North Country Alliance Church: Recent Episodes
North Country Alliance Church
We’re not just a church. We’re a place to find hope, find peace, and find family. Our vision is to see our community and world develop a transformational relationship with Jesus Christ.
In a pluralistic age, what we believe about God matters. Join us this week as we begin a new series exploring the basics of the Christian faith using The Apostles' Creed as our guide. First up: God, The Father.
In a world of rivalry, Jesus calls us to unity. Jesus has established the church to be a diverse, but unified team practicing the way of Jesus together with a Christ-centered game plan. Join us as we look at Colossians 3:11-17 and discover how to live out this vision of Christian community.
The Bible is more than a list of dos and don'ts. It is the story of God loving, pursuing, and redeeming His creation. Join us as we dive into Exodus 20:1-3 and learn why we can trust God.
Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our crosses daily, and follow Him.This isn't easy, but it is absolutely worth it!
Everyone doubts, but we don't always talk about it.
Doubt doesn't have to be taboo and hidden away. When John the Baptist doubts, he goes straight to Jesus.
We too must work through our doubts in order to develop a more vibrant faith.
Join us as Pastor Kevin guides us through John the Baptist's doubt, Jesus' response, and how we should process our own doubts.
Is Christianity weird? Absolutely. But there is power in the weirdness. In a world obsessed with the ordinary, we dare to believe in the supernatural. We believe in a God who became human, freely offered himself to death, and rose again.Each week we retell that story at the table through communion. Join us as we explore the power and mystery of communion.
Tired of the noise and confusion surrounding truth? Discover the anchor for your soul in God's Word. This message unpacks the transformative power of Scripture and challenges us to let it shape our lives.
Unfortunately the first few minutes of the sermon are missing
Why do we worship? Worship is about rebellion and reorientation. We rebel against the way of the world and the flesh while reorienting toward God and His love. And the paradox of worship is though it is about God, we find our souls edified in the process.
The Lord never promised an easy life to us but He did promise to be with us. Regardless of our circumstances we can praise Him for His faithfulness to us!
Life can be tough. But there's always hope for renewal! Join us as we dive into Psalm 3 and learn how God can transform our rejection into renewal.
Please join us as Wayne Spronk, our International Worker in Gabon, shares about sowing of Gospel seeds at the training hospital Gabon and reaching throughout Africa.
In today's sermon, Pastor Kevin shows that gospel renewal is possible in the most sinful of hearts and that Individual gospel renewal can lead to community-wide gospel renewal in the most sinful of places. Join us as we dive into John 4!
Has your faith in Jesus led you to change the way you live? Join us as we seek Gospel renewal and allow Jesus to transform out lives!
Do you feel trapped? Circumstances are closing in and hope is fading? Come listen in as Pastor Sam shares about the miraculous prison break of Peter and how it compares to our lives today!
Do you ever feel like there's just not enough time in the day? Like you're constantly busy but never getting ahead?
You're not alone! In this week's sermon, Pastor Kevin explores the connection between stress and our relationship with God. He shares practical steps you can take to find peace and quiet your soul in the midst of the chaos.
Watch the full sermon now and discover how to:
Is money controlling your life? This week's sermon dives deep into the issue of money worship and how to find true freedom. Watch and discover practical steps to break free from the idolatry of money!
God has called parents to help their kids develop a vibrant faith. Today, we look at Deuteronomy 6:1-7 and learn some practical steps we can take in family discipleship.
In today’s sermon, we look at how Jesus used meals to reach those far from God and calls us to do the same.
This week, Pastor Kevin unveiled Project Advance, a vision to create space for people to experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ.
Here's a glimpse of what you'll hear in the video:
How Project Advance supports our vision to be a reaching, equipping, and sending church.
Exciting updates planned for our children's ministry, lobby, and sanctuary.
The importance of creating a welcoming space for connection and discipleship.
How your giving can make a real difference in the lives of children and families in our community.
Ready to learn more and get involved?
Give now: northcountryalliance.com/giving
We believe that together, we can make a lasting impact on our community. Let's continue to grow and share the love of Jesus!
This week, Pastor Kevin continues our vision series with a call to become a sending church. Join us as we learn from the church in Antioch in Acts 11 and 13.
This week in our vision series, Pastor Kevin dives into what it means to be an equipping church!
We learned last week about the importance of reaching the lost, but true transformation goes beyond just believing. We must teach others how to become biblically faithful and missionally zealous disciples of Jesus.
This week, we're kicking off a new series diving into the vision of our church! Join us today as we explore what it means to be a church that reaches out to our community.
We take a look at Acts 1:3-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:9-21 to discover how Jesus empowers us to share the Gospel and how our faith compels us to action.
Feeling lost in a world filled with darkness? Easter offers a powerful message: death doesn't win. Jesus' resurrection brings hope that good conquers evil, and suffering has an end. Let hope rise this Easter!
Our series on 1 Thessalonians wraps up today! ⛪️ In this message, we explore what 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14 teaches about community living, upward living, prophetic living, and reliant living.
This week's sermon delves into 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 and explores the reality of Jesus' return. We discuss what it means to live as a "child of light" in anticipation of that Day.
Join us as we dive into 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 exploring:
1: The power of Jesus' resurrection and its impact on our future.
2: The hope we have through Jesus' substitutionary life, death, and resurrection.
3: What the Bible teaches about the return of Christ.
This week's message explores 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, reminding us that love is a central theme of the Christian life.
We'll discuss how to:
Grow in our love for others
Live a "quiet life" with integrity
Make our daily lives a powerful witness to the world
In today's message, we dive into the call to live a life pleasing to God, exploring the deeper meaning of sanctification and its impact on every area of our lives including our sexuality. As we walk in Christ's light, He empowers us to overcome sin and discover the true joy of living in His love. Join us as we explore 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
What should faith look like? Join us as we explore what it looks like to live a life of adoration and discipleship.
Yearning for a deeper life in Christ? Join us as we explore what it looks like to live a life fully devoted to Christ and His mission.
Are you feeling lately like every day is a battle? Listen in as Pastor Sam shares ways to prepare for the days' battles!
Imagine a church facing persecution, yet growing stronger with each trial. This was the reality of the early Christians. Join us as we dive into 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 and learn about bearing gospel fruit in hostile soil.
What if every Christian lived as a missionary? Join us as we dive into 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and learn what that could look like.
Key Takeaways:
#1: Every Christian is called to be a missionary.
You may never cross the sea to share the gospel, but every Christian
is called to cross the street to share the gospel.
#2: Christians are to live holy lives.
Our lives preach the gospel in addition to our words. Our manner of
living should reflect the fact that we have been saved and set free!
#3: Christians are to love those they are reaching.
God has not called us to have an us versus them mentality. Instead,
we are to care deeply for those around us. Remember, Jesus was a
friend of sinners.
Bible Reading Plan
Day 1: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6
Day 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12
Day 3: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Day 4: Matthew 9:35-10:8
Day 5: Matthew 28:18-20
Reflection Questions:
What does it mean for you to be approved by God in Christ and
entrusted with the gospel?
Thinking about how Paul lived among the Thessalonians, what does
your life communicate about the gospel?
Do I have genuine love and care for those in my community? Am I
willing to invest in relationships with those who are far from Christ?
The Thessalonian church was known for being a church that was transformed by the gospel! The same God that moved in them can move in us! May we be forever marked by who Jesus is and what He has done.
Dive into the story of the Thessalonian church as Pastor Kevin highlights what sets this church apart as one that is commendable.
Feel like you need a reset? We all do! Discover the good news of God’s mercy and how that can change your outlook going into 2024.
With so much vying for our attention and love, O Come All Ye Faithful serves as a wakeup call for us to focus in on that which truly matters.
Today we looked at the meaning of the song Joy to the World. It can be feel impossible to be joyful when you're in a difficult season but this song calls us to be joyful as we remember what Christ has done and what He will do.
Today we explored the meaning behind Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This song highlights the beauty of who Jesus is, why He came, and what He accomplished!
Join us for week one of our Advent series as we discover the meaning behind the song “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
How should we live in these unstable times? Elder Jim Phillips will share from 2 Peter and many other Scriptures how to live spotless and blameless lives!
Until the day that Christ comes again, how do we as a peculiar people- set apart weirdos- navigate through this crazy world? How are we called to act? What are we commissioned to do? Listen in as Pastor Sam answers these questions and more.
When we live for self or others, we will be people God didn’t intend us to be. But when we live for God, we die to the expectations of others and come fully alive to God’s glorious plan for us.
In the last week of our politics series we dive into how love is not an optional add-on to the Christian life. All that we do must be done in love or it is meaningless.
In week three of our politics series we dive into how Christians should navigate the challenges of engaging in politics and what it looks like to glorify God with our political participation.
Join us for week two of our Faith and Politics series where we learn how to live as faithful citizens of our earthly kingdoms while proclaiming the way of God's kingdom.
As we enter into a potentially contentious political season the church must faithfully follow the way of Jesus. Join us for week one of a four week series on faith and politics as we discover what Jesus being Messiah means for our politics.
We need to set our hearts to follow Jesus and participate in His great commission no matter what is happening around us or to us. God can work in spite of what’s happening. The Bible is full of stories of that being true. We must keep the faith and contend for those around us. That’s our mission given to us by God!
As we connect with God and others, and grow as a disciple, service to God should be the outflow. Join us as we jump into week 3 of our next steps series!
Why should Christians focus on spiritual growth? We must understand that the opposite of growth isn’t homeostasis , it’s decay. To not intentionally grow is to intentionally decay. We’re all being formed into something, either a devoted disciple of Jesus or a devoted disciple of the world.
Connecting with God is not a once-and-done achievement, nor an occasional visitation. Rather, it is to be continually connected with the creator and lover of your soul.
God is not a far off, distant God. He is a living flame of love who is calling out to us with an invitation to experience the depth of His love.
Our job is to surrender to God and allow Him to transform us. As we’re transformed, it is a testimony to the world of the goodness, grace, and love of God.
Let's keep sowing gospel seeds and trusting in God's work in our lives and in the world around us. May we be agents of His love and grace as we participate in His kingdom vision.
We had so much fun for Kids Sunday! Get a sneak peak into what Sunday looks like for kids at North Country Alliance Church.
Jesus is the guiding light in our lives, offering hope and direction. He invites us to follow Him, experience a deepening relationship with God, and share His light with the world.
The Christian life looks like cultivating the soil that is our lives so that the seed of the gospel can grow within us and multiply in the lives of those around us.
Join us as Pastor Kevin preaches through Acts 17:16-34 on becoming a reaching, equipping, and sending community.
Join us as our founding pastor Dr. Phil Howard digs into Acts 2:42-47 and takes a look back at where we have been as a church!
Join us as we dig into John 15:1-14 and wrap up our series on the I AM statements of Jesus!
Join us as Pastor Sam preaches from John 14:1-11 on Jesus being the way, the truth, and the life!
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. "Matthew 7:13-14 NIV
There are two gates set before us: the small gate that leads to life and the wide gate that leads to destruction.
Which one will you choose?
Want to listen to our sermons on the go? Listen to our podcast here: https://anchor.fm/north-country-allia
Our God is a chain-breaking, miracle-working, demon-slaying, dead-raising God!
There is nothing that is impossible for Him!
Brokenness and darkness and sin are simply opportunities for God to work among us!
The New Testament has a lot to say about money, giving, and generosity. Join us as Pastor Kevin Fontenot preaches through the love of money, contentment, whether or not Christians should tithe, and what generosity looks like.
We must take a step back and ask ourselves if we see giving as a box to check or an area to surrender to God?If it’s a box to be checked, we’ll ask “how much do I need to give?”But if it’s an area to surrender, we’ll ask “How much do I really need to keep?” Money makes a terrible god and the sooner we smash the idol, the better. We are to love the Lord our God with all that we have.
Jesus has provided for your salvation on the cross. Your sin is not too much for Him to forgive. It was a costly redemption and His blood is able to cover all our iniquity. The Perfect, Spotless Lamb of God has died for us. We’re forgiven because He was forsaken. We’re accepted because He was condemned. He has done it!
By our sin, we are separated from God. We live as though we are His enemies. But God doesn’t smite us, He provides a way of redemption.Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are offered forgiveness, acceptance, and a living hope.But it’s not just a change in our standing before God, it’s an invitation to a new way of life — one of true goodness, truth, and beauty.When we cry out “my Lord and my God” as Thomas did, it’s an acceptance of who Jesus is, what He has done for us, and a commitment to live in light of those two things.
Jesus is a King who requires total allegiance. He says that we must lay down our worldly lives in order to gain eternal life. There’s a choice that all of us must make: Are we willing to follow Jesus according to His ways?
Jesus’ prayer is for a unified and selfless church that is caught up in the love of God and out of that participates in His kingdom mission to see the lost saved.
