Experience Church San Francisco

If we see God as a friend, we set the parameters of the relationship as conditional. But our greatest relationship needs all require unconditional love, forgiveness and acceptance. How do you connect with God? As a friend or as your father?

Before we present our dreams to God to have him bless them, let's first make sure they are real and right.

The determination of your purpose - the thing "I must" do - doesn't come by scheming, planning or deciding - it comes by revelation. You don't work it out in a classroom and you don't choose it as a starry eyed kid or at a career vocation class. You find it on your journey out in the field like an explorer.

Gaps of seemingly little supernatural activity in our outward circumstances - as Jesus experienced between his birth and start of his ministry at age 30 - can be interpreted as barrenness; but during these times God is growing you bigger on the inside.

Jesus grew in wisdom and favor with God and men because he was obedient to his earthly parents and to His heavenly Father - let's seek for a commitment to grow in wisdom this year as we experience more supernatural activity around and working in and through our lives.

There is a whole new year just around the corner - and while it's important for some to make some new year's resolutions, it's even more important for all of us to make sure that the right ideals from 2008 will remain.

Surrounding the events of the conception and birth of the Savior, an incredible amount of supernatural activity was experienced by many in order to lift expectation and joy for the beginning of something new. This is the time to lean into your new season with renewed expectation because God has a plan to birth new things in our lives.

Practical and biblical ways you can be a person of influence in one of the hardest places this holiday - at home with your family!

Jesus clearly was a person of influence - but the Bible only tells us what he said and did on about 30 days of his life. What did he do the rest of the time? And what are we doing?

Many times, the Bible compares us Christians with trees - and like them, it's important that we are grounded and that we are getting the right spiritual nutrients.

Great marriages are a powerful influence and inspiration to the people we live alongside of in our communities - and a powerful influence to the children that come from that marriage.

Most people don't have faith in themselves or have someone who has faith in them. But most people can tell when someone has faith in them and they will do anything to live up to that faith.

How does the spiritual DNA of Christian City Church align with everybody being a person of influence?

Character is not made in the big but in the small moments of our lives. When times get tough it's harder to act with integrity - not easier. Character isn't created in the crisis - it only comes to light in the crisis.

Don't let our current turbulent, gloomy financial situation shrink you or your world down - but use this time to become a greater person and become shaped for greater influence for God. We were made for seasons just like this.

We can learn from Paul how to handle a storm: put it into proper perspective, develop survival tactics, navigate according to a "God word", find sustenance in the middle of it, put God's word ahed of our fears and get up from it.

You may or may not yet be personally affected by these threatening economic headwinds but what about your neighbors and friends? How can you be a life changer and an encouragement to them?

We need to follow God's PEACE Plan: Pray for people, Enter their world, Alleviate them with a word of blessing, Connect with them, Explain what God has done for you.

Guest speaker Rafick El-Hani: Not sure on how to be a witness for Jesus? We can learn a lot from Paul's actions in Acts 22.

When I step out to do something new, how can I know if it's God or if my own thoughts are directing me? Can I have a certainty on the inside?