Posts with the tag “21-days-of-prayer”

David’s life reminds us that winning in God’s Kingdom does not look like perfection, popularity, or public applause. David won because his heart stayed aligned with God through every season, hidden and highlighted, celebrated and corrected. He understood that victory was not something he achieved for God, but something God accomplished through him. Long before crowns and conquests, David learned h...  Read More

As we near the end of these 21 days of prayer and fasting, David stands before us as a full, layered picture of faith lived out.We’ve seen David the friend:Loyal in covenantFaithful in relationshipWilling to stand beside others even when it cost himWe’ve seen David the musician:Pouring his inner life into songsLetting honesty become holyUsing what was in his hands to minister to othersWe’ve seen D...  Read More

Parent GuideThis guide is meant to equip you with discussion questions and conversation starters that you can use throughout the week to continue the conversation about what you and your kids learned on Sunday. This parent guide is for parents of kids ages 3 through 18. Sermon SummaryIn case you missed it, or if you just need a refresher, here's a quick summary of what we talked about this week in...  Read More

Sermon Recap This sermon emphasizes the greatness of God and the importance of lifting Him up through praise and worship. Pastor Michael A. Pender reminds the congregation that God's reliability and faithfulness require us to uphold our commitments, as God witnesses our actions and covenants in life. The message also highlights the significance of community involvement, encouraging attendees to ex...  Read More

John 15:13-15Jesus reveals the fullest picture of what David’s life hinted at: God wants friendship, not mere religious distance. Christ calls us friends and proves His love through sacrifice, inviting us into a relationship shaped by love, obedience, and shared purpose. Friendship with God is not passive—it is partnership with His heart.The sermon’s worshipful energy points outward as well as upw...  Read More

Psalm 51:10-12 David’s friendship with God is also marked by repentance. David fails, and the Bible does not hide it; yet his response becomes a doorway back to intimacy. He prays for a clean heart and a renewed spirit, showing that real friendship with God includes honesty, humility, and the courage to come home.Praise without repentance can become noise, but praise with repentance becomes transf...  Read More

Psalm 23 Friendship with God grows as trust replaces striving. David learned to say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” meaning God is not only great in the sanctuary; He is present in the ordinary paths of daily life. When God shepherds you, you are not left to manage your soul alone—He leads, restores, and directs.The sermon’s repeated declaration that God is “still moving” encourages a steady confidenc...  Read More

Psalm 27 David’s friendship with God is fueled by a singular hunger: “One thing…to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” David doesn’t treat God as an emergency contact; he treats God as his dwelling place. When worship becomes your “one thing,” your inner life gains stability even when circumstances stay unpredictable.The sermon’s call to clap, shout, and lift hands is not about performance; it’s ab...  Read More

1 Samuel 13:12-16 David’s story begins with a surprising description: God is looking for a person after His own heart. Before David holds a title, wins a battle, or leads a nation, he is marked by desire, an inner orientation toward God that becomes the foundation for everything else. Friendship with God starts here: not perfection, but pursuit.In the sermon atmosphere of repeated praise, hands li...  Read More

Sermon Recap The main message of the sermon focuses on the remarkable qualities of David, as described in 1 Samuel 14:16-23. Pastor Michael A. Pender emphasizes David's multifaceted character—highlighting him as a skillful musician, a man of valor, a warrior, and a prudent speaker. Importantly, David's greatest qualification was that the Lord was with him. The sermon encourages believers by illust...  Read More

Parent GuideThis guide is meant to equip you with discussion questions and conversation starters that you can use throughout the week to continue the conversation about what you and your kids learned on Sunday. This parent guide is for parents of kids ages 3 through 18. Sermon SummaryIn case you missed it, or if you just need a refresher, here's a quick summary of what we talked about this week in...  Read More

Psalm 150:1-6 David’s life reminds us that worship is not reserved for polished moments or perfect settings—it flows from a heart fully alive to God. Long before he was king, David was a musician in the fields, pouring out songs to the Lord with no audience but heaven. His harp became a place of honesty, where fear, joy, gratitude, and trust were expressed freely. David understood that music and p...  Read More

Psalm 150:1-6 The sermon’s repeated call, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord," frames praise as the lifelong language of the redeemed. Worship is not only for the sanctuary; it is for the kitchen, the commute, the hospital waiting room, and the quiet moments when no one else is listening. Breath itself becomes your reason: if God has sustained you, you can respond with praise.This kin...  Read More

