God Wants to Work Through You: Living as a River, Not a Reservoir
Picture two bodies of water. The first is a river like the Columbia, fed from a source high in the mountains, flowing hundreds of miles and bringing life to everything it touches. The second is a reservoir—pleasant enough for an afternoon, but still, stagnant, and man-made. It doesn't flow anywhere. The difference between the two comes down to a single thing: a source, and whether the water is allowed to move.
In this message from our Transformational Stories series, Pastor Josh used that picture to ask a question worth sitting with: are you a river or a reservoir? God doesn't just want to work in you—He wants to work through you. The real question isn't whether He desires to; it's whether you'll let Him.
The Parable: Workers in the Vineyard
The message walked through Jesus' parable in Matthew 20:1–16. A landowner goes out repeatedly through the day—early morning, mid-morning, noon, afternoon, and even at the eleventh hour—to hire workers for his vineyard. When it comes time to be paid, everyone receives the same wage, regardless of how long they worked. Understandably, those who started at dawn grumble. But the landowner answers:
"I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? … Are you so envious because I am generous? So the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:13–16)
From this parable, the sermon drew out three movements: God's invitation to work through us, a clarification about how grace relates to that work, and the right motivation behind it.
1. God's Invitation: Answer the Call to Go
Notice how the work begins in the parable. The workers aren't out hunting for the landowner—he comes and finds them standing in the marketplace. Likewise, God calls us first. We don't have to track Him down and hope He answers; He has already reached out. Our part is simply to say yes.
That means the qualification God looks for isn't a polished résumé or extraordinary talent. As the message put it, your greatest ability is your availability. And this working "for God" is, at its heart, about people. It echoes Jesus' final words to His disciples:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19–20)
Making disciples means helping people come to know Jesus, grow in Him, and then pour into others. You don't need a title to start—you start with your circle. The neighbor, the coworker, the family member who wandered from faith years ago—no one in your life is there by accident.
2. The Clarification: Grace Is Not Dependent on Works
Why did every worker receive the same pay? Because their wages were never really about their labor. It was all a gift. And that's the heart of grace—receiving what we don't deserve. The message named three ways grace changes everything:
It frees you from the pressure of self-salvation. Trying to earn your way to God is a mountain you can't climb. Grace moves you from "I have to earn it" to "I simply receive it."
It means you can be saved now rather than never. Whether you come to Christ as a child, in middle age, or at the very end, He saves. Think of the thief on the cross, who at his final hour heard Jesus say, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). It is never too late.
It leads to more good works, not fewer. Works aren't the foundation of salvation, but they are the fountain that flows from it.
As Paul writes: "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" (Titus 2:11–12). The key to godliness isn't grit—it's understanding grace. When you realize you were spiritually dead and God brought you back to life, the natural response is to want to live like the One who saved you.
3. The Motivation: A Humble Heart
The workers who grumbled had a problem deeper than fairness—they had pride. "I worked harder; I deserve more." But the sobering truth is that if we got what was fair, none of us would have anything to boast about. Everything is a gift.
Jesus described the right posture in another parable: "So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty'" (Luke 17:10). The temptation is to use God—to treat our obedience as leverage for the life we want. The invitation is to let God use us, serving out of gratitude rather than negotiation. As the message put it: don't be the number-one draft pick who complains about playing time; be the last pick who's simply glad to be on the team.
Only One Life
The sermon closed with the words of missionary C.T. Studd, who gave up fame and fortune to reach people who had never heard the gospel: "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what's done for Christ will last." You have one life, one chance to let God flow through you like a river rather than sitting still like a reservoir.
A Reflection Question
God wants to work through you—but is He? Where is one place this week you could stop consuming and start contributing—one person in your circle you could love, serve, or point toward Jesus?
If you're in Livermore or anywhere across the Tri-Valley and you're looking for a church family where you can know Jesus and be sent out to show His love, we'd love to meet you this Sunday.
Forgiving When You Don’t Feel Like It: A Study of Matthew 18
It's been said that bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. The truth in that line stings: no matter how much resentment you nurse toward someone who hurt you, the person you damage most is yourself. So what do you do when you know you should forgive—but you simply don't feel like it?
