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Dublin Core
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2026
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911 or 333?
Jeremiah 33:3
? Who do we call first when life breaks down?
911? Google? YouTube? Ourselves? Or God?
In Luke 4:23, Jesus quotes an ancient proverb: “Physician, heal thyself.”
In medicine and healthcare, this basically means that experts should “practice what they preach” and sometimes seek help themselves rather than relying entirely on self-treatment.
Well… I just returned from a 10-day health program where all nine of us probably thought we were experts on health and nutrition — and yet there we were together, all seeking help in order to become healthy again.
Since my late teens, I have been fascinated — maybe sometimes even obsessed — with alternative health and natural healing.
Back then, all we had were a few hard-to-find health books and articles in Prevention Magazine.
Now we have the internet, YouTube, podcasts, influencers, and A.I. to ensure we remain thoroughly confused about the right choices to make.
And in recent months, my own thoughts have sounded something like this:
“What if I try this?” “What if I stop eating that?”
“What am I doing wrong?” “What do I need to change?”
“What supplement am I missing?”
And honestly… this is humbling to admit.
But I suspect some people listening today can relate.
And what is the common element in all those questions?
“I.” “Me.” “My effort.” “My understanding.”
The focus becomes what I can do.
But the older I get, the more I realize: Self-focused effort can only take us so far.
Sooner or later, we all come to the end of ourselves.
And that brings me to the real question this morning:
Who are you going to call? 911… or 333?
Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Rather than merely seeking healing… we must run directly to the Healer.
When life breaks down… when our bodies fail…
when our minds are overwhelmed… when our hearts are exhausted…
God says: “Call unto Me.”
Not: “Figure it out yourself.”
Not: “Carry it alone.”
Not:“Trust only your own understanding.”
“Call unto Me.”
I remember my pastor many years ago quoting this verse to me:
1 Tim 4:8: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
Paul was telling Timothy that while physical discipline and exercise have benefit, spiritual life and fellowship with God are far more important because they affect both this life and eternity.
And hear me clearly:
There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your health.
There is nothing wrong with learning wisdom about the body God gave you.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
But rather than merely seeking healing… we must run directly to the Healer.
Rom 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And remember: Our New Covenant salvation touches every area of life — spirit, soul, and body.
We needed salvation, so God sent a Savior.
Jesus said in John 6:47: “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that believeth in Me hath everlasting life.”
There is nothing I can do in my own power to overcome sin.
Nothing I can do to cleanse myself. Nothing I can do to redeem myself.
And in the same way, even with all the modern knowledge and technology available today, Jesus Christ is still the True Healer. (True or true?)
The question is: Where is our focus when we seek restoration?
Because self-effort without God eventually becomes exhausting.
Salvation and healing flow from God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:24: He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
And when we finally come to ourselves… we must run back to Jesus.
There is healing today at the Throne of Grace.
One more day of God’s amazing grace.
Jesus said: “Repent ye and believe the Gospel.”
Acts 20:24 calls it: “the Gospel of the grace of God.”
And then Acts 20:32 says: “And so now, I entrust you into God’s hands and the message of his grace, which is all that you need to become strong. All of God’s blessings are imparted through the message of his grace, which he provides as the spiritual inheritance given to all of his holy ones.”
Did you hear that? The message of His grace is what makes us strong.
Paul said: “But whether I live or die is not important, for I don’t esteem my life as indispensable. It’s more important for me to fulfill my destiny and to finish the ministry my Lord Jesus has assigned to me, which is to faithfully preach the wonderful news of God’s grace.”
Church, we must get this Good News about the good things of God to as many people as possible.
Romans 10:14 says: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
I think about the woman with the issue of blood. She spent everything she had.
She suffered for twelve years. She tried everything within her own power.
And the Bible says her condition only became worse.
But then… “she heard about Jesus.”
She stopped chasing methods… and reached for the Master.
And today we must do the same.
We look to the Savior.We look to the Healer.
Now, yes — it is wise to have discipline concerning what we put into our bodies.
They belong to God. It is His temple.
But scripture also warns us not to become overly consumed with comparisons, arguments, dietary restrictions and external regulations.
Romans 14:6: The one who eats everything eats to honor the Lord, because he gives thanks to God, and the one who has a special diet does it to honor the Lord, and he also gives thanks to God.
This does not mean we throw away common sense.
It means we keep our focus centered on Christ.
We all need wisdom. And Jesus Himself is our wisdom.
1 Corinthians 1:30: For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.
Christ becomes our wisdom. Our guide. Our direction.
He teaches us how to live. How to conduct ourselves.
What to pursue. What to avoid. How to walk through unique situations.
“Lean not unto your own understanding.”
Psalm 19:7 “The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul.”
And the Book of James tells us that if we ask in faith without doubting, God will give us wisdom for every unique situation we face.
So why depend entirely upon worldly wisdom… when as believers we have access to Divine Intelligence? (D.I.)
God still says: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
So now - this very morning, let us prepare our hearts to come to the table of God’s amazing grace.
Come as you are.
Romans 10:4 says: “For Christ is the end of the law. And because of him, God has transferred his perfect righteousness to all who believe.”
Bring your needs. Bring your burdens. Bring your prayer requests.
Come knowing that through Jesus Christ, you have been accepted into the Beloved.
John 6:47: “I speak to you living truth: Unite your heart to me and believe—and you will experience eternal life!”
John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, ‘I Am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”
Closing Congregational Prayer
Heavenly Father, today we come to You honestly and humbly.
We confess that so often we rely upon our own understanding,
our own strength, our own wisdom, and our own efforts.
But today we turn our hearts back toward You.
Teach us to call upon the Lord first. Teach us to trust You more deeply.
Teach us to rest in Your grace.
Lord Jesus, thank You for carrying our sins, our burdens, our fears, and our brokenness to the cross.
Thank You that by Your wounds we are healed.
Thank You that Your grace is still greater than our weakness.
Today we bring You every need:
our physical needs, our emotional needs, our family needs, our spiritual needs.
Give us wisdom for every situation. Give us strength for every battle.
Give us peace in every storm.
Help us to keep our eyes upon You, Lord Jesus —
our Savior, our Healer, our Wisdom, and our Life.
And as we come to Your table today, we come by grace alone.
We receive Your love. We receive Your mercy. We receive Your life.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Dublin Core
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911 or 333? 911 或 333
Date
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05/24/2026
Description
An account of the resource
Jeremiah 33:3: Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
耶 利 米 書 33:3: 你求告我，我就应允你，并将你所不知道、又大又难的事指示你。 (page 1290)
Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
羅 馬 書 10:13: 因为“凡求告主名的，就必得救。(page 1836)
1 Peter 2:24: He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
彼 得 前 書 2:24: 他 被 挂 在 木 头 上 ， 亲 身 担 当 了 我 们 的 罪 ， 使 我 们 既 然 在 罪 上 死 ， 就 得 以 在 义 上 活 。 因 他 受 的 鞭 伤 ， 你 们 便 得 了 医 治 。(page 1968)
Acts 20:32: “And so now, I entrust you into God’s hands and the message of his grace, which is all that you need to become strong. All of God’s blessings are imparted through the message of his grace, which he provides as the spiritual inheritance given to all of his holy ones.”
使 徒 行 傳 20:32: 现在，我把你们交付给上帝和他恩典的信息，它能坚定你们的信仰，并把上帝赐给他所有圣民的祝福赐给你们。(page 1804)
1 Corinthians 1:30: For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now He is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.
歌 林 多 前 書 1:30: 但 你 们 得 在 基 督 耶 稣 里 ， 是 本 乎 神 ， 神 又 使 他 成 为 我 们 的 智 慧 、 公 义 、 圣 洁 、 救 赎 。
(page 1848)
Psalm 19:7: The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul.
詩 篇 19:7: 耶 和 华 的 律 法 全 备 ， 能 苏 醒 人 心 ； 耶 和 华 的 法 度 确 定 ， 能 使 愚 人 有 智 慧 。(page 897)
John 6:35: “I am the bread of life,” replied Jesus. “Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry! Anyone who believes in me will never be thirsty!”
約 翰 福 音 6:35: 耶 稣 说 ： 我 就 是 生 命 的 粮 。 到 我 这 里 来 的 ， 必 定 不 饿 ； 信 我 的 ， 永 远 不 渴 (page 1728)
Creator
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Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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2026
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The Quiet Place
Psalm 145:18,19
It’s easy to get caught up in all the to-do’s
“There’s always something that needs to be done.”
Always chasing. Always thinking about the next step and almost missing the current step. Not being in the present moment.
…and the Present Moment is All That We Really Have.
“Slow down, young man.” (I can still hear that voice calling out to me.)
For years now we have heard we live in a “microwave culture”
Lamentations 3:26: it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
How often do we actually take time to “wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD?”
One of my favorite (and maybe one of my most quoted) Bible verses is Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I Am God.”
