.” I saw a church sign the other day. It said, “We love hurting people.” I realized as I read it that if you accent different words in the sentence, you get a different message. 

The truth of the matter is, I have heard so many stories over the last few weeks, and of course over 30 years of ministry, of how the church has hurt people. Ironically, that's what was going on back in Jesus' day. Today I want to focus on John 8, my favorite story. It's about a woman caught in the act of adultery. We do not know who she was, but for today, I’m calling her “Janice”.

On this Mother’s Day, regardless of what this day means to you, we can agree that children are important to Jesus.

Throughout history, people have attempted to paint the perfect portrait of Jesus. Sometimes, He's smiling. Sometimes, He's crying or praying. We all have our gentle, sweet image of Jesus, but that picture isn't complete. If we're really going to understand the Savior of the Bible, it's time to take a fresh look. For years, Christians have asked, "What would Jesus do?" But what if we asked a more illuminating question, "What made Jesus mad?"

Today, I continue with a message on things that made Jesus mad. Anytime there's blocked access to God, it makes Jesus mad. If you haven’t seen my message on Jesus’ temple-tantrum from last week, please go back and read/listen. So, legalism… I hate it. If you've got a stupid rule, I'm going to want to challenge it. I want to know why the rule is there and if it makes sense! Rules are never going to be able to cover every scenario we could come up with and an effort to try to make rules that do so results in stupid rules.

Everybody loves Jesus, right? I've never ever had a conversation with anyone who thought he was a jerk. He healed people, loved people, and cared for the outcast. He died a horrible death because he believed that he could save our souls. Even if someone doesn't believe the story at all, you can't not like Jesus.

I’ve been abused but you won’t see any scars, used but you won’t see the wear and tear, lonely when surrounded by my closest friends and blackmailed but I will not negotiate with terrorists. We must wake up to the fact that the enemy is at war with us. Everything that happens in the natural is impacted by things in the spiritual. It is time to wake up in the spirit.

There is a war going on and a lot of Christians are just simply not engaged in the fight. The Bible has a lot to say about this. Ephesians 6:10 teaches us, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” Picture this, the devil is at the drawing board trying to come up with a way to trip you up, or mess you up, or destroy your life (John 10:10). Sometimes I think the devil is working harder to destroy us than we are working to keep it from happening.

Happy Easter! This is the day we celebrate Jesus conquering death and the grave. During our service today at MCC, we heard an amazing testimony of redemption and restoration, literally a story of a life bound for death and destruction to a life of promise and hope. It reminds me of God's goodness. It makes me crazy about God. I want more of Him. On Easter, there is so much pressure to preach well in hopes that people will love the message and return for more. How do I get this message right today? If I do well, maybe people will come back for Christmas. How do I make Jesus’ torture, crucifixion and death exciting? How do I explain the resurrection which is the most exciting part? All of this is hard for some to believe because they don’t understand. But actually, people believe a lot of things they don’t understand and can’t explain. God wouldn't be a God worth believing in if we understood Him completely. He is a big, amazing God. We just need to ask the right questions.

Palm Sunday occurs every year on the Sunday before Easter. Today, we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The account is  in all four of the gospels. Jesus entered the city, knowing that he was going to be tried, and then crucified. But, he also knew he would be raised from the grave to save us from sin. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week or Passion Week, which is the remembrance of the last days of Jesus..

Today, I want to talk to you about trusting the process. Do you have kids? Things change rapidly with kids. Sometimes it feels like you are in a place where nothing will ever change. You have a two year old that throws a fit about everything. But give it two weeks. Things will change. Maybe you have an eight year old who is so enjoyably pleasant and cooperative. But…give it two weeks! Things WILL change. Life can be crazy. Sometimes we fight the process. We kick against the goads I’ve heard it said. But we need to trust the process.

Today, I will continue my series about habits. I am introducing habits that we don’t often think of and this week I wanted to talk about the habit of excellence. Excellence is doing the best you can with what you’ve got. The key is to treat what you own and live your life with excellence - make it a lifestyle.

