How Do You Measure a Life? | FaithPointe Church

By Caleb Knight

How Do You Measure a Life?

What are you using to measure your life?


It's a question most of us don't think about very often.

We measure things all the time. A ruler tells us how long something is. A scale tells us how much something weighs. A clock tells us how much time has passed.

But how do you measure a life?

Our culture has plenty of answers.

Measure it by your income.
Measure it by the size of your house.
Measure it by the car you drive.
Measure it by your career.
Measure it by your accomplishments.
Measure it by your followers.
Measure it by your influence.
Measure it by what other people think about you.

The problem is that we can spend our entire lives becoming successful according to a measurement that God never gave us.


The Wrong Ruler


A ruler can tell you the size of something.

But it can't tell you its value.

Two shoes can be the same size but have completely different quality and value. Two houses can be the same size but provide completely different experiences. Two people can have similar outward success while living very different lives.

Size and value are not the same thing.

Yet we often confuse the two.

A bigger house must mean a better life.

A bigger bank account must mean a better life.

More followers must mean more influence.

A bigger platform must mean a bigger impact.

More recognition must mean more significance.

But Jesus challenged that entire way of thinking.


Jesus Challenged the Way We Measure Life


In Luke 12, someone asked Jesus to settle a dispute over an inheritance.

Jesus responded by warning them about greed and then made a statement that cuts directly against the way our culture often thinks:

“Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Jesus then told the story of a wealthy man whose land produced an abundant crop.

The man already had plenty.

But he didn't have enough room for everything he had.

So he decided to tear down his barns and build bigger ones.

Then he could finally relax.

He had accumulated enough to feel secure.

Except there was a problem.

He had spent his life accumulating things while neglecting his relationship with God.

Jesus wasn't teaching that possessions are evil.

The problem wasn't that the man had a successful business.

The problem was that he had allowed what he possessed to become the ruler by which he measured his life.

And that's an important distinction.

Possessions are not the problem. Possessions are a terrible ruler.

There is nothing inherently wrong with wanting a nice home, driving a good vehicle, building a successful business, making money, or enjoying the blessings God has given you.

But none of those things can tell you the value of your life.


Enough Never Arrives


One of the strange things about constantly pursuing more is that enough never seems to arrive.

You finally get the house you wanted.

Then you start thinking about the next house.

You finally get the vehicle you've dreamed about.

Then another vehicle comes along.

You reach a financial goal.

Then the goal moves.

You gain followers.

Then you want more followers.

You receive recognition.

Then you need more recognition.

You accomplish something you've worked toward for years, only to discover that the accomplishment didn't completely satisfy you.

That's because the human heart can turn almost anything into a measurement system.

More. More. More.

Our culture continually tells us that more is better.

But Jesus asks us to consider something deeper:

What if more isn't the same thing as meaningful?

What if gaining more doesn't necessarily mean you're living better?

What if you can gain everything you wanted and still lose what you were created for?


What Does It Profit You?


In Mark 8, Jesus asks another question:

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”

Think about the magnitude of that question.

Jesus doesn't tell us that achievement is meaningless.

He asks us to consider the cost.

You can gain the world and still lose yourself.

You can become successful and still become empty.

You can build a career and neglect your family.

You can build a business and neglect your character.

You can build a platform and lose your integrity.

You can become known by thousands of people and still not be known by the people closest to you.

You can have everything people can see and still be missing what matters most.

That's why we need a better ruler.


God Measures Differently


In 1 Samuel 16, God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint Israel's next king.

Samuel sees Jesse's oldest son, Eliab.

He looks like the obvious choice.

He has the appearance.
He has the stature.
He has the presence.

But God tells Samuel something that has become one of the clearest reminders in Scripture that God's measurement system is different from ours:

“People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

People measure what they can see.

God measures the heart.

That doesn't mean outward things don't matter.

It means outward things aren't the ultimate measurement.

The world asks:

How successful are you?

God asks:

Who are you becoming?

The world asks:

How much do you have?

God asks:

What are you doing with what you've been given?

The world asks:

How many people know your name?

God asks:

Do you know Me?

The world measures visibility and status.

God measures faithfulness.


Who Are You Becoming?


This may be the more important question.

Who are you becoming?

When you don't get the promotion, who do you become?

When someone else receives the recognition you wanted, who do you become?

When you have less money than you hoped, who do you become?

When someone disagrees with you, who do you become?

When nobody is watching, who do you become?

Because your life isn't only being built by the things you accomplish.

It's being built by the person you become while you're accomplishing them.

You can pursue success without allowing success to define your worth.

You can build something meaningful without allowing what you build to become your identity.

You can desire more without believing that more will finally make you enough.

You can enjoy possessions without allowing possessions to become your measuring stick.


Faithfulness Matters


Faithfulness isn't always impressive.

It doesn't always get applause.

It isn't always visible.

But faithfulness builds a life.

Faithfulness in marriage.

Faithfulness in your work.

Faithfulness in your relationships.

Faithfulness in your calling.

Faithfulness with your finances.

Faithfulness with your family.

Faithfulness with what God has already placed in your hands.

Sometimes we're asking God for more while we're overlooking what He's already given us.

Maybe the question isn't simply, “When am I going to get more?”

Maybe the question is:

“What am I doing with what I have right now?”

Are you being faithful with the opportunity in front of you?

Are you becoming the person who can handle what you're asking God for?

Are you taking care of the things you've already been entrusted with?


Choose the Right Ruler


Eventually, we all have to decide what we're going to use as the measuring stick for our lives.

If you measure your life by money, you'll spend your life chasing money.

If you measure your life by recognition, you'll spend your life chasing recognition.

If you measure your life by possessions, you'll spend your life accumulating possessions.

If you measure your life by influence, you'll spend your life chasing influence.

What you use to measure your life determines what you spend your life pursuing.

That's why Jesus calls us to something better.

Not a life without ambition.

Not a life without achievement.

Not a life without possessions.

A life where those things are no longer the ruler.

A life where our relationship with God, our character, our faithfulness, and our purpose matter more than appearances.

So maybe it's time to ask yourself:

What am I using to measure my life?

And perhaps an even better question:

Who am I becoming?

Because the goal isn't simply to build a bigger life.

The goal is to build a life that is rich toward God.


Back 2 Sunday School at FaithPointe


This message is part of Back 2 Sunday School, a series designed to go back to some of the basic things we need to know as followers of Jesus.

At FaithPointe Church in Waxahachie, we're learning, growing, and building Deep Roots in our faith.


If you're looking for a church where you can grow in your relationship with God and find a community where you belong, we'd love to have you with us.


FaithPointe Church
Waxahachie, Texas
Sundays at 10 AM


You belong here.

Who Are You Learning From? Why What You Consume Matters

By Caleb Knight

Every day, something is teaching you.


Maybe it's a person. Maybe it's social media. Maybe it's the news, entertainment, your friends, your experiences, or even your own feelings.

Whether we realize it or not, we're constantly being influenced by something.

The question isn't whether you're learning.

The question is:

Who are you learning from?

In Week 2 of our Back 2 Sunday School series at FaithPointe, we talked about God's Word, discipleship, and the importance of allowing Jesus to be the one who teaches us how to live.

Because what you allow to teach you will eventually influence how you live.


Everybody Is Being Taught Something


Think about how much information we consume every day.

We scroll through social media. We watch videos. We listen to podcasts. We read the news. We talk with friends. We hear opinions from people we've never met.

And much of it isn't simply giving us information. It's shaping us.

It's telling us what is important.

It's telling us what is right and wrong.

It's telling us what we should desire.

It's telling us how we should respond when we're angry, offended, afraid, disappointed, or tempted.

The problem isn't that everything we hear is necessarily bad.

The problem is that not everything that teaches us is teaching us the truth.

Just because something has influence doesn't mean it deserves authority.

That's why we have to ask ourselves:

Who has the authority to teach me how to live?


Jesus Is the Word


John begins his Gospel with an incredible statement:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God himself.”

John isn't simply saying that Jesus knew the Word.

He's telling us that Jesus is the Word.

The Word of God isn't merely a collection of good advice, inspirational thoughts, or helpful information.

The written Word points us to a person—Jesus.

The Old Testament points toward Him. The Gospels reveal His life and ministry. The New Testament shows us the church He established and how His followers are called to live.

So when we open our Bibles, we're not simply looking for another opinion.

We're coming to the truth God has given us.

That changes the way we approach Scripture.

The Bible isn't meant to be an ornament sitting on a shelf.

It's not simply something we carry around because we're Christians.

It's something we're supposed to open, read, learn from, and live.


