Sermons by Michael Felber: Recent Episodes
Michael Felber
Paul wrote this first of the “pastoral epistles” to help Timothy as he was leading the Ephesian church back to a right focus and especially right public worship. Paul was concerned that the local church stay right, look like the one they worshipped.
Having reminded Timothy of the severe danger of and the proper response to damaging the local body, Paul talks about public worship. First on the list for public worship is prayer.
“First of all” connects to “I exhort.” The point is not to say that Prayer was most important in the service, but that it was first of several points about worship that Paul wanted them to consider.
Prayer reminds us of our need and our Father’s desire.
Prayer is important in public forums. Prayer should always be a part of public worship. Paul presents the importance of prayer as he focuses on who should pray and how they should pray.
The message of the bride of Christ is that you can be right with God. You can be restored to an intimate, personal, daily, loving relationship with God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. With God is fullness of life. Sin destroys what mankind is searching for. Sin is the blight of wholeness, it is the virus to healthiness, it is the obstacle to openness. Sin never brings lasting happiness. The first sin did not bring lasting happiness nor will the last. You need three to enjoy your relationship with God. The first of those is a pure heart and that only comes through Jesus Christ. The first does not require maintenance because it is a gift, not something worked for or earned. It is received. It is God reaching out to us.
The second and third require maintenance: good conscience and faith unfeigned. A good conscience requires that you do what you know. Faith unfeigned requires that what you know is accurate.
How we worship reflects our view of God. In this passage from the manual for the local church, we learn that we need to prepare before we worship.
Are the Scriptures designed to be a smorgasbord for picking and choosing or is it a manual for how to safely operate? “Have three, maintain two.”
The Ephesian church was struggling. They were a “good” church. They were well respected. According to Revelation 2 they worked hard and kept themselves from those which were evil, BUT they had left their first love. They looked good but had quit maintaining their relationship with the Lord.
Good relationships take constant maintenance. Without maintenance relationships fail and cease to function well. Our Scripture text today reminds us that everyone needs three and must maintain two.
How does God look at life? Is there a difference between secular and sacred work? Is one more valuable? Have I been incredibly blessed to be vocationally in ministry for 35 years? Was my year wasted when I changed from being a pastor to a bus driver? How about in my high school and college years when I cut grass for a living? Was I just “marking time” until I could go into the “ministry”?
How about you? Should each of you quit your job and go into “full time Christian service?” Would your life matter more if you did?
Notice that God's Word says "Your Work Matters!"
Through out the Bible we admonitions to teach: Parents to children, fathers to son, mothers to daughters, older to younger, or teacher to student. By the words we say or don’t say, we teach our children what is or is not important. By our actions we teach what is important enough to spend our time on and what is not.
We need to be aware of our example and ask our selves what it is that we are teaching those around us. By our actions and words, what are we telling others is important in our lives?
Paul challenges Timothy to “insist on” and teach scriptural truths. The challenge is to never swerve from the Scriptures. Teach and hold fast to the Scriptures. This text reminds believers of the danger of operating on tradition or a popular teacher’s teachings. One of the foundational truths of a Biblical church is that the Bible is the sole authority.
As we think of our nation we must consider God in the history of the United States. We are in troublous times as a nation. We are distracted from what has brought blessing on our nation. We have come to think that speaking of God in public and acknowledging Him as the author of Liberty is somehow destructive to our nation. Liberty and freedom originate in God and when we remove Him from our national discourse we love the liberty and freedom we so desire.
Paul's message in chapter 4 begins with the reminder that since Jesus is coming, be ready. Live remembering that Satan is defeated and Jesus is coming. Our study explains the relationship of the dead to the return of the Lord and where we will meet the Lord. Doctrine is the protection of the church. This information guides the believer on how to think and live.
We are hearing that because of certain events happening today, Jesus is coming back. Are the events we are seeing a sign of the end times? The Thessalonian believers were also living in the reality that Jesus could come in their lifetime. Ever since our Lord returned to heaven we have been waiting for His imminent return. It is important that you live in the light of Jesus certain return. Are you ready?
What does it mean, "I can do all things through Christ?" Paul said that he learned he could "do any state" with Christ. How can you handle your world when it is out of your control? Contentment is a word that is rarely even used in our society, but it is the key to unlocking peace in your life. Follow along as you learn how to be content.
Who impacts our nation? Lemuel's mom realized that her greatest life purpose would be accomplished through someone else. Her influence on a nation and on the world was through her son. Your life impact is important even when it is not in front of a crowd. Live on purpose and change a nation.
This challenge comes from Proverbs 31. It is a thank you and a spotlight on the kind of woman who makes a positive difference in the world every day. Women impact the world and yet their contribution is often overlooked or marginalized. The Scriptures have always recognized the important role of women in the world of finance, family and society.
Never underestimate the influence you can have on the world by being the right kind of person. To all who live and model this life, thank you.
In Philippians 4 God teaches us how to keep from being overwhelmed. He gives very specific and easy to follow instructions for how to keep the "keep the water from filling your boat" in the middle of life's storms: Stand fast in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord, depend upon the Lord, think like the Lord, act Like the Lord. May God's Word refresh and renew you in the middle of your life storms.
In Philippians 3 Paul concludes a major doctrine he taught in chapter 2. Knowing that God saved you on purpose, that He has a plan for your life and you are part of God's plan, rejoice in the Lord instead of being distracted with life's disappointments.
The Psalms describe how we feel and relate questions we are sometimes afraid to ask. Psalm 44 is a teaching Psalm and addresses the times of our lives when God seems silent and blessings seem to have stopped. "What is God doing?" Psalm 44 teaches us what to consider when the blessings seem to stop.
Thankfulness is the key to discouragement. We will look at God's gracious command to be thankful, examples of thankfulness and topics for which to be thankful. Look for ways to demonstrate thankfulness.
The prophet Isaiah wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God would send the Messiah. The Israelites looked for a liberator from their political enemies, but God had promised much more. God had promised a liberator - a Savior - from the evil, murderous tyrant Lucifer.
The Lord Jesus Christ's substitutionary sacrifice is amazing because it is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Propitiation means "a place of forgiveness." In Jesus Christ the sins of the whole world have been paid. The debt was satisfied and so was the Father. Freed from Satan's bondage into the kingdom of Light. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
As we celebrate Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday, let's remember that everyone must personally respond to the Lamb. Follow along as we see the main characters of the crucifixion and notice their personal choices concerning Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Palm Sunday is the celebration of the Messiah's coronation. In our study from Mark 11 many shouted and cheered the promised one who came at the precise time prophesied in the Old Testament. Not everyone who cheers is truly a follower of Jesus Christ. Some who cheered on Sunday later shouted to "crucify" Him. Who is your King?
We are living in a time of emergency and are experiencing pressures and expectations which are not normal. We are being asked to limit our freedoms for a brief time for the sake of others. Sometimes we may not appreciate the authority that is making these demands. Sometimes we may not agree with what our authority is saying. How should we respond? What is God doing in your life through these pressures and expectations? Romans 13:1-2 tells us that behind the authority is God. Although we may question the authority, we can trust the one behind the authority.
For this message we are in Philippians 2. Are you in your right mind? Right thinking is so important to accomplishing your mission.
The goal of every believer is to bring glory to God. Paul has been very careful to talk about circumstances. You can’t control your circumstances but you can use your circumstances to accomplish your mission. Christians work together. Christians have roles to fulfill in accomplishing their mission. The of mission of believers is to get the life changing gospel into the hands of ever person on earth so that they will see God for who He is.
Are you in your right mind?
Everyone is given the same opportunities by the Lord. Are you being "penny wise and yet pound foolish?"
Are you feeling any fear right now? Uncertainty of an outcome of a dangerous situation creates natural fear. David was going through difficult times, fearful times. In Psalm 27 David teaches the secret to overcoming fear.
Paul’s letter to the Philippians was a response to their kind gifts sent by one of their church members named Epaphroditus. It was a long trip (605 miles if he flew, 1700 miles by boat) and a big commitment for Epaphroditus to come. Epaphroditus was their representative, brought their gifts and news about his friends in Philippi. Epaphroditus’ news brought reality to Paul’s memories.
Pressure brings to the surface what is not always visible. Pressure allows you to really see what is in you! The Philippians were experiencing pressure from multiple areas. Philippians teaches that the success of your mission will be based on your mindset. Chapter two addresses having the right mindset about one’s role in the mission.
The success of your mission will be based on your mindset. Your role is important to the mission.
Seeking Zacchaeus! As we have been reading through Luke we see something very special about Jesus. He is compassionate. He cares about people’s specific needs. He weeps over their poor choices. He sees people in crowds rather than crowds of people. He sees their problems rather than personal inconvenience. In Luke 19:1-10 we read that Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Because Jericho was a rich city it had many poor in it as well. They would line the streets hoping some rich person might be generous with them. Blind Bartimaeus was along the road leading into Jericho. Jesus has just passed through on his way to Jerusalem but there is someone else who wants to know what Jesus is like.
Jesus sees people and loves them.
Each of us has the privilege of being a lighthouse to our family and friends. A key component of being a light is love.
Paul’s goal or life purpose was to use his life that others would prepare for eternity by hearing the gospel. Therefore he was not sad for the events happening in his life as long as it helped spread the gospel. His “inconveniences” were ok: His false imprisonments, His shipwrecks, His lack of personal space were all part of getting the gospel into places that might not have been reached. Paul concludes his life philosophy summing it up by stating whether it was in life or death He wanted to live in such a way that Christ would be noticed by the unsaved through him.
Now we come to the last few verses in Philippians 1. He moves from encouraging them not to worry about him, and sharing his life purpose to challenging them to follow his example.
Paul's life purpose was to glorify God. He wanted to glorify God through his body. He wanted to glorify God in his life and in his death. We often focus on glorifying God in our life, but can a Christian glorify God in death? This study gives ideas for sharing your faith even in death.
Everyone of us goes through circumstances that do not line up with what we really hoped. In our text today Paul is going to address how to view and actually use life’s difficult circumstances for good. Paul went to Rome, but not as a Preacher but a Prisoner. He could have written a long letter about how bad things had been going. Instead he sums it up in verse 12. All these things were for the furtherance of the gospel. Paul did not find his joy in circumstances, but in getting out the gospel of Christ. Philippians teaches us what Paul learned from his earlier trials and how he viewed his life.
In Luke 17 Jesus taught his disciples about living in times that are lacking faith. Jesus is coming again, but we too live in times where the “world” does not have faith. Have we been forgotten? How should we live in these difficult times? Jesus said that we should pray and not faint! In our daily life we should always look for God and what you can learn about Him.
Listen, Learn, and Live. Repetition is necessary for learning. Deuteronomy is the “giving of the law” the second time. Time has gone by and now 40 years later Moses wants the people to remember.
God gave Israel everything they needed to enjoy blessing and be protected from Satan’s deceit. God had given Adam and Eve all they needed to be protected from Satan’s deceit. God has given us everything we need to be protected from Satan’s deceit, but the path is always the same: Listen, Learn, and Live!
Philippians chapter 2 begins with the plea, “work together” for the sake of the goal and mission. “Remember how your life has changed and why!” Many Christians are discouraged, perhaps you are one of them. Possibly the fear of the unknown, or changes in your plans, or people who have disappointed you have caused you to lose your joy. Philippians 2 is a listing of examples who are worthy of following. In this portion of chapter 2 Paul focuses on two men, two ordinary men who were living above their disappointments. They were "working out their salvation," their purpose for living and it brought them joy.
True joy comes when we invest our lives in what cannot be taken away. Find your current role and keep your eyes on the goal remembering your mission. Be an example of good examples in your life.
1Thessalonians ends each chapter with the thought that Jesus is coming. After we are removed from the earth at the rapture and while the earth is going through the tribulation, two great events take place with our Lord: The bema (judgement) seat of Christ and the marriage supper of the lamb. This study focuses on what the Bible teaches about Rewards and this Judgment seat of Christ.
Luke 19:9-14 we see that there is a right and a wrong way to come to God. Jesus states how you can come to God and how you cannot come to God. The simplicity of the gospel is often offensive because it addresses our pride. Salvation is by God's grace alone. Anything else is a mistrust / distrust of God and His Word.
It is so easy to be distracted that we miss the most important events. Matthew records the fulfillment of a 4000 year old promise. A fulfilled prophecy that was announced and promised many times through the Old Testament. Prophecy that was known and could be quoted was missed by the very men who were relied upon to give answers. Don't miss the Messiah.
What pleases God most? What activity would you rate as most important. Exodus 30 sheds light what is important.
What is important to you? What you want determines what brings you joy. In this section of Scripture Paul tells the Philippian believers that he thinks of them often and that their ministry together has cemented them in his heart. His prayers include requests for their spiritual maturity, discernment and for their blessing. The very thought of them brings him joy. Circumstances could not rob his joy, because he was not living for circumstances. Paul was living to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and he loved his fellow servants.
These verses remind us that we need to focus on what is important to us. If you are living for ease you will be disappointed. If you are living for perfect circumstances you will be disappointed. If you focus on the fellowship you can have with other believers and allow that relationship to drive your life purpose you can have joy.
This bible study begins in Luke 17:20 and Jesus answers the question about when the Kingdom of God will come. When will God rule the entire earth? When will these Gentile rulers predicted in Isaiah, Jeremiah and especially Daniel finally come to an end? When will our deliverance truly come?
This is the beginning of a study of the book of Philippians. This book does not try to convince us that everything is going to go well. It tells us the mind we need to have to experience joy in a world filled with trouble. In these first two verses Paul describes two important gifts from God that enable us to live in a troubled world.
Confrontation is never pleasant and is usually avoided. In Galatians 6:1 Paul gives 4 important "secrets" to confrontation.
Enjoying Worship is a blessing of God and yet worship is often . . . less than enjoyable. Why? It is possible that worship is not what God intended because we have missed what ought to be in our worship and have become distracted in our worship.
Worship is personal and corporate, is intentional and relational because of who God is and what He has done.
Prayer Changes Things! Do I pray as if prayer is really the deciding factor? Do you ever pray as if PRAYER is really the pivotal point?
In these verses Jesus gives the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. Please note that Jesus did not say that His people were like this widow but that IF she got her request how much more will God's people get their requests. Pray! Pray specifically! Pray intentionally!
John wanted followers of Jesus Christ to be confident of their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. John wanted them to be confident that Jesus was God come in the flesh and how this new relationship changed them and their lives.
In this portion of our study John addresses the witnesses that verified that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.
In 1John 5, John addresses some facts about which Christians can be confident. You can know for certain that you are on your way to heaven. Often doubts crowd into a person’s mind and then we struggle with how to get help or help them. John said I wrote all of this so that you can KNOW you have eternal life.
You can also be confident that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. A person cannot go to the Father without believing that Jesus Christ is the promised messiah. Jesus cannot be anything less than the Father said and Jesus still be the promised Messiah. God come in the flesh (God with us).
We often talk about God’s will and we desire it, but is there a simple way to know it? Is it difficult to know God's Will? Without knowing God’s will we can make some very foolish decisions. Without God’s guidance and will we will act rashly and without apparent thought. God’s will is really important for us today. The good news is that God is more interested in us knowing His will than we are. Follow along as we look at basic truths about God's Will.
1John 5:14-17 is part of the conclusion of John’s first Epistle. As John concludes this short book he gives us “Facts about which Christians are confident.” We are confident about the deity of Jesus Christ. We are confident about the security of our Salvation. This study looks at our confidence that God will answer our prayers.
As we come to the end of John’s first epistle, John reminds us of reality and helps us keep life in perspective. You have a new life in Christ. Don’t let a skewed perspective keep you from enjoying reality.
The word offend is often confused with hurting someone's feelings, yet that is not what our Lord meant when He warned about offenses and taught about how to deal with offenses. In Luke 17 He addresses the seriousness of offending and the right response to offenses. Our Lord ends by giving hope. We can do what our Lord asks us to do.
Christians love and can love because they have been given of God's nature. When Christians truly love, the world sees the Father. Love is such an amazing gift that much of our pop music is written about it. We hear of love lost, love found, love stolen and even love abused. Music lyrics tell us that love could fix the world problems if it would just love. The problem we face is that love has been so perverted that the definition of love has become about taking rather than giving.
God is love. Love is part of God's nature and John repeats our Lord's teaching about the importance of love in 1John 4:7-16. Christian love allows others to see something they can only wish for and desire.
Life is a stewardship, given by God to accomplish His purposes. We should use our God-given resources faithfully
The iconic phone of President Truman holding a copy of the Chicago Daily Tribune which incorrectly read "Dewey Defeats Truman" should have read "Truman Defeats Dewey." When our Lord died on the cross Satan incorrectly thought he had defeated God's plan. In reality Satan was Defeated! Jesus came to feat the works of Satan so that you can walk in life.
In 1Chronicles 16:7-12 God gives us a template of how to give thanks. The first point that David mentions is so simple it is often overlooked, but without the first point, thanksgiving cannot take place. You can give God glory if you will put these simple points into your thanksgiving.
What happened when Jesus came? Jesus came for a specific reasons and John addresses this first reason in verses 4-6. Jesus came to pay our sin debt. We are all guilty before God. One of the two reasons John lists is that Jesus came specifically to be our Savior.
A new Father, a new family, a new promise lead us to have a new focus. Because of who we are and what we shall be leads us to have a new focus - Believers want to be like Jesus.
Amazing Grace describes what God has done for us, but Amazing Change describes what we will be. When we receive salvation we become part of God's family but that is just the beginning.
Not all believers are disciples. There are two choices each must make. The one concerns your eternal direction, the second is your earthly direction. The cost of salvation is a gift. The cost of discipleship is life altering. Discipleship is a choice to build, fight and influence.
John tells us that God asks His family members to do two things: Keep His Word and love His family. Love is part of God's character and He expects us, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to love His family.
Salvation gives the ability to enjoy life the way God designed. When we love the World we shut God's love out of our life.
In this study we see that Jesus used an invitation to a Sabbath meal to teach an important lesson about holiness, happiness and hospitality.
Enjoying life is the goal of every person, yet we often are left empty and unfulfilled.. Salvation gives the ability to enjoy life the way God designed, not the way Satan has perverted. When we love the world, we shut God's love out of our life.
A believer in Jesus Christ has new resources available for living life. One of the new resources allows us to love other believers. The unsaved expect Christians to love each other. Jesus said that love for Christians is a sign of Salvation. In our study, John reminds us of the importance of love and the ability to love.
This study views our Lord's compassion and the gospel. These verses concern the importance of responding to the gospel and our Lord's sorrow over Jerusalem's rejection of the gospel.
Luke gives us a caution, a concern and a condition. Now is the time to be concerned about our future rather than condemning those around us.
How is your relationship with God? What a personal and thought provoking question. Is your life ok. . . with God? Salvation includes not only Justification but Sanctification. Even though forgiven, Christians still sin. If you sin, are you still ok?
If you only had 103 seconds to get out of danger would you immediately take action or would you put off your decision until you had less than a minute? Would you wait until you only had 30 seconds? Would you still have time to safely avoid the danger?
The trouble with sin is that is damages and destroys everything it impacts and its consequences are sooner than they appear. God is holy. We are sinners. We need forgiveness if we are ever to enjoy fellowship with God. The problem with sinners is not just that they sin but that they are sinners at their very core. Recognizing that we are sinners not just by action but by nature is the first step to finding safety.
The starting point for true joy is God! True joy begins with the author and giver of all good things. It is easy to become distracted with the gift and forget the one behind every good gift. True joy comes from knowing God and knowing what he is like.
Jesus continues the warnings to his disciples. He warned them to be careful not to miss the importance of what is happening around them. Our Lord's warnings are just as important for us today. You will face opposition, but don't loose heart we have won the battle.
Satan wants believers to be distracted and forget that the best is yet to come. Jesus wants his disciples to watch and work knowing that what we do now has eternal rewards.
Jesus warned his disciples about the danger of worry. Even when life is good, it is easy to begin to fear what we cannot control. Trusting our Heavenly Father is a gift we can enjoy. Beware of Worry.
You can have fellowship and Joy! Every person's testimony will be unique, but the experience is the same.
There is a danger in every Christian's life of pretending. When all is going well people look up to you. In this study the crowds were growing and the Lord warned the disciples about hypocrisy. It is easy to feel pressured to be something you are not. Satan's deception is to make you think you ought to look good . . . even when you are still struggling. Pretending for noble reasons. Pretending to be something that you are not so that you do not disappoint those who look up to you. In Christian service, beware of pretending to be something you are not.
As a follower of Jesus Christ you enjoy some special relationships. At the conclusion of Ephesians 6 Paul mentions a man named Tychicus. Though he is only mentioned 5 times in Scripture, Tychicus had a special relationship with Paul. He was a very important part of the church and of Paul's ministry. There are many "unknown" believers who are very important to the church. Never believe the lie that you do not matter in the body of Christ. You are there on purpose. In the last two verses Paul rehearses the blessings of your relationship with God: Peace, Love and Grace. We truly are blessed to be in God's family.
With God's promise that His people may be able to withstand all that Satan can throw at them, why do Christians get defeated? If God has given me power to withstand Satan and the armor to withstand Satan, why am I not standing? Why aren't you able to withstand Satan's attacks? This study from Ephesians 6.14 focuses on the gifts God gives so that we can stand even when all of Satan's forces attack us.
If you had 30 minutes in which to ask Jesus one question and receive His detailed answer, what would you ask? If you had three years to be with Jesus which Christian discipline would you ask Him to teach you? The disciples learned by watching Jesus that He prayed all the time. Our study of these verses lead us to learn what the disciples wanted to know - How can I pray effectively?
God's Word is a lamp to illuminate the dangers of life's path and light to protect as we walk on that path. God's Word can change what we are into what we want to become. God's Word can stop Satan in his tracks and cause him to leave us alone. In Ephesians 6 we are challenged to "take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. God gave us the sword and then he tells us to take the sword. Just as we are to put on the Armor we are also commanded to take up the Sword. It is your choice, but what you choose to do will impact your success in your spiritual battles.
Before we choose to sin, Satan whispers that it is ok because no one will ever know. After we sin Satan shouts that you are guilty and can never be used again. How can you tell the difference between Satan's attacks and the Holy Spirit's conviction? In this study we look at the difference between Satan's and the Holy Spirit's voices.
Satan's wiles are the ways he lies about God to get us to doubt and disobey His kind commands. One of the ways Satan lies to us concerns God's timing. We like tests to be completed quickly and God wants Christlikeness. When we go through difficult circumstances Satan lies to us and says that God does not care or God has forgotten you. Paul mentioned to the Corinthian believers that "We are not ignorant of Satan's devices." To the Ephesians he mentions the "Wiles of the Devil" but never mentions what they are. What are those wiles? What can we do to stand firm?
Putting on God's spiritual armor every day is important. We put on the armor through prayer.
The spiritual battle that each of us face is real, dangerous and intense. Having taught the Ephesians about the great gifts and riches God gave, Paul now teaches how to use those gifts to have victory. Paul addresses all that God has given in the imagery of Armor and how you can be safe in the middle of these attacks.
Satan has used the same deceit throughout history. His lies always involve your relationship with God. Satan always attacks God's character and wants you to believe a lie about God. This this study we will see how Satan wants you to become proud of YOUR accomplishments and think that you are able to succeed without God's help.
Life as a follower of Jesus Christ is characterized by joy and fellowship. Becoming a part of this family begins in Jesus Christ.
The Lord's Supper should be a great blessing to believers. It is a time of remembrance, introspection and encouragement.
Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians about the wiles of the Devil. What are Satan's wiles? This is the first in the series of a study on Satan's wiles.
Do you ever feel like you have lost your joy in serving? Even faithful service can become difficult. The Holy Spirit uses a simple event in the life of two sisters to help them and us remember an important lesson in the Christian life. Witnessing and showing care to others is not enough to keep joy in your Christian walk. Every Christian needs this one thing in their life every day to keep the joy in daily living.
There is an invisible battle that each believer faces every day. The invisible battle is real, intense and spiritual. In Ephesians 6 the Apostle Paul practically applies the blessings described in Ephesians 1. Because of what God gave in chapter 1 believers can thwart the spiritual attacks that come each day. Chapter 6 reminds us of the blessing of doctrine. What we believe dictates how we behave. May this first installment on Ephesians 6 encourage you in the middle of your daily battles.
What spiritual lessons can you from the very first mom? This message explores four key truths from the Life of Eve. The guest speaker for this sermon is Pastor Mark Felber on Mother's Day 2019.
As Christ's ambassador to the world around us we have the opportunity to reflect our Savior. To whom will I be a neighbor today?
This is the third part of the series on how Christ impacts our daily living. This focuses on how Christians relate in the work place.
The gift of eternal life can impact every part of our life. It impacts our public life and it should impact our private life. In Ephesians 6 we learn that our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and specifically the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives changes the way we interact with our parents and our children.
Does Jesus care about hurting people? In this study of Luke 7, we see how Jesus responded to 4 different people, their problems and how he cared for their hurts.
700 years before our Lord came to earth Isaiah prophesied what our Savior would willingly go through because He loves us.
What does marriage look like? Can a person have a good marriage? Is it an old fashioned relic? If it isn't, how can you have a good marriage? Christianity impacts marriage, family and business. God's will is for you to be empowered / controlled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can help you to demonstrate Love and reverence which are so important to having harmony in your home.
A wise investor sees things that others overlook. Opportunities only last a moment and then they are gone. Everyone looks with “hindsight” but it takes special notice to see the opportunity when it presents itself. In Ephesians 5:15-20 Paul now applies the doctrines of chapters 1-3 to how a believer invests. Investment strategies are always with a future look. Paul presents eternal investment strategies.
It is not our circumstances but our relationship to God and our outlook on life that brings joy and happiness. The truly blessed life comes not from getting, or from doing, but from being.
God and light are connected. We enjoy and need sunshine and day light because they are reflections of God's character. We were meant to enjoy our Father personally and up close. We need Him on a daily basis and it is best to spend time with Him when we first get up and can enjoy the effect of that time throughout the day. As God's children God wants us to be light wherever we go. Don't get lulled into living in darkness when God says you are light!
What should you do before making decisions? It is sometimes hard to know which decision to make. Before Jesus made a choice which would impact not only His earthly ministry, but the beginnings of the church, He paused to do something. What He did models for us we should do before we have to make decisions.
Paul continues to teach the application of what the incredible gift of salvation really means to us. We are now free to live the life God always intended for us to live. We are now free to BE like our new family and NOT to be like our old slave master.
When we love like God loves it is liberating. Forgiveness is a part of genuine love. True love is not just a good feeling about someone, but giving yourself for someone else's benefit. Paul presents the real gift God have us and how we can be liberated to truly love.
Jesus had ministered for over a year at this point. He was popular with the crowds. He now begins describing the changes that would take place in the new kingdom.
One of the lies that impacts people every day is the one that says you must personally make sure that those who hurt you pay for what they have done. In Luke 4:18 Jesus said that he came to set a liberty those who are bruised. A person who is "in Christ" is a free person. They have new resources, new management, new expectations, new power, they are a new creation and that changes how they can live. You do not have to be "Bruised by Bitterness."
This is the final part of a series of messages from Luke chapter 5 and focuses on our Lord's compassion for mankind. Our God cares about you!
This is a study of the Old Testament prophesies concerning the Messiah. The coming Messiah was prophesied throughout the Old Testament because God wanted everyone to be able to identify the Messiah when He came. After the death of Jesus Christ, the disciples became discouraged, thinking they had been wrong about Jesus. Jesus explained to the men using the Old Testament Scriptures and demonstrated that He was the Christ.