Category: motivations

• DECISION v. DISCERNMENT

  Everyone of us comes to a place of needing to make a decision. Of needing to make a change in life, habits, job, friends, starting something new. This is part of life. We all have to decide what we need, or want, to do. But, one of the challenges this brings is the emotional state […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/22/2022

  belonging, Bible, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Communication, conflict, confrontation, disciples, glory to God, God’s grace, holy life, holy living, John Wesley, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, motivations, Spirit led, transformation, trust, Truth, worship, writing, youth ministry

  anxiety in making decisions, Christian life, complete life change, devotional on discernment, God has a plan, how to make a decision, live differently, Trust Jesus, what does discernment mean, who does God want me to become

• God Leads

  Click here to read 1 Samuel 17. These are the stories that capture our imagination and restore hope. Rudy, The Karate Kid, Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby…these are all stories where the “wrong person” wins. But these stories stick with us. Why? Because of who wins! We love for the underdog to win. Why? I […]

  Ryan Stratton

  06/22/2021

  anxiety, attitudes, awakening, believe, belonging, Bible, bible stories, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, faith, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, legacy, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, preach, preaching, trust, Truth, Uncategorized, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  1 Samuel 17, Christian life, David and Goliath, faith in Christ, God leads to victory, Good News of Jesus Christ, Jesus changes everything, rooting for the underdog, transform the world, underdogs win

• Asking the Right Question

  We have all been at crossroads and have to figure out which path to take that will be the best for your life. Some of the questions we ask are, “Which way does God want me to go?”, “How do I know if I make the right choice?”, “What is the best option for me […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/06/2020

  ambition, anxiety, beauty, belief, believe, belonging, Bible, challenge, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, faithful, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, Holy Spirit, journaling, journey, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, pain, passion, patience, peace, possibilities, Prayer, prayer life, questions, repentance, resurrection, revival, temptations, testimony, thankful, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

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• FREE BOOK!

  FREE book to help you study the Old Testament book of Jonah.

  Ryan Stratton

  05/26/2020

  belief, believe, belonging, bible, challenge, Challenges, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Communication, compassion, conflict, confrontation, conversion, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, faith, faithful, glory of God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy living, Holy Spirit, Identity, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, judging, kindness, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, peace, people, Relationships, repentance, respect, revival, Savior, serve, service, sharing our faith, Sin, Spirit, Spirituality, struggles, transformation, travel, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worldview, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study, book of Jonah, Christian life, faith in Christ, glory of God, God, God is with us, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, mission, new life in Christ, praying for revival, revival, talking with God, transform the world, Trust God, Trust Jesus, Who is God

• Seeking & Saving the Lost

  

  Jesus is so much more than we realize he is. Even those of us who profess his name and seek to follow him still do not get or give a full picture of who he is. Over the last few weeks, we have talked about various aspects of who Jesus is: Jesus is God in […]

  Ryan Stratton

  10/12/2018

  believe, belonging, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, conversion, disciples, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, Gospel of Luke, grace, harevsting, heaven, Holy Spirit, Image of God, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, lost and found, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, motivations, new creation, pastor, people, praise, pray, Prayer, prayer life, preaching, renewal, repent, repentance, revival, Savior, sharing our faith, sin, Sinners, Spirit, Spirit led, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  God pursuing you, God seeks and finds the people, God so loved the world, God’s heart for the world, Gospel of Luke, mission of Jesus, repent and believe, saving people, seeking and saving the lost, sinners repenting, trusting in God, trusting in Jesus, who are the lost, who are the poor, who is Jesus Christ

• Making An Eternal Impact

  

  READ SCRIPTURE: Luke 12:13-21 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/07/2018

  awakening, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, challenge, character, charity, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, example, facing challenges, Failure, faith, faithful, giving thanks, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, heaven, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, influence, inheritance, investigative, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, judgement, judging, kindness, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, motivations, Motives, pastor, Prayer, prayer life, preach, preaching, priorities, proclaiming Christ, relationships, Savior, spiritual disciplines, thankful, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  assurance of eternal life, eternal life, is tithing important, Jesus changes everything, John Wesley On the Use of Money, living a generous life, Luke 12:13-21, relationship with Christ, relationship with God, relationship with stuff, stewardship sermon series, storage unit industry, storing up too much, the generous life, tithing and Christian life, Wesley’s rules for use of money

• Loving to Life Pt 3

  

  SMALL GROUPS One of the things I love about moving to a new area is getting to know the people. As we learn about the people, we learn their stories, their passions, their hopes and dreams for the future. We also have opportunities to learn more about who they are as a person, what their […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/16/2018

  attitudes, awakening, belief, believe, belonging, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, evangelism, example, faithful, fruit, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, harevsting, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, motivations, pastor, planning, pray, prayer life, prepare, revival, sharing, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study groups, brigning life, developing relationships, learning about people, living life together, loving to life, moving as a pastor, moving to a new church, power to transform, sharing life together, small group ministry, trusting God

• Connecting Points

  

  Click here to read Acts 17. “All you need to do is to teach that person how to…” This sounds simple enough; but is it really that easy to get people to learn new things? Just teach them? When we teach, we are actually connecting the person to what they have seen, what they have […]

  Ryan Stratton

  10/31/2017

  Apostle Paul, apostles, belief, believe, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conversion, Creation, Creativity, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, evangelism, faith, faithful, God, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, lifestyle, methodism, methodist, mission, motivations, Motives, preach, preaching, proclaiming Christ, revival, sharing our faith, Spirit led, trust, Truth, uncategoried, wisdom, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Acts 17, all things to all people, book of Acts, connecting people to Christ, Holy Spirit convicts, Holy Spirit leads and instructs, Paul preaches on Mars Hill, sharing our faith, stand firm in the gospel message, starting points, understand then be understood, unknown god

• Being Known

  

  Read Acts 9:32-43 here. What would you like to be known for? This is something I believe we all think about more than we care to admit. Now, I’m not talking about how we want to be remembered after was pass away and move on to life eternal. I’m talking about here and now. How […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/14/2017

  Apostle Peter, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, kindness, leadership, legacy, Life, Love, memory, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, motivations, Motives, praise, Prayer, priorities, relationships, Spirit, Temptation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  being known for good, being known in the community, book of Acts, Christian living, dedication to Christ, following Christ, giving God glory, lasting legacy, what are you known for

• People Can Change

  

  Read Acts 9:21:31 here. We all, I’m sure, have known people who say they are going to change. And then they relapse into whatever they needed to stop. It breaks our heart and we lose trust. We begin to learn that the person “cannot” change. The reality is people change when the desire for Christ […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/11/2017

  Apostle Paul, apostles, attitudes, awakening, belief, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, faith, forgiven, Forgiveness, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, healing, Holy Spirit, influence, Jesus, Jesus Christ, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, motivations, Prayer, reconciliation, redeemed, relationships, renewal, repent, revival, save, Savior, Spirit, spiritual transformation, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

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