Harmony with Rob: Recent Episodes
Rob Allen
Subscribe for weekly sermons from Harmony Community Church in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Harmony is an independent, Bible-focuced, Christian Church. As the pastor, Rob Allen, provides overall direction, leadership and teaching for Harmony. He is a husband, father, and grandfather. He is passionate about seeing lives changed by the work of Jesus Christ.
Crowds in the bible have always fascinated me. The bible lets us know what the people observing a story thought and felt. In this message, we look at three crowds and three stories. One takes place before Christ's Triumphal entry on the first palm Sunday, one takes during and the other after. Each crowd teaches us something different about the impact of Jesus on the world.
The war for the compliance of the heart is one of the most understood and difficult aspects of seeking to grow as an apprentice of Jesus. There is some good news about it however. It has to do with the Holy Spirit's decision to fight the battle for you.
Paul's life was anything but planned and perfect. For followers of Christ, the walk can take us to new, excited and uncharted places. Are you ready?
Our culture values the big and brave superhero who can sweep in to solve our problems. Paul teaches us something different about where real strength lies.
It's easy to follow a rule that makes us feel better about ourselves.
Its more challenging when when following becomes about issues of the heart more than rules. We can do it, however, if we will make Jesus our example. This is the message from Sunday, February 4, 2024.
Inadequacy is not a popular goal for us. But, when it comes to our relationship with God, Paul teaches us something different. This is the message from Sunday, January 28, 2024.
How much can humans really change? When Paul first became a believer in Christ, it was hard for the world around him to believe. So he spent the rest of his life telling them how it was possible as he lived a new life before them.
Paul's conversion found in Acts 9 is a remarkable, yet outrageous moment in human history. How it unfolds is a lesson for all of us and leaves us a pattern for how God interrupts and changes the human heart.
The greatest evangelist (outside of Jesus Christ) to ever live started out as a real bad guy. What does that story of the life of Saul, who became Paul, teach us today?
When God has something for you to do, he provides the grace to do that. The story of the birth of Christ is one of those circumstances where God's grace covered a young girl who was chosen by God to be the mother of Christ. Wow.
Matthew 1 teaches about the man in the "back of the room" during the story of the birth of Christ. He never said a word that was recorded, but his actions speak to us about something God wanted the world to know.
What you seek in life is what you will find. The story of the magi in Matthew 2 is one of history's greatest stories of seeking and finding something life changing. These visitors from the east have a lot to teach us.
Micah the prophet looked into the future for a solution to the problem of Judah's difficult present. That answer for Judah is still the one we cling to today.
The will of God meant a difficult journey and experience for Mary and Joseph. How does God use the circumstances of life to bring us to a perfect place to do His will?
The Christmas season means waiting on a special moment to arrive. Truth is, the world waited a long time for Christ to arrive...but He did. How did the Christmas promise begin. This message explores when the wait began and why.
It's a noisy world, but God has something to say. Not only does He have something to say, He is also listening through the noise to the cries of your heart.
David found himself in a cave -- hiding from a formidable enemy, a king. He cried out to God and taught us a ton about how to handle it when we find ourselves hiding out from a problem in life.
The psalm writers were good at praising God, but even better at complaining. Is there a place for complaining in the life of a believer?
Its radically significant to come to grips with your beginnings. God knew you before the rest of us did and wrote down the story of your life.
Psalm 46 describes how God is a refuge for us even when we face an earthquake. Troubles in life are common, but God is our strength. This passage helps us know what to do when that trouble comes.
God's call throughout the psalms is to find God by growing roots in Him. Those roots will go deep in His Love and personality if we are just willing to "think" about His words.
Psalm 24 teaches us about a vitally important ingredient to help each of us discover and know our infinitely great God.
The Gospel and this wonderful thing called "The Kingdom of God," go hand in hand. When you find Jesus through the gospel, you live in a new realm that sometimes may seem strange.
An ancient warrior named Naaman needed healing, so he headed to see a prophet of God. What happened to him then, was more than he imagined.
The human heart longs for peace. Sadly, we can find ourselves seeking counterfeit peace solutions. Jesus has a solution that is genuine and that will last an eternity.
What God showed Isaiah the prophet has something to teach us about the gospel of Jesus.
The fall in the garden left us with some wounds. One of those is shame. God has a remedy that works that out!
The gospel! The word makes our hearts flip if we are God followers. This message helps us understand what it means to have the gospel in our lives.
Sometimes we may find ourselves doubting God. How do we handle that? Are we just in trouble or is there hope?