We often ask God for a laundry list of things, throw “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayer, and wonder why God never seems to answer our prayer.
It’s because we don’t understand the heart of God and we’re asking for things that aren’t aligned with His heart.
As we are sanctified and come into a deeper relationship with God, our prayer life becomes more vibrant because we know God and His heart.
Learn more about how the Zoggs, our missionaries in the Dominican Republic, are sharing the love of God to people in practical ways.
Want to support what they are dojng? Give at https://secure.cmalliance.org/give and select DR Humanitarian Aid under find a project.
Once we come to know who God is intellectually, we’ll desire to know Him relationally through prayer.
Truly knowing God is the key to a vibrant prayer life and is how we overcome all the things that stand in the way of prayer.
Our world is broken, but there is hope in Jesus. We should be people, like Nehemiah, who recognize the brokenness and are driven to prayer. Passionate, teary-eyed prayer aligns our heart with God’s heart and is key to seeing awakening established.
David is described as a man after God’s own heart. He defeated Goliath, wrote many psalms, and was zealous for God. But he was also a man who horribly sinned against God. David’s complacency leads to lust which leads to coveting which leads to adultery which leads to murder — it’s a death spiral of sin! However, David’s story doesn’t end with his horrid moral failure. He sees the error of his ways thanks to the prophet Nathan and repents. He receives God’s forgiveness and is restored — but not without some natural consequences to his sin.
David’s story gives hope for sinners like us. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The wages of sin is death and separation from God. Yet, God in His mercy and grace has provided a way of salvation in Jesus’ death and resurrection. We, too, can receive God’s salvation by grace through faith in Jesus.
The beauty of the story of God is that He enlists misfits, and sinners, and those who once lived as His enemies to be heralds of His kingdom — to invite those who are like we used to be to the King’s banquet.
This is terrifying to most of us, but I think if we can get a proper understanding of how God accomplishes this in us, it wouldn’t be so scary. Isaiah’s life in Isaiah 6 is a perfect picture of this process: Isaiah sees God, sees his sin, receives redemption, and is empowered and sent by God to those around him.
When we live Christlike lives in the midst of a culture that is anti-Christ it will spell trouble for us, but it will also attract others to God.
We will never convince others to follow Jesus by fighting fire with fire. Our job is to be faithful and allow the Spirit of the Living God to do the supernatural work that only He can do.
We must have faith that God is still moving and still able to do immeasurably more than we can do on our own.
No one deserves grace. All have sinned. All fall short. All deserve eternal damnation because of their sin.
The scandal of grace is that forgiveness and restoration is available to all no matter what they have done.
We’re never going to have our suffering alleviated fully. There’s always going to be pain, trials, and oppression.
But, we can rest in knowing that God sees us, cares for us, and one day will make all things new.
Here’s the thing, friends: Wherever you currently find yourself, it’s not too late for your story to be different.
Your story doesn’t hinge on your biggest mistake or your biggest success. It hinges on your response to God’s still, small voice that invites us to trust in Him for salvation, redemption, and restoration.
Want to listen to our sermons on the go? Listen to our podcast here: https://anchor.fm/north-country-allia
Prayer must be a way of life for us in Christ. Listen in as Pastor Sam shares from God's Word
Jesus was born, and died, to bring about redemption.
And that redemption is available to all people — even the outcasts and those who are seemingly the lowest of the low.
We didn’t do anything to deserve such a love, and yet God has come near to us.
The question now is this: how will you respond?
It’s easy to get lost in our lived reality, but the true reality is that the birth of Jesus has turned the world upside down.
God has never given up on His plan to redeem His good creation.
God is still with us, still saving us, and still inviting us into His work as agents of restoration.
God knows your every sin.
He knows your every failure. He knows all about the things you hope no one else will find out about.
And guess what?
Out of His great love, He came and died so that you might experience forgiveness and restoration from all of your past.
The rightful King of the World has come into the World so that we might be freed from all oppression and live in union with God.
He has come to ransom, redeem, and restore us. And He has invited us to be ambassadors of His kingdom so that our prayer “on earth as it is in heaven” might become reality.
God’s light is greater than the darkness that is within us.
Yes, we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God.Yes, we have disqualified ourselves from a relationship with God because of our unholiness.
And yet, God has made a way despite this.