This message kicks off a new series, Transformational Stories, walking through five parables of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. We begin with the parable often called the unforgiving servant—a story Jesus told in answer to a very practical question from Peter.
Peter's Question and Jesus' Surprising Math
"Then Peter came up to him and said, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" (Matthew 18:21–22)
Peter likely thought he was being generous—seven was the number of completeness. But Jesus wasn't handing out a new limit to count toward. He was exposing how often we forgive at a fraction of how God forgives us. We say, "I'll forgive when I feel like it," or "when they deserve it," or "only a certain number of times." Jesus calls us higher. The challenge isn't just severe wounds—the betrayals and abuses that feel like being stabbed in the back—but also the everyday, repeated offenses of living in real relationships. Anyone you stay close to long enough will sin against you, and you against them.
Three Truths About Forgiveness
1. Forgiveness is needed because of a debt
In the parable, a king settles accounts with a servant who owes him ten thousand talents—a debt so staggering it could never be repaid in a lifetime.
"So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'" (Matthew 18:26)
That servant pictures us before God. Scripture says we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Sin isn't merely a slip-up, like dropping a plate by accident. It's loving something more than the God who made us for himself; it's crossing the boundaries our good King set for our flourishing. The debt this creates is real and immense—and no amount of church attendance, kindness, or generosity can pay it off.
"...no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law." (Galatians 2:16)
2. Forgiveness from God is free—but not cheap
"And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt." (Matthew 18:27)
The king didn't forgive 90% or 50% of the debt. He wiped it clean. This is what sets Christianity apart from every system of religious earning: you don't achieve forgiveness, you receive it. Yet free doesn't mean costless—it means you aren't the one who pays. Jesus is.
"He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness... he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13–14)
Notice the heart behind it. The king had pity—compassion in the middle of the servant's brokenness. God never pushes away a humble person who calls out for help; he opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. And his forgiveness is full: past, present, and future sins covered. Like a home that's fully paid off, there's nothing left owing. You can rest. You receive it simply by faith—trusting Jesus, the way you cash a check someone has already funded.
"Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:43)
3. Forgiving others is not optional
Here the parable turns. The same servant, just released from billions, finds a fellow servant who owes him a comparatively tiny amount—and throttles him, refusing mercy, throwing him into prison. When the king hears, he is furious.
"So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)
You can't spell forgive without give. A heart genuinely transformed by God's mercy will, over time, become a merciful heart. That doesn't mean it's easy or instant—but a refusal to forgive at all reveals a heart that hasn't yet been gripped by grace.
One important clarification: forgiveness is not the same as automatic trust or instant reconciliation. In cases of serious harm—abuse, betrayal, repeated wounding—you can release the offense to God without immediately restoring full trust. Rebuilding may take time and wisdom. But the goal of forgiveness is still restoration wherever it's possible, not using "forgiveness" as a label while quietly cutting everyone off.
Where the Power Comes From
So how do we forgive when we don't feel like it? First, rest in God's forgiveness of you.
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32)
Forgiven people become forgiving people. The gospel both comforts us (God loves me though I don't deserve it) and humbles us (I'm a sinner who couldn't save myself). That humility dismantles the lie that keeps us bitter: "I would never do what they did." We're all on the same level—all needing the same mercy.
Second, ask God for the power. Jesus taught us to pray, "forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). If forgiveness feels impossible in your own strength, pray for a transformed heart—and trust that this is a prayer God delights to answer.
Remember the cross. After being beaten, mocked, and nailed there, Jesus looked at the very people who put him there and said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." If he can forgive that, he can give you the grace to forgive whoever comes to mind right now.
A Reflection to Carry With You
Two questions sit at the heart of this message: Have you been freed by God's forgiveness? And who do you need to forgive? You ultimately have one of two roads—the freedom that flows from forgiveness, or the slow isolation of bitterness.
If you'd like to explore this with people in person, we'd love to welcome you at Arroyo Church here in Livermore in the Tri-Valley—a place where we're learning together to know and show the love of Jesus.
Getting to Your Next Chapter: Lessons from Samuel and David
Imagine reading a great book and getting stuck on chapter four. The first time through, it's gripping. The second time, you catch a detail you missed. By the fifth time, you're frustrated—no new surprises, no progress, just the same page over and over. That's how a lot of us feel about our lives. We sense there's a next chapter, but we can't seem to turn the page.