Easter is a day of celebration! Jesus in the garden as He prayed set the stage for that celebration to be possible. That story, while painful to rehearse, is important for us to remember so that we can experience true joy.
Jesus often presented Himself in ways that were opposite of what people expected. On the day He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, His followers heralded Him as the Messiah. Was the donkey a sign of weakness or something else?
In this series, we talk all about Jesus. Today's messages pushes us to listen to Him as he sends out His invitation for all of us to come to Him!
This message takes another dive into the heart, the place where God does His greatest work.
What is inside of you is where God focuses the most. This message helps us examine our hearts and see what God sees.
To know God is to know love. This message uses the story of the Good Samaritan to show us what God's love for us looks like.
God has given you a life altering gift in prayer. Does Jesus have anything to say about how we should pray? I am glad you asked. This message answers that question.
You may not have heard of this Greek Word, but it is a deeply spiritual, biblical word that means a fellowship that is brought about by the spirit of God. It is something God wants you to know about.
What should be happening if you are growing in your faith? Galatians 5 tells us it has something to do with the Fruit of the Spirit. It's ours is we will just do one thing.
To help you find a good word for the new year, this series explores vital words that God has given us to help us find our way.
What do you do when you face bad news? Kenny, an Elder at Harmony Church, shares a message and personal testimony of God helping him answer that very question in his own life.
Having hope makes all the difference. Christ promised He would fill us with an overwhelming sense of this precious gift.
Just because the Bible declares that Jesus is a sanctuary as a wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father and prince of peace, doesn't mean He is all that to you. This message challenges you to embrace ALL that the Christ child is meant to be for every life.
The wise men traveled from the east to meet a king. They met a savior. It was an unspeakable moment. It was clarity. We too must make our journeys toward the king and find our moment of truth.
Why shepherds? Why us? God's announcement of the birth of the Christ child comes to us in simplicity and mercy and leaves us in a state of wonder.
When we get to the end of the Bible, we discover a new beginning. What God reveals to us is a mystery, but it's clear that for the believer in Christ, the future is all new.
The church is called out from the world to be different. That's the deal. What does that mean to you as an individual?
Jesus simplified His expectations and hope for us in two GREAT commands. The Great Commission and the Great Commandments clarify in just a few words what are lives are to be about.
The resurrection of Jesus is more than an Easter drama. It was about power that exploded on this earth to give you peace.
The New Testament opens with the birth of Jesus. The birth and show up of this Jesus is the most wonderful gift ever given to us. This gift is big! And it brings peace.
The poetry section of the Bible is where the people of God poured out their hearts and souls so that we could be healed, helped and inspired. The 23rd Psalm is one you can turn to any time and learn more about leaning on God.
Are what God allows and what He wants the same thing? The story of the Hebrews return from exile opens up a great lesson is returning to God's declared and perfect will.
The stories of the prophets call us to know God and follow even when the world around us is collapsing. Isaiah's vision of God is a relevant vision for all of us who hunger to know Him.
God does the great things that happen in our lives. That's what the bible teaches consistently. And God does that even when we are less than perfect. So, how do we respond to that? What does God want from us?
Its God will to save us. Nevertheless, the journey through life can still be like walking on a tightrope!
What is the ultimate lesson of the Bible? This sermon dives into and tries to answer that question.
The Bible is a series of wonderful stories, bundled up and connected. All of that leads us to a fantastic revelation of who God is. It begins with the awe inspiring story of creation, which sets the foundation of the rest of the scriptures.
What's the purpose of all those words we see in the Bible? This message points to one big purpose that has a big impact on how we study God's word.
The Bible can seem overwhelming, boring and irrelevant. But its not meant to be. God's intention was to do something great with these wonderful words. This series is designed to help you come to understand and appreciate the bible more.
Hebrew 11:7 - Noah's example of faith pushes us to dig deeper to understand what faith is and how it impacts who we are and how we live.
God sees! He sees you! What does that mean to us? This message teaches from the experience of a slave that God sees us even when we are at our worst.
How do we prepare for the return of the Lord? Jesus brought it up and looked back to the time of Noah to describe the condition of the world upon His return. This message brings hope and comfort to those who want to be ready.
Yesterday was Youth Sunday at Harmony Church. Our speaker was an 18 year old on his way to Bible College. It's worth your time to hear this young man bring a message from the Word.
God loves you and won't stop. Because He doesn't forget His promises. The phrase, "God remembered Noah..." is one of the most important in this story from scripture.
We take risks all the time in life to get what we want. Well, what do we do when following God appears like risk? Is it? Is it worth it to risk everything to find Him?
God closes and opens doors for those who follow Him. This message address how we can find success when we allow God to do the steering in our lives.
Take a listen and learn more about the POWER OF CHOICE in our lives. God has given it to us as a gift of grace!
Passion is a part of any great thing you every accomplish. That also applies to your spiritual walk. Noah's ark building was an act of passion...and so was God's calling on him to do it.
For Noah, it was a work of passion. For God, it was about grace. Noah labored to do what God called him to do because of obedience and an intense desire to pass on the love God had shown him. That's why he built the boat!
The story of Noah is ancient, but the truth that God teaches us in it are timeless. Noah faced a world that lost track of God, and God used his life to be the difference maker for his family and us!
God has promised that our hope is kept in Heaven and that it LIVES! We need that message to ring true in us as we face the day to day stress of everyday living.
Does God answer desperate prayers? After being declared "barren" a woman name Hannah in the bible pleaded with God for a child. God gave her a son. What she did with that miracle is a lesson for all of us.
You CAN complain to God. He knows everything about you anyway, so let it fly. And when you do, He will fill you with hope!
Your family may not be everything you need sometimes. However, God has provided a way to meet every need for family and friendship in His church and sharing that is a big part of what He has called us to do.
The hope that comes to us in the resurrection is unusual, so it calls on us to live an unusual life. May the power of the resurrection become real to you as you listen.
When Jesus rode into town for Passover on a donkey, the people went nuts with praise and worship. The humility of a king preparing to die for his followers still gives us strength and hope today!
This message is a deep dive into how to be prepared for Easter. It 's a great holiday, but its more than chocolates bunnies and an obligatory visit to church. Hope will rise in your heart when you understand the words of Easter.
Hope is a big deal and we will do anything we have to in order to find it. That includes believing in sources that are bad for us or not even true. This series helps us find God's way to a hope that is in our present and prepares us for the future.
Your story becomes a part of the story of your tribe, the Body of Christ. You are not alone!
What God make want may seem absurd, like in the case of a man named Elisha. But if God wants it, God provides the way for it!
Who was more important in the story of the New Testament church's formation? Was it Peter or was it his brother, Andrew who brought him to Christ?
You may not realize it, but you are in a battle of choice on a regular basis about who or what you will serve. This message is about choosing God as Lord of all areas of your life.
Are you ready for a new God story in your life? It might take some preparation time for the next phase that God has in mind.
What needs to happen in order for us to listen to God's voice? Will He allow some trouble in our lives in order to get our attention? This message takes a look at the God Story from a guy in the Bible named Paul and how God brought him to salvation.
Life gets too big sometimes! God wants to help us by taking charge of the battles we face. But we need to learn God's one requirement. May this message give you hope today!
Technical difficulties disrupted the first part of the message, but most of it is here. I hope it blesses your week!
God in your bible to Judges 6 and join in!
When God intersects our lives, we might have questions. That's where many God stories begin.
Can a guy in the Bible named Amos teach us anything about making resolutions for a new year?
If you have been to church, you probably have heard about Daniel. He faced lions and fire because of his faith in God. But what does he have to do with the Wise Men that came to see baby Jesus? I hope this message encourages you to see out the God who understands all mysteries.
Imagine what the world thought when the prophet exclaimed that the savior of the world and solution to the problems of government would be found in a new born baby! Jesus started this earthly journey as a baby and that means something special for each of us.
God's plans are holy and perfect for us. They may disrupt our plans however or cause us to have to make some difficult adjustments. This message sees God's plan for Jesus through the eyes of His teen mother, Mary.
Whenever you see the word, "Behold" in the bible, it means something huge is about to be said. That was the case when the angels visited the shepherds announcing the birth of Christ. They were never the same. God has "behold" moments for you and me also!
John 1 introduces us to Jesus by calling Him "The Word." Seems like a strange way to describe someone. It makes sense however, when you start to embrace that Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us . Jesus brings the voice of God to our lives in a personal and life changing way.
God is perfect in His delivery of goodness to our lives. He is so seamless and quiet as he does, we can forget that he is around us. The story of the ten lepers who were healed in the Bible tells us that only one of them returned to Jesus to say, "thank you."
My prayer is that this holiday season everywhere you look you see the goodness of God and celebrate with all your being! God is good and this message tells us how.
This message looks at the second half of the Beatitudes of Christ and how those reflect the kingdom of God in our lives!
We apologize that due to technical challenges yesterday, this audio misses roughly the first 8 minutes of the message. The reading was from the gospel of Matthew 5:3-12.
God has not called us to be like everyone else. He also hasn't called us to be apathetic about the world around us or jerks. Those who follow God are to be different because of something that has happened inside the heart. That is where the blessing of being different happens.
