KILLING THE SAUL WITHIN Dr. Jessica Fernandez | Springcreek Church November 6, 2022 What do you do when someone in your life makes it difficult for you to be around them? When they have caused you frustration, heartache, and pain? When nothing you do seems to please them and it almost feels like they are setting you up for failure? Young David, in the Bible, knew exactly what this felt like. Nothing he did ever pleased King Saul and it was Saul’s insecurity and jealousy that caused him to fervently chase David and try to kill him multiple times. David’s first instinct could have been to kill Saul but instead he recognizes that he must kill the Saul within. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1.) We have all dealt with difficult people. In dealing with them, how did you respond? Do you regret responding that way? What could you do differently? What did you learn about yourself from that experience? 2.) Saul’s insecurity led him to continuously chase David with the goal of ultimately killing him. Some people use insecurity as an opportunity to work on the reasons why they feel insecure. Others react to their insecurity by reacting to others in a negative way. In what ways have you reacted to insecurity in the past? Was the reaction positive or negative? Was anyone hurt in the process? 3.) When David was being chased by Saul for years and years, he had the opportunity to kill Saul multiple times. David preferred life as a fugitive away from home and obedient to God, rather than on the throne in disobedience to God’s commands. What does this statement mean to you? https://www.springcreekchurch.org/ #realspringcreekchurch #killingthesaulwithin #saul #david #difficult #jealousy #insecurity #obedience #dotherightthing #kindness #mercy

STRENGTH IN SOLITUDE Pastor Jessica Fernandez, PhD. September 11, 2022 There are many times in life when we experience loneliness - times when we feel alone, empty, and disconnected. On the contrary, solitude is a sense of deep connection with our God where we find a sense of belonging. Jesus often spent time in silence and solitude to encounter the Father. Loneliness is dependent on what is happening around us, whereas solitude is time alone that is focused solely on our dependence on God. In times of loneliness, encountering the Father produces strength in solitude. 1. SOLITUDE IS GOD’S REMEDY FOR LONELINESS. “Like many other feelings in our lives, it’s easier to experience it than to define it. Loneliness is being all by yourself even when you’re surrounded by people. Loneliness is a feeling of isolation even in the midst of a crowd. You feel unwanted. You feel unneeded. You feel as though there’s nothing to live for. You feel as though nobody really cares anymore. That’s loneliness. Loneliness eats away at the inner person. It saps you of strength. It robs you of hope, Loneliness, as it were, puts a wall around you no matter how free you may be.” - Warren Wiersbe 2. LONELINESS IS NOT BEING ALONE, BUT FEELING ALONE. You can BE alone and not FEEL lonely at all. “I found solitary confinement the most forbidding (hostile) aspect of prison life. There is no end and no beginning; there is only one’s mind, which can begin to play tricks. Was that a dream or did it really happen? One begins to question everything.” - Nelson Mandela “Solitude is a gift from God, but isolation is a tool of the enemy.” - Carey Nieuwhof 3. IN TIMES OF LONELINESS, ENCOUNTERING THE FATHER PRODUCES STRENGTH IN SOLITUDE. “If we possess inward solitude we do not fear being alone, for we know that we are not alone. Neither do we fear being with others, for they do not control us. In the midst of noise and confusion, we are settled into a deep inner silence. Whether alone or among people, we always carry with us a portable sanctuary of the heart.” - Richard Foster • If Jesus, the son of God, the savior of the world had made time to connect with God, without distractions, how much more do we need to be practicing the spiritual discipline of solitude? • If time with God is so important and beneficial - why is it so hard? “Solitude is the Spiritual Discipline of voluntarily and temporarily withdrawing to privacy for spiritual purposes. The period of solitude may last only a few minutes or for days. As with silence, solitude may be sought in order to participate without interruption in other Spiritual Disciplines, or just to be alone with God.” - Donald S. Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life 4. IN THE BUSYNESS AND CRAZINESS OF OUR LIVES, HOW CAN WE DISCONNECT AND UNPLUG TO PRACTICE SOLITUDE? --- DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Have there been times when you thought you were engaging in solitude and you were actually isolating yourself? 2. Have there been specific times when engaging in solitude gave you the strength to deal with certain situations? Or, has God revealed to you areas in your life that need to be dealt with? 3. What are some strategies you can implement in your life to increase time in solitude? https://www.springcreekchurch.org/ #realspringcreekchurch #strengthinsolitude #solitude #loneliness #lonely #God #connection #belonging #strength

