Category: Temptation

• Fear & God

  What drives your actions and your attitude? Most people will say their determination, the family, their purpose. But below that there may be something else. Look around when there’s a crisis and what do you see? People panicking and doing what they can so they survive. This is caused by fear. Now, there is a […]

  Ryan Stratton

  03/15/2020

  belief, believe, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, devotionals, disciples, faith, fear, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, leadership, Lent, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, Temptation, temptations, testimony, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bringing hope into the world, faith not fear, Fear God only, Good News of Jesus Christ, how Christians live, light of Christ, living in faith, living in fear, pandemics, trust in God, what do you fear?

• Loving to Life Pt 2

  

  MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE Last week we began a series to help us love people to life. When we go to a new place, it it easy to assume we know what people need to do. In many cases, we may be right. The best thing to do is to pray, and listen, to […]

  Ryan Stratton

  07/06/2018

  belief, believe, bible, calling, career, challenge, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Creativity, devotionals, disciples, evangelism, example, faith, faithful, forgiven, Forgiveness, freedom, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, Golden rule, good news, gospel, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, judgement, judging, leadership, learning, Life, lifestyle, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, preparation, prepare, priorities, proclaiming Christ, redeemed, service, spiritual growth, spiritual transformation, Temptation, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  blog series, bringing life, calling of the disciples, grand visions from God, learning patience, loving people, loving people to life, making progress, new life in Christ, taking time in changing things, transformation begins with relationships, transforming a community, work of the Holy Spirit

• 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

• REDEEMED: A Strange Love

  

  We have begun the season of Lent, a time of reflection, repentance, and turning our lives back toward the gospel. Whether you practice the season of Lent or not (the 40 days before Easter not including Sundays), I invite you to begin this practice this year. Ash Wednesday is the day that begins the Lenten […]

  Ryan Stratton

  03/02/2017

  belief, believe, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conversion, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, Failure, failures, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, healing, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, humble, humility, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lent, Life, Lord, Love, marriage, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, new creation, pastor, Prayer, prayer life, preaching, preparation, prepare, reconciled, redeemed, relationships, repent, sin, Spirit, spiritual disciplines, spiritual growth, Temptation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

  book of Hosea, free in Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, love of God, new life in Jesus, reconciled to God, reconciliation, reconciling the world, redeemed by God, redeemed sermon series, redemption series, repent and believe, saved by grace, saving the lost, season of lent, turn your life around

• Giving It Up

  

  Lent is coming upon us. No, this is not the lint we find in our pockets or in our dryers. This is a special time within the Christian Church calendar. This is a time of sacrifice, self-denial, repentance, self-reflection, etc. so we can be fully ready to experience the joy that comes on Easter Sunday […]

  Ryan Stratton

  02/28/2017

  attitudes, belief, believe, belonging, calling, challenge, character, charity, children, Christian Life, Christianity, church, confessing, control, devotionals, disciples, dying, eternal life, evangelism, faith, faithful, forgiven, Forgiveness, gift, glory, glory to God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, heaven, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, humility, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lent, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, pastor, peace, Prayer, reconciliation, Relationships, renewal, repent, Sacrifice, spiritual disciplines, Temptation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, worship, writing, youth ministry

  Ash Wednesday, confession and repentance, daily devotionals, experience the present of God, giving up for lent, love of God, resurrection of Jesus Christ, season of lent, spiritual disciplines for lent, spiritual life, stay focused on God, temptation of Jesus Christ, what is lent

• SENT OUT with Identity

  

  This week, we began a 5 part series in worship called “SENT OUT.” Jesus does not call us to live comfortable lives, be comfortable in our worship, or expect everything to go just right simply because we follow him. He calls us to go out into our communities and out into the world to follow […]

  Ryan Stratton

  01/10/2017

  belief, believe, belonging, bible, bible study, character, children, Christian Life, Christianity, church, destiny, disciples, evangelism, faith, faithful, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, Identity, Image of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, Moses, new creation, new life, pastor, power, praise, preach, reconciliation, religion, renewal, repent, revival, Spirit, Spirit led, teenager, Temptation, temptations, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, witness, worship, writing, youth ministry

  baptism of Jesus, change your hearts and lives, Child of God, Christian living, God works through people, gospel of Matthew, Holy Spirit within us, knowing our idenity, knowing who you are are, life lived for God, repent and believe the gospel, sharing God’s love, spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit, trusting God, what does this all mean for us?, who are you?

