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Mental Help

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by Jeremy McGarity in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Cultivating a Healthy Mind

Rooted Sermon Series

Mental health is a very important topic that must be talked about in the church. I know it’s a touchy subject but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about it. If the Bible talks about it, you can bet Skyline Church is going to talk about it! Right now, we’re in a teaching series called, Rooted. I believe that God is far more concerned in changing our minds than changing our circumstances. We want God to take us out of the difficult situation or remove that “thorn in our side” but God is more interested in changing your mind about the situation than in changing the situation. 

Some of these statistics may alarm you as to why this is subject is so important right now …

Statistics: Since COVID …

  • Between the ages of 12-17, the suicide rate has gone up 51%
  • Domestic violence has increased 30%
  • Addictions and substance abuse are on the rise and overdose deaths in California far surpass Covid deaths.

AND … research anticipates 75,000 “deaths of despair” in 2022. Why? Because people are losing hope. We said it since the beginning, you’ve got to have hope to cope. 

The consequences COVID has had on our society have specifically made an impression on our mental health. What are we going to do about it? 

Cultivate Our Minds

If we’re going to have a strong-rooted faith, then we must WORK at it. It’s important that we actually cultivate a healthy mind. Look what Romans 12:2 says,

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Romans 12:2
Notice it says, “let” God. Have you recently said the prayer, “Whatever You want God”? OR “Not my will but Yours.” God is far more interested in changing your mind than changing your circumstances. 
You may be taking a look at our country and see it getting worse and worse. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it may actually get worse folks. But I also have Good News for you. Christ has already overcome the world so that YOU can have peace! Instead of losing faith, we need to cultivate our minds to be healthier and stronger. There’s more to life than what happens TO us. God wants to do something IN us. He wants to renew your mind!

The Bark Beetles Of Life

Bark Beetle Size

Those of you in California, and some other states, know about the Bark Beetle. This tiny insect (around half a centimeter) is so small that you can’t see where it’s entered a tree. Once inside, it slowly eats its way to the core of the tree, cutting off the nutrient flow the tree needs to not only thrive but survive. It can be weeks, months, or even years before evidence of the Bark Beetle is detected. 

It’s no different when it comes to our minds. We need to be diligent in protecting our minds from the Bark Beetles of life. At first, we make little compromises and the bark beetle makes its tiny self a home inside our head. It be months or years before it’s even noticed. Then, over time, we become desensitized to how our choices are affecting us because we can’t see how the “Bark Beetles of Life” are cutting off our main nutrient source—Christ. Listen, if you don’t do the work of cultivating your mind, the devil will be glad to do it for you. It takes work to keep the beetles of lust, greed, anger, worry and other sins out. 

Take A Stand

This isn’t easy for some of you to hear because you’re going to have to change some habits. You’re going to have to stop meditating on gossip, half-truths, or even lies you’ve believed since childhood. Understand, your feelings do not shape your life, your beliefs do. So, it doesn’t even matter if it’s something true, if you believe it, you’re living that belief. If someone said something about you as a child and you believed it, whether it was good or bad, it has affected your life. Some people were told they were useless or would never amount to anything and they believed that and it has affected their life. I want to encourage you to take a stand and say no more. Do not live your life based on the lies of the past. Live your life based on what God says about you! You are loved, cherished, important, and God has a specific purpose for your life.

Paul reminds us in Philippians 1:21, “… to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Let Christ be your purpose for walking this life. Being a Christian is not always easy. If you recently dedicated your life to Christ, you may be sensing life is getting a little harder right now. That’s because the devil wants you to throw in the towel. But I’m here to tell you to take heart and have hope because Christ has overcome the world! 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

You’ll Never Walk Alone

One thing that’s truly great about being a part of the church family is that we can walk this life together. There are a lot of people struggling with mental health right now and we want to help you. But we need to know. Fill out a Connection Card, call us, and come meet with our counseling team.  I don’t know how long this craziness of Covid and variants and fear tactics will continue, but it doesn’t have to affect our mental health. Again, I believe that God is far more concerned with changing our minds than changing our circumstances.  We can overcome with Christ’s help.

And if you haven’t said the prayer, “Whatever You want God,” I want to challenge you to say it today. It’s time to let go of control and trust Him. Additionally, take charge of what kind of information you’re letting into your mind. Put aside the manure of life and turn to that good organic compost of the Word of God.

