At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, 13 and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
REFERENCES: MARK 1:12-20, LUKE 14:25-33
Hey, got change for a five? A twenty? How about a hundred? Though it seems obvious, it’s valuable to state that the bigger the change, the higher the cost. It is true in every context, yet too often we don’t come prepared. We want big changes without weighing the costs. If there’s a shortcut to a long term result, we’re all about it. We’d quicker take a weight loss pill than decide to workout, we’d readily cut corners for that next promotion. But there is a cost to change. Even Jesus makes it clear that following him comes at a price—yes, salvation is free but it’s not cheap. There will be moments when the Spirit will lead us into what feels like the biggest fights of our lives, moments of testing. It’s not for our pain and suffering, it’s so we can be forged into a stronger version of ourselves. It is to test the limits of our trust so we come out the other side being faithful.
Because of Jesus you can change and become who you’ve been called to be.
The same Spirit that led Jesus out of the waters of baptism led him into the fire as he spent 40 days alone in the wilderness. While the first Adam failed to resist Satan’s temptation with the forbidden fruit, the second Adam’s obedience led him to victory. Be reminded that God’s word is not a contract meant to restrict us, but a love letter designed to lead us into our destiny.
Life is measured in moments. In the mundaneness of life, it can become effortless to push what God has called us to into the next moment, the next month, or even the next year. We can’t live for someday or dwell on the victories from back in the day, we are called to live our best life today.
So there may have been a few awkward moments at the cash register in our past. We didn’t have enough and just had to walk away. This doesn’t have to carry over into our purpose. The Spirit of God gives us more than enough to pay the price of resisting every temptation we face. Let us stay on the course of change, day by day becoming more and more like Jesus. The value we’ll gain is the opportunity to fully step into our calling as followers of Jesus by making disciples for him. It will take dedication to keep Jesus at the center of our lives. It is a loyalty that demands everything, but he deserves nothing less.
We’re called to make disciples. Think of two people you can reach out to this week to help increase their faith in Jesus. Seek to be a consistent source of good news for them.
If someone in your Crew needs care, we want to come alongside you. Our Care Response Team is designed to equip you to walk with people in different seasons of their life.Our team is committed to celebrating life’s best moments with you and offering support through its hardest ones.We would love to come around you for the following life events:
+ Marriages
+ Births
+ Deaths
+ Hospitalizations/Illness
Please submit a request at vouschurch.com/requestcare
This isn’t just another conference. It’s a holy moment to encounter Jesus, be filled with His presence, and reset your heart around what matters most. Over three days of powerful worship, teaching, and community, you’ll be equipped to lead with clarity and live with boldness.
From curated workshops to next-level add-ons, VOUSCon is designed to meet you where you are and where you lead—whether that’s in your church, your workplace, or the middle of a major life decision. Every session is crafted to grow your faith and strengthen your voice.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
When: Thursday, June 19th - Saturday, June 21st
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
VOUSCon is here! On Wednesday before kicking off VOUSCon 2025 in strength and unity we are going to pray.
Don't miss the moment to join us in prayer. Please RSVP by clicking here for our FREE VOUSCon Prayer Night
When: Wednesday, June 18th
Time: 7:00PM
Where: Watsco Center
1245 Dauer Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Join us on the road to VOUSCon as we embark on a 40-day relay run through the state of Florida. From Jacksonville to Miami, runners from every region are invited to participate in carrying the good news. Our finish line? VOUSCon 2025. Led by a core VOUS team, we’ll link arms with partner churches along the way, spotlighting the body of Christ and championing the local church through weekly outreach initiatives.
Starting Line: Sunday, May 11
Finish Line: Thursday, June 19
Serve Day is happening Saturday, July 12th, and we want to get ALL of our crews involved in loving our city so please sign your crew up for a Serve Day project! To see the projects and sign up, please click here! Please have your form in by Wednesday, July 2nd.
When: Saturday, July 12th
Where: All VOUS Locations
Time: 10:00 AM
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS DD
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 12:00 PM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack