Now that my boys are teenagers, I've been introducing them to some of the classic movies that I grew up with. The plan is to begin the Rocky saga next. There's something invigorating about those training sequences with Mick shouting at Rocky that gets me every time. There's a transformation in action, as scene by scene, Rocky moves from the challenger to the contender, and then by the end of the movie, he's the champion. As I think about those scenes, I can't help but think about how similarly training our minds works. This type of mental training isn't just about increasing our knowledge, it's based on capturing biblical and theological truths. It's a training of the mind that benefits the soul. Just like Rocky, training for the big event.
We embrace seasons of training, getting ready for the next trial or temptation that life will inevitably throw at us. We're training ourselves for the spiritual battles that we are bound to face. Training our minds is essential if we want to live productive lives and God-honoring lives, free from the destructive pitfalls of sin. Welcome to Mountain View Church, and welcome to message four of our teaching series, The Battle, How to Master Temptation. Whether you're a first-time guest or a long-time member, we are glad you're here. If you're new, we'd love to connect with you. Please fill out an online connect card at mountainview.church slash connect, or text connect to the number on the screen. If you're attending one of our physical gatherings, fill out a connect card located under the seats in front of you, and hand it in to the welcome desk on your way out. We'll keep you informed about what's happening in our church community. We'll make sure we connect with you. Parents, we also have a fantastic children's program called Base Camp, so feel free to check that out.
If you're online, you can download the video lessons and activities at mountainview.church slash children. And for our teens, don't miss out on our youth program relaunching in September on Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m. Visit mountainview.church slash youth for more info. Currently, we're still looking for someone to lead our team of junior youth volunteers, serving our middle school students. If you're interested, please reach out to us at admin at mountainview.church. Now let's get back to today's message, starting with our series video and our scripture reading. Now I want you to remember this. Temptation is not a sin.
You can be tempted, but that's not a sin. Satan does the tempting. God never tempts anybody. All of us are tempted. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in every point. You say, do you think that Jesus was tempted along this line? The Bible says he was tempted in every point, like as we are, yet without sin. He showed us how it's possible to resist these temptations. Now, when temptation comes, don't get discouraged and say, well, I've already failed. No, you haven't. The temptation itself is not the sin. The thing that is the sin is when you yield to the temptation.
My name is Nicole. I'll be reading Romans 12, 1 to 3. And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning. Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Over the past few weeks, we've explored various strategies for mastering temptation. In week one, we talked about monitoring the nouns, keeping an eye on the people, places, and things that can drag us toward temptation, that drag us down. In week two, we discussed accounting for struggles, being open and honest with a mature brother or sister in Christ who can help us stay accountable. And then last week, week three, we looked at strengthening your spirit, how spiritual disciplines can help us resist temptation and grow in our faith.
Today, we're focusing on the T in master, training your mind. Train our minds to avoid unhealthy desires. Last week, we touched on the importance of spiritual disciplines, especially as they relate to discipleship. To accomplish today's strategy, we're diving even deeper into one specific discipline, Bible intake, and how it plays a crucial role in transforming our minds. Paul, writing to the Roman Christians, warned them, This verse highlights the connection between mind and spirit. Our minds play a crucial role in transformation as Christians, as Christ followers. The mind is where many of our battles with temptation are fought. It's the battleground, so to speak, where we decide whether to follow God's will or to give in to those unhealthy desires. This is why renewing our minds isn't just a one-time decision.
It's a continual process. We need to train our minds daily to think in ways that align with God's truth. And sometimes we have to go through seasons of rigorous training, vigorous training, kind of like Rocky training for the main event. We choose to refrain from mental junk food and get serious about healthy spiritual diet and exercise based in biblical and theological truth. Now, with that being said, let's walk through three seasons or levels of training that can aid in the transformation of our minds and aid in our battle against temptation. The first is training through a personal or community study.
The foundational way to renew our minds is through consistent engagement with scripture. Coming back to our key verse from last week's Bible intake discipline, Paul wrote to his apprentice Timothy, all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. This verse highlights the power and purpose of scripture and shaping our thoughts, leading to better choices and deeper spiritual growth. For a season of training, engaging with scripture is more than just reading. It's about studying it and meditating on it, letting it transform us from the inside out. To fully immerse ourselves in God's word, get a study Bible. They're huge, useful tools. Or download a Bible app and learn how to use a Bible dictionary, a lexicon, or concordances. And read some commentaries to see how pastors and theologians have interpreted passages, then compare them to your own interpretations. These resources can help you uncover the deeper meanings of the text and apply them more effectively to your life. And as we've mentioned numerous times throughout this series, don't neglect the spiritual power of training your mind.
in community. Join a community group here at Mountain View or at your local church, or if you want to, facilitate one. Pastor Aaron can help you with resources and a guideline to walk you through. You don't need to be a Bible teacher. You're leading a small group in a collaborative study through a certain biblical text or theological topic. This group-style training can also provide support and accountability to keep diving deeper and living out those spiritual disciplines that we talked about earlier in the series. All right, let's move on to our second season or level, training through a ministry mentorship. The Apostle Paul was known for setting an example for others to follow.