Psalm 150:6The sermon’s repeated call, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, “ frames praise as the lifelong language of the redeemed. Worship is not only for the sanctuary; it is for the kitchen, the commute, the hospital waiting room, and the quiet moments when no one else is listening. Breath itself becomes your reason: if God has sustained you, you can respond with praise.This kind ...  Read More

2 Chronicles 20:21-22God sometimes fights in ways that challenge our instincts. In Jehoshaphat’s battle, singers were sent ahead of the army, and praise became the front line. The sermon repeated that praise is a weapon, and Scripture shows that worship is not passive, it is a faith-act that declares God’s victory before you see it.Praise is not denial of the problem; it is defiance against despai...  Read More

1 Samuel 16:22-24 David’s musicianship was never just performance; it carried spiritual weight. When he played, Saul experienced relief, reminding us that worship can shift what feels oppressive and create space for peace. The sermon’s emphasis on not being quiet points to a worship that is willing to engage the battle, not merely observe it.Praise is powerful because it reorients the heart and in...  Read More

Psalm 34:1Praise is not meant to be seasonal or situational; it is meant to be continual. When the sermon declared, “As long as I’m breathing, I’ve got a reason to praise,” it echoed David’s resolve to bless the Lord at all times—not because life was always easy, but because God was always worthy.David’s worship was a decision before it was a feeling. Praise becomes a way of anchoring your soul to...  Read More

Sermon Recap ?️This sermon emphasizes the power of faith, focusing on a narrative from 1 Samuel 17. Pastor Michael A. Pender uses the story of David to illustrate that true faith requires action, not merely belief. Drawing parallels to David's confrontation with Goliath, Pastor Pender stresses that believers today should not rely solely on their resources or "equipment" but trust God fully, even w...  Read More

Parent GuideThis guide is meant to equip you with discussion questions and conversation starters that you can use throughout the week to continue the conversation about what you and your kids learned on Sunday. This parent guide is for parents of kids ages 3 through 18. Sermon SummaryIn case you missed it, or if you just need a refresher, here's a quick summary of what we talked about this week in...  Read More

Philippians 4:13-14 Overachieving in God’s kingdom is not about hype or self-confidence; it’s about strength that comes from Christ. Paul’s words don’t promise you can do anything you imagine—they promise you can endure and obey whatever Christ calls you into, because His power supplies what your resources cannot.David’s story and the sermon point to a new-year mindset shift: stop measuring your f...  Read More

Proverbs 3:5-6Leaning is a picture of dependence. The sermon named how easy it is to lean on money, relationships, status, or our own understanding—yet those supports eventually wobble. God invites you to trust Him with your whole heart, not as a backup plan but as your primary foundation.Trusting God doesn’t mean ignoring planning; it means surrendering outcomes. When you acknowledge Him in all y...  Read More

Hebrews 11:1Faith is not vague optimism; Scripture defines it as assurance and conviction. Assurance anchors your hope, and conviction moves your feet—because real faith doesn’t just agree with truth, it acts on truth. David didn’t merely believe God could deliver; he stepped forward with a settled confidence that God would be faithful.The sermon emphasized that David rejected conventional battle ...  Read More

1 Samuel 17:45David didn’t deny Goliath’s weapons—he simply refused to make them the deciding factor. He understood something Saul forgot: the outcome of God’s battles is not determined by the opponent’s equipment, size, or reputation. David named what Goliath had, then declared what he had—“the name of the Lord of hosts.”The sermon reminded us that we can become stuck staring at what we don’t hav...  Read More

1 Samuel 17:10-11Goliath’s voice was loud, intimidating, and public—meant to shame God’s people into silence and retreat. Saul and Israel heard the same words everyone else heard, and their response was fear, dismay, and paralysis. The giant didn’t have to swing a sword; he only had to shape what they believed about what was possible.This is where the sermon meets us at the start of a new year: th...  Read More

21 Days Fasting Guide We are all at different places in our walk with God. The Goal is not pure focus on abstaining from something, it is to draw you closer to God.Goal #1: Find the Place where you feel light and spiritually in tune with God.Goal #2: Keep your mind focused on God and kingdom things on above.Goal #3: Keep your mind on the purpose behind this prayer and fast 21 days.Finally: THINK S...  Read More