A way that is rooted not in human effort, but in His own effort — the uncreated Son of God taking on flesh as a man to live the life that we couldn’t live, dying the death we deserved, so that we can experience true life by faith in Jesus.
We give thanks by living lives empowered by the Spirit to walk in the Way of Jesus.
As we acknowledge God in word it should always create in us the desire to then acknowledge Him in how we live.
The way that we reach the goal of transformation is by keeping in step with the Spirit.
We come to Jesus, serve in His kingdom, and learn more about Him.
Then through the difficult task of self-control and perseverance, we become like Him by surrendering our ways and embracing His ways.
God’s gentleness toward us through His grace is the very reason that we have salvation.
And if God is gentle toward us, surely we are to put on that same gentleness.
As we understand the gentleness of Christ toward us, we will begin to cultivate the gentleness of Christ in us.
Faithfulness isn’t dependent upon how much we’ve got. When we’re more focused on what others have, we forget that God is much more concerned with our faithfulness than he is how much we have. Faithfulness is not shaped by what you have, it’s shaped by what you do with what you have.
Goodness is holistic and occurs as we apply Jesus to every area of our lives. Jesus is the only standard of goodness.
In Romans 2, Paul tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance. His grace enables us to respond to His grace. Kindness is about reflecting God to the world around us. It is choosing to walk in love, compassion, and mercy because God has shown those things to us.
Patience is not an inconsequential attribute, it is essential to a vibrant spiritual life. As Christians who live in the midst of a society of convenience and fast and endless progress, we must reclaim a theology that recognizes the good of patience.
At the end of the day, living in peace is about recognizing God’s Lordship. When we feel a lack of peace, we are to cast all of that on God and rest in His Lordship. It’s a call to surrender control.
God has called and equipped us to be people who are full of His joy. Joy is ultimately a gift of grace from God because He Himself is joyful. This is good news for us, because we are God’s creation and we are saved by His works. God has quite literally saved us into His joy.
God didn’t show His love to those who were worthy of it. He showed it to the ones who didn’t deserve it — His enemies — you and me. And the nature of that kind of love must now mark how we are to love. We are called to love all, even (especially) the unlovable and those who are enemies of God by how they live, because that’s what God did for us.
God has called us to have lives full of the fruit of the Spirit, but before we can get to the place of being filled with the fruit of the Spirit, we have to abide in Christ. In order for us to get there we have to understand grace. It’s not just for the moment of salvation, His grace is what sustains us and transforms us into His image.
The early church knew that discipleship and spiritual formation were the impetus of changed individuals and that changed individuals led to a massively effective lived gospel witness to a dying world. The only way we are going to see our world change is by gaining a similar heart for discipleship in the Way of Jesus.
Following Jesus does not magically protect us from tragedy, trial, or hardship. Hardship is the proving ground of our faith where we face the uncomfortable choice of whether we will cling to God or turn and run from Him. In our darkest hour, we must cling to Jesus. He has not abandoned you, but rather has made a way for your deliverance.
As a church, we must show radical hospitality to one another and the world around us, faithfully serve as stewards of God’s grace, and be united in love, while keeping our hearts and minds fixed firmly on Jesus and His gospel in this late hour.
In 1 Samuel 16:1-13, we see humans look at the outward appearance when judging someone’s worth, but God looks at the heart.
In Matthew 22, Jesus calls on His followers to love God with all their heart, soul and mind. And to equally love their neighbors as themselves. In this dark world today, are we being the Light of Christ to those around us? Are we truly loving others more than ourselves?
In this life we have two choices. We can choose to build our house upon the sand, living for ourselves and watch it all come crashing down or we can choose to build our house upon the rock that is Jesus and be secure in Him. We can choose the broad path or the narrow path.
Jesus has invited us to live a life where we no longer devour those who are different from us, but instead show them the love of God that has transformed sinners like us into saints.
We don’t have to be overcome with worry about the state of our world, or our retirement accounts, or keeping up with appearances. Jesus presents us with a way of life that is altogether different, but to accept it requires a full system rebuild. It’s a life where our worry, fear, comparison, and endless striving are met with the good news of the Gospel — that there is peace, hope, assurance, and love in Jesus.
Prayer is an essential practice to grow as apprentices (or disciples) of Jesus as we learn to walk in His way. As we pray as God intended, we’re transformed moment by moment, day by day, to have the life that God intended for us — to walk with Him in the cool of the day.
