Every one of us is becoming someone. Whether we realize it or not, our lives are being shaped—formed—by the habits, rhythms, priorities, and practices we live out each day. Some of those are intentional. Many are not.

Pastor Zoe Hatcher opened this final message of our Do As I Do series with the story of two men who both died at the same age—one living an unintentional life with an intentional end, and the other living a deeply intentional life with an unexpected end. One man’s choices left little fruit or legacy. The other’s intentional walk with Jesus shaped not only his life, but the lives of countless others.

Our life is the byproduct of our lifestyle.
We do not become like Jesus by accident.
We do not drift into Christlikeness.
We choose it—or we drift away from it.

Jesus said:
“I am the way and the truth and the life.” — John 14:6 (NIV)

If Jesus is the Way, then following Him means arranging our lives around the way He lived. But what does that practically look like in our Monday-through-Saturday lives? What does it look like for our habits, schedules, relationships, rest, and priorities?

That’s where today’s message leads us: into the essential practice of crafting a Rule of Life.

What Is a Rule of Life?

A “Rule of Life” is not a list of rigid rules.

Pastor Zoe defines it (along with Rich Villodas and John Mark Comer) as:

“A set of practices, relationships, and commitments inspired by the Spirit for the sake of our wholeness in Christ.”
— Rich Villodas

“A schedule and set of practices and relational rhythms that create space for us to be with Jesus, become like Him, and do as He did.”
— John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way

The word “rule” comes from the Latin regula, meaning a straight piece of wood—the same type of straight wood used in the ancient world to construct a trellis.

A trellis lifts a grapevine off the ground, supports it, holds it up to the sunlight, and creates space for fruit to grow.

Likewise:

A Rule of Life is a trellis for your soul.

It is a support structure that lifts your life toward Jesus so you can become fruitful in Him.

Without a trellis, a vine grows wild, tangled, and fruitless.
Without intentional rhythms, we do the same.

You Already Have a Rule of Life

Before we talk about crafting a Rule of Life, Pastor Zoe reminds us:
You already have one.

Your current habits, routines, schedule, screen time, spiritual practices (or lack thereof), reactions, relationships, sleep patterns, and ways of coping are already forming you.

The better question isn’t:

“How do I create a Rule of Life?”
but
“What is my current Rule of Life?”

Once we honestly look at what’s shaping us, we can ask the next essential question:

Is my life ruling me, or am I ruling my life?

Counting the Cost

Luke 14:27–30 (NIV)

“And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?
For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you,
saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”

Living by a Rule of Life is one tangible way of “counting the cost.” It is the practical, daily expression of carrying your cross—not just in belief, but in lifestyle.

Growing Fruit That Lasts

Colossians 1:3–12 (NIV)

Paul’s prayer for the church in Colossae beautifully mirrors God’s desire for us:

“…that you may live a life worthy of the Lord… bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God… strengthened with all power… having great endurance and patience…” (vv. 10–11)

A Rule of Life positions us to receive this kind of growth—slow, steady, Spirit-empowered transformation.

Just as a healthy diet requires both universal nutrients and personalized needs, a Rule of Life includes spiritual disciplines every believer needs (Scripture, prayer, Sabbath, community, generosity) as well as unique practices God invites you into for your season of life.

Limits That Set You Free

Our culture treats limits as oppression.
Jesus treats limits as liberation.

Hebrews 12:1–13 (NIV)

This passage invites us to “throw off everything that hinders,” run with perseverance, and submit to the Father’s loving discipline—which “produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”

Discipline is not punishment.
Discipline is formation.
Discipline is love.

Isaiah 35:3–4 (NIV)

“Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come…’”

A Rule of Life helps us embrace God’s loving limits that ultimately make us more free, not less.

Guarding and Guiding Your Life

A good Rule of Life must do two things:

1. Guard

• What habits, behaviors, attitudes, or inputs need to be kept out of your life?
• What is harming your soul, shrinking your peace, or pulling you away from Jesus?

2. Guide

• What practices is the Holy Spirit inviting you to add?
• What rhythms will shape you into Christlikeness?

Pastor Zoe shared her own examples—practices she incorporates to counter depression, victimhood, pride, indulgence, resentment, and emotional reactivity:
• Praise
• Gratitude
• Fasting
• Scripture & prayer
• Journaling
• Confession in community

Each practice is not the end goal.
Jesus is.

