Cloud’s Creek Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Cloud's Creek
We are a church in Oglethorpe County, GA just 30 minutes outside of Athens. We exist to Connect to God and community, Grow disciples, and Serve those around us.
We meet Sundays at 11am. Join us!
In today's sermon on Ephesians 3:14-19, we read Paul's prayer for the Ephesians to grasp the mystery of God's goodness. The emphasis is on God's unlimited resources and the encouragement to seek more from Him. We are urged to desire a deeper experience of God's love. The passage parallels the greatest commandment, emphasizing strength, soul, mind, and love. The prayer is for the congregation to be filled with the fullness of God, seeking a life saturated with His presence and blessings.
In today's message, we explore Ephesians 3:20-21, focusing on God's ability to do immeasurably more than we can imagine. We discuss praying confidently in God's will, considering different levels of His will. We talk about the importance of giving glory to God in all aspects of life and living intentionally in alignment with our new identity in Christ, as we have read in the first 3 chapters.
This week, we're delving into Ephesians 3:1-13, unraveling the mystery of God revealed through Jesus. As we explore the fulfillment of numerous prophecies by Christ, we come to understand the intricate plan God had in place throughout history. We'll grasp the cosmic significance of the church and its role in proclaiming God's goodness to believers and the spiritual realms. We'll reflect on Paul's example, encouraging each other to prioritize others for the sake of the Gospel. Let's remind ourselves of the profound impact of the cross and allow the Gospel to naturally lead us to care deeply for others.
This week, we look at spiritual death and God's transformative grace. Reflecting on Ephesians 2:1-3, we acknowledge our universal brokenness and enslavement, emphasizing that we were all once spiritually dead. There is a stark contrast between living in the flesh and living in Christ. Being a Christian isn't just about the afterlife but experiencing new life now. We're reminded to view others not as enemies but as people in need of life. The world tends to be a place of despair, with a real enemy at work.
But God's love and mercy make us alive with Christ and offer incomparable grace. We live in gratitude, knowing that salvation is a gift, not earned. We stress the importance of maintaining hope amid worldly challenges, living out our new life, and being ready to share the reason for our hope.
This week we look at the importance of prayer and the content of our prayers. Emphasizing that our prayer lives have often been influenced by a consumerism culture, leading us to pray for small and material things, almost treating God like Santa Claus. Instead, we ought to shift our prayers towards a desire for spiritual growth and transformation. The focus is on changing our identities and understanding ourselves as God sees us. Pray for a deeper knowledge of God and a higher spiritual view rather than just seeking changes in our circumstances. This passage also underscores the accessibility of understanding scripture, encouraging us to read the Bible and ask God for wisdom and insight. The core message revolves around placing Jesus above all things, recognizing that He is higher and more significant than any worldly concern. It calls for a shift in priorities, with a desire for more of Jesus and less of ourselves, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of our faith and God's plan.
Every Super Hero is a normal person who then gets extraordinary power. The new life we have in Jesus gives us the ability to love and care for others. We have a role as the hands and feet of Jesus. There are so many around us who need help, even just a little encouragement can go a long way. Ask God, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help others.
This week, we explore a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus. He talks about their adoption as children of God, stressing that this adoption is a permanent and profound transformation. This challenges the idea that everyone is automatically a child of God and highlights the importance of a personal relationship with God through salvation.
Paul also mentions that believers are co-heirs with Christ and shares in God's glory. We explore that our eternity begins at the point of salvation, urging us to live in alignment with our relationship with God.
We should perspective, emphasizing that salvation is not just about what happens after death but how we live our lives now, focusing on knowing and glorifying God.
Have you ever felt that need for pitch-black darkness to sleep in? In a world filled with artificial light, the value of light as a commodity from ancient times becomes more apparent. The sun, moon, and stars were the primary sources of light. In our exploration of the names of God, we've now reached Jehovah 'Ori, signifying God as our light.
David recognized the significance of light, describing the Lord as his light and salvation in Psalm 27. In the New Testament, John also equated Jesus with light, emphasizing His role as the light of the world. This means that by following Jesus, we find direction, confidence, and purpose, guiding us through the darkness of the world. As children of the light, we carry this divine light to illuminate the path for others, exposing hidden struggles and sins. We are bearers of the divine light, showing the way to hope and righteousness in a world full of darkness.
This week, we delve into the name "Jehovah-Raah," which means "the Lord my Shepherd." We discuss how God's role as our Shepherd implies guidance, protection, and provision. It emphasizes the need for trust in God's guidance, especially in uncertain times, and encourages us to find contentment and blessings in His care. We're reminded to live in the present, allowing God to lead us, and to find rest and peace in His presence. Psalm 23 serves as our guide as we look at what it means to have God as our Shepherd.
This week, we reflected on Cloud's Creek's 235-year journey in Oglethorpe County. We acknowledged that it is staying focused on God's mission that has sustained us. From our inception after the Revolutionary War to navigating through historical challenges, God's enduring grace has been our anchor. We marveled at His unwavering love and faithfulness, which motivates us to stay devoted to His mission. Our mission involves connecting people with God through the gospel, nurturing spiritual growth, and serving within and outside the church. On this special anniversary, we renew our dedication to the mission of Connect, Grow, and Serve.
In today's sermon, we explored the name of God, Qanna, which means "Jealous," a term used in the Bible to exclusively describe God's unique form of jealousy, distinct from sinful envy or coveting. We learned that God's jealousy is rooted in His desire for what rightfully belongs to Him and His commitment to His chosen people, as seen in His care for Israel in the Old Testament. God's love, exemplified in John 3:16, highlights His worthiness of exclusivity in our lives. We also discussed the commandment to love God wholeheartedly and the need to guard against various forms of idolatry in our lives, redirecting our focus and gratitude toward Him in everything we do.
This week we explores the concept of Jehovah-Mekoddishkem, focusing on the process of sanctification in a believer's life. It highlights that God sets a high standard for holiness, which remains unchanged but is made clearer with the Holy Spirit's guidance. Salvation is seen as a journey of growth, and we should be vulnerable and allow God to remove sinful aspects from their lives. That we would be transformed into the image of the Lord through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This week we explore the name of God, Jehovah-Jireh, which means "God Will Provide." We dive into the story of Abraham and Isaac, highlighting Abraham's trust as God provided a substitute for Isaac's sacrifice. This name emphasizes God's role as our ultimate provider, offering not only physical needs but also substitutionary atonement through Jesus. We're called to place our trust in God for all needs, seek His kingdom, and find fulfillment in Him. Ultimately, Jehovah-Jireh assures us of God's provision, both in salvation and daily life.
In today's sermon, we explored the concept of Jehovah-Nissi – "The Lord is my Banner." This banner symbolizes God's guidance and victory in our lives. We learned from the story of Moses holding up the staff of the Lord during a battle, highlighting that our victory comes from God's faithfulness, not our own strength. We discussed the importance of community, finding our identity in God, and equipping ourselves with the armor of God for spiritual warfare. The sermon reminded us to prioritize God's banner above all else and to stand united as His children.
This week we look at what Jesus told the disciples shortly before His death and resurrection. Do not let your hearts be troubled. This message holds true to us today as well, we can trust in God and know that He will take care of us no matter what storms we may face. We can trust that not only has Jesus gone to prepare a place for us, but He also sustains us here on earth.
This week, we explore the significance of the name YHWH (Jehovah), used over 6,500 times in the Old Testament. It symbolizes God's holiness and authority. The book of Revelation exemplifies the awe-inspiring encounter with God's holiness. This name also emphasizes God's lordship, demanding our submission and adherence to His will. We must avoid selective obedience and emphasize the importance of aligning our beliefs with scripture. Embracing God's lordship means denying self and following Jesus, acknowledging His supreme guidance.
This week we explore the name of God "El Roi" through the story of Hagar and discover the intimate and caring nature of God. As we delve into the biblical narrative, we'll find comfort in knowing that God sees us in our distress and truly understands our emotions and struggles. This powerful revelation will remind us that God cares deeply for the afflicted and reaches out to those who feel abandoned. So, when we face difficult times, let's take heart and trust in the God who sees and walks with us, even in the darkest valleys of life.
This week we look at the name "El Shaddai," meaning "God Almighty." It highlights God's absolute power and sovereignty over all things. The story of Job exemplifies trust in God's control despite difficult circumstances. Believers are encouraged to let go of their desire for control, find relief in God's power, and trust in His ability to do more than we can imagine. We recognize God as El Shaddai, the Almighty, and place our faith in His control.
This week we delve into the concept of "Elohim," a plural noun used to describe God, emphasizing His multiple greatness as the Creator. Pastor Blake highlights its usage in the Bible and its significance in understanding God's nature. We explore the creation account in Genesis, noting the poetic format and the unique mention of God saying, "Let us make mankind in our image." We address the debate between evolution and creation, emphasizing that belief in either does not negate God as the ultimate Creator. The name Elohim encourages worship by recognizing God's creation and its purpose, reminding us not to prioritize worldly treasures but to seek eternal treasures in heaven. The overarching message is to acknowledge Elohim as the magnificent, plural Creator and to respond with worship and a purpose-driven life.
So much of Paul's ministry is defined by surrender. God can, and wants to do incredible things through us, but we limit Him based on what we're willing to give up. Paul was willing to surrender everything including his identity in pursuit of being used by God for the advancement of the gospel.
A shorter message than usual because we spent much of the day in prayer. But we looked at Romans 12:1-2 and the challenge to prioritize the kingdom of God, and refocus on spiritual things as we start off the new year.
It seems like we are growing more and more exhausted as a culture. We are burnt out, running around, and hanging on by a thread. Those aren't things that describe a life of joy. So what is it like to live with Joy? How can we have Joy in a culture of chaos?
As we wait for Christmas, we look at those who were waiting in anticipation for Christ's first coming, and ask how we can live with that anticipation looking toward His return.
Thankfulness is a lifestyle that can be difficult to live out in our culture. We are constantly bombarded by companies trying to make us dissatisfied with what we have so we want more. When we fight for thankfulness because we realize Christ is enough for us, it will lead us to live overflowing with thankfulness for what God has done and blessed us with.
Where do you get your strength? Where does your glory go? We can have a tendency to look to other places to give praise and to get strength. In this chapter of Acts, we see that looking up is always going to provide us with better results. Especially when there are consequences for things like taking glory away from God.
The vision God gave Peter can be a tough thing to interpret. As a modern-day believer, it's easy to get confused by what part of the Old Testament Law is still relevant to us. The vision didn't abolish any part of the moral law, but freed believers from the civil and ceremonial laws. God has been drawing all nations to Himself since the beginning of time, and this chapter shows us the gospel reaching the gentiles. And He will not return until every nation has heard the Gospel!
Cornelius the Centurian was remembered by God because of the way he lived. The qualities used to describe him are qualities that should mark our lives as believers. He was Devout and God-fearing, generous to the needy, and prayed regularly. These are not always the things we think of when we think of living for Jesus, but they are important in how we carry ourselves.
God is so powerful that He can redeem anyone. Saul killed Christians and wasn't too far gone to save. The faithfulness of Ananias to obey God no matter how uncomfortable the request resulted in the salvation of Saul. There are no limits to God's power in what He can do, or how He can use us.
The story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch is a fantastic example of the ability we have to share the gospel in our lives. It's not something that should feel like a daunting task but is more simple than we realize. Through the Holy Spirit, we can recognize opportunities and meet people where they are. We can listen to people's needs instead of feeling like pushy salesmen. We just have to believe the Holy Spirit will support us, that there is power in the gospel, and believe in ourselves.
Chapter 8 kind of serves as a catch-all chapter. It contains amazing stories about how the gospel has advanced in the nations. We see how God takes bad things and redeems them in the spreading of the gospel despite persecution. Then the story of Simon the Magician shows us the importance of discipleship and how the Gospel unites people from different backgrounds.
