• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: Before takeoff, every pilot has a series of things to check off before the airplane can take off. Paul finishes this personal letter by giving the Thessalonian believers a detailed checklist for them to do before meeting Jesus.   Key Phrase: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances…” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

GracePoint Kitsap Podcast

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 6) • "Stress Test Checklist" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: There is still a raging theological debate regarding a word that is not even mentioned in the Bible: Rapture. However, I will give you reasons why I believe scripture points to the rapture of believers prior to the wrath of God called the Tribulation.   Key Phrase: “We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together…” 1 Thessalonians 4:17

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 5) • "Raptured" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: Because of Jesus Christ and what awaits those who have placed their faith in him, we shouldn’t view death like everyone else in this world. In our post-Christian culture, death is the end. To the believer, death is just the beginning of eternal life. Both Jesus and Paul do not refer to death as death. Instead, it’s just “sleep.”   Key Phrase: “We do not grieve like those… who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 4) • "Hope" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: The will of God is pretty clear in this passage: be sanctified in our sexuality! One of the clearest and most powerful testimonies we can have in our sex-crazed culture is to live with sexual self-control. It is unheard of, crazy, out of this universe kind of living that please God. Paul goes point by point in what God wants in this area of our life.   Key Phrase: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 3) • "Sanctified" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: The most repeated theme in 1 Thessalonians is challenging them to live in such a way that would please the Lord. Shouldn’t this be our aim? Our goal? Our desire?   Key Phrase: “We instructed you how to live in order to please God.” 1 Thess. 4:1

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 2) • "Living to Please" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: The first letter to the church at Thessalonica is a relevant letter for our day. These believers were worried and a bit stressed that they had somehow missed the coming of Christ. Today, many believers are worried and stressed that the coming of Christ is not coming fast enough. This study through this intimate letter will help prepare us for the imminent return of Jesus Christ.   • This Week: After Paul goes into great detail of his love for this church, he encourages these believers in their persecution. Many believers are surprised, shocked, and flat out angry when they face persecution for their faith. Buckle up believers, it’s just getting started. How will you stand in the face of persecution?   Key Phrase: “You are standing firm in the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 38

PREPARING FOR CHRIST'S RETURN (Part 1) • "Persecution" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: Insecurity began in the garden of Eden. It’s part of the original sin. God gave us everything. Satan said we were missing out. When I begin my relationship with Christ, everything changes. I learn that God loves me. God likes me. God pursues me. Therefore, my security is found in Him. I don’t need to be good enough. I can’t.

SECURE ME (Part 6) • "Big Kingdom vs little kingdom" • Kevin Scruggs

SECURE ME (Part 5) • "Being a Victim, Less" • Kevin Scruggs

SECURE ME (Part 4) • "Deep Wounds" • Barry Bandara

SECURE ME (Part 3) • "The Spiritual Side of Insecurity" • Barry Bandara

SECURE ME (Part 2) • "My Puffy Chest " • Kevin Scruggs

SECURE ME (Part 1) • "I Got This. Really?" • Kevin Scruggs

• This Series: What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house, or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy you, you might be Chasing Carrots. It’s time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real. This five-week series is about the things people commonly chase after that only bring fleeting happiness, fulfillment, or validation.   • This Week: Our culture is obsessed with the philosophy of #livingmybestlife​. The carrot that many people are striving for is the endless pursuit of comfort. This is a trivial pursuit because every person will face trials in this life. However, there is a divine comfort that is real and lasting, and it comes only from God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.   Key Phrase: “…those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15​

CHASING CARROTS (Part 5) • "Comfort" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house, or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy you, you might be Chasing Carrots. It’s time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real. This five-week series is about the things people commonly chase after that only bring fleeting happiness, fulfillment, or validation.   • This Week: Harriet Braiker identified an addiction problem many suffer with: The Disease to Please. There are three problems people-pleasers battle: They obsess about what others think, they are often overly sensitive to criticism, and they have a hard time saying, “No.” Being obsessed with what people think about you is the fastest way to forget about what God thinks about you. Thankfully, Jesus can set us free from this addiction.   Key Phrase: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare…” Proverbs 29:25​

CHASING CARROTS (Part 4) • "Approval" • Barry Bandara

• This Series: What really makes for a happy life? A dream job, a bigger house, or a new relationship? If you’re always hungry for the next big thing, but frustrated because it never seems to satisfy you, you might be Chasing Carrots. It’s time to hop off the treadmill and chase after something real. This five-week series is about the things people commonly chase after that only bring fleeting happiness, fulfillment, or validation.   • This Week: There are three types of perfectionists: Self-oriented, externally oriented, and others oriented. Simply said either pressure to be perfect comes from within, without, or from other people. Regardless of where it comes from, trying to obtain perfection is futile and exhausting. Thankfully, we have a Savior who gives us grace!   Key Phrase: “The law simply shows us how sinful we are...” Romans 3:20​ (NLT)

CHASING CARROTS (Part 3) • "Perfectionism" • Barry Bandara

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