To impress someone means, according to Merriam-Webster: "to affect especially forcibly or deeply : gain the admiration or interest of".  Who we worry about impressing shows where our hearts are.  Do we even know what it takes to impress Jesus?

What does sacrificial love mean?  It means loving others in a way that is so crazy and over the top that the world doesn't understand.  That's what Jesus did when he died for our sins.  That's also what we're called to do when we are his disciples.

In this sermon, Doug and Mark share in their own words the gift that brought them together ... and made them brothers.

When you committed to follow Christ, did you realize that it means putting Him first, or does He just get in the way of your every day life?

Luke 14:33 (ESV)
33  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Have you ever sat down to study His Word or tried to take a moment to pray but suddenly the phone rings, a Facebook alert dings, a news alert flashes on the radio or tv, or you suddenly remember an errand that you should do? Read on and the message Pastor Doug has for us will help get our priorities in order in Truly Making Him Lord.

Last week we discussed the life-changing core of living a Christian life which comes down to truly understanding the old saying that , "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship" and making our entire life as a Christian become first about knowing God more intimately. Just simply, passionately pursuing more of Him, His Presence, His love, His thoughts, His purpose, and no longer having Him as a blessing conjuring, emergency hotline that we have to keep appeased in case we need Him. No longer thinking the joy of a forgiven life with Christ amounts to clean living and a ticket to Heaven one day, but realizing the greatest part can start here and now—by accepting what He died to give us—more of Himself.

If Christianity is a relationship instead of a religion, then we must pursue knowing God better.  We need to spend time in prayer seeking to worship God and understand him better.  Prayer is how we build intimacy with God.  Do you want to change your walk with Christ?  Then do what he did - pray!

A question to all, do you really want a close intimate relationship with God? Think long and hard before you answer that question because the answer is not simply yes or no. If you answered no then read no further, if you truly don’t want an intimate relationship then this message isn’t for you, I really hope that you didn’t answer no because He wants that intimacy, and He paid such a tremendous price for you to have that intimacy. However, if you answered yes, and truly meant it, then read on because this message will show you the basics of how to have that intimate relationship.

In this week's sermon Pastor Doug asks the question "How badly do you desire an intimacy with God"? We can have true intimacy with Him, after all, it is what He died for.
Philippians 3:7-8 (NKJV)
7  But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ…

We are living in an age and a culture that basically sees marriage as any two people, of any gender, with any individual beliefs, for any length of time, as many times as desired. Many today even see marriage as totally obsolete and unnecessary in such a progressive culture.

Whether you are single, engaged, newlywed, or a longtime couple this message is for you.  God has a plan for your relationship.  Taking the time to know what it is, what is expected of you as a participant, and what it isn't can help you to have that "made in heaven" marriage you always wanted.