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Recent Articles & Encouragement

Explore recent reflections, teaching articles, and encouragement designed to support spiritual formation, faithful presence, and Kingdom living in everyday life.

• Kingdom Alignment Part 13 with Discussion Guide

  Kingdom Alignment Part 13 Discussion Guide

  Summary

  In this closing message of the “Kingdom Alignment” series, the pastor draws from Matthew 6:31-33 to explore what it means to seek God’s kingdom first. Jesus, preaching the Sermon on the Mount to an overworked and anxious crowd, offers not just a command to stop worrying but a better direction for the heart. The pastor explains that worry is often rooted in what we are pursuing, and that the restless striving to secure enough money, comfort, approval, or control is like running on a treadmill: exhausting effort with no real progress.

  The sermon centers on the call to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” emphasizing that this is a matter of priority and alignment. Righteousness is not something we earn but a gift received through Christ, as described in 2 Corinthians 5:21. The Father already knows our needs, so we do not seek the kingdom to convince God to care for us. We seek it because He already does. The pastor closes with three practical steps: identify what you have been running after, ask each morning what it looks like to seek God’s kingdom first that day, and simply do the next right thing, trusting the Father with tomorrow.

  Intro Prayer

  Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hands and willing hearts. As we gather to discuss Your Word, we ask that You quiet the noise of our worries and the pull of our own pursuits. Holy Spirit, be welcome here. Teach us to love what You love and to see our lives through the lens of Your kingdom. Whatever You want each of us to receive from this time together, let that be what takes root. We trust You with our needs, our questions, and our conversations. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  Ice Breaker

  What is one thing you have always wanted to be really good at, and have you ever actually tried to pursue it?

  Key Verses

  • Matthew 6:31-33
  • 2 Corinthians 5:21

  Questions

  • The pastor described worry as being closely tied to what we are pursuing rather than just our circumstances. Do you agree with that connection? Can you think of a time when your worry was really about something you felt you had to secure?
  • Jesus says the pagans ‘run after’ things like food, clothing, and security. What are some modern equivalents of that restless pursuit that you see in everyday life, or even in your own life?
  • The pastor used the image of a treadmill to describe endless striving: lots of effort, no real movement. Have you ever experienced that feeling in your own pursuit of security or success? What did it feel like?
  • Matthew 6:32 says your Heavenly Father already knows what you need. How does that truth change the way you approach prayer or the way you think about your daily concerns?
  • The sermon described seeking the kingdom as bringing every part of life under the loving rule of the Father, not just adding religious activity to a busy schedule. What is the difference between those two things in practical terms?
  • The pastor mentioned that righteousness is a gift we receive in Christ, not something we earn. How does understanding righteousness as a gift rather than a performance change the way you relate to God day to day?
  • The three practical steps offered were: identify what you are running after, ask each morning what it looks like to seek God’s kingdom first, and do the next right thing. Which of those three feels most challenging for you personally, and why?
  • The sermon closed by saying the kingdom is the treasure and the Father is the reward. What does it look like in real life to treat God Himself as the goal rather than treating Him as a means to get what we want?

  Life Application

  This week, choose one area of your life where you have been striving or worrying, whether it is finances, relationships, health, or something else. Each morning, bring that area to God and ask Him one simple question: ‘Father, what would it look like to seek Your kingdom first in this today?’ Then take one faithful step in that direction. At the end of the week, reflect on whether that daily question shifted your focus from the provision to the Provider.

  Key Takeaways

  • Worry is often rooted in misplaced pursuit. When our needs become the organizing center of our lives instead of God’s kingdom, we end up in restless, exhausting striving that leads nowhere.
  • The Father already knows what you need. We do not seek the kingdom to earn God’s attention or care. He already sees us and knows our needs, which means we can seek Him from a place of trust rather than desperation.
  • Seeking the kingdom first is a matter of priority and alignment. It means asking what God is doing, what reflects His rule and reign, and how our lives can participate in His will, bringing every part of life under His loving authority.
  • Righteousness is a gift received through Christ, not something we earn. To seek His righteousness means allowing our lives to increasingly reflect His character as we live from that gift rather than performing for it.
  • Practical kingdom living involves three steps: honestly identifying what we have been running after, asking each morning what it looks like to seek God’s kingdom first that day, and trusting the Father enough to simply do the next right thing without needing to solve tomorrow.

  Ending Prayer

  Lord, thank You for the reminder that You already know what we need and that You care deeply for each person in this room. As we leave this discussion, help us to step off the treadmill of anxious striving and walk with You instead. Align our hearts to Your kingdom. Where we have been chasing the wrong things, redirect us gently toward You. Give us the courage to ask each morning what it looks like to seek Your kingdom first, and the faith to take the next right step even when we cannot see the whole path. You are the treasure, Father. You are the reward. May we live like we believe that this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.

  Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

• Kingdom Alignment Part 12 with Discussion Guide

  Kingdom Alignment Part 12 Discussion Guide

  Summary

  In this sermon, the pastor continues the Kingdom Alignment series by focusing on the faithfulness of God and how trusting Him is the antidote to worry and anxiety. Drawing from Matthew 6, he highlights how Jesus invites anxious people to become observers of the world around them, pointing to birds and wildflowers as daily reminders that the Father provides, notices, and cares for His creation. Just as God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers with remarkable beauty, He cares far more deeply for each person made in His image.

  The pastor emphasizes that worry causes people to forget their value, and that the cross is God’s permanent declaration that every person matters to Him. He encourages the congregation to slow down, notice creation, and replace anxious thoughts with grateful ones. Trust in God grows one day at a time, through daily bread, daily dependence, and daily reminders of His faithfulness. The goal is not passivity but soul rest, a deep inner peace that allows believers to live fully and responsibly while remaining anchored in the care of a faithful Father.

  Intro Prayer

  Heavenly Father, we come together today grateful for Your presence in this room and in each of our lives. As we open Your Word and discuss what it means to trust You, we ask that You quiet the noise of worry and anxiety in our hearts. Help us to be open to whatever You want to speak to us today. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts that are willing to receive. May this time together draw us closer to You and to one another. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  Ice Breaker

  What is your favorite thing to notice in nature, whether it is a bird, a flower, a sunset, or something else, and why does it stand out to you?

  Key Verses

  • Matthew 6:26
  • Matthew 6:28-30
  • Romans 8:32
  • Psalm 19:1-4

  Questions

  • Jesus tells His listeners to ‘look at the birds’ and ‘consider the wildflowers.’ What do you think He wants us to learn from these ordinary parts of creation?
  • The pastor said that worry causes us to forget our value. Have you ever experienced a season where anxiety made you feel less valued or cared for by God? What helped you through it?
  • Romans 8:32 asks, ‘He who did not spare his own Son, how will he not also graciously give us all things?’ How does reflecting on the cross change the way you think about God’s faithfulness in your daily life?
  • The sermon described soul rest as a deep inner peace that exists even while life is busy and difficult. Would you say your soul is at rest right now? What tends to rob you of that rest?
  • The pastor pointed out that Jesus almost always responds to complicated questions by pointing to ordinary, everyday things. Why do you think Jesus used such simple illustrations to teach about the kingdom of God?
  • The sermon mentioned that the culture trains us to notice what is wrong, while Jesus trains us to notice what is true. How have you seen this tension play out in your own life, especially with social media or the news?
  • The pastor shared a story about Hurricane Irma and how God provided exactly what was needed at exactly the right moment. Can you share a time when you experienced God’s faithfulness in a surprising or unexpected way?
  • The practical challenge from the sermon was to replace one anxious thought with one grateful thought. Why do you think gratitude is such a powerful tool for retraining the heart to recognize God’s faithfulness?

  Life Application

  This week, make a conscious effort to slow down and notice creation around you. When you see a bird, a flower, a sunrise, or any part of the natural world, let it serve as a personal reminder that your Father provides and cares for you. Additionally, each time an anxious thought arises, intentionally replace it with one specific thing you are grateful for. Keep a simple list on your phone or a notepad of these grateful moments throughout the week, and bring it back to share with your group next time you meet.

  Key Takeaways

  • Jesus invites anxious people to become observers of creation, using birds and wildflowers as daily reminders of the Father’s faithful provision and care.
  • Worry causes us to forget our value, but the cross is God’s permanent declaration that every person deeply matters to Him.
  • Trust in God grows one day at a time through daily dependence, daily prayer, and daily reminders of His faithfulness, much like the birds receive food and the flowers receive beauty one season at a time.
  • Trusting God does not mean passivity. We still work, plan, and act responsibly, but underneath all of that activity, our souls should experience a genuine rest rooted in the Father’s care.
  • Gratitude is a powerful practice that retrains the heart to recognize God’s faithfulness and helps us see what is true rather than what the culture tells us to fear.

  Ending Prayer

  Father, thank You for this time together and for the reminder that You are faithful, not just in the big moments, but in every ordinary day. As we leave this discussion, help us to carry with us a Spirit of gratitude and a willingness to notice Your hand at work in the world around us. When worry tries to creep back in, remind us of the birds You feed and the flowers You clothe, and remind us above all of the cross, Your greatest declaration that we are loved and valued. May our souls find rest in You this week, and may that rest overflow into the lives of the people around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.