This verse has always meant so much to me – even though it can be such a challenge for someone like me to actually practice it.
I have always had to be very deliberate in order to follow this lesson, whether it meant locking myself away, taking a walk on a nature trail or even going away to a monastery.
This season of my life has made it more essential to practice this, and it was through such a deliberate effort that this message began to take shape.
I hope there is some learning here that maybe you can benefit from, too.
Will it require a desperate moment for you to “Be Still and Know that He is GOD?”
Are you willing to embrace a new way of living?
The old ways won’t go away quickly or easily. (routines, habits, learned behaviors)
It will require Divine help – and with your humble cooperation.
Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Good News: New Beliefs can grow into a new reality.
“The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.”
“We all find time to do what we really want to do.”
So, in other words, this message won’t be for everybody.
You will have to really want this shift in your daily life.
David Wilkerson: "When God wants to bring you into a new place, He first brings you to the end of yourself."
Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6)
Jeremiah 29:13: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
so – are you still with me? Are you in?
“The LORD is near to all who call on him…”
drift.
It’s easy to get off track and find yourself in a place or situation you weren’t meant to be in. A little compromise. A little comfort. A little distraction.
Next thing you know… ( )
Drift doesn’t announce itself. It just slowly pulls you away.
For us to Be Still and Know we have to release the distractions that take our attention off of God’s Presence
Those “distractions” could also be called “attachments”
Attachments are like unnecessary chains – holding us back from the higher objectives we should be focused on
“The greatest enemy of stillness can often be distraction.”
Col 3:2: “Set your affection on things above…”
“fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.”
Where are we pointing our hearts today?
Psalm 145:18 states: "You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true"
Not being at peace is when your soul is still attached to outside distractions.
These distractions can be attachments to who we think we must be – outside our identity in Christ
Jesus said “My yoke is easy”
“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life”
Matt 5:3, (Jesus taught) "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," is recognizing our own spiritual bankruptcy and utter dependence on God's grace, rather than self-righteousness.
Being "poor in spirit" means emptying oneself of self-assurance to receive God's kingdom and His righteousness.”
“God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness”
In the still quiet moment, we come Him just as we are.
Attachments and all.
How else can we be made free?
If we could do it ourselves we would have already done it.
Paul: “I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Cor 12:31)
LOVE
When we “arise and go to our Father” we need to come to Him in faith, trusting in His love, His grace, His mercy.
1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
“If we really love God, we will not be afraid of him. We cannot love him completely and also be afraid. We would only be afraid of God if we thought that he would punish us. So, if someone is afraid that God will punish them, it shows that they do not completely know God's love.”
When we come to God, do we really trust that He loves us and has made us righteous through the blood of Jesus?
from last week:
Romans 5:10,11: Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in his resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion!
And even more than that, we overflow with triumphant joy in our new relationship of living reconciled to God—all because of Jesus Christ!
There is a saying that says, 'To lose yourself is to find yourself.'
From a Christian perspective, we know “Apart from Him (Jesus) we can do nothing.”
John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
This is the scriptural, spiritual answer to “There’s always something that needs to be done.”
We have something in us called the “Fight or Flight” or “Stress Response”
The fight-or-flight response is your body's natural, automatic reaction to stress or danger. It triggers physiological changes, such as a faster heart rate and tenser muscles, that prepare your body to deal with the source of the stress.
This can be helpful in the short term, but if it goes on too long without giving your body a chance to relax, it can have negative effects on your physical and mental health.
We can remain in a state of Fight or Flight – or we can “be still and know”
That “Power, Love and a Sound Mind” is starting to make even more sense now, isn’t it?
John 17:22,23: For the very glory you have given to me I have given them so that they will be joined together as one and experience the same unity that we enjoy. You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me.
Psalm 119:130: Break open Your Word within me until revelation-light shines out!
“Those with open hearts are given insight into your plans.”
Psalm 145:18: You draw near to those who call out to you, listening closely, especially when their hearts are true.
In every situation, the pattern was the same
First, the reaction Then, acceptance Then, surrender
When you release resistance and trust that God knows the path, solutions appear in ways you couldn’t plan. You don’t need to control everything. You don’t need to fear negative thoughts. You simply need to return to trust.
God is the solution. God is the way.
So today, let go of fear. Accept where you are.
And trust that you are being guided.
Wait upon the Lord and let your strength be renewed
Meditate on God’s Name – Jehovah Shalom
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Right now, we come to You—not with performance, but with open hearts.
You are near to all who call on You in truth.
Lord, we confess—we’ve been busy, distracted, pulled in too many directions.
We release the striving. We release the fear. We release the need to control everything.
And we choose to be still.
Teach us to abide in You. To rest in Your love. To trust in Your goodness.
For those who feel overwhelmed—be their peace.
For those who feel distant—draw them near.
For those who feel bound—set them free.
We trust You. We rest in You. We return to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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A Quiet Place 安静之处
Date
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04/12/2026
Description
An account of the resource
Psalm 145:18–19: The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
诗篇 145:18–19: 耶和华靠近一切求告祂的人，就是诚心求告祂的人。敬畏祂的，祂必成就他们的心愿，也必听他们的呼求，拯救他们。 (page 1028)
Psalm 46:10: Be still, and know that I am God.
诗篇 46:10: 你们要安静，要知道我是神。(page 926)
Lamentations 3:26: It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
耶利米哀歌 3:26: 人仰望耶和華，靜默等候他的救恩，這原是好的。(page 1341)
Matthew 5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
马太福音 5:6: 饥渴慕义的人有福了！因为他们必得饱足。(page 1563)
Jeremiah 29:13: You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
耶利米书 29:13: 你们寻求我，若专心寻求我，就必寻见。 (page 1280)
John 15:5: I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from Me you can do nothing.
约翰福音 15:5: 我是葡萄树，你们是枝子… …离了我，你们就不能做什么。(pg 1749)
1 John 4:18: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
约翰一书 4:18: 爱里没有惧怕；爱既完全，就把惧怕除去。(page 1981)
Return to the Quiet Place
回到安静之处
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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2026
Moving Image
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Transcription
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ALL THINGS NEW
John 12:12–19
What if the only thing standing between you and the life God has for you...
… is something you refuse to put down? Think about that for a second.
Not the enemy. Not your circumstances. Not your past.
Just... your grip.
Imagine someone hands you a gift. A brand-new life. A fresh start. A clean slate.
And you reach out to take it... but you won't let go of what's already in your hand.
You cannot step into something new… while holding on to something old.
We often think we can grow, change, and move forward without releasing the things behind us. But that’s not how transformation works.
You don’t get transplanted into the garden… while still clinging to the flower pot.
Some of us are emotionally attached to things God has already delivered us from.
We cling… Not because they were good — but because they were familiar.
And sometimes… familiar feels safer than free.
God makes all things new—but we must be willing to release what is old.
If you go on vacation but only think about what you left behind… is it really a vacation?
(Overcoming conditioning will require some willpower and awareness)
You’re somewhere new physically—but mentally, you’re still in the old place.
Some people never leave their past.
They replay conversations, revisit failures, relive moments.
And they try to live today while emotionally trapped in yesterday.
2 Corinthians 5:17: Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Palm Sunday John 12:12–19 (read)
In John 12, Jesus rides into Jerusalem.
The crowd celebrates—but the Pharisees resist.
They were committed to the old system, while Jesus was bringing something new.
Truth: The old mindset will fight to survive.
Your old identity doesn’t want to die quietly.
It will say: 'You’ve always been this way.'
But that voice is history trying to override destiny.
It's like someone leaving prison. They are free — but still think like a prisoner.
Spiritually, many believers live the same way.
If you think the same old thoughts, you will replay the same old life.
Transformation happens when something changes within you.
Renew your mind — and your life will follow.
The Apostle Paul knew this firsthand.
He had a past he could have been buried under — and yet he wrote these words in Phil 3:13-14: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Notice what he said: *forgetting* what is behind.
Not ignoring it. Not pretending it didn't happen.
But refusing to let it define where he was going.
That's the posture God is calling us to today. Press on.
“Don't look back.”
Here's something we need to get clear on — because the enemy is sneaky.
Condemnation can sound spiritual. It can feel like humility.
But it's a trap.
The Holy Spirit convicts — He does not condemn.
Conviction leads you forward. Condemnation holds you back.
There is a verse I need you to hold onto today. Romans 8:1 says: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
No condemnation. Not a little. Not conditionally. None.
That means the voice that keeps replaying your worst moments?
That is not God. That is the enemy using your past as a weapon against your future.
And then Isaiah 43:18-19 makes it even clearer: "Forget the former things... do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!"
God is not asking you to pretend the past didn't happen.
He's asking you to stop letting it have the final word.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem to bring something new.
And that same Jesus is still making all things new — today.
So let me ask you directly —
What could you be holding on to that God has already released?
