Grace Bible Church Creekside Sermons: Recent Episodes
Grace Bible Church, College Station Texas
Original sermons recorded at Grace Bible Church in College Station Texas. Please note there are many more recordings not listed here.Visit our sermons archive at www.grace - bible.org for more audio messages. All recordings are available as free MP3 downloads.Most messages have supplementary Notes and PowerPoint slides.
Jesus preached the Word of God perfectly, because He is the living Word of God. Some people believed His words, while others rejected Him. In Luke 8, Jesus explains that our response to God’s Word determines the outcome of our lives. A fruitful life is one that glorifies God and helps others to know Him. The only way to lead a fruitful life is to listen carefully to God’s Word and to obey it.
When you think of the “good life,” what comes to mind? Riches? Fame? Pleasure? Our world values people who are powerful, important, and prideful. But the values of Christ’s kingdom are opposed to the values of this world. In Luke 6, Jesus described a kingdom in which everything is upside down: the poor are rich, outcasts are insiders, enemies are friends, and sinners turn into saints. Will we trust Him and arrange our lives according to His kingdom values?
God helps those who help themselves…or does He? What about those who can’t help themselves: the helpless, the outcasts, and the sinners? If we are being honest, those words describe all of us! We cannot save ourselves from our greatest enemies: death, Satan, and sin. Only God has that power. Jesus, God’s only Son, came to save those who cannot save themselves, and that’s all of us. He came to bring us good news: Everyone who knows Him can be a part of His kingdom, now and for eternity.
We’ve all come face to face with temptation and will continue to do so. The question is, how will we deal with temptation when it threatens us? In today’s passage, we’ll see the areas Satan targets to tempt us and the tools at our disposal to fight back, just like Jesus did.
Throughout human history, we’ve all been looking for a few standard things: purpose, meaning, fulfillment, joy and peace. In this chapter, we see 4 pieces of affirmation that every single thing we’re looking for is found in Jesus.
We are made to reflect God’s character and glory, but sin contaminates our lives and prevents us from fulfilling our purpose. For that reason, the Scripture calls us to pursue holiness - to separate ourselves from sin and set ourselves apart for God. The start of a new year is a natural opportunity for us to evaluate our lives and develop new habits of holiness as we seek to honor Jesus.
With the New Year comes dreams, goals, and resolutions, but as we pursue these things, what are we looking for? Is it fulfillment, satisfaction, financial stability, status, or something else? The same question could be asked about church. When we come to worship God, what are we seeking? Are we coming to church because of the tradition we were taught, or because the Bible says we should, or because we're genuinely curious about Jesus and we want to know him? In John 1:35–42, two men wrestle with this same question as Jesus asks them, "What are you seeking?" How will we respond to this question ourselves? The hope is that we will seek to know Jesus more by accepting his invitation to follow him and learn from him, and as we do, we will invite others to know and experience Jesus for themselves.
The greatest story of all time would never have been written if it were in the hands of human authors. God is masterfully crafting the narrative of our redemption as He reconciles mankind to Himself through His Son Jesus Christ.
Even though Christmas is meant to be a joyful season, we often find that our lives do not match our expectations. We still live in a world full of sin, death, and darkness, although we believe that Jesus came to bring us eternal life. Those who received the news of Christ’s arrival on the very first Christmas also had reasons for despair and sadness. Yet the coming of Jesus into the world proves that we always have a reason to praise God, even when life is hard.
With all the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it is all too easy for Christians to become a distracted people! In the narrative of Mary and Martha, we learn that activities, even good ones, must not overshadow our relationship with Jesus. When we let distractions allow us to miss presence and intimacy with God, we will become anxious and troubled. However, when we make Jesus our Main Thing, we experience the abundant life that He has offered us. In this sermon, we learn how to overcome distractions and become more devoted disciples of Jesus!
God has given every follower of Jesus a story. It’s a story of how His grace has intersected with our lives, a story of salvation and transformation. Every story is unique, and yet every story is also the same, because every story is about Jesus. Paul’s example challenges us to share our story with anyone who will listen, because God wants to use our stories to bring people to Himself.
How can we live so that we leave behind an eternal legacy? We might not be remembered for very long, but we can still influence the lives of other people for the sake of eternity. The example of the apostle Paul shows us how: Be humble, love sincerely, persevere, and preach the Word. Lives that display those values also reflect and honor Jesus. And when we use our lives to honor Jesus, we can make a lasting impact on those around us.
For those of us who believe in Jesus, there is no such thing as an ordinary person or an insignificant moment. Every moment is an opportunity to reflect the good news of the gospel, and every person matters deeply to God. Are our eyes and hearts open to the people around us who need to know Jesus? Are we willing to courageously and compassionately share the truth with the people we encounter in our daily lives?
Life never goes according to our plans. There are so many things outside of our control! The good news is that nothing is out of God’s control. His plans never fail, even when ours do. The ministry of Paul demonstrates that even life’s detours cannot thwart God’s plans. Our responsibility is simply to trust Him and to obey Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
Everyone loves the idea of grace, at least in theory. In reality, though, grace is messy and controversial. It seems unfair! How can God welcome undeserving sinners into His family, and give them eternal life for free? The message of the gospel, however, is we are all undeserving sinners. Grace is our only hope of salvation. For that reason, grace is worth defending and fighting for, even when it seems too good to be true.
In Acts 12-14, God shows us 3 marks of a church that multiplies: a commitment to seeking God through prayer, sending people to the nations, and sharing the Gospel with people around us.
Do you believe that Jesus can transform God’s enemies into His friends? Do you believe that the gospel can reach even the hardest hearts and save the most hopeless sinners? When Saul of Tarsus encountered Jesus, everything changed. God gave him a new perspective, a new identity, and a new mission. Saul’s story demonstrates that nobody is beyond the transforming power of the gospel.
Are you open to the thought that God might want to use your life in a way that breaks your boxes and stretches you beyond what you think you’re ready for?
The life of Philip demonstrates that God often calls unlikely people in extraordinary ways to go to unexpected places. Will you trust Him and obey Him when He calls you?
How will we respond when we face hostility or persecution for the sake of Jesus? Are we ready to be faithful and bold, even if it costs us dearly? Our ability to withstand pressure depends upon the character we are cultivating on a daily basis. The life of Stephen demonstrates that when we display Christ-like character under pressure, we demonstrate the power of the gospel.
God disciplines his church as beloved children. He does this because sin is destructive, his discipline protects us and the church is strengthened whenever we walk in a fear of God.
It’s easy to be discouraged when our lives don’t turn out like we expect or hope them to. But what if God has plans for us that are much better than our own? What if He has an eternal purpose for our lives that is greater than our earthly dreams? In Acts 3, Luke tells us about one man who realized that his story was just a part the much greater story that God is writing. God used his most difficult circumstances to bring praise and glory to the name of Jesus. When we are willing to submit our lives to God’s plans, He might surprise us also, and lead us into a life that’s much greater than the one imagine for ourselves.
The Scripture tells us that believing in Jesus is the only requirement for us to receive eternal life. So why did the apostle Peter tell his listeners on the Day of Pentecost to "repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins"? Are repentance and baptism necessary for us to be saved? Once we examine Acts 2:38 closely, we will find that we can rest assured that we can have eternal life by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Without the Holy Spirit, the church is an unremarkable group of people. But when the Holy Spirit shows up, He changes everything. The church is not defined by its buildings, programs, staff, or events, but instead by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When Christ ascended into heaven, He gave His disciples a mission to accomplish. He instructed us to spread the message of His love to every nation, until the day He returns. He did not leave us alone, though: He gave us the power of His Spirit to help us accomplish the task. What are you doing to participate in the mission of Jesus Christ, here and around the world?
As a church, we share a common faith in Jesus Christ, and a common mission to make disciples of all the nations. But in order to fulfill that mission, each one of us must use our individual gifts to help the church become both mature and effective.
We all feel afraid sometimes. What can we remember about God in those moments of fear? How can we find the courage to trust Him and to obey Him, even when fear threatens to drown us. Psalm 91 tells us that God is our shelter, our courage, and our salvation. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.
How can we draw near to God when He seems to be far away? How can we change our perspective, even when we can’t change our circumstances? King David wrote Psalm 63 when he was in the wilderness, separated from his home and feeling spiritually distant from God. In the midst of his pain, he chose to reflect on God’s good character, to remember God’s perfect faithfulness, and to rely on God’s generous promises. When we take the same approach, we can navigate the spiritually dry moments in our lives with faith and hope in God.
The Scripture is God’s Word. We believe that it is divine, true, and relevant to our lives. If we want to know God, we need to know the Bible. So how can we grow in our desire and our ability to read and to obey it?
When we’re unified (as a church family, with friendships, in marriage, etc.), we can enjoy God’s incredible blessings.
Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved and familiar chapters in the entire Bible. But have you ever really meditated on what it means that the Lord is our Shepherd? What kind of Shepherd is He? King David tells us that we follow a Shepherd that we can trust to protect and to provide for us, both now and forever.
The greatest antidote to discontent and anxiety is to remember how faithfully and fiercely God loves us. We see God's loyal love reflected in creation, in history, and in the free gift of salvation. Psalm 136 reminds us, over and over again, that His love endures forever.
Though God is transcendent in His qualities of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence, He uses those characteristics to be involved in the lives of His people intimately. He knows YOU, chooses YOU, is with YOU, and has a plan for YOU.
A bad question: will we mess up, fall, and sin? Obviously! A good question: how will we respond when we mess up, fall, and sin? Psalm 51 takes us through a template of responding to sin like a man after God’s own heart. In it, we see 4 do’s and don’ts of dealing with sin, all of which lead us to a place of renewed joy.
Nations and empires throughout history have aligned themselves against God and against His people. But they will never win, because God’s authority over the universe - and the authority of His Son Jesus - is absolute and unstoppable. For that reason, we can fix our hope on King Jesus, because He will never fail us.
How does one live out the blessed life, the good life? The life that causes others to say, "Look at the person experiencing God's favor and abundance!" Psalm one kicks off the Book of Psalms by introducing the reader to two pathways, two antithetical lifestyles; our destination will ultimately be determined by the path we take!
Psalm 42 contains a number of circumstances that can lead to depression. But, even in the midst of despair, the psalmist keeps his focus on God.
Being a parent is a hard job, but it is also an eternally significant job! How can you treasure your role as a mom, while focusing on the values and character traits that are most important for your children to understand and develop?
God established boundaries around marriage and sex because He loves us and He wants what is best for us. For that reason, the Scripture prohibits homosexual behavior, along with every other expression of sexual sin. In a society that denies God’s design, it can be hard to believe that real change is possible for those who struggle with sexual sin. However, the gospel offers forgiveness for every sexual sin, and hope for every struggling sinner.
Why did God create marriage and sex in the first place? The Bible is clear that marriage is not the only pathway to a life of purpose and meaning, so what is it for? God’s Word tells us that marriage is both a partnership and a picture, in which a man and a woman join together to fulfill God’s purposes and reflect God’s love.
God created us in His image. But why did He make us male and female? Why do those categories even matter from a biblical perspective? Our current culture questions the importance, and even the reality, of God’s design on this issue. Knowing what His Word says about sex and gender will help us to respond with grace and truth as we engage these challenging, yet critical, conversations.
The Bible has a lot to say about sex and gender. So why does God care so much about our sexual identity, behavior and thoughts? Scripture tells us that God is not trying to keep us from experiencing joy and fulfillment by placing boundaries around our sexual behavior. Instead, He wants us to understand that when we live in keeping with His design, we will experience true freedom and joy. His design is for us to reflect His character and love in every area of life, including how we use our bodies. Will we submit our sexual beliefs and behaviors to the authority of God’s Word?
What is God’s heart toward us when we sin? The story of Peter’s restoration shows us that God pursues sinners, forgives sinners, and uses redeemed sinners for a beautiful purpose.
We all need hope. But in the face of a world filled with sin, death, tragedy, and suffering, we find ourselves struggling to maintain our hope. After Jesus died, His disciples also struggled to keep their hope alive: if the Messiah was dead, then their future was lost. But we know the whole story now! Jesus rose from the dead, defeating every enemy and restoring our hope. So where do you place your hope? Will you fix all of your hope on Jesus, trusting Him to provide you with eternal life, everlasting joy, and peace with God?
What characterizes a healthy church? The answers might surprise you! A church can have a beautiful building full of people, high-quality music, and excellent events, and still be unhealthy. On the other hand, a church could be small and outwardly unimpressive and yet be healthy and effective in its mission. Romans 16 paints a picture for us of a healthy church, as Paul concludes the epistle. A healthy church serves God together, clings to the truth, and relies on God’s power. When those characteristics are present, the church will be faithful and effective in following Jesus and making disciples.
As Paul nears the end of his letter to the Romans, we see him take on a more personal tone as he explains his ministry and role within the Gospel mission. In doing so, he highlights two essential activities of a healthy church: accepting one another in Christ despite cultural differences and supporting those that are going out to share the gospel. When we understand our own role and are united in purpose, then we have the greatest impact for the gospel going out both locally and globally.
We all go through crisis. We all have needs at various times. Through the story of the Good Samaritan, we are, both, challenged to love our neighbor and given some very practical ways to care for others when we see someone hurting.
Even though we are united by the gospel, Christians sometimes disagree with each other. Disagreements over issues of secondary importance often divide the church and threaten our ability to reflect Jesus well. So how can we disagree well? Paul calls us to make love our default position, even when we don’t agree.
How can we honor Jesus when we live in a world that doesn’t know Him or believe in Him? We are not the first Christians to face this dilemma. In Romans 13, Paul tells us that the best way to honor Jesus well is to live peaceful lives consistent with His character: submit to the government, love our neighbors, and live righteously.
The Scripture is clear that nobody can have eternal life without believing in Jesus. But what about people who work really hard to do what is right? Or people who feel like they don’t have the information or the ability to believe? Those excuses did not work for the nation of Israel, and they won’t work for us either. In Romans 9-10, the apostle Paul explains that nobody has a legitimate excuse for unbelief. Everyone is held responsible to believe in Jesus for eternal life, and He is the only pathway to forgiveness of sins and a right standing before God.
We believe that God’s promises of salvation are permanent are irrevocable. Nothing can separate God’s people from His love and mercy. But if that is true, then how can we explain the fact that most Israelites - God’s chosen people - rejected Jesus? Does their unbelief mean that God’s promises to them have failed? And if so, does that mean that we can no longer trust His faithfulness? In Romans 9, Paul tells us that God not unfaithful, nor is He unjust. He has a perfect plan of salvation, and He will be completely faithful to every promise He has ever made.
Our lives are busy and full; it’s easy to be constantly distracted and never focused on what’s important. As a church, we want to remain laser-focused on a few key priorities: to love God, to love others, and to make disciples. How can each of us participate in these priorities as we seek fulfill God’s purposes for us?
Unless Jesus returns first, we are all going to die one day. We don’t like to think about it very often, but the Scripture encourages us to consider how the reality of our death affects how we live. Are we investing our lives in what will last for eternity, or are we squandering our lives on temporary pleasures? Solomon, the wise writer of Ecclesiastes, reminds us that nothing on earth can satisfy our need for lasting significance; only God can.
We all want to live fruit-bearing lives. In John 15, Jesus lays out a beautiful metaphor that teaches us how to create the optimal conditions in our lives for God to produce fruit in and through us. Jesus will show us that the key to the fruit-bearing life is abiding in Him.
Christmas reminds us that Jesus was born to bring God’s light into our dark world. Christ’s light destroys the darkness of sin and death, reveals to us the truth about God and ourselves, and illuminates the entire world. His Light shines brightly for everyone who wants to see it. Do you?
Every Christmas, we sing the same songs and read the same Bible stories. If we aren’t careful, the story of Christmas can being to feel stale and lose its wonder. How can we reclaim a sense of amazement and wonder during the Christmas season? The key is for us to make Jesus our primary focus, whether we are by ourselves, with our family, or out in the world.
Sometimes it’s hard to live in between Christ’s ascension to heaven and His second coming. We have the promise of eternal life, but we’re still waiting for its fulfillment. God’s kingdom is coming, but it hasn’t arrived yet. We experience suffering and tension as a result of living in a world that awaits its final redemption, and we often wonder what God is doing while we wait. Paul tells us in the final section of Romans 8 that God is still working while we are waiting. His Spirit is interceding for us, His plan is working out for us, and His love never leaves us! As a result, we can endure hardship with hope and faithfulness as we wait eagerly for Jesus to come back.
When we believed in Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to live within us. That means that we now inherit all of the promises that God has made to His children: Freedom from sin, closeness to Him, and hope for the future. As we learn to walk more closely with God by the power of the Spirit, He will more deeply assure us of God’s power, love, and promises to us. Because of that, the Spirit-directed life is like no other. It is truly a life beyond compare!
If we cannot win our struggle against sin by obeying the Law, then what can we do? Is real change even possible? Yes! If you know Jesus, then the Holy Spirit — the third member of the Trinity — lives in you. And the Spirit can do what the Law could not do: He can give us the power to obey God and to become more like Jesus. But unlike the Law, the Spirit doesn’t transform us by means of external pressure, or a list of rules. The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out, as we choose to walk with Him on a moment-by-moment basis. When we reject the worldview of the flesh, and accept the worldview of the Spirit, we find that transformation is possible. God makes us more like Jesus, step by step and day by day, until we see Him face to face.
If Jesus died and rose again to set us free from sin’s reign, then why do we still struggle with sin on a regular basis? In Romans 7, Paul describes the fierce battle that we face between our desire to obey God, and our inability to actually do so. This conflict is a normal part of the Christian life, yet it can lead us to frustration and even despair. How can we experience practical victory over sin in our lives? Only through the power of God, which is available to us because we know Jesus and have His Spirit inside of us.
Every church is called to the same mission: To make disciples of Jesus. At Grace Bible Church, we desire to make disciples not only in our local community, but all around the world. That is why we engage in world missions. All of us are called to participate in the mission that Jesus gave us. As we learn more about what God is doing around the world, we will be increasingly motivated to pray, to give, and to go.
Paul explains how the believer in Jesus Christ has been released from the Law and why it is to our benefit.
If God’s grace covers all of our sin, then why should we even bother to pursue holiness? If God is going to forgive us anyway, why not just keep on sinning? In Romans 6, Paul answers this question by telling us that sin is completely inconsistent with our new identity in Christ. Sin is destructive and tyrannical, and Jesus died and rose again to set us free! We are no longer under sin’s power, and we no longer have to experience sin’s consequences. Instead, we can choose the much greater path of obedience to God’s way of living, which results in the kind of life transformation and hope that all of us long for.
When Adam chose to disobey God, he introduced sin and death into the world. As a result, all of us are condemned to eternal death and separation from God, unless He intervenes to save us. The good news is that He has intervened! All who are united with Christ by faith are rescued from death, and granted infinite grace, the righteousness of God, and eternal life. We are no longer identified with the sin of Adam, nor are we condemned by our own sin and guilt. Instead, we live under the reign of grace, where every sin and transgression is overcome by the unbelievable grace of Jesus.
By His amazing grace, God forgave our sin and declared us righteous when we believed in Jesus. Now, everything about our lives has changed! We get to participate in the amazing benefits that come from knowing God. We we were once God’s enemies, but now we are at peace. We were once hopeless, but now we have hope again, even in the face of suffering. We were once destined for eternal death, but now we have the confidence of eternal life. Because of everything that God has given us through Jesus, our lives ought to be full of unceasing joy as we remember all of the blessings that he has lavished on us.
We all like to believe we are self-sufficient, that we can solve all of our problems if we only try hard enough. When it comes to our relationship with God, however, we can’t fix things on our own. Our good works and religious rituals aren’t good enough for us to earn our way to heaven. The only way to be right with God is to believe in Jesus. Saving faith does not include our good works, nor does it require our religious rituals. Instead, faith relies upon the promises of God, believing that He declares us righteous on the basis of Jesus’s faithfulness on our behalf. Do you believe that God declares your righteous by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone?
Our sin has created a rift between us and God, and there is nothing we can do to make things right again. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that, through Jesus, God has done everything for us! Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life as a gift. We are saved by grace through faith alone. We add nothing to the equation; we simply accept what God gives us. Once we truly understand what Jesus has done for us, we will be motivated to spend the rest of our lives responding to Him in worship and gratitude for the salvation He has given us for free.