COMMUNITY IN THE CALM Called to Community - Part 4 Lead Associate Pastor Jessica Fernandez, PhD July 24, 2022 The time to build a storm shelter is not in the storm, it’s before the storm! What happens when we find security in the routine of our lives? When we become comfortable with the mundane and we find excuses not to engage in community because it doesn’t fit into our schedule. The time to prepare for a crisis is before it happens, in the monotony of life. So, what’s your excuse? Series: Called to Community We often use phrases like “let’s do life together!” Yet, what does that really mean? This series will discuss the importance of being connected with others in community whether we are in crisis or not. But not all community is created equal and may come in ways that we have not thought about before. God calls us to be connected so that we can provide support, encouragement, and objective perspectives as we live our lives together through all life’s circumstances. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. When thinking about holy apathy, have there been times in your life that you recognize now as times of holy apathy? 2. When identifying some reasons for not joining a group, which one resonates with you the most? 3. Today, we have discussed various ways for you to be in community and create community. What are some ways that you are excited about trying to create community? What makes you nervous or apprehensive to be in community? ----- Engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 BAPTISM: Text BAPTISM to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text GROUPS to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 GIVE: Text GIVE to 96995 Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church, 2660 Belt Line Road, Garland, TX 75044 https://www.springcreekchurch.org/ #realspringcreekchurch #calledtocommunity #community #calamity #findingtherightcommunity #thisaintit #wisdomincommunity #wisdom #friends #wise #spiritualwisdom #communityinthecalm #calm #storm #prepare #areyouready #excuses

Community in Calamity Called to Community - Part 1 Springcreek Church | Lead Associate Pastor Jessica Fernandez, PhD Sunday, July 3, 2022 What do you do when you’re in crisis? Do you isolate yourself? Do you hide when everything is falling apart? In the book of Ruth, Naomi finds herself in a crisis when her husband and her two sons die. Without anyone to care for her and her daughter-in-laws, she decided to go back home because she understood the power of community. Her community sustained her during this difficult time but not just her, but for her daughter-in-law, who was considered an outsider to the Jewish people. This community birthed hope in their lives when the situation and circumstances seemed hopeless. Series: Called to Community We often use phrases like “let’s do life together!” Yet, what does that really mean? This series will discuss the importance of being connected with others in community whether we are in crisis or not. But not all community is created equal and may come in ways that we have not thought about before. God calls us to be connected so that we can provide support, encouragement, and objective perspectives as we live our lives together through all life’s circumstances. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Think about a time or event that you considered a crisis? How did you get through that? 2. What did that situation reveal about the infrastructure of your community? 3. What are some reasons that have held you back from really being connected to a community of believers? ----- Engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 BAPTISM: Text BAPTISM to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text GROUPS to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 GIVE: Text GIVE to 96995 Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church, 2660 Belt Line Road, Garland, TX 75044 https://www.springcreekchurch.org/ #realspringcreekchurch #calledtocommunity #community #calamity