He was known for his ability to mentor young people who would eventually become pastors and church leaders. When he was writing to the Philippian church, he stated this plainly. He wrote, what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. For 2000 years, the Christian calling to make disciples has always included forms of mentorship. Part of our transformation involves learning from those who have walked longer in their faith journey. Mentorship allows us to benefit from their wisdom and experience, helping us grow in our understanding of God's will. In our training, there are seasons of mentorship, intentionally submitting ourselves to the guidance of an older, wiser Christian mentor.
With this in mind, I want to take a moment to highlight our Mountain View Mentorship Program and acknowledge the incredible growth of this past year's mentees. I want to say thank you to everyone who participated, and I want to say well done to Alex, Haley, Joel, Katie, and Helen, and also to Mark, who God led out of the Yukon earlier than anticipated, but well done to you as well. We were so blessed to have you all this past year. Again, thank you. For those of you who regularly attend Mountain View Church and who are between the ages of 18 and 35, please consider joining our mentorship program. This is a one-year commitment that offers an extra layer of training and accountability. You'll receive guidance, support, and spiritual growth during this critical stage of your life. You'll meet with me and my wife, Nicole, every couple of weeks to walk alongside you, offering wisdom and encouragement as you navigate your faith journey. If you're interested, please reach out to me on social at at Pastor Jeremy Norton or email me at jeremy at mountainview.church.
Now, let's get to our third season or level, the final one, training through a leader-focused apprenticeship. The Apostle Paul, writing in his second letter to his apprentice Timothy, gives us some insight into the passing of the torch, so to speak, that happens through an apprenticeship process. He wrote to Timothy, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. First season, Timothy trained under Paul, but now, at the moment this letter was written, the season has come to which Timothy must train others. Seasons of apprenticeship...
might last a year, or they might be a few years, and it's intensive training. They're the deepest level of biblical and theological guidance, but with the added understanding that what is learned will be applied and passed on in the next season. Here at Mountain View, apprenticeship has developed in a couple of ways over the past few years. First, in pastoral apprenticeship, a three-year journey in cooperation with Northwest Seminary. We've been blessed to train two pastors, Elijah Ashenko, who we sent out a couple of months ago, and Aaron Monis, who completed all of the scholastic and ministry requirements of his apprenticeship this past week, and he's set to graduate with a master's degree. If you have a chance, drop Aaron a message at aaronatmountainview.church and join us in congratulating him on this huge milestone. Well done, Aaron. Way to go.
Now, also this past year, we've journeyed with six individuals through a ministry leader apprenticeship. I want to acknowledge their commitment and growth as well. So a thank you and well done goes to Elena, Kevin, Megan, Emma, Nicole, and Ryan. Well done. Well done. And a special congratulations goes out to Emma McFarlane. While completing her apprenticeship this past year, she was also leading our tech ministry and she earned a certificate of Christian leadership from Northwest Seminary. Isn't that amazing? And so to celebrate this achievement, we actually have a special video congratulations from the Northwest undergrad director. Here he is.
Hello, Mountain View Church. My name is Kyle Radborn, and I lead the undergrad programs here at Northwest Seminary and College. Emma, congratulations on finishing the certificate program. For those of you who don't know, Emma has spent the last year studying with us. She's studied on topics like theology and Bible study, the Trinity, community, the church, and worldviews. So thank you to Mountain View for supporting Emma as she studied.
Emma, I've really appreciated your work in the program as you engaged with new thoughts and ideas. You approached the program in a very thoughtful and careful way as you considered how what you were learning affected your life and your relationship with God. I particularly loved it when you used your technological and artistic abilities to engage assignments like the animation you did explaining God's Trinitarian nature. So on behalf of all of us here at Northwest, congratulations on completing the program and God's blessing on you as you continue your educational journey. We'll see you soon. All right, bye for now.
Emma is now preparing to move down to Trinity Western University for her next chapter of life, although she'll still be working for Mountain View in a digital capacity. Now, I could say all this myself, but we'd rather hear from Emma. So here she is to fill us in on her next stage of the journey. Hi, Mountain View. I'm so absolutely thankful for all the support you've given me over the years. I'm eternally grateful for every single one of you. I couldn't have done any of this film stuff without you. With that being said, I will be leaving for school. I'll be going to Trinity Western down in BC to take film studies. I want to be a director for Christian films, but I'll honestly go wherever the Lord leads me. I'll still be around, though. I'll still be doing the editing and uploading components for Mountain View, just from afar. And I'll be back every now and then for some events or holidays. So it isn't a complete goodbye.
But yeah, thank you for everything. I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me. Well done, Emma. You're amazing. We are praying for you and your continued success. If you'd like to send Emma a congratulatory message, email her at emma at mountainview.church. All right, let's get back to it. Maybe you're interested in a more intensive season of training. Maybe an apprenticeship is what you're looking for. Starting this year, our apprenticeship program has shifted into a more formal direction in further cooperating with Northwest Seminary.