You Can't Pass an Open-Book Test Without Opening the Book


For those of us who remember carrying actual textbooks to school, we remember something called an open-book test.

An open-book test sounds easy.

After all, the answers are right there.

But there's a problem.

If you've never opened the book, an open-book test doesn't help you very much.

You have to know where to look.

You have to have spent time with the material.

You have to have actually learned something.

The same can be true spiritually.

We can have a Bible in our house.

We can have multiple Bible apps on our phones.

We can own several different translations.

But if we're never opening the Word and allowing it to teach us, simply possessing a Bible doesn't transform our lives.

You can't live from a Word you never take the time to learn.


What Are You Feeding On?


Jesus said in Matthew 4:4:

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.”

Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. He had gone without food for forty days.

Yet when temptation came, Jesus didn't rely on sheer willpower.

He responded with the Word of God.

He quoted Scripture.

The Word of God determined His response.

That's important for us because temptation doesn't always look the same for everyone.

We may be tempted by different things—our appetites, our habits, our relationships, our emotions, our possessions, our words, or our thoughts.

But when temptation comes, what determines our response?

What have we been feeding on?

If we're constantly feeding on the opinions of culture, eventually those opinions will begin shaping us.

If we're constantly feeding on outrage, eventually outrage can become our default response.

If we're constantly feeding on comparison, eventually comparison can determine how we see ourselves.

If we're constantly feeding on fear, eventually fear can become the lens through which we see the world.

But if we're feeding on God's Word, we're allowing something different to shape us.

We're allowing truth to shape us.

We're allowing Jesus to teach us.


What Happens When God's Word Challenges You?


It's easy to say we believe the Bible when the Bible agrees with us.

The real test comes when God's Word challenges us.

What happens when Scripture challenges our attitude?

Our priorities?

Our relationships?

Our money?

Our identity?

Our expectations?

Our plans?

In John 6, Jesus gave His followers a teaching that was difficult to understand. He spoke about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Many people struggled with what He was saying.

Some even walked away.

Jesus eventually asked His disciples if they wanted to leave too.

Peter's response is powerful:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Peter didn't say, “Everything you say is easy.”

He didn't say, “I understand everything.”

He said, essentially:

Where else would we go?

That's discipleship.

Following Jesus doesn't mean we'll understand everything immediately.

It doesn't mean every teaching will be easy.

It doesn't mean God's Word will always confirm what we already believe.

Sometimes the Word challenges us precisely because we're the ones who need to change.

The question becomes:

Do I trust the One who is teaching me?


God's Word Is More Than an Opinion


We live in a world filled with opinions.

Everyone has one.

Everyone has a platform.

Everyone has a perspective.

And thanks to social media, we can find someone willing to validate almost anything we believe.

But God's Word isn't simply one more opinion in the crowd.

For the follower of Jesus, Scripture is the standard by which we measure everything else.

That means when culture says one thing and God's Word says another, we have a decision to make.

When our feelings say one thing and God's Word says another, we have a decision to make.

When our friends say one thing and God's Word says another, we have a decision to make.

When the algorithm keeps feeding us one message over and over again and God's Word challenges that message, we have a decision to make.

Who are we going to allow to teach us?


What You Consume Will Shape You


Every day we're consuming something.

The question is whether we're consuming it intentionally.

You don't have to completely disconnect from the world to follow Jesus.

But you do have to recognize that what you're constantly consuming has an effect on you.

What you listen to matters.

What you watch matters.

Who you spend time with matters.

What you repeatedly think about matters.

And what you allow to teach you matters.

That's why developing a deep-rooted Christian life requires more than simply attending church.

We need God's Word in our lives throughout the week.

We need to read it.

Study it.

Think about it.

Talk about it.

Apply it.

And most importantly, we need to allow it to point us continually toward Jesus.


When Your Soul Is Dry


Sometimes we can recognize that something is off spiritually.

Our soul feels dry.

Our perspective becomes negative.

Our peace disappears.

Our reactions become stronger than they should be.

Our anxiety grows.

Our priorities become distorted.

And sometimes we keep looking everywhere except the place where we can find what our soul actually needs.

We check the bank account again.

We scroll social media again.

We watch another news report.

We ask another person for their opinion.

We look for another answer.

Meanwhile, the words of eternal life are sitting in our hands.

Maybe the question isn't simply, “Why am I spiritually dry?”

