God is Good - God is Here

Success is defined in many ways. A high level of social status. The achievement of an objective or goal. And even just the opposite of failure. The world defines success by what you have. But God defines success by WHO you have. It is the presence of the Lord that makes your life a success. This week we look at the life of Joseph to see what real success looks like. Listen online @BranchChurch.org or download the podcast on iTunes.

Branch Family Church
God is Good - God is Here

Get Planted
God’s view of success

Genesis 39:1-2 NKJV - God’s view of success is different. It is the presence of the Lord that makes your life a success. Success is not what you have, but rather WHO you have!

Grow Strong
Who are you depending on?

Galatians 5:4 - Quit trying to merit and deserve success by your own efforts.

Matthew 6:33 - Stop pursuing things and start pursuing Him.

Hebrews 13:5 - The best time to practice His presence is when you don’t feel it.

Psalm 127:1-2 - Without Him, we cannot. Without us, He will not.

Genesis 39:3 - The manifestation of God’s presence will be seen on you.

Branch Out
Your lowest points are launching pads

Genesis 41:39-41 - Promotion is the result of knowing that God is good - God is here

Sarah's email to Branch Staff

Last night my wife Sarah sent this email out to the staff of the Branch. I wanted everyone to read it...

Amazing Staff,

I don't know if you all heard about Korey Little breaking his arm tonight, but Steve and Derek are currently at the hospital with the Littles. He is fine, but it was a double fracture. Also, Alvaro got into an accident on the way to rehearsal tonight. He is also fine. A car pulled out in front of him, but he still made it to rehearsal.

After all of this happened, I was praying and just sensed the Lord so strongly saying that breakthrough is just around the corner. Never before have I felt the pressure that I have felt these last two weeks, and to be honest, at times have been tempted to give in. BUT GOD has so strongly encouraged me that we are on the right track, and the devil is trying to get our eyes on what he is trying to do around us.

It is time to see the miraculous! It is time to walk in the supernatural!! God so desires to manifest Himself to us and through us. We are to live in the fullness of what God has called us to live in spiritually, financially, physically - in every area of our lives. IT IS TIME!!

But here's the thing. We must stay focused on God and His Word and not our circumstances. His Word has to be more alive to us than what we see with our natural eyes. The things we can see are subject to change in an instant. WE JUST CAN'T BUCKLE UNDER THE PRESSURE!!

Another thing is that we can't let the devil steal our joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength, if our joy is gone then so is our strength to overcome.

This is so strong in me and I wanted to encourage you guys while it was fresh on my heart. We are so close - we can't give in!!

I love each of you so much, you all are dear to my heart, and I am so thankful that we get to do this together.

Love,
Sarah Turner

SleepingWithThePastor.com
Branch Family Church

God is Good - God is Here

Sometimes we get the proverbial cart before the horse when it comes to God. We think we need to get good to get God's favor. But that's not how it works! When we see God's goodness it produces the power to live a life that is pleasing to God. This Sunday @ the Branch Scott Jenkins reminds us to put first things first and let God produce the fruit of right living. Listen online @BranchChurch or download the podcast on iTunes.

Branch Family Church

God is Good - God is Here

Pastor Scott Jenkins

Get Planted

2 Peter 1:2 Amplified - May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Grow Strong

Luke 10:19-20 - Jesus said, "I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that's the agenda for rejoicing."

Philippians 3:7-9 Message - The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.

Philippians 2:12-13 - He gives you everything you need to please Him.

Branch Out

Romans 2:4 - Don’t get the cart before the horse... Kindness comes first.

Galatians 5:22-23 - The Holy Spirit produces fruit that has seeds for more.

Colossians 1:26-29 - “God is good & God is here” is the secret to life. The work is to share it with others in the power God had given you.

Family Life Church

Caroline and I headed to New Jersey to preach at Family Life Church with Pastor Dan Stauffer and his amazing family. Thanks to all the team and members of this great church for your hospitality. We had a blast, but we miss our Branch Family. See you Sunday. Below are my notes from the service:

Family Life Church

Anniversary Celebration

Acceleration - Isaiah 60:21-22 NKJV

Our Current Series...He turned water to wine, calmed a storm, made a blind man see, a crippled man walk again. So why do we sometimes lack the faith to believe that God can calm the storms in our own lives? What would it take for you to believe that the impossible is possible? A miracle? Join us as we discover that Jesus is still performing Miracles today!

Get Planted

Do you find yourself in a place you didn’t expect?

Mark 4:37-39 NLT

John 8:7 & 10-11 NLT

Grow Strong

Do you believe God is Here and God is Good?

