Paul Klassen's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Paul Klassen
As Pastor of Birch Hills Community Church in Melrose, MN, my main goal in creating and posting this site is to help equip everyone within our local body of believers with a unified communication of the Word of God. Also, for anyone else without good, consistent interaction with the Bible, maybe this will bless you as well.
2 Timothy 4:9-22 - What does the one of the most respected Christians ever have to say about our relationship with each other? Have you ever thought that you could never trust anybody ever again? Have you ever thought that you don't need any help, or anyone else in your life? The Gospel of Jesus Christ doesn't only give us each hope eternal, but look at how it also deepens each relationship you have!
2 Timothy 4:1-8 - The fact of the resurrection of Jesus does many things for every single person that has ever lived. In fact, this historically-proven (despite being often-doubted) piece of history ought to be the turning point in any discussion about whether or not Christianity is worth pursuing. We love Jesus and follow Him NOT because His followers are doing it perfectly, but because He is who He said He is and He did what He said He'd do!
2 Timothy 3:1-9 - A very difficult passage that pinpoints the problems with a world that ignores God. 20 descriptions of what people are becoming and will eventually become when a society, cultural, or even church starts leaving God's powerful gospel and active Holy Spirit out of the picture. Three take-a-ways, though, that ought to be encouraging and give you hope (especially because the next passage does exactly that).
2 Timothy 2:19-26 - "But God's firm foundation stands . . ." (v. 19) is how our passage starts. What is that foundation? The fact that He knows whose are His and that those who are His are fleeing the right things and pursuing the right things. Our foundation, our solid footing is all because HE saved us from the penalty of sin and HE saves us from the power of sin. Eventually, He will save us from the presence of sin, but in the meantime BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP is needed for us to "flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace . . ." (v.22) Let's do this so that we're not trapped by the enemy again (v. 26).
Pastor Joe Williquette (Minnesota State Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship) brings us some great truth from God's word. Find out how we can confront some of the issues in our society with some solid truth and Christ-like compassion. The Bible doesn't only inform us of what's wrong and what's right, it gives us the way(s) to communicate it.
2 Timothy 2:8-13 - If you're honest with yourself, how badly do you want to see your friends, relatives, and even acquaintances to know Jesus as their savior? What if the gospel was actually 100% true, without doubt as to it's truth and daily application? If solid homes and churches include a heart for those that don't know Jesus, then how can we develop such a heart?
2 Timothy 2:1-7 - If you're anything like me, establishing a good habit is about as taxing as trying to stop a bad habit - there's very little motivation, for various reasons. What if, though, the habit was more about slightly tweaking what you already do? What if that tweak, or change of perspective, produced fruit that was beyond your wildest dreams? Let's look into WHAT discipleship and how each of us has a part to play.
2 Timothy 1:8-18 - Are you good with being a martyr? Actually, according to the original use of the word (like "testimony" is this passage), each Christian is asked to be a martyr, a witness for Jesus. A "martyr" has come to be known as someone who dies because of their testimony for Jesus. Is this relationship with Jesus that you have worth dieing for? Is it worthy speaking up about? Our passage today assures us that it's worthy everything that we're willing to surrender.
2 Timothy 1:1-7 - A foundation is supposed to support a house, keep it level, keep out bugs and moisture, and do many other things. How about a church's foundation, or the foundation of a home (not a house)? Are our lives resting on God's foundation or one of our own making that, quite frankly, needs constant repair? Churches are certainly not immune to building their present and future on the wrong foundation. How do we make sure the good things that we're doing will last?
2 Kings 5 - Bill Abeler, Director of Camp Lebanon Bible Camp presents a message of hope that is both challenging and inspirational.
1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 - What are the signs that guide you from day-to-day? Are they more along the lines of Caution signs, or Information signs, or Street signs, or Billboard signs? God's signs that He leaves for us are all over Scripture and address every single important moment in our lives. This is why the local church ought to do all it can to make sure the teaching and proclaiming of the Bible has plenty of space and time to grow. What does that look like, practically, in the local gathering of believers?
1 Timothy 5:1-16 - Just like a healthy individual produces good relationships and invites others into their life (whether intentionally or by their "vibe"), healthy churches will do the same. What does the Bible say about what makes a church healthy and inviting and making sure that we're creating the right "vibe"? There are many great books and insights into this topic, so we're simply going to focus our list on 1 Timothy 5 and 6, two chapters that touch on key issues in the church while detailing some wonderful principles to follow.
Luke 2:7-20 - "Peace on Earth" and "Joy to the World" are wonderful statements and beautiful concepts . . . unless they are flipantly said and assumed to be for all. We learn this week that God does indeed promise peace to people "whom He favors" and joy to people who get their joy from God and His people. We deserve neither, yet He grants both, freely and fully. Join us in experiencing and pursuing joy and peace in this world like you'd never imagined!
Luke 2:1-7; 1 Peter 1:10-21 -From before time began . . . From the moment God created mankind . . . From the second after man rebelled against God . . . From the era when it seemed that God had all but given up on us . . . there was Jesus . . . there was a plan for salvation . . . there was hope. If God maneuvered in, around, and through political regimes and the Roman government of the 1st Century to bring about the birth of Jesus in the right place and at the right time , don't you think He can do whatever is necessary to bring about a great life to those who truly want to follow Him?
Hebrews 10:19-25 - "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering . . ." What is a "confession of our hope"? It's our statement of what we truly believe. It's what's always true, no matter what else is happening. Similar to how the sun is always the sun, even when, in the middle of MN in the middle of winter, you can't feel the sun, the sun hasn't changed. God's nature and character and His promise to all who believe is easily forgotten. This is why the Bible says to "hold fast," to "persevere," to "watch out," and to do it all "without wavering." Today starts our four week journey of why our hope in Jesus will NEVER disappoint.
1 Timothy 4:11-16 - When you hear the word "church" what comes to mind? Are you more excited or more bored? Do you anticipate what new may come next or do you assume the same old thing? Does that word draw you to know God more or does it tell you that God isn't worth your time? The more the church utilizes the Bible as their authority, the more closely it will be a church that God has meant it to be.
1 Timothy 4:1-10 - "What is the point of church, anyway?" "Can't I be a Christian and not have to commit to a church?" "I'm not sure I can trust the church after what I've been through."
All of these are valid questions and points. Please prayerfully allow God's word to instruct your life as we continue to walk through the book of 1 Timothy, a letter written to the leader of a church (or group of local churches). God's people aren't perfect, churches aren't perfect, yet there is a way that our perfect God has chosen to use such people and groups of people for His Kingdom and glory.
1 Timothy 3:14-16 - We can't just settle for good main ingredients to any recipe. Even if we have the best turkey or the finest homemade noodles, this doesn't make Turkey Noodle soup automatically pleasing to everybody. Similarly, the gospel is AWESOME and is the key to great life and a promised eternal life with God forever in heaven. Yet, we as Christians still have a role (and lots of work to do) to communicate this gospel to the world in a way that is true and satisfying. Come be reminded of what the gospel is and be spurred on to God's idea of living it out (true godliness).
1st of 4 Parts entitled, "4 questions the local church must answer."
1 Timothy 3:1-13 - The local group of believers who are doing the work of the ministry is the focus of practically all of the New Testament letters. God cares very little about HOW a church is structured (high church, organic church, non-denominational, etc.). He cares very much about WHO is leading the local group of believers that are seeking to make disciples. Who should do this and is there any biblical guidance to how the structure should look?
1 Timothy 2:8-15 - The beauty of all of God's creation has it's culmination in the creation of mankind. Male and Female, in all of their differences and in all of their uniqueness, is where God shines . . . if we follow his idea of what it all means. Let's try to journey this together in the midst of this "odd" passage.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 - Just like any other entity or organization in our society that is part of a healthy community, the Christian life (including the church) loses its effectiveness when it asks the wrong questions. Are we asking questions (even just in our own mind) like, "What's in it for me?" Or are we asking questions like, "How can God be the most known and noticed?" Discipleship, as a movement that seeks to live out a grateful life, benefits all people, when it asks the right questions and looks intently into the Bible for the right answers.
1 Timothy 1:12-20 - What does a thankful heart look like? Not just someone who is good at writing Thank You notes, or an employee at Chick-fil-a who says, "My pleasure" with a smile, or even someone who is genuinely kind in the gratefulness for the small and large actions the help them out. No, I'm talking about a thankful heart that has an "operating system" that is always processing where they would be without Jesus, then living a hope-filled, joy-induced life as a result.
1 Timothy 1:1-11 - How would you describe the most beautiful natural scene you've ever witnessed? A sunset, an oceanview, majestic mountains, etc.? Simply put, you can't! The best way to help others experience what you've witnessed, despite the best photography that's out there, is to bring them with you. The same goes for the Christian life that Jesus calls us to - it's a great, beautiful, majestic, fulfilling life. So, the best way to have others experience is two-fold - first, learn and grow in how enjoyable it is ourselves, then invite others along to it, with us! Let's jump into this wonderful life as the Apostle Paul urges his protege Timothy along in his pastoring of the local church there in Ephesus.
Titus 3 - What percentage of your salvation is your doing and what percentage is God's doing? People have different opinions, yet Scripture is pretty clear - IT'S ALL GOD! He created us, provided a way to forgive us, sent His Son to die in our place, and gave us the Holy Spirit to help us. He initiated any relationship we have with Him, He even came up with the concept of love itself! What have we done? Well, first, we sinned (which is why we need mercy and grace). Second, we believed . . . by admitting our sin and trusting that Jesus died and paid for it. So, why do we try to live the Christian life apart from this same grace and mecy and presence of God?
Titus 2 - Young men, young women, older men, and older women are all addressed in this chapter. When doing life together, we are called to do some pretty hard things, yet those are the things that make the church a better and more worthwhile place to be. Let's learn together!
Titus 1 - Christianity becomes believable to those who don't believe when we know how much we're loved by God, when we live like people who have been saved from an eternal hell, and when we have leaders that are worth following. If we take God's love for granted, don't see eternity as a big deal, or don't hold our leaders to high standards, we don't give non-believers much to grasp onto.
Philemon (the whole book!) - In a unique look into life in 1st Century Rome, the Apostle Paul writes to a friend about a former slave that now knows Jesus. We learn about the reality of forgiveness, how Jesus changes our identity, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ can make a difference in any situation.
Proverbs 28:13,14 - Where do you run when you get in trouble? When trouble comes your way? When you simply are troubled by the things happening around you? You could either ignore them or acknowledge them. God says that we ought to not only acknowledge them, but own them, admit our sin and weakness, and trust Him with it all. A solid church will be full of repentant followers of Jesus. Are you one?
Also, see Hebrews 4:14-16, 2 Timothy 3:1-5, James 5:1-3, and Psalm 14:2, and Psalm 51:1-6
Proverbs 27:17 - The answer to the above question is, "not sharp enough?" Unless you can determine with 100% assurance that you have nailed down what life is all about and that you're doing all that you need to do to play your part, you (and everyone) needs to be sharper. Oh, and if you feel like you have this all down, you are living in a fantasy world of your own making, designed to have you at it's center. Fortunately, the world we live in does NOT have each of us at the center (how is that even possible?) and the God who IS at the center knows all and has included us in on how to make it work for the best. Let's, first, all start from the same place - WE NEED EACH OTHER!
Proverbs 14:12-19 - So many things in our world, in our everyday lives, are not as they seem. How do we know what is the right thing to do, or which "movement" is truly right, or just putting on a show, or truly deceived themselves? God gives us some pretty clear ways that we can not only know the RIGHT thing to do, but even get good at determining the BEST thing to do. Let's listen to Him and His Word.
Proverbs 23:1-8 - Though we don't bow, physically, before physical idols made of wood, stone, or precious metal, we ought to be completely aware of the idols that are very much prevalent in our world today. There's a reason why Jesus says so much about money. There's also a reason why money is the motivation for almost anything popular that we come across. How can we make sure we are wise users of money and not passive servers of money?
Proverbs 17:22 - There is certainly no easy answer for those that are struggling through a season (sometimes a LONG season) of discouragement, depression, or grief. Yet, God does give us tools and His very presence that has helped millions of people throughout time deal with the inadequacies of this world. Why trust God with this? What does He offer?
Proverbs 4:20-27 - We allow way too many things to occupy our thinking and energy and time. . . way too many things that, at the end of the day, don't really matter. We allow our hearts to be carried away by surfacy or destructive relationships, by temporary issues, and by our own sin. We can guard our hearts, though, by boldly and consistently turning our hearts and actions toward God. We need faith in Jesus and we need each other to do this.
Proverbs 3:5-8 - Yes, it is a really cool motta that is plastered all over our country (and coins) for good reason - it's what are founding fathers and first families believed and practiced and, well, it's all they knew. In fact, still to this day, 81% of people in America believe in the existence of God. Sure, it is clearly is trending down more and more quickly (96% in 1944, 92% in 2010, and 87% in 2016), but that's still more than 8 out of every 10 people. Yet, our schools, for instance, are under the impression that the name, "God" or "Jesus" cannot be brought up in any context. Why? Maybe part of the reason is that we really don't trust our Creator . . .
NOTE: Please excuse the wind . . . this was recorded during our annual outdoor service during our Melrose Riverfest weekend.
Proverbs 1:7; Ecclesiastes 12:13 - Wouldn't it be great to know where to go to get book AND street smarts? Wouldn't it be great to have a solid, unchanging, fulfilling purpose to your life? God provides these for us, at our fingertips in His Word, and right in front of us in the body of Christ, His church. Practically speaking, let's walk through a couple of key passages together and see how this pans out.
Proverbs 22:6 - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! Sometimes I think it'd be great if God just tells me what to do each day in order to, "raise up your child in the way he should go." Uhh, He kind of does, actually! We've identified just a few of those strong "hints" right here in Proverbs 22:6, covering topics like money, justice, and snares. It's not easy, but, when we work at it together, it's incredibly doable and massively rewarding!
Romans 12:14-21 - Maybe you've heard this phrase if you've been around church for any number of years, about BEING the hands and feet of Jesus. Well, it's not a phrase actually in the Bible, but it's a concept that's clearly in the Bible - the church is the body of Christ. That's right, without a body, no matter how smart someone's brain is, they cannot accomplish anything. THIS is the way God planned it and we (the church) are the answer to all of life's problems, if we utilize the head of the church (Jesus) as our true head. Let's dive into taking action for Jesus and with Jesus!
Romans 12:9-13 - On a scale of 1 to 10 of "How Well do we Love Others?", 1 being Not at all and 10 being How Jesus loves us, I don't know if anybody really gets much past . . . say . . . ONE. POINT. THREE! Without faith in Jesus, it is impossible to do what God calls us to do here in Romans 12. But, WITH such faith, amazing things are possible and THAT is what the church ought to be showcasing for the world to see - God's amazing love as see in His church. Let's humbly investigate how wants us to grow in and know about His love! Week two of our SHAPEd by God series: The truth that drives us.
Romans 12:1-8 - The church exists in order to make the mercies of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ accurately and passionately communicated and known throughout all of the earth. As we start the first of a 5-Week series called, "SHAPEd by God," we will cover one of the most powerful passages in the whole Bible. We need to, individually, lay our lives down for Jesus AND love each other through an unprecedented commitment to love each other as God has loved us. This week: the truth to aim for.
Psalm 139 - When better to talk about the comfort of a loving God than on Mother's Day, the person who seems to know most about us here? Come worship God with us as Tim Huston opens up this Psalm into a time of giving praise to God for who He is and how He values us.
Matthew 7:24-29 - Everything costs something. When it comes to how we build our lives and what we build our lives on, considering the cost is even MORE important that, even, how much you spend on your next car or house. Let's consider, together, how Jesus defines a wise person and a foolish person.
Matthew 7:15-23 - Jesus calls out teachers that are false. Later, in chapter 24, He tells us that false teachers will always be around. This truth is confirmed throughout history, as the church has had to denounce certain things and clarify certain things based on the only solid, consistent, authority we've ever had - the Word of God. We need to continue to clarify this and, yes, we need to call out false religions, false teachers, and false disciples with love and compassion and accurate application of the Bible. Let's take Jesus' lead and move forward!
Matthew 16:21-28 - Jesus told his disciples numerous times what would happen to Him. Yet, even when He mentioned His resurrection, Peter rebuked Him because he didn't like the way it was all going to go down. Who are we to say that God's way of getting His way and God's way of growing us and taking care of us is better than our way? Let's live out this life by faith. Because He lives, we can truly live!
Matthew 7:7-14- Relationships are hard, relationships are unpredictable, and relationships can be draining. Why, then, do we continue to go back to them? Why, then, does loneliness set in even when we're tired of people? It's because the One who created us is a relational God. He has relationship and longs for a relationship with His creation . . . us! The only way, then, to prosper in our relationships is to make sure that we have a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Matthew 7:1-6 - What happens when we all think we know what's right and what's wrong? We start realizing how many different ideas there are about almost everything under the sun, from sports to politics to the price of eggs and milk! So, is the answer NEVER to say that people could actually be wrong about something? Well, no, that can't be the answer, because we all agree on numerous actions and even thoughts that are clearly wrong. So, where DO we draw the line? How should we determine when to call a spade a spade?
Matthew 6:25-34 - Fortunately, God, as our heavenly Father, handles us as His children much differently than us parents handle our children! One case in point is how He doesn't just say, "Trust me, just do what I say, and everything will be all right!" Though He could say that, and He would be right, He understands us and takes the extra time to "give it to us gently." In the area of anxiety, he has given us His own creation as living, seasonal examples of how He cares of us, is faithful, and that . . . HE'S GOT THIS!
Matthew 6:19-24 - The US Dollar fluctuates all the time. Maybe it isn't very much, but it could someday, right? As a matter of fact, though, all that can be measure by US Dollars will someday be worth much less, or nothing, or be lost all-together at the end of time (or earlier). We could get into the debate the Cryptocurrency isn't tied to physical goods, so it's value is limited. Maybe so, but even if you go to that degree of argument, how much will Crypto be worth when the whole world is gone? Money is NOT evil, the LOVE of money is what gets us in trouble. So, how can we make sure that what we spend our hard-earned money on has TRUE value?
Matthew 6:7-15 - "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name." What do you think of when you read those words? Ritual? Prayer beads? Funerals? Nothing? In fact, it's the most specific teaching about prayer that Jesus gives. He says, "This, then, is how you should pray," after giving two instructions of what NOT to do: pray for show and use many words. So, along with growing your prayer life secretly and simply, let's learn the basics of what Jesus is instructing us to do.
Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18- Though it is true that mankind can do almost whatever we put our mind to doing, it is also true that the reward of such hard work and labor is very short-lived. Yes, we're satisfied, but we have to keep up the hard work and the effort and the success in order to keep up the personal satisfaction and sense of reward. Jesus has a better way of doing good and achieving success - do it secretly, just for Him, and His reward is ongoing and better than we could ever imagine.
Matthew 5:43-48 - "Proper self-care" is somewhat of a buzz-phrase in today's culture of high stress and anxiety brought on my, amongst other things, a worldwide pandemic and political upheaval here in the U.S.
The ironic thing is, though, that people have pursued self-care without really knowing WHO they are taking care of. We are not people who NEED to look out for ourselves first. We are not people who NEED to act according to what we think our sexual orientation is. We are not DEFINED by something as temporary as our economic status, our job and student status, or even our race (all of those tell us something about us, but it doesn't define us.).
Rather, your CREATOR defines you as a uniquely wonderful creation of God who is made in His image and meant to live an extraordinary life glorifying your Creator. Self-care IS important, but it must to done by doing everything for the sake of Jesus. He loves you and cares for you more than or anyone else can.
Matthew 5:33-42 - How would you like your words and your actions to effect people? Only while submitting yourself to Jesus' way of doing things will you be able to not only be a positive influence, but you'll be able to have a lasting influence. God multiplies our efforts as only He can, even when we don't think our words and actions aren't doing much. But how do we put ourselves in such a place for this to happen?
Matthew 5:27-32 - Why in the world would the God of the universe have so much to say about our sex lives? I mean, it is our bodies and it is our lives and how can anyone say what I should or shouldn't do? Two quick answers: God invented sex AND we are actually not our own. Both of these are good things . . . VERY good things. When I think I know what I'm doing without God's input, I quickly learn that what I think I know, I don't really know. How can we, then, know what God exactly wants us to do?
Definition of sexual integrity quoted in this podcast is from https://blog.cph.org/read/sexual-integrity (Chelsea Schueler): For the Christian, sexual integrity means keeping God’s design for sex, and fleeing from inappropriate sexual relationships until and through marriage, while being assured for forgiveness if we go astray!
Matthew 5:21-26 - As Jesus starts getting into "meddling" rather than just "teaching," we first get to hear His take on murder, hate, anger, and conflict. As He will do over the next 28 verses on various topics, He gets to the heart of the matter and shows His listeners and followers what it really takes to solve relational issues - it starts inside of each one of us.
Matthew 5:17-20 - Though Jesus' life, death, and resurrection put an end to "keeping track" of your law-abiding capabilities, Jesus doubles-down on the necessity to truly keep the law. Surely, Jesus didn't go to all that trouble obeying the law and then tell us that we can either take it or leave it! What is the essence of the OId Testament? How should we handle some of these laws that seem so antiquated and irrelavent? If those first-century blue-ribbon law abiders, the Pharisees,. had a righteousness that wasn't enough, what exactly are we supposed to do?
Matthew 5:13-16 - Now that Jesus has opened up His message with a sort of roadmap that leads to Himself, He now uses two key elements of nature to communicate who His followers really are. Throughout our lives, we're told, "You're ____________" or "You're ______________." These names or labels that are given us come from people that don't really know us THAT well (including ourselves, sometimes). What if the One who created you had a name for you, had a description of you, had a job and purpose for you? He has . . . and He does!
Matthew 5:8-12 - Three Hurdles to Following Jesus - These eight (8) character qualities and heart habits that Jesus begins His sermon with come with warnings. These warnings are more of a "heads up" to those who choose Him. The wonderful thing is that what we have to look forward to is NOT rules and rituals and religious hoops to jump through. What we have to look forward to is, while doing things Jesus' way, we will experience much push back from those who see to do things the world's way. Those two kingdoms cannot be served equally by the one person - we must choose. My prayer is that you choose thoughtfully and wisely.
Matthew 5:1-7 - After beginning His earthly ministry with temptation by Satan, many miracles and healings, gathering disciples, and creating quite a stir, a crowd had gathered. His first ever recorded sermon addressing the crowd at large is very indicative of what it takes to be considered a Christian, a follower of Jesus. Let's listen, learn, and be willing to follow Him on His terms, not ours.
John 1:14,18; 1 John 4:9-12 - Two absolute truths about love makes for one absolutely life-changing truth about eternal life that is offered to everyone, through God's grace, by faith alone. Listen to this amazing truth.
Philippians 4:1-13 - "I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for all the people . . ." the angel told the shepherds. This joy comes in the form of being able to live our lives here on this planet with no fear of death, people, or the many unknowns that will come our way. That's right, we have a God who knows all that and promises never to leave us or forsake us. PLUS, this frees us up to not have to worry about other peoples' acceptance or if we are doing the right thing to earn our way to heaven, or whether or not God will provide. We invite you to live this joy-filled, even happy life, with us, even alongside the sorrow and heartache and pain, not ignoring it.
Luke 1:76-79 and Psalm 23 - World peace? Yea, right?!?! There is no possible chance that anything like world peace will happen while the world operates in it's current form. Why even attempt to pursue it? Why even put our any hope of it at all? Why even sing about it or talk about it at Christmas? I mean, don't the angels promise that Jesus will bring peace on Earth? Doesn't that make Jesus a little, well, unpowerful or even irrelevant? Or, maybe this means we need to take a look at what this peace is truly all about. Join us!
Jeremiah 29:11-13 - The hope in which we, as Christians, stand is the hope that is founded on, and solely rests on, the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is why there can be ebbs and flows in the world around us and even in our own thinking and feeling, and we can still, at the end of the day, have the same hope that we did the day before. Let's investigate and rest in this hope, that is found in the Bible.
Romans 12:1 - What if we were able to, through some sort of app or trained skill, see through all the lies that confront us from day-to-day? What if we were able to see how fruitless it is to spend so much time on things that really don't matter? What if we were able to get a glimpse of how beneficial it would be to our kids or spouse or neighbor if we just did one little thing for them, or said certain words, or refrained from saying certain words? What if God actually gave us a blueprint for life? Well, He has, but it's not easy . . . maybe that's why we miss it.
Romans 5:17 - What would you say are the two most influential people that ever lived? According to Romans five, it's Adam and Jesus. Now, it what way they were influential is a tale of two stories. Our ONE VERSE helps us understand how significant these two people were and what is means for us today.
John 3:16 - Just like we lose the meaning of things when we become too familiar with it, we run the risk of hearing "God so loved the world" so much that we forget about the impactful statement that it is. Then, to make matters even worse, we don't allow the other powerful statements of the verse to impact us in the way that it impacted the original hearer (yes, Jesus was only addressing one person when He spoke these words). Let's prayerfully, humbly, allow this verse to change our lives . . . for the first time or again and again.
2 Corinthians 5:21 - When you look at this verse, which encompasses the deep truth about what Jesus did, you must consider what that means for the group of people (aka - the church) Jesus empowered after His job on earth was done. Are we more like a cruise ship or a battle ship?
Ezra 9-10, 2 Peter 3:8-10 - What do you do when you know something's got to change? Maybe we look for help from others or change our job or get rid of that one habit? How about changing, not just to be a better person, but to be more of who I was created to be. You see, repentance is a very freeing word because it can lead us to a point of hearing more clearly from God, who loves us with an everlasting love.
Ezra 6-8 - The phrase, "Be careful what you ask for" couldn't be more truer than in the case of prayer. How often do we pray without truly wanting (or believing) that the result will happen? We've experienced so much "unanswered" prayer that our faith has become jaded and our prayer life is, well, dull. Let's take a fresh look at a time when a man desperately needed God to show up, fully trusted Him, and God did it! Spoiler alert: The problem with our prayer life and our "unanswered" prayer is not with God.
Ezra 4,5 - Why does it seem like every time we want to do something worthwhile, or we want to grow spiritually, or we make a GOOD commitment to church, other things always get in the way? The short answer is that our world is increasingly seeking to leave God out of their lives, out of the public square, and out of other peoples' lives. The longer answer has to do with the enemy of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Satan himself. Let's about him, his roar, and our authority over him.
Ezra 1-3 - Have you had a bad day recently? My guess is that it isn't anything like the life that the Israelites were forced into around 536 BC. Even during 50 years of being away from their home, though, we see that God is always working, always able, and always faithful. Though it's impossible to see into, or even understand, the mind of God, we do know through Scripture that there is one key element that He's looking for in order to work in and through us - repentance.
1 John 4:18-21; John 15:12-17 - What does God's love lead you to believe, say, and do? If God's love leads you to live for yourself and do whatever you want because, in the end, God's love will save you . . . then God's love clearly has no role in your life. Join us as we seek to respond to God's love the way He guides us in His word, for that it is the most fulfilling way to respond.
1 Corinthians 13 - Listen carefully. What do you hear coming from God to you. Simply put, at any time or any place, no matter what time of day or time of life, whether you're feeling great or horrible, you will always be able to stop and listen and know that God is saying to you, "I love you!!!" It's who He is, what He's like, how He operates, and it's what defines Him. This love is perfect, steadfast, and forever.
Psalm 8 - By looking at what the Bible says about WHO God is, we realize how incredible the phrase, "God Loves You" really is. The power, position, and proximity of this amazing God (the one and only God) drives us into a decision - a decision on what to do with this God that has chosen to love us first, no matter what.
John 4:1-26, John 8:1-11, Romans 2:1 - Right off the bat, we'll just make clear that the answer to the above question is, "Yes." Our goal is to capture the heart of God around anybody that finds themselves at odds with what the Bible says, yet still wants to follow Jesus. Another goal is that we as a church and as self-proclaimed Jesus-followers, would interact with people in the LGBTQ community in such a way that they are drawn to Jesus. Come and start or continue the conversation with us!
Colossians 2:1-10 - Living out our faith means everything from obeying Jesus no matter what you may FEEL like doing, to asking questions and not getting answers, to trusting God when He seems so far away. Find some very practical ways to live out the fact that you trust Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:19-21 - The Bible is our authority, period! Not because it's well written (though it is). Not because it's the most reliable "holy book" ever written (though it is). Not because its instructions have been proven to be life's best decisions (though they are). Rather, it's because of where (or who) it came from. If we start with that, it makes more sense, it calms our fears, it saves our lives.
Isaiah 45, 55, and many others - What do you do when the same questions have been asked and answered for thousands of years, but keep getting asked and answered? Well, they must be important enough to keep asking, right? And, they must be complicated enough to never truly be answered, right? Is there some sort of understanding and agreement we could possibly come to that would both set our minds at ease about these questions AND answer them adequately? I believe there is, because the Bible provides ENOUGH of an answer, if we're willing to look for it.
Revelation 19-22 - Yes, Jesus will come back to earth for what it called His second coming. The first time He came, about 2000 years ago, was a proven historical event where He was born, grew up, lived a perfect life, died in place of mankind for their sins, and rose from the dead. His life happened, His body was not found. Thanks to Revelation, we know when we will next see His body next and what will be happening on earth when it happens. All who have repented of their sins and received Him as their Lord and Savior will stay with Him forever and all who don't . . . won't.
Revelation 13-17 - Wrath is actually quite normal. We see it everyday when wrong it done and righteous anger takes over. Wrath is right . . . always. When what we see as wrath is done unjustly it is no longer wrath, it is evil over-lording, it is wrong, and it has nothing to do with God. With these chapters, we see the appropriate and fully just final judgment on the world for the evil that has happened through time. Yet, also, since we know that God's wrath has not been finished yet, we know that each person alive has a chance to be saved from His wrath. How? What will happen with those who don't?
Revelation 12 - This chapter starts, "And a great sign appeared in heaven". This is the first time we see John describe something as a "sign". This is where we really need to be careful not to read into these signs and symbols, but allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Let's dive into it with God's guidance and with open hearts.
Revelation 10,11 - Angels . . . mysteries . . . and two witnesses that are invincible. We are getting into the nitty gritty of the worst part of the tribulation. Many, many disastrous things will be happening. Most importantly, all of mankind will be able to see clearly who is right and who is wrong, what God is about and what Satan is about, and whether they will repent or not. Today, in 2021, the clarity on right and wrong doesn't necessarily convince people to follow Jesus. Essentially, it will be harder and harder to DECIDE to follow Jesus, if you haven't already by the time things get REALLY bad. Does He have your attention yet? What else does He need to do?
Romans 12:9-21 - Brian Alnes, from Lake Beauty Bible Camp, takes us on truth-filled, real look at what it means to be a Christian and be faithful as Jesus' church right now. Using Romans 12 and other passages, come explore how Jesus followers can be faithful to their God and supernaturally loving to their neighbors in today's world.
Matthew 28:1-10, Revelation 6 - When Jesus stepped out of that grave, death was officially defeated and every single person on the earth could know two things for sure:
1. They could have eternal life through belief in Jesus.
2. They had no excuse to not follow Jesus.
Right now, God would be justified to bring an end to the world and call everybody out on who they've trusted for their eternal life. Yet, here we are, and we each still have a chance to either get right with God or do more for God. Which are you. Let's serve Him with joy.
Revelation 5 - Once we have the scene of heaven in our minds (Revelation 4), we get a solid handle on the person who's in charge of bringing God's wrath to fruition. What makes Jesus worthy? What's so important about judgement? How can the cross keep us from judgement?
Luke 19:28-40 - Have you ever thought about what YOU would do if Jesus rode into your town on a donkey? What if you believed He would save you from a tyranical ruler? What if you thought he was the Messiah? What if you enjoyed Him as a great teacher and miracle-worker? Now knowing what we do about Jesus, our response today to Jesus is even more important than how that first Palm Sunday went.
Revelation 4 - When introducing someone to what the end of the world will look like, God decides to, first of all, introduce him to the key players and the place from which all of this will take place. Fortunately, we have alot of detail . . . unfortunately, we have such an incredible scene that it clearly goes beyond words to describe it perfectly. Let's try our best, always remembering that it is described first so that we know where the rest of Revelation is coming from.
Revelation 3:14-22 - It's really truly incredible how much Jesus wants a relationship with you. He loves you and me so much that's He's willing to give it to us straight regarding our behavior and, at the same time, calmly and compassionately invite us back into that relationship. There's nothing like Him, truly! How would you respond to such an invitation?
Theme - Hope in the midst of hopelessness
Psalm 69:1-18
Isaiah 42:1-9
John 2:13-22
Matthew 11:28-30
Revelation 3:1-6 - Evaluations are only fun when our evaluators only say good things about is. This, quite honestly, is not a true evaluation because nobody has been perfect at their job. Wouldn't it be great if we had a "boss" that knew the truth about everything and knew when and how to communicate the good, the bad, and the ugly about our "job performance?" Jesus invented the church, is the head of the church, and perfectly manages how to communicate how we're doing as the church, universally and locally. The question is, "Are we willing to listen to Him as THE boss?"
The theme is forgiveness. Follow along with these passages (English Standard Version) or just listen and ponder:
Psalm 51:1-13
Isaiah 53:1-7
Matthew 10:42-45
I John 1,2
Listen, Reflect, Pray, Ponder, Rest
This 15-minute is meant to provide a place to pause each week in order to hear from God. May God bless this time that He has with you.
Isaiah 58:1-12
Lamentation 3:16-26
Matthew 11:20-29
Revelation 2:18-29 - There is great reward in obeying what Jesus has to say. There is also lots to lose when we lose sight of Jesus or when we loosen our grip on what truth really is. What are our instructions when we're faced with the many temptations to not take Jesus and His church seriously?
Revelation 2:12-17 - Jesus addresses this church as the one the having the double-edged sword (actually, according to Revelation 1, it's coming from his mouth). It's one thing to be verbally and "officially" faithful to the name of Jesus, it's another thing to speak up for Him and to speak out against things that are against His name. Though it is impossibly hard to stand up against all of the wrong ideas and evil acts of this world, we can as a church and as believers in Jesus, lovingly stand up for what's right. How can we do this? Do we really know what we ought to stay true to?
Revelation 3:7-13 - A true love story is never fully realized until BOTH parties are able to experience what this love means. The author of all love has loves you and me with an everlasting love, in incomprehensible love, and unconditional love, and a love that has been proven. Yet, what we do with that love will determine how much of that love we truly know and benefit from. Dive into His love for you . . . give up trying to deal with it all without Him.
Revelation 2:8-11 - Since when is a reality check of, "it's gonna get worse" supposed to be encouraging. Well, when it comes from the One who KNOWS exactly what you're going through, what you will go through, and that this world is not your home. It's a message from the One who has our back and whom we must always keep looking to . . . UP to.
Revelation 2:1-7 - Jesus loves His church so much that He wants to make clear what He thinks of what we're doing. Like any good, loving parent, He doesn't hold back his praise OR his rebuke and correction. Ephesus has been very faithful in so many ways, yet that relationship with God has been forgotten. How do we get back that love?
Revelation 1:9-20 - As John get his first glimpse of a glorified Jesus, He describes what he saw and what he heard. His encouragement is centered around an incredible description of the One who promised to be with us every single day.
Revelation 1:1-8 - As we start getting into the sometimes confusing and surely intimidating book of Revelation, we need to start with the right perspective, the right attitude. The message, messenger, and main player (Jesus) will let us know how important it is to anticipate, not predict, the future.
Philippians 1:18-25 - Joe Williquette, from Child Evangelism Fellowship, shares with us biblical convictions regarding what is most important. When it comes to dealing with hard times and finding one's purpose in life, God's input ought to be at the top of the priority list.
Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23 - No one wants to be considered as "hardened" to others. Yet, when we settle for a life that's only satisfactory and when we choose to only hear input from people and resources we agree with, we've become hardened. What does the Bible have to say about true growth and maturity? Let's explore this together.
Matthew 2:13-23 - As God moved in nationwide events in order to solidify Jesus' early life in 1st Century Israel, so also God moves in big and small ways to lovingly oversee and direct your life for your good and His glory. What is God doing? We may never fully know, but we WILL always know that it's a good thing.
2020 is a year that God is shining . . . are you willing to wait and see HOW He is shining?
Isaiah 6 - Similar to how the shepherds and Joseph and Mary came face-to-face with the God of the universe, Isaiah was struck with His majesty some 800 years before that. It was through this that Isaiah received instructions from God . . . instructions that aren't that different from the instructions given to us. GOD'S Got This!
- Glimpse God's majesty this Christmas season
- Own your own lostness
- Dependence 100% on God's solution
- "Send me" mindset
Isaiah 3 - How much is, really, fair for God to ask of us? Can we really see each day as completely, His day to determine what we do, how we do it, and why we do it? How God addresses how Israel strays from Him is similar to how He addresses us in our meandering.
Romans 14, Genesis 2, Matthew 22, etc. - God has given us two gifts that speak into our (Christians) responsibility when it comes to voting. The first gift, in our situation in 21st Century America, is the gift of stewarding and having a say in what happens in our government. The second gift is the gift of His Kingdom . Jesus is our hope, the church is all about Jesus, so not even the most well-stated political position ought to take precedence over our unity around the gospel of Jesus Christ. Plus, the problems and challenges of this world cannot be solved by government. What's the conclusion regarding how you should approach voting? In a phrase, from Romans 14:19 - "So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding."
Ephesians 2:17-22 - How is the love of God woven throughout your life? How is our church communicating God's love and truth, not just the truth that we want to communicate? The imagery of us being God's building, with Jesus as the cornerstone, is extremely powerful and humbling, for what it most noticed in any building is not the cornerstone, but the structure itself, WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE!
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 - Pastor Paul Burr leads us this week in our time in God's word. He challenges us to rethink how and why we do what we do as Christians. Do we make decisions out of our identity in Jesus or do we make decisions out of a need to earn approval from God or even just because it's what we're used to or been told to do?
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - Any team endeavor must start with a stated goal upfront. Whether it has to do with championships or projects or fundraising, everybody on the team should know what they're aiming for. Well, the church is no different, except for the fact that we don't come up with it, God does . . . and He has!
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 - Why does the Bible talk so much about the future coming of Jesus Christ? How do we know that it will actually happen? How should something that may not even happen in my lifetime effect by day-to-day life?
Is there really anybody or anything in this world that is deserving of the word "awesome?" May the one and only almighty God be that for you like He never has before.
The very definition of good and the very definition of evil must come from the same source. Two children from two different sets of parents aren't going to have the exact same understanding of what it means to "do the chores". Each home is different. So, what foundation do all humans have for determining right and wrong?
He forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies . . . the list goes on. What has God done for you? What has He promised to do? What is your response to Him in this moment?
It goes hand-in-hand, you can't have one without the other. We cannot seek rest and peace without actually pursuing and knowing who God is. We cannot know God and His Son Jesus Christ without, by faith, resting in the assurance that He brings. He has amazing promises to all who call on His name.
Psalm 73 - When you are trying with your whole heart to follow God, yet people who don't care about God seem to be dong better than you, it's fair to ask, "God, is it worth it?" You're not alone in your situation or your feeling. Take this Psalm to heart and hear it from a different perspective - The Message Bible, a paraphrase of the Bible.
"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me."
Only God can clean my heart.
Only God cares enough to even address the filthiness of my heart.
Only God's love can explain his desire for a relationship with me.
Read this Psalm with me only if you're ready to come clean.
The ultimate act of thanksgiving is a recognition that, without someone's help, you would be in a different situation, you would be a different person, you would even wind up in a much worse place. It's truly a sacrifice because you are admitting dependence on someone else. In this case, it's a TOTAL dependence on God for even having a day to enjoy, as well as a salvation to cherish.
In times when things aren't adding up, you wish you knew more, and God's ways just don't seem to make sense, it's just time to let Him know how you're feeling!
Despite all that any human experiences in this world, there's always a truth that we cannot escape. There is a God who created everything, knows your heart, and understands what you're going through. Oh yea, and He's capable and willing to take care of those who hope in Him.
No matter how long the night may feel, no matter how you may interpret the times or God's response, He has this and calls us to turn to Him.
The theme of this Psalm is that, no matter that diversity or strength of things going against me, God is always able to bring contentment, joy, and hope.
Psalm 25 is a prayer reminding us of who God is, who we are, and what we are to do about it. Try this fill in the blank:
God is ______________
We are ______________
We ought to ________________
2 Samuel 6 - In a typical week, what do you watch? Who to you listen to? What music do you tend to enjoy? What do you read? When it comes to worshiping (showing worth) to the only God that deserves it, what goes into our brains is what we will end up worshiping. No matter where you're at in your faith, you can worship in such a way that God smiles, for He is able to discern the intentions of the heart. May you get a good, biblical sense of Real Worship.
Philippians 2:1-4 - What's the best way to practice self-care? Though there are many legitimate things that one can do to take care of yourself, there's a BEST way to make sure your heart is taken care of. God provides other God-fearing, Bible-loving people called "the church" to take care of us. Though all of us are different regarding the amount of "alone time" we need, we all need to be part of something bigger than ourselves which we can freely invest in. Check out how God intends for the church to do this and be this for each other.
1 Samuel 25 - What can a story about a mean man, a discerning woman, and a short-fused up-and-coming king tell us? Well, many things. Here, though, they give us a warning, and challenge, and an encouragement, respectively. God looks out for those who lean towards Him.
Fellow Christian, as people who have been saved by grace apart from works, why do we need to prove anything to each other? We'll make mistakes and we'll need each other to KEEP from making mistakes. Grace abounds, so let's have grace abound!
1 Samuel 24 - Wouldn't it be great to make decisions in your life based on principle rather than feelings or trends or whatever is easiest? In order to live such a life, it'd be good to have basis on which such principles could be built. David was living a life on the run, a fugitive from the King of Israel. With so many enemies and so many options, how does he end up making the right decision. Granted, he doesn't always, but there are keys from this passage that will help us build a life that is controlled by THE force rather than whatever force is most powerful at the moment.
1 Samuel 20:1-42; Romans 12:9-16; Hebrews 10:19-25 - What kind of oath have you ever taken? How binding are oaths now, maybe compared to hundreds of years ago? It seems that, since it's all they had, verbal oaths were much more binding than even our hand-signed, 55-page agreements are. Why? I really don't think it's a stretch to say that our trust in one another has waned over the years. Could it be that this is directly related to our faith in God and His plan for the church?
1 Samuel 18,19 - No sooner had Jonathan made a commitment to his friend, David, then it was tested by Jonathan's own father. Can friendships be strong without faith? Sure! Yet, when a friendship of any sort (marriage, school-age, church, etc.) acknowledge, together, that God is the foundation of their friendship, it becomes something beyond strong, it becomes . . .
1 Samuel 17:28-51 - I heard recently from a friend that the reason he didn't "give up on God" when he was in the midst of a horrible divorce is because God was the only person he had. It's not faith in general that saves us or helps us or rescues us, it's faith in the only person who will never let us down and will always remain the same. Easier said than done, right? But, the rewards of acting on that faith far outweigh the risk of not pursuing our great God. Let's seek out what this kind of faith looks like . . . together.
1 Samuel 17:1-27 - Whatever your biggest battle in life is right now, God knows all about it and He desires for you to grow because of it. As a result, if we are able to look at our relational, financial, material, or job battles from God's perspective, we will be able to seek His glory and, in His timing, great victory in those battles.
1 Samuel 16:14-23 - After the account of David's anointing as King of Israel (at 10-15 years old) and before the account of David slaying Goliath, we see this account of God sending an evil spirit to Saul. Wow! Why would God do this? Is God allowed to do such a thing? Well, He is God! Maybe God knows what He's doing and has something for you, and for your benefit, in the midst of everything you are going through.
1 Samuel 16 - Before David could be anointed as King of Israel (and God's choice to bring about His Son into the world), there would need to be someone who was God's instrument in anointing him, seeing what God sees, and even overcoming his own obstacles. No matter your perceived significance, you are very significant in God's eyes and you have a big or small role in God's Kingdom.
1 Samuel 15 - The Amalekites were warned about what happens when you ignore of defy God. Saul was warned about fully obeying God. Lots of warnings are given to us all the time, whether it's about weather, the condition of our vehicle, or even warnings from God about where our life is headed. It's so easy to make our spiritual life into a list or into a bare minimum of what we need to do. Rather, as the Bible declares, what if we simply made it all about being more like Jesus and doing what God says?
Isaiah 11:1-3a - Are we really willing to entrust our souls too . . . "I think I have a good chance of getting to heaven," or, "I think Christians are a bunch of hypocrites, so I don't want anything to do with Christianity," or "It doesn't really HOW, as long as you're sincere?" Not only is it true that Jesus is the only way to God, but He's proven it by being the only One who truly loves you and has devised a plan from the very beginning to get us together.
1 Samuel 11; Isaiah 9; Luke 1, etc. - No matter when you inject yourself into the history of mankind, you won't have to look too far to see how God intervenes in some way in order to bring His creation back to Him. The biggest known gap is probably right before His greatest intervention ever - Jesus Christ. Before that 400 years of "silence" we get to look at how God deals with rebellious, selfish, idolatrous people (see Old Testament ;-). For this time together, we'll see how Jesus brings God's heart right to our doorstep.
1 Samuel 10; Isaiah 7:10-14 - Have you ever prayed for a sign? Have you ever asked for a sign? Have you even ever just wanted a sign? Noah was given a sign of a rainbow, Moses was given a sign of a burning bush, Saul was given numerous signs that God had chosen him as king, and Israel was given the sign of a baby born to a virgin. Well, if it was THAT clear, we think, we'd obey right away, right? We have these signs and much more, now what?
1 Samuel 8 w/ Isaiah 6 - It would be safe to say that Christmas time is the time of year where the word "believe" is most misused. What are we supposed to believe in, exactly? Santa? A Christmas star? Some sort of magic? Christmas will remind us that belief begins and ends with the Creator of the universe. It's a great way to go about the rest of the Christmas season.
1 Samuel 7:2-6 - Last week we learned that God's presence is powerful when it's personal. Let's add another powerful "P" to the mix - God's promises! When you look up all of God's promises, it's quite astounding how faithful He is. So, why do we continue to rally around our own resources and thoughts, when His love and powerful and wisdom is so much greater than our own? Only God's promises are worth counting on.
1 Samuel 4 - Why do you go to God? When do you to to God? If you were to pray right now to God, would you know what to say? My prayer through this message is that each of us would understand, or more fully understand, how much God wants to talk with you on a regular basis. May you be able to identify what, if anything, is coming between you and God and truly grow in your relationship with Him.
1 Samuel 5:1-12 - "Jealousy" and "Fear" have very negative contexts in this world. Yet, we can also say that they are very appropriate responses when someone we're married to feels like they should be with someone else (jealousy) or when we are way too close the ledge of a 100-ft cliff (fear). When it comes to a perfect, all-knowing, God who is defined by love, we can take a brand new look into the Fear of God. Join us!
1 Samuel 3:1-21 - Have you ever thought, "so how much of my Christian life is my own effort and how much is God's doing?" Well, this depends on what a person means by, "The Christian Life"? The truth is that each person is a creation of God and no one would be saved apart from Jesus Christ, so it is 100% about God's doing and initiating. Also, though, it's clear that our response is absolutely necessary in order for us to experience the Kingdom Life that we are called to be a part of. Will you join me in joining Him?
