North Way Christian Community

When our hearts are purified, we can see God in new and beautiful ways. God's goodness surrounds us constantly, but we need the right lenses—purified hearts—to see it. Our hearts are not meant to be followed but purified, and this purification comes through God's Word and the fire of the Holy Spirit. As the Word of God enters our hearts and the Spirit of God works within us, we are cleansed, allowing us to see the ways of God's Kingdom and His goodness. When we surrender to God, letting His Word and Spirit purify us, the eyes of our hearts are opened, and we can truly see Him.

God's favor rests on those who show mercy, recognizing that the mercy Jesus calls us to is about the Light of Eternity (LOE) rather than Return on Investment (ROI). Being merciful starts with examining our own hearts and actions. Jesus’ call of mercy is bigger than something to do, it’s someone to be, and the world is desperate to experience.  We're called to be merciful, forgiving, and generous, with the Holy Spirit guiding us every step of the way.

In moments of emptiness, we often seek to fill the void with things that don’t truly satisfy. Instead of seeking identity and purpose in artificial things, Jesus calls us to pursue righteousness by living in a right relationship with God and avoiding self-righteousness and cultural influences. By embracing this authentic hunger, we not only fulfill our own needs but also become a light to the world, demonstrating the only genuine way to fill the void within us.

Jesus teaches that true discipleship involves living with submission, humility, and meekness. Meekness is not weakness but controlled strength, showing gentleness, wisdom, and peace. By submitting to God's way, we live in contentment now and look forward to reigning with Christ in the new heavens and earth. Embrace meekness, knowing it leads to true blessing and aligns us with the Kingdom of God.

Mourning is a natural and expected part of life. Psalms of lament teach us to express our sorrow and rely on God, transforming our grief into joy. By bringing our pain to God, persistently seeking His help, and praying with the cross in mind, we experience true comfort and a renewed heart, as God promised.

Sometimes as Christians, we feel the pressure to have it all together, but Jesus teaches us the importance of relying on Him. Being "poor in spirit" means recognizing our need for God, like using crutches when we can't walk on our own. It's about spiritual dependence, not independence. We must embrace our need for God and lean on Him, for this is where true strength and a taste of heaven begins.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proclaims the gospel as the good news that the upside down, inside-out Kingdom of God is here now, and seeking it leads to human flourishing. As disciples of Jesus, living out the ways of the Kingdom will bring it to earth by pursuing a way of blessing that is countercultural, counterintuitive, and distinct in posture, priorities, perspective, practices, and path.

To witness the extraordinary works of God in our lives, we must consistently practice our faith and follow His revealed guidance. As we draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us, fulfilling His promises in His perfect timing. Throughout this sermon, we are presented with 9 daily decisions to help deepen our faith.

Fasting provides spiritual nourishment from a heavenly source and gives us remarkable grace to handle whatever we face. Eating food we don’t know about means focusing on and living according to God's will and being nourished by His spirit. Hunger is a reminder of our need to be nourished. When hunger persists, it causes us to remember where real and lasting nourishment come from, which is God alone.

Join Allison and Dave as they explore the themes of operating in the opposite spirit, especially in home and work settings, and the importance of understanding spiritual realities in daily conflicts. To watch this past week's sermon: Operating in the Opposite Spirit | Dave Buehring For more info: northway.org  

When you are in situations where you are falsely accused, treated unjustly, actively opposed, or spoken to disrespectfully how do you respond? When faced with wrongful actions, our natural tendency is to react out of our flesh—anger for anger, hurt for hurt. However, Jesus teaches us to move in the opposite spirit, turning these situations into opportunities for spiritual impact. This purposeful response not only changes the spiritual atmosphere around us but also advances God's Kingdom, embodying true discipleship by serving others and continually forgiving and blessing, even in the face of injustice.

This week on Behind and Beyond we discuss trusting in the Lord's providence and how to apply God's promises practically in daily life. To watch this past week's sermon: Promises of God | John Reilly For more info: northway.org

In the book of Esther, we see how God turns ordinary moments into extraordinary ones, even when His hand is hard to see. While we may struggle to understand our own story, relying on God's promises gives us hope, patience, and steadfastness in uncertain times. Let's actively trust in these promises to be part of God's bigger narrative, even when it feels challenging. Promises of God

Join Pastor Dave and Allison as they dive deeper into Esther chapter five. They discuss surrending our pride, biblical fasting, and how to wait on the Lord. To watch this past week's sermon: The Destructive Power of Pride For more info: northway.org

Do you believe God extends His grace even to those against us? Do you embrace justice and mercy as God does, or are you too focused on demanding justice for yourself? Through the lens of Haman's pride, we see how it blinds us to God's truth and perpetuates anger and hurt. Pride convinces us that joy and security lie in possessions and status, leading us to minimize our own faults while magnifying others'. God calls us to humble ourselves, plow the fields of our hearts, and open ourselves up to His word, seeking healing and transformation.

This week on Behind and Beyond we have a conversation about repentance, spiritual disciplines, and what it looks like to die to ourselves daily. Pastor John Reilly dives deeper into his sermon and how he studies scripture. Resource: Habits of the Household To watch this past week's sermon: The Daily Choice | John Reilly For more info: northway.org

x What is your ultimate pursuit in life? Are you striving for wealth, prestige, or the validation of others? Or are you prepared to relinquish everything to embrace Jesus? Every morning presents us with the choice: Will we conform to the values of this world, or will we align ourselves with the Kingdom of God? We are called to choose God’s world and walk daily in accordance with His will.

This week, host Rebekah Stolle sits down with Amanda Beggs to dive deeper into her sermon on the book of Esther. The two discuss signs of a prideful heart, the idea of an invisible God in a visible world, and the difference between lament and grief. To watch this past week’s sermon: The Enemy’s Trap | Amanda Beggs For more info: northway.org

The book of Esther shows us to look for the hidden hand of God in our lives. Just because we can’t see God, doesn’t mean He isn’t there. But the enemy tries to trick us into believing lies. Satan always presents the bait, but then he hides the hook. Have you given the enemy unchecked power in your life? Have you fallen into the trap of unquestioned acceptance or confusion? The enemy uses these traps to try to take our eyes off Jesus. But Jesus is always walking with us. He enters the confusion. He can sympathize with us inside our pain and also save us from it. When we lean into scripture and rely on the power God has given us, we are freed.  

Join Pastor Scott Stevens as he sits down with Rebekah Stolle and discusses the concept of "grit" and how we cultivate spiritual perseverance in the face of challenges. Topics also include how we live as a minority in a broken world and the importance of establishing healthy, spiritual habits.   Link to the grit test: https://sasupenn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06f6QSOS2pZW9qR?Q_JFE=qdg   Link to grit TED talk: https://www.npr.org/2013/11/01/240779578/is-having-grit-the-key-to-success   To watch this past week's sermon: Easy Choices v. Hard Choices   For more info: northway.org