The Deliverance Dilemma

Has God ever brought you out of something, but not fully delivered you to the next thing? Many of us consider this the waiting period, but Caleb Southern, our youth coordinator, refers to it as the deliverance dilemma- a time when you're waiting for God to bring you into something new. We’ve all been there.

The Israelites know all about the deliverance dilemma.

As a nation of people enslaved by the Egyptians, they were treated horrifically as slave laborers for many years. Moses, following the commandment of God, comes to their rescue, setting them free from the Egyptians, and delivers them to The Promised Land, otherwise known as The Land of Milk and Honey. God brought them out of bondage and into something new and wonderful!

Caleb, however, points out that 40 years elapsed from the moment the Israelites leave Egypt and when they arrive at The Promised Land. For 40 years they were wandering around in the wilderness tired and starving. In this period of waiting they start to reminisce about what they used to have, even though they were slaves- they were still well fed. Comfort and familiarity can keep us enslaved, even when we know we're choosing the wrong path.

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” - Exodus 16:2 (ESV)

The Israelites had been delivered out of Egypt but had not yet been delivered into The Promised Land. They were experiencing the deliverance dilemma.

They had followed God, but they were still experiencing issues. Can you relate? You gave your life to Jesus and you’re trying to be obedient, but you're still struggling in different areas of your life. Maybe with anger, temptation, depression, anxiety, and/or addiction? God is bringing you out of sin, but you're not fully delivered from it.

Here are four key takeaways from Caleb’s message, The Deliverance Dilemma, that I think will help you navigate your season of waiting.

1) Don’t choose to grumble over being grateful:

The Israelites only focused on what they did not have- meat and bread- and chose to grumble and complain. They should have been focused on the promises God had for them and all He had already done for them.

We must always focus on what we do have, choosing gratitude over grumbling and complaining.

2) Remember that God will provide:

Even though the Israelites chose to grumble and complain, God gave them grace and provided them food to eat. They didn’t deserve it, and they didn’t pray for it, but God gave it to them.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

-Exodus 16:4 (ESV)

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. - Exodus 16:13 (ESV)

God will provide all that we need too. His provision may not look exactly like you would think, but He will provide.

3) Keep coming back for what God has for you:

God only gave the Israelites enough bread for one day at a time. They were not to store it up, but they had to keep coming back for more. God only gave them exactly what they needed for that day. We have to keep coming back to God every day for His blessings. We have to keep showing up at church, keep giving our time, talents, and treasures, keep reading the Word and praying prayers and God will keep blessing us.

And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. -Exodus 16:19-21 ESV

4) What you do today matters to the generations that come after you:

The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. -Exodus 16:35

Two generations of Israelites continued to feast on the blessings that God gave.

Have you decided to follow Christ? Have you decided to put God in the center of the generations that come after you? Will your kids and your grandchildren inherit a generational blessing or a generational curse? You get to decide if Jesus is the center of your life and your home, and that decision directly affects more than just you!

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. - John 6:35

Just like the Israelites needed bread, we do too. Jesus is the bread of life. Step into a generational blessing.

I invite you to view this message 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 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

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

Peace Unto All

What’s your definition of peace? Most people describe peace as a sense of calmness, fearlessness, or the absence of anxiety. Peace could also be described as the absence of war or difficult times. In this message, “Peace Unto All”, Pastor Eric walks us through what it looks like to have true peace in our lives, why it’s so hard for us to obtain, and provides us with a handful of takeaways, obtained from scripture, to help us achieve peace in our own lives!

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

Did you know it’s possible to have the peace of God in any and every situation? In the verse John 16:33, Jesus says “that in ME you may have peace.” You can have peace despite the disturbances within your life! When you are in a relationship with Jesus, you can have peace despite everything that is going on within the world.

What does true inner peace from God look like? Simon Peter, in the book of Acts, Chapter 12, demonstrates just how powerful the peace of God can be. Simon Peter is apprehended, placed in a prison cell guarded by more than a dozen guards, and sentenced to death! But despite this obvious tribulation in this life, he chooses to relax and sleep peacefully, fully trusting in God. An angel of the Lord does come to rescue Simon Peter but has difficulty waking him up because of the peaceful state of relaxation Simon Peter has entered. This is what true inner peace from God looks like! Unfortunately, many of us have never experienced this level of peace.

Why don’t we have the peace God planned for us? God wants us to experience peace, but we must be in a proper relationship with Him to experience His peace within us. The enemy is constantly trying to draw us away from a proper relationship with God. The enemy wants us to be separated from God. Our iniquities… our immoral behavior… our sin… is separating us from God’s peace.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you So that He will not hear. -Isaiah 59:2 (NIV)

What does your relationship with God look like? If you are struggling with a lack of peace yourself, maybe you need to review your proximity to God. We are all searching for inner peace. Sometimes we pursue peace in self-help books, podcasts, and videos. For others, it may be counseling, therapy, or prescription medications. There’s nothing wrong with any of these pursuits, but we need to know that true inner peace only comes from a close relationship with God. God just wants your whole heart and soul. He wants your willingness to give Him your life. God wants to give us His peace!

Here is what you need to know about peace based on scripture:

1. THERE IS PEACE ON EARTH

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 (NKJV)

2. GOD’S PEACE IS GIVEN TO YOU

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you… -John 14:27 (NKJV)

3. TROUBLE DOESN’T HAVE TO TROUBLE YOU

Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. -John 14:27 (NKJV)

4. FEAR IS A PERSONAL DECISION

…neither let it be afraid. -John 14:27 (NKJV)

Unwrap the gift called peace! Let God’s peace rule in you.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts… -Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)

There are so many more wonderful takeaways from this message, “Peace Unto All”, I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/l1mCso0hnzU

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES

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.