Rule or Be Ruled

1 Timothy 4:6–15 (NIV)

Paul calls Timothy to train himself in godliness, devote himself to the Word, steward his gifts, and persevere so that “everyone may see your progress.”

This is the heart of a Rule of Life:
choosing formation over drifting, choosing discipline over disorder, choosing Jesus over convenience.

Start Where You Are — Not Where You “Should” Be

Pastor Zoe warns us not to create idealistic, perfectionistic, unattainable plans that leave us discouraged.
Start with what is real, not what is aspirational.

Think subtraction before addition.

Ask God:
“What needs to be removed from my life so I can hear You more clearly?”

Often the first step in spiritual growth is not doing more, but doing less.

Two Kinds of Spiritual Practices

A well-rounded Rule of Life will include both:

1. Practices of Engagement

Things you intentionally do:
• Sabbath
• Justice
• Hospitality & meals in community
• Fellowship
• Generosity
• Participating in the Lord’s Supper

2. Practices of Abstinence

Things you intentionally stop doing:
• Silence
• Solitude
• Slowing
• Fasting
• Simple living
• Secrecy
• Scripture meditation and prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit:
Which practices are You inviting me into in this season?
Why this one? Why now?

Start with one engagement practice and one abstinence practice, then build slowly.

Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly Rhythms

A helpful way to shape your Rule of Life:

DAILY

Scripture • Prayer • Gratitude • Worship • Limiting screen time

WEEKLY

Sabbath • Community • Church/microchurch

MONTHLY

Serve • Give • Fast • Hospitality

YEARLY

Retreat • Extended solitude with God

Use tools like the Rule of Life Builder to help structure this process.

Run to Win

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NIV)

“Run in such a way as to get the prize…
I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave…”

This is the heart cry of intentional discipleship:
Not aimless.
Not passive.
Not accidental.

We train to become like Jesus because He is forming His life in us.

Conclusion: Becoming More Like Jesus

Pastor Zoe closed the message by inviting us to place our lives—our habits, our patterns, our desires—under the examination of the Holy Spirit.

What needs to be pruned?
What needs to be planted?
Where is the Spirit inviting you into freedom through discipline?

A Rule of Life is not about perfection.
It is not about performance.
It is not about checking boxes.

It is about becoming more like Jesus—

in our everyday, ordinary, beautiful, messy lives.

Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to be a witness—but many of us never stop to ask what kind of witness we actually are. In this message from Open Arms Community Church, Misty Surine challenges us to examine our hearts and our walk with God, to understand our calling as disciples, and to discover what it truly means to be a witness through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Watch the full sermon here:

What Is a Witness?

In a courtroom, a witness is someone who has personally seen, heard, or experienced something—and tells the truth about it. Spiritually, a witness is someone who has encountered Jesus and speaks of Him with honesty and conviction.

Jesus Himself defined our role:

Acts 1:4–8 (CSB)

While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus makes clear:
we are not witnesses by our own strength — but by His Spirit.

Our Responsibility as Witnesses

Paul reinforces this calling:

Romans 10:6–15 (CSB)

But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’” that is, to bring Christ down;
or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.

On the contrary, what does it say?
“The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.”

This is the message of faith that we proclaim:

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,
since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him?
And how can they hear without a preacher?
And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.

Paul’s question remains for every believer today:
How will they believe… if we don’t tell them?

The Four Types of Witnesses

In the sermon, Misty described four kinds of witnesses we may become in our walk with God.

1. The Casual Witness

Like someone who passes an accident on the road, they see something is happening but don’t stop to engage. They know about Jesus, but they do not pursue Him. Frequent exposure without response hardens the heart.

2. The False Witness

Jesus warns of this category explicitly.

Matthew 7:21–23 (CSB)

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’
Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

A false witness knows the language of faith but not the Lord of faith.

The evidence of genuine faith is fruit:

Galatians 5:22–23 (CSB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

3. The Partial Witness

They know Jesus… but not fully. Something is held back.

God gives a promise:

Jeremiah 29:13 (CSB)

You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.

Jesus echoes this:

Matthew 7:7 (CSB)

Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Many believers begin well, but never press deeper.
They have treasure in Christ, but only dig a few inches down.

Jesus described this treasure beautifully:

Matthew 13:44–46 (CSB)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure buried in a field that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.”

The partial witness has not yet surrendered everything for the “priceless pearl.”

4. The Intimate Witness

This is the witness Jesus desires us to become.

Ezekiel 11:19 (CSB)

I will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Romans 8:16 (CSB)

The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.