Is it a sin He's already forgiven?
Is it a version of yourself that no longer exists?
Is it someone else's words that were never true to begin with?
Here's the challenge today:
You cannot walk into the new thing God has for you with both hands full of the old.
You have to choose.
Not because God is withholding anything from you — but because freedom requires your participation.
Jesus opened the door.
But you have to be willing to walk through.
He paid the price. He made you new.
Today might be the day you finally put it down.
Not tomorrow. Not when you feel ready. Today.
The same Jesus who rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday —
who turned the world upside down with a donkey and a crowd of worshippers —
is riding into your situation right now.
And He is making all things new.
Will you let Him?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that You make all things new.
We release our past into Your hands.
Renew our minds, heal our hearts, and lead us forward.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
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ALL THINGS NEW 一切都更新了
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03/29/2026
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Rev 21:5: He who was seated on the throne said,
“I am making everything new!”
启示录 21:5: 坐在宝座上的说：“看哪，我正在使一切都更新！”
2 Cor 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
哥林多后书 5:17: 若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人；旧事已过，都变成新的了！ (page 1408)
Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.
以西结书 36:26: 我也要赐给你们一个新心，将新灵放在你们里面。(page 1183)
Isaiah 43:19 : See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
以赛亚书 43:19: 看哪，我要做一件新事，如今要发生，你们岂不知道吗？ (page 1875)
Luke 19:38: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
路加福音 19:38: “奉主名来的王是应当称颂的！” (page 1702)
Lam 3:22–23: His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
耶利米哀歌 3:22–23: 祂的慈爱永不止息；
每早晨都是新的，祂的信实极其广大。(page 1341)
God is not patching the old—He is making all things new.
神不是修补旧的，祂是在更新一切。
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Pastor: Mike Koger
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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2026
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All We Need
Psalm 73:26
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to be joyful—right now, today, exactly as things are?
Not when the diagnosis improves. Not when the bills are paid.
Not when everything settles down. Right now.
Most of us are living in the “if” and the “when.”
“I’ll be happy if…” “I’ll rejoice when…”
But joy was never meant to be a destination.
Joy is a decision we make in the middle of the journey.
Solomon said that “as a man thinks, so is he.”
We think many thoughts—but not all define us.
It is our dominant thoughts that shape our lives.
How we interpret what we are going through.
What we choose to focus on. …and what we focus on expands.
If we focus on what’s missing, joy will always feel out of reach.
If we focus on what God is doing—even in small ways—something begins to shift inside of us.
I’ll be honest with you…
Lately, I’ve been focused on my health challenges.
And while it’s good to be aware, there comes a point where awareness becomes obsession.
And when that happens, we begin to miss the simple joy of being alive.
There comes a moment where we must choose:
Will I live by how I feel? Or will I walk by faith?
So here it is: It is time to stop postponing joy.
Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not when everything changes. Right now.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
God is enough—right now.
Philippians 4:6-8 Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ. Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind.
And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.
(Don’t rush these next quiet lines: Those are the moments where the room will lean in.)
Philippians 4 gives us a pathway:
Release anxiety.
Refocus your thoughts.
Receive peace.
“Do not be anxious about anything…”
“Present your requests to God…”
“And the peace of God will guard your heart and mind…”
Peace does not come from control. Peace comes from surrender.
King David understood this.
After one of the most painful seasons of his life, Scripture says:
He arose.
He washed.
He anointed himself.
And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.
He did not wait to feel better. He chose to move forward.
That is what it means to stop postponing joy.
[Control vs Trust]
So many of us are trying to fix what we cannot fix.
Trying to control what we cannot control.
And it is exhausting.
Peace begins where control ends.
In Mark 6 we read: There was such a swirl of activity around Jesus, with so many people coming and going, that they were unable to even eat a meal. So Jesus said to his disciples, “Come, let’s take a break and find a secluded place where you can rest a while.” They slipped away and left by sailboat for a deserted spot. But many of the people saw them leaving and realized where they were headed, so they took off running along the shore.
When Jesus looked at the crowds, He saw people who were tired, overwhelmed, and burdened.
Scripture says: He was moved with compassion.
Jesus said: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
What is important to understand is the way Jesus says this.
He does not say it like a boss giving orders.
He doesn’t say it like someone who is tired of listening to people's problems.
He says it as someone who is gentle, someone who understands, someone who is not annoyed by our weakness and not surprised by our struggles.
You are not coming to a God who is tired of you.
You are coming to a God who understands you.
Come.
Rest. Stop striving. Stop postponing.
It’s time to Rejoice — not someday — but now.
Our strength comes from remaining (abiding) in the Vine
As Jesus said in John 15:7, ”If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
"The Christian life is not a testing ground to see how much you can handle.
It is a living connection to the One who handles everything."
It is time — right now — to stop postponing our joy.
As we prepare our hearts to come the Table of the Lord today for Holy Communion, we do not come with conditions.
Not: “God, I will trust You when…”
But: “God, I trust You now.”
Peace does not come from control. Peace comes from surrender.
Jesus said: “I Am the bread of life.”
He is our source.
He is all we need.
Prayer
Lord, we come before You right now—not when life changes, but just as we are.
We confess that we have postponed our joy.
Today, we choose to trust You.
Be our strength when we are weak.
Be our peace in the middle of uncertainty.
Fill us with a joy that the world cannot give and cannot take away.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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All We Need 我们所需要的一切
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04/19/2026
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Psalm 73:26: My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
诗篇 73:26：我的肉体和我的心肠衰残；但神是我心里的力量，又是我的福分，直到永远。
Philippians 4:6–8: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
腓立比书 4:6–8： 应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4: There is a time for everything… a time to weep and a time to laugh…
传道书 3:1,4：凡事都有定期…有时哭，有时笑…
2 Samuel 12:20: Then David got up… washed… and worshiped the Lord.
撒母耳记下 12:20： 大卫就从地上起来，沐浴，抹膏…进耶和华的殿敬拜。
Matthew 11:28: Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
马太福音 11:28： 凡劳苦担重担的人，可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。
Luke 10:20: Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
路加福音 10:20：要因你们的名记录在天上欢喜。
1 Timothy 6:6: Godliness with contentment is great gain.
提摩太前书 6:6： 敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了。
John 6:47–48: Whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life.
约翰福音 6:47–48：信的人有永生。我就是生命的粮。
Psalm 107:9: He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
诗篇 107:9： 他使心里渴慕的人得以知足，使心里饥饿的人得饱美物。
Psalm 31:19: How abundant are the good things You have stored up…
诗篇 31:19： 你为敬畏你的人所积存的恩惠是何等大呢！
Romans 12:12: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
罗马书 12:12：在指望中要喜乐，在患难中要忍耐，祷告要恒切。
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Pastor: Mike Koger
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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2026
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CODE – Week Two – KNOWN 认识
Luke 19:5,9,10
Last week I did something that felt almost impossible. I deleted Instagram off my phone. For some of you, that might sound like no big deal. But for me... my thumb still finds that empty spot on my home screen out of habit.
I'll go to check something — anything — and just stare at the blank space where the app used to be.
That's how much of a grip it had on me.
Because it wasn't just stealing my time. It was quietly planting ideas and images in my mind that I never asked for — a steady hum of comparison, distraction, and noise I didn't even realize I was carrying around with me all day.
Now, I got some good productivity tips and health info along the way, I'll admit that.
But mixed in with all of it was a constant stream of bad news and disturbing glimpses of everything wrong with this current age we live in. And it left me with a question I couldn't shake.
Last week we asked, "Who wrote the code you're living by?"
This week, it's this: Whose voice has our attention?
What we focus on expands. What we feed our hearts determines what we start to see in the world around us.
God wants to direct our steps — but we have to be sensitive enough to hear His voice.
He is seeking us today.Before we can fully comprehend God’s CODE, we must first understand God's Heart. He sees us completely—our failures and wanderings—yet responds with healing, comfort, and grace.
The Code is not God's way of keeping you out; it's God's way of bringing you home.
Remember last week we said, GOD wants the best for our lives. ( )
Romans 8:31, 32: So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give.
It’s all about growing in our understanding and experience of the heart of Our Father
Last week we asked, 'Who wrote the code you're living by?'
This week we meet a man whose entire life had been written by another code.
Success. Wealth. Status. Power.
He climbed a tree thinking he was looking for Jesus...
...only to discover Jesus had been looking for him all along.
“Wee Little Man”
Luke 19:1-10
Zaccheus was NOT a popular man in the community
The lesson is – even the little (rejected) person matters to God. (verse 3)
The crowd overlooked him... Jesus didn't.
“People want to be seen”
GOD sees you where you are. (verse 5)
Jesus stopped beneath the tree.
He didn't say, 'Hey, tax collector...'
He didn't say, 'Hey, sinner...'
He didn't say, 'Hey, you...'