NEXT WEEK

For those of you who live in Southern California, I want to invite you to wear your favorite jersey to either service on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13! We’re going to have some fun with that, and I need to know who I should be praying for! Amen? 

For those of you who attended Membership Dinner, we’re excited to have you join us for Step 2! I’ve created a Game Plan for Your Growth that has 7 classes to guide you in spiritual growth. While I’d really like you to get through all seven classes, I especially hope you complete the first four Core Steps. We had hundreds of people join us for Step 1, Membership Dinner, last month and we are looking forward to hosting another dinner on March 30th. So, if you haven’t been to one yet, just click the link and make sure you sign up for that! Everyone has a next step of faith. What’s yours? Let me know in the comments. 


See you on Sunday!
Love,

Pastor Jeremy

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4 Common Questions from Skyline Visitors

05 Tuesday Oct 2021

Posted by Jeremy McGarity in Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

As a Pastor, I get A LOT of questions. And they are all good ones (well, most of them), so keep them coming. You can fill out a Connection Card, catch me in the lobby in-between services, or comment below and I’d be happy to answer that question you’ve been itching to ask!

You may have heard that our word of the year at Skyline Church is THRIVE––as we head into the final stretch of the year….man have we thrived as a church body over the past nine months. We recently had another Baptism and Membership Dinner.  Every week we are growing and reaching more and more people for Jesus Christ. It’s truly incredible. Which is why I wanted to touch base with you about some questions that I’ve received recently that include 10/10/10, Baptisms, Bible Translations, Vaccine Exemptions, and can a Raider fan get into heaven? (well most of these are addressed).

10/10/10

Q: I’ve been hearing about 10/10/10 what is it?

A: This weekend on October 10 we will be kicking off our Fall Campaign called 10/10/10. As part of this kickoff, we have a ton of fun planned for your kids this Sunday. It’s a huge celebration event this weekend as we embark on the vision for our church over the next 10 years. I’m excited to share the vision over the next six Sundays and I can’t wait to tell you all God has put on my heart for the future of Skyline Church as we embark on something that is so much bigger than ourselves. When Jesus said, “I have come to seek and save the lost….” He meant it…and so do we. 10/10/10 is all about the strategic plan to “Light up the Scoreboard in Heaven.“

Baptism

Q: Should I get baptized if I was sprinkled as a baby?

A: If you’ve wondered about this as well, you are not alone. Did you know that about 30% of Skyline Church has a Catholic background? It’s important to know though, that sprinkling a baby is not a biblical baptism. It could be considered a child dedication, but it is not a baptism. The Bible tells us to “Believe and be baptized…” That means when someone actually knows what they are doing, they are to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in obedience and be baptized.

I also was sprinkled as a baby. But, I did not know what it was or what it meant and I certainly did not believe at that time. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home or even a religious environment –superstitious maybe, but not spiritual. Yet, after accepting the Lord as a young adult there came a time where I had to put on the team colors of Jesus Christ and say, “This is my team, this is who I play for!” A biblical baptism means that you made the conscious decision to choose Jesus as your Lord and Savior. 

Side note: With our Child Dedications coming just around the corner, I want to be clear that we do dedicate infants and children at Skyline twice a year (in the spring and fall). But this is not a decision made for the child, it is not a sprinkling, and it is definitely not a baptism. This is an opportunity for the parents to come before the church and make a public decision to raise up their child to know Jesus. This also gives the church an opportunity to see your family, pray for you, and acknowledge that as the body of Christ, we too are dedicated to helping you raise your child in the faith.

This year we have had the honor of baptizing over 235 people. Some of you have already started to sign up for our next baptism.  If you have any other questions about baptism and whether or not it’s the next step for you, we’d be happy to answer any of your questions.

And yes, if you’re a Raider fan, I will hold you under the water a little bit longer to ensure you’re washed clean of all sin and unrighteousness. The score from Monday Night in case you missed it:  (Chargers 28, Raiders 14) just sayin’. 

Translations

Q: What Bible translation do you use?

A:  You’ll notice on the sermon notes we pass out on Sundays that I may use several Bible translations. Typically, we use the New Living Translation, New International Version, Message Paraphrase, and New American Standard Bible among others. These give a good mix of Dynamic, Formal, and Paraphrase translations to help anyone at any level of their faith journey grasp the Word of God.