1 John 3:21–24 (CSB)

Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God
and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight.
Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us.
The one who keeps his commands remains in him, and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he has given us.

The intimate witness doesn’t just know Jesus—they walk with Him.

Your Testimony Matters

A person who has been changed by Jesus has a story that carries authority.
Someone who has only heard about Jesus can only repeat information.
Only the one who has personally encountered Him can witness with power.

Your story is not small.
Your testimony is not insignificant.
Someone’s salvation may come through hearing what God has done in you.

A Call to Action

As Misty challenged us in the message:

“What kind of witness are you right now… and what kind of witness is God calling you to be?”

Take time this week to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal:

• Where your heart stands
• What parts of your life need surrender
• Who needs to hear your testimony
• Where God is inviting you to grow

You are called.
You are chosen.
You are sent.

Take the Next Step With Us

If you’re ready to grow deeper as a disciple and witness:

👉 Join a Microchurch — grow spiritually in real community

👉 Plan Your Visit — worship with us this Sunday

Open your heart.
Share your story.
Live as His witness.

In Do As I Do, Part 10 – Service, Melissa Robinson from Open Arms Community Church shares a message that calls believers to live out their faith through serving others. The heart of this message is simple yet powerful — following Jesus means loving, giving, and helping the way He did. Service is not a task for a few; it’s the calling of everyone who follows Christ.

Created to Help

From the beginning, God designed humanity for community and connection. He made people to need one another and to reflect His own nature as a helper.

Genesis 2:18 (NIV)
“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”

The Hebrew word for helper in this verse is ezer — meaning help, rescuer, or strength. This same word is often used to describe God Himself. That means helping is not weakness; it is divine strength in action. God built His image into humanity when He gave the ability and the desire to serve.

Being a helper is not a lesser role — it’s a reflection of the Creator. The world often overlooks those who serve quietly, but in God’s Kingdom, serving is sacred. Every act of service mirrors His heart.

The Example of Jesus

Jesus modeled the perfect life of a servant. Though He was equal with God, He chose humility, obedience, and sacrifice.

Philippians 2:5–8 (NIV)
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”

This passage reveals the very heart of service: humility. True service flows from surrender. It gives without expecting, helps without recognition, and loves without condition.

The Call to Follow

When Jesus invited His disciples to follow Him, He called ordinary people — fishermen, tax collectors, outcasts — and gave them extraordinary purpose.

Matthew 4:19–20 (NIV)
“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’
At once they left their nets and followed him.”

Matthew 9:9 (NIV)
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”

These men were not chosen for their skills, status, or education. They were chosen because they were willing. Following Jesus is not about perfection — it’s about availability. The same invitation still stands today: Come, follow Me.

The Humility of Service

One of the most beautiful and humbling scenes in Scripture is when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet.

John 13:12–17 (NIV)
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.
‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them.
‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’”

Jesus transformed a simple act of hospitality into a powerful lesson on humility. He showed that no task is beneath the servant of God. Every gesture of kindness and compassion can be a reflection of heaven.

Serving the Way Jesus Served

Serving is more than volunteering or being kind — it’s a lifestyle. It’s how believers demonstrate the love of God to a broken world. Four principles guide a life of service:

1. Serve with Love

Love is the foundation of all service. Without it, actions lose meaning.

Matthew 22:37–39 (NIV)
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Love fuels every act of service. It opens eyes to see the needs of others and hearts to respond with compassion.

2. Serve in Hiddenness

Real service doesn’t seek attention or praise. It is content with God alone seeing the sacrifice.

Matthew 6:1–4 (NIV)
“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.
If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The unseen moments — the quiet acts of generosity and encouragement — are where the character of Christ shines brightest.

3. Serve with Availability

Service often happens in interruptions. Jesus was never too busy to stop for someone in need.

Matthew 9:18–22 (NIV)
“While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said,
‘My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.’
Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.
Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.
She said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.’
Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed at that moment.”

Availability means being present — willing to pause, listen, and care. The interruptions may actually be the ministry God intended.

4. Serve in Kinship

Service is not about hierarchy but relationship. Jesus restores, includes, and calls believers into community.

John 21:17 (NIV)
“The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’
He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”

Serving is how the love of God is extended through community — feeding, tending, and caring for one another.

Greatness Redefined

Jesus redefined greatness through servanthood.

Mark 10:43–45 (NIV)
“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

True greatness in God’s Kingdom isn’t measured by influence or power but by love in action. Serving is the mark of a disciple.