Maybe we should also ask:

“What have I been feeding on?”


Stand on the Word


There will always be voices competing for your attention.

There will always be new trends.

There will always be new opinions.

There will always be something telling you what you should believe, how you should feel, and how you should live.

But Jesus doesn't change.

His Word doesn't become outdated because culture changes.

And His truth doesn't become less true because someone disagrees with it.

So when life gets difficult, come back to the Word.

When you're tempted, come back to the Word.

When you're afraid, come back to the Word.

When you're offended, come back to the Word.

When you're disappointed, come back to the Word.

When you're confused, come back to the Word.

When you're wondering who you are, come back to the Word.

Ask:

What does God's Word say?

Then stand on it.

Not because you understand everything.

Not because following Jesus is always easy.

But because you trust the One who is teaching you.


So, Who Are You Learning From?


This week, take some time to honestly evaluate what is discipling you.

Ask yourself:

  • What am I listening to every day?
  • What voices have the most influence over me?
  • What am I feeding my mind?
  • What am I feeding my spirit?
  • Am I allowing God's Word to challenge me?
  • When God's Word disagrees with me, am I willing to change?
  • Am I learning from Jesus or simply allowing culture to teach me?

Everybody is being taught something.

The question is:

Who are you learning from?

And remember:

What you allow to teach you will eventually influence how you live.

If we're going to build deep roots, we need more than shallow truth.

We need to know the Word.

We need to know Jesus.

And we need to let Him teach us how to live.


Keep Going Deeper


If you're looking for a church in Waxahachie where you can grow in your faith, build deeper roots, and discover what it means to follow Jesus, we'd love for you to join us at FaithPointe.


FaithPointe Church
908 Sycamore St.
Waxahachie, TX

Sundays at 10 AM


You belong here.

What Are You Carrying?

By Caleb Knight

What are you carrying?

It’s a simple question, but it can reveal a lot about where we are in life.

We all carry something.

Some things we carry are responsibilities God has given us. As husbands, wives, parents, employees, leaders, and followers of Jesus, there are things that belong in our backpack. But there are also things we carry that God never asked us to carry.

And sometimes we have been carrying them for so long that we don't even realize how heavy they have become.

That’s where we began Week 1 of Back 2 Sunday School at FaithPointe Church.

The question was simple:

What are you carrying?


Not Everything Belongs in Your Backpack


Think about what a backpack is designed to do.

It isn't designed to carry everything you own. It's designed to carry what you need for the day.

But many of us have filled our backpacks with things from yesterday, things we're worried about tomorrow, things other people said about us, things we wish we could change, and things we were never responsible for in the first place.

We keep adding weight.

Eventually, we're carrying extra bags just to carry everything that's already in our backpack.

The truth is, we were never designed to carry everything.


Fear


One of the things we carry is fear.

Fear of the unknown.

Fear of people.

Fear of what might happen.

Some fears are legitimate. But there is a kind of fear that begins to control our lives and prevents us from enjoying the life God has given us.

Scripture repeatedly tells us not to live controlled by fear.

So what if instead of putting fear back in our backpack every morning, we decided to leave it on the floor?

You don't have to carry fear.


Shame


Some people carry shame from things they have done.

But others carry shame because of things that were done to them.

There are things that happened in our childhood, relationships, families, or past that were wrong and damaging.

Acknowledging that something happened does not mean we have to carry the shame of it forever.

Jesus dealt with our shame at the cross.

What happened to you may have been real.

It may have been wrong.

It may have affected you deeply.

But you don't have to keep carrying it.


Anxiety


Anxiety can feel like an anaconda.

It grips you and squeezes you until you feel like you can't breathe.

And it's easy for someone who doesn't struggle with anxiety to tell someone who does, “Just get over it.”

But compassion matters.

If anxiety is something you struggle with, don't hear this message as condemnation.

Hear it as an invitation.

You don't have to call it “my anxiety” and carry it as though it belongs to you forever.

You can give it to God.


Sin


Sin is something every one of us encounters.

None of us gets to stand outside the need for grace. Scripture reminds us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory.

But here's the good news:

John the Baptist looked at Jesus and declared,

“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

If Jesus was willing to take it away, why are we still carrying it?

The cross wasn't simply Jesus making forgiveness available someday.

He came to deal with the sin that separates us from God.

