The Chapel Official Message Podcast

Mother’s Day 2023

Hannah endured the pain of barrenness for 19 long years. Each passing month brought with it a longing for a child, and then ended in disappointment. Hannah, like many of us, questioned God's plan for her life. Does God see me? Does he care? Where is he in the midst of this trial? Hannah could have turned her back on God, but instead, she turned toward him. Holding nothing back, she cried out to God. Her anguish was so profound that Eli, a priest, mistook her for being drunk. She replied, “Not so my lord… I am a woman deeply troubled… pouring out my soul to the Lord… praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” (1 Samuel 1:15–16) These were not superficial prayers; they were sincere, desperate, and specific. Eli replies, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” (1 Samuel 1:17). 

What happened next is remarkable. Hannah surrendered her hope for a child and walked away full of faith. She had encountered God. Her circumstances remained unchanged, but she was transformed. Her spirits were uplifted, and she was unwavering in her confidence that God was with her. Her anxiety gave way to peace, her sorrow to joy, and her doubt to trust. Though her womb remained empty, her spirit was full.

The Value in Listening | Anxiety | Part 4

A farmer is out scattering seeds. Seeds fall along the path as well as the rocky, thorny, and good soil. In the parable, the farmer is God, the seeds are the good news of the kingdom, and we are the soil. Often this is taught with the message that we should strive to be the good soil where the harvest grows. And while this is true, we want to be good soil, that is not the primary objective of the parable. Jesus begins the story by saying, "A farmer went out to sow his seed" (Matthew 13:3b). Jesus emphasizes the farmer, not the soil. So how does our understanding of the story change when our primary focus is on the nature of the farmer, not the nature of the soil? The farmer's seeds end up in many places where seeds can't grow. So either he is a terrible farmer or knows precisely what he is doing. Spoiler – he knows what he is doing. We learn that no matter who you are, what you have done, or how far you feel from God, God has not given up on you or passed you by because he is like a farmer who ensures that every type of soil gets seed.

Start Fighting For Your Health | Anxiety | Part 3

Although anxiety is a common human condition, we do not have to accept a life filled with anxiety as normal. Anxiety is not a sin. Anxiety is a symptom; an indicator that something is going on underneath the surface. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” We have a real enemy seeking to take away our peace. But Jesus came to bring us fullness of life. It’s time to start fighting for our mental health!

Stop Pretending You’re Okay | Anxiety | Part 2

The first step to freedom from anxiety is telling the truth about how we are really doing. It sounds simple, but oftentimes it is easier to pretend everything is ok than to face the emotional, relational, or spiritual risks that come with telling the truth. When we emotionally connect with ourselves, it can feel overwhelming. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the Lord says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This is the upside-down nature of the kingdom. When we are weak and live in the reality of our weakness, we become strong because it creates space for God. Authentically and regularly sharing all our fears, worries, and concerns with God is the number one thing we can do to break the hold of anxiety in our lives. We can’t fake it till we make it, and God isn’t asking us to. He asks us to bring him all that is weighing us down and say, “I’m not ok. I need you.”

Know That God is Greater Than Anything You Face | Anxiety | Part 1

If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone. 1 in 3 Americans experience significant anxiety at some point in their lives. While fear is our body’s response to a real threat, anxiety is worrying about the potential for something terrible to happen. Anxiety causes us to live as though these types of worst-case scenarios are a reality. There are many ways we respond to anxiety. We can try to find control in other areas of our lives, attempt to escape through tv, drinking, overworking, etc., become overwhelmed, or close ourselves off emotionally to avoid our fears. The Bible offers a radically different approach to handling our anxiety. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites us to connect with him; when we do, he promises rest. Rest can also be described as peace or shalom. Shalom is an all-encompassing peace, wholeness, abundance, and harmony. We weren’t built for anxiety and fear. God designed us for shalom. You have an enemy that wants to make you a slave to anxiety, but God wants you to know there is nothing he can’t fix. Nothing he can’t free. If you are weary, he is rest. If you are anxious, he is peace.