A Life That Reflects Christ

Every believer is called to serve — not from obligation, but from gratitude. Service is the natural response of a heart transformed by Jesus. It’s how faith becomes visible, how love takes form, and how the world encounters God through His people.

The world doesn’t need more people trying to be important; it needs more hearts willing to serve.

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
— John 13:17

📺 Watch the full message:
👉 https://youtu.be/p9vm7GDscLM

Plan Your Visit

If this message encouraged you, we’d love for you to experience what God is doing at Open Arms Community Church. Whether you’re new to faith, searching for purpose, or ready to grow deeper in your walk with Jesus, there’s a place for you here.

Join us on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM for worship, teaching, and community. Come as you are, bring your family, and discover what it means to live and serve like Jesus — together.

👉 Plan your visit today: https://openarmscommunitychurch.org/visit/

We live in a world that constantly tells us to get more, keep more, and protect what’s ours. But Jesus calls us to something radically different — to give. In this message, part seven of our Do As I Do series, we’re looking at what it means to live generously like Jesus did. Generosity isn’t just about money; it’s a lifestyle of trust, joy, and freedom. When we begin to live under our means and open our hands, we find that God fills them again and again — not so we can store it up, but so we can pour it out.

Pastor Zoe Hatcher | Open Arms Community Church – Bradford, PA

Living the Way Jesus Lived

Doing what Jesus did — that’s what disciples do.

We’ve been walking through this series called Do As I Do: Sabbath. Prayer. Fasting. Solitude. Miracles.

And now, we’re talking about Generosity — the most JOYFUL of all the practices.

But just like the others, generosity is a discipline. It doesn’t just happen on its own. Living a generous life requires focus, practice, and trust.

As we slow down, center our lives around Jesus, and apply these disciplines, our lives simplify. That simplicity frees us up to live under our means — instead of chronically overextended — and opens all kinds of possibilities to bless others.

God Is a Giver

God is a giver — that’s who He is.

He operates in a constant outflow of generous, self-giving, forgiving love. He held nothing back, even giving His only Son for us in the ultimate act of love.

John 3:16 (NIV)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

When we give — our money, our resources, our time, our love — we get to participate in that same divine outflow of love.

That’s what radical generosity looks like. It’s counter-cultural, not normal — but we don’t follow normal, we follow Jesus.

So ask yourself honestly:
Are we known as people who give radically? Or as people who take and hoard? Ouch.

A Heart Check for the Church

Let’s be real — most Christians today aren’t known for generosity.

• U.S. Christians collectively make $5.2 trillion a year — nearly half of the world’s Christian income.
• The average giving per churchgoer is $17 a week — about the cost of a pizza.
• That’s $73.67 per month, or $884 per year.

That’s not the heart of our radically generous God. That’s a heart problem — and it’s time we face it.

Be Rich Toward God

Jesus tells a story in Luke 12:13–21 that hits this right on the head:

Luke 12:13–21 (NIV)
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.
17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.
19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

The man’s problem wasn’t saving. It was that he wasn’t rich toward God.

Being rich toward God means choosing generosity — storing up treasures in heaven, not just here on earth.

What It Means to Be “Rich Toward God”

Paul explains this beautifully in 1 Timothy 6:6–11, 17–19:

1 Timothy 6:6–11, 17–19 (NIV)
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Radical generosity toward others is being rich toward God.

God’s vision is for His people to live this way — giving out of a ready and cheerful heart, knowing we’re laying up treasures in heaven.

Three Ways to Be Rich Toward God

1. Give a Full Tithe

A tithe is 10% of your income — given to your local church, your spiritual home.

Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)
“‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.’”

That 10% belongs to Him. It’s holy.

Here at Open Arms, we’re sustained solely by what our church family gives. No outside support, no government funding — just faithful giving. And we tithe too! 10% of what you give goes right back out into local and global missions.

Still, the average Christian gives just 2.5%. Imagine if we all gave faithfully — there’d be an extra $139 billion every year for God’s Kingdom!

Malachi 3:8–12 (NIV)
8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings.
9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.
12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.

This isn’t about guilt. It’s about invitation. God says, “Test me in this.”

He’s not trying to take something from you; He’s trying to bless you beyond measure.

Matthew 23:23 (NIV)
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Jesus Himself affirmed tithing — but He reminded us not to forget why we give.

Hebrews 7:1–2 (NIV)
“This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.”

Abraham gave a tenth before any law commanded it. Why? Because his heart was already generous toward God.

