Episode Summary Elder David Boudreaux shares a message about the one time God actually invites us to test Him - in the area of tithing. Using the Emergency Broadcast System as an illustration, he walks through Malachi's final Old Testament message where God challenges His people who have robbed Him through withheld tithes and offerings. This isn't about legalism or a prosperity gospel, but about trusting God as a good steward of all He's given us.

Key Points – The concept of tithing began before the Mosaic Law with Cain, Abel, Abraham, and Jacob giving free-will offerings – God told Israel they were robbing Him by withholding tithes and offerings, resulting in a curse on the nation – In Malachi 3:10, God uniquely invites us to "test Me in this" - to see if He won't open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings – Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial Law, but tithing preceded and remains after the Law as a principle for God's people – God owns everything (100%), but allows us to manage 90% as stewards while the tithe belongs to His house – Giving should be done cheerfully as decided in our hearts, not reluctantly or under compulsion – The poor widow who gave her last two mites understood putting God's kingdom first, trusting Him to provide

Main Takeaway God says "you can't afford not to" tithe. This isn't about legalism or a slot-machine prosperity gospel - it's about being good stewards of what God has already given us. When we give back even a portion of what He's blessed us with, we're testing God's faithfulness and participating in His kingdom work. It's not giving away our stuff; it's giving back from His provision.

Memorable Quotes – "God is saying to them and us… You can't afford not to [tithe]." – "I'm not giving away any portion of my stuff - But I'm giving back a portion of what God has blessed me with." – "God does not normally command us to give everything that belongs to Him. He allows us to keep some 90% as managers or stewards, on his behalf." – "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." – "God called it robbery because they had unlawful possession of what belonged to God." – "If we can't give freely, but only reluctantly, perhaps the Lord would rather not have it." – "The important thing is that we see giving as a privilege and not a burden. It should not be out of a sense of duty, but rather out of love for the Lord and a desire to see His kingdom advanced."

Reflection Question If you're not currently tithing, will you turn to God and talk to Him about starting somewhere - even if 10% doesn't feel possible right now - trusting that He will provide your basic needs while you support His church and kingdom work?

Tune in to hear about the old Emergency Broadcast System that interrupted all three TV channels, why the poor widow's two mites were worth more than the rich people's gifts, and the one time in Scripture where God actually invites us to put Him to the test.

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Episode Summary In this New Year's 2026 message, Pastor Michael shares the story of Ashlyn Blocker, a girl who can't feel pain due to a rare condition, to illustrate spiritual numbness. Through Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we discover how constant exposure to sin desensitizes our conscience until we stop feeling conviction - and that's when we're in the most danger. The good news: God doesn't shame numb hearts, He heals them.

Key Points - Like physical pain warns us of danger, spiritual discomfort alerts us when something is wrong - Ephesian culture normalized immorality through idol worship and occult practices until people were "past feeling" - Modern culture dulls our conscience through constant media exposure, distraction, and redefining moral boundaries - Being "given over to lewdness" means losing the ability to say no to ourselves, not freedom but brake lines cut - Spiritual numbness produces insatiable craving, not contentment

Main Takeaway When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself. Spiritual numbness isn't a sign we're okay - it means our warning system has stopped working. When guilt disappears and conviction fades, that's when we're in the most danger. But God doesn't shame callused hearts; He softens them and gives us new, living hearts.

Memorable Quotes - "When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself." - "The worst stage of sin isn't when it hurts - it's when it stops hurting." - "When God molds our hearts, it's like His Fingerprints are on us. But when our hearts resist God, those fingerprints wear off." - "What Paul called being given over to sensuality, our culture calls 'being true to yourself.'" - "Once you normalize one messed-up behavior, it becomes easier and faster to normalize the next thing." - "That pain is not the enemy. It's the message that you need to pay attention." - "When you stop feeling, you start losing yourself. When Jesus renews your heart, you start finding yourself."

Reflection Question Has your conscience been trying to get your attention about something, and instead of listening, have you been trying to numb it through scrolling, consuming, or distraction?

Tune in to hear the powerful story of Ashlyn Blocker, who can't feel pain, why everything has been weird since Harambe, and how ancient Ephesus eerily mirrors modern American culture.

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Episode Summary In part 4 of our Christmas 2025 series, Pastor Michael presents a hilarious father-daughter skit about a rigged board game to illustrate how humans abuse power. Through Daniel's prophetic vision, we see that earthly empires are like beasts, but Jesus is different - He's the King who earned our trust by arriving in a stable and going to the Cross. The baby in the manger is the cosmic King whose empire will never end.

Key Points - Daniel's vision shows four great empires (Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome) as beasts representing human power - "Son of Man" is Jesus' most used title for Himself - it shows His humanity, humility, and deity - Jesus didn't seize power like earthly rulers - He gave it up, proving He can be trusted with authority - The Ancient of Days (God the Father) presents the entire universe as a kingdom to Jesus - Every earthly empire eventually fails, but Jesus' kingdom is everlasting and will never be destroyed

Main Takeaway Jesus is The King We Can Trust. In a world where authority figures abuse power and let us down, Jesus came in weakness to show He could be trusted with power. He didn't demand trust - He earned it by laying down His life while we were still a mess.

