Four Barriers We Must Overcome

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." -Matthew 2:1-2

Take a minute to envision the nativity scene. I'm sure you see baby Jesus in the manger, surrounded lovingly by Mary and Joseph. And I'm sure you also imagine the three wise men and their gifts. Yet, Scripture does not explicitly list three wise men.

Because there were only three gifts, we naturally conclude that there must have been three wise men. Three contributions, however, do not equal three wise men. Therefore, the truth is there could have been any number of wise men present.

We know the wise men came from the far East, and they were men who spent their whole lives studying the stars. Some people believe that Daniel, from the Book of Daniel, Chapter 7, left behind the understanding that a divine king would be born in his homeland. This prophecy may have been what provoked the wise men to go on their journey when they saw the star. We know for sure that the wise men do get to Jerusalem, and there they encounter an unbelievably wicked man named King Herod, who tries to knock the wise men off course.

King Herod wasn't the only adversity the wise men faced trying to get to Jesus. They had to overcome many barriers to worship Jesus. One of these barriers was distance. They may have spent years traveling and traveled hundreds if not thousands of miles to get to Jesus. This trek wasn't easy to travel by any means; it was challenging. They also had to overcome a barrier of danger. The road they traveled was known for occupying men who were thieves and murders. And they were traveling with precious gifts.

We want to worship Jesus, too, just like the wise men, but we face modern-day barriers in our own lives. They don't look the same as the wise men's barriers. It isn't necessarily problematic for us to find a Church where we can worship freely without danger. One barrier we face is discouragement. So many people in this season have their heads down with the weight of everything going on in our world. We are walking through tough times, and it's hard to process all the negativity we face. Discouragement sources itself by any number of things, a surging global pandemic, natural disasters, a family member fighting a life-threatening illness, the loss of a job, or a financial crisis. There is no shortage of discouragement -- and it beats us down! That's why our church focuses so hard on encouraging the discouraged! God still intends to be God in your life! Wise men keep seeking him!

Another modern-day barrier we face is "distraction." Can you relate to this? Every time you sit down to read the Bible, something distracts you. Every time you log on to church online to worship, something distracts you. Even sitting in church, you're distracted by the things around you. Distraction is a tactic of the enemy. He wants you to lose your focus. He wants you to become dismayed by everything coming at you. He knows that if he can distract you enough, your life will become Spiritually paralyzed.

What kind of barrier are you facing?

The wise men made it through their barriers, and I believe you will too! Do not let any barrier: discouragement, disappointment, distraction, or dismay keep you from arriving at the feet of Jesus. Give him your whole heart and your complete worship as you go all in and surrender to the Lord!

Take a look at your heart this Christmas. Inspect your heart to find the barrier you're facing. What is hindering your worship? Everyone faces these barriers, and it's easy for us to make excuses, but don't give up! Leave those excuses in 2021, and enter 2022 at the feet of Jesus Christ, fighting every barrier that comes against you!

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/WSQtN6GI4iU

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
   

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
   

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
   

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES

4 Important Things You MUST Know About Living A Wise Life

1) BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TALK TO

Voices determine choices, and choices have consequences. The enemy will tell us whatever we want to hear, and he will use others to speak his deception into our lives. If you give too much time to the wrong conversations, some things may manifest in your life that is not of God. Did you know the snake, possessed by Satan, only spoke to Eve two times? It only took him two times to create distance, distrust, and disobedience between Adam and Eve and God. The enemy wrecks Adam and Eve's whole world with only two statements. So be careful who you talk to! Words have power.

2) DON’T LOOK FOR THE RIGHT THING IN THE WRONG PLACE

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5 (NKJV)

You can tap into the wisdom of this world, or you can tap into the wisdom of the Word. You can tap into the wisdom of Hell, or you can tap into the wisdom of Heaven. The choice is yours to make. But I would encourage you to be Kingdom-minded, look for wisdom in the Word, and bring heaven down.

Even the wise men realized that there was available through Jesus than books could offer them. They realized they had to seek wisdom through a relationship with Jesus.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”-Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV)

Consider this truth. Adam and Eve were in the image of God, and He had given them EVERYTHING they needed, but when they started speaking to the wrong personality -- the snake. Immediately, they began to desire something that God had told them was off-limits -- wisdom from the wrong source. They were looking for the right thing but in the wrong place. It is nothing short of amazing how effective the enemy is at making humanity give up what we already have -- Adam and Eve already had wisdom -- to get what we’ve already got.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

3) YOU NEVER SEE IT ALL

Adam and Eve had it all. They were living in paradise. They were surrounded by nothing but GOOD. But they couldn’t see it. Never once did Mankind call God’s Creation good until they became fixated upon the one thing they were told they could not have. The enemy will blind you towards the goodness of God and all the provisions He has given you. The enemy will also blind you towards the destruction he is trying to bring to your life.

Look at the Scripture again:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

Eve only saw that the tree of the good. But, it wasn’t just a tree of good. It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve only saw what the enemy wanted her to see!

