This powerful exploration of Psalm 95 reveals a profound truth we often overlook: worship isn't just about what we offer to God, but about positioning ourselves to hear His voice. The psalmist's call to bow down and kneel before our Maker transitions beautifully into the declaration that we are the flock under His care, and then makes this stunning statement: 'Today, if only you would hear his voice.' This teaches us that gathered worship saturates us with God's truth through songs, Scripture reading, preaching, baptism, and communion. We see this principle alive in Acts 13, where the early church was worshiping together when the Holy Spirit spoke, commissioning Paul and Barnabas for their world-changing missionary work. The message challenges us to worship in both spirit and truth, avoiding the pitfalls of empty emotionalism on one hand and dry legalism on the other. When we gather with humble, contrite hearts, we position ourselves not just to hear God's voice, but to respond with immediate obedience. The warning against hardening our hearts like the Israelites at Meribah reminds us that hearing without responding leads us into spiritual wilderness. This isn't about waiting for audible voices, but recognizing that God speaks powerfully through His Word as we worship together, calling us to transformation and mission.

What if God wanted to meet you right in the middle of your stress, doubt, or decisions by speaking through another person? In this message from our “Hearing God” series, we talk about prophecy — not fortune-telling or hype, but God using ordinary voices to bring real strengthening, encouragement, and comfort. If you’ve ever felt nervous about 'God told me' moments, you aren’t alone. We’re looking at how to stay anchored in the Word while staying open to the real encouragement God has for you.

HDC Young Adults is a community of 18–28 year olds gathering every Thursday night to be anchored in truth and aimed at God’s presence — a space to chill, build real friendships, grow in faith, and bear fruit in everyday life. If you’re local, you’re invited to join us in person: worship with us, open Scripture together, and step into a family that values participation over program and learning to hear God together.

Primary passages in this message: 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22; 1 Corinthians 14:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2, 15; 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 John 4:1–3; Matthew 7:15–20; John 10:27.

Key takeaways:
• God speaks primarily to mature us and make us more like Jesus, not to promise comfort, success, or control over the future.
• New Testament prophecy is Spirit-led speech from one believer to another for strengthening, encouragement, and comfort — it is always submitted to Scripture and never equal with Scripture.
• We must not “quench the Spirit” by shutting down prophecy because it’s messy or unfamiliar; instead, we test everything, hold on to what is good, and reject what is evil.
• Before sharing a word, we ask: Is it affirming (building up), is it biblical (aligned with God’s Word), and is it Christ-like (true to Jesus’ heart and voice)? We share it with both courage and humility, knowing we can be wrong.
• When receiving a word, we test the content (does it point to Jesus?), the contribution (does it build up the church?), the character of the person sharing (what fruit shows in their life?), and we weigh it together in community.
• When God speaks through someone at just the right time, it cuts through our defenses and reminds us how personally and deeply He loves us.

0:00 Welcome & Worship Overflow
2:00 Series Recap: Why God Speaks
6:15 Don’t Quench the Spirit: Prophecy in 1 Thessalonians 5
11:50 What Prophecy Is (and Isn’t)
18:55 How to Share a Word: Affirming, Biblical, Christ-like
26:30 How to Test a Word: Content, Contribution, Character, Community
35:20 Story: A Prophetic Encouragement at Winter Camp
41:10 Why Prophecy Is Worth the Risk
45:00 Closing Prayer & Response

Hearing God isn’t just about quiet times and private moments – God often speaks through people He’s placed in our lives. This message leans into what it means to be anchored in truth and aimed at His presence by inviting godly leaders to speak into our blind spots, call us out of self-deception, and help us actually grow and bear fruit. If you’ve ever thought “it’s just me and God, I don’t need anyone else” or felt scared to be honest about what’s really going on, this is a space to slow down, chill, and let God reframe how you see leadership and community.

