Strength to Strength

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
‍- Ephesians 5:12

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The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

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For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
- Ephesians 2:10

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For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
‍- John 3:16

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For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
- Ephesians 1:4

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How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord Almighty! My soul yearns,even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
- Psalms 84:1-2

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Blessed are those whose strength is in you,whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
- Psalms 84:5-7

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For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
- 2 Timothy 2:7

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being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 1:6

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By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
- Exodus 13:21

Mixer

What is your favorite 4th of July tradition?

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Neighborly - Daily Devotional

To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.

1. In the 7/5/23 entry, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright!, Pastor Harry shares an anonymous quote to accompany Psalm 98:1: "In Christ… Everything will be okay in the end. So… if it's not okay… it isn't the end." How do you, in the midst of a current struggle, personally know that everything will be alright? How does that quote bring you hope? What does it encourage you to do until you are through it?

2.  In the 7/8/23 entry, Walk-Up Song, Kyle shares about baseball players having “walk-up songs” chosen for when they walk out of the dugout. What song would have represented the past you and how different would it be from the now (after Jesus) you? What would the divine soundtrack of your life have on it? And how do you find His harmony and rhythm in the chaotic din of the world around you?

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Sermon Questions

Scriptures: Ephesians 1:4, 2:10, 5:12; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; John 3:16; Psalm 84:1-2, 5-7; 2 Timothy 2:7; Philippians 1:6; Exodus 13:21

1. Read Ephesians 6:12. In this world, we tend to be hyper-focused on the physical realm when our battle is spiritual. What are some battles you face? How do you deal with the temptation to quit? How do you “get back on the horse” when you fail? How does success make you feel?
2. Pastor Josh reminded us of 3 ways the enemy comes after us:
3.                     - Arguments – opposite views of God says we are (Eph 2:10)
4.                     - Pretension/Lies – false truths of who God says we are (John 3:16)
5.                     - Thoughts  – unhealthy ideas of who God says we are (Eph 1:4)
6. Which tends to be your land mine? What does God’s Word say about it?
7. From 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. How does the enemy of this world attack us spiritually – what strongholds does the enemy use to delay, repel, and weaken our Christian lives? Have you experienced any of these strongholds recently or even repeatedly? How do they separate you from God?
8. Read Psalm 84:1-7. What appeals to you from this psalm? Pastor Josh showed a photo of the Valley of Baka – desolate, barren, dry. How does verse 6 compare to this photo? From verse 5, what causes this drastically different experience?
9. Read Philippians 1:4-6. Paul expresses a confidence in the Philippians that Pastor Josh also expressed about us. What is it? Why is this so powerful? How does this good news fuel you to defeat Satan’s strongholds and Go First this week?

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Serve

Your Table Group can step into some fun volunteer opportunities together! This Friday, the Boys & Girls Club in 4S Ranch needs volunteers at their Summer Games Event.  Here are some other ways you can help with our Poverty Alleviation projects and a link below for more:

• Help set up for our new high school Rise Wednesdays from 3-4pm. Come once, come weekly, or come monthly! Contact: matthew@thechurchrb.org

Check out more projects available here.

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Pray

Pray over this week’s Daily Devotionals, which are all provided by some of our very own The Church at RB Missionaries! Pray that their messages not only resonate with our church, but also that our world-wide partners will feel encouraged and connected.

“I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”

- Matthew 8:11