The end of Acts 7 brings us to the end of Stephen's speech and the religious leaders' reaction to the speech. They are heard-hearted and instead of receiving what Stephen has to say they kill him. They had the opportunity to understand God's pursuit of mankind, but instead of being teachable, they killed a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. The takeaway from Stephen's life is that we should be full of the Holy Spirit. Scripture repeatedly describes Stephen this way and instead of striving to be more like Stephen, we should strive to be more full of the Holy Spirit.
God is Faithful. We take an opportunity to share and appreciate what God has done in our lives (which has been edited out for privacy and audio issues). Because of God's faithfulness to us, we should respond by being faithful stewards of what He has given us. At Cloud's Creek, everything we do is to Connect, Grow, and Serve. We Connect to God and community, grow in spiritual maturity and knowledge, and serve both inside and outside the church. We do everything in Love because of the Love He has so richly poured out on us.
We continue to look at Stephen's response to the religious leaders in Acts chapter 7. He begins to point to the parallels between Moses and Jesus, that they were both the saviors who were initially rejected by the nation of Israel. We have to be careful that we don't end up like the religious leaders of that day, so focused on our own way of living that we miss out on who Jesus is. We have to recognize our own depravity and marvel at the power of the salvation we have received. Instead, we think of our sins as "no big deal" or think that we aren't that bad. Our salvation is not defined by our ability to be good or follow a set of rules. The question is do you have a relationship with God?
Stephen responds to false accusations by using the platform to share the gospel. He starts back at the patriarch of Israel, Abraham, trying to get the religious leaders to understand God's pursuit of them through the start of history. God is pursuing a relationship with each one of us and He frequently works through unlikely circumstances, but all of scripture points to Jesus. Everything leading up to Jesus's birth was part of God's glorious plan to bring us back to Him. When we have a relationship with God our lives should point to Jesus. Everything that we do is an opportunity to give glory to God, and show those we interact with that He loves them, and pursues them.
Things don't just happen because we think they're a good idea, we have to follow through with action. The early church realized the charity aspect of ministry was getting bigger than they could handle, so they appointed men of character to lead this ministry. We still are called to use our gifts and passions to serve the Kingdom of God, and realize that we should have high standards for those leading ministries. The men who were appointed to head up the ministry of charity were able to do so because they were truly living for the Lord. We must hold our church leadership to high standards for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
When we are at the center of God's will, we get to see His incredible power as He accomplishes His plans. The believers in Acts got to be part of a jailbreak to advance the Gospel, and when we live in obedience we too will see amazing things happen. They preached the Gospel despite facing persecution and were careful to be obedient to God while also being highly regarded by the people around them. The enemy wants to deter us from spreading the gospel and render us ineffective.
As believers, we must ensure that we are prepared to do whatever God calls us to do. God puts us in specific times with a specific purpose, and we have an incredible opportunity to impact the world with the gospel. We just have to be ready to take action when we have the chance.
As we watch the Holy Spirit working in the early church, even though they were being persecuted, they were highly regarded among the people. The church today is not highly regarded by the lost people around us. How do we get back to being people who are liked and well-thought-of? It's going to take us being people of character, who care, and who have something to offer.
Instead of asking God to get us out of tough situations, we can ask God to help us THROUGH those hard times. The early church asked for boldness when faced with persecution instead of asking for an easier path. Then God delivered! He filled them with the Holy Spirit, which we can also ask God to do. We have to take up our cross daily, surrendering to God all that we are to bring Him glory.
When we follow Christ, it should change our identity. We shouldn't try to hold onto things and not let God change us but should lay down every part of ourselves so that we can be more loving to the world around us. Peter and John had an attitude of "How can we not talk about Jesus!?" and we should have a similar attitude. When we let have every aspect of our life, when we love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind, that's when we are going to be overflowing and excited to talk to other people about what God has done in our life!
After receiving the Holy Spirit the people of God gathered together in our first exposure to the church. They were marked with a devotion to learning, strong sense of community, and generosity. These changes the Holy Spirit made in their lives drew more people to join the church and follow Jesus. These characteristics are something we should take note of and make sure we’re still embodying those desires today!
After the arrival of the Holy Spirit, Peter starts to explain what Jesus has done to the people gathered to see the Holy Spirit. Peter is excited to tell them that Jesus fulfilled prophecies (over 300), He defeated death, and He gives life. As believers, we should be excited about what Jesus has done for us. Following Jesus isn't just part of our lives, it overflows into everything we do. Our excitement should spill over into love and witness to the would around us.
After the Ascension, the disciples knew that they had work to do but didn't have the Holy Spirit yet. They spent their time in preparation both spiritually and physically. Then when the Holy Spirit came everything was different. The Holy Spirit is not a weird mystic part of Christianity, but He is the part of God we experience the most. We should not fear the Holy Spirit, but open up and surrender more of ourselves to Him.
We kick off our new series in Acts and see that there is a work that God has for us to do. We have to shift our focus from the physical things of the world to look at the Kingdom of God, then realize we have work to do. We should not just be hearers of the word, but doers. God is a God of work and we were created and given a purpose. Acts shows us the example of the disciples putting into action the things that God taught them to do.
As we close our series on prayer we talk about the power that we have access to when we pray. Scripture teaches us that there is incredible power in prayer, but the power doesn't come from us. The power of prayer is that we have access to God, when we pray aligned with His will it has an incredible impact. Prayer shouldn't be our last line of defense but should be our starting point. If we understand the power of prayer it should drastically impact our prayer life and cause us to make it a priority.
Fasting is often mentioned in tandem with prayer so it makes sense to talk about fasting when we talk about prayer. Fasting should be a regular part of our life as a believer and there are a lot of benefits. Similar to prayer, it's important that we make fasting God-focused instead of self-focused. If we take a proper approach to fasting it will help us rid ourselves of distractions and increase our faith.
Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? In John 17 Jesus prays for His disciples, and then for us. We look at how Jesus prayed, and what that means for us today. It is a prayer filled with selflessness and love that shows us His desire for us as His people. He wanted us to be a people of unity and love.
Many people have asked the question: Who is Jesus? It is an important question for our faith. We take a look at the 7 "I Am" statements that Jesus makes about Himself in scripture.
