Life Bible Church : Recent Episodes
Pastor Joel Barrere
After singing a hymn, Jesus warns the disciples that they will fall away that very night. Peter boldly insists he never will, yet Jesus predicts his denial. The passage reminds us that spiritual confidence must be grounded in humble dependence on Christ rather than our own strength.
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus transforms the Passover meal into a lasting reminder of the New Covenant. Through the bread and the cup, He points His disciples beyond the symbols to His coming sacrifice, inviting all who belong to Him to remember His grace, proclaim His death, and live in continual dependence upon Him until He returns.
As the cross approaches, two responses to Jesus emerge: the sacrificial worship of the woman who anoints Him and the betrayal of Judas. The Spirit leads us to wholehearted devotion, valuing Jesus above comfort, reputation, or gain.
Throughout Scripture, God's people first encounter His presence and then are sent on His mission. Worship transforms the heart, and transformed hearts naturally serve. Every believer has been uniquely gifted to strengthen Christ's body, reflecting His love through joyful service rather than obligation. Healthy disciples worship faithfully and serve joyfully.
Generosity has always been part of the life of God’s people. Giving is not simply about finances—it is an act of trust, gratitude, and participation in God’s mission. Giving is a spiritual practice that reflects God’s generosity toward us.
Guest speaker Murray Tilles shares how the celebration of communion is deeply rooted in the ancient story of the Passover. From the elements of the Seder to the sacrifice of the lamb, communion remains a vital rhythm that points the church to our ultimate redemption. Through the bread and the cup, believers remember the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, our true Passover Lamb.
Throughout Scripture, God’s people respond to His goodness with song. Worship through singing is more than music—it is truth proclaimed, faith expressed, and hearts lifted toward God.
Baptism is more than a ceremony; it is a declaration of a new identity. Through baptism believers publicly identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Baptism remains a vital step of obedience and belonging in the life of the church.
Prayer is not simply a private spiritual habit—it is a defining rhythm of the people of God. The early church devoted themselves to prayer. Corporate prayer aligns our hearts with God’s purposes, strengthens faith, and invites the Spirit’s work among us.
From the earliest days of the church, believers devoted themselves to the teaching of Scripture. Preaching and teaching of God’s Word remains central to worship, spiritual growth, and the renewal of our minds. When the Word is central, the church stays anchored in truth and alive in the Spirit.
If the Bible is truly God’s Word, it must shape how we live. Knowing why Scripture is trustworthy, how it has endured through history, and why it remains the foundation for faith, doctrine, and spiritual growth produces confidence in the Bible and a renewed hunger for it.
Before we can understand the power of God’s Word, we must understand how the Bible came to be. Rather than being randomly assembled, the Bible emerged through a careful process of discernment as the early church recognized the writings that carried apostolic authority and divine inspiration. Understanding how the canon was formed strengthens our confidence that the Scriptures we hold today are the faithful and trustworthy Word of God.
Authentic stewardship is the humble act of planting our entrusted lives in the soil of faith — not burying them under the weight of bad belief, unholy fear, and idolatry — fueled by the realized identity of those chosen, adopted, and made co-heirs with Christ.
In a world full of noise and routine, it’s easy to drift through life spiritually unaware. Jesus warns that the most important moment in history will feel like just another ordinary day. He calls us to wake up, stay ready, and live fully aware of God’s presence.
The risen Christ is the returning King, and the Spirit prepares us to live ready between the empty tomb and the open sky.
On Palm Sunday, we celebrate Jesus as King, but true faith is revealed in seasons of pressure, not just praise. Jesus calls His followers to remain anchored in truth, resist deception, and trust His sovereignty in uncertain times. When everything shakes, Christ remains steady so hold fast to Him.
In a world filled with uncertainty and upheaval, Jesus calls His followers to live with steady faith. While the world may shake, those who are anchored in Christ can endure, love faithfully, and remain committed to the mission of the gospel. Life in the Spirit produces a faith that overcomes the world.
Jesus' lament over Jerusalem reveals the grieving heart of God toward a resistant people. His desire has always been to gather and restore, yet love cannot shelter an unwilling heart. The question this passage leaves us with is simple and personal: Are we willing?
Jesus exposes the danger of performing spirituality for people and redefines greatness as humble obedience before the Father. Life in the Spirit is not about recognition or titles, but living faithfully before an audience of One.
Life in the Spirit calls Jesus followers not to reduce Jesus to what is familiar but to respond to Him as Lord.
Jesus reveals that all of God’s commands flow from one foundation: wholehearted love for God and self-giving love for others. This calls us to a faith that isn’t about rules, but about reordered affection and devotion.
Growth doesn’t happen by accident — it grows through faith, care, and intention.
God calls His people to make room where others can belong, grow, and follow Jesus.
Together, we look ahead with faith, purpose, and expectation.
Life in the Spirit isn’t just about what happens after we die, it’s about living right now in the power of the resurrection.
Jesus reminds us that while a coin bears Caesar’s image, our lives bear God’s. Are you reflecting His image and furthering His Kingdom?
While the invitation to God’s Kingdom is broad enough to include everyone, the requirement to remain is absolute: we must exchange the rags of our own merit for the robes of righteousness Jesus provided.
Thanksgiving is not denial of pain; it is declaration of faith - not a feeling but a choice. Are you making the choice to say, “God, You are good in the storm. You are faithful in the darkness. You are present in the prison. And Your grace is enough.”
Life in the Spirit is a surrendered life—where we release control, submit to the Son, and live for God’s purposes, not our own.
Jesus exposes the difference between religious words and repentant obedience through the parable of the two sons, revealing that the Kingdom belongs to those who respond to God with changed lives, not just correct language.
Jesus shows that true authority flows not from position or control, but from surrender to the Father. Life in the Spirit is not found by negotiating obedience or fearing people, but by living fully under God’s authority. When we surrender, the Spirit brings freedom, peace, and clarity.
Jesus curses the fruitless fig tree, revealing that outward appearances mean little without spiritual fruit. He teaches the disciples that faith-filled prayer has real power to move mountains. The Spirit invites us to examine what our lives are producing—and to trust God boldly for what seems impossible.
Jesus wants to remove everything that distracts His people from communion with God. He clears out the noise so prayer, purity, and praise can take their rightful place. Life in the Spirit means allowing Christ to cleanse whatever in us crowds out a life of real intimacy and intercession.
Life in the Spirit begins with how we welcome Jesus when He draws near. Obedience, surrender, and the cry of “Hosanna” are true postures of a heart that receives the King. When we open the door to Christ, He transforms what we could never change on our own.
Jesus opens the eyes of those who cry out to Him in desperate, faith-filled surrender—restoring not only sight, but direction, purpose, and devotion.
Jesus redefines greatness through humility, showing that true honor in the kingdom comes not from position but from service. His life becomes the model of sacrificial love — the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve. What if the greatest among us are those who quietly serve others first?
What if the road you had to walk was hard, lonely, and full of pain — but joy was waiting at every step? The Spirit gives us courage, hope, and strength to walk with Jesus all the way to the cross.
The grace we’ve freely received is meant to flow through us to others. Jesus modeled costly grace through humble service—giving His life as the ultimate act of love. When we serve with our time, treasure, and talent, we become living conduits of His generosity, showing the world what Jesus looks like.
God’s grace invites all, equalizes the undeserving, and calls us to serve it forward. Stop comparing, start marveling, and live faithfully in His kingdom.
Life in the Spirit means putting everything on the altar and trusting that nothing surrendered to God is ever wasted.
Life in the Spirit means coming freely to Jesus—unhindered by pride, shame, or striving—and helping others do the same.
Testimony isn’t just telling a story—it’s God’s power alive in us. When we share what God has done, we glorify Him, strengthen the church, and encourage others to trust in His work. Testimony builds faith, unites believers, and carries the good news forward.
Because God fully knows us and loves us, we are freed to live boldly and share Him with others
God sees us even in our pain, confusion, and wandering. His presence transforms despair into hope and reminds us that we are fully known and deeply cared for.
We all face seasons where God seems hidden. But silence is not absence—He sees you, He is shaping you, and one day you’ll look back and see His hand was there all along.
We’ve all experienced failure—the kind that leaves shame, regret, and the thought, “I’ve gone too far.” In those moments, Jesus meets us where we are, forgives our past, and invites us into a new purpose. No matter your failures, His call remains: “Follow Me."
Your story isn’t over. Jesus meets us in the middle of our brokenness, turning shame into testimony, offering living water, and writing a brand-new story of hope, freedom, and purpose.
You are fully seen and deeply loved by God. He sees your heart, calls out the good in you, and invites you into a life of purpose and hope. Discover what it means to be truly known by Him.
The God who holds galaxies in His hands also holds your life in His heart. From the vastness of the stars to the smallest details of your day, He sees you fully, knows you completely, and loves you perfectly. The invitation is clear: respond to His love by trusting Jesus as Savior and resting in the safety of being fully known by Him.
Because marriage was designed by Christ to reflect His covenant love, we are called to walk in the Spirit daily—praying together, extending grace and mercy, and pursuing one another with intentional love. Whether married, single, or divorced, we can rest in the truth that Jesus will never forsake His bride, and we are to mirror that faithfulness in our relationships. As we grasp His unshakable love for us, it transforms the way we love, forgive, and serve each other.
Speaker: Mitchell Duncan
Jesus teaches that forgiveness isn’t about counting offenses—it’s about reflecting the immeasurable grace we’ve received. The parable of the unforgiving servant reveals that holding onto bitterness after being forgiven an impossible debt exposes a heart untouched by the cross. True forgiveness flows not from obligation, but from a life transformed by mercy and freed from the cycle of revenge.
Life in the Spirit means lovingly confronting sin in one another’s lives—not for punishment, but for restoration. Jesus calls us to follow clear steps of truth and grace, always aiming to win back our brother or sister. As we walk in unity and accountability, He promises His presence among us.
The Spirit-filled life mirrors the heart of Jesus: to pursue, restore, and rejoice over every lost one—because no sheep is left behind in the Kingdom of God.
Sin’s impact is devastating and undeniable, demanding radical action on our part. Our only refuge is the cross, where Christ bore its full weight and secured our salvation.
Jesus redefines greatness not by power or performance, but by childlike humility, love, and trust. True greatness in the Kingdom comes from craving God's presence, imitating His character, and running to Him for security—just like a child runs to someone they love. To be great in God’s eyes is to become small in our own.
The essence of Jesus’ character—divine, humble, all-knowing, and all-providing—calls us to live differently. His unwavering focus on the mission of salvation invites us to trust Him fully, seek His wisdom daily, and walk in humility rather than pride. In every situation, we can rely on His power and provision, knowing He is always working for our good and His glory.
The gospel is more than good advice—it’s the power of God to rescue us from sin, raise us to new life, and send us into the world with Spirit-empowered purpose. When we root our lives in the gospel—not our feelings, performance, or circumstances—we live with confidence, power, and mission.
After the mountaintop moment of transfiguration, Jesus and His disciples descend into the valley of spiritual powerlessness and desperate need. The disciples’ failure to cast out a demon wasn’t due to lack of technique, but lack of dependence—a reminder that yesterday’s faith can’t power today’s battles. True, mountain-moving faith flows not from past experience but from present connection to Jesus through prayer and fasting.
God calls elders to be steady, Christlike shepherds—men marked not by position or power, but by character, humility, and sacrificial leadership. Elders are tasked with guarding doctrine, caring for souls, and guiding the church with both conviction and compassion. Their lives must reflect the gospel they proclaim, for the health of the church depends on the faithfulness of its shepherds.
Mountaintop moments with Jesus are sacred, but they aren’t the destination—they’re preparation. God gives us glimpses of His glory not to keep us there, but to ground us in Christ and send us into the mission field. The goal isn’t to stay on the mountain, but to come down changed—ready to follow Jesus, even through the valley.
Jesus doesn’t just call us to a moment of surrender—He invites us into a lifestyle of daily, present-tense surrender. In a world that tells us to hold tightly to our lives, Jesus teaches that true life is found when we lay it down. The question isn’t just have you surrendered, but are you still surrendered—because what we lay down for His sake will never be lost, but will bear eternal reward.
Following Jesus often means surrendering our expectations, especially when God’s plan includes hardship or pain. Like Peter, we may resist what doesn’t make sense to us—but sincere intentions aren’t the same as spiritual insight. True faith chooses obedience even when the path includes a cross, trusting that God’s will always leads to greater fruitfulness.
Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” demands more than borrowed beliefs—it calls for a personal revelation that transforms everything. When we confess Jesus as the Christ, we step into kingdom authority, identity, and purpose that hell itself cannot withstand.
Matthew 16:1-12 Summary: Jesus warns that dangerous doctrine often comes subtly, disguised in religious language but marked by hypocrisy, legalism, skepticism, and worldliness. True faith doesn’t demand constant signs but trusts in Christ, remaining rooted in sound teaching and alert to spiritual deception.
Matthew 15:29-39 Summary: Jesus has compassion on the poor, the hungry, the needy. He also has compassion on us- the poor, unbelieving disciples! How often do we ask Jesus to prove Himself all over again when we have already seen Him work! He does not fail to be patient with us and give us a testimony of His sacrifice as the Bread of Heaven, and His power to multiply provision.
Jesus is risen! Don't just stand there looking up at the skies! This same Jesus will return in just the same way that He left. How are we living now to prepare for the return of the resurrected Christ?
Matthew 15:21-28- The woman of Sidon whose daughter was possessed approached Jesus in boldness and desperation. But how she was tested! Can I be a dog, or an unworthy servant? If we find ourselves in DESPERATION, engage in EXALTATION, and accept HUMILIATION without OFFENSE, we will see His LIBERATION!
Matthew 15:15-20- it is not what goes into a man that makes him unclean in God's eyes, but what proceeds out of Him. The irony of this teaching is that what we take in is also what will inevitably also come out. Jesus is shifting our focus from the shallow externals of earthly life to the weighty eternals of a truly spiritual life.
Matthew 15:1-14- The Pharisees were offended when Jesus called them blind guides. He had confronted them about their hypocrisy and was calling them to make a change. How do I respond when something is pointed out where I may need to change? Ownership is the mature alternative to offense.