Easter Sunday 2023

In John 4:1-42, Jesus encounters a woman at the well in the middle of the day. As they talk, Jesus brings to the surface the parts of her life that she would rather keep hidden; she’s been married five times and is living with someone who isn’t her husband. Relational brokenness has weaved itself into her identity. Jesus isn't bringing up her past to harm her – but rather to heal her. She was an outcast among outcasts, and Jesus came to her. When she had given up hope, he offered her a new life. She came alive to God at that moment and returned to her village, sharing everything that happened to her, and her village also came alive to God. The good news of Easter is that the same Jesus who saw and loved this woman in the middle of her mess is alive now and pursuing you. He is not a philosophy, tradition, or symbol of love and goodness. Jesus is a person who lived and died. But death couldn’t hold him; he is living now. He is still speaking. Still acting. Still leading. He still offers us the same thing he offered the woman at the well; a transformed life. 

 

Bitterness | Temptations - The Story of Joseph | Part 4

There is a famine in the Promise Land, so Jacob sends his sons to Egypt, hoping to buy grain. When they arrive, the brothers bow before Joseph and beg him for food. Joseph recognizes them and remembers his dream from 22 years prior. Joseph has every right to be angry, vengeful, and bitter at that moment – but he’s not.

Joseph recognized that God was with him. He didn’t get stuck asking why things happened the way they did or why God didn’t rescue him sooner. The truth is, the answers to these questions won’t bring peace; only the presence of God can satisfy us. 

Joseph confronted the pain of his past and allowed himself to grieve. Joseph was a strong and powerful man who gave himself over to grief. Tears are an essential part of healing. We can be tempted to run past or sit in pain, but the Holy Spirit invites us to walk through it and experience healing with him. 

Joseph pursued generosity that brought about revival. Joseph could forgive his brothers and bless them because he allowed himself to grieve the pain of his past and knew God was with him. Forgiveness doesn’t happen in the pit; forgiveness is an outpouring of your healing. We don’t forgive to be better. We forgive because we are better. We don’t forgive to be restored. We forgive because we are restored.

Success & Distress | Temptations - The Story of Joseph | Part 3

In Genesis 40 & 41, Joseph has been falsely accused of adultery and is in prison. Although God’s presence is with him, there is nothing he can do to change his circumstances. After two years in prison, Joseph is asked to interpret a dream for Pharaoh and, in doing so, he is taken out of prison and brought to the palace. Soon he becomes the most powerful man in the world. Joseph experienced both distress and success. On the surface, they can look very different, but the temptation in both is the same – to focus on our circumstances over God. When we live a circumstances-directed life, we seek to avoid distress and increase success. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, it feels like God isn’t working, and when we experience success, we can judge God’s right to have expectations on our life. A God-directed life recognizes that God will use distress and success to build character. He cares about who we are and who we are becoming. He wants us to grow to be more like him. As we shift our focus from our circumstances to God himself, we realize the presence of God is the most important thing in our lives.

Sexual Temptation | Temptations - The Story of Joseph | Part 2

Genesis 39 tells the story of Joseph being tempted to compromise his sexual integrity with Potiphar's wife. Shame and fear are often used as motivators to guide us toward a life of sexual purity. We are told to fear the consequences of disobedience or risk being seen as shameful. The problem with this way of thinking is that fear and shame are tools of the enemy. They may bring about behavior modification for a time, but when the fear and shame wear off, so does the desire for purity. God is not looking to scare us into choosing purity. Instead, he invites us into a new way of living where our motivation for purity is centered on the deep love that God has for each of us. When we realize nothing can separate us from his love, we will stop settling for less than his best for us. We are all sinners, saved by grace. When we sin, we go against who God has called us to be and our identity in Christ. The more we fill up on the love of God, the less likely we will be to settle for less than his goodness in our lives.

Pride | Temptations - The Story of Joseph | Part 1

Temptations are anything that lead us away from God or the life he has for us. It’s been said that pride is the root of all other sins because it changes our orientation away from God. Pride believes that we are superior to and more important than others. It is rooted in self-centeredness and causes us to want to control other people. The lie behind pride is that life is a competition, and we don’t have value or worth till we distinguish ourselves. Pride can also show up in feeling insecure and inferior to others. The truth is our value and self-worth are not obtained through competition or distinguishing ourselves. You are valuable because you are the son or daughter of the king of the universe, and you are made in his image. He is willing to sacrifice anything and everything for you. There is nothing you can do to make him love you more or anything you can do to take away his love. When we understand and live in our identity in Christ, pride loses its power over us. God wants to invite you into a whole new way of living. One where you lay down pride and choose humility instead.