He said, 'Zacchaeus.'
Week Two: The One who rewrites your code already knows your name.
Before Zacchaeus ever came down from the tree...
before he gave anything back...
before his life changed...
before he made things right...
Jesus called him by name.
The world says... 'Prove your worth, and then you'll matter.'
Jesus says... 'You matter, and that's why I've come for you.'"
"You're valuable because I know your name."
When Jesus says, "Zacchaeus," He isn't just identifying him.
He's inviting him. The name becomes an invitation.
When Jesus walked into a room, prostitutes felt safe enough to cry at his feet, while religious leaders plotted his death.
That's not normal love. That's dangerous love.
We've heard it a thousand times. “Jesus loves you.”
But what does that actually mean?
Because if we're honest, those three words have become so familiar that they've seemingly lost their impact on so many.
HERE is the Love of Christ:
Jesus didn't love people from a distance. He touched the untouchable.
(even the tax collector)
vs 5: When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
WHY?
vs 9: Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house…”
An encounter with the true Jesus changes everything. (verse 9)
He gave him dignity before he gave him direction. He let him know he was KNOWN.
Joseph Prince: “In Luke 19:2–10, where you find Jesus meeting and ministering to Zacchaeus, notice that not a single commandment was given. Yet when the love and grace of our Lord Jesus touched his heart, the once-covetous tax collector wanted to give half of his wealth to the poor and repay fourfold every person he had stolen from. The love of money died when the love of Jesus came. This is what happens to people who encounter the Lord Jesus and His grace.”
Why does this change us? “Perfect love drives out fear.”
We need an “encounter with the Lord Jesus and His grace.”
We need to have a revelation of the Love Jesus has for us today
Here's what we sometimes miss:
Jesus' love is so powerful... that it confronts the lies we've believed about ourselves.
Jesus didn't simply come to forgive your past.
He came to interrupt the code you've been living by.
Jesus gave Zacchaeus dignity before he gave him direction.
He let him know he was KNOWN.
Our faith in the true love of the true Jesus – our true savior – becomes the CODE that is the antidote to this form of miserable existence:
Romans 5:1: Our faith in Jesus transfers God's righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.
Romans 5:1 (AMP) Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).
To understand The CODE we need a true revelation of the Love of Christ within our hearts.
God sees you today. You are KNOWN.
Psalm 33:18: Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love…
God sees you today. God hears you today. You are KNOWN.
Psalm 34:4 (David) “Listen to my testimony: I cried to God in my distress and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears!”
Maybe you've spent years trying to prove your value.
Maybe you've climbed your own tree.
Maybe you've hidden behind success... or failure... or religion... or shame...
Today...
Jesus stops.
Looks up.
Calls your name.
Then... “You're valuable... because I know your name.”
Remember you are known
Isaiah 43:1: Do not be afraid, I have rescued you to belong to me. I have called you by your name, so now you are mine.
Zacchaeus' code said: You're valuable because of what you possess.
Jesus rewrote the code: You're valuable because I know your name.
“The Son of Man has come to seek out and to give life to those who are lost.”
The Son of Man has come to seek...
...you.
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CODE – Week Two – KNOWN 生命密码2 – 认识
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07/12/2026
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ROMANS 8:31-32
If God has determined to stand with us, who then could ever stand against us? For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, he certainly won’t withhold from us anything else he has to give.
罗马书 8:31-32
既是这样，还有什么说的呢？神若帮助我们，谁能敌挡我们呢？神既不惜为我们舍了自己的儿子，岂不也把万事和他一同白白地赐给我们吗？
LUKE 19:9-10
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
路加福音 19:9-10
耶稣说：“今天救恩临到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。人子来，为要寻找、拯救失丧的人。”
ROMANS 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
罗马书 5:1
我们既因信称义，就藉着我们的主耶稣基督得与神相和。
ROMANS 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
罗马书 5:5
盼望不至于羞耻，因为神的爱藉着所赐给我们的圣灵，已经浇灌在我们心里。
ISAIAH 43:1
Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name, you are mine.
以赛亚书 43:1
你不要害怕，因为我救赎了你；我曾提你的名召你，你是属我的。
Creator
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Pastor: Mike Koger
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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Dublin Core
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2026
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CODE III: KNOW HIM
2 Thess 3:16
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon
Apparently every actor in Hollywood can be connected to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less.
The theory says every person on earth can be connected to every other person through six relationships.
Maybe that's true.
According to the theory, somewhere between me and the President of the United States there are only six introductions.
But I still doubt he's coming to Waffle House with me after church.
I know about him. I've travelled twice just to see him speak.
But he doesn't know me... ...and I don't really know him. I know about him.
In the same way…
People can have a lot of information about Jesus …they may even go to church.
They can know “about” GOD without really knowing Him.
That is not a mistake we want to carry through our lives.
Jesus said in Matt 7:22,23: “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
“I never knew you”
Last Sunday we celebrated that Jesus knows your name.
Today the question changes. Do you know Him?
There are signs and bumper stickers that say,
“No Jesus (n-o) No Peace. Know Jesus , Know peace.”
Today’s scripture reads: "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you".
(AMP) Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all.
Notice something.
Paul doesn't tell us to manufacture peace.
He points us to the Lord of Peace.
And notice when He gives it.
At all times. In every way.
That means peace isn't reserved just for the easy seasons.
May the Lord himself, who is our source of peace, give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.
We want that peace (of course we do,) but how do we get this peace and find its comfort and strength “in all times and in every way?”
Eph 2:14: For He Himself is our peace
We must abide… we must be in a real relationship with our Creator
Eph 2:13: “ …Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ!”
“you have actually been united to Christ!” – “through the sacred blood of Jesus”
This is when The CODE starts its work in our hearts.
CODE: Hebrews 8:1: 'I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.'
CODE (Part Two) we recognized that Jesus knows our name.
He came to seek and save that which was lost (you and me)
Now CODE III is about you and I coming to know Him. Relationship.
We have all heard that question, “Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?”
Jesus said we must abide in Him
Jesus used a beautiful word. He said, "Abide."
It means remain. Stay. Live. Make your home in Me.
Christianity was never meant to be occasional visits with Jesus.
It was meant to be a life lived in Him.
Religion asks, "What must I do?"
Relationship asks, "Will you walk with Me?"
Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Jesus.
There are many ways we can develop our relationship to a much great level.
Prayer. Reading the Word. …and the Lord’s Supper
Today is Holy Communion We are told we must “discern the Body”
This is both The Body of Christ as in the physical body Jesus gave up for our healing and restoration, and also as the Body of Christ where we share in one loaf together.
1 Cor 10:17: Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
"Discerning the body" is a theological phrase from 1 Corinthians 11:29 regarding the Lord's Supper (Communion). It means recognizing the profound significance of Christ’s sacrifice and (also) valuing the unity of the church”
John 6:56: "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him"
Wommack: “ …was speaking of the spiritual man. Just as the physical man receives life from the food he eats, so the spiritual man receives life as he partakes of Jesus, the life of men (Jn. 1:4; 10:10; 14:6) or the ‘Bread of Life.’ Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer’s true life is found to be in union with Christ.”
Col 2:9,10: “For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
John 6:57: “The Father of life sent me, and he is my life. In the same way, the one who feeds upon me, I will become his life.”
Eph 3:19: “ … to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
This is beyond our intellect. It is experiential. It comes through relationship
This is what we need to be filled with today.
Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Jesus.
John 15:9: I have loved you, just as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love, continue in His love with Me.
For the past few minutes we've been asking one question: "Do you know Him?"
Not do you know about Him... "Do you know Him?"
Today Jesus doesn't simply invite us to think about Him.
He invites us to come to His table.
The table has never been about remembering a distant Savior. It is about meeting a living Savior.
Some of us came carrying fear. Some came carrying guilt. Some came carrying disappointment... bitterness. Some came carrying questions.
But none of us should have to leave carrying those same burdens.
The CODE God wants to write on your heart isn't merely information. It is relationship.
He knows your name... and today He invites you to know His heart.
So here's what that looks like for you, right now.
If you've never truly known Him — if today you realize you've only known about Him — this table can be where that changes.
This can be the moment you move from information to relationship, from a name you've heard to a Savior you know.
And if you do know Him, but life has pulled you away — if you've drifted, grown cold, or wandered — this table is where you come home.
Not because you've earned your way back, but because He's been waiting at the table the whole time. Whichever describes you, don't leave here the same way you came in. Tell Him.
Whatever you're carrying — name it to Him now, in your heart. Then come to the table.
"Let us break bread together on our knees."
Communion is not a reward for people who have lived a perfect week.
It's a gift for people who know they need Jesus.
So don't wait until you feel ready.
Come as you are — and come to know Him.