Stop carrying what Jesus already carried for you.


Other People's Opinions


This may be one of the hardest things to put down in our social-media-driven world.

We carry what people think about us.

We carry comments.

We carry criticism.

We carry comparisons.

We carry the pressure to make everyone happy.

But here's something we need to remember:

Jesus didn't please everyone.

And Jesus was perfect.

So if Jesus couldn't please everyone, what makes us think we can?

You can spend your entire life carrying the opinions of people who were never supposed to determine your identity.

At some point, you have to put that weight down.


Your Past


Every person has a past.

Some people's pasts are more complicated than others.

Some people grew up in church and others didn't.

Some have made decisions they deeply regret.

Some have experienced things they never would have chosen.

But we all have a past.

The question isn't whether you have one.

The question is whether you're going to carry it forever.

Paul reminds us that there are things we once did and identities we once carried that no longer define us.

In Christ, you are a new creation.

Your past can explain where you've been without determining where you're going.


Cast Your Cares on the Lord


Psalm 55:22 says:

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.”

That verse becomes even more powerful when you understand what David was experiencing when he wrote it.

David wasn't writing from a place where everything was perfect.

He described troubling thoughts.

Anguish.

Fear.

Trembling.

Feeling overwhelmed.

He even experienced moments where it seemed like God wasn't listening.

And yet, in the middle of all of that, David says:

Cast your cares on the Lord.

In other words:

Don't keep carrying what is crushing you.

Give it to God.


Jesus Offers Rest


Jesus gives us the same invitation in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Notice that Jesus doesn't say, “Come to me once you've figured everything out.”

He doesn't say, “Come to me after you've become strong enough.”

He says:

Come to me.

Bring the weariness.

Bring the burden.

Bring the anxiety.

Bring the shame.

Bring the fear.

Bring the things you've been carrying.

And Jesus says He will give you rest.

There is a difference between sleep and rest.

You can sleep for eight hours and still wake up carrying the same anxiety you went to bed with.

The rest Jesus offers goes deeper.

It's rest for your soul.


Same Bible. Different Burden.


Sometimes Christianity can feel like another backpack.

More rules.

More expectations.

More pressure.

More things to accomplish.

More things you have to get right.

But Acts 15 reminds us that the early church wrestled with this very issue. The leaders questioned why they were placing a burden on new believers that neither they nor their ancestors had been able to bear.

They recognized that salvation comes through the grace of Jesus.

Following Jesus isn't supposed to become another crushing weight.

Grace doesn't add another burden to your backpack. Grace teaches you what you can finally put down.


If Jesus Didn't Carry It, Neither Can You


Jesus didn't carry everyone's problems.

Jesus didn't take responsibility for everyone's choices.

Jesus wasn't constantly available to everyone.

Jesus didn't please everyone.

And if Jesus didn't carry those things, neither can you.

You can love people without taking responsibility for their decisions.

You can care about people without trying to fix everyone.

You can serve others without being constantly available.

You can follow Jesus without living your entire life trying to make everyone happy.

And you can have a past without allowing your past to become your identity.


So, What's in Your Backpack?


Maybe you've been carrying something for years.

Maybe it's fear.

Maybe it's shame.

Maybe it's anxiety.

Maybe it's sin.

Maybe it's someone else's opinion.

Maybe it's something from your past.

Maybe you've been carrying someone else's problems or taking responsibility for choices that belong to them.

Whatever it is, here's the question:

Did God actually ask you to carry this?

If the answer is no, it's time to put it down.

Jesus said:

“Come to me.”

And the exchange is beautiful.

You give Him what is heavy.

He gives you what is light.

You give Him your burden.

He gives you rest.

So don't leave church this week, pick everything back up, put it back in the backpack, and carry it home with you.

You were never designed to carry everything.

Ask yourself:


What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry?


And then let it go.

If Jesus didn't carry it, neither can you.





Back 2 Sunday School — Week 1: What Are You Carrying?

Join us at FaithPointe Church in Waxahachie as we continue our five-week journey back to the fundamentals of faith and discover how those fundamentals intersect with everyday life.

Sundays at 10 AM
FaithPointe Church
You belong here.

God Is Not Just the God of Sunday

By Caleb Knight

Psalm 134 | Summer in the Psalms


What happens when Sunday is over?

That may be one of the most important questions we can ask about our faith.