There is a high value placed on the dying words of a person. If you have been with a loved one as they were ready to pass from this world to the next, you probably remember the last thing they said to you. The value of someone’s dying words is even legally valuable. We have the Apostle Paul’s last words in 2 Timothy. This book is known as the last writings of Paul. It is a pastoral book written to his spiritual son, Timothy. It was written during the time of Nero who was violently against Christians, blaming and killing them for things he did. Paul had been released from prison but was in prison again for preaching and teaching the Christian faith. In filth, in a cistern, his thought was to write a letter to Timothy to challenge and encourage him. Paul knew his next step was his end, his death. It’s important for us to hear the passion and urgency Paul wants to press into Timothy.

We have been in our series called “Make That Break That” talking about habits that we need to develop and habits that we need to get rid of in order to live a year of unlimited possibilities. I would like to consider a habit today that I call “The Happy Habit”. Proverbs 3:13 AMPC says, “Happy (blessed, fortunate, enviable) is the man who finds skillful and godly Wisdom, and the man who gets understanding [drawing it forth from God's Word and life's experiences].”

I have been doing a series “Make That Break That” about habits that we need to develop and habits that we need to get rid of in order to live with unlimited possibilities. One of the bad habits we should break is being selfish and self-centered, and the best way to do that is to form the habit of being generous.  

I’ve been talking about the habits that will help us make this year a year of unlimited possibilities. I’ve written about the habit of putting God first and the habit of speaking right words by changing our thoughts. My purpose in these messages is to highlight habits we need to make and habits we need to break. We will find as we make better habits, like the habit of faith, that we overcome the bad habits like worry and fear.

Today is Super Sunday. The Super Bowl is the culmination of what teams aspire to. One of the most important things on a football team is the relationship between the quarterback and the center. This relationship is a delicate balance between trust and intimacy. Their relationship is so intimate, that the center knows the touch of his QB  and understands the message of the pressure in that touch, causing him to know when the quarterback is ready for the play.

I have been discussing the topic of habits the past few weeks with a focus on spiritual habits - habits that will change you, such as putting God first in your day, in your service, and in your finances, aligning yourself with God’s purpose for your life, and living a life of faith, a habit of faith that overcomes fear and worry.

If you have ever raised or helped raise children, there comes a point when you realize that much of their tension and frustration are self-inflicted. If you take it a step further, you realize we, having started out as children, often don’t change much over the years. Much of the time, we are the source of our own angst.

We’ve been talking about habits the past couple of weeks - putting God first and discovering your purpose. Today, I want to focus on the habit of faith. The Bible says that we are to live by faith. Living by faith in God takes the pressure off of us and allows us to enjoy life in a much greater way.

“Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you” (Romans 12:1-2 MSG).

This will be a year of unlimited possibility. Declare it with me! Right here at the beginning of this new year, let’s consider our habits.We are what we repeatedly do. If you haven’t read my book, Make That, Break That,  this would be a great time to get a copy!I desire real change this year, a transformation. In any area of life, if you want to see something new, you’ve got to make a change. The way to live life the way God has for us is challenging; it’s doable but it’s challenging.

I want to declare this is a year of Unlimited Possibilities. When a woman is pregnant, for the first few months, she doesn't look any different. She's the same size, wears the same clothes, and has the same amount of energy. From the outside, there's no sign that she's going to have a baby, and if you just look at her naturally, you could think, "You're not pregnant, there's nothing different about you".

It's been quite the build up: you’ve put out decorations, you’ve planned events, you’ve purchased gifts, and many of you have prepared meals. Let’s take the next few moments to ensure you can enjoy Christmas. 

One of the first decorations I think about during this season is the nativity set, a miniature manger filled with characters from the first Christmas story. Although they’re intended to paint the picturesque night of Christ’s birth, as a kid I saw them as nothing more than toys.

Think about clapping a simple beat. Then imagine hearing a drummer performing a more complicated sequence. When we hear these different beats, we’re experiencing rhythm. In terms of life, think about the pace, the rhythm your life is following. The pattern. The sound. The tempo. You can tell a lot about where a person has been and where a person is going by their rhythm.

As some have said, ‘A career is what you are PAID to do, but a calling is what you were MADE to do.’ At Motor City Church we have engineers who volunteer with our Parking Lot team and we have Kidz volunteers who are accountants and communications specialists. When you find your calling and start operating in that calling, there is satisfaction that brings a sense of fulfillment like nothing else. In addition, your calling builds God's house and this is what makes a difference in our church, our city, and our world. Your calling is a central piece to what God wants to do in this world. 