Northwest Seminary and College is located in Langley, British Columbia. However, through Northwest, we can offer accredited biblical training right here in the Yukon with a training system they call competency-based theological education. So while you're serving in our local church, you could receive a one-year certificate, a two-year diploma, or a three-year bachelor's or master's degree, depending on your previous education and experience. If you're interested in taking your spiritual training to the next level, the deepest level, either in our mentorship program or through apprenticeship in cooperation with Northwest, please drop us a message. Drop me a message at Pastor Jeremy Norton or at jeremy at mountainview.church.
So let's wrap this thing up. Whether through a personal study or a programmed system, the goal is the same, training your mind. To avoid unhealthy desires and resist temptation, we rewire our brains by intentionally filling them with biblical and theological truth. Coming back to our core verse, we resist conforming to this world, instead being transformed by the renewal of our minds, testing everything so that we may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. In sports, competitors don't become contenders without physical effort and intentionality before the game ever begins. They don't conform to the average lifestyle. They refrain from unhealthy substances and behaviors. They embrace healthier choices and disciplined habits. Over time, they're transformed into athletes and some transformed into champions.
We should apply this same approach to our minds when it comes to biblical knowledge and understanding. We need to be just as purposeful in our spiritual training if we want to achieve victory over temptation. We choose to redirect unhealthy thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking unhealthy or unhelpful thoughts, redirect them. We place them with thoughts that align with God's truth. We engage in daily practices. Be disciplined in practices of personal study, scripture memorization, prayer, and meditation on God's word. These practices build mental resilience and help you stay focused on God's will and what's good, acceptable, and perfect, as that verse stated.
At least once a year, I encourage you, embrace a deeper study. This could be a month-long personal study of a particular book, a topic, or theme, or it could be a three-month commitment to a community group. Study with other people. Finally, during certain seasons of life, pursue intentional training. Consider joining a mentorship program for personalized guidance or an apprenticeship for accredited ministry experience. These opportunities provide structured learning and real-life application to deepen your faith and prepare you for greater Christian service.
As we take these steps to train our brains, to train our minds, let's remember that it isn't a one-time thing. This is a daily commitment. And consistency is essential to see results in the spiritual battles that we face. Coming back to our intro, just like Rocky, who put in the effort and discipline to achieve victory, we need to be just as intentional in aligning with God's will so that we can master temptation. It's more than just avoiding wrong thoughts or emotions. It's about actively pursuing what's good, acceptable, and perfect, as Paul wrote to the Romans. As we wrap up, let's turn our focus to prayer for a moment. Let's ask God to help us in this ongoing journey. Would you pray with me? Dear God, transform our minds.
Help us take our mental and spiritual training seriously. Guide us to seek out your truth in this world and your will for our lives. Change the way we think so that we can follow you more closely. Help us make choices that honor you. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for joining us. Please stick around for a few important updates followed by this week's discussion and prayer focus.
Our first update is an exciting event for women in our community. We'll be hosting the You Belong mini conference on Friday, September 20th from 7 to 9.30 p.m. The cost to attend this event is $20. This will be a great opportunity to connect with other women, grow in your faith, and find encouragement. Visit mountainview.church slash conferences for more info. Next, moving to our youth ministry, a huge thank you to Katie Baudouin for stepping up as our senior youth leader for this year.
Now, we're still seeking a junior youth lead to serve our middle school students, and I'm hoping to launch it this week, so let me know. If you have a heart for mentoring young people and feel called to make an impact into their lives, please reach out to me today at Pastor Jeremy Norton or at Jeremy at MountainView.Church. And I also want to talk for a moment to our members out there. Please note that on Thursday, August 29th, we have a member meeting at 6 p.m. Please plan on being there.
That concludes this week's updates. Now let's dig into this week's discussion and prayer focus. If you're with some people, gather around, ask this question and pray together. If you're online, drop some comments in the feed. Here we go. Today's question is, what spiritual season are you in? And what level of training is God calling you to embrace? What season are you in? And what level of training is God calling you to embrace? After you chat about that, spend some time in prayer. Pray for God to lead you into the next season of training toward a spiritually transformed mind. Pray for God to lead you into the next season of training towards spiritually transformed mind.
Please come back next week for our fifth message in the battle series, Establishing Boundaries, where you'll learn how to establish healthy boundaries in relationships. Invite a friend or family member. See you next Sunday.
So I throw up my hands, praise you again and again, cause all that I have is a hallelujah, hallelujah. And I know it's not much, but I have nothing else but for a king, except for a heart singing hallelujah. I've got one response, I've got just one move.
With my arms stretched wide, I will worship you. So I throw up my hands, praise you again and again. Because all that I have is a hallelujah. Hallelujah. And I know it's not much, but I have nothing else fit for a king. Except for a heart singing hallelujah.
Oh, don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song. Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord. Oh, come on, my soul. Oh, don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song. Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord.
Oh, come on, my soul. Oh, don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song. Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord. Oh, I throw up my hands. Praise you again and again. Cause all that I have is a hallelujah. Hallelujah. And I know it's not much, but I have nothing else fit for a king.
Except for a heart singing hallelujah, hallelujah.