Series: Stand Alone
Sermon Title:
Passage: 

Reno Campus
Pastor Josh Carter

Carson Campus
Pastor Tom Chism

Sparks Campus
Pastor Brett Long

Campus Announcements / Service Moments

Reno Campus
Pie Auction

Carson Campus
Pie Auction

Sparks Campus
Pie Auction

 

Sermon Title:
Passage:

SERMON POINTS: 

* This week we have different sermons at each of our locations. Please enjoy a space to jot down any thought God prompts in you.

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: With all 3 campus locations having a different sermon this week, we have chosen to explore Pastor Tom’s sermon from the Carson location for Digging Deeper this week.

1. Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus. Who is someone society overlooks that Jesus sees as significant?

• Scripture: Mark 10:49

• Follow-up: Who in your daily life do you overlook that Jesus might be asking you to “call over” and notice?

2. What do you think it meant for Bartimaeus to throw off his cloak (v. 50)? What might your “cloak” be that Jesus is asking you to let go of?

• Scripture: Mark 10:50

• Follow-up: What keeps you from letting go of that thing completely? Is it comfort, fear, identity, or something else?

3. Jesus asks Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” How would you honestly answer that question right now?

• Scripture: Mark 10:51

• Follow-up: What does your answer reveal about the condition of your heart, your trust in God, or your deepest longing?

4. Bartimaeus had to speak his need aloud. Why do you think Jesus made him name it?

• Scripture: Mark 10:51

• Follow-up: Is there an area in your life where you’ve avoided naming your need before God or others? Why?

5. How has uncertainty or unanswered prayer impacted your faith journey?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52

• Follow-up: What has helped you move from uncertainty to trust in the past? What might help you now?

6. Bartimaeus received his sight — but also chose to follow Jesus. What would it look like to not just receive from Jesus, but walk with Him afterward?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52

• Follow-up: Where in your life do you find it easy to receive from Jesus, but hard to follow?

7. Jesus didn’t heal Bartimaeus because of pressure or need—but because of faith. What is faith currently asking of you that feels risky?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52

• Follow-up: Is there something in your life that requires you to act in faith even before you see the outcome?

8. Bartimaeus’ healing was physical and spiritual—he saw, and then followed. Where is Jesus inviting you to see more clearly in your spiritual life?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52 (NKJV)

• Follow-up: What’s one next step you could take this week that moves you toward clearer vision and deeper trust in Jesus?

 

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Day 1

• Reflective Question: Where am I disappointed with God right now?

• Scripture: Proverbs 13:12

• Follow-Up Question: What might Jesus be trying to form in me through this disappointment rather than just fix?

• Meditative Prompt: Be still with that disappointment. Don’t rush past it. Invite Jesus into it and ask,
  “Jesus, what do You want me to notice in this pain?”

Day 2

• Reflective Question: What do I really want from Jesus right now?

• Scripture: Mark 10:51

• Follow-Up Question: Did I feel heard in that silence? If not, what does that silence stir up in me about who I believe God is?

• Meditative Prompt: Write or whisper your honest answer to Jesus. Then sit in silence and wait, He sees, He hears.

Day 3

• Reflective Question:
  Am I afraid to ask God for what I want? Why?

• Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7

• Follow-Up Question: What did I feel in my body or spirit when I asked Jesus if He cared—was it resistance, peace, fear, comfort?

• Meditative Prompt: Ask Jesus, “Do You care about this?” Wait. Let His presence speak louder than your fear.

Day 4

• Reflective Question: What am I clinging to that Jesus may be asking me to release?

• Scripture: Mark 10:50

• Follow-Up Question: If I were to actually let go of that thing—what would I fear losing, and what freedom might be on the other side?

• Meditative Prompt: Hold your hands open in a posture of surrender and pray,
  “Jesus, help me trust You more than I trust what I’ve been holding.”

Day 5

• Reflective Question: Where have I confused God’s silence with His absence?

• Scripture: Matthew 27:46

• Follow-Up Question: What would change in my life this week if I lived as though God were already close, even if I don’t feel it?