HDC Young Adults is a community of 18–28 year olds gathering Thursday nights to be anchored in God’s Word and aimed at His presence. We’re not chasing hype or just running a program – we’re building a place where you can be known, ask real questions, and walk with Jesus alongside others. If you’re looking for somewhere to belong, be real, grow in your faith, and see God produce real fruit in your life, come join us in person on a Thursday night.

Primary Scriptures: Ephesians 4:11–13; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 11:14; Ecclesiastes 4:9; James 5:16; Hebrews 12:11, 13:17; 1 Corinthians 11:1.
Key takeaways: God gives leaders as a gift to His church to equip us and build us up, not as a random part of church programming. You grow at the speed of your honesty – you can’t be healed from what you hide or discipled through a disguise. God uses leaders because they can see what we can’t see in ourselves and lovingly call out where Jesus is missing from our decisions. The goal of all of this is maturity: the Christian life is personal but never meant to be private, and inviting godly leadership into your life is part of becoming more like Christ.

0:00 Welcome & Series Setup
2:05 Voices Growing Up & Why People Matter
6:58 “Just Me and God” and the Danger of Isolation
12:40 God Gives Leaders as a Gift (Ephesians 4)
20:15 You Grow at the Speed of Your Honesty (Proverbs 27, James 5)
28:30 Blind Spots, Counsel & Many Advisers (Proverbs 11, Ecclesiastes 4)
34:45 Discipline, Submission & the Goal of Maturity (Hebrews 12–13, Ephesians 4)
41:20 Following Leaders as They Follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)
44:10 Invitation, Response & Closing Prayer

Ever feel like everyone else knows how to “use” the Holy Spirit except you? Like following Jesus came with this huge power-up you don’t know how to access, so you just keep grinding it out in your own strength? This message is all about getting anchored in what Scripture actually says about the Holy Spirit — not as a vague force or Christian superpower, but as a real person you can know, yield to, and be filled by so you can actually grow and bear fruit. If you’re tired of spiritual confusion, shame, and uncertainty, and you want a confident, Spirit-filled life aimed at His presence, this is for you.

HDC Young Adults is a community of 18–28 year olds who gather Thursday nights to be anchored in God’s truth and aimed at His presence — a place to chill, grow in faith, build real friendships, and bear lasting fruit in the High Desert and beyond. If you’re looking for a place where you can come as you are, ask real questions, and actually be known, we’d love to have you with us in person.

Primary Scriptures in this message include: Romans 8:14–17, 26–27; 1 Corinthians 12:4–11; Ephesians 1:13–14; Ephesians 4:30; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; John 16:13–15; Galatians 5:22–23; Colossians 1:9–12.
Key takeaways:
• The Holy Spirit is not a power to wield but a person to yield to — He has a mind, a will, and a voice, and you are in a real relationship with Him.
• You can grieve the Spirit by doing what you know is wrong, and you can quench the Spirit by failing to do what you know is right — both diminish His influence in your life.
• Being filled with the Spirit means you don’t act like “you” anymore; you begin to look like Jesus and bear the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• The Spirit anchors you with confidence — illuminating Scripture, sealing your future with God, and testifying that you really are His child — so you can live a life worthy of the Lord, not in fear or uncertainty, but in freedom and assurance.

0:00 Welcome & Series Recap
2:05 Is the Holy Spirit a Power-Up?
5:40 Holy Spirit 101: Person, Not Force
12:48 Grieving and Quenching the Spirit
20:55 What It Means to Be Filled with the Spirit
28:10 How the Spirit Gives Wisdom and Understanding
36:22 Sealed, Secure, and Confident as God’s Kids
44:30 Living a Dangerous, Spirit-Filled Life
51:10 Prayer and Response

If opening your Bible mostly feels like wasting time or just checking a box, this one’s for you. In this message, we talk honestly about why Scripture can feel flat and how everything changes when we’re actually anchored in God’s Word and aimed at His presence with seriousness and humility. If you’re tired of “read a verse, feel nothing, move on” and you want to actually grow and see real fruit in your life, this is a space to slow down, chill, and let God’s Word go to work in you.

