Better News Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ricky Alcantar - Cross of Grace Church
The gospel is always better news than you think. The gospel is God’s power to save, restore, encourage, and shape us. This weekday podcast features messages from Ricky Alcantar at Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, TX.
Insufficient. Unable. Incapable. These are all words that describe how we feel as followers of Christ from time to time. We all struggle with that nagging feeling that we're just not enough for the God that we serve. Today Pastor Ricky draws out a wonderful parallel in the story of The Feeding of the 5000. The truth is we are insufficient, unable, and incapable but the God that we serve is not. He can take the little that we are and multiply us to bring Himself glory.
The last time you were walking down the street and a dirty drunk homeless person thrust their empty change cup at you, do you remember your immediate response? If you're honest I'm sure you shrunk back like the rest of us have. Pastor Ricky is challenging us to consider that sin is sin, is sin. If God has made a place for us at His table by His grace, then shouldn’t we be ready and willing to do the same for others?
Stop and think about this scene. You’re at the gym and the professional bodybuilders are there lifting hundreds, upon hundreds of pounds in their workout. You’ve brought your 4-year-old with you to keep you company while you get a quick run in on the treadmill. He works his way over to the bodybuilders and climbs underneath the weight to try and lift it. While we think this is cute, it truly parallels what our response should be when we experience God's grace. Our hearts should long to do more than we’re able because of God's love for us.
Have you ever thought of your works as currency or money? That scenario is pretty funny but it's so true. We do attempt to gain God's favor by doing this or that, so many times. Pastor Ricky reminds us again that God's grace is not something that we can earn, it's something that has been lavished upon us because God loves us beyond our understanding. The key is to receive God's grace and walk in the power that it provides.
Jesus came to be in the midst of sinners and call them to repentance. This type of thinking is foreign to us, be in the midst of sinners? Many of us have grown a bit too comfortable lounging in the church pew each Sunday that we have forgotten that Jesus has given us a mission to share His grace with the lost and dying around us, accepting them as they are yet loving them enough to challenge them to confess, repent, and change.
Grace is one of those terms in the body of Christ that has been thrown around quite a bit. Today we’ll learn that grace is far more than the simple thought of unmerited favor. While it most certainly is unmerited favor, we’ll learn that biblical grace is better described by the definition of the Greek word Charis which it is derived from, “The divine influence upon the heart especially seen in the life”. You see Jesus exhibited this kind of grace where on one hand He would break bread with anyone while on the other hand, He asked them to change.
Every time that you're in the presence of the Lord, you can have a taste of what heaven is going to feel like. We can have joy in the Lord because of the hope that we have in Jesus’ return. He's going to return and save us from the corruption and sin that’s in the world. You don't have to worry about tomorrow because God is in control. Today Pastor Ricky will encourage us to rejoice in God because He's already promised us the gift of eternal life and that's something to be thankful for.
It can be really hard to have joy in your life when everything seems to be falling apart around you. You lost your job, you lost your friends, the car is breaking down, your marriage is failing, it seems like things just can't go your way, so how do you find joy during those unfortunate circumstances? Well the Lord is the answer. He can provide joy that’s everlasting. Today Pastor Ricky is going to use the story of Habakkuk to teach us how to have joy. Habakkuk understood how to rejoice in the Lord even when his circumstances weren't perfect.
The old prayer, “Lord, give me patience and give it now” has more truth than we would like to admit. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, learning to trust God requires a great deal of patience and waiting. We’re learning in Habakkuk that God is squarely in charge. Another word for that is sovereign. Pastor Ricky reminds us that as we acknowledge that, it requires us to let go of forcing our own path and agendas in order to see progress the way we prefer it. Trust in God always pays off.
Have you ever wanted to be a part of a family, a company, or a club where everybody looked out purely for the best interest of each other? That sounds a little too good to be true sometimes, doesn't it? Well as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God is always working and always including us in His victories. We never see God off doing something with disregard to what's going on back in our own lives. Somehow, God sees fit to include us and have us as co-victors with Him. That's the good news of the Gospel.
God has your best interest in mind. God's plan is for His glory and for your good. As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God is about wholeness and restoration. The application from our scripture lesson is timely and relevant. Pastor Ricky reminds us that we might be confused with all of the bad things going on, and it seems to continue, and many seem to get away with it, so we're tempted to wonder, where is the justice? Habakkuk shows us that God is in charge. He hasn't lost control. He's not overwhelmed. He is big enough for what we're facing.
God's ways are higher than our ways. How many times have we found that to be true? As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God uses unlikely people even an unfaithful country to bring about His plan. What can really be confusing is when justice doesn't seem to come fast enough. Pastor Ricky reminds us that even though we might feel that God isn't bringing about justice swiftly enough, or harsh enough, His ways are still higher and better than ours. We’ll understand better one day but for now, we just have to trust Him.
With every day that passes, a couple of things seem to be an option for us to take. One is that we become more confident in what we've experienced and learned in life. If we're not careful that can lead to assumptions and reliance on our own knowledge. The other thing that could happen is that we realize just how much we don't know. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, trusting in the Lord is critical on our path with Jesus, even after many years of experience. So be open to where He leads today.
Have you ever thought about just how powerful faith is? Not just faith as a description of being religious but the deepest meaning of faith, trust and hope. As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, faith in Jesus brings salvation, receiving that gift, it's an amazing thing. Pastor Ricky reminds us that living a life in the power of the cross is crucial. Faith doesn't just end when you start your journey with Christ. You continue living, serving, and flourishing, in and through faith every single day.
Do you ever need a little extra motivation to go through something difficult? Even if it's just a reward at the end of a workout, or reaching a milestone towards a goal, a positive anticipation is good. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, the assurance that the Word of God increased and multiplied, was given before a difficult season as we’ll hear in our text. Pastor Ricky reminds us that through it all, the Lord reigns and is doing a great work to keep us and His message until Christ comes again.
Aren't you glad that someone found a way to share the message of God's love in a language and way that you can understand? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, the good news spread to Antioch in a way that they could understand and that understanding came from a place of honesty, relatability, and realness. Pastor Ricky reminds us that we have fallen short. We’ve blown it big time and are all in the same need of forgiveness. That universal need carries us to the throne of grace. Christ is the answer for all of us.
Often in the English language, we have words with multiple meanings. The word “church” is one of those words. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn that we casually refer to the meeting place, the building, its committees, systems and programs as church. Others define church by what we do at worship service but Pastor Ricky reminds us that the church of Jesus Christ is so much more than just a building or a weekly gathering. It's a living organism, universal, and alive with unity following our Lord.
You aren't alone. Hopefully, you've heard that as a Christ-follower but do you really believe it? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you learn that we're a part of a larger family of God. Unity, therefore, is so important to the mission at hand. Pastor Ricky reminds us that living in unity and understanding that we were never meant to do life on our own, not only gives us hope and reassurance to make it through another day, it can also make our impact on the world powerful.
Jesus came to earth and went from here to there, crisscrossing the land, bringing good news. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn that Jesus has become our example. We're commanded to spread the Gospel, to go as Christ went. So often we like to program our lives and churches in such a way that we might feel good but aren’t really making disciples in all of the earth. Pastor Ricky reminds us that “go and tell” is a non-optional part of what it means to be God's church.
“Pick and choose” is the spirit of the age it seems. We love charting our own course. It’s common today to live a life of a la carte faith, where only the attractive parts of faith are lived out. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you'll learn how the commands of God, the plans that He has for you, aren’t “pick and choose”. To be the church of God in the world today, we can’t erase the true call that God has for us. Pastor Ricky reminds us that “go and tell others” is not optional.
Have you ever thought about what you would leave behind if you were to pass away today? For some, it might be a fortune. For others, it could be their family. However, Pastor Ricky invites you to reflect more deeply on that question. When you leave this world, what is the one thing that you can take with you? It's your salvation. Therefore, when you consider what you're leaving on this earth, remember that the most meaningful legacy you can leave isn't your possessions but the impact that you made during your life while walking with God.
What happens to us after we leave this world? Well, some believe that we simply cease to exist, while others think that we're reincarnated. However, the majority of people believe in an afterlife, a place of rest beyond this world, and they’re right. Heaven is real. Unfortunately, due to sin, everyone is on a path that leads away from it. But that's why Jesus paid the price for our sins. He gives us the choice to live eternally with Him or away from Him. Today, Pastor Ricky encourages you to pick Jesus.
Isn't it amazing to know that we serve a God who could take even the darkest circumstances and turn them into blessings? In today's message, Pastor Ricky emphasizes that the God of Creation and the King of Kings holds absolute control over every aspect of our lives. Because He's in command, you can confidently rely on His promises to protect you and to lead you towards prosperity. Even when this world throws every storm towards you, you can trust in God that He'll deliver you through it.
All of us encounter unexpected challenges in life. And in these moments that are beyond our control, it's crucial to remember that they're never beyond God's power. In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us that nothing in our lives occurs by mere coincidence. Everything falls within the divine purpose of God. Even when we struggle to understand His plan, we can hold tight to the faith that God would never allow us to face harm. His promise to prosper us remains steadfast no matter the circumstance.
Have you ever been on a road trip and found yourself lost in an unfamiliar city without a map or a guide? That journey can quickly become overwhelming. In the same way, many people are wandering through life unaware that they're on a spiritual journey. In today's message, Pastor Ricky urges you to recognize that you were never meant to navigate this journey alone. You were designed to walk alongside God. He created you out of love, desiring a deep connection with you. So, the question is, will you take that step and walk with Him?
Life is a journey filled with shifting seasons, moments of peace and times of trial, calm waters and raging storms, periods of rest and intense labor. No matter where you find yourself right now, Pastor Ricky wants you to understand that you can wholeheartedly trust in God. He is steadfast and will guide you through every storm and challenge. The key lies in the choice that you make regarding your faith. Will you place it in the fleeting assurances of the world or in the unshakable truth of Jesus Christ?
Back in the Old Testament days, getting forgiveness for sins was quite the journey. They needed to make animal sacrifices with the help of priests. Have you ever stopped to think about how God flipped the script, just for you? Today, Pastor Ricky dives into the fascinating topic of the New Covenant. God sent His one and only son, Jesus, to be sacrificed on the cross just for you. When you acknowledge Jesus, it opens the door for you to ask God for forgiveness directly. Can you believe how much He loves you?
Isn't it a bit silly to count the moments that we choose to forgive others? It's pretty wild to think about how often God would need to forgive our sins, isn't it? God's abundant grace and mercy are always wrapping around our lives like a warm hug. Just like God has wiped the slate clean for you time and again, why not extend that same grace to those around you? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares a heartfelt reminder of the power of embracing a forgiving attitude toward those around you. He'll always be by your side, guiding you along the way, even if you mess up.
As you dive into the stories of the Israelites in the Bible, you'll notice that God was always there for them, meeting their needs and showering them with love and guidance, even when they strayed from the path time and again. Have you ever wondered if God is still the same and that He's always there to answer your prayers just when you need them most? Well, today, Pastor Ricky tells you about the overflowing grace and love of God. He'll always be by your side, guiding you along the way, even if you mess up.
It's inevitable that sometimes, despite our best intentions, we can't always stick to the promises that we've made to others. Your focus on your own needs will always prioritize your interests over those of others. But have you ever thought about who always sticks to their promises? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares some insights on the covenants that God has made. He's got a unique plan just for you, and you can bet that He'll definitely keep the promises that He's made along the way.
It's easy to believe that when you mess up with your spouse or your family, it's not going to really matter since it's not a sin against God. But let's dive into that thought a bit more. Have you ever thought about how the wrong you did to them is actually a wrong against God? After all, He's the one who brought your spouse into your life. Today, Pastor Ricky shares a heartfelt message encouraging you to turn to God with genuine repentance. Remember, there's always a chance to turn things around and find forgiveness through Jesus.
Sometimes a soldier finds themselves injured in the chaos of war. He'll need a little time to heal up, but soon enough he'll be ready to take on the enemy again. The journey of a Christian can be quite like that of a soldier, filled with challenges and battles to face. In today's message, Pastor Ricky encourages you to reconnect with the purpose that God has set for you. It'll help you feel better and provide the relaxation you need, but hey, it's time to jump back in and give it your all in serving Him.
Opening up to someone about your feelings can often feel like a real challenge, but holding on to those feelings can lead to anxiety and depression that creep into your life. So, what choices do you have? Well, today, Pastor Ricky pushes you to open up and share your sorrows with God. He gets what you’re going through. He's the only one who knows just how to lift your spirits when you're feeling down and to help you find your way back up. So, feel free to share anything and everything with your Creator.
If you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you have a profound hope that this world lacks. Like a beautiful violin solo floating over a tired and frustrated crowd, Jesus gives us peace. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, this is what sets us apart as believers. This world is headed towards destruction, with many people unaware of what's happening. Depression and anxiety are pervasive. Jesus alone offers hope, and it's our calling to share that with the world around us.
Conspiracy theories abound in our world. Corrupt governments and leaders have fostered an environment of distrust and paranoia. Some of those ideas are really far out there. The thing is, as Pastor Ricky clarifies in today's message, the truth is even more far out there than some of the wildest theories. Scripture tells us that there are dark spiritual forces that roam the world. Unseen creatures and beings that should make us shudder, and they're behind the chaos and the unrest that we see all around us.
Most of us don't want to be mean. As Christians, that should never be our intention. We should never take pleasure in pointing out the sins of others, and we need to be full of grace when we do. But, as Pastor Ricky clarifies in today's message, to ignore sin and pretend like it doesn't have any consequences at all, is the meanest thing that we could do. People need to know that God is a just and holy God, and living in sin and rejecting Him as Lord has eternal consequences.
God sees everything you do, He hears everything you say, and He observes your heart on the deepest level. Apart from Jesus, that's a scary thought. If you take an honest look at yourself, you know the injustice that lives in your heart. As Pastor Ricky warns us in today's message, the frightening words that God wrote on the wall as Belshazzar and his nobles celebrated their national success serve as a warning for all of us. God is just and all-knowing, and the success of the wicked will come to an end.
It can be easy to live in your little world and not think of what other people think or say. Today, Pastor Ricky says we have hope because God was merciful to King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he was prideful. God is trying to show you something new within your own life. He wants to work through your heart and use you to show others just how great He is. You must run to Jesus daily. He alone will humble you and bring you to a place of dependence on Him. Allow God to work through you today.
Everyone has a little bit of pride hidden somewhere. Therefore, we must check every day to ensure that we're living for God's glory. Today, Pastor Ricky says no matter what, pride always makes its way out of our hearts and into our external lives. Is there something in your life that you're secretly prideful about? Maybe it's a tendency to look for compliments consistently, or maybe it's a project you're working on that’s for your glory and not for God. Give up your pride to the Lord and allow Him to work through your arrogance.
There is a God who is above all earthly authority. Today, Pastor Ricky says King Nebuchadnezzar had to face the reality that heaven ruled, and he didn't. You see, even when you can't see it, there's a God who's working all things out for His glory. Heaven rules. Now that's a hard concept for us to grasp sometimes, but one that is necessary for growth in Christ. When you recognize there's someone greater than you who has everything under control, it'll give you confidence as you go through your day-to-day life.
If you turn towards secular sources, things begin to look upside-down and inside-out when you compare them to what God has to say. Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that what God says is wise; the world calls foolish. According to the world, when somebody cuts you off during rush hour, you're supposed to honk and scream. According to God, you're supposed to smile and go about your day. Now, who are you going to trust? Are you going to trust the one made up of fallen people, or are you going to trust God?
What lies at the bottom of the ocean? Well, we know a little bit about what's at the bottom - Angler fish, the Titanic, fallen satellites, but so much of it is still a mystery. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that life's mysteries can make you scratch your head, but God knows the who, what, when, and where. Maybe the bottom of the sea really does have sea dragons, or maybe it's nothing but sand. Nevertheless, trust in God because He knows the answer to every mystery.
How do you usually respond when you get told your project deadline is moved a week closer? What about when a family member ostracizes you for your faith? How about when your car battery dies after you just bought a bunch of cold groceries? Well, today Pastor Ricky teaches that you can respond with bitterness and anger, or you could respond with prayer and worship. Do your actions reflect your prayer life in the way that Daniel’s did? When the world is against you, do you choose to worship God?
It seems like just yesterday the world was still out of control. In fact, the world has been out of control for the last week, month, year, millennium, and back until just after the first flower bloom. You can look at the news and try to make sense of it all, but just like Pastor Ricky, it will probably just raise your heart rate instead. Today, try something different. Instead of turning towards the chaos, try turning towards the peacemaker who makes sense of it all. Today, turn towards Jesus Christ.
The world as we know it is not the world it was designed to be in Genesis. Back then, God created a garden of peace and beauty. Today's world is engineered to bring stress, anxiety, and depression. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that there's no magic pill. There’s nothing you can buy, watch, or do to make your uneasiness go away. Your only hope for peace is to turn to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus and His work on the cross can give you peace that is going to last forever.
For people without the ability to see, they place their trust in many things to guide their day-to-day activities. They trust their cane to feel objects. They trust their ears for direction. They trust their touch to know when the glass is full. Today, Pastor Ricky challenges you to consider what you've placed your trust in. As you're walking through this crazy life, unable to see what the next step brings, will you trust the Lord of creation to guide each and every step? Will you trust that God will protect and provide?
The Cross of Calvary, the most important, powerful, compelling and talked about story of all time. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that this historical event, foretold by prophets like Daniel and Isaiah, would shake the earth for generations to come. Your whole life has been shaped by the events that happened between Jesus, the Romans, and the Jews outside of Jerusalem, whether you realize it or not. As you tune into the Word of God today, reflect on the power of the Cross and what Jesus did for you.
In the business world, tech companies are faced with a major decision in the life of their products. Do they take an incremental approach to innovation, or a disruptive one? Disruptive innovation has its moments, but for many, incremental is the way to go. Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that each decision you make can either bring you closer to God or further from Him. If you want to innovate your spiritual life, allow every decision you make to develop you into a product that models Christ.
There's a phenomenon called “brain rot” that we've all experienced. It's the hyper fixation of something, usually online content, that is meaningless and not beneficial in any way. It grips our attention and causes our brains to rot away instead of doing something productive. Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that your walk with Christ ought to be apparent in all aspects of life. Have you experienced spiritual “brain rot” by placing the trivial things above Christ, or do you allow Him to be productive in your life?
Have you ever watched a movie and noticed how the director and cinematographers would focus on some seemingly random and meaningless detail, only to reveal the vast importance of that detail later in the plot? Well, in today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that many details in your life might seem pointless, but God is going to use them as a part of your unique story. He works all things together for good, even when you don't notice. You only see the current scene, but God knows the whole plot.
We try, at all costs, to avoid the things that break our hearts. It's in our nature to run away from sorrow. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us just how amazing Jesus truly is. Not only did He not run away from being beaten and crucified but He pursued it His entire life. It wasn't something that He was looking forward to per se but He knew that it was necessary. So well a story about a man being falsely convicted and suffering for it breaks our hearts, we can also see that it was essential to our salvation and we can be so grateful for Him.
Have you ever been truly forsaken? Sometimes we feel alone or unloved but feeling it and it being true are two different things. When you know love and lose it can shatter you. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that that was exactly what Jesus went through by being crucified. His entire life, He knew the love of His father intimately but when the time came for Him to die, it required Jesus to take all of our sin that caused God so much wrath and take it on Himself. He knew the wrath of God so that you might be saved from it.
We often let society's narrative translate our actions in order to feel better about them. We think about sin as this big thing when in reality we all sin every day. Pastor Ricky reminds us today how important it is to not downplay our sin because it is a big deal and it's only when we recognize the weight of our sin that we can truly appreciate the weight of what Christ carried on our behalf. We have to see our sin through God's perspective in order to understand what He did for us and to be truly thankful.
We don't always choose the wisest options in life. In fact, we often choose the option that we know isn't wise just because we're curious or because we don't think through the consequences. Pastor Ricky reminds us that even though Pilate tried to sway the crowd into releasing Jesus instead of a murderer, it was to no avail. They would rather see a dangerous man walk amongst them than an innocent one who threatened their way of life. And check your pride, because you would have done the same.
We all know what it's like to mess up but we still think of ourselves as the protagonist. We may be self-critical but at the end of the day, we're still selfishly inclined. What Pastor Ricky is going to remind us of today, is to have a little perspective. If you'd lived in Jesus' day, you would have been shouting along with the rest of the crowd to crucify Him. Don't think that you would have been brave enough to stand up and defend Him. We're all responsible for His crucifixion, not just the people who were there.
We don't always respond the way we should. When someone comes at us with harsh words, we feel the need to not only defend ourselves but often to strike back. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us of our Savior who endured everything for our sake and through it all, He never responded in sin. Not once did He speak biting words for the sake of hurting somebody. Instead, He responded only in calm silence and honesty. Don't doubt your Savior because He's proven His faithfulness to us a hundredfold.
There are people out there who don't mind going against the crowd but not everyone is comfortable with it. It can be a scary thing to speak out against so many voices. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that going against the flow is essential to the Christian life. There are going to be times when you feel all alone in your principles. Remember that even the apostles couldn't always stand the pressure. But know that there are a sea of people that are clinging to the same rock as you, the solid rock of Christ.
What would you do in order to save your most valued possession? We don't always realize what we hold most dear until we realize that we're terrified to give it up. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us just how valuable Jesus is to us, even if we don't realize it. We owe Him everything. If the thought of giving Him up doesn't terrify you, then you don't fully understand all that He's done for you. Without Him, there is no hope, no love, no peace. We need to check our hearts and be sure that we value Christ above all else.
Sometimes things are only valuable to certain people. We get sentimental and attached to objects because they're worth something to us, even if they don't mean anything to anyone else. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that now and then, our values become skewed. We see a much smaller scope compared to God and our values aren't as selective as they should be. If you’re to see God for who He is, you’d realize that everything you have to give doesn't even begin to compare to all that He's given to you.
Many of us, knowing a deadline, wait until the last moment to do the important work that's necessary before the deadline. Jesus knew this about humanity and so clearly stated that we won't know the day or hour that He's coming. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, we do know that Jesus could come back at any time. Jesus encourages every believer to live like it could be at any moment. So don't waste your life in comfort or apathy. Live with an urgency to share the gospel with as many people as you can, while you can.
That day. Jesus talks on His way to the cross of “that day”. The day when He returns to gather believers together. Today Pastor Ricky will encourage you to remember that when you're torn and battered as a believer in Christ in this world, you have a cherished hope. Don't despair and feel powerless in the world around you. Jesus, the almighty King, will come in great power and glory on “that day” to gather His church and to rescue all those who believe in Him forever. God's story doesn't end here in the evil chaos. It ends with Him reigning forever.
In the days that we're living in now, Jesus said that there would be difficult days and terrible circumstances that we must go through as believers in Him. Fear, anxiety, anger, they’re going to try and rise and fill your mind and heart. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, God uses these hard times for a good purpose. God will use you as a witness, to share His goodness as you trust Him in difficulties. In all things, let the opposition turn into opportunities for the gospel witness. Let your faith and relationship to Christ shine through so the world can know Him.
The things that have been going on in our world in recent years are definitely troubling - wars, death, division, sickness, and poverty amongst many other evil things. It can seem like God has lost control and we're all doomed. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, Jesus said that these things would happen as His return draws nearer in order to prepare believers so that we wouldn’t fear. We’re in what He calls the “last days”. It's important in these turbulent last days to hold on tight to Him and confidently believe that God is still in control.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day were experts of scripture. They should have always been on the lookout and the first to see and recognize Jesus was the Messiah. Yet as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, they didn't recognize, and they certainly didn't acknowledge Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Sadly, most of us today are much like the scribes. We know about Jesus but so often we want to hold onto and build our own kingdom and power. Are you willing to surrender your life to God, in order that you might be saved?
What if what you're hoping for from God isn't too big but is in fact too small? The religious leaders of the time were simply looking for a descendant of David to come and subdue their Roman oppressors. But as Pastor Ricky will teach us today, God had a much bigger and more spectacular plan than that. Human plans were far too narrow for the Messiah who is to come. God's plan was for the rescue and redemption of mankind from the enemy of sin and death. God’s plans are bigger and better than anything that you can imagine.
The way things are nowadays, it can be easy to despair about politicians and leaders in control of our country. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, God will ultimately hold leaders accountable for the choices they make. God is the ultimate authority and is in control of all things, and He's worthy of our trust and faith. And when you do trust God in all things, you experience a greater sense of peace and rest in the difficult seasons. So don’t allow fear and despair to overtake you, rest in God. He's in control.
The political culture of today is divisive and full of conflict. Just about every earthly leader is full of pride and contempt and no one seems to want to obey authority anymore. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, all leaders, all circumstances, and all authority on earth is under the authority of God Almighty. The government isn't your god. God is God. You don't need to fear or idolize authority because ultimately God is in control and is above all things. No one can thwart His plans.
The crowds that cheered Jesus into Jerusalem wanted a powerful king who would rescue and save them from their Roman oppression. They wanted very specific things from this man that they assumed to be the Messiah. Today Pastor Ricky points out that the people were missing the fact that they had a much deeper need for salvation from sin, hell, and judgment than they did from Rome at the time. Jesus came to His people to give them a better and deeper, truer rescue and salvation than they were hoping for. Have you accepted that rescue yet?
People today have all sorts of different understandings and viewpoints as to who Jesus was - an old religious teacher, a good man, a prophet, a quack, or to some, a king and savior. The crowd at the gates of Jerusalem shouted “Hosanna!” because they wanted a powerful warrior king who would conquer the world for them. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, Jesus did wear a crown but it was a crown of thorns. However, Jesus was a truer and better King than they could ever have imagined. Is He the king over your life?
It goes against every human instinct to admit that you can't do it, that you need help, that you're weak or incapable. Our proud hearts really struggle to admit those types of things. Yet as a sinner, you just can't work your way out of the judgment of God on your own. Today Pastor Ricky will explain how Jesus, the King of All, humbled Himself, came to earth to serve you, and give His life as a ransom for yours. You must bow your knee in humility and let Jesus serve you in this way. Let Him save you. Iit's why He came.
Those considered great in this world are the rich, the super talented, and the famous. They’re envied and admired. But as Pastor Ricky will explain today, society's definition isn't God's definition, nor is the pursuit of that type of greatness what God desires for you. Longing for worldly greatness leads only to ruin and God sees the posture of your heart. He knows if you want to be great in the eyes of the world. Instead, he longs for you to look to Jesus, to humble yourself, and to seek to serve others. That's what will make you great in God's eyes.
God designed marriage between man and woman in order to illustrate and display His love for His people. That's why He created marriages to last forever. But in our world, it doesn't always happen that way. Today Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine how you view marriage. It requires a huge amount of humility and sacrifice for another and it needs a lot of grace demonstrated towards each other. Will you resolve today to show God's love for His bride, the church, in and through your marriage?
God's design for marriage was to be a beautiful union between a man and a woman, demonstrating the love that God has for His people but mankind has warped and changed the value of marriage so much so that divorce is commonplace today. God never intended marriage to end in divorce. This world is broken by sin and marriage has been greatly affected. Pastor Ricky will explain today that divorce shouldn’t be happily pursued but Jesus did outline how it's permissible in this fallen world, despite His desires for lifelong marriages.
The concept of marriage is quickly becoming viewed as out of date and restrictive in society today so culture tries to change it, redefine it, or swap out who it's for. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God designed marriage and His design is good. It's radically countercultural. He created marriage to be a complete union between a man and a woman and no matter how much you change up or redefine marriage, you'll never get back to the goodness and blessing of God's design for this union.
There's a lot of debate and some really high emotions around the issue of gender today. Culture shouts that anyone can be anything, any gender or even non-gender, and anything to the contrary isn’t just out of date but downright wrong. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, God In His glorious wisdom created man and woman as two distinct beings. Men and women are designed to complement and improve each other in beautiful and unique ways. The way that God designed humanity is for our ultimate good and for His own glory.
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began dismantling the idea that in order to be great we have to step on and over anyone in our way. We learned that Jesus set the supreme example by serving, not being served. So as you listen today you're going to be challenged to ask yourself, “Am I serving those around me? Am I serving my family? Am I serving my co-workers?”. Those are some difficult questions to answer as the answers themselves can be incriminating but nevertheless, Jesus says that in order to be great you must be the servant of all.
The American dream is fueled by a dog-eat-dog mentality. You just have to step on the person next to you to get ahead. Make sure that you get that promotion before anyone else. When it's raised like that it doesn't sound very nice but we all know that is true. Today Pastor Ricky flips this completely upside down as he shares with us just how different the kingdom economy actually is. Jesus says that if you want to be great in His kingdom you have to learn to serve, to be below, to be less than.
How do you respond when faced with circumstances that seem impossible? Do you immediately begin to question the goodness of God and why He even allowed a struggle in your life to begin with? Well, today Pastor Ricky shares that learning to see your circumstances through the lens of an all-powerful God is key to seeing God move. It begins with believing that you, in and of yourself, are insufficient. You need God to move on your behalf. That kind of faith will move the heart of God.
There's a really big difference between wondering whether God can do something and declaring that He can't do something. Today you learn that God has pretty broad shoulders. He can take your doubts. The important distinction is to not allow your doubts to turn into unbelief, where you simply believe that God can’t do something. Pastor Ricky will share that God is so, so sufficient while we are completely insufficient. This helps us to see our great need for God and to depend only on Him.
Sadly, pulpits all across America blur the message if you believe in God enough, you'll be healthy and wealthy. You’ll never have a bad day in your life. If you’ve been told this message, you've been told a lie. In fact, Jesus actually promised the exact opposite. He said that you would experience trouble in this life. Today Pastor Ricky brings some clarity to the murky waters of suffering. You’ll learn just because you're suffering doesn't mean that you're outside of God's will or being punished by God.
There's no way around it. The creation reveals the glory of God. It's impossible to pierce through the lens of a telescope and see the vastness of the universe and not be drawn to the idea of a creator. It's impossible to dig your toes into the sand and gaze out into the ocean and not imagine that an intelligent creator made everything that we see. Today Pastor Ricky says that each of us has this longing inside to see God’s hand, we’re wired for it. The wonderful truth you’ll learn today is that Jesus made all of this possible.
Stop and think about the last time that you had unexpected guests over. You might have gotten a call on the drive home from work that there's going to be some extra seats needed at the dinner table. You frantically race home and you clean up the house in a whirlwind and now as the friends arrive there are probably some places where you’ve crammed some of the mess that you don't want them to see. Today Pastor Ricky asks, are there places in your life and in your heart that you don't want Jesus to see?
If you ask most people they would say that Jesus was a good man and a teacher of good morals. They might even go as far as to say that He was the most influential person on earth. But if you follow up with the question, is He your king or your savior? you're going to get a whole pile of different answers and that really is where the rubber meets the road. You can either say that Jesus was a good person or you can say that He is King and then if He is King, is He your king? Your answer to this question is the single most important answer in your entire life.
The core message, the bedrock of the Gospel, is admitting that you have a need. You see, you don't need a savior unless you need saving and you won't need your eyes opened to who God is unless you admit that you're spiritually blind. Pastor Ricky brings a humble message calling each of us to start there. Admit that you need Jesus to give you sight, that right now, you can't see anything clearly. You’ll learn today that when you do that, when you admit your need, Jesus is quick to swoop in and to open your blind eyes.
For most of us, our eyesight is something that we take for granted. We wake up every morning, roll over, and look at the time on our alarm clocks as it blares out the call to get up. Then we open up the curtains and in comes the sunshine. Now pause for a moment and imagine waking up and not being able to see anything, just dark. For those listening who are blind or have impaired vision, you know very well what that feels like. Today Pastor Ricky helps us to appreciate more the spiritual clarity of sight that Jesus provides.
It’s easy to forget about all that God has done in our lives. We go to church, we drop a few bucks in the offering plate as it passes us by, and then simply go on about our week. We can get into an unhealthy and unthankful routine. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us through the sacrament of communion just how much God has given to us. Have you ever considered the generosity of God and all that He's given? He gave His son for you and for me.
You’ve only heard part of the story. Pastor Ricky’s son began experiencing a severe health crisis and God's provision for Ricky and his family was miraculous. Maybe you’re listening today and you're in the same place that Ricky and his family were. You don't know how God is going to pay that bill, or how God is going to move on your behalf. Well, don't go anywhere. In today's message, Pastor Ricky tells us just how good Jesus is and how much Jesus provides.
Did you hear that? It is by grace and through faith that everyone, yes even those folks covered in tattoos and those that are maybe a little rough around the edges, even them, everyone is able to approach God by faith in the finished work of Jesus. Today Pastor Ricky continues to challenge the notion that there are categories of people that are unfit for the kingdom. The blood of Jesus simply tears down these foolish walls that we built. Will you allow the Lord to tear down your walls?
Othering is a practice we're all guilty of. We’ll look at “those” people and we immediately drop them into a category that we deem appropriate. Today Pastor Ricky tears down the walls of othering by showing us the door that each person walks through to have a relationship with God. It's the same door. There is no “other” door. So the challenge today will be for you to allow the Lord to expose those areas of othering in your own heart then, turn from that way of thinking and walk in the truth of the Gospel.
So much of what we read in the Old Testament points to the limited atonement that the first covenant provided. Animal sacrifice never removed sin, it only covered it. Thankfully, by faith, we can enter into a new and living covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus removes sin, it doesn't just cover it or gloss over it, it completely removes it. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that we need a new heart that has been cleansed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever found yourself saying things like, “Well at least I'm not like so-and-so” or “I've never killed anyone” or maybe “I'm faithful to my spouse.” We use these sorts of comparative phrases to make ourselves feel better, to justify ourselves. Today Pastor Ricky is going to help us see more clearly that from the best to the worst of us, we all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We all need to be delivered from sin. It doesn't matter how good you think you’ve been, you still need Jesus no matter what.
Imagine for a moment a tight rope stretched tensely across the Grand Canyon. The trapeze artist slowly creeps out over the vast expanse and takes the first few steps. Now imagine on the other side of that rope, the tension begins to fail. The rope becomes more and more slack. What happens to the trapeze artist? Sadly, he falls to his death. See, the humanity and divinity of Jesus is the same. Tension has to be held on both sides in order for Jesus to be who He is.
Maybe you're missing exactly who Jesus is. Maybe you think that He was just a good teacher or an advocate for moral life choices. Well, He definitely was and is both of those things, but He's so much more. Today Pastor Ricky will share a timely message. You see, at the time this message was taught, a storm rolled through El Paso, Texas where Cross of Grace Church is. This message speaks directly to the fact that Jesus can and should be trusted even in the midst of the storms of life.
Maybe you're one of those people who love the rush of a high-risk adventure. Skydiving and bungee jumping are both things that get your blood pumping. Then, there are those of us who worry about whether our shirt matches our shoes and what other people will think. It could be risky to be out of style. Today Pastor Ricky encourages you to take the risks that seem wise in furthering the gospel, no more and no less.
Pastor Ricky shares that he recently joined the worship team and part of joining the team was learning how to play the melody for each song the worship team was leading. Then as he grew as a musician, he started experimenting with playing creatively. This works great for a musician who's capable but for those just starting out, it can quickly derail. Pastor Ricky shares with us today that we are receiving pressure from all sides to depart from the melody of the Gospel and to play a different song. We need to stick with the Gospel.
It feels virtually impossible to see unity in this divisive and broken world we live in but unity is possible. So how can you play a part in bringing unity? Today Pastor Ricky encourages you to begin looking past the categories and the stereotypes you might have grown up with. Step away from extreme opinions that have no basis in the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Make the Gospel the most important thing in your life.
Sometimes following the Holy Spirit's leading is as simple as crossing the street. We can get into the wrong mindset thinking that ministry is only done by paid professionals, pastors and staff members of our local church. Well, today Pastor Ricky reminds each one of us you, yes you, are called to the ministry. Now it might not look the same as your pastor's ministry but you are called nonetheless. So as you listen today, ask the Lord to speak to you about how He wants to use you right where you are.
Bookstore shelves are lined with books about spiritual warfare. Conference centers are packed full of people who want to learn how to defeat Satan and his minions. But could it be as simple as Pastor Ricky has said? Could it be that all we really need to do is declare the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ? Today Pastor Ricky says yes, it's that simple. If you want to win spiritual warfare and actually see victory, then just start sharing the gospel with those around you. Jesus will set them free.
Hate is a really strong word but we say things like, “I hate mayonnaise on my sandwich” or “I hate it when my team gets beat,” but is that really what hate means? Today Pastor Ricky reveals the dark and sinister nature of real hatred. Real hatred is the utter destruction intended by Satan himself. Satan hates God hates and hates God's people, that means that he'll do anything and everything to draw you away from Jesus. Be on your guard.
When you're smack dab in the middle of a storm of life, it feels impossible to see past the waves and the wind that is howling right before your eyes. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that God is actually with you, right there in the midst of the storm. Pastor Ricky shares today that this is vitally important to remember as you walk through this life. God is with you and if God is with you, you need not be afraid.
Fear reveals what we truly believe about God. You see if you're afraid of something, you're actually believing that that thing is greater than God. That it has power greater than God. Now that might seem a bit harsh but if you take time to unpack your fears, you'll find that it's true. Today Pastor Ricky shares with us a theology of the storms of life. You’ll learn how to navigate the turbulent waters with Jesus at the helm.
Last time, Pastor Ricky started talking about the unassuming power of the Kingdom of God. In the world that we live in, it doesn't appear to have any power because evil seems to be reigning. Pastor Ricky will bring a word of comfort today. There's a coming day when all sickness will end. There will be no more death. Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will be with Him forever. This is the glorious kingdom that we wait for.
The world around us seems to be powerful and unrelenting. To those of us here in the US, we've been raised on the idea that the United States is the most powerful country on earth and for the most part, it's probably true. We're certainly the most blessed nation on earth but we aren't the first to experience it. Today Pastor Ricky shares how the Kingdom of God, though seemingly small and insignificant, towers in comparison to any and all countries that have ever existed.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer describes the Bible as a sharp two-edged sword that divides right to the center of your very being. This spiritually surgical characteristic is unique to the Bible. You can read a certain passage and sense the overwhelming blessing and joy that comes from knowing Jesus. Then you can dive into another section and feel the weight of conviction because of a hidden sin in your life. Pastor Ricky shares with us today that the word of God is rich and full of blessings as we engage it.
Maybe you're not quite sure that there's anything after this life, that you’ll just cease to exist when you die. Well, today Pastor Ricky will help us see a little more clearly just how much death has been changed through the work of Jesus Christ. You’ll learn today that death is not the end and that you are an eternal being. Right now, right where you are listening, you have the capacity to choose where you're going to spend eternity.
We’ve probably all heard someone say, “Ah, well of course I'm a Christian. My grandfather was a pastor” as if familial proximity is what saves us. If you’re joining us and under that mindset, stay with us as Pastor Ricky will be debunking the idea that just knowing about God or even knowing some of His Word is the same as actually knowing God. You’ll learn that a personal connection with God, through Jesus, is the only way to guarantee eternal life.
For thousands of years, the Sabbath has been a topic of hot debate. “What even is the Sabbath?” “Do I need to keep the Sabbath?” “I'm not even Jewish.” Actually, there's a lot more to the Sabbath than whether you're Jewish or not. Today Pastor Ricky will help you see that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. What Jesus says is what goes for the Sabbath. The bottom line is that you need the Sabbath. It's not a “have to” it's a “get to” and the more you see the Sabbath as a blessing, the more it actually will be a blessing in your life.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself, when was the last time I really had a full day of rest? Like nothing going on, just relaxing, enjoying my family, doing nothing. If you're like most Americans, you probably can't remember a single day like that. We seem to always be on the go. Today Pastor Ricky challenges this practice by introducing the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for you, not you for it. That's the first thing that you need to know.
Maybe you have the same mindset as most Christians, “Pastors and evangelists are the ones that are called and supposed to go to other countries to tell people about Jesus. It’s not my job.” If that's what you're thinking, then you're in for a surprise today. Pastor Ricky is going to share that all work is holy work. This means that you're a missionary right where you are, right there in your job, your home, and your school. Are you being faithful to share Jesus with those around you?
Do you have that fire in your gut to always keep moving? Maybe you can't sit still and work doesn't even feel like work for you. Well, a solid work ethic is something to be thankful for but what about rest? What about Sabbath? Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that a day of rest is only a shadow of the eternal rest that we have in Christ. One day all of your work and effort will fade away as you begin your eternal life with Jesus. But what about now? Are you restful, restless, or fully rested? Remember the Sabbath was made for you, not you for it.
I think I would probably be pretty terrified to hear Jesus say,” I'm going to blow that up.” But you get Pastor Ricky’s point. Jesus will not ever, never ever ever, coexist with our worldly opinions and ideas. He wants to be the absolute center of our lives. Then all of our thoughts and opinions can flow out of that relationship with Him. Today Pastor Ricky will help you identify places where you might be holding on to your own ideals, rather than the ideals of the kingdom.
Well, I don't know about you but I love a good summer cookout. The warm sunshine surrounding you, an ice-cold drink in your hands, and the smell of meat cooking on the grill, it’s wonderful. It's a feast. The Bible is full of talks like this about good meals and friends around the table and today, Pastor Ricky helps us understand the difference between fasting and feasting. Religious people in Jesus' day really missed the point and Jesus had to help them see more clearly.
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began unpacking the horrendous life of a leper, what it look like, what it felt like. It was awful and anyone who came into contact with someone who had leprosy steered completely clear. Not Jesus though. Jesus walked right up to those affected with leprosy and provided the healing that they needed. So what about you? How do you respond to those that are in need? Maybe even full of sin? Pastor Ricky will challenge you to be willing, just like Jesus was, and help those in need.
It's really hard for us to imagine what it was like for someone infected with leprosy. It wasn't just the physical suffering that one endures with a major illness, it was more. It was complete isolation. These poor people were cut off from everyone they knew and loved. Today Pastor Ricky will help you see that you were the leper in God’s eyes. You were infected with sin. You were isolated from God and because of the work of Jesus you have been brought near to God.
Stop and think about the world that we live in. It's shifting sand, everything's changing all the time. There's very little that's stable in this world. This is one of the main points that Pastor Ricky is making today. Jesus is the firm foundation that you can stand on. You can trust Jesus for all of your life, not just the big things, the small things too, and the best part is that Jesus doesn't change. His mission is the same as it was yesterday. It'll never change and you can partner with Him in that mission.
Hollywood has portrayed the battle between God and Satan as ongoing, like one day God gets a victory and then the next day Satan gets one. But that's not the case at all. God completely won the battle against Satan at the cross and this victory is final and it’s eternal. The wonderful truth about this fact is that you can trust Jesus as the supreme victor. Pastor Ricky will unpack the kingship of Jesus in his message today. You’ll learn that Jesus has you, every part of you, whatever you're facing now and whatever you will face in the future.
None of us who name the name of Jesus in our lives wants to be known as Instagram followers of Jesus. We want to be known as real genuine followers of Jesus who do His will and live for His purposes here on earth. That's the difference between your kingdom and the kingdom of God. Today Pastor Ricky will continue to show you the stark difference and how you can move from pursuing your own thing to a life of fulfillment in the center of God’s will.
You may be wondering if you have ever really repented? Pastor Ricky wants to encourage all of us today, repentance is something that should be a normal and regular part of our lives. Why? Because though we are destined for heaven as followers of Jesus, we still sin every single day. Perhaps that's you and you find yourself in the mire of sin and long to be set free. Join us as Pastor Ricky shares more about what the glorious Kingdom of Jesus looks like.
Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed and asked God would remove the cup or spare Him from the suffering that He knew was coming but there was no other way. Jesus, the perfect man, had to die in our place in order to make a way for us to be reunited with God. This single act brought complete cleansing for our sins. The simple way to access this cleansing is to place your faith in Jesus.
Throughout all of history, many have spoken in the name of God. There were the prophets and sages that had words from God for all of mankind. Today as Pastor Ricky continues in Mark chapter one, you'll learn that the definitive voice of God was in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the final voice from God because Jesus is God. When you read the words of Jesus you can take it to the bank. He’s speaking on the authority of His Father in Heaven.
Last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began to unpack what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement and this movement is so very countercultural. Think about how the world instructs you to get ahead. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and you're encouraged to step on and over anyone who gets in your way. Well, today Pastor Ricky reminds you that the Kingdom economy is much different than the world's economy. Jesus says if you want to be first then you need to learn to be last.
The turmoil in our world today is at the highest levels that we've ever seen. A quick flick of the channel on your TV, or a scroll on Facebook and you'll see that we are divided and one of the saddest things of late is the contribution of the church to this matter. Yes, we do need to be divided on certain issues, there's no question, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself what the world really needs? Pastor Ricky invites you to join him on a journey in Mark where you’ll learn what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement in our day.
What a beautiful truth. As Pastor Ricky leads us through the story of Christ's humble birth, we’re reminded that no one would have been turned away from that manger. Jesus came for you. He knew full well the brokenness that He was being born into and He willingly took it so that you and I could be made clean, once and for all in the eyes of God. You don't have to get yourself right. Just come to the humble King who longs to embrace you and make you whole.
The shepherds that watched their flocks nearby as Jesus was being born into this world were blessed to be one of the first messengers of the Gospel. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, to be a shepherd was a humble but important job. They not only provided meat and wool but they would have raised the spotless sheep that would have gone to the temple as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Their role in welcoming the final spotless lamb has a beautiful significance that is often overlooked.
Jesus came to earth in the midst of scandal. While Mary was innocent of her suspected sin, most of her community didn't know that. She would have been the subject of gossip and rumors and Joseph took that on himself when he agreed to be the father to her child. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, Jesus is not afraid of your scandal. He doesn't care about the opinion of men. He cares about you and He'll come to you in the midst of your sin, embrace you and pull you out of that mess.
Was Jesus' father Joseph perfect? No, of course not. He was a flawed, humble man yet God had a great purpose for him. He was a necessary part of fulfilling prophecy and raising God's very own son, as he took on human form. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today's message, many men would have walked away from Mary and the scandal of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Joseph even considered it. But because he had faith in God, he took on the task he was called to and helped raise our Savior.
This broken world is like a long night in the wilderness. If you imagine yourself cold and hungry, with the sounds of wild animals all around, it's a place of vulnerability. But then the sky gradually fades from black to a smokey blue, followed by tinges of orange, and then at last the sun breaks over the horizon. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, as a believer the horizon is glowing with that orange light, and true to God's promise, Christ is going to return and bring light that will put our sun to shame.
You need family. Sadly because of sin and selfishness, as well as things that are out of our control, all families are broken in some way. Even the most perfect-looking family has its faults if you start to dig deep enough. That's just a part of living in a fallen world. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, the situation isn’t hopeless. Your family may not be perfect but if you cling to and rest in God's promises, you can find peace and unity that you can't find anywhere else.
God doesn't love you because of your talents or your skills. He doesn't scan humanity looking for people to add to His team because they possess some useful talent. He desires for everyone to come to Him not because of what they possess but because they're His creation and they lack the intimacy, freedom, and the life that He designed them for. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, to come to the Father you have to humble yourself and allow Him to save and equip you for any good work.
Throughout scripture, you can see a pattern in the way that God works. He doesn't look for the powerful, the rich, or the famous. It's not that He can't use those people, but as Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Jesus's mother Mary, God chose her because she was humble. She was a nobody and God loves to work with nobodys. When you acknowledge that you're incapable and incompetent on your own, it allows room for God to come in and work in a way that glorifies Him alone.
There is one reason and one reason alone that the early church was so successful in reaching the world around them for Christ and that reason is that they were dependent on God. This church immediately prayed whenever there was a problem or whenever they needed directions. When you have a good prayer life it shows that you're truly dependent on God and that you know you have no strength in yourself. How is your prayer life? If it's lacking you're telling God you don't need Him.
Is being a disciple of Jesus Christ part of the regular rhythm of your life? Many that come to church only keep Christ in that part of their day but you as a disciple are to represent Jesus every single day and every moment of your life. Are you representing Christ properly at church? How about in school or in your home with your family? The way the Lord reaches this dark and lost world is by being properly represented by His children and then revealing Himself through them.
As Pastor Ricky teaches on the acts of the Holy Spirit through the early church you will begin to understand why this early church was used so powerfully by the Lord. The believers here in this chapter are taking their discipleship very seriously as well as making disciples of others. When you focus on ridding yourself of sin and communing with the Lord you will begin to change from the inside out. As you change and look more Christ-like, unbelievers will see there is something very different about you.
Many in the American church primarily focus on the aspect of becoming a disciple individually and don't move forward and make disciples of others. It's easier to just focus on your own discipleship and it's easier to stay in your comfort zone and not reach out to others. But Christ calls you to be bold and to make disciples. This was not a suggestion this is a command and the early church took it very seriously. It's time that the church today takes Christ's command to make disciples just as seriously as the early church did in the book of Acts.
God desires that His children gather together and corporately worship and seek Him. He promises a special and unique experience of His spirit. All believers have different spiritual gifts and the Lord desires that you would gather together as the body of Christ and be used to benefit others. When you come to church, do you expect to experience a move of the spirit of God? Or do you just show up and go through the motions? Purpose to expect a move of God at church and look for ways to serve others.
The foundations to a healthy Christian Life are reading the Word of God, prayer, sharing your faith, and fellowshipping in the church. Today Pastor Ricky will be focusing on the importance of fellowshipping with other believers. The Bible says, do not forsake the fellowship of the brethren and sadly there are many today that don't think it's important to go to church. The truth of the matter is that you do have the Holy Spirit in you but He promises a special experience when you gather with other believers.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the importance of Christians to grow in faith, he will be showing how it's not enough to just have faith but that the power is in the object of your faith. Having faith does nothing for you. Your faith must be placed in the person of Jesus Christ. As you go through trials and tribulations the only thing that will sustain you is how well you know and trust Jesus. If you lack faith it's because you're not spending intimate and quality time with the Lord.
To truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must be able to place your whole trust and faith in Him, no matter what. The book of Hebrews says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. During your journey as a disciple of Christ, you will be put through circumstances and trials that will test and try you so you can grow in your faith. Place your faith in the person of Jesus Christ.
When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and He lives inside of you, He does a transforming work from the inside out. As your life radically changes and you fall deeper in love with Christ you can't help but talk about Him with others. The Holy Spirit within you desires for you to preach the gospel to a dark and dying world. Pastor Ricky will be sharing with you the basic functions of the gospel to help you easily share with others. Don't fear man for what can man do to you? Trust in the Lord.
In this text, the Lord casts out a legion of demons from a man who lives in a graveyard. Demons are very real but you should never fear them because greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world. Just as Jesus had the power to cast out these demons, He has power to transform your life and to transform the lives of those you minister to. As you preach the gospel to unbelievers, His power proceeds out from you and does the work.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the Parable of the Sower, he will be emphasizing the importance for believers to scatter seeds and patiently wait for the harvest. You're just commanded to preach the gospel. You aren't responsible for the harvest, that's the Lord's job. Don't try and examine the heart of unbelievers just do your duty to preach the gospel. Don't underestimate the power of God's Word when you speak it into someone’s life. The Word of God will never return void.
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the Parable of the Sower and exhorting us as believers to scatter seed by preaching the gospel. The Lord commands His followers to go out into all the world preaching the gospel and making disciples. Are you fulfilling this great commission? You're called to scatter the seeds of the gospel and it's up to the Lord to cause the seeds to grow. As you’re faithful to do your part of the work, the Lord is faithful to do His part.
Jesus was known for eating with sinners and tax collectors and the religious people despised that Jesus did this. Christ said He came to heal the sick and that He came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. Jesus basically told the hypocritical Pharisees and religious leaders that they couldn’t be saved until they realized they were sick with sin and needed a savior. And you can't be saved by doing good works. It is only by God's grace. Don't look down on the ungodly. Love them and administer to them.
As Jesus was passing through the multitudes of people He stopped and saw Matthew the tax collector and called him and told him to follow Him. Now Matthew was considered to be a traitor to his own people at one of the most corrupt jobs a Jew could have. Yet Jesus stopped and saw him and called him. Jesus saw you and called you as well. He looked past your sin and showed you love and poured out His grace. Do you see the unbelievers around you in this way? Stop and reach out to them.
The Bible says to imitate God as dear children. So how do we do this? Well, Jesus is God incarnate and we're told to follow Him and be conformed to His image. The practical way you can accomplish this is by spending time with Him, in His Word, and in prayer. As you abide in Christ, you will begin to look more and more like Him and you will draw unbelievers to Him. If you're a genuine follower of Jesus, you will lose your own identity and your identity will be found only in Him.
In our American church culture, we're so busy doing so many different activities and programs, that are we really focused on what being a Christian is all about? The Lord commissioned all believers to follow Him as disciples and to preach the gospel throughout the world and make disciples. The whole reason you're left here on this earth is to further the kingdom of God by making disciples. Are you fulfilling the mission Christ has given you to complete?
The grace of God is the power that enables us to live godly lives. Pastor Ricky is giving a charge to the father figures in the church to come alongside the young men and to teach them to live Godly lives. The key that enables you to first, be godly and second, to have the ability to disciple another person, is the grace of God. God's grace didn't just save you from your sin but also gives you the ability to receive and apply God's promises to your life.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on being a good steward of the resources God entrusts to us, he will be focusing on giving and tithing. The New Testament church is told to give out of a cheerful heart. Not out of compulsion but to give what he or she has determined in their own heart to give. Are you laying up for yourself treasure here on earth, or in heaven? The whole purpose of having resources is to meet your needs and to be used by God to meet the needs of others.
In today's message, Pastor Ricky will be showing through Old and New Testament scripture how we’re not owners of anything that we have. We really are just stewards. God is the creator of all things and every good thing that you have comes from Him. The Lord entrusts His children with the responsibility to use the resources He's blessed them with to further His kingdom. Do you believe you were an owner of your resources or a steward? You will be held accountable for how you use His resources.
Men, you're not your paycheck, you're not the car you drive, you're not doomed to repeat the same mistakes your father did. Your identity is now in Jesus. You must purpose to be rooted in that identity in Christ. Jesus should be who you model yourself after, not what the world says man should be. You’re called to live a godly life in Christ and to imitate Him as a dear child. Allow the Lord to train you, not your past experiences or what the world says you should be.
Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting the men in the church to live up to the call on their lives. The Lord calls them to be godly leaders that guide their families in the way of holiness. If you are a man that is discouraged and feels as though this calling is too great for you, purpose to lean on the grace of God. God's grace forgives your past and gives you hope for the future. By God's grace, you can become the man God wants you to be. Get up and receive God's promises and walk in victory.
Pastor Ricky will be encouraging women today to live up to the amazing call that God has placed on their lives and encouraging men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. When men love their wives and give them encouragement, it's easy for women to respect them and when women respect their husbands, it's easy for men to love and show affection. Purpose to be a builder and encourager. Don't be someone who tears down and constantly criticizes.
In this letter to the church, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the believers to live out what they learn from God's Word in the home. When you come to church and receive a word from God it's to be lived out in your household and taught to your family. Don't allow yourself to sit in service and think, “Oh, what a great sermon” and then neglect the application to your everyday life. When you obey God's Word, it brings a blessing upon your home and family. Purpose to be a Godly example to those in your household.
If Jesus were in the room today, what would your stance be? Generally, people held one of four. Some begged for healing. Some watched and studied. Some stood offensively in opposition. But then some, like the disciples, stood ready for orders. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that when you're filled with the Holy Spirit you have no choice but to want to go. Today will you stand in opposition? Will you beg for healing? Will you stand passively and watch, or will you go?
When you think of the Champions of the Faith, who do you think of? Probably Paul or Moses. Maybe David. When you think of somebody that's filled with the Holy Spirit, who comes to mind? Maybe you imagine the disciples at Pentecost or John the Baptist inside Elizabeth's womb. Well Christian, today Pastor Ricky challenges you to look in the mirror. He'll teach you that if you're a believer, the same Holy Spirit that lived in all of those people lives inside of you. He's making you new from the inside out.
Satan has this little game that he likes to play in people's minds. It's a really old game. In fact, it's quite literally one of the oldest tricks in the book, found in the earliest chapters of Genesis. It's a little game called comparison. Have you heard of it? Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that this game of comparison is especially rampant in the age of social media but we can't let it win. Your spiritual gifts might look different from somebody else’s, but the Holy Spirit has blessed you with a beautiful gift that is unique to you.
Often when we think about spiritual gifts, we think about the big flashy ones. We think of speaking in tongues or speaking prophecy over somebody. Those are wonderful gifts to receive, but there are so many other beautiful gifts to receive that fly under the radar. Today Pastor Ricky teaches that you've been uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit. Your gift might be in administration or in serving others but whatever your spiritual gift might be use it to spread the good news of Jesus.
Have you ever seen someone with an incredible gift or talent, but they know it too? Have you ever seen them strut in pride or have a false sense of humility? The Holy Spirit blesses believers with wonderful gifts but teaches that we should not flaunt our gifts in the ways we might see celebrities flaunt their talents. Today Pastor Ricky teaches that you've been given a gift and it's your responsibility to use that gift, whether it's the gift you prefer or not, to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus Christ, not yourself.
For many of us, that might ring true, right? I think many of us have been there, longing for the Holy Spirit to move in a miraculous and undeniable way. You know, like how He used to. But we're unwilling to move ourselves. As Pastor Ricky will challenge us in today's message, if we fail to live in obedience to the clear instructions that we can find in Scripture, going out and sharing the gospel both with our words and actions, how can we expect God to move? He's not going to force His will on us.
Have you experienced that change? You'll know it if you have. If you've ever gotten too close to a flame, then you know it. It's probably even left a mark. In a similar way, if you've ever jumped into a pool or a pond, there's no questioning that it happened afterwards. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, both of those illustrations are frequent in Scripture when it comes to describing the effect of the Holy Spirit on our souls. When He fills our heart, it's going to be apparent and undeniable.
What a powerful reminder that salvation isn't an isolated event in the life of a believer. Yes, there is a distinct moment where you make that decision to trust in Christ and His Holy Spirit comes in and redeems your soul but that's not the end of it. That work of the Holy Spirit is just the beginning. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, the Spirit comes in and stays in the heart of a believer. Our hearts will never be the same. He brings transformation and He continues that process until we stand with Him in eternity.
In our age of science and reason, we struggle with the idea of the supernatural. Quite often, those who lean into this realm are considered crazy or radical, and in many cases, that description is accurate. But as Pastor Ricky begins his new series, Carry the Fire, in today's message, he'll remind us that the Holy Spirit is essential in the life of every believer. The only way that we can experience the Holy Spirit is supernaturally. His presence can't be physically measured. He connects with us in our spirit.
Our world pushes the message that we need to lookout for number one. If you've got some money or resources leftover, sure, give that away, but only once you get all of your personal needs and desires. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, we see something very different demonstrated in Scripture. The focus is never on self. The focus is on leaning into our Provider in complete faith. When we trust that God will meet all of our needs, we can hold our money and stuff a lot more loosely.
Generosity always stands out in a world that puts itself first. We often see it with a dose of skepticism. We wonder what strings are going to be attached. Well, as Pastor Ricky examines the generosity of the early church in 1 Corinthians, we’ll be challenged to increase this aspect of our Christian lives. We've seen far too many cases of corruption in the church throughout the years and we've built up a distrust in how we give but God calls us to give generously, so we need to lean into it with discernment.
What an incredible image of what we have to look forward to. Heaven is unimaginable and the bodies we will be given in eternity will be just as amazing. We’ll be fully focused on using those bodies for the glory of the Savior as we see His face and bask in His love for all of eternity. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message, this life with all its pain and decay and struggle will be just like a blip in the scope of the time that we'll spend in the perfect restoration that God has planned for us.
The older you get, the easier you get hurt. Pain and discomfort just become an accepted part of life for many of us as our bodies age and break down. It can be a depressing thought, but as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, because of Jesus we have reason for hope. Death may come suddenly, and it could be soon, or it could be decades down the road but ultimately as believers, it's not our end. In Christ, we have the promise that we will rise again with perfect and eternal bodies.
The power of the Resurrection isn't just the idea of it. It's not just an inspirational story that can motivate us to be better people. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, the power of the Resurrection is that Jesus was and is alive and bore the punishment for all the sin of the world by dying on the cross. Then, He rose from the dead, demonstrating His power over sin and death and inviting us to participate and live in that same power. We get to live resurrected lives free from sin because of Him.
As you live out the Christian journey in this fallen world, you're going to face pressure from all sides to water down or even abandon the critical elements of your faith. The Bible and everything it teaches will be called into question, and people, even within the church, are going to find ways to make it align with the world's agenda. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in the book of 1 Corinthians, we're going to be challenged to stand fast in what we believe and the truth that we've learned from the Scriptures.
Is every area of your life submitted fully to the Lord? If you answered yes, you likely need to submit your pride, self-righteousness, and self-awareness to Him. Every single believer has areas of life that aren't fully submitted to God. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, we love to point our fingers at other people that have allowed very external and visible sins to remain in their lives and we give ourselves a little pat on the back, but that pride is just as sinful in God's sight.
Paul is exhorting the fathers of the church to urge the young men to live soberly and to live a self-controlled life. There are so many horrible father figures in the world today that are leading the young generation of men astray. Being a man is not drinking beer and vegetating on the couch watching sports all day. Being a man is who you are in Christ. A man works hard and provides for his family. A man of God produces the fruit of the Spirit and is an example to the younger generation. Are you a godly man?
God created men and women equal, and both bear His image. But the mistake that's often made in today's culture is thinking that equal means that we're the same. From the beginning, God built us with clear and obvious differences, both on a physical level as well as on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level. As Pastor Ricky warns us in today's message, when we disregard and even openly reject God's design, we invite destruction in the here and now, as well as eternally.
As Pastor Ricky examines today's passage from 1 Corinthians, we're reminded of an important question that we need to ask in all sectors of church life, “Does the particular act, behavior, or event glorify God and edify our fellow believers?” Nobody can deny that tongues is a gift that the Bible describes. It's a real thing, and there's people who legitimately have this gift even today but does it belong in church services if it's not bringing benefit to others and glorifying God?
We normally like to do things our way, be it at work or in our daily lives. It happens so frequently that we begin to express our views about how churches are managed. People may advise the pastor on how to adjust some aspects to suit their own preferences, but have you ever realized that God has already set the boundaries in a church? In today's message, Pastor Ricky explains how to remain within your bounds. Instead of pushing your beliefs into the church, you can allow the Holy Spirit to take control.
Watching other believers doing amazing things might lead you to wonder if you have the same spirit as them. You may begin to wonder why you're unable to do what they can. You might even question whether God has any plans for your life. Today Pastor Ricky teaches how we can serve God. When you were lost to sin, Jesus came to bring you back to Himself and He gave you the same Holy Spirit as everyone else but with unique skills and talents that are tailored to you. All you need to do is seek God's direction.
Quite often we race to prove to others that somehow, we're superior, whether it's physically or professionally, and even though that creates a divide amongst us, it's usually how the world operates. But do you wonder if it's the same way in the church? Today Pastor Ricky shows us how everyone is treated equally at church. When you come to God's house, you're reminded that God has blessed you and built you back up from nothing. How can you start maintaining that same mentality outside of the church?
When you attend church, there might be parts of the service that you don't find to your liking. Maybe it's the worship music or the sermon. In fact, you might want to look for a church that's wonderful in every way. But in today's message, Pastor Ricky clarifies why we ought to drop our consumer mindset when it comes to church. We should always remember that we go to church to praise and honor God as a community. It's not about what we want but what God wants and what He wants us to be a part of.
You might have observed on social media, or in your daily life, that there's a continuing feminism debate in which women argue that they don't need males and can live without them. Even guys claim to have no need for women. But is that the truth? Today Pastor Ricky discusses how men and women rely on one another. God created humans in such a way that they're interdependent in all situations. He's designed you and your spouse to function as a team. That's the only way you can both grow.
When God finished creating all of creation, He declared it good. Every single human being is a part of that creation. However, you might feel that God made a mistake in giving you a specific gender, but is that really the case? In today's message, Pastor Ricky talks about how God sees you as flawless. When He created you, He pronounced you perfect just as you were. Instead of trying to manipulate your appearance simply thank God for your life and consider how you can serve Him with all of your heart.
People tend to change their appearance and personality based on their preferences or, to fit into the society which they inhabit. But do you realize that by doing so, they're violating both natural laws and God’s standards? In the message today, Pastor Ricky describes how God has assigned specific roles and genders to each person on earth. You don't need to modify your appearance because your Creator has made you and declared you perfect in His sight. You are loved by God just as you are.
Satan has this little game that he likes to play in people's minds. It's a really old game. In fact, it's quite literally one of the oldest tricks in the book, found in the earliest chapters of Genesis. It's a little game called comparison. Have you heard of it? Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that this game of comparison is especially rampant in the age of social media but we can't let it win. Your spiritual gifts might look different from somebody else’s, but the Holy Spirit has blessed you with a beautiful gift that is unique to you.
Not everything you do is necessarily the right thing. You may have friends who are a bad influence on you, or maybe you're battling an addiction that's difficult to overcome. Today, Pastor Ricky tells you that staying close to other Christ followers will help you in your walk with God. Instead of hanging out with people who are indulging in sin, you can choose to seek out someone who has a strong relationship with God. That person can build up your faith in Jesus and help you get back on track.
You've been given the freedom to do what you like. You can choose what you want to eat or what you want to watch. But have you ever thought about the fact that your actions create an influence on others as well? Do you ever wonder if a particular habit of yours glorifies God or not? In today's message, Pastor Ricky tells you how to create guidelines for your life. Instead of doing whatever you like, you can choose to do the things that would glorify God and help others around you to grow in their faith in God.
When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God provided them with water and food along the journey. Similarly, in your life you might require certain necessities, but instead of relying on God, you look to alternative means of sustenance. Today, Pastor Ricky teaches how to strengthen your faith in God. Instead of relying on your own intuition, you can put your trust in Him to guide you in the right direction. Be confident knowing that the Creator of the world loves you and will provide for all of your needs.
There's generally something in our lives that prevents us from developing our relationship with God. It could be a terrible habit or a specific relationship. You might strive to leave your temptations or your idols, but as soon as you do, the enemy may present you with another attraction. The effort to overcome temptations can be never-ending. Today, Pastor Ricky explains how to get rid of your idols. When you seek God with all of your heart, He can help you fight and overcome your weaknesses.
We often become sidetracked from God and start wandering down a path that ultimately leads to our own destruction. The path that you're on might appear to be ideal in your own eyes, and it might even produce results for a while before revealing its true colors. Today, Pastor Ricky outlines why God's guidance is essential in all aspects of life. You never know what the future holds for you, but God does. He knows which way is best for you. You can see God's help in finding people that can point you in the right direction.
You may believe that after receiving Jesus, you can just continue living your old lifestyle. But have you ever considered the possibility that Jesus has incredible plans for your life? Today, Pastor Ricky explains how to start serving God. Following salvation, God renews your life and gives it a new purpose. Jesus has called you to share the gospel with others instead of continuing to live your life as usual, you can begin to live for Jesus. He's already planned everything out. All you have to do is follow Him.
Have you ever noticed how before you start doing anything bad, you often get that feeling that you shouldn't be doing it? Sometimes you can easily overpower and suppress that emotion before you continue. Well, today Pastor Ricky explains how your inner conscience works when you're going to do anything that opposes and dishonors God. Your conscience convicts you and helps you realize that it's wrong. It's up to you to decide whether you want to do what's right in God's eyes or do things your way.
Our parents might advise us to make friends with intellectuals so that we can learn from them while also still growing personally. But does the same reasoning apply when it comes to being friends with individuals that follow Jesus? Today Pastor Ricky tells you how to look for the ideal friend. People with a lack of faith in God can often lead us astray, no matter how intelligent they might seem. You should constantly look for the folks who have a deep trust in Jesus so they can help you develop your faith.
When all of the people on a bus start telling the driver whose route they should take, it may sometimes result in complete chaos. Similarly, there are many areas of your life, such as your work and marriage, that can influence you to go on a particular path. But will this take you where God wants you or will it cause you to go off into the weeds? Well today Pastor Ricky shares how Jesus can help you in any situation. Instead of relying on other influences, you can always trust Jesus to guide you in the right direction.
You may claim to love God and be improving in your relationship with Him. However, your relationship with your spouse is often strained and runs out of steam. Sometimes you might wonder if you're progressing in relationships or regressing. Well today, Pastor Ricky explains why you must first improve your relationship with God. Instead of only striving to keep your marriage, you should focus on developing your connection with your Heavenly Father first and foremost. That way, you can strengthen other relationships too.
Marriage is not like a Hallmark movie. Sure, there's special moments where you'll look at each other's eyes and all is right with the world, but as your love matures, those moments are typically an exception and not the rule. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that doesn't mean that something's wrong with your relationship. It means that you're real people with real problems. Enjoy the mountaintops but seek God to do the hard work of pushing through together when you're in the valleys.
Contentment isn't dependent on our circumstances. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in 1 Corinthians today, he'll encourage us to be content in whatever place we find ourselves in life. If you're single, it can be a gift. You might long for a companion, but marriage isn't going to solve your problems. Only God can provide the fulfillment that you actually long for. If you're married don't romanticize singleness. Your marriage is an opportunity for growth for both you and your spouse, whether it's easy or hard.
Marriage, and really all kinds of relationships, can be as challenging as they are a blessing. God designed us to need community and the help of our fellow humans, but because of sin, we're cursed to be let down, and we'll let others down as well. As Pastor Ricky warns us in today's message, if you're single and longing for a spouse, it's okay and natural, but you also have an opportunity in that station. You have a great resource of time and energy to invest in His work in this world. So don't waste it now.
What drives your day-to-day decisions? For many of us, we're driven by what other people think of us. From the house we live in, to the cars we drive, to the clothes we wear and how we talk. We tend to be preoccupied with how other people see us. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today's message, our primary concern and focus should be on how God sees us. And the good news is in Jesus, He sees you as holy and complete. You don't need all of that stuff or good works to earn His approval.
We're all given the gift of a platform for service. This can come in many different forms. Many of us have multiple opportunities to serve God and others in our lives. Some may be blessings like our family, careers, or friendships, while others might feel like curses, like diseases, financial challenges, or even strained relationships. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message, we need to open our hearts to see how to turn every circumstance into an opportunity to honor God.
Love and marriage are not about you. Our world has fostered a popular mindset that all of life revolves around us and how we feel. It's a very animalistic approach. God calls us to a higher form of living. In a God-honoring life, love isn't about what you get out of it but what you put into it and how it glorifies God. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in 1 Corinthians, he'll examine what it looks like to honor God with our sexuality, whether you're single or in the context of marriage.
The sin of sexual immorality is deeply personal, and it often ties itself closely to our sense of identity. Instead of seeking freedom from the chains that enslave us, many have decided to dress up those chains as a part of who they are. This is a grand deception that's effectively taken hold of much of modern culture and has even been embedded in many churches. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message. God wants to free us from those chains, and He's made the way through His Son Jesus.
God created male and female and designed sex as a means of intimacy and reproduction for a husband and wife. He's not anti-sex. In fact, He's very pro-sex, but He designed it and set up the parameters for this healthy and beautiful expression of love between a married couple. It's more than just a physical experience, it's much deeper than that. In today's message, Pastor Ricky will examine God's design for sex and how the church should approach deviations from His design.
Judgment does have a place in the church, but it requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a heart that is motivated by love. All too often we see the bad behaviors of others as an opportunity to reinforce our own self-righteousness. You might think something like this, “Sure, I struggle with this sin, but it's not nearly as bad as what they're doing.” Well as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, sin does need to be confronted but only with the heart of compassion and grace for the one that's being confronted.
Many churches are engaged in nearly identical scenarios, as we find in today's passage from 1 Corinthians. The church of Corinth was allowing and even embracing the sexual immorality that one of their members was actively living in. As Pastor Ricky will remind us in today's message, God did have grace to forgive and free this individual but the church needed to help them confront and overcome their sin, not accept or celebrate it.
Our culture promotes the go-getter, type A personalities. We tend to look down on people who inherit their wealth or position and admire and tell stories about the people who have attained it because of their ambition and hard work. Now don't get me wrong, those stories are impressive, and hard work is admirable. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, in the kingdom of God, the focus shifts to the glory of God and the good of others and away from independence and self-promotion.
Often we'll see a church that's growing rapidly and assumed that they must be doing something right, they must be a successful ministry. In some cases that's true, it is a work of God. But in many cases, a church can experience impressive growth due to the things that actually contradict the Kingdom of God. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, the message of the cross can be a big turnoff for many people, and when it's preached with integrity, it's just as likely to scare people away as it is to draw them in.
In the routines of life, we often lose sight of that, don't we? We get into a flow, enjoying the ease and convenience that we take for granted. And often we might find ourselves getting annoyed with the people that God put around us over the most minor things. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message those precious souls were made in God's image and Christ valued them so much that He went to the cross for them. We need to keep that in mind as we interact and struggle through this process together.
How you build is just as important as the materials that you build with. A new apprentice isn't going to build as well as the master carpenter, even with the exact same tools and materials. Today, as Pastor Ricky continues our study in the Gospel Culture found in 1 Corinthians, he'll remind us that building our church culture requires intention and divine guidance. Ultimately the structure must be built on the foundation of Christ, not on human reason or popular trends of the day.
Why do we need mirrors? If you go into a bathroom that doesn't have one, its absence is immediately noticeable. We want to see ourselves. We don't want to rely on feel or input from others. We want to see and analyze ourselves so that we can fix any issues and look presentable. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, scripture offers us a spiritual look at ourselves and reveals some major problems. The thing is, we can't fix them on our own. We need help. And only Christ can provide it.
The cross was an awful thing. It wasn't just a symbol for the people of the early church, it was a tool of torture and execution that may have had some traumatic associations for many people. Sadly, they would have been desensitized to its cruelty because of how heavily it was used by the Roman Empire. Yet as Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, instead of despising it and banning even the mention of it, the early church claimed it as a symbol of the grace of their Savior.
That is the assurance that we can cling to in Christ. It changes our whole outlook on life, on others, and our own struggles with sin. As Pastor Ricky will remind us in today's message, our God is faithful. It's one of His core characteristics and it's not ever going to change. He sent His son to die in our place for our sin and when we accept that amazing gift, it's not dependent on what we do. He sees us as not guilty, and we should build our identity and the way we look at others around that fact.
Have you ever watched a movie or read a book, and you thought it was wonderful, but then you talked to your friend or family member, and they didn't enjoy it at all? How can two people, people that otherwise get along and share lots in common, experience the same thing in such different ways? As Pastor Ricky explains today, the lens we look at our world through has a huge effect on how we see it. It greatly influences how we deal with each other and pursue God's will for our lives.
When you operate in pride and a sense of self-righteousness, repentance becomes very hard. Repentance only happens when you humble yourself and you acknowledge that you've done wrong and that you need grace and forgiveness. As Pastor Ricky begins our study in the book of 1Corinthians, he'll challenge us to foster a gospel culture in our own lives and in our churches. Our relationships should be categorized by the grace that we've been given. We've been forgiven so much, and we should be quick to forgive others.
What is weird about your family? What about your church family? As Pastor Ricky will illustrate in today's message, every family has a unique culture. You might consider your family to be the typical American stereotype but trust me, you've got some quirks. Our churches are much the same way, no two are identical. With a variety of personalities and backgrounds, we're bound to have some cultural traits, some may be good and some bad but how do they line up with Christ’s vision for the church?
Living for Jesus will not be easy. There's no place in the Bible that ensures an easy walk as a Christian. Pastor Ricky wants us to be reminded of this in today's message but he also wants us to not be afraid. Though the people in Jesus’ time opposed Him and even eventually killed Him, Jesus stood firm in His message of love, hope, and forgiveness. He had the truth on His side and His Heavenly Father strengthening Him daily. We too have the truth on our side, in Jesus Himself to give us strength and courage.
As we spend more and more time with Jesus reading His word and praying, we will begin to see his heart for us and for the people around us. Pastor Ricky today encourages us to take on Jesus’ identity so that we will be able to have His heart for our community. The world has a standard they think each person should live up to but it tends to be self-focused and not generous and loving toward others. When we ignore the world and allow Jesus to shine through us, we will begin to make a difference.
Finding common ground on which to create unity is difficult. People's individual interests, backgrounds, and human nature can all cause distance to form. God however has created opportunities for unity, especially in the church family. He took care of molding each person to interact how He desires with others but He does ask us to not actively seek to undo it. Pastor Ricky today encourages us to work through the differences that arise in our relationships and allow God to work to maintain unity.
This world is comprised of so many different ethnicities, backgrounds, interests, and more. It can be hard to find common ground with others. We may try to create a connection based on one of those but that one thing may not last. Today Pastor Ricky shares with us the only common ground that can connect each individual, Jesus. Jesus does not discriminate against anyone but instead offers forgiveness and life to everyone. Adopting Jesus’ attitude will change how we see the world.