The concept of God's will can seem daunting to understand, and it is, but there is also an aspect of God's will that is easy to understand. God's will for your life is pretty clearly spelled out in scripture. There are things He wants all believers to do in their lives. We have plenty to do without trying to find more that God wants us to do. On the flip side, the more difficult part of God's will is when it doesn't line up with our desires. The attitude of "Your will be done" is the mark of a mature prayer life, but is one of the more difficult things to say. It becomes an easier concept the more we understand the goodness of God and that His ways our better than ours.
We started the morning off by watching a video that was more performance than prayer (Which can be found here). Prayer is not a performance for others, or for God. We don't need to impress anyone else, and we cannot impress God. Prayer is about being in the presence of a God who loves us, not trying to perform something for Him.
As we kick off our series on Prayer we look at why we pray. Like many things, we have made prayer about ourselves, instead about on God. We have to shift our focus from trying to get God to do what we want to allowing Him to change us. Our prayers should be something that aligns us with God, and brings Him honor through Worshipping Him.
The exciting events of Easter changed our very identity. Scripture tells us that we were darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. We went from being people who were sinful, to becoming the very righteousness of God. We have to realize that our identity is no longer found in what we do or who we are here on earth, but our identity is now that we are the light of the world. We are children of God who have been redeemed by the creator of the universe because of His great love for us, and that should change the way we live our lives. Our identity has changed because of the words "He is not here, He is Risen!"
Today we look at the start of Holy Week. Jesus enters Jerusalem and the welcoming committee does something we all do, they laid down what they were comfortable laying down. They were saying "Glory to God in the highest" without actually putting Him highest in their life. The call to follow Jesus isn't just to give some of your life to Him but to lay it all down at His feet. If we want to see the effect of Jesus in every area of our life, we have to give Him every area of our life.
Paul closes out his letter to the church of Corinth with a letter with a summary of what was talked about up until that point. Everything in Paul's letter can be summed up in verses 13 and 14 of chapter 16: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love." The church at Corinth had a lot wrong with how they were conducting themselves, but most of all they had forgotten to love. They weren't allowing love to be their defining characteristic. As modern-day believers, we should do everything out of love for God, and others.
Chapter 15 is split into two ideas, the impact of Jesus's resurrection on our lives on earth, and the impact on our eternity. This week we look at what resurrection means for our eternity. We are sown in weakness, these sinful bodies, but will be raised with a new heavenly body. While on this earth we are broken people surrounded by broken things, but we were created to long for perfection. We were created to long for the completeness that is only attainable through being reunited with our creator in heaven. We can look forward to a place with no more pain, no more sin, and no more death because of the victory we have in Jesus. “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
The impact of non-believing philosophers on the church was taking a toll on their resurrection theology. The church at Corinth had started to have issues with believing in Jesus but doubting resurrection. Paul reminds them that you cannot believe in Jesus without believing in the resurrection from the dead. It is a necessary theology for our own eternity, as well as the impact of the gospel here on earth. He reminds them that we must be aware of the source of our information. Don't take spiritual advice from someone who does not believe in the gospel. We should consider the source of our information, and become solid sources of information for others. This means allowing the gospel to permeate every area of our life because it is all going to bow at the feet of the resurrected Jesus anyway. We might as well lay it all before Him now!
Jesus gave us a great template on how we should pray. We look at the elements of that prayer and how we can apply them to our regular prayer lives. The elements of Jesus's prayer included worship, the desire for God's will, depending on God to meet our needs, confession, and the quest for godliness. There are elements of this that we can incorporate into how we commune with God. We have the opportunity to connect to the creator of the universe, the redeemer of our souls, and yet we frequently make it about us. The Christian life is about selflessness, so our prayers should not be self-focused.
In his largest dissertation on the supernatural gifts, Paul reminds the church at Corinth that the purpose of spiritual gifts is the edification of the church. Edification can be done through two methods: Expanding the Kingdom of God through sharing the gospel, or the strengthening of believers. The spiritual gifts should be doing one of those two things. Paul cautions us against chaos in our worship because it can be off-putting to those who are just inquiring about God. As believers, we should ensure that we are edifying the church, and maintaining order in our gatherings.
Paul is very emphatic on the importance of love in the life of a believer. The church at Corinth was focused on all of the actions of the Holy Spirit, and puffing themselves up, but had neglected love. We as Christians today can get caught up in "playing church" and forget that love should be at the core of everything we do. Actions are temporary, knowledge is limited, love is eternal. Love should be at the root of all that we do as we live a life pointing others to God through the love He has given us.
Every believer has been given spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit within us uses these gifts to build up the kingdom of God. They cannot be misused because they have one source, with one mission. Often times we get the purpose of church confused and make it about ourselves, instead of making it about building the kingdom of God together. The church needs you! We can't focus on what we're getting from the church, but figure out what we can give to the church. The church needs your gifts because we are one body made of many parts.
Paul addresses the believers who were gathering together for a shared meal called The Lord's Supper. This is different than our modern-day communion, this was a meal shared among all believers. There was favoritism and divisions growing in the church because of how some were being treated at these meals. Paul writes them to remind them that the church isn't a place for exclusion, and it's more than a physical meal. There is a spiritual element to church. If we're just physically showing up to a physical building with expectations of an emotional feeling we will miss the point. We should expect to encounter the Creator of the universe and have a spiritual experience when we gather together in worship.
In a very confusing passage, Paul gives instructions on how people should conduct themselves in worship. Most of the instructions are based in a different cultural situation than we currently live in, so we have to find what the passage is trying to communicate. Paul seems to be focusing on the overarching themes of submitting to authority and having a reverence for worship.
Paul continues to remind us that we should put others first in how we live. We have to be careful with our words, and how we treat people because we are called to care for others. He then continues telling us that we should glorify God in everything that we do. What a great reminder! That every area of our life, our time, temple, talents, and treasure should be used for the glory of God! If we are focused on doing those two things (Caring for others, and Glorifying God), it will enable us to tell lead people towards Christ through the example of our lives.
As one people with one God, we should strive for unity and serve God only. Paul's continued call for unity should resonate its importance with us. We have to stay humble and focused on the importance of the Gospel; making sure we aren't attempting to serve two masters, but God only.