Memorable Quotes - "Jesus is The King We Can Trust." - "Rome ruled by force; Jesus rules by faith. Rome demanded loyalty; Jesus proved Himself worthy of trust." - "The only Person Who can be trusted with ultimate authority is The One Who Is Willing to Sacrifice Himself for others." - "People always think the answer to our problems is a bigger, better beast. In truth, there is only One King we can fully trust. And His Name Is Jesus." - "Jesus did not come armed for battle. He came as a baby. He came in weakness to show He could be trusted with power." - "Jesus doesn't demand your trust. He earns it. He arrived in a stable, and went to the Cross. That's a King you can trust."

Reflection Question If you've been burned by authority figures who let you down, are you ready to trust the One King who came in weakness to prove He could be trusted with power?

Tune in to hear the entertaining "Reindeer Games" skit about a daughter who keeps changing the rules, and discover why comparing Jesus to becoming a mosquito helps us understand the Incarnation.

Connect & Give Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

In part 3 of our Christmas 2025 series, Pastor Michael shares the story of young Matthias witnessing a birth in a stable and discovering how pain can bring life. Through Isaiah 53's prophecy about the suffering Messiah, we see that Jesus came not just to be born, but to endure three kinds of pain on our behalf: rejection, responsibility, and redemption. Christmas celebrates that God stepped into our suffering to transform it.

- Jesus endured the pain of rejection - despised and actively unwanted by those He came to save - Jesus bore the pain of responsibility - carrying our grief, sorrow, and burdens that weren't His own - Jesus suffered the pain of redemption - wounded for our sins as our Substitute on the Cross - The Shockley family places a long iron spike on their tree first to remember why Jesus came

Jesus redeems pain. He doesn't minimize it or shame us for it. He steps into our suffering, takes what was meant for us, and transforms it into forgiveness, freedom, hope, and new life. Our pain is not the end and doesn't have to define us - it can lead us to Jesus.

- "Jesus redeems pain." - "Isaiah 53 is no Hallmark card. It's a promise written in blood." - "People are willing to tolerate the 'nice teacher' version of Jesus, but they reject King Jesus." - "Jesus didn't suffer for His own sins - He didn't have any. He suffered for the very people who rejected Him, and for all of us." - "The deepest wounds don't need stitches - they need grace. The worst pain doesn't need more explanation - it needs redemption." - "Jesus Is God Who Became Man. He took on our wounds, our grief, and our guilt. And He didn't flinch." - "God refuses to waste suffering. The same God Who brought Resurrection out of the pain of The Cross can bring life out of what you're going through."

What pain are you carrying that you need to give to Jesus, trusting Him to redeem it rather than trying to carry it alone?

Tune in to hear the moving story of Matthias witnessing Jesus' birth from outside the stable, and discover the powerful Shockley family tradition of placing a nail on their Christmas tree first.

Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org Give online easily and securely through Tithe.ly

In part 2 of our Christmas 2025 series, Pastor Michael tells the story of Isaac - the original "Son Who Climbed The Mountain" - and reveals how it points directly to Jesus. Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his promised son on Mount Moriah foreshadows God's sacrifice of His own Son on the same mountain centuries later. This isn't just an Old Testament story - it's a Christmas story about faith, provision, and the ultimate Substitute.

- Abraham waited 25 years for the promised son Isaac, learning to trust God's timing

- God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, but was teaching that He provides the sacrifice

- Abraham believed God could raise Isaac from the dead to keep both the command and the promise

- Mount Moriah, where Isaac was spared, is the same location where Jesus died centuries later

- Isaac lived because a ram died in his place; we live forever because Jesus died in our place

Faith climbs the mountain before it sees the miracle. Abraham trusted God enough to take the first step up Mount Moriah, and God provided a substitute sacrifice. We trust Jesus before we understand every detail, and then we receive the miracle of forgiveness, freedom, and new life.

- "Faith climbs the mountain before it sees the miracle."

- "God will show up in your life. Often when you aren't looking for Him, and rarely when it's convenient."

- "God doesn't want to take Abraham's son; He wants to give His Own Son."

- "Abraham answered with a line that echoes through the centuries: 'My son, God Himself will provide the lamb.'"

- "Before the Manger, there was the Mountain. Before the swaddling clothes, there was sacrificial wood on a son's back."

- "God wasn't teaching Abraham to sacrifice his son; He was teaching that HE Provides The Sacrifice."

- "Isaac lived because a ram died in his place. We can live forever because Jesus died in our place."

What mountain is God asking you to climb in faith before you see the miracle?

Tune in to hear the powerful parallel between Isaac and Jesus, why Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie, and how a 99-year-old man's laughter became the name of the promised son.

Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org

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In part 1 of our Christmas 2025 series, Pastor Michael explores the surprising connection between Christmas trees and the Garden of Eden. Through historical research, he reveals that Christmas trees aren't pagan but originated from medieval "Paradise Trees" used in Adam and Eve plays. The real first Christmas tree was in Eden, where God made the first promise of a Savior who would crush the serpent's head.

- Christmas trees originated from medieval Paradise Trees used in biblical plays, not pagan traditions

- The serpent in Eden was Satan himself, whispering the same lies he still whispers today

- Genesis 3:15 contains the first promise of Jesus - the "Protoevangelium" or "First Gospel"

- Jesus would be wounded (crucified) but would crush Satan's head in permanent defeat

- The deadly power of sin began with a tree in Eden and ended with the tree of the Cross

From the first sin, God promised a Savior. The Christmas story doesn't start in Bethlehem - it starts in Eden with God's original commitment to crush evil and redeem humanity. There is no John 3:16 without Genesis 3:15.

- "From the first sin, God promised a Savior."

- "The first Christmas Tree goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. And it wasn't decorated with a star. It was decorated with a snake."

- "God's not interested in holding us back from good things; only from things that will ultimately be destructive."

- "What Jesus offers is not a better kind of religion. Jesus does the work, because we can't save ourselves."

- "Christmas isn't just a Baby in a manger. It's God declaring war on every lie that has ever strangled your heart."

- "The deadly power of sin began with a tree and ended with a tree. It began with the Tree in the Garden, and ended with The Cross of Christ."

What lies is the serpent still whispering to you, and will you choose to believe God's promise of a Savior instead?

Tune in to hear the fascinating historical origins of Christmas trees, why aluminum foil stars and Bigfoot ornaments belong on trees, and how Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of Christmas ever given.

Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org

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In this second Thanksgiving week message, Pastor Michael vulnerably shares his recent struggle with ingratitude and stress that led to chest pain and an ER visit. Through 1 Thessalonians 5:18, he discovers that the command to "give thanks in everything" isn't about pretending life is okay - it's about trusting God no matter what happens. Gratitude isn't just better than ingratitude; it's what transforms our hearts and lives.

- "Give thanks IN everything" means being thankful no matter what happens, not FOR everything that happens

- God doesn't cause painful things, but He can bring good out of anything that happens

- Thankfulness is God's will for us because it's genuinely good for our physical, emotional, and spiritual health

- The real question: Do we worship God, or do we worship the idea that God owes us an easy life?

It's not happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy. Gratitude changes our perspective, strengthens our faith, improves our health, and transforms our lives. When we choose thankfulness even in difficulty, we tap into a greater truth than our circumstances.

- "It's not happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy."

- "Blessings whisper and problems shout."

- "With God, the bad stuff is more than just bad; it gets turned into a plot twist that ultimately works out to a greater ending."

- "Thankfulness helps us frame everything we experience as being in The Hands of a God Who Loves Us."

- "If you think God owes you an easy life, then you're always one traffic jam away from a ruined day."

- "Do we really worship God, or do we worship the idea that God owes us an easy life?"

- "Happiness is having Jesus and being thankful."

Are you living like God owes you an easy life, or are you choosing gratitude even when circumstances are difficult?

Tune in to hear Pastor Michael's honest confession about his ER visit, why pumpkin pie counts as breakfast, and how the elders' prayer transformed his perspective on stress and gratitude.

Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org

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In this Thanksgiving 2025 message, Pastor Michael takes us through the chaotic "Grocery Store Gauntlet" to illustrate how we scramble for resources while forgetting the Source behind them all. Through Jesus' healing of ten lepers, we discover that only one returned to thank Him - and he received not just physical healing but spiritual wholeness. This Thanksgiving, don't just enjoy the resources; return to the Source.

- We get caught up in resources (things we use) and forget the Source (where they come from)

- Jesus healed ten lepers as they walked in faith, showing that healing often comes as we move forward with God

- Ten men received physical healing, but only one - a Samaritan outsider - returned to thank Jesus

- The one who returned got healed on the inside, not just the outside

USE the Resource, TRUST the Source. Every good thing in our lives - money, jobs, health, family, material possessions - are resources to use wisely and be thankful for. But our true security doesn't come from resources that can run out; it comes from Jesus, the Source who will never run out on us.

- "USE the RESOURCE, TRUST the SOURCE."

- "Thankfulness doesn't start in your cart — it starts in your heart."

- "If your gratitude depends on your resources, it's always at risk; but if your gratitude is based in THE Source, it doesn't matter how much or how little you have."

- "So much of the time, healing comes AS WE GO. The Lord brings change to our lives AS WE WALK WITH HIM."

- "They all recognized the RESOURCE, but only one recognized THE SOURCE. Ten men used the resource, but only one returned to The Source. They got healed on the outside. He got healed on the inside."

- "Resources can run out. Jesus Is THE SOURCE of everything good, and He will never run out on you."

Are you living like the nine who used the blessing and moved on, or like the one who returned to thank the Source of all blessings?

Tune in to hear Pastor Michael's hilarious "Grocery Store Gauntlet" story featuring grandmothers battling over cranberry sauce, a dad lost in the chaos, and the world's greatest uncle fighting for dinner rolls.

Learn more about ReCreate Church at www.recreatechurch.org

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