1 Samuel 2:12-36 - There are many people that the Bible details who are not people that any of us would want to emulate or look up to. Hophni and Phineas are two of those people. So, why talk about them, then? Well, God lets us know about the good, the bad, and the ugly throughout the history of Israel partly to teach us how to (or NOT to) respond to evil. Whether you're the one who has done wrong or you're the one partly responsible for correcting the wrong, we need to humbly come before God as people in need of His DAILY grace and mercy.
1 Samuel 1:1-2:10 - We are introduced to a woman whose faith surpassed all others around her. She was able to see something, at the end of her leap of faith, that no others could see - a future hope for a nation that was desperately lost. Maybe she wouldn't say that she was a "radical" person, but you and I can learn that all it takes is someone to fully trust God in order to do great things for God.
Leviticus 25:1-7; Matthew 11:28-30 - Kelley Johnson, the Pastoral Care Director the the North Central District brings us a message of rest and sabbath. It's a message that forces us to ask the question, "Do I really trust God?" As our church prepares for Pastor Paul's sabbatical during the Summer of 2020, it's a chance for all of us to develop habits of rest and dependence on God, who provides for ALL of our needs.
Romans 1:18-25 - God is God and there is nothing we can do about it. Yet, we have the chance to honor His existence or become deaf to His loving and perfect call on our life. As our fifth and overarching value at Birch Hills Community Church, we know that it all starts and ends with honoring God at all times, no matter the cost, in every situation. That's right, another reason to do this together.
1 Timothy 4:1-10 - Learning is always good, right? Well, no, not even close to ALWAYS right. There are people in training all over the world to do things that are either wrong or unhealthy. So, it's not that we're learning, it's that we're learning the right things from the right source. Similarly, just because you're training hard for something doesn't mean it's the best thing for you. You will be challenged here to enter into a training that will always be the best thing for you, no matter what you're passionate about.
John 14-17 - It's all about Jesus. What does that even mean? It's ALL about Jesus? Really? What if Jesus and the love that He IS, is what it's all about? How would you like to hear from Jesus himself. Let's walk through John 14-17 together. Let's be confronted with the Supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 3:12-17 - Out of the many "one-another" passages in the Bible, this one includes commands and instructions that, to be honest, are quite lofty. We cannot, on our own, in our own power, with our own strategies, forgive as Jesus forgives, for instance. Thankfully, we have verses 16 and 17 to tell us how verses 12-15 can happen - be in the Word and be with each other frequently.
Romans 12:1,2 - When it comes to things you like the best about your life, should we feel guilty when we seem to be too affected by temporary things like the weather, football, hunting, relaionships, etc.?
God has certainly given us temporary things to enjoy and to show others how much we appreciate and love our God for giving them to us. Yet, the church must be there to help us keep the main thing the main thing.
This is the first of five Sundays where I will cover the five things that we try to do at Birch Hills Community Church to keep the main thing the main thing.
First, we need to always remember that God's into us to change us, bring us closer to Him, get rid of the things in our life that aren't healthy, and to love us more and more. We are here to be TRANSFORMED!
NOTE: This recording starts off not-so-good, but it get better :-)
Romans 8:1-8 - Jesus saves!!! That's the truth and that's what we will hang our hat on until the cows come home. There is no way around it and there is no other truth through which to run your whole life through. Our passage today declares the freeing truth that we can be completely free of condemnation and that we have constant help every single day.
Romans 5:1-5 - When our actions only come from duty or guilt or obligation, our actions have little life or purpose in them. Though a lot of good is done with motivation like this, it's not the type of obedience that the Bible talks about. Our good works and our following of the Bible comes BECAUSE we are right with God, not IN ORDER TO get right with God. Though this type of motivation does not come naturally, it is what we are to pursue. This is why we have the Bible and each other - to grow our faith in the One who speaks truth.
NOTE: Thumbnail pic attached to this episode will be helpful with opening illustration :-)
Romans 3:21-26 - Though it's filled with English words we don't use to often, these six verses are, arguably, the most compact, full, thorough presentation of what the Bible has to say about how someone can receive forgiveness from God. Your eternal security is at stake here, so it's worth it to look at words like "propitiation," "justification," "redemption," and, "manifested." Join me as we get to know our God and His grace-filled way to reconnect with His creation.
Matthew 11:28-30 - Armando Romero gives us a personal testimony of how impactful it is when you finally, truly, come to Jesus with everything. There isn't anything that is too bad or too hard or too drastic that God can't help you with. Listen to how God has and continues to impact Armando with this great truth.
2 Peter 3:10-18 - It's fun to think about the future, something we're looking forward to next week or even next year. Our anticipation of it, often times, is greater than what actually ends up taking place. It's because, again often times, we build up an event in our mind as something that will fill this void, or be a real escape, but nothing on this earth can truly be that for us. The second coming of Jesus is the polar opposite of this. We are told to wait, yet anticipate his imminent (any day) return when He rights all the wrongs and takes with Him all who have believed. The Bible doesn't give us much detail on this because, quite simply, NO human language could give us even close to an accurate description of how awesome eternity with God will be.
2 Peter 2:12-16 - Since there's so much to consider and there's so much biblical information about false teachers, it was necessary that we investigated even more what false teaching is and isn't. At its essence, false teaching consists of people claiming to be Christian but not teaching a Christian message. Two clear indications, from Part 1:
1. They don't teach the full truth of the Jesus of the Bible.
2. They intend to divide the body of Christ, not unite it.
Let's never stop learning about and loving Scripture.
Let's never stop uniting with other Christians over our need for a Savior.
2 Peter 2:12-22 - The Apostle Peter continues to speak against false teachers. He is, quite frankly, ticked that people would use the name of Jesus so loosely and would even intend to deceive followers of Jesus for their own benefit. Whether it was telling people that their sexual sin (done with your body) doesn't effect your soul or whether it was teachers gaining financially from certain teachings, Peter needed to communicate why it was so wrong. Besides seeking to identify some current examples of this, we will, more so, look into what Christianity IS. What are false teachers trying to do and what kind of answers does the Bible hold?
2 Peter 2:1-11 - What is "false teaching"? Is it teaching that we don't agree with? Is it a devotional that doesn't quite get it right? Is a certain denomination that has a different focus than you think is right? The Apostle Peter, through the second chapter of this second letter to young believers in the 1st century Roman empire, is upset about how much influence false teachers have. He says some very strong words and, like his teacher Jesus Christ, calls them out on it reminds those believers about what Christianity really is.
NOTE: Low quality of audio due to being recorded in a shelter . . . at a park . . . during a rainstorm. :-)
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 - Have you ever thought that there was no way that you and someone else could ever become friends again? Take that feeling and multiply it a thousand-fold: that was the situation between us and God. We made ourselves enemies of God because of our relationship to Adam and because of our own sin that we committed. We were enemies of God! There was no way that we could wash ourselves clean enough. Yet, God initiated reconciliation with us and made the impossible, possible - that's what God does! Do you want peace in your relationships? Do you want peace with God? It all starts with our relationship with our Creator.
2 Peter 1:19-21 - Prophecy is not only about predicting the future. Prophecy, today, should never be about someone coming up with new truth, or dates of Jesus' return, or claiming special knowledge. God's truth has been revealed through nature (Romans 1:18-20), Jesus (John 1:18), and the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16). Since all truth is God's truth, let's focus on the revealed word of God, His one and only Son, and get our help from the Holy Spirit He has left those who love Him. It keep us humble, keeps Jesus on the throne, and keeps false teachers away.
Psalm 78:1-8 - It's often been said that we are one generation away from forgetting who God is and what He has done. As dads, or even as adult men without children, we each have the opportunity to use our positions, resources, and drive to make sure the next generation not only knows who God is but also passes it on to their children. It's not easy, but God makes it possible, enjoyable, and extremely rewarding.
2 Peter 1:12-18 - As we urge each other on to love and good deeds, up the ladder of faith (see 6/2/19 podcast), and away from the distractions of this life, there is ONE thing that must be remembered. No matter what kind of great instructions and rules you follow and make habits of your life, if Jesus isn't at the center, the results will be self-serving and the fruit will be temporary. God knows how our efforts and energy can pay the greatest dividends and serve the greatest purpose.
2 Peter 1:5-11 - Our faith in Christ is certainly a gift from God. We are saved by God's grace through faith. This faith, then, according to James 2:20, is useless, dead, without works that accompany it. Peter now provides for us a picture of a growing faith, an active faith, a faith that ends up making us into a God-honoring, body of believers who love the way Jesus loves.
2 Peter 1:1-4 - It seems like everybody needs to stand for something in order to make a difference in this world. The questions is, is the thing you decide to stand for something that is worth (and strong enough) to rely on with your whole life? When we have the right standing, everything else can be built on that. What will you stand on? What will you stand for?
1 Peter 5:6-14 - Would you rather be humbled or would you rather be humiliated? The first is something that someone willingly submits to and the second is something that is typically forced on people. The Apostle Peter begins his closing remarks in his letter to Christians in the first century Roman Empire with the command to "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." Satan would love for us to think that we're number ONE, not under anyone. Let's know our PLACE and live in our PRIVILEGE of God's children.
Proverbs 31:24-31 - God loves family! Even though each of us falls short of the roll that Scripture would have us play in the family, we must look at Scripture so that we can know God's HEART for the family. The more we know of God's heart for the family, the more us and our family will benefit from His wisdom. Join us as we look the gift of motherhood so that we can both be thankful for what our moms have done for us and so that we can look forward to being a better mom or supporting the moms in our lives.
1 Peter 4:12-19 - Have you ever wondered how it could be that so many people suffer, yet don't deny their God? Many do, I know, but there seems to be a vast number who almost do the opposite. Why is that? Do you want that kind of faith? I do! Come look at this passage with me, as we look at the Apostle Peter's closing argument is to WHY Christians can have true joy and purpose even when things turn sideways.
1 Peter 4:7-11 - Is it true that "All good things must come to an end"? I don't think so. In fact, the best things that this life has to offer will, in fact, last forever. If God truly knows what's best, then why not go with His ideas? Peter gives us three specific ways that we can help each other, as he describes them between the two book-ends of prayer and God's glory. It's what the resurrection of Jesus (Easter) promises us!
1 Peter 4:1-6 - Hardships and suffering will come your way, whether you love God or not, whether you follow Jesus or not, whether you're even aware of what the Bible says or not. Now, though, with this information from God's word, each of us now have the tools to look at this world and it's struggles in a whole new light and with much victory.
Ephesians 4:1-16 - Brian Farone, our District Superintendent here with the EFCA NorthCentral District, speaks clearly towards what it means to be unified in Christ. The body of Christ is meant for something more than just what we can give to it - it's a God thing!
Ephesians 4:1-16 - Brian Farone, our District Superintendent here with the EFCA NorthCentral District, speaks clearly towards what it means to be unified in Christ. The body of Christ is meant for something more than just what we can give to it - it's a God thing!
1 Peter 3:18-22 - What are the necessities to camping? To school? To a healthy family? These are things that are absolutely necessary to these activities or lifestyles. Do you believe that our spiritual life has the same types of necessities? Our spiritual lives, in fact, are more important, because it's what dictates our eternity. So, to hear Peter talk about baptism the way he does in our passage, and to know that, in Acts 10:47,48 he insisted that new believers get baptized immediately, we must pay attention to what baptism is all about.
1 Peter 3:8-17 - Are you convinced that Jesus is Who He says He was? Do you take the words of the Bible and see them as God's words to you? How sure are you that the church is God's main instrument to reach a lost world? If you answered all of those in the positive, then you are ready to be "on mission." That's right, we are at a point in the U.S. where being a biblical Christian is no longer respected or even tolerated. May we know beyond any doubts that the only way to rejoice in the midst of such a situation (or worse if you're in a country like India right now) is to be ALL IN.
1 Peter 3:1-7 - How good of a job do you think our culture does at honoring men and women for who they were created to be? Too often, we are honored for being who WE want to be, no matter how healthy or unhealthy that may be. Yet, our hearts are deceived by a culture who, among other things, tells us that we ought to look out for ourselves above anybody else. The gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ gives us another set of rules: Think about others as more important than yourself. He did it for us so we ought to do it for one another. This should be MOST evident in our marriages. Let's take God's word for it and pursue these kind of marriages.
1 Peter 2:20-25 - No matter how good of a life you lead, no matter how much faith you have, no matter who you surround yourself with, you will suffer. It is a part of being part of a world that is imperfect, fallen, full of sin and sinful people (including you :-). So, by the simple fact that Christ's suffering led to our freedom and life, we ought to pursue what the Bible has to say about our suffering.
1 Peter 2:9-12 - No matter who you are, no matter what you do, no matter how successful you are at, you are made for much more. How do I know that? One reason is because of the simple observation that no one ever feels complete when they've "made it". Another reason is that we rarely allow our Creator to truly define us. Let Him in, He is our worth, we are great because of Him. It's not weakness to worship God, it provides the greatest strength to worship God.
1 Peter 2:1-8 - What's the best advice you've ever received? As of today, you have something to add to it. That's right, Peter gives advice to some of the first Christians that also pertains to us as well as all who have trusted Jesus with their very lives. The advice, as all good advice, is based on well known truths (God created you and knows best), starts with a proven fact (Since Jesus lived a perfect life, died, and rose again), and ends with a challenging application (we are privileged and obligated to obey Him fully). So, let's see what we should do about it (always the hard thing about taking advice).
1 Peter 1:17-25 - "Our flesh is like the flowers of the field," says Isaiah 40. So, what does that have to do with today? With the church? With Jesus? The moment we neglect or ignore the ultimate reality of our sinfulness and mortality, this is the moment we become too full of ourselves and forget the basic truths about God. He is fair, He is faithful, He is forever. Our world is NOT that. Join us as we lovingly and boldly address this world.
1 Peter 1:3-8 - FAITH. Hmmmm . . . does faith save you? Is it really faith that keeps you going or keeps you from losing it? Maybe you have a faith that is foundational to all that you do? That is wonderful, yet is it really the FAITH that does it, or are we giving proper credit to the One whom we have FAITH in? Plus, maybe you want your faith to grow? Peter's letter to the 1st century Christians will give us some specifics regarding how this faith in Jesus can grow and be an ACTION.
1 Peter 1:1,2 - What is home? What do you define as home? For those who have an ideal picture of home, it almost always fall short. What if, though, your true home was an ideal place that met every expectation. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you are not home yet. Your belief in Jesus Christ, in fact, means that you will never be at home here in this world. You have a choice? Try to be at home in a place where you're not really welcome, or live your life as a visitor, seeking to bring as many home with you as you can.
Mark 16:1-8; Romans 8:9-11 - The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus isn't only the foundation of what Christianity is all about, it the basis for how to live the Christian life day-by-day. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit alive in all who believe. Do you believe? Then you've got His Spirit? Do you have His Spirit? Than you have all that you ask for? Let's pray for and expect great, God-sized things this year and ENJOY THE RIDE!!!
Micah 5:2-5a - Just like all the events around Jesus' birth (the place, the people, the timing, etc.), God has a habit of using the seemingly insignificant things of the world for His grand purposes. It's no different than with me and with you. May this Christmas mark a time where we understand more how much we're worth and what that means.
Matthew 2:1-12 - The Wisemen were probably the first true followers of Jesus. From the time they saw the star until the time the saw the Savior, they had to be faithful through time, disappointments, discouragements, and even a ruthless ruler that had it in for them. Why did they stay faithful? What's the difference between them and the long-time Jews who knew this was coming? How do we make sure we don't miss the party?
Luke 2:1-14 - Have you ever wondered how Jesus' parents celebrated his birthday? Was it any different than his friends' birthdays? How much did they celebrate the significance of his birth on his, let's say, 11th birthday? I'm sure each birthday, if they really celebrated birthdays in that day, was centered on HIM, kind of like our birthdays are in our culture. The parties ought to be about us, the cakes ought to have our names on it, and the presents are supposed to be intended for us. How can each of us, then, celebrate Jesus' birthday this year the way a King deserves to be celebrated, especially the living, real, king of our hearts?
Luke 2:15-20 - How much more can you get out of Christmas. I mean, it's the same message, year after year after year, right? Jesus was born in a manger, it was miraculous, it was prophesied about centuries before, and Jesus was sent to save us from our sins. Whether you've been saved for years, newly saved, or maybe you don't know, the Christmas story can feel all TOO familiar. What if, though, we've allowed ourselves to lose the significance by getting lulled to sleep by the familiar. Let's take a cue from those shepherds in order to not only get the most out of Christmas, but the most out of Christianity.
Ephesians 5:15-21 - A true, heartfelt, honest "Thank you" is more than just two words said at the right time. It's more than just a culturally acceptable way to acknowledge someone's help. Especially as it relates to God, "Thank you" entails a response to God similar to that which deserves someone being thankful to someone else for actually saving their life.
Psalm 119:105-112 - All of us, no matter how long we live or how well we live, will leave people with a memory of us. The question is, "Is there a way that we can know that we're leaving the right impression on people?" The only way to truly leave a lasting, good, impression (or legacy) is to center it on the word of God and to, more importantly, make sure your name isn't what's remembered. Hmmmm . . . how does THAT work?
Psalm 119:97-104 - How, you say, does a good God get better? Well, technically, there's nothing that God can do or can stop doing to make Himself better - He is all good, all the time, forever ever and ever, He doesn't change. Yet, He gets better when we keep knowing Him and learning from Him. We are able to witness, first hand, what a God like Him can actually do.
I Samuel 17:37 - We may have our things that make us comfortable and warm, but what can a rock show us about how much better God takes care of us?
Psalm 119:81-88 - Sometimes things look bleak because we are simply only seeing them from our viewpoint. It doesn't mean that it's not bad or hard, but it does add the perspective that God probably has other ideas in mind. In this part of Psalm 119, we get to see someone whose faith is in God can truly trust Him, even in the most dire of situations.
Psalm 119:33-40 - Just like "home is where your heart is," "your treasure is where your heart is." The thing is, sometimes we've made ourselves (and especially our hearts) at home in certain places that is not good for us. So, how can we treasure things LESS in order to treasure God's word MORE?
Psalm 119:9-16 - What is the perfect guide for life? What (or who) would you trust the most if they claimed the perfect plan for your life? Often, we trust "wealth management" professionals most because of the draw of financial security and even potential for a prosperous retirement. Yet, even if all those commercials about retiring as a rich tycoon were realistic, is that really the perfect plan? God's challenge to us is the pursuit of real treasure of the Word of God. Let's do this together by using Psalm 119 as a treasure map.
Psalm 119:1-8 - It's one thing to do what you know to be the right thing (and it is commendable, for sure!). Yet, it is another thing to LOVE the law, or rule, or precept, that you're asked to follow. The Christian life is not just about doing the right thing for the right reason. It's about growing in our love for the doing the right thing for the right reason. Yes, gritting our teeth and doing something is sometimes the way it needs to be done. How much better, though, would life be if we saw God's heart in all His commands and, as a result, loved and appreciated obeying Him?
Acts 1:8; Romans 5:1-5; Galatians 6:6-10; James 1:22-25 - "You will be my witnesses . . . to the utmost part of the earth." Now, in order to declare to everyone that Jesus is Lord and that only through Him can we have eternal life, we are to keep going until the utmost part (not parts) of the earth knows. That last bastion of humanity that hasn't heard, the last bit of land to be navigated for the sake of Christ. Until THAT happens, we are to keep going. It doesn't matter what people say, what types of new arguments come up, how much we're persecuted or spoken down to, or how attractive any other belief system may look. He is God, we are not, He gets all the attention, we do what He says . . . period. Oh yea, and we do that by simply telling the person near us.
Acts 7 - We get to witness how a testimony can change many lives. Rarely does it happen the way we think it will happen. Yet, it will always happen in the best timing possible because God is able to perfectly manage who hears what when. All we are asked to do is to WITNESS what God has done in our lives. What's YOUR story?
Acts 2, Galatians 5, Ephesians 5 - Explaining something complex and new to anybody is extremely difficult. Not only is the topic multi-faceted, but usually one person has background that another doesn't and there's even different levels of interest that effect our ability to understand (I mean, I'm sure quantam physics is an intriguing topic, but I have NO interest in learning anything about it). So, how do we take a topic like GOD and translate Him to mortal, small brains like ours - How about indwell all people who have faith in Jesus with the actual presence of God? Hmmmmmm . . .
Acts 1:1-11 - We need help. Do you agree? It's hard to get help from a source that you either. . . A) Don't believe exists or . . . B) Have never really sought out. When Jesus left this earth and told his disciples to wait for the power that would come upon them, He made a promise to you and me that we would never be alone. Are you getting the help you need? If not, the problem isn't God, it's . . . guess who?
Mark 16:1-8 - What are you thankful for? How about, what are you, when you really think about it, MOST thankful for? Let's try one more question: What about your life is something that would bring about the most gratefulness? Ultimately the people that brought us life, that helped out growth, and were instrumental in making us who we are today should receive most of our kuddos!
Mark 15:33-47 - Most of what we learn about WHY Jesus died and WHAT exactly happened on the cross we find in the rest of the New Testament beyond the four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Yet, right here in these few verses from Mark, we some immediate proof of what Jesus' death accomplished - direct access to God and conquering of death. God is alive and well and active and full of grace, truth, love, and perfect justice. There's nothing else to build ones life on.
Mark 15:16-32 - Our sin nature is a part of who each of us are. We see the destructive force of it in the world today and even in our own lives, to various degrees. We also see the utter ugliness of sin in the brutality that Jesus faced on his way to the cross and on the cross itself. Yet, we can celebrate this time because Jesus' sacrifice has paid the price for sin's destructiveness and we can all, then, live lives free of its power.
Mark 15:1-15 - When those who call themselves Christians start thinking about how different our views are from the rest of the world, it's easy to start thinking that the world, including the people who try to promote "worldly" type of things, is our opponent (or even enemy). Rather, just as Jesus approached his accusers, abusers, and killers, we are to approach the world as needing forgiveness and our mission as carriers of such grace.
Mark 14:66-72 - Peter's denial of Jesus, in a very public and humiliating way, is something Peter has never lived down. Why would Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all talk about it? Why is so well documented? The fact is, God wants us to know that our ability to forgive and receive forgiveness has everything to do with Jesus and his initiative, and not on how we feel, or how hurt we are, or how great the offense.
Mark 14:54-65 - "That's not fair!" Whether it's words spoken to a parent or words thought of by an adult, all of us have experienced unfairness, injustice, or hurt. Jesus' suffering at and before the cross doesn't only show us what the weight of our sin does, but it serves as an example and motivation to help us in our suffering (see 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 and Hebrews 12:3). Do you want to know how to handle all the unfairness in your life and in the world around us? Come with us as we see how Jesus handled it.
Mark 14:32-42 - When you think about it, prayer really doesn't make any sense, right? I mean, we come up with words to speak to an all-powerful God, and it actually makes a difference? It actually does some good? It actually matters? It seems that the biggest hurdle in believing this or in becoming a PRAYERFUL person is doing it, simply declaring, "God, you are God and this is the best way for me to practice my belief."
Luke 22:24-30 - Wouldn't it be great to be able to see people the same way Jesus does. Amazingly enough, the key is to be of the mindset to serve that person. Then, and only then, will you be able to see them correctly. Amazing enough, also, the more we do that, it seems, the more serving becomes part of who we are, not just something we do.
Mark 14:22-31 - We, as human beings, are very complex (thank you, Pastor Paul, for that insight). We do know, though, that we have physical and non-physical parts. So, when it comes to communion and the why's and how's of it, remember that the physical act, as important as it is, was never meant to be the goal. The goal is communion with our God and the application of His forgiveness on our lives - to pass it on to others.
Mark 14:10-21 - It's easy to be loyal to cheering for a team, for the team doesn't really require much of us. But, loyalty to things that matter are more difficult, why? As we look at Jesus preparing to be crucified, we see how those closest to Him lack commitment, how one in particular betrays Him, and how Jesus responds to it all. In this, we learn that where our loyalty lies is where our heart goes is where we make a difference (or not).
Mark 14:3-9 - Whether we like it or not, we truly value that which we pursue for our enjoyment. Maybe it's why we dread going to "worship service" more than we anticipate it. Maybe, just maybe, we've made it about the music style, the atmosphere, or the people. The woman who anointed Jesus' head with ultra-expensive perfume has a lesson for us regarding WHO worship is all about.
Mark 13:28-37 - As we are way too familiar with, lots of sadness is happening all around us. With the deadly volcano in Guatemala to tornadoes in Arkansas to another hurricane season upon us to news about trusted individuals that make big mistakes. How in the world are we supposed to not get caught up in it or be overwhelmed by it. Well, Jesus' answer to all of this, in the context of thinking about the future is . . . STAY AWAKE! You are gifted with ability and empowered by the God who has given you and me a job to do. What can we do about it?
Mark 13:14-27 - Yes, catastrophic things will happen, even beyond what we've already witnessed. Yes, Jesus is coming back to gather those who are truly His. Yes, there will be judgement on this earth for all the evil that has happened. Yes, unfortunately, many will be left in the dust because of their own refusal to trust Jesus. Other things that we don't know for sure ought not be part of our everyday life.
Daniel 9:24-27 - We hear about a vision that Daniel had from God. We see words such as "abomination", "desolation," and "seventy weeks" and we think about some horrible things happening in the end times. We want to know WHEN God will do WHAT and HOW exactly it will happen. Instead, God simply wants us to be alert and to bring others to the knowledge and trust of Jesus Christ. How can end times discussions help us do this?
Mark 13:3-13 - It sounds wonderful to know when and where things will happen according to the One who designed it all, doesn't it? Yet, we also know that God is much more aware of how it'll best happen and is much more able to grow us in the meantime. Plus, how does what WILL happen effect what TODAY is for?
Mark 12:38-13:2 - When we stray, at all, from the central theme of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we risk not becoming what God has called us to be. When the results of faithfulness to God become the things that determine our path, we risk becoming followers of success rather than followers of Jesus.
Mark 12:28-34 - Pastor Floyd Midura, Interim Pastor at Harvest Community Church in Sauk Centre, presents a solid biblical case for why, as followers of Jesus, we are each missionaries. Whether it's Cameroon, Chile, Germany, or across the backyard fence or property line, God has place each of us in a situation where people need to hear about and see the gospel of Jesus Christ. Join us as we put into practice one or more of these 8 catch phrases.
Mark 12:1-27 - As Jesus addresses some of the key religious groups of His day, even leaders that were leading His own people, the Israelites, we get a glimpse into what Jesus sees as the best way. Each of us can easily fall into one of these pitfalls, for each of us are attracted by things that feed our pride and promise ease of life.
Mark 11:1-11 - Expectations drive our current behavior. Whether it's what our job expects, what our kids expect, or what our spouse expects, we determine our actions accordingly. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, our expectations of Jesus will effect how we pray, how we treat others, and how we deal with setbacks and difficulties. What is your goal?
Mark 10:46-52 - What if you desperately wanted something, or, rather, needed something? What if you knew that there was only one way, one man, that could get that something for you? What if that man asked you what you wanted him to do for you? A no brainer, right? The thing is, we are, each of us, in desperate need for something that only Jesus can get us. Let's look at this miracle as a word picture for the Gospel, the good news that Jesus died for each of us.
Mark 10:32-45 - "Not so with you," Jesus tells His disciples, when describing how the world sees greatness. Not only that, but He tells them exactly how they ought to do it. The question is, are we really serious about following Jesus and trusting Him with the results?
Mark 10:1-31 - What does Jesus see in children that would make Him demand that those who follow Him have child-like acceptance of His Kingdom? Is it their ability to trust what people say? Is it their innocence? Is it the fact that they simply enjoy the life that's in front of them? Clearly, we have no choice but to pursue this kind of life.
Matthew 9:30-50 - God's not looking for us to be great, He's looking to do something great through our big and little acts of faithfulness. Through Jesus' prediction of his death and confronting His disciples on their desire to be GREAT, we see the difference between a life lived for Him and a life lived for now.
Mark 9:14-29 - When Jesus' disciples couldn't cast the demon out of a boy, the power of Jesus came into question. After Jesus takes control of the situation and heals the boy, He reveals the issue - faithlessness seen in lack of prayer. God wants us to pray as if it's the only cure and to believe as if God's the only one able. How do you believe? How do you not believe?
Mark 9:1-13 - What does it take to get someone to follow you? Some say it takes position, some say it takes persuasion, some say it takes pure power. What if you had all three, proving it all along? What if you told someone to give up their life in order to follow you? You would need to prove it pretty convincingly, right? Jesus does this and more.
NOTE: Please listen to this first, to replace the first 5:18 of audio on the other 2/5/18 recording. Thank you.
NOTE: The audio feed is very faint until the 5:18 point in the podcast. Be aware of sudden audio change. Mark 8:31-38 - Who should be the one that determines what is the best way to live your life?When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him, is He just on a power trip? Does He have a reason to do this? Let's see how life is really defined and why it makes a difference.
Mark 7:24-37 - Is faith supposed to be just something that you hope is the best thing to do? Is it something that you'll never know is worth it until after you die? Are we ever able to truly experience faith? Based on our examples today from the Book of Mark, the answer is YES! Yet, it must always start with faith.
Philippians 2:12-16 - How much work does it take to live the "good life"? Well, it depends on whose doing the work and what the "good life" is. God has provided, by His grace, eternal life forever away from the presence of sin. This life is yours by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Yet, that life is a great life NOW, by that same faith, and your work is to, well, believe, trust, and surrender.
GUEST SPEAKER - Dan Ottoson Mark 4:35-5:1 - Before we even get to any "storms" that this life is inevitably going to bring us, we can apply these three simple lessons into our daily life. Our faith is as sure as the object of our faith. The object of our faith (Jesus Christ) gains greater strength in our life during the "storms".
John 1:3-13 - True light is the best light. What is the true light and how do we get it? The answer is Jesus, yet the way we (and others) experience it is also a miracle.
Romans 8:26-34 - The Wisemen were seeking a king of some sort. They ended up worshiping a little child. The journey started somewhere, at some point, with even the smallest amount of faith. If you've ever felt that giving your life to Jesus and worshiping Him with your whole heart was way out of your league, then start where the Wisemen started - full surrender and a first step.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - Being prepared is certainly an admirable quality to have. Yet, the most important thing to be prepared for is often the one most rarely addressed - death. Besides life insurance, burial plots, and living wills (which don't kick in until death itself), isn't there another way to know what to expect after death? Isn't there a way to prepare for your death that could benefit you right now? YES! The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us exactly what we need - living proof.
Philippians 2:4-11 - We hear a lot about the birth of Christ, the death of Christ, and His amazing life on earth, but where has Christ been since He ascended into heaven? Where is he now? Does He have any more plans? The manger wasn't the beginning of Christ's existence, but it is the perfect, humble way for God to bring His Son into the world.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 - Giving thanks to God vs. Thanks in general to nobody in particular. Beloved by God vs. Dependent on others' acceptance and love. God chose you vs. My salvation is up to me. Set apart by God vs. Nothing to offer or "I'm nothing special." Belief in Truth vs. Belief in the world or myself. God called you vs. I deserve it, for good or for bad.
Each of these is the difference between a dependence on myself or a dependence on God. Where is there most hope? What is most truth-filled? What creates most doubt? The church, as imperfect as it is, is still the only place where God chooses to share His gospel of grace with the world.
Hebrews 9:19-28 - Jesus speaks about, to, and concerning the heart throughout his ministry. Is this a change from the seemingly commandment-heavy God of the Old Testament. Nope. In fact, God's always aimed at our hearts in order to not only change our behavior from destructiveness to healthy and change our destiny from death to life, but also to simply bring us to Him in relationship. Jesus' death purifies our hearts so that we can freely do what we were made to do.
1 Corinthians 11:17-32 - "Thank you" is a term the is both underused and overused. We don't say it enough when it's needed and we, quite possibly, say it too much when we don't really mean it. The Lord's Supper is the most appropriate and most beneficial time to say, "Thank you." The more often we do it, in the way that we're instructed from Scripture, the more likely our communion with God and unity with each other will benefit.