Matthew 14:34-36- Jesus wants to work in all "regions" of our lives. We try to make a law out of our experiences only to find later that Jesus has moved on! Once we recognize Him in the new "region", things begin to change very quickly- not the same work, but the same Jesus working!
Walking in faith doesn't mean ignoring challenges, but rather trusting God in the midst of them. Storms of life cause our faith to grow as they force us to rely on God in ways that calm seas never would.
Matthew 14:1-12 : John the Baptist's Life seems almost arbitrarily thrown away. Yet, when we consider all that Jesus said about him, he was afforded the highest honors that heaven could confer. We need perspective!
If we are not careful, we will miss the greater purpose we were created for!
Change comes directly from the things we see now that we could not see before. For 2025: We Desire for Life Bible Church to be the Happiest, Healthiest Church in our Community.
Matthew 14:1-12 : John the Baptist's Life seems almost arbitrarily thrown away. Yet, when we consider all that Jesus said about him, he was afforded the highest honors that heaven could confer. We need perspective!
If we are not careful, we will miss the greater purpose we were created for!
“Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver, the other is gold.” Friendships- real ones- are essential to survival on the journey of life and faith in Jesus. How can we care for them in a way that ensures they are longlasting? Jonathan and David are a picture of deep, lasting friendship.
Time is like money, in that we budget and spend it, and cannot get it back once it is gone. Time is unique, though, because there is a limited amount apportioned to each person, it is always being spent, and more cannot be earned! Time is a stewardship we manage well by prioritizing eternity, investing in people and God’s Kingdom.
Christians often have false beliefs that affect our relationship with money. What mindset shifts do we need to make so that we can honor God by stewarding well the money He entrusts to us?
Christians should be the healthiest people on earth. How do we seek the Lord first and honor Him with our physical fitness?
Christians should be the healthiest people on earth. How do we seek the Lord first in our health, honoring Him with out diet?
A yearly vision needs to begin with a heavenly vision. Having looked to God FIRST, we turn to the things down here. A heavenly vision ensures we have an eternal reward where nothing can destroy it and it cannot be stolen from us. We find and keep the heavenly vision by spending the FIRST PART DAILY with Jesus, in the Word of God and prayer.
Fasting is the desperate measure that God prescribes for desperate times, when the ordinary means have failed. Fasting brings breakthrough wherever any stronghold exists!
The death of Stephen as it mirrors the death of Jesus gives us two essential elements to finishing well, forgiveness and surrender.
Humanity is changed because Jesus came. He loved the world, lived in the world, died for the world, and is working redemption in the world, and will one day remake the world. His love for the world is so immense, but only the faithful will experience it!
Jesus surprises us again and again with His choice of companions, friends, the objects of His compassion, and the instruments of His grace. Jesus came to reveal the love of God for the unlovely.
Darkness does not intimidate God. Rather, He is drawn to it! He loves to expose the untapped potential of a dark place to the light of His redemption. In Jesus, a people sitting in darkness have seen a GREAT light!
The God of the universe wants to be known by name by His people. What is even more remarkable, however, is His willingness to KNOW His people, not by sovereign or divine knowledge, but by personal experience as one of us.
We are all given white garments to wear- the Righteousness of Christ. Some, however, WALK WITH HIM in white and are living a life worthy of His name. The great need today is for believers to hear the call to WAKE UP! and stop sleepwalking their lives away.
For our faith to grow, we have 3 essential needs: To be made good, to do good deeds (out of the overflow), and for those deeds to be done in power!
God loves YOU. If you have wandered away from God, becoming entangled and trapped; the Shepherd wants to bring you back home.
The political arena is not a holy place like a church, nor is it an unholy place like a pagan temple. It is the Areopagus, a theater of ideas, where a battle is taking place for the soul of a nation. Christians must repent of the sin of apathy toward public affairs and begin to pray and serve and vote.
Earthly worship prepares us for heavenly glory. What we practice here, we will do forever on that beautiful shore. Worship can be hard here, but it’s easy over there! Sin is removed, Satan is vanquished, and we are free to praise!
Many blessings are reserved for only when God's people come together to serve and minister to Him. Praise is beautiful in solitude and silence, but corporate praise is a time when God comes to visit us in His glory, to be enthroned upon the praises of His people.
Worship is not just our expression to God, but a sword in our hand against the enemy. Sometimes the worst enemy is my own heart. How should we respond to the inner turmoil that is so common to man? Begin to praise God, to worship His character and His Word, and see what happens!
God is the great giver and Jesus is the indescribable gift. God wants His grace to work in us until we grow out of the OBLIGATION of giving into the OPPORTUNITY of giving. How can our minds be changed in this important matter?
As we walk with God and surrender our finances to Him, we discover that giving tithes, and their counterpart, special offerings, is a vital part of our worship and an opportunity to participate in His Kingdom here on earth.
The right response to all that God has done, is to offer our bodies through worship as a living sacrifice. With a heart posture of praise, our physical posture will surely follow.
Missions is a form of worship as an overflow of our delight in God. As we worship Him and seek our own relationship with God, we also invite others to know and experience God for themselves. When all the nations of the world worship God, the Gospel will be fulfilled.
Sincerity in our relationship with God is one of the most valuable qualities, and this certainly extends into our worship. Do all acts of worship require the right feelings? Can worship be simple obedience and the feelings follow after?
Worship is a word that evokes different things for many people. Is it singing in church? Is it sacrificial giving? Is it the sacrifice of animals? There is a great opportunity for the church to grow in our understanding of our response to God's call for an offering.
Barriers to belief are often formed from personal experience. What can we do to overcome these barriers?
The Kingdom of God gathers all kinds of people, good and evil. Jesus will sort them all out in the end. Disciples of the kingdom get to enjoy all the old revelation along with the new!
The treasure and the Pearl are precious, and to get them, it will cost a great deal. God bought us at a high price and we obtain Him at a high cost, but all is worth it in the end!
The Kingdom of God is sown in obscurity and smallness, but give it time: it becomes the greatest kingdom in all the world!
Pretenders in the Faith have been sown in the world by our enemy, and they look a lot like the real children of God. We have to let them grow up alongside us until God sorts us all out on the harvest of the last day.
Jesus did not want all things pertaining to God to be just a matter of common sense. Parables were a kind of code that would be deciphered by the Spirit in the hearts and minds of the believing.
The Word of God is sown widely and generously, but there are many obstacles to it bearing fruit. When it does take hold, it bears much fruit for the glory of God.
All children of God share a simple identity: we are those who listen to the Word of God and obey it.
Words reveal character; Speaking righteous words and listening to righteous words from a righteous heart is proof of The Life of Jesus in us.
The willful slander of Jesus is no laughing matter, nor is quenching or discrediting the Holy Spirit. If we do it, we run into a very dangerous territory. If we follow Jesus, however, he will lead us to bind and plunder!
Jesus was called and empowered by God to gently lead God’s children home. Do I have a gentle spirit?
God made the Sabbath for man, not man for the Sabbath. Showing mercy is a more reliable sign of a righteous life than giving up things.