As we close out our Walk Faithfully series through the life of Samuel, we land in 1 Samuel 16, where Samuel himself is being asked to turn the page—both in his own life and in the life of Israel. If you've ever felt stuck in your story, this passage offers three honest, hopeful ways forward.
1. Turn the page on mourning
The chapter opens with God's pointed question:
"The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.'" (1 Samuel 16:1)
Samuel had invested deeply in Saul—like a spiritual son. When Saul failed and was rejected as king, Samuel grieved. And grief is not the problem. Mourning is a natural, healthy response to loss; it's actually a sign that we loved something. But God's question reveals that mourning, while necessary, is meant to have an ending. Here are three ways to move through it well:
Let mourning be seasonal. Ecclesiastes reminds us there is "a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance" (Ecclesiastes 3:4). No season lasts forever. Avoid both extremes—rushing through grief so you never truly heal, and sitting in it so long that you never move on.
Don't let mourning isolate you. Paul writes, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15). Some burdens are too heavy to carry alone. This is one reason God created the church—not just an event to attend, but a community to belong to.
After mourning, get moving. God told Samuel to fill his horn and go. Romans 8:28 promises that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." God doesn't waste your past; He can use even painful chapters to prepare the next one.
A gentle caveat: if you're in the middle of fresh grief, this is not a command to rush. Let the Spirit show you where you are and what step comes next.
2. Turn the page on being superficial
When Samuel arrives at Jesse's house, he sees the impressive oldest son and assumes he's the one. God corrects him:
"Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)
Saul had looked the part—tall and handsome. Samuel was still measuring by the old standard. But God cares far more about the heart, the seat of our thoughts, desires, and emotions, than about how we appear. Jesus reserved His sharpest words for the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites and "whitewashed tombs"—clean on the outside, dead within. The honest question isn't "How do you look?" but "How is your heart?"
And here's the good news: you cannot change your own heart by willpower or technique. You need a new nature. God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). That transformation comes through faith in Jesus—and it's ongoing. Even David, "a man after God's own heart," prayed after his failure, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). We call on Christ to renew our hearts not once, but daily.
3. Turn the page toward His powerful presence
Finally, Samuel anoints the overlooked shepherd boy:
"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David." (1 Samuel 16:13)
In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon people. In the New Testament, believers in Jesus receive something greater—the Spirit dwelling within us. That presence empowers us in at least three ways:
To overcome sin. "Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). Fighting sin in your own strength is like bringing a butter knife to a gunfight. Walking by the Spirit means staying in step with Him—moment by moment doing the next right thing He shows you.
To share the gospel. "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8). A witness simply says, "Here's what Jesus did in my life—and He can do it in yours." Often what holds us back isn't a lack of knowledge but a lack of love that overcomes fear.
To be secure in your salvation. God "anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" (2 Corinthians 1:21–22). The Spirit within you is God's guarantee—heaven is not a maybe; it's a promise.
Your story isn't over
If the current chapter feels like a dead end, remember it isn't the end. The author of life was crucified and rose again three days later so that a new chapter could be written in your story. The question isn't whether you can get to the next chapter—it's whether you'll trust Christ to take you there.
A reflection question
What page have you been re-reading for too long—a season of mourning, a habit of pretending, or a sense of powerlessness? Ask the Spirit to show you the next faithful step, then take it.
If you're anywhere in the Tri-Valley and you're looking for a community where people genuinely know Jesus and want to grow, we'd love to meet you at Arroyo Church here in Livermore. Come as you are—there's a next chapter waiting.
Radical Restoration: How God Brings Us Back When We've Wandered
Table of Contents (optional):
Why We All Need Restoration
Step 1: Rid Yourself of False Gods
Step 2: Be Real About Your Sin
Step 3: Ask God to Rescue You
Step 4: Remember What God Has Done
Returning Home to God
Every person experiences brokenness. Sometimes it shows up in our relationship with God. Sometimes it appears in our relationships with others. Other times, it surfaces deep within our own hearts.
The good news of the gospel is that God specializes in restoration.