Phil 3:10 …that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
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Code III: Know Him 生命密码3: 认识祂
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07/19/2026
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1.MATTHEW 7:22-23
"On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"
马太福音 7:22-23
“到那日，必有许多人对我说：‘主啊，主啊，我们不是奉祢的名传道，奉祢的名赶鬼，奉祢的名行许多异能吗？’我就明明地告诉他们：‘我从未认识你们；你们这些作恶的人，离开我去吧！’”
2.2 THESSALONIANS 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
帖撒罗尼迦后书 3:16
愿赐平安的主随时随地赐平安给你们。愿主与你们众人同在。
3.EPHESIANS 2:13-14
Although you were once distant and far away from God, now you have been brought delightfully close to him through the sacred blood of Jesus—you have actually been united to Christ! For He Himself is our peace.
以弗所书 2:13-14
你们从前远离神，与神为敌，如今却因基督耶稣的宝血，已经得亲近了，你们原本是与基督隔绝的，如今却与祂联合；因为基督祂自己就是我们的平安。
4.JOHN 6:56
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
约翰福音 6:56
吃我肉、喝我血的人，就住在我里面，我也住在他里面。
5.1 CORINTHIANS 10:17
Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
哥林多前书
10:17 我们虽多，仍是一个饼，一个身体；因为我们都是分受这一个饼。
6.JOHN 15:9 I
have loved you, just as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love.
约翰福音 15:9
我爱你们，正如父爱我一样；你们要常在我的爱里。
7.EPHESIANS 3:19
…to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
以弗所书 3:19
并且知道基督的爱是何等长阔高深，能以充满你们，使你们充满神一切的丰盛。
Creator
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Pastor: Mike Koger
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
-
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Dublin Core
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2026
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CODE IV: The Greatest
Matthew 23:11,12
We live in the age of the “Adult Temper Tantrum…” (how did we get here?)
“There must be a better way!”
Who better than Jesus to guide us to a better way of navigating through this life…
Jesus offered an entirely different Code for living
Matthew 23:11,12: "The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart. Remember this: If you have a lofty opinion of yourself and seek to be honored, you will be humbled. But if you have a modest opinion of yourself and choose to humble yourself, you will be honored."
Life (should be) about contribution
Ask: “What is my gift?” The gift you carry isn’t just for you.
The gift God gave you was never intended to stop with you.
Do you see yourself as unable to serve – to make a contribution to others?
I will say this with love: Thinking we are limited is actually true conceit.
If we accomplish something and it is all done with our own abilities, then who gets the glory? the credit? the praise? (selah)
John 15:8: When your lives bear abundant fruit, you demonstrate that you are my mature disciples who glorify my Father!
It isn’t about YOU – it is about the Gift.
2 Cor 4:7: “We have this treasure…”
“We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God's, not ours.”
The treasure isn't the jar. It is the gift gets the attention. The Giver gets the glory.
Paul uses this analogy to highlight a core message. The power to transform and save belongs entirely to God, not to human strength or cleverness.
When we go through difficulties or weaknesses, God's power shines through our frail humanity to make it clear where the strength is truly coming from.
Joshua 1:9: “Have boldness to share your gift…”
Jesus said to the Jewish leaders, John 8:47: If you really knew God, you would listen, receive, and respond with faith to his words.
The Secret of Living is Giving
Every culture has a code—a way of defining what success looks like. In our culture, greatness is often measured by followers, fame, influence, possessions, or power.
But Jesus completely rewrites the code.
In God's Kingdom, the greatest person in the room isn't the one being served.
It's the one serving.
The Greatest opportunity is TODAY. NOW.
Take ALL you have learned, experienced – and yes, even all you have regretted,
and use it to build your legacy.
Ed Mylett: YOU are now most qualified to help the person or people that You used to be.
Your failures become valuable the moment they become someone else's instruction.
Your scars become someone's survival guide.
Your perceived liability can be transformed into your greatest asset.
ASK: “What can I give?” “What could I give?” “What do I have to give?”
Discovering your (maybe currently) hidden gift will totally revolutionize your life.
“Let YOUR LIGHT so SHINE…” (good works)
What have you survived? What have you learned?
What mistake taught you something valuable?
What prayer did God answer? What gift have you buried?
Who needs what only you can give?
1 Corinthians 10:11: All these things happened to them as examples—as object lessons to us —to warn us against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them.
John Maxwell has a new book entitled: How to Get a Return on Failure
He asks: What would change if you stopped seeing failure as something to avoid and started using it as something to build from?
What have we learned in life that needs to be shared with others?
Some lessons are hard – but they are still lessons. (the Bible is full of these lessons)
Our learning should be used to bless others.
Honestly: Are there any success stories that don’t include set-backs and adversity?
( ) I mean… have you never seen a Rocky movie? Karate Kid?
I recently revisited Og Mandino’s classic: “A Better Way to Live”
Og Mandino (20th century writer) went from being a homeless, suicidal alcoholic to one of the world's best-selling inspirational authors.
After serving as a World War II bomber pilot, he struggled to find work, leading to severe depression, bad life choices, and the loss of his family.
Hitting rock bottom, he wandered into a library, read self-help books, and rebuilt his life.
His book, “A Better Way to Live”, not only shares his testimony of personal recovery and transformation, but also includes 17 Principles for living a better life.
Principle # 3 says, “Whenever you make a mistake or get knocked down by life, don't look back at it too long. Mistakes are life's way of teaching you. Your capacity for occasional blunders is inseparable from your capacity to reach your goals. No one wins them all, and your failures, when they happen, are just part of your growth. Shake off your blunders.”
It’s all about reframing the setbacks to decide how you can use these things to bless others.
"The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart.”
Anyone can serve if they have the desire to.
You are not the hero because you conquered something.
You are the hero because you came back with something worth giving.
Prov 24:16: …for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again
What propels us to get back up?
I believe it is the CODE at work in our hearts, causing us to obey Jesus commands
What are those commands?
Matthew 22:37-40: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Tony Robbins: "Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.”
"It is not what we get - but who we become, what we contribute... that gives meaning to our lives."
Matthew 23:11-12: The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
We sometimes learn hard lessons
If we can humble ourselves and accept the lesson that comes with the mistakes, we can use that to make not only our own life, but the lives of others better for it having happened.
Let your test become your testimony. Let GOD put His “Super” on your “natural”
Romans 8:10: "Now Christ lives his life in you! And even though your body may be dead because of the effects of sin, his life-giving Spirit imparts life to you because you are fully accepted by God."
It’s time to pick ourselves up – or rather, let Christ pick us up, and get back into the game.
It’s time to move on - to “drive on” – to look forward instead of looking back.
Change is never a matter of ability. It's always a matter of strong enough reasons.
“Christ lives his life in you”
The world says, "Hide your failures." Jesus says, "Use them."
The world says, "Become important." Jesus says, "Become a servant."
Because the greatest people are never remembered for what they accumulated.
They're remembered for what they gave.
One day... our money (or lack of it) won't matter.
Our titles won't matter. Our possessions won't matter.
Only what we invested in people.
Only what we gave away. Only what Christ was able to do through us.
John 12:25 "The person who loves his life and pampers himself will miss true life! But the one who detaches his life from this world and abandons himself to me, will find true life and enjoy it forever!"
"The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart.”
Christ lives His life in you. The treasure is already there.
Your story—your victories, your failures, your lessons, your faith—can become someone else's encouragement.
We so often underestimate our potential to give – to contribute – to serve
So don't ask, 'How can I become greater?' Ask, 'How can I serve more faithfully?'
Because according to Jesus, the greatest among you will be the servant…
the one who serves from the heart.
That is the Code.
If you feel stuck - like you are missing something - and you’re exhausted from trying. The Lord is saying to you, “Look higher than you are looking! Why are trying to walk according to man’s ways and methods? Why are you trying to be provider? But if you SEEK ME, ALL THESE THINGS shall be added.”
Let's pray together.
Father, thank You for Jesus, who showed us that true greatness is found not in being served, but in serving.
Forgive us for the times we've chased applause instead of purpose, for the times we've hidden our failures instead of letting You use them.
Take our stories - the victories and the wounds, the lessons learned the hard way - and use them to encourage someone who needs exactly what we've been through.
Remind us daily that the treasure of Christ already lives in us, and that we don't need to become greater; we simply need to serve more faithfully.
Give us courage to live out this Code - to love You with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves - starting today, starting now.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, who served us first. Amen.
Dublin Core
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Code IV - The Greatest 生命密码4 - 最伟大的人
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07/26/2026
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Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)
The greatest among you will be the one who always serves others from the heart.
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
马太福音 23:11-12 (CUVS)
你们中间谁为大，谁就要作你们的用人。
凡自高的，必降为卑；凡自卑的，必升为高。
John 15:8 (NIV)
When your lives bear much fruit, you show that you are my disciples.
This brings great glory to my Father.
约翰福音 15:8 (CUVS)
你们多结果子，我父就因此得荣耀，你们也就是我的门徒了。
2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
哥林多后书 4:7 (CUVS)
我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里，要显明这莫大的能力是出于神，不是出于我们。
Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.