It’s easy to believe that the world is sinful, but it’s harder to believe that we are sinful. We all understand that murderers, adulterers, thieves, and idolaters are disobedient to God. But what about religious people? If I attend the right church, know the Bible inside and out, and hang around with holy people, isn’t that enough to make me right with God? The book of Romans says it’s not enough. Not even close. Even religious people need God’s righteousness. One of the reasons that the gospel is such good news is because it levels the playing field. Everyone, no matter how “good” they are, is in need of God’s grace for eternal life. And the really good news? Everyone who believes in Jesus can have it for free.
In this week’s passage from Romans, Paul directs his attention to the self-righteous moralist… that lives within every one of us. He shows us that if you’re relying on yourself for salvation or God’s approval, you’re hopelessly lost. All of this is building his argument that the gospel really is good news.
Sin is a very big deal to God. Apart from His grace, we aren’t just a little bit off track; we’re hopelessly lost. Humanity has chosen rebellion and disobedience instead of faith and submission to God. As a result, our sin has incurred the wrath of God, which leads to devastating consequences. In order to understand the beauty and the magnitude of the good news, then, we have to understand the bad news first. We desperately need the righteousness of God that we can only find in the gospel.
We all need to hear good news, especially in a world full of so much bad news! In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul explains why the gospel - a word that means “good news” - is the very best news we could ever hope to hear. God’s good news is that we can have a relationship with God and eternal life when we simply believe in Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has the power to make us right with God again. This good news, this gospel, completely transformed Paul’s life, and it can completely transform ours, as well.
In order to be effective, a church must understand its mission and its core values. At Grace Bible Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. That mission is supported by our key values, or “pillars,” that support everything we do. We value God’s Grace, God’s Word, Next-Generation Ministry, and World Missions.
Sexual immorality is rampant in our world. Believe it or not, that’s nothing new. Ever since the fall of mankind, men and women have used God’s good gift of sex in twisted and sinful ways. That’s why Solomon warned his son of the dangers of sexual immorality, and exhorted him to pursue godly wisdom instead. Talking about sex is awkward, but necessary. If we want to pursue holiness in this area of our lives, we need to live in the light, openly and honestly talking about God’s design. Proverbs 7-8 offers us some help as we seek to flee sexual temptation and pursue holiness and purity.
When it comes to words, there are pitfalls everywhere. The more we talk, the more likely we are to say something sinful or stupid. Jesus told us that our words reflect our hearts. If we hope to transform our speech, then, we need to ask God to change us from the inside out. That transformation begins with evaluation, as we examine our speech patterns to see where we fall short of God’s standards. The book of Proverbs helps us with this evaluation by warning us about several “word pitfalls.” Once we understand how we’re falling short, we can ask God for the strength and power to honor Him with what we say.
Pride is a parasite that has infected us all. Left unchecked, pride will drain us of life and deteriorate our relationship with God. But God wants more for us! Today’s talk dives into a few proverbs and 1 Peter 5:5-7, which all exhort us to do two simple things: kill pride, and wear humility.
There is a natural rhythm between work and rest but it can very difficult to find a healthy balance between those 2 responsibilities in our life. Proverbs will highlight the great value of rest and we will explore why we struggle to rest, what rest actually is as God designed it, and how we can build in healthy rhythms of rest in our life.
Is there any area of your life that seems out of control, and what can you really do about it? In the message today, we learn that through the power of the Holy Spirit, the people of God can live out the self-controlled life. When the followers of Jesus dwell upon the gospel, have a focused direction, and exercise self-discipline, they display both God and His gospel!
Words are powerful. They have the ability to build up or tear down, to save life or destroy it. The book of Proverbs has a great deal to tell us about how to use our words to honor God and other people. Life-giving words are honest, kind, peaceful, pure, and timely.
From the day we are born, we are dealing with the powerful emotion of anger. No one had to teach us how to be angry. Yet, if we never learn to control our anger in a godly way, we could end up damaging the relationships around us. In the book of Proverbs, we see those that are quick to anger are usually proving their foolishness to everyone around them, but those that are slow to anger showcase the same character that God consistently shows us. When we remain in control of our anger, we are able to build honest, trusting, loving relationships with those around us.
Researchers say that the average adult makes about 35,000 choices a day... Choices like, "What to eat, what to wear, what to watch, what to believe." The reality is that you are where you are today because of the choices that you've made in the past; similarly, the choices you make today will determine your tomorrow. Thus, making wise choices is an extremely important and priceless skill that will ultimately determine your development and your destination. Today we will see that the people of God must walk in God's will by trusting in God's Word, thus embodying Jesus' words and actions which leads to a life filled with wise choices and fruitful actions.
Being a father is a wonderful privilege, but it’s also a tough job! What does it mean to be a “good” dad? Where do you even begin? In writing the book of Proverbs, King Solomon had a clear and simple goal for his son: To help him grow in wisdom. As fathers, we are called to help immature children become wise adults. Wisdom, of course, begins with knowing and revering the Lord. Our task, then, is to model a life of godliness and wisdom, and to coach our children toward a life that honors God. It isn’t an easy job, but it’s a critical one. There will be many ups and downs, but if we pray and persevere, we can trust that God is faithful.