People will say that they are exploring religion or that they don't have all the answers yet so they aren’t settling on one thing. However Pastor Ricky today points out to us that we have all the answers. The Bible is packed full of information about God and His love for us. It gives us the truth we are searching for. God also provides answers to us through time spent worshipping Him and conversing with Him. The more time we spend with Him, the closer we will get to Him and the more trust will grow and remain.
Did you catch Pastor Ricky's life-altering declaration for us? In case you didn't hear it, here it is again, “This life is not about us”. We are not here on earth to have the most money, or the biggest house, or the best car, or to get to the top rung of the corporate ladder, or be famous. You're here to do something for God. Today we will be reminded that each job that God has for the people He created is different but in the end, the mission is similar, loving people as God loves them. God wants to bless us as we bless others.
There's a reason why we get so worked up over politics and injustice in our nation, as well as the injustices all around the world. Today Pastor Ricky’s explanation for this deep desire for us to see wrongs made right and to see leaders of nations fix what's wrong in the world is that we long for the second coming of Jesus. We long for the day that Jesus will rule as king during His millennial reign in Jerusalem. Only until our Lord rules and reigns will there be peace and prosperity.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be emphasizing the importance for us to keep our eyes focused on eternity. Even the disciples that were with Jesus had an earthly kingdom on their minds when Jesus talked about His coming kingdom. The disciples thought Jesus was going to overthrow Rome and set free the Jews from oppression. Jesus however was talking about his heavenly kingdom and we need to continually reorient our focus toward that kingdom.
There's a reason why we get so worked up over politics and injustice in our nation, as well as the injustices all around the world. Today Pastor Ricky’s explanation for this deep desire for us to see wrongs made right and to see leaders of nations fix what's wrong in the world is that we long for the second coming of Jesus. We long for the day that Jesus will rule as king during His millennial reign in Jerusalem. Only until our Lord rules and reigns will there be peace and prosperity.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging us to be compassionate and loving instead of being confrontational just for the sake of winning an argument. You're called to preach the gospel and to make disciples and yes, we will have to defend our faith by speaking the truth that will sometimes offend. But the only way to do this while properly reflecting Jesus’ character is by being moved by compassion. Don't argue with unbelievers. Love them and allow the Holy Spirit to minister through you.
There is a demonic spiritual battle being waged against the children of God that has been waged since God created man and woman. Satan can't overthrow God so his main goal is to hurt God by hurting His children. As Pastor Ricky continues this teaching series through John, he’ll be encouraging us to remain faithful, even during times of persecution. The Bible says that those who want to live a Godly life will be persecuted.
Have you ever felt rejected? Of course. Perhaps you've had a bad experience as a child being rejected by a parent or family member. We can go throughout our lives being let down by many different people. There's one person who will never let you down. As a Christian, you have an eternal Father in heaven who loves you with an unconditional and sacrificial love that no earthly parent or person can provide. The Bible says that you are beloved by the Heavenly Father regardless of your past.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series, he'll be exhorting us to wholly commit ourselves over to the lordship of Jesus. When we were told that if we receive Jesus we would be forgiven of our sins, many of us jumped on board without hesitation at that invitation. However, when we were told to rid ourselves of certain things like sexual immorality or having to love unconditionally, we may grow fearful or hesitant. God is faithful, when we take a step of faith to obey Him He’ll bless that path.
Medical research continuously comes out saying heart disease is the leading cause of death among men, cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women, and suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers. Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that sin is the true leading cause of death among all people. The Bible says that death spread to all men because all men sin. The only hope we have to be cured of death is to be born again into the kingdom of God.
One of the biggest lies that the enemy has told the world is that truth is relative. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that Jesus Himself said that He is the only way to get to heaven. This truth of Jesus being the only way of salvation goes against the very fiber of the world’s system that’s teaching that all religions lead to the same God. This is a deceptive heresy that has unfortunately even crept into some churches. Don’t be deceived, there are indeed universal truths and relativism is a lie.
There is an extremely dangerous heresy that many of the world believe in and that some of the church even believe in. That false teaching is the belief that all roads lead to the same God. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how Jesus Himself said that there is no way to the Father except through Him. Regardless of popular opinion or what your feelings tell you, Jesus is the only way, truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be encouraging us to have faith in God's perfect plan even when we are in the midst of a storm. The disciples believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They saw many miracles and knew He was sent by God but they still had doubts. The disciples weren't told every detail of the plan of God. They had to exercise faith. Just like the disciples, we too need to exercise our faith and trust in His character and plans.
When most unbelievers are asked about what they think about church, a common response is that they believe the church is full of hypocrites. The truth of the matter is that there are many imperfections within the church. One thing we all need to remember is that the church is for those who are sick and in need of help. It's not for those that are well. Jesus said that He was the Great Physician, that He came for those that knew they were sick and in need of a savior.
We've been commissioned to go out into all the world, preaching the gospel and to make disciples. The question is, are you obeying this great commission of Jesus? Today Pastor Ricky will be continuing to emphasize the importance of making Jesus preeminent over our lives as well as being a functioning member of the body of Christ and obeying the mission God has for us. We’re all commissioned to preach the gospel and make disciples but we also have individual callings as well.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be reminding us that not only should we be servants, but we should be servants even to those that don't deserve it. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples even though He knew one would betray Him and another would deny Him three times. We aren't called to simply serve and love those that are lovable but to bless those that curse us and persecute us. We should bless and pray for those that despitefully use us.
In ancient times, for someone to take off their garments and begin to wash the feet of others, it meant they were lowly and of extremely low position in culture. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to allow ourselves to take the humble position of a servant. The Bible says that a servant isn’t greater than his master. If Jesus being God in the flesh, humbled Himself and served others, how much more should we.
The language of scripture often calls the church the household of God. In that time period, a household was made up of not only the immediate family but extended family members as well that would add to the home. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to have fellowship with other believers and to remember that Jesus made the church to be a family, a warm loving household. The Apostle Paul also exhorts us not to forsake the fellowship of the brethren.
Today, Pastor Ricky will be explaining the importance of Jesus being the center of our family and how we should be obeying God's call for our family, to be a light to the world. Jesus is not just a superhuman guy with supernatural abilities. He is God, in the flesh, who created the heavens and the earth. When we truly believe that Jesus is more than a good teacher and more than a prophet and that He is God in the flesh, our lives reflect that belief. Our families will look different than the families of the world.
Today you can have life to the fullest. Pastor Ricky teaches that Jesus was the perfect one that went to the cross for us. He did not envy. He did not take anything that didn't belong to Him. Jesus was generous. He died a painful death on the cross so that we would not have to. Therefore, when you're tempted to think you need something else just remember that God provided everything you need through His son Jesus. Won't you accept His gift of salvation today?
Adam and Eve were drawn to what looked good. Pastor Ricky will remind us that Satan was crafty enough to pull them away with the things that delighted their eyes. God had provided everything that Adam and Eve needed in the garden, just like He provides everything we need. However, when we start to crave something other than what God has given us, that’s when we end up losing it all. God knows what you need and when you need it. He's the only thing that will truly fulfill. Turn to Him.
What do you crave? Today Pastor Ricky will teach us that the things we crave are the things we worship. Exodus 20:17 says, ‘thou shalt not covet’ and today we learn this basically means do not crave things that don't belong to you. Our God is a good God. He gives good things to His children. When we take things or covet things that He has not given us, then we're actually saying we know better than God. If God wants you to have something He will open a door and provide a way. Trust in Him.
Do your words condemn you? That's what Pastor Ricky will ask us today. What if you had to take everything you said recently, in every form, whether face-to-face, phone, text, or email and run it through the filter of God Himself. How would you do? Does that frighten you? When you speak, do you try and be biblical or do you say whatever you feel like saying? Today’s message is a great reminder of the importance of our words. Remember, as a Christian, you are representing Christ.
Are you careful with your words? Pastor Ricky will remind us today that our words can be a blessing or they can be a curse. Do you remember a time that someone betrayed you with words? Or said something that hurts so much that it still sticks with you today? He reminds us that our words can cause big fires in our lives. We need to be careful and wise with what we say. All people are created in the image of God and should be treated as such. Let's build them up, not tear them down.
Today with Pastor Ricky we learn that we say on average 16,000 words per day. Do you pay attention to those words? Most people are careless and will say whatever they feel like saying. However, the Bible has very clear guidelines for the things that come out of our mouths. It says that we should only say what’s useful for building others up. Think about it. When was the last time you built someone up? Let’s start today. There is power in your words and they can make a difference.
Jesus paid the price. Today as Pastor Ricky teaches about marriage and the Ten Commandments we are reminded of the depth of what Jesus did for us. Jesus says over and over again that He loves us. He also proved His love by going to the cross for us. He knows about all the things that we've done, all the things that we put before Him. Yet He says, come home to me. The price has been paid. It is finished. Jesus is waiting for you today. Will you run to Him?
The Bible teaches that Adam did not have a helper that was fit for him. Therefore God created Eve. Today Pastor Ricky will continue to teach on the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:14 says you shall not commit adultery. We learned that God designed marriage for our good and does not want anyone to pull it apart. Marriage may be familiar to us but the Bible says it should be extraordinary. Marriage should and can be better than we can imagine.
Anger is an emotion given to us by God however there is good and bad anger. Today Pastor Ricky will teach us that God wants us to live at peace with everyone. God will be the one to judge those who sinned against us. We will hear that there is a way to get rid of bad anger, it can be washed away. You can be free from the emotion of anger by leaning on and trusting in the power of God to help you. Look to Jesus, He is the answer. With God, all things are possible.
Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are created in the image of God. Nothing else is created in His image except us. Pastor Ricky reminds us that this is why Exodus 20:13 is so important. We are created in the image of God and therefore every human life is absolutely precious. God says that He has a plan and a purpose for every single one of His children. That plan is to bring Him glory and to reach others for His kingdom. God loves all of His children and every life has value to Him.
The decline of the American family is a topic that has been well documented. Many of us then may have experienced some level of dysfunction within our families growing up. Maybe we didn't have the greatest role model when it came to parenting and now we struggle to know how to raise our own children. In today's message, we get some good news. As believers, we have a heavenly Father that serves as the ultimate role model when it comes to parenting. Everything we need to know we can learn from Him.
Kids see everything their parents do. Even when you're speaking about something that seems over their heads, they understand the negative tone or condescension towards others. As parents we want our children to respect us. The way we act towards those in authority will have a huge impact on the way our children do. In today's message, we’ll see how our actions are shaping the character of our children. Even when we don't agree with the choice made by our boss, or the policies of the president, our attitude matters.
When children are little, parents can dress them how they want, feed them what they want, select toys and activities for them, but as those children become more independent, growing into young adults they make many of their own decisions. As we’ll see today that doesn't mean the respect and honor that should be given to parents disappears. Even into adulthood when the authority of parents has given way to a different relationship, parents still sit in place of honor and their knowledge should be respected.
In today’s teaching, you’re going to be challenged about what you consider rest. On a day set aside for us by God, a day where worship should be our focus, how do we rest? Pastor Ricky gives us some possible reasons as to why we're not following His command for us to rest. From the way we manage our working time to the choices we make that we think are rest, we’ll hear about how we can approach worship, fellowship, and rest as it applies to the Sabbath and every day to experience true rest in Him.
Most of us have heard the story of creation, or read it for ourselves. We know that God rested on the seventh day. Knowing the character of God we should wonder why would He need rest? He's the Almighty. Think of it like this, when you've been working diligently on a project and it's finally finished you take a moment to stand back and take it in. Only with God, His project was perfect and He took a day to signify its completeness. So the rest He gives us is for Him who is at the center.
The commandments set forth by the Lord aren't just a random assortment of laws. Not only are they in place for the protection of our covenant with Him, they can be a beacon to others to the glory of God. When our lives, our worship, and our everything is in order, according to His laws, it's a reflection of Jesus in our lives. Today we will hear about the Sabbath and how that day of rest is vital in our lives as Christians. Jesus has taken all our sin because we can't fulfill the law on our own and He has given us rest.
On our way to finding the job, we’d find fulfilling, many of us have had jobs that just felt like filler in our lives. Monotonous, tedious, meaningless but as Pastor Ricky will show us today, none of the work we should do should be meaningless. The way we work reflects the work of God. As we continue through Exodus today we’ll see how both work and rest are acts of worship. When we place either of these in the top-tier position of how we operate in our lives, things fall apart. God knows how we should rest and work.
How many times has an article popped up on your computer screen promising a better balance between work and family? Or, five ways to destress and manage your time? Balance, efficiency, more focus on leisure or work, none of these will help you achieve peace and tranquility in life. The answer is putting your idols in the proper place. If all your energy and worship is going towards your idols you'll be wiped out spiritually, emotionally, and physically. As we will see today, God must be the center of our balance.
An idol has its place in your life because it's at the front of the line, always at the forefront of your mind and requiring you to spend more time and energy on it than anything else including your relationship with the Father. You could say that an idol is like a parasite but one we think we can't live without. As we’ll hear in today's message, as those idols are sucking the life out of us they keep us from experiencing what God has for our lives, bigger and better than anything we're clinging to instead of Him.
Although our first thought when we hear the word “idol” may be a little statue or huge monument, idols are much more insidious than that. An idol is anything that we place as a priority over God and they don't always loom large and in our faces. Whether it's socializing, or a relationship, or a job, idols are difficult to get rid of even when we recognize them in our lives. In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky is going to look at why the Israelites clung to their Idols so fiercely and why we cling to ours.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a God who was willing to leave His throne, to come to earth and die for all mankind who chose to believe in Him and His sacrifice. The creation groans under the weight of sin and Jesus came to restore His creation and His people. Pastor Ricky will show us today that the world's solutions to your problems will not work and he asks the question, “What do you think the biggest problem is in the world and in your life today?”
Believers in Jesus Christ may look at the world and think how it is enslaved to sin but they may not realize that they could be enslaved to their own sin. In today's study, Pastor Ricky speaks on the issue of the perception of sin and how many people in the world have the wrong perception of God. We’ll also see how the Passover in Exodus is a picture of the blood of Jesus Christ covering the sins of His people. He is the true Passover Lamb who takes away the sins of the world.
What or who are you serving and who are you living for? We all have to serve somebody and there is a steep price for which we will pay in order to enjoy the pleasures of this world. Today we’ll see that being a slave to Christ is actually freedom and our devotion to God will only bring good to our lives. It's crucial that we not let the cares of this world dim the vision of eternity with our Lord.
In today’s study of God’s Word, Pastor Ricky teaches on how true freedom is only found in our true king. We’ll also see that there is a slavery which looks like freedom but really is a snare from the devil. Our King is returning and it's essential that we don't place anything in our lives ahead of the king and ruler of the universe. Today we will learn of the true way to freedom and how to obtain peace in our lives. Jesus came into this world to set the captives free but we must allow Him to rule in our lives.
In Exodus, we see the separation between God and man. The Jews experienced the power and holiness of God on Mount Sinai. Pastor Ricky will show us in today's teaching that at times, some Christians may not have the correct reference towards God. Do you lack a holy reverence and fear in your relationship with God? You'll see that God has not changed His standard since giving Moses the Law. However, as Christians, Jesus is our mediator who can approach God's holiness with our petitions.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we have a God who was willing to leave His throne, to come to earth and die for all mankind who chose to believe in Him and His sacrifice. The creation groans under the weight of sin and Jesus came to restore His creation and His people. Pastor Ricky will show us today that the world's solutions to your problems will not work. And he asks the question, “What do you think the biggest problem is in the world and in your life today?”
Pastor Ricky asks the question, “Are you a restful person day to day?” Even as a Christian you may often find yourself stressed throughout the day. We’ll see that if you continually find yourself stressed and uptight there must be something wrong in your walk with the Lord. Pastor Ricky will also show that trusting God is the foundation for your obedience. As we go through the book of Exodus, we'll see how the Jews’ lack of obedience influenced their relationship with God and made for a rough journey.
God knows our needs better than we know ourselves. What we consider a need may really be a hindrance in our relationship with Him. In today's study, Pastor Ricky will show how only God can provide for our eternal hunger. Not only will He provide for our physical needs but more importantly, our spiritual needs. Mankind can only find true fulfillment in Jesus Christ. We'll see how Jesus was torn apart by the wrath of God on the cross for us so that we could be eternally fed.
Have you ever noticed the desire to return to some of the old habits which you gave up when you became a Christian? Pastor Ricky will show us in today's study how we could be much like the Jews after they were delivered from slavery in Egypt. Believers in Christ can also begin to grumble about not having the freedom of following their desires. However, the freedom that the world offers is actually slavery to sin. Sometimes we may be guilty of serving our desires and not God.
God's purpose for us is always good. It’s our sin that lies to us and we question whether He is present when things are going badly. But as people rebelled against Him in the desert, God promises to be with them and provide for their needs. They’re blaming God for their condition, for not taking care of them, and instead of turning away, He brings water from a rock. When we needed a savior He brought us his Son, The Rock, who gives us living water. No matter our misunderstanding of Him, He does provide.
In the most horrible times of your life, you may have wondered where is God? He couldn't possibly be watching us go through misery and be okay with it, right? Not like ourselves, His commitment never wavers. We will go through turmoil but He promises to be with us. With that kind of hope, we can go on. As we’ll hear in today’s teaching, God's commitment to His people is steadfast. They can't see beyond their current circumstances but God knows the plans He has for them and He will be there.
Giving your life to Jesus doesn't immediately make all your problems disappear. In fact, you may face new ones. Fully breaking away from our old lives is not an easy transition. As we’ll hear today from Exodus, God’s people were so fixated on the uncertainty of being in the desert that they started to look back on their lives in slavery as being better. When we begin to look back on our days without the Lord as having been easier, we need to remember the end game of that path and focus on renewed life in Him.
Throughout our lives, we’ll experience battles great and small but none are so vital as the one for our souls. For the unbeliever, God is fighting every moment to draw you near, for the believer that hard-fought struggle has been won. As Pastor Ricky will remind us in this study in Exodus that our bondage to sin has been broken just as the children of Israel were free from slavery in Egypt. The effects of sin still remain though but none as blinding and oppressive as those chains that bind unbelievers.
Our God is a fighter. We don't often think of Him that way but He's in a battle for us constantly. We have the greatest warrior on our side yet we still like to try and control the many universes we've created around ourselves. In today's teaching we’ll discover a better way. We can be still while God blazes forward on our behalf. When God's people were let out of Israel they sought to know what was coming next. They saw their enemies and wanted to take action to protect themselves but all the while God went before them.
When you gather to celebrate a person's birthday, it's a special time to acknowledge their place in everyone’s heart. But just because you have a party one day a year doesn't mean you forget them the other 364 days. Gathering together to worship and honor God on a regular basis is one way that we can remember God's place in our lives. Sometimes we may struggle and having fellow believers to give you a boost and remind you of all He’s done can help you to regain your focus on what matters.
After delivering His people out of the hands of Egypt, the Lord gave them a directive to honor the Passover on a regular basis in order to remember what He did for them. As believers living today we aren't exempt from this command to remember. The commemorations observed by God's people in Exodus radiated throughout their lives, throughout the year. Likewise, the Word should permeate our lives. The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus shouldn't be remembered once a year but be ever-present.
Out of sight, out of mind. The human attention span is shamefully short ,even when it comes to things that we should never forget. For example, keeping our minds on God and what He has done in our lives. As we’ll hear today in our study in Exodus, God’s people are struggling to keep God and His will at the forefront of their minds. People have a tendency to move on once they've had a particular experience or heard a specific message but God's grace and sacrifice for us should never get old.
No matter how good we think we are, we are all spotted with sin. We’ve burdened ourselves with it, with every wrong choice we’ve made. Sin destroys the things we love, our hearts, and our lives. Yet the God who created us wants us in spite of it. So much so that He willingly gave His most precious Son to unburden us of that sin. Today, as we hear about God's provision to His people as the firstborns of Egypt, we’ll begin to understand the magnitude of this gift and just how valuable it is.
When the Lord prepared to bring the final plague upon Egypt, He commanded His people to do a very specific thing, a ritual sacrifice. God’s people were not going to be spared the death of their firstborn because they were sinless, far from it. In His mercy, the Lord offers a way for the people to avoid this consequence of death. As we’ll see today this ritual was not an easy task. God is just and none of us will be free from justice but He is also loving and has given us the greatest sacrifice of all.
Every clap of thunder, every flash of lightning, is a warning that a storm is coming. Every plague brought upon Egypt was a warning as well. In this part of Exodus, we'll see how God slowly reveals His character with each new plague, not as a harsh tyrant but that of a merciful father offering chances for repentance. The Lord's justice isn't based on what we deserve, as we see through His grace throughout the whole scripture. The evidence of that grace isn’t limited to past events but runs throughout our lives.
The plagues that afflicted Egypt were immense and punishing. When you take in just how intense these events must have been, it's such a wonder that Pharaoh's heart continued to harden against Moses and the people. Then again, it's not really that hard to imagine. As individuals, as a nation, as a world, we feel powerful. We describe ownership to everything which is a denial of the Creator. With every hardship though we can be crushed and feel powerless, then our eyes may recognize Him.
You know when you're trying to find a radio station, and it's sort of cuts in and out until you end up with static? When you land on the station you want it's clear and in tune. Today Pastor Ricky will speak about how God reveals Himself in ways that will tune us into Him. In Exodus with the plagues, God is restoring His people back to His glory. Though the means seem harsh, we will see God's heart and what it says about His character. Today He is still proclaiming who He is and we need to respond.
As a little child, your idea of grandeur is somewhat limited. You may remember a friend's house as a mansion only to realize as an adult that it was a two-story house while yours had only a ground-floor. In comparison to God's plan for our lives, our perspective is that of a child. We may have desires that go unfulfilled because the Lord has a greater purpose for us, a life that we can't even imagine for ourselves. Today we will see God's people struggle with their inability to trust God's plan and promises.
When you’re in the thick of it, it may seem impossible to see the forest for the trees. That's where we are in Exodus today, when Moses and the people are being even more oppressed by Pharaoh. It feels like there's no way out. Even Moses will begin to waver, wondering why all this is happening. But God is great even when we’re wondering about the next chapter in our story. We may feel stuck on a particular page but He has already written a happy ending for us.
God is not only a sovereign God but He is a holy God who gives us exactly what we need. The Bible tells us that we are sinners and because of that sin, we’re hopeless. We can't save ourselves. God is eternal and God can save us. No one else except for Him, through his Son Jesus Christ, can save. Jesus went to the cross for you and for me. He is the hope that we need. He will save you from your sin so the question is, do you know Him?
Today we’ll learn five characteristics of God. We will hear from the book of Exodus that God is the exact God that we need but not always the God that we want. He is in control. He is a sovereign God. When we suffer or go through a difficult time this should provide peace and comfort. Often we don't know what to do or how to fix the situation however, the God who is Sovereign over all things has everything under His care. Trust in Him today.
Today we are reminded of just how bad the Israelites were treated. The Bible says they were reduced to severe slavery. They were crying out and groaning to God. It then says that God heard their cry and remembered his covenant with Abraham. God hears your prayers as well. God knows your sorrow, He knows your circumstances. When you cry, He's listening and He's ready to keep His promises to you. Turn to Him.
Today Pastor Ricky will teach about groaning. We might groan because we've been sinned against, or we might groan because we have sinned. In today's message, we will hear that Moses committed a terrible sin. Therefore Moses fled to a new land. Moses thought he'd escaped his sin but in actuality, it cost him to groan for something more. Moses was groaning because he was not home. Moses did not belong to the land where he found himself just like we really don't belong here.
The Old Testament is really about Jesus. Jesus is a better Adam, He is a better Noah, and He is a better Abraham. Jesus was and is the solution that we need. He's the solution that God had for us all the way back in the Old Testament. After sin entered the world it became morally bankrupt. However, God loves His people and wants nothing more than to be restored with them. Therefore, He has a solution. The solution is Jesus. Will you accept Him today?
The Old Testament is really about Jesus. Jesus is a better Adam, He is a better Noah, and He is a better Abraham. Jesus was and is the solution that we need. He's the solution that God had for us all the way back in the Old Testament. After sin entered the world it became morally bankrupt. However, God loves His people and wants nothing more than to be restored with them. Therefore, He has a solution. The solution is Jesus. Will you accept Him today?
God's promises do not fail. He is a God of relentless grace. Today Pastor Ricky will show us that this is the theme throughout the Book of Genesis. We will hear that it started with Adam and Eve, went to Noah, then to Abraham. When sin entered the world humanity became weak. However, God has always had a plan. His plan is to bring Redemption to His people and restore them to Himself. Therefore He showers His love and grace down upon us and keeps His promises.
If you have pride in your heart, you may approach scripture with an attitude that you think you know better in certain areas, or you simply find it hard to listen and obey. Yet as Pastor Ricky will point out today, that as you approach scripture humbly and receive it as authoritative, you'll get to know God more deeply and as you get to know God, you'll grow in wisdom and faith. If you see God as He is in His Word, you'll recognize how much you need Him to speak to you. Receive the Word of God with reverence daily.
Do you live your life trying to do certain things or avoid others in order to get the attention and favor of God? Well, the Bible is clear. The Lord looks with favor on the humble. It's not about trying to find the magic formula of religious activities but instead, it's about recognizing yourself rightly in relationship to God. Today Pastor Ricky will emphasize the importance of having a contrite heart and humility in recognizing your need of God. The Lord offers grace and forgiveness. Turning to Him is the only way to be saved.
There is a deep longing in believers for the new heaven and new earth the Lord will bring someday. Conflict, violence, and hurt will be replaced by peace, love, and harmony. Looking ahead to this should bring you great joy and hope as you wait. Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you to look forward to this future made possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice, believe in Jesus as your Savior and King. When you know that that future is there and is certain, it should transform you and strengthen you in all you do.
When you look toward the future on earth, there's often fear of what might happen because this world is a broken place. Because you can't control all things, you might have a dread deep inside about what will happen to you or those you love. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is preparing a new heaven and a new earth for all believers that replaces terror with blessing. You'll have peace because you'll have nothing to fear and the nearness of God will be better than anything you can imagine.
When you look toward the future on earth, there's often fear of what might happen because this world is a broken place. Because you can't control all things, you might have a dread deep inside about what will happen to you or those you love. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is preparing a new heaven and a new earth for all believers that replaces terror with blessing. You'll have peace because you'll have nothing to fear and the nearness of God will be better than anything you can imagine.
Underneath all of the longings that you have for your life, there's a deeper longing to be in relationship with the Lord. It's how He created you. Yet you are even unfulfilled in that because of sin. You can never bring yourself closer to God in your own efforts. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how you must come to the end of yourself, acknowledge your sin and ask Him to act, and the beautiful news is that He will. He sent Jesus to bridge the gap between our sin and God's holiness and to bring all people back into a relationship with Him.
There is within each person a fundamental longing. Believers and non-believers all long for love, safety, peace, and honor. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how God created everyone to long for these things from Him. God can uniquely and fully love and protect you because of who He is. He created you for a relationship with Him. Instead of turning to the world for these things that you long for and excluding God, turn first to Him. He'll fulfill all of your longings in amazing ways and transform your heart.
For the believer, this world is not your home. There's something much greater to come. God calls you to live differently than the world while you're here in the world. Pastor Ricky explains today that you should feel a bit restless as you long for eternity to come. He encourages you as you give up desires and lose things you love to remember that every loss will be redeemed more than you can even imagine. Have the perspective that the good to come will far overshadow anything you lose now. God will restore all things on that day.
The world today lives for the here and now, wrapped up in all the pleasure and comfort of the moment. Yet Isaiah encourages God’s people to fix their eyes on eternity instead. There's something much better to come. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to have God’s longing for the full salvation of His people. Yes, you experienced a bit of salvation life now, but the complete glory and righteousness to come are more than you can imagine. Creation will be redeemed completely. You’ll be fully restored and perfect for eternity.
Despite what the world tells you, God is bringing His people to a great and glorious future. Even if you struggle to believe you are worthy of a God using and desiring you, He promises a beautiful gathering of all who believe. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain some of the glory to come. God will carry you to perfect completion and righteousness. The Godly will triumph over this world and ultimately the glory to come is better than you can even imagine. Don't give up on your Christian walk. The future to come will be amazing.
Do you ever wonder if this Christian life you’re living will ever go anywhere? You might feel doubtful based on your ability to live in obedience. You may struggle to believe because the world seems to be victorious. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is bringing His people to glory. God's people reflect His glory and God will gather all people for a beautiful complete family. Instead of wondering where this journey of faith is going, just know and believe it’s going somewhere good.
Do you feel like you're on the outside of the family of God? Like it's for someone with a better past or a Christian upbringing or for someone with good Bible knowledge only? Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you greatly with the truth that God made a way for all outsiders to be welcome in the forever family of God. Don't buy into Satan's lie that you don't belong and exclude yourself. Bring your messy lives and come to God through faith in Jesus. He longs for you to believe. He welcomes you into His family forever.
All of humanity, because of sin, is wicked. Every person has chosen to reject the Lord by choosing sin and for that, death is deserved. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain that God, who is righteous, must bring justice to the world. Yet instead of judging them rightly and simply wiping out all people, He sent Jesus to bear the weight of all sin on the cross. Jesus willingly chose to give His life in exchange for your redemption and forgiveness. He paid it all. He completed the work. Will you accept His perfect sacrifice?
Jesus, exalted in heaven from before creation was equal to God in righteousness and holiness. He gave that up for a time to come humbly to earth. He lived a poor and unknown life instead of the exalted, honored life that He deserved. Today, Pastor Ricky will discuss the incredible exchange that Jesus made in order to come to earth, containing His awesome power within a human man. He was rejected and despised and He endured a cross of punishment for the sake of all mankind.
Are you afraid of what people will think of you or change the way they treat you if you live your life according to Jesus’ values? You may experience mocking or rejection for holding fast to your values from God’s Word. However as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, the world's values, opinions, and ways will fade to nothing and only God will remain. Christ was mocked and rejected yet is exalted and in glory. You too will experience rejection but if you hold fast to Jesus you’ll also experience the glory that only He can give.
Sometimes it feels hard to muster the desire to continue following the Lord. Circumstances are hard, emotions are out of control and God may not be immediately stepping in. You may even wonder if you'll have the strength, endurance, or perseverance to continue on. Yet Pastor Ricky will remind you today that if you follow the Lord and rely on Him, then your resources will never run out. In fact, they'll grow in your life. You'll have more strength, more hope, more resilience, as you move forward.
God gives you good things in life that can quickly and suddenly become warped into idols. Instead of pointing to the goodness of God, it ends up pulling you away from God. Idols can't deliver you, save you, or help you in any way but there is good news. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain that there is a way to deliverance and redemption and that's through Jesus. You must however acknowledge your sin and idols to God who desires to forgive and to save you. Recognizing God is the only source of abundant life now and eternally.
Do you long for the renewal and refreshment that God can bring to your life but continue to feel dry and barren? Then as Pastor Ricky will explain, perhaps you're too reliant on idols in your life. All the things that you devote your heart, mind, and hopes on, that are not God, actually lead you farther from true peace. Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine what idols you’ve placed above God or what things you've shaped for your purpose instead of God's purposes. None of these things will give you abundant life and transformation.
Are you feeling weary and unfulfilled in this life? Often what you look for to renew or revitalize you leaves you more discouraged than before. Today, Pastor Ricky will remind you that only God can bring new abundant life in a way that nothing else can. He brings transformation to you through the Holy Spirit within you. The Spirit will empower and fill you to cause you to become more like Christ. He's like water in a dry desert to your soul. When you seek Him, He will refresh you, and renew you, and fill your life with Himself.
When you’re bruised and damaged from trials and pain in this life, the help the world offers is empty. All the self-help books, meditation, positive thoughts won’t do for you what the Lord God offers to do for you. Pastor Ricky will explain today the tenderness in which God cares for you. God sees the justice needed throughout the whole world but He also sees and knows your hurt. He's a personal and intimate savior who deeply loves you. He will tenderly restore you. He will strengthen you to continue in this world.
Idols. They're not just statues of gold that you worship. They are in fact anything you worship, serve or elevate above God. You may seek joy, peace, comfort and justice in an idol, you'll eventually become enslaved to it. Yet, it's completely empty and useless. Today, Pastor Ricky will reveal that Jesus is the only good, powerful One who can and will accomplish all things like joy and peace in your life and heart. What He gives is lasting and strong. He won't leave you empty and disappointed but fulfilled and satisfied.
It's easy to believe, after failing the Lord again, that maybe this time, God's plan or purposes would fail. The enemy will try to convince you that you've ruined all God intends to do. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, because of God's faithfulness, all of His plans will be accomplished. And amazingly, He will still use you as a part of what He's doing despite your flaws and failings. He’ll remake you, bit by bit, and lead you in amazing ways towards fulfilling His purpose if you cling to Him in humility and repentance.
God’s people time and time again turned away from Him despite prophetic warnings and discipline. So God sent His people into exile with their enemies. But the miracle of the story is that God didn't leave them there. He didn't abandon them. He came to them after their failure in discipline and offered them comfort. As Pastor Ricky will remind you, He reminded them that they were still His people and He was still their God. Despite any of your failures, He still loves you and He still longs for you to return to Him.
Every leader both in the world and in the Bible have failed and will continue to fail. However, there's one man who never failed. Only Jesus is perfectly seamless and good. Only Jesus will forever do what is good and right. Pastor Ricky will remind you today that those leaders who truly seek to live under Jesus's rule and reign, and who seek Him above all other things, will be strong. Only by relying on His power and righteousness can you lead well. And thankfully God uses flawed but faithful people in amazing ways.
One thing that the Bible clearly demonstrates is that all humans fail. All of God's leaders failed God and their people, even the good ones. Humans are weak and sinful, even when you believe in God. Yet His plans and promises still stand despite all of the human failings. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to recognize the imperfections of those in a place of leadership in your life. Don't place your hope and trust in them. God must be your object of trust. Trust Him, obey Him and continually return to Him when you fail.
Sometimes in the middle of crisis, it's hard to see the Lord. Is He even with you? Does He really have control? Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you with the truth of God's promises. His power is unmatched by anything in the world. His wisdom far surpasses even the wisest people. When you really think about who the Lord is, you see He alone is trustworthy. Trust the Lord to act even before you know if He will. You must trust and believe in God's goodness to know that He'll act in a way that is best.
When the world is trying with all its might to convince you to turn to the world for comfort, it's a test of sorts to see if you’ll give up trusting God in that moment. Today, Pastor Ricky will demonstrate how the good kings of Judah, especially Hezekiah, turned immediately to the Lord in crisis. Instead of being swept away with fear and doubt, he sought the Lord. This is a call to you today. Don't pull away from God in scary moments. Instead, moment by moment, turn to Him. Remember His works and who He is.
In a moment of crisis, where will you turn? The world will try to convince you to give up on God and to join them. The world is against God and pressures you as a believer to turn away from trusting God, the only thing to trust is the tangible invisible things, not God or His promises. Yet today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to recognize the lies you hear in the world and remember that God is the only solid thing that can hold you together. He is the only source of hope and strength and the only one worthy of trust.
Everything you experience in this world has the power to cause despair and hopelessness if you allow it to. However, there is a better way to experience life's big and little circumstances. If you can, bit by bit, daily learn to trust the Lord. He will prove himself faithful and trustworthy. Pastor Ricky will encourage you today with many reasons why God is worthy of your trust in all circumstances. If you remember that He's never been defeated by the enemy and is for your good, you can continue to grow in trust of Him.
When you face attack, or pain, or desperation, where do you turn for peace and security? Often people think that inward peace and safety from the outside will come from money, friends, or knowledge but you can't find it with some desired results or a certain feeling. Pastor Ricky will explain today that you can only find peace and security in the strong city, dwelling with God through faith in Jesus where the walls are your salvation and Jesus is your righteousness to enter. Don't turn to anyone or anything else.
Life is hard. Death is tragic. Because in the garden man chose to sin, death entered creation yet thankfully that's not the end of the story. Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you with the hope available to those that have put their faith in Jesus. He, as God, paid the penalty for sin and death is no longer victorious. Because He rose from the dead, He conquered death and took away its power. Because of His resurrection, you can have hope in the eternity to come. All pain will be gone. Every tear will be wiped away.
People react to the reality of death in different ways. Some may avoid the topic altogether, some try to numb themselves against it, and some fight. Death is a reality that God never intended for humanity. Pastor Ricky reminds you today that death reigns in the world because of sin. Humans chose to rebel and the consequence of sin is death, individual physical death and spiritual death apart from God. His justice demands it. However, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, death is swallowed up forever in the end.
Admitting you're wrong and confessing sin is a difficult thing to do but as God disciplines you and you recognize areas of sin in your life causing this discipline, you may desire to repent. However, as Pastor Ricky will point out today, trying hard to change, working to be better, will not work. It's not good enough and you're not strong enough to change on your own. The true way to salvation, forgiveness, and change is through Jesus. He alone can do what you can't. Through the Holy Spirit, He will transform you.
When you find your way by visual landmarks it's difficult to navigate when the things that you rely on are hidden. You become completely lost. God’s people oriented their life around God for a time but began to lose sight of Him because of turning away and choosing sin. As Pastor Ricky will point out today, they no longer had God as their guide spot and reference point in how to live their lives and they became quite lost. Don't lose sight of your Savior. Frequently, continually orient your life around Jesus.
There's no source of power on this earth that can ever compare to God and His infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. Pastor Ricky will explain today how God can and will strike down the things that people put their trust and hope in, in this world. But He is harsh for a good purpose. He tears down false security so that you'll turn to Him for security. He strikes down earthly wisdom so that you’ll trust Him entirely. He can take away everything in your life that draws you away in order for you to recognize that He is all you need.
Political power, national strength, or a good economy can cause a country or an individual to feel invincible. These things give a false sense of security, strength, and comfort. But today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine what you put your trust and hope in. Does your joy and stability ebb and flow based on the state of your environment? None of these things have any power and none can save you. God may strike down these false sources of power in your life in order to draw you back to Himself.
If you live your life seeking your own honor, glory, comfort, and desires you’re building up a kingdom of self, instead of building the kingdom of God. It's satisfying and impressive for a moment but God promises that it will not last. Today, Pastor Ricky will instead encourage you to seek to live your life building up the kingdom of God and glorifying His name instead of your own. God's kingdom is worthy. It alone will last into eternity. So take up your cross, live a sacrificial and humble life to bring honor to Him.
