Good News Bible Church: Recent Episodes
Various
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Elder Joshua brings us back into the book of James and discusses what it means to have patience in times of suffering
Pastor Jose returns to deliver a powerful message on Psalm 84 as we continue our summer series. He explains how God Himself is our greatest good, and because of this we should desire His presence above every competing treasure.
Elder Joshua continues our summer series speaking on the topic of being Spirit Led instead of being led by the flesh.
Pastor Phil continues our Guest series for this summer walking us through I Peter discussing Unjust Suffering.
As we take a break from our series in James we welcome Phil Bubar as he guides us through a very thoughtful sermon on suffering.
Pastor Carlos continues to walk us through James: Doers of the Word. He discusses how riches can bring spiritual corrosion in our life. As a body of believers we need to have our foundation in Christ and use our riches for His glory!
As we continue our sermon series in James: Doers of the Word. Pastor Jose gives a powerful sermon as he discuses how pride of living as though tomorrow is ours is detrimental to our faith. Believers are called to a humble dependance on the sovereign will of God.
Pastor Carlos continues James:be Doers of the word as he uses James sto show several actions that the Church should follow.
Pastor Carlos continue our sermon series on James:Doers of the word. Today Pastor Carlos discusses how James is warning believers against worldliness.
Happy Mothers Day! As we continue our series in James: Doers of the Word Pastor Jose discusses how James Argues that wisdom isn't about a being "smart" or winning an argument it is a life style of humble peaceful integrity.
Pastor Carlos leads us in another powerful sermon about taming the tongue as we continue our series in James: Doers of the Word. Pastor Carlos explains how an untamed tongue can cause immeasurable harm so we must rely on the learning and care of the Holy Spirit to guide us and direct us to control our speech.
Pastor Carlos delivers a vulnerable sermon as we continue our series in James: Be Doers of The Word. Pastor Carlos discusses how the tongue is seemingly small but it can cause major damage.
Elder Joshua continues James: Be Doers of the Word with a challenging sermon as James is calling the church to live out what we believe because if we are not doing the good works for the Lord then our faith is dead.
As we continue in our series James: Be Doers of the Word. Pastor Jose explains how James calls Christians to reject favoritism or partiality by treating all people with equal honor and love regardless of their wealth or social status.
On Resurrection Sunday, Pastor Carlos discusses how Jesus Christ destroyed death through His perfect life, death, and resurrection, becoming the perfect propitiation for our sins. HE IS RISEN!
Elder Joshua continues this Easter series by walking us through Good Friday. Discussing the Mental, Physical, and Spiritual Pain Jesus went through on the cross.
As we take a break from our series in James Pastor Carlos prepares us for Easter as we talk about the Triumphal Entry and how at times we want Jesus to be viewed through our political lens instead of having a Christian mindset as what is truly important on this earth. The Good News.
Join us as we continue our series in James: Be Doers of the Word. Today Pastor Jose explains how we can be impressed by scripture but continue to be unmoved in how we live our life. The blessing isn't in the momentary understanding of the scriptures but in the sustained living of what we have learned. Do we glance at the mirror and leave without correcting or do we gaze and observe changing how we live our life.
Pastor Jose continues our series on James: Doers of the Word. Pastor Jose walks us through our response to God's word and how in various trials reveals the genuine of our faith and the righteousness of God. This produces a meek heart and what it means to be quick to hear sllow to speak and slow to anger.
As we continue in our series in James: Be Doers of the Word. Elder Joshua discusses the importance of keeping our mind focused on God when we are in the midst of trials and temptations.
Today Pastor Carlos Continues walking us through the book of James in our series "Be Doers of the Word." Pastor Carlos discusses how when we go through trials our Faith in God grows.
Today Joshua Flores an Elder at Good News Bible Church walks us through James: Doers of the Word. Today we discuss the importance of Living Doubt Free.
Pastor Carlos opens our new series on James: Doers of the Word. Join us today as we discuss how trials and suffering lead to an increase in faithfulness.
As we conclude our series on Prayer Pastor Jose takes us through the thought of "What would our prayer life look like if we prayed contrary to the way Jesus taught us to pray?" Pastor Jose reminds us that to pray as Jesus did keeps our focus on God.
As we continue our series on Scripture-Fed Prayer, Elder Joshua opens up Psalm 24 and walks us through how are prayer life should effect the way we live our life.
As we continue our series on Scripture-Fed Prayer, Pastor Jose explains when we pray like Jesus we affirm that He is worthy and we are needy.
Pastor Carlos continues our series on Scripture-Fed Prayer. Join us today as we dive into quite possibly the most famous Scripture reference in the Bible. Psalm 23
Happy New Year! Today Pastor Carlos opens up the word of God for our first service in 2026. Today Pastor Carlos discusses from the book of Acts how a Church that prioritizes prayer and the word of God will grow.
*Due to technical difficulties the bringing of the sermon was not recorded** Pastor Carlos shares what it means to truly love God and how this needs to be the chief aim of all believers.
As we continue our series "Follow the Prophets to Jesus" Pastor Carlos shares from the books of Isaiah and Mathew as he shares about the hope and light that Jesus, the Prince of Peace and Mighty God, brings to a world in darkness.
As we continue our series "Follow the Prophets to Jesus" Pastor Jose walk us through the prophecy in Micah which shows the small but important details pointing to the Messiah. From eternity God conceived the plan of redemption.
Join us today as Pastor Carlos opens our new Christmas Series: Follow the Prophets to Jesus. Today Pastor Carlos talks about the very first prophesy in the Bible of the Messiah that was to come.
Today Joshua Flores closes out our sermon series on Hosea: Undeserved Redemption. Join us as we discuss how God's judgement is set in place for the Israelites, through his judgement we see a pure love for his people. A love that does not bend to the emotions of man.
Pastor Jose continues our series in Hosea: Undeserved Redemption. Today Pastor Jose discusses though punishment is imminent for Israel, God continues to allure Israel by reminding them of His faithfulness and His radical love for her despite her grumblings and infidelity.
Pastor Carlos continues this series in Hosea: Undeserved Redemption. Today Pastor Carlos discusses how the disobedience of Israel caused their hearts to be far from a perfect God just as our sin causes us to be so very far away from the heart of a Holy God.
Elder Joshua continues our series in Hosea 4-5. God brings for the sin of Israel and prepares them for judgement.
Join us this Sunday as Pastor Jose continues our series in the Book of Hosea:Undeserved Redemption. Today Pastor Jose discuses how the story of Hosea and Gomer shows how God's redeeming love restores and promises eternal hope for the future.
Join us today as Pastor Carlos opens up this new sermon Series Hosea: Undeserved Redemption. Todays sermon discuses The relationship of Hosea and Gomer and how it displays a relationship of an unfaithful spouse.
Paul closes this final thought by explaining to the Philippians that through every up and down he was not able to do anything without the strength of Christ.
Paul charges the Church to imitate Jesus' Humility. We are Humble when we are obedient.
Paul challenges the Church to live for Christ in the midst of suffering. How you view this life will define how you will face its hardships.
If we abandon our love for God and His People=, the work we do for the kingdom will not be effective.
The Husband and Wife Relationship is a Picture of Jesus and the Church. True Headship and glad submission.
NOTE due to technical difficulties This Resurrection Day Sermon starts in the middle of the service. If you would like a full transcript of the message please reach out and contact Pastor Carlos.
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, therefore we can be a spiritual family that exemplifies the household of the Lord.
When Jesus ascended on high he led a host of captives and gave amazing gifts to the church family so that we would be united as one.
God's saving of sinners is a mystery. God is Holy, yet he saves sinners and purifies them through his Son. This Truth is available to all!
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
God showed us mercy even though we were dead in our sins. Living in a life of our own sinful desires he showed us mercy through his grace that saved us. With this knowledge we should understand that it was nothing done out of our own actions but only through Jesus.
God has an elaborate plan to save man. This was more than forgiving man of his sins. God's elaborate plan was the restoration of man and his relationship with God. He is our inheritance and we are His.
God saves believers and makes them a spiritual family while continuing to pour out his blessings onto his children
Amos utilizes a plumbline based on God's Word to establish and justify God's judgement against Israel.
God does not want your Fake Fruit. Amos explains to the Israelites that though they have been experiencing great prosperity, they have lost sight of who is in control, because of this God will judge the.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Israel has been unfaithful to God ignoring the commands of the covenant and instead began to worship pagan gods and losing sight of their call to live righteously and represent YHWH to the nations. Yet God in His faithfulness remains true to His character
People sin and are dead in their sins. No one is righteous, not even one person ever! Therefore, we cannot earn our salvation... ne need (desperately) God's grace.
Every believer was once dead in their sins. But God in his grace, saved us through faith. This did not occur under our own doing... it is the gift of God!
The Church should be aware of the last days and live righteously. We must be real with each other and Christ to be ready for His return. Be Real! Be Ready!
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
God shows His love for His people in many different ways. We often complain to him just like the isrealites thinking that we are doing nothing wrong and questioning God's love for us. However God reminds us of his constant Love for us from the beginning of creation all the way to our lives today. One of the many ways we see his Love for us in Malachai 1 is by his protection over His people. Furthermore, He challanges the Israelites and us today to not offer unworthy sacrafices as a way of trying to short change him of all that He deserves.
It is possible that John intentionally moved north to avoid being “right on top” of Jesus. The editorial note in vs. 24 assumes that the reader is familiar with the story of John the baptist and particularly that they may have read the synoptics. It is almost certain given the lack of explanation that Jesus is baptizing for the repentance and forgiveness of sins just like John was. Purification in vs. 25 is likely a question about baptism and given the context the question likely had something to do with why there were two parties baptizing. We have already seen the Pharisees question John’s authority before… “now everybody thinks they can do it,” they might have thought. There is some emphasis in the use of “Rabbi” to refer to John. It would be perfectly natural for them to call him that, but in this Gospel we should see that this is used in 1:38, 1:49, and 3:2 with great respect toward Jesus. It is a tell that these disciples are clinging to John and not fully embracing Jesus. This is also seen in that they do not use Jesus’ name. Vs. 27 emphasizes that “God is doing this.” It is this verse that ties this text most closely to the one before under the theme of Divine sovereignty. (See 3:8 and 3:21) Vs. 28-30 emphasize that John agrees with (and takes joy in) what God is doing because he has a right understanding of who he is in comparison to Jesus. In the illustration of the bridegroom and the friend, the people are the bride. This is both telling of John’s understanding of who Jesus was and of his role. He knew that God had come to care for his people, and his job was to prepare them for Jesus and point them to Jesus.
Jesus REVEALS humanity's need for spiritual life. It is not enough for us to "do" better or be "better" people. Our sin problem runs much deeper than our behavior. Jesus indicates that our spirits are dead until the Holy Spirit awakens us causing us to be born again. As much as we would like to be able to control this to awaken ourselves and others, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit is as free and mysterious as the wind which cannot be told by man when or where to blow. However, like the wind, the signs of the Spirit's work are visible. Belief in Jesus Christ is the vital sign that proves the Spirit has brought spiritual life.
After performing the Miracle at the wedding in Cana where Jesus turned water into wine, He moves on to a more public setting an perform’s an astonishing act of righteous anger. Jesus arrives at the temple of Jerusalem on the day of Passover and see's the business being performed at the temple as flagrant disrespect to His Father’s house. Jesus REVEALS to everyone around that the Jewish leaders were making a mockery of God's house of worship by being more concerned with making money than revering the temple and the time worship itself. Jesus flips over tables of the money changers and causes the merchants and their animals to flee. When He is confronted by the Jewish Leaders on his authority to do such things He gives them a glimpse into the future by predicting His death and resurrection in vs. 19. Jesus shows us that we should have great zeal and reverence for the temple building and our bodies as the temple.
After John and the first disciples' testimony of belief in Jesus, John 2 gives us the first snapshots of this rising Messiah. This account REVEALS that Jesus was available, authoritative, and able. In demonstrating these traits, particularly His supernatural ability to transform what is common into something special and delightful, Jesus REVEALS His glory to His disciples. Then as now, a glimpse of Jesus' glory built up their faith that Jesus was sent from God.
Ever since John the Baptist made the first declaration that Jesus is the Messiah, men and women have had to wrestle with whether this claim is true or not. First century Judaism had several false "messiahs" claim the title as a political attempt to raise a rebellion to overthrow Rome. With false hopes lurking in the streets, could people dare to trust this message about Jesus? Even if they did believe Him to be the Messiah... what would that entail? In our text today, we see an invitation loaded with promise- "Come, and you will see." Coming implies drawing near. This is the first step in obtaining clarity about Jesus' identity. He may not be truly known from afar any more than you or I. If we are to know Christ, we must COME to Him. Only then will we be able to SEE because His light REVEALS what we could not comprehend while in the darkness. We must remember that this is only possible because God saw us first and came to us first so that we might come to Him and see.
When Jesus came into the world He REVEALED truths about the Godhead that previously were unclarified in Scripture. It is with His coming that we begin to see the Trinity as John 1 makes distinction between the Word, the Father, and eventually the Spirit in vs.32-33. Jesus also REVEALS those who are children of God as people's response of belief or rejection mark them as children who see and live or as enemies who are blind and spiritually dead. Finally, Jesus will REVEAL a new way of relation to God besides the Law. The era of the Law was under Moses, but the era of grace and truth is introduced by Jesus. A new covenant is coming.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
When we are blessed with divine renwal, our participation in God's process is not over. Indeed a key part of God's renewal process for His people includes us learning to properly respond to His gracious work in our lives. The proper response to God's grace is joyful thankfulness which in today's text is seen in dedication of renewed areas to God, intentional celebration of divine renewal, and joyful worship through singing, sacrifice, giving, and service.
