As we grow in our faith, we aspire to be Christians who know what we believe. Our beliefs have stood the test of time. These truths have become deep convictions in our hearts. We know them to be true because God has revealed them to us in His Word and by His Spirit. Others may choose to believe other things, but we live with the deep assurance of the truths of God.

Main Points:

1. Let me ask you, “Do you have a deep conviction about the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are you thoroughly convinced the Word of God is true? Are you letting the scripture not only inform your life but also change your life?”

2. Our faith is anchored in the steadfast character of God. He does not change. His Word is forever true. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Generations come and go. Seasons come and go, but the Word of God is the same forever.

3. You might be thinking, “Loren, why is it essential that we have a deep conviction about the Word of God?” It’s so common today for people to express the idea that they are open-minded. As if this is a virtue. They don’t want to seem dogmatic. They don’t want to appear rigid in their thinking and beliefs. But this is exactly what our enemy wants. Without conviction, we are prey to false teaching, idolatry, and falling away.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

1 Thessalonians 1:5 - “our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.”

Romans 14:5 - “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

Romans 4:21 - “…fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

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Here’s what I have come to believe. God has blessings planned for your future that you don’t even know about yet. God is actively initiating blessings. His blessings are not an afterthought. They are not the results of leftovers from someone else’s blessings. No God has designed plans to bless your life.

Main Points:

1. Have you ever experienced a blessing from God that you weren’t expecting? I’m sure you have. Maybe you thought, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming.

2. As you navigate these challenges of life, it’s here that you see the goodness and mercy of God. In sickness, he provides strength, peace, healing, and recovery. In the family, he provides forgiveness, restoration, peace, and guidance. In financial struggles, he makes a way where we couldn’t see a way.

3. Psalm 23 calls for faith and a belief in the goodness of God. Will we trust Him? Let’s choose to believe that his goodness and mercy are following us every day.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 23:6 - “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

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Here’s what I am learning: It’s easier to avoid temptation than it is to fight sin. If possible, we should avoid being in places where we know we will be tempted. But sometimes, temptation seems to come out of nowhere. What do we do?

Main Points:

1. We must deal with the temptation immediately. Don’t wait. Don’t linger. Don’t think about it. Don’t entertain the possibility. The longer you wait, the weaker you become.

2. This means that we take immediate action against those thoughts which would lead us away from God’s will for our lives. We cannot give place to thoughts of temptation. Let me say it again. The longer you wait, the weaker you become. We must become fierce in the battle against temptation.

3. Maybe as you listen to this episode, you acknowledge you’ve done a poor job in the battle against temptation. I get it. I’ve been there too. So, where can we find strength? We find strength in three things: God’s Word, God’s presence, and in community with other believers.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 10:5 - “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

2 Peter 1:3 - “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him…”

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We keep in step with the Spirit by a continual surrendering of our lives to the will of God. His will is revealed to us in His Word. As we follow and obey the Word of God, we are walking by the Spirit. As we abide with Jesus through prayer and worship, our hearts stay in tune with the Holy Spirit.

Main Points:

1. In the New Testament book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul instructs us to keep up with the Holy Spirit. God is leading our lives. We have put Him in the driver’s seat. We have yielded the control of our lives to Him. In fact, we have made Him the Lord of our lives. Our job is to follow. We don’t know where we are to go or how we are to live, so we must follow.

2. As Christ followers we have given up being the master of our own lives because we have discovered a better master. We’ve discovered that following Jesus is worth it and there is no better life to live.

3. As you draw near to God, listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit as He guides you to walk in step with Him.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Galatians 5:25 - “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 - “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:24 - “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

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You can outlive your life. Today you are writing the chapters that will be told of you, long after you are gone. There will be a service for you one day, in which eulogies, memories, and stories will be told. The life you live today determines what story lives on.

Main Points:

1. Over the years I have met a lot of Christians who started well. You could say they’re on fire for God. They love God. They want to learn, they want to grow, and they want to be used by God. But somewhere along the line as years go by they get distracted or they get sidelined or they get tripped up by somebody else. Some people do not finish life well, the way God intended for them to.

2. I have one story I want told. If there is anything of my life that remains, I want it to be that Loren Hicks was faithful. He was faithful to his God, he was faithful to his family, he was faithful to his friends, and he was faithful to his calling. I started well, but I want to finish well.

3. I want to stand before Jesus Christ one day and hear him say, “You did it! You did a good job! Well done good and faithful servant.” I don’t want to just start well, and just to grow a little bit spiritually. I want you to hear God say, “Good job! Well done! You finished the race that I put you on earth to do.”

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Deuteronomy 34:10-12 - “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”

Hebrews 11:24-26 - “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

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Every time we are asked by God to wait, it comes with a choice. Will we be impatient, frustrated, or irritable, or will we learn to wait with calm assurance that God is in control and the waiting is for my good?

Main Points:

1. The Bible repeatedly calls for us to wait on the Lord, and to do so patiently. But you might ask, “Why? Why wait? Why would God make us wait? Is there a benefit to waiting? Is there a promised blessing for waiting on God?

2. Waiting teaches us that God is in control. He is not bound to our time restraints. When we wait on God we are submitting to His leadership and His lordship. Waiting reminds us that He is God, and we are not.

3. Waiting enables us to develop the Christ-like characteristics of patience and perseverance. God often calls for us to slow down so we can listen and learn.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Lamentations 3:25 - “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.”

Psalm 27:14 - “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Isaiah 40:31 - “those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

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Use the measure of faith God has given you. Cry out to Him… “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.” Once again trust our great God to meet you in your time of difficulty and to give you the faith you need.

Main Points:

1. We want to believe, but sometimes faith is a struggle. When you have been through so much, when you are weary, and when it seems like options are few, it can be hard to believe.

2. When our faith is weak, it’s in those moments that I have to go back to God’s Word. This is where my faith is strengthened. I have to be reminded often of who God is, what he has already done, and what he has promised to do.

3. Maybe today it’s only a whisper, but let it out…. “Jesus, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.”

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Romans 10:17 - “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Mark 9:22-27 - “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.”

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As I prayed about today podcast episode, I sensed God saying to me that there would be people listening today that are ready for their lives to change. In fact they would be desperate to change.

Main Points:

1. Some of you here today need to hear a word from God. And what he wants to tell you is that he wants to change you. The Christian life is fundamentally a changed life. His change is not something that you can simply do by yourself. It’s going to take the power of God in your life and it’s going to require you to cooperate with God.

2. Change begins with a relationship with Jesus Christ. In that moment we are changed, but we continue to change.

3. How does change happen? When we are in Christ! We struggle because we focus on externals instead of the internals. We are looking at changing our behavior. God wants to change our hearts. Real and lasting change begins on the inside! Once we place our faith in Christ, he begins to work on the inside. We began a process of inner renewal. It can only occur through the surrender of our lives to God.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

1 Peter 5:5 – “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

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