The people of Israel may have been following God, but it doesn't mean they were following Him with their hearts and minds. We must make sure that we aren't just following God in actions without surrendering ourselves. Paul gives specific instances of things that Israel didn't watch out for that led them astray, warning Corinth (and us) of things we need to watch out for. He includes references to idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, and grumbling. Paul brings up these examples so we can watch out for the ways the enemy is trying to lead us astray from worshipping God.
Paul writes a letter to Timothy to encourage Him, something that we are called to do as believers. He reminds us through this letter to Timothy that as believers we are to build each other up through fellowship, share in each other's suffering, and pour into others.
We only have one word in English for love. That can water down the meaning of some scripture. We have to understand that when John says "God is Love" he doesn't mean love like how we love a movie or a friend. This is a different level of unconditional love that Jesus brings us. That's what's incredible about Christmas, is the love that God has for us is completely undeserved and completely unconditional. That is a love to be enjoyed, and to be shared with others.
The enemy loves to distract us from our Joy. He does this one of two ways: He makes bigger monsters, or shinier objects. What is stealing your joy? Remind yourself of what God has done for you, and how incredible it is. When we keep this in focus, we can have access to an inexpressible and glorious joy!
The season of Christmas can be defined by the hustle and bustle, but we are called to experience the Peace that God brought through Jesus. Psalm 23 provides a great image of what it looks like to live in the better Peace that God provides.
Hope is something that we all have. We put our hope in so many things, and as long as we are putting hope in earthly things, we will be disappointed. It's not until we find our hope in God, His plans, and eternity with him that we will experience true hope. That is what was brought to us through the birth of Jesus.
Paul continues his plea to the Christians in Corinth to surrender their rights for the benefit of others, encouraging us to be sacrificial. He uses his life as an example of what it looks like to do so and makes the case that it does not lower his authority. He then makes the plea to become all things to all people so that some may be saved. We should be self-denying in letting go of things that we hold dear in order to connect with others to share the gospel with them. The chapter ends with Paul explaining the benefit of self-discipline when it comes to the Christian life. That we don't become more like Christ casually. It takes intentionality and discipline.
The people of Corinth had a question about whether or not they should eat food sacrificed to idols. Paul teaches them that there is freedom and knowledge in Christ, but neither of those are as important as love. We should love louder than our knowledge, and our freedom should be selfless instead of selfish. We often think of freedom as a benefit for ourselves, but we should never put our freedom over loving someone else.
Paul shifts focus from sex and marriage in the beginning of Chapter 7 to more of an issue of identity. He brings up religious practices, slavery status, and relationships. The reoccurring phrase "remain as you are" is teaching the people of the church at Corinth that they should not find their identity in their temporary circumstances, but in Christ! The things of this world will never satisfy us, but finding our Identity in Christ will satisfy. He has called us a royal priesthood, holy nation, people of His own choosing. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and He is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. We are co-heirs with Christ. These should be the things that we use to identify ourselves, not our religious performance, not our status, not our relationships.
The city of Corinth was surrounded by sex. It was a big part of their culture and even religion in the area. So new believers had some questions about the role of sex in the Christian life. Paul answers the question by giving instructions to husbands and wives about how they should act in marriage. He also gives instructions for divorce and how to handle an unbelieving spouse. We should be pointing our spouse to God through how we love and interact with them. If we want to have Godly marriages, we can't look to the world for help, but to God.
We are different because of what Jesus has done for us. This means that we should live differently as well! We're called to be different, not for the sake of being different, but for the sake of showing Jesus to the people around us. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6 that we should be different in conflict, different than we were, and different in our lifestyle.
Paul almost immediately reverses course from the previous chapter and talks about judgment. What he's talking about though, is the difference in judging actions, versus judging others with condemnation. We have to remember that we are never called to judge the world, but we should hold accountable those in the church when they are walking in sin. This shouldn't be our first line of action, but we can't just allow unrepentant sin to run rampant in our church. We have to root it out. This is not just to protect the church, but for the betterment of the people who need to turn to Jesus. We have to find a way to cling to the truth while also loving the people around us.
One of the hardest traps to avoid as believers is judgment. We get focused on our sense of morality, or a set of rules that we want to live up to, and we put ourselves, and others against that standard. Paul points out that we have to stop Judging ourselves, Judging others, and accepting the judgment of others. It is not beneficial, and only pushes people away. We are called to love, not judge. We have enough to do following Christ, we don't need to add being a spiritual hall monitor to our job description. It's time to resign as judges and focus on living like Jesus.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 3 reminds the believers in Corinth of the standard they are called to live by. That they are called to the standard of participating in the growing kingdom, to hold their teachers up to a standard, and to change the standard of what they are proud of. The same is true for us and we should ask ourselves the questions: What is my task? What am I made of? and What am I proud of?
When we receive salvation we start the process of growing in our spiritual walk. We're not called to continue living the same way, but to allow God to transform us. Our will should start to decrease in our life while His increases. If we are still acting like mere humans, it's because we haven't allowed the Holy Spirit to work in us. We are not mere humans because we are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit with the Mind of Christ. Not only that, but we are experiencing eternal life now! We should live like we are full of the Holy Spirit living our eternal life!
In 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 Paul explains that God isn't supposed to make sense to us. He is infinitely bigger than we could understand. His foolishness is wiser than our wisest, and His weakness is stronger than our strongest. The only way the things of God make sense is through the wisdom given by the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we shouldn't depend on the wisdom of men to be our authority, but understand that we have the mind of Christ. We have the Spirit of God dwelling inside of us, who can help us understand everything we need to know about scripture.
As we celebrate our church's 233rd anniversary (incredible), we look at what the purpose of the church is. It's important that we occasionally step back and ask ourselves "What are we doing here?" Using the Great Commission and Acts 2 as an example, we talk about the purpose of the church. To Connect to God and Community, Grow in our Faith, and Serve inside and outside the church.
Paul repeats the call to unity repeatedly in His letters. We are called to not just tolerate each other, but to be unified. Pastor Blake talks about what it takes from us to have unity in the church.