This morning the Spronks share with us about the Missions hospital in Bongolo, Gabon Scripture for today: Deut 29:29 and Psalm 73:21-28
Jesus’ message is one of holiness where He calls us to live according to His ways. This requires us to die to ourselves and seek His ways above our own ways — even when that is difficult!
According to Jesus the #blessed life is something a bit different than you might expect. Jesus is inviting us into life as He intended it to be lived — a life that is one of true happiness.
The Great Commission is our primary calling in this life. It doesn't matter if you're a doctor or a teacher or businessperson or pilot or stay-at-home parent or are retired — your primary calling is to participate in the Great Commission.
In Acts 17:16-34 Paul models to us what it looks like to be ready at all times, to never compromise the truth, and to always be compassionate about sharing your faith.
This is where the beauty of redemption is at play for us. Each of us has been called to participate in the family of God as spiritual parents, children, and siblings.
We cannot simply add Jesus into our lives and hope that what we do is pleasing to Him — we need to allow Him to reorient us.
The Christian life isn’t whatever we want it to be. It’s found in the richness of yielding our lives to Jesus. And this is made possible through the Spirit.
"Today we are celebrating the hope that we have in Jesus... a hope that's eternal. Jesus, the King of the Universe is victorious over death!" Pastor Kevin Fontenot
When Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of Hosanna, he is doing so with the full knowledge of what is to come. He knows that these same people will be nowhere to be found as He is crucified for them. Yet, because of His great love He pressed on. What a King that we have in Jesus!
Do you have a situation that seems impossible? Be encouraged today by this message on having desperate faith when things seem dark and hopeless. God is still working!
As a church, our vision is to see our community and world develop a transformational relationship with Jesus Christ. But how do we get there? Join Pastor Kevin as he shares what we are believing God to do over the next 5 years!
The compassion of God far surpasses our understanding. Check out this message from Pastor Kevin as he shares from Jonah chapter 4:1-11.
No matter how dark the world looks there is always hope because of Jesus. Check out this replay of Pastor Kevin as he shares from Jonah 3:3-10.
No matter how far you've run from God, He's still there! God is for you and wants to see your life transformed. Join us as we continue to dive into Jonah.
God is relentless in His pursuit of us. Join us as we dive into week 2 of our series on Jonah.
When we think of the idea of evangelism, we freeze up. Missional living flips this on its head by making evangelism a lifestyle and not an event. It begins by having a vibrant spiritual life built upon the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Truly understanding Jesus’ offer of salvation is the spark by which our lives are set aflame. From a place of fullness, it becomes easier to yield our lives to the leading of the Spirit. Making ourselves available is 90% of the battle. The other 10% is identifying ways to speak spiritual truth through pathways and artifacts. Pathways are expressed needs, emotions, or desires that act as on-ramps to spiritual conversations. Artifacts are cultural phenomena like art, media, movements, or anything else that is commonly discussed that can be used to express spiritual truth.
Community is God’s intention for the Christian life. That doesn’t mean that it’s without fault — in fact it can be pretty messy. There’s no such thing as a perfect church, but when we build ourselves on the Way of Jesus by loving God and loving others, we become a healthy church. Community is the place where we learn to be doers of the Word and not just hearers. By spurring one another on in love and good deeds, community forms us into what God intends for our lives.
Self-denial is one of the most challenging things for us as Christians. Today Pastor Kevin walked us through what a lifestyle of self-denial should look like in our lives. There are 3 ways that it plays out in our lives. #1: A lifestyle of self-denial begins with Jesus at the center of our lives. If we say that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord of all, then living a lifestyle of self-denial isn’t a begrudgingly impossible task, but rather is a joyful act of worship. #2: A lifestyle of self-denial requires us to flee from sin. It cost Jesus His life to bring about our salvation. Jesus lived a sinless life and freely offered himself as an atonement for our sins. He took our place so that we would have eternal life instead of eternal death. Knowing this, our sin should be something that grieves us. We must repent and change our direction. #3: A lifestyle of self-denial means surrendering to God’s way in ALL things. Our greatest calling in life is to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We best do this by surrendering our whole lives to Jesus and giving the Spirit the room to lead us in all things. We cannot let the things of this world — regardless of how noble they may seem — distract us from our calling to love God and love people.
Are you going through a difficult season in your life? Lament! Are you going through a great season in your lift? Lament!