箴言 24:16 (CUVS)
因为义人虽七次跌倒，仍必兴起。
Romans 8:10 (NIV)
But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
罗马书 8:10 (CUVS)
然而基督若在你们心里，身体就因罪而死，心灵却因义而活。
John 12:25 (NIV)
Whoever loves their life will lose it, while whoever hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
约翰福音 12:25 (CUVS)
爱惜自己生命的，就失丧生命；
在这世上恨恶自己生命的，就要保守生命到永生。
Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it:
Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two.
马太福音 22:37-40 (CUVS)
你要尽心、尽性、尽意爱主——你的神。
这是诫命中的第一，且是最大的。
其次也相仿，就是要爱人如己。
这两条诫命是律法和先知一切道理的总纲。
Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
约书亚记 1:9 (CUVS)
我岂没有吩咐你吗？你当刚强壮胆！
不要惧怕，也不要惊惶；因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华——你的神必与你同在。
Creator
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Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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2026
Moving Image
A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation.
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CODE V: COURAGE
Acts 4:12-14
Have you ever noticed...
Courage almost always looks ordinary... ...until history looks back on it.
Peter and John weren't superheroes.
They weren't famous. They weren't educated. They weren't powerful.
They were just two ordinary men... ...who had been with Jesus.
The best definition of courage is the mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty. It is not the total absence of fear, but rather the choice and willingness to act in pursuit of what is right, despite that fear.
In Acts 3, Peter and John, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, healed the lame man. “Silver and gold have I none…”
Acts 4 gives us one of the most remarkable moments in the early church.
Peter and John had just healed a man who had been unable to walk since birth. As crowds gathered in amazement, they didn't take the credit—they pointed everyone to Jesus.
The religious leaders didn't like that.
So they arrested them, threw them in jail overnight, and the next day brought them before the highest court in the land. Imagine that. Two ordinary fishermen standing before the most educated and powerful religious leaders of their day.
The council demanded, "By what power... and in whose name have you done this?"
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter didn't hesitate. He boldly declared that the man had been healed by the power of Jesus Christ—the very One they had crucified, but whom God had raised from the dead.
then the Word says: "When they saw the boldness of Peter and John... they were amazed."
Why were they amazed? Because these weren't polished scholars. They hadn't been through the prestigious rabbinical schools. They were ordinary, everyday men.
But something about them was unmistakable.
The leaders recognized that these men had been with Jesus.
That's the difference.
Not a diploma. Not a title. Not natural talent.
They had spent time with Jesus.
And being with Jesus had given ordinary people extraordinary courage.
"When you've been with Jesus... courage becomes your new code."
Here's the truth for us today:
Wherever God is calling you to go... it will require courage.
Whether it's leading your family, standing for your faith, forgiving someone who hurt you, starting something new, or stepping into God's purpose for your life...
Godly leadership always requires courage.
Deut. 31:6: Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you
Daniel 11:32 states: "The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."
My coffee cup: “Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone”
Heb 11:8: Faith motivated Abraham to obey God’s call and leave the familiar to discover the territory he was destined to inherit from God. So he left with only a promise and without even knowing ahead of time where he was going, Abraham stepped out in faith.
Abraham walked away from certainty... toward a promise.
from our scripture today…
The leaders realized that the source of this POWER and AUTHORITY that Peter and John had was due to the time they had spent walking and living with Jesus.
Where WE are CALLED to GO will require Boldness… it will require COURAGE
Where YOU are CALLED to GO will require Boldness… it will require COURAGE
“To boldly go where no man has gone before…”
Courage is the CODE God writes into the hearts of people who have been with Jesus.
Courage doesn’t deny the emotion of fear… it just means we ACT ANYWAY.
“Do the thing, and you shall have the power.”
Wherever YOU are called to go... it will require courage.
Imagine Peter and John – ushering in a New Covenant – totally moving people away from what they have known – and from what their culture and religion had taught them and their ancestors
Q: Did you ever have a slingshot? Ever shoot a bow & arrow?
The force that pulls backward eventually launches the projectile forward.
Throughout history... whenever churches become more concerned about pleasing culture (obeying the global mindset) rather than pleasing Christ... God raises up courageous men and women who lovingly call people back to the Gospel.
(bow and arrow) The tension pulling us back toward the world is transformed into the release of our Divine Destiny in Christ
Jesus says, “Repent and believe the Gospel”
When I was young, the challenge to stand for biblical truth wasn’t nearly as challenging.
…but here we are today.
What will we do with what we (now) have to work with?
The Mission is still the same.
“Good times create weak people. Weak people create bad times. Bad times create strong people. And strong people create great times.”
Napoleon Hill: “The Crucible of Purpose” (the #1 regret…)
Forged in Private - Shaped by Adversity - Definiteness of Purpose
Napoleon Hill's philosophy treats purpose not as an accidental discovery, but as something forged in the private discipline and hard tests of life. (the crucible)
The ultimate regret in this framework is reaching the end of life having surrendered your potential to the expectations of others. ( )
A crucible is a vessel used for melting and purifying metals at high temperatures.
In biblical literature, the term "crucible" is often used metaphorically to describe a process of testing, refining, and purifying individuals We must have the Corgae or communities through trials and tribulations.
Proverbs 17:3 A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.
Godly Leadership Requires COURAGE
Declaration of Independence:
"we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor"
What are we willing to pledge?
Think about how words like “CODE” and “Alignment” fit this situation
We must have courage to stand for this CODE – this ultimate truth:
(Acts 4:12) "There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.”
“I am not ashamed…”
Maybe we need to be picked up again today… so we can try again.
It takes courage to try again.
Recommit to the purpose (the mission) we have for being here…
…both as individuals and as a church
Maybe you’re disappointed by your previous results. A failed attempt at change.
Somebody needs to hear this today...
One disappointing result... is not... a divine verdict.
That disappointment has been pulling back your bow string…
…but there comes a point when the tension is just too much and you say,
“That’s it. I’ve had it! I will not compromise with the world any longer!”
About 6 years ago we experienced together - a radical worldwide shift that impacted every part of our lives (yes – your life)
At times it felt like the end, but it actually propelled Hillside (bow and arrow) into what is literally a humble but global online ministry.
Now the string of the bow again pulls our churches back, saying,
“Be like the world…
think like the world… conform to the pattern of this world…”
If we are bold and act with courage, the same thing happens now.
Notice the release – the launch into the NEW thing… it happens when we let go.
Sometimes our strength, our courage … comes out of our stillness
To “Be Still and KNOW”
If we listen, we hear God speaking to us as He did in Joshua 1:9:
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Will you pull back the bow today?
To prepare to release those things that have tried to hold you back?
Feel the tension one more time… it is time to let go and let GOD.
The Sanhedrin remembered Peter and John because they had been with Jesus.
I hope our time here together will be remembered the same way.
Prayer:
Father, prepare my heart and strengthen my faith for the opportunities
You have ordained.
Help me recognize my moment and give me the courage to act without fear.
Keep me diligent in preparation so I am ready when You open the door.
May I honor You by making the most of every opportunity You bring into my life.
2 Tim 1:6: This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
Romans 1:11: For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you…
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Code V: Courage 生命密码5: 勇气
Date
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08/02/2026
Description
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Acts 4:12
“There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.”
使徒行传 4:12
“除他以外，别无拯救；因为在天下人间，没有赐下别的名我们可以靠着得救，只有耶稣。”
Acts 4:13
“When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
使徒行传 4:13
“他们看见彼得、约翰的胆量，又看出他们是没有学问的小民，就希奇；又认出他们是与耶稣同过的。”
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
申命记 31:6
“你们要刚强壮胆，不要惧怕，也不要惊惶；因为耶和华 — 你的神必与你同去，他必不撇下你，也不丢弃你。”
Daniel 11:32
“The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”
但以理书 11:32
“认识他们神的百姓必刚强行事。”
Hebrews 11:8
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”
希伯来书 11:8
“亚伯拉罕因着信，蒙召的时候就遵命出去，往将来要承受为业之地去；他出去的时候，还不知道往哪里去。”
Joshua 1:9
“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
约书亚记 1:9
“我岂没有吩咐你吗？你当刚强壮胆！不要惧怕，也不要惊惶，因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华 — 你的神必与你同在。”
Proverbs 17:3
“A crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the LORD is the tester of hearts.”
箴言 17:3
“银子要在炉中炼过，金子要在熔炉中炼过；惟有耶和华熬炼人心。”
2 Timothy 1:6
“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.”