The church in 1 Corinthians had a lot of issues. They had a lot of issues that still face the church today. As we look at this series it's important that we hold up a mirror to see what we struggle with that Paul addresses. What are areas that we need to work on, to be a better version of the church?
In Colossians, Paul writes to a church to encourage them in their faith. He has a distinct message to three different groups: That new believers would grow in their faith, seasoned believers would help their growth, and unbelievers would see a better image of Jesus.
As we wrap up Exodus we see God Establishing His temporary dwelling place among His people: The Tabernacle. This involved people giving their resources to God. They give material goods, as well as their talents. There is great detail given in the instruction and construction of the Tabernacle. Which shows us that God cares about the details. We should do things well when we are doing them for the Lord. His attention to detail also extends to our lives. This God of the universe cares about the details of your life. Our incredible God can see the whole of the big picture, and the tiniest details simultaneously. God loves you and desires for you to be the dwelling place of His spirit.
Moses had an audacious statement when he told God: "Show me your glory." Moses wanted more of God and sought after Him. What an inspiration for us as believers to follow in Moses's desire for more of God. It is not a one-sided relationship though. We know God wants us because He later says "I am jealous," because God wants our affection. We serve a God who can fulfill us more than we can be fulfilled by things on this Earth, and He desires a relationship with us. The chapter ends by showing the change that happens in Moses because of His time spent with God, and how God wants us to be new creations. We should live letting the old things of our lives pass away and embrace the new fulfillment from God.
In Exodus 33 we get to see an amazing image of what time spent with God can look like. Our relationship with God is only going to be as good as what we put into it. There are so many ways we can spend time with God, and there is an enormous benefit to it. We look at the example Moses set of spending time with God, and what we can take away and apply to our daily lives as a result.
In Exodus 32 we see the people of God fail completely. They forget nearly everything that the Lord has told them and completely forsake the worship of God they had been called to. There are a lot of punishments that happen as a result. God is deserving of our worship, and we have to be careful that we aren't putting God into any kind of box, or changing Him into our image. We cannot fathom how massive God is, and we should not attempt to make Him smaller to better understand Him.
There is so much in God's word that is trustworthy. God spoke to the Israelites and told them what He wanted to do them and how they would hold up their end of the deal. Similarly, God has given us promises that He will keep if we turn and trust Him. We just need to live in obedience and there is so much that God will take care of. God's word is true, and He always follows through.
There are a lot of laws in Exodus that are hard to understand what to do with them. We look at some of the laws and figure out what they tell us about ourselves, and about God.
Before we get into the Laws in Exodus, we should look at the purpose of the law for us in the 21st century. What do we do with the law? How does it apply to us? Should we uphold it or ignore it? These are very valid concerns and Paul addresses the law in Galatians. The law shows us a lot about the character of God and about ourselves. It is important that we know what it says, but not step back into it.
We start a new section of Exodus where we begin to see God Establish several things. The first is we are seeing Him establish Israel as His People, a role that we now have. As God's people they were given instructions that they failed to follow. Our instructions as God's People are simple: Love God, Love People. Our biggest job as God's people is to be people of love.
Exodus 17 and 18 show us the people who were around Moses. He had people who He didn't let influence His heart and mind, people who lifted him up, and people to learn from. God puts people into our lives for a purpose. Find people who will build you up, and seek wisdom from people who have been where you are.
In Genesis 16 God's people are hungry and He provides them with the weird miracle food Manna. God cares deeply for His people, and He is Trustworthy. It is better to be hungry and with God than full without Him. Our focus should be living in obedience to our good God, not trying to be good.
In Exodus 15 God's people respond to His incredible showing of power through worship. They sing a new song to the Lord because of what He has done for them. They almost immediately forget and begin to grumble about the situation God has brought them into. We should live our lives full of worship, not forgetfulness.
In Exodus 13 and 14 we see one of the most powerful moments in all of scripture: the parting of the sea. God shows that He is still with His people in the pillar of fire and cloud. Even though the enemy has been defeated, he still tries to come after God's people. Ultimately, God's way is trustworthy because of how He always cares for and takes care of His people.
The final plague in Exodus has far-reaching implications. Passover is still celebrated to this day. There are a lot of connections in Exodus 11-12 and in the gospel. Judgement passed over the people of Israel because of the blood of the lamb, and then they were set free. Similarly, we are free from God's judgement because of the shedding of Jesus's blood and as a result, we are now free. Praise God that our Passover and freedom are eternal!
We get to Exodus 7-9 and we see God's response to Egypt's gods. He wants to show the people of Egypt (and Israel) how powerless other gods are. That He reigns supreme, and no one can measure up to His power and authority. He doesn't do this to just inflict pain, but to draw the people of Egypt to Himself. He seeks after all nations, calling us to follow Him.
Pharaoh doesn’t know anything about who God is, and acts accordingly. Then in a conversation with Moses God reminds him of all that He has done for the people of Israel. God’s faithfulness is important for our own edification and for showing others the goodness of who He is.
In Exodus 4 Moses attempts to resist the call God has on his life. We can take away a lot from the conversation between God and Moses. God has a plan, and He doesn't call you and leave you unprepared. His calling equips us, and we all have a call!
Moses encounters God at the burning bush and we see the holiness of God. Then we look at what God says and examine three statements and what they mean about God for us as believers today.
You were made with purpose! God orchestrated the events early in Moses's life to get him in the best position to be used. He has also very intentionally placed you in your situation for His purpose. Don't miss what God wants to do in your life!
We start our new series "Captive" looking at the oppression of God's people, that we can trust that He will never leave or forsake us, and that how we respond to adversity matters.
Easter Sunday is a big deal. This is the foundation for all of our faith. Jesus has defeated death, risen from the grave, and saved us from our sin. Now because of this, we have the power that raised Jesus from the dead living inside of us! This should impact every aspect of our life and cause us to bring Him glory by how we live.
We end the book of Jonah seeing his bitter reaction to the salvation of the Ninevites. We are not called to a life of Selfishness and Bitterness. As believers, we have to guard our hearts and minds against such thinking to avoid falling into those traps. We are called to live with joy from our good and loving God who relentlessly pursues us as he pursued Nineveh.