Money is a valuable tool, but it’s a terrible god. The book of Proverbs urges God’s people to use money in ways that honor and reflect His character. When we keep it in its proper perspective, we will earn and spend our money wisely and righteously, and we will remember that it doesn’t last forever. When we view our money correctly, we will invest it in eternal treasures rather than in the fleeting pleasures of this world.
Nobody navigates life successfully without good friends. Even Jesus had friends during His earthly life. Some friends are better than others, though. So what makes for a good friend? The book of Proverbs offers a number of character traits to give us a portrait of the kind of friends we should look for, and the kind of friends we should be. Ultimately, we will find that the very best friends are those who are most like Jesus.
Proverbs shows us that a wise leader seeks counsel, prioritizes integrity, focuses on their impact, and strives to serve rather than be served. Worldly leadership may sway us to be a lone wolf, value expediency & money, and prioritize self over those we lead, but a fear of the Lord can lead us to trust and walk with Him in the way we approach our leadership.
Just as good a father desires to prepare and equip their children to have the best life possible, God desires the same for us. The key to the best life? Wisdom. Biblical wisdom is more than knowledge or education, it is all about applying truth in our lives. In other words Biblical wisdom is all about skillful living. This wisdom is available to all, yet some will play the fool and go their own way - which will you be?
Sin is a major barrier in our relationship with God. If we want to walk closely with Him on a daily basis, we must deal with the reality that we often fall short of God’s standards for our lives. When we confess our sin and ask for God’s forgiveness, that paves the way for our fellowship with Him to be restored. And when we ask Him to protect us from sinning in the future, we can move ahead in confidence that His Spirit will give us the power to live in a way that pleases Him.
How should we ask God for what we need and desire? What attitudes should permeate our prayer lives as we make our requests? In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs us with one sentence: “Give us this day our daily bread.” That sentence is short but powerful, though, and we can learn a lot about prayer from these few simple words. Jesus’s model demonstrates that when we come before God, we ought to present our needs to Him expectantly, humbly, specifically, and daily. Where do you need to grow in your prayer life, as you ask God to meet your needs and to consider your heart’s desires?
When we pray, we’re often tempted to begin by asking God to meet our needs and fulfill our desires. But Jesus encouraged His followers to begin their prayers by acknowledging who God is before asking for what they need. Our relationship with God takes priority over our requests of God, in other words. When we pray, we relate to God as our compassionate and perfect Father, but we also submit to Him as our holy and all-powerful King. The first half of the Lord’s Prayer challenges us to search our own hearts in order to draw closer to Him in order to more fully trust and obey Him.
Prayer is an essential part of our relationship with God. Prayer can be deeply rewarding, but it can also be challenging and difficult. That is why Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, and also how not to pray. As we examine the Lord’s Prayer, we will see that prayer is not intended to be a performance, nor is it a means of manipulating God. Instead, prayer is about making a personal connection to God. The good news is that God is always listening and eager to respond. We can approach Him directly, honestly, and confidently, knowing that He wants to talk to us.
Sometimes we can learn as much from the questions Jesus asked as we can from the statements He made. In John 20, after He rose from the dead, Jesus asked His friends three questions: First, why are you weeping? Second, who are you looking for? Third, have you believed? Our answers to those questions will reveal the condition of our hearts and shape the trajectory of our future. We will find that every eternal question is answered at the empty tomb of Jesus.
On Palm Sunday we celebrate the arrival of the King. But who was this King, and what was so great about his arrival? Today, we look at the prophecy that was fulfilled the day that Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, and see what it teaches us about this great, Anticipated King.
Prayer is the right response to every situation. James tells us to pray in times of suffering, times of joy, and times of sickness. God hears our prayers and He responds to them powerfully. Prayer changes our hearts and it can even change the world. What is keeping us from developing a habit of faithful and faith-filled prayer?
It is tempting for us to believe that we can control our future by carefully planning our time and diligently building our wealth. But James reminds us that our plans often fail, and our money won’t last. Bank accounts and calendars can never offer us the significance and security we long for. But Jesus can. Instead of arrogantly presuming that we can control the future, we can trust in God, who is in charge of our lives today, tomorrow, and for all of eternity. We can trust that Jesus is coming back, so the future is bright for those who know Him. In the meanwhile, we can be patient and faithful to Him, knowing that our suffering is only temporary and our salvation will last forever. Our plans and our money will fail us, but the grace of God never will.
God is Triune. We often wrongly view this doctrine as an annoying doctrine to explain away, when in reality it’s a beautiful doctrine to celebrate. In this talk, we explain (1) what the Trinity is, (2) how we know that God is Triune, and (3) why any of it matters.
All too often, our hearts are divided between allegiance to God and our love for this world. We want to know and obey God, but we also want to rule our own lives. We feel entitled to things that God has not given us, whether money, power, prestige, or pleasure. Our entitlement leads to discontent, envy, and conflict with other Christians. But God offers us a way to escape this painful cycle of conflict: Repentance. When we humble ourselves before God, agree with His perspective, and turn away from our misplaced desires, God freely offers the grace we need in order for our hearts to be transformed. And changed hearts result in restored relationships, with God and with those around us. Repentance leads to peace.