提摩太后书 1:6
“我提醒你，使你将神藉我按手所赐的恩赐再如火挑旺起来。”
Romans 1:11
“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you…”
罗马书 1:11
“因我切切地想念你们，要把一些属灵的恩赐分给你们，使你们坚固…”
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
-
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556fc46a3053dbf27e31a4fb58e3600f
https://church.jhkpress.com/files/original/ab809632bf8f2df06c7c3c2472ccf672.mp4
4a74e8ecd72f630debdde6d7a5128f34
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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2026
Moving Image
A series of visual representations imparting an impression of motion when shown in succession. Examples include animations, movies, television programs, videos, zoetropes, or visual output from a simulation.
Transcription
Any written text transcribed from a sound
Updating the Code:
God's Predictive Coding and Spiritual Transformation
Let me ask you something.Have you ever decided how a conversation was going to go — before it even happened?
You walk into a room and already know what to expect.
You already know how your spouse is going to respond.
You meet someone new, but something about them reminds you of someone who hurt you — and before they've done anything, you've already made a judgment.
And sometimes we even do this with God.
We've already decided what God thinks about us before we've even given Him a chance to speak.
Why do we do that? Because your brain isn't just a recording device.
Your brain is a prediction machine.
There's a concept in neuroscience called predictive coding.
The basic idea is actually very simple: Your brain uses what has happened before to predict what is going to happen next. And most of the time, that's helpful.
Your brain is constantly making predictions based on everything you've experienced before. Then it compares those predictions with what is actually happening.
If everything happens the way you expected, your brain basically says, "Yep. I knew it."
But when something happens that doesn't fit your prediction, your brain has a decision to make:
Do I hold onto my old understanding... or do I update it?
It's like a software update running in the background of your mind.
Here's a simple example. Have you ever sung the wrong words to a song for years?
Creedence Clearwater Revival sang: "There's a bad moon on the rise."
But thousands of people heard: "There's a bathroom on the right."
And once your brain decided those were the words, that's what you kept hearing!
You weren't really listening anymore.
You were hearing what you expected to hear.
And that's where this gets important.
Because we don't just do this with song lyrics.
We do it with life. We do it with people. We do it with ourselves.
And sometimes... we even do that with God.
Something happened to you years ago. Someone hurt you. Someone labeled you.
You failed at something. A prayer wasn't answered the way you expected.
And your brain took that experience and wrote a prediction:
"This is just the way life works." "People can't be trusted."
"I'll never be good enough.""Nothing is ever going to change."
"Maybe God has forgotten me."
And without realizing it, you can spend years interpreting today's reality through yesterday's prediction.
So here's the question I want us to wrestle with today:
What predictions are running in the background of your life right now?
And an even more important question:
What happens when God gives you new information?
Because sometimes God doesn't immediately change your circumstances.
Sometimes God challenges the mental model through which you interpret your circumstances.
Your brain uses what happened before to predict what will happen next.
But what happens when God says something that doesn't fit your prediction?”
And that's exactly what He did with a man named Gideon.
(more on that in a few moments… stay tuned)
Today is the sixth edition of this CODE journey we have taken together
Our KEY Verse: He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
We often think we have things figured out, but...Predictive Coding can only work so far... GOD is sovereign
CODE I - God's Code Is Written on Our Hearts
God doesn't merely give rules; He transforms us from the inside out.
Hebrews 10:16: This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.
Jeremiah 31:33 "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.\"
CODE II – KNOWN - Before we understand God's ways, we discover God's heart-and we realize He already knows us.
Psalm 139:1: Lord, you have searched me and known me.
John 10:14: "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me."
CODE III – Alignment - The Christian life is not merely believing in Jesus, but allowing our lives to align with His.
Romans 12:2 : Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...
Amos 3:3: "Can two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?"
CODE IV - The Greatest - God's definition of greatness is completely different from the world's.
Matthew 23:11: "The greatest among you will be your servant."
Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
CODE V – Courage - Courage isn't personality-it is the result of being with Jesus.
Acts 4:13: "...They recognized that they had been with Jesus."
Joshua 1:9: "Be strong and courageous... for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
God writes His Code on our hearts.(Hebrews 10:16)
Then we discover we are fully known by Him.(Psalm 139:1)
Knowing His heart leads us into alignment with His will.(Romans 12:2)
Alignment changes our priorities-greatness becomes service.(Matthew 23:11)
And serving Christ faithfully produces courageous living.(Acts 4:13)
Eccl 3:11: He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
This verse is remarkable because it says two things simultaneously:
God placed eternity in us. We still cannot fully comprehend His plans.
In other words...We were created to keep learning God rather than assuming we've already figured Him out. (a continuous, lifelong process)
God continually updates His people.
The danger isn't ignorance.The danger is believing yesterday's revelation is the end of today's conversation.
Predictive Coding says: "I've seen this before.”
Faith says: "God may do something I've never seen before."
Your future will largely be determined by which voice you allow to make your predictions.
Will it be:your past? your failures? your culture? your fears?
Or... the voice of the Holy Spirit?
Judges 6:11:16 (read)
Gideon's situation is a clear illustration of "predictive coding.
The angel says: "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." (Judges 6:12)
Gideon's internal predictive model immediately pushes back:
"If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened?\" (v.13) \
"My clan is the weakest...\" (v.15) \
"I am the least in my family.\" (v.15)
Notice what's happening psychologically.
God isn't merely giving Gideon a command - God is challenging the mental model through which Gideon interprets reality.
Gideon isn't seeing facts objectively. He's filtering everything through years of Midianite oppression, family insignificance, disappointment, and fear.
His predictions about himself determine what he believes is possible.
God doesn't begin by changing Gideon's circumstances.
He begins by changing Gideon's identity.
Gideon's Predictive coding: "I'm the weakest."
God identifies him as: "Mighty warrior."
When the angel calls Gideon a "mighty warrior," God is not describing Gideon's present performance.
GOD is speaking to the identity He intends to develop. (God's perspective)
Most of us aren't trapped by our circumstances. We're trapped by the story we've been telling ourselves about our circumstances.
Look at Gideon's encounter with the angel of the Lord:
Nothing had changed. Midian was still there. Israel was still oppressed.
Gideon was still hiding in a winepress.
The only thing that changed was the conversation.
Our brains continually predict our future from our past.
God speaks our future into our present.
Think about the life stories of Moses… Abraham… Gideon… Peter
Every major biblical transformation required someone to let God rewrite their internal predictions.
"Don't become so committed to yesterday's understanding of God that you miss today's invitation."
We never abandon truth. But we need to expand our understanding of it.
For six weeks we've talked about God's Code.
But God's Code isn't static — it's relational.
He is still speaking, still shaping, still calling us into what's next.
Don't let yesterday's assumptions become tomorrow's limitations.
Keep your heart open, your spirit teachable, and your life available, because the Author of your story is still writing.
Predictive coding says, "I've always been this way, so I'll probably always be this way."
God says, "I know who you are becoming, even before you do."
The question was never whose prediction is more convincing — the question is whose prediction you will believe.
God writes a new code on our hearts so we begin to see ourselves, others, and the world the way He does.
He knows you. He aligns you. He reshapes your values.
He gives you courage. He continues to update you.
The goal of the Christian life isn't to become a better version of who you were.
It's to become the person God has always seen.
Hebrews 8:1 promises, "I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts."
And Isaiah reminds us, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength."
Psalm 31:24: Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
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Code VI : Updating the Code 生命密码6: 更新你的代码
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08/09/2026
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Pastor: Mike Koger
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States
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Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
传道书 3:11
神造万物，各按其时成为美好；又将永恒安置在世人心里。然而神从始至终的作为，人不能参透。
Isaiah 43:18 19
Forget the former things;do not dwell on the past.See, I am doing a new thing!Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?I am making a way in the wildernessand streams in the wasteland.
以赛亚书 43:18 19不要记念从前的事，也不要思想古时的事。看哪，我要做一件新事！如今要发现，你们岂不知道吗？我必在旷野开道路，在沙漠开江河。
Philippians 3:13 14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.But one thing I do:Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
腓立比书 3:13 14
弟兄们，我不是以为自己已经得着了；我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的，向着标竿直跑，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!
哥林多后书 5:17
若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人；旧事已过，都变成新的了。
Romans 12:1 2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy,to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
罗马书 12:1 2
所以，弟兄们，我以神的慈悲劝你们，将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是神所喜悦的；你们如此侍奉，乃是理所当然的。不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。
Psalm 31:24
Be strong and take heart,all you who hope in the Lord.
诗篇 31:24
你们要刚强，与主相交的，都当壮胆！
GOD CONTINUES TO UPDATE HIS PEOPLE.
STAY TEACHABLE. STAY AVAILABLE. STAY CLOSE TO HIM.
神不断更新祂的子民。
保持谦卑，保持顺服，始终亲近祂。
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2026
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CODE VII — WONDER
Psalm 62:5–8
Norman Vincent Peale once used a humorous illustration about problems.
He asked an audience how many had problems — hands went up everywhere.
Then he asked how many would like to live somewhere with absolutely no problems — just as many hands went up.