God has a deeper view of blessing that we do. But we have a choice as to whether we buy in or not. The windows of heaven are open if we will just say "yes!"
Even though God tells me not to be afraid, sometimes I am. Does God lead us into dark valleys? Why? How do I learn to trust Him to take me through?
If you want blessing in your life, then see God as your shepherd. That makes you a sheep!
When life falls apart, God is available to gather us up and rebuild us. He just asks that we keep believing!
If you want blessing in your life it has to start with accepting an important invitation. Its the one where he stands outside of your heart and asks if He can come in and live.
Getting things right can be important in life. God called upon Jacob to take a stand in his families activities and move them toward a different lifestyle. It was time to do things right! Sometimes we need to make decisions that preserve the blessings of life by doing what God calls on us to do.
To forgive or be forgiven both require a surrender. When we surrender at times like that, and all that time with God, we are finding blessing.
God has designed blessing to go with those who love Him and want to be blessed by Him. To be blessed has nothing to do with luck or having it easy. It's about having the hand of God upon a life that is protected and directed. It's available, but we need to want it.
Having a vision for a church or your individual life is more than just setting goals. God's Word is the director of our lives and our future. This message challenges Harmony to be visionary and at the end I share some specifics about where Harmony Church is going! Its a little longer than normal because of that vision talk at the end. I hope you think it's worth it to listen all the way!
One of the Harmony Church elders, Ken Davis, speaks from his heart about leaning in to this incredible privilege we have of enjoying a relationship with God.
Following a "ghost" can seem awkward to us sometimes, even if that ghost is Holy! Following God means following and having a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit. It brings power, guidance, comfort and strength to our lives.
Serving others is a heart beat of the way the great commission is accomplished. We have been called to be a part of the greatest gathering the world has ever seen as God fulfills His passionate will to bring the world to Him!
Faith is not a one person thing. God designed us to live out our walk in community. It's about belonging, no matter where you come from, or what your traits, when you meet Christ, you become a member of His forever family.
There's hope! No matter our habits or hang ups, finding God means finding hope and genuine life change. But its not just about making a list of things to correct about ourselves. Its about letting God become the master artist of our lives.
Whether it's in our church, or in your personal life, there are times when you must take action. This message prepares us for moving forward knowing God has inspired us.
Does it matter that we do church? It does because God has designed it for a special purpose. However, how we choose to do that and bring our worship before God matters matters also.
Does it matter that we have church? In this new series, we dive into the culture and mission of Harmony Church.
In this last installment of the series, we look at what happens after evil is defeated in the lives of the ancient Hebrews and what that means to us. The same awaits all followers of God who are willing to walk in His ways.
Even in this ancient drama of courage and pain, God's plan to save those who turn to Him is clear. It is the gospel that we need to remember in times of challenge.
When God wants to do something great, He always has someone make a step of faith first. Faith activates great things in our lives. In this series from the book of Esther, the unseen hand of God moves powerfully through the faith of a young Hebrew queen.
One of the Harmony Church elder's Pete Walsworth, shares a message about wisdom. It can seem elusive, but God is ready to share it quickly and easily.
A tipping point with God is a divine moment with the will of God becomes clear and we are left to respond. In the Bible a young queen named Esther faced a tipping point and declared she was all in the for will of God. There is a lot for us to learn from her response.
Queen Esther was the name of a woman living in a time of great tyranny. She was called upon by God to rethink her purpose and step out in boldness in hopes of saving a nation. Our lives deal with problems and brokenness, but God's hand, although unseen, leads us through it.
Believing in God in an unbelieving world can make us feel that God is distant and that His plans have been interrupted. The story of Esther in the Bible teaches us that even when we are living in chaos, God's hand is at work.
You can be inspired to pray! Prayer is a miracle given to us as a gift. This message helps provide the inspiration we all need to pray just like Jesus did.
Guilt is not a great motivator. We need insight. Insight from Christ will help us understand that prayer is a lot easier than we sometimes think.
When Jesus cursed a fig tree and flipped a table at the temple, it left the on lookers confused. Was He caving to the stress of His last week or was there something deeper going on? In fact, two events teach a significant message about the difference between religious thinking and hope in Christ.
Easter 2021 Message from Harmony Community Church. When Jesus arose, it caused a crisis of belief for the world and His disciples. It does for us too.
It was the beginning of the greatest week in the history of mankind. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, it started a series of events that would lead to the greatest event in the history of mankind: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior. But the week began on a donkey ride. The lessons are there for us to explore, grow and change.
Who is God according to the Book of Exodus? And who are you? These are big questions that each of us need to answer. When we do, we will start to appreciate the miracle that is the work of God in our lives.
Making pivots in life is vital to growth. God called on the Hebrews in the desert to shift from being rescued to becoming worshippers. It was history making as they set about to build the first tabernacle dedicated to God. God calls on us to devote our lives to worship as well and it involves two big ideas: rest and generosity. Listen and see how these two ideas can bring your life the perspective we all need.
Meeting God is transformational to us as individuals. Meeting and then living a life that shows we have met God is transformational to the world around us. Exodus 34 helps us understand this world changing experience.
What is it that we need the most in life? Is it fame? Wealth? Health? God teaches us a lesson through the story that is told in the Exodus about what matters the most.
We all need moments when we are on top of the mountain. Its a time to celebrate, renew and get closer to God. It also prepares us for the rest of life that is done mostly at the foot of the mountain.
We often complain about laws in our world. We do the same about God's laws. But the laws that God gave the ancient people of Israel have a purpose: they reveal what God thinks about things.
What does it mean to love others? Well, the Ten Commandments lays the foundation for a world that view others with kingdom of God eyes. This is how God intended mankind to think about others, their property, their marriages and lives.
Why do you believe what you believe? What do you believe? Why do you behave the way you do? How we behave has to do with a moral code, or lack of one, that sets a beacon inside of us. God gave us His Ten Commandments in order to teach us what He thought was the right foundation for this inner beacon.
God is a God of bridges. He takes us from our current place to new and better ones IF we are willing to walk across. This message focuses on bridge that all of us need to take.
Is God even there at all? You may have asked that question when things just aren't working out as you hope. This message provides help from God's Word for when you struggle to believe in God's leadership.
Hunger never is really satisfied for long. Its a quandary. We are always on the hunt for the next meal, or the next adventure or decision that will satisfy us. God has a plan that will satisfy in a life changing way.
Life can lead us to dead ends. Everybody knows that dead ends present the most challenging moments of our lives. God wants you to know that dead ends may be moments when God is pushing you to work through a challenge and he will provide the power you need!
As a difficult year closes, another one opens that will also bring challenges. A new year brings an opportunity to set some new expectations. What expectations does God call us to ask for in our lives? God's word in Isaiah 54 has some insight.
The Bible promises that Christ would bring peace, yet the world isn't any where near peaceful. How do we reconcile the promise of God in a world with impossible pain? Seems impossible. This message from a Harmony Christmas Candlelight service will bring hope about that lack of peace.
The search for happiness can distract us from finding the real purpose of God's gift of Christmas: to give us joy! Here is what God would like us to know about finding joy that brings peace.
Life is busy and getting our attention can be challenging. God knows how to do that. The Christmas story is a great example of God getting the attention of all the parts of the story that would be called the birth of the Son of God. We can learn from this and make our lives more available to God's interruptions.
Making room for the Christ child in your heart means dealing with distractions. One distraction that pops up when it is time for family gatherings is dysfunction. Matthew 1 helps us understand that even Jesus had a family heritage that included weaknesses. Matthew also leads us to accept that Jesus came to be king over all areas of our lives; even those areas that are secret and weak.
When you follow God, the easiest route may not be the one that God chooses for you. When you follow you will find that God is faithful to make sure you discover the story He is specifically writing for your life, and that it is perfect.
God rescued the ancient Hebrews from slavery. But that was just the beginning of a change of mindset, purpose and spiritual challenge. God has something special in mind to embrace for those who have been made free by His wonderful power.
Getting a pass in life when we deserve something else is a wonderful thing. God has provided a pass for all of us when it comes to the subject of sin. The ancient Hebrews learned about it through an event called Passover and the lessons of this incredible event are still relevant today.
God wants a relationship with every one of us. That relationship becomes amazing when we become followers who walk in a lifestyle of obedience. It "seems" simple to be obedient, but that isn't always the case, so it becomes a journey of vision, journey and a willingness to pour our hearts out to God.
God is ready to go to work in our lives, but incredibly, He waits for us to be willing. Moses had a conversation with God that gives us help when it comes to how God wants to do that.
Sometimes God has something to say that is specific to you. Those kinds of moments are holy. It's a time to "remove your shoes" and sense the holiness. When life gets to feeling impossible, maybe it is time to seek a burning bush and meet with God and discover one of those moments.
Life can seem impossible. Overwhelming. But when God is involved, we can become characters in the story He is writing about our lives. The life of Moses is an example of a man who faced impossible challenges, but God had a plan that would change the world forever because of his life.
A message from the Gospel of John. What you believe about Jesus will determine the course of your life.