Shouldn’t there be a part for man to perform and another part for God to fulfill. Shouldn’t man do his best and let God do the rest? Under the old covenant, God’s blessings were contingent on man’s fulfillment of a list of requirements. BUT we are no longer under the old covenant of the law.

Hebrews 9:13-14 NLT

Hebrews 8:6-7 NLT

Philippians 4:4-8 NLT - If I act in fear the only possible outcome is sin. When I shape my worries into prayers the God of Peace will do what exceeds my understanding.

Branch Out

You walk in miracles when you let God have the last word!

1 Peter 5:6-8 (The Message) So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. He Gets the Last Word. Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does

You Included

Remember that time you got the sweet toy for your birthday only to find that the fine print on the package said, Batteries not included. There was a mad rush to find six AAA's in the junk drawer and then borrow from every remote in the house only to come up one short. Who gives a gift that needs batteries and then doesn't provide them? It's like giving a bald guy a comb... Useless! Now, remember a time in your life when you were not included? Maybe it was a game of kickball and you didn't get picked. Or you were not invited to a party that you found out about later. Not being included is a lonely feeling. Jesus came with you in mind. In fact, He endured the cross because you were the joy set before Him. He always includes YOU!

For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in Heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. THIS INCLUDES YOU... Colossians 1:19-21

When you know you're included it's easier to include others. Jesus will show you who needs to be included so you can give the gift that keeps on giving and never needs batteries!

God is Good - God is Here

What we believe about God is vital to our success in this life. Sometimes when we see a seeming contradiction in the Bible it leads us to believe in an "oxymoron" God. In the Old Testament God had to speak through prophets and revealed bits and pieces of His character. But Jesus came to set the record straight. He is the mirror image of God (Hebrews 1:1-3 Amp.) and when we look to Him it will cut through all the religious confusion. This Sunday @ the Branch we discussed how looking to Jesus is vital to your success. Listen online @BranchChurch.org or get the podcast from iTunes.

Branch Family Church

God is Good - God is Here

Get Planted

Do you believe that Jesus is interested in your success?

Luke 12:32

Psalm 35:27

Grow Strong

What’s your view of Jesus?

John 8:7 &10-11

Mark 4:37-39

Shouldn't there be a part for man to perform and another part for God to fulfill. Shouldn't man do his best and let God do the rest? Under the old covenant, God’s blessings were contingent on man’s fulfillment of a list of requirements. BUT we are no longer under the old covenant of the law.

Hebrews 9:13-14

Hebrews 8:7

Branch Out

1 Corinthians 15:10 - Grace is not a topic... He’s a person

2 Peter 1:2 Amplified - May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The Cause

My little brother and his wife, Kyle & Liz, are starting a new church in Kansas City, KS. Check out his video below and if you know anyone in that area that needs a great church... send them to The Cause!

Find Your Cause from The Cause Community Church on Vimeo.

Charlotte ONE

I recently had lunch with David Hickman of CharlotteONE. Sarah and I attended their Tuesday night gathering in Uptown Charlotte at the beautiful 1st United Methodist Church. There were around 500 young adults in attendance for worship. By the way, Grayson and Tori Berkowitz are helping lead worship at these events.

We were so touched by what God is doing through David and CharlotteONE that we decided to become a partner church and help UNITE CHARLOTTE...

Central to the mission and vision of CharlotteONE is the prayer that Jesus prayed for the church in John 17:23 when He prayed, “May they become perfectly ONE, so that the world will know that you sent me and love them even as much as you love me.” CharlotteONE is a unified movement of currently 40 local churches whose sole mission is to reach young adults (18-35) in Charlotte for Christ and connect them to a local faith community.

The Branch can get behind a vision like that!

God is Good - God is Here

I hear lies about God all the time. "He put sickness on me to teach me a lesson. He caused that car accident so that I would slow down. He is hiding Himself from me so that I will draw closer to Him." If you think that God is schizophrenic then confusion will dominate your life and you will call bad good and good bad. Knowing that God is Good and God is Here will change everything! Listen online @BranchChruch or download the podcast on iTunes.

The Branch Family Church

God is Good - God is Here

Get Planted

God is Good

James 1:17 - There is nothing deceitful, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle in God.

Galatians 5:22 - Goodness is God's character.

Hebrews 11:6 - Believe that He is a rewarder.

Grow Strong

God is Here

Matthew 1:23 - Jesus is "God with us"

John 16:7 - The Holy Spirit is "God with YOU"

Branch Out

You’re Here to Do Good

3 John 1:11 - God's children do good not to get God's approval, but because of His approval.

Hebrews 4:14-16 - Grace and Mercy are available when you need... Come boldly based on what Jesus did!

Romans 8:27-30 - My job: Love God. His job: Cause all things to work for my good.