• Putting Out Fires

  

  We are all busy people. There is just too much to do, too much to handle, too much to fix. It never fails that we cannot get ahead in our schedules. Why does this happen? A few weeks ago, I wrote about having too many “irons in the fire.” Today, let’s focus on why we […]

  Ryan Stratton

  12/01/2016

  Advent, Apostle Paul, career, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, Christmas, church, conflict, confrontation, control, faith, fear, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus, joy, leadership, mercy, methodism, methodist, mindset, ministry, pastor, priorities, priority, relationships, renewal, repent, revival, Savior, spiritual gifts, Spirituality, Temptation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, words, Work, world, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  body of Christ, each person has gifts, focus on the task at hand, Kingdom of God, place your trust in God, prioritize tasks at hand, putting out fires, reducing stress, the body of Christ, too many irons in the fire, too much stress, we are not lone rangers, we’re in this together, work with the Holy Spirit

• Take Away Everything…What’s Left?

  We plan and plan and plan. We attempt to bring the best that we can to whatever event or party we throw. We’ll get anxious is something doesn’t go right, if something doesn’t go according to plan. What do we do? I have tried to figure out how to make things happen in the midst […]

  Ryan Stratton

  04/06/2015

  Apostle Paul, bible, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Colossians, community, Creation, evangelism, faith, faithful, glory of God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, methodism, methodist, ministry, new creation, new life, praise, prayer life, relationships, revival, Spirit, spiritual growth, Spirituality, Temptation, transformation, trust, Truth, worship, youth ministry

  Apostle Paul, bible study of Colossians, book of Colossians, Christ hold all things together, Christ holds all things together, Christian life, faith in Christ, glory of Christ, glory of God, God, God has a plan, God’s grace, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, live by faith, live differently, new creation in Christ, new life in Christ, planning events, prayer life, revival planning, supremacy of Christ, Trust God, Trust Jesus

• New Year

  Grace and Peace to you this year and welcome to 2015! From Paul, an apostle who is not sent from human authority or commissioned through human agency, but sent through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead; and from all the brothers and sisters with me. To the churches in […]

  Ryan Stratton

  01/01/2015

  Bible, Challenges, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Creativity, disciples, evangelism, facing challenges, Failure, faith, fear, Forgiveness, giving thanks, God, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus Christ, legacy, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, new year, peace, power, praise, pray, priorities, proclaiming Christ, relationships, Spirit, Spirituality, Temptation, uncategoried, witnessing

  book of Galatians, freedom in Christ, Good News of Jesus Christ, grace and peace, Jesus lives, live faithfully, new mercies of God, new year, new year resolutions, power of the Holy Spirit, sharing our faith

• Sinners, Outcasts & the Poor

  Buda United Methodist Church Saturday Evening Worship 11/29/14 Live Stream link for message (Saturdays 6:00pm CST) http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ciZIUF3EndU Youth Director, Ryan Stratton delivers this message on SINNERS, OUTCASTS & THE POOR. How Jesus lived his life by welcoming the sinners, the outcast and the poor is the example he’s asking us to live by today. Jesus […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/29/2014

  bible, Blessings, Challenges, charity, Christian Life, Christianity, church, community, disciples, faith, faithful, Forgiveness, God, gospel, grace, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus, Jesus Christ, joy, Life, live stream, Love, methodism, methodist, praise, pray, Prayer, prayer life, relationships, revival, Sacrifice, Sin, Sinners, Spirit, Spirituality, Temptation, Uncategorized, witnessing, Worry, worship, youth ministry

  Christian living, Good News of Jesus Christ, joy in life, peaceful living, poor in spirit, saving souls, seeing people