We are reminded in this text that God's people should actively pursue renewal by committing themselves to obedience. The danger in this is that we are tempted to depend on our performance rather than God's faithfulness. However, when we see rightly, we should take God's faithfulness as our motivation to strive for obedience. Our participation will not save us, but our participation demonstrates that God is at work in us.
The divine process of renewing the people of God can often seem an endless process because human participants invariably fall into cycles of sin and repentance. This has confirmed to the people of God throughout history that they cannot attain nor maintain renewal through human adherance to divine laws. Indeed as sinful humans born of Adam they cannot adhere to divine law because of their sinful natures. Although this may feel like an endless cycle, it is actually only a repetative one meant to point us to our need 1) for the righteousness that only Christ can provide, 2) for a regenerate heart indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and 3) for a complete removal of sin from the people of God. All of these needs are provided graciously from the treasuries of the Father's good will toward men that we proclaim in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Whereas the first two are available in this life, the last leaves us waiting and hoping in the return of Jesus Christ.
Understanding God's current renewal of His people is connected to understanding how He has been at work to set aside a people for Himself from the beginning. In praising God for what He has done from the beginning, we remember who He is to His people and what He has the power to do in and through us. The heart of being renewed by God is learning to praise Him and delight in Him above all.
The renewal of the people of God through the Word includes being called back from straying from its teaching. God's renewal in us is most evident when we are willing to be corrected in our behavior. God's hand is clearly seen in these moments as He softens our hearts and brings us to an understanding of how obedience looks in our lives while human participation is seen in seeking insights into Scripture as a community and humbly confess and correct the ways our lives deviate from Scripture.
The renewal of the people of God is bigger than their physical needs. Not only did Israel need to return to the land and build up their walls, they also needed to return to the Book of the Law and build up their understanding of their God and their relationship with Him as His people. We see again that this form of renewal is initiated by God who gives and preserves His Book of the Law in the world while it is also clear that this divine revelation is hardwired to interact with human participation. God includes men in the process of revelation including the writing, the reading, the explanation, the hearing, and finally the application of the divine word. The Lord has given his Word for the renewal of His people, and in doing so, He has invited us to participate as listeners who obey and messengers who help others hear and understand the Word of God.
As we PARTICIPATE in God's processs of RENEWAL, opposition may attack through deception, rumors, and conspiracy. Because of this, the people of God must foster discernment to identify such tactics, wisdom to avoid such tactics, and patience to hand over the deceivers to God. Working through deceptive attacks (especially repetitive ones) can be draining, but there is joy and vindication in seeing the Lord's work succeed in spite of opposition.
The Good News of Christmas is that God sent his son to save! The classic narrative of Jesus being born in a manger has numerous spiritual implications. 1. The problem of sin [How can any be saved?] 2. The promise of a Savior [Penalty for sin, but the promise of a Savior...] 3. The good news [Emmanuel] 4. Practical applications of the good news! [Go, love, incarnate]
Sometimes opposition goes beyond mockery and enters into full fledged attacks on the people of God as they seek renewal. This raises a test of faith. Will we PARTICIPATE the same when it puts us in danger? Does our fear of men or our passion for the renewing work of God have a stronger hold on us? This test like the test of mockery is part of the DIVINE PROCESS. We see in the text today that withstanding attacks is something we should do as a community.
As we PARTICIPATE with God in a DIVINE process, mockers may arise who do not believe that our work will succeed. These mockers can raise doubt in our minds and discouragement in our hearts. Counter attacking these mockers will only lead to a toxic exchange that does anything but bring us closer to renewal. Instead, we should give them over to God, and continue trusting in Him. Withstanding mockery may seem only a hinderence, but it is actually a key part of the DIVINE PROCESS by which God renews us.
Seeking RENEWAL is stoked by looking at the disaster around us. This rightfully motivates us to PARTICIPATE TOGETHER to seek renewal… however this motivation is surpassed by the motivation we receive when we realize that God is on our side DIVINELY leading us into renewal.
Realization of need for renewal. Remembering God promises for renewal. Seek renewal through prayer.
As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4
For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. John 13:15
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 18:14
And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? Luke 18:7-8
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Warning against faithlessness and them the importance of faithfulness: And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. Judges 2:10
We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and His might, and the wonders that He has done. Psalm 78:4
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Colossians 3:12
And Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:3-4
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell inthe house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6
But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold. Mark 4:20
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33
Saying goodbye is difficult, but it has some obvious benefits. It allows us to reflect on where we’ve been together. It helps us to appreciate one another & reminds us not to take our relationships for granted. I can’t begin to tell you how hard it’s been the last 2-3 weeks as my time here comes to an end! Saying goodbye can be difficult, but the apostle Paul models for us what it means to say a healthy goodbye. We see Paul caught in the very difficult process of saying goodbye to loved ones in the church at Ephesus, maybe for forever. He was traveling to Rome and passed near Ephesus. He couldn’t pass by without calling for the leaders of the Ephesian church for a very emotional farewell.
This morning’s text contains the Apostle Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders. I think it’s an appropriate text for a pastor’s final sermon to his congregation! Paul says 4 important things to the Ephesian elders that I also want to say to you today. Paul’s speaks of the past, the present, and the future!
And walk in love as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. A fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2
Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. Acts 13:1 5 characteristics of healthy church community from the church in Antioch:
- Ordinary people are empowered
- There is a commitment to Jesus
- The community looks outward
- Diversity is reflected
- The people are prayerful
Christian community is sharing a common life in Christ. It moves us beyond the self-interested isolation of private lives & beyond the superficial social contacts that pass for "Christian fellowship." The biblical ideal of community challenges us instead to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God. What are the attitudes we must develop in order to have unity in GNBC? In Order to Be Unified, we must practice giving up our rights (6) In Order to Be Unified, we must practice servanthood (7) In Order to Be Unified, we must practice humility (8) In Order to Be Unified, we must have an eternal perspective (9-11)
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,[a] not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly. 1 Peter 5:1-2
We should never be surprised by hard times! According to secular thinking, suffering has no value. It is detrimental! It is random and senseless… It just happens. We can only passively accept and endure, hoping it will end soon.
Peter reminds the believes that they are living in the last days and should therefore accept suffering instead of sinful pursuits, love earnestedly, show hospitality and serve others as servants of God. Since we are in the last days believers should reject self interest for the interest of others.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. 1 Peter 3:18
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be trouble, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27
Peter is calling the new believers in Asia Minor to good lives – to lives that are so good that they draw others to God (2:12). 1 Peter 3 begins with the word, ‘wives’, but it is settled squarely in the context of the broad mission of God. Earlier 1 Peter 2:12 says that we are to “live such good lives among the pagans that…they may see your good deeds & glorify God on the day he visits us.”
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.1 Peter 2:17
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 1 Peter 2:13-17
Verse: He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Luke 24:6-7
Summary: Jesus had spoken about his death & resurrection several times. At other times, He spoke in a general sense of the resurrection of the dead. But, his disciples had not “heard” what he was saying. On Resurrection Day, they were puzzled when they saw the empty tomb.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. 1 Peter 2:2 Questions to answer:
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Have I been unloving lately towards someone in my life and need God’s help to put it away?
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Do I need God’s help for more hunger and discipline to meet with him in his Word? So that I crave it.
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Do I need to make it more of a point to be built up in spiritual community? Gathering regularly with other believers.
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Do I need to bask in the mercy God has shown me, so that I more joyfully and naturally proclaim him in my everyday life?
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What can I do to be a part of our church living good lives in the way we serve this community?
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.1 Peter 1:13
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. 1 Peter 1:6 1. Of what awaits us in the future - a living hope 1 Peter 1:3-5 2. Rejoice now although you have been grieved, God hijacks the pain and uses it for good. Through trials we learn to love God more. 1 Peter 6-9 3. Our joy is based on the past - Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of Jesus Christ and the angels look into the hope we have in Christ. 1 Peter 1:10-12
As Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, it encountered widespread opposition because the followers of Jesus were a direct challenge to immorality, idolatry, & paganism. Christians became social outcasts. They were feared, misunderstood, opposed & ultimately attacked. Peter writes to encourage the believers in area of present day Turkey to stand fast in the grace of God in the midst of severe suffering. First Peter is a letter for today! The first two verses are packed with so much information!
And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 King 19:13
The Lord demonstrated that He alone is God by first withholding the rain and then sending fire from heaven. God controls the weather and brings fertility to the land and food to the people. Yahweh alone is God.
And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” Jonah 4:11
The truth of God arrests us, speaks to our needs enabling us to do good even as we live in an unbelieving culture.
And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Jonah 1:9-10
Daniel's routine - He set up his life for obedience (a) Three times a day he prayed (b) He had a set place for his time of prayer and he prayed in the name of His God (2) Continuity (a) since his early days he had this scheduled, (b) In spite of the culture in which he lived in (c) His service matched his prayer life (3) Faithful - (a) Daniel was faithful to his God (b) Daniel obeyed in spite of the out come
Summary: Verse one says, “King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue...he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3 suggests that the king decided to solidify his control by unifying the many nations under his rule with a common religion & object of worship. For other nations who believed in more than one god, this simply meant adding one more idol to their list of deities to be worshipped. The Jews could not be faithful to God and worship anyone or anything else. Humanly speaking, if the king’s command stood, it could mean the end of the Jewish faith. The political authorities of the land are the first group of participants to participate in the worship of the idol. These leaders fall into various groups identified repeatedly by Daniel, representing not only the different levels of government but the various races, languages, & cultures integrated into the government of Babylon. Everyone knew they had two options. It was the image or the furnace; bow down or burn.
And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. Daniel 1:19
- Recognize what is influencing us
2.Draw the line
- Be great workers
What does it mean to be a Christian living in Chicago? We need to recognize our role as an exile here on earth. It means that I live here, but this is not my home. As residents of the USA, we understand that “our citizenship is in heaven.” It means that we recognize & embrace that we live here as “sojourners & exiles” and that we are here temporarily.
Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 1. How should we prepare to give? 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 2. How should we give? 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 3. What should be the results? 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16
O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
Life can be extremely difficult! We need to be prepared for the difficulties in life. Suffering and pain can feel overwhelming. Life events can be devastating. Because life is not always happy… because life is not always smooth, we need to remember God’s faithfulness in our lives: The prophet Jeremiah tells God that his faithfulness is great when it doesn’t FEEL like it.
: Jesus came to serve! In humility, Christ came to this world not to be served. He came not to just teach, not just to be a good example, He came to die. He died as a substitute for sinners. He frees us from our selfishness and enables us to follow in his ways by serving and sacrificing for others.
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:4-10
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adopiton as sons. Galatians 4:4-5
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20 -21
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (NIV)
So we say with confidence, "The Lord Is my helper, I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?" Hebrews 13:6
: Remember, the purpose of the book of Hebrews is to warn Jewish Christians against leaving Christianity in favor of their old Jewish religion. This passage warns of something far more fearful than what any human persecution can inflict…God’s judgment. Every person will be judged, either by the law (old covenant) or by grace (New covenant)…By one’s works or by Christ’s work on the cross…By provisions at Mount Sinai or by provisions at Mount Zion.
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
Summary: Hebrews 12:3-11 is a call to persevere looking to Christ as our example. He endured the shame of the cross to bring us into fellowship with God. In the same way, we should keep our eyes on him as we run the race of life. We must endure the disciplinary sufferings which God allows us to experience. An important point is that even Jesus himself had to be “perfected” through sufferings. If this is true of him, how much more is it true for all believers.
The passage addresses how God uses suffering & adversity in the lives of Christians. We’ve seen how the readers of this epistle were experiencing persecution & the hardship it brings. The author shows us how we can & should view suffering & adversity: Adversity in the life of the Christian is divine discipline.
Two things are proven by discipline: 1) God’s love for us 2) Our sonship.
There are three reasons for God’s discipline:
• Correction (of a sinful lifestyle) • Prevention (going down paths into sin) • Education (of God and his ways)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets. Hebrews 11:32
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of hings not seen. Hebrew 111
If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. Isaiah 58:10
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. Ephesians 5:19
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Luke 11:9
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17
...but he did not permit him but said to him, "Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." Mark 5:19
...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. Acts 8:35
Many Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." John 4:30
Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth" Philip said to him, "Come and see." John 1:46
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8
My righteous one shall live by faith if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in Him. Hebrews 10:38
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:13-14
For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14
Therefor He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. Hebrew 9:15
Christians have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. We’ve been cleansed on the inside and the outside—both in our inner life and our outer life. The Old Covenant specialized in visible, external cleansing; the New Covenant specializes in invisible, inner transformation.
Now the point in what we are saying is this: We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven. Hebrews 8:1
But He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to sve to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He walways lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy. Jude 1:24
In the early 1920’s in Communist Russia, Nikolai Bukharin was sent from Moscow to Kiev to address an anti-God rally. For an hour he abused & ridiculed the Christian faith until it seemed as if it were hopeless for anyone to believe in Christianity. Then questions were invited. An Orthodox church priest rose & asked to speak. He walked up behind the podium, faced the people, & gave the Easter greeting, “He is risen!” Instantly the group of thousands rose to its feet & shouted back loud/clear, “He is risen indeed!”
“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” Matthew 21:5
Problem of Spiritual Immaturity: The people had become lazy or dull of hearing. They had to have milk instead of solid food. Because of hearts that had become hard, they could not move on to the deeper things of God, but had to have the ABC’s of Word.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Hebrews 4:14
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:11
The author is writing to 2nd generation Jewish Christians who’re now being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Some have decided to go back to their Jewish faith. The author is saying to them, “That is not a valid option!” He gives three directives: 1. Fix your eyes on Jesus 2. Guard Your Heart 3. Encourage One Another
For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18
Jesus is >. He is greater than anything that we look to for satisfaction. Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus exceeds all people, pursuits, objects, or hopes that people look to.
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were struggling in their faith & were beginning to look back to their Jewish faith & all its rituals. They knew about angels, the OT heroes, Satan & the tabernacle. The author of Hebrews exhorts the believers to look to Jesus…Over & over he points them (& us!) to Jesus. He compares Jesus to the heroes of the Jewish faith. Christ’s sacrifice, His covenant & his ministry are far greater than anything the others offered. Jesus is greater than angels; greater than Moses: greater than Aaron & the other OT priests…Jesus offers a better hope than the Mosaic Law could promise. Christ is a better sacrifice for our sins than a bull or goat. Christ provides a better inheritance in heaven for those whose hope is in him.
You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:2
No man is an island, no one is made to live entirely alone. God made us to be social beings. We were made for friendship, for family, for deep caring relationships. And when we do not find that, we search until we find it.
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. Matthew 9:35
In this passage, too often people focus on the Gerasene demoniac, but it’s all about Jesus…. Jesus and his power to restore and transform helpless and hopeless people who cannot fix themselves. Sin “dehumanizes” us. We may read this story and think we have nothing in common with him, but the reality is that sin has broken and bruised us all. We are all hopeless without Him.
Summary: Since 2017 is almost gone & 2018 is almost here, I want us to consider the topic of God’s time versus your time. In John 7:6, Jesus says to his half-brothers who advised Him to go up to the Feast of Booths & do some miracles to make Himself known, “Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here..” Jesus was drawing a contrast between how He lived in view of God’s time versus how His brothers lived their lives. I want to develop the thought: Since life is short & eternity is forever, live by God’s time, not by man’s time.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
Summary: GNBC Statement: We Seek to be a DIVERSE FAMILY of believers, RECONCILED BY GOD, impacting the lives of people in the Logan Square and Humboldt Park communities & beyond through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, accomplished as we see every person CONNECTED, DISCIPLED, TRANFORMED & ON-MISSION.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son. In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14
After arguing that keeping man-made rules and denying yourself things that the Bible does not forbid (Asceticism) are not the way to godliness, Paul goes on to tell the Colossians how to win the battle against sin. He mentions that we have died with Christ in the past (3:1), are hidden with Christ in the present (3:3) and will be revealed with Christ in the future (3:4).
Jesus' divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3
When you initially meet Christ as Savior and Lord, you feel free. Your guilt is gone. You have peace with God. He gives you great joy and hope! But those feelings do not automatically last. Trials and disappointments come, and doubts creep in. How do you sustain that Freedom in Christ?
To His saints God chose to make know how great among the gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery. Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Colossians 1:27-28
Paul clarifies for the Colossians precisely who Jesus is – the image of the invisible God. If we want to know the nature of God, we need to look only to Christ. Paul describes Jesus as the firstborn over all Creation, a reference to position, not time. Jesus is the Creator and before all things, a fact that emphasizes both His pre-existence and His eternal existence. Finally, in Christ, all things hold together in the universe, a fact that should bring great confidence to all believers. We learn that Jesus is the head of the Church – its source of direction, authority and power, and the only reconciler between man and God.
Our modern era is not unique in its fascination with angels and the spirit world. The converts to Christ at Colossae also had a strong interest in the subject, but some of them allowed their interest to distract them from their newfound faith in Jesus Christ.
Last Sunday’s parable (Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids) emphasized the importance of being wise and being prepared. This parable will emphasize being faithful & diligent. The emphasis is on the responsibility to serve the Lord with all one’s wealth, worldly resources, and abilities (The parable emphasizes money, but it symbolizes every aspect of life.) The preparedness of those who wait on the coming Christ is fleshed out in productiveness and industriousness! Faithfulness in service accompanies watchfulness.
Peter answered him, "we have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?" Matthew 19:27
Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. Luke 16:14
Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. Luke 16:44
So therefor, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:33
Not everyone who might expect to share in the celebration of the reign of God at the end of the age will be included. Some will exclude themselves by their obsession with their worldly concerns, showing their contempt for God who invited them.
"And he said to them, 'Take care and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15
In your mind, are people obstacles to accomplishing your goals in life, or do people serve a key role in God's purpose for your life? (Depends on how your day is going, right?) In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus offers more than a definition of a neighbor; he offers a definition of “loving my neighbor.”
"Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, love little." Luke 7:47
Those who are unforgiving can expect the same from God. God’s mercy must not be treated lightly. The principle is responsive & reflective.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:8
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1
Three individuals share about how they have seen God's grace, transformation, and mission play out in their lives. This reminds us that the same God who worked in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph's life is actively at work in ours. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. Genesis 41:38-39
Each of us would like to be successful in life. Each has dreams that (s)he hopes to achieve. Our problem is that too often our idea of success is not biblical. Our culture defines success primarily in finances & power &, of course, “happiness.”
Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. Genesis 37:3
So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying. For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered. Genesis 32:30
“For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6 NLT) Summary: Too often the significance of the Resurrection is overlooked or distorted. Too often it is a celebration of spring. I believe that there are many who say that they believe in the resurrection of Christ but do not take it seriously.
Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! Luke 19:38
"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Genesis 28:15
And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided;. the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” Genesis 25:23
I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Ephesians 4:1
Chapter 24 explains how Isaac got his wife, Rebekah. Sarah has been dead for three years. Abraham is 140 years old. His concern at this age is to make sure Isaac marries a godly woman.
The focus of the narrative is not on Abraham, but on his servant as he follows God’s guidance to the woman God has chosen for Isaac. The emphasis is on the sovereignty of God.
Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together. Genesis 22:8
In chapter 17 of Genesis, we see a mixture of God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. We see how God works to accomplish obedience in Abram’s life… and ours!
I will say of the LORD "He is my refuge and my fortress my God in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2
Abram received a call from God: Leave your native country, your relatives, & your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. (1)
His call came with some incredible promises or blessings (2-3): “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, & you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
But you are a chosen race a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
Paul’s strategy for passing on the faith is expressed in II Timothy 2:2 above: Invest in the lives of others! But not just anyone… to those who will entrust it to others.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Perhaps the Magi had heard about the Messiah from the Jews scattered throughout their country since the captivity. Somehow they had a knowledge of the Jewish Messiah, and through the special star, God had revealed to them Messiah's birth. We do know this, they responded to the light God gave them by seeking the Lord. They were clear in their purpose... "We've come to worship Him." But their words and their actions point to more than respect one would pay to an earthly king. They gave no such worship to Herod.
God, in his sovereign control over history, worked out his plan for salvation: “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son....” (Gal. 4:4). Christ’s birth fulfills Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…” Luke 1:46-47
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ our Savior. He pitched His tent among us...He lived among humanity. It is through His death that we can have forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Genesis 11:8
After the flood, people might think that life was worthless to God since everyone and everything was killed in the flood. But, God’s commandments and covenant with Noah showed that life was very important! God makes it clear that man has a responsibility to produce and preserve life on earth. God blesses Noah as he did Adam in chapter one.
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Hebrews 11:7
Chapter five is a genealogy, often considered boring but we will see that it is filled with important information. We see ten generations starting with Adam and ending with Noah. The ten generations cover the time period from creation up to God’s judgment through the flood. It is a record of ten men who stand out as giants of the faith. We see the tremendous contrast with the genealogy of Cain’s descendants who founded a secular culture.
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD. Genesis 4:25-26
It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26
We see God’s design for marriage in Genesis 2:18-25. This passage is the basis for much of what the Bible says about marriage later. It explains God’s reason for designing marriage & gives several principles that enable us to build marriages that honor God and bring joy to us.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Genesis 2:15
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27
He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God... So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. Acts 1:3 & 6
In the first eleven chapters of Genesis, we find a record of the creation of the universe and of mankind, (chapters 1 & 2). We also find the origin of human depravity & sin in the “fall of man” shown in Genesis chapter 3. We see its devastating effects in the wickedness of mankind & its horrible consequences in the judgment of God in the curse (chapters 3 & 4), in the flood (chapters 6-9), and in the confusion at Babel (chapter 11). We also see the grace of God in His provisions for mankind’s salvation, beginning with the promise of salvation in Genesis 3:15, and being demonstrated in the ark and God’s covenant with Noah (chapters 6-9).
We are to be Wise in Pursuing Peace! In the midst of life, it is hard to take time to know those around us. We are busy! Yet, it takes time and effort to know and understand others. Generally, the more we know about people and why they are the way they are and why they believe what they believe, the more compassionate we tend to be towards them right judgments lead us to treat others properly.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. Proverbs 9:10-11
Proverbs is more than just a bunch of one-liners to be thrown nonchalantly around our lives. God has a specific purpose, audience, and foundation in mind for the book and in reading it we should ask ourselves where our wise beginnings are.
The psalm is divided into four sections. The first three deal with different attributes of God as they relate to the psalmist: His omniscience (vv. 1-6); His omnipresence (vv. 7-12); and, His omnipotence as the sovereign Creator (vv. 13-18). The final section (vv. 19-24) gives the inescapable response to the inescapable God: personal holiness.
Another way to summarize each of the four sections is: “how God knows me, how He surrounds me, how He made me, and how He tests me
Our actions display where our hearts truly are. Our desire to worship should come from our hearts and move us to faithful obedience of what God has for us no matter what situation we are in.
I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. Psalm 77:11 Summary: After crying out to the Lord in prayer and not getting an answer, he remembers that, in the past, God had answered his prayers. It seemed that the skies were closed shut to his prayers. God was silent. The psalmist writes: 5 I think of the good old days, long since ended, 6 when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and ponder the difference now.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints for those who fear Him have no lack! Psalm 34:8-9
Faithful believers should find themselves moved to song by who God is and what he does. We praise him because he is righteous in character, he is creator, he is ruler, he is our protector, and he is our hope.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Being passive as a father will damage you and your family. This is especially true when it comes to the things of God.
Eli was immersed in ministry, but he failed to lead his children to the Lord. I Samuel 2:12 says, “Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD.” He was tolerant of his sons’ sins but harsh on others. He rebuked them once, but did not restrain them or remove them when they did not obey.
Eli became an enabler. He enabled his sons’ behavior rather than resist or oppose it.
If we do not assume responsibility for shepherding our family, God will hold us accountable.
The way to happiness is through a life lived according to the Word of God, and the way to destruction is a life lived in disregard of Scripture. Things cannot satisfy us. Relationships cannot satisfy us apart from God. Pursuing pleasure cannot satisfy us. Only a life built on God’s Word will bring happiness.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was give you in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:4
Paul’s closing words remind us of our calling as a church. We are a family that acts in love for one another and shares in the Lord’s work. We serve one another and the Lord as One community that has been marked by the love of Christ as we wait for the Lord’s return.
In light of the reality of the resurrection, we must ask ourselves, do we long for heaven and our own resurrected bodies? Paul's clinical explanation of how the resurrection works should create in us a longing and anticipation for that day when Christ returns.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20
Looking at the influence a godly mother and grandmother had on a young man named Timothy. In 2 Timothy 1:5 we learn that he came to faith through his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. It was years of godly influence by Timothy’s grandmother and mother that built the foundation for Paul’s instruction and ministry afterwards.
In 2 Timothy 3:14-17, we learn that the genuine faith of these women was combined with teaching Timothy from the Scriptures at a very early age. Their example and the results in Timothy’s life show us that through faith in God and by honoring His Word, godly mothers have great influence as they train their children.
Remember the gospel. No other thing matters. No other thing can bring us together. And no other thing can transform our lives and the lives of those around us. The gospel is central to our lives and experience as a church. To remember the gospel is to recognize its role in forming us individually and corporately as a body. If we believe the gospel, who we are and what we do will be rooted in our confession.
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. I Corinthians 14:12
1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most beautiful and familiar chapters in the Bible. It is typically read at weddings. This, of course, was never the original intent. Instead, Paul was rebuking the Corinthian church for its abuse of spiritual gifts. This background info is often ignored. We become so familiar with a Scripture passage that we no longer think about what the passage means. If we ignore the context of this chapter, we are in danger of missing its major point.
Sin is the ultimate problem of the human race. The Cross of Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer. In rising from the dead, Christ is victorious over sin. When we trust His work on the Cross, our sins are washed away. Our sin is forgiven.
Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for its divisions, specifically for the way they are practicing the Lord's Supper. The Church fails to properly consider the implications of remembering Christ as He is proclaimed in the Supper. Paul even says that their meetings do more harm than good. The primary division was the favoritism towards the rich over the poor.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
We see two histories at play in this passage: Israelite history and Corinthian history: Both histories are examples of common human experience: idolatry. Both were delivered by God – the Israelites from Egypt & the Corinthians from sin & death. Both histories communicate that God had sustained them – Israel by spiritual (& literal) food & drink, the Corinthians by spiritual food & drink (Lord’s Supper). Both histories also speak of a people, who despite deliverance & provision, were drawn to other gods. Both histories also confront people who claim to believe one thing while doing something contrary to their beliefs.
I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:22b
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16
The body of Christ is called to live a life worthy of its calling. Specifically, we are to preserve the unity of the body. The body of Christ is essential for the growth to maturity because Christ has given every believer special abilities (spiritual gifts) to minister to all the other members. We are dependent on each other since we need each others gifts.
and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 2 Timothy 2:2
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” John 4:34
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
Moses is one of the most striking and important figures in the Old Testament. God promised the nation of Israel another prophet like Moses: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites.
Moses and Jesus shared much in common. Both Moses and Jesus performed miracles. Moses was a shepherd…. Jesus was the Good Shepherd. Like Christ, Moses was a prophet, intercessor, priest and advocate. Moses & Jesus shared much in common, but Christ is superior to Moses.
As we continue our Christmas series, The Long Awaited Messiah, we are looking at passages in the OT that point to Christ. Sunday, we will be looking at Psalm 23 along with John 10:11-16.
At Christmas, the babe in the Manger whose birth we celebrate, came to give us eternal life! He came that we might live in eternity with him, but so much more. As our Good Shepherd, he came to have an intimate relationship with us. In the midst of life filled with uncertainty, stress, pressure, physical pain, & emotional pain, we can trust that he will protect us & provide for us in the midst of uncertainty.
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets. He interpreted to them in all the Scripture the things concerning Himself. Luke 24:27
...yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. This is my rule in all the churches. 1 Corinthians 8:6
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17
All things being equal many of us believe Christian marriage is the ideal. So our activities, programs, interactions lead us to believe that if we aren't married we are not yet blessed by God or even useful to God. So what are we to do if we are single? Can we be used by God? Or are we relegated to the sidelines of the church, waiting for marriage? God's vision for all of us is one of service and devotion to him. Whatever our status, we are each called to honor God with our lives.
Whether we are single or married, God’s calling is critical in our lives. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we make some radical changes in our life. In relationship to the issues of singleness and marriage, Paul stresses that we are not to rush to change our marital status. Marriage was not the problem.
Sex isn't really something we are used to talking about at church. Some might say the church is for spiritual things not... Sex. Others might ask, why should the church have anything to say about what I do with my body? Yet we find that our scriptures instruct us, the church on sexual practices. According to the scriptures our bodies are not meant to gratify our sexual desires, our bodies are meant to glorify God.
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 3 reflection questions from the sermon conclusion:
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Am I cultivating an eternal perspective, seeing big things as big and small things as small?
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How am I preserving my witness of Jesus Christ? Am I shining and loving?
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Am I caught up with the things of this world, and by the grace of God, need a clean break?
Paul writes to a church that is in the emergency room! He has diagnosed the problem: CANCER. He sees SIN as a CANCER that will destroy the body of Christ. He urges the church at Corinth to remove the cancer- to purge itself of sin… to remove the member who is involved in incest! The church will either stand together or fall based on this action.
The proud have no place in the Church of God. If the Gospel of the crucified Christ teaches us anything it is that the church belongs to those who consider themselves humble servants and boast in Christ rather than themselves. In God’s Church up is down and those with little are those with plenty
Paul continues to address the issue of a divided church. Paul humbles us all. He says to the Corinthians: • “Your message is foolishness.” (1:18-25) • “You, yourselves are foolish.” (1:26-31) • “I am foolish.” (2:1-5)
The church at Corinth was a big mess! It was full of cliques, each following a different man. Many Christians were snobbish. There was little church discipline. They were unwilling to submit to authority of any kind. The integrity of Paul’s apostleship was frequently questioned.
One of the main themes of the book of James is that Christians should not just profess faith in God, but we should live lives that reflect our faith. In other words, we should live in such a way that demonstrates our faith in God. In our passage (5:13-20), James continues to make this point. One of the ways that we live in light of our faith is to pray to God in all situations.
Our great Savior will return. It's only a matter of when. For now, we wait patiently with confident hope in his imminent return in spite of our current suffering.
As we reflect on the commands of James we tend towards arrogance and point fingers at out here in judgment. We also stray towards self-sufficiency in our self-made independent culture. In both these cases we must not forget God's clear commands regarding our fellow believers and his constant hand in our lives. To know and forget, as James 4:17 says, would be sin!
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:8-10
Life is filled with struggles and difficulties. Sometimes, don’t know what direction to go… or what to expect! Who can help us? Whom should we listen to?
• If we’re having problems with our children, from whom should we take advice? • If our marriage is on the rocks, whom should I ask for counsel? • If we are considering college, whose opinion should count? • In situations with differing opinions, whom should I listen to?
The most dangerous thing is the tongue. The tongue has the power of life and death. Those who have faith are able to control it; those who don’t are destroyed by it.
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. James 2:26
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. James 2:1
Followers of Jesus Christ should respond to God’s Word with obedient listening, careful speech, and a humble demeanor. Or as James 1:19 says, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.
Trials and temptations are inevitable! Sometimes, we face trials on the outside, and sometimes we face temptations on the inside! How we understand them and respond to them has everything to do with our faith in God.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? Hebrews 1:5
David was a great king, but a poor, passive father. We see the tragic relationships David had with his children, and the consequences of David’s weak leadership of his family.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
Just as David, for the sake of Jonathan, brought in the undeserving descendants of Saul to his table, so to are we brought in to God's table to feast.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
As we look at the story of David and Abigail, we see what it means to be a fool. In looking at fools we also see what it means to be a person of wisdom.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
The point is that the ideal characteristic in a wife and mom is the fear of the Lord, which expresses itself in godliness & wisdom.
Our culture’s idea is that a woman’s most important attributes are charm & beauty is nothing new. People believed it then, & they believe it now.
As David pursues the Lord we see that he is blessed and protected by the Lord in the face of opposition. Just as the tactics of Saul couldn't wear him down, so too should we pursue God in the midst of hardship, knowing that God will bless and protect us as he sees fit.
And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"1 Sam 17:37
God had ruled Israel through judges whom He raised up to deliver Israel until the people of Israel asked Samuel for a king. In asking for a king, they rejected God’s rule. They asked for a king and the king they got was Saul. He failed miserably, refusing to obey the Lord. God rejected him.
After being rebuked, Samuel was obedient to go to the house of Jesse in order to anoint the new king. He went under the pretense of making a sacrificing since Samuel was afraid that Saul might harm him since he had to pass through his town in order to get to Jerusalem and to Jesse’s household.
Once at Jesse’s home, Samuel was “sure” that the oldest son, Eliab, was the man, but God said no, responding that God looks at the heart, and not at the outward appearance: I Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
Eventually, the older brothers go to the pastures to get David, who is anointed. 16:13: And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.
We typically look at those who were immediate eyewitnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Today, I want us to look at the unique account of Paul’s eyewitness as he defended himself before King Agrippa. Paul’s defense here makes two main points about the resurrection:
He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Acts 28:30,31
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome. Acts 23:11
After Paul’s missionary work in Ephesus leads to a great number of people being converted, a local businessman complains that the Christians are diminishing his business and ruining the worship of his god. Through this story we realize that the gospel is a threat to our old way of life devoid of God.
The Sovereignty of God is seen as He works out his purposes through Paul and his team in his second missionary journey.
First, Paul’s plans to visit cities in the province of Asia were prevented by the Holy Spirit as were plans to move north to the province of Bithynia.
Second, as a result of a dream/vision from the Lord, they headed to Macedonia.
Third, we continue to see God’s hand in the work as they reach out in the city of Philippi. Luke focuses on three people in Philippi.
We see how the early church reached a consensus decision regarding the question of whether Gentile Christians should submit to circumcision and complete obedience to the Mosaic law… In all reality, becoming a Jew in order to become a Christian.
The Jerusalem Council decided that faith in Jesus and the grace of the Lord are the basis for salvation. Peter, backed up by Barnabas and Paul, showed that God authenticated the Gentile mission in which Gentile believers do not have to become Jewish proselytes. We see clearly that Gentile Christians are members of God’s people, as Gentiles, saved by grace through faith in Christ. James, with the approval of the council, asked the Gentile believers to comply with only a few fundamental regulations.
And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had one with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice... Acts 5:38-39
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.”
1 Peter 2:1
: In chapter 3 of Acts, we see Peter and John heal a lame beggar at the gates of the temple. Peter wasted no time in proclaiming Jesus Christ as Messiah and Savior when a large crowd gathered after the man entered into the temple walking and praising God.
...and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His great might Ephesians 1:19
While the Gospel of Luke described what Jesus began to do and to teach, the book of Acts describes what Jesus continued to do and to teach through the ministry of the disciples.
As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand."
We live in a time when nothing seems secure. Since 9/11, the security we once felt as a nation is gone. True security, however, comes by faith in God’s supernatural provision of Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! ” Luke 2:14
This is not just a Christmas story! God supernaturally intervenes in human affairs to bring about his plan of salvation. We see God’s sovereign control of all history as He who works out His plan of salvation. We saw in Galatians 4:4 that God had a plan from the beginning: “when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” The story of Jesus’ birth fulfilled many prophecies in the OT. It unfolds the truth of Jesus’ origin: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-15
We were born to freedom in Christ not slavery under law and sin. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus are sons of Promise while those who place themselves under the law are sons of slavery.
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Galatians 4:9
We are no longer slaves, but sons of God and His heirs. The Galatians were relapsing into paganism, but in a notable way, because their relapse manifest itself in their desire to subject themselves to the Mosaic Law.
God’s promise to Abraham cannot be undone. All who have received Christ have been made heirs according to God’s promise.
After standing together with Peter in Jerusalem and establishing the truth that we are saved by faith in Christ – nothing else and nothing more – Paul confronts Peter in Antioch, a Gentile city. Peter, fearing the Judiazers, stopped eating with the Gentile believers. Peter had not changed his convictions! He knew that the laws were only Jewish customs– he was hypocritical.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
As we begin a new series we want to emphasize the importance of the gospel. Christ's atoning death and resurrection on the cross is good enough and nothing else is needed.
Key Verse:Nehemiah 13:3 "As soon as the people heard the Law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent."
Summary: Obedience to God’s Word is holy living and holiness is not negotiable. Our witness to a lost world is linked to our conduct defined by obedience. When we walk in holiness we “adorn the teachings of God our Savior”.
o We must offer ourselves to God. • We must be willing to sacrifice. • We must be willing to serve without acclaim. • We must be willing to use our spiritual gifts. o We must offer praise to God. o We must offer our financial gifts to God.
Welcome to Good News Bible Church. We're a faith community focused on knowing God better and serving Him as a result. We pray our weekly messages provide encouragement & insights for living.
After years of slavery, freedom leaves the enchained handicapped. They step out in freedom briefly and return quickly to what they know... slavery. In some sense it can be said that they are dependent or even addicted to the reality that they have known all along. What happens when a slave hears that he can change that reality? How should he respond? What should he do? These are the confessions of a slavery addict.
And Ezra blessed the LORD the great God and all the people answered Amen Amen lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Nehemiah 8:6
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:16 ESV
A window into Nehemiah's values: Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. Psalm 14:31 ESV
Nehemiah’s response to opposition was prayer, work, vigilance against the enemy, and focus on the Lord. Ours should be the same: work, vigilance against Satan and his tactics, and a focus on our great and awesome God whom we serve.
Like the wall in Nehemiah, the church has been given a building project. Scripture tells us, “let all things be done for building up” (1 Cor. 14:26). This passage in Nehemiah gives us a picture of the building process. As we unpack this text in its original context, the question we ask ourselves in our context is this: what then does it look like to build up the church? As we observe the building process of Nehemiah’s time, a striking picture unfolds that speaks to us about our building project - building up the people of God. We are invited to join our voices with the people of Jerusalem: let us rise up and build.
Significant problems do not typically solve themselves. Rarely does God intervene in messy situations with dramatic and direct displays of supernatural power as in the Exodus with Moses. Most of the time, God uses people… faithful, available and obedient people like Nehemiah to accomplish his will on earth. He enables us and provides for us as we do His work.
When God shows us the condition of the church, He wants us to respond the way Nehemiah did: with a broken heart. Do we see the broken walls of sin and compromise in the church? Are there areas of our lives individually that we need to surrender to God: broken relationships, marriage, gossip, dissension, bitterness, or sexual immorality? Nehemiah’s response to the news of the broken wall is an example of how we should respond if we are to be used by God.
When God shows us the condition of the church, He wants us to respond the way Nehemiah did: with a broken heart. Do we see the broken walls of sin and compromise in the church? Are there areas of our lives individually that we need to surrender to God: broken relationships, marriage, gossip, dissension, bitterness, or sexual immorality? Nehemiah’s response to the news of the broken wall is an example of how we should respond if we are to be used by God.
Paul prays for the Colossian believers to be filled with the knowledge of God so they can live lives worthy of the gospel. This knowledge centers on the powerful redemptive work of God through his Son, Jesus Christ.
Scripture tells us that Jesus is praying for us. And the amazing thing is that John 17 lets us eavesdrop on one of his prayers. In this passage, we get to hear Jesus praying for his followers, including us. We get to hear a very short list of some of his priorities in prayer. In fact, he makes four requests for us. He prays for our enduring faithfulness, engaged holiness, extraordinary oneness, and eternal closeness. If these themes show up in Christ’s prayer, we would do well to remember them in our own prayers. May these requests find their way into our prayer lives and spill over into our actions. By God’s grace, may we become part of the answer to Christ’s requests.
After being told by the Jewish leadership to not speak in Jesus’ name, Peter and John returned to their people and reported the threat. The response of the believers was prayer. Before the people brought any petition to the Lord, they acknowledged God’s sovereignty, first by using the title “Sovereign Lord” (23) which was used of a slave owner and a ruler of unchallengeable power and authority. The Sanhedrin might issue warnings, threats, and try to silence the church, but their authority was subject to a higher authority--God’s decrees.
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” Matthew 26:36
Each of us faces trials and suffering that seem insurmountable. It may be family relationships, job, health issues, disappointments, or rejection. Each of us faces our own set of problems. It is important that we think biblically about our problems.
. As we come into contact with the these fears and trials, we may try to fix them ourselves, but we have to remember that God is greater than all of it. Hezekiah realized that God has provided for His people in the past so why would he leave them. When we look at the present fear we must remember the past blessings that God has provided for us. Hezekiah voices that he does not want to be saved just to be saved but by saving the Israelites the earth will know that He is the one true God. His posture of prayer was not selfish, it was God-centered. We need to remember in prayer that Our goal in prayer is not to benefit ourselves in any way, but for God’s glory to be proclaimed throughout our life.
Prayer is … a God-centered encounter that begins with listening and continues with obedience.
Because Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised from the dead: Christ’s resurrection provides hope!
Christ warns the church at Laodicea about the deadening effects of trusting in material wealth rather than pursuing a strong faith relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a message that every church needs to hear. It is a strong warning to a church that is content with itself and feels that it has no need of anything. Satan and the world want us to think that the “good life” is all we want and need. Christ calls on the church to repent…a call for confession of one’s sins with a renewal of mind and heart to continue to walk closely with the Lord depending on Him for all things.
Christ warns the church at Laodicea about the deadening effects of trusting in material wealth rather than pursuing a strong faith relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a message that every church needs to hear. It is a strong warning to a church that is content with itself and feels that it has no need of anything. Satan and the world want us to think that the “good life” is all we want and need. Christ calls on the church to repent…a call for confession of one’s sins with a renewal of mind and heart to continue to walk closely with the Lord depending on Him for all things.
The letter to the church of Philadelphia is filled with praise. Christ has seen their faithful endurance in the midst of persecution and as a result is urging them to keep going. As a result we see five reasons why the church must persevere in the faith despite the persecution and temptations of the world around us.
The letter to the church of Philadelphia is filled with praise. Christ has seen their faithful endurance in the midst of persecution and as a result is urging them to keep going. As a result we see five reasons why the church must persevere in the faith despite the persecution and temptations of the world around us.
Listen Download The Church in Thyatira: Pure Devotion | Pastor Carey Wiese
Written by Good News Bible Church on Mar 25, 2014 in - No Comments Speaker: Carey Wiese | Associate Pastor of Outreach
Series: Seven Churches: Called Out to Shine (Revelation)
Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29
Summary:
The letter to the church in Thyatira begins with a majestic vision of Christ as the One who sees all things. Nothing is hidden from His sight. He sees what the church in Thyatira is doing well. His commendation of this church may be the highest of all seven. They had four outstanding qualities and they were growing spiritually. But He also saw through their walls and into their hearts. He saw divided loyalty. A woman called Jezebel had led them to pay devotion to idols. They were trying to worship the the One True God and false gods at the same time. This letter makes clear: Jesus demands and deserves our undivided, single-hearted, pure devotion. We must grasp onto Scripture tightly in order to discern the many voices in our time, who like Jezebel, beckon us to compromise. In the end, any sacrifice we must make for our devotion to Christ will be infinitely worth it. This message is driven by three central questions: 1) Are we growing spiritually? 2) Is our devotion to God single-hearted? 3) Are we holding fast to Scripture?
In this third letter, Christ writes to the church in Pergamum and describes the city as the dwelling place of Satan. It must have been extremely tough to live and minister there. Unfortunately, the believers did not rise to the occasion and shine brightly for Christ. Instead, the flame had become a flicker due to tolerance and compromise.
Even though they remained loyal to Christ, never denying Him, even when Antipas’ was martyred; they compromised their standards with the godless culture of the day. Satan had not only sought to crush the church through persecution, but also to deceive it through false teachers giving approval of sexual immorality.
Christ confronts their sin of compromise and warns us to not do the same.
Christ commends the church at Smyrna as it endures persecution and promises to carry it through the hard times.
We are reminded that He walks among us. His penetrating eyes see all things. He knows every detail and situation of his church, individually and corporately. He assures them that He knows what they are going through. He knows their circumstances: their trials, their poverty, and the slander against them. He also knows their persecutors: the Jews, but ultimately Satan. He encourages them to trust Him. He literally says, “Fear Nothing!” Be faithful to the end.
He promises to reward those who remain faithful.
Last week Carey told us that being both disciples and disciple-makers will be stretching. And for good reason. Because what it comes down to are 3 simple words. Three words that we can avoid and still appear to be a good Christian. Three words that we might allow to push us away from real disciple-making, yet Jesus is using to invite us into truer, deeper relationship with Him as the ETERNAL reward.
Matthew 28:16-20 teaches us that every disciple of Christ is called to be a disciple-maker. This call is not for a special class of Christians, it includes anyone and everyone who has encountered Christ, who has experienced His saving grace. This call is urgent. The astonishing reality is that we have been entrusted with a part in God’s mission. So this call must drive all that we do. It includes both calling people to give their lives to Christ and helping people to live their lives for Christ. Making disciples is proactive. And proactive disciple-making is a lifestyle. And what makes it all possible is Christ’s promise. He will be with us through it all.
Radical Focus on the Bible stems from an understanding of the place that God's Word holds in our lives. Once we understand that we realize that Radical Focus means we look to the Bible as God's Word for how we are to live our lives. As we do we will more and more realize that the result is an attention to the needs of the people around us. God's Word commands those who have been gripped with Radical Grace to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the lost in any way we are able.
God’s grace made us alive to God when we were dead in sin. It is His grace that enables us to live for Him and make a difference in the world that we live.
Jesus continually called people to follow him as Lord and Savior. Some responded to his call and became true disciples; others, however, rejected Him when his demands became too hard.
Christ’s approach was very different from today’s evangelism. He did not want a quick decision to trust Christ, or for one to pray a prayer in order to be saved. He did not want the emotions of the moment’s feeling of guilt, fear, or desire for a better life, but a carefully thought out commitment to Him as Lord.
The New Year is a time of looking back and looking forward. As we look back upon the previous year, we see God’s faithfulness in the midst of good times and hard times. When we grasp God’s faithfulness in all that lies behind us, we are given hope for all that lies before us. As we enter the New Year, we enter it with hope - confident hope. Romans 5:1-5 sheds light on three promises that bring us such hope. When we trust in Christ, we have the hope that comes from knowing we are at peace with God. We have the hope that God is with us, and working for our good. And we have the hope that comes from knowing we are dearly loved by God. As we enter the New Year, may it be a special time of reflecting on God’s faithfulness and resting in His hope.
Our world is incredibly complex: wars, terrorism, famines, catastrophes of all kinds. People have complex problems: emotional, physical, psychological… Sometimes we despair as we look at the concerns. God provides a simple solution for all our complex problems that we face. It is Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.
We see in the story of John the Baptist’s birth a focus on Christ as the Messiah, promised by God to Abraham and David, and foretold by the prophets. This hymn is about salvation. Four principals drawn from the passage are: • Salvation is God’s Doing, Not ours • Salvation is accomplished through Jesus Christ alone. • Salvation is the forgiveness of our sins • Salvation is a means to Serving the Lord
Christmas can easily pass us by without any real impact on our relationship with God. This message is Part 1 of a Christmas series that challenges us to fill this season with acts of worship. With so many things calling out for our attention, worship helps us get our focus right. During this series, we will focus on one important expression of worship: songs. The songs of worship surrounding the birth of Christ point us to what Christmas is all about. This message looks at the humble words of adoration found in the Song of Mary (Luke 1:39-56). The Song of Mary issues us an invitation: “Come, let us adore Him.”
This is a song of praise written by Moses after God delivered Israel by drowning the Egyptian army in the sea. The first half of the song (1-12) tells what God has done for Israel in the past. The second part (13-21) tells what God will do in the future!
“Trusting God fully means following His Exodus plan, even through risky detours, in contrast to simply living the comfortable life we like to create for ourselves.”
In the Exodus God reveals his unmatchable power, his faithfulness to fulfilling his promises, and his establishment of his presence with his redeemed people. As we look at the Exodus we recognize how God has revealed himself then and how it points to our same redemption through the power, promises, and presence of Jesus Christ.
God's people are marked, and God's salvation is remembered by ceremony. Both are meant to remind us of the great work of God and who He has called us to be, a sojourner people. As the people of Israel are finally delivered from the house of slavery, they are given two ceremonies to remember the events that brought about their birth.
Faith from faithless to fearless! Vs. 1 Remember full redemption is for all generations. Vss. 2-3 Expectation in freedom. Vss. 2-3 Experience provisions daily from the true living God. Vss. 4-20 Deliverance from darkness to light. Vss. 21-26 Obedience that is uncompromising to the world. Vss. 27-28 Meekness – is characterized by gently submitting to God’s will. Vs. 29
Is there a point to the ten plagues? Absolutely. The plagues point to God. Each one is a powerful demonstration of who God is. The resounding message of all the plagues is this: there is no one like the Lord our God. In particular, the fifth, sixth and seventh plagues point to three ways in which there is no one like the Lord our God.
But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2
The ultimate purpose of God’s actions in the Exodus was to bring Pharaoh and the Egyptians to their knees so they would let the Hebrews leave. But, at the same time, the Lord was revealing himself to both Israel and the Egyptians and proving that He alone was God and in control of all things.
God is almighty, completely reliable, and can be known experientially by those who invest the time and effort to seek Him.
When things go from bad to worse, Moses will learn the difficult lesson of waiting on God. Like Moses, each of us can relate to the struggle when things is life don't turn out as we would have hoped or planned. Like Moses, we face this struggle by learning the art of waiting on God. There are three basic requirements to waiting on God. It takes time. It takes thanksgiving. And it takes trust. Our journey with Moses through this struggle is found in Exodus 4:18 - 6:1. How will we respond?
In the midst of shepherding a flock, Moses has an encounter with the Lord, who calls Him to be His mouth piece to the people of Israel. However, while Moses understands who is speaking to Him, He fails to see who will truly be bringing about the deliverance.
Under tremendous oppression from a king who did not know Joseph, the Israelites cried out to God. They wondered where God was…where His deliverance was.
“We can know and trust God as the One who has authored each chapter in the lives of the people of Israel, whether they have faced blessing, injustice, tragedy or heartache.”
Philippians 4:10-23 draws the book to a close. In this last passage, we see that when we depend on Christ, our faith is able to thrive. As we depend on Christ, we can face life’s wins and let downs with a deep-seated contentment. Likewise, we are free from clinging to money as if our life depends on it, trusting that our life depends on Another. Only as we depend on Christ can we begin to live out the overarching charge of this book: put Christ first. Before comfort, before honor, before pleasure, before personal interests, before achievements and rank, before money, before everything -- Christ comes first.
In the midst of a chaotic world, we are encouraged to stand firm, be united, to rejoice, to be in prayer, and to develop righteous mindsets, leading to the peace of God and enabled by the God of peace.
Paul encourages believers to press on towards maturity and our ultimate goal of being like Jesus.
Rejoice! Nothing can compare to the joy that is knowing Jesus. Even in suffering we can rejoice because we can know Him.
Paul has just shown Christ as the model of perfect obedience and now calls for all believers to "work out their salvation" by depending fully on God's working in our lives, by ridding our lives of grumbling and question, so becoming blameless, shining stars in the midst of a broken world, and by spending our lives, as Paul did, on things that will make an eternal difference.
The spread of the Gospel is effective when believers are united in the Spirit, pursuing the same objective by intentionally putting aside SELF and living out Jesus' supreme example of humility.
The spread of the gospel matters more to Paul than his own comfort and honor. This is why he could rejoice in imprisonment and dishonor.
In the midst a culture strongly influenced by secularization, self-indulgence, and the rise of philosophical pluralism, we are often tempted to opt for an "American" Version of the Gospel-one that is more "domesticated." The key theme of Philippians is "Putting the Gospel First."
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Matthew 10:17 ESV
Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. John 20:21
Jesus is the revelation of God and by belief in him, our inability to know God is reconciled and we have the assurance that we will dwell with God.
"God seeks witnesses who offer Him their worship with extravagance, with sacrifice, and with pure motives."
Christ showed his power with the resurrection of Lazarus even as he faced his own death with the confidence that the same power of God would raise him from the grave. John 11 is a story designed to encourage us and to give us strength as we face our own mortality or the death of someone near to us.
Witnesses to God’s sovereignty recognized His revealed will and respond in worship and obedience.
God in His sovereignty REVEALS Himself to us in various ways.
We need to maintain a posture of RECOGNITION, listening for His voice.
Once He reveals Himself and we recognize Him, we don’t ignore, we RESPOND.
He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25
He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” John 9:25
In John 6:1-15, Jesus moves with compassion and performs a miracle that feeds thousands of people. Not only is the miracle an act of compassion, its also an act of communication, telling us something important about Jesus. In the end, Jesus pinpoints a deeper need than physical hunger. We all have spiritual hunger - an absence in our souls. Jesus alone satisfies our souls. How will we respond?
John 4:4-14: 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
After Christ gives the imperative that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God," Nicodemus asks: “Can a man enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born when he is old?” It is, of course, impossible for a man to cause himself to be born again. Man can't please God. We cannot save ourselves. Religion attempts to turn over new leaves; regeneration (new birth) transforms lives. Religion is man's efforts to reach God--our attempt to please God. Regeneration is God's effort to reach man--based on grace without any merit on our part. Man has two possible responses to the cross: belief or unbelief. We should examine our own hearts and lives. Since religion is a common cover for not being born again, each of us should examine ourselves to see if we are truly born of God.
Who is Jesus? This question draws many responses, but what did those closest to Him have to say about it? This sermon introduces a series on the witnesses of Jesus in the Gospel of John. The first witness to offer a testimony is John the Baptist. John the Baptist was sent by God with the sole purpose of being a witness. He prepared for God’s return and declared the identity of Christ. Through his example, we see our own need to turn to God in repentance, point to God in humility, and believe in Jesus as God. The public testimony of John the Baptist emphasizes that Jesus is truly God, eternally-existing as the Son, sent to Earth as a sacrifice for our sins. Such claims call for our response.
The theme of John, chapter 20, is the historical evidence for Christ's resurrection. One would see that from the earliest chapters, John is compiling evidence for Jesus' "trial." Many of us have been weighing the evidence for and making judgments. In chapter 20, John provides us with significant evidence of the resurrection as a final testimony of the divine identity of Jesus Christ.
3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city,[a] three days' journey in breadth.[b] 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them
In all the setbacks of your life as a believer, God is plotting for your joy. The book of Ruth is filled with setbacks, but there is always hope if we look at God working behind the scenes.
When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine. Ezekiel 16:8
In chapter one of Ruth, God's hand of providence fell hard on Naomi and her family. She lost her husband and two sons. One blow after another caused Naomi to say, "The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me, ... and has brought calamity upon me. This bitterness caused Naomi to not see God working for her good.
In chapter 2, it is so very clear that it is God's providence (not coincidence, luck or chance) in the life of Ruth that even Naomi can see his hand orchestrating events.
We see God working "behind the scenes" to bring Ruth and Boaz together as Ruth "just happens" to glean in the field of Boaz, a kinsman. He "just happened" to drop by and see her in the distance.
I have given the title of "God Working in the Ordinary" to the series because we see the underlying theme of the sovereignty of God in the midst of our making decisions in daily life. In the weeks ahead we will see God's hand in our suffering and affliction, our plans, our “luck,” our risks, and our redemption. The book of Ruth is filled with hope.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:2
True and total worship of The Creator includes being a worthy steward of all that He has created.
Grace giving is to understand grace; experientially. Grace giving is an expression of worship. Grace giving is a proof of love.
Jesus responds to a Hebrew lawyer by telling a story about a dying man. The man’s situation worsens as those who should help him avoid him. Then something happened that drastically reversed his condition: compassion. Compassion was shown to him that was radical: unbiased, unrestricted, and unearned. In showing such compassion, the man we know as the Good Samaritan proves what it means to become a neighbor. You and I are called to follow his example. In short, we must make the Good Samaritan ordinary.
God's people and His church respond to God in worship through a lifestyle of evangelism and discipleship.
As we look at living our living a life of holiness in the context of community, several questions may be asked?
•What does it mean to be holy? •Why should we care? (What is our Motivation?) •What does "living in community" mean?
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Colossians 4:3-4
When we let the gifts, the smells, the decor and the other good things of this season take our eyes off of Jesus who is the greatest thing of this season, we deprive ourselves of God’s solution for forgiveness and unspeakable joy. In Matthew 2, we learn of a group of wise men who traveled from a distant country to see Jesus, and in turn experienced the same kind of joy God offers to you. You will find this Unspeakable joy and forgiveness when you let Jesus reign as King of your life.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
Discerning and doing God's will is the final step of obedience which serves as the solid foundation for the life of a true disciple.
Matthew 7:7-12 teaches us that God always hears us and always provides for us. How does what we know about God affect what we do in prayer? Trust comes from knowing that God hears us and peace comes from knowing that He provides for our good. Trust and peace combine to let us bring our cares to God and leave them in His hands. This single practice will liberate us to turn our attention from ourselves and onto others. This practice of prayer is essential for us to live the life God wants for us. May the Lord deepen your prayer life, relieve your cares, and liberate you to reach out to others.
This passage is one of the most misunderstood and misquoted passages in the Bible! Jesus is not making a blanket statement that we cannot judge or make discerning decisions. Jesus is saying that we must first be willing to be judged by the same standard. And then, we are to exercise judgment toward others with humility and love.
In Psalm 103 David urges his soul to praise the Lord. He doesn’t say, “Praise God for all of your material goods” or “ for earthly treasures,” but for all of God’s benefits directed at His children who fear Him. It is these blessings that causes our hearts to burst at the seems with thanksgiving! Listen in.
Matthew 6:16-18 covers the topic of fasting. Jesus reiterates not only our need to fast, but our need to fast for an Audience of One - God Himself. Fasting for an Audience of One enables us to avoid idolatry, cultivate unique communion with the Lord, and appreciate the incomparable gift of our personal access to God. We also explore ways to make the most of our fast.
Simply stated, fasting is a pursuit. It is a tangible practice that reinforces our need to pursue more and more of God harder than anything other thing in our lives. As we draw near to God, he draws near to us. There is no greater thing
"God's transforming work in our hearts and lives is fueled by prayer. True prayer resists self-centeredness by cultivating God-centeredness on a personal and community level. On a personal level, Jesus charges us to know him that way and cherish him that way by seeking him in private prayer. On a community level, we are charged to be united in prayer, and increasing embrace our calling to be a church that prays. Our entire prayer life is guided by the pattern for prayer that Jesus gives us, commonly known as the Lord's Prayer. This pattern emphasizes that God wants prayer to be a regular part of our lives. It also teaches us to put God first and to bring to him our daily and spiritual needs in trust."
All of humanity is confronted with a gravitational pull toward self-centered thinking. One area that this temptation toward seeking spiritual fame comes is in our giving to people in need. Jesus calls His follower not to give in order to be praised by others, but to please our God seeking His reward above all things. Listen in!
In this passage we are looking at what our response should be when we are wronged. Christ again raises the bar for righteousness. It again surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees. Christ’s teaching is again radical! First, he gives illustrations in four areas when we are wronged for our faith. In each he calls on believes to go the “extra mile” … to be more generous than the law required.
Jesus raises the bar again for righteousness again as we address the issue of marriage and divorce. It is clear that he goes far deeper than the Pharisees and Scribes by making marriage exclusive and lifelong. The point of Christ teaching here in Matthew 5:31-32 is the sanctity of marriage. The marriage covenant should be taken so seriously that it should never be broken except for the most extreme conditions make it impossible to remain married. As we remain committed to the marriage relationship – in action, words, thoughts, emotions and priorities – we experience the fullness of that relationship that God intended for us to have. Christ then moves from marriage and divorce to an issue of personal integrity: truthfulness in speech. The Jews had developed a set of rules in which different oaths supported their truthfulness. Christ says they are unnecessary. We simply need to tell the truth.
God views sexual sin as being very serious and yet at the heart of the matter is our hearts. Being sexually, physically pure is good but incomplete. God doesn’t want just part of us, He wants all of us including our hearts. If we change from the inside then that will affect how we live on the outside. At the end of the day, God wants us to live in holiness both in works and in our hearts.
Christ calls us to righteous relationships. We cannot separate our relationships with others from our relationship with God. Anger, contempt for others, and pride destroy relationships.
Our distinctiveness as Jesus’ disciples sets us apart in the tasteless, dark world around us.
The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:3-12, introduce the Sermon on the Mount by pointing out where to begin: the heart. The heart is the focus of the Beatitudes because it is the necessary groundwork for the kind of lifestyle set forth in the remainder of the Sermon on the Mount. Where the inner life is, the outer life will always follow. The Beatitudes describe eight inner qualities that amount to a life lived entirely for God.
Whom do you serve? There are many competing "gods" that strive to capture your affections. However, only the One True God of the Bible can give life and satisfy our greatest longings. The prayer of this message is that you might determine, as Joshua did, that "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!"
Do you have a passion to Worship God and see Him exalted above all else? In Joshua 22, we see followers of the LORD who have as their burning desire to see God glorified in their lives and in the lives of the next generation. Listen in!
In this message, you will see how God delivered on His promises to Joshua demonstrating his might, justice, and faithfulness. Just as Joshua did, we too can trust God to deliver on his promises for us. For this reason, we can cling to God when pressed by the troubles of life.
It's easy to fall into the trap that says my sinful decisions only affect me. What we learn in this message is that our decisions have repercussions on others, onlookers, and ourselves. Although the consequences of our sin is death, Jesus has stood in our place to give life and forgiveness to those who trust in Him.
When we sin the proper response is to seek God's forgiveness with a heart of brokenness. David recognized his sin was ultimately against God and that his actions had severed his fellowship with God. Listen and see the characteristics of a prayer of repentance.
The more dissatisfied we are with God's gifts, the more dissatisfied we are with God himself. A covetous heart led David down a slippery slope with huge consequences. For us, we must keep in mind that the greatest remedy for dissatisfaction is a thankful heart.
God's plan for taking Jericho didn't involve military tactics, it involved a display of his power through Israel's undivided devotion to Him and their radical obedience to His will. Are you prepared to embrace God’s will and respond with a radical kind of obedience? God’s plan may appear silly to onlookers, but at the end of the day, it’s God’s plan…and his plans are marked by perfection.
What kind of Legacy will you leave behind? In this message, we see that the greatest legacy you can leave is a legacy of worship. This happens as we trust God by walking by faith and teach others about Him. This is at the heart of making disciples. To raise up a generation who loves the Lord, we must leave a legacy of worship.
God wants to transform weak faith into courageous faith, the kind that says, "God, I'm all in." In this message we'll see the example of an amazing person. An unlikely hero. A courageous woman of faith who, with her neck on the line, was all in. Her actions screamed at the top of their lungs, "God, I believe in you! I'm all in!"
Fear can be paralyzing and stunt our obedience. It hinders us from living the life God has called us to live. Fear produces Cowardly Lions, but God's Word, His Promises, and His Presence makes us Courageous Christians.
Ephesians summarizes what it means to be a Christian. It looks at the dynamics of a personal relationship with Christ & deals with God's overall plan for the Church. It draws out the implications of what it means to live as Christian.
Standing firm against strong spiritual opposition to Christ-centered living requires the development and daily application of strong spiritual armor.
As Christians, we all have the same Boss, and His performance evaluation includes the highest standards for Christian living in the workplace.
Single men: Seek a woman of excellence. Remember "Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Don't buy into the world's values which promote outward charm and beauty, but rather measure a woman according to her spiritual value.
Ephesians 6:1-4 continues Paul's instructions to the Christian household. Last week we looked at the marriage relationships of the husband and wife. In this passage, Paul gives instructions to both children and parents in these four short verses.
Too often the emphasis of this passage is entirely misplaced as if the central point is the subordination of wife to husband. Often the portion, "The Husband is the Head of the wife" is quoted in isolation. We will see that the basis of the passage is NOT control but love.
The Spirit of God wants to make us more like Christ, but we must be willing allow Him to accomplish His Purpose in our lives.
In the previous passage, Paul had stressed the necessity of "putting on" the new man. If we continue to live like the old man, we cause the Spirit to be grieved… to be sad. How do we avoid grieving the Holy Spirit? I. We stop lying and start telling the truth. (25) II. We must not lose our temper, but be sure that our anger is righteous. (26-27) III. We must stop stealing and be people of hard work & benevolence. (28) IV. We must stop corrupt (rotten) speech and become people who build others up and give grace to them. (29) V. We must be people who forgive. (31-32)
What we believe (our theology) must be lived out. What we are governs how we think; how we think determines how we act. If we are new creations in Christ, we must actively nourish our lives through Bible Study, prayer, accountability relationships. We don't simply drift into a life of holiness. We are not to be passive, but are to "put away" our previous lifestyle and "put on" a lifestyle that is holy.
Good conduct is the result of good doctrine!! It is only when we realize who we are in Christ that we will desire to grow and be the person that we are called to be.
God created us to enjoy him and to enjoy each other. But our sinful hearts have erected dividing walls of tension and hostility that separate us from God and others. This is not what God wanted for his creation. In this message, we see that through Jesus, God tore down the walls that divide, and made peace between us and Him a reality.
What is the gospel and what is our response to the gospel? We'll see in Ephesians 2:1-10 that undeserving and helpless as I am, God's poured his grace on me like a flood.
After showing the riches the believer has in Christ (1:4-14),Paul prays for the believers in Ephesus. He asks that the Spirit of God might give spiritual understanding in three areas: 1. The Hope of God's Calling -
Our hope has its foundation in our election - God's choosing us and calling us into a relationship with Him. Our future is not decided by fate or other gods, but by God who has predetermined it.
- The Glory of God's Inheritance in the Saints -
He wants us to see our value to Him - We are His riches... His possession. We have great value to Him - He cherishes us! Our confidence is in Him.
- The Greatness of God's Power -
God wants us to know the incomparable power of God available to us as believers. This power is illustrated by:
• The Power to Raise Christ from the Dead • The Power to Place Christ in the Position as Sovereign over All • The Power to Subject all Spiritual Powers under Christ • The Power to Appoint Christ over the Church as Head Paul's desire is that the Holy Spirit would make believers aware of God's power that is available to them.
In the midst of life's trials and struggles, God wants us to have a strong sense of security because He has called us into a relationship with himself. There is no reason of despair or hopelessness because we are in Christ Jesus and have all the benefits mentioned in Ephesians 1:3-14.
God is worthy of praise for who He is and all He has done. The heart of the unquenchable worshiper begins with a recognition of the spiritual blessings that belong to the Child of God. In this message, we see that we are blood-bought and have our salvation sealed. Let us give Him praise who alone is worthy, our Triune God!
We see in Ephesians 1:3-14 the work of the Trinity in the salvation of men:
First, we see the Father Chose Believers in Eternity Past (1:3-6)
Second, we see the Son Redeemed Believers in the Historical Past (1:7-12)
Third, we see the Spirit Sealed Believers in their Personal Past (1:13-14)
Today, we want to look the work of the Father in our salvation:
- The Fact of Election
Salvation begins with God, and not with man. John 15:16 says, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” Romans 3:10–11 is clear that the lost sinner, does not seek God; Luke 19:10 says, that God in His love seeks the sinner.
Does the sinner respond to God’s grace against his own will? No, he responds because God’s grace makes him willing to respond. The mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility will never be solved in this life. Both are taught in the Bible (John 6:37). Both are true, and both are essential.
a. Time of Election: Eternity past (“before the foundation of the world” [1:4])
b. Motivation for Election:
· “in love”
· “according to the purpose of his will”
- The Results of our Election
a. Our Sanctification: “That we should be holy and blameless before Him”
b. Our Adoption: ” he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
- The Purpose of our Election: “to the praise of his glorious grace” (6)
Ephesians 1:6 (NLT): “So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.” He has “poured out” his grace on us so that He can get the glory. Yes, we benefit tremendously from his blessings, but his ultimate purpose is to bring glory to Himself.
We need to remember how blessed we are to have been chosen by God to be holy and blameless through Jesus Christ. When we realize that God has chosen us to be a part of his family and takes delight in it…. When we understand all our blessing in Christ, it should humble us and cause us to live lives that bring glory to Him.
We can learn much from Nehemiah as we look to the coming year. When Nehemiah heard that the remnant in the Jerusalem area was in great trouble and shame, that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire; he turned to God in prayer. We see in him an example to follow:
First, we see in him a compassion for those in need (4). As soon as he received news of the bad conditions, he sat down and wept and mourned for days. He continued fasting and praying before the God.
Second, we see a confidence in God’s character (5). He addresses God as: “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments..."
Third, we see contrition or repentance as well as confession of sins (6b-7):
Nehemiah confessed the sins of the nation of Israel. In his confession, he included himself and his family.
Fourth, we see a commitment to God’s Word (8). He reminds God of his commitment to His people in His Word: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments ...I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’
Finally, we see his call for specific prayer (9-11).
His prayer over time led Nehemiah to ask God for success when he would seek the assistance of the King Artaxerxes as he moved from prayer to action to be used by God.....
As we begin the new year, I want us as a congregation to turn to God in prayer as we face the unknown of the year of 2012. We don't know what we face, but God does. Just as Nehemiah turned to God in prayer and fasting, we, too, need to Him, confident in His character and committed to His Word.
The birth of Christ brought division wherever He went throughout his life. We see that in Matthew’s story of three different groups and their reaction to the Christ child:
A. The Magi: They made great sacrifice traveling far at great expense to worship the Child born King of the Jews. They presented Him with expensive gifts.
B. The Chief Priests and Scribes: They knew Scripture and were able to tell Herod what he needed to know about where He was to be born. They, however, did not seek to find the Child and to worship Him.
C. King Herod the Great: He was threatened by this Child who was born “the King of the Jews.”
Each of us needs to consider what our response has been to Christ and his birth! Do we worship Him like the Magi? ... Are we apathetic like the Chief Priests and Scribes were initially? ... Are our hearts hard toward Him?
Our desire is to move beyond the big screen and unpack the true meaning of Christmas. The Christmas story is about something far greater than little Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB Gun...but about the birth of Jesus. He came to "save His people from their sins."
This December, we will “Move Beyond the Big Screen” and unpack the true message of Christmas redeeming it from the twist and turns that have marred and mishandled what is at the heart of the Christmas story…the first 6 letters of the word “Christmas”…C-H-R-I-S-T…it is CHRIST!
Walking the path of repentance means a lifestyle of safe vulnerability by allowing the all-knowing God of the universe to actively search me, and test me, and lead me.
We have all been hurt. Trust is broken. Scripture is clear that we are to forgive. We can either choose forgiveness or bitterness. In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Christ shows us our need to forgive:
A. Our forgiveness must be unlimited
B. It must be modeled after God’s forgiveness of us.
C. We must remember the dangers of not forgiving:
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We will not be forgiven.
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We open the door to Satan (Ephesians 4:26-27)
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We will carry the burden of an unforgiving spirit which tortures us.
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We will hinder our relationship with God and individuals.
Forgiveness brings freedom!
It brings closure!
It brings Life!
Each of us lives with regrets... Some of us never move to true repentance. In this passage we see the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow. Godly sorrow leads to repentance, salvation and leaves no regret. Worldly sorrow leads to death and produces guilt, hopelessness, and despair. The evidences of repentance produces: a new desire to live a godly life disgust at their offensive life, a fear of God, a longing to be in a right relationship with God, and a desire to make restitution.... For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
This message is a call to drink from the fountain of living water as we walk in the fear of the Lord. This is the walk of renewal, as God awakens His people to the realities of His holiness and His hatred toward sin as well as an awareness of their own personal rebellion and thus daily walk in repentance.
This passage opens with:“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time.” If we are to walk carefully, we must be pay attention to our walk and make the most of every opportunity. This exhortation is amplified by three contrasts, "not...but" : 1. not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time Our fast paced life is full of diversions which take our time and attention. We need to be careful how much time we give to God in prayer, study, and ministry opportunities. How much time is invested in people vs. watching TV? 2. do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is Understanding God's will for how we live every day in a general sense. How do we please Him with our lives. 3. do not get drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit Drunkenness has no place in the believer's life. We have a problem with drunk driving, binge drinking, and the idea that to have fun we ought to get drunk. To be filled with the Spirit is to live consciously of the Lord's presence. It is to fill our minds with the Word of God so that God's thoughts are our thoughts and His standards our standards. As we yield to Christ and His Word, the Spirit will lead us in all that we say, do and think. Being filled with the Spirit affects our lives in different areas: 1. Our fellowship with other believers 2. Our worship of God. 3. Our hearts will be filled with gratitude. 4. There will be mutual submission between believers.
The Christian life is rightfully compared to a war where the believer daily battles against temptation from the flesh, the world, and the devil. As the battle wages on, the follower of Jesus must continue the fight remembering that they have a new life, a new mind, and a new hope.
This passage looks at the believer’s freedom in Christ. Earlier in the book of Galatians, Paul had confronted legalism as he warned against keeping the law. He then confronts the tendency of some to move toward licentiousness.
Christian Freedom is not:
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Freedom to indulge the flesh
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Freedom to abuse my neighbor
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Freedom to disregard the Law
Rather is it is the
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Freedom to Overcome the Sin and Self
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Freedom to Serve Others
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Freedom to Fulfill the Law of Love
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Freedom to Produce Fruit
We do not run the race alone. We run with fellow believers. As we keep in step with the Spirit, we obey Him. It requires grace from God. Keeping in step with the Spirit also requires discipline. It involves the study of God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. It also necessitates examining oneself and admonishing oneself.
The prayer behind this message is that you might hunger for God and for the Holy Spirit's leading in your life. Are you Hungry?
God has provided His Holy Spirit to intimately and permanently dwell in us and powerfully work through us to advance his Kingdom and see Christ exalted.
People were bringing their children to Jesus for a blessing, but the disciples rebuked them. They thought Jesus was too busy for the children. The truth is they did not place the same value on children that Jesus did. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was upset with his disciples. Jesus' response reminds the disciples (and us) that children are important to Him. He compares the simple, dependent trust of children to the faith of someone who receives the Kingdom of God. As we kick off the new children's ministry, we need to remember that Christ placed a high value on children. Because Christ placed a high value on them, we need to make sure that we do not hinder the children from coming to Christ.
There is no one who is outside of God's reach. See what we can learn about ourselves and those we're trying to reach through the life of Saul.
When we perceive life to be insurmountable, impossible, overwhelming – our faith can prompt God to intervene, but according to His timetable and in the manner He chooses.
Jesus encounters a Demon-Possessed man whom we find out is not much different than you and I.
Since God has forgiven us for all that we were, we ought to love him with all that we are.
Elijah courageously stood up against the spiritual idolatry of his day. Oh that God would raise Elijah's from among us!
If you grew up in the church you were regularly taught the great stories of the OT. Stories like David and Goliath, Daniel and the lion's den, etc. As we grow older we become so familiar with these stories that we begin to see them in almost a fairy tale like fashion to the point where they are robbed of their message and power. This series will revisit these stories.
Here's the story of the faith of David and his battle with Goliath.
If you grew up in the church you were regularly taught the great stories of the OT. Stories like David and Goliath, Daniel and the lion's den, etc. As we grow older we become so familiar with these stories that we begin to see them in almost a fairy tale like fashion to the point where they are robbed of their message and power. This series will revisit these stories. Here's the story of the faith of Gideon and his Great God.
If you grew up in the church you were regularly taught the great stories of the OT. Stories like David and Goliath, Daniel and the lion’s den, etc. As we grow older we become so familiar with these stories that we begin to see them in almost a fairy tale like fashion to the point where they are robbed of their message and power. This series will revisit these stories.
Here's the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the Fiery Furnace.
Paul calls Christians, who have died and raised with Christ, to set their minds on things above.
Listen and see how Paul combats the push toward measuring godliness by following rules.
What's so great about Jesus? Colossians 1:15-20 is Paul's "boast" about the greatness of Jesus. Listen as this passage unpacks the Preeminence of Jesus. [message goes without mic from minute 4:00 to minute 6:30]
God in His grace and sovereignty brings glory to Himself as He heals and strengthens the families in which He has placed us.
Our life here on earth is short. James says it is like a vapor. We are bombarded with the temporary: Make money. Get stuff. Be comfortable. Live well. Have fun. In the midst of it all, we lose sight of the eternal. But it’s there.
Did Jesus truly raise from the dead? If Jesus truly raised from the dead, then what difference does that make in your life?
The answers to these questions will stir our hearts to live the life not wasted...the life given fully to Jesus.
Paul reminds Christians to be conscientious citizens (submissive, obedient and public-minded) and to live consistent lives of peace, courtesy, and gentleness. (1-2)
He then develops the doctrine of salvation so Titus has confidence that the people in the church at Crete can be changed to live the lives they are called to live. He gives six points about salvation:
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The Need for Salvation:
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The Source of Salvation:
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The Grounds for Salvation:
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The Means of Salvation
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The Goal of Salvation
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The Evidence of Salvation
Paul concludes the letter with miscellaneous items:
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Titus is to avoid profitless controversies
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Titus is to discipline contentious people
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Titus is to make sure believers are dedicated to doing good works.
How can we live godly lives that are visible to others and pleasing to God? Titus 2:11-15 presents us with life-transforming truths of the Gospel that stir our heart to put the truth into action and live a Gospel-saturated life.
After dealing with the false teachers in the previous passage, Paul now instructs Titus how to teach the different groups in order that their character and conduct may reflect Christ and cause the gospel to attractive to the non-believer.
The presence of false teachers has always been problem in the church in every time period. This passage is a reminder that we must be able to refute false teaching and defend the truth.
What is the gospel? What difference does the gospel make in the life of the Christian? This message reminds believers that God's people are gospel people, and as gospel people, Christians are to live gospel-saturated lives.
Doug Nichols teaches God's people about our message, method, motive, and mission for spreading the Gospel to all peoples.
The youth of Good News lead God's people in worship in the annual Youth Service. This year's theme, "Peace in the Midst of Chaos."
This is the message celebrating the installation of Pastor Ralph Edmonds as the Senior Pastor of Good News Bible Church. Praise be to God!
Pastor Ralph Edmonds responds to being the newly installed Senior Pastor of Good News Bible Church.
Praying, "Not my will, but yours be done" is a prayer that our lives ... our thoughts, words and actions ... would be in complete submission to our Heavenly Father.
Listen and learn from Jesus, our Lord that in that place of sweet and prayerful communion with God that we’re spiritually nourished and properly focused on His will. So let us return to that place and daily commune with God.
The Lord's Prayer: Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to pray. Even though He was God incarnate, he felt the need to pray. He set an example for us in the area of prayer. He offered Matthew 6:9-15 as a model or an example of how to pray. Christ emphasized the need for the disciple to focus first on God and then on his own needs.
While it is good for us to be zealous in God’s service, believers should be careful so that they will not compromise His holiness.
The crazy love life is the ultimate expression of the Christian life because it's based upon the Author of life..."Beloved, let us love one another."
The only explanation for being able to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father is His Crazy Love for me.
Jesus Christ has been called many things by many people, including a great man, a great teacher, and a great prophet. There are few scholars today that deny that Jesus is a historic person who walked on this earth about 2,000 years ago, that he did remarkable wonders and acts, and that he died a horrible death on a Roman cross. The debate is whether Jesus was God incarnate who rose from the dead three days after His crucifixion having paid the penalty for our sin. Today we will look at four names or titles of Jesus:
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Son of David: points to Jesus' humanity and his role as the Jewish king and Messiah
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The Christ: is Jesus' title rather than name; it means "anointed one" refers to His role as the long awaited Messiah.
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Jesus: means "Yahweh saves" and indicates his role as Savior (...for he will save his people from their sins. Matt. 1:21)
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Immanuel: means "God with us" and refers to his deity.
God visited the earth in order to redeem his people from their sins. II Corinthians 5:21 says,"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
It all started with the birth through a virgin (Mary) which was foretold centuries earlier. Everything about Jesus' incarnation was supernatural! God's great love for us is expressed through his sending his Son to die for us. How will we respond to His Crazy Love? Will our lives be changed when we understand what God has done for us through Christ's birth, death and resurrection?
Ezra 10, in a dramatic way, teaches us that when we find ourselves in the pit of compromise and sin, the only proper response is radical repentance.
When the love for and the fear of God diminishes from God's people, spiritual compromise begins to trickle into our lives.
As Ezra and the people of God journeyed to Jerusalem they were guided and protected by the goodness of God in seemingly ordinary ways. In the same way, we find strength for our journey in that God bestows his goodness to us in the mundane and miraculous.
Summary: Chapter 7 introduces us to the person and mission of Ezra. His mission was twofold: 1.) He was to take back to Jerusalem valuable supplies for the temple as well as lead a new group of exiles returning. 2.) Once there he was to implement the adoption of the Torah to regulate the life of the Jewish community.
Ezra was a gifted man whose lineage is traced back to Aaron. He was a scholar who was empowered to govern and teach. Ezra's commitment to the Word of God was a key to his leadership:
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He knew the Scriptures -- he studied the Word of God.
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He lived it -- he applied the Word of God.
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He reproduced it-- he taught the Word of God
Our Sovereign God still speaks through His Word to ignite the weary and dull hearts of his people to refocus on a life of worship.
The Jews returned to Jerusalem with a clear purpose: to reestablish worship of the Lord, to rebuild the temple, and to reaffirm the nation’s relationship with God, but opposition formed almost immediately. The people of the land rose up against the Jewish exiles and continued through successive monarchs. Judah’s leaders rejected an offer by the “people of the land” because they recognized the compromise involved. This led to opposition.We need to learn that obedience to God does not guarantee that life will be fair or just.
Have you ever felt forsaken by God? How do we trust God in the valley's of life? Ezra shows us that God is always at work, even when we can't see Him.
God is sovereign - absolute and incomparable. His absolute authority and man's capacity for choice exist together. His purposes will be accomplished. It is up to individuals and communities to cooperate with Him. In chapter one of Ezra we see God's prophecy of Israel returning to Jerusalem fulfilled as "the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus" to proclaim a decree inviting the Jewish people to return to their homeland to rebuild the temple and worship God there. We see their response in verse 5: "everyone whose spirit God had stirred " moved back to rebuild the temple. Again, we see God's sovereignty and man's choice. Our choices should reflect God's sovereignty and goodness; our response should be to worship God and to trust him with our lives.
Reasons for making deposits in the First (and only) Bank of God's Eternal Kingdom … and how to do it.
Jesus teaches that good stewardship results from wise choices which stem from a healthy relationship with God.
The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Children of God must walk in the light and encourage one another with the hope of Jesus' return.
Look to Jesus as the example of "I'm third" living that the church might live in harmony with one another.
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." - Hebrews 10:24
The issue of suffering has been a key concern for Peter throughout the letter. He has encouraged the church to live faithful lives against the backdrop of suffering. Peter draws his letter to a close with instructions for different groups:
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Elders: Shepherd the flock of God
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“Young Men”: Submit to the Elders
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“All”: Clothe themselves with humility toward one another
He then exhorts them to be aware Satan
Submission is a broader Christian quality for all of us to pursue, and it has its unique and appropriate expressions in different relationships.
God wants us to give honor to whom honor is due. This morning, we want to honor and celebrate the gift God has given us in mothers as we look at the key Relationships in a mother's life, review key Responsibilities of a mother, and finally consider ways to Respond by loving our mother.
As aliens on this earth, we are to forsake earthly idols and set our minds on the things above where Christ is. Paul tells us that in order to do this we must put to death what is earthly in us and put on what is godly. It is then that we become a blessing to those around us including our families, friends, and even those in the workplace.
Present day world events remind us that earth is not our home. As a Christian, heaven is your home which makes you an alien here on earth, this foreign land.
Because there is only One God, and all other gods are not truly gods, the True God of the Bible is deserving of all worship and shares His glory with no other. Soli Deo Gloria, to God Alone be the Glory.
Idolatry is not simply a golden calf. It is, fashioning of ANYTHING to the place only God should have in our hearts. It
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Because Jesus is alive, we don't need to live with a heart of disappointment and doubt, but can live with a heart of worship. When you give your life to God and trust in Jesus, He will remove a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.
So what's your hearts response to this news...Jesus is alive?
Sometimes we feel like our spiritual life is on a stand still. This message is a call to persevere through strength and power of God. We know we're persevering when we look more like Christ and less like the world, Point people more to Christ and less to ourselves, and rejoice more in the spread of the gospel, and less in our comforts.
When the grace of God intersects with our lives, we go from being dead, enslaved, and hopeless in sin to being alive, free, and purpose-filled in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3-14 is packed glorious riches that we can only begin to comprehend in this life. This sermon focuses on this blessed truth, that the the Triune God of the Bible has chosen you who are in Christ to be an instrument of worship to Him.
We will explore the Atoning work of Jesus on the Cross that was accomplished while were dead in our sin (depravity). Jesus died in our place (substitution) shedding his blood and declaring us right before God (justification). God's wrath was satisfied by Jesus (propitiation), and we are no longer enemies of God (reconciliation).
Scripture teaches that because of the fall, all mankind are incapable of responding positively to God on their own. Scripture goes so far to say that we are "dead in our sins." We aren't just wounded as if it made it a little more difficult to obey God, and therefore, God has to assist us. We are dead in our sins. This corruption (sin) affects our relationship with God and fellow man in a radical way: * Our relationship with God (our heart, mind, and soul) * Our relationship with our fellow human beings: (throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet and eyes)
Jesus' prayer illustrates how the depth of his prayer life coincides with the depth of his relationship with his Father. The things Jesus prayed for are the things that matter MOST.
First century Christians were under heavy persecution, especially the Jewish believers. Hebrews explains the nature of optimum faith, which is necessary for survival. For indeed, believers need ‘true biblical doctrines (notitia), to ‘keep the faith;
In the First century, the Church of Corinth was on the brink of destruction. The people faced ‘imploding
This message is a call to prayer when we face trials that we might know the power of God to forgive and heal.
In Psalm 42 the Psalmist finds himself calling out to God for he is spiritually empty and in emotional turmoil. Psalm 42 provides and answer to whether or not you will find healing when you are hurting.
In Ephesians 1:15-19, we see a beautiful prayer concerning the spiritual growth of believers. Paul's prayer for the Ephesians should be our prayer for each other, that we would Know He who is Unknowable, and have Insight into that which is Invisible.
When the church is shaking the gates of hell, the believers must expect more serious attacks from Satan, and the only way to combat him is to go against him with the weapon of prayer. No matter how serious the crisis at hand may be, the believers must learn to turn it over to God in prayer and wait for His response.
In Psalm 63 we will be looking at David acknowledging God as Elohim, Almighty and Mercy in the wilderness. The result is a life of worship and contentment.
Prayer breaks through the seductive barrier of human busyness resulting in spiritual empowerment.
Rich Mullins in his song "My Deliverer" talks about Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt and reflecting on God's promises. He draws parallels between Jesus and Moses and how God's promises will never be broken. Man cannot thwart God's promises. This truth should bring us to our knees knowing that we should never doubt God but that we can fully trust him. "He will never break his promise, he has written it upon the sky."
If you missed this years Christmas Program that tells the story of Hope to a single mother, you can hear it in its entirety right here! Inspired by drama and Hip Homiletics, you'll hear an innovative telling of the Good News of Christmas.
God wants us to be people of devotion to Him and His work. Both Simeon and Anna are examples to us of people who lived their entire lives with a divine purpose. One knew he would see the "Lord's Christ" before he died and the other was at the right place at the right time.
Why should we praise God? Mary gives us a beautiful example of worshiping and praising God. In the midst of her situation she praises God for what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do. In the same way, we should praise God.
God is worthy of authentic worship, so we should strive to be authentic worshipers. In the past weeks, we've seen that religious ritual, "missionary dating", unguarded marriages, inadequate theology, and the love of money threaten and compromise authentic worship. In this message, we see that only the brokenness that comes from repentance can restore authenticity in worship.
Malachi's message teaches us that God wants us to: Give Repentantly, not Reluctantly; Give Radically, yet Responsibly; Give Resolutely, not Regretfully. In the end, God's people must give as an act of worship and let the world around see that God is our treasure.
Even when we don't see Him, God is actively at work in His creation. God is concerned for the purity of His people and faithfully refines them through the circumstances of every day. With reference to the wicked, God will ultimately move swiftly in judging the wicked and delays because of His mercy.
Malachi warns God's people against 2 pitfalls that pull us away from walking in faithfulness to God which will sever our fellowship with God. Those pitfalls are the pitfall of an Unbelieving Dating Relationship and the pitfall of an Unguarded Marriage.
God is worthy to be honored, to be feared, and to be worshiped. He deserves our authentic devotion and not ritualistic "religion."
Let our desire be for the glory of God as we become actively engaged in accomplishing the task, ministering in our church, led by the Chief Shepherd and served by his undershepherds.
ere does conflict fit into God's great scheme of things for His Church? Why does He allow it? Are we doing something wrong if controversy exists in our churches today? "Lord, reveal to me the changes that need to take place IN MY OWN LIFE ... my personal commitment to knowing God and bringing Him glory ... that will result in my contribution to a unified body of believers."
The early church suffered from persecution - a direct attack on a specific message and distinct lifestyle.
Marks of a Healthy Church: To live in a life in pursuit of holy and obedient living both as individuals and as a church with the purpose of glorifying God.
Psalm 139 teaches us that God is all powerful and in control of all of the details of our lives from the way we look, our personality, to our abilities. In all things, God is Sovereign and we can trust Him even when things don't make sense.
Fear obstructs much of God's work. When God called Moses to lead Israel, Moses made four excuses as to why he could not do what God asked him to do. In many ways, God's people can be like Moses when called to serve. This passage shows us God's power to enable us to do that which we fear.
Caleb had an uncommon perspective. He saw life as loaded with opportunities for the exercise of faith. He trusted God for great things. That attitude is not mere optimism. It is a choice. Today I want to challenge God's people to trust God for great things.
This message challenges God's people to trust God even when we can't see what's ahead in life.
God calls His people to put away their idols and worship Him alone for only he can bring deliverance. This concluding message of Hosea shows God's deep love for His children.
As people, saved by the Grace of God, we must be resilient in our pursuit of holiness and press on toward spiritual maturity. We do this by imitating the godly, anticipating Christ's return, and being unwavering in our resolve to walk in holiness.
God called Israel to break up the fallow ground that once showed life but became hardened by comfort and fellowship with the world. In the same way, God calls Christians to live with spiritual vibrancy.
Israel had become idolatrous and was guilty of spiritual whoredom claiming to know God, yet worshipping false gods. Many Believers are only half-baked and must respond to God's leading in their life.
God is calling his children to reject the ways of this world and live counter-cultural lives fueled by the beauty of the Gospel.
God wants us to be people of compassion declaring the truth of the Gospel to the people of "This Great City"
Our battle is not against flesh and blood. There is a spiritual battle taking place at all times. Are you suited up to fight? Listen to Paul's instruction to Christians in Ephesians 6:1-24.
God has chosen his children to be made holy and blameless. This is worked out in the context of real life relationships in the Church, in marriage, the family and at work.
God has chosen his children to be made holy and blameless. This is worked out in the context of real life relationships in the Church, in marriage, the family and at work.
Being in Christ changes the rules by which we play life. Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit the believer is called to live differently than before salvation.
Being in Christ changes the rules by which we play life. Because of the presence of the Holy Spirit the believer is called to live differently than before salvation.
In light of chapters 1-3 in Ephesians, God is calling us to walk worthy with humility, gentleness, and patience.
In the genre of horror films, "Zombies" are known as the "living dead". There is a spiritual parallel. You were born spiritually dead with a body that was alive. But God has a gift for you - life in Jesus!
In the genre of horror films, "Zombies" are known as the "living dead". There is a spiritual parallel. You were born spiritually dead with a body that was alive. But God has a gift for you - life in Jesus!