Habitation Church

A Holy People

As we continue gathering together as one church, Michael reminds us that God has called His people to live differently. We are called to be in the world without becoming like it. That kind of life doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of continually yielding ourselves to the influence of God’s presence.

Teaching through 1 Peter, Michael encourages us to guard what God is doing in our hearts and to resist the subtle influences that slowly shape us into the image of the world. Holiness is not about trying harder or following a list of rules. It is about becoming a people whose lives are increasingly shaped by the presence, character, and ways of Jesus.

As we gather together, this message calls us to remember who we are. We are God’s people, set apart for His purposes and called to faithfully represent Him wherever we live, work, and serve. When we guard His work in our lives, we become a living witness to the world around us.

The Influence of His Presence

On Father’s Day, Mike speaks directly to the men in the room, but the invitation extends to every believer. Looking at the contrast between Adam and Jesus, he reminds us that we were never meant to carry the weight of life, leadership, or spiritual responsibility in our own strength.

 

Too often, we find ourselves making excuses, focusing on our failures, or feeling the pressure to become the person we know we should be. But the Christian life was never meant to be lived through willpower. God has given us His Spirit, and through His presence, He is able to accomplish in us what we could never accomplish on our own.

 

This message is a reminder that God is not asking us to try harder. He is inviting us to come closer. As we surrender ourselves to His influence, He forms the character of Christ in us and gives us grace to faithfully lead, love, serve, and endure.

 

For the fathers in the room, it was a call to spiritual leadership. For all of us, it was a reminder that the life God desires for us is only possible through dependence on Him. The good news is that He is committed to finishing the work He started. We simply have to keep saying yes.

A Call to Worship

As we continue our summer corporate gatherings, Michael reminds us that God’s desire has always been the same: a people who belong fully to Him. Throughout Scripture, God calls His people a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people set apart for His purposes. Worship is one of the primary ways we respond to that calling.

 

This message challenges us to see worship as more than singing songs or participating in a gathering. Worship is the exaltation of Jesus in the place of our affection, loyalty, attention, and desire. Every person is a worshiper. The question is not whether we worship, but what or who has captured the highest place in our hearts.

 

This message calls us to examine what has been competing for our devotion and to lift Jesus back to the highest place. When Christ is exalted, everything else finds its proper place. This is an invitation to become a truly priestly people whose lives declare the greatness of God both inside and outside the gathering.

The God Who Draws Near

Note About the Recording: We want to apologize for the audio quality of this message. Due to a technical issue with the original recording, we had to use a backup recording. While the audio may not be up to our normal standards, we believe the message is worth hearing and pray it encourages you.

Summary:

As we begin seven weeks of gathering together as one church, this message reminds us of a simple but life changing truth: God has made Himself available to us. We are not entitled to His presence, nor can we earn it through effort or performance. Yet in His kindness, He continually invites us to draw near.

Looking at the life of Jacob, we see that God’s presence is not reserved for perfect people. Even in seasons of struggle, weakness, and disappointment, God pursues His people and continues the work of transformation He has begun in them. This message is an invitation to respond to God’s nearness with hunger, surrender, and expectation as we seek Him together as one church family.

We believe that when God’s people gather around His presence, He meets us, transforms us, and shapes us into the people He has called us to be.

Recovering the Spirit’s Design for a Fully Functioning Church

In this essential message, Bob Gladstone exposes how the modern church has drifted from God’s original blueprint. Instead of a body where every believer functions in the power of the Holy Spirit, many churches have settled into a model where a few people do the ministry and the rest watch. But this is not what Jesus had in mind.

 

Drawing from Ephesians 4, Romans 12, and 1 Corinthians 12, Bob unpacks how the Spirit has given specific gifts to every believer—gifts of prophecy, teaching, encouragement, leadership, healing, generosity, and more—not to be admired from afar, but to be used for the building up of the body. When those gifts are dormant, the church is weak. When they’re active, the body grows into the full measure of Christ.

 

This message is a clear call to maturity. Bob challenges passive mindsets and reminds us that if the church is going to reflect Jesus to the world, it will require every member functioning, not just a few leaders up front. This isn’t about hype or chasing platform. It’s about faithfully using what the Spirit has given to serve, to build, and to reveal the fullness of Jesus through His people.

 

If you’ve ever wondered why church feels shallow or disconnected, or if you’ve felt like you have more to offer but don’t know how or where to start the Spirit has already given you what you need. The question is—are you using it?

The Time for Obedience

In this prophetic message, guest speaker Brian Guerin brings a strong and timely word about the season many of us find ourselves in. Drawing from Acts 5, he unpacks how God can open doors and shift seasons, but we still have to choose obedience. The supernatural may break the prison open, but it’s up to us to go and stand where God is calling us.

Brian speaks directly to the spiritual crossroads facing our church and others like it. He shares that some have been in a wilderness season, not because something is wrong, but because God has been killing off self, pride, and old ways of thinking to prepare us for what’s next. The call now is to move forward with clarity, humility, and the fear of the Lord—even when it’s unpopular or misunderstood.

This word is both encouragement and warning. There is grace for transition and fresh assignments ahead, but they will require radical obedience. Brian reminds us that real obedience doesn’t always lead to applause. Sometimes it leads to misunderstanding or even resistance. But if we don’t obey, we risk repeating old seasons.

This is a wake-up call to tune our hearts to the Word of the Lord, shake off distraction, and step into what God is saying now.

Becoming a Body That Reflects Jesus Together

Note: We want to apologize for the audio quality in this message. The original recording was corrupted, so we had to use a backup audio file captured on a phone. Thanks for your grace and understanding.

 

In this powerful and pastoral message, Samuel speaks about grace, giftedness, and how the body of Christ is meant to function in unity and love. He reminds us that God gives gifts by His own choice, not because of our worth or effort. Some are gifted in ways that are more visible, others in ways that are quiet—but all of it is grace, and all of it is meant to serve others.

Samuel calls us to confront envy, accusation, and competition in the church by embracing how God has made us and honoring how He’s made others. He warns against chasing roles or recognition and calls us to find contentment in being who God made us to be—whether seen or unseen.

This message also dives deep into the hard work of love in community. From conflict and correction to restoration and discipleship, Samuel challenges us to reflect Jesus by how we handle each other’s weakness and sin. The goal is not perfection, but a Spirit-filled body where each part serves the other, and together we put the image of Jesus on display.

Returning to a Presence Centered Life Together

In this message, Mike calls us back to what God originally invited us into. Not to build a church brand or a ministry system, but to become a people who know God and learn how to live life together around His presence.

Looking at Ephesians 2 and the seven churches in Revelation, Michael reminds us that it is possible to be doing good things while missing the one thing that matters most. The presence of God is meant to be central, not just in our gatherings but in our daily lives.

This is an invitation to realign our hearts and lives around the presence of Jesus. To ask honest questions about what we are actually building. To return to the fire that marked the beginning. To say yes again. To let Him in again.