In this message from our Walk Faithfully series through the life of Samuel, we explore a powerful story from 1 Samuel 7 where God restores His people after they had wandered far from Him. Their story reminds us that no matter how broken things seem, God can bring radical restoration when we return to Him.
For many people in Livermore and throughout the Bay Area, life can feel spiritually dry. Yet God continues to call people back to Himself, inviting them to become part of His work as a river in the spiritual desert around us.
Why We All Need Restoration
Restoration is necessary whenever something has been broken.
The Israelites in 1 Samuel 7 had drifted from God. They had replaced worship of the one true God with devotion to false gods and idols. As a result, their relationship with God suffered.
While most people today aren't bowing before carved statues, idolatry remains a very real issue. We often take good things and elevate them into ultimate things.
Success. Status. Money. Relationships. Comfort. Even our own desires.
Whenever something occupies the place in our hearts that belongs only to God, it becomes an idol.
Step 1: Rid Yourself of False Gods
Samuel's first instruction to Israel was clear:
"Rid yourselves of the foreign gods."
Before restoration could begin, the people had to identify what was competing with God for their affection.
A helpful question to ask is:
What do I believe I must have in order to be happy?
The answer often reveals what has become an idol.
God doesn't call us to abandon His gifts. He calls us to worship the Giver rather than the gifts. True restoration begins when Jesus becomes the center of our hearts once again.
Step 2: Be Real About Your Sin
After removing their idols, the people gathered together and confessed their sin.
Confession can feel uncomfortable because we fear rejection. We worry that if people see who we really are, they won't accept us.
Yet Scripture teaches the opposite.
Healing begins when honesty begins.
James 5:16 reminds believers to confess their sins and pray for one another so that healing may occur. Hidden sin continues to wound us, but confessed sin can begin the process of restoration.
At Arroyo Church, we believe church should be a place where people can be honest about their struggles and experience the grace of God. None of us are perfect. Every one of us is in need of God's mercy.
Step 3: Ask God to Rescue You
When the Philistines threatened Israel, the people realized they could not save themselves.
So they cried out to God.
Samuel interceded on their behalf and offered a sacrifice before the Lord. God responded by delivering His people from an enemy they could not defeat on their own.
This points us directly to Jesus.
Every sacrifice in the Old Testament ultimately points forward to Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
The gospel is not about earning God's favor through good behavior. It is about receiving the salvation Jesus already accomplished through His death and resurrection.
The invitation of Christianity is remarkably simple:
Call upon the name of the Lord.
When we place our faith in Jesus, we receive forgiveness, restoration, and eternal life—not because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done for us.
Step 4: Remember What God Has Done
After God delivered Israel, Samuel set up a stone memorial called Ebenezer.
Its purpose was simple:
Remember God's faithfulness.
Too often, we suffer from spiritual amnesia. We quickly forget the prayers God answered, the grace He showed, and the ways He carried us through difficult seasons.
Remembering God's faithfulness produces two powerful results:
Thankfulness for the Past
When we reflect on God's goodness, gratitude begins to grow.
We remember His provision. His forgiveness. His protection.
Thankfulness shifts our focus away from fear and toward worship.
Faith for the Future
Remembering God's faithfulness also builds confidence.
If God was faithful yesterday, He will be faithful tomorrow.
The same God who carried us through past challenges will continue to walk with us through whatever lies ahead.
This is why regular spiritual rhythms matter. Prayer. Scripture reading. Worship. Community. These practices continually remind us who God is and what He has done.
Returning Home to God
One of the most powerful images of restoration in Scripture is the story of the prodigal son.
After wasting everything, the son finally returned home.
But before he even arrived, his father saw him from a distance and ran toward him.
That's the heart of God.
When we return to Him, we discover He has been pursuing us all along.
No matter how far you've wandered, God invites you to come home.
No matter how broken your story may feel, restoration is available through Jesus Christ.
And when we return to Him, we discover that radical restoration is possible.
God's plan has always been restoration. Through Jesus, He invites us to remove our idols, confess our sins, call upon His name, and remember His faithfulness.
Whether you're exploring faith for the first time or returning after a difficult season, God is ready to meet you with grace.
As Arroyo Church seeks to be a river in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area, our prayer is that more people would experience the life-changing restoration only Jesus can provide.