Matthew 28:16-20 - What if the most popular and divisive religious figure ever to walk the face of the earth told you, face-to-face to do something? What if his earthly authority and eternal presence were things you knew to be true? Would you do what he says? What if you were aware that 2000 years of history has proven this "religious figure" right in all of the things that he has said?
The Book of Jude - Some may wonder why we recognize, remember, and even celebrate something that happened 500 years ago. Others wonder what the point is, since the Roman Catholic Church has yet to truly change many of those things Martin Luther brought up. Finally, others may wonder if there's anything more we can, as Protestants, do. The fact is that what was addressed 500 years ago still needs to be addressed today because, quite honestly, we are a fickle, stubborn, people, wouldn't you agree?
Romans 5:1,2 - What is the purpose of Communion and Baptism? Why do Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and Evangelical Free all believe different things about it? Why does Birch Hills only follow 2 "sacraments" and not the 7 of the Roman Catholic Church? In a word: AUTHORITY. In two words: INTERPRETATION DIFFERENCE. How you choose to read and interpret Scripture will determine what you believe. What you believe will determine how you make decisions. How you make decisions will determine, essentially, where you spend eternity. Let's celebrate the grace in which we stand, as believers in Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 - What if we stopped wondering whether God's love for us is bigger than any problem that could come our way? What if we didn't question whether it's worth it to obey God, but just did it? What if we dealt with our sin as if it truly kept us from the best life possible? What if we read and studied and obeyed the Bible as if it's the actual words of our loving, all-powerful Creator?
Matthew 6:9-13 - The model prayer that Jesus gave us ought to be memorized and taught because, well, it was our Lord's way of teaching his disciples how to pray. But even beyond that, it isn't meant to be simply spoken without much thought (see Matthew 6:6-8 for His instructions about prayer). Join me today as I use the Lord's Prayer as a model in praying for our country, us as Christians, and even for me personally. My prayer is that we would all learn the illusive truth that praying for our needs must start and end with a recognition of and worship of the God who is in charge of those needs.
Ephesians 3:14-21 - The more we know our God, the more we'll pray for the right reasons. The less we pursue God and His way of doing things (love as defined by Him), the more prayer will become a chore and not even worth your while. After all, it's not about us anyway, right?
Philippians 4:4-7 - What do you truly expect out of a prayer life? Is it a good feeling? Is it financial, physical, or social blessings? Is it simply answered prayer? We should expect CHANGE! If you don't want to change, grow, become more like Jesus, than I suggest you reconsider the direction your prayer life is taking. Let's pray often, together, and persistently open to whatever God wants to do, whenever He wants to do it, and in His timing.
Psalm 62 - Prayer is not one of many ways to tackle a problem or get through life; it truly is the only way. What else connects our limited, faulty view of life with the Almighty God who loves us more than we know? What else is able to guarantee us that it will work out for our good? What else, more importantly, assures us of God's love for us as well as grows our love for Him?
Ephesians 6:16-18 - Do we really need any more reminders that we're not in control. Whether it's natural disasters or terrorism or the seemingly constant barrage of people doing evil against others. What can we really do about it? Fortunately, we have a God that stays involved and gives us hope through his presence.
John 14:15-17 - Have you ever felt like you keep trying and working and obeying God, but the love isn't there? Maybe, just maybe, you have it all backwards. It all starts with God's effort, not yours. Obedience to God's commands aren't a burden, they're beautiful. Do you agree? If not, come learn about the Holy Spirit with us, the ONE that guides us.
Titus 3:4-8 - If it's by grace through faith alone that we're saved, where does that faith come from? Is it good enough to be logically convinced of the gospel and say a prayer? No, where's grace in being mentally convinced and repeating a prayer? Do I need to do things to earn this grace? Of course not, then grace wouldn't be grace. Living by grace entail living a life totally dependent on God's grace.
1 Peter 2:9-12 - So, if you're saved by grace through faith, what's the deal with good deeds? If you don't HAVE to do them, why do them? When you think of it this way, Christianity becomes a duty, just a set of rules. The thing is, that's not what Christianity is about. It's about a new life, a life lived NOT for yourself, a life lived as a response to being saved, not in order to be saved.
Romans 4:1-8 - Isn't it always good to do good? Not when there's ulterior motives. How can we make sure that our good works aren't done just to earn favor or make up for bad choices or even have some say in our eternal salvation? "The righteous shall live by faith" is the phrase that drives all of Christianity. If we are saved, 100%, by God's grace through faith then how can we live out this by 100% faith with nothing else added?
Hebrews 10:14-25 - Life is a roller coaster, isn't it? The question is, which roller coaster are you on? Because of the cross, we can know where are coaster is going and we can also know whose in charge of the ride. Join us as we start a 4-part series called, "How do Grace and Works . . . Work?"
NOTE: The sermon was recorded in two different parts. This is the second of the two parts. Galatians 2:20 Faith is acknowledging God's revealed truth - John 20:31 Example: The Apostle Paul Faith is receiving Christ and resting on Him for salvation - Acts 4:12 Example: The Apostle Peter Faith is a work in progress - Philippians 3:13 Example: Abraham Also, see Acts 9:1-19 and Matthew 14:28
NOTE: The sermon was recorded in two different parts. This is the first of the two parts. Galatians 2:20 Faith is acknowledging God's revealed truth - John 20:31 Example: The Apostle Paul Faith is receiving Christ and resting on Him for salvation - Acts 4:12 Example: The Apostle Peter Faith is a work in progress - Philippians 3:13 Example: Abraham Also, see Acts 9:1-19 and Matthew 14:28
Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:15,16 - How is someone actually saved? What are they actually saved from? When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking our penalty and being a substitute for us, it was not only to bring us to heaven with Him, but it was to make this life much better as well. His grace is real, it's forever, and it's for right now, too.
Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 3:23-25; 2 Corinthians 5:15,16 - How is someone actually saved? What are they actually saved from? When Jesus died on the cross for our sins, taking our penalty and being a substitute for us, it was not only to bring us to heaven with Him, but it was to make this life much better as well. His grace is real, it's forever, and it's for right now, too.
Romans 5:17-19 - How does God's grace affect you from day-to-day? Not only is our salvation apart from our works, but that same grace is meant to guide us every single day. In fact, a faith-filled life is to be lived out as if you'd been freed from a lifetime of slavery, in response to the One who freed you.
Romans 8:18-25 - If Adam's sin affected the whole world, don't you think that the cross of Jesus Christ should do the same? Of course! But how? What is our response and what does it have to do with every single day?
Romans Road - From Romans chapters 1,3,5,6,8, and 12 we get what we call the Romans Road. It's the most straight forward explanation of the Gospel that there is in Scripture. It starts with the glory of God, goes through the bad news of our sin, continues with the incredible news of God's unconditional love for us, and concludes with a personal plea to be active in your faith through the church. Where are you at on the Romans Road? How is God calling you back to it?
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 - The great truth of forgiveness, real forgiveness, full forgiveness, changes everything. In a world where we are each searching for significance and seek to earn honors, rewards, money, and influence, it's incredibly comforting to know our worth comes straight from God. What will we do with this? Ignore? Receive? Pass along?
Colossians 1:19-23 - Do you want to live a life that is truly life? A life that is FULL? A life that satisfies for longer than just a weekend? Jesus calls us to die so that we may live. What in the world does that mean? Join us as we take another step in this journey of faith.
Acts 2:22-24 - What is truly powerful? Clearly, God is the epitome of power, yet we often only associate power with certain humans, or events, or even animals. Why is that? Either we choose not to recognize it or we simply are so consumed with our own little worlds that His Holy Spirit has no influence on us? The deity of Jesus Christ is important, not only because of His ability to redeem us from our sins, but also because the Holy Spirit that He promised can truly give us life. Do you have that life?
Hebrews 2:17,18 - What does it really mean to be human? Is it a privilege? Is it a pain? Are we doomed to lives filled with failure? Do we have hope of . . . well . . . mattering? Jesus was the only one to walk on this earth without sin. In doing so he accomplished much for us, both now and forever.
Philippians 2:5-8 - Why seek for humility? First, it's only for those who want to live their lives beyond themselves, for others, accomplishing more than they can do alone. Second, we seek humility because our God modeled it in Jesus Christ and His redemption of us. Our Creator was humble, we must seek it. But, how?
What does the Secret Service have to do with Christianity? See how children nail down how consequences of getting to the President and God without the right credentials are somewhat similar.
Isaiah 53:10-11 - Suffering as part of God's plan? How does the reality of sin and the reality of God's holiness make sense together? The more we know about even the ugly parts of humanity, the better we'll be able to live out the grace with which God offers salvation from this ugliness. It's a rich truth, with a simple concept, and an application that takes a lifetime to figure out.
Ephesians 5:1-5 - To imitate God is to live your life under is love. It sounds all great and fun, until we are told, as we are in Ephesians 5, what we are to avoid, keep away from, and even completely avoid. God loves you to much that He not only gives you guidance but tells you plainly what doesn't fit.
Romans 1:21-25; 1 John 3:4-8 - Are you an idolater? Why talk about sin? Idolatry, by definition is what keeps you and me from knowing God and the breadth of what He wants to do in our lives. Sin is what keeps us from this AND it's WHY Jesus came to earth - to combat it. Do you care? Are you sick of what sin does to you and is doing to our society? It all starts with how we address it with our Savior.
Romans 3:20-23 - Resurrection is a big deal! Beyond the fact that is happened, what effect does it have on our day-to-day lives? It, mainly, confirms all the claims that Jesus made with an unquestionable, undeniable, never-disproven exclamation point! Jesus' main claim was that He was the only way to God. So, freedom from the fear of death, from a trapped life, from a purposeless life, is found in Jesus Christ. Let's look at this together and allow Him to infiltrate are very lives.
Romans 5:12-14 - Have you ever been truly STUCK? It's hopeless, humiliating, and help is the only option. We are stuck! Not only because we are unable to obey God perfectly, but because we inherited sin from our parents, who inherited from theirs, who inherited all the way from Adam. Sounds dire? Nope! Because Adam was a type of how God would fix our "stuckness."
Romans 3:10-12; 19,20 - So, here's the deal: we are all, each of us, unable to live a perfect life. Plus, when it's all said and done, we won't be let off the hook simply because we are, from birth, sinners. How does that work? It's actually one of the most encouraging stories about the human race - when we all are without excuse and we all have access to the God who can do something about it. If you've even done wrong, you have hope.
Jeremiah 17:7-10 - What's the difference between NICE and GENUINELY nice? What's the difference between a life of want and a life of contentment? How do we address the lies in our life? All of these can be answered by honestly coming before God and admitting that we have deficiencies that keep us from truly loving people, from truly being content, and from speaking the truth in love. Confessing such things, then surrendering our lives to His love and His way of doing things (no matter what others may think or how hard it is), is the answer. More of Him, less of us. Join us in this journey!
Matthew 5:21,22, 27-30 - You think the 10 Commandments are hard to keep? Well, try to do it that way Jesus is commanding? Why raise the standard? Why make it even more impossible to keep them? Well, maybe the point is not to keep a checklist but, rather, to know God's heart? What should be OUR attitude when it comes to the 10 commandments?
Hebrews 4:9-11 - Do you rest? No, really, do you really rest? Not just sleeping every day, but a rest from your work? From doing life? From worries? There's a reason that observing the Sabbath day is one of the 10 commandments - it shows the heart of God in guiding us into the best life possible. Do you believe this?
Deuteronomy 6:13-15 - It seems kind of narrow to believe that there is only one God, doesn't it? Except for the fact that, if indeed there is only one God, and you don't believe in Him, you will have to answer for it. Now, consider the fact that this one and only God is a God who absolutely loves you and does all He can to bring you to Himself.
Exodus 20:1-17 - Because of the timing of the 10 commandments and the clear results of ignoring them, we can quite certainly conclude that God has given us these truths out of pure love for us, for our benefit, and so that we never ever forget our need for a Savior. It's not weakness to cry for mercy. Rather, it takes courage to see God commandments as life-giving. It's easy to go our own way and do what comes naturally, it takes God's strength to do the right thing.
Matthew 22:34-40 - Why do the 10 Commandments get such a bad rap? Certain states don't want them in their courtrooms. People think they're too restrictive. Nobody's really expected to keep them all, are they? We'll start taking a look at the 10 Commandment in depth because God made them known at a key point in history and they've been brought up often since then. Why are they key? What's the purpose of them now? Here's a clue: It's all about God's heart and intentions and love for you, believe it or not.
Deuteronomy 11:1; Colossians 3:17 - It takes more than a checklist to honor the God who created you . . . or . . . rather . . . it takes something OTHER than a checklist, how about? Similar to how someone won't do well in a sport or a career if their heart isn't in it, our hearts must be fully His if we are to experience all the fruit that goes with being a child of God. How do you glorify God? We can glorify God by loving Him and doing what He commands.
Genesis 1:1-3;31 - How dependable is your word? No matter how trustworthy you may be, you will fail at some point. How dependable is the word of God? Complete trust in a perfect God makes total sense. So, what's the problem? it has to do with, guess who? US! Come with us, before a holy yet loving God, and look into this incredible intersection of Creator and created.
Psalm 8 - "How much is a human being worth?" Your answer to this question, if you want it to be based on more than just sentiment or wishful thinking, depends heavily on what you believe about how we got here. If you believe in evolution, then there is nobody that thought of you, nobody who truly understands you, and you serve no purpose outside of yourself. What if, though, you were created in the image of God, thought of before you were even born, and have great intrinsic value from God himself?
Acts 1:4-8 - When Jesus speaks of His Father and sends the Holy Spirit, we see, very clearly, three different persons. Yet, we also see very clearly that we serve only ONE God, right? No, it doesn't correspond with our math nor is it comprehended by our limited brains. So what do we do with the Trinity? What does it matter? Well, it's AWESOME, it's PERSONAL, and it's BEAUTIFUL!
Psalm 86:8-13 - Who is God? What kind of question is that? How can it be answered in a lifetime, let alone 20 minutes? Let's take what Scripture says, find a phrase or two to summarize, and run with it!
Romans 14:7-9 - Not only does the death and resurrection of Jesus bring about the lasting hope of eternal life for all who believe, but it is the source of unity in the body of Christ - His church. Can you think of a divisive issue in churches today? Is any issue of more importance than the fact that we ALL belong to God and that ALL of us are lost without Him? WHAT IS OUR GREATEST HOPE IN LIFE AND IN DEATH?
1 Peter 2:4-10 - What makes a group of people unstoppable? Their strength? Their smarts? Their skill? All of those things are extremely limited. But, give that group of people true conviction in a true God and they can accomplish anything. God's interested in building up a name for Himself, not just great buildings or large groups of people. The only way to do this is to be a strong spiritual house with the cornerstone being God Himself, His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
John 1:1-18 - Jesus was born . . . to die. If it wasn't for Jesus, there would be no God, if it wasn't for God, there would be no life, and in Jesus is the light of all mankind. The reason Jesus' death matters is the same reason why His birth must never be taken for granted - it's about God coming here for you and me. Let's praise God together with our words, with our actions, with our very life!
Matthew 2:1-12 - How do Magi from somewhere east of Jerusalem figure out that a birth of great consequence is happening in a tiny town in Israel? How do the wisest Jewish scholars, even when being asked by it, completely miss the birth of their Messiah? How does God's perfect timing play into our current place in history and into our salvation? What are we to do?
Pic - Phillips Brooks
Luke 2:8-20 - We've all heard the phrase, "The TRUE meaning of Christmas," right? What does it really mean? Is it all about giving? Is it all about believing . . . in something? is it about a baby in a manger? Is it all of the above? What if it's about receiving and praising? What if it's about what we do afterwards?