We are in a season we call Heart for the House here at Motor City Church. There are many ways we can show our heart for God’s house. Many serve on the Dream Team, our volunteer teams, and many tell others about Motor City Church. We also show our heart for the house through our giving during the year.  But, once a year we get together and imagine what we could do to help bring about the vision for the future. 

At Motor City Church, we are in the season we call “Heart for the House.” Heart for the House is all about making a difference together by giving our time, talent, and treasure. 

 Matthew 6:25-33 is a classic passage and ends with, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things (things we tend to worry about) will be given to you as well.” The focus according to this verse is God’s kingdom. Have you ever asked, “What can I do for God?” Yes, we are His kids and He has amazing things He has given us in the past and wants to give us in the future, but we are also His servants and He has a Kingdom focus. What does it mean to have a heart for the things God has a heart for? 

“I expected more.” That’s what Jamey’s new wife said to him on their honeymoon when they couldn’t afford to go on an excursion during the cruise they were on. The trip was all-inclusive, except for excursions. There would be no extras but Jamey’s wife had expected more. 

We’ve all heard of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE… But what about MISSION: POSSIBLE? Today I want to share with you your mission…should you choose to accept it. You are an agent, and you have a mission. I don’t want to spoil it for you, but there is a greater purpose in this mission than just going to church, seeing your friends and hearing a nice little Bible message. This mission is not merely a matter of life or death…this mission is about eternity.

Today I want to talk about what God is calling us to do as the church. I call this Vision Sunday. My focus today is on Motor City Church, but it is applicable to THE church, the universal church. We are people that are leveraging our influence and our lives and our gifts to bring Jesus the most glory AND MAKE HIM FAMOUS. God has enlisted each of us to be a part of what He wants to do in our cities, our regions & countries, and around the world.

In today’s message, the scripture I want to focus on is Joshua 1:8, “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Our verse for this series is Romans 12:2. God is transforming us from the inside out by changing the way we think. When our thinking is changed, then we will learn to know God’s will for our lives. Our goal is to learn to make our mind mind!

I Kings 20:35-43 is an interesting account of a prophet. “And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, ‘Strike me, please.’ But the man refused to strike him. Then he said to him, ‘Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.’ And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down.

We are talking about mindset in this series. What we think about is essential to what our lives become. Our choices impact our behavior and our situations. Changing our mindset means changing what we are thinking about. To help you with that, text ‘godspromises’ to 689-214-5554. As you meditate on these things that God has in His mind for you, you will get hold of them in YOUR mind for you.

Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”We have a choice to allow God to change the way we think. If we pay attention, we realize choices shape a lot of our life, even more than circumstances. We are a byproduct of our past but we're not a prisoner of our past. Choices have consequences so if we change our mind, we can change our world.

There is a significant difference between setting goals and setting goals with a God-given purpose. In 2 Timothy 1:9 we learn God has saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. We are saved, called and graced for PURPOSE. Purpose is all that God created you for, called you to and graced you for. It is what life equips you for.

Have you limited yourself by your own thinking? Do you struggle to stay positive? Mindset is a premier topic in the Bible. I like to think of it this way, the person of Jesus prepares you for heaven, but His principles prepare you for life here on earth.

Do you remember how we learned fractions in school? One number over another number means a particular portion of the whole. And, if you have 5/3rds for instance, it actually converts to 1 and 2/3rds or more than a whole. That’s the way I want to look at the concept of God’s promises vs. our problems. If we put the promise over the problem, we will come out with more than whole!

So, how do you know if it's God talking to you? 1 John 4:1 teaches us to test the spirits. Have you ever had someone tell you they believe God is telling them to tell you something? If what they say confirms what God has been impressing upon you, then it is a good chance they have heard from God and are speaking truth to you. Cool. But, sometimes, a message such as this is obviously off base. And, sometimes, if you haven't got a confirmation but you also think it’s possible, you can put a message such as this on the shelf. I had a message like that. It took 17 years, but what I was told did come to pass eventually and it was truly exciting when it did!