HDC Young Adults is a community of 18–28 year olds gathering every Thursday night to be anchored in truth and aimed at God’s presence. We’re not about putting on a show; we’re building a family where you can belong, ask real questions, grow in your faith, and bear lasting fruit in the everyday stuff of life. If you’re local, we’d love for you to join us in person and be part of what God is doing here.

Primary Scriptures in this message include: 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Psalm 19; Psalm 119; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 4:12; Luke 24:27; Luke 8:11–15; Colossians 3:16; Numbers 23:19.
Key takeaways: (1) God doesn’t speak to make your life easy or your name great; He speaks to make you more like Jesus, and His Word is one of His primary tools to do that. (2) Scripture only goes to work in you when you receive it “as it actually is” — all God-breathed, all true, all useful, and alive and active right now. (3) To “receive” the Word is to take it seriously, pay attention to the details, and treat it like life-giving truth rather than background noise. (4) To “accept” the Word is to let it move in and rearrange your life with humility — nothing off-limits — so that over time, by hearing, retaining, and persevering in it, you actually bear fruit and become more like Jesus.

0:00 Welcome & Series Overview
3:25 Why the Bible Feels Like Wasted Time
8:48 God’s Goal: More of Jesus in You
15:10 When the Word Goes to Work (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
22:30 All Scripture Is God-Breathed (2 Timothy 3 & Hebrews 4)
31:05 Receiving the Word with Seriousness
40:10 Accepting the Word with Humility (Parable of the Sower)
49:22 Practical Ways to Let Scripture Rearrange Your Life
55:05 Closing Prayer & Response

Ever felt like your prayer life is the glitchiest phone call of your day—like God’s on mute or the line keeps breaking up? In this first talk of our “Hearing God” series, Jackson walks through why God speaks in the first place and why so many of us feel like He doesn’t. If you’re tired of treating God like a fortune teller, a vending machine, or an algorithm and actually want to be anchored in His Word and aimed at His presence, this is for you. Come chill, be honest about where you’re at, and let God start reshaping how you listen so you can actually grow and bear real fruit.

HDC Young Adults is a community of 18–28 year olds gathering every Thursday night to be anchored in truth and aimed at God’s presence. It’s a space to breathe, to belong, to ask real questions, and to be formed into the image of Jesus together—not just to attend a program. If you’re anywhere in the High Desert and looking for a place to chill, grow in your faith, and bear fruit that actually lasts, we’d love to have you with us in person.

Scripture in this message includes Hebrews 1:1–3, Genesis 11:1–4, Philippians 2, 1 Samuel 28, 2 Corinthians 5:7, John 6, Philippians 1:29, Matthew 25:14–30, Romans 14:12, 1 John 3:1–2, Romans 8:29, and Galatians 4:19.
Key takeaways:
• God is a speaking God, but we often don’t hear Him because we’re listening in the wrong places and for the wrong reasons.
• God does not primarily speak to help you ascend, guarantee outcomes, help you avoid all pain, or let you dodge responsibility—He’s not your fortune teller, vending machine, or excuse for laziness.
• God’s primary purpose in speaking is to mature you and conform you to the image of Jesus—from the inside out, not just by tweaking behaviors at the surface.
• Real change means letting the Spirit uproot sin and plant new roots of righteousness, learning to live by faith, embrace costly obedience, and own the choices you’ll one day give an account for before God.

0:00 Welcome & Series Kickoff
2:18 Why Hearing God Feels So Hard
6:45 God Is a Speaking God (Hebrews 1)
11:32 Listening in the Wrong Places: Ascend, Assurance, Avoid, Abdicate
27:05 Why God Really Speaks: To Make Us Like Jesus
34:40 Surface Change vs. Deep Formation
41:10 An Invitation to Become God’s Child
44:05 Praying for a People Who Hear and Obey