Words are powerful and dangerous. We will one day answer to God for the words we speak. After all, words can destroy people’s lives or heal their hearts. They can ruin our relationships or build a foundation of trust. Not only are words powerful, they also reflect what’s in our hearts. For that reason, the only way we can control our speech is to ask God to change our character. We need His wisdom and His grace to speak and act in ways that build up rather than tear down. When we live according to God’s wisdom, our lives and our words will reflect His peace and His righteousness.
What is the relationship between faith and works in the Christian life? Do we earn eternal life by doing good works? Do we prove we’re Christians by how good we are? James 2 is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible, and it addresses the connection between our faith in Christ and good works. James says that faith without works is worthless! However, it’s important to carefully study what he means: We cannot earn our salvation by doing good works, but if we want lives of purpose that meet with God’s approval, our faith should lead us to live in a way that reflects and honors Jesus Christ.
James, this week, targets a weed that desperately needs to be uprooted in our hearts: the sin of partiality. By examining a hypothetical scenario, discussing the “Royal Law” of Christ, and foreshadowing the coming eschatological judgment, James helps us see the danger of partiality and the beauty of love.
The trials of life can often cause us to act in angry and ungodly ways. But James tells us that there is a better way to navigate life’s challenges: Listen to the Word of God and obey it! When we do, we will find the life of obedience is the life that God blesses. It’s not that our problems will all be resolved. Instead, our lives will fulfill God’s purposes and meet with His approval. We will become the people that God created us to be, and we will receive praise from Jesus when we meet Him face to face. Anger and sin cause destruction, but obedience brings blessing.
In the midst of life’s trials, we are often tempted to doubt God’s goodness, or even to blame Him for the consequences of our own sinful choices. But sin comes from within our own hearts, and results in terrible consequences. Sin doesn’t make our trials better; it actually makes everything worse. Therefore, James urges us to resist sin’s lies, and instead to trust in the goodness of God. God never leads us toward evil and death, but instead He sent His Son to save us. God is always good, and always generous, and James calls us remind ourselves of that reality when life is hard.
Suffering can either strengthen our faith or derail it. The difference lies in how we respond, and in where we place our hope when we’re walking through hard times. James 1:1-12 tells us that the trials of life can become opportunities to deepen our faith and to focus our hope. Our response to suffering can be rooted in the reality of Christ’s victory over death and sin, and the promise of eternal life. Because of Jesus, our suffering can work something good inside of us, even if our trials are wreaking havoc all around us. We can rejoice, knowing that God stands ready to offer us the maturity and wisdom we need, and to remind us that suffering and death will not win in the end.
In order to be effective, a church must understand its mission and its core values. At Grace Bible Church, our mission is to help people find and follow Jesus. That mission is supported by our key values, or “pillars,” that support everything we do. We value God’s Grace, God’s Word, Next-Generation Ministry, and World Missions.
One of the greatest threats to our intimacy with God, this New Year, is noise. We’re surrounded by noise, external and internal, digital and physical, and all of it threatens to drown out God’s voice. Today, we take a look at the ancient spiritual disciplines of silence and solitude, and discuss how these practices of Jesus are imperative to our walk with him today, and how through practicing them, we allow God’s voice to rise above all the noise.
The first Advent highlights a multitude of God’s incredible attributes, but one of the most clear is His humility. The fact that the universe’s Creator became a creation, the infinite became infant, the omniscient took on limits, is one of the most striking realities in all of human history. Today’s message discusses the beauty of Christ’s humility, and encourages us to model our lives after His.
Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God's world has been tainted by sin and death. The Bible is the story of how God is redeeming His world and His people through His Son Jesus. Throughout the book of Revelation, we have seen how He will one day destroy His enemies and establish His eternal kingdom on earth. In the final two chapters of Revelation, the apostle John describes what life will be like in the new world that God is creating. We will have perfect relationships and perfect surroundings. We will have all that we need, and we’ll never again fear the shadow of death. It’s a glorious and bright future, and the best news of all is that everyone is invited!
When Jesus returns to the earth, He will fulfill all of His promises and defeat all of His enemies. In Revelation 20, we see how Jesus will tie up every loose end as He establishes His kingdom on earth. He will reign with His people for 1,000 years. Then, He will destroy Satan, abolish death forever, and pave the way for the arrival of the new heavens and the new earth.
It has been said that, "Comparison is the thief of all joy." Therefore, in a world where we are constantly bombarded with opportunities to compare our lives with others, is joy possible? We will look at King Saul, who was given incredible promises yet lived most of his life consumed with lesser things. Through his life we will see the impact of comparison and then look at some practical steps to move towards contentment - so that we too don't become a people given great promises and yet consume our lives with lesser things.
Everybody follower of Jesus looks forward to His return with joy. When that day comes, Jesus will descend from heaven with His people following behind Him. He will gather His people together for a great feast, a party that will be better than anything we’ve ever experienced before. At the same time, he will destroy his enemies and rivals. Instead of celebrating with Jesus, they will face destruction and ruin as the birds of the sky feast on their flesh. Every person on earth will follow Jesus or face His judgment. Do you know for sure that you’ll be at the wedding feast? Will you invite others to join you at the feast? There’s enough room for everyone, and this feast will never end.