One of the reasons for this is because when I first started reading the Bible I was on the road with the St. Louis Cardinals in Georgia. A teammate of mine recommended that I start reading the Bible. The only Bible available to me was the one sitting on the nightstand in my hotel room. I picked up a King James version and was instantly turned away by the formal language. It was not a language that I spoke so I thought the Bible wasn’t for me. I never want that to be the case for a new person at Skyline. 

Did you know that the average reading level in San Diego is 4th grade? To use a translation that is too formal for the context of which it is being spoken is pastoral malpractice. Jesus always spoke in the Lingua Franca which was the “language of the day” or “bridge language.” As a pastor, I want to build bridges to help people grasp the Word of God and I want to make sure I’m communicating clearly and accurately to those who are listening to the Word of God. The Bible was not originally written in English. So I’m always looking for clear lingua franca translations of verses I’m using, without losing accuracy, so that it can be quickly applied to the listener’s lives.

Religious Vaccine Exemptions

Q: Is Skyline giving information on Vaccine exemptions?

A: Yes. At Skyline Church, we talk about hard topics because the Bible talks about hard topics. Every week, I am getting calls and messages from people in our church that are facing pressure for various reasons to get the COVID Vaccine. As I’ve already written about in previous blogs, the choice should be yours. Not the governments, not your employer, yours and yours alone. Many of you have followed up with us to let us know that your exemption has been approved! We have legal counsel in support of our stance and we are fighting the good fight for so many people who are being unlawfully threatened with the loss of their jobs. For those of you who are still going through the process, please let us know so we can be praying for you. If you’re needing additional information about Religious Vaccine Exemptions, you can call our offices at (619) 660-5000. 

So thankful for you! Let’s continue to light up the scoreboard in Heaven together!

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Interested or Committed?

22 Wednesday Jul 2020

Posted by Jeremy McGarity in comfort, grow, mission, Uncategorized, vision

≈ 5 Comments

What are you expecting God to do in your life?

There’s a law that God has established … I call it “the law of expectation.” The fact is, we tend to get what we “expect” out of life. We often see what we expect to see, hear what we expect to hear, feel the way we expect to feel, and succeed at what we expect to succeed in. God says you get to choose! It’s actually “the law of faith,” because “according to your faith it will be done to you” (Matthew 9:29). 

In Luke 17:5, we see the apostles ask the Lord to increase their faith! They had no idea how difficult that would be for them. The problem with acquiring more faith is the process.  We all want more faith, but nobody likes what it takes to get there. 

“There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in something you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something you accept no excuses, only results.” 

–– Ken Blanchard

During this time of Covid craziness you might be wondering what God is up to in all of this. How is He going to use this for good, how in the world is my faith supposed to grow through this time? Well, that depends. Are you interested or committed to growing your faith? The next natural question is how does God increase our faith? … He tests it!

Everyday we have faith building opportunities. And, these times of quarantine, open, close, reopen, do this, don’t do that, can drive any person crazy. But, we have to be committed to seeing these problems as faith building opportunities.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t recognize conflicts or hardships as opportunities. Instead, we let our circumstances push us away from God. I believe this time of quarantine is more than a season of conflict, hardship, and restrictions. It’s actually a faith building opportunity!

You see, faith is like a muscle. It has to be worked out, stretched, and pulled with resistance … consistently. Just like consistency is key in getting bigger and stronger muscles, consistency is key in working out your faith muscle! In fact, James 1:3-4 reminds us of this when it says “… the testing of your faith produces perseverance … so that you may be mature and complete …”

A faith that stretches is uncomfortable, but it’s also healthy! Look at your faith like a tree. It requires nurturing and ultimately we hope to produce delicious fruit. But fruits don’t arrive over night. It’s the wind, rain, and storms that challenge the tree’s roots to go deeper and stabilize the tree before the season of harvest returns. 

I want to encourage you to continue to follow Jesus and live out Colossians 2:6-7 which says, 

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.” 

Let the roots of your faith grow deeper throughout this time of Covid, no matter how long it lasts. If you are committed, your faith WILL become stronger. I’m confident that this time of quarantine is an opportunity that will lead you to trust God more than you ever have before. Use this time to allow your roots of faith to ‘grow’ to a whole new level.

The reason that your faith needs testing is because God wants to increase it! God is never going to say “you’ve arrived,” “there’s nothing else for you,” or “that’s all I have to teach you” … He’s always going to want us to take that next step of faith!

So let me ask you again … What are you expecting God to do in your life? Are you interested in Him working in your life or committed? Can you hang in there a little longer, lean on Him a little more, and trust Him to come through? Will you do it with an expectant heart knowing that He has promised to move according to your committed faith?

I am believing that your faith is going to grow in new ways and we’re going to come out of this season stronger than ever! I’m committed to it, and I expect it!

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Prescription for Change

09 Thursday Jul 2020

Posted by Jeremy McGarity in comfort, grow, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Did you know that in a typical year about 2,000 self-help books come out on the market? Advertisers know that everybody is interested in change. The thing about self-help books and even many of the self-help podcasts out there, is that they tell you to stop doing this and start doing that, which is usually good advice, but the problem is they don’t give you the power to change.

We all have areas that we wish we could change but we’ve just been unable to do it. It may be sexual desires, drinking, spending, eating, or our moodiness to name a few. You name it, and we’ve probably tried to change it. So, why do we do what we don’t want to do? It’s an old question that the Apostle Paul asked in the book of Romans. Today, we’re going address that question by looking at three things:

  1. The Problem: Why we do what we don’t want to do
  2. God’s Promise: Getting a true understanding to overcome the problem
  3. The Prescription (Hey, I’m a Doctor, I can do that): The HOW to live in God’s promises

Join me in Romans 7:15-25: Paul writes,

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

 Let’s talk brass tacks … 

  1. The Problem is that we have a sinful nature in us. What does that mean exactly? It means there’s a civil war going on in us, a war of our flesh against our spirit (Matthew 26:41). This war draws us into a cycle of starting off with good intentions, but then we fail, which leads to guilt. And then it repeats … good intentions, failure, guilt. 
  2. God’s Promise is in John 8:32 , “… the truth will set you free.” The secret to personal change is not “will power.” It’s not a pill, a new year’s resolution, a vow, it’s not even something you say or do. Personal freedom is achieved through knowledge. It’s something you know! When you know the truth, the lies you’ve come to believe are exposed and you can break free from the problems that have held you back from the change you’re looking for. 
  3. When the Prescription is taken, we can live in God’s promise and purpose for our life. Here’s the prescription, take A,B,C,D every time you want to change something about yourself.

A: Acknowledge the root of the problem. 
B: Believe Jesus can change you. 
C: Confess your struggle to another person. 
D: Dedicate yourself completely to Jesus.

Each of these steps are very important. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Acknowledge the sin today. But don’t lose yourself in a cycle of good intentions, failure, and guilt. Believe that Jesus can change you. Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Now, I understand, this next step can be hard, but we’re not meant to do life alone. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). When you completely dedicate yourself to Jesus Christ, you’ll experience the one and only God that keeps His promises.  

You DO have the power to change through Jesus Christ. And you can start TODAY!

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The Most Important Answer

08 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by Jeremy McGarity in Christian Habits, Decisions For Christ, Holiday, Oikos

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

COVI, Easter, Good Friday, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Palm Sunday, Resurrection Sunday

Why is it that over 3 billion people are celebrating this week around the globe? As we turn our attention to Holy Week, the most important week in Christianity, I’m confident there are some of you reading this who may not understand the significance of Holy Week. Or, you have someone in your Oikos (relational network) who could use a link to this blog because they just don’t “get what it’s all about.”  There are also those who would say they are Christian, but they are not sure about Jesus entirely and they are apathetic about the pursuit of the full truth in Christ. 

And, there are those out there that would say they are agnostic, which is a person that believes nothing is known or can be known about God. While the agnostic or apathetic belief system may be a convenient one, it certainly will not get you the answer to the most important question. When it comes to your faith or the lack thereof: What you believe about Jesus is the most important thing in your life. It has implications for this life and the life to come.