For 15 weeks, we have been walking through the Songs of Ascents in Psalms 120–134. These psalms describe a journey—the journey of God's people as they traveled toward Jerusalem to worship at the temple during the major festivals.

And now, in Psalm 134, we reach the end of the journey.

The people have arrived.

They have worshiped.

They have gathered.

And now they are preparing to go home.

That makes Psalm 134 a beautiful picture of what gathering together as God's people is supposed to accomplish in our lives.


We Were Never Meant to Make the Journey Alone


One of the most important truths we have talked about throughout this series is that we were never meant to make the journey alone.

Psalm 133 reminded us of the blessing of unity among God's people. Psalm 134 continues that idea by showing God's people gathered together in worship.

Faith was never designed to be lived in isolation.

There is certainly a personal dimension to following Jesus, but Christianity was never intended to be a "me and Jesus" experience disconnected from everyone else.

We need one another.

We need encouragement when we're discouraged.

We need prayer when we're struggling.

We need people who will celebrate with us when God answers prayer.

We need people who will remind us of God's faithfulness when we temporarily forget.

That's one of the reasons the church matters.

Gathering reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.


Worship Requires Surrender


Psalm 134:2 says:

"Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord."

Lifting our hands in worship is more than a physical action. Throughout Scripture, lifted hands can represent worship, prayer, surrender, and blessing.

When we lift our hands, we are reminding ourselves that God is worthy of our worship.

We are also acknowledging that we are not in control of everything.

Sometimes surrender looks like raising your hands and saying, "God, I trust You."

Sometimes it looks like praying when you don't know what to do.

Sometimes it looks like continuing to worship when life isn't going the way you hoped.

Worship doesn't mean that everything is perfect.

Worship means that God is still worthy even when everything isn't perfect.


Worship Changes Our Perspective


One of the reasons we gather together is because worship changes our perspective.

Life can be hard.

The Songs of Ascents don't pretend otherwise. In fact, this journey began by acknowledging that life can be difficult.

There will be difficult seasons.

There will be unexpected phone calls.

There will be family challenges.

There will be moments when we ask, "Why did this happen to me?"

But gathering with God's people gives us an opportunity to lift our eyes.

Instead of only looking at our circumstances, worship reminds us to look at God.

It doesn't necessarily change the situation immediately.

But it can change the way we see the situation.

Sometimes we come into church carrying a problem and leave carrying a different perspective.

We begin asking:

"God, what can You teach me through this?"

That doesn't mean we pretend the pain isn't real.

It means we refuse to believe that the pain is the only thing that is real.

God is still present.

God is still faithful.

God is still working.


Then We Go Home


This may be my favorite part of Psalm 134.

The people didn't stay at the temple forever.

They gathered.

They worshiped.

They were blessed.

And then they went home.

That's important because the goal of gathering isn't simply to have a great Sunday morning.

The goal is to take what God does in us on Sunday into the rest of our week.

Church isn't an escape from real life.

It prepares us to live faithfully in real life.

Eventually, the worship service ends.

The lights come up.

The music stops.

We walk out the doors.

And Monday comes.


God Is Not Just the God of Sunday


Psalm 134:3 says:

"May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth."

Notice how the psalm describes God.

He isn't merely the God of the temple.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth.

That means He isn't limited to one building, one day, or one gathering.

He's not just the God of Sunday.

He's the God of Monday.

He's with you when you walk into work.

He's with you when you walk into school.

He's with you when you're raising your kids.

He's with you when you're sitting in a difficult meeting.

He's with you when you're facing something you didn't expect.

He's with you when life is going exactly the way you hoped.

And He's with you when it isn't.

The same God we worship on Sunday is the God who walks with us on Monday.


So Look Up


As we close Summer in the Psalms, Psalm 134 gives us a simple reminder:

Look up.

You may not know what this week holds.

You may not know what the next season will bring.

You may not have every answer.

But you know who holds your life.

The Maker of heaven and earth is still God.

And you don't have to make the journey alone.

Gather with God's people.

Worship Him.

Allow Him to change your perspective.

And then go live your faith wherever Monday takes you.

"God is not just the God of Sunday.

He's the God of Monday."


Join Us at FaithPointe


If you're looking for a church in Waxahachie where you can grow in your faith, build meaningful relationships, worship together, and find a community to walk with, we'd love to meet you.