Babylon is representative of people in great rebellion against God. In essence, Babylon is the kingdom of self that humanity built in opposition to God. Today Pastor Ricky explains this kingdom this way, it's self-reliant, self-focused, and self-exultant. It's important to frequently examine yourself to see what kingdom you’re building in your life. Are you willing to live sacrificially? Will you seek to build up the kingdom of God at all costs? Like Babylon, the kingdom of self will not last. It will end, not in glory but in the grave.
If God were only just and not loving, all of humanity would be doomed to be eternally separated from Him. The great news however is that Jesus came to earth and took the punishment of humanity’s sin to satisfy God's holy justice. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to now take this good news and make known His deeds and proclaim His glory. Share what He's done in your life and how He's transformed you. This is news that the world needs to hear. It's what God can and will use to bring others to Himself.
There's a spectrum of good news. There can be sort of good news and then there can be really, really good news. The better the news, the more that it changes your life. The news of the cross and resurrection of Jesus is so very good that it'll change your entire life and eternity. Today Pastor Ricky will explain the good news that God's anger has turned away from the sin and rebellion in humanity because of the sacrifice of Jesus. This news has the power to change you from the inside out and transform your life.
There is so much brokenness and pain in the world today. Since the first sin in the garden, creation has caused terrible destruction. Yet humans deeply long for a king or power to come in and make things right. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how Jesus is the king that everyone longs for because He alone is good, powerful, and wise enough to change anything in creation. He’ll judge justly, help the powerless, and destroy all evil and He'll bring true everlasting peace to all of creation.
God has created mankind to worship. In true unbroken creation, you were made to worship Him. However, in our broken sinful world, it's easy to long for and worship everything but God. Today Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine who or what you put as king and priority in your life. The worldly things you trust to secure you, the people you hope will rescue you from pain, and the values you trust to guide you, will all betray you. Only God is worth giving your whole life to. He is good, faithful, and worthy of your devotion.
When you see the evil and injustice in the world, do you get angry? Anger can be right and appropriate. God doesn't oppose all anger but as Pastor Ricky will warn you today, you must be careful. Humans are sinful and what begins as righteous anger that reflects God’s justice can quickly turn to sin. Even the unrighteous anger in your heart is the same as murder, according to Jesus. As you see evil yes, be angry because it goes against God but keep it in check and don't allow it to fester into sin.
God created the world good and perfect as a reflection of Himself. He's holy and full of love for His creation. Yet humanity chose to turn away from God to do evil. This spread wickedness to all of creation. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how it's because of God's holiness and deep love that He responds in anger towards evil. If He didn't respond to sin with anger, He wouldn't be good, He wouldn’t be holy. It’s impossible for Him to be unmoved by sin. He can't do nothing. He must get rid of sin forever.
Accepting the anger of God presented in the Bible can be a barrier to the unbelieving world. Actually, God’s anger and wrath can even keep believers away from passages explaining this aspect of Him. However as Pastor Ricky will point out today, God will use His anger towards sin to wake up His people and to cause them to return to Him. Because all creation has sinned, His response is anger towards that evil. This anger towards sin proves that He's good. He will not let that which ruins His Creation to forever continue.
All people will eventually have to stand before the Lord and face Him. He will either be your sanctuary or the rock on which you’re smashed. Today Pastor Ricky will explain that if you fear the Lord and trust Him as your Savior, He’ll be your safe sanctuary both now and forever. You have nothing to fear in this world. Put your hope in God, not in the enticing things of the world. He reigns and is in control of all things. Go to the Lord first. Go to the Lord often. Seek Him when your world feels out of control.
It's difficult to not let fear overwhelm you when the scary things of this world are threatening to undo you. God is calling you to look to Him as the most prominent and important thing in life and to honor Him as holy, and mighty, and all-powerful. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to worship the Lord, be humble, and acknowledge God is king and judge over all. There's nothing out of God's control. Seek to follow and please the Lord and let that be your first concern, above the circumstances around you.
In an effort to keep his people from panic, as trouble began to surround them, God through Isaiah communicated truth of who He is and the truth of their circumstances. Pastor Ricky will challenge you today to not fear your current situation and a future that hasn't happened without including God in your thoughts and desires. He encourages you today to recognize the power and might of God that far surpasses anything that the world has for you. Don't allow your thoughts to run away with the what-ifs, instead seek God.
It's quite miraculous and remarkable that anyone could ever be saved. As sinful and as depraved as humanity is, everyone deserves destruction from God who is utterly holy and righteous. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, the truth is that God initiated salvation for mankind. He needs nothing from man. Yet He revealed Himself, not to punish and condemn but in order to save man. He offered Himself to take away all of your sins and He gives you righteousness in exchange.
The reality of man is the tendency to think that life is all about you - your hopes, your plans, your needs, your pain. The Bible is often viewed from this perspective as well. How can it benefit you? But ultimately it's about God, His Holiness, and His plan for creation. You'll discover today with Pastor Ricky that once you recognize the reality that God is holy and reigns in glory, you'll have a joy, freedom, and purpose in making much of God. You're meant to find fulfillment and satisfaction in Him alone.
Which would you rather have, a ring lollipop or a real diamond ring? A toy car or a real one? Today, Pastor Ricky shares that the things you cling to for security are just cheap imitations of the real thing that God offers. When He takes those weak substitutions away, He replaces them with what He alone can provide. God longs for you to have something far greater than you would get for yourself. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants to give you an amazing life that's filled to the brim with His presence.
What do you count on for stability in your life? Where do you turn when things are shaky? Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider your answer to those questions. As you study today’s passage from Isaiah 2, you’ll learn that God took away the things that the Israelites were leaning on for their sense of security. He did this because He loved them and He wanted to help them. Pastor Ricky invites you to discover that these earthly things will never be able to give you the peace and stability that you find in God.
You hear stories all the time about people being rescued from scary situations, like accidents or fires. In today's edition of Better News Radio, Pastor Ricky encourages you to let Jesus rescue you from the consequences of your choice to go your own way. Because you're secure in His love and grace, you don't need to be afraid of God's judgment. You’re safe in Jesus. Pastor Ricky reminds you that Jesus opens the door for you to have a relationship with God and to live in peace and hope.
People were devastated when the stock market crashed in 2008. The sudden loss of financial security caused some to spiral into depression and despair. What people thought they could count on disappeared in an instant. Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider what you are putting your stock in. Are you relying on the Lord for your security and your identity, or are there other things that you're hoping will sustain and comfort you? Today you’ll learn that God and His ways are the only stable foundation for your life.
Can you imagine driving home one day when all of a sudden your car falls into a giant sinkhole that opened in the ground? What you thought was stable fell away in the blink of an eye. Today Pastor Ricky cautions you that you could be building your life on things that can't hold you up in the long run. Like the ground over a sinkhole, these things will fail you leaving you devastated in hurting. Pastor Ricky shares that following God's plan for your life is the only foundation that you can trust.
Everyone wants their life to matter in some way, to have purpose and meaning. As you continue in today's study of Isaiah, Pastor Ricky invites you to explore God's vision for humanity. You'll discover that you can count on the fact that God will actively move in the world around you. When you live with the anticipation that He'll show up, your life becomes an adventure. Pastor Ricky shares that God wants you to join Him in the things that He's doing. Partnering with God in this way will bring you joy and purpose.
Every two years, the Olympic Games bring together people from all over the world. For those few days, athletes from every corner of the earth put aside their differences and gather together in an amazing display of diversity and strength. Today, Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants all people to know Him and to love one another. He's broken down the barriers that separate you. Because of Jesus, you can live in peace and unity with everyone. Not just for a few days, but for all time.
Some people are just good at giving gifts. They always seem to know the perfect thing to make your day. Well today, Pastor Ricky shares that God loves giving you gifts that will change your life. You’ll discover that not only has God made a way for you to have a relationship with Him through Jesus but He's also made it possible for you to live at peace with other people. This gift of reconciliation has paved the way for you to break through barriers so that you can experience true community with others.
Parents typically know when their kids are trying to butter them up and sadly, the sweet words and unusual helpfulness, they lose their meaning when a child uses them to try and get what they want. Today, Pastor Ricky shares that God feels the same way about how you interact with Him. As you’ll hear, God doesn't like it when people only do things, even if they're good, because they want something from Him. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants you to walk closely with Him and love the people around you.
If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you’ve had the privilege of seeing the earth from a whole new vantage point. This shift in perspective allows you to understand the world around you in an entirely new way. As Pastor Ricky begins a new series in Isaiah today, he challenges us to let the truth in this study shift our perspective. Just like looking out of an airplane window, the Book of Isaiah can help you live your everyday life with a new outlook, making a difference where the rubber meets the road.
There's always forgiveness available for those that have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that even though God will forgive us when we sin against Him, it doesn't necessarily mean we won’t suffer the consequences of that sin. There is a reason God has given us boundaries and commands us in His Word. It’s to keep us safe, to keep us on the straight and narrow path. When we decide to venture off the path that God wants us on we will eventually suffer the consequences.
It's been said that sin will always take you farther than you want to go and keep you there longer than you want to stay. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he’ll be exhorting us to confess our sins to God as well as to confess our sins to one another. The temptation to sin always comes along with the temptation to keep it in the dark and a secret. Just like Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned, we too have this same tendency.
As Pastor Ricky continues his series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be reminding us that although sexual attraction is important, there's much more to marriage than sex. We were created to glorify God and to be well-pleasing to Him first and foremost. In our culture, sex is everything. We see it in commercials, we glorify it in conversation. And although sex certainly is a gift from God, sometimes we tend to elevate it to be even more important than pleasing God.
Contrary to popular belief, you were created by design and we're not some cosmic accident that evolved from a primordial soup into an intelligent being. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to live for the Lord and to glorify Him with our bodies because we were created in His image. We are held to a high moral standard of holiness because we are to imitate God as His dear children. If the devil can convince people that they evolved from animals, people will start acting like that.
Just because you don't suffer the consequences of your sinful activities or behaviors right away doesn't make it any less sinful and detestable to God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through Proverbs, he'll be encouraging us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. We need to be careful not to allow certain images into our minds. We need to be cautious against playing with sin because sooner or later it will destroy us.
Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us to guard our hearts with all diligence. Now, clearly, this command within Proverbs isn't talking about guarding our literal, physical hearts. This is talking about guarding the seat of our emotions and thoughts. The Apostle Paul challenged the church to take every thought captive that is contrary to Christ. Some of the ways we guard our hearts is by obeying the commands of Jesus and not allowing ourselves to be deceived by false teachings.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be challenging fathers to properly reflect the image of God the Father. It's a great privilege to be a father but so often many fathers have low standards of what being a good father looks like. The standard is properly reflecting God, the Father, to their children. Satan is busy at work trying to humiliate the position of the father of the home. If the enemy can bring down the father, he can begin to bring down the rest of the household.
There are so many avenues that a child could receive information and perspectives on life. The most important place a child should be taught about life is their Godly counsel from their parents. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how important it is for fathers to step up and impart Godly wisdom to their children. If fathers aren't raising their children up in the ways of the Lord the world will teach them the ways of evil and in this evil age, fathers need to be even more diligent than ever before.
Jesus is called the Prince of Peace and for good reason. Jesus is the only person who can bring peace and joy into our lives. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us of all those things we tried filling up our souls with in order to obtain a sense of peace and rest and how Jesus satisfied our longing by His presence. The Holy Spirit brings love, joy, and peace to the children of God. As we abide in Jesus, The Vine, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
The biggest lie that Satan tells us is that it's easier to give in to the world system and that satisfaction and peace can be achieved apart from God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, we’ll learn how peace can only be obtained by receiving salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. The only way we can have peace with God is if we receive the grace of God by faith. Sin is a temporary fix. It doesn't provide peace. Living for the Lord and obeying his commandments brings true peace.
Imagine you're in the mall and a voice comes over the loudspeaker warning everyone to evacuate immediately because of a fire in the building. If you truly hear what the voice is saying, you will make your way to the closest exit. And if you don't, if you don't believe what's being said, you'll keep shopping. Wisdom is much the same way. She's calling out to us all the time. The question Pastor Ricky will ask is this, are you listening?
A quick perusal at your local bookstore will reveal a large market for obtaining wisdom. Gurus and the like, make claims about secret sources of wisdom that can only be unveiled by them. Today Pastor Ricky will demystify the source of wisdom. Friends, it isn't complicated. Wisdom is found in the word of God and the author of the word of God is God Himself. While God certainly can use wise people around us to impart wisdom, getting it from the source is truly the best option.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Do you desire wisdom? Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that in order to become wise we need to have the fear of the Lord. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Having fear of the Lord is having an honor of God and a reverential awe of who He is and how He's sovereign. Having a healthy fear of God is understanding that all life is being held together by His hand and that He is almighty. We need to have respect for God the Father. And He’ll bestow His wisdom upon us.
As Pastor Ricky begins his new teaching series through the Book of Proverbs he'll be encouraging us to obey the wisdom of God that was penned through Solomon. Solomon was known to be the most wise man that has ever lived. Solomon asked God for one thing and he asked for wisdom. One of the things that is greatly lacking in today's culture is Godly wisdom. The best way to be wise is by reading the word of God and applying it to our everyday lives.
The brokenness of this world is becoming more and more obvious. Sin is increasing all around us. We can see the effects of it daily. Pastor Ricky will encourage each of us to wake up and realize that this world is not worth living for. We must live for an eternal higher prize, eternity with Jesus.
Right now, though it's hard to completely understand, each of us will live forever. Of course not in our current state but everyone will live eternally. The question is where will you spend eternity? Today we’ll learn that the answer to this question lies in another. Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
The amazing truth that we’ll discover with Pastor Ricky today is that God isn't concerned with quantity. He's concerned with quality. It’s not about how much you give, it’s about why you give. What has He entrusted you with and are you using it for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom?
Stop and ask yourself, what have I been entrusted with? What gifts has God given me? When you have those answers, the next obvious question is, how can I use what is God’s, that He's entrusted to me, to further His kingdom? Living with this question constantly at the forefront of your mind brings blessing.
Have you ever really stopped and asked yourself that question? The answer is fairly simple. Nothing you have in your life, including your very life itself, is of your own doing. Everything that you have, all that you are, is because of the grace, and mercy, and goodness of the creator of the universe.
Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do you have a desperate need that you're unable to provide for your family? In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us that God is able to meet our needs and deeply cares about our circumstances. Abba Father did not spare His only Son in order to provide salvation for mankind. Since Jesus freely gave His very life for us, how much more will He give to us when we have a true need? Therefore we should pray for our daily provision and have faith that God will provide.
The Philippians church though poor were known for their amazing sacrificial generosity. It's through the gifts of this special church that the Apostle Paul was able to do his ministry work. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that when we give to God we're actually partnering with Jesus in the advancement of the gospel. Pastor Ricky also points out that when we give using our temporary means, we rack up for ourselves exciting eternal rewards where rust and moth can’t touch our prize.
Have you ever been around an ungrateful person? It's not fun to hang out with them because well, their attitude reeks. In today's message, Pastor Ricky encourages us to be content with our station in life. God wants us to have joyful, grateful hearts that reflect Him. The way to be content is to find our strength and purpose in Jesus Christ. When the Lord is at the center of our lives, we can be content in all circumstances for we know that He is our provider and that He deeply cares about us.
We live in a time and place of great blessing. Americans enjoy unprecedented prosperity. We have cell phones, food of all kinds from all over the world, machines to wash our clothes, cars to get us to and from wherever we want to go, and houses to keep us safe, dry, and warm. Despite these many blessings, discontentment can ruin our peace. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that the secret to contentment is gratefulness. We must remain thankful for all the Lord provides in order to avoid selfish grumbling.
We live in a world where anxiety, depression, and worry are running absolutely rampant. However, Jesus doesn't want us to spend even one minute in needless worry. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us how to gain our peace back by following the instructions of the Apostle Paul. First and foremost, we need to maintain an attitude of gratitude. When we’re thankful for all that God does for us, it helps us gain a heavenly perspective. Secondly, we should focus on good and pure things instead of what ails us.
Are you struggling with conflict with another brother or sister in Christ? In today’s message, Pastor Ricky encourages us to commit to resolve conflicts by agreeing in the Lord. Division and strife have no place in the body of Christ. When we're at war with each other, we are behaving just like the unbelieving world. However, as the church functions in unity and love, the world will recognize the Holy Spirit at work and be drawn to Christ. Put succinctly, they will know we are Christians by our love, not by ugly unresolved conflict.
Our fallen flesh has an unending appetite for wickedness and sin. Scripture warns against using the grace of God as an opportunity to indulge the flesh. In today's message, Pastor Ricky challenges us to deny our sinful natures in order to follow Christ. When we submit to God’s will, we don't leave room for the flesh to control our behaviors. Our bodies are the temple of God and should be used in His service. Therefore, we must die daily to our selfish will in order to become more and more like Jesus.
We live in a digital age when solid Biblical teaching is literally at our fingertips. While this is a blessing, there's an inherent danger in gaining knowledge without application. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that simply reading Christian books and listening to sermons doesn’t lead to spiritual maturity. Instead, we must actually apply what we learn. This requires discipleship and leadership by example from church elders and mature mentors. In other words, instruction shouldn’t just be taught, it should also be caught.
The Apostle Paul wrote that he considered everything as lost in order to gain Christ. In today’s message, Pastor Ricky challenges us to ask the question, “Would we give up all things for Jesus?”. If anything in this world, be it a job, a relationship, or a dearly held reputation, if it comes before a relationship with Christ, we fail to recognize the value of a personal walk with Jesus. Further, if we don't bow our knee to the lordship of King Jesus will be held accountable on Judgment Day for our disobedience.
Saul of Tarsus had a very impressive resume. He came from an upstanding Jewish family, had the best education, and as a Pharisee enjoyed the respect of his peers. However, when Saul met Jesus on the Damascus Road, he gladly gave up all of his worldly prestige for the joy of knowing Jesus as Lord. In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us that having a personal relationship with Christ is more fulfilling and brings with it more joy than any poultry thing this world has to offer.
There are many people that are deceived into believing that their goodness or their acts of kindness will earn them a place in heaven. The Bible says that nothing could be further from the truth. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that all of our religious works, church attendance, biblical knowledge, and human effort can't earn us a right standing with the Lord. The only way we can have a relationship with Jesus is to trust in the free gift of salvation through faith. Put simply, we can’t earn God’s grace. We simply receive it by faith.
There are many people that are deceived into believing that their goodness or their acts of kindness will earn them a place in heaven. The Bible says that nothing could be further from the truth. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that all of our religious works, church attendance, biblical knowledge, and human effort can't earn us a right standing with the Lord. The only way we can have a relationship with Jesus is to trust in the free gift of salvation through faith. Put simply, we can’t earn God’s grace. We simply receive it by faith.
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the debt for our sin and made us right with God. In other words, we no longer have to work through toil, piety, and obedience to try and earn a right relationship with the Lord. Instead, we approach the almighty God by faith in Jesus alone. In today's message, Pastor Ricky uses the words of the Apostle Paul to warn us against the temptation of legalism. When false teachers try to persuade us back into the bondage of religion, we must cling to our trust in Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice.
Do you feel empty inside? Are you always striving for happiness and never seem to find it? In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that those who thirst for something more can find living water in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who drink of the Lord will never thirst again. God, the author of life itself, is able to feed our hungry souls with His truth and love. Through the power of His resurrection, Christians can know without a doubt that they have eternal life with God their maker.
Where do we find life fulfilling joy? Sustained joy doesn't come from houses, careers, or earthly relationships. These things while blessings can only buy us temporary happiness. They can’t sustain us in difficult seasons. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that true joy comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. God is the one that can give us peace in the midst of the storm, love when we feel rejected or unlovable, and comfort and joy even in seasons of trial and pain.
The love of God is overwhelming and perplexing. In this life, we just simply can't understand it. The idea that the God who created everything, from a microscopic level to the scale of the galaxies cares for us, is mind-boggling. As we continue to examine the book of Philippians with Pastor Ricky, we're reminded of this shocking reality. We may not ever understand why God loves us but because of that love, we can live lives that bring Him glory and draw the people around us into His incredible grace.
Vulnerability is crucial in the life of a believer. First and foremost, we make ourselves vulnerable before Christ, acknowledging that we are weak and need Him to empower us. Secondly, we need to open up and recognize our need for fellow believers. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today's message, we need to be honest about our shortcomings and bravely reach out to our brothers and sisters, to walk alongside us and provide accountability and guidance as we see Christ together.
Many of us love to complain. It may be over the actions of others or the way the world seems bent against us. If we really want to, there's no shortage of material to fuel our grumbling. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through Paul's letter to the Philippians, we’re reminded what our speech should sound like as believers. Complaining doesn't belong in that speech. No matter how bad it may seem, we can view it as an opportunity to rely on and glorify Christ despite the circumstances.
We live in a dark, broken world. We were born into it and our lives were full of sin before we met Christ. We didn't have to clean ourselves up and make ourselves righteous for Him to love us. He saw us in our weakness and had compassion on us. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, when we accepted Christ's gift of salvation, He came in and started to change us from the inside out. He is light and as we surrender ourselves to Him we reflect that light more and more brightly.
Many believers have fallen into the trap of allowing the cross to become just another Christian symbol. We see it at the front of a church perhaps, on our walls at home, and many wear it around their necks. It's become just a cultural icon. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, when we cease to be shocked at the intense sacrificial love that was expressed on the cross, we need to take a step back and survey our hearts. It’s truly incredible what Christ did for us on that tree.
Living for Christ goes beyond avoiding sin and sharing the gospel with the people around you. To follow Jesus means to take on His mindset. As Pastor Ricky will explain in today's message, Jesus humbled Himself to our level, and even lower to bring us freedom. His entire existence as a human was one of humble service. When we take on that mindset, there's nothing too low for us. From inconvenience to outright suffering, we should be willing to go great lengths for the people in our lives.
Most of the decisions we make in life naturally stem from a desire to do what will benefit ourselves. In our families, churches, or workplaces, how often do we take the time to think about how a choice might harm or benefit those around us? As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through Philippians in today's message, we’re challenged to step outside of our selfie culture and start living lives that are focused on serving Christ and others over our own interests.
In our selfie culture, many are preoccupied with putting on a good face and making themselves lovable. We take pictures of ourselves in our most ideal moments and then plaster them all over social media, painting a picture that says life is perfect when in fact it's far from it. As Pastor Ricky examines today's passage and how it applies to us in our culture, we’ll learn what it means to live outward and upward. Our lives will feel so much more fulfilled as we surrender ourselves to Christ and His mission in this world.
Being a part of God's kingdom will cost us. It's comforting to dwell on the positive aspects of living as citizens of the gospel but the truth is we can expect suffering and hardship to be an unavoidable part of our journey. As Pastor Ricky examines what it means to live as members of this eternal kingdom, we're reminded that while we experience pain and persecution, we can have joy in knowing that our lives are bringing glory to Christ and spreading the life-giving knowledge of His kingdom.
Jesus himself commanded us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God’s. We’re to be good citizens in the country we dwell in. This means respecting the laws in so far as they don't contradict scripture. As Pastor Ricky continues to explore the first chapter of Philippians in today's message, we are reminded of our greater citizenship. As believers, we’re members of God's kingdom. His kingdom is one of grace, love, and justice and those values should govern every aspect of our lives.
Giving up everything probably sounds horrible to most of us. If we're honest with ourselves, we love our stuff and because we love stuff, we live lives that are preoccupied with getting more of it. Yet, even when we get that new car, or TV, or whatever that thing may be, we find ourselves longing for more. As Pastor Ricky examines the example of Paul, we’re reminded that there is only one way to find true and lasting joy and contentment. That is when we let go of everything until the only thing left is Christ.
Wow, those are some powerful words. Something deep down resonates when we hear that Christ is worth more than all of those things that are so valuable to us in this life. At the same time, our desire to serve self makes us question that statement. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today’s message, when we start living in a way that acknowledges the insignificance of our most prized possessions, relationships, or goals, it will result in a radical change of focus from serving self to all-out service to our Savior.
Because of sin, mankind has inherited death and as a by-product, the fear of death. Entire industries have sprouted out from this common anxiety. We try so hard to find ways to prevent or at least delay this inevitable part of life but as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, for believers death does not represent the end but the beginning of a glorious eternity with our Savior Jesus Christ. We may not look forward to the process and pain of dying but just as Paul explains in today's message, it's all worth it for the sake of Christ.
All of us encounter difficult situations that drain us emotionally or even spiritually. Not only does that destroy us but it also imprisons us by preventing us from seeing a way out. Do you know who can save us? Today Pastor Ricky discusses how God is able to break any chain in our lives. Even if it seems like there's no other option, you can have confidence in the fact that our God is the Redeemer and will always come to our aid. Through Jesus who gave His life on the cross to atone for our sins, God saved us all.
Humans tend to be selfish a lot of the time. We just consider our own interests and we prioritize ourselves over assisting others but does God call for us to do that? Pastor Ricky tells us in today's lesson how we can start putting others’ needs ahead of our own. When you put others needs before your own you become righteous in God's eyes and receive benefits in accordance with your deeds. God will reward you and provide for your necessities if you help those that are around you in need.
Have you ever had a toy that you cherished but you lost it for some reason? After searching for it for a while you will do whatever it takes to recover it. Do you realize how much God values you and sees you as His priceless possession? Pastor Ricky describes today how God has protected you from eternal death. Jesus, God's only son, was sent into this world to die on the cross in order to atone for all of our sins. We can now have a relationship with the Father and experience eternal life thanks to Jesus.
Have you ever encountered a challenge in life that leaves you on the verge? It affects your emotions as well as breaking you mentally. Difficulties often creep in when you choose to walk in God's path, even if you are a believer. You might even start to doubt God's judgment. Today Pastor Ricky explains how God shields you under His protection. You can always cry out to God for assistance when you have nowhere else to turn and you can trust that He will always keep you safe from all danger.
When challenged, humans always have the tendency to back out of their commitments. We make an effort to maintain our word but all too often we fall short. But does God think that way too? Pastor Ricky shows us in today's message how God always fulfills His promises for your life. He's not only pleased but He also confirms you of that commitment to you when you search after and remind Him of His promises for your life. God only wants what is best for your life. You just have to rely on His grace and His promises.
Just about everybody is afraid of making a significant life change. Whether it's doing something they have little experience with or moving forward in a relationship. But we frequently want to talk about how kind God has been to us. Does that apply to us specifically? Today Pastor Ricky explains how you might develop a dependence on God's goodness. You can put your trust in God and follow through when He instructs you to take a daring move. You can feel His kindness in your life when you take that risk.
There's days in life when we simply feel like everything's going our way. Our daily lives become more positive as a result, in addition to boosting our self-confidence. Is it a coincidence though? Pastor Ricky tells us in today's message how you can experience God's goodness in your everyday life. You might believe that you have exceptional luck but in reality, God is showing you kindness. God only wants what is best for your life. He voluntarily chooses the route that He wants you to go.
Quite often we hear in church about God's generosity. The Bible describes how God is merciful to the Israelites and He's constantly meeting their needs but have you ever really been touched by God's kindness in your life? Pastor Ricky discusses in today's message how you might benefit from God's love. You can feel God's kindness in your life when you decide to trust Him in the midst of the challenges. In addition to guiding you through the difficulty, He also showers us with His unfailing grace.
It can break our hearts when things don't turn out the way that they should. We begin to feel down and unmotivated. We start to think negatively and we anticipate problems at every turn. But is that what God intends for you to believe? Pastor Ricky shares in today's message how God wants you to always have hope. You can start to live a life of hope and stop thinking negatively by starting to believe in God's rescuing power. God always makes up for your suffering. Faith in Him is all we need.
Quite often we want to demonstrate our faith in God by going to church on Sundays, participating in church events, and reading our Bibles. Our relationship with God is pretty good until a challenge enters our lives. We can tend to lose faith in God when the enemy puts us up against a difficulty. Pastor Ricky explains in today's message how we can boost our confidence in God. Even though we experience challenges in this life, we can always maintain our faith in God because He will deliver us in them.
The book of Acts recounts amazing occurrences of the Lord through the apostles. Pastor Ricky wants us to realize that we too are filled with that same amazing power. The Holy Spirit power was also given to us when we came to know the Lord. We have been given this power that can bring dead men to life. We’re to go out and tell people about the change that's happened within us. Why would we keep such an amazing power a secret? Be encouraged today that you Christian, have that power.
Jesus came and paid for our sins. He is our King, our risen Lord, and our Savior. When you're commanded by authority to do something, you do it. When you're asked to do something by someone you love it isn’t a burden, but a blessing. We’re told by Jesus to go out into all the world and share the Gospel. This is commanded by our King and lovingly told to us by our Savior so our response should be immediate and done in love. The sharing of the Gospel should be a blessing and reveal Jesus.
Emmanuel, God who is with us. As you listen to today's message from Pastor Ricky, he explains to you that God is a God who draws near to you. He's not someone who's far removed from the things that worry you and cause you to stress. Pastor Ricky emphasizes that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. Anyone who believes in Him doesn't just journey in this life alone. They have the power of Christ dwelling within them. Jesus is near to all of His followers. With Him, you're never alone.
Emmanuel, God who is with us. As you listen to today's message from Pastor Ricky, he explains to you that God is a God who draws near to you. He's not someone who's far removed from the things that worry you and cause you to stress. Pastor Ricky emphasizes that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. Anyone who believes in Him doesn't just journey in this life alone. They have the power of Christ dwelling within them. Jesus is near to all of His followers. With Him, you're never alone.
As believers, it's easy to forget what God's gift of grace should mean to us. We know that He covers us and that He's saved us by the sacrifice of His Son, but do we truly live it out each and every day? In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that if you want your relationship with Christ to flourish, then you need to remain steadfast in His perfect grace. When you choose to live a grace-centered life, everything else falls into place. Experience the wondrous things that God has in store for you by living a grace-centered life.
When was the last time you felt empowered by Christ? In your faith journey it's easy to feel like a sideshow or disconnected from what God's doing. In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to rest in the power that you have through Christ. There's nothing that you can do to separate yourself from His presence. He wants nothing more than to build you up in who you want to be. Stop pretending that you have it all figured out and let God transform your life like never before.
Do you have an emphasis on prayer? Do you make a point to remain in communion with God, or do you treat prayer as a casual way to communicate? Today Pastor Ricky explains that you need to treat prayer as an intimate way to connect with Jesus. He wants nothing more than to connect with you and all you need to do is remain in communication with Him. Be that person that you strive to be by letting God be the leader of your life. You will never achieve your goals without His promises.
When you gave your life to Christ did you give it all to Him? We love to be close to God and we know that He'll always have our back but do we truly sacrifice ourselves for His sake? In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to be a living sacrifice for Jesus just as He gave his life for you, you'll never get to where you want to be by dancing around your commitment to your faith. Take the leap today and make impactful changes to who you are around others. Be a vessel for change.
In your walk with Jesus, have you ever felt tested in your faith? Have you ever felt unsure of who you are in Christ? Today Pastor Ricky explains that you need to remain steadfast in God's glory. No matter what's been happening in your life or how disconnected you might feel from Him, He wants nothing more than to usher you into His kingdom. Never stop seeking after Him and claim your place in eternity. The joy of serving the Lord will always satisfy more than any of the promises that this world has to offer.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Ephesians, he'll be exhorting us to work as though we're doing it unto the Lord. The Bible says whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. Purpose to renew your mind and realize that wherever God has placed you, it's because he wants to use you to minister to those around you. Don't allow yourself to behave and act differently at work than you do at church, or at home. You should consistently be a witness.
God desires that you owe nothing to anyone and that you pay off your debts so you can have financial freedom. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that everything we have has been given to us by the grace of God and we should be looking to bless others. It becomes significantly easier to be used by God to help others with your resources and money when you don't live beyond your means and remain debt free. Have you been a good steward of the money, time, and resources that you've been given?
God is a God of order and He's created the family structure to function specifically to how He's created each individual. Husbands are to lead the family and lay down their lives as Jesus did, and wives are to submit to their own husbands. Children are to obey their parents because it'll be good and beneficial for them. All, however, are to first and foremost obey and submit to the Lord and that's when the best fruit gets produced in a home. Stop listening to the world and instead, take your advice from God's Word.
One of the most frustrating things when you're putting something complicated together is having no instruction manual, or a very poorly written instruction manual. Thankfully, for the most important aspects of our lives, we do have an instruction manual and it's the Word of God. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging you to read what the Bible has to say about how the family and home should function. The world does a really good job of telling you how things should be, but your authority is from God.
Have you ever been in a place where you think that you know more than God does? Are there ever times when you know exactly what God is calling you to but you ignore Him because you think that you know best? Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you'll never get to where you want to be by going off on your own wisdom. God has a divine plan for your life, and He only wants what's best for you. Leave the wisdom of the world behind and fix your gaze on heaven. He's always working everything for your good.
In your walk with Jesus, do you ever take Him for granted? Do you ever forget about the important changes that He's implemented in your life? In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you must never forget the impact that Jesus has on your life. No matter how hard you work or what you might accomplish, it’s all because of the grace of God. The more you forget to thank God for all of His blessings, the less you'll accomplish for His Kingdom. Remain steadfast in God's promises.
Paul has a lot to say when writing to the churches about marriage. He actually makes a point that marriage reflects the relationship with Jesus and the Church. Paul gives specific instructions to each, husbands and wives, on how to love and honor each other in the marriage. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares more about what this relationship looks like. Marriage goes much further than just two individuals, but we'll find that it's actually all about Jesus.
Sometimes we can think that Jesus is too far removed from our everyday lives. We think that He can't empathize with what we're going through, or that He doesn't know how we feel. The Bible teaches that while Jesus was 100% God, He was also 100% man, meaning that Jesus is able to identify with us on a very personal level. He's experienced the same emotions that we have. In today's message, Pastor Ricky will share how Jesus can actually empathize with our lives because He lived one.
Have you ever gotten a new kitchen appliance or maybe some new piece of tech that you didn't quite know how to operate? Most appliances come with a manual that explains everything that the machine does. The person who created it was able to give us an understanding of how to use it. In the same way, God gives us an understanding of how to go about life and to know what's true and what's not. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about using the Bible as the guide for all truth.
We all need constant reminders that we can be fully fulfilled in Jesus Christ. If we're not careful, we can start to feel unfulfilled and start looking in other places. We might try to find it in a job or maybe in another person. Ultimately, those things will never be able to fill us to the extent that Jesus does. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about the sufficiency of Christ. Jesus has all that we'll ever need but the challenge comes in trusting Him for it. One of our greatest freedoms comes from knowing that we are fulfilled.
God is in the business of restoration and redemption. Every story we read in the Bible has that undertone of redemption and salvation. When we look at our lives, we may see areas where we've messed up or we’ve fallen short, but God is constantly redeeming us. He puts us on the straight and narrow path. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about God's redemption, as well as not letting shame and regret hover over our lives. We have to embrace the truth that in Christ, we're new creations, the old is gone and the new has come.
You don't have to look far in this world to see that people are looking for the truth. One of the things that most people ask is, do I even matter? The world will try and tell you that your value comes from material possessions, or how well you do at a job. The reality is that our worth is found in Jesus. We're important enough to Jesus that He died for us. In today's message, Pastor Ricky is going to go deep into the topic of worth. When we know where our worth comes from, we can be secure.
Whenever God is at work in our lives, which is all the time, there's usually an invitation to come alongside Him in what He's doing. There's a role that we get to play in His grand plan. When we walk in the spirit and we're sensitive to what the Lord prompts us to do, then we start to see more fruit. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares more about walking in the spirit. We're co-laborers with Christ so it would be wrong to expect Him to do all the work while we sit back and watch.
Paul was constantly reminding the churches that he was writing to, to rely on the Holy Spirit for everything. When we read about all that Paul had gone through, we can see that he endured a lot of hardship. He encourages the church that his joy isn't found in his circumstances but that it comes from the Holy Spirit. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares more about what it looks like to have joy from the Holy Spirit regardless of our circumstances. When we seek the Holy Spirit for help, He loves to step in.
If you've been in the church for a while, you might have come across someone who's pessimistic or skeptical about the gifts of the Spirit. When thinking through the nature of God, we should be very careful to not box Him in. When we allow ourselves to keep the wonder of God, He'll usually meet us. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about the different heart postures that we can have when it comes to the Holy Spirit. This is a good heart check that we should all have from time to time.
There's always a purpose when God does something. He didn't just give us the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of power. Any demonstration of power through the Holy Spirit is supposed to be for the purpose of being a witness to the gospel of Jesus. When we see the gifts of the Spirit moving, we should be able to use them to point people toward the gospel and what Jesus did. In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares the importance of us being bold believers of Jesus.
The disciples walked with Jesus for three years. They had seen Jesus perform countless miracles. Jesus even empowered some of them to do the same so when Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come and bring them power, they knew the kind of power that He was talking about. Sometimes we fail to realize that the same Holy Spirit that empowered the disciples, is the same Holy Spirit that empowers us. In today's message, Pastor Ricky will be sharing about the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.
Do you feel like the things in life are just too difficult to carry? Or maybe you're just grinding your gears in life and you wish there was more purpose? Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, you can experience a life-changing transformation, and you can find direction purpose, and hope in your life. The Holy Spirit can guide you through life's challenges and help you become a part of a community of believers that love and support one another. When you follow the Holy Spirit, He guides you to great things.
Have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions but not really living? Or like maybe in a Technicolor world, somehow your life is in black and white? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares how being alive in Christ means having a sense of purpose and direction. It means being a part of something bigger than yourself, a community of believers who love and support one another. Jesus offers us life and life abundantly. When you follow the Lord, He will provide.
Have you been searching for answers trying to find your way in life but nothing seems to work? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares how the Lord has a plan for your life and that He's calling you to follow Him. When you obey God, He meets you with His power and His power is more than enough to guide you through life's challenges and to lead us to our true calling. But what does that mean to obey God? Well, it means putting your trust in Him and following what He says. It means surrendering our plans and giving them to Him.
Do you ever get the feeling like you're stumbling around in life, not really sure of what you're supposed to be doing? It's like something's missing but you're not really sure what it is. Well in today's message Pastor Ricky shares how we're not meant to navigate life alone. We were created to have a relationship with God and it's only through Him that you can find true purpose and fulfillment. When you spend time with Jesus, you open yourself up to His wisdom and guidance. He knows your heart and your desires and He wants to lead you in the life that you were meant to live.
Do you ever feel lost, scared, or alone? Have you made mistakes in the past that make you feel like you've fallen too far from grace to be redeemed? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares how no matter what you've done, or how far you've strayed, you're never not in need of God's grace and you're never out of reach of God's grace. God's love is always there for you waiting to welcome you back with open arms. The beauty of God's grace is that it's freely given and it covers all of our imperfections and mistakes.
It can be a difficult and humbling experience to face the mistakes and imperfections that we all have. But Pastor Ricky shares today that if you confess your sins, that God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we acknowledge and repent from our sins, we open ourselves up to a new life that's full of hope and freedom. The journey of confronting our sin isn't an easy one but it is necessary for true transformation and a deeper relationship with God.
Do you feel lost or uncertain in life? Are you struggling to find direction and purpose? In a constantly evolving and complex world it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn but in today's message Pastor Ricky shares how if you truly love the Lord, you'll follow Him. When you truly love the Lord and obey Him you open yourself to a life of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. You find direction and clarity in your decision making and you become more resilient in the face of adversity.
In a world that's constantly changing, it can be difficult to find your way. With so many conflicting messages and values, it's easy to feel lost and unsure of what direction to take. But in today's message, Pastor Ricky shares how the Bible is the perfect source of wisdom and guidance. It's timeless truths and powerful messages are just as relevant today as they were when they were first written. If you're looking for practical advice on how to live a fulfilling life, the Bible has something to offer.
Are you ready to make a difference in the world? As Christians, we're called to be the example of the love of God. So how can you possibly imitate the love of someone who loves you eternally? In today's message, Pastor Ricky shares about how Christians are called to be an example of the love of Christ. You'll learn how Christ loved by reading the Bible. You’ll learn about the life of Jesus and how He unconditionally loved everyone. The Lord’s love is the reason that you're here so share it with others.
Are you tired of living in a world that's filled with hate, bitterness, and division? In today's message, Pastor Ricky talks about how Christians are called to walk in the love of Christ. What does it mean to walk in love? It means being kind, forgiving, and patient even when it's difficult. It means extending grace to others just as Christ did for you. It means choosing love over hate and choosing to see the best in others, even when they fall short. When you share the love of God, you give light to others.
Normal isn't the word you use to describe a Christian’s life. Oftentimes it's anything but that. But no matter what, it's always the best life - a life with the Holy Spirit giving you strength when you're weak or exhausted, hope when you're lost, peace when you're anxious, and the power to do whatever it is that God calls you to do. Pastor Ricky is going to remind us today that even though it's not always guaranteed to be easy, a life with God at the center is the most fulfilling and most blessed.
Have you noticed the ads that surround the end of the year that target New Year's resolutions? No other time of year sees more failed plans and trends than just a couple short months after that. But as Pastor Ricky is going to point out today, when your life is changed and set to a new trajectory in Christ you have a strength to draw from. When it's hard to stay faithful to Him, you can find it and be renewed in the Holy Spirit. Through Him you can find courage, strength, and power to live out your faith.
If you're a believer and people around you know that you follow Jesus, how do they know? Jesus said that people would know His disciples by their love for one another and people should. Is that what they see when they see you? Pastor Ricky is going to encourage fellowship with other believers and to mutually build each other up in your walks with Christ. If you're made to live like Jesus, then you're to love everyone. He had compassion on all the hurting people around Him and that's what your life should look like too.
In so many ways Jesus was the perfect example of what a Christian’s life should look like. He was compassionate on the people that He met, He took time to be alone with God and as Pastor Ricky is going to show us today, He's gentle and loving to us. Even though He's all-powerful and has no limits, He exercised strength and authority when needed but also temperance and gentleness when needed. As followers of Jesus, that's what our life should look like.
God has amazing plans for the Christians that follow his Word and live a life that's different from the world. While it's not guaranteed to be easy, you are guaranteed to have your needs met. God won't abandon or forsake you. Today Pastor Ricky is going to encourage you to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for you and that you're meant to not just accept God's gift of salvation and then forget about it but to go out and live like you've been changed, to live like Jesus and to point other people to Him through how you live.
Nobody deserves salvation. Everyone has sinned and we've all done evil in the sight of God. We don't deserve to spend eternity with Him after going against His will. However, as Pastor Ricky is going to show us today, God still accepts us. We'll see the main message of the Bible is that Jesus came to save you and me from our sins and we have a purpose to live out once we come to know Him as our personal Savior. Everything in the scriptures points towards Jesus and what He did for you and me.
Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. They're all children of God and all part of the same family. That's why, as you'll get to see today with Pastor Ricky, fellowship with Unity in Christ. God wants all believers to live in unity with Christ and with each other. He loves to see the gathering of His people as they encourage each other in love and fellowship. God made all of us with the need for fellowship with other believers. Today Pastor Ricky is going to show us how important it is to know other believers in our walk with God. You're not meant to go through this life alone. You're a part of the body of Christ with others and everyone has a role to play for Christ.
Christians are all a part of the body of Christ. They're all children of God and all part of the same family. That's why, as you'll get to see today with Pastor Ricky, fellowship with other believers is so important. Everyone's made with the need for fellowship and friendship, whether you know it or not. God calls Christians to live in harmony with each other and to make it evident to anyone that's not a believer yet, how much love flows from your heart towards other believers. God calls us to live in harmony with one another.
We've probably all heard that story about the ugly duckling, that poor little bird that couldn't walk like a duck, swim like a duck or quack like a duck. He knew that he was different from the other ducks but what he didn't know was that he wasn't a duck at all. He was a swan. In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds you that you'll never find true identity in anything from this world. You might try to walk, quack, and swim like a duck but no matter where you think you fit in, the only place that you can be truly fulfilled is in Christ.
The world is not right. We have divisions of ethnicity, race, class, economic status, and all kinds of other things. This isn't the way that it's supposed to be. We're not supposed to be at odds with each other over who's better and who's not. We were never meant to live that way. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches how we got this way and where restoration can be found. The problem isn't new. It's actually been around since the very first humans, Adam and Eve, but how can things be put back right?
Have you ever heard of FOMO? It's an acronym that stands for Fear Of Missing Out. How many of us have this fear of missing out so much that it causes us to be control freaks? We go around in life taking control of everything because we're afraid of what we might miss out on. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that you need to let go of that fear and trust that God has the perfect place for you in His plan. It might not be what you've expected but do you really want to miss out on what God has for your life?
It's very true that for most, if not all of us, in our own minds we're the center of the universe. We're constantly hearing and seeing messages like ‘Live your best life’ and ‘Be all that you can be’. The world really encourages us to view ourselves as the main character in life. In today's message, Pastor Ricky gives you a shift in thinking from the book of Ephesians, chapter two. Instead of you being the main character, you'll see how the universe truly does revolve around God. The story is really about Him.
Doesn't that truth leave you profoundly in awe of God? There is nothing at all that we've done or can do to earn the love of God. Actually, we've earned His wrath and judgment, but He still loves us. Today in his message, Pastor Ricky will unwrap that great mystery, why would God still love us? The Bible says that you were God's enemy. You had turned your back on Him and yet God chose to come and enter human existence and die on a cross for you because of His great love for you. What an incredible mystery.
Do you ever find yourself questioning if people really are that bad? There's got to be some people who are good enough, right? The gap between us and God isn't really that wide. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky is going to dispel that notion. The Bible says that there's none good enough on their own, but that truth should bring you more hope. It’s by God's grace alone that you're saved. There's nothing that you can do to earn God's favor. You don't have to strive for perfection. God has filled that gap.
Have you ever imagined people coming to be led into the gates of heaven? You probably have that picture of Saint Peter like an eternal bouncer checking the list to see if people should be let in or not. Have you ever thought that that picture was kind of harsh and unmerciful to those that are turned away? Well in his message today, Pastor Ricky offers up a different way to look at that scene. You were running towards hell, but God graciously invited you to come with Him. With arms wide open, God chose you to be with Him.
Do you sometimes think of God's grace as meeting you halfway and saving you? It's easy to think that you aren't really all that bad or deserving of death. Maybe you were just struggling to tread water a little and God pulled you up and saved you. Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us of the incredibly powerful truth that we did nothing to deserve God's salvation. You had nothing to do with your own salvation. You were completely destitute and dead in your sins. It's God that brought you from death to life.
You probably don't equate yourself with God, but do you sometimes forget just how different He is? In your mind, do you try to attach human qualities to God that don't really belong? He's infinitely different from us. In his message today, Pastor Ricky will impress on you just how completely distinct God is from us. His ways are higher and His knowledge is so much deeper. You can't even begin to grasp the mysteries of His love or justice and grace. It’s important to remember that God is God, and we are not.
As Christians, how often do we truly bless others? It's one thing to say bless you to a panhandler on the street, or to someone who has just sneezed, but it's an entirely different thing to say in the name of the Lord. In today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to be proactive in blessing others just as Paul did almost everywhere he went. You need to see every moment as an opportunity to bless the Lord. The more you sing His praises and raise up blessings in His name, the more fruit you'll bear.
In your faith journey, do you ever take time to simply rejoice in the Lord? Do you take time out of your day to praise His name, or do you just save it for when you attend church? Today Pastor Ricky explains that you need to make a joyful noise unto the Lord in everything you do. The more you rejoice in His good tidings, the more of a witness you can be to the rest of the world. It's important to be serious about who you are in Christ but you also need time to let your hair down and simply rejoice in the Lord's greatness.
As a Christian, when you're going about your daily routine, do you ever lose sight of the Lord? Do you ever turn on the autopilot and focus only on getting the things done that you don't want to be doing? Today Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you need to treat every moment as an opportunity to serve the Lord. There's always going to be those parts of life that are mundane and seemingly not a mission field but those are the exact moments where God wants to use you. Let Him do mighty things through you.
In your walk with Christ, have you ever gotten so caught up in your own story that you forget what God's done in your life? Ever get so focused on what's going right, or what's going wrong, that you forget about God's promises? Well in today's message, Pastor Ricky wants you to know that you must never forget about the free gift that God has given to you, His grace. You don't deserve it but He offered it to you for free so that you might be saved. Live your life as a sacrifice to Jesus just as He did for you.
Sometimes a life of faith can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Maybe you've been there, trying to live your life and fit in while also not straying too far from your faith in the process. You want to be seen a certain way by your peers and your friends and you think that your faith is just a little too far outside the lines of the picture in your mind. Today Pastor Ricky says that he knows how that feels and that you need to be careful. Your faith in God isn't something that can be customized to the ways of this world.
Have you ever visited a church or any other event that just seemed to have it all together? From the moment you walked through the door, everything seemed to be in its place and the atmosphere, from the people to the paint, was inviting and sending all of the right signals. Well, today Pastor Ricky says it's not about the paint color or the worship style but the heart of the people that creates the atmosphere. A heart for Jesus creates an environment that stands out in this world in the best way.
The Lord's Prayer teaches us so much about the character of God and the hope of redemption that we have in Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation not only is our past sin forgiven but we're also given a hope for a life free from sin. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, as long as we live in the flesh, we're subject to the temptations of this world. But when we allow God to lead us, He'll not lead us into temptation but further into righteousness and freedom.
When we pray the words ‘deliver us from evil’ we may picture God as an armored tank protecting us from the external forces of evil that surround us. While God certainly does offer that kind of protection, there is another danger lurking that we often overlook. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, all of us are born with sinful desires, like ticking time bombs in our hearts. We need to be alert and aware of these desires and be ready to run to Christ as soon as they rear their head.
Have you been hurt by someone? Maybe they harmed you or someone you love in a way that just seems unforgivable. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through the Lord's Prayer, we're challenged to do the impossible. It won't be easy, it won't feel as good as revenge does in the moment, and it'll take a lot of prayer and the Holy Spirit's helping hand but forgiveness is vital for all followers of Christ. We've been given an immeasurable grace and we need to extend that same grace to our debtors.
Most of us have opened a bill and found ourselves in a mild state of shock over the debt it contains. Medical bills, tax bills, loans, whatever it was, it may have felt insurmountable in that moment. Imagine if a benefactor walked up to us, took that bill, tore it up, and declared that they would take care of it. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that is exactly what Christ has done for us. He took our debt of sin, a debt we could never pay, and He paid it with His own life on the cross.
We tend to take great pride in our self-reliance. Whether it's a physical need or desire, or a spiritual one, we prefer not to ask for help until it's absolutely necessary. While this may seem like an admirable characteristic, it doesn't fit well in the life of a believer. As Pastor Ricky examines the Lord's Prayer in today's message, we're reminded of God's great providence and our dependence on Him. We may manage to get by on our own for a little while but before long our strength will run out.
Our culture strongly encourages hoarding. Whether it's food, money, or possessions, we never want to be without. Some have such a fear of not having that they even buy things that they have no intention of using simply because it's a good deal. In today's message, Pastor Ricky compares that mindset to our approach to prayer. We can't hoard God's blessings and guidance. As Jesus taught us to pray, we need to depend on God for our daily sustenance, both spiritual and physical.
We only get one chance to live a life that glorifies God. Bringing Him glory is at the backbone of living within His will. As we walk in the flesh, in this temporary existence, we have free will. We have the choice to live for self or to live for Him. As Pastor Ricky leads us through our study of the Lord's Prayer in today's message, he challenges us to surrender ourselves fully to the will of God. Will we use our time on this earth to make a name for ourselves and accrue earthly treasures, or will we live for Him?
When we pray ‘thy will be done’ do we really know what we're asking? The answer is not as simple as it may seem. As Pastor Ricky continues to explore the Lord's Prayer, he asks the question, what is God's will? We often think of His will as a secret map directing us on every life decision that can only be deciphered through years of study and prayer. Oftentimes His will is much more straightforward than that. He doesn't withhold it from us but instead offers to lead us as a good shepherd.
Whose kingdom are you advancing in your life? Are you praying for the Kingdom of God to come while making decisions and living a life focused chiefly on bringing about your own kingdom? It's a common error for many believers. In today's message, Pastor Ricky emphasizes the importance of praying for God's Kingdom. Even if we find ourselves stuck living for ourselves, praying this way from the heart will lead us toward a life that reflects the desire for that Kingdom over our own.
When we imagine the rewards of heaven, we may have a tendency to picture the mega-mansions that will be given to Christianity's great icons, famous authors, and leaders who are nearly as well known as the apostles themselves. But in today's message, Pastor Ricky draws our attention to an act just as important as preaching the gospel in front of packed stadiums. Prayer warriors are the unsung heroes of our faith. Their great work is almost never seen by others but its influence cannot be ignored.
When we die to ourselves and allow Christ to make us new in Him, we become citizens of a great kingdom. We can't realize it fully in the flesh but our actions will start to reflect the love that abounds in that kingdom. It knows no physical limitations or boundaries. From the land of the free, to lands oppressed by dictators. this kingdom reaches in and exists in the heart of believers. In today's message, Pastor Ricky urges us to actively involve and align ourselves with this beautiful kingdom.
In our dreams as children, most of us never imagined our lives working 9 to 5 at a monotonous job. We dreamed of great fantastical lies. We wanted to be heroic soldiers, princes, princesses, or superheroes. Yet at some point, most of us decided to grow up and accept reality. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, many of us do the same thing in our lives as believers. We forgo the greatness God desires for His Kingdom replacing them with plans that we deem more realistic.
So often our prayers are centered around asking God to accomplish our will. We may tack a ‘thy will be done’ onto our prayer but is that really what we want? As we continue to study the Lord's Prayer, Pastor Ricky reminds us that this prayer should reflect a state of our heart. When we hallow God's name, we put Him in a place above all else. That means His will begins to take precedence to ours even if it means temporary hardship or discomfort, it becomes our foremost desire.
When we recite the Lord's Prayer it's easy just to ramble off the words with little thought of what we're saying. Certain phrases may stand out but ‘hallowed be your name’ isn't usually one of them. As Pastor Ricky explains, this phrase is much more meaningful than it's usually given credit for. It represents setting God above all else that battles for our heart’s affection. Today's message will continue to reveal the heart of what Jesus intended when He taught His disciples this way of praying.
There are many misconceptions and false doctrines regarding prayer. The prosperity gospel teaches that if we have enough faith and ask God for material wealth and blessings, we're guaranteed to receive them. Then there are those that believe that prayer has little to no effect in this world and things will just happen as they're supposed to happen. As Pastor Ricky continues his in-depth study of the Lord's Prayer, we can gather a lot of insight into God's intentions for the gift of prayer.
Does prayer really work? It's a question many Christians don't want to ask. At its core, we want to say that we believe it does, but our lives often paint a different picture. Most of us spend very little time in prayer and it's often only a last resort. There are many different reasons but as Pastor Ricky suggests in today's message, our limited use of prayer most likely reflects a lack of faith in its effectiveness. If we really believe that prayer could influence outcomes, we would probably make it a much higher priority.
Every loving parent knows that feeling of having their child come to them scared or in need. All we want to do is help them feel safe and provided for. Most of us would quickly drop whatever we're doing and take the time to comfort them and address their needs. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, our parental love reflects the way God views His children. He loves us with a deep sacrificial love and when we pray, He delights in listening to the cries of our heart.
The gods that men create and imagine typically have power and authority in a form that men wish they possessed. These fake gods often sit on a pedestal, above their worshippers. They rarely, if ever, come down to the level of their subjects. Yet, as Pastor Ricky points out, the God of Israel loves to be amongst His subjects. He loves us so much that He endured the agonizing pain of the Cross, equating Himself with the lowest level of humanity. This type of love simply doesn't exist in the gods of man.
We were designed to have an intimate connection with God. Adam and Eve walked with Him in the Garden and talked to Him every day. The consequence of their sin was a break in that relationship. All of mankind displays an innate longing to return to that intimacy. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, it's exhibited in various forms but our quest to understand our world and the universe around us can always be traced back to that intimacy that was lost in the Garden.
One word that aptly describes our culture today would be, distracted. How many of us have spent more time watching shows or browsing social network feeds than we did reading the Bible and praying this week? As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, these distractions while not bad in and of themselves, are designed to be addicting. If our time with God is taking second place to the diversions of life, the intimacy He desires to have with us is guaranteed to suffer.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series on how Jesus is greater, he'll be exhorting us to rid ourselves of any known sin that has taken over our lives. When we choose to sin we're believing that what sin has to offer is far greater than what Jesus has to offer. Don't buy into the lie that sin can satisfy. The Bible says that sin is pleasurable for a season. Of course, sin is fun, otherwise, nobody would be doing it but the fun and pleasure only lasts for a season. Jesus satisfies the soul in the long run.
Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how Jesus turns our so-called gains in the world into losses and turns the losses we experience into gains. Jesus asked the question, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but to lose his soul? When we come to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He puts everything into proper perspective. We realize the things that used to make us feel good don't really satisfy the longing of our souls.
In today's message, Pastor Ricky compares a cultural idea of karma versus Jesus’ sacrificial love. The cultural idea of karma insists that we should receive treatment from others based on how good or bad we are but truly understanding the depth of our human sinfulness would mean that we would not earn anything good. However, Jesus sacrificially took upon Himself the punishment for which you and I were destined. Therefore, you and I receive God's love and life instead of what we deserve.
Have you ever thought about karma? In our culture today, karma can often be seen as the question of, do nice things and get nice things back or do bad and get bad in return. In today's message, Pastor Ricky discusses this cultural notion of karma which reveals the God-given ability to desire fairness and justice. If we always receive what we deserve, our sin would earn us punishment and death. But Jesus is greater than our sin and He frees us from the wrath of God, giving us grace and mercy.
In today's message, Pastor Ricky paints an extraordinary picture of the incredible scope of this universe, and knowing that this universe is so complex and vast, Paul's description of Jesus as being over all of creation is awe-inspiring. If Jesus then can rule over all of creation, He can certainly care for our lives. Isn't it amazing that the God who created all that is with His immense power, directs His attention and love toward us through His Son.
The name and person of Jesus can be polarizing in our world today. For Christians, Jesus is the center of their faith for He is God and Savior but for others in our world, Jesus and His teaching is opposed. In today's message, Pastor Ricky says it's actually a good thing that Jesus is polarizing because He's radical and it may be worse to be comfortable and complacent with Jesus. As God, Jesus is greater than the mountains and galaxies and He can radically transform your life.
Today Pastor Ricky will be warning us against building up our own cities here on earth rather than putting our trust and faith in our eternal city with the Lord. What is in your life that you hold precious that cannot be shaken? The only thing in your life that cannot be moved is your eternal destination with the Lord. Be careful to not build up your own empire here on earth rather than focusing on building up the kingdom of God. Keep an eternal perspective. The kingdom of God cannot be shaken.
If you place your hope in the temporal things of earth, you will become greatly disappointed and depressed. As a Christian, you have a heavenly city and eternal home with the Lord. You don't need to seek the things of the world to find fulfillment. Purpose to seek the city that is to come, whose maker and builder is God. You're a pilgrim just passing through this world. You should have an anticipation for eternity to come. If Christ came back today, would you be ready and excited, or ashamed?
Jesus Christ is the perfect picture of a true servant. When Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples, He took the lowliest of jobs and washed their feet. You should look at Christ’s example and purpose to imitate Him daily. Whenever you read of Jesus, you will find Him always pouring Himself out and serving His community. Are you radiating the presence of Christ in your community by your service? The only reason why God hasn't taken you home yet is because He has service for you to do.
As Pastor Ricky teaches through the book of Isaiah, he will be teaching us how the prophet Isaiah is speaking of Christ the Servant. Now that Christ lives inside of you, you're now a servant in the Kingdom of God. The Lord delights in you and pours out His spirit on you in order to equip you to further the Kingdom of God. The mission of the servant is to act rightly in accordance with the Word of God and to draw others to redemption in Christ. Are you accurately representing Christ?
There is a common thread among believers that live in fear. That common thread is that they consider the temporal more dear to their hearts than the eternal. God's purposes for you will not be frustrated. He is in control of your life. He has plans to prosper you and give you hope. The Lord desires that you live for eternity and not for the temporal things of the world. When you keep your priorities in order, your fear of losing the temporal will begin to dissipate.
The essence of the gospel is that those who should live in fear have been brought near as friends. Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of living a faith-filled life rather than living in fear. Fear is the antithesis of having faith in God. The prophet Isaiah in this text will be explaining to the Israelites that there is nothing to fear as a child of God because God is sovereign and in control of the universe. If you're battered by fear, cling to the rock that is Christ and He will give you His peace.
Pastor Ricky will be continuing his teaching on God versus idols through the book of Isaiah. Israel turned away from God and focused their attention on things that God created. The Lord is rebuking Israel in this text for not loving and worshipping Him. The definition of idolatry is loving something and giving adoration to something, or someone, more than you love and adore God. Is there anything or anyone that draws your attention and devotion away from God?
Pastor Ricky will be asking you this question today, do you place all your trust in God or in idols? Your actions will reveal if you place your trust in God. You can't say that you believe God will provide for you and then live and worry and forsake the call God has on your life in order to stock up on money and resources. When times get tough do you run to the world for comfort? Or do you turn to Christ? There is nothing that can save you and give you peace like God Almighty. Turn to Him alone.
Pastor Ricky will be teaching today about the importance of beholding our God and falling deeper in love with Him. The only way that you can become more Christ-like, the only way you can rid yourself of sin, is if you focus on Christ and His presence. When you spend that intimate time with Christ in communion, you will naturally begin to become more and more like Him. Don't allow sin to be your main focus. Have Christ as your main focus and He will enable you to live for Him.
God has created man with a longing for the Lord. Before you came to the Lord, you had a God-shaped void in your heart that only God could fill and satisfy. Now that you've received Christ into your heart, you have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, but you still have the flesh within you that tries to sway you into longing for everything other than God. Always remember your first love and pursue God. He will satisfy you.
God wants us to become disciples of Christ. He also wants us to become disciple-makers. Today Pastor Ricky will teach us that the way this happens is by living life together with others. The early church disciples would study, read scripture and pray together, Therefore as they would live life together ultimately, they would be growing together as well. Together they become more and more devoted to Jesus and more and more like Him. Who can you live together? Who will you reach out to?
Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that early in the first church, all the people were together, and God continued to add to their numbers. As they were coming to Him, God was reshaping them, He was transforming them. As they became disciples, everything they did changed. It was all built around Jesus as they were totally devoted to Him. He became their identity. We will learn that this is what God desires for us, to be so devoted to Jesus that we become disciple-makers for Him.
We’ve learned that God handed the mission of the church to ordinary people. We also learned that God gave them the power to accomplish it. Today Pastor Ricky will teach us that the way this was accomplished was through everyday life. We will hear that the people were dedicated to fellowship, teaching, praying, and taking care of each other‘s needs. As they were living life on a day-to-day basis, and pursuing Jesus more and more, people came to know Him. Is your life a witness for Him?
God handed over His mission to the church. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that it was not the leaders or hand-picked scholars of the day that the mission was given to. It was given to the church. It was ordinary people who are not impressive and even got made fun of at times. God called them, transformed them, and then sent them. The best part of all is that He even gave them the power to do the job, just like He gives you the power to do what He’s called you to do. Trust in Him.
Our mission in life is to make disciples, that’s the goal that God has for us. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that this is the most important thing. No matter what the world says, no matter what our career is or where we live, ultimately God wants to use us to make more disciples. In spite of what people thought, or in spite of what it looked like, Paul knew this. He was willing to give up what the world had to offer in order to live out his purpose from God. How about you? Are you making disciples?
Today Pastor Ricky will teach us that most people think that Paul did not have success in his ministry. He then asks us what is our definition of success, and who and what is it based on. Is it based on your own agenda or is it based on God’s agenda? We will see that although Paul’s circumstances may not have been or felt successful, he chose and had the opportunity to reach people for Christ. He was willing to give up the world’s view of success for God’s view. Are you?
Today Pastor Ricky will be focusing his attention on exhorting the leaders of the church. If you’re looked at as a type of leader or role model, or any type of deacon or pastor, you’re held at a higher accountability before God. The Bible teaches that you’re to live a life that is above reproach so that no one can have an evil thing to say about you. Is this true about your life today? What do you need to change and repent of in order to have that reflection of Christ in you? Imitate God as dear children.
Since every Christian is called to lead others to Christ, are you being a godly example and making disciples of Christ, or disciples after yourself? The false teachers are characterized as selfish and self-exalting. They’re always pointing people to themselves. Do you share any of the characteristics that define a false teacher? The best way you can discern and understand when someone is a false teacher or prophet is by studying the Word of God. Avoid false teachers and avoid becoming one.
Did you know that you belong to a royal priesthood and God desires to use you in unison with the rest of the body of Christ to further His kingdom? Every member in the church has the responsibility to act as a priest and lead others to Christ. Christ gave the Great Commission to go and preach the gospel and make disciples. It was not the “Great Suggestion”. The Lord calls you to invite unbelievers into your life in order to build relationships and minister to them. Are you being obedient?
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the church structure, what makes up the leadership, and the congregation. The nature of the congregation is likened to a body, with all body parts interconnected yet unique in purpose. In the body of Christ, some have the gifts of teaching, prophecy, hospitality, and mercy, along with many other different gifts. The question is, are you using your gifts to further the kingdom of God? You don’t need to be a leader in order to be used by God.
Preaching the gospel and making disciples is not just handing out a pamphlet with the gospel message. You’re to allow unbelievers to see the gospel demonstrated through your lifestyle, as well as the preaching of the Word. Are you laboring for the sake of those that are appointed unto salvation? Pastor Ricky will be teaching on what laboring for the sake of God’s elect looks like. It’s not always easy ministering to unbelievers, but you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on having the proper priorities in our Christian walk. Are you busy doing the good works that God has ordained you to accomplish? If the enemy can’t get you to fall into sin, he will keep you busy doing good things but not the good things that God wants you to be focused on at the time. The quality of your work is much better than having quantity. The Lord desires you to use your spiritual gifts to further the kingdom and preach the gospel.
We have seen Christ moving all throughout the gospels in the book of Acts. But now, how is He operating in the church? Christ is moving through the power of His Holy Spirit through the lives of believers. The Lord has specifically set up an authority structure in order to keep the church organized. Jesus is the Great Shepherd watching over the church but He’s also set up under-shepherds in order to look over and feed His flock. Submit to your leaders, recognizing Christ put them in this place.
We have seen Christ moving all throughout the gospels in the book of Acts. But now, how is He operating in the church? Christ is moving through the power of His Holy Spirit through the lives of believers. The Lord has specifically set up an authority structure in order to keep the church organized. Jesus is the Great Shepherd watching over the church but He’s also set up under-shepherds in order to look over and feed His flock. Submit to your leaders, recognizing Christ put them in this place.
Pastor Ricky will be finishing up his series on loving. He will be emphasizing the importance of loving the community that Christ died for. As the body of Christ, we need to keep our priorities in order. Our biggest priority should be to reach the lost and make disciples. A great way to reach our community is to look at the example of the apostles in the book of Acts. The apostles were led by the Holy Spirit to make disciples and then plant churches. Get involved in furthering God’s kingdom.
Today Pastor Ricky will be asking you the question throughout his teaching, how will you be a witness for Jesus in the community that you live in? You’re commissioned by Christ to preach the Gospel, make disciples, and be a witness in this dark, unbelieving world. Are you being the salt of the earth and a light to the world? If your answer is no then you need to repent because these commands are not suggestions. Pray, and look for open-door opportunities to reach out in your community.
Today Pastor Ricky will be emphasizing the Lord’s command to love each other the same way that Christ has loved us. The apostle Paul says that he who is spiritual should restore such a one that has fallen with gentleness. You should love to the point where you will exhort and love other believers toward repentance. When some believers correct someone, it's often in the spirit of self-righteousness, not love. Do you care about others enough to sacrifice your time and energy and reach out?
Do love others as humbly as Jesus loves others? The Lord loves you regardless of merit and regardless of your status. Jesus said and by this, all will know that you are my disciples by the love you have for one another. We’re all sinners saved by grace so we have no good reason to love others with respect to their merit. If you have a problem having unconditional love for others, it may be because you don’t understand God’s unconditional love for you.
The story of Jesus calming the storm and bringing freedom and healing to the demon-possed man, reveals the character of God. How could you not fall madly in love with Jesus? Pastor Ricky will be continuing his teaching on the character of Christ and falling more in love with Him. the man that had been demon-possessed begged Jesus that he might go with Him. For many believers, following Jesus becomes an obligation, not this man. He fell in love with Jesus.
When the disciples asked Christ what laws they should keep, Jesus said to them, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength”. All the commandments are summed up in this. In this text today, Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of falling in love with the real Jesus. Many people worship a Jesus that they make in their own image, a Jesus that they’re more comfortable with. Are you worshipping the Jesus of the Bible or an idol you’ve made?
You have nothing to fear. You may tell yourself that but sometimes the heart is hard to convince. As Pastor Ricky will encourage you in today’s message, you don’t have to be afraid of anything in this life. Even the ultimate fear, death itself, has lost its power for those that Christ has redeemed. Though you may feel sadness for those you leave, death is not a loss as a believer. But instead, it's simply a transition into a glorious, eternal existence in direct communion with your Savior.
Pride is a dangerous sin. It's a subtle and effective tactic of our enemy. He convinces you that you know better than God. You may experience some small success or victory and he convinces you that your own reason or feelings are to be credited and trusted to guide your decisions. As Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Herod, this man took pride in his position and supposed that he was as powerful as God. Ultimately, he met his fate just like all of us do and his weakness was exposed.
So much of what goes on in this world is beyond your control, nearly everything in fact. Really the only thing you have any say in is your response. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through our study in Acts, we witness a vulnerable, seemingly helpless church in the midst of trial. With Peter imprisoned, it would seem that God wasn’t actively working but that’s not true. As we walk through this spiritual warzone, God is working and ultimately He will win even if it doesn’t look like it at the moment.
If you claim to be completely impartial you’re lying to yourself. No matter who you are there is someone or some people who may rub you the wrong way. Maybe you just find yourself annoyed more easily or perhaps it's a seething hatred. Either way, it comes from a place of sinful partiality and it doesn’t belong in the church. As Pastor Ricky reminds us, our God is perfectly impartial. If you can’t bring yourself to interact with a certain group or person you need to surrender that attitude to the love of Christ.
Are you so stuck in your biases or regulations that you have trouble seeing Christ at work? What would you do if a new believer stood up in church and delivered an authentic but explicative laced account of what Christ is doing in their lives, or perhaps invited you out for drinks following a service? Not to condone foul language or alcohol use but as Pastor Ricky asks us in today’s message, is your first response offense to someone breaking the rules or do you rejoice over someone who is on a new journey with your Savior?
Why is it that the Church so often reflects the weaknesses and dysfunction of our culture instead of the unity and strength found in our Savior? Our culture is pushing for unity and tolerance but it’s going about it the wrong way. We allow the dividing lines of culture to cut through the church and foster hatred in our hearts. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today’s message, we should be known for our love. That love is one that looks through weakness and sees Christ in the least amongst us.
We are all guilty of this. Even the most tolerant people if they dig deep down, they can find prejudices mostly likely towards those people they deem to be intolerant. As Pastor Ricky continues to examine the way that Jesus moved the church forward following His ascension, he challenges us to start moving toward the unifying love and grace that characterizes the kingdom of God. Stop building walls between yourself and “those” people and instead try inviting them to the table with you.
You were marked as unclean the moment you entered this world. Even before you were conscious of it, you were sinning. You were placing self above others and especially above God. In doing so you built up barriers and justified your own sin and selfishness while judging others' worth based on their sins and differences. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, Christ brings an end to all of that. He makes you clean and makes anyone who asks clean. In that abundant grace, you can find unity.
Prejudice isn’t always based on color of skin or geographic origin and it can range from a subtle bias to a raging anger. As Pastor Ricky warns in today’s message, this area of your heart and life tends to be one of the last ones to be addressed as you seek to walk in holiness with Christ. Instead of getting defensive or distancing yourself from a specific group that makes you uncomfortable, examine your heart and pray for the love and grace of Christ to flow from you to all people.
You may not feel like your salvation experience is comparable to Paul’s. As a fervent Jew, he was a devout enemy of Christ who experienced a dramatic and abrupt conversion. Maybe your actions and life weren’t so overtly anti-Christ but all of us were enemies of Christ at one time. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, no matter where you come from your story is a beautiful one of grace and redemption in Christ and you should celebrate it by sharing that grace with those around you.
Paul had encountered many Christians in his life, many of them devoted believers willing to suffer and die for their Savior. You’d think that would have been enough to turn him but it wasn’t. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, it’s vital that we bring people to Jesus. Paul had to encounter Christ firsthand to change his heart. You don’t need to present 7-step plans or gospel cubes, those might be helpful aids at times but ultimately you need to show Jesus to the world around you.
Sometimes, even as a believer, you might be more of a hindrance to the gospel than a proponent of it. Maybe it’s allowing your old selfish nature to come through and overtake your new nature. Perhaps it’s trying to apply your own wisdom in presenting the gospel instead of surrendering to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to work in and through you. Whatever form it may take, as Pastor Ricky explains in today’s message, there is good news. Christ specializes in using imperfect vessels.
Your life should be one of mission. If you’re a believer, you’ve been called to carry the gospel. For most of us that doesn’t mean training to be in full-time ministry as a pastor or foreign missionary. As Pastor Ricky explains in today’s message, you have a mission right where you are. Your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors need Jesus and you may be one of the only believers that they know who is willing to step out of their comfort zone and share His love with them.
From the moment Jesus took His first breath in the flesh, He faced opposition. He was the reason that Herod committed one of the greatest atrocities recorded in scripture, the massacre of thousands of innocent children, all in an effort to stop Jesus. Throughout all of His earthly ministry and in the thousands of years since, His church has faced heavy opposition. Yet as Pastor Ricky points out, it has just kept going and growing despite all of this because God is at work in it.
Leadership doesn’t just happen from a stage. Only a few people are genuinely called to take on that role. But there is so much more to the church than just listening to songs and sermons on Sunday morning. It is a refuge for the lost and a base of operations for spiritual rescue teams that go out to offer hope to the hopeless. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today’s message, embrace your calling to servant leadership. Whether you’re in the spotlight or not, you are important and necessary in this body.
Our concept of a successful church is quite a bit different from the early church as we’ll encounter in today’s passage. When we see a church whose numbers are steadily increasing, requiring a bigger building or new satellite congregations every couple of years, we assume that that is a truly successful church. But as Pastor Ricky points out, attendance alone is not a good measure of health. An easy message coupled with fun music can bring in crowds but you have to ask, are true disciples being made?
There has been a movement amongst some Christians to take a militant stance against the lost world. Whether it's through the ineffective use of memes on social media, picketing, or politicking, this approach doesn’t mesh with Jesus’ sacrificial love. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, if you’re truly living out your faith, you will face opposition but in the midst of that, it’s important to remember that your real enemy is not flesh and blood but forces of Satan at work in the hearts of man.
Jesus thrives in the face of opposition. If you look at cultures through the centuries that have outlawed Christianity, you don’t see a pattern of people abandoning their faith and dying out in that place. It's in those places where the enemy is hardest at work that Jesus comes to life in the hearts of His followers and spreads like fire. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, while the battles of life will continue, Jesus has won the victory and His kingdom is actively growing in this world.
The gift of public speaking is a powerful one. People can be persuaded to good just as they can to evil. Emotions can be stirred to anger, sorrow, or joy. But the gospel doesn’t require this gift to be effective, its power is in Christ. As Pastor Ricky continues our study of how Jesus has been at work since His ascension, he reminds us that the apostles, Peter included, were not generally well-educated or trained in the art of public speaking. Yet through them, God has had an impact on millions of people.
Most religions of the world dictate what you have to do in order to attain God-like status or favor with God. This puts you in a place to boast of your own self-discipline and commitment. That’s not how Christianity is supposed to work. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, your only boast should be in Jesus. Your salvation isn’t based off of anything that you did. It only required that you trust in Jesus and He did everything else to bring you into right relationship with His father.
God can, and sometimes does, work supernaturally to meet a need or provide healing. But as Pastor Ricky challenges us to ask in today’s message, how often do you pray for someone in need knowing full well that you have the resources to help them? Keep on praying, that’s good, but ask yourself if God might want to use you to facilitate that miracle in someone’s life. As a member of His church, a physical extension of Christ in this world, you need to be open to act when God gives you the opportunity.
Like the Israelites as they wandered freely in the desert or Peter as his gaze shifted from Jesus to the waves he was walking on, how quickly you forget what God has done for you. He has cleansed your soul and given you freedom from the power of sin. He has healed physical and emotional wounds for countless people throughout history and He’s still doing it. Yet as Pastor Ricky points out in today’s message, so often our focus is only on the problem instead of the one who will rescue us from it.