Don’t allow the enemy to seduce you. He is coming to kill, steal, and destroy your life, and like Eve, you may not see it coming. Ask God to show you what you do not see. Invite God to show you how to avoid the evil in and around your life.

4) WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”-Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV)

The wise men traveled for approximately two years to get to Jesus. They took risks, and they made sacrifices. Yet, they continued to follow God’s will for their lives, even when a snake in Jerusalem, named King Harold, started speaking things into their lives that did not align with God and tried to distract them with the riches of this world.

The wise men knew that they needed a relationship with the Son of God. They realized that this relationship was the true treasure.

God will put a star in the sky for you. Maybe it’s the simplicity of a blog post. He loves you. He wants to get your attention, just like He did the wise men. He will correct your course and place you back on the path He created for you. It’s time to stop talking to snakes. Stop looking for the right thing in the wrong places. Stop ignoring the things you have refused to see. God is seeking you out. He longs for a relationship with you.

Turn off the ignorance of this world, and seek the only relationship you genuinely need in your life - the relationship that will bring you the wisdom you need to live a good life. Seek God. He will give you everything you need. Seek His wisdom in your life. He is more than willing to give it to you.

I invite you to view this message from our new sermon series A Wise Christmas, “There’s Something You Don’t See,” in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/2Dm0_NyhsHE

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving the anointing in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES

How to Live a Life of Thanksliving

This past Sunday our church had the opportunity to hear a powerful message from Pastor Jason Hood, Thanksliving, encouraging us to have a heart that is not only thankful in a particular season but stays in a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving continually as a way of life.

Have you ever walked through a season of depression? Or maybe a season when your Spirit felt down, discouraged, or disengaged? We have all probably faced challenging seasons like this at some point in our lives. But did you know you have the power to choose joy? There is power in thanking God for what you do have, instead of what you are lacking. The enemy wants us to focus on what's wrong in our lives, but gratitude for what you do have is a powerful tool to change the way you live your life.

We serve a God who makes a way where there seems to be no way. He is a God of hope. He is a God who has promised us an abundant life and future. His goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives.

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

-Psalm 107:22 (KJV)

It’s easy for us to forget that ungratefulness is a sin- it’s truly ugly, wrong, and offensive. Knowing this should cause us to pay incredible attention to our thoughts and actions regarding being ungrateful. Paul, speaks about unthankfulness in our last days...

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

-2 Timothy 3:1-5

Oftentimes we are caught grumbling and complaining more than we are speaking about the things we are grateful for. True gratitude is an overflow of our hearts.

...out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.-Matthew 12:34 (NKJV)

If you are thankful, and you're living a life of Thanksliving, then communicate it. Declare your thankfulness, by doing so you are shining a light into darkness!

But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. -Hebrews 13:16 (KJV)

So how do we keep these truths close to our hearts, avoid the sin of ungratefulness, and start living a life of Thanksliving?

We offer sacrifices to God. In the Old Testament, Scripture teaches us that sacrifices of thanksgiving were made of animals, fruits, and grains. In the New Testament, Scripture teaches us that we are to offer spiritual sacrifices.

If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. -1 Peter 2:3-5

Pastor Jason provided us with these 3 Spiritual Sacrifices we can offer God. This is how we live lives of thanksliving:

1) THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

It is a Biblical command that we continually praise and worship Jesus, it is not a suggestion. God considers your praise to be very valuable! But you must enter into praise from your free will, God knows the posture of your heart.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. -Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments. -Psalm 119:108

2) THE SACRIFICE OF PRAYER

God enjoys hanging out with a thankful heart. Just like us, God doesn’t want to hang out with someone who just ate dill pickle soup, is a sour patch kid, or is a negative Nancy. God enjoys positive, thankful, and joyful people. Tell God in prayer all the things you are thankful for, list them out and speak them out loud! Draw near to God through choosing joy and choosing thanksgiving. Rejoice in prayer!

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. -Psalm 141:2 (KJV)

In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. -1 Timothy 2:8 (NLT)

3) THE SACRIFICE OF YOU

Jesus gave His life for you. Have you given your body, your life, to Him? Are you all in with God, because He wants all of you! Are you giving everything you have and everything you do to God to be used and guided by Him? We are blessed to be the hands and feet of Jesus here on Earth.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. -Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)

Maybe it’s time to evaluate your life. Are you living a life of thanksliving? Or have you let the sin of ungratefulness sneak in and take root. Are you grumbling and complaining more than you are praising and worshiping? Are you asking God for more things in your prayer life than you are saying thank you for? Does God have your whole heart? It’s never too late to choose joy, step into an attitude of gratitude, and allow thankfulness to pour out of your heart in abundance to the Lord.

This is how we shed light, overcome darkness, and defeat the enemy.

I invite you to view this message, “Thanksliving” in its entirety at this link:

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving the anointing in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES