Divine Savior Church-Santa Rita Ranch Sermons: Recent Episodes
Pastor Stephen Apt
The story of Jonah ends with a surprising twist: the prophet is angry. In this final message, we look at the struggle we all face when God is "too kind" to people we don't like. It's easy to celebrate God's mercy when it's for us, but it's much harder when the same mercy is shown to our enemies.
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Staff Minister of Discipleship Pat Hurley shares a message on Jonah 3.
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Guest preacher Vicar Cooper Knoll shares a message on the first 14 verses of Psalm 51.
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Pastor Stephen shares a message based on Hebrews 4:12-16 and Hebrews 7:23-25.
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Pastor Stephen kicks off our new series with a message on Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:1-14.
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Pastor Stephen Apt shares a message for Easter Sunday based on John's account.
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Pastor Apt continues his message on John 14: "Do not let your hearts be troubled."
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Jesus doesn’t ask us to love the easy ones. He commands us to love like Him. This isn’t soft love. It’s cross-shaped love. It's love that gets betrayed, abandoned, and still chooses to stay. Jesus unplugs our shallow notions of kindness and comfort and calls us to a love that costs—yet heals everything.
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Jesus doesn’t take the throne; He takes a towel. In a culture that worships charisma, platforms, and power, Jesus gets on His knees and washes feet. He rewrites greatness with humility and defines leadership as love. This week, Jesus unplugs our obsession with status and invites us into a kingdom where glory is found in stooping low.
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Pastor Stephen shares a message for Ash Wednesday on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
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What we give to God is never lost — it’s invested in eternity. The treasures of this world fade, but the impact of a generous, surrendered life endures forever. As we close our Return to Sender series, we’ll celebrate that every time we give, serve, or love in Jesus’ name, we’re returning His gifts to Him — and He uses them to change lives for eternity.
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God doesn’t want our leftovers; He calls us to give our first and best as an act of trust and worship. In a world that tells us to hold tightly to what we have, giving back to the Giver reminds us who truly provides. This week, we’ll learn how generosity flows from gratitude — and how every gift is a way of saying, “Thank You, Lord.”
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Everything we have — our time, talents, and treasures — ultimately belongs to God. We’re not owners, but managers of what He’s entrusted to us. When we understand that truth, it changes the way we handle everything in life. This week, we’ll see that faithful stewardship begins with recognizing God’s ownership and our joyful responsibility to care for what’s His.
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This week ties together the themes of spiritual growth and mission. It shows how the church equips believers to mature in faith and love, building up the body to reach the world. It emphasizes the collective pursuit of maturity and the church’s calling to impact others through a unified, growing community.
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This week focuses on the joy and longing for fellowship within the church community, reflecting Paul’s desire to see and strengthen the faith of believers. It connects to Baptism Sunday by celebrating the inclusion of new believers into the church family, emphasizing communal love and encouragement as newcomers begin their journey in faith.
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This week establishes the church as the body of Christ, where every member is uniquely placed by God to contribute to the whole. It emphasizes unity, diversity, and interdependence, highlighting why believers are “better together” in pursuing God’s purpose as a loving, life-changing family.
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Pastor Stephen shares a message for Epiphany on Matthew's account of the Magi.
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Joseph had his life planned, but it all came crashing down when he found out Mary was pregnant with a child not his. But God sent his angel to give him hope. He pointed to the one who actually takes away guilt and gives real hope. Through Jesus, God brings forgiveness, peace, and a future we can trust. He doesn't let us navigate it alone, but Immanuel, God with us, goes too. This Christmas, our hearts are made ready when we turn to him and discover the hope he offers
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Zechariah’s voice had been silent for months, yet when he finally spoke, he celebrated God’s faithfulness. God had kept his promises and was bringing salvation to the world. His song reminds us that we don’t have to face life’s uncertainties alone—God’s mercy and faithfulness give our hearts confidence as we wait for Christmas.
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Mary wasn’t rich, powerful, or famous. She was an ordinary young woman. Yet through her, God brought his Savior into the world—the one who would lift up the humble and bring hope to all people. Mary’s story reminds us that Christmas isn’t about what we do for God, but about what God has done—and is still doing—for the world.
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The Christmas season often leaves us feeling scattered and stretched thin. But what if the best preparation isn’t about doing more, but about coming home? John the Baptist’s birth was announced as part of God’s plan to turn people’s hearts back to him. This Advent begins with God inviting us home—to forgiveness, peace, and a fresh start.
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We come to the part of the story we have all been waiting for! It’s wedding bells for Boaz and Ruth. She is finally a bride and he is her redeemer. A redeemer is someone who does for us what we could not do ourselves. Pays a price we could not pay. So we could be redeemed. The marriage in this story gives us a beautiful picture of the relationship we have with our Redeemer… what He did for us to make us his Bride. It also shows how God worked this whole story out for that very purpose… so He could be our Redeemer.
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How often have you been willing to use others for your advantage? How often have you tried to manipulate events and situations to benefit yourself? Without caring how it will impact others? It can be too easy to do this. The real test of faithfulness is doing something that might not be desirable or easy to do because it’s the thing God wants you to do. Like Jesus did for us. Our character is tested when we do the right thing even when no one is looking. The faithfulness and character we display will point people to how beautiful our God is. Today’s message will give us much to think about concerning faithfulness and character.
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Today’s installment of our story is the heart-warming meeting of a girl and boy, Ruth and Boaz. God is bringing them together for a very important purpose. God has been bringing men and women together since the beginning of time… for very important purposes. God has a purpose for your marriage. For Ruth, not everything had been going very well. She had been through difficult circumstances. But would she let those circumstances define her? Or would she define her circumstances as obstacles and opportunities she would get through with God’s help? We can learn a lot from Boaz and Ruth in today’s message!
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It’s a classic opening to a tragic short story… “It was a dark and stormy night.” That opening line usually leads to all the challenges and hardships that are making things “dark and stormy.” In the beginning of this story, death separates three marriages, all in one family. The widows have no place to live. No way to make a living. It’s a time of bitterness. Why did this happen? How does God see his people through situations this dark and stormy? Why does He allow it? This story will offer us an enormous amount of life lessons and faith lessons. Lessons about how following God is worth more than anything else.
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We’re told from every angle—school, work, even church—that our worth depends on how we perform. But this Reformation Sunday, we remember the truth that set the Church free: you are saved not by performance, but by grace. As we celebrate 175 years of God’s grace in the WELS, we’re not bragging on ourselves—we’re boasting in Christ alone.
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We all crave happiness—but what kind? The kind that fades the moment life gets hard? Or the kind that endures even in pain? This week, God challenges the popular belief that his highest goal is our short-term comfort. In Hebrews 11, we see an example of someone who could have chosen comfort, ease, and status—but instead chose something better. Through this, God shows us that true happiness isn’t found in chasing pleasure, but in walking with him toward something eternal.
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In a society that has almost tried to get the word “sin” out of circulation, it’s fascinating that self-loathing over unresolved guilt anger over unexpressed forgiveness is still one of the largest drivers of behavior. This week, we look at the most famous fail of processing guilt in history, the story of Judas Iscariot, to see the necessity of finding forgiveness, including self-forgiveness.
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Modern America is what philosophers might call a “soft closed religious society.” What that means is that it’s technically not illegal to discuss matters of faith in public, but it’s considered socially inappropriate. Particularly inappropriate would a discussion of Hell. But it’s actually impossible to be a Christian witness, without modifying the gospel of Jesus, if you never address Hell. So the end result is that most Christians today simply don’t witness their faith in any sort of true, vocal way. If we are called to be witnesses, we need to be confident, and biblical, and loving in our witness of Christ. This week we’re going to learn about how to talk about Hell in a true way, but one that resonates with contemporary culture.
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Modern Americans are very familiar with the practice of the privatization of faith. But if good news is, in fact, good, then how private can you truly keep it before you insinuate it’s not all that life-changing? This week, Jesus shows us that faith was never meant to be hidden—it was meant to be lived, spoken, and shared. Because when the gospel grabs hold of your heart, it can’t help but overflow into your words, your relationships, and your world.
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“If your marriage isn’t happy, you should leave.” It sounds reasonable—even compassionate. But Jesus speaks a better word. In Matthew 19, he challenges not just our decisions, but the lies we believe about happiness, commitment, and love. This week, we’ll wrestle with what God permits in a broken world, what he commands for our good, and what Jesus himself vows to us—an unbreakable covenant love that stays. Whether you're married, single, divorced, or hurting, Jesus meets you with truth that heals and grace that holds.
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Most philosophers and religious leaders throughout history have suggested that contentment is the secret to happiness. And yet, modern research also seems to suggest that $34k/year income is a threshold, and $75k/year is another income threshold for happiness. So which is it? Can we be content without X amount of dollars? Should we be content where we’re at and never pursue more money? What can we do with the money we have that will bring greatest joy?
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Pastor Stephen Apt shares a message on the Great Commission for the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Divine Savior Church.
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It is not a matter of “If suffering will happen… It’s a When?” The better question then is “how do you experience the suffering?” Do you throw pity parties and live as a victim moping around in the darkness? The final secret to a great life is your life changed on a cross 2000 years ago. You are no longer a victim, but a victor in Jesus. Never Forget Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, this is the ultimate Biblical truth that leads to a truly great life, as it is that which proves God is trustworthy. What is truly remarkable about all of these reliable truths to a truly great life is that all are dependent on God’s faithfulness, not ours!
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Unlike the fleeting hacks for lunches, cleaning, or relationships, there is a life hack that when we live it and strive to daily implement it, will radically change our lives. It will transform how you live, impact your health, wellness, emotions, and relationships, and it all flows from something given to you that will drive you. The truth, the real-life hack? Living each day in light of our sure hope in the living God who has redeemed us! Godliness matters! Intentionally living the faith, hope, love, and forgiveness of Jesus each day changes us, by his power, through his word.
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Are you choosing to follow influencers or leaders? We have the privilege of choosing those who will influence our world view, how we handle our emotions, morals, and values. We do this through the podcasts we listen to, the shows we stream, the friends we keep, the mentors we choose and media we consume. An influencers’ job is to get clicks, likes, and views, a leader’s job is to help develop, lead, correct, and train us for a life filled with faith based on our future. The next Biblical truth leading to a truly great life is choosing influencers who honor God, honor authority, and live with character and integrity. I know that sounds like the antithesis of all modern influencers, but Christ’s kingdom and ways are often upside-down from the worldly standpoint? We don’t like anyone overseeing us, yet it is critical that for a great life, we allow ourselves to be led well by faith filled leaders, and we become such leaders. In fact, there are some significant rewards to leading God’s way.
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Living for family, friends, our social media followers, or even just our own view of ourselves is overwhelming and leads to a constant fear of imposter syndrome and not good enough. Our second Biblical truth leading to a truly great life is living every moment of every day for an audience of one! When we live for that ONE, it changes how we view ourselves, how we engage with others, and the power to overcome the past which has haunted and dominated our identity.
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It all starts with understanding your view and an understanding of your identity. Think about it, what type of mirror are you using? Are you using the carnival mirror which distorts your image? When I have a disordered understanding of my own identity it impacts my emotions, relationships, and purpose in life. Or are you using a real mirror which clearly shows who you are? This type of mirror shows who we really are and reveals our need for rescue from ourselves. It helps reorientate ourselves with the one who created us. The first truth to focus on is our real identity, not the one we’ve created for ourselves.
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We all have the childhood fantasies of finding buried treasure - how would we celebrate? What would we do with the wealth and the resources? How determined would we be if we knew where treasure was to be found? As Jesus speaks of faith, he describes it's value as that of a buried treasure now discovered. He leads us to ask the same questions, not with our childhood fantasies but with the reality of this amazing, valuable blessing that God has given to us. How precious is the kingdom!
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It's so exciting to receive a special invitation to celebrate. That's exactly what God's kingdom is - a celebration. You're invited. Jesus has personally extended you such an invitation - no matter your past, no matter your history, no matter your status. It's a free invitation from him and it calls for a joyful response. It calls for preparing ourselves for the party. It calls us to dress ourselves in grace, mercy, and love, because Jesus has given us the proper attire for this feast - we just get to be those who wear it. Come and enjoy the celebration, having been clothed with Christ.
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As we live in the kingdom into which God has brought us through his forgiveness, we too demonstrate forgiveness to others. Though we often assume that we live autonomous lives, we are interconnected with our God and with others. Everything we have is our God's - a recognition that leads us to see the debts we have owed him. Such debts have been forgiven because of God's grace In his kingdom, we are empowered and moved to freely forgive others their debts they owe us.
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Some days go well and some don’t. Some days we feel like we’re on top of the world, and others like we’re on the bottom. If the value we place on our lives and ourselves is tied to how well things are going in our “everyday,” we’re going to be riding an uncomfortable roller coaster. We need something, someone we can look to for unchanging contentment no matter how our “everyday” is going. Paul had plenty of highs and lows, but learned the secret of contentment in any circumstances. His unchanging reason? Jesus. We can do everything through Him who gives us strength. If we have Jesus, we don’t need anything else. Genuine joy isn’t dictated by your changing circumstances, it is found in the unchangeable Lord.
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Life isn’t always easy here. And it isn’t hard for friction to happen between people. If it keeps happening, it can start causing pain, and then start creating bitterness. And when bitterness has built up, a single spark can cause an explosion. There is a joy we are given as a gift through Jesus. This means we can rejoice together no matter how hard things get. This joy can help us live together with other imperfect people like us. And this is so important… because those who will spend an eternity in joyful unity might as well start living in that joy now. Life is just better that way. So let’s focus on the good gifts God has given us, and let that overflow with joy into not only our lives, but the lives of those around us.
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When you’re on your way home from travelling, and have been gone a while, there’s nothing like getting close to home. You can see the familiar sights, hear familiar sounds, even smell familiar things. It keeps you going, and encourages you to finish the journey and get home! Life on earth is like that. We’re on a journey here, but our real home is with God. He’s put that home in our hearts, and the closer we come, the more we will long for it. Keeping our real home as our focus helps us through life’s journey, with all its highs and lows. It’s easy to be sidetracked along the way. This scripture passage helps us keep our home in view!
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We love sharing with people the places we’ve been, things we’ve done, stuff we’ve accomplished. There are things in this world that have brought us joy that we want to share with others. But when we focus on sharing with everyone what we have done or accomplished, it can turn into a competition as to who has done or seen the most. And truth be told, all these things can only bring joy for so long. If we think things we have done have brought us joy, there is something that was done for us that brought us a greater joy than anything we’ve done or experienced. Unspeakable joy. And when we know this joy, believe it, celebrate it, it changes everything.
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Have you ever felt like you really didn’t fit in or belong in the place you are? Cheering for the wrong team in the wrong stadium? All dressed up while everyone else is casual? Excited about something no one else is? We live in a post-Christian world. The viewpoints prevalent in this world are a world apart from the viewpoint God gives us in His Word. That means, in this world, we stick out. Stand out. Shine like stars in a very dark sky. As we hold onto God’s Word and hold it out for other people to see, we will shine like stars in people’s lives. Imagine what a difference it makes in a dark night sky to see a bright light shining forth! We can make a difference in the lives of others, just like Jesus made a difference in ours. Let’s shine like stars!
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In this world, it seems that it is important to show everyone who you are, what you have accomplished, what you deserve. Someone has to speak up for you, and it might have to be you! If you aren’t watching out for yourself, who is going to? But the greatest possible contradiction to this is the heart and core of the Bible. We must humble ourselves if we are to be exalted. Put the interests of others before ours? But if we do that, then who will take care of us? Who? Jesus will. The very one who showed us what it means to humble Himself for our good. The One who gave us life by doing so. So, let’s imitate Him. Let’s learn what a truly great life is – it begins with making ourselves lowly.
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What does it look like to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ? It means living in such a way that shows Jesus is worth something to you. It looks like walking with, loving with, and doing life with those who are different than you, because Christ binds you together. It looks like striving together to make Christ known because Christ motivates you. It looks like standing with courage against all oppressors, because Christ secures you. To live is Christ. To Die is gain. Have you found Christ worth living for, dying for, worth casting all away for? That is what it means to live a life worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To live is Christ. To die is gain. It’s a win-win!
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Letting God’s light shine as we live in this dark world can be pretty difficult. As we follow Jesus in a world that doesn’t, we will face opposition. So we need a thick skin if we are going to do what God calls us to do. But we also need a loving heart toward people. Love moved Jesus to do what He did for us, and it is love for people that will move us to live out our purpose. This rare combination of a thick skin and tender heart was seen in the life of the Apostle Paul. As we look at this letter he wrote, from prison, to the people of Philippi, we can see his loving heart as he prays with joy because of these people who came to know and love Jesus. May God also make our skin thick and our hearts tender!
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Pastor Stephen Apt shares a message for Easter Sunday based on 1 Corinthians 15.
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Life often calls us to take a stand. Whether it's standing up for what we believe in or making a statement about who we are, these moments shape and define us. As followers of Christ, we’re sometimes called to take a stand that speaks to our relationship with our Savior. It’s not always easy, is it?
Take Peter, for example. He was one of Jesus' closest disciples, someone who boldly declared his allegiance to Christ. But when the moment came for Peter to take a stand and witness to his faith, he famously failed. Why? Because Peter’s focus wasn’t where it should have been. He had his eyes on his circumstances instead of his Savior, and his faith was resting on shaky ground—his own strength—rather than on the unshakable foundation of Christ.
It’s a sobering reminder for all of us. How often do we feel the pressure to stand firm in our faith, only to falter because we’re relying on ourselves? Yet here’s the good news: our faith doesn’t have to be perfect, because Jesus is. He is the foundation that will never fail us, even when we stumble.
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Two things in life are certain—death and taxes. Taxes are due in just a few weeks, and most of us are already preparing for that. But what about the other certainty? Death is something no one can predict. Who knows when it will overtake us? One thing is for sure: at that moment, we’ll stand before the ultimate Judge of all.
That might sound sobering or even intimidating, but there’s incredible hope in what comes next. You see, for you, Jesus willingly stood before human judges and even God Himself. He, the ultimate Judge—the One who had every right to pass judgment—chose to be judged in your place. Think about that for a moment: the Judge of all the earth became the judged. He took on what we deserved so that we could stand justified before God.
Because of what Jesus did, there’s now a new certainty for those who trust in Him: “Death, taxes, and justification.” Justification means you’re declared right with God—not because of what you’ve done, but because of what Jesus has already done for you.
So today, as you think about the things in life that are certain, consider this: Jesus made a way for you to face life’s uncertainties with confidence and peace. He stood in your place so you could stand before God without fear. And that’s the best certainty of all.
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Everyone has their price. We’re all chasing something—whether it's success, love, purpose, or peace—and we’ll often pay almost any price to get it and keep it. But have you ever stopped to think about what price someone else might pay for you?
Jesus had something incredible on His mind—you. When everyone else fled from the fight, when the cost was far too high for anyone else to pay, Jesus didn’t back down. He stepped forward, rose up, and embraced the fight.
Why? Because embracing the fight meant He could embrace you. He didn’t run from the cost of love; He paid it in full so that you could be welcomed into His arms, forgiven and free.
So, wherever you are in life, whatever you’re chasing, take a moment to consider this: Someone already paid the highest price to give you something far greater than you could ever imagine. And today, you’re invited to embrace Him, just as He has already embraced you.
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Family ties are some of the closest and most powerful bonds we experience. We know the deep joys they bring—and the heartbreak when trust is broken. Few things are harder to mend than a shattered relationship, especially when one has been unfaithful.
Yet, in a love greater than anything we’ve known, Jesus chose to bind Himself to us—not with a fragile promise, but with His own blood. Though we’ve often been unfaithful to God, He calls us family and becomes our brother. He remains faithful even when we falter. This is a bond unbroken, a love unshaken. A bond solidified by Jesus' blood.
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We were stuck in a mess we couldn’t escape—trapped by fear of the cost, unwilling to pay it, and unable to find the way out. Deep down, we thought we could handle it on our own, but the truth? We couldn’t. Only one could—and He already did. Jesus stepped in, paying the price we couldn’t afford, wouldn’t choose, and didn’t even realize we needed. One Savior, one sacrifice, one ransom—for everyone who walks the earth. That changes everything
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We’re going to talk about sex! But it’s not going to be a shameful, embarrassing conversation. God loves sex. He created it and designed it for our enjoyment. He loves it when we enjoy sex the way he designed it. But good sex takes work. It’s not quite as movies and TV and porn represent it. Sex is a beautiful gift from God that can bring amazing blessings, but its power can also bring harm and pain when misused. Let’s learn about God’s beautiful gift of sex!
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Depression feels so overwhelming. Many times, there’s the feeling of having no hope. Here, we see the psalmist feel despair, his soul thirsting for the Lord. But then he talks to himself. Why am I so down? Even in this desperate situation, he is my Savior and my God. If only that was the silver bullet. However, depression can be like a yo-yo; wrestling match in the mind. One minute we know our hope is in God. The next moment, we are back to despairing. Keeping God’s Word in our mind, thinking about the hope we have, meditating on his promises, and the hope we have in him.
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Anxiety is prevalent in so many people today. Worrisome thoughts fill our minds and it leads to a bodily response. As Christians, God’s Word tells us again and again not to be anxious and not to worry. Why? Because we have a God who is in control. More than that, we get to call this God Father. Just like a loving father protects, provides, and loves his children, our Heavenly Father protects, provides, and loves us more than we could ever know.
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How do Christians participate in the transgender conversation? How does God want Christians to feel about the topic, and more importantly, the people? Too often, the topic of transgender makes us think about ideologies, progressive societal trends, and angry debates. But what about people? How can we help people who struggle with transgender feelings? How does the gospel apply to this issue? God’s Word will be our guide as we see how God gives us hope amidst the brokenness of our bodies and minds.
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We live in a country of extremes. How many of us have seen online posts that rip apart those with opposing political views? We tend to avoid politics in conversations because we know how fast such a topic can cause anger to flare quickly, even between Christians. But what would it look like if we loved across the aisle? What if our focus was less about proving our political points and more about proclaiming the Savior who faced the ultimate injustice so he could make us citizens of his kingdom? This week, we explore how God's grace is the answer in our culture of divisive partisanship.
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As we celebrate Baptism Sunday, we rejoice that our true identity as children of God is a divine gift through baptism, not a self-made achievement. Baptism, empowered by God’s Word, welcomes us into God’s family and grants us a new, unshakeable identity beyond our achievements or status. Unlike our culture that insists on earning worth through personal success, we find our true value at the cross of Jesus. Because God has given us such an identity, we are clothed with Jesus and we have the greatest reason to live.
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Who gets the final say in your life? That question is a matter of authority. In a culture where we are raised to live out our truth, the Bible calls us to the exact opposite. We conform ourselves to the truth of God’s Word. That’s what it means to call Jesus Lord.
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Pastor Apt shares a message for Epiphany Sunday based on Matthew 2:1-12.
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Where have you been before? What is your background and experiences? These questions serve in evaluating candidates for leadership. They help us form our opinions, and the stronger the background and experiences, the better. What we celebrate at Christmastime is the one whose background and experience answer all our questions and give us security and peace. The one we worship and adore is begotten of the Father from eternity. He is worthy of all praise and glory, just as Mary sang in her song. And he comes to be our shepherd. To stomp on the ancient serpent and old evil foe, and to watch with care and concern over all his flock.
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When your leader is strong, you are strong. When your leader is weak, fear and despair overtake his followers, because there will always be enemies and adversity. Fear and despair creeps into our lives because of the adversity and unknowns we face, but God calls you to rejoice, shout aloud, and sing, because your leader is a mighty warrior. Jesus came as an infant, lowly, and humble, yes, but he was a warrior with the might to overcome our greatest enemies – sin, death, hell, and Satan, who desires these for us. Since God has so delighted in us to send such a mighty warrior, we have nothing to fear. Instead, rejoice, shout, cheer, and sing for joy.
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The anticipation of a new leader comes with new expectations for those who follow. Are we prepared in our own hearts to welcome the one for whom we prepare? God’s expectations stand for all time – they don’t change. Which means, we must change. All change is hard. This change is impossible – for us. Thank God his grace and mercy never change. He sends the refiner – the one who applies the heat so that the silver is purified. Our God calls us to return to him in repentance, acknowledging our sin and letting it be burned away, and God returns to us to restore, to refine, and purify through the miracle of justification and faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit will continue to refine and purify us as God’s holy children – purified silver in the hands of a master silversmith.
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Lineage matters. Family trees tell us of the values and strengths. We might look at family members of the past to gain an understanding of a person in the present, and especially their pedigree when it comes to leadership. What if the family tree leaves much to be desired. What if there is weakness and immorality and brokenness there. This was the case with the family tree of the royal line of David and the ruling family of God’s people. A tree that seemed to begin so strong, became filled with weak, diseased, and broken branches. Yet, God promised to raise up a righteous branch in that tree. One who would serve his people well, and this righteous branch is also your righteous Savior.
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“Eyes on the prize.” That axiom stresses that when pursuing some good goal, focus is important. You don’t want distractions or a lack of self-discipline to keep you from obtaining whatever that prize might be. “Eyes on the prize.” You summon the willpower to fixate on that good thing. You let nothing divert your attention from obtaining the prize. The prize that we want most is spending eternity with Jesus. As the Church Year comes to a close, Jesus promises that he will come again “in clouds with great power and glory” to give us that prize. That prize will be so unbelievably good, it is worth fixating on. It merits our striving to set aside all that would distract us from Christ. Let us be ready. Let us keep watch. Let us live with our eyes on the skies.
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Have you ever experienced that uncomfortable feeling that others are watching you, trying to find something to criticize? We don’t want others judging us. It is bad enough listening to the voice inside our own head, whispering that we aren’t worthy. How do we overcome the fear of judgment? It begins by realizing that there is only one person whose opinion ultimately matters—the Judge. Everyone is going to live forever in one of two very different places. Where you spend eternity depends on a judgment that Jesus will render. This week we see why his judgment need not trigger any sort of anxiety. Judgment day is something we can joyfully anticipate. We can live free from the fear of judgment.
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Perhaps you have heard the axiom, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” In other words, while you still can, use what you have in order to enjoy life to the fullest. If this life is all there is, St. Paul agrees that would be a good philosophy. Paul wrote, “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’” (1 Corinthians 15:32). However, note the “if.” Paul was saying that the epicurean approach to life makes sense only if this life is all we have. But it isn’t. Jesus will raise us from the dead and take us to live in his home, a place of perfect comfort and beauty. Knowing that, we are set free from the need to live a self-indulgent life now. Instead, we can be generous people, using the wealth that God has given us to serve both him and others. We can live a life of startling generosity.
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“It will get better.” We say that to try to comfort someone who is having a bad day (or maybe a whole string of bad days). Perhaps tomorrow will be better. But perhaps it’s worse. In this life, there really are no guarantees that things will get better. That isn’t the case with the life that is to come. That life isn’t just going to be better. It will be perfect.
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A message for Reformation Day: Jesus repeatedly told his followers that living as his disciples would bring hardship. Living life according to God’s Law is going to make one appear odd in the eyes of the world, perhaps even evil. Sharing a message of mankind’s sin and God’s gracious salvation can cause offense. So why not just stay silent if that makes life easier? Why not keep our faith private? Answer: because we are going to live forever. In gratitude for Christ saving us and giving us eternal life, we share the gospel with others, hoping that they will believe and be saved too. Since we know we are going to live forever in the perfection of heaven, we don’t worry if being a witness for Christ brings hardship or even death.
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One of the easiest ways to make our problems worse is to dwell on ourselves and make everything center around ourselves – make our life all about ourselves. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the way life works better is when we make life about God… because life is about God. With some of the most powerful words in Scripture, God reminds Job that the universe doesn’t revolve around Job. It revolves around God. A life focused on God will never disappoint. A life focused on self always will. Join us for the last week of the series and listen to God’s powerful words at the end of the book of Job.
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Is it OK to question God? Why have you received nothing you wanted from Him? Why has He let such awful things happen to you or those you love? Or to anyone in the world? Isn’t there a limit to what He will let you endure? Do you feel guilty if you are questioning God or something God is doing? Does questioning God mean you lost your faith in Him? Is there a difference between having questions for God and losing trust in Him? What gives us true comfort? Is it just maybe knowing WHO God is? Explore these questions with us in the book of Job this week.
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Do you feel like you are in complete control of everything? Or does your life sometimes feel out of control? And if we aren’t in control, who is? When we come to the realization that we aren’t in control, it becomes very important how we answer the question of who or what our God really is. Is our God in control? Is He able to control our lives? Do we worship Him only to get good things from Him and get Him to do what we want Him to do? Or is He the true God who uses his control over all things to love us and save us from the real reason for our brokenness? Let’s find the answer this week in Job.
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Has it ever seemed God isn’t listening or answering your prayers? Things aren’t going your way, and you’re reaching out, but you’re starting to wonder if God is there? Where is God in your pain? Well… look at the cross. That is where God dealt with the real source of our pain. Jesus isn’t on that cross anymore. He rose and He lives. And because He lives, we will live too! That was Job’s strength, and it is also our strength. Because Jesus lives, we have something that gives us hope no matter what we suffer. Our loved ones we have lost will be with us again! Our real life is with our risen and living Lord in heaven! No matter what we go through here, we always have that hope!
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When things aren’t going your way, does your family help you? Or make it harder for you? Are you and your spouse a team who can be strong when the other is weak and regularly encourage each other? Or do you sometimes panic or lash out and make it even more difficult for the other? Different people react to the same difficult circumstances in different ways. Job and his wife had very different reactions to their difficult circumstances. Let’s see what we can learn from Job in how to deal with relationship pain and how can we learn to be stronger examples for our children.
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No matter who you are, young, old, rich, poor, sick, healthy, you face pressure in life. Parenting pressure, school pressure, work pressure, loneliness and grief pressure. We are often “surviving” one day at a time and don’t know what we will do if things get “worse.” Since we live in a broken world, we can expect things to go “wrong” in our lives and force us off the path we have charted for ourselves. Yes, “bad” things can happen to “good” people in this world. We begin looking at the Biblical book of Job today to learn how to find peace on an unpredictable path. How can bad things happen to good people? Listen in and find out.
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Guest preacher Pastor Rob Sirilla shares a message on the Good Samaritan.
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Integrating faith into daily life is essential for becoming a contributing member of the body of Christ, supporting one another like family. Jesus asks, “Do you trust me with your life?” As our master and Disciple-Maker, He guides us to grow in Christian maturity, living less for self and more for Him and others. Jesus is the ultimate disciple-maker, using us to make disciples. We strive to be more like Jesus by keeping Him as our Disciple-Maker and trusting His Spirit to work through us in discipling others.
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Starting the journey with the foundational teachings of Jesus’ truth is crucial. Jesus asks, “Do you listen to me?” highlighting the importance of His saving work as described in His Word. We thrive on joy rather than guilt by taking Jesus’ truth seriously. Being rooted in Christ and taking God's word seriously is essential for spiritual growth. Deepening one’s relationship with God leads to growth in hope, peace, and purpose.
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In this week's sermon, we discover the initial encounter of John’s disciples with Jesus, where they are invited to "come and see" (John 1:39). This invitation is not just to observe but to discover who Jesus is. As Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” we understand that He is the answer to life’s biggest questions. At Divine Savior Church, we emphasize the importance of discovering Jesus through spending time with Him and our community. We offer various opportunities to connect, ask questions, and grow in faith. Our community, rooted in joy and grace, provides a safe and loving environment for all seekers. Join us as we journey together, changing lives with Jesus' truth and grace.
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"God will never give you more than you can handle." If that is true, God must really believe in your abilities to handle a difficult situation! But what happens when you fail to handle it? Is God disappointed in you? It seems like a comforting Bible passage, right? Actually, it is not found in the Bible, and it is not comforting at all! It does try to mimic I Corinthians 10:13, but that passage is speaking about temptation--something we all experience--and it is actually comforting because it urges us not to have faith in ourselves when temptations come, but to have faith in God, because even though temptations may be great, God's mercy and faithfulness are greater.
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Elijah heard the voice of God in the form of a whisper. Many people today claim that God speaks to them in whispers when they pray, through dreams, intuitions, feelings and circumstances. Wouldn't it be great to know that God loves us so personally that has a unique way of communicating with each one of us. He actually does, and it is a way that takes away all doubt and always gives comfort and certainty. We don't have to search for it or strain to hear it. It is right in front of us in his revealed Word! Listen to that Word and God will speak to you.
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"I wish I could figure out what God's plan is for my life." Many Christians have mouthed these anguished words. They read Jeremiah 29:11 and conclude that God has a detailed, tailored plan for their life that they just need to discover. This presumes that Jeremiah 29:11 is directed at us specifically, as well as the idea that we have no choices in life, kind of like chess pieces on a board that God moves around according to his will. When we start listening to the feelings of our heart, the passions that we have, or some "voice of God" we think we hear when we pray, in order to discover this plan, we are led either to idolatry or despair. What we really need is to trust the all-sufficient revealed Word of God and rejoice in the freedom it gives us through Christ.
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Seminary student and guest preacher Zach Neuman shares a message of peace based on Mark 4:35-41.
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Guest Pastor Rob Sirilla shares a message of hope based on Mark 1:21-28.
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"Don't judge me!" is not just a common saying, it is a philosophy of life for those controlled by the sinful nature. "Let me do whatever makes me feel good as long as it doesn't hurt other people, and don't criticize me for it." Even unbelievers pull out Matthew 7:1 to show Christians how lacking their Bible knowlege is and say, "See, Jesus tells you not to judge!" But is that what Jesus is saying? There is no question that Jesus calls us to judge, but the question is how should we judge? That's where Christians sometimes fall into temptation, by looking down on others whose lives are not as sanctified as theirs, and judging them in a self-righteous way. Let's let Jesus teach us what he means by examining the context of this oft-quoted saying, and then we will be ready to judge correcly.
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Philippians 4:13 might easily be called the Christian version of, "Just do it." There's nothing you can't do if you set your mind to it...and trust in Jesus. Jesus will make it possible to achieve what you thought was impossible: beat cancer, found a Fortune 500 corporation, or win an Olympic medal. With Jesus at your side, there are no limits. But life is not one victory after another, even for the founder of a billion dollar corporation. What happens when we don't achieve what we want? We don't need Jesus as a mantra or a life coach but as a Savior sufficient to deliver us from sin, death and the power of the devil, and that's who he is. When we stop making it about our achievements and instead about Christ, we can have joy and peace at the highest points of life, and especially at the lowest.
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Dying seems so normal because it happens to everyone and so it is tempting to think that it is just a part of the life that God designed for us...but it isn't. Death is not our friend, nor is it something we should just "get used to" simply because it seems inevitable. Death is the consequence of sin and our enemy...an enemy that has been defeated by Christ, who took away the sin of the world. As believers in him we have sure and certain hope in the face of death, the hope of a real, eternal, physical, life in a world as God originally intended it to be.
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"God is love" is one of the most beautiful and comforting truths of the Bible, but it is also one of the most abused. Some understand God's love as if it were like human love, mostly based in feelings that change according to the behavior of those around us. Others feel a God of love is like a strict parent who is tough on you in order to push you toward great accomplishments. Still others think of God as a permissive grandfather in whose eyes you can do no wrong. He is willing to overlook your faults and focus on the good qualities you have. None of these ideas is correct. God's love cannot be comforting if it is subjective and dependent on us or on our behavior. God is love and his love is comforting because his love is an objective action that finds its fulfillment in Christ.
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It just sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Those who trust in Jesus alone are completely forgiven and reconciled with God. This is what you have been taught, but this is such an important issue so it totally makes sense that there must be at least something that you have to do. Then you look in the Bible and it seems to agree with you because James says, "You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." Is James telling us that faith alone in Jesus is not sufficient? Is he in disagreement with the apostle Paul? In this message we will see that there is no disagreement at all. Faith alone in Jesus saves, but it is never alone!
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As sheep, we are prone to wander. We need a Shepherd over us and we need to shepherd one another. Let’s follow our shepherds, pray for them, and encourage them. We are all serving The Shepherd who gave his life for us. So we humble ourselves, but God will exalt us! There is no safer place in the universe than in God’s hands – so let’s cast all our cares on Him. We need his protection – the enemy is real! But we are safe with God. Forever. The world can take away everything… but it cannot take our identity or our future. So stand firm in that living hope! And look forward to what Jesus is coming back to do for you!
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It’s not easy being a Christian today. It never has been. Jesus said that would be the case. We need a deeper joy, a deeper hope to live for to make it through. Easter gives us that living hope. But don’t be surprised by the suffering. Jesus experienced it too. Rejoice in it! It’s proof you belong to Him! Don’t be ashamed – be honored! We have nothing to fear about the future – but everything to look forward to! We are in the hands of the God who loved us so much He suffered for us and gave his life for us!
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Jesus knows what it is like to be ridiculed, abandoned, and humiliated. He suffered for us and by doing that, gave us a reason to live for Him, even when that is hard or means suffering for us. The first enemy we have to fight is our own sinful self. It craves things that God knows aren’t good for us. Let God change our hearts and minds – which will begin to change our behavior. The best way to do this is living with the end in mind – especially when the going is difficult. Living for God includes self-control, wisdom, loving, showing hospitality, serving, giving. We do all these things together as the body of Christ.
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It’s not easy to suffer. We want to fight back and get revenge. But as Jesus followers, we live a new way. We don’t repay evil with evil, but evil with good. We are called to actively bless people! Even hard-to-bless people! If we are afraid of people, we will keep our mouths shut and not share the life-giving hope we have to share. Let’s remember the living hope of Easter. That will open our mouths and give us reason to share our hope. We have a living, eternal hope! Death is not the last word. The faith the Holy Spirit has given us brings us into that hope. Our “suffering” will lead to hope for many!
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We live in two different kingdoms – the kingdom of the world, and God’s kingdom. As citizens of this kingdom, we are called to submit to the governing authorities. It is part of how we honor God. But we do this remembering there is one true King, and He isn’t voted in. We honor our leaders, but we worship The King. Our submission shows worship to our heavenly King. The truth is, we are free. Free in Jesus – in the living hope of Easter. So let’s live as free people. But as servants honoring God. We aren’t the first to suffer. Jesus did for us. Let’s follow in his steps. We will never have to suffer what He did. And at moments of unjust suffering, we will discover whom we truly worship!
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Jesus purified us and made us new - God's special possession! So it doesn’t make sense to keep living the way we used to. Let’s live new lives, imitating Him. Loving the hard-to-love. Let’s grow in our faith by continuing to be fed with his Word. Devour it! He is building us into a building – the greatest building – a spiritual building – His Church! The greatest building with the greatest story! He is the cornerstone and foundation. Our purpose is to glorify God in the world around us with our lives, our words, and our witness!
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Grief. Suffering. Hardship. Loss. These experiences can cause hopelessness. We need a deeper joy, a deeper hope to live for to make it through. Easter gives that to us. So does the fact that God was thinking about us since before creation! The God who chose us before time began isn’t going to let go of us now. The future we have to look forward to will make everything worth it. That gives us reason for joy. Our suffering isn’t meaningless – it focuses us ever more sharply on the inheritance waiting for us.
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It’s not easy being a Christian in our world. The living hope of Easter makes it easier, it makes it possible. We learn how to think with hope and how to live with hope. The way we live shows what we are hoping in. God made us “strangers” in this world with the new home He has promised us. Do we live as strangers? Or do we forget that there is more than this? We won’t enjoy living with the love of God until we have the right fear of God. What Jesus did for us at Easter gives us all the reason in the world for hope and for living differently!
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Pastor Apt shares a message of hope for Easter Sunday - based on Mark 16:1-7
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Pastor Apt shares a message for Ash Wednesday - the beginning of the Lenten season.
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The coach observes his athletes, jots down his notes, compares the times, and then he speaks. He teaches. He gives important directions. Those with the humility to accept his instructions and encouragements will grow in their abilities. Those who think they know better will struggle and fail. Jesus is so much more than a coach. He is our God - our Savior! When he teaches and instructs us, it’s important we open our ears to listen to his Word and to put his words into practice. As Jesus instructs us with stories and illustrations, he asks us to listen. His Word will work. When we are patient, he brings about his own results from the words he speaks.
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All along the course the runners find distractions. Some in the crowd cheer you on, some in the crowd cheer on your opponents. Some praise your form and skill. Some accuse you of cheating. But you can’t get distracted. You need to stay focused on what is most important. Jesus faced many distractions in his ministry, but he always stayed focused on the most important thing - drawing more and more to be closer and closer to God. He drew his disciples, he drew crowds, and he showed them how outsiders can become part of the family of God; how sinners can become saints!
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What inspires you to get up each day? What allows you to live with joy? With the hardships and struggles we experience in this world, we need something to encourage us and empower us to live well each day. Money, philosophy, and technology might be tools we use, but they aren’t the reason we live. Jesus uses tools to bring his incredible and miraculous grace into our hearts. That grace can inspire us each day. That grace gives us joy each day. Because of the power in Jesus’ words, you can live with joy; you can live with purpose; you can run on his forgiveness.
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Some athletes are simply incredible. When they compete, you can’t help but stare in awe and wonder at the strength they exert, the focus on their task, the abilities with which they have been blessed, and what they are able to accomplish. It tells you something about their origin, their work ethic, their determination, and you wonder what drives them so hard. You can’t help but stare in awe and wonder at Jesus’ miraculous power. It is amazing! As he is determined to use that amazing power to help people in need, he shows his determination to continue to help people with their greatest need.
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Every race has a start. As they prepare, and step up to the line, the competitors already have their minds and hearts on the finish line. They take their mark. There’s silence. The gun cracks and muscles instantly respond with action. The race is on! The eyes of the crowd are drawn in. Every race has a start, but it all began far before that moment. As did Jesus’ race to the cross. It began in time and history as God declared he would send a Savior. The preparations had been made, and now Mark describes how Jesus began his race, pulling us into it. Drawing us to follow this race, and even to run along with Jesus. Let’s go!
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Guest pastor Pastor Tom Unke shares a message on the Song of Simeon answering the question "When is a person really prepared?"
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Have you ever asked God for a sign? Did he deliver? Today God tells us to ask for a sign - to test him? He tells us to pray: “Thy Kingdom come.” He wantsus to see the signs of his kingdom. The sign of his holy Word preserved through millennia The sign of water combined with that Word of God. The sign of the most fulfilling feast laid out upon his table. The signs that remind us that God remains "Immanuel" - with us.
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A barren landscape bursts into vibrant blossoms. What an amazing sight to witness, but Isaiah speaks of the miraculous and instantaneous power of God. God's kingdom truly does bring joy; everlasting joy. He miraculously works it out of the chaos we see in the world and the chaos that churns inside our own hearts. We are all blind, dead, lame, and mute in our own ways. Jesus changes everything, Jesus' kingdom delivers real, lasting peace.
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The season of Advent is a time to prepare our hearts to welcome their rightful king. Jesus’ kingdom is one of righteousness, peace, hope, and joy. Yet, we can often lose sight of such things as we fall into the rhythms and rhetoric of the world which surrounds us. Rivals to Jesus' throne rise in our hearts. In this series we focus on prophecies from Isaiah that direct us to watch and wait for Jesus’ kingdom. We recite poetry as we reflect and rejoice in the importance of Jesus’ kingdom. We eagerly listen to this news that is far more than a recurring rhythm or righteous rhetoric - it is the true gospel proclamation that assures us the King, Jesus, came once as he promised and will come again. As God’s own people we confidently pray, “Thy Kingdom Come.”
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Where do you turn when you need information and quick? Do you ask Siri, Alexa, Google? Are "smart" producs on your Christmas lists? Artificial intelligence as become more personal, more powerful - giving us an immediate place for questions and needs. What about the questions you can't ask your techie toys. What about God’s kingdom and how it comes? Isaiah tells us where to turn – to the word of God. Isaiah saw that God would establish his church to bring the world the word of truth and raise Jesus above all others.
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After 4 weeks of looking at the source of wisdom and the principles of its design for our lives, this series now applies wisdom from the book of Proverbs to the everyday “complexities of life”.
This week we focus on relationships. It’s easy to believe that relationships succeed (They’re so awesome!) or fail (They’re so miserable!) because of the “other” person. In contrast, the book of Proverbs teaches what’s in our heart determines the nature of the relationship. In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to say about the enemy of relationships, the source of healing for relationships, and path to restoration for relationships
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After 4 weeks of looking at the source of wisdom and the principles of its design for our lives, this series now applies wisdom from the book of Proverbs to the everyday “complexities of life”.
This week we focus on heartache. We’ve all been there at some point in our lives. Loss of job, friend, family member, savings, health, leisure, or ability creates a void capable of destroying the human spirit. Left unchecked a person can experience physical, emotional, moral, existential, and philosophical effects long after the event has occurred. In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to say about the true nature of heartache and the only thing that will remove it.
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After 4 weeks of looking at the source of wisdom and the principles of its design for our lives, this series now applies wisdom from the book of Proverbs to the everyday “complexities of life”.
This week we focus on self-control. In a world with limitless possibilities, self-control seems elusive. Overeating, underbudgeting, binge-drinking, and living large are the norm. But if no one gets hurt, what’s the problem? In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to say about the need for self-control, the source of self-control, and how we learn to live with self-control.
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This week we focus on pride. Pride is the conclusion in one’s thinking that a person, idea, or thing is better than another. This conclusion justifies any praise or humiliation in attitude or treatment that result from the thinking. It can be as quiet as a turned-up nose or as loud as derogatory comment. All of it is detrimental to everyone involved. In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to say about the source, the destruction, and the antidote for pride.
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After 4 weeks of looking at the source of wisdom and the principles of its design for our lives, this series now applies wisdom from the book of Proverbs to the everyday “complexities of life”.
This week we focus on envy. Envy is the awful feeling you have when you know you should celebrate someone’s good fortune but think it really should have happened to you instead. Envy makes it hard to rejoice with others. Soon it becomes hard to rejoice at all. The result is a complaining spirit that’s difficult to be around. In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to say about envy, how we eliminate it, and what will happen when we do.
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After 4 weeks of looking at the source of wisdom and the principles of its design for our lives, this series now applies wisdom from the book of Proverbs to the everyday “complexities of life”.
This week we focus on money. The evil of pursuing money at all cost and the injustices caused by greed are obvious. And yet, commerce and economy are core to our society. How can you deal wisely with money without it consuming you. In the series this week learn what Proverbs has to teach about a godly understanding of money and generosity.
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Everyone likes a guarantee. It makes us feel safe. Hesitation in the grey zone of “what if” causes doubt, worry, and fear. We prefer confirmation, a stamp of approval, and the proven process that gives confidence, a sense of security, and builds excitement for what’s to come.
The book of Proverbs shows that God’s path of wisdom gives us the confidence we’re looking for because it’s different than every other pursuit of wisdom. This week in the series learn what the difference is, why it’s important, and how it makes it easy to pursue wisdom God’s way.
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Everyone knows to get to the right destination you must start in the right place and head in the right direction. The same is true for wisdom. But whose way is right? Experts offer wisdom through short cuts, techniques, and formulas. Friends give advice from experience. Our own hearts lead with emotion. Artificial intelligence uses science and facts. But who’s right?
Only Proverbs points to the right way by directing us to the One who is wisdom and designed the path on which to find it. This week in the series learn why pursuing the path God designed will lead to a correct understanding of reality and the wisdom to navigate it.
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A godly pursuit of wisdom has an ultimate goal of living God’s way as outlined in the Bible. Unfortunately, life in a sinful world means our path is filled with distractions, deterrents, and delays. Often these roadblocks are even more alluring than annoying. They threaten to derail a godly pursuit of wisdom by encouraging us to settle for less than everything God has planned for us. Because of this, Proverbs tells us to “guard our heart above all else because it is the wellspring of life.” In the series this week learn what that means, how to put it into practice in our lives, and what happens when we don’t.
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Wisdom is knowing the right thing to do at the right time for any given circumstance-especially when there’s no “right” answer. But how do you get wisdom?
Like walking a path, pursuing wisdom begins with knowing where to start, where to go, and what to expect along the way. This week we begin the series on Proverbs by defining wisdom, showing where to find it, and learning how to grow in it.
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Made solid by the undergirding promises of Jesus, the apostle Peter acted boldly and courageously. Sometimes this acting-before-thinking disciple pushed the envelope of courage to its border with foolishness, but Jesus was always there to pull him back.
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Made solid by the undergirding promises of Jesus, the apostle Peter acted boldly and courageously. Sometimes this acting-before-thinking disciple pushed the envelope of courage to its border with foolishness, but Jesus was always there to pull him back.
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Loved by his Lord, John expressed the same kind of love to his Lord and others. His writings in the Scriptures encourage followers of Jesus in that same love.
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This tax collector turned apostle experienced firsthand the loving mercy of the Messiah, who came to save sinners. He turned around and wrote a lot about it in his gospel.
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He vacillated between the twin towers of unshakeable confidence and wishy washy uncertainty. However, faith is as strong as the on whom it rests, and Jesus' loyalty and love bless this apostle with a new resurrection conviction.
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Thaddaeus (also called Judas) asked Jesus, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the whole world?" Many ask this same question today, why some and not others? We marvel at God desiring all to be saved and his grace for all, and yet we see the sad reality that those who don’t know him, or who have rejected him won’t be saved. The attitude of Thaddaeus, "I want others to know," is the outward love for the world who do not yet know, the heart of God behind the great commission. This outward looking concern is mirrored in Jesus' answer based on the mystery of the Trinity. Here we see the doctrine of the Trinity unraveled into saving activity, and sought after by a disciple.
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Bartholomew asked, "Nazareth, can anything good come from there?" and found in his shattered hope a fulfilled hope in the promised Savior. In Bartholomew (aka Nathanael) we see our own expectations - too often misunderstood and misplaced, until Jesus meets them and us. So often we expect God to fit our mold and to fit his plans into what we expect and hope for. But God's plan is almost always different than ours. And it's better!
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Andrew showed care and concern for bringing others to Jesus. Ministry is one on one. Mission is one on one. Parents to children. Husband to wife. You to a friend, family member, or co-worker. We only know Peter, because Andrew sought out his brother. Mission work happens in backyards, picnics, bleachers, and cubicles. One of the main principles of our harvest strategy is "Everyone invite one." There is value in telling just one person.
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With the zeal of thunder, James has glory on his mind, both personal glory and ethnic/national glory and pride. Jesus' zeal to save and serve recovers and redirects this apostle to an evangelical instead of legislative zeal. This is the only place to mention the other apostle, James the Less, about whom we know very little.
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Most people today think the “devil” is a joke. And make jokes about him. But the truth is, the devil is a real and vicious enemy of God and his people. He tempts us to doubt God’s Word. He wants to tear us away from God, and he did so. But Jesus came to defeat the devil. And He did! The church displays that victory in all we do! But the battles rage on… our enemy is real and the daily battles we face with him are too. So Paul reaches the dramatic finale to his letter: “Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph. 6:10-11) Put on that armor of God and let the Word of truth continue to fill your life! There is no greater hope than what God’s grace in Jesus gives us! Know greater hope!
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From the beginning, God designed people to live in families. He also gave us work to do, a garden to take care of, something to give meaning and purpose. So a lot of our lives are spent at home and at work. As we continue to rebel against God, our homes and workplaces often become the scenes of our most obvious failings and flaws. They can become unhappy or even downright dysfunctional places. When Jesus came here to save us, He was born into a family of a worker, a carpenter. He lived in our place and died on our behalf to give us a new life. So we thank and worship Him. Not just on Sundays. We worship Him Monday to Saturday as well, in our families, homes, and workplaces.
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Marriage has been instilled into human hearts and human society by our loving Creator to stir up human longing and to prepare our hearts for the love of Christ. Marriage conducted in God’s way by his people is a beautiful demonstration of his plan to gather all things under Christ and make us one in Christ. Among God’s people, marriage isn’t a battleground, but a field of victory, where sinners can remain united to each other in the service of Christ. Marriage is a beautiful object lesson of how Jesus loves the people who believe in Him. Today’s text not only speaks of the ways our marriages can be blessed, but also celebrates the spiritual union of all believers with Christ, to whom we will one day be united – the ultimate “marriage made in heaven.”
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The world we live in loves to live in darkness. What people do behind closed doors should be up to them, they say. The world is accepting of all kinds of alternative expressions of gender and sexuality. But the God who loves us created us a certain way to glorify Him. His Word is very clear on how He wants us to live. In the light. Not in the darkness. As we shine this light into the world, it isn’t going to want to hear it. It seems backward and outdated. It sounds unloving and unsupportive. But the truth is, God’s way of living is the only way that is self-less and actually truly loving! Let’s show the world the beauty of God’s way! Let’s share it in a loving way. That’s the way to honor Him for the true light and greater hope He has given us!
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We live in a fashion-conscious world. We see influential people wearing certain styles of clothes and imitate them by trying to keep up with the same fashions. We want to look the same as the world around us. We do the same thing in the way that we live. We imitate the world in the way that we act, talk, and think. Sometimes we blend right in and people don’t even know we’re different. The encouragement in this text is to stop trying to look exactly like the world around us and start imitating God instead. The benefits of being like the world are short-lived. The hope God offers lasts forever.
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We want the church to grow so that we can make a difference in the world around us. But churches not only need to grow in number. We need to grow in holiness. We need to grow in unity. That will show the world what our three-in-one God is like. God’s grace, the hope He gives us in Jesus, generates this growth. There is one body, one church. Our Christian community should reflect that unity. We are like a symphony orchestra and God has given us beautiful music to play. If all the sections of an orchestra were fighting and competing with one another, the music wouldn’t sound so good. But when we play together, we bless the world around us with the beautiful music God plays through us. We speak God’s truth in love to draw people together to the hope in Jesus God gives us!
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We want the church to grow so that we can make a difference in the world around us. But churches not only need to grow in number. We need to grow in holiness. We need to grow in unity. That will show the world what our three-in-one God is like. God’s grace, the hope He gives us in Jesus, generates this growth. There is one body, one church. Our Christian community should reflect that unity. We are like a symphony orchestra and God has given us beautiful music to play. If all the sections of an orchestra were fighting and competing with one another, the music wouldn’t sound so good. But when we play together, we bless the world around us with the beautiful music God plays through us. We speak God’s truth in love to draw people together to the hope in Jesus God gives us!
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When you get married, and that person you love moves in, two wonderful things happen: they start changing everything to reflect their character, and they fill the place with their love for you. That’s what happened when I got married. My ratty dorm furniture got replaced and the décor got cleaned and greatly improved! All these new things were wonderful because I felt loved! Same thing happens for every Christian. When the Spirit of Christ takes up residence in our lives, He redecorates our souls with his holy character. He fills our hearts with more and more of his love. He gives us strength and hope and helps us live a new way. Our text is a prayer that God would do just that.
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Most of us enjoy the suspense of a mystery thriller. Books and movies keep us on the edge of our seats, as do documentaries about unsolved mysteries. Other mysteries are more personal – like figuring out how to fill out your tax form or what to get your mom for Mother’s Day. The only thing more compelling than a mystery is when the mystery finally gets solved. Today’s text reveals a mystery that had troubled God’s people for centuries – a mystery now solved in the most astonishing fashion by the coming of Christ. The solution to this mystery is displayed so all can admire God’s wisdom. The mystery? The greater hope of Jesus is for ALL people. No one is excluded!
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There is a depressingly relentless cycle of political strife and military conflict between peoples, nations, and religious cultures in our world. There is constant suspicion and segregation in our cities and communities between black and white, rich and poor, right-wing and left-wing. The list goes on. There is even tension between colleagues at work and cruelty and hurt in our homes. Is it possible for human beings to stop fighting? Can there ever be lasting peace within our communities and cultures? The answer is yes. There is a peace and unity that happens between people when they come to know Christ. He unifies us in the only way possible. There is no greater hope for peace!
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Why do Christians get so excited by “grace?” Why do we sing about “Amazing Grace”? We name our churches after it. We name our children after it. What is all the fuss about? God’s “grace” is his undeserved love for us. But why is it so amazing? This text reveals why God’s grace is the most amazing gift we could ever have. We have a problem – we are spiritually dead. We can’t do a thing to make things right with God. We are captive to the ways of this world and how they squash hope right out of our lives. BUT. God loves us. That changes everything. His undeserved love for us brought us back to life! The same power He raised Jesus with… He has raised us with. We were brought from death to life by God’s grace! God’s amazing grace is the greatest gift we could ever have! There’s no greater hope!
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Know Greater Hope
We probably have a lot of relationships that are shallow or even artificial. It is important for us to get to know people better. It is more important to get to know our spouse better. But even more important… is getting to know God better. That is the prayer today. That we might know God better. The more we learn about God and what He has done for us, the more we know the hope God gives us in Jesus. A hope that is based on his power to raise the dead to life! Grasp the awesome scale of God’s love. God brings from death to life by grace. God has done resurrection before. We know He can do it again. There is no greater hope. May we “know greater hope!”
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Every Spiritual Blessing
I love seeing people wearing the T-shirts that say “Blessed.” Do you feel “blessed” even when nothing is going right? In this glorious passage that begins the letter to the Ephesians, Paul launches an avalanche of praise for God. In the original language, it is one long breathless sentence. He begins by summarizing what he is so excited about: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing!” Paul is in prison! Not so blessed, right? Yet, he feels incredibly blessed. He begins articulating the blessings we have been given in Jesus and the reason we can truly feel “blessed” and have a greater hope.
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Jesus rides into Jerusalem to accolades and cries of joy. But he also rides into Jerusalem as the promised Son of David sent as the sacrificial Lamb of God. To many in the crowd, nothing was more scandalous than this. It’s the same for so many in the crowds of this world today.
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How often in this life we see justice turned upside down. The innocent are condemned as guilty and the guilty are set free. But that is our story as we witness the scandal of the innocent One being condemned in our place.
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The lies at his trial: He opposes payment of taxes! He’s like all those other riot-starting Messiah/Kings! The hypocrisy of the Sanhedrin to accuse Jesus of starting a riot and then starting one themselves. Pilate and Herod become friends. All of these opposing political forces working together in the end. This doesn’t smell right.
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Jesus taught that sin loves darkness. It’s no surprise, then, that his betrayal and arrest would take place in the cover of night. But Jesus forces the darkness of sin into the light. His words, “you betray the Son of Man with a kiss” reveal the scandalous truth that Jesus was betrayed by someone in whom he has put his trust, someone he loved.
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There are many times when it’s just best for us not to know the future. Yet, Jesus was fully aware of how God intended to redeem this world from its rebellion and sin. God’s plan is so scandalous (that the Father was willing to sacrifice his Son) that Jesus asks for another way. There is no other way and Jesus is resolute in his determination to move forward.
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Ever since the Enemy first rebelled, his greatest goal has been the destruction of everything and anything good that God has made. As a liar and deceiver, he has succeeded in leading us astray time and again. But now Satan has set his sights on the ultimate prize—the Son of God, the promised Savior of the world
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Not only has God been generous with us by giving us stuff. He has also given us time and talents. He has given us these spiritual “gifts” in order to use them to make a difference in the lives of others. Why? To reflect his light and love in the world around us. We offer our bodies and lives as “living sacrifices” to thank God for his grace and mercy to us! All of our gifts work together for the common good of all. When we are using our gifts generously for each other, the whole community benefits. So let’s use them! Let’s be generous with our gifts! Because He was generous with his gifts to us!
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Like a parent giving their children money so they can experience buying someone a present, God gives us gifts so we can experience generosity by experiencing being generous. We not only experience generosity from God as recipients. We experience generosity as God allows us to be in on the giving. We become channels through which God pours resources to meet the needs of others. When we give generously, we will never lack anything. The more we give the more we get. Our generosity not only gives God thanks… it honors Him and shows we trust Him. When we give, we truly get so much more of what we wanted in the first place.
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There are two things we can focus on: what we have, or what we don’t have. It is going to be a lot more helpful to focus on what we have. That opens our eyes to see the amazing generosity God has shown us! He has been generous to us in his creation, in his providence, in saving us, and in having mercy on us. God is generous with us even when you don’t think He is. Let’s stop focusing on what we don’t have, and give thanks for what we do have! Let’s celebrate the generosity of God!
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This series has focused on you – how you can become a new you in this new year. You don’t live your life in a vacuum though. You have relationships with others – many others. You are interconnected with other people – your spouse, your children, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbor. All those relationships will be affected by what you do and what you don’t do. So, what will the new you do? Thanks be to God that his grace allows us to work through our relationships in repentance and forgiveness, restore and rebuild, and enjoy the blessings of the people God has placed around us.
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To change your life for more than one month and for more than one year will require some serious power. The dedication necessary must come from a capable source. In your Baptism, which connects you to Jesus’ own, the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit has been at work to give you a rebirth and to renew you daily. This empowers you to be the new you that God has declared you to be through his miraculous power.
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How can you live a new life that becomes identified as good and joyful by those around you? When you know that a burden of guilt and shame can no longer hang on your shoulders. When you aren't living to measure up to a perfect standard, but you live in the joyful understanding that that standard has been met for you by Jesus Christ. Then you are free - free to be a light shining that same grace to those around you.
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When you look ahead to a new year and the new you that you will be, do you hope external things will change? Do you hope that this year will be the one that is different? Do you find yourself saying, “This year will be better than last, and it has got to be better than the one before that. Easier, more fun, more relaxed, more enjoyable.”? What if the change that is needed isn’t external, but internal? Jesus spoke statements of blessing that may shock us at first, but they help us understand how the new perspective of faith allows us to see God’s blessing in every situation.
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Everyone’s talking about them and pointing them out: the latest and the greatest products, programs, and apps promise to transform your life in the new year, if you will just commit to them. The message of Jesus isn’t something new. It’s been spoken and reviewed for thousands of years, yet Jesus has the power to make you new. He does so as the lamb of God that John had to point out – the lamb of God who takes away sin. In Jesus, you know that it is your faithful God who has committed himself to make you new. That is the foundation for what we can expect in this series.
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We need a king. God’s people needed a king. They tried finding leadership, guidance, and protection in human judges and kings. But it didn’t work. Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. They needed a king. Those imperfect kings pointed ahead to the King we truly needed. King David, in particular, as a shepherd-king, was a picture of the king Jesus was coming to be. All of the Bible points us to the King we need. All of those promises were fulfilled when an angel told Mary she would have a child who would be our King. A King who would reign in righteousness forever. This King was born into our world, won the victory over our enemy, and sits on the throne of our hearts and God’s throne in heaven forever. Jesus is the King of kings!
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As we get to the end of Old Testament history, we see how God never abandoned his people. They turned their backs on Him, but He continued to be gracious and merciful. They were unfaithful but He was always faithful. He kept all of his promises. And that is just what they needed to lead them to trust his BIG promise – sending Jesus into this world. During the Advent season, we need this same confidence that God will come as He promised. He always does, always shows mercy, time after time. He doesn’t abandon his people. He guides us. He provides for us. And He is always ready to forgive. He proved that when He kept his promise to send Jesus into our world.
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From the beginning, we have so often chosen to make our own standards of what is good and right. Our own codes of morality. No matter how well we might think that works, it won’t help us if it doesn’t line up with God’s standard of morality. We have fallen so far short and gotten so off track from that standard. Which created all kinds of damage in our lives and collateral damage in the lives of those around us. The influences we often listen to point us to live by our own codes of morality instead of God’s. That won’t help us. But God, who loves us, had a way to give us his morality, his righteousness, as a gift. He also provided a way for us to be encouraged, influenced, & shepherded back to the life He offers us. He did that all through Jesus. The One promised to come.
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We’ve heard stories about people discovering very valuable treasures that were right under their noses for a long time. They just didn’t realize it until they made an unexpected discovery. Can that be true about the relationship we have with the most valuable treasure we have on earth? Has it been sitting under our noses without us realizing it? I am talking about the Bible. The Word of God with which He reveals Himself and his good news to us with! An Old Testament king discovered this lost treasure and it changed his life. Why is God’s Word such a valuable treasure? Because we want to see Jesus! And Jesus IS the Word! If we aren’t in our Bibles, we are missing out on Jesus. Then we are missing hope. Let find Him. He’s right there in the Word!
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How often do you feel alone in life? More often than you should. God said from the beginning it’s not good for us to be alone. He gave us each other to be a community of people on earth. And He also promised us his presence. Throughout the Bible, we see the many ways God reminds us of his presence. Especially the visible way He reminded us of his presence with the Temple. But that temple pointed to the ultimate way He would be with us – in Jesus, the true Temple. And before He left, Jesus said He would be with us always. As Jesus lives in our hearts, we are now God’s temple, God’s presence here on earth. Because Jesus is present in our hearts!
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We aren’t always good at remembering, so we need reminders. Our photos apps and social media occasionally send us images as reminders of what happened 5, 10, or 15 years ago. We put pictures on the wall to remind us of beautiful memories. It’s important to do this! God taught his people the importance of remembering things by setting up physical reminders or even by giving certain names to people. We need daily reminders of God’s grace and love and salvation, and He gives us those in his Word. As He was saving his people through an Old Testament man named Joshua, we see Jesus, our Savior, right in the middle of it. A reminder of God’s salvation!
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You Can Rest Now (God Substitutes/Sacrifices For Us)
Imagine having to pay back your debt to society… having to make up for everything you have ever done wrong. That would be frustrating and exhausting. The book of Leviticus shows us just how exhausting it would be, and how many sacrifices it would take. But Leviticus wasn’t put in the Bible to exhaust you or discourage you from continuing your Bible reading plan… it was put there to powerfully show you God’s solution for all we owe! In a beautiful and dramatic way, Leviticus shows us how God is going to give us rest! Right in the center of this book is Jesus! Once you see Him there, you will never be able to miss Him!
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The Passover Lamb (God Forgives Us)
Maybe you have neighbors who celebrate Passover and you wonder what that is all about. It is a central idea in the Bible and a huge part of the worship rhythm of God’s people. The original feast helped God’s people remember how He delivered them from slavery and oppression. Year after year, they observed this to remember that. But at the same time, they were learning about a much greater future deliverance… their Passover lambs pointed to The Passover Lamb whose blood would save them for good. The ties between the two are impossible to dismiss. Jesus was there all along! Our real Passover Lamb! Whose death freed us for good!
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We Want To See Jesus (God Fixes Us)
A lot of people, including Christians, don’t seem to know the Old Testament very well. We might know a few of the Sunday School stories. But beyond that, we quit on Bible reading plans because we get bored by the time we get to Leviticus. It might be because we aren’t seeing Jesus in it. And He is there. Right from the beginning, the epic battle begins. And we need Someone to come and rescue us and win that battle for us. We need a Man who stands in the gap for us. A true King. And He is promised from the beginning.
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We Want To See Jesus (God Fixes Us)
A lot of people, including Christians, don’t seem to know the Old Testament very well. We might know a few of the Sunday School stories. But beyond that, we quit on Bible reading plans because we get bored by the time we get to Leviticus. It might be because we aren’t seeing Jesus in it. And He is there. Right from the beginning, the epic battle begins. And we need Someone to come and rescue us and win that battle for us. We need a Man who stands in the gap for us. A true King. And He is promised from the beginning.
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The school year may still feel somewhat fresh and new, but did you know? The end is near! No, not necessarily the end of this school year. The Very End. What does this mean? Jesus made it clear that there will be a harvest of souls at the end of time when he comes back. None of us knows exactly when that day will be. That’s why our mission of changing lives with the good news of Jesus is ongoing, necessary, and urgent even to the very end. But the good news is Jesus hasn’t left us on our own until then. If he did, it would be almost impossible to carry on through the inevitable difficult days we face here on earth. But remember, this isn’t mission impossible. It’s mission possible! The Great Commission is our Co-mission with Jesus who leaves these words of promise ringing in our ears as we go out into the harvest field of this world, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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The school year may still feel somewhat fresh and new, but did you know? The end is near! No, not necessarily the end of this school year. The Very End. What does this mean? Jesus made it clear that there will be a harvest of souls at the end of time when he comes back. None of us knows exactly when that day will be. That’s why our mission of changing lives with the good news of Jesus is ongoing, necessary, and urgent even to the very end. But the good news is Jesus hasn’t left us on our own until then. If he did, it would be almost impossible to carry on through the inevitable difficult days we face here on earth. But remember, this isn’t mission impossible. It’s mission possible! The Great Commission is our Co-mission with Jesus who leaves these words of promise ringing in our ears as we go out into the harvest field of this world, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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If there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who turns to the Lord (and there is!), then we want to celebrate too! We want to rejoice in the great work that God is doing here and across all our Divine Savior campuses as we change lives with Jesus through the gospel. So let the party begin! Why? Because God’s love is global! The Bible shows us how the gospel creates a new humanity focused on Jesus who died and rose for all. His forgiveness and love unites us even across different cultures and countries...and across all Divine Savior campuses. United in Christ, these differences enrich our church when we all move in the same direction to carry out the mission our Savior has given us.
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Jesus didn’t give us a great suggestion. He gave us a great commission. “Make disciples.” Literally, it’s a command. In other words, Jesus is saying, “Don’t just have good intentions, but also get this action done.” That begs the question, “How?” The good news is Jesus didn’t make this impossible. He actually made it doable! And not just for religious professionals like pastors and teachers, but for people just like you. This week we’ll learn about the doctrine of vocation and how that fits in well with our intentional strategy to carry out Christ’s great commission together as Divine Savior Church.
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Jesus didn’t give us a great suggestion. He gave us a great commission. “Make disciples.” Literally, it’s a command. In other words, Jesus is saying, “Don’t just have good intentions, but also get this action done.” That begs the question, “How?” The good news is Jesus didn’t make this impossible. He actually made it doable! And not just for religious professionals like pastors and teachers, but for people just like you. This week we’ll learn about the doctrine of vocation and how that fits in well with our intentional strategy to carry out Christ’s great commission together as Divine Savior Church.
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Telling others about Jesus is more about trusting God’s powerful word than trusting in our own knowledge or ability to share it. Once we get over ourselves we all can become people who love to “plant gospel seeds” even though we all have different gifts, abilities, relationships, and opportunities. The power isn’t in us, but we all have an important part to play so that the Holy Spirit can do his greater part of creating and growing faith through the gospel. Is it possible for us to make disciples? Yes, with the help of God!
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Tell others about Jesus? Try and get them to change their mind? Convince them to believe? To many, that sounds intimidating, perhaps even impossible. It is certainly easier to assume that it might be best to just remain quiet. Lack of knowledge, insecurities, inexperience, doubts, fears…there are plenty of reasons to think, “I Could Never.” But what about all of us together? What about when Jesus comes to us as his disciples just as he said he would, meets us where we’re at, and answers our “I Could Never” with a great claim, “I have all authority”?
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Our society seems obsessed with the idea of creating a world where no one is offended by what others say. Safe spaces are created so that people can be free of bias, criticism, conflict or ideas that they don't personally like. Yet Christians always seem to be fair game for criticism. No one seems to care about offending us! Does anyone care if I am offended as a Christian? How should I react when I am offended? How can I live in a world like this as a disciple of Jesus? Jesus cares and he is my greatest example and motivation for living in a world that hates being offended but at the same time loves to offend.
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The world we live in is changing at a blinding pace. Truth has become as flexible as a rubber band. What is acceptable today will not be acceptable tomorrow. Those who used to be admired are now vilified and hated. What used to be considered good is now considered despicable. Bad behavior is rewarded and applauded. It's enough to make us all live in a constant state of confusion, not knowing what to believe or how to live! Confusion turns to clarity, however, when the sound doctrine of the Word of God instructs our hearts, rebukes our sins, corrects our errors and encourages us to fight the good fight, finish the race, and receive the crown of righteousness.
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We feel shame when we fail to live up to our own expectations or those of others. We may bring shame on ourselves or on others by our actions. We may feel shame because of the actions of someone close to us. Sadly, because of social media, our mistakes can easily end up in the feeds of many people, which only adds to our personal and public shame as they share and retweet. The Twelve experienced a heavy load of shame on Thursday of Holy Week. By their actions, they brought shame on themselves, on each other, and mostly on their Master. Eleven of them eventually came to believe that Jesus, who died the most shameful death imaginable, had taken away their shame before God. Their failures are all recorded for the world in the New Testament, but Jesus was not ashamed to call them brothers, made his power perfect through their weaknesses, and empowered them to live without shame and with a new identity: forgiven children of God. No one who believes in him will ever be put to shame!
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Feeling stressed? You're not alone. Anxiety is something everyone deals with to some degree. In fact anxiety is at an all-time high. In this chaotic, uncertain world, there are lots of reasons why. The good news is lots of people in the Bible struggled with anxiety too. Yet, operating from a full-time place of anxiety isn't great for you. Anxiety doesn't accomplish anything fruitful. And the truth is God has a better path forward for facing life's challenges and uncertainties. As one Christian author writes, "The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional. Anxiety comes with life. But it doesn’t have to dominate your life."
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"Just do it." "The power is within you." "You have the power to rise above whatever is trying to keep you down." "Go out there and crush it you animal!" Cliches like these are often what you'll find online or in the self-help section of Barnes and Noble. But what happens when you have that gnawing feeling anyway, that feeling that growls, "I'm not enough"? This is the feeling of inadequacy. It's especially prevalent in performance driven places where expectations are high and it can sometimes seem almost impossible to escape. It's what happens when we are told over and over again by our culture that the only person we can truly rely on is ourselves. But what if that's just not true? What if we can face our feelings of inadequacy, admit our absolute need for God's help, and rely on Christ who gives us strength and makes us "enough"? Then even our inadequacy will result in God's glory being displayed to others!
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Do you ever get frustrated when you do the right thing and in the end it doesn’t change a thing? Reality Check: Do you ever get angry with God? Have you ever felt that it’s just not fair that you do everything by the Book and still struggle, while people who completely disregard the Word and will of God prosper? Check out this young man who did everything right and still couldn’t save his nation.
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When the true LORD, the God of mercy and grace, is removed from the picture, there’s a spiritual vacuum that forms. And it’s amazing—no, it’s frightening—to see what people will fill this vacuum with. Reality Check: What is the Baal worship of today? The “sacrificing of our sons in the fire”? Have we somehow reconstructed the true religion into a religion of our own devising?
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Let go and let God. It should be simple enough. God is in charge. He’ll work everything out for good. Just give all your problems to him. Reality Check: Doesn’t happen, does it? We worry…and question. This week God’s Word shows us what can happen if we just lay our problems before the Lord.
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Medical professionals talk about warning signs. Heeding them could save our lives. So why wouldn’t we? Reality Check: And yet, it happens all the time. What’s worse is that we often fail to heed the spiritual warnings God shares with us in his Word. May God’s Spirit give us humble hearts—hearts that heed his loving rebukes so that we can receive his amazing grace!
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Keeping focused on the most important stuff of life. It’s the topic untold books and seminars. It’s also Jesus’ point when he says, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” Reality Check: And yet, how often we find ourselves majoring in the minors. Lord, forgive our failures and keep us focused on the mission you’ve laid before us.
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Are our hearts divided? When it comes to our love for God, we’d say, “Absolutely not!” Wouldn’t we? Reality Check: Yet, is it possible that, while we are zealous for God, we are still holding on to our own personal idols? Thank God for a Savior who loved and served the Lord alone!
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How we detest people who are all into themselves. And yet, we often fail to detect the many ways selfishness manifests itself in our own lives. Reality Check: As long as we live we’re going to battle the part of us that’s stuck on ourselves. The answer is found in the self-sacrificing love of God in Christ.
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Are control issues and power struggles limited to those in positions of authority? Reality Check: Take a look at the people you work with. Watch your kids at the playground. These are real issues we all deal with. Yet, why are we grasping for power and control when God’s already got everything in hand?
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Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to march victorious around the world! Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in these Last Days. This raises an important question. If God now reveals himself by his Spirit, where is the Holy Spirit found? God has not left the answer to that question in doubt. When Jesus promised to send the Spirit, he indicated that his work would be connected to words, specifically God's Word. As a result, we need never wonder where we can find the Spirit. He marches victorious through the Word.
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Out of all the habits we’ve talked about, which is the most important? The truth is that while everything we’ve talked about in this series is important, there is only “one thing that is needed” according to Jesus himself. This is meant to be a great comfort to every disciple, including us. Why? Because the “one thing that is needed” is not our giving. It’s not our doing. It’s simply our receiving from our Savior. What a comfort to know that “all that is needed” then is not something we must do, but something that is given to us! Jesus speaks to us through his word. The Holy Spirit is like the construction worker who goes to work in our hearts through that word. From start to finish our discipleship therefore is God’s work as we grow in faith and knowledge of his word. This makes “listening to Jesus” the most important daily habit for a disciple to cultivate. It’s how our faith in Jesus will grow and flourish. As we daily rest in God’s grace while listening to his word, so also God will be at work preparing us for those situations in life where he will give us the opportunities to share what we have learned with others about who Jesus is and what he has done for us all.
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“Is there something I can pray about for you right now?” This is a powerful question to ask not just because almost everyone has something serious going on in their life. It’s powerful also because God promises to hear our prayers! A healthy spiritual life is kind of like breathing. We breathe in deeply and receive from God the “oxygen of faith” – the Gospel. Then we breathe out and talk to God who has promised to listen to us. In the Bible, this regular practice or habit is called prayer. We breathe in by hearing from God through his word. Then we breathe out as we speak God’s word back to him. Receiving from God and talking to God. The two go together. It’s no wonder that the Bible describes prayer as such a vital part of a disciple’s life. We learn in fact how vital it is from Jesus’ own example and from the leadership of people like the apostle Paul. As we then live as disciples who also want to make disciples of others, we pray that God will work in them through the Word. By developing the daily habit of prayer, we will also discover the benefits and blessings of praying for and with others. Doing this will often open doors to share the Gospel message. In fact, often the first step in having a spiritual conversation is to ask a person if you can pray for them.
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One way we see the love of Jesus is in how he interacted with people from all segments of society. He talked with them. He listened to them. He asked them questions. He taught them. Our human tendency is to be comfortable only with people from our social circles, those we would happily already call our friends. Perhaps this is why “talk to people” is something we need to, well, talk about in church! Don’t worry though, this isn’t just for those who we might call “extroverts” – people who might have a natural gift in talking to people. We’ll explore how this is for “introverts” too – people who might have a natural gift for listening. So we’ll learn from each other and from our Savior how listening and talking are important skills for every disciple of Jesus. Why? Because “faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17). And if our eyes are open for opportunities and we’re showing love to people by doing good, then we should be prepared. To do what? To talk to people! “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).
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Life can be extremely difficult sometimes. That is true even for disciples of Jesus. Yet difficult circumstances in life often provide excellent opportunities to show the love of Christ by doing good to and for others. Jesus showed love and did good, so we reflect Christ by showing love and doing good even though our best efforts will always be imperfect. Yet even our imperfect efforts, when motivated by the love of Christ, can provide opportunities to tell people why we want to help—because we have a perfect Savior who lived and died for us all! Where then can we look to find such opportunities to do good? Most often we won’t have to go far. Rather the daily activities of our vocations often provide us with many people to love. Every vocation is "God's mask" to love other people. When we make doing good to others a habit, we’ll slow down to invest time in talking with a person, seeking to understand what is best for them in a given situation.
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Disciples are those who are connected to Jesus Christ by faith even though we could never do anything to deserve this. Yet just like with his first disciples, Jesus sends us out to share this good news with others so that they might become his disciples too. The power to do this is not in ourselves. It is in the promises of God who is at work through us. So where and how are we to do this? It starts with developing the habit of “walking slowly” and having our eyes open for opportunities. Our problem is that unlike Jesus, we don't always have our eyes open for these opportunities. Maybe we’re constantly in a hurry, too busy to stop and really see people. Maybe we overlook some people because deep down we think that we are better than they are. Perhaps religious pride or sinful prejudice clouds our vision. Our eyes don’t always see the potential harvest all around us of so many souls precious to our Savior. Lord Jesus, help us learn from you that we might walk slowly through life learning to keep our eyes open to the opportunities all around us to touch people’s lives with the message of your amazing forgiveness, mercy, and grace we which too so desperately need!
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“What is a disciple? “Am I a disciple?” These are important questions for those who seek to follow Jesus. While the resurrection of Jesus on Easter changes our entire outlook on death and the life to come, we also need to ask ourselves, “What does it change for my life right now if I’m going to call myself a Christian or a disciple of Jesus?” As we answer this question we’ll see that being a disciple is not and cannot be something that we simply do externally, as if Jesus and his teachings and ways are something we add to our current identity and try to live out. It’s much deeper than that. It is our internal identity. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ means your entire life and identity is based on Him. Only with this foundation can we begin to develop healthy habits of being a disciple. As Jesus wanted one rich young man to learn, it’s only by trusting wholeheartedly in Jesus that anyone can receive God’s free gift of salvation.
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When your world crashes down and you feel like you're losing control, where do you turn? Mary thought she needed to find the dead body of Jesus, but she received something much better: the Living Jesus.
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Good Friday, we celebrate when Jesus took our place that we might go free.
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We are so used to there being corruption in this world. Leaders pull strings for friends, political leaders lie, and many times, rulers rule in their best interest instead of their peoples'. We long for a ruler to lead us in righteousness. That's exactly what we get in Jesus. However, Jesus isn't the powerful king that comes and exerts his will on people. He's the humble, servant king who has come to rule in righteousness for eternity.
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If there's one thing that is sure in this world, it is the fear of death. No matter who we are, death is coming for all of us and it is terrifying. Many people spend lots of money looking for anyway to prevent death. We look to those earthly saviors hoping and praying that we can keep death at a distance. While they may prevent death, they can never save from death. We need a Savior to defeat our greatest enemy. Jesus demonstrates his power over death as he raises Lazarus. This event gives us a foretaste of what is coming in the resurrection. We have a Savior who has and will take care of our greatest need.
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The disciples wanted a Savior who was going to bring power and rule with authority. Since they were Jesus' loyal followers, they would of course have access to some special places next to Jesus where they would have some power as well. That's the Savior we want. A powerful one that will bring earthly power and influence. We want one that will be glorified here, rule here, and have power here on earth. The only problem? That's not the Savior we need. We need a Savior who would be a servant and give his life as a ransom for many.
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What the man needed in John 9 was obvious. He was born blind and needed to be healed so he could see. However, the man had an even greater need: forgiveness of his sins. As we consider the needs we have, the list is pretty long. How great would it be to have a Savior that takes care of all our needs? Often times we want a genie more than a Savior. However, what we find in Jesus is a Savior we need; a Savior who meets our greatest need of all as he grants us forgiveness.
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The woman at the well was lost. She was searching for something or someone to quench the thirst of her soul. She searched for so long that she was now lost. We know what its like to go searching for something to quench the desire of our hearts, but nothing ever does. Like this woman, we eventually get lost and we don't know where to look. The good news? We have a Savior who has been searching too. But he hasn't been seeking for someone or something to quench his thirst. Instead, he's been looking for me, the lost.
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In any great story, there's always a villain, victims that he takes captive, and a hero. Every story depicts the hero physically conquering the villain in order to free the people. Sometimes that's what we think we need, isn't it? Wouldn't it be better if the devil wasn't around to tempt us and cause terror in our lives? Wouldn't it be great if Jesus destroyed the devil and put an end to the hurt and the fear? Surely that's what we need! Except when Jesus met the devil in the wilderness, that's not what happened. Instead, we see our Savior do something that we couldn't do: withstand temptation. We may want the devil dead, but what we need is perfection. That's exactly what we find in our Savior Jesus.
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The love of money and what it can buy can be destructive, but the shrewd use of the resources God gives can bring immeasurable blessing. God wants us to be rich in good deeds and generous.
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The God-lived life is a life of showing God’s love. Last month, we focused on letting that shine in serving others, doing things for them. This month, the emphasis shifts a bit, and we look at the God-lived life as one that not just does for others, but opens up our lives to them. As we invite people into our lives and our homes, God shows through us and gives us opportunities to share what we are all about, and who we are all about. Through hospitality, as messy and dangerous as it can be, relationships are built and Jesus is shared.
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There are two temptations when it comes to serving others in our community. One is not to do it because you consider your time and sacrifice more important than them. The other is to do it because you consider yourself better than them, so they need your help. In the Good Samaritan and in the teller of the parable we don't see judgment, but the love of God. May we show the same!
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Work has been hard for us ever since our first parents rebelled against God. Work has caused sweat and stress ever since we were kicked out of Eden. Sabbath is the opportunity to return to Eden. To the rest of God. Sabbath is about being free from slavery. God has set his people free from slavery, from being driven by taskmasters. Sabbath is the refusal to go back to Egy Taskmasters don’t like rest. They create a culture where rest isn’t approved of, where rest must be snuck in secretly (which takes the rest out of rest!). Sometimes the taskmasters live in our own hearts. You don’t need to be big enough to kill your taskmasters. You just need to trust God is big enough to remove them. God wants to give us his rest.
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Time is so important to us. Seconds are ticking off the clock while you read this. We are people of calendars, dates, times, schedules. We are driven to get as much done in the time we are given. But do we actually leave time to do what matters? If someone needs you to pray with them, do you have time to do it? Sometimes our drivenness erodes our purposefulness. Sometimes we have to stop following our calendar and start paying attention. Especially when God visits. Most of us live afraid we’re almost out of time. But we are heirs of eternity. We aren’t short of days. We just need to number them aright.
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We are always busy. We are always in a hurry. And since we are always in a hurry, we miss important things. We think our busyness and efficiency in getting to everything helps us experience more, but we actually experience less. We try to do it all and end up really doing nothing When we get too busy, we either dread things or rush to get done with them and check them off a list. We get bored with the familiar and threatened by the unfamiliar. Busyness makes us stop caring about the things we care about. But God wants us to “be still and know He is God.” To sit quietly at his feet. To taste and see what is really good. What would happen if we stopped and actually paid attention to God and to the world He created for us? The world is no richer for our passing through it. But we are far richer for not missing it.
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The worst thing busyness does to us is fooling us into thinking we are God. “All depends on me. How will all the right things happen at the right time if I am not working, pushing, pulling, watching, and worrying?” Unless we trust that God is in control, we won’t dare risk Sabbath…rest. In sleep, we become utterly vulnerable, completely defenseless, totally dependent. Not in control. That kind of trust is rooted in a deep conviction God is good and God is in control. The more we grow, the more God grows us, the more we find God is bigger. The more we are convinced of God’s bigness, his goodness, and sovereignty, the more we will find our rest in Him alone.
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Most of us feel completely wiped out. Endless demands on our time crush us. Even our “vacations” are manic. If we only had more time! We have forgotten the ancient wisdom of Sabbath, rooted in God’s own rhythm of work and rest. Sabbath means rest. The gift of Sabbath (rest) is essential to our full humanity and faith. Since God knows how much we need Sabbath and how easily we might neglect it, He made it a command. We’ve neglected it anyhow. We’ve lost the rest of God. But nothing really changes until our minds do. God is more interested in changing your thinking than in changing your circumstances. Before we can keep the Sabbath, to be given rest, God has to change our minds. Our attitudes. Our hearts. The gift of God is to experience the sacred in the everyday.
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Jesus' birth is a very significant event for the entire world, but only if it actually happened. The Apostle Matthew starts his gospel in a way that gives us confidence and joy in the fact that Jesus came to us that first Christmas!
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We get frustrated and disappointed when companies don’t deliver on what they promise. But it really hurts when someone we care about breaks a promise they made to us. And we have broken plenty of promises ourselves. A promise gives us something to look forward to. To hope for. That hope is the energy source that powers us to do what we do. We need hope! We need promises to come true! In a world where promises are broken every day, hundreds of promises were made about a Savior who would come to fix everything. Seemingly impossible promises! And every one of them came true! What could be a better item on our grown-up Christmas list than a kept promise?
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Living in the country we do, freedom is important to us. We don’t like to be held back. We don’t like to be told what to do. There are worse things that hold us back and restrict our freedom though… weaknesses, fears, uncertainty, lack of trust, hopelessness, insecurity, anger, grudges, guilt… All of these things restrict our lives and keep us from living in the freedom God designed us to live in. But long ago, the prophets spoke of Someone who would come to proclaim a real freedom! When Jesus spoke publicly the first time, He acknowledged He was the One who was coming to do that! Real Freedom is the perfect item for a grown-up Christmas list!
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No one’s perfect. How many times have we made the rude comment that hurt feelings we wish we wouldn’t have made? How many times did we think of our own selfish wants while trampling on someone else’s needs? Break a promise to our kid? Get caught doing something we shouldn’t do? Wouldn’t it be nice to get a second chance? We don’t live in a world where second chances or “do-overs” are too common. But we do have a God who offers us a “second chance.” His prophet Isaiah talked about the One coming who would give the whole world the ultimate second chance… a brand-new clean start! The perfect thing to ask for this Christmas!
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The Roman world was full of many temptations just like ours is today. Casual sex was a way of life for many. Finding a Christian spouse was difficult. Being lazy and freeloading off of others was commonplace. It wasn’t easy to live a sanctified life pleasing to the Lord. But that didn’t stop the Thessalonians from trying. More and more with God’s help they learned what God’s will is and through the power of the Holy Spirit living in them they found the strength to strive after holiness. With God's help we too strive to be more like Jesus in all that we do even when this sometimes looks so different from the rest of the world. But we know the Lord who calls us is faithful, and he will do it (1 Thess. 5:24).
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To be a Christian in Thessalonica was not easy. They faced persecution and many trials. But they endured because life was different now. They knew they didn’t face these challenges alone. They had the encouragement of their church family. This made them want to stand firm in the Lord as they looked for ways to love and support each other. So too in our world it's easy to feel isolated and alone. But when we support each other like family we know that God is at work strengthening us and causing our love for each other to overflow.
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When the Thessalonians first heard the gospel, they realized it was wonderfully different than any message they’d ever heard before. That’s why they received it as they did—not as the words of mere human beings, but as God’s Word—life changing and worth holding onto for dear life. We also want to take all of God's truth seriously because even in our modern world it's the Word of God that still makes all the difference.
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The Thessalonians turned away from the idols they used to serve. Why? The power of the gospel! Idols are demanding. But Jesus is different! Unlike idols, Jesus is the only living God who, even when you fail him, will not punish you and doesn’t demand more from you. He is the only Lord who even when you fall short, forgives you freely by his grace. Live for him and you will never be let down in the end. The pure gospel of Jesus is why we can also live with more joy than guilt just like the Thessalonians.
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There are false gods battling for the place of honor in our lives. We can’t live the life God wants us to live when we are pursuing something else. Behind the sins we struggle with, the discouragement we deal with, and the lack of purpose we live with, are false gods that are winning the battle for our hearts. They are vying for our attention. But so is our gracious God, through his Word. Through the Holy Spirit. Which voice are we going to listen to? Which volume are we going to turn up? Which will get our attention? The many false gods this world offers that ultimately won’t help us? Or the one true God who made us and loves us and shows us his grace? How can we make sure we are tuning in to Him and his Word to fill us with what we really need?
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The last couple years showed us more than ever how divided we are as a people. We are divided along racial lines, political lines, gender lines, religious lines, and economic lines. It is too easy for us to think in terms of “us and them.” We judge others on this basis, and we feel superior. We tend to emphasize the weaknesses of those on “their” side and minimize the weaknesses of those on “our” side. We spend lots of time at the “altar of pride” and feel superior in terms of morality, religion, race, and ethnicity. These false gods have a very divisive power in our world, and can take the allegiance of our hearts from God to these “sides” we end up making into idols instead of blessings.
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“They must be doing something right!” Have you ever thought or muttered that when someone roared past you in their sports car or fancy boat? Or while you were watching a professional sports contest or singing contest? Or browsing the blog or YouTube channel of a successful influencer? We spend lots of time at the “altar of influence” worshiping gods of people, celebrities, influencers, and culture. Wishing we could be more like them. Wishing we could have what they have. These false gods have incredible influence in our world. It can be hard not to get carried away with them, and let them guide and direct us more than the God who actually knows best how this world works.
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Would you do anything for love? “Falling in love” with another person often keeps us from thinking straight. It takes a high place of importance. It isn’t hard for that kind of infatuation to take a place higher in our hearts than it should. We spend lots of time at the “altar of love” worshiping gods of romance, family, and our own ego. These things are actually good gifts and blessings from God, but can step out of order in our hearts and become more important to us than the love we have for the God who made and redeemed us. It’s good to love our spouse and family, and even have a healthy esteem of ourselves. But God needs first place in our hearts. Even over family. Let’s love our spouses, but love God more.
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It is easy in this world to think that the “best life” or “life to the full” means binging on all the things that bring us temporary pleasure. Didn’t the year of shut-down show us how powerfully addicting binging on Netflix, snack foods, and alcohol can be? We were made to worship God, but we often end up spending lots of time at the “altar of pleasure” worshiping gods of food, sex, and entertainment. These false gods, which wield a very powerful mental, physical, and emotional lure, keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need when they become more important to us than Him. We will look at God’s Word today to see how it can defeat these idols from taking God’s place in our hearts.
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We live in a world where everyone wants to be “King of the hill,” right? Climb the ladder. Be on top. Be the highest paid whatever we are. We were made to worship God, but we often end up spending lots of time at the “altar of power” worshiping gods of success, money, and achievement. These false gods, which are so attractive to our world, keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need. We will look at God’s Word today to see how it can defeat these idols from getting God’s place in our hearts.
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There are false gods battling for the place of honor in our lives. We can’t live the life God wants us to live when we are pursuing something else. Behind the sins we struggle with, the discouragement we deal with, and the lack of purpose we live with, are false gods that are winning the battle for our hearts. We were made to worship God, but we often end up valuing and honoring the idols of success, money, achievement, food, sex, entertainment, romance, family, our own ego, and many more things. These false gods keep us from the real relationship with Jesus that we need. This week, we begin looking at God’s Word to see how it can help us defeat the idols that want God’s place in our hearts. It’s a battle for our hearts!
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We believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of all God's promises. Through Him, we utter our Amen to God. The creed summarizes the many promises God has made to us. It's appropriate we conclude with our "Amen." In the end, we are still and know that our Lord is God. In the end, we have confidence in his promises because of Christ.
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We believe there will be a future physical resurrection of the dead for those who turn from sin and to Jesus. Those who believe will be raised to eternal reward.We hope for many things, yet there must be some ultimate hope that provides the drive to propel us forward each and every day. For those who confess the words of the creed, that hope is the resurrection and the life everlasting.
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We believe only through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ and repentance from sin can one be reconciled to God and experience true life and joy.The beauty of God's grace allows us to openly admit our failings and weaknesses, relying on a God who is full of compassion and grace.
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We believe the universal Church contains all Christian believers, spanning the time of the early church to today. The creed reminds us that the life of a Christian is one that desires community with other believers.
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We believe the Holy Spirit is living and working in the heart of every believer. No one can know Jesus Christ except by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit makes known an optimism that transcends our experience as he brings Christ's peace and Christ's presence.
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We believe Jesus will return and judge the sin of each person. Believers should prepare for and eagerly await this second coming.
While our confession is of truth, it is belief in the truth God has revealed. We don't insist on all the details, but rely on the wisdom of God in his plan.
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We believe Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection. He rules and reigns over all things with the Father and the Holy Spirit.Are we there yet? As Christians we certainly have a longing for heaven. We long for the complete removal of sin from our life and the lives of those around us - its consequences and its nature. Perhaps because we long and trust, we also grow impatient with God's timetable. The creed gives us the symmetry we need to both long for heaven, and accept God's work and wisdom in our present circumstances.
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We believe Christ experienced death with us and for us. He descended into the grave but He defeated death and was resurrected.The creed reminds us that the war is over. Victory is complete. Let's remember to live in such victory, and carry ourselves with the triumph of Christ - his triumph over sin, death, hell, and Satan.
We believe Jesus died as the sacrificial substitute to pay the penalty for sin. He truly suffered and died on the cross for us and was buried in a tomb.
The historical, spiritual, and biblical truths of the cross assault our intellect and reason. Through our confession of faith, we reject the intellectualism that has become the god of our age.
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We believe Jesus was born of a virgin, Mary, and His birth came about through the workings of the Holy Spirit.We have the opportunity to look at a familiar narrative, but apart from all the trappings of modern, worldly Christmas. While those celebrations and embellishments of the season are enjoyable and serve a good purpose, as we look at the miracle of Christ's birth apart from them we are better able to witness the wonder and awe of Jesus' incarnation.
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We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, and He is both fully God and fully human.
This confession of the person of Jesus Christ is so important because it wages war on hell itself. It is the assault against Satan, his temptations, the accusations he hurls at us, and the very prison to which he would enslave us. All because Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. So we combat the notions of materialism - I don't need stuff, I need Jesus. We combat the notions of individualism, because Jesus has bought me with his blood.
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We believe there is only one God, who has been and will always be. He exists in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He created everything.
This truth gives us incredible comfort and promises on which we can rely. It also calls us to worship and honor him alone as the God of all creation. God is both infinitely powerful and intensely personal.
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When you realize how Jesus has saved you, you can't help but want to serve. When God fills you up, you can't help but overflow. It's no wonder that Christians love to be encouraged to live like no one else. We truly believe it is more blessed to give than to receive.
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Do you love someone enough to hurt them? Sometimes the truth hurts, and yet the people we love we need to hear that truth. Sometimes we need to hear the truth, even when the truth hurts. That leads to godly sorrow, which leads to repentance, which leads to salvation. It is that message that leads our attack on sin in our lives.
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Everyone is worried about good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. For our heart’s sake we want more of the good and less of the bad. That’s true for our spiritual heart as well. To be effective in your service to Christ, open your heart to the truth and do all that you can to block out the false.
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Are you a Christian fanatic? We probably don’t want that label. But Paul was willing to be called “crazy” for Jesus’ sake. He saw himself and everyone else from a new perspective. That new perspective gives our lives purpose: to be Christ’s ambassadors.
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Serving in Christ’s Church can be discouraging. It is difficult to understand why everything doesn’t work out better for the Church. It is difficult to understand why faithful servants in Christ’s church suffer so much. What keeps us going in ministry is the unseen – the eternal glory and the heavenly home.
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Physical strength, mental acuteness, outward beauty—these are the qualities that people look for to change the world. Jesus chooses frail clay jars like us to change the world to show that the power is not from us, but in the powerful gospel message we share.
Sometimes people inquire about Sunday School or Christian education because they want their children to “get religion.” What they’re really looking for is a place where their children can learn right from wrong. Yes, that’s important. But the church has something much more glorious to share—a Savior who takes all our wrongs and makes them right.
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Because the church is about spiritual needs, i.e. forgiveness and reconciliation, living together as a community of believers can be a messy business. But as God causes our hearts to beat more and more at one with his, we will trust each other as we determine the best way to address each other’s spiritual needs.
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We’ve all wondered why God allows us to experience those difficult and painful days of life. Could it be that God is preparing and equipping us to comfort our brothers and sisters as they face their own challenges?
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Jesus' first words after rising from the dead were, "Do not be afraid." His resurrection has changed everything for us. What is your greatest fear? Listen to Jesus as he says, "Don't be afraid."
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Where in your life would you like to have more peace? If there was one thing you could fix or have fixed for you to bring more harmony to your life, what would it be? Palm Sunday was the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem as King to bring peace. But what peace exactly?
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The next “famous words” Jesus speaks from the cross are these: “I thirst.” What was He thirsty for? What are you thirsty for? Our bodies crave water, but what is your heart thirsty for? Love? Acceptance? Purpose? Jesus is the only One who can satisfy your thirsts. Thank God that Jesus went thirsty so He could quench the thirst of our hearts.
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We have heard Jesus speak words of forgiveness, words of compassion for his family and friends, and words of eternal salvation for a sinner. Today, we hear something very different from Jesus. We hear “Why?” There’s a word we would never have expected to hear from Jesus. Jesus cries out in the middle of his suffering: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Let’s hear what this means, and what this means for us. Its implications are huge!
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How do you handle your guilt? Do you cover it up? Feel bad for a couple days? Does it keep you up at night? Depending on who you ask, there are many different ways to handle guilt. Psychologists might try to track it back to your childhood. Talk-show hosts might tell you to believe in yourself. But in the Bible today we are going to learn the only true way to handle guilt. It comes from the third word Jesus said from the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
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Many people have spoken “famous last words” before they died. What “Famous Last Words” would Jesus speak? His first words, instead of bitter words of anger, were words of love, asking his Father to forgive those who were wronging Him. In his second words from the cross, Jesus turns his love and compassion toward his family and friends. He wants to make sure they are taken care of in ways that are good for their bodies and souls. What tender love He shows, even while dying for us!
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Many people have spoken “famous last words” before they died. What “Famous Last Words” would Jesus speak when He was being killed mercilessly on a cross? You might expect bitter words of anger, with the way He was being treated. But… instead of bitter words of anger, He asked his Father to forgive those who were wronging Him! Who would have expected that? How can these words comfort us? What can we learn from this?
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Jesus' transfiguration changes the way we view him and what it means to be a disciple.
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In his book Making Sense of God author Tim Keller quotes postmodern novelist David Foster Wallace who is an atheist: “In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is no such thing as…not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.” Is this true? If so, what implications does this have for the choices we make in life? Our relationships? Our attitudes? Does it really matter who or what we worship? In this concluding message in our series, we’ll see how a Christian worldview inspires a lifetime of joyful worship. Our relationship with God gives us a stable identity on which to build our lives and a generous, loving spirit towards Him and others.
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Is there life after death? If there is, what will that life be like? From a completely human perspective, it would appear as though this life is all there is. When you die, you’re dead. In the Scripture, however, we discover that death was not a part of God’s original plan for the world, that death is God’s judgment against sin. That makes death frightening and ugly, but God found a way to destroy death forever. We now look forward to Paradise restored!
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Who determines what’s right and wrong? Shouldn’t the individual have the right to determine that for himself or herself? That sounds good to me. But how is that actually going to work in the real world? Is morality subjective or objective? A scriptural world-view makes no bones about it. The Creator calls the shots.
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What have I been put on earth for? Am I here to have fun? Am I here to somehow make the world a better place? Is there no way for me to know why I’m really here? The answers we come up with aren’t really satisfying. In the end what I come up with seems so, well, meaningless. But when the Bible talks about why we’re here, it makes sense. I begin to see that I have meaning and purpose that reaches far beyond myself and this broken world.
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Am I just here by chance, a random lucky draw of the straw? Is there nothing special about me other than the fact that the genetic mutations of my ancestors produced the “me” I am today? God says “No.” God says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wow! That changes everything.
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How do we maintain Christmas joy all year long? Simeon and Anna give us a stirring picture of what it means to wait on the Lord and finally experience the joy of God’s promises fulfilled. How have you experienced the joy of God’s promises fulfilled?
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On Christmas Eve, God gave us the greatest gift ever; the gift of his Son. He is the greatest gift you'll receive this Christmas.
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God promised that he would send a forerunner who would prepare the way for the coming Savior by proclaiming our need for deliverance. How is God preparing your heart for your Deliverer?
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God’s people were waiting for a Prophet like Moses. The prophet brought God’s word to the ears of God’s people. God sent his Son into this world to reveal His truth that you might see and understand his promises fulfilled.
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God’s people were waiting for the promised great High Priest. The priest was the representative of God before the people, offering the required sacrifices for sin. Jesus came into the world to represent you in his life and his sacrificial death and bring you God’s promised salvation. Matthew 1:18-25
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God’s people were waiting for the promised King of kings. The king was the protector and the deliverer of God’s people. God came into the world so that he could keep his promise to protect and deliver you.
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Never could there be a king like Christ, our king. Beyond all comparison is the rule he exercises in time and in eternity. Incomparably great therefore is also our joy in worshiping him even now as we await his triumphant return to transform our worship in faith and under the cross to worship in sight and in glory.
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Today our message series on the book of Judges comes to a close. A very sad close. A dark and disturbing look at how far God’s people had gone in living life in a way that was right in their eyes… but not His eyes. People doing whatever they wanted to do. And we aren’t talking about unbelievers. We are talking about God’s own people. Even if we haven’t done things as outwardly awful as these people, have we been any different? Do we also have dark secrets? Have we been guilty of inaction when we needed to do something? Are we guilty of telling a better story about ourselves than what is true? These are spiritual problems. We need a spiritual solution. We need a spiritual King. We need Jesus as our King.- Judges 19
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Rock bottom and guardrails. Messy People… No one plans on making a huge mess in their life, but plenty of people do. Often big messes happen when you begin to think that you are invincible. This was the case for Samson. He thought he was invincible and ended up hitting rock bottom in life. The sinful nature inside of us is dangerous and destructive. Merciful God… As Christians, we need to call upon Jesus for forgiveness even when we hit rock bottom.
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Do we realize that the sinful world around us is actually our spiritual “enemy”? Or have we gotten all too comfortable with it? Have we just accepted the fact that things are the way they are? Do the things that should bother us no longer bother us? That is the way things were in Israel during the time of Samson. The people weren’t even crying out to the Lord to help anymore. They had just surrendered to the enemy around them. We are going to see how God works not only in spite of the flaws of someone like Samson, but even through his flaws. Today’s text reads like a summer blockbuster action hero movie. We are going to see how God uses the act of “Settling Scores” to accomplish his purpose!
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Are we more influenced by the Word of God or by the culture around us? We are more affected by our culture than we think. And that often leads us to try treating God like one of our idols. We treat God like a vending machine, trying to get Him to give us what we want Him to give us. And when we are more influenced by the culture around us, we struggle to see God as a God of grace. If our other “gods” don’t have mercy on us, how can God do that? Let’s let His Word influence us, and stop treating God as an idol!
Do we have the tendency to boast about and take credit for things that actually are blessings from God? We don’t like it when others take credit for what we do, and God doesn’t like it when we take credit for what He does. Gideon and his army could have been tempted to take credit for the coming victory. God took some things away to make sure they couldn’t. God sometimes takes things away from us so we can see our weakness and his strength, and trust his strength instead of ours. So we can live in confidence without boasting!
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Are we sometimes obsessed with the need for human approval? Whether it is your parents, peers, friends or strangers, it is easy to live a life solely devoted to trying to impress others. In the book of Judges we learn that Barak had the same problem that we all have today. So, what do you expect for what you do? Do you expect praise from others or are you trying to please your Father in heaven? Knowing our true identity in Jesus will give us the solution to our struggles of trying to impress others.
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How is it possible that people can “forget” God? We may “know” certain truths about God, but those truths don’t grab our hearts, and therefore He stops being “real” to us. The Israelites forgot God, and so idols became more “real” to them than God was. It is important that God is real to us! And if his forgiveness and salvation is real to us, then we will live it out in our lives! So let’s let his Word today remind and convince us of how real God is, and encourage us to live a life that thanks Jesus for being our real Savior. Our real “Judge.”
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Today we will see how important it is for one generation to pass the faith down to the next generation. The failure to do that leads to the loss of something very important. We are also introduced to the repeated cycle in the book of Judges - Rebelling against God, being oppressed, crying out for help, God sending someone to deliver, and then a return to sin. An awful downward spiral. That unfaithfulness to a God who continues to be patiently faithful is the most hurtful kind of adultery. But it shines a spotlight on how tremendously loving and gracious our God is!- Judges 2
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The book of Judges. Messy People. Merciful God. As we walk through this book, we are going to encounter a lot of horrifying tales of what sin can do in people’s lives. Sin can get real messy. We can identify with that today. The book of Judges shows what happens when people stop giving full-hearted devotion to God and start offering Him half-hearted discipleship. It eventually leads to non-discipleship. It leads to people doing whatever they want to do. We see that in the world around us. What about us? Are we offering God full-hearted devotion? Or half-hearted discipleship?
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How could they do that? Sometimes what we read about or see in the news seems shocking to us, scandalous even. In the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, Jesus tells perhaps the most shocking story imaginable in order to hold up before his hearers the very crime they were premeditating in their hearts to commit. In doing so we find ourselves also in the story when it comes to our own foolish thoughts about our favorite pet sins. The only thing more shocking than that? God’s longsuffering, patient and persistent love that recklessly keeps reaching out for us!- Luke 20:9-19
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Invitations go out in the mail. E-vite reminders begin to fill people’s inboxes. Follow up text messages, phone calls, and personal messengers even go out to make sure you know, “You are invited!” It’s going to be the banquet of a lifetime. A feast. A party. The venue is first-rate. The food and drink is five-star. There is no fee to attend, no cover charge to get in the door. Surely everyone who's invited is going to want to be there, right? After all, what could be better? But Jesus has an unsettling surprise to share with us in the Parable of the Great Banquet. You don't want to miss out. Luke 14:15-24
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Clever entrepreneurs see an opportunity and they go for it. Savvy marketing experts figure out how to effectively promote and sell their products. Shrewd investment professionals find ways to grow wealth into the future. In the secular business oriented world, people often figure out what their opportunities are and find ways to take advantage of them. Is there anything that Christians in the church can learn from how secular people do business in the world? Apparently Jesus thought so. What can we possibly learn from how the world does business, even from a crooked scoundrel? That’s what we’ll find out as we study the Parable of the Unjust Steward. Luke 16:1-9
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Just one more promotion and we can take that vacation. Just one more sale and I can get the dream living room. Just "one more" and I will have everything I want. But, then what? In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus warns his disciples about the need for more. What does that mean for us? Listen to His story to find out what Jesus has to say to us about "the abundance of our possessions."
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In an age of fast food, direct deposit, and Netflix we have gotten pretty used to getting what we want, when we want it. At least for the little things in life. But what happens when we don't? What about the more important things in life like difficulties, frustrations, injustices, and hurts? What happens when those aren't easily fixed or immediately solved? In the Parable of the Unjust Judge, Jesus helps his disciples understand the best way to approach these matters. What does that mean for us? Listen to His story to find out what Jesus has to say to us about "prayer and not giving up."- Luke 18
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You work a long day and expect a fair wage. You pay for a good education and expect a good job. You do good work and expect appropriate recognition. So what happens when someone hasn't put in the same effort, but receives the same reward? In the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Jesus helps his disciples understand the nature of the One who is handing out payment at the end of the day. What does that mean for us? Listen to His story to find out what Jesus has to say to us about "what we deserve."
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We all look for clear definitions and guidelines to outline how we act in certain situations or treat certain people. Our society today has laid down some guidelines based on career, race, gender, socio-economics, and life experience. Some are good. Some are most definitely not. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus helps an expert in the law understand what His guidelines are for how we are to act and treat others. What does that mean for us? Listen to His story to find out what Jesus has to say to us about our "neighbor."- Luke 10:25-37
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Sometimes, in the frustrations and failures of life, it feels like God is absent. Why did it seem like he was with me before, or with his believers before, but he’s not with me now? Sometimes we wish we could go back to the Bible times and hear from God directly like people did in those times, and yet here we see an Old Testament believer struggling with this same frustration. The solution? Look to God’s great track record.- Psalm 77
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Sometimes the outlook looks hopeless and difficult. We may not have enemy armies bearing down on us, but there are times when we feel surrounded. This psalm expresses the Christian hope of God’s protection and love and wisdom even in the face of disaster. We can sing in the midst of battle!- Psalm 27
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Is being a Christian and a passionate Christ-follower worth it? It seems like those who set aside God’s Word or ignore it somehow end up with nicer houses, more money, and easier lives. Why? It doesn’t seem fair. The Christian heart calls out to God about what seems unjust.- Psalm 73
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Guilt is a burden we often bear alone. We feel the shame of past sins and the frustration of falling into the traps of repeated, habitual sins. And in the face of that guilt and shame, we can be afraid of telling someone. The Christian heart is one that goes to God in the face of guilt every time.- Psalm 32
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It’s good to brag and boast about God! God wants us to have unbridled joy at how amazing he is. We are proud of our teams and our kids and our favorite shows, but do we brag about our God? It’s good to count our blessings and really see how many ways God is so incredibly good to us. Maybe we get in the habit of only coming to God with the difficulties and the requests, but we should celebrate and praise him too! - Psalm 145
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Life is hard. There’s pain and hurt that shows up in so many different ways. Sometimes we feel that in order to be proper Christians, our lives should be neat and clean, and we should always have a smile on our faces. But the reality of life is that we are going to go through hurt and pain, and to hide that pain or deny it would be dishonest. Instead, the Christian heart is honest about the pain and goes to God with it.- Psalm 42
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Life can be hard in this world. A lot of days, everything just seems dark. But there is a light that shines in the darkness. God is that light. His Word gives light. The Bible says, “His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom.” Can we see the importance of opening that light and letting it shine into our lives? God rules above all things in the world around us. But He also rules in our hearts. His ruling activity grows as that Word shines into our lives and flows into the lives of others. Until He comes, we let it shine like the brightness of the stars in the sky! -- Daniel 7:15-28
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Ever been so scared your face went pale? Daniel was. But, God showed His dominion will never end. He has won the victory over the enemy. We experience that in part now. But God promises we will experience it fully one day. No matter how out of control life seems, God is in control! He can even control the very things that rise in opposition to Him. Christians can rest assured, that while nations rage against God, which we see in the news every day, His dominion is everlasting, and His kingdom will not be destroyed. Daniel 7:1-14
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There are certain situations only God can get us out of. Like being rescued from a den of hungry lions. Daniel served his king, but would not worship Him. That got him in trouble. He faced certain death because of it. While we might not face death, we do have professional, relational, cultural, and political issues that challenge our faith. How do we deal with them? We trust our God who delivers from death. Jesus proves that. We can trust God is with us because He’s shown nothing stands between us.
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The king in our lesson today thought he had it made. He thought he could hold God in his hand, belittle God, and determine what God would do. But the writing on the wall said otherwise. The lesson we learn is: if we think we can hold God in our little hands, we venture into territory we don’t belong. We will be weighed and found wanting before God. Like the king, we don’t always heed this warning. Thankfully, Jesus paid the price for us. Now, God gives a different writing. Not on a wall, but in a book. His book. The Bible. With the writing found in God’s Word, we are assured our fate is different than the foolish king.
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God wants all people to be saved. Which means He is going to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Sometimes that’s very easy. But sometimes that happens through a personal crisis. When we are robbed of comfort, health, wealth, and pride, God and His plans for us often seem a lot clearer. Because of this, we can be thankful for the challenges, difficulties, and hardships that come our way! They show us we have a God who saves. And because of that, we find we have a God that deserves all glory-- Daniel 4
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The world is filled with things that scream: Put me ahead of your God. But NOTHING can take the place of our God! So, that other thing will have to go. Daniel had to make that choice. So will we. What are we willing to sacrifice to serve Him above all? It might be a pretty difficult choice. But remember, the God we serve is able to help us in every situation. And he doesn’t ask us to make those choices alone. He is in the fire with us.
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Wisdom doesn’t mean we have all the answers. Having wisdom means we know where to go to find the answers. This section of Daniel proves that. If we rely on ourselves for wisdom, we are going to see how ignorant we are. Because true wisdom comes from God. What Jesus does for us is draw us away from trusting in ourselves to trusting in Him. His Word always offers us the wisdom we truly need rather than what we think is best for us.
Daniel 2
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Have you ever wondered why you are where you are? And wherever THAT is, does it sometimes seem that God is far away? Daniel and his friends could have felt like that. They were far away from their home. Exiles in a foreign country. But God always puts His people where He wants them. He is accomplishing His purpose through us. Daniel knew that. He had the courage and the joy to be who God wanted Him to be -- despite the circumstance and battle in front of him. Can we do the same?
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Life throws so much at us that it is easy to feel defeated and without hope. That's how some women were feeling on Easter morning as they made their way to the tomb. Everything changed, though, when they arrived at the tomb and it was empty. No longer are we defeated, but victorious!
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The power of the devil's lures is so great. Left to ourselves, the devil would hook every one of us and drag us into hell. Thankfully, Jesus to unhook us from the lures of Satan. But he doesn't just unhook us. He completely destoys the work of the devil. Though the devil still tries to lure us in, we have the power to resist. But this power doesn't reside in us. Rather it comes from Jesus. He is more attractive, more wonderful, than any lure could possibly be. With the devil conquered and our eyes on Jesus, we can resist any lure.
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What would YOU do to tempt you? What is so fascinating you would turn your back on everything you know to be right and swim towards it? Sadly, the devil knows that answer even better than you do. He sees your blind spots and has thousands of years of tempting people just like you. Learn lessons from God's people in the past to see the lures the devil uses and how to look to Jesus for the way out.
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One of Satan's most loved lure is the lure of fear. He loves to cause chaos and make us fear for our life. The reality, though, is that we have a mighty fortress that surrounds us and protects us. We have a refuge that keeps us safe and secure no matter what is going on.
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One of the biggest reasons we get hooked by Satan's lures is because we underestimate the power of sin. Instead of moving as far away as we can, we think we can "handle it". We hang dangerously close to the lure. Only when the hook digs in do we find out the temptation is more deadly than we could ever imagine. Learn how dangerous self-reliance is and who we can lean on instead of ourselves.
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One of the biggest reasons we get hooked by Satan's lures is because we undestimate the power of sin. Instead of swimming away, we let the lure hang around us. But Satan's lures are powerful and once he hooks us, it is more deadly than we could ever imagine. Genesis 4:1-12
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The devil is pure evil. He hates you. When he offers "more" he only does so to rob you of joy, strip your blessings, and destroy your soul. Like the first temptation, every temptation is a deception that looks good and promises us "more". Unfortunately, they are all lies. Learn how the deception of getting "more" only leads to hurt, guilt, and death.- Genesis 3:1-24
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The amount of her offering was tiny, but her self-sacrifice was total. She gave until she had nothing left—and at that very moment she still had absolutely everything. She had her Lord. She had God’s promises and God’s gift of faith to trust them. The big point today? She gave even beyond her ability, because she trusted her Lord’s ability to care for her. What if we truly believed that God will take care of us? - Mark 12:41-44
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God wants to open our minds to consider the magnitude of his blessings. Each of us has been blessed in different ways and at various levels. What should our thoughtful, prayerful response be to these blessings? The only key that will ever turn over the engine and take us down the road of devoting ourselves to serving him with those gifts is how much Jesus loves us. In this all-encompassing arena of making faithful use of God’s blessings, what really matters is knowing the Master.
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We’ll take care of ourselves right now, so that we’ll be in a better position to take care of God’s house later. That’s what seems to make sense. Giving to God first doesn’t make a bit of sense. But what if it isn’t our giving that makes no sense, but rather it’s God’s giving that makes no sense? The prophet Haggai will help us see that the real issue for us is not one of our resources, but of the resolve of our hearts.
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Ever since the fall into sin, death has become an inevitable reality. We have all experienced funerals and know the sadness of losing a friend, family member, coworker, etc. At such times, tears are common and expected for us just as just as they were for the grieving widow of Nain. Yet Jesus reveals himself as the one who can say "Don't Cry" to the grieving. Why? Because he holds power even over death!
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The idea of going to church regularly can be common for some and seem strange to others. What's the point or gathering together and reading from old texts? What a display of power that Jesus demonstrated as gathered at the synagogue in Capernaum that Sunday! As he amazed listeners with his word and displayed authority in his actions, Jesus is revealed. We are blessed to see that same power and authority today as we gather in his house.
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Weddings can be wonderful celebrations...and also sources of stress! What couple wouldn't want everything to go perfectly?! But...problems happen. At a wedding and reception, all eyes are normally on the bride and groom and yet in Cana, we gladly look to Christ as he "revealed his glory" in an unusual, but comforting way. Jesus reveals himself as a Savior who shows care for his people even in unexpected circumstances.
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Trusting Jesus is easy when things are going well in our lives. However, it is a lot more challenging when hardships come. How do we remove doubts in these circumstances? Jesus teaches us that today in Matthew 11:2-6.
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Christmas is over and now staring us in the face are our troubles and problems. But the joy of Christmas doesn't end when the decorations are put away. The joy of Christmas continues as we realize God is present with us. Luke 2:25-35
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We look at our lives and the world and it is easy to wonder if God really loves the world. But at Christmas we see that he absolutely loves the world including you! John 3:16-18
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With all the benefits that this Child brings, we might think that everyone would welcome him. And at Christmas it might appear that everyone does welcome Jesus. But the reality is that even for us as believers, there is something about Jesus that makes us uncomfortable. Isaiah warns in advance that the Child born on Christmas is the God whom no one wants.
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“And they all lived happily ever after.” Many families do not experience this fairy tale ending. Especially at Christmas, many are burdened with a sense of disappointment that their family is torn apart. Others are dreading that Christmas party where we will all try to “make nice.” Hard to imagine that Isaiah saw a child who could make peace in your family!
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Don’t you wish that you could be a child again? For a child, Christmas is coming and they can’t wait because they don’t have a care in the world. But for us adults, there are so many heavy responsibilities to carry – not just the Christmas preparations but the day to day pressures of life. How ironic that Isaiah saw that God would become a child to take all that weight off of our shoulders!
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Sometimes our troubles are so big, that we can’t see around them. We think that we are facing them all alone. But Isaiah saw that Jesus is the God who is near. Whether we believe it or not, Jesus came near to us in his birth and he still comes near to us today.
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Moms say things to their children and then don’t follow through. Dad’s make promises that go unfulfilled. It happens in every facet of life. Except when it comes to our Savior. Already in the Old Testament, God used the Prophet Jeremiah to foretell his arrival, even going so far as to say, “This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” (23:6) That’s our Savior. That’s the One worthy of our praise. He’s never failed us. He never will.
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Death is ugly. It does not matter if someone dies after a long fight with illness or if they die peacefully in their sleep, those left behind mourn their passing and their absence is noticed. Death would be overwhelming were it not for the fact that, for the believer, Christ has completely transformed death. Death is not the end. For those who are part of Christ’s forever family, death is rather the beginning of a new and better life, one where the deceased has triumphed over sin and its consequences. Christians have a forever family. We look forward to being reunited with brothers and sisters in the faith who precede us in death soon.
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Twenty-one billion dollars. That is how much Americans spend annually on home security. We want our homes to be a place where our family feels safe from everything that can hurt them. However, the reality is no amount of locks, alarms or cameras can keep you perfectly safe. Jesus, though, not only can. He promises to do so.
In his Church on earth, Jesus has given us a home that is perfectly safe. Christians can look forward to Christ’s triumphant return with great anticipation. Even as “the mountains fall into the heart of the sea” (Psalm 46:2), we have Christ’s promise that we will be perfectly safe.
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We begin our Welcome Home series with one of the most comforting passages found anywhere in Scripture. To an individual- to a world- in turmoil, God says to us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) God is a loving Father. He does not pretend we have no brokenness or sin, but he paid for it all by the death and resurrection of Christ. Scripture says that through faith in Christ, we are forgiven. We have true rest in Christ’s love.God’s grace not only frees us from the fear of condemnation and punishment, it frees us to live a better, more peace-filled life. All because he equips us to do so. All to his glory.
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We are all too familiar with evil. We watch the news and see all the different evils that take place every day. But there's a greater evil that threatens us, but compared to all the other evils, it doesn't seem so bad. That's exactly why Jesus ends his prayer asking God to deliver us from evil.
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We haven’t even earned the privilege of talking with God. Our sins have separated us from Him. But He forgave us through Jesus. So this request is as important to us as breathing. We humbly ask God to forgive us for all the ways we failed Him. But before we ask Him to forgive us, we have to be willing to forgive others. This prayer reminds us of the importance of extending grace before asking for grace.
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Do you ever wonder why God answers some of your prayers with "yes" and others "no"? Do you ever wonder why you get stressed out and worried? In the 4th petition of the Lord's Prayer, we learn how to pray in a way that leads to contentment, but also in a way that relieves stress, worry, and anxiety.
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We all want peace, security, and contentment. Often times, events in our lives and circumstances dictate whether we have them or not. But how do we pray in such a way that no matter if God answers "yes" or "no" we can have peace, security, and contentment? Jesus answers that for us in two petitions (requests) in the Lord's Prayer. If we can pray these from the bottom of our heart and mean it, we'll have exactly what we are looking for.
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God’s name is everything He reveals to us about Himself in his Word. It is holy. Sacred. We can’t make it holy. It already is. But we can keep it holy by living in such a way that honors and thanks Him. We can keep his name holy, or sacred, when we share it with others, and tell them how awesome He is! We begin this prayer with worship… letting God know He means everything to us.
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Not everyone knows how to pray. As followers of Jesus, we want to know how to talk to our loving God. Jesus gives us a template that teaches us how to pray. His template, the Lord’s Prayer, reminds us that because Jesus gave us access to his Father, we are talking to our loving heavenly Father when we talk to God. We are children of God who can approach Him with joy and confidence!
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As Christians, we have many freedoms. There are plenty of areas in life that God hasn't told us what to do or what not to do. It's a matter of Christian freedom. But is exercising my freedom always the right thing to do? Paul tells us how church members are to live with other church members when they don't agree on matters of Christian freedoms.
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Living in this 21st American political climate can be tough. The political arena and the government cause all kinds of emotions. How are God's people to behave? Maybe more important, why are they to behave that way? The Roman Christians had a similar situation and Paul answers both of these questions in Romans 13.
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What is your purpose in life? At times it seems to be so clear, but other times it's a bit blurry. It doesn't matter if we are 3 or 93, we all have the same purpose in life. Paul tells us what that is and why in Romans 12.
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Why do bad things happen? Tragedies, health issues, natural disasters all leave us wondering why? Why do we suffer? How are we supposed to feel about God? Paul answers all these questions as he tells us grace wins and gives us an escape.
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Have you ever wondered why you keep sinning? Have you ever wondered why other Christians continue to sin? Why can't we just stop? Grace isn't just for those outside of God's family, but we need it every moment of our lives. That's what we find our Jesus.
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There's a tension that exists for the life of a Christian. If Jesus has forgiven us all of our sins, why not just go ahead and sin? Paul tells us that reason in Romans 6.
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Our hearts have so much conflict weighing on them. They long for peace from the noise, pressure, chatter, and responsibilities. We long for peace from the conflicts we inflict on our hearts of needing to be better, smarter, thinner, and prettier. Peace doesn't come from any of those things. Instead, Paul tells us peace comes from our status.
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Have you ever wondered how God can be both forgiven and just? How can a God pardon sins and let people "get away" with them? But if God is just, what does that mean for you and me? Are we really forgiven? Paul answers these questions for us as we look at the place where God's love and justice meet.
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Can bad news be good news? Absolutely. In Romans 1-2, Paul has a lot of bad news for us. Yet, it is through this bad news that we see the good news. That good news is grace: God's undeserved love through Jesus.
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Could you use some good news? Life seems to be filled with situations and stories that cause worry, fear, anger, anxiety, and depression. We're all desperate for good news. Not only does Romans 1:16-17 give us good news, it gives us the best good news ever.
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As people that come from all different backgrounds and upbringings, how do we maintain unity within a Christian congregation? It starts by stressing what God wants us to stress.
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All people who believe in Jesus as their Savior are united in the Holy Christian Church. If that's the case, why are there so many different Christian churches? Why aren't we all united? How does God feel about it?
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There are so many different Christian congregations throughout the world. How does God feel about that? How should we feel about that? How does God feel about us? Paul reminds us that there are Christians everywhere, not just in our local congregation, who call on the name of the Lord.
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We all have moments in life where we believe the more the merrier. That certainly is the case when it comes to heaven. But how will we get there? How do others get there? Find out how as we close out this series on the Journey.
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Do you ever feel directionless or lost in life? Wouldn't it be great if you had a GPS telling you were to go, what to do, and to warn you when you're getting off track. Jesus says that we actually have a real life GPS. He's the Holy Spirit.
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We all have moments in life that change who we are, not just our circumstances, but the way we view the world. They change us. This nothing that changes us more, than the love of Jesus.
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We live in a technology world that is designed to connect us to people. Even though there are so many people that we can be connected to, we still at times feel alone. But there is hope! It comes from God who says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."
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In the journey of life there are several break downs. Some are big. Some are small. When those break downs happen, we're tempted to give up on faith and Jesus. What's the key to continuing on? Looking to Jesus, the one who cares for you, provides for you, and loves more than you could know.
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In the journey of life there are several detours, roadblocks, and unexpected events that cause us to get off track. Two of those detours are fear and doubt. They are normal. But how do we move forward and remove them so we can live in joy and peace?
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We've all experienced life-changing events, but Easter is the greatest life-changing event to ever take place. What Jesus accomplished on that first Easter not only changes your life for eternity, but it changes your life right now. All because he is risen, he is risen indeed!
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On that first Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem ready to conquer and bring peace. As he rode in, people were filled with joy and sang praises to God. That same King is our King. But what kind of peace are we expecting the King to bring? The answer to that question will impact the amount of joy we have in our life.
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As people, we love justice. We love when people get what they deserve. We love the guilty punished and the innocent set free. That's what makes grace so difficult for us. Grace is undeserved love. And grace is yours through Jesus.
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Everyone wants to be included, accepted, and loved. Rejection hurts. But you and I have been included in God's family because Jesus was rejected. What wonderful news for today!
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How long, deep, and wide is Jesus' love for you? It is so great that he willingly said, "Your will be done." Through his willful submission, we know that God is always on our side, he always has our back, even when our circumstances say something different.
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Are you determined to love? It's easy to be determined to love those we think deserve it. But what about those who don't? That's what is so incredible about Jesus' love. He's determined to love even those who don't deserve it; including you and me.
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Do you ever feel like fighting against temptation is a losing battle? The devil has the power to drag us down into despair. But there is hope. Jesus came to battle the devil one-on-one in a winner take all battle, and he did it all for you and me.
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Who is Jesus? He is the great I am. He is the God of this world who never changes. We recognize Jesus for all the the is, we take comfort in all that he is, and we make him all that he is in our life.
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How do you handle situations when life seems to be crashing down around you? In John 14, Jesus tells us how to handle those moments. It has nothing to do with our strength or our abilities. It has everything to do with who he is.
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Death hurts. It stings. "Lord, if you were here, this wouldn't have happened. Why didn't you save my loved one? Why didn't you do something." Jesus did do something, and what he did has everything to do with who he is.
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Are you having a hard time living your faith? Are you struggling to have love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control? Jesus has the reason and the answer.
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Are you looking for direction in life? Looking for guidance? Jesus says he's the good shepherd to lead you and guide you.
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Are you looking for more from this life and not satisfied? Do you seem to have a God-sized hole in your heart that can't be filled? Jesus says, "I am the bread of life."
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Think about everything light does for you. It is no wonder Jesus calls himself the Light of the world.
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It is easy to have the holiday blues now that Christmas is over. It can even creep into our relationship with Jesus. How do we have joy not just on Christmas but every day of our life? We learn from a group of guys called the Magi.
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Christmas completely changes the direction in our lives. That's because Jesus introduces us to three important truths. Grace, Truth, and the Father's heart.
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Have you ever felt overwhelmed, hurt, confused, and wonder what to do next? I'm sure Joseph felt the same way. God gave him exactly what he needed.
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Have you ever had someone tell you that there's nothing to be afraid of? There's actually plenty to be afraid of. Mary had some reasons to be afraid too, but the angel told her, "Don't be afraid." We can live without fear as well.
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Hopes and fears. We all have them. When we hope in our circumstances changing, we will be disappointed more often than not. So where does hope come from? Find out in Luke 1.
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Who is Jesus? The world has many different opinions, but when problems come into your life it matters who Jesus is.
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Being generous can be scary. Fear of the "what if" can paralyze giving. Yet, we don't have to fear. We have a God who not only provides what we need for this life, but he also provides everything we need to be generous.
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When we think of becoming more and more like Jesus, we probably think of becoming more kind and compassionate. While true, there's more to it then just that. Praise God that Jesus is more than just our example; he is our Savior!
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God has called us to be his children. In view of that mercy, what does that lead us to do in our life? Live for him, and use our gifts.
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In a culture that is on edge about all kinds of physical bacteria, do we ever consider there is spiritual bacteria in the air? How do we guard our hearts so they don't get contaminated by the spiritual bacteria in the air? It all is found in God's truth.
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When it comes to family, there's commitment and sacrifice. The same is true within the family of believers as we are united under the Father who is the most committed and has sacrificed everything for us.
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United we stand, divided we fall. Though we are all different people, we have been united. That's important as we carry out the mission of Jesus.
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How does God's kingdom grow? It's not by force. Instead, it is by scattering the powerful seed of the gospel. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Have you ever been down to your last hope? Ruth and Naomi were. See how their hope came through and how because of them you have hope today.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Everyone loves a great love story. In chapter three we see the love story of Ruth and Boaz take place. But what does it have to do with the greatest love story ever told; the love story that you're in? Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Waiting on God's plan is very difficult. It makes us question him. It makes us wonder if he's really there. It makes us wonder if he really does have a plan. I imagine that is where Ruth and Naomi were. See what encouragement God's Word gives us as we walk through dark valleys of life. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Imagine the next ten years of your life. What do you see? Good things, right? But what if the next ten years brings more heartache than joy? As we start this new series on Ruth, we see that God remains faithful. He's behind the scenes working in our lives through the relationships that we have. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 9 of Pastor Stephen Apt's sermon series on the 10 Commandments Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week eight of Pastor Stephen Apt's series on the ten commandments. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week Seven of Pastor Stephen Apt's series on the ten commandments. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 6 of Pastor Apt's '10 Commandment series' focusing on the six commandment. See what God has to say about the gift of sex and the wonderful news that we are not our own. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 3 of Pastor Apt's '10 Commandments' series focusing on the 3rd Commandment.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of Pastor Apt's '10 Commandments' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 3 of Pastor Apt's 'Grace is greater' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of Pastor Apt's 'Grace is Greater than..." series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 1 of Pastor Apt's 'Grace is Greater Than...' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 7 of Pastor Apt's 'Bold' Series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week six of Pastor Apt's 'Bold' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 5 of Pastor Apt's 'Bold' Series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 4 of Pastor Stephen's 'Bold' Series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 3 of Pastor Apt's "Bold" series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of Pastor Apt's Bold series. *Note there is no recording of Week 1, so start here!Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Apt's Easter Sunday service.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 5 of Pastor Apt's Scandal series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 4 of Pastor Apt's 'Scandal' series, titled The Trial.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 3 of Pastor Apt's 'The Scandal' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week two of the 'Scandal' series.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of the I am Jesus series. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week four of the Reset series, titled Transformed.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of Pastor Apt's Reset series, titled New Creation.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week one of the Reset series: Be Born AgainSupport the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week four of Pastor Stephen's Misfits of Christmas series. This week features Joseph.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week three of Pastor Stephen's Misfits of Christmas series. This week focuses on Mary.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week 2 of Pastor Apt's Misfits of Christmas series, featuring John the Baptist.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Week one of the Misfits of Christmas series. This sermon focuses on Zechariah.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Stephen's sermon this week is the fourth in The Good Life series. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Stephen Apt's introuction to the series The Good Life. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Apt's sermon on October 22, 2017Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Stephen Apt's sermon of Faith Alone, Romans 4:13-25Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Stephen Apt's sermon on John 8:31-36. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Apt's sermon on September 24, 2017.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Stephen Apt's sermon from Sunday, September 17, 2017. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)
Pastor Stephen Apt's sermon preached on September 10, 2017. Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsantaritaranch/)