We like to make things as efficient as possible. The number of people we can reach with the least effort is a common fixation for many churches. That's not wrong, we are called to spread the gospel to the ends of the world after all. But as Pastor Ricky points out in today’s message, Jesus didn’t seem to be concerned with efficiency. Instead of prioritizing big crowds or the rich and powerful, He would take the time to stop and interact with individuals, especially those that society had overlooked.
The story that plays out in the book of Esther is one that begins with impending doom for an entire people, it ends instead with their victory over their intended destroyers. It’s remarkable to watch the intrigue and behind-the-scenes dealings of a real-life drama playing out before our very eyes. Pastor Ricky will be teaching about the providence of God and how His hand works in our lives even when we can’t perceive Him. It’s beneficial for us to pay attention to history because we can learn from it.
We all like celebrations, right? So did the Israelites. It’s interesting that God mandated not just solemn assemblies like the Day of Atonement but also joyous ones like the Feast of Tabernacles where people camped out and ate for a whole week. Pastor Ricky will be teaching from the book of Esther focusing on the creation of the feast called Purim. He’ll be showing the importance of remembering events through celebration and how these lessons from the past apply to us today.
It can definitely be vexing to observe injustices being done around us and it’s hard not to get frustrated with God in those regards. We want justice and we want it done now. At those times, it's best to listen to Pastor Ricky. He’ll be teaching about the importance of our submitting such frustrations over to God and understanding that His timing will always be perfect. He also is the only just judge because He knows all of the circumstances as well as the heart of those involved.
As Christians, we believe that what the Bible tells us is true. It indicates that in the last days, there will be a final judgment. Although that’s sometimes not a comfort at this present time, it is comforting to know that God has not turned a blind eye to what’s occurring. Pastor Ricky will be teaching from Esther, emphasizing that God is indeed watching over all and is keeping track of what men are doing. He alone will be the final judge and His verdict will be final.
So often we see people get away with doing bad things, and that’s frustrating to us. We see people getting away with crimes without any consequences. It seemed like the same thing was going to happen in the story of Esther. Haman was planning to kill all of the Jews and no one realized it. But as Pastor Ricky will be teaching, God knew all about Haman’s plans and He had already put His own plans into motion. And as we’ll learn, God’s plans included appropriate justice for Haman and preservation for the Jews.
We all have different stories about how we came to saving faith. The undercurrent in all of them though is God’s grace in showing us our need for Him and then providing the faith necessary to receive His son’s salvation. The story of Esther is in many ways a foreshadowing of our own redemption. Pastor Ricky will be teaching about how Esther and the exiled Jews’ deliverance by God is a precursor to our own rescuing by God. He’ll also teach us about God being the final arbiter of justice.
So often it’s hard to see God working in our lives. Maybe we’re looking for something obvious, like being able to see angels stopping out-of-control vehicles. The truth is, God works most often than not behind the scenes. We only see His hand after the fact. Pastor Ricky continues teaching from the fascinating story of Esther where we’re allowed to peak behind the curtain as it were. In this story, we can observe all the players involved and watch God orchestrating circumstances for maximum effect.
All around us, we see bad men and women prospering seemingly without a check on their actions or behaviors. It’s really frustrating and we wish for justice to be done to them and for them to be stopped. Pastor Ricky will be continuing to teach from the story of Esther where we find a similar situation. Pastor Ricky will be reminding us of God’s sovereign will and how He has the final say in all matters. This should be encouraging to us despite the aggravation we often have to endure.
It’s difficult, or even impossible, to conceive how good can come out of accidents or disasters. We hear the verse that Pastor Ricky quoted and wonder how that can even be. It’s difficult, or even impossible, to conceive how good can come out of accidents or disasters. We hear the verse that Pastor Ricky quoted and wonder how that can even be. Surely the Israelites in exile asked themselves what good would come from their situation as well. Pastor Ricky will be sharing from the book of Esther, and other scriptures, teaching us about the sovereign will of God. He’ll be teaching us how God with His ability to see the end from the beginning orchestrates events for our benefit.
Throughout the Old Testament, we see where God’s people turned to foreign idols and God has to discipline them to bring them back to Himself. We in the New Testament era like to think that because we have chosen to follow Jesus, we don’t have those kinds of problems. Not true. We can at times put things like money or jobs ahead of our relationship with God. Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the disastrous result of Israel’s turning away from God and His faithfulness to them nevertheless.
There’s no question that there are unjust actions occurring in our world. There are wrong things being done on a personal level, as well as the corporate and even international level all the time. Part of the story in the book of Esther deals with a threat that is real faced from a man who is a member of a tribe that was hostile to Israel. Pastor Ricky will be teaching on this and showing how man’s rebellion against God allowed injustice to enter the world and how God saves the day for the Jews.
As we see events going on around us, particularly in the government, we’re tempted to feel completely helpless. We want things to change for the better and we elect people we think will do good things yet nothing changes. “Where’s God?” we might be tempted to ask. Certainly, the Jews must have felt like this being under the control of a heathen king, far from their homeland. Pastor Ricky will continue with the story of Esther and how God used this king to accomplish His purposes.
We all know the saying, “Be careful what you ask for, you might get it.” Many girls dream of being a princess, having the king fall in love with them and then becoming the queen. We don’t know if this is what Esther wanted but it happened to her nonetheless. Pastor Ricky will be teaching about this story and the apparent comprises Esther made in her life along the way to becoming a queen. This certainly can be a warning to us against putting aside Godly principles for seeming advancement.
As we witness our society’s descent into further ungodliness in normal living, we may find ourselves pulled toward the darkness as well. As much as we want to live godly lives, the sin nature resident in us is allured by the things of the world around us. As Pastor Ricky will be sharing, the Jews in Persia may have had the same difficulty. At such times, it’s all but impossible to give in and go along with everyone else. We’ll find out how Hadassah, also known as Esther, deals with this circumstance.
As we travel through our daily lives, mundane as they may seem to be, it can be hard to imagine that God is working behind the scenes on our behalf. As we consider the story of Esther, it seems like this is just a story about a king that got mad at his wife and decided to get another one. As Pastor Ricky will be teaching, much of this story seems to just kind of go along until the end where we see how God has been using the events of these people’s lives to accomplish His purpose for His people.
Sometimes in our lives, we can feel as though we’re inside a blender, being swirled around in a million directions. It’s often difficult to see what the point of events and circumstances in our lives are. The Israelites that were in exile in the book of Esther may have felt similar, “Where is God in all of this? We’ve lost everything”. As Pastor Ricky will be teaching, what we see is often not the full extent of what’s actually happening in our lives. God is working behind the scenes on our behalf.
The approaching judgment can make us a bit uncomfortable as Christians. Even though we can have confidence in our salvation by the blood of Christ, the idea of hell might sound a bit harsh. But as Pastor Ricky points us today, Revelation tells us that we will actually be rejoicing at the coming judgment. God will enact justice for all the evil deeds of humanity. Furthermore, we’ll rejoice in the salvation that we received, knowing that we too deserve to be thrown into hell, but have been saved by Jesus’ sacrifice.
What the Bible says about hell tends to make us uncomfortable. It’s a difficult teaching to accept but that doesn’t stop Jesus from talking about it. While some label Jesus’ words about hell as unkind, the reality is that warning about hell is an act of love. As Pastor Ricky points out today, knowing the truth about hell allows us to be adequately warned to know the true consequences of our actions. Jesus didn’t tell us about hell and then leave us to suffer, He sacrificed Himself to provide salvation.
In America, people love to say, “Don’t judge me”. The irony is that Americans also love to judge others. Whether it be family members, coworkers, or the celebrities on tv, judgment is a common American pastime. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that our hope is in the one that judges justly. In this life we may get worried about the ways others are judging us, maybe a boss or a peer, maybe even a family member, but in the end, only God’s judgment really matters and He’ll judge righteously and perfectly.
Jesus warned us that the Christian walk would involve suffering but He also gave us the book of Revelation and today, Pastor Ricky reminds us of the encouragement that this book gives us. The day is coming when Christ will return and set everything right. Although we might feel like we’re losing in life, the reality is that followers of Jesus will win in the end. As Pastor Ricky explains, we don’t know what the next chapters of our lives entail but we do know how the story ends, with the victory of Christ.
The Bible declares that Jesus is King over every king, and Lord over every lord. Yet all over the earth, people are fighting for power. Pastor Ricky reminds us today that no matter how strong someone seems, their power is insignificant compared to that of King Jesus. The book of Revelations shows us that one day, Jesus’ reign and sovereignty will be total and every knee will bow to His authority. For those of us that follow Jesus, this is great news. Our King will reign with justice and goodness.
Pastor Ricky reminds us today that we are at war. While life might seem peaceful and mundane at times, as Christians we recognize that there is a spiritual war taking place and it’s important that we keep this in mind because otherwise, it’s easy to get sidetracked. While there are many important things in our lives like careers and relationships, and politics, we need to keep everything in perspective. As the apostle Paul points out, soldiers don’t get caught up in civilian affairs, and neither should we.
The Bible refers to Christians as members of a larger body, the church, and the church is also referred to as the bride of Christ. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us of the implications of these truths. The Christian walk isn’t designed to be taken alone. As followers of Jesus, we need the church just as a hand is useless if not attached to the body. It’s not always easy. The church is full of sinful people and serious wounds take place within the church but even still, the church is Christ’s bride.
Pastor Ricky points out today that many Christians want Jesus but don’t want the church. The problem is as Pastor Ricky explains, having Jesus without the church isn’t an option. Christ loves the church so much that He shed His blood for it. The church is constantly referred to throughout the scriptures as the bride of Christ. Jesus chooses to pour His love into the church, broken as it might be, so if we love Jesus we can’t then hate the very church that Jesus loves and gave Himself for.
The book of Revelation sheds light on some deeply ingrained lies in this world. As Pastor Ricky points out today, Revelation speaks of the ways the world promises to fulfill us but the truth is the world can’t deliver on these promises and that genuine fulfillment for now, and all eternity, can only be found in Jesus Christ. True joy doesn't come by indulging our flesh but by dying to it and pursuing Christ instead. He’s the one that satisfies us and in the end, the corrupt world will only experience His judgment.
The world offers us what it can’t deliver. No matter what society tells us will bring satisfaction, it never lasts. This is one of the points that Pastor Ricky makes today as he teaches from the book of Revelation. Ultimately, God will judge the world. Sometimes it seems like people get away with doing wicked things but the truth is that God will bring justice and while many people will reject God and choose to indulge in their flesh, thinking that this is going to bring fulfillment only leads them to destruction.
As Pastor Ricky teaches from the book of Revelation today, he shows us how these passages are relevant for us. Much of the symbolism of Revelation seems to be referencing ancient civilizations as well as civilizations in the last days but it also refers to civilizations in our day. The warnings about Babylon are simultaneously warnings to Christians in the 1st century, in the 21st century, and in the future. The point is, we need to take heed of these warnings rather than passing them off as wisdom for somebody else.
The enemy is a master of deception and it's only going to get worse as the days become darker and we wait for our rescuer to come and take us home. He’s even manipulated branches of the church using a message that sounds really appealing. He says, you just need to be you, you were born with these desires and identities so they must be good and right. But as Pastor Ricky will explain in today’s message, we were born in sin and the feelings of our hearts can’t be trusted.
As we look back over history, there are some truly atrocious leaders and governments that have inflicted oppression that we can’t even imagine. If you think the violations on people’s rights have been these past few years, an in-depth look at history can offer a helpful perspective. As Pastor Ricky will warn us in today’s message, things are going to get bad before the end but ultimately God has already secured the victory for His kingdom and wickedness will be put down.
Prayer is powerful. Singing worship songs inspires your heart and draws you closer to your father in Heaven. Meeting together to listen to God’s Word and fellowship is essential to our growth and health as believers. They are all important factors for believers but as Pastor Ricky continues to examine the book of Revelation, he’s going to draw our attention to a vital truth that it reveals. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most powerful weapon we have as we face the attack of our enemy.
If you’re the type that really enjoys apocalyptic stories, then today's message is going to be right up your alley. We’ve come to the part of Revelation where things get really intense. We’ve got dragons and imagery of spiritual warfare in cosmic proportions. It sounds made up but this vision was given to John as prophecy of real events to come. As Pastor Ricky will explain in today’s message, this chapter isn’t meant to frighten. As believers, we’ll find that it contains hope for us as evil incarnate comes to its end.
Jesus dreaded the suffering of the cross as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His arrest. He knew it would mean separation from His father and unimaginable physical and emotional pain, yet He still went through with it because He knew the results it would bring. In today’s message, Pastor Ricky is going to challenge us to face suffering with that in mind. When you suffer in the name of Jesus, it will bring life to those who witness it and it’s worth the temporary pain.
Many believers are under the misunderstanding that when you’ve become a Christian, you’ve side-stepped the suffering this world has to offer. While salvation does relieve you from the oppression of sin, there’s still plenty of suffering for those who truly follow Jesus. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in the book of Revelation in today’s message, he’s going to point out the way this book clearly outlines suffering as a necessary and inevitable part of every believer’s journey.
Johnny Cash was a living example of the destruction of sin and the restorative power of grace and he knew firsthand how sin tears down your soul as well as the people around you that you care about most. We all deserve judgment for our choice to rebel against God and serve self. In today’s message, Pastor Ricky will address the wrath that’s to come but not without reminding us of us the incredible grace that wants to rescue us from the immediate and eternal destruction that sin brings in our lives.
All the way back to the first few months following Christ's ascension, believers have been waiting for His return. At many times, including right now, world events have felt like His return was imminent, yet here we are still waiting. Why is it so hard to judge when the time is really at hand? As Pastor Ricky will clarify in today’s message, the prophecies contained in Revelation have been and are currently in the process of being fulfilled and the problem is more our interpretation of the timeline.
God does not grow weary or get tired. That applies to His dealings with you, even the thousandth time you stumbled off and sinned. The love that He expressed in Jesus still goes strong and He’ll welcome you back in grace. It also applies to how he deals with humanity across the arch of time. His creation on the other hand, including us, does grow old and weary. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today’s message, only God is steadfast and sure and He’ll remain so even after everything we see has fallen apart.
Our ruler is a different kind of ruler than you’re going to find in any kingdom of man. Men who seek office and take it are often the furthest thing from servant-like. Their decisions are almost always tempered by the question of whether it's going to serve them and their agendas well or not. You would never find them washing the feet of even their closest friends. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in the book of Revelation, he’ll remind us how different Jesus is and how differently He rules over our hearts.
As Pastor Ricky begins our study in the book of Revelation today, he’ll lead us through an overview of the book in its entirety, with a focus on the characteristics of Jesus that it reveals. We like to think that we can squeeze Jesus into the box of our understanding and reason but actually, we can’t. His power is unrivaled and He has complete authority to wipe us out. Yet instead He’s decided to redeem us in grace and prepare us for an eternal reign over creation with us at His side.
Jesus wasn't just a really good teacher with some supernatural capabilities. He didn't just know a lot about God, he knew God because He was and still is God. He held within Himself the power and authority that only belongs to the Creator of the Universe yet he walked humbly among mankind, touching the lives of everyone that He interacted with. In today’s message, Pastor Ricky will remind us of the unmatched power of Jesus as we look forward to His triumphant return for His church.
Do you ever feel like there are times that God is distant when you're going through trials? Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that God is never distant but He is extremely present. He’s working within us a greater depth of godliness and character as we walk through trials. Jesus Himself went through severe tribulations and hardships. It was meaningful suffering that worked out a greater good for all mankind. In the same way, God is using the hardships you’re facing in your life for a greater good.
In our text today, the Apostle Peter exhorts the church not to be surprised when they experience fiery trials. Fiery trials are not just hardships of inconvenience but they're painful and can give extreme anguish to the soul. Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to rejoice during trials as well as fiery trials because God will use them to work within us something great. As a Christian, God will work all things out for good in your life, even the worst of tribulations.
As a Christian, you are an essential part of the body of Christ. You've been given by God specific spiritual gifts and talents that He wants you to use in order to bring Him glory and help further His kingdom here on earth. If If you're not sure what your spiritual gifts are, pray to the Lord and ask Him to reveal them to you. God desires you to know what His will for your life is so when you pray, expect an answer. Whatever your gifts may be, purpose to use them, get involved in the church.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the book of 1st Peter, he'll be teaching us the most important aspect of building relationships with others. The key to building relationships is unconditional love. As the Apostle Peter encourages the church through his letter he tells them that above all, love one another. The most important thing you can do to show the world that Jesus lives within you is to have unconditional love toward others.
The time is short. Jesus can return at any moment because there are no more prophecies that need to be fulfilled in order for Him to return. As the end draws near, the world will become more and more angry with Christians. If you are living for the Lord, the world will mock you for not partaking in the same wickedness that they are indulging in. Pastor Ricky will be encouraging you to take heart because one day you will be with Jesus in paradise and He will judge those who rebelled against Him.
Have you ever gone through a season that caused you to think that perhaps you've done something to upset God because of all the trials you've experienced? Pastor Ricky will be continuing his teaching through 1st Peter explaining that Jesus Himself went through severe trials and tests so you, as His servant, shouldn't be surprised when you go through them as well. Jesus said if the world hated me, it will hate you also. No servant is greater than his master.
In this life you will suffer through trials and tribulations. Jesus said that if you want to live a godly life, you will be persecuted. These are promises we don't like to name and claim. We like to place our faith in happy promises that will give us joy and blessings in our lives. Pastor Ricky will be explaining that when we go through persecutions because of simply being a Christian, we can rejoice because we will receive a blessing in eternity. As you obey God, you're storing up for yourself treasure in heaven.
Did you know that there are two kinds of blessings that the Bible talks about? Pastor Ricky will be explaining how there are blessings that belong to us and are secure because we are God's children but there are also blessings that are conditional based upon our obedience to our Father in heaven. If you're choosing to disobey God in a certain area, you can’t expect Him to reward your disobedience by giving you blessings in that area of your life. Don’t rob yourself of experiencing the best life you can live.
In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky will be focusing on exhorting the men to love their wives and to lay down their life for them just as Jesus laid down His life for the church. As a husband and father, you're called to lead your family in the way of godliness. The only way you can truly lead your family in the ways of the Lord is if you’re first living for God in your own personal life. Once you purpose to live for God and have a deeper intimate relationship with Him, your family will naturally follow.
As Pastor Ricky continues his series on a counter-cultural marriage through the book of 1 Peter, he'll be exhorting the women today to submit to their own husbands. Peter uses Sarah as an example of a Godly submissive woman. She had respect for her husband, even when her husband made the wrong choices and decisions. This is not a natural response. You must tap into the power of the Holy Spirit to be able to live a submissive life.
In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky will be explaining that the marriage between a man and woman is meant to symbolize the intimate union between Jesus and the Church. The Church is called the bride of Christ and we as the church are called to submit to our groom, Jesus, in the same way the wife is to submit to her own husband. The husband is called to lay down his life for his wife just as Jesus laid down His life for the church. As we obey God's call, we will show God's love to the world through our marriage.
Can you see clearly? Have you had your eyes checked lately? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn just as we take care of our physical eyesight sometimes we feel our spiritual eyes might also need an adjustment. Trusting in Christ when you can't see very well is the answer. Pastor Ricky reminds us that it's usually because God intends to fulfill your promises in a better way than you could ever imagine, something beyond what you could even envision. Now that's a better way to see.
Do you remember that song you might have sung as a kid, “He's got the whole world in His hands”? It’s simple right? But it's also true. As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, you're going to learn how God is involved in every story. He hasn't forgotten His people. He hasn't forgotten you. Pastor Ricky reminds us that God is present in Mary’s song, giving her the proper perspective on such life-changing events that she didn't ask for. You can trust Him with your story today. He hasn't forgotten you.
Have you ever stopped to consider how amazing even the simple Christian actions you do really are? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you learn that because of Jesus, sometimes it looks too easy and therefore less impressive. But peace in the midst of turmoil, or kindness in the face of evil, those are actually radical acts. It comes when we live according to God's kingdom and His principles. Pastor Ricky reminds us that the power to do those things comes from the power of the King of Kings.
Do you ever think that Jesus didn't come for a certain type of person? Well as Pastor Ricky teaches today, you'll learn that Christ came for everyone. There's no ethnicity, or look, or behavior that qualifies you to sit at His table. At Christmas, we celebrate the fact that Jesus came for you, no matter where you've been or what you've done. As Ricky reminds us that you're invited today to respond to that call. You can live under the good reign of Jesus forever and find fulfillment like none other.
In a world full of religious options there are many choices, some require looking inward, and others require outward actions of good or sacrifice in order to be faithful. As Pastor Ricky teaches you today, you’ll learn that once you decide to follow Jesus and sit at His table, it's exclusive. No longer can there be a sampling of other religions or systems. It's a narrow gate to pass through for salvation, it's only found in Christ. Pastor Ricky reminds us that you've got to go all in. He has more than enough for you.
Do you consider yourself to be a self-sufficient person? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you'll learn how this kind of independence sometimes comes as a crutch. In our hearts we often want to take credit and say I did this, I got here. In our society, there's something to be said for personal responsibility and taking action but today Pastor Ricky reminds us that when it comes to our salvation may we never forget that it was all on Christ to save us. Nothing we did had the ability to solve that problem.
God is always on the way. Isn’t that a great thought? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn that throughout history God has always been right around the corner, on His way to be your rescuer and problem solver. That's the good news of Christmas as well. Pastor Ricky reminds us that it may have felt like an eternity in Isaiah’s day but the true light was coming to shine brightly, save us from our sins, and be the bridge to a perfect relationship with God.
Don't you just hate waiting? These days lines seem out of control and there seems to be a delay on everything. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn how Isaiah is building up the good news of something great on its way but there's a delay. What do you do in the in-between? Pastor Ricky reminds us that in the waiting you can find joy in the meantime. There was an explosion of joy during the time of anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series on the counter-cultural marriage, he'll be explaining that both the husband and the wife are called to portray the excellencies of Jesus in their marriage and household. The role of the man is not more important than the role of the woman, and vice-versa. Both genders have different, yet co-equal roles that bring glory to the Lord. The Bible exhorts both men and women to submit one to another in the fear of the Lord.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching through the book of 1 Peter, he'll be explaining how men and women are both equal in value but have different roles in the household. Men have been given the role of being the authority in the household but are told to sacrifice themselves for their wives just as Christ laid down His life for the church. The wife is called to submit to her husband as the church submits to Jesus. Both genders have perfectly equal value but different rules in order for there to be perfect order in the household.
Contrary to popular belief, marriage is not all about you and what you can get out of it. Marriage should first and foremost be about God and how you can glorify Him through your relationship with your spouse. Pastor Ricky will be explaining that when you keep God first in your marriage and you focus on how to please the Lord, your marriage will be more blessed. As you fall more in love with the Lord, you'll naturally love your spouse unconditionally and become more selfless.
Submitting yourself to your boss at work, especially when your boss is unfair and ungodly, is a great opportunity for Gospel proclamation. Your Godly submissive conduct toward your ungodly boss is a great way for you to shine a bright light in a dark place. Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to turn the other cheek, pray, and bless those who persecute us or treat us badly. This isn't an easy thing to do. It takes the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in your life to enable you to live this Christ-like life.
As Pastor Ricky teaches on the importance of submitting to what our earthly master wants us to do, he'll be reminding us that this scripture can be practically applied to our workplace. We no longer have slavery in our society so when we read scriptures about submitting to our earthly masters we should apply this to our boss at work. This scripture is in no way validating slavery. It's simply encouraging those that had masters over them to show others the light of Jesus by their submission and godly conduct.
As Christians, we are called to restrain evil and to encourage good. In our society, we've been blessed with a democracy which allows us to have a voice in politics. If there is a politician that is talking about passing policy and making laws that are contrary to God's Word, we can vote against that person. At the same time, we should be giving our resources and time to encouraging good works in the world. There are many organizations that we can get involved with that are doing good.
Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how we as Christians are commanded to submit to the governing authorities that have been placed over us. People in general don't like the word “submission”. The last thing they want to do is submit to authority. As believers, we are called to follow the example of Jesus and the Lord practiced humility by submitting Himself under the authority of the Father. The only time we don't submit to authority is when we are asked to do something contrary to God's Word.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through 1 Peter, he’ll be exhorting us to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As born-again Christians, we have the Holy Spirit of God living within us and have the same power that rose Jesus from the dead to guide us. You're no longer enslaved to sin because the Bible says that sin no longer has dominion over you. God is doing the work of holiness and sanctification in your life and the only one holding this work back is you.
Have you ever felt like this world is not your home and doesn't offer much satisfaction? There's a reason why many people are left feeling unfulfilled in this life. The reason is because they were created for a much greater purpose and their home is heaven. Pastor Ricky will be explaining that humanity has been in exile ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. The only way you can have satisfaction for your soul is when you become born again.
As Pastor Ricky continues his series on what we once were without the Lord and what we can experience now as believers, he’ll be focusing on the grace and mercy we now have been given. Once we were without grace and mercy, were dead in our trespasses and sins but now we can enjoy an abundant life with the Lord having fullness of joy. Since the Lord has given us so much mercy shouldn't we be a people that shows others mercy and forgiveness as well?
In our text today, Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to remember that once we were not a people. In the past, we lived in darkness without hope, joy, or satisfaction but now God is in our lives. We aren't called to dwell on our past failures and reflect continuously on the evil we once did but it's always good to remember God's goodness and how He transformed us. This is extremely important to remember when preaching the gospel to unbelievers because now you can be more approachable and relatable.
If preaching the gospel has become a chore for you or if you're left feeling guilty that you're not proclaiming the gospel enough, there is a fundamental problem. Pastor Ricky will be explaining that the problem is simply that you're not spending time communing and falling in love with Jesus. When you experience the love of God and you're being filled with His Holy Spirit, you have the joy of the Lord and can't help but proclaim His goodness to those around you.
Sometimes there are seasons in the life of a believer when proclaiming the gospel becomes less of a priority. Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us to make Jesus known to everyone. In our text, Peter is exhorting the church to comprehend and believe who they are in Jesus before he encourages them to proclaim the gospel. Many times the reason believers don't preach the gospel is because they don't understand who they are in Jesus. You are a part of a royal priesthood, never forget that.
In the last prayer that Jesus prayed to the Father before going to the cross, He desired that His disciples and the church would remain unified in Him. As Pastor Ricky continues his series on Jesus being our one and only cornerstone, he'll be explaining how the church has no reason to be divided. As Christians, we may not agree on every aspect of the Word of God but as long as we agree on the foundation of Jesus and the core fundamentals of our faith, we should be unified.
As many of you already know, the foundation of a building is the most vital aspect of a structure that keeps a building secure. You can't build up on a weak structure because it will either crumble immediately or in time it will come crashing down. In our teaching today, Pastor Ricky will be explaining that the only way we can really grow into mature Christians is if we tear up the foundation the world has laid in our lives and replace it with Jesus. Only Jesus can sustain your life and keep you secure.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on Christians being built up as a spiritual house, he'll be emphasizing the reason God is building us up to begin with. The Lord commands us to be holy as He is holy. He reveals through His word that we're being built up as a spiritual house to be a royal priesthood. God isn't simply molding us and transforming us for no reason. The purpose is so we can be His ambassadors that truly reflect His character. Don't kick against the goad, allow God to build you up.
I don't know if you've noticed but since you’ve come to Jesus, you still have flaws that need to be worked out. You are a building project that is a work in progress. Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of allowing God to build us off as a spiritual temple to be used for His glory. One of the most important things to understand about this concept is that Jesus Himself is the one that's doing the building, not you. The only thing you can do is cooperate with what God is purposing to do in and through your life.
As Pastor Ricky continues his series on the countercultural Christian community, he'll be explaining that the foundation of believers in Jesus is eternal. We have an eternal hope of glory whereas the world system has no hope at all. There's a reason why the world seeks to look for ways to live longer. It’s because they're afraid of what will come after death. We however will have eternal rest and don't need to get worried over the temporal issues in this world.
When you became a Christian did you notice, as time went on, that you looked less and less like the world? There should be a sense that you don't belong to this world system any longer. Pastor Ricky will be helping us understand that our identity is in Jesus and we shouldn't yearn for acceptance or desire to fit in with the world. As you read the Word of God, you'll notice very quickly that the Christian community is called to a much higher standard and it's actually in stark contrast to the world.
All throughout the Bible, there is an emphasis on having an eternal perspective and living in light of eternity. Some have said that you can be too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good. The Bible teaches however that the more heavenly-minded you are, the more focused you'll be in furthering God's kingdom on earth. Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us today to live our life as though we can come face-to-face with God at any moment. Go into eternity without having any regrets.
The Apostle Peter in our text is repeatedly encouraging the church to understand and act upon their hope in the Lord. The Bible says that those who have this hope in Jesus, keep themselves pure just as He is pure. As Pastor Ricky continues to teach on the theme of hope in this section of scripture, he will be explaining that the natural reaction to having hope in Jesus is the desire and power to live a holy lifestyle. If you're not living a Godly life, the root issue may be that you doubt who Jesus is.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching through the book of 1st Peter he’ll be reminding us that there's no trial or tribulation that can overshadow the glory of our salvation in Jesus. You can lose your health, your career, you could even be persecuted unto death but this is only a light affliction compared to eternity in heaven. You have an inheritance waiting for you in heaven and the Lord has sealed you until the Day of Redemption so take heart and remain at peace.
When you hear the word “hope”, what comes to mind? Biblical hope isn't a Jiminy Cricket, Wish Upon a Star type of hope. Biblical hope is a guarantee that what God says will come to pass, will indeed come to pass. Today Pastor Ricky will be expounding on the promises of God and how we can be assured of our salvation because our hope is placed in Jesus Christ. There are many things in this life that you can put your hope in but none of them, besides the Lord, will assuredly remain faithful until the end.
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching us the importance of understanding God's unconditional love for us. The Lord wasn't surprised when you got saved because He chose you before the foundations of the world. The Bible says God in His sovereignty and foreknowledge knew you would respond to His invitation to salvation. The word of God says that no one comes to the Son unless the Father draws him. So because of God's love, He reached down from heaven to draw you to Himself. You are loved.
Have you ever been mistreated and persecuted simply because you're a Christian? Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that there's absolutely nothing abnormal about being persecuted for your faith in Jesus. The Lord Himself said that if the world hated Him first, the world will hate you as well. No servant is greater than his master. If the world persecuted Him, the world will persecute His followers. If you are discouraged just remember that you have the ultimate hope of salvation and eternity with the Lord.
Have you ever been corrected about something you were doing and instead of being gently redirected the person blasts you for doing it wrong? It turns your heart away from that person because their manner towards you was distasteful. In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky mentions that people can have a similar reaction to you if you tell them about God in a way that's belligerent or offensive but there's a better way to tell about Jesus. Let your message be inviting, not inciting.
Just think of all the things that it takes to qualify for a loan. You need to have good credit and have proof of who you are and where you live, who you’re dependents are, etc… There's paperwork and some red tape that you have to cut through to get qualified. What do you think it takes to qualify for the kind of witness that God wants you to be? Pastor Rickys informs you today that it's simpler than you might think. The typical resume that the world requires is inconsequential as a Christian witness.
The underlying message of so many movies out there is a so-called empowering agenda of rising above the community that you've been a part of. You’re departing from your past to find yourself and own it, regardless of the ones you left. This message is slightly misguided but what should the message be? Today Pastor Ricky expresses the type of heart that's good to have when you're a part of a community or family of believers. It’s essential to embrace, love, and serve your spiritual family.
Just about everyone can relate to some dysfunction in their family, right? There are different personalities that are forced to come together and somehow get along. But then there's inevitably some kind of family drama because there's no way everyone gets along without any conflict. So how does this fit in the context of a church family? Today Pastor Ricky explores the various facets of what it means to have community with other people in a way that proves you're in it together for God's purposes.
When you choose to vote for someone you identify with them in some way. You publicly proclaim that you're backing them up, enough to endorse them as someone you want in leadership. But if you don't buy into the message they're expressing, you're not going to sign your name to that person being in a position of authority over you. What about when it comes to God? Today Pastor Rickys asks if you're prepared to follow God in a way that you could support and even imitate His way of living.
Being a follower of someone these days is usually associated with following someone on Instagram. What does that even mean? Are you just checking up on pictures that someone is posting but you don't really know them? In other times, being a follower of someone meant a very different thing. In today's passage, Pastor Ricky touches on how being a follower of Jesus entails living, and breathing, and following everything about what Jesus stood for. So who are you choosing to follow today?
Until you look at a specimen under the microscope, you might overlook something that initially seemed insignificant. Once you make a concerted effort to really see the object for what it is, you start to appreciate its intricate details and functions. In the same way, God wants you to truly look at people and see them, see their hurt, their circumstances and not just look past it as if it doesn't exist. Pastor Ricky encourages you today to be effective right where you are, with the people who are right in front of you.
When you have some kind of sickness it can be easier to treat the symptoms but not rid yourself of the disease. It's frustrating because even though you're curing some of the immediate discomforts, you know that there's a deeper issue at the root of it all. This is how it is with the world around you too. There are many grievous hurts and struggles amongst the people that you're around but today Pastor Ricky mentions how important it is to have a heart for people and their deeper need for Jesus. Jesus is the cure.
How many self-help books or programs are out there seeking to have you buy into what they're selling? It's not wrong to want to believe in yourself or to have a more positive view of yourself but what Pastor Ricky gets at today is that the greatest treasure to find is when you come to the end of yourself. This is so countercultural to today's way of thinking but it's actually what makes you stand out in contrast to the world around you. When you're acknowledging God's power in you, you're strong.
Wouldn't it be odd if someone made their platform about something they were weak and incapable in? This would be the opposite of anything that's successful in the world's mindset. What are some of your greatest weaknesses? Would you be willing to brag about those weaknesses to the world at large? As preposterous as this sounds, Pastor Ricky explains today that this was the mindset that Paul had when approaching ministry because he knew his tendency of being proud in his abilities.
Being pulled to and fro is part of our battle today as Christians. It's a struggle to keep Jesus at the center of our lives, to die to ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. He literally wants us to follow Him, in ministry, in marriage, in child-raising, in work ethic and even in the little things. Where He is where so we should be too. This is how the victory is won. We don't allow the things of this world to draw us away from our love of Christ. We will bring people to Jesus by showing our love towards Him.
In today's message, Pastor Ricky asks us what we delight ourselves in. You may be listening today and thinking there's nothing you put above God. It's easy though to be fooled. Do you love your home, car, money, spouse, children, job or sports so much that you think of them before God? Check yourself today as you listen so you can be sure not to hug yourself to death. Be encouraged and keep things at the right distance as you keep Jesus closer than anything or anyone else.
In today's message Pastor Ricky teaches about how the Jews and Gentiles were separated in physical distance. They literally worshiped the Lord from different places. The Jews were higher in the building, the Gentiles were to stay down on lower levels, separated by many steps. This was to picture the Jews as closer to God. Pastor Ricky points out that all are lost without Christ. With Christ, we're all in the same family, Jew or Gentile. Like it or not we are. We need to love one another the same.
In today's teaching on religion, Pastor Ricky covers the areas of sin that are easy to fall into. Some people were very sinful in that their sin was public. Other people try to work for their salvation and think that in some way they've earned it and that they may deserve it more than others. That brings pride and it's just as sinful. He points out that we are saved by grace through faith. This is a safeguard for us. It makes it so none of us can boast. Say no to religion, just have a relationship with Jesus.
In today’s teaching, Pastor Ricky speaks about doing things in our own power. You may be listening today and thinking yes, I am struggling with that. Well, Pastor Ricky reminds and encourages you that you are given a mighty power, a real heavenly gospel power. The Holy Spirit dwells in you to be your helper. Ironically some people say faith in Christianity is a crutch but we are sinners who need help. So to all who can humbly admit they need it, come to Jesus.
In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky talks about religions and cults. He shares why and how they start. As people, we generally want to be around like-minded people. That can end up being somewhat of a trap. For example, some groups believe they're good people, then they start a church that is for good people wanting to do the right thing but that's contrary to the Bible. We are sinners saved by grace. So church must start with sinners who know their sinful and in need of a savior.
Do you have the tendency to want to do things in your own power? In today’s teaching, Pastor Ricky encourages you to check your motives. We often get caught up in trying to do the right things like developing a system of things to do that keep us “churchy”. Being sure to go on dates with our spouse, or read books on dating, or attending every service that is available can become what drives us. It can become religion. Check your motives today as you listen in and let the Gospel be the answer.
In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky walks us through people's tendency to use works to earn their salvation. You may be one of those people who doesn't feel close to God unless you're serving in a certain capacity, reading the right books, etc…You're sure to have the boxes checked on your list of things to do to be a good Christian. The reality is you don't need to do anything. Faith is it. While having the desire and serving the Lord isn’t wrong, making it about works is.
As we continue our study on religion, the Gospel, and Christ, Pastor Ricky points us to the cross. Jesus' death and resurrection calls us to lay religion down at the foot of the cross. They free us up so we can take hold of the gospel of grace. We don't need religion to try to earn our salvation from Christ. Nothing we can do can make Him love us any more than He already does. Likewise, nothing we do can make Him love us any less either.
Pastor Ricky teaches today about the difference between religion and Jesus. Religion takes what Jesus did and adds to it with works as if we could earn our salvation, as if Jesus needed more convincing to die on the cross for us. Jesus died because He loves us. He was the creator of the universe. He was fully man and He was also fully God. Maybe today you're trying to earn what Christ did on the cross for you, no need. He already saved you from your past, present, and future sins.
Today Pastor Ricky compares the two sons in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. There is the irreligious that is shown to us in the prodigal son, the type of person who says they don't care what's right, they're going to do and get what they want. Then there is the religious, shown to us by the son who stayed with His father. He did what he thought he should do to earn the father's wealth but like the Lord, the father wanted to give his wealth to them both. They didn't have to earn or deserve it.
Today we cover the simplicity of what it takes to be saved. You need nothing more than to come to Christ. We don't need religion or idols. You may be thinking to yourself that you don't have a little wooden statue that you daily pray to, that you're free from religion or idols but is there something that you would allow first in your life before Christ? Anything that you place above Christ in your life is an idol. Christ laid it all down for us when He died on the cross. He wants the same in return.
Have you ever been outside and just looked around? Everything you see God has created. God is not boring. For someone to create all of this, how could He be? Today Pastor Ricky reminds us from the book of Ezekiel that everything started with God. He's merciful, gracious, and loving. We live inside His universe that He created, and God is beyond what we could imagine, He's better than we can imagine. He's not a boring God. The question is, do you know Him?
The Bible is a story about God. The very beginning of everything started with Him. God's people in the book of Ezekiel thought that He was powerless and distant. As they were in exile, they wondered where and what God was doing. Pastor Ricky will remind us that we can't put God in a box. He's not a tamed God. He's living and active whether you can see Him working or not. He's all-powerful and all-knowing. This is the God of the Bible and the God of today. Are you following Him?
There are a couple of guarantees that people jokingly make, death and taxes. And while that's true, Pastor Ricky will remind us of another guarantee in relation to reconciliation in this message. You see, just when you think that all the conflicts in your life have been resolved and everything is going well, the next hurdle magically appears before you. You see, we can be sure that we will sin again and the people around us will sin again and thus we will have conflict and the need for reconciliation throughout our lives.
It's so easy to lose focus on what God has done in our lives. It’s easy to forget just where we’ve come from, especially when it comes to conflict in the body of Christ. The pain that comes from being betrayed by a close friend, or the discovery of infidelity by a church leader, reconciliation can be the farthest thing from our minds. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us to always keep our own cleansing front and center in the midst of conflict. When we remember what Jesus forgave us of, it becomes much easier to forgive and be reconciled to others.
Reconciliation is a term that we are all familiar with it yet each of us probably has our own definition of what that means. Today Pastor Ricky will delve into this subject of being reconciled. We’ll learn the sinful tendencies that so many of us fall into when it comes to being reconciled with ourselves, or allowing someone who sinned against us to be reconciled to us. Pastor Ricky will focus on the most important reconciliation of all, being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
Many churches across America today are filled each week with committed Christians seeking to hear from God and to worship God. As we’ll hear from Pastor Ricky, this is wonderful but should the church only be filled with Christians? We’ll learn today that a healthy church will have people in it that don't know God but are seeking Him. The communion table is a powerful way to show those around us that our God is real and that He gave His one and only son for their lives as well.
We’re told in the Bible that when we come together and partake of the communion table we are to “remember”. But remember what? For many, the communion table is simply a religious ritual that has become a monotonous duty. We learned last time that the communion table is so much more than that. Today Pastor Ricky will focus on some of the important elements of the communion table and why it's vitally important for the health of the body of Christ.
Every year we have annual dates set on our calendar that remind us of important events in our lives. For many of us, we remember the day that we were joined with our spouse in marriage. As parents, we remember the wonderful day that God gave each of our children to us. But today Pastor Ricky will remind us of another appointment that is even more important in our lives, it’s the communion table. When we come together as a body of believers and partake, we remember what it took to save us.
Pastor Ricky has been sharing with us just how we exist in our own personal comforts, and how we generally don't give a second thought for that person that may not get invited to many dinner parties or other social events. We tend to only think about ourselves and what makes us happy. Jesus was and is so different than us. He spent time with anyone. Today Pastor Ricky will exhort us to follow our Savior's example and step out of our own personal comfort zone so that we might be used by God for His glory.
Today Pastor Ricky will show us a few characteristics of the divine economy and wow, it's very different from this kingdom's “get all that you can get” economy. You’ll learn that because we all battle with our sinful nature on a moment-by-moment basis, we need to be purposeful in combating the tendency to exist where it's comfortable and to only spend time with those that we enjoy spending time with. Consider spending time with someone that isn't inside your circle of friends and watch what God will do.
You all know that person at the office or perhaps in your small group, that sort of awkward one who seems to say the most uncomfortable things at the wrong times, is that the person that you had over to play cards or watch the game this past week? Today Pastor Ricky will challenge our personal space and comfort by asking the questions, who did Jesus eat with, and who am I eating with? The answers to these questions will reveal a great deal about our spiritual maturity in Christ.
This morning when you woke up the sun rose just like it has for thousands of years and if the Lord causes it to do so, it will rise again tomorrow. This is the God that we serve. This is the God of unlimited resources, the amazing God described throughout the Bible. Yet, we oftentimes find ourselves wondering whether this all-powerful God we serve can provide for our basic needs. As Pastor Ricky will share today, our God is more than able.
How much faith do we actually have? Stop and think about what we say we believe. We say that we believe in a God we've never seen, that sent His only Son over two thousand years ago to die in our place for the penalty of sin and because of that, we will spend eternity in a place called heaven that no one has ever seen. And yet, when the unexpected hardships arrive we question whether God is able.
Insufficient. Unable. Incapable. These are all words that describe how we feel as followers of Christ from time to time. We all struggle with that nagging feeling that we're just not enough for the God that we serve. Today Pastor Ricky draws out a wonderful parallel in the story of The Feeding of the 5000. The truth is we are insufficient, unable, and incapable but the God that we serve is not. He can take the little that we are and multiply us to bring Himself glory.
The last time you were walking down the street and a dirty drunk homeless person thrust their empty change cup at you, do you remember your immediate response? If you're honest I'm sure you shrunk back like the rest of us have. Pastor Ricky is challenging us to consider that sin is sin, is sin. If God has made a place for us at His table by His grace, then shouldn’t we be ready and willing to do the same for others?
Stop and think about this scene. You’re at the gym and the professional bodybuilders are there lifting hundreds, upon hundreds of pounds in their workout. You’ve brought your 4-year-old with you to keep you company while you get a quick run in on the treadmill. He works his way over to the bodybuilders and climbs underneath the weight to try and lift it. While we think this is cute, it truly parallels what our response should be when we experience God's grace. Our hearts should long to do more than we’re able because of God's love for us.
Have you ever thought of your works as currency or money? That scenario is pretty funny but it's so true. We do attempt to gain God's favor by doing this or that, so many times. Pastor Ricky reminds us again that God's grace is not something that we can earn, it's something that has been lavished upon us because God loves us beyond our understanding. The key is to receive God's grace and walk in the power that it provides.
Jesus came to be in the midst of sinners and call them to repentance. This type of thinking is foreign to us, be in the midst of sinners? Many of us have grown a bit too comfortable lounging in the church pew each Sunday that we have forgotten that Jesus has given us a mission to share His grace with the lost and dying around us, accepting them as they are yet loving them enough to challenge them to confess, repent, and change.
Grace is one of those terms in the body of Christ that has been thrown around quite a bit. Today we’ll learn that grace is far more than the simple thought of unmerited favor. While it most certainly is unmerited favor, we’ll learn that biblical grace is better described by the definition of the Greek word Charis which it is derived from, “The divine influence upon the heart especially seen in the life”. You see Jesus exhibited this kind of grace where on one hand He would break bread with anyone while on the other hand, He asked them to change.
It can be really difficult to encourage someone who has cancer, or someone who's just lost a loved one. Those are difficult situations to navigate but you are called to encourage those who are faint-hearted. Today Pastor Ricky is going to give you some practical ways that you can encourage people around you who are feeling a bit discouraged. He's going to remind us that Jesus should always be the starting point of those conversations, remembering always to point people to Him and not to ourselves.
Are you feeling discouraged today? Being discouraged isn't a sin but discouragement is a result of the sin in our world. You might feel like there isn't any hope left in the world, that there isn't any hope left in your own life but there is hope. That hope comes through Jesus. He wants to encourage you. He wants to remind you that our life here on earth is only temporary and that we have an eternal hope in Him. Today Pastor Ricky is going to remind us that our discouragement can be turned to joy.
Our culture generally doesn't align with what the Bible teaches us. Many people in our current culture believe that supporting those around us means supporting every choice that somebody makes, whether it's a good one or a bad one. But the Bible tells us that we should call each other out as brothers and sisters in Christ. When you see your friends doing sinful or harmful things you should lovingly help them get out of that sin. Today Pastor Ricky is going to encourage you to keep your friends accountable.
Are you sitting idle in your walk with God? The Bible's definition of idle might not be as obvious as it seems. Being idle in God's view doesn't mean sitting still and doing nothing. It also isn't a competition to see who can be the busiest or the best at what they do. You can be distracting yourself with social media, video games, or anything else. What you’re involved in should reflect what God has put in your heart. Today Pastor Ricky is going to teach us what it means to be idle in the view of God.
Are you using the church as a convenience store? Maybe you walk into church and you go through the motions every week. You raise your hands in worship, you go through an offering and you listen to a sermon then you go throughout your week and repeat every Sunday. There's so much more to be involved in. God wants you to be close to one another so that you can care for one another. Today Pastor Ricky will give us some practical ways that we can care for one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Have you ever felt lonely, like there's nobody that can understand the pain that you've been through? Or the hardships that you've endured, the sin that you felt burdened by for so long? Well, Jesus cares about you. He cares so much that He died on the cross so that you could be set free from sin and so that you could have an eternal relationship with Him. Today Pastor Ricky is going to encourage you that Jesus cares about you. He cared for His people throughout the Bible and He cares about you now.
Every time that you're in the presence of the Lord, you can have a taste of what heaven is going to feel like. We can have joy in the Lord because of the hope that we have in Jesus’ return. He's going to return and save us from the corruption and sin that’s in the world. You don't have to worry about tomorrow because God is in control. Today Pastor Ricky will encourage us to rejoice in God because He's already promised us the gift of eternal life and that's something to be thankful for.
It can be really hard to have joy in your life when everything seems to be falling apart around you. You lost your job, you lost your friends, the car is breaking down, your marriage is failing, it seems like things just can't go your way, so how do you find joy during those unfortunate circumstances? Well the Lord is the answer. He can provide joy that’s everlasting. Today Pastor Ricky is going to use the story of Habakkuk to teach us how to have joy. Habakkuk understood how to rejoice in the Lord even when his circumstances weren't perfect.
The old prayer, “Lord, give me patience and give it now” has more truth than we would like to admit. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, learning to trust God requires a great deal of patience and waiting. We’re learning in Habakkuk that God is squarely in charge. Another word for that is sovereign. Pastor Ricky reminds us that as we acknowledge that, it requires us to let go of forcing our own path and agendas in order to see progress the way we prefer it. Trust in God always pays off.
Have you ever wanted to be a part of a family, a company, or a club where everybody looked out purely for the best interest of each other? That sounds a little too good to be true sometimes, doesn't it? Well as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God is always working and always including us in His victories. We never see God off doing something with disregard to what's going on back in our own lives. Somehow, God sees fit to include us and have us as co-victors with Him. That's the good news of the Gospel.
God has your best interest in mind. God's plan is for His glory and for your good. As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God is about wholeness and restoration. The application from our scripture lesson is timely and relevant. Pastor Ricky reminds us that we might be confused with all of the bad things going on, and it seems to continue, and many seem to get away with it, so we're tempted to wonder, where is the justice? Habakkuk shows us that God is in charge. He hasn't lost control. He's not overwhelmed. He is big enough for what we're facing.
God's ways are higher than our ways. How many times have we found that to be true? As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God uses unlikely people even an unfaithful country to bring about His plan. What can really be confusing is when justice doesn't seem to come fast enough. Pastor Ricky reminds us that even though we might feel that God isn't bringing about justice swiftly enough, or harsh enough, His ways are still higher and better than ours. We’ll understand better one day but for now, we just have to trust Him.
With every day that passes, a couple of things seem to be an option for us to take. One is that we become more confident in what we've experienced and learned in life. If we're not careful that can lead to assumptions and reliance on our own knowledge. The other thing that could happen is that we realize just how much we don't know. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, trusting in the Lord is critical on our path with Jesus, even after many years of experience. So be open to where He leads today.
Have you ever thought about just how powerful faith is? Not just faith as a description of being religious but the deepest meaning of faith, trust and hope. As Pastor Ricky teaches us today, faith in Jesus brings salvation, receiving that gift, it's an amazing thing. Pastor Ricky reminds us that living a life in the power of the cross is crucial. Faith doesn't just end when you start your journey with Christ. You continue living, serving, and flourishing, in and through faith every single day.
Do you ever need a little extra motivation to go through something difficult? Even if it's just a reward at the end of a workout, or reaching a milestone towards a goal, a positive anticipation is good. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, the assurance that the Word of God increased and multiplied, was given before a difficult season as we’ll hear in our text. Pastor Ricky reminds us that through it all, the Lord reigns and is doing a great work to keep us and His message until Christ comes again.
Aren't you glad that someone found a way to share the message of God's love in a language and way that you can understand? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, the good news spread to Antioch in a way that they could understand and that understanding came from a place of honesty, relatability, and realness. Pastor Ricky reminds us that we have fallen short. We’ve blown it big time and are all in the same need of forgiveness. That universal need carries us to the throne of grace. Christ is the answer for all of us.
Often in the English language, we have words with multiple meanings. The word “church” is one of those words. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn that we casually refer to the meeting place, the building, its committees, systems and programs as church. Others define church by what we do at worship service but Pastor Ricky reminds us that the church of Jesus Christ is so much more than just a building or a weekly gathering. It's a living organism, universal, and alive with unity following our Lord.
You aren't alone. Hopefully, you've heard that as a Christ-follower but do you really believe it? As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you learn that we're a part of a larger family of God. Unity, therefore, is so important to the mission at hand. Pastor Ricky reminds us that living in unity and understanding that we were never meant to do life on our own, not only gives us hope and reassurance to make it through another day, it can also make our impact on the world powerful.
Jesus came to earth and went from here to there, crisscrossing the land, bringing good news. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you’ll learn that Jesus has become our example. We're commanded to spread the Gospel, to go as Christ went. So often we like to program our lives and churches in such a way that we might feel good but aren’t really making disciples in all of the earth. Pastor Ricky reminds us that “go and tell” is a non-optional part of what it means to be God's church.
“Pick and choose” is the spirit of the age it seems. We love charting our own course. It’s common today to live a life of a la carte faith, where only the attractive parts of faith are lived out. As Pastor Ricky teaches today, you'll learn how the commands of God, the plans that He has for you, aren’t “pick and choose”. To be the church of God in the world today, we can’t erase the true call that God has for us. Pastor Ricky reminds us that “go and tell others” is not optional.
We try, at all costs, to avoid the things that break our hearts. It's in our nature to run away from sorrow. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us just how amazing Jesus truly is. Not only did He not run away from being beaten and crucified but He pursued it His entire life. It wasn't something that He was looking forward to per se but He knew that it was necessary. So well a story about a man being falsely convicted and suffering for it breaks our hearts, we can also see that it was essential to our salvation and we can be so grateful for Him.
Have you ever been truly forsaken? Sometimes we feel alone or unloved but feeling it and it being true are two different things. When you know love and lose it can shatter you. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that that was exactly what Jesus went through by being crucified. His entire life, He knew the love of His father intimately but when the time came for Him to die, it required Jesus to take all of our sin that caused God so much wrath and take it on Himself. He knew the wrath of God so that you might be saved from it.
We often let society's narrative translate our actions in order to feel better about them. We think about sin as this big thing when in reality we all sin every day. Pastor Ricky reminds us today how important it is to not downplay our sin because it is a big deal and it's only when we recognize the weight of our sin that we can truly appreciate the weight of what Christ carried on our behalf. We have to see our sin through God's perspective in order to understand what He did for us and to be truly thankful.
We don't always choose the wisest options in life. In fact, we often choose the option that we know isn't wise just because we're curious or because we don't think through the consequences. Pastor Ricky reminds us that even though Pilate tried to sway the crowd into releasing Jesus instead of a murderer, it was to no avail. They would rather see a dangerous man walk amongst them than an innocent one who threatened their way of life. And check your pride, because you would have done the same.
We all know what it's like to mess up but we still think of ourselves as the protagonist. We may be self-critical but at the end of the day, we're still selfishly inclined. What Pastor Ricky is going to remind us of today, is to have a little perspective. If you'd lived in Jesus' day, you would have been shouting along with the rest of the crowd to crucify Him. Don't think that you would have been brave enough to stand up and defend Him. We're all responsible for His crucifixion, not just the people who were there.
We don't always respond the way we should. When someone comes at us with harsh words, we feel the need to not only defend ourselves but often to strike back. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us of our Savior who endured everything for our sake and through it all, He never responded in sin. Not once did He speak biting words for the sake of hurting somebody. Instead, He responded only in calm silence and honesty. Don't doubt your Savior because He's proven His faithfulness to us a hundredfold.
There are people out there who don't mind going against the crowd but not everyone is comfortable with it. It can be a scary thing to speak out against so many voices. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that going against the flow is essential to the Christian life. There are going to be times when you feel all alone in your principles. Remember that even the apostles couldn't always stand the pressure. But know that there are a sea of people that are clinging to the same rock as you, the solid rock of Christ.
What would you do in order to save your most valued possession? We don't always realize what we hold most dear until we realize that we're terrified to give it up. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us just how valuable Jesus is to us, even if we don't realize it. We owe Him everything. If the thought of giving Him up doesn't terrify you, then you don't fully understand all that He's done for you. Without Him, there is no hope, no love, no peace. We need to check our hearts and be sure that we value Christ above all else.
Sometimes things are only valuable to certain people. We get sentimental and attached to objects because they're worth something to us, even if they don't mean anything to anyone else. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that now and then, our values become skewed. We see a much smaller scope compared to God and our values aren't as selective as they should be. If you’re to see God for who He is, you’d realize that everything you have to give doesn't even begin to compare to all that He's given to you.
Many of us, knowing a deadline, wait until the last moment to do the important work that's necessary before the deadline. Jesus knew this about humanity and so clearly stated that we won't know the day or hour that He's coming. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, we do know that Jesus could come back at any time. Jesus encourages every believer to live like it could be at any moment. So don't waste your life in comfort or apathy. Live with an urgency to share the gospel with as many people as you can, while you can.
That day. Jesus talks on His way to the cross of “that day”. The day when He returns to gather believers together. Today Pastor Ricky will encourage you to remember that when you're torn and battered as a believer in Christ in this world, you have a cherished hope. Don't despair and feel powerless in the world around you. Jesus, the almighty King, will come in great power and glory on “that day” to gather His church and to rescue all those who believe in Him forever. God's story doesn't end here in the evil chaos. It ends with Him reigning forever.
In the days that we're living in now, Jesus said that there would be difficult days and terrible circumstances that we must go through as believers in Him. Fear, anxiety, anger, they’re going to try and rise and fill your mind and heart. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, God uses these hard times for a good purpose. God will use you as a witness, to share His goodness as you trust Him in difficulties. In all things, let the opposition turn into opportunities for the gospel witness. Let your faith and relationship to Christ shine through so the world can know Him.
The things that have been going on in our world in recent years are definitely troubling - wars, death, division, sickness, and poverty amongst many other evil things. It can seem like God has lost control and we're all doomed. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, Jesus said that these things would happen as His return draws nearer in order to prepare believers so that we wouldn’t fear. We’re in what He calls the “last days”. It's important in these turbulent last days to hold on tight to Him and confidently believe that God is still in control.
The scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day were experts of scripture. They should have always been on the lookout and the first to see and recognize Jesus was the Messiah. Yet as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, they didn't recognize, and they certainly didn't acknowledge Jesus as the prophesied Messiah. Sadly, most of us today are much like the scribes. We know about Jesus but so often we want to hold onto and build our own kingdom and power. Are you willing to surrender your life to God, in order that you might be saved?
What if what you're hoping for from God isn't too big but is in fact too small? The religious leaders of the time were simply looking for a descendant of David to come and subdue their Roman oppressors. But as Pastor Ricky will teach us today, God had a much bigger and more spectacular plan than that. Human plans were far too narrow for the Messiah who is to come. God's plan was for the rescue and redemption of mankind from the enemy of sin and death. God’s plans are bigger and better than anything that you can imagine.
The way things are nowadays, it can be easy to despair about politicians and leaders in control of our country. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, God will ultimately hold leaders accountable for the choices they make. God is the ultimate authority and is in control of all things, and He's worthy of our trust and faith. And when you do trust God in all things, you experience a greater sense of peace and rest in the difficult seasons. So don’t allow fear and despair to overtake you, rest in God. He's in control.
The political culture of today is divisive and full of conflict. Just about every earthly leader is full of pride and contempt and no one seems to want to obey authority anymore. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, all leaders, all circumstances, and all authority on earth is under the authority of God Almighty. The government isn't your god. God is God. You don't need to fear or idolize authority because ultimately God is in control and is above all things. No one can thwart His plans.
The crowds that cheered Jesus into Jerusalem wanted a powerful king who would rescue and save them from their Roman oppression. They wanted very specific things from this man that they assumed to be the Messiah. Today Pastor Ricky points out that the people were missing the fact that they had a much deeper need for salvation from sin, hell, and judgment than they did from Rome at the time. Jesus came to His people to give them a better and deeper, truer rescue and salvation than they were hoping for. Have you accepted that rescue yet?
People today have all sorts of different understandings and viewpoints as to who Jesus was - an old religious teacher, a good man, a prophet, a quack, or to some, a king and savior. The crowd at the gates of Jerusalem shouted “Hosanna!” because they wanted a powerful warrior king who would conquer the world for them. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, Jesus did wear a crown but it was a crown of thorns. However, Jesus was a truer and better King than they could ever have imagined. Is He the king over your life?
It goes against every human instinct to admit that you can't do it, that you need help, that you're weak or incapable. Our proud hearts really struggle to admit those types of things. Yet as a sinner, you just can't work your way out of the judgment of God on your own. Today Pastor Ricky will explain how Jesus, the King of All, humbled Himself, came to earth to serve you, and give His life as a ransom for yours. You must bow your knee in humility and let Jesus serve you in this way. Let Him save you. Iit's why He came.
Those considered great in this world are the rich, the super talented, and the famous. They’re envied and admired. But as Pastor Ricky will explain today, society's definition isn't God's definition, nor is the pursuit of that type of greatness what God desires for you. Longing for worldly greatness leads only to ruin and God sees the posture of your heart. He knows if you want to be great in the eyes of the world. Instead, he longs for you to look to Jesus, to humble yourself, and to seek to serve others. That's what will make you great in God's eyes.
God designed marriage between man and woman in order to illustrate and display His love for His people. That's why He created marriages to last forever. But in our world, it doesn't always happen that way. Today Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine how you view marriage. It requires a huge amount of humility and sacrifice for another and it needs a lot of grace demonstrated towards each other. Will you resolve today to show God's love for His bride, the church, in and through your marriage?
God's design for marriage was to be a beautiful union between a man and a woman, demonstrating the love that God has for His people but mankind has warped and changed the value of marriage so much so that divorce is commonplace today. God never intended marriage to end in divorce. This world is broken by sin and marriage has been greatly affected. Pastor Ricky will explain today that divorce shouldn’t be happily pursued but Jesus did outline how it's permissible in this fallen world, despite His desires for lifelong marriages.
The concept of marriage is quickly becoming viewed as out of date and restrictive in society today so culture tries to change it, redefine it, or swap out who it's for. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God designed marriage and His design is good. It's radically countercultural. He created marriage to be a complete union between a man and a woman and no matter how much you change up or redefine marriage, you'll never get back to the goodness and blessing of God's design for this union.
There's a lot of debate and some really high emotions around the issue of gender today. Culture shouts that anyone can be anything, any gender or even non-gender, and anything to the contrary isn’t just out of date but downright wrong. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, God In His glorious wisdom created man and woman as two distinct beings. Men and women are designed to complement and improve each other in beautiful and unique ways. The way that God designed humanity is for our ultimate good and for His own glory.
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began dismantling the idea that in order to be great we have to step on and over anyone in our way. We learned that Jesus set the supreme example by serving, not being served. So as you listen today you're going to be challenged to ask yourself, “Am I serving those around me? Am I serving my family? Am I serving my co-workers?”. Those are some difficult questions to answer as the answers themselves can be incriminating but nevertheless, Jesus says that in order to be great you must be the servant of all.
The American dream is fueled by a dog-eat-dog mentality. You just have to step on the person next to you to get ahead. Make sure that you get that promotion before anyone else. When it's raised like that it doesn't sound very nice but we all know that is true. Today Pastor Ricky flips this completely upside down as he shares with us just how different the kingdom economy actually is. Jesus says that if you want to be great in His kingdom you have to learn to serve, to be below, to be less than.
How do you respond when faced with circumstances that seem impossible? Do you immediately begin to question the goodness of God and why He even allowed a struggle in your life to begin with? Well, today Pastor Ricky shares that learning to see your circumstances through the lens of an all-powerful God is key to seeing God move. It begins with believing that you, in and of yourself, are insufficient. You need God to move on your behalf. That kind of faith will move the heart of God.
There's a really big difference between wondering whether God can do something and declaring that He can't do something. Today you learn that God has pretty broad shoulders. He can take your doubts. The important distinction is to not allow your doubts to turn into unbelief, where you simply believe that God can’t do something. Pastor Ricky will share that God is so, so sufficient while we are completely insufficient. This helps us to see our great need for God and to depend only on Him.
Sadly, pulpits all across America blur the message if you believe in God enough, you'll be healthy and wealthy. You’ll never have a bad day in your life. If you’ve been told this message, you've been told a lie. In fact, Jesus actually promised the exact opposite. He said that you would experience trouble in this life. Today Pastor Ricky brings some clarity to the murky waters of suffering. You’ll learn just because you're suffering doesn't mean that you're outside of God's will or being punished by God.
There's no way around it. The creation reveals the glory of God. It's impossible to pierce through the lens of a telescope and see the vastness of the universe and not be drawn to the idea of a creator. It's impossible to dig your toes into the sand and gaze out into the ocean and not imagine that an intelligent creator made everything that we see. Today Pastor Ricky says that each of us has this longing inside to see God’s hand, we’re wired for it. The wonderful truth you’ll learn today is that Jesus made all of this possible.
Maybe you're not quite sure that there's anything after this life, that you’ll just cease to exist when you die. Well, today Pastor Ricky will help us see a little more clearly just how much death has been changed through the work of Jesus Christ. You’ll learn today that death is not the end and that you are an eternal being. Right now, right where you are listening, you have the capacity to choose where you're going to spend eternity.
Stop and think about the last time that you had unexpected guests over. You might have gotten a call on the drive home from work that there's going to be some extra seats needed at the dinner table. You frantically race home and you clean up the house in a whirlwind and now as the friends arrive there are probably some places where you’ve crammed some of the mess that you don't want them to see. Today Pastor Ricky asks, are there places in your life and in your heart that you don't want Jesus to see?
If you ask most people they would say that Jesus was a good man and a teacher of good morals. They might even go as far as to say that He was the most influential person on earth. But if you follow up with the question, is He your king or your savior? you're going to get a whole pile of different answers and that really is where the rubber meets the road. You can either say that Jesus was a good person or you can say that He is King and then if He is King, is He your king? Your answer to this question is the single most important answer in your entire life.
The core message, the bedrock of the Gospel, is admitting that you have a need. You see, you don't need a savior unless you need saving and you won't need your eyes opened to who God is unless you admit that you're spiritually blind. Pastor Ricky brings a humble message calling each of us to start there. Admit that you need Jesus to give you sight, that right now, you can't see anything clearly. You’ll learn today that when you do that, when you admit your need, Jesus is quick to swoop in and to open your blind eyes.
For most of us, our eyesight is something that we take for granted. We wake up every morning, roll over, and look at the time on our alarm clocks as it blares out the call to get up. Then we open up the curtains and in comes the sunshine. Now pause for a moment and imagine waking up and not being able to see anything, just dark. For those listening who are blind or have impaired vision, you know very well what that feels like. Today Pastor Ricky helps us to appreciate more the spiritual clarity of sight that Jesus provides.
It’s easy to forget about all that God has done in our lives. We go to church, we drop a few bucks in the offering plate as it passes us by, and then simply go on about our week. We can get into an unhealthy and unthankful routine. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us through the sacrament of communion just how much God has given to us. Have you ever considered the generosity of God and all that He's given? He gave His son for you and for me.
You’ve only heard part of the story. Pastor Ricky’s son began experiencing a severe health crisis and God's provision for Ricky and his family was miraculous. Maybe you’re listening today and you're in the same place that Ricky and his family were. You don't know how God is going to pay that bill, or how God is going to move on your behalf. Well, don't go anywhere. In today's message, Pastor Ricky tells us just how good Jesus is and how much Jesus provides.
Did you hear that? It is by grace and through faith that everyone, yes even those folks covered in tattoos and those that are maybe a little rough around the edges, even them, everyone is able to approach God by faith in the finished work of Jesus. Today Pastor Ricky continues to challenge the notion that there are categories of people that are unfit for the kingdom. The blood of Jesus simply tears down these foolish walls that we built. Will you allow the Lord to tear down your walls?
Othering is a practice we're all guilty of. We’ll look at “those” people and we immediately drop them into a category that we deem appropriate. Today Pastor Ricky tears down the walls of othering by showing us the door that each person walks through to have a relationship with God. It's the same door. There is no “other” door. So the challenge today will be for you to allow the Lord to expose those areas of othering in your own heart then, turn from that way of thinking and walk in the truth of the Gospel.
So much of what we read in the Old Testament points to the limited atonement that the first covenant provided. Animal sacrifice never removed sin, it only covered it. Thankfully, by faith, we can enter into a new and living covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus removes sin, it doesn't just cover it or gloss over it, it completely removes it. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that we need a new heart that has been cleansed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever found yourself saying things like, “Well at least I'm not like so-and-so” or “I've never killed anyone” or maybe “I'm faithful to my spouse.” We use these sorts of comparative phrases to make ourselves feel better, to justify ourselves. Today Pastor Ricky is going to help us see more clearly that from the best to the worst of us, we all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We all need to be delivered from sin. It doesn't matter how good you think you’ve been, you still need Jesus no matter what.
Imagine for a moment a tight rope stretched tensely across the Grand Canyon. The trapeze artist slowly creeps out over the vast expanse and takes the first few steps. Now imagine on the other side of that rope, the tension begins to fail. The rope becomes more and more slack. What happens to the trapeze artist? Sadly, he falls to his death. See, the humanity and divinity of Jesus is the same. Tension has to be held on both sides in order for Jesus to be who He is.
Maybe you're missing exactly who Jesus is. Maybe you think that He was just a good teacher or an advocate for moral life choices. Well, He definitely was and is both of those things, but He's so much more. Today Pastor Ricky will share a timely message. You see, at the time this message was taught, a storm rolled through El Paso, Texas where Cross of Grace Church is. This message speaks directly to the fact that Jesus can and should be trusted even in the midst of the storms of life.
Maybe you're one of those people who love the rush of a high-risk adventure. Skydiving and bungee jumping are both things that get your blood pumping. Then, there are those of us who worry about whether our shirt matches our shoes and what other people will think. It could be risky to be out of style. Today Pastor Ricky encourages you to take the risks that seem wise in furthering the gospel, no more and no less.
Pastor Ricky shares that he recently joined the worship team and part of joining the team was learning how to play the melody for each song the worship team was leading. Then as he grew as a musician, he started experimenting with playing creatively. This works great for a musician who's capable but for those just starting out, it can quickly derail. Pastor Ricky shares with us today that we are receiving pressure from all sides to depart from the melody of the Gospel and to play a different song. We need to stick with the Gospel.
It feels virtually impossible to see unity in this divisive and broken world we live in but unity is possible. So how can you play a part in bringing unity? Today Pastor Ricky encourages you to begin looking past the categories and the stereotypes you might have grown up with. Step away from extreme opinions that have no basis in the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Make the Gospel the most important thing in your life.
Sometimes following the Holy Spirit's leading is as simple as crossing the street. We can get into the wrong mindset thinking that ministry is only done by paid professionals, pastors and staff members of our local church. Well, today Pastor Ricky reminds each one of us you, yes you, are called to the ministry. Now it might not look the same as your pastor's ministry but you are called nonetheless. So as you listen today, ask the Lord to speak to you about how He wants to use you right where you are.
Bookstore shelves are lined with books about spiritual warfare. Conference centers are packed full of people who want to learn how to defeat Satan and his minions. But could it be as simple as Pastor Ricky has said? Could it be that all we really need to do is declare the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ? Today Pastor Ricky says yes, it's that simple. If you want to win spiritual warfare and actually see victory, then just start sharing the gospel with those around you. Jesus will set them free.
Hate is a really strong word but we say things like, “I hate mayonnaise on my sandwich” or “I hate it when my team gets beat,” but is that really what hate means? Today Pastor Ricky reveals the dark and sinister nature of real hatred. Real hatred is the utter destruction intended by Satan himself. Satan hates God hates and hates God's people, that means that he'll do anything and everything to draw you away from Jesus. Be on your guard.
When you're smack dab in the middle of a storm of life, it feels impossible to see past the waves and the wind that is howling right before your eyes. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that God is actually with you, right there in the midst of the storm. Pastor Ricky shares today that this is vitally important to remember as you walk through this life. God is with you and if God is with you, you need not be afraid.
Fear reveals what we truly believe about God. You see if you're afraid of something, you're actually believing that that thing is greater than God. That it has power greater than God. Now that might seem a bit harsh but if you take time to unpack your fears, you'll find that it's true. Today Pastor Ricky shares with us a theology of the storms of life. You’ll learn how to navigate the turbulent waters with Jesus at the helm.
Last time, Pastor Ricky started talking about the unassuming power of the Kingdom of God. In the world that we live in, it doesn't appear to have any power because evil seems to be reigning. Pastor Ricky will bring a word of comfort today. There's a coming day when all sickness will end. There will be no more death. Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and we will be with Him forever. This is the glorious kingdom that we wait for.
The world around us seems to be powerful and unrelenting. To those of us here in the US, we've been raised on the idea that the United States is the most powerful country on earth and for the most part, it's probably true. We're certainly the most blessed nation on earth but we aren't the first to experience it. Today Pastor Ricky shares how the Kingdom of God, though seemingly small and insignificant, towers in comparison to any and all countries that have ever existed.
In the book of Hebrews, the writer describes the Bible as a sharp two-edged sword that divides right to the center of your very being. This spiritually surgical characteristic is unique to the Bible. You can read a certain passage and sense the overwhelming blessing and joy that comes from knowing Jesus. Then you can dive into another section and feel the weight of conviction because of a hidden sin in your life. Pastor Ricky shares with us today that the word of God is rich and full of blessings as we engage it.
We’ve probably all heard someone say, “Ah, well of course I'm a Christian. My grandfather was a pastor” as if familial proximity is what saves us. If you’re joining us and under that mindset, stay with us as Pastor Ricky will be debunking the idea that just knowing about God or even knowing some of His Word is the same as actually knowing God. You’ll learn that a personal connection with God, through Jesus, is the only way to guarantee eternal life.
For thousands of years, the Sabbath has been a topic of hot debate. “What even is the Sabbath?” “Do I need to keep the Sabbath?” “I'm not even Jewish.” Actually, there's a lot more to the Sabbath than whether you're Jewish or not. Today Pastor Ricky will help you see that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. What Jesus says is what goes for the Sabbath. The bottom line is that you need the Sabbath. It's not a “have to” it's a “get to” and the more you see the Sabbath as a blessing, the more it actually will be a blessing in your life.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself, when was the last time I really had a full day of rest? Like nothing going on, just relaxing, enjoying my family, doing nothing. If you're like most Americans, you probably can't remember a single day like that. We seem to always be on the go. Today Pastor Ricky challenges this practice by introducing the true meaning of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for you, not you for it. That's the first thing that you need to know.
Maybe you have the same mindset as most Christians, “Pastors and evangelists are the ones that are called and supposed to go to other countries to tell people about Jesus. It’s not my job.” If that's what you're thinking, then you're in for a surprise today. Pastor Ricky is going to share that all work is holy work. This means that you're a missionary right where you are, right there in your job, your home, and your school. Are you being faithful to share Jesus with those around you?
Do you have that fire in your gut to always keep moving? Maybe you can't sit still and work doesn't even feel like work for you. Well, a solid work ethic is something to be thankful for but what about rest? What about Sabbath? Today Pastor Ricky reminds us that a day of rest is only a shadow of the eternal rest that we have in Christ. One day all of your work and effort will fade away as you begin your eternal life with Jesus. But what about now? Are you restful, restless, or fully rested? Remember the Sabbath was made for you, not you for it.
I think I would probably be pretty terrified to hear Jesus say,” I'm going to blow that up.” But you get Pastor Ricky’s point. Jesus will not ever, never ever ever, coexist with our worldly opinions and ideas. He wants to be the absolute center of our lives. Then all of our thoughts and opinions can flow out of that relationship with Him. Today Pastor Ricky will help you identify places where you might be holding on to your own ideals, rather than the ideals of the kingdom.
Well, I don't know about you but I love a good summer cookout. The warm sunshine surrounding you, an ice-cold drink in your hands, and the smell of meat cooking on the grill, it’s wonderful. It's a feast. The Bible is full of talks like this about good meals and friends around the table and today, Pastor Ricky helps us understand the difference between fasting and feasting. Religious people in Jesus' day really missed the point and Jesus had to help them see more clearly.
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began unpacking the horrendous life of a leper, what it look like, what it felt like. It was awful and anyone who came into contact with someone who had leprosy steered completely clear. Not Jesus though. Jesus walked right up to those affected with leprosy and provided the healing that they needed. So what about you? How do you respond to those that are in need? Maybe even full of sin? Pastor Ricky will challenge you to be willing, just like Jesus was, and help those in need.
It's really hard for us to imagine what it was like for someone infected with leprosy. It wasn't just the physical suffering that one endures with a major illness, it was more. It was complete isolation. These poor people were cut off from everyone they knew and loved. Today Pastor Ricky will help you see that you were the leper in God’s eyes. You were infected with sin. You were isolated from God and because of the work of Jesus you have been brought near to God.
Stop and think about the world that we live in. It's shifting sand, everything's changing all the time. There's very little that's stable in this world. This is one of the main points that Pastor Ricky is making today. Jesus is the firm foundation that you can stand on. You can trust Jesus for all of your life, not just the big things, the small things too, and the best part is that Jesus doesn't change. His mission is the same as it was yesterday. It'll never change and you can partner with Him in that mission.
Hollywood has portrayed the battle between God and Satan as ongoing, like one day God gets a victory and then the next day Satan gets one. But that's not the case at all. God completely won the battle against Satan at the cross and this victory is final and it’s eternal. The wonderful truth about this fact is that you can trust Jesus as the supreme victor. Pastor Ricky will unpack the kingship of Jesus in his message today. You’ll learn that Jesus has you, every part of you, whatever you're facing now and whatever you will face in the future.