Briefly, let me give you an overview of Holy Week. Our attention turns to this miraculous week on Palm Sunday, one week before Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matthew 21:5-9) as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as predicted in Zechariah 9:9, some FIVE centuries before it actually happened: 

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.
Continuing into Holy Week leads us to Thursday, traditionally known as Maundy Thursday. Jesus uses the setting of the Last Supper to be an example by washing the disciples feet before the meal. It reminds us of when Jesus said  “I have come to serve, not to be served” Mark 10:45. Maundy Thursday also signifies the remembrance of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus had with the disciples before he would be arrested later that night.  Maundy comes from the latin, mandatum meaning “Commandment” which comes from Jesus’ words on that Holy Thursday, in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another.” 

Good Friday is typically a more sepulchral or subdued time where we as Christians reflect on all that Christ did for us in taking our sins on himself and suffering the punishment and death we deserved on the cross. This is a time of worship, communion, reflection and prayer in churches (online this year) and homes across the world.

Then Sunday, that life-changing, world changing day when Jesus Christ rose from the grave and proved he is who he said he is…God in the flesh, forgiver of sins, giver of hope, purpose and life.

So, why are over 3 billion people celebrating this week? They have figured out the answer to the most important question in life when it comes to Jesus Christ. 

The most important thing you have to figure out about Jesus is this … 
Is He God or is He a fraud? 
Let me give you an example: If I said, “Hi, my name’s Jeremy and I teach the Bible and it IS going to help you,” … you could probably buy that. You may even say (if I paid you enough) that, “Hey, Jeremy’s a good teacher.” But if I said, Hey my name’s Jeremy, I teach the Bible, because, by the way, “I’m God,” … you’d have a decision to make! Am I who I say I am, or am I a fraud? Because a “good teacher” in their right mind, would never say that they are God. Yet Jesus did say that. 
Colossians 1:15 claims that Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the father.” That’s an audacious statement! He claimed to be God many times, even in John 10:30 when he said, “I and the Father are one.“
So, Jesus, although he was a good teacher, he never claimed to be just a good teacher. He actually claimed he was God! That leaves humanity with a decision to make, is Jesus who he said he is or is he a fraud? 

If you’ve been around Christianity you’ll recall this argument. It’s the Liar, Lunatic or Lord argument, and I’ve added another “L”, Likable. It goes like this, Jesus is either a Liar … a Lunatic … or he is the Lord. For many people, they may say, “Well, I don’t think he is a Liar, or I don’t think he is a Lunatic, but I can’t say he’s the Lord.  But I would say he is likable. He taught good things, moral things, he was gentle, he helped people, yeah, he’s likable.” 

But, here’s the problem, Jesus doesn’t leave us with the option of “Likable.” Although he certainly is, he said, “I am God, and when you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” That leaves you with a decision to make.  He is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or he is the Lord of the universe that over 3 billion people are celebrating this week.  The answer to that question in your life, is the most important one you will ever give.

I want to encourage you if you’re apathetic or agnostic or even an honest atheist, to dig, do your own research on Jesus, dig into the claims of Christ. Who knows, you just might find what you’ve been looking for all along; Peace, purpose, happiness, and what over 3 billion people are celebrating this week, salvation in Jesus Christ.

If you want more information please tune in to our Live Good Friday service this Friday (April 10) at 7:00pm PST and our Easter Sunday services at 9:00am, 10:30am, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm PST, all available on http://www.skylinechurch.org.
God bless you, happy Holy Week, and keep your head up, we’re going to get through this Coronavirus together.

Jeremy

And if you’re interested in getting baptized, let me know by filling out our Connection Card. Just check Baptism in the Next Steps section and we’ll get connected!

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Summer Break-ing
Proud of my boy @aidan_mcgarity now on to @mastersuniversity
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St. Louis. great conference, for the most part, @wesleyanchurch lots still to change but a lot of good came out of this gathering as well. This is a movement (denomination) committed to the primacy of the Lord Jesus Christ and the inerrancy of Scripture! Two non-negotiables for me, for @skylinechurch and many other churches. Glad to see the WC reaffirm this at general conference. Also, catching a Cardinals game was a nice side benefit as well as seeing an the actual Red Bird when we arrived in STL. And the Gateway Arch is truly amazing… a marvel of engineering genius.
Christ-honoring, beautiful wedding on the bay in San Diego @tiffypics @lawbates … well done!
Weaknesses That Bite
You Can Still Respond
158 people went public with their faith in Christ by being baptized today @skylinechurch …158!! Many people truly experienced Easter this year! #HeisRisen

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