Called to Be Confident: Finding Your Identity in Christ | Arroyo Church Livermore CA
Table of Contents:
Why self-confidence eventually fails
How confidence in Christ changes everything
Why we need daily reminders of the gospel
What it looks like to live with gospel-shaped confidence
There are few things more exhausting than trying to prove yourself all the time.
A lot of people in Livermore and across the Bay Area know what that feels like. We live in a culture that celebrates performance, hustle, image, and self-made success. If you can achieve enough, earn enough, or impress enough people, then maybe you can finally feel secure. But beneath that pressure is often anxiety, comparison, and fear.
That is why this message from Philippians 3 is such good news.
In this week’s message from our Unstoppable Joy series, we were reminded that God is calling His children to live with confidence, but not the kind of confidence the world teaches. Scripture shows us that true confidence is not built on our record, our effort, or our ability to hold everything together. True confidence is found in Christ alone.
And that kind of confidence matters. When you are secure in the love of your Heavenly Father, you do not have to live in constant fear, second-guessing, or spiritual insecurity. You can actually step into your God-given identity and live with joy, humility, and purpose, like a river in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area.
Why Self-Confidence Will Eventually Crush You
In Philippians 3, the apostle Paul warns the church about people who were putting their confidence “in the flesh.” In other words, they were trusting in their own works, religious performance, and spiritual résumé instead of trusting fully in Jesus.
Paul had one of the most impressive spiritual résumés imaginable. He was highly educated, deeply religious, disciplined, respected, and outwardly blameless according to the law. But instead of celebrating those accomplishments, Paul says he counts them as loss compared to knowing Christ.
That is a powerful reminder for us today.
Self-confidence sounds appealing at first, but it cannot carry the weight your soul puts on it. When your sense of worth is based on your performance, you will always be riding an emotional roller coaster. On your good days, you feel strong. On your bad days, you feel defeated. On average days, you feel uncertain.
That is not the steady, secure life God wants for His children.
When we compare ourselves to other people, we may feel impressive for a moment. But when we compare ourselves to the holiness of God, our self-confidence falls apart. And that is actually where grace begins.
Confidence in Christ Transforms You
The heart of the gospel is not “try harder.” It is “trust Jesus.”
Paul says that the righteousness he now has does not come from the law, but through faith in Christ. That means he moved from achieving to receiving. He stopped trying to earn acceptance from God and instead received the gift of grace through Jesus.
That changes everything.
1. You move from achieving to receiving
Christianity is not about building a résumé impressive enough for God. It is about receiving what Jesus has already accomplished on your behalf.
You do not earn God’s love by being religious enough, polished enough, or disciplined enough. You come empty-handed, and by faith, you receive mercy, forgiveness, and salvation. That is why the gospel is such good news for tired people.
2. You receive a new identity
One of the most freeing truths in this message is that every person ultimately builds their identity on one of two things: their sin or their Savior.
If your identity is rooted in your failures, your feelings, your success, or other people’s opinions, it will constantly shift. But if your identity is rooted in Christ, you can stand on something solid.
Because of Jesus, God does not look at believers through the lens of their sin. He sees them covered in the righteousness of Christ. That means if you belong to Jesus, your deepest identity is not your past, your struggle, your title, or your shame. Your deepest identity is this: you are a loved child of God.
That kind of truth brings freedom to first-time believers, longtime Christians, and anyone still searching for hope in the Bay Area’s spiritual desert.
3. You become confident, but not cocky
Confidence in Christ does not make you arrogant. It makes you humble and secure at the same time.
Why? Because you know your standing with God is not something you achieved for yourself. It is something Jesus secured for you. That means you no longer have to pretend, posture, or protect your image at all costs.
Instead, you can live with resilience. When critics speak, when the enemy accuses, or when your own heart condemns you, you can come back to the voice that matters most: the voice of your Father.
4. Christ becomes infinitely valuable
Paul goes even further and says everything else is like garbage compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
That is strong language, but it makes the point clear: Jesus is not just useful. He is priceless.
When you realize that in Christ your sins are forgiven, your future is secure, your identity is redeemed, and your life has eternal purpose, your priorities start to change. The things that once ruled your heart lose their grip. You begin to see Jesus as your greatest treasure.