Peale said such a place existed nearby: nobody there worried about money, work, or tomorrow.
Nobody had any problems whatsoever.
Then he revealed the place: THE CEMETERY.
Suddenly, getting rid of all our problems didn't sound quite so appealing.
Because problems are part of being alive. As long as we're living, we're going to encounter problems.
Maybe when we're running short of them, as Peale said, it's time to get on our knees and say: "God...don't You trust me anymore?"
The goal of life isn't to eliminate difficulty — it's to learn how to live fully in the middle of it.
And maybe God wants us to rediscover something many of us lost along the way. Something children understand naturally.
Something called... WONDER.
Monday morning, I woke up thinking this CODE series was finished.
Six messages. Done.
And then God surprised me.
God has a way of doing that for us… if we stop long enough to notice.
I started thinking about Monday mornings. How do we greet them?
“Oh no…another Monday”?
Same job. Same responsibilities. Same problems. Same routine.
Or could we wake up and say: “Lord…what do You have for me today?”
Same Monday. Same circumstances. But an entirely different way of seeing them.
When we really start living from God's CODE, something begins happening inside us. We become more aware. More grateful. More expectant. More alive.
And gradually our hearts begin opening to this extraordinary experience called WONDER.
Wonder is that mixture of surprise, admiration and amazement we experience when we encounter something beautiful, unexpected or beyond our understanding.
What would happen if we began living our ordinary lives with amazed admiration?
Not because everything was perfect, but because we began looking for God in everything.
Paul prays in Ephesians 3 that God's people would have the power to understand how wide, long, high and deep God's love really is.
God's love, goodness, and presence were already there.
We simply needed the ability to perceive it.
That's what gratitude does.
Gratitude isn't merely saying "thank you." Gratitude is noticing.
Psalm 63: "I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night... I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely."
Pause in life. Reflect on God's goodness and mercy.
When you practice gratitude, you stop letting life rush past unnoticed.
You start seeing what you used to take for granted: the person beside you, a sunrise, another morning. Ordinary things stop feeling quite so ordinary.
The other night I was talking face-to-face with someone in Melbourne, Australia — thousands of miles away, no delay, like they're in the next room.
We nowadays call that "normal."
Show that to somebody 150 years ago, and they'd call it a miracle. We call it “Tuesday.”
Maybe the world hasn't become less amazing.
Maybe we've just become harder to amaze.
Gratitude wakes us up. It says: "Look. Notice. Pay attention."
But Wonder needs something else: HOPE.
Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.
If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.
Psalm 62:5 says, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.”
Another translation captures the thought: “My expectation is from Him.”
Expectation means something is still possible. God is still working. God isn't finished.
Mark 9:23: (Jesus)“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”
And this is where gratitude and hope come together:
WONDER IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GRATITUDE FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE MEETS EXPECTATION FOR WHAT GOD WILL DO.
Gratitude looks backward and says, “God has been faithful.”
Hope looks forward and says, “God isn't finished.”
And Wonder stands right in the middle and says:
“I can't wait to see what He does next.”
Sometimes living with hope reminds me of using GPS.
You put in the destination. It calculates the route. Everything looks good.
…And then… you miss the turn.
Imagine if your GPS responded like some of us respond to life:
“THAT'S IT! YOU MISSED THE TURN! YOUR ENTIRE TRIP IS RUINED!”
Thankfully, GPS doesn't do that. It simply says: “Recalculating.”
Maybe somebody needs to hear this today:
YOU HAVE MISTAKEN A RECALCULATION FOR A CANCELLATION.
Something didn't happen the way you expected. A relationship changed.
A door closed. A plan failed.
Life took a turn you never expected, and you thought: “It's over.”
But maybe God is saying: “No. We're recalculating.”
Sometimes our hopes have to adjust to the changing highway. And what God has in mind may be better than the best route we could have calculated ourselves.
You may not understand the road you're traveling right now.
But that doesn't mean God has abandoned the destination.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 doesn't say everything that happens is good.
It says that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
That's different.
The event itself may not be good.
But God can still work through it.
God can redeem it. Teach through it. Redirect through it.
Develop something inside us through it. The closed door becomes a redirection. The setback becomes preparation.
The wound becomes wisdom.
Sometimes… the mess becomes the message.
So instead of only asking, “Why is this happening to me?” we begin asking: “God…what can You do with this?
Where is the lesson? Where is the opportunity?
Where is the gift?”
That doesn't deny pain. It simply means pain doesn't get the final word.
Psalm 62:8 says: “Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him… Pause in his presence.”
Notice: it doesn't say pretend you don't have problems. Tell Him your troubles.
It doesn't say figure everything out. It says trust.
And then… pause.
Maybe that's where we've lost some of our wonder?
We don't pause anymore.
We're moving. Scrolling. Planning. Worrying. Reacting.
But wonder requires enough stillness to notice.
Maybe the world isn't short on miracles. Maybe we're short on awareness.
Maybe God hasn't stopped surprising us. Maybe we've stopped noticing.
So today, can we take life exactly as it is right now?
Not the life you wish you had. Not the life you thought you would have by now.
This life.
With its blessings and disappointments.
Victories and unanswered questions.
Open doors and closed doors. Joys and problems.
Can we place all of it into the loving hands of our Savior and allow Him to replace fear with trust, anxiety with expectation, disappointment with hope, routine with gratitude—and certainty with something even more beautiful: WONDER?
You don't have to understand everything God is doing to trust that God is doing something.
You don't have to know the entire route to take the next step.
And you don't have to have a problem-free life to have an abundant one.
So tomorrow morning, when your eyes open—before you reach for the phone, before you start rehearsing your problems—pause for a moment.
Breathe.
Recognize: “I'm alive. God is here. This day has never happened before.”
And instead of GROANING, “it's Monday again,” maybe we could say:
“God…it's Monday. I wonder what You have for me today.”
Maybe that's the final piece of the CODE:
Not having everything figured out, but trusting the One who does.
Living awake. Living grateful. Living hopeful. Living expectant.
Living with our eyes open to the possibility that God may be doing something extraordinary right in the middle of what looks ordinary.
And when the road changes, instead of immediately asking, "God, why is this happening to me?" maybe we learn to ask:
"God...what are You doing with this? Where are You taking me? How will You turn my mess into Your message?"
So before we leave this moment, let's do something with it - not just hear it.
If you're running on empty, tired of white-knuckling your way through disappointment, do one simple thing right now: open your hands.
Palms up, right where you're sitting.
Let that be your prayer – even before you say a word:
"I'm done gripping this so tightly. I'm placing it in Your hands."
And if you're ready, pray this with me:
"God, I don't have it all figured out, and I'm done pretending I do. I place my disappointments, my questions, my unfinished story into Your hands.
I surrender to YOU as a branch. Replace my fear with trust, my routine with gratitude, my certainty with wonder.
Starting today, I want to live awake to what You're doing. Amen."
If you meant that, tell someone this week.
Say it out loud: "I'm choosing to live in wonder."
A decision spoken out loud is harder to walk away from.
And then... we watch. We trust. We expect. And we live... IN WONDER.
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Code VII : Wonder 生命密码7: 奇妙
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08/16/2026
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Psalm 62:5
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;my hope comes from Him.
诗篇 62:5
我的心啊，你当默默无声，专等候神；我的盼望是从祂而来。
Psalm 62:8
Trust only in God every moment!Tell him all your troubles andpour out your heart longings to him;God is our refuge.
诗篇 62:8
你们要时时刻刻信任祂！在祂面前倾心吐意；神是我们的避难所。
Psalm 63:6 8
I lie awake thinking of you,meditating on you through the night.Because you are my helper,I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.I cling to you;your strong right handholds me securely.
诗篇 63:6 8
我一生一世在你面前敬拜，在你名下举手。我渴想你，如旱地渴想水。我在床上记念你，夜间思想你；因你是我的帮助，我要在你翅膀的荫下欢呼。我紧紧跟随你；你的右手扶持着我。
Ephesians 3:18 19
May have power, together withall the Lord’s holy people,to grasp how wide and long andhigh and deep is the love of Christ,and to know this love that surpassesknowledge—that you may be filledto the measure of all the fullnessof God.
以弗所书 3:18 19
并且能够以和众圣徒一同明白基督的爱是多么长阔高深，并且知道这爱是超过人所能测度的，便叫神一切所充满的，充满了你们。
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all thingsGod works for the good of thosewho love him, who have been calledaccording to his purpose.
罗马书 8:28
我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按祂旨意被召的人。
GRATITUDE LOOKS BACK. HOPE LOOKS FORWARD. WONDER EXPECTS GOD.
感恩回顾过去。盼望展望未来。惊奇期待神的作为。
Creator
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Pastor: Mike Koger
Contributor
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Hillside United Methodist Church
3737 US 80
Phenix City AL 36870
United States