(Looking for Sunday’s audio announcement?   Keep reading…)

How do you respond to sad news?
Anger? Fear? Depression? Criticism? Anxiety?  All the above?

It’s easy and natural to respond this way…but, unfortunately, the Scriptures don’t give us a right to. Instead, the Scriptures (1 Thessalonians 5:11,  Hebrews 3:12-13,  Hebrews 10:23-25) call us up to something much different: encouragement.  We are to BE encouraged and we are to BE the encourager.  This isn’t the easy road, but it is the joyful one - and the road that will lead us out of the valley of negativity.

Choosing to be an ENCOURAGER is…well…a CHOICE.  Encouragement doesn’t just happen…it’s not a passive effect.  It is the result of proactivity and intentionality…aligning our attitudes with the attitude of God’s Spirit.  Every day…sometimes every minute…we have to choose the way of the Spirit.

Choose to see God at work.  Choose to be the voice of comfort.  Choose to be the voice of truth.  Choose to be the voice of courage.  Choose joy.

Choose…the way of the Spirit.  It’s what God wants FROM us - and it’s what God wants FOR us!

Hard?  Yes.  Rewarding?  Always.  Try it right now…take every discouraging fact you are wrestling with…and ask God to help you - by His Spirit - to see something ENCOURAGING about that situation.  Somewhere buried in the chaos is a little nugget of truth that is encouraging.   It’s there…you just have to look for it - you have to CHOOSE to look for it!

This week, Westport heard some challenging news about some changes on our team. Our prayer for us is that we could quickly give that sad news to the Lord, and begin encouraging ourselves and others as soon as possible! I urge you to become a ‘Joy Distributor’ through your encouraging words to others.

To get us started in the right direction…let me encourage you with God’s Word:   Philippians 4:8-9

Loving you guys for the sake of the Gospel,
Paul

*If you missed Sunday’s (1/10/10) announcement, we have included it here for you to listen to it in its entirety.  Click here to listen…

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This Sunday, January 17th - Kimberley Reception:

Please join us at 5 pm to hang out with Tim & Patty Kimberley and send them off in Westport style with love and appreciation!   Bring your cards, gifts and words of encouragement for all their impact in our lives!

Let me encourage you to come with this determination:  “I’m here to ENCOURAGE somebody else…”

Please click below to download the study guide which accompanies the sermon preached on January 10th. The study guides are beneficial for personal use but primarily designed for use within our Community Groups.

trueish-week-2-study-guide

To learn more about our Community Groups please visit: westportchurch.org/information/groups

Post your questions for the upcoming series:    Any Questions?

Many people asked us if they could share last week’s video message from Pastor Craig Groeschel…so here it is:

TRUISH by LifeChurch.tv (Week One)

Enjoy…see you next week for the conclusion of this series…

Please click below to download the study guide which accompanies the sermon preached on January 3rd. The study guides are beneficial for personal use but primarily designed for use within our Community Groups.

TRUE[ish] Study Guide

To learn more about our Community Groups please visit: westportchurch.org/information/groups

Matt Chandler is a pastor in the Dallas, Texas area. On Thanksgiving morning he experienced a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors discovered a tumor on his brain. The next day, he went into surgery. This week, he learned that his prognosis is not good (click here to read).

I recently viewed a short statement from Matt. The video was made after the tumor was discovered, and before he went into surgery. Please watch this video and learn from a man boldly proclaiming trust in God not because circumstances are good, but because he believes God is good all the time no matter what.

And please join me in praying for Matt and his family.

Shane

Please click below to download the study guide which accompanies the sermon preached on December 13th. The study guides are beneficial for personal use but primarily designed for use within our Community Groups.

Unexpected Change Study Guide

To learn more about our Community Groups please visit: westportchurch.org/information/groups

Please click below to download the study guide which accompanies the sermon preached on December 6th. The study guides are beneficial for personal use but primarily designed for use within our Community Groups.

Unexpected Wisdom Study Guide

To learn more about our Community Groups please visit: westportchurch.org/information/groups

True satisfaction here on earth will always carry with it an element of dissatisfaction. Have you come to terms with that truth?

Or are you still trying to find that ‘magic bullet’ that will fully satisfy you this side of heaven?

If you heard my recent sermon, then you know that biblical contentment brings anticipation not satiation. True, biblical contentment does not mean our desires are satiated (satisfied to excess). Rather, biblical contentment brings JOY, and with that JOY an anticipation of even more JOY in the days ahead. Biblical contentment propels us ‘further up and further in’ to our relationship with the infinite, matchless God whose goodness cannot be exhausted.

But, as C.S. Lewis wrote, we are “half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum  because he cannot imagine what is meant by a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” [Click here to read Lewis' entire essay on this topic]

We need habits that turn our hearts away from contentment dead-ends - status, duty and addiction - and back toward our infinite God. One such habit is called “detachment.” Click here to download a brief introduction to this important spiritual habit. Put it into practice…and get on the pathway to SATISFACTION!

May your heart find true satisfaction in God’s goodness.

Peace,
Shane

Please click below to download the study guide which accompanies the sermon preached on November 29th. The study guides are beneficial for personal use but primarily designed for use within our Community Groups.

Satisfied Study Guide

To learn more about our Community Groups please visit: westportchurch.org/information/groups