Why We Need Daily Reminders of the Gospel
At the beginning of Philippians 3, Paul says it is no trouble for him to repeat these truths because they are a safeguard for God’s people.
That is important. The gospel does not just save us once; it sustains us every day.
We need to be reminded regularly of God’s grace because we are prone to forget. We drift into shame, self-reliance, fear, and spiritual amnesia. We start believing that God’s love depends on our latest performance. We hide when we fail instead of running to the Father who loves us.
That is why daily rhythms matter.
Gathering for church matters. Joining community matters. Opening your Bible matters. Prayer matters. Not because these things earn God’s favor, but because they re-center your heart in what is already true in Christ.
If you are looking for ways to build those rhythms, Plan Your Visit and get connected at Arroyo Church, or learn more About Arroyo Church and how we help people know and show the love of Jesus in Livermore and beyond.
Living Confidently in Christ in Everyday Life
What would change if you truly believed God’s love for you was secure?
You might stop living so afraid of failure. You might stop measuring yourself against everyone else. You might stop hiding your struggles and start bringing them honestly before God. You might become the kind of person who can love others freely because you are no longer desperate to prove yourself.
That is the kind of confidence this sermon points us toward.
Not swagger. Not pride. Not self-help positivity.
Real confidence. Deep confidence. Gospel confidence.
And in a region where many people are spiritually thirsty, that kind of life becomes a witness. It becomes a picture of hope. It becomes part of what it means for the church to be a river in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area.
If you have been carrying the crushing weight of trying to be enough, this message is an invitation to let that burden go.
You were never meant to build your life on self-confidence. You were called to be confident in Christ. In Him, you are loved, forgiven, covered, and secure. In Him, you can live with unstoppable joy.
So today, do not look inward for the confidence only Jesus can give. Look to Him. Fall into His arms. Trust that He will hold you. And as you do, you will find not only confidence in who He is, but confidence in who you are in Him.
What to Do When You Feel Spiritually Stuck | Philippians 3 Sermon in Livermore, CA
Table of Contents:
Understanding that growth with Jesus is a process
Living with the right perspective
Holding on to the progress God has already built
Finding spiritual parents and mentors
Setting your mind on heaven, not just earth
It is hard to be stuck anywhere you never wanted to be in the first place. That feeling is frustrating in a parking garage, on the side of the road, or in a long season of uncertainty. But it is even heavier when the place you feel stuck is spiritual.
Maybe you feel stuck in anxious thought patterns. Maybe you are stuck in a relationship cycle that keeps breaking trust and peace. Maybe you are stuck in a habit, temptation, or sin that you keep returning to even though you desperately want freedom. The reality is that most people do not want to stay stuck, but many do not know how to get unstuck.
In this message from Philippians 3:10–21, Arroyo Church walks through five practical, biblical steps for what to do when you feel spiritually stuck. This is not a message about trying harder in your own strength. It is a message about pursuing Jesus, trusting His grace, and moving forward with unstoppable joy.
For anyone looking for a church in Livermore CA or searching for hope in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area, this message offers both truth and encouragement: God does not leave you stuck where He found you.
Body Content:1. Pursuing Jesus is a processOne of the most freeing truths in this passage is that spiritual growth is not instant. The Apostle Paul says he wants to know Christ more deeply, even though he already knows Him. Paul had planted churches, preached the gospel boldly, and lived with remarkable faithfulness, yet he still said he had not reached perfection.That matters because it means your growth in Christ is also a process.Following Jesus is not a one-time emotional moment and then automatic maturity. Yes, when you trust in Christ, you are forgiven, made right with God, and welcomed into His family. But after that begins the lifelong journey of knowing Him more deeply. Growth takes time because we still live in a broken world, surrounded by brokenness, inside bodies that still wrestle with sin.Sometimes growth is dramatic. Sometimes it is slow and hidden, like roots growing under the surface before anything visible appears. Some days you will feel strong. Other days you may feel stagnant. But none of that means God has abandoned His work in you.The good news is that God is patient in the process. He does not walk away when you stumble. He does not stop loving you when growth feels slow. His patience is not permission to stay passive, but it is a reminder that failure is not the end of your story.Real change begins when you stop pursuing Jesus out of guilt and start pursuing Him because He first loved you. That is the heartbeat of the gospel.