• Meditative Prompt: Whisper: “Even in silence, I will choose to believe You are near.”
  Invite the Spirit to make that truth real to your heart.

Day 6

• Reflective Question: Where is Jesus inviting me to walk by faith, not clarity?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52

• Follow-Up Question: What small act of obedience could I take this week that would stretch my faith more than my understanding?

• Meditative Prompt: Pray: “Lord, I believe…help my unbelief.”
  Then journal where trust feels fragile and ask Him to meet you there.

 

Day 7

• Reflective Question: If Jesus gave me exactly what I asked for—would I follow Him more deeply or just walk away satisfied?

• Scripture: Mark 10:52

• Follow-Up Question: Would I still say yes to Jesus if the healing doesn’t come in the way I imagined? What would that yes look like?
• Meditative Prompt: Ask: “Jesus, what does following You look like after the miracle, or even without it?” Let Him show you what obedience looks like beyond the outcome.

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• Isaiah 30:15 (ESV)
• Lamentations 3:25–26
• 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
• Hebrews 11:1

 

RESOURCES:

• ARTICLE | THE HEART’S DESIRES | DAVID BENNER
• ARTICLE | HOW TO LIVE WITH OPEN HANDS | MARK SCANDRETTE 
• VIDEO | UNCOVERING WHAT DRIVES YOU | MIKE FOSTER

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE: Prayer

More Than Words: Letting Prayer Reshape Your Desires

As we continue exploring the spiritual discipline of prayer, we must remember: prayer is far more than a ritual or religious habit. It is a sacred space where transformation happens. Prayer is one of the core practices God uses to shape and form us from the inside out. While it often begins as a place to bring our needs and requests, it is ultimately meant to draw us into honest, vulnerable, and intimate communion with Him.

Prayer is where we are invited to bring our whole selves—our questions, our confusion, our hopes, and even our brokenness—into conversation with God. But here’s the challenge: how can we truly answer Jesus’ question, “What do you want Me to do for you?” if we haven’t yet slowed down enough to know what our soul actually needs?

Prayer helps us uncover that deeper need. It cuts through the clutter of life and quiets the voices that pull us in a hundred directions. It sheds the weight of our daily distractions and centers us in the presence of God. In that stillness, we begin to recognize where our desires have been misplaced, and we start to long for what matters most—Him. Not just His help or His gifts, but His very presence. Over time, prayer restructures the architecture of our desires until we want what God wants and love Him not just for what He can do, but for who He is.

At the core of every human being is the deep longing to be known and loved—to feel safe, seen, and secure. These are not small desires; they are soul-level needs. And as we grow in our life of prayer, we begin to discover that these very needs are met in God. We are safe in His presence. We are fully seen by Him. We are held secure in His love. And it’s in that sacred security that the restless parts of our soul finally begin to breathe.

When prayer becomes more than words—when it becomes a way of being with God—it leads us into a kind of freedom the world cannot offer. A freedom that doesn’t depend on circumstances, answers, or outcomes, but rests in the unshakable reality that we are known, loved, and held by the One who made us.

 

 Step 1: Prepare Your Heart (5 minutes)

Posture: Sit in a comfortable, upright position. Place your hands open on your lap, signaling a posture of surrender and receiving.
Breath Prayer: Gently breathe in and out, repeating this short breath prayer:

• Inhale: “Your presence is my desire…”

• Exhale: “…Your purpose is my path.”

• Repeat for 1–2 minutes until you feel present and centered.

Step 2: Honest Inventory (10 minutes)

Ask God to reveal your heart. Prayerfully reflect on the following:

• What have I been desiring most lately?

• What do I find myself chasing or clinging to?

• Are these desires drawing me closer to God—or distracting me from Him?

• Journal what comes to the surface. Don’t edit or filter. Let honesty rise.

 

Step 3: Surrender and Confession (5–7 minutes)

Offer a prayer of surrender. You might say:

• “God, I confess that my heart often runs after lesser things. I’ve looked to success, control, comfort, and approval to give me what only You can. Forgive me for placing my hope in things that fade. I surrender these desires to You. Align my heart again with Yours.”

• As you pray, you might physically open your hands as a symbol of releasing these false pursuits.