#BlessedBrokenness #beatitudes #blessed #brokenness #poverty #grief #meekness #loss #comfort #healing #Jesus #humility #gentleness #attitude #faith #God #promises Blessed Brokenness of Meekness BLESSED BROKENNESS - Part 3 SERIES: BLESSED BROKENNESS Go online and search the term #blessed and you’ll see a lot of vehicles, vacations, partying, and evidently, #blessed is also a code word for “take a selfie using duck lips.” But what strikes me about the way we define the blessed life is how absolutely incongruent it is with how Jesus described it. The beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount are the most extensive teaching Jesus ever did on what it means to be blessed. He described the blessed life as poverty, mourning, meekness, hunger, and persecution – hardly the things we associate with blessings. Yet the Jesus’ way is the only true path to the blessings of God. Join us this weekend as we discover the secret to the blessed life. PART 3 - BLESSED BROKENNESS OF MEEKNESS In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Though society doesn’t value meekness, God honors the meek and is demonstrated when we treat others with humility and gentleness. Meekness not only involves our attitude towards people, but it reveals our attitude towards God. It displays strength under the control of God. It is a form of submission to God’s unwavering sovereignty. You will never fully be all that you can be, and all that God wants you to be, until the power of your personality and the force of your convictions come under God’s control. The meek shall inherit the earth by experiencing joy through every circumstance by having faith, confidence, and hope that God will keep his promises now and in the future. Join us this weekend as we discover strength in meekness. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. The true meaning of meekness is humility that rests in God and rejects the temptation to be self-sufficient, self-righteous, and prideful while trying to achieve all our wants and desires. When we think about the true meaning of meekness, do you believe that you hold this Christ-like attribute? If you are meek, how did you cultivate that? If you’re not meek, how are you going to cultivate that? 2. Kristin Schmucker describes the promise of inheriting the earth perfectly when she says, “The kingdom of God is now, and the kingdom of God is coming. It is already and not yet. He reigns now in our hearts, and someday, He will rule over every part of creation. The kingdom of God is in us because He is in us.” What are the benefits of inheriting the earth now and the benefits of inheriting the earth later? 3. “Makarios” describes joy which is serene, untouchable, and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life. How can we cultivate that type of joy in our lives? Download and use the SPRINGCREEK CHURCH APP for interactive message notes, online giving, events, and so much more! Get all the info you need at your fingertips! Or, engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text CG to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 GENEROSITY: Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church, 2660 Belt Line Road, Garland, TX 75044 Thank you for the culture of generosity that exists here because of you! https://www.springcreekchurch.org/​​​​​​ #RealSpringcreekChurch

CATFISH: Who Are You, Really? Sunday, March 13, 2022 In a digital world with endless filters, photo editing software, and unrealistic expectations, you can fabricate the perfect profile and choose whoever you want to be. But the real question is, who are you, really? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. There are so many subtle ways that we may have been deceptive to obtain an outcome that we desire. Maybe we lied or exaggerated on a job application. Maybe we enhanced a dating profile. Or maybe you met someone who you are really interested in and you presented yourself as someone that you’re really not. Or have you used Instagram filters that make us look way younger, way skinnier, and way cuter than what we really are to portray something we’re not? In what subtle ways have you been deceptive for our own selfish gain? Who are you pretending to be with other people? 2. Have you ever heard the saying “Denial is not a river in Egypt”? Denial is the refusal to admit the truth or reality of something. Maybe it’s concerning our health? “I’m overweight because of my medication.” Actually, it’s because you eat 5,000 calories a day. Or you tell yourself, I need 3 glasses of wine at night to help relieve my stress. But in reality, you’ve been thinking about those 3 glasses of wine since you woke up. Or we even train ourselves to look happy and content when we’re not. Are there some things that you are in denial about concerning your true condition? 3. Though God knows every thought and emotion that we experience, are there things that you have not confessed to God or asked Him to address in your life? Are there thoughts, emotions, and/or struggles that you can’t even verbalize to God? Download and use the SPRINGCREEK CHURCH APP for interactive message notes, online giving, events, and so much more! Get all the info you need at your fingertips! Or, engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text CG to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 GENEROSITY: Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church, 2660 Belt Line Road, Garland, TX 75044 https://www.springcreekchurch.org/​​​​​​ #RealSpringcreekChurch #realspringcreekchurch #catfish #whoareyou #filters #expectations #profile #pretending #fake #real #hope #love #Jesus #God

