Podcast Summary: "Divine Order"
Church of the Highlands - Sunday Messages
Date: January 4, 2026
Overview
This episode, marking the first Sunday of 2026, kicks off both the new year and a new teaching series at Church of the Highlands centered on the theme of Divine Order. The message is an energetic and hopeful call to embrace change in the new year—not through willpower or resolutions, but by adopting the biblical principle found in Matthew 6:33: "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." The pastor lays a foundation for spiritual renewal and practical life change, setting the tone for the remainder of the year and the accompanying 21 Days of Prayer.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Celebrating the New Year and the Church Community
- Excitement for the New Year: The pastor welcomes everyone and expresses excitement for what 2026 holds, emphasizing a sense of revival and fresh energy (00:25).
- Quote: "The revival spark that 2025 was is going to turn into a raging fire in 2026, that God is up to something big. I am so full of faith for this year..." (00:50)
- Acknowledgement of All Campuses: Special recognition is given to all locations, including those in correctional facilities and online.
2. Change and Fresh Starts
- Universal Desire for Change: The message highlights that almost everyone desires change at the start of the year. The blank slate of January presents an "exciting" opportunity, especially in spiritual matters (03:30).
- Quote: "Is there any area of your life at all locations that you would like to see change in 2026? ... that's almost all of us here at Grants Mill." (04:30)
- Church Activities and Invitations:
- Launch of a new series for 2026, in partnership with the 21 Days of Prayer.
- Step One of Growth Track is promoted as an opportunity to get "planted" in the church (Psalm 92 emphasis).
3. 21 Days of Prayer and the Power of Seeking God
- Importance of Prayer: The church’s foundation on prayer is celebrated, recognizing the impact of 21 Days of Prayer on personal and church-wide transformation (09:10).
- Quote: "We are a Pray First Church. Prayer changed my life. 21 days of prayer in 2008 truly changed my life, changed Jill's life. It's changed the trajectory of our family." (09:35)
- Encouragement to Participate: Strong encouragement to join in-person or online, with resources and an upcoming First Wednesday service focused on fasting (11:20).
4. Tension Between Hope and Anxiety
- The Double-Edged Sword of January: While the new year sparks hope, it is also statistically a time of peak stress due to the "pressure to change" (13:00).
- Quote: "The biggest stressor in the month of January is the pressure to change." (14:25)
- Realistic Reflection: Many start with excitement and end the year discouraged, illustrated humorously by a family roller coaster anecdote—"the perfect way to demonstrate" the cycle of resolutions (16:10).
5. Biblical Foundation for Real Change
- Laying a Foundation with Matthew 6:33: The pastor asserts that real change does not come from strategies, willpower, or resolutions but from following the divine order found in Matthew 6:33 (20:00).
- Quote: "Yes, this year can be different... The answer is in a single verse: Matthew 6:33." (21:20)
- Sermon on the Mount Context: Details about the depth and transformative wisdom of the Sermon on the Mount underscore the teaching (24:25).
6. Practical Exegesis of Matthew 6:33 (30:15–54:50)
- "But" – A Turn from Anxiety to Divine Trust (31:00)
- Jesus acknowledges our universal worries and gives a "beautiful but" as an invitation to a better way.
- Quote: "If you came in today to church worn out and exhausted, overwhelmed...He is speaking to you today. There's a better way." (33:10)
- "Seek" – A Lifelong Imperative (36:33)
- Seeking God is not a one-time event but an ongoing, active pursuit.
- Quote: "Seeking God is not just a one time occurrence...Never stop seeking." (38:50)
- "First" – The Principle of Priority (41:20)
- Jesus calls for supreme priority, not mere inclusion, in our lives.
- Quote: "He's either Lord of all or not Lord at all." (42:25)
- "His Kingdom" – Surrendering to God’s Rule (45:15)
- Clarifies that "kingdom" is about governance, not geography; invites total surrender of all life areas.
- Quote: "To seek first his kingdom is to ask God...to reign as king over every area of our life." (47:00)
- "His Righteousness" – Transformation by the Spirit (50:10)
- We receive, not achieve, righteousness—living in the Spirit’s power rather than striving alone.
- Quote: "We don't have to achieve righteousness on our own, but we get to receive it through the power of the Holy Spirit..." (52:30)
- The Promise – "All these things will be added"
- Real change and provision are the result of following God’s divine order, not striving in our own strength.
7. Testimonies and Personal Application
- Overcoming Fear and Walking in Freedom (57:42)
- The pastor shares a personal testimony of being set free from a "crippling spirit of fear" by embracing God’s Word and Spirit.
- Quote: "God, can you set me free from this spirit of fear? ... in that room, that spirit of fear lifted. And for two decades, it's never touched my life." (01:00:40)
- Invitation to Reflect and Respond: Encouragement to consider specific life areas needing God’s order—relationships, finances, identity, etc.—and to claim the promise of change by seeking God first.
8. Concluding Prayers and Call to Salvation
- Prayer for Release from Anxiety (01:04:52)
- Quote: "God has got it...Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (01:05:20)
- Salvation Invitation (01:08:18)
- A moment for newcomers to accept Jesus, emphasizing surrender and new beginnings.
- Quote: "Jesus, today I give you my life. I repent of my sins and I receive you today as my Lord, as my Savior." (01:09:11)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- "It's kind of crazy. By the way, it's 2026...Look at your neighbor and say, we made it." (02:30)
- "Put first things first and we get second things thrown in. Put second things first and we lose both first and second things." — C.S. Lewis, quoted by the pastor (01:02:25)
- "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (21:30; repeated emphasis)
- Humorous reflection on biblical language: "Your boy had to Google that. English was my worst subject in school...But seek is a present active imperative..." (36:45)
- "He's either Lord of all or not Lord at all." (42:25)
- Personal moment: "Here I am two decades later. I'm telling you, in that room, that spirit of fear lifted. And for two decades, it's never touched my life." (01:00:40)
Key Timestamps
- 00:25 — Pastor’s joyful welcome and vision for 2026
- 09:10 — The importance of 21 Days of Prayer and church foundation
- 13:00 — Honest discussion on January stress and failed resolutions
- 20:00 — Turning to Matthew 6:33 as the year’s theme
- 31:00–54:50 — In-depth, word-by-word breakdown of Matthew 6:33 ("But," "Seek," "First," "Kingdom," "Righteousness")
- 57:42 — Pastor's testimony of deliverance from fear
- 01:04:52 — Guided prayer for anxiety and trust
- 01:08:18 — Salvation invitation
Tone and Atmosphere
The episode is marked by infectious optimism, energetic humor, deep spiritual conviction, and authentic vulnerability. The pastor combines biblical scholarship with down-to-earth personal stories and practical application, keeping the tone encouraging, hopeful, and relatable.
Summary Statement
This episode serves as an inspiring launchpad for 2026 at Church of the Highlands, inviting listeners to let go of striving and chaos by adopting the divine order revealed in Matthew 6:33. Through seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness as the controlling priority, true and lasting change becomes not only possible but promised, setting the tone for a year—and a life—transformed by God’s grace and power.