You are valuable to God! We see in Jonah chapter three that there is no one too far from God. We are pursued by God. The book of Jonah shows God's love for people who were not "God's chosen people," and yet He made sure that Jonah reached out to them. It is our jobs to realize that God is pursuing the world and wants to use us to do it. There is power in the gospel for salvation, we just have to share it.
Although Jonah is no hero, there is a lot we can learn from his story. This week we look at the first two chapters in Jonah and see how important it is that we have God's heart for people and that we don't run away from God, but run towards him. His plan is unstoppable, and we are unstoppable if we move in His will.
We finish our series in Mark this week, and look at how Jesus's death and resurrections should change how we live our lives. We should live knowing victory is coming and letting that overshadow our storms. Knowing that nothing, even death, can stand against the love God has for us should make us so excited about the great news of the gospel that we love and live like Jesus did.
This week's message brings us to the cross. We look at the impact of Jesus's death on the cross in our lives. Not just that we were forgiven our sins, but that we were given credit for His righteousness. This should change the way we live our lives knowing we have been forgiven and now are God's people.
Jesus's prophecy of Peter earlier in Mark 14 is fulfilled quickly after it is spoken. In this message we look at the defensive nature of Peter immediately followed by his denial. We are not called to be defensive Christians, but representatives and ambassadors for Christ. If we aren't living to deny our flesh, similar to Peter, we are denying Jesus.
In a series about Good News, chapter 14 gives a feeling of bad news. Jesus is approaching His death and starts to feel the pressure and dread of what is about to happen. Jesus changes some of the Passover traditions that the disciples had known for years, to show them that this was not their plan, but God's plan. We also see the woman with the alabaster jar pouring out a significant investment, and she was praised because of her desire to sacrifice to the Lord.
Mark 13 is filled with prophecy. It can be difficult to determine if those have already been fulfilled, or are yet to come. We try to find the truths that apply to our lives either way. We are called to not get bogged down in predicting the end times, keep spreading the gospel, and be busy with God's work.
In this chapter we see Jesus addressing questions from religious leaders at the temple. He addresses relationships in Heaven, as well as gives us the two greatest commands: Love God, and Love People. Then we see an example of what it looks like to surrender everything to God.
The people of Jerusalem missed Jesus because He wasn't who they thought He should be, and the Pharisees missed Jesus because they didn't want to change. Jesus is calling us to not make God in our image, but to allow him to transform us into His. This should cause us to bear fruit, and pray in the power of faith filled-prayer.
In Mark 10 we get a reminder that we all have sinned, that we are called to let go of our material possessions, and serve others.
Seek first the Kingdom of God. We get so caught up in things of this world that are so temporary. Our purpose is not to build earthly kingdoms, but God's kingdom. We have to shift our focus from ourselves and what we want here on earth to what is going to last for eternity.
The unbelievable power of God shown through Jesus should grow our faith and not just for the sake of faith, but to the point of action. Our faith becoming action is a process that begins with understanding His power. Our faith becoming action has benefit not only for us, but can lead to the salvation of others.
2020 was a difficult year that made it difficult for us to give and receive love. But, we serve a God who loves us more than we could possibly imagine. It is our job to love God and love people because of how He loved us first and sent Jesus to us.
Blessed are the Peacemakers for they will be called Children of God. The coming of Jesus as a baby not only brings us peace, but allows us to share peace with the people we come in contact with. In the midst of chaos, we can be like the eye of the storm, with peace that surpasses understanding guarding our heart and mind. Then, we have to be intentional about doing everything we can to not be divisive, but to maintain peace with those around us.
Peter wrote that we should have inexpressible joy just because we believe in Christ. Joy is something we have all experienced, but is hard to define. We look at how we can live with the Joy Christ brought us through his birth, and our salvation.
This has been a difficult year, and it has shown a lot of us where our hope is. If our hope is in anything other than Jesus, we will end up disappointed. We have to hope in the only one who will never let us down, and share that hope with the world around us!
Jesus is Enough! In Mark 8 Jesus reminds his disciples that He is not only enough, but more than Enough. Jesus wants to give us an abundant life. All we have to do is look to Him. We cannot do that making Jesus in our image, but by knowing Him better and laying down our own desires for His will.
In Mark chapter seven Jesus speaks heavily against the traditions set up for the sake of tradition. It is important that we focus more on how we live our life more than tradition. Our goal is not to be "good people" but to try to live like Jesus lived.
Many people ask Jesus to be their savior, but fewer ask Him to be their Lord. God deserves to be ruling our lives, we see in chapter six that when we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus He takes care of our needs, and helps us through the storms.
Rejecting the truth means I get to keep doing what I’m doing, but accepting the truth means I need to change. We see three stories in Mark 6 that show what happens when people resist the truth, as well as examples from Jesus when people resist truth. We must have a humble approach, and not let those who resist truth slow us down.
We see Jesus show extraordinary power in Mark 5. He shows that He has power over the Devil, Disease, and Death. We spend time looking into what that meant when Jesus was on Earth, and what it means for us now.
Mark chapter 4 gives us several different parables all pointing to the importance of growth. Jesus wanted us to know the importance of personal growth, as well as growing the Kingdom of God. We look at what these passages mean, and how they can impact our lives.
We see Jesus in Mark 3 really encourage His followers to take action. We are called to do the same. Not to just be church goers waiting on the return of Jesus, but to live out our faith and putting it into action.
Mark 2 sees the Pharisees ask Jesus four "why" questions, and Jesus answers them trying to teach that it's not about following rules, it's about following Him.
In the first week of our series "Finally, Some Good News," we look at the Gospel of Mark and at who Jesus was. We see that Jesus was different than anyone else, which made him stand out, and that He was awesome. We look at what Mark says about Jesus, and how that can impact our lives today.
We celebrate our 232nd Anniversary and looked at the purpose of the Church exemplified in Acts 2. The church would have so much power if we would take down our walls, worship freely, and live out the gospel.