2. Live with the proper perspectivePaul says he is forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. That does not mean pretending the past never happened. It means refusing to let your past define your future.Many people stay spiritually stuck because they live mentally anchored to old shame, old failures, old wounds, and old patterns. The enemy loves to keep replaying what was. God, however, keeps calling you toward what can be through His grace.Maybe your past includes a fractured marriage, financial mistakes, addiction, regret, or years of spiritual drift. Those things are real. They should be acknowledged honestly. But they should not become the controlling narrative of your life.When your focus stays on the past, you move backward. When your focus shifts to the future God has for you, you begin to move forward.This is especially important in a region like the Bay Area, where many people are carrying quiet exhaustion, private discouragement, and deep spiritual hunger under outward success. God’s mercy is new every morning. In the middle of the spiritual desert, He is still making a way forward.
3. Do not lose the progress you have already madePaul gives a simple but powerful instruction: hold on to the progress you have already made.That is such an important word for anyone in a discouraging season. Feeling stuck can tempt you not only to stop moving forward, but to start sliding backward. When you are tired, disappointed, or spiritually numb, it can become easy to think, “Why keep trying?” That is often when old habits start calling your name again.But one bad day does not need to become a destructive turning point.There are seasons when thriving feels natural, and there are seasons when simply surviving with faithfulness is a victory. In those moments, do not underestimate the value of staying grounded. Keep praying. Keep showing up. Keep worshiping. Keep saying yes to the small acts of obedience that protect what God has already built in your life.The enemy would love to convince you that because growth feels slow, your progress does not matter. But it does matter. Hold your ground in Christ.
4. Get spiritual parentsPaul tells the church to follow his example and learn from others who are faithfully walking with Jesus. That is a reminder that we were never meant to grow alone.Sometimes the reason you feel stuck is not because God is absent, but because you are trying to navigate a difficult season without wise, godly people around you. We all need spiritual mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who can encourage us, challenge us, pray for us, and help us take the next step.This is one of the reasons church community matters so much. Growth often happens in relationships before it is visible anywhere else. When you invite others into your journey, you create space for accountability, comfort, and wisdom.If you are new to Arroyo, this is a great reminder that church is more than a Sunday service. It is a family. You can learn more through About Arroyo Church or begin connecting through Plan Your Visit.And if you have been following Jesus for years, this message is also a challenge: become that steady presence for someone else. Someone around you needs a spiritual parent, not just a friendly face.
5. Ponder the right placePaul contrasts two ways of living. One life is driven by appetite and focused only on the here and now. The other life remembers that our citizenship is in heaven.This is a powerful key to getting unstuck. What fills your mind will shape your life. When you think only about temporary comfort, immediate gratification, and earthly success, your decisions will be shaped by short-term desires. But when you remember heaven, your perspective changes.Thinking about heaven does not make you less useful on earth. It makes you more faithful here. It gives you hope in suffering and purpose in everyday life. You remember that pain is not permanent, temptation is not ultimate, and your calling is bigger than simply getting through another week.As followers of Jesus, we are not just trying to have better habits or cleaner behavior. We are learning to live as citizens of another kingdom. That is how a church becomes a river in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area. When people know the love of Jesus and show the love of Jesus, hope begins to flow outward into homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools.If you are longing to grow deeper in your walk with Christ, resources like Devotional and community connections through Kids Ministry and other church gatherings can help you keep taking your next step.
If you feel spiritually stuck, the invitation of this message is simple and hopeful: do not stay there. Growth is a process. Your past does not have to define you. Your progress matters. You need godly people around you. And your mind must be fixed on heaven, not just earth.
Most of all, remember this: Jesus meets people in the middle of their mess. He does not wait for you to get unstuck before He loves you. He entered our brokenness, died for our sins, and rose again so that we could be forgiven, restored, and made new.
Where you are weak, He is strong. Where you cannot make a way, He can. And wherever you are today, you can call on His name and find grace for the next step.