2. Give Sacrificially

Offerings — anything above the tithe — flow from a generous heart.

Mark 12:41–44 (NIV)
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.
42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.
44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

It’s not about the amount — it’s about the sacrifice.

Paul praises the Macedonian church in 2 Corinthians 8–9 for giving joyfully even in poverty, reminding the Corinthians to “excel in this grace of giving.”

3. Give for God’s Eyes Only

Matthew 6:2–4 (NIV)
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

This kind of giving — what we call alms — is done in secret. It’s not for applause; it’s for God.

That’s why Open Arms keeps an Alms Box in the back. Everything in it goes straight to help those in need — quietly, humbly, generously.

The Measure You Use

Luke 6:38 (NIV)
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

God measures generosity by our hearts, not our wallets.

If you give with a thimble, you’ll receive a thimble back. But if you give with an overflowing cup — watch how He pours it back, pressed down, shaken together, and running over!

Acts 20:35 (NIV)
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Making It Practical

Not giving yet? That’s okay. Start small.

If tithing 10% feels overwhelming, start with 1%. Then increase by 1% each paycheck until you reach it.

Put your goal on your prayer card so we can pray with you. The enemy will fight your commitment to generosity — but you won’t fight alone.

The Challenge

Are you ready to commit to generosity and experience the JOY of the Lord through it?

Because when you live open-handed, you’ll discover that God’s hands were open all along.

If this message has stirred your heart, don’t wait to put it into action. Generosity isn’t just something we talk about — it’s something we live. Every gift you give helps us continue sharing the hope of Jesus, serving families in need, and reaching our community with love. Whether you’re starting small or stepping out in faith, your obedience makes an eternal impact. You can give safely and securely anytime at openarmscommunitychurch.org/give. Let’s keep living open-handed and watch what God can do through our generosity.

🕊️ Do As I Do, Part 5 — Solitude: Finding the Secret Place

We all feel it — the constant noise, the notifications, the hurry, the crowds.
Our world hums with distractions that keep our souls restless and our minds captive.

But Jesus offers something radically different:
An invitation to step away.
To be alone with Him — not to escape the world, but to be renewed for it.

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
— Mark 6:31 (NIV)

Through solitude, we are invited into Jesus’ rhythm of retreating from the noise to be fully present with the Father, and then returning to love and serve others.

🌿 Why Jesus Chose Solitude

Jesus made solitude a priority.
In a world full of need, pressure, and opportunity, He consistently withdrew to lonely places to pray.

Luke 5:16 (NIV)
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Jesus often went to solitary or deserted places to commune with God.
This wasn’t avoidance — it was alignment.
It was a deliberate choice to escape the demands of ministry and people so He could receive spiritual guidance, power, and rest.

If Jesus needed that space, so do we.
Solitude demonstrates priorities — it shows what matters most.

🔄 The Rhythm of Retreat and Return

Solitude was never a one-time act for Jesus; it was His rhythm of life.
Like breathing in and out, He practiced a pattern of retreat and return.

Matthew 14:22–23 (NIV)
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.

He sent His disciples ahead so He could withdraw in solitude.
Later, He returned to continue His mission.
This rhythm — inhale with God, exhale into the world — sustained everything He did.

🌤️ When Jesus Invited His Disciples to Rest

Even the disciples, busy with ministry and service, were invited to this same rest.

Mark 6:30–32 (NIV)
The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

Jesus didn’t say, “Work harder” — He said, “Come away.”
He understood that spiritual strength flows from spiritual stillness.
Without time alone with the Father, even good things eventually become draining things.

🕯️ The Foundation of Spiritual Life

Henri Nouwen once wrote:

“Without solitude, it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life.”

Solitude is foundational because it roots every other practice — prayer, Sabbath, fasting, and service — in love rather than performance.

Yet solitude isn’t always easy. It can be deeply refreshing, but it can also feel like painful emotional surgery.
When we slow down, the things we’ve buried — grief, regret, fear, anger — begin to rise to the surface.
But God brings these things up not to wound us, but to heal us.

In solitude, God forms us into the people He has always desired us to become.

⚔️ The Battles of the Soul

In solitude, we face the same three enemies that Scripture names again and again:

1. The world — the noise and distractions that keep us from hearing God.
2. The flesh — the restless desires that crave control and comfort.
3. The devil — the deceiver who distorts truth.

But solitude is where truth starts to win.
When the noise dies down, the voice of God becomes clear again.