IS YOUR FIRE FADING? Consumed - Part 1 Springcreek Church | Lead Associate Pastor Jessica Fernandez, PhD Sunday, April 24, 2022 What happens when our fire for God begins to fade? When that excitement we once felt in our first love with Jesus is like a distant memory? We will discuss the symptoms of a fading fire and atmosphere we’ve created to contribute to our dwindling flame. We must surrender to the Holy Spirit which is our true source of life! SERIES: CONSUMED What happens when your fire for God begins to diminish? Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. The Bible says, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Over the next two weeks, we will dive into the conversation of recognizing the symptoms of when our fire and passion for God is diminishing and how to set a fire when it’s gone out! We get all of God, but does God get all of us? Discussion Questions In the Bible, Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit’s power and presence. Fire illuminates, warms, refines, purifies and can transform material to a completely different form than how it started off. The fire that’s described is the power of His presence that dwells in our hearts, that passion for His presence, the power that produces purity. How do you personally know, when your fire is fading? We get ALL of the Holy Spirit but does the Holy Spirit have all of you? What things in your life are in place of the Holy Spirit? How do we know if we are walking in the Spirit? Do the people around you see fruit in your life? ----- Engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 EASTER RECAP: Text EASTER to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text GROUPS to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 GENEROSITY: Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church, 2660 Belt Line Road, Garland, TX 75044 https://www.springcreekchurch.org/ #realspringcreekchurch #consumed #isyourfirefading #dwindling #fire #flame #surrender #sourceoflife #life #symptoms #passion #God #Jesus #Father #Son #HolySpirit

Springcreek Church Presents: The Gift of Christ December 19-26, 2021 Gather with us for a magical week of online worship with a purpose. Enjoy a time of worship at home with family and friends as members of our leadership team host and feature amazing musical artists and local community partners each night. December 19 | 7PM – Night of Worship December 20 | 7PM – Country & Carols December 21 | 7PM – Kinda Late Night w/NextGen December 22 | 7PM – Night of Remembrance December 23 | 7PM – Jingles & Jazz December 24 | 7PM – Family Worship Night December 25 | 10AM - Christmas Devotional December 26 | 10AM – Online Christmas Message (*All times are CST) Download and use the SPRINGCREEK CHURCH APP for interactive message notes, online giving, events, and so much more! Get all the info you need at your fingertips! Or, engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text CG to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church 2660 Belt Line Road Garland, TX 75044 Thank you for the culture of generosity that exists here because of you! https://www.springcreekchurch.org/​​​​​​ #RealSpringcreekChurch

If Luke included the shepherds in his gospel, then they must be devout, honorable men and women to be privileged by God to receive such a grandiose announcement about the birth of Jesus. But on the contrary, shepherding had changed from a family business like in David’s time, to an occupation that nobody wanted or respected. Luke likes to point out extreme differences or contrasts to strongly emphasize the message that God uses the most unlikely of people. He shows us that the birth of Jesus changes everything and everyone including the shepherds. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. “There is testimony in the contrast, and there is power in the testimony.” Sharing our faith can be difficult at times and there can be many challenges. What challenges have you faced in sharing your faith? Are there some ways that you have overcome these challenges? The testimony of the shepherds results in three responses; astonishment, pondering, and praise of the community. 2. Does the testimony of the birth of Jesus astonish you? Do you believe that your testimony of what Jesus has done in your life astonishes others? Why or why not? 3. We should keep the testimony of Jesus in our hearts and ponder to seek to understand, with the power of the Holy Spirit, how His birth, life, and death affect how we live our lives every single day. Do you consistently think about the work Jesus is doing in your life? Do you recognize how He works in big and small ways? 4. Jesus’ birth should evoke us to praise and worship him within our communities so that we can continue to give testimony of who He is and what He has done and what He will continue to do. Has Jesus’ transformation power in your life caused you to worship Him in the communities where God has placed you? For instance, at home, work, social circles, and every community you are part of? Download and use the SPRINGCREEK CHURCH APP for interactive message notes, online giving, events, and so much more! Get all the info you need at your fingertips! Or, engage with us for updates, alerts, and information by text... CHURCH INFO AND UPDATES: Text SPRINGCREEK to 96995 GUESTS: Text NEW to 96995 CONNECT: Text CONNECT to 96995 PRAYER: Text PRAYER to 96995 COMMUNITY GROUPS: Text CG to 96995 FAMILIES: Text PRESCHOOL or KIDS or MS or HS to 96995 Your generosity helps transforms lives. Be a part of something bigger. There are three easy ways to give from right where you are: 1) Text GIVE to 96995 2) Give online: https://www.springcreekchurch.org/give 3) Mail your gift directly: Springcreek Church 2660 Belt Line Road Garland, TX 75044 Thank you for the culture of generosity that exists here because of you! https://www.springcreekchurch.org/​​​​​​ #RealSpringcreekChurch