FaithPointe Church
Sundays at 10:00 AM

You belong here.

  • The Power of Unity: What Psalm 133 Teaches Us About the Church

    By Caleb knight

    Psalm 133 is only three verses long, but it contains an incredibly important message for the church.

    David begins with these words:

    "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."

    That sounds simple.

    But unity isn't always easy.

    The church is made up of people who don't think alike, act alike, look alike, or have the same preferences. We come from different backgrounds and different journeys.

    And yet we're called to live together in unity.

    Not because we're all the same.

    Because we're all centered on the same Savior.


    Unity Is More Than Agreement


    One of the easiest mistakes we can make is confusing unity with agreement.

    They're not the same thing.

    A unified church isn't necessarily a church where everyone agrees about the color of the walls, the volume of the music, the style of worship, the way a ministry should operate, or every other preference.

    If unity depended on everyone agreeing about everything, the church would never make it.

    Unity is something deeper.

    It's choosing to remain connected around what matters most.

    And for the church, what matters most is Jesus.


    Unity Is Sacred


    David compares unity to the anointing oil used for Aaron.

    This wasn't ordinary oil.

    It was sacred.

    David is making a deliberate connection between the sacred oil and the unity of God's people.

    Unity matters to God.

    It isn't something we should treat casually.

    It's something we should protect.

    Every church has opportunities for division.

    Sometimes the issues are significant.

    But often division begins with something much smaller—preferences, personalities, misunderstandings, assumptions, gossip, or the belief that our way is the only acceptable way.

    That's why unity has to be intentional.

    We have to fight for it.

    We have to protect it.

    And we have to remember that our preferences aren't the center of the church.

    Jesus is.


    Unity Is Refreshing


    David then gives us another picture:

    The dew of Hermon.

    Dew is refreshing.

    It's something that comes from above and provides moisture and life.

    That's what healthy unity can feel like.

    There's something refreshing about being part of a church where people aren't constantly fighting against one another.

    There's something refreshing about serving alongside people who may be completely different from you but are moving in the same direction.

    There's something refreshing about knowing that you don't have to carry everything alone.

    The church was never intended to be a collection of isolated individuals.

    We are the body of Christ.


    Unity Is Our Witness


    This may be the most important part of the message.

    In John 17, Jesus prayed for His followers.

    And His prayer was that they would be one.

    Why?

    So that the world would believe.

    Jesus connected the unity of His church with the credibility of its witness.

    That's sobering.

    A divided church doesn't give the world a compelling picture of Jesus.

    But a diverse group of people choosing to love one another because of Jesus is powerful.

    People who shouldn't naturally belong together become family.

    Different generations.

    Different backgrounds.

    Different personalities.

    Different stories.

    One Savior.

    One church.

    One family.


    The Church Should Look Like a Family


    The church isn't merely a place we attend.

    It's a people we belong to.

    That's why Psalm 133 says God's people should live together in unity.

    That doesn't mean everyone needs to move into the same house!

    It means we don't simply gather together for an hour and then disappear into our individual lives.

    We belong to one another.

    We celebrate together.

    We hurt together.

    We serve together.

    We pray together.

    When one part of the body hurts, the rest of the body should care.

    When one part celebrates, the rest of the body should celebrate.

    That's what family does.


    Where Is "There"?


    Psalm 133 ends by saying:

    "For there the Lord bestows his blessing."

    The people of Israel were traveling toward Jerusalem.

    They were headed toward a physical place where they would worship God.

    But the deeper picture is about God's people living together in unity.

    The blessing isn't ultimately about a building.

    It's about what God does among His people.

    And that's still true today.

    The church isn't ultimately a building at 908 Sycamore Street.

    The church is the people who gather there.

    And when those people choose to center their lives around Jesus and walk together in unity, something powerful happens.

    God works not just in us, but with us and through us.


    We Don't Have to Be Clones


    The goal isn't uniformity.

    The goal is unity.

    We don't need everyone to have the same personality.

    We don't need everyone to have the same preferences.

    We don't need everyone to think exactly alike.

    We need everyone to know who we're centered on.

    Jesus.

    That's what Psalm 133 reminds us.

    Unity is sacred.

    Unity is refreshing.

    Unity is our witness.

    And perhaps one of the best things we can do with our lives is become a faithful part of a local church, plant ourselves there, and watch what God does—not just in us, but with us and through us.

    We're better together.