🤼‍♂️ Wrestling with God

Solitude isn’t always serene — sometimes, it’s a wrestling match.
One of Scripture’s most profound encounters in solitude happened with Jacob.

Genesis 32:22–30 (NIV)
That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”
Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”
But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there.
So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Jacob’s story is a reminder that solitude may not always feel peaceful.
Sometimes, it feels like a fight — a fight with fear, with guilt, with God Himself.
But notice: Jacob left that encounter limping… and blessed.
The limp became a reminder of grace — that in weakness, he had met the living God.

🕰️ Steps to Practicing Solitude

Solitude rarely happens by accident; it must be chosen intentionally.
Here are simple, practical steps to begin cultivating this rhythm:

1. Schedule Time and Place
   Select a consistent time and a quiet location free from interruptions. Make it part of your daily rhythm.
2. Eliminate Distractions
   Turn off your phone. Silence notifications. Let your family or coworkers know you’ll be unavailable for a short time.
3. Start Small
   Begin with 15–30 minutes. It doesn’t need to be hours — just a moment of intentional presence.
4. Set a Timer
   Use a timer so you’re not tempted to check the clock. This helps your mind settle.
5. Focus Your Attention
   You might focus on your breathing, a short verse, or simply the beauty of your surroundings.
   Let your attention rest on God.
6. Observe and Accept
   When thoughts or emotions arise, don’t fight them. Acknowledge them and gently return to your focus.
   Solitude is not about perfection — it’s about presence.

🌤️ The Rewards of Solitude

What happens when you actually make space for solitude?

• Self-Reflection: You become aware of your inner life — your motives, wounds, and longings.
• Spiritual Growth: You begin to hear God’s voice with clarity.
• Peace and Calm: Studies — and Scripture — show that stillness reduces anxiety and renews strength.
• Identity: You remember who you truly are — a beloved child of God, not defined by productivity or approval.

Solitude restores what hurry steals.

🌿 The Secret Place

Jesus spoke clearly about solitude in His teaching on prayer:

Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)
“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

The “secret place” isn’t necessarily a physical room — it’s a posture of the heart.
It’s any space where you can be honest, unguarded, and still before God.

This might be:

• A park bench at sunrise 🌅
• A quiet walk after work 🚶‍♂️
• A fishing spot 🎣
• Your bedroom late at night 🌙
• Even a locked bathroom if that’s the only quiet spot available 🚪

The place isn’t sacred — His presence is.

💬 Why We Resist Solitude

Even though we long for peace, many of us avoid solitude.
We fill every gap in the day with noise or movement.
Underneath, there’s a deeper battle happening — a push-pull dynamic of the heart.

Part of us desires God and His will.
Another part of us resists Him — wanting to rule our own kingdom.

We say:

“I’m too busy.”
“I’ll pray when I have time.”
“I just can’t slow down.”

But busyness is one of the enemy’s most effective weapons.
Hurry keeps us from hearing the voice that matters most.

We must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from our lives.
The stakes are high — peace or exhaustion, presence or burnout, life or death of the soul.

🎸 Less Is More

In the 1980s, Gibson Guitars ran an ad for their Les Paul model that said,
“Les is more.”

That phrase captures a profound spiritual truth.
When we simplify — when we do less, hurry less, scroll less — we begin to notice more.
More peace.
More awareness.
More of God.

Less noise, more presence.
Less striving, more surrender.
Less distraction, more delight.

🔥 The Fruit of Solitude

Solitude isn’t about escape; it’s about empowerment.
When you retreat with God, you return refreshed and ready to love.

Through solitude we:

• Heal from inner wounds.
• Hear God’s voice more clearly.
• Gain spiritual strength to stand against the enemy.
• Learn to love from overflow rather than exhaustion.

Without the quiet, our spiritual lives wither.
But with it, we come alive to the greatest joy of life — a familiar friendship with Jesus.

💛 Find the Quiet — Find God

Each of the spiritual practices — Sabbath, prayer, fasting, solitude — is designed to keep us connected and aligned with the heart of the Father.

As we make space for the secret place, our souls begin to wake up.
A holy flame starts to burn again.
And in that flame, we rediscover what Jesus meant when He said:

“Come and see.”
— John 1:39 (NIV)

He invites you not just to believe in Him, but to be with Him.
In the quiet.
In the secret place.
In the stillness where His love restores your soul.

So find your secret place — wherever that may be — and go there often.
Fall in love with it.
Fall in love with Him.

Because when you find the quiet,
you’ll find God.