Winning the War Against Worry: How to Find Lasting Peace Through Philippians 4
Table of Contents:
The Reality of Worry in Today’s World
Weapon #1: Choose Joy
Weapon #2: Pray the Right Way
Weapon #3: Ponder What Is Pure
Weapon #4: Practice What You’ve Heard
Finding Peace With God
There’s a battle happening inside every one of us—a war against worry. Some days it feels like we’re winning. Other days, it feels like anxiety has the upper hand. In a culture often described as the “age of anxiety,” where stress, burnout, and fear are at all-time highs, the question becomes urgent: How do we actually overcome worry?
The good news is that God hasn’t left us without a strategy. In Philippians 4:4–9, we’re given a clear, practical plan to experience peace—not just occasionally, but daily. At Arroyo Church in Livermore, CA, we believe God is calling us to be a river in the spiritual desert of the Bay Area—and that includes bringing His peace into anxious hearts.
Let’s walk through four powerful, biblical “weapons” that help us win the war against worry.
1. Choose Joy (Philippians 4:4–5)
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Joy isn’t just a feeling—it’s a choice. The Apostle Paul doesn’t suggest joy; he commands it. Why? Because our joy isn’t rooted in changing circumstances, but in an unchanging Savior.
When life is uncertain, finances are tight, relationships are strained, or the future feels unclear, we can still choose joy because Jesus hasn’t changed.
His presence is constant: “The Lord is near.”
His power is unmatched: He can change your situation—or change you within it.
You are not a victim to worry. Through Christ, you can become a victor. Choosing joy shifts your focus from what’s unstable to what’s eternal.
2. Pray the Right Way (Philippians 4:6–7)
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything…”
This is one of the most powerful promises in Scripture: peace that surpasses understanding. But there’s a premise before the promise—prayer.
Paul gives us two simple ways to pray:
Petition: Tell God what you need
Gratitude: Thank Him for what He’s done
Prayer isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. You don’t need fancy words or a perfect life. You just need an honest heart.
And here’s something powerful:
It is impossible to be deeply worried and deeply thankful at the same time.When anxiety rises, shift your posture:
Don’t panic—pray
Don’t worry—worship
Try this: write down what you’re thankful for. As gratitude grows, worry loses its grip.
3. Ponder What Is Pure (Philippians 4:8)
“Think about such things…”
If you struggle with worry, you likely also struggle with your thought life. Worry often comes from:
Exaggerating problems
Assuming worst-case scenarios
Focusing on what you can’t control
Paul redirects us to think differently:
What is true
What is honorable
What is pure and praiseworthy
Here’s the key:
Don’t resist anxious thoughts—replace them.When fear creeps in, replace it with truth from God’s Word. Meditate on Scripture. Reflect on who Jesus is and what He’s done.
In the Bay Area’s fast-paced, pressure-filled environment, your mind can easily become a desert of anxiety. But when you fill it with God’s truth, it becomes a river of life and peace.
4. Practice What You’ve Heard (Philippians 4:9)
“Put it into practice…”
Peace isn’t just about what you know—it’s about what you do.
You can hear sermons, read Scripture, and take notes every week—but if you don’t live it out, you won’t experience the peace God promises.
Peace is on the other side of obedience.
When we live according to God’s design—for our relationships, our words, our choices—we step into His peace. When we ignore His ways, we often invite chaos instead.
God’s instructions aren’t meant to restrict you—they’re meant to lead you into flourishing.
You Can’t Have Peace From God Without Peace With God
Before you can experience the peace of God, you must first have peace with God.
Sin separates us from Him—but Jesus came to restore that relationship. Through His death and resurrection, He made a way for us to be forgiven, restored, and filled with His Spirit.
Peace isn’t something you earn—it’s something you receive.
If you’ve never placed your faith in Jesus, today can be the day you step into true peace. And if you already follow Him but feel overwhelmed, maybe it’s time to realign your life with His ways.
Winning the war against worry doesn’t happen by accident—it happens by intention. When you choose joy, pray faithfully, think rightly, and live obediently, you step into the peace God promises.And in a region like Livermore and the greater Bay Area—where anxiety often runs high—God is inviting you to experience something different. A peace that doesn’t make sense. A joy that can’t be shaken.
You don’t have to live in worry anymore. Through Jesus, peace is possible.