Step 4: Scripture Reflection (10 minutes)

Read one of the following passages slowly and prayerfully. Pause after each one and listen for what God might be speaking to you.

• Psalm 27:4 

• Matthew 6:33

• Philippians 3:8

Ask:

• What phrase is standing out to me?

• What is God inviting me to desire more deeply?

• Write down any impressions or whispers from the Spirit.

 

Step 5: Prayer of Alignment (5 minutes)

Close with this prayer (or your own version of it):

“God, I want to want You more.
Reorder my desires.
Strip away what dulls my hunger for You.
Teach my heart to delight in You again.
Let Your presence be my peace, and Your purpose my direction.
I trust that what You want for me is better than what I’ve been chasing.
I realign my heart with Yours today—
lead me, fill me, and form me in Your love.”

Weekly Presence Practice:

Each morning this week, pray this short prayer aloud before starting your day:

“God, today I want to desire You more than anything else. Shape my heart to long for what brings You joy. I am Yours.”

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

“The Practice of Proximity” – by Rob Hans Spiritual Formation Pastor | LifeChurch NV

This week, I had the privilege of playing a round of golf. I love the game, but I’ll be honest—I don’t invest a lot of time into developing my swing, my short game, or really any part of it. So, every time I get out on the course, there’s this subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) frustration that I’m not better than I actually am.

Yesterday marked my first real round in over six months—outside of a simulator. Let’s just say, I got a full tour of the course… but mostly the parts you’re not aiming for. Water hazards? Check. Deep rough? Got it. Trees? Absolutely. The fairway felt more like a suggestion than a reality.

It was humbling, even as it was enjoyable. Because I had to confront something: I wanted to be better, but I hadn’t done the work. My expectations were outpacing my preparation. I hadn’t cultivated the consistency that comes with practice, repetition, and intentional effort.

And honestly, that’s a lot like our spiritual lives, isn’t it?

Many of us long for a deeper faith. We want to feel close to God, to know His voice, to live lives that reflect His love and peace. But we often haven’t practiced the rhythms, disciplines, or vulnerability required to grow in that intimacy. We hope we’ll “just be better” the next time we show up—but transformation doesn’t happen by accident.

In Mark 10:51, Jesus asks Bartimaeus a piercing question:
“What do you want me to do for you?”

It’s not that Jesus didn’t know. It’s that He wanted Bartimaeus to name his desire. To bring it to the surface. To own it. And maybe even to realize that healing required participation.

Bartimaeus didn’t just cry out—he got up. He threw off his cloak (a symbol of comfort, security, and identity), approached Jesus, and clearly stated what he needed:
“Rabbi, I want to see.”

That moment was more than a request or a response. It was honesty. It was surrender. It was vulnerability. And it was faith in motion.

Jesus is asking us the same question today:
“What do you want me to do for you?”

But here’s the thing: Jesus does not force transformation. He invites it. And to accept that invitation, we must: Draw near. We have to move into proximity with Him. Not just physically, but relationally. This means making space in our lives for His presence through prayer, Scripture, community, and silence.
Name our desire. Can you honestly say what you want God to do in your life right now? Are you afraid to admit it because you’re not sure if He’ll answer?
Let go of the cloak. What are you holding onto for identity, safety, or control? Is it a habit, an attitude, an old wound, or a false belief?

You can’t keep everything and still receive something new. Transformation always requires release.

Just like golf, spiritual growth doesn’t happen by wishing for it. You don’t become a more consistent, grounded believer just by showing up once in a while and hoping for the best. It takes practice. It takes showing up when it’s not convenient. It takes choosing proximity with Jesus even when you feel like you’re hitting every hazard and missing the fairway of faith.

So today, hear the voice of Jesus asking:
“What do you want me to do for you?”

And then ask yourself:

• What do I need to lay down?

• What do I really desire from Jesus?

• Am I willing to do the work of drawing near, day after day?

Because the more you put yourself in the practice, the more consistent your connection with Jesus becomes. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is progress. The more time you spend with Him, the more your life begins to reflect His presence—even if you’re still learning to hit straight down the middle.