John 12:1-22 From the other gospels we know that Jesus had been telling them that the Son of Man must be delivered up for crucifixion. He was very clear about this. We also know that the disciples did not want to hear this and it seems evident that they didn’t fully grasp what He was saying. But Mary had learned the importance of sitting at His feet and listening to His words. But more than that, I’m convinced she heard His heart. “If You are to be crucified, then I will anoint You now for Your burial.” It was an act of extravagant love. Why did she love extravagantly? Because she understood how much Jesus loved her.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 Question: How do you find out who God says you are? The short answer is : Read the Bible and Talk to God. For the longer answer, listen to this message. In it you will find that you are not defined by your performance, your possessions, or other people's opinions. You are defined by what God says about you. And He says you are blessed, chosen, holy, blameless, adopted, forgiven, loved, a masterpiece, a new creation, and you belong to His family!

2 Timothy 1:7 Jesus said, “The thief comes but to kill, steal and destroy. I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly. Inordinate fear is one of the enemy’s tools to paralyze you and keep you from living the abundant life Jesus wants you to have. We have to get rid of it before we can move on in our daily lives and in the Kingdom of God.

Mark 2:1-12 God is the only one who is your Creator. God is the only who owns the earth and all of us in it. God is the only one who loved you so much that he sent his son to die on the cross for your sins…so that by the blood of Christ He purchased you from sin and death… He is your Creator, Purchaser and Owner. God is the only one who has a right…to label you… If we could live our lives simply rejecting all the labels that other people try to stick on us…and instead choose to let God be the one to label us…our lives would be so so so much better.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 I don’t think I’ve ever heard a sermon on apathy before. One of the most silent, yet deadly of the negative emotions. We need to deal with it, or it can destroy us. God wants to help you with it.

Galatians 6:3-4 Comparison is a snare that can easily ensnare us and distract us an cause us to stumble in our walk with the Lord. It can leave us prideful. It can leave us jealous. It can actually cause us to resent God’s goodness in the life of others, and ignore his blessing in our own lives. How do we avoid this trap?

Mark 9:38-50 Many of us, in looking back, can identify people who have been stumbling blocks in so many ways. In fact, it seems that many make a career out of pinpointing those people who have been stumbling blocks in their lives. There are many others who have latched onto this and make their living helping people find those in their past they can blame for their problems, insufficiencies, addictions, etc. Jesus has made it very clear what we are to do with those people. We are to forgive them and move on with our lives, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In our Scripture lesson today, we find Jesus telling us of the rewards of being a stepping stone for others, and the dire consequences of being a stumbling block. The message today is a call to examine ourselves and see if we have been or are being stumbling blocks to others, and encouraging us to be stepping stones instead.

Faith is a powerful thing, but I want you to understand that unbelief is powerful as well. Unbelief is a great force. The power of unbelief is so great that it extends throughout all eternity.

Psalm 34:1-8 Life is hard, but God is good.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6