Carrying weight, we aren’t asked to carry and fighting a fight that has already been won, we become exhausted. Jesus invites us to lay down that burden and come to Him for rest.
God seems to delight in defying our expectations, and Jesus and John certainly did that in their generation. Their vindication- and ours- is not meeting people's expectations, but in bearing good fruit for God and satisfying Him!
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." When we serve others, we are living out the heart of Jesus. How can we serve each other in this local body?
Since his conception, Jesus has defied expectations. When he doesn't work in our lives the way we expect him to, it can lead us to doubt who we know Him to be. When we hold on to the confident trust we have in the Lord, blessings abound.
What do we do when the gospel comes home in a real way, and like a sword, divides families? Can this be the will of God? How will God replace what has been lost?
Jesus does not mince words when He describes the situation into which He is sending His disciples. What motivates us to answer the call? Is it the clear call of Jesus or our own sense of heroism?
We all begin our faith following Jesus, but Jesus is going to push us even further. Just as He empowered and sent out his first Apostles, He also empowers us and sends us out. What should we expect as we go for Him?
Resurrection is the basis of our entire faith, our hope, and our salvation, yet many Christians do not believe that God raises the dead. Jesus has a cure for our unbelief, and a resurrection for every broken spirit that puts their trust in Him.
Jesus has called us to take up our crosses and follow Him. Instead, we often seek out comforts to keep us from trials rather than the Comforter to be with us in our trials. Will we lay down the idol of comfort and lift Jesus up as worthy of ultimate sacrifice?
Because earthly approval delivers instant gratification we can find ourselves walking outside of our God-given identity in Christ, as we seek man’s approval above God’s. Jesus teaches us, in word and deed, to overcome the desire to be approved of man and walk in our identity as approved sons and daughters of God.
It is counterintuitive to put Jesus, whom we cannot see, before the things that are visible and loudly demand our attention. It is tough, but it is the only way a Christian can live and thrive in this world. What does it look like to reason by faith?
Jesus does not minimize our earthly needs, but rather He call us to surrender worry and anxiety over provision by fixing our gaze - and our trust - on the Provider. What will I worship, my Daily Bready, or the one who gave it?
We all want to be "reasonable" people, but the scripture warns against the untrustworthiness of reason. Ultimately, reason is unreliable and will try to supplant sincere faith, which is the only way our lives can please God. Can I accept Jesus just as He is even when I cannot understand His ways?
Jesus is the Blessed and Only Sovereign, and you and I are, at best, only amateur providences when we try to dictate the course of our own lives. Holding on to control is an illusion, but a powerful one that ensnares many believers. How can we surrender our wills to Jesus and put Him first?
Jesus warned very seriously about he dangers of exalting Tradition above the Word of God. When we do it, we end up straining out gnats and swallowing camels in our walk with God. How can we keep Jesus first and still enjoy certain meaningful routines and traditions?
Jesus is the Living Word, and the Bible is that most precious book that leads us to Him. in many Christian's lives, the Bible has come to be a replacement for all that Jesus Himself is meant to be, even replacing an entire member of the Trinity- God the Holy Spirit. How can we revere the Scriptures and still keep Jesus first?
God is the all-sufficient One God, who made all things, needs nothings, gives life to all, rules over everything, and in whose presence we all exist and live. If we have Him, we have everything! We must be careful that we do not develop a religious nature that assigns omnipotence to limited things. We should instead seek an authentic spiritual life with Jesus at the head.
To know Jesus is the highest aspiration in all of life, so what holds us back from him? Idols, plain and simple. When we Jesus for who He is and set all idols aside, Jesus once again becomes our One and Only.
Matthew 9:32-38 | How are workers sent out in to the Lord's Harvest, and what should the workers expect their work to look like? Pray, pray that God will send the workers and that the workers will work like Jesus!
Matthew 9:18-31 | Everyone has a reputation, and being a person of faith will certainly draw the attention of the people around us. How do people see us? What if we are laughed at? Will we walk by faith even if everyone else thinks we're crazy? Faith, it turns out, always gets the last laugh.
Matthew 9:14-17 | Jesus' disciples did not fast like John's disciples. Jesus made it clear that they would one day, but these good practices would be more fitting after the new birth where they would be truly beneficial. Are you in a fasting or a feasting season?
"God is One God" was the prevailing revelation of God for centuries. But then whispers begin to emerge of a Son, and this Son has a major part to play in God's Master Plan. What is His name, and what is the name of His Son?!
Matthew 9: 1-13 | Authority is determined not by what title I give myself, but by what obeys me. Jesus walked in God's power and authority, but used it to serve the least of these. Do we walk in the authority He has given us?
Matthew 8:18-34 | Discipleship has a cost, and it can be steep! Have I really considered what following Jesus will cost me personally? What if He leads me into a storm, or in to a graveyard full of demons? Considering this, will I still say yes to His call?
Matthew 8:1-17 | God is a miraculous God, and Jesus came to reveal the Father. If this is so why are miracles so rare? There is a relationship between faith and our experience of miraculous things. Lord, increase our faith!
Matthew 7:15-29 | We are all mastered by something, and it will either be a spirit of lawlessness or the Spirit of Christ. What we choose for the foundation of our lives will determine the fruit that we bear in the long run.
Matthew 7:7-14 | How does God treat us when we ask Him for things? If the law of sowing and reaping applies to this principle of prayer, then God gives to us in proportion to the way we treat others. Take the narrow way and do the extraordinary thing- be kind to others!
The holy Word of God is entrusted to the church, and we have the precious pearl of the gospel of the Kingdom. We are to share these things with all who will listen, but there are also times when we must choose who is worthy to receive the precious things of God.
Matthew 7:1-6- Jesus did not say, never make judgments, but rather, "Do not judge". But what's the difference? There are righteous judgments I must make that will help me discern how to handle the precious pearls of God's truth.
Matthew 7:1-6 - Jesus did not say, never make judgments, but rather, "Do not judge". But what's the difference? There are righteous judgments I must make that will help me discern how to handle the precious pearls of God's truth.
Matthew 6:16-18- When I fast, is it to be noticed by men or noticed by God? Fasting gets God's attention, and when His eyes are fixed on us, a breakthrough is coming.
Jesus taught that our giving and our personal praying should be done in secret- for God's eyes only. But is there also a deep connection between the two?
When our wills are submitted to Jesus, and we are walking by the Spirit, we will have enemies for Christ’s sake. How should we deal with them? Jesus says our strength lies in the ability to love them, bless them, and pray for them.
God is a peacemaker and a God of everlasting faithfulness. His faithfulness is born in us as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. God desires that the children of His kingdom be covenant-keeping and faithful like their Father in Heaven.
Jesus did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it. By the Spirit, He has forever completed all that was necessary for our salvation and brought us from a life under the letter into an abundant life in the Spirit.
Jesus said we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We are here to cause a defined effect, to bring a visible and tangible enhancement, by bringing Christ into every arena of life.
There is a wedding feast coming, and the only guests allowed entrance will be the rightful citizens of the kingdom, the true sons and daughters of God. When the time for the Heavenly Banquet comes, God Himself has provided for us to be dressed for the occasion. Have you put off the old self and put on the righteousness of Christ?
To make progress in a spiritual life, we must walk by the Spirit and break down the flesh through discipline and perseverance. Fasting and spiritual warfare bring us to the end of our strength where God’s power begins, supplied by His Spirit.
Repentance prepares the way for the coming of the Lord. The same repentance that invites Jesus into our lives also keeps our spirits fit for His Holy Spirit.
Do we practice repenting to man and to God?
Being led by the Spirit means receiving words from God- a combination of “living words” and “written words,” quickened by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' coming was foretold over many generations, and his history is full of both folly and redemption. But He is our forerunner! His life in the Spirit is the model for ours. Whatever our history, the Life of the Spirit must manifest through us so that Jesus can be known!
There is so much controversy around the person and work of the Holy Spirit, but in God's eyes, this need not be. He is the Spirit of our Heavenly Father and the Spirit of our blessed redeemer, Jesus Himself. But have we received Him?
People who join religions, faiths, superstitions generally are all looking for one thing: authentic spirituality. In Christ, in the Holy Spirit, we have been given the Truth itself, and with Him, fullness spiritually and life abundantly.
When our thought life is not centered on God, we are not able to fully walk in the freedom Christ bought for us. But focusing our thoughts on God rather than our circumstances helps us to more fully understand our identity as God's beloved children and to overcome our negative thinking patterns.
Listen in to the exciting things that the Lord is doing at Life Bible Church, and for some updates from Pastor Joel!
Just as God's temple had its Jachin and Boaz, marriage also has its strong pillars- Covenant and Companionship- that give strength and stability to this most important relationship.
The only real LIFE is found in Jesus’ name. By believing that Jesus is the savior sent from God, and that He is divine Himself, we pass from death into His life.
Money can buy us things, but if we are not careful, we can become possessed by our possessions. If God has given us what we have, how can we possess our possessions in a way that honors Him?
There are many different ways in which we manage money as God provides. Do I have unplowed ground in my financial life? If so, what needs to change so I can please Him and receive the full reward of the faithful steward?
Good stewardship of money begins with tithes and offerings, and we begin to give as we come to understand who God is. The first line item in our budget must be disciplined, sacrificial giving. We give in faith, and God blesses the work of our hands.
Do we squander money and lack shrewdness, or are we using worldly wealth to make a future both here and in eternity? The issue is not, “Can God be trusted with my future?” but rather, “Can God trust me with His resources?”
Everyone who is in Christ has a testimony- a story of what God has done for their soul. People need to hear your story! What have you seen and heard in your walk with Jesus that everyone needs to hear?
.
.
.
Life Bible Church is a non-denominational church located in Canton GA
Join us for our in-person gatherings at 9:00 AM, and 11:00 AM
You can also join remotely for our 11:00 AM
service on our Website - https://www.lifebiblechurch.com/lives...
By the grace of God, we are what we are. There is Grace (supernatural help) available to us in anything we are called by God to do. What are we doing with the grace God has given to us?
We have all been given a measure of "talent" to use for God. Jesus is coming back some day to call us to account. Whether we are given much or little, if we grow our gift, the Master will be pleased and reward us!
.
.
.
Life Bible Church is a non-denominational church located in Canton GA
Join us for our in-person gatherings at 9:00 AM, and 11:00 AM
You can also join remotely for our 11:00 AM
service on our Website - https://www.lifebiblechurch.com/lives...
God owns everything there is, no exceptions, so what about human ownership? The question is answered with one revelation: we are not owners, but servants and stewards. Stewards must be found faithful.
Among God’s people, there are those whose lives were once fruitful, but have now ceased to seek after God or follow Him. Jesus speaks to us about 3 aspects of a godly life that will determine whether we flourish or wither.
God loves YOU. If you find yourself away from God feeling lost, abandoned, and forgotten; He is lighting up and sweeping the house to find YOU and won’t stop until He does.
.
.
.
Life Bible Church is a non-denominational church located in Canton GA
Join us for our in-person gatherings at 9:00 AM, and 11:00 AM
You can also join remotely for our 11:00 AM
service on our Website - https://www.lifebiblechurch.com/lives...
While on earth, Jesus never aspired to sit on any throne other than the one in human hearts. He is still winning hearts today. Since He rose from the dead, He has sat down on His eternal throne and all things will soon be under His feet.
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." The proof that the love of God has been poured out in us is that it is poured out through us. The place that it is needed first is in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. May God love them through me!
We, who believe in Jesus and have fixed our hope on Him, cannot live without the love of God. It is our daily bread; It is our morning mercy! Even in intense trials, His love shines through.
God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all. This is the greatest display of love of all. It is fitting, then, that He calls us to practice laying our own lives down for Him as a daily, living sacrifice. Will I make the offering? Could I make the ultimate sacrifice?
Jesus warned His followers to be careful not to hold family, friends, or possessions above Him. Our love for Him must make our earthly affections look like hatred by comparison. Will we refuse to put them above Him when they are in conflict with each other?
God will never turn His love away from us, but we can walk away! We keep ourselves under the canopy of His love through obedience. From start to finish, God has made His message clear: if we are going to be in a relationship with Him, we have to submit to His Word.
If we are in Christ, the love of God has already been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Even so, for many of us, there is a great need to experience that inner outpouring in a baptism of love in which the Holy Spirit makes God's love real to us and through us.
People will rarely give up their life for anyone or anything, though for a righteous man, someone might dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus said to beware the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. A little leaven leavens the whole lump, and then we have become something we never intended to be. On the other hand, the leaven of the Kingdom also can spread throughout us and redeem our brokenness for God's glory.
Diligence means seeing things through, and this quality is required of every servant of God and everyone who would succeed in life generally. Do I have it, or are things around me breaking down from neglect? God will teach us to be diligent just as He is!
Flipping the script just a bit, there are little things we cannot afford to MISS while we live that will actually hinder our ability to be fruitful. Enjoyment of the basic God-given pleasures of life is one of those things. With regard to these, we eat, drink, and are merry to the glory of the God who gave them.
A few little flies in the perfumer's oil, and the whole batch is ruined. That is what the Bible compares foolishness to in a person's heart. What is foolishness and how does just a little of it cause such disastrous ruin? Wisdom, praise God, is His powerful remedy.
We say we would like to serve God, but we can't. Our lives are weighed down with little gods that dominate our attentions and our affections. What does it really mean to fear God and serve Him only?
Fear can lead us to deeper faith or completely ruin us, all depending on where we run when we are in trouble. We have to choose to make the Lord our refuge BEFORE our crisis comes.
All truth is behind a veil. We tell people what is behind the veil, but we cannot overcome skepticism, unbelief, or deception on our own. Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, must come and remove the veil of mystery so they can see the truth.
What do we do when evil is pressing and even prevailing? Are we powerless to change things? No, we are not! We have authority given by Jesus to bind and loose on earth the things He is binding and loosing in heaven.
Jesus is absolute on authority, ruling over all other authority and powers. When we are in Him, we are entrusted with a measure of authority by which we perform His works. How can we walk and grow in authority?
Faith, like most things God has made, is governed by a set of inviolable laws. If broken, faith seems not to work and we become disillusioned and cynical. But learn to walk within God's framework, and - suddenly!- a whole world of impossible possibilities are opened to us in Him.
From the beginning, God's Word has come down to His people in 2 forms- first, He spoke directly to them, and then He put much of it in writing. Just as in days past, we need both the Law (the written Word) and the Prophets (the spoken Word of God) working together to have a complete and active faith today.
We all get worn down and need to be rejuvenated, but the normal things like physical rest or entertainment will not lead to what we really need- spiritual renewal. Spiritual renewal takes place only in God's presence where He satisfies us ultimately.
Each attribute of God is in perfect union with each and every other attribute that God possesses. There is no conflict and no minimizing one attribute in order for another attribute to exist. Therefore, it is important to understand that the love of God does not exist in conflict with God's righteousness nor His immutable quality of being just. To understand the Gospel is to understand that God demonstrates His love for sinful mankind, not by overlooking their sinfulness nor by disregarding man's sinfulness, but rather He demonstrates His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God the Father expressed His love for sinful mankind by giving His son's life as a just payment for our sin to satisfy God's wrath that would otherwise rightly be poured out upon sinners.
Without holiness, no man shall see God. So how do we become righteous and holy, knowing that in our flesh we are depraved and sinful? We receive the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we remember the bad that is in us, and we tend to focus on our past sins, and that is why our minds need to be renewed so that we realize that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
Without holiness, no man shall see God. So how do we become righteous and holy, knowing that in our flesh we are depraved and sinful? We receive the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we remember the bad that is in us, and we tend to focus on our past sins, and that is why our minds need to be renewed so that we realize that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
God is a rescuer. Scripture demonstrates how God has always rescued and delivered His people from slavery and oppression. In Jesus Christ, God's people today are being rescued from the bondage of sin and delivered from the consequences of sin. As people who have been rescued by God, we have a message of reconciliation for the world - given to us by the God who rescues.
There are many things that fight for our attention in life, but, as Jesus said, only one thing is necessary. However long it takes, we must seek God daily until we have a relationship with Him where He is revealing Himself, and we are growing in the knowledge of Him.
God's Servant has God's Spirit and God's Spirit makes us vessels through which God achieves His redemption.
Isaiah 61
What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? The life of Jesus is our example in all things, including how we receive power to move in the callings God has for us.
Jesus and the Pharisees studied the same scriptures and prayed to the same God- so what made them different? The answer is in the kind of Spirit that dominated them- one was ruled by the Holy Spirit and the other by a religious spirit. Do we know the difference today?
Conflict is often a necessary way to move forward in a relationship. But what sets us at odds with each other in the first place, and what is the path to peace? God's word leads us through a way to resolve conflict that glorifies Him.
Disunity among siblings leads to rivalry and hatred, and can lead to violence. If we will abandon evil speech and strife, and begin to lovingly support one another as God intended, we will have each other's hearts!
To have the heart of your child, they must KNOW that you love them unconditionally. The way forward is to identify emotional deposits and withdrawals, and to make more deposits. There is much opposition to our families, but Jesus is the conqueror!
A wife who builds her husband builds her own house. When she spends meaningful time with her husband, encourages him, and responds to him with enthusiasm, he will give her his heart!
Honor and obedience to parents opens a doorway of blessing in a child's life- but parents want more than that from this relationship! To the degree that children open up, seek restoration, and seek to know their parents, they will give you their hearts.
How Did Jesus love the church, His bride, so well? He left his high and lofty throne and entered into her world. When a husband is thoughtfully engaged in his wife's world, selflessly serving, practicing good communication, and growing as a provider and protector, she will give him her heart.
We all live out of whatever we believe to be true about ourselves, and that identity increasingly defines us. Sadly, a form of false humility has permeated the church, urging the Sons of God to put off their sonship and revert to an identity under sin. But what does God say? Hear the call of the Father to the Sons: Lift up your heads, all you Saints! You are all sons of the Most High!
Many of us, when we become restless, tend to uproot and relocate to make life interesting again. In that process, we fail to recognize God's universal law of change: major change restarts the seasons, and they simply cannot be rushed! To make it to maturity and fruitfulness, we must regard God's Word to us: "Dwell in the land; cultivate faithfulness."
We all, as creatures of habit, settle into certain routines. Within those routines, there is a floor is made up of comforts and a ceiling made of the things that expose our weakness. The only way to enter a new season with God is, by His grace, to break through the old resistance and make it our new support.
Wisdom is the great need of every human heart, but there is a huge problem: foolishness is woven into our characters by sin. We will see that God has 2 primary means by which we can we overcome foolishness and become wise.
As Christians, we belong to the ever-advancing Kingdom of God. The devil's work in the world is deceptive- he tries to give the illusion that the kingdom of darkness is advancing and prevailing. God's Word shows us clearly that our victory comes as we continually hold on to hope.
God’s children should praise God with great hope for this life and eternity because He expressed His grace and love before time toward us in Christ by choosing us to be His own.
The words of the wise are gracious. That does not mean we never confront any issues, but it changes how we approach people. We have to choose to be on God's side with our words, or we will end up working for the accuser.
There are subtle ways that we may be causing harm with our words. Following on from last week's message about our words, we will see some specific ways we are warned not to use our tongues for harm, and what kind of speech we are called to.
The power of life and death are in the tongue. How are we using our words: to give life, or take it?
Things are looking dire for God's people. But this can't be fixed by bowing. Mordecai has to trust God and take bold action so that God can work through him- and Queen Esther- to an incredibly satisfying redemption.
That someone would rise from the dead is fairly unbelievable, right? And yet, all our faith and hope depend on the fact that Jesus did exactly that. We will explore together the unbelievable reality of His resurrection and see how we can take the road out of skepticism into simple faith.
To Mordecai, being a Jew meant something. He refused to bow to the insolent Haman, which sparked a series of events that looked dire for God's people. But this couldn't be fixed by bowing- Mordecai had to see it through so that God could work an incredibly satisfying redemption.
Faith is often needed most when it makes the least sense. Abraham waited 25 years for a promised gift, and then the unexpected happened- God asked for it back. Abraham was learning to trust God only, to cling to Him only, and even to believe that God will provide for us what He requires of us.
What if God's call on your life was really, really hard? Jeremiah was God's prophet, to be sure, but he was the lone voice of truth among a thousand lies. He sat alone, he stood for truth, and was uniquely rewarded by God for his faithfulness.
Stephen was a table waiter with some pretty remarkable qualities. He was also counted worthy to be the first martyr for Jesus' name. We also can bring lasting change if we will let God fill us with faith and wisdom, grace and power.
Sometimes, hard choices will be made that will cost us a lot. Have we defined the lines we will not cross? Have we decided that we will worship God only, or do we compromise and bow to the idol of gold? If we choose God's way, the 4th man, the Son of God Himself, will be with us in the fire.
If there were an idol in my heart, would I want to know it? What if the idol were the most sinister kind of all- an idol of my own image, and idol of self? God is offering to help us to see this idol for what it is, to destroy it, and worship Him alone.
There are only 2 kinds of wisdom- worldly and godly wisdom- and each comes from one of the 2 kingdoms- God’s and Satan’s. Each kingdom possesses a fountain that sends forth its wisdom to all who drink there- one giving life, the other death.
The tongue speaks whatever our hearts are full of, and we can be so conflicted inside! We have to ask, "What does my mind/heart constantly feed upon?" God wants us to see that inner purity is ours when we drink from the fountain of God's wisdom alone.
If God is Holy, and Jesus is God in a human body, then Jesus defines for us what it looks like to walk in holiness in human flesh. Jesus amazes us all with His uncommonly bold, consecrated, and liberated life, lived before the face of His Father ONLY.
Brian Miller, missionary from Colombia, shares how his ministry, Global Transformation Ministries, is helping pregnant women get off the streets and into a self-sufficient life away from prostitution. Hear testimonies of lives saved from abortion and how women come to know Jesus and experience His saving grace!
To fear God is to approach Him with the reverent awe He is due and to regard Him as holy. To have no fear of God before our eyes means we treat God - and all that comes with Him - as common. How can we lay hold of and walk in the fear of God?
To be saved is a wondrous transformation, but what comes after? Jesus calls us all to take up our cross, accept His terms for our life, and to discover the higher road of a consecrated life.
The devil sows chaotic oppression which he will use as cover to target the Church. The people of God today need eyes to see, to pray bold prayers and take bold action, and we will also see God’s intervening hand soundly defeat His enemies.
God crowns the year with goodness. In this message Pastor Joel reviews where God has led the church in 2021 and then opens the mic up for testimonies from the congregation. Be encouraged and uplifted, Church!
God does unimaginable things in inconceivable ways. See the birth of Christ with fresh eyes and marvel at the Incarnation!
The redemptive story in the book of Ruth illuminates the reality of a vertical love from God to man (the Gospel). The same type of love is paralleled in the horizontal relationship of adoption.
When God’s Spirit is at work in our lives and we are seeing His salvation, He gives us a soul that sings! Many believers have rejoiced greatly in the Lord, but their souls have since gone silent. How can we get it back?
Your choices in this life matter. Either you are a living stone fashioned into a spiritual house that will last for all eternity or you will die in your sin and spend eternity dead, that is, separate from God and His people.
So how do we set the best trajectory for our life from start to finish?
When we have learned to follow Jesus, He begins to let us have the privilege of leading others. Whether at work, home, school, at church- anywhere we are- there are good principles for us to observe in leading others to the Shepherd of our souls.
We have only followed Jesus a little while when we suddenly realize we have lost our way again! How desperately we need a faithful Shepherd like Him. What does it look like to be led by Jesus as a sheep of His pasture?
God is a shepherd, and He has manifest His shepherd's heart in Jesus Christ. Perhaps no passage captures this heart better than Psalm 23. Let's get to know Jesus together as our Great Shepherd!
The Lord has established our days and where we should even live. Life is not meaningless. God has ordained good works beforehand that we should walk in them. Are we living in the light of this truth?
Life Bible Church is a non-denominational church located in Canton GA
Join us for our in-person gatherings at 9:00 AM, and 11:00 AM
You can also join remotely for our 11:00 AM
service on our Website - https://www.lifebiblechurch.com/lives...
Text LIFEBC to 97000 to get our weekly text and stay up to date on the latest events for the church!
If God is good, why do the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer at times? This problem- the problem of evil- is the devil's favorite preaching-point to harden our hearts against God and His goodness. We will seek to answer this difficult question and vindicate the name of our God.
Does God ordain all things or does He hear us and respond when we call to Him? Yes and Yes! The Bible's doctrine of prayer is an invitation from God to His redeemed children to participate in the divine plan!
How does God's sovereignty & a person's response to God's call for salvation work together? What is God's part in the saving of a soul? Does man play a part?
How are people really saved? Do we choose Jesus or does He choose us? Glory and a profound reality are revealed in the scripture that says, "By His doing you are in Christ Jesus."
Every Christian will have to face the same difficult question: "If God is totally sovereign, do I really have free will? If I do, then what is my part in things and what is God's part?" We will explore the majestic reaches of God's power and the gray area where His sovereignty and our agency collide.
As we abide in Christ, our lives will reflect ongoing and new experiences that glorify the Father. Our relationship with Christ is based on trust, not experiences, but the experiences point us back to Christ and our Heavenly Father. Are you seeking an experience with God or a relationship with your Heavenly Father?
There are concentric circles that govern the judgments we make. Is it my responsibility to judge something? How can I know? Can I make a judgment about things that I am not responsible for? Discernment is needed, but Jesus will lead us into all truth.
What has God really said about the church making judgments? Are we not to make any at all and leave it all to him, or is there a middle ground? We will look at what Jesus and others have said on the subject and see that righteous judgment is very much the church's business, and those judgments are shaped in community.
How does being in community change us? Through mutual correction and encouragement. But these are powerful instruments that must be used wisely and in the right proportions. If done well, the result is a maturity that looks a good deal like Jesus Himself.
The Community Guidebook for Christians is the Bible. Have you felt like you have been let down by God? By a promise from His book? Listen to Pastor Joel as he takes us on a journey of seeing the Bible for what it is: the perfect guidebook for Christians.
In the Church, some things only happen when we gather together, and other things take on new and surprising qualities. What did Jesus really mean when He said, "When 2 or more are gathered in My Name, there am I in their midst"?
In Christian community, sometimes we have little in common outside of Christ Jesus. So how do we get along? In Christ, little is much because Jesus is everything. The Good News message we believe gets tested, reapplied and tested again until “We all have Christ,” becomes, “All we have is Christ.”
We cannot know ourselves or God fully or truly if the only standard we use is our own assessment of ourselves. Community serves as a mirror in which we see the image we have been missing that leads to growth in godliness.
When we are told that up is down and right is wrong, how do we know what to support and what to resist? The answer is simple: there are only 2 Kingdoms and you will know them by their fruit.
Satan will attempt to seize upon a crisis and draw our focus away from God, creating a sense of fear, panic, and hopelessness. In moments of crisis, Christians are to respond by seeking the peace of God through Jesus Christ, remaining constant in prayer, and speaking the truth of God.
The righteous have a Rock in God our Father, but the wicked have nothing firm to rest on. No wonder, then, that they destabilize everything they touch! The Church is called at this hour to stand firm on our Rock, not be moved, and to bring stability in this storm.
God wants to bring light and life to society through His church. The devil wants to bring darkness and death. Do we have the courage to speak out against the darkness?
The need of the hour is for God’s people to fight with God’s weapons in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit.
"He is no fool who gives that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot
When should we give people their space and when should we invade it with the light of heaven? Jesus shows us why it matters that sometimes we show up uninvited.
Elders and deacons are leaders in God's church serving under Jesus Christ. What does it take to be one of God's strong, humble leaders?
How do we begin to heal from wounds we have received from the Church, friends, family, and even strangers? Pastor Joel walks us through how there is healing through Jesus.
Many people today are struggling with their own brokenness, always the result of sin- theirs or someone else's. "The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, but a wounded spirit, who can bear?" What hope does Jesus hold out to the broken? Much in every way!
Many people are lonely today, not because they want to be alone, but because circumstances outside their control have dictated it. Will we be like God to them, and make a home for the lonely?
Having a broken relationship can be one of the hardest realities to deal with, and it only gets messier when that relationship lives at my address. But how does God see the situation, who specializes in healing wayward hearts?
In the early days of Israel, God gave them houses that they had not built, but they still had to be cleansed of various infections from time to time. Thankfully, God has left us a pattern to see how to cleanse our homes (and ourselves) in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
When spiritual community is good, it's really good! But when it's bad, it can be devastating. The same is true of our churches and our homes. What makes the culture good or bad, and what can we do better prepare the atmosphere?
We have many things from this last year to celebrate, and so much to look forward to in the remainder of 2021 and beyond. We will be discussing the makings of procedural, practical, and spiritual progress together, and celebrating God's great work here at LBC!
Faith is believing God, pure and simple, but our complexities dilute our faith and keep us from seeing God's miraculous power. Can I be simple enough to see a resurrection? What if it's my own?
How does this great story of redemptive history end? With a triumphant battle, the end of evil and all injustice, and a King on a white horse whose Name is Faithfulness and Truth.
What does it mean to be full of the Spirit? If Jesus said it was necessary to prepare us for engagement with the world and to build the Kingdom of God, then let me be filled with the Spirit!
Words- true or twisted- mean something. Words also lead to ideas, and ideas have consequences. The Church, entrusted with God's truth, has lost control of the conversation. How can we get it back?
Justice is a divine attribute that ensures fairness for all God's creation, and truth is the essential basis for justice. When justice breaks down in the earth, the Christian may not have any recourse with man, but we have the ear of Almighty God.
What does the Church's attitude toward the truth have to do with the well-being of my city, or my country? If we look into God's Word, we find they are directly related. Where are we, how did we get here, and where do we go from here?
In the world, one generation builds something, their children only maintain it, and their children tear it down. Truth, however is meant to endure. How can we build solidly in the truth so that the generations to come will still uphold it?
Because Jesus is highly exalted, and we all will bow before Him, godly fear must influence how we practice our faith. God has spoken particular guiding Words to each of us with a solemn charge- mind your own business, fear God only and follow Jesus!
Truth is a pursuit best undertaken with others. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are there to offer another perspective, and to help you find yours. Are you growing in fellowship or walking it alone?
The way for the righteous to continue in truth is to speak it in our hearts. As we take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we get to live in God's reality.
Jesus was anointed with joy, more than any of His companions, but the road He had to take to get there was not an easy one. Just like Jesus, if we want to rejoice in the truth, we have to be willing to face hard realities.
To be like Jesus, we must let truth so reign in us that we become painfully consistent. Inside to outside, in public and in private, Jesus will make us authentic- whatever the cost- by the Spirit of Truth.
The truth never changes because Jesus does not. If we look at all that Jesus said was true, we can see that the constancy of truth is a matter of eternal life and death.
As the people of God, we have access to the mind of Christ- the very thoughts of God- by the Holy Spirit. In this message, we will look at the diverse vantage points afforded us by the Spirit, which together lead us to the Truth.
Truth is a treasure that has to be dug out of the ground, and it is only found when we look at information and events from multiple vantage points. Our enemy also assesses us from every angle, and if are not strategic, we- and the Truth itself- become easy prey.
Reid Clark breaks down the meaning of each word of the phrase "God With Us" in this special Christmas season message.
God has one overwhelming message to tell us about our kids- they are a blessing! But this is also the very reason it causes such devastation when they rebel. Kids, same as mom and dad, have to take their place in God's order for His blessings to flow in their lives.
When God calls wives to honor their husbands, He is challenging His daughters to support them by living, loving and working alongside them, helping them become strong in the Lord.
When God called the man to be a covering to his wife, he was placing His daughter under her husband's loving protection and care. God's sons are called to love their wives as Jesus loved the church, giving themselves up for her.
When the world was in darkness and was a great void, God spoke and brought order to it. In the same way, the darkness of sin brought about a striving between all people to dominate each other. Will we let God speak and bring His order into our lives?
In order to grow as servants of Christ, we have to find ourselves in the continuum: Am I Hesitant, Heroic, Helpful, or Hard-Working?
The farmer works very hard because he understands one thing: If he doesn't see his work through to the end, he will lose the crop, will starve, and will have no means of income. We also have to learn diligence, or we risk losing our share of the crop.
Runners, even some with great skill, are disqualified if they break the fundamental rules of their competition. How closely am I paying attention to the guidelines God has given me for living this life?
Soldiers live for one purpose: to please their commanding officer. Do we have that kind of single-minded purpose, or are we entangled again in civilian affairs?
LBC Elder, Reid Clark, shares a message entitled, "God Is Not What We Expect, and He Is Better than We Would Imagine."
We spend our days seeking relational fulfillment through multiple shallow friendships, never really being real with anyone we know we can trust. "There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." One is in heaven. Have I found the one that is here on earth?
Everything we could need was bought for us at the cross, including the chance to work together with God in our own sanctification. What specific traits will I develop as I apply all diligence toward growing in grace?
Everything we could need was bought for us at the cross, so why are all Christians not mature and excelling in grace? It may be because we are waiting for God to do something we must do ourselves.
Empty vessels can go on saying they are not empty, or they can admit their emptiness and receive a filling from God. If we will choose to seek, what might we receive? Maybe the fullness of God Himself.
Seeing Meaning in the Mundane--
We were made by God to work, even before there was sin, and it is a means by which God forms our character, but all work is not equal. How can I find the heavenly meaning in the menial tasks before me, and receive enjoyment in it as a gift from God?
Useless to Useful--We were made by God to work, even before there was sin, and it is a means by which God forms our character, but all work is not equal. Can I find the heavenly meaning in the menial tasks before me, and receive enjoyment in it as a gift from God?
"Your Word is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my Path." David wrote these words as a testament to the ability of the Word of God to give hope in desperate times. We need that hope more than ever today.
How important to us is water or bread, or eating in general? We cannot live without them. Jesus is the Water of Life and the Bread of Heaven, and calls us to take Him in. Will we go to Him and receive life?
We cannot begin to live as we should if we cannot see what Jesus gave for us at the Cross. What did Jesus mean when He said, "It is Finished?"
God is alive and working in very real ways among His people. Join us in celebrating these real-time, present day evidences of grace!
Repentance is confessing and forsaking sin, and in the Kingdom of God, we will have to do this a lot. The price to our pride is high, but the reward is actual reconciliation.
Who is really free in life? It's the one who never holds anything against anyone, cancels every debt, and loves people in spite of their sin. This is only possible in Jesus!
Jesus died for all people- for people of every nation, tribe, and tongue on the earth- and all people groups will be represented in Heaven. Living for the glory of Jesus means that we love all people without distinction, and become one in Christ!
Jesus' presence had a particular effect on the evil spirits- they trembled in His presence. The church, walking in His authority, drives back the powers of darkness and expands the kingdom of light. How can we prevail in this work?
What does Jesus save me from? What does He save me for? When we call on God in Jesus name, His answer really is a matter of life and death.
All around Jesus, there is newness- new thoughts and feelings, new vision, and a total shift in perspective. How do we live differently if Jesus really is all the Truth we will ever need?