We reach the end of the book of Genesis, and we see two themes that are showcased here that reflect much of the book of Genesis. The first, is that God's will looks different than our will. He doesn't always do things the way we would, or think they should be done. Secondly, that God is bigger. God is bigger than us, than our problems, or our desires. His way is better than ours because He is bigger and better than we are. Joseph saw that in his life and lived in obedience, and trusting God.
We look at the story of Joseph's family coming to him for food in Genesis 42-46. We see that holding a grudge is a burden we aren't meant to carry, but we are called to be people who never stop forgiving.
"When you are plowing a field you fix your eyes on one point ahead of you to help you keep your line straight. But if you start to look back your line starts to drift. We are called to be people with our eyes fixed on the father, and holding a grudge requires looking back."
In these chapters we see Joseph go from prison to in power. We can see that even when we are at our lowest, we must be looking for ways God can use us (from His strength, not our own), give Him credit for the things He does, and continue to honor him when we are in seasons of comfort/plenty.
Are you trusting God because of what He gives, or because of who He is? It's important that our relationship with God isn't based on what we get from God. That self focus will make it harder to resist when faced with temptation. We see all of this play out in the life of Joseph in Genesis 39.
We started the service a little differently and had a shorter message this week. We look at Genesis 34 and the impact retaliation can have on our lives.
Genesis 32 and 33 bring us to the reunion of Jacob and Esau. In the middle of the story we see Jacob wrestle with God, contrasting how we frequently wrestle God over worry and forgiveness.
In Genesis 30 and 31 we see Jacob position himself to receive blessings by clinging to God above everything else. We can still experience God's favor today. People who experience God's favor understand that you need to position yourself for blessings through obedience, know that storms will still come, and remember to be thankful to the giver of gifts.
We see Jacob respond very admirably to the unexpected, but Leah and Rachel respond with pride and Jealousy. How do you respond when things don't go the way you want them to?
We look at Genesis 26 and the blessings received by Isaac from the life lived by his father, Abraham. We also see a familiar mistake made by Isaac and talk about Generational Sin.
Continuing in Genesis, we reach chapter 17 and 18 which deal with Abraham and Sarah getting new names, and God being the God of the Impossible. When we are born again, our lives should look completely different, to the point we could have new names. Living with the God of the Impossible dwelling inside us, we should view the world differently.
We look at Genesis 16, where Abram and Sarai don't wait for God's timing and it causes a huge mess. We frequently struggle to wait on God's timing, but His timing is perfect. "God doesn't wait until the last minute, He waits for the perfect moment." Then as a result of their impatience and compulsive actions, Hagar feels alone and forgotten. God sees her and comforts her, just as He does for us in our brokenness.
At the end of Genesis 14, we see the only appearance of Melchizedek, who was a foreshadowing of the coming of Christ. Then in Genesis 15, we have God make his oath to Abram. Through these verses we see the goodness of God in providing a great high priest (Jesus) who can reign forever pleading our case to the father, and see the unchangeable nature of God through His promise made to Abram. That He would see it through regardless of Abram's ability to hold up any end of the agreement.
Abram showed great selflessness when offering Lot first choice of land. As believers, our lives should be marked by selflessness. We should be known as people who love others like we love ourselves, and part of living that way means spreading the gospel.
As people who aren't perfect, it can be encouraging to see those who are known for their faith not have perfect faith. We are introduced this week to Abram, and see his incredible obedience to God, and then immediate lack of trust. God doesn't need us to be perfect in order to be useful, He just needs us to be obedient!
People had already forgotten the result of disobedience that was the flood, and God's salvation from it. They wanted control, because they thought they knew what was best. Pastor Blake looked at the problem we have with control, and how to trust God for what is best in our lives.
God started humanity over after saving Noah from the flood. With that came a new set of instructions. Similarly, when we are saved, the instructions for how we live change.
The flood story in Genesis is more about a rescue than destruction. God's hatred for sin and love for mankind found common ground in Noah. Knowing God is faithful, Noah was obedient. We look at the value of obedience in our own lives, and the faithfulness of God in our obedience.
Brandt Akin continued our series in Genesis, picking up in chapter 4. We see that worship is based on our heart not just our actions, and the impact sin has on our life.
We look at Genesis 3, and what lessons we can take away from the first sin. What tactics the enemy uses in temptation, and how to resist them.
Kicking off our series "In The Beginning" we started at the story of creation in Genesis 1-2. Looking at the story of creation we can see that we serve a powerful God who has a deep love for us.
We had a short message on the calling to believe scripture is Real, and live our real, everyday lives to show people our real God. Then we spent time praying for God’s will in our lives, church, and community.
We have the gifts of Love, Joy, and Hope because of God’s love for us. The more we understand His love, the more it will impact us! His love is why we celebrate Christmas!
Matt talks about where our joy comes from, and that joy is present regardless of our circumstances.
This Sunday we looked at the gift Christ brought of Peace. We are to be people who let that Peace rule our hearts and minds, as well as seeking to have peace in our relationships.
Christ brought us gifts so we could be ready for His return. This week we talk about Hope, and the things we can Hope in, knowing they won’t put us to shame.
We have so much to be thankful for! We talk about all the ways God has blessed us, and the affects of living a thankful life.
We finish our How to Worship series talking about what it means to live daily in a way that honors God.
God is worthy of Worship, and this week we talk about the many aspects that make Him worthy!
Week one of our Worship: Defined series. We talk about three things that are essential to worship: Selflessness, Humility, and and being active.
We close out our series on James as we talk about the importance of prayer and tackle some tough scripture.
The first part of James 5. We talk about the reality of our wealth, fixing our eyes on Jesus, and being honest.
We dive in to chapter four of James to focus on being selfless, daily submitting to God, and being flexible.
Words can be very powerful as we see in James 3. They can build up or tear down. In a digital world, words can follow us forever. It’s important to understand the power of words.
Living on purpose doesn’t happen on accident. This week we look at the instructions from the end of James 1 and chapter 2. James points out that we need to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and be doers of the word. He closes talking about what it looks like to have active faith.
We dig into the first section of James chapter one and what it looks like to live with purpose, on purpose.