Matthew 1:17-24 - Jesus existed. Try to prove it wrong or simply choose not to believe it, it's up to you. But . . . history does prove it! Now what? God dropped in on human history about 2016 years ago, in person, in order to save us from our sins. Yet, about 2,786 years ago God's sign to an evil king for immediate relief was also a sign to all people's that He is invested in us for the long haul . . . as well as the here and now. Don't you want to know a God who has, from ages past, followed through and who, in the present, is still involved? This is a God we entrust with our future and Whom we can, and ought to, worship right NOW with our lives!
Isaiah 9:2,6-7 - What if someone REALLY special was coming for a visit? What would you do? What kind of work are we willing to do in anticipation of Jesus' return? The thing is, when Jesus came the first time, as a baby, He came to save us from our sins. That offer is still valid today, if we open up our hearts and invite Him in. Are you prepared?
Mark 7:14-23 - When we're thankful, truly thankful, then our eyes and our focus is off of ourselves. When we determine right or wrong, good and bad, strictly by the way things look from the outside, we make open our heart to criticalness and pride. To be thankful is to be humble. But how? Jesus helps us by how He points out the opposite.
Mark 7:1-13 - What happens when you're good at doing the right thing and following the rules? What happens when you're really good at leading others to do the same thing? What happens when you're told that you've completely missed the whole point? Jesus confronted this in His day and we're cautioned about tradition in our day. How do you make sure it's God's tradition you're following, not man's.
Mark 6:45-56 - When we attach our hopes and dreams and future and peace on anything or anyone that will disappoint us, our hearts are in danger. How, then, do we maintain a heart that doesn't grow hard, or get bitter, or turn stubborn. Learn from Jesus how to maintain or get a soft heart, how to be patient with a hard heart and how to love the broken-hearted.
Mark 6:30-44 - So, why did Jesus feed well over 5,000 people with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish? Just because He could? To show people how much power He had? Because He cared for them? Oh, and how did He do it? Let's take a look at Christ's heart, method, and what it has to do with his followers, the church, today.
Mark 6:17-29 - King Herod made a HUGE mistake. It's not whether or not we sin that is the difference, it's how we will deal with that sin. Or, rather, it's WHO you invite to help you with that sin problem that makes the difference.
1 Peter 5:5-11 - Can you trust your heart? Should you really simply do what your heart leads you to do? The truth is that we cannot be trusted with an accurate view of ourselves. Not only does God have the most accurate view of us, but He is also the only One able to make us great again, just like we were created to be.
NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, we are missing the last 10 minutes of this sermon. 1 Peter 4:7-11 - Christian McArthur from Willmar joins us this Sunday and presents and great message of hope and challenge. Pray. Love. Serve. Pretty straight-forward. The Gospel message matters in our world.
1 Peter 3:8-12; 18-20 - The "American Dream" is said to be Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. This is suspiciously close to 1 Peter 3:10, "Whoever would love life and see good days." Two differences: First, the Bible is meant for all peoples of all time and, second, the Bible has a way to go about the pursuit of good days in a way that's quite opposite (and much more effective) than how we tend to do it. Let's learn together how to love life by NOT seeking our own best interests first.
1 Peter 2:9-17 - What if you were the only one that stood in the way of someone committing a fatal mistake? What if you were MADE in order to make it crystal clear how people can keep from making fatal mistakes of any kind? What if you were given the abilities and passion to save people's lives? What if your personality was exactly what was needed in the situations that you're in? Yes, God has designated each believer for an assignment that is life-changing, for all. Embrace it and run with it!
1 Peter 1 - You live in a place where Christians are hated, the ruler of the region thinks he's a god, and there's no place that you can go to escape it. What do you need to hear the most? What really matters to you? Is being a Christian really worth it? How about the words, "Things couldn't be better!"?
John 15:9-17 - How do we do whatever it is that God has for us to do? What does God have for us to do? We start answering these questions by grasping our role in the biggest event that has ever happened on the face of the earth.
Mark 6:7-13; 30-32 - What is your job? As an employee? As a student? As a parent? As a spouse? What about as a human? As a creation of God, we are designed with a job description hard-wired into us - to bring God glory and belong to Him. How do we know what to do in our own situations?
Mark 6:14-29 - Would you dedicate your whole life in the service of your creator? If you did, what would you do if you had second thoughts about your decision? Finally, what if someone told you ahead of time that you would suffer, experience lots of trouble, and never feel at home in this world? How would that effect your decision? Let's look at John the Baptist as an example of what a commitment like this may look like and how all that other stuff is all part of the journey.
Mark 6:1-6 - We don't see Jesus being AMAZED very much, but here He is amazed at a people's UNbelief. How can a person know of miracles, maybe even witness them, then refuse to believe in the one that was clearly doing them? In a word, "stubbornness." In a phrase, "serving a god of self-sufficiency." We do not have the power we think we do. ONLY through Jesus Christ can lasting and necessary change happen.
Mark 5:35-43 - Some would say that the opposite of TRUST is FEAR. The best way to deal with the fear of dying, the fear of failure, or whatever fear you deal with is to trust fully someone who is completely capable of relieving that fear. The problem is, who can really be trusted with that. Jesus' new friend had just heard the news of his daughter's death, so Jesus turned to him and said, "Do not fear, only believe." Really? That's it? Really, really!
Mark 5:21-34 - What is belief? What kind of faith actually heals a person? Actually saves a person? Being the Son of God, Jesus knows of the devastating, even lethal, effects of sin. As a result, His compassion flows out of Him wherever He goes. He also knows that there's a difference between physically healing someone in this life and spiritually healing someone for an eternity of life with Him. Similar faith is required for both, with the difference being what you're trusting God to do.
Mark 5:1-20 - Usually, we associate power with things that we see, whether it's because of someone's strength, someone's finances, someone's position, or even someone's smarts. Yet, all of that can cease, in a moment's notice. What's true power, though, real power, lasting power?
Mark 4:35-41 - You may have a completely legitimate reason to be scared, to be anxious, or even to be angry. Whether it's your fault, someone else's fault, or an overwhelming problem in our society, NOTHING is beyond Jesus' touch. The question is, "Do you want to know Jesus enough to experience what He really can do?"
Mark 4:21-25 - Jesus is, of course, THE Light of the world. Yet, He has clearly given us and, if you can believe it, created us for the role of being His light to this dark world. What does that even mean? It means following His ways, His rules, His example and, most importantly, the grace that comes through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross in our place. But, really, how does one be a light in this world?
Mark 3:31-35 - Distractions usually occur when something is important enough to be distracted from, right? What if we're distracted from something GREAT with something GOOD? Jesus addressed this while communicating the essence of successful living.
Mark 4:1-20 - When there is one way to do something. When there is someOne in charge that knows what to do and why do it. When we are given truth in a story. When we are given the explanation. We must do all we can to read it, understand it, and obey it. It's a story, a parable, with a plot that we should never lose.
Mark 4:1-20 - Jesus introduces us to PARABLES here. It's a way to teach some truths to those who really WANT to hear. Our first question in this two-parter through the Parable of the Soils is, "Do you want to be productive in God's Kingdom?" and "How bad do you want to learn?" God loves you and has sent His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins. Why? Productivity for Him is one reason.
Mark 3:22-30 - Jesus says that there's an eternal sin that's unforgivable. How could that be? Is that a sin you or I could commit? To be honest, it's one of the most difficult passages to deal with in the Bible. It's a passage, though, that ought to humble us and remind us of how dependent we are on our Almighty, completely fair, loving, eternal God.
Mark 3:7-21 - Jesus interacted with as many different types of people as any of us do on a regular basis. Who were they? How did they respond to Him? How did He respond to them? Having a Summer or a post-Graduation life or a new life that is amazing all centers on the person of Jesus Christ. How? What's for you? Come and see.
Mark 2:23-3:6 - Have you ever asked, "How much do I need to do to please God?" Have you ever looked at others wondering how they could call themselves Christians? Jesus drew attention away from the Law by fulfilling the Law. Now, it truly is all about Him. How should we, NOW, live?
Mark 2:18-22 - God perfectly loves every single person on the face of the Earth. He also knows exactly why we aren't living the life that we were created to live. What's best for us isn't always what we think is best. When Jesus is approached with why His disciples aren't fasting, His response reveals His heart surrounding our heart.
Mark 2:13-17 - Jesus was a friend of sinners, period. No, his friendliness and compassion did not ebb and flow depending on how well people accepted Him or believed His way of doing things. His love was given, free of charge. How well we communicate and live out this love has everything to do with whether our love for others is based on anything outside of God's love.
Mark 2:1-12 - What picture comes to your mind when you hear the word FORGIVENESS? What does it truly mean to be forgiven? What does it look like to be fully, 100% forgiven of an offense you committed against another person? Jesus gives us this visual as He heals in order to prove what He has authority to do? Have you taken Him at His word?
Mark 1:35-45 - What would you do if you came upon somebody who needed your help but who nobody really liked? What if this person was possibly bringing harm to you, intentionally or not? What if you knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that God brought this person into your life at that moment? Jesus knew these moments well, but, more importantly, Jesus knew His Father and His Father's heart because He spent time with Him.
Mark 1:21-35 - A certain Sabbath day back in 1st Century Galilee changed everything for those present. Hear from Benjamin, a witness to these events, then be challenged as to how this Jesus can effect your life as well, immediately.
Mark 1:9-20 - Define normal. Depending on what century or decade you're from (or even what year it is, now-a-days), that definition can change quite drastically. So, when Jesus comes on the scene, does He call us to a new normal or does He call us to something better?
Mark 1:1-8 - Jesus was never officially introduced to people in ways that you would expect the Son of God to be introduced: As a baby in a manger, on a donkey riding into Jerusalem and, here, being dunked under water by a dude who lives in the wilderness, wears camel hair, and has a diet of locusts and honey. Then, right after this crazy dude introduces you, you leave for 40 days alone! Hmmmm . . .
Matthew 28 - What do you believe? Does it really matter? Well, if you don't believe that the tomb of the crucified Jesus was empty because He is is alive, then you have little to nothing to count on for your own life after death. On the other hand, if you DO believe . . . The reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ has absolutely nothing to do with whether you believe it or not - it either happened or it didn't. If it actually happened, why does our belief in it matter so much?
Matthew 24:36-44 - The sequel's never as good as the original, right? Not always. Among other things, Jesus says that when He arrives on the earth next time, it won't be on a donkey, low key, with the goal of dying. Rather, He will come without warning, everyone will know, and He will take with Him all who are His. So, wouldn't be good to know when that'll happen. Let's see what Jesus says about it.
1 Samuel 30 (with 1 Corinthians 15:54-57) - David gained victory after getting distracted from His future as King, while he was in a foreign land, after a near disaster happened to him and his whole family. What kind of victory are we able to claim? To what extent can we take this? What did Jesus die on the cross for, anyway? Let's claim the victory that's ACTUALLY ours in Christ, not what we think it makes sense for us to have.
1 Samuel 27-28 - In these two chapters we see David lose heart and give his heart away to an enemy king (yet, God protects him). We also see a man who has hardened his heart (Saul) desperately get help from God (and God finally responds to him in a very strange way). It's not a matter of doing more right than wrong, it's a matter of surrender.
Galatians 6:9,10 - It's pretty straight forward, actually. There's not much wiggle room around God directions for His children. Do good. Don't give up. Keep doing good. Do good, especially, toward each other as followers of Jesus Christ. Oh yea, don't grow weary in doing good. Fact is, the world needs a savior, Jesus is the only way, and we (the church) are God's plan of making HIm known. Are you blooming where God has planted you?
1 Samuel 25 - Doing good is always good, right? What if the result of our "doing good" isn't exactly, or even close to, what we thought it would be? How do we respond? Do we have the same motivation? How do we trust God, even when our good intentions with our good deeds don't pan out?
1 Samuel 24 & 26 - How much of your best life's memories can you truly attribute to yourself? Really, the more you think about it, the more you realize that even our future decisions are not really up to us. How can you truly trust God with these decisions. It starts with the proper stance before God.
1 Samuel 21-23 - What if all you loved was stripped away and, literally, all you had left, was God? It happened to David, he didn't handle it perfectly, yet we can learn lots. A REFUGE is a place of rest, no matter what's going on around you.
I Samuel 20 - David and Jonathan entered a covenant with each other. In fact, it was more than one, they reminded each other of it, and they counted on it to the extent of their very lives. God has covenanted with us as well, especially to those who, by faith, have trust in the name of Jesus. What has He promised? Why does a fully trustworthy God need to even make a covenant? What does it mean for us and our relationships?
BAD AUDIO NOTE: This sermon was mistakenly recorded through the wrong input, therefore other noises can be heard at times and the volume level is low. Thank you for your patience.
1 SAMUEL 18 - Although much of our life is out of our control, God gives us the chance to make choices and equips us with the ability to make good choices, if we submit to Christ regarding our salvation and our very life. David was motivated by the LORD while Saul was motivated by self-preservation. How do you make decisions? What's inside?
I Samuel 17 - David and Goliath is a familiar story that brings to mind, well, the ultimate David vs. Goliath story. Just like the original story, as well as the many other real life events throughout history where the "little guy beat the big guy," there is always more to things than meets the eye. What's the difference, then? What was David's key? What (or WHO) is the difference?
1 Samuel 16 - How often do things NOT go according to plan for you? This requires a certain amount of mourning because we all experience loss when things don't go according to plan. As a result, our ability to stick to God and what He's doing will determine if we're able to move forward. Come see how Samuel was able to move on after the debacle know as "Saul."
John 1:16-18 - There's a reality of who Jesus is and what He did which requires some sort of action on all who people, not just those who believe. Jesus is for ALL people, for ALL time, in ALL situations.
John 1:14 and Philippians 2:5-11 - When life crashes in on you, you are experiencing the truth about life. When life is good, you are experiencing the truth about life. Those two truths might seem quite different even though they're both just as true - life hurts vs. life is good. No matter what the truth of life brings us, the truth of Jesus confronts both of those with a consistent truth that'll never, ever, leave you wondering. Christmas holds that truth.
John 1:9-13 - Peace. World peace. True peace. Possible? Absolutely! Only by knowing the source of our lack of peace will we know THE only way to true peace.
1 John 1:1-5 - The most important year of your life was the first year, yet you have no personal knowledge of it. What if Jesus existed before He was even born? What if His life is the foundation for any life that we experience? What if our hope is completely dependent on Jesus?
1 Samuel 14-15 - Giving thanks has little traction for our lives unless we actually thank God for these things. Thanking someone takes humility because we're admitting that we needed help. It's much easier to admit help when you worship a God that is in control and is personally involved. Go ahead, put all of your thanks and trust in Him!
1 Samuel 11-13 - No matter what, God can be trusted. Mark Dever once said that there has never been a circumstance in the history of mankind that man has not been able to trust God through. Do you agree? It's all based on Him, not us.
1 Samuel 7 - We lose our way easily. In order to stay on course, it is clear that God wants us to not only remember Him often, but we also need to get rid of the stuff. What are you willing to do?
I Samuel 5,6 - What do you do when most everybody around you doesn't seem to care about God? How do you respond when God seems to be dong things (or allowing things) that don't make sense to you? Well, you worship Him because, well, He is God and He does know what He's doing and He always comes through.
I Samuel 4 - God's presence is THE goal, the gift, the desire of God Himself toward us. As we look at the Ark of the Covenant (not the box that Noah was in, but the box that God had Moses build to represent His presence) we see that God always after one thing - our attention! Just like the Ark, we cannot afford to go through motions of a "good spiritual life" and assume His presence and direction comes with it. Does He have your attention? What will it take?
I Samuel 3 - Samuel was called, literally, by God. He heard his voice (4 times!), listened, obeyed, and was used by God in mighty ways. The more things change, the more things stay the same. What are you called to AND called to do?
1 Samuel 1:1-2:12 - How do you handle the hardest situations in your life? How do you prioritize all the things going on around you? How do you deal with all the crud that comes our way because of how broken our world is? How about the same answer to all three questions - trusting God's faithfulness. Hannah's an example for us to follow.
Ephesians 4 - There is a church building being built in Melrose, MN. Have you seen it? Where is it, you say? Well, it gathers every Sunday and in little pockets throughout the week. The church is not being built by skilled craftsman, but by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the Head of the Church.
2 Corinthians 4,5,6,7,13 - Evaluations are all around us, we even get coached on how to evaluate people. The thing is, how useful are they unless they are based not only on truth but on a desire to help the one you're evaluating? The Apostle Paul gives the church in Corinth (and other churches, as well) plenty of ways to evaluate themselves to make sure that they are doing the right thing in the right ways. How do you measure up as a believer? How do we make sure believers are truly believers? How do we define success in God's eyes?
Ephesians 2:19-22, 2 Timothy 4:1,2 - What makes a local church a successful local church? Attendance? Making budget? Overall positiveness? What if our success is determined by what happens while we're NOT together as well as what happens, deep down inside, when we ARE together? Scripture says a lot about how we ought to respond to what the Gospel has done in our lives. Are we willing to hear what He has to say to us, no matter what?
Acts 20:18-32 - What good is a wedding ring after the wedding? I mean, you'll never really "need" it anymore, right? That's a ridiculous question, because it is the foundation of what the marriage stands for and the intentions of both that it'll go on forever and grow. Similarly, we are saved by grace through faith alone (see Ephesians 2:8,9), but grace is still the basis of all we do as follower of Jesus Christ.
Acts 16,17 - The jailer, Jason, Paul, Joshua, Pastor Tom, and YOU. Each person has something in common. Remember two key parts in true courage - there will be fear AND the action better be truth-based. What do you need courage for? Is it WORTH having courage for?
Acts 15:11-21 - A goad was used in farming in order to encourage (or prod) oxen to do what they were supposed to do. It's used in Scripture (Acts 26:14) to signify how God lovingly and wisely guides His people to do what they were created to do. The questions from this our numerous: Will we listen to Him? Is He our Lord? What does He require of us?
Acts 15:1-11 - Once someone comes to know Jesus as their Savior, what should be required of them? Well, to keep your salvation, NOTHING is required. Yet, if there's nothing in your life that indicates any sort of change, what kind of faith is that? Faith in Jesus means you trust Him with everything, for we weren't created to live for ourselves.
Acts 13:13-52 - What if you only had ONE hope to get out of a sticky, even dangerous, situation? Would you take it? How much would you give to get to it? Would you let others know. Paul and Barnabas, in the book of Acts, went to great lengths to tell people about Jesus. Why? Yes, He IS the answer to whatever need you have.
Acts 11:19-30 - The church began and grew because people, moved by the Holy Spirit, were intent on sharing the Gospel at whatever the cost. As we live in a world that seems to be going further away from biblical truth, we become more desperate for the truth, for, without it, we will die.
Acts 10 - What are you willing to do for the most important truth, ever? Is there anything worth breaking some of your own "self-established" rules for? When we obey God on a day-by-day basis with our prayer, giving habits, and dealing with our sin, God MOVES! Biblically, it looks like He moves in ways that people rarely, if ever, can predict. Are you ready for that kind of unpredictable, yet peaceful life?
Acts 9:1-22 - All of creation screams, "TRANSFORMATION!" From butterflies to Summer to fingernails to babies, God has created His creation ready for change. The question is, "What kind of change do we experience over time?" The right kind of change must begin and end with the Creator. Listen to an incredible true story about a man who went from powerful persucuter of Christians to hated persecuted Christian.
Acts 8:26-40 - Imagine, you're in the middle of doing something great for God, with all kinds of good things happening, and He tells you to leave. What do you do? What are you thinking? How much out of control are you willing to be? How much in control do you believe God really is? It's always a good thing when God has willing participants in His grand plan (AKA, the church).
Acts 2:42-47 - When is prayer appropriate? Is prayer ever inappropriate? The very first church, ever, were devoted to prayer, among other things. Why were they so devoted to prayer? What would that same devotion look like now? What kind of example in Acts, chapter 2 through 4, provide for us today?
Acts 2:1-13 - It's actually relatively easy to believe in something, isn't it? I believe I can pass this test, I believe I can get through this day, I believe you can win this game, etc. What does it take, though, to put your life on the line by simply believing? Well, it takes something outside of yourself.
Matthew 5:13-16 - Salt is made to be USED and light is something that is NECESSARY. Do want to be used for great purposes and needed for something significant? Only by following Jesus can you attain such things. Only God's Word gives us what we need.
Luke 1:46-55 - Our culture looks at the ULTIMATE MOM as someone who can do it all, and still look gorgeous for her husband at the end of the day. It's an unrealistic, and maybe even unintentional, picture painted by our society which promotes self-sufficiency and destructively inaccurate self-identies. Mary, on the other hand, from the Bible, shows us a much better way to go about leading a God-honoring life and what it means to be the ultimate Mom, at least in God's eyes.
Matthew 5:9-12 - Have you ever witnessed an event that you would term as, truly, UNBELIEVABLY COINCIDENTAL? There are those things that happen once in a lifetime, yet God has called His people into a life of believing God for the unbelievable, on a regular basis.
We can make true peace with people. We can be truly OK with speaking up for Jesus and being rejected for it. We can give our very lives to Him and expect great things from Him in return.
Believe it!
Matthew 5:5-6 - What does a stallion and livestock have in common? What do you define as a win? How does God guarantee success? What is the deal with these random questions? Most of these questions can be answered by looking into our Scripture and seeking God's input into our lives.
Matthew 5:1-4 - As Jesus begins is most famous public sermon, we know that He is already talking much about the Kingdom of God that is at hand. The people that He was talking to already had their idea of what God's Kingdom looked like - Jesus rocked their ideas to the core, disrupting their lives. What ideas do we have about living the Christian life, and even just living life on this earth, that God wants to challenge?
Romans 6:14-23 - Is freedom determined by what country you live in? How about what types of parents you have (or had)? Does freedom depend on the type of job you have, or the bad habits that you've developed? What if freedom was able to be had for anybody, at any time, in any country, no matter what life has dealt them? That's how Jesus sees it, and His resurrection form the dead (Happy Easter!) proves His power to set you free.
Galatians 3:10-14 - What would it be like to defect from Cuba or North Korea? it's a whole new world. This is the kind of new life the Bible describes as a result of putting your trust in Jesus and the work He did at the cross. What does that mean about your life? What does that mean about your sin?
Romans 3:21-26 - Can we be made right before God by someone else's actions? Can Jesus EARN salvation FOR us? How does belief make us right in God's eyes? One word: ATONEMENT!
Genesis 45 - How can a man get taken advantage of, forgive, and give God all the credit for why it all happened? Whatever comes out of us (good or bad) happens because of what's already inside of us. What controls you? (see 2 Corinthians 5:15-21).
Genesis 43-44 - Though Joseph's family has been part of every imaginable way to mess up, God is faithful! How does God redeem situations and people for His glory? He does it because it's who He is. What is his role in your life?
Genesis 42 - God has a role and a place for you in this world. First, know Jesus, trust Jesus, and follow Jesus. Next, trust God by seeing every single thing in your past and present as a gift from Him that shapes you into exactly what you were made to be. Let's allow God to shape us and form us, not the things that happen to us.
I John 4:7-12 - Why to we love? How do we love? What is love? What's the biggest reward of love? All of these huge questions can be answered from one simple, short, powerful passage of God's Word. Oh, and, it's the basis for why Birch Hill Community Church exists at all.
Genesis 41 - Home is where the heart is, right? Well, Joseph was ruler of Egypt, but never felt at home nor acted like he was at home. He understood why he was there. We, similarly, must understand the fact that, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are not home. God has called us to do much more in this life than just accumulate, survive, have kids, or even just to be a good citizen. Which home are you truly a part of? Where is our heart?
I Corinthians 10:11-13 - Inviting God into the midst of our temptation reminds ourselves that the temptation is not a sin and that God always provides a way out for those who love Him.
Genesis 39:1-20 - Many times God feels most distant when we are going through the worst of times. So, where is He then? Joseph obeyed, did the right thing, and was still punished for it - where was God? Apparently, He was there the whole time. In fact, God may have even orchestrated it all . . . what would you think if that happened?
Genesis 37:19-36 - Our best laid plans are, in many ways, a complete joke. We have no idea about most of what is going to happen in the future, so why in the world should we even make plans? Well, we know that planning isn't evil, yet how does this intersect with the REALITY of God knowing what's happening and God having a plan that is TRULY the best laid plan. It's about us learning what it means to follow Jesus - making our plans line up, more and more, with the REAL reality of God's plans.
Genesis 37:1-18 - Joseph is one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament. The account of his life starts, interestingly enough, with almost everyone in his life hating him. How does he respond? What is his motivation? How does he decide to do the right thing? Let's walk with him as we set the stage for our own relationships.
James 4:13-17 - What is the best way to plan for 2015? What does the Bible have to say about planning? Asking for God's blessing on our plans and praying for God's will to be done are two different things. How do we proceed?
Colossians 1:13-20 - As we celebrate the birth of a king, we look at who this king actually is. Could he be much more than a king? How about THE King that has THE answer. His Kingdom reaches each person today.
Luke 2:8-15 - God has initiated a plan to saves us from our sins. He approached shepherds, through an angel. He sent His Son, born of a virgin. He is the final authority on our very lives. As the shepherds followed up this great news with telling people what they had seen, what is keeping us from sharing what we've experienced? Do we really understand the gravity of the message sent to the shepherds that night?
Matthew 1:18-21 and Luke 1 - We often hear about the "Christmas spirit." What is it? How do you know you have it? What's the focus of it? Rather, we'll look at how the Holy Spirit in involved in the biblical account of the first Christmas. As a result, how does a follower of Jesus enjoy the season with the Holy Spirit as their guide?
Ephesians 6:18-24 - The spiritual battle that is a reality has a REAL enemy, REAL battle gear, and now a real plan that must be followed. It's pretty clear, yet it's a plan that we think we can do without.
Ephesians 6:14-17 - What do you need every single day in order to do life? Just as we need to get ready for each day in certain ways, we need to be spiritually ready for each day, for there is a battle going on. The battle isn't only for your attention and worship, but the battle is for the souls of those you come into contact with each day. Do you know the equipment you have and how to use it? Let's look into it together.
Ephesians 6:10-13 - It is possible to ignore any battle that rages around you. But, just like ignoring terrorist threats, it doesn't stop the threats or make you any safer. What battle are you in that you may or may not be engaged in? Who are we fighting? What is our role? This first of two sermons will introduce us to the battle at hand.
Ephesians 6:1-9 - Whether you're a child, a parent, an employee, or a boss, you have an opportunity to point to Jesus by doing what He says, no matter what. You will stick out and will have a chance to talk about His love. We get to hear from four people trying to live this out. What do you say?
Ephesians 5:21-33 - By doing what God says to do, no matter what it is, we are surrendering our will, accepting His, and we'll never by the same. What does this have to do with marriage? To following along with a slide presentation, copy and paste this link: http://prezi.com/u6rrdzk6mhz8/marriage-church-and-culture/
Ephesians 5:15-21 - How in the world do you live a life of love and light in the midst of a world full of hate and the celebration of dark things? Be filled the Spirit of God in all that you do! Turn your moments, day-by-day, into opportunities for God to shine. Oh yea, and don't be drunk or controlled by destructive things. God's Word doesn't hold anything back, does it? Copy and paste the following link for an interactive slide show that follows the sermon: http://prezi.com/a50ihlkiqhaq/redeem-the-time/
Ephesians 5:6-14 - Light reveals things that, often, we want to keep hidden. No matter who you are or what your background is, God's perfect light reveals all that NEEDS to be revealed. His words are not empty, His light brings life, and He wants to shine through you. How? Why? Copy and paste the following link for interactive presentation: http://prezi.com/_rq__j4q2k15/living-a-life-of-light/ for
Ephesians 5:1-7 - Who are you, really? Biblically, you're either a child of God or you're not. We are all creations of God, made to be with Him. What is in place and proper for people who claim to know Jesus? Let's find out.
Ephesians 4:25-32 - We have a truly unbelievable victory in this battle that we have been called into. It's unbelievable because it is the opposite of what our culture is about and is on the forefront of what's right and true. Do you want to do what's right and true? You'll need God's continual input and power. You'll need others. You'll need . . . help.
Ephesians 4:20-24
Take a side. Either fight for God by getting rid of your old life and putting on your new life, or fight for yourself and the world's system and pursue a continual lust for more from a hardened heart.
Three ways, in this passage, that we can take steps to taking the right side, which is the winning side, and which is the only way to live life that is truly life.
Ephesians 4:14-21 - What's the result of a life lived for Jesus? It results in GROWTH and BATTLING. God is good, God is faithful, He has provided a group of people to help us GROW and BATTLE.
Ephesians 4:7-13 - Did you know what Jesus went through? Do you know what that means for you? Did you know that He has the authority to give gifts? What's the gift for? What is our goal as a church? We lose more than just the gift if we don't lose it.
Ephesians 4:1-6 - After the Apostle Paul spends three chapters mentioning, elaborating, and re-emphasizing the fact that we are saved simply by the powerful GRACE of GOD, he starts the last three chapters letting us know what, exactly, this faith is able to do. Come join this journey as we take this FAITH is see what it can do!
Ephesians 3:14-21 - Prayer is truly a MYSTERY. That is the greatest thing of all about prayer, though, because the more we are willing to come before God freely admitting our need for Him, the more He will deal with us in God-sized ways.
Ephesians 3:7-13 - What a perfect topic for our morning of celebrating four baptisms. The stories that were told and will be shared reveal to each of us what God is doing. No matter how much we are unable to comprehend regarding who God is, what He is doing, and how He indwells every single believer, the day-to-day accounts of how people KNOW God is at work brings it all to life.
Ephesians 3:1-6 - In a mystery, there's always an answer, you just need to know where to look. Oh, yea, and you need to look intently and desire to figure it out. God, by nature, is mysterious. Yet, there is a clear clue that leads us to not only figure it out, but live it out, together, as a united church.
Ephesians 2:19-22 - There is NOTHING like the local church that God has called each of us to be a part of. He is the great Architect and has drawn up blueprints that we have been commissioned to follow. What word picture does God use to illustrate to us the importance of the local church? How are we obeying this plan? What can we do moving forward?
Ephesians 2:11-18 - We are brand new people because of Jesus Christ. So what? How does this effect what we do as a church? As a believer? As a citizen? As an employee?
Ephesians 2:8-10 - Do we do good things out of need, desire, habit, or simply because? Does it really matter? What if it DOES matter and our good deeds do much more than just make us feel better about ourselves?
Ephesians 2:4-7 - What it Means to be Alive - What makes you truly alive? It's riches, huge riches that belong only to our Creator and which He gives to us liberally.
Ephesians 2:1-3 - What it Means to be Dead. If we are to understand what the Christian belief about salvation really is, we must comprehend what we are saved FROM. Plus, what does all this have to do with zombies?
Ephesians 1:19-23 As believers in Jesus Christ, we have access to the same power as God displayed when Jesus was raised from the dead. How is that realized? What is our role?
Ephesians 1:15-19a - Prayer is a mystery, yet it is something we need to do. How can we know more about something that has so much questions about it?
Ephesians 1:11-15 - If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, not just a Christian by name only, you are an heir, guaranteed an inheritance by being authenticated by the Holy Spirit Himself.
Ephesians 1:5-10 beautifully and powerfully describes the true identity of all those who trust in Jesus as their Savior.
Ephesians 1:1-4 sets the stage for what the Apostle Paul wants to say to the people gathered in Ephesus in Jesus' name. What does he call them ("the church") and why? What does this have to do with who we are and why we gather in Jesus' name?
Genesis 3:6-13 - The only way to deal with this topic is to peel away the surface and see what it really is. Then, we can tackle it, rather than ignore it.
Genesis 2:18-25 - No matter the culture, the century, or the changing political scene, there are some things that never change, thankfully.
2 Corinthians 4:1-12 - Jeff Brown brings us a direct message from God's Word that will encourage you and remind you why we are here as the Church and as believers in Jesus Christ. We have great hope because of our great God and our huge mission.