Our world is full of idols, tempting us to trust in anything other than Jesus. False religion and materialism run rampant, as people try to find hope, purpose, and security apart from the one true God. Before Christ’s return, God will decisively demolish the world system that is so full of deception, immorality, greed, and idolatry. By doing so, He will pave the way for Christ’s kingdom, which will never fall. The question for you and me is whether we’re building our lives on Jesus, or on the false belief systems and satanic lies of the world around us.
Have you ever thanked God for His justice? We often talk about God’s grace, but words like ‘judgment’ and ‘wrath’ tend to make us uncomfortable. But the Book of Revelation shows us that God’s justice is good! His justice is rooted in His character, and it flows from His holiness and love. Evil must be abolished for God’s perfect kingdom to arrive, and for His people to be vindicated. Therefore, we can praise God for His justice and for the reality that His justice and grace have been perfectly displayed to us through Jesus Christ. As a result, we have the hope of eternal life, for which we can joyfully worship God, now and forever.
Throughout human history, Satan has used deception in order to keep people from trusting in God. He offers counterfeit saviors, counterfeit religion, and counterfeit security. During the Tribulation Period, the antichrist will be the final manifestation of Satan’s counterfeit kingdom. He will oppose Jesus by mimicking Him, in order to lead people astray. In reality, however, Satan's kingdom only leads to death. Jesus’s kingdom, however, is real and eternal, and His promises are always true. Therefore, the book of Revelation calls us to keep our hope and our faith firmly fixed on Jesus Christ.
Jesus makes a seemingly crazy promise to "...whoever believes..." that they will "...do the works that He does and even greater works than these...". Learn what this promise means and what it does not and hear from people that are seeing it come true throughout the world. If this promise is true in your life and Jesus sees you in this way, how will you respond?
The most valuable asset we’ve all been given is our lives, and we all have a choice: will I spend or invest my life? This Sunday we look at Jesus’ answer to the question, “how does God call us to invest our lives?” Spoiler alert: it has everything to do with disciple-making and all of the nations.
Satan hates God, and he hates God’s people. Throughout all of human history, he has been trying to derail God’s plans. He is dangerous and hostile. However, he will lose in the end. Revelation 12 shows us that in the cosmic conflict between God and Satan, the devil cannot win. God’s power is infinitely greater, and He has secured his victory through the death and resurrection of Christ. While we wait for Satan’s final destruction, however, we are called to be alert and aware of his schemes, so that we can stand firm in our faith.
It’s hard to be God’s messenger sometimes. His message is often met with indifference, or even open hostility. At the same time, the message of the gospel is incredibly sweet news. It’s the best message in the world! In Revelation 10-11, we will see that nothing can silence the message of the gospel. No matter how fiercely the world opposes God’s messengers, His gospel will prevail in the end. No matter what anybody says, Jesus is always on the winning side of history. And those of us who follow Him and proclaim Him can live with courage and joy, knowing that the end of our story is good.
Why does God judge the world so harshly during the Tribulation period? What purpose does it serve? As we read Revelation 8-9, we can see clearly that God’s judgments are never arbitrary or random. Instead, they serve as a final warning to those who would oppose Him or His people. The only protection we can find is in God Himself. Everyone who finds shelter in Him will be saved, now and forever. But those who oppose Him will find themselves in a losing predicament, because nobody can defeat the justice and the power of God.
The book of Revelation is in many ways a glimpse at the fuller reality of who God is. In this seventh chapter, God’s faithfulness to His promises and care for His multi-ethnic people are put on full display.
The Tribulation will be the worst time period in human history. There will be massive destruction and death on a scale that nobody has seen before. God will judge those who oppose Him, vindicate those who trust in Him, and save those who turn to Him. His judgment is righteous, and it is certain. But even when His judgment arrives, His grace will not depart.
Throughout history, kings and nations have arisen and fallen. God showed John a vision of His throne room, a place where it becomes clear that no kingdom lasts forever except one: the kingdom of God. The Universe has no ruler except for the One who created it and sustains it. For that reason, the Father and the Son are worthy of all power and all praise. Will we fall on our faces and worship God alone?
What would Jesus say to us if He wrote us a letter? Thanks to the Book of Revelation, we know the answer to that question! Jesus dictated to John seven letters to seven different churches, encouraging them to stand firm in their faith, and warning them to turn away from sin. His message to those First Century churches is the same as His message to you and me: Keep following Jesus until He comes back! Turn away from your sin, but cling to the promises of your Savior.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ is a book about whatwill happen in the future; but perhaps more importantly, it’s a book about who controls the future. More than sixty years after Jesus rose from the dead, He appears once again to His disciple John to tell him about the things to come. John sees Jesus in a whole new way: He is now risen, glorified, and clearly in charge of the universe. Jesus is Lord of everyone, everywhere, forever. The question for you and me is whether we will trust Him with our lives, believing that He holds both the present and the future in His all-powerful and loving hands.