[lead dropcap="yes"]What a day! As we prepare for VOUS Conference, which we believe will be life-changing weekend for everyone walking through the doors of the Fillmore Miami Beach; we celebrated with not one, not two, but three amazing messages. With them, our leaders prepared our hearts in different ways as we get ready to light up, like city on a hill, in south Beach starting Friday night.[/lead]
Is Your Heart Ready?
Nick Del Vento
Nick took us through the story from Matthew 13, of a farmer who planted seeds. In it, Jesus tells how the farmer scattered his seeds throughout the field. In the field there were different types of soil, and according to where the seeds fell, they gave much, some, or no fruit. Such as the farmer, God plants His Word in our hearts, but the condition of our heart and soul will dictate whether or not it will bear fruit.
We are the land which God has chosen to use; we bear the fruit of His Word for the world to see. As such, there are four things we need to pay attention to so that our hearts may become fertile soil, and bear the fruit that His Word plants in all of us.1. Indifference is the greatest weapon of the enemy.2. When your faith is not deeply rooted, is it short-lived.3. The cares of this world are our greatest distractions.4. We will be known for our fruitfulness.The health and state of our heart will have a direct effect on the Word that is given to it. We can receive Word, but unless our heart is ready to receive it and remain in it, it will never have the result God intends. Such is the importance of our heart in our journey with God that the bible says:
"Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."Proverbs 4:23.
Illuminated
Luke Barry
The sun has the power to light up the world, give plants the food they need to grow, sustain our physical health, provide energy for our daily lives, and so much more. As powerful as the sun is, it is the moon that reflects its light during the night. As beautiful as the moon may seem at any given night, it does not carry any light of its own. All its beauty and shine comes from the sun.Yet more powerful than the sun, is God’s Son. He holds the power over all the Earth, all that’s under and above the Earth. He has given us life, and light. When we come alive in Him, we become light bearers. We do not carry our own light as we do not have light unless we shine His. The only way to do that is by staying in close proximity to Him. We cannot shine His light if we are not close to it. We were called to shine bright, and we can only shine when we are connected to the light that is Jesus and live shining His light on the life of others.
“The moon doesn’t shine because of reflectivity but because of proximity. Our job isn’t reflectivity but proximity.” Luke Barry
My Story... My song
Manouchka Charles
David had many titles in his life. There was David the shepherd, David the personal musical therapist of King Saul, the giant slayer, and David the hide-and-go-seek master. Then there’s David the king, and the not-so-glamorous title of David the murderer. These not only represent David but stages in David’s life. Yet, throughout all these, there was one constant title: David the worshipper.David wrote close to half of all the Psalms of the bible, and in them he presented to God different situations in his life. Some were laments; some are the most beautiful praises we’ve heard towards God. David was aware he had sinned when he sent a man to be killed in battle. The man known in the bible to be after God’s heart was capable of such a thing. But even in his error, David understood that his mess could be used as a tool to teach others about God. Without his mess, there’d be no message to share.Just like with David, The song of our lives is birthed from the lessons we learn, not the victories we gain. Just like with David, what comes out of our mess is greater and more powerful than the mess itself, if we decide to use it for God’s glory. God is writing your song, an original piece, should you allow Him to work in the midst of your mess.
Are we willing to sing the song of God regardless of where we find ourselves in life?Manouchka Charles
VOUS CONFERENCE — THROWBACK
With only days away from VOUS Conference, we’re throwing it back with a message entitled Tagged, from 2015. We hope you enjoy!
VOUS Podcast
Just once is never enough! Listen to this week’s message and more by subscribing to the VOUS Church Podcast on iTunes.Get the Podcast
Team Night
As we put the finishing touches on VOUS Conference, we'll be getting together as a team on Trinity Church's Miami Gardens campus at 17801 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33169. Come and prepare for an unforgettable weekend.
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