None of us who name the name of Jesus in our lives wants to be known as Instagram followers of Jesus. We want to be known as real genuine followers of Jesus who do His will and live for His purposes here on earth. That's the difference between your kingdom and the kingdom of God. Today Pastor Ricky will continue to show you the stark difference and how you can move from pursuing your own thing to a life of fulfillment in the center of God’s will.
You may be wondering if you have ever really repented? Pastor Ricky wants to encourage all of us today, repentance is something that should be a normal and regular part of our lives. Why? Because though we are destined for heaven as followers of Jesus, we still sin every single day. Perhaps that's you and you find yourself in the mire of sin and long to be set free. Join us as Pastor Ricky shares more about what the glorious Kingdom of Jesus looks like.
Even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane prayed and asked God would remove the cup or spare Him from the suffering that He knew was coming but there was no other way. Jesus, the perfect man, had to die in our place in order to make a way for us to be reunited with God. This single act brought complete cleansing for our sins. The simple way to access this cleansing is to place your faith in Jesus.
Throughout all of history, many have spoken in the name of God. There were the prophets and sages that had words from God for all of mankind. Today as Pastor Ricky continues in Mark chapter one, you'll learn that the definitive voice of God was in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the final voice from God because Jesus is God. When you read the words of Jesus you can take it to the bank. He’s speaking on the authority of His Father in Heaven.
Last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began to unpack what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement and this movement is so very countercultural. Think about how the world instructs you to get ahead. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and you're encouraged to step on and over anyone who gets in your way. Well, today Pastor Ricky reminds you that the Kingdom economy is much different than the world's economy. Jesus says if you want to be first then you need to learn to be last.
The turmoil in our world today is at the highest levels that we've ever seen. A quick flick of the channel on your TV, or a scroll on Facebook and you'll see that we are divided and one of the saddest things of late is the contribution of the church to this matter. Yes, we do need to be divided on certain issues, there's no question, but have you ever stopped to ask yourself what the world really needs? Pastor Ricky invites you to join him on a journey in Mark where you’ll learn what it means to be a part of a Jesus movement in our day.
There is one reason and one reason alone that the early church was so successful in reaching the world around them for Christ and that reason is that they were dependent on God. This church immediately prayed whenever there was a problem or whenever they needed directions. When you have a good prayer life it shows that you're truly dependent on God and that you know you have no strength in yourself. How is your prayer life? If it's lacking you're telling God you don't need Him.
Is being a disciple of Jesus Christ part of the regular rhythm of your life? Many that come to church only keep Christ in that part of their day but you as a disciple are to represent Jesus every single day and every moment of your life. Are you representing Christ properly at church? How about in school or in your home with your family? The way the Lord reaches this dark and lost world is by being properly represented by His children and then revealing Himself through them.
As Pastor Ricky teaches on the acts of the Holy Spirit through the early church you will begin to understand why this early church was used so powerfully by the Lord. The believers here in this chapter are taking their discipleship very seriously as well as making disciples of others. When you focus on ridding yourself of sin and communing with the Lord you will begin to change from the inside out. As you change and look more Christ-like, unbelievers will see there is something very different about you.
Many in the American church primarily focus on the aspect of becoming a disciple individually and don't move forward and make disciples of others. It's easier to just focus on your own discipleship and it's easier to stay in your comfort zone and not reach out to others. But Christ calls you to be bold and to make disciples. This was not a suggestion this is a command and the early church took it very seriously. It's time that the church today takes Christ's command to make disciples just as seriously as the early church did in the book of Acts.
God desires that His children gather together and corporately worship and seek Him. He promises a special and unique experience of His spirit. All believers have different spiritual gifts and the Lord desires that you would gather together as the body of Christ and be used to benefit others. When you come to church, do you expect to experience a move of the spirit of God? Or do you just show up and go through the motions? Purpose to expect a move of God at church and look for ways to serve others.
The foundations to a healthy Christian Life are reading the Word of God, prayer, sharing your faith, and fellowshipping in the church. Today Pastor Ricky will be focusing on the importance of fellowshipping with other believers. The Bible says, do not forsake the fellowship of the brethren and sadly there are many today that don't think it's important to go to church. The truth of the matter is that you do have the Holy Spirit in you but He promises a special experience when you gather with other believers.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the importance of Christians to grow in faith, he will be showing how it's not enough to just have faith but that the power is in the object of your faith. Having faith does nothing for you. Your faith must be placed in the person of Jesus Christ. As you go through trials and tribulations the only thing that will sustain you is how well you know and trust Jesus. If you lack faith it's because you're not spending intimate and quality time with the Lord.
To truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must be able to place your whole trust and faith in Him, no matter what. The book of Hebrews says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. During your journey as a disciple of Christ, you will be put through circumstances and trials that will test and try you so you can grow in your faith. Place your faith in the person of Jesus Christ.
When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and He lives inside of you, He does a transforming work from the inside out. As your life radically changes and you fall deeper in love with Christ you can't help but talk about Him with others. The Holy Spirit within you desires for you to preach the gospel to a dark and dying world. Pastor Ricky will be sharing with you the basic functions of the gospel to help you easily share with others. Don't fear man for what can man do to you? Trust in the Lord.
In this text, the Lord casts out a legion of demons from a man who lives in a graveyard. Demons are very real but you should never fear them because greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world. Just as Jesus had the power to cast out these demons, He has power to transform your life and to transform the lives of those you minister to. As you preach the gospel to unbelievers, His power proceeds out from you and does the work.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the Parable of the Sower, he will be emphasizing the importance for believers to scatter seeds and patiently wait for the harvest. You're just commanded to preach the gospel. You aren't responsible for the harvest, that's the Lord's job. Don't try and examine the heart of unbelievers just do your duty to preach the gospel. Don't underestimate the power of God's Word when you speak it into someone’s life. The Word of God will never return void.
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the Parable of the Sower and exhorting us as believers to scatter seed by preaching the gospel. The Lord commands His followers to go out into all the world preaching the gospel and making disciples. Are you fulfilling this great commission? You're called to scatter the seeds of the gospel and it's up to the Lord to cause the seeds to grow. As you’re faithful to do your part of the work, the Lord is faithful to do His part.
Jesus was known for eating with sinners and tax collectors and the religious people despised that Jesus did this. Christ said He came to heal the sick and that He came to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. Jesus basically told the hypocritical Pharisees and religious leaders that they couldn’t be saved until they realized they were sick with sin and needed a savior. And you can't be saved by doing good works. It is only by God's grace. Don't look down on the ungodly. Love them and administer to them.
As Jesus was passing through the multitudes of people He stopped and saw Matthew the tax collector and called him and told him to follow Him. Now Matthew was considered to be a traitor to his own people at one of the most corrupt jobs a Jew could have. Yet Jesus stopped and saw him and called him. Jesus saw you and called you as well. He looked past your sin and showed you love and poured out His grace. Do you see the unbelievers around you in this way? Stop and reach out to them.
The Bible says to imitate God as dear children. So how do we do this? Well, Jesus is God incarnate and we're told to follow Him and be conformed to His image. The practical way you can accomplish this is by spending time with Him, in His Word, and in prayer. As you abide in Christ, you will begin to look more and more like Him and you will draw unbelievers to Him. If you're a genuine follower of Jesus, you will lose your own identity and your identity will be found only in Him.
In our American church culture, we're so busy doing so many different activities and programs, that are we really focused on what being a Christian is all about? The Lord commissioned all believers to follow Him as disciples and to preach the gospel throughout the world and make disciples. The whole reason you're left here on this earth is to further the kingdom of God by making disciples. Are you fulfilling the mission Christ has given you to complete?
Paul is exhorting the fathers of the church to urge the young men to live soberly and to live a self-controlled life. There are so many horrible father figures in the world today that are leading the young generation of men astray. Being a man is not drinking beer and vegetating on the couch watching sports all day. Being a man is who you are in Christ. A man works hard and provides for his family. A man of God produces the fruit of the Spirit and is an example to the younger generation. Are you a godly man?
The grace of God is the power that enables us to live godly lives. Pastor Ricky is giving a charge to the father figures in the church to come alongside the young men and to teach them to live Godly lives. The key that enables you to first, be godly and second, to have the ability to disciple another person, is the grace of God. God's grace didn't just save you from your sin but also gives you the ability to receive and apply God's promises to your life.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on being a good steward of the resources God entrusts to us, he will be focusing on giving and tithing. The New Testament church is told to give out of a cheerful heart. Not out of compulsion but to give what he or she has determined in their own heart to give. Are you laying up for yourself treasure here on earth, or in heaven? The whole purpose of having resources is to meet your needs and to be used by God to meet the needs of others.
In today's message, Pastor Ricky will be showing through Old and New Testament scripture how we’re not owners of anything that we have. We really are just stewards. God is the creator of all things and every good thing that you have comes from Him. The Lord entrusts His children with the responsibility to use the resources He's blessed them with to further His kingdom. Do you believe you were an owner of your resources or a steward? You will be held accountable for how you use His resources.
Men, you're not your paycheck, you're not the car you drive, you're not doomed to repeat the same mistakes your father did. Your identity is now in Jesus. You must purpose to be rooted in that identity in Christ. Jesus should be who you model yourself after, not what the world says man should be. You’re called to live a godly life in Christ and to imitate Him as a dear child. Allow the Lord to train you, not your past experiences or what the world says you should be.
Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting the men in the church to live up to the call on their lives. The Lord calls them to be godly leaders that guide their families in the way of holiness. If you are a man that is discouraged and feels as though this calling is too great for you, purpose to lean on the grace of God. God's grace forgives your past and gives you hope for the future. By God's grace, you can become the man God wants you to be. Get up and receive God's promises and walk in victory.
Pastor Ricky will be encouraging women today to live up to the amazing call that God has placed on their lives and encouraging men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. When men love their wives and give them encouragement, it's easy for women to respect them and when women respect their husbands, it's easy for men to love and show affection. Purpose to be a builder and encourager. Don't be someone who tears down and constantly criticizes.
In this letter to the church, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the believers to live out what they learn from God's Word in the home. When you come to church and receive a word from God it's to be lived out in your household and taught to your family. Don't allow yourself to sit in service and think, “Oh, what a great sermon” and then neglect the application to your everyday life. When you obey God's Word, it brings a blessing upon your home and family. Purpose to be a Godly example to those in your household.
Living for Jesus will not be easy. There's no place in the Bible that ensures an easy walk as a Christian. Pastor Ricky wants us to be reminded of this in today's message but he also wants us to not be afraid. Though the people in Jesus’ time opposed Him and even eventually killed Him, Jesus stood firm in His message of love, hope, and forgiveness. He had the truth on His side and His Heavenly Father strengthening Him daily. We too have the truth on our side, in Jesus Himself to give us strength and courage.
As we spend more and more time with Jesus reading His word and praying, we will begin to see his heart for us and for the people around us. Pastor Ricky today encourages us to take on Jesus’ identity so that we will be able to have His heart for our community. The world has a standard they think each person should live up to but it tends to be self-focused and not generous and loving toward others. When we ignore the world and allow Jesus to shine through us, we will begin to make a difference.
Finding common ground on which to create unity is difficult. People's individual interests, backgrounds, and human nature can all cause distance to form. God however has created opportunities for unity, especially in the church family. He took care of molding each person to interact how He desires with others but He does ask us to not actively seek to undo it. Pastor Ricky today encourages us to work through the differences that arise in our relationships and allow God to work to maintain unity.
This world is comprised of so many different ethnicities, backgrounds, interests, and more. It can be hard to find common ground with others. We may try to create a connection based on one of those but that one thing may not last. Today Pastor Ricky shares with us the only common ground that can connect each individual, Jesus. Jesus does not discriminate against anyone but instead offers forgiveness and life to everyone. Adopting Jesus’ attitude will change how we see the world.
People will say that they are exploring religion or that they don't have all the answers yet so they aren’t settling on one thing. However Pastor Ricky today points out to us that we have all the answers. The Bible is packed full of information about God and His love for us. It gives us the truth we are searching for. God also provides answers to us through time spent worshipping Him and conversing with Him. The more time we spend with Him, the closer we will get to Him and the more trust will grow and remain.
Did you catch Pastor Ricky's life-altering declaration for us? In case you didn't hear it, here it is again, “This life is not about us”. We are not here on earth to have the most money, or the biggest house, or the best car, or to get to the top rung of the corporate ladder, or be famous. You're here to do something for God. Today we will be reminded that each job that God has for the people He created is different but in the end, the mission is similar, loving people as God loves them. God wants to bless us as we bless others.
There's a reason why we get so worked up over politics and injustice in our nation, as well as the injustices all around the world. Today Pastor Ricky’s explanation for this deep desire for us to see wrongs made right and to see leaders of nations fix what's wrong in the world is that we long for the second coming of Jesus. We long for the day that Jesus will rule as king during His millennial reign in Jerusalem. Only until our Lord rules and reigns will there be peace and prosperity.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be emphasizing the importance for us to keep our eyes focused on eternity. Even the disciples that were with Jesus had an earthly kingdom on their minds when Jesus talked about His coming kingdom. The disciples thought Jesus was going to overthrow Rome and set free the Jews from oppression. Jesus however was talking about his heavenly kingdom and we need to continually reorient our focus toward that kingdom.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging us to be compassionate and loving instead of being confrontational just for the sake of winning an argument. You're called to preach the gospel and to make disciples and yes, we will have to defend our faith by speaking the truth that will sometimes offend. But the only way to do this while properly reflecting Jesus’ character is by being moved by compassion. Don't argue with unbelievers. Love them and allow the Holy Spirit to minister through you.
There is a demonic spiritual battle being waged against the children of God that has been waged since God created man and woman. Satan can't overthrow God so his main goal is to hurt God by hurting His children. As Pastor Ricky continues this teaching series through John, he’ll be encouraging us to remain faithful, even during times of persecution. The Bible says that those who want to live a Godly life will be persecuted.
Have you ever felt rejected? Of course. Perhaps you've had a bad experience as a child being rejected by a parent or family member. We can go throughout our lives being let down by many different people. There's one person who will never let you down. As a Christian, you have an Eternal Father in heaven who loves you with an unconditional and sacrificial love that no earthly parent or person can provide. The Bible says that you are beloved by the heavenly father regardless of your past.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series, he'll be exhorting us to wholly commit ourselves over to the lordship of Jesus. When we were told that if we receive Jesus we would be forgiven of our sins, many of us jumped on board without hesitation at that invitation. However, when we were told to rid ourselves of certain things like sexual immorality or having to love unconditionally, we may grow fearful or hesitant. God is faithful, when we take a step of faith to obey Him He’ll bless that path.
Medical research continuously comes out saying heart disease is the leading cause of death among men, cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women, and suicide is the leading cause of death among teenagers. Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that sin is the true leading cause of death among all people. The Bible says that death spread to all men because all men sin. The only hope we have to be cured of death is to be born again into the kingdom of God.
One of the biggest lies that the enemy has told the world is that truth is relative. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that Jesus Himself said that He is the only way to get to heaven. This truth of Jesus being the only way of salvation goes against the very fiber of the world’s system that’s teaching that all religions lead to the same God. This is a deceptive heresy that has unfortunately even crept into some churches. Don’t be deceived, there are indeed universal truths and relativism is a lie.
The Bible says to imitate God as dear children. So how do we do this? Well, Jesus is God incarnate and we're told to follow Him and be conformed to His image. The practical way you can accomplish this is by spending time with Him, in His Word, and in prayer. As you abide in Christ, you will begin to look more and more like Him and you will draw unbelievers to Him. If you're a genuine follower of Jesus, you will lose your own identity and your identity will be found only in Him.
There is an extremely dangerous heresy that many of the world believe in and that some of the church even believe in. That false teaching is the belief that all roads lead to the same God. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how Jesus Himself said that there is no way to the Father except through Him. Regardless of popular opinion or what your feelings tell you, Jesus is the only way, truth, and life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be encouraging us to have faith in God's perfect plan even when we are in the midst of a storm. The disciples believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They saw many miracles and knew He was sent by God but they still had doubts. The disciples weren't told every detail of the plan of God. They had to exercise faith. Just like the disciples, we too need to exercise our faith and trust in His character and plans.
When most unbelievers are asked about what they think about church, a common response is that they believe the church is full of hypocrites. The truth of the matter is that there are many imperfections within the church. One thing we all need to remember is that the church is for those who are sick and in need of help. It's not for those that are well. Jesus said that He was the Great Physician, that He came for those that knew they were sick and in need of a savior.
We've been commissioned to go out into all the world, preaching the gospel and to make disciples. The question is, are you obeying this great commission of Jesus? Today Pastor Ricky will be continuing to emphasize the importance of making Jesus preeminent over our lives as well as being a functioning member of the body of Christ and obeying the mission God has for us. We’re all commissioned to preach the gospel and make disciples but we also have individual callings as well.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be reminding us that not only should we be servants, but we should be servants even to those that don't deserve it. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples even though He knew one would betray Him and another would deny Him three times. We aren't called to simply serve and love those that are lovable but to bless those that curse us and persecute us. We should bless and pray for those that despitefully use us.
In ancient times, for someone to take off their garments and begin to wash the feet of others, it meant they were lowly and of extremely low position in culture. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and to allow ourselves to take the humble position of a servant. The Bible says that a servant isn’t greater than his master. If Jesus being God in the flesh, humbled Himself and served others, how much more should we.
The language of scripture often calls the church the household of God. In that time period, a household was made up of not only the immediate family but extended family members as well that would add to the home. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to have fellowship with other believers and to remember that Jesus made the church to be a family, a warm loving household. The Apostle Paul also exhorts us not to forsake the fellowship of the brethren.
Today, Pastor Ricky will be explaining the importance of Jesus being the center of our family and how we should be obeying God's call for our family, to be a light to the world. Jesus is not just a superhuman guy with supernatural abilities. He is God, in the flesh, who created the heavens and the earth. When we truly believe that Jesus is more than a good teacher and more than a prophet and that He is God in the flesh, our lives reflect that belief. Our families will look different than the families of the world.
If you have pride in your heart, you may approach scripture with an attitude that you think you know better in certain areas, or you simply find it hard to listen and obey. Yet as Pastor Ricky will point out today, that as you approach scripture humbly and receive it as authoritative, you'll get to know God more deeply and as you get to know God, you'll grow in wisdom and faith. If you see God as He is in His Word, you'll recognize how much you need Him to speak to you. Receive the Word of God with reverence daily.
Do you live your life trying to do certain things or avoid others in order to get the attention and favor of God? Well, the Bible is clear. The Lord looks with favor on the humble. It's not about trying to find the magic formula of religious activities but instead, it's about recognizing yourself rightly in relationship to God. Today Pastor Ricky will emphasize the importance of having a contrite heart and humility in recognizing your need of God. The Lord offers grace and forgiveness. Turning to Him is the only way to be saved.
There is a deep longing in believers for the new heaven and new earth the Lord will bring someday. Conflict, violence, and hurt will be replaced by peace, love, and harmony. Looking ahead to this should bring you great joy and hope as you wait. Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you to look forward to this future made possible because of Jesus’ sacrifice, believe in Jesus as your Savior and King. When you know that that future is there and is certain, it should transform you and strengthen you in all you do.
When you look toward the future on earth, there's often fear of what might happen because this world is a broken place. Because you can't control all things, you might have a dread deep inside about what will happen to you or those you love. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is preparing a new heaven and a new earth for all believers that replaces terror with blessing. You'll have peace because you'll have nothing to fear and the nearness of God will be better than anything you can imagine.
When you look toward the future on earth, there's often fear of what might happen because this world is a broken place. Because you can't control all things, you might have a dread deep inside about what will happen to you or those you love. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is preparing a new heaven and a new earth for all believers that replaces terror with blessing. You'll have peace because you'll have nothing to fear and the nearness of God will be better than anything you can imagine.
Underneath all of the longings that you have for your life, there's a deeper longing to be in relationship with the Lord. It's how He created you. Yet you are even unfulfilled in that because of sin. You can never bring yourself closer to God in your own efforts. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how you must come to the end of yourself, acknowledge your sin and ask Him to act, and the beautiful news is that He will. He sent Jesus to bridge the gap between our sin and God's holiness and to bring all people back into a relationship with Him.
There is within each person a fundamental longing. Believers and non-believers all long for love, safety, peace, and honor. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how God created everyone to long for these things from Him. God can uniquely and fully love and protect you because of who He is. He created you for a relationship with Him. Instead of turning to the world for these things that you long for and excluding God, turn first to Him. He'll fulfill all of your longings in amazing ways and transform your heart.
For the believer, this world is not your home. There's something much greater to come. God calls you to live differently than the world while you're here in the world. Pastor Ricky explains today that you should feel a bit restless as you long for eternity to come. He encourages you as you give up desires and lose things you love to remember that every loss will be redeemed more than you can even imagine. Have the perspective that the good to come will far overshadow anything you lose now. God will restore all things on that day.
The world today lives for the here and now, wrapped up in all the pleasure and comfort of the moment. Yet Isaiah encourages God’s people to fix their eyes on eternity instead. There's something much better to come. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to have God’s longing for the full salvation of His people. Yes, you experienced a bit of salvation life now, but the complete glory and righteousness to come are more than you can imagine. Creation will be redeemed completely. You’ll be fully restored and perfect for eternity.
Have you ever felt rejected? Of course. Perhaps you've had a bad experience as a child being rejected by a parent or family member. We can go throughout our lives being let down by many different people. There's one person who will never let you down. As a Christian, you have an eternal Father in heaven who loves you with an unconditional and sacrificial love that no earthly parent or person can provide. The Bible says that you are beloved by the Heavenly Father regardless of your past.
Despite what the world tells you, God is bringing His people to a great and glorious future. Even if you struggle to believe you are worthy of a God using and desiring you, He promises a beautiful gathering of all who believe. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain some of the glory to come. God will carry you to perfect completion and righteousness. The Godly will triumph over this world and ultimately the glory to come is better than you can even imagine. Don't give up on your Christian walk. The future to come will be amazing.
Do you ever wonder if this Christian life you’re living will ever go anywhere? You might feel doubtful based on your ability to live in obedience. You may struggle to believe because the world seems to be victorious. Yet as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, God is bringing His people to glory. God's people reflect His glory and God will gather all people for a beautiful complete family. Instead of wondering where this journey of faith is going, just know and believe it’s going somewhere good.
Do you feel like you're on the outside of the family of God? Like it's for someone with a better past or a Christian upbringing or for someone with good Bible knowledge only? Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you greatly with the truth that God made a way for all outsiders to be welcome in the forever family of God. Don't buy into Satan's lie that you don't belong and exclude yourself. Bring your messy lives and come to God through faith in Jesus. He longs for you to believe. He welcomes you into His family forever.
All of humanity, because of sin, is wicked. Every person has chosen to reject the Lord by choosing sin and for that, death is deserved. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain that God, who is righteous, must bring justice to the world. Yet instead of judging them rightly and simply wiping out all people, He sent Jesus to bear the weight of all sin on the cross. Jesus willingly chose to give His life in exchange for your redemption and forgiveness. He paid it all. He completed the work. Will you accept His perfect sacrifice?
Jesus, exalted in heaven from before creation was equal to God in righteousness and holiness. He gave that up for a time to come humbly to earth. He lived a poor and unknown life instead of the exalted, honored life that He deserved. Today, Pastor Ricky will discuss the incredible exchange that Jesus made in order to come to earth, containing His awesome power within a human man. He was rejected and despised and He endured a cross of punishment for the sake of all mankind.
Are you afraid of what people will think of you or change the way they treat you if you live your life according to Jesus’ values? You may experience mocking or rejection for holding fast to your values from God’s Word. However as Pastor Ricky will remind you today, the world's values, opinions, and ways will fade to nothing and only God will remain. Christ was mocked and rejected yet is exalted and in glory. You too will experience rejection but if you hold fast to Jesus you’ll also experience the glory that only He can give.
Sometimes it feels hard to muster the desire to continue following the Lord. Circumstances are hard, emotions are out of control and God may not be immediately stepping in. You may even wonder if you'll have the strength, endurance, or perseverance to continue on. Yet Pastor Ricky will remind you today that if you follow the Lord and rely on Him, then your resources will never run out. In fact, they'll grow in your life. You'll have more strength, more hope, more resilience, as you move forward.
God gives you good things in life that can quickly and suddenly become warped into idols. Instead of pointing to the goodness of God, it ends up pulling you away from God. Idols can't deliver you, save you, or help you in any way but there is good news. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain that there is a way to deliverance and redemption and that's through Jesus. You must however acknowledge your sin and idols to God who desires to forgive and to save you. Recognizing God is the only source of abundant life now and eternally.
Do you long for the renewal and refreshment that God can bring to your life but continue to feel dry and barren? Then as Pastor Ricky will explain, perhaps you're too reliant on idols in your life. All the things that you devote your heart, mind, and hopes on, that are not God, actually lead you farther from true peace. Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine what idols you’ve placed above God or what things you've shaped for your purpose instead of God's purposes. None of these things will give you abundant life and transformation.
Are you feeling weary and unfulfilled in this life? Often what you look for to renew or revitalize you leaves you more discouraged than before. Today, Pastor Ricky will remind you that only God can bring new abundant life in a way that nothing else can. He brings transformation to you through the Holy Spirit within you. The Spirit will empower and fill you to cause you to become more like Christ. He's like water in a dry desert to your soul. When you seek Him, He will refresh you, and renew you, and fill your life with Himself.
When you’re bruised and damaged from trials and pain in this life, the help the world offers is empty. All the self-help books, meditation, positive thoughts won’t do for you what the Lord God offers to do for you. Pastor Ricky will explain today the tenderness in which God cares for you. God sees the justice needed throughout the whole world but He also sees and knows your hurt. He's a personal and intimate savior who deeply loves you. He will tenderly restore you. He will strengthen you to continue in this world.
Idols. They're not just statues of gold that you worship. They are in fact anything you worship, serve or elevate above God. You may seek joy, peace, comfort and justice in an idol, you'll eventually become enslaved to it. Yet, it's completely empty and useless. Today, Pastor Ricky will reveal that Jesus is the only good, powerful One who can and will accomplish all things like joy and peace in your life and heart. What He gives is lasting and strong. He won't leave you empty and disappointed but fulfilled and satisfied.
It's easy to believe, after failing the Lord again, that maybe this time, God's plan or purposes would fail. The enemy will try to convince you that you've ruined all God intends to do. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, because of God's faithfulness, all of His plans will be accomplished. And amazingly, He will still use you as a part of what He's doing despite your flaws and failings. He’ll remake you, bit by bit, and lead you in amazing ways towards fulfilling His purpose if you cling to Him in humility and repentance.
God’s people time and time again turned away from Him despite prophetic warnings and discipline. So God sent His people into exile with their enemies. But the miracle of the story is that God didn't leave them there. He didn't abandon them. He came to them after their failure in discipline and offered them comfort. As Pastor Ricky will remind you, He reminded them that they were still His people and He was still their God. Despite any of your failures, He still loves you and He still longs for you to return to Him.
Every leader both in the world and in the Bible have failed and will continue to fail. However, there's one man who never failed. Only Jesus is perfectly seamless and good. Only Jesus will forever do what is good and right. Pastor Ricky will remind you today that those leaders who truly seek to live under Jesus's rule and reign, and who seek Him above all other things, will be strong. Only by relying on His power and righteousness can you lead well. And thankfully God uses flawed but faithful people in amazing ways.
One thing that the Bible clearly demonstrates is that all humans fail. All of God's leaders failed God and their people, even the good ones. Humans are weak and sinful, even when you believe in God. Yet His plans and promises still stand despite all of the human failings. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to recognize the imperfections of those in a place of leadership in your life. Don't place your hope and trust in them. God must be your object of trust. Trust Him, obey Him and continually return to Him when you fail.
Sometimes in the middle of crisis, it's hard to see the Lord. Is He even with you? Does He really have control? Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you with the truth of God's promises. His power is unmatched by anything in the world. His wisdom far surpasses even the wisest people. When you really think about who the Lord is, you see He alone is trustworthy. Trust the Lord to act even before you know if He will. You must trust and believe in God's goodness to know that He'll act in a way that is best.
When the world is trying with all its might to convince you to turn to the world for comfort, it's a test of sorts to see if you’ll give up trusting God in that moment. Today, Pastor Ricky will demonstrate how the good kings of Judah, especially Hezekiah, turned immediately to the Lord in crisis. Instead of being swept away with fear and doubt, he sought the Lord. This is a call to you today. Don't pull away from God in scary moments. Instead, moment by moment, turn to Him. Remember His works and who He is.
In a moment of crisis, where will you turn? The world will try to convince you to give up on God and to join them. The world is against God and pressures you as a believer to turn away from trusting God, the only thing to trust is the tangible invisible things, not God or His promises. Yet today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to recognize the lies you hear in the world and remember that God is the only solid thing that can hold you together. He is the only source of hope and strength and the only one worthy of trust.
Everything you experience in this world has the power to cause despair and hopelessness if you allow it to. However, there is a better way to experience life's big and little circumstances. If you can, bit by bit, daily learn to trust the Lord. He will prove himself faithful and trustworthy. Pastor Ricky will encourage you today with many reasons why God is worthy of your trust in all circumstances. If you remember that He's never been defeated by the enemy and is for your good, you can continue to grow in trust of Him.
When you face attack, or pain, or desperation, where do you turn for peace and security? Often people think that inward peace and safety from the outside will come from money, friends, or knowledge but you can't find it with some desired results or a certain feeling. Pastor Ricky will explain today that you can only find peace and security in the strong city, dwelling with God through faith in Jesus where the walls are your salvation and Jesus is your righteousness to enter. Don't turn to anyone or anything else.
Life is hard. Death is tragic. Because in the garden man chose to sin, death entered creation yet thankfully that's not the end of the story. Today, Pastor Ricky will encourage you with the hope available to those that have put their faith in Jesus. He, as God, paid the penalty for sin and death is no longer victorious. Because He rose from the dead, He conquered death and took away its power. Because of His resurrection, you can have hope in the eternity to come. All pain will be gone. Every tear will be wiped away.
People react to the reality of death in different ways. Some may avoid the topic altogether, some try to numb themselves against it, and some fight. Death is a reality that God never intended for humanity. Pastor Ricky reminds you today that death reigns in the world because of sin. Humans chose to rebel and the consequence of sin is death, individual physical death and spiritual death apart from God. His justice demands it. However, because of the sacrifice of Jesus, death is swallowed up forever in the end.
Admitting you're wrong and confessing sin is a difficult thing to do but as God disciplines you and you recognize areas of sin in your life causing this discipline, you may desire to repent. However, as Pastor Ricky will point out today, trying hard to change, working to be better, will not work. It's not good enough and you're not strong enough to change on your own. The true way to salvation, forgiveness, and change is through Jesus. He alone can do what you can't. Through the Holy Spirit, He will transform you.
When you find your way by visual landmarks it's difficult to navigate when the things that you rely on are hidden. You become completely lost. God’s people oriented their life around God for a time but began to lose sight of Him because of turning away and choosing sin. As Pastor Ricky will point out today, they no longer had God as their guide spot and reference point in how to live their lives and they became quite lost. Don't lose sight of your Savior. Frequently, continually orient your life around Jesus.
There's no source of power on this earth that can ever compare to God and His infinite power, wisdom, and goodness. Pastor Ricky will explain today how God can and will strike down the things that people put their trust and hope in, in this world. But He is harsh for a good purpose. He tears down false security so that you'll turn to Him for security. He strikes down earthly wisdom so that you’ll trust Him entirely. He can take away everything in your life that draws you away in order for you to recognize that He is all you need.
Political power, national strength, or a good economy can cause a country or an individual to feel invincible. These things give a false sense of security, strength, and comfort. But today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine what you put your trust and hope in. Does your joy and stability ebb and flow based on the state of your environment? None of these things have any power and none can save you. God may strike down these false sources of power in your life in order to draw you back to Himself.
If you live your life seeking your own honor, glory, comfort, and desires you’re building up a kingdom of self, instead of building the kingdom of God. It's satisfying and impressive for a moment but God promises that it will not last. Today, Pastor Ricky will instead encourage you to seek to live your life building up the kingdom of God and glorifying His name instead of your own. God's kingdom is worthy. It alone will last into eternity. So take up your cross, live a sacrificial and humble life to bring honor to Him.
Babylon is representative of people in great rebellion against God. In essence, Babylon is the kingdom of self that humanity built in opposition to God. Today Pastor Ricky explains this kingdom this way, it's self-reliant, self-focused, and self-exultant. It's important to frequently examine yourself to see what kingdom you’re building in your life. Are you willing to live sacrificially? Will you seek to build up the kingdom of God at all costs? Like Babylon, the kingdom of self will not last. It will end, not in glory but in the grave.
If God were only just and not loving, all of humanity would be doomed to be eternally separated from Him. The great news however is that Jesus came to earth and took the punishment of humanity’s sin to satisfy God's holy justice. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to now take this good news and make known His deeds and proclaim His glory. Share what He's done in your life and how He's transformed you. This is news that the world needs to hear. It's what God can and will use to bring others to Himself.
There's a spectrum of good news. There can be sort of good news and then there can be really, really good news. The better the news, the more that it changes your life. The news of the cross and resurrection of Jesus is so very good that it'll change your entire life and eternity. Today Pastor Ricky will explain the good news that God's anger has turned away from the sin and rebellion in humanity because of the sacrifice of Jesus. This news has the power to change you from the inside out and transform your life.
There is so much brokenness and pain in the world today. Since the first sin in the garden, creation has caused terrible destruction. Yet humans deeply long for a king or power to come in and make things right. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how Jesus is the king that everyone longs for because He alone is good, powerful, and wise enough to change anything in creation. He’ll judge justly, help the powerless, and destroy all evil and He'll bring true everlasting peace to all of creation.
God has created mankind to worship. In true unbroken creation, you were made to worship Him. However, in our broken sinful world, it's easy to long for and worship everything but God. Today Pastor Ricky will challenge you to examine who or what you put as king and priority in your life. The worldly things you trust to secure you, the people you hope will rescue you from pain, and the values you trust to guide you, will all betray you. Only God is worth giving your whole life to. He is good, faithful, and worthy of your devotion.
When you see the evil and injustice in the world, do you get angry? Anger can be right and appropriate. God doesn't oppose all anger but as Pastor Ricky will warn you today, you must be careful. Humans are sinful and what begins as righteous anger that reflects God’s justice can quickly turn to sin. Even the unrighteous anger in your heart is the same as murder, according to Jesus. As you see evil yes, be angry because it goes against God but keep it in check and don't allow it to fester into sin.
God created the world good and perfect as a reflection of Himself. He's holy and full of love for His creation. Yet humanity chose to turn away from God to do evil. This spread wickedness to all of creation. Today, Pastor Ricky will explain how it's because of God's holiness and deep love that He responds in anger towards evil. If He didn't respond to sin with anger, He wouldn't be good, He wouldn’t be holy. It’s impossible for Him to be unmoved by sin. He can't do nothing. He must get rid of sin forever.
Accepting the anger of God presented in the Bible can be a barrier to the unbelieving world. Actually, God’s anger and wrath can even keep believers away from passages explaining this aspect of Him. However as Pastor Ricky will point out today, God will use His anger towards sin to wake up His people and to cause them to return to Him. Because all creation has sinned, His response is anger towards that evil. This anger towards sin proves that He's good. He will not let that which ruins His Creation to forever continue.
All people will eventually have to stand before the Lord and face Him. He will either be your sanctuary or the rock on which you’re smashed. Today Pastor Ricky will explain that if you fear the Lord and trust Him as your Savior, He’ll be your safe sanctuary both now and forever. You have nothing to fear in this world. Put your hope in God, not in the enticing things of the world. He reigns and is in control of all things. Go to the Lord first. Go to the Lord often. Seek Him when your world feels out of control.
It's difficult to not let fear overwhelm you when the scary things of this world are threatening to undo you. God is calling you to look to Him as the most prominent and important thing in life and to honor Him as holy, and mighty, and all-powerful. Today, Pastor Ricky will challenge you to worship the Lord, be humble, and acknowledge God is king and judge over all. There's nothing out of God's control. Seek to follow and please the Lord and let that be your first concern, above the circumstances around you.
In an effort to keep his people from panic, as trouble began to surround them, God through Isaiah communicated truth of who He is and the truth of their circumstances. Pastor Ricky will challenge you today to not fear your current situation and a future that hasn't happened without including God in your thoughts and desires. He encourages you today to recognize the power and might of God that far surpasses anything that the world has for you. Don't allow your thoughts to run away with the what-ifs, instead seek God.
What a beautiful truth. As Pastor Ricky leads us through the story of Christ's humble birth, we’re reminded that no one would have been turned away from that manger. Jesus came for you. He knew full well the brokenness that He was being born into and He willingly took it so that you and I could be made clean, once and for all in the eyes of God. You don't have to get yourself right. Just come to the humble King who longs to embrace you and make you whole.
The shepherds that watched their flocks nearby as Jesus was being born into this world were blessed to be one of the first messengers of the Gospel. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, to be a shepherd was a humble but important job. They not only provided meat and wool but they would have raised the spotless sheep that would have gone to the temple as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. Their role in welcoming the final spotless lamb has a beautiful significance that is often overlooked.
Jesus came to earth in the midst of scandal. While Mary was innocent of her suspected sin, most of her community didn't know that. She would have been the subject of gossip and rumors and Joseph took that on himself when he agreed to be the father to her child. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, Jesus is not afraid of your scandal. He doesn't care about the opinion of men. He cares about you and He'll come to you in the midst of your sin, embrace you and pull you out of that mess.
Was Jesus' father Joseph perfect? No, of course not. He was a flawed, humble man yet God had a great purpose for him. He was a necessary part of fulfilling prophecy and raising God's very own son, as he took on human form. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today's message, many men would have walked away from Mary and the scandal of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Joseph even considered it. But because he had faith in God, he took on the task he was called to and helped raise our Savior.
This broken world is like a long night in the wilderness. If you imagine yourself cold and hungry, with the sounds of wild animals all around, it's a place of vulnerability. But then the sky gradually fades from black to a smokey blue, followed by tinges of orange, and then at last the sun breaks over the horizon. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, as a believer the horizon is glowing with that orange light, and true to God's promise, Christ is going to return and bring light that will put our sun to shame.
You need family. Sadly because of sin and selfishness, as well as things that are out of our control, all families are broken in some way. Even the most perfect-looking family has its faults if you start to dig deep enough. That's just a part of living in a fallen world. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, the situation isn’t hopeless. Your family may not be perfect but if you cling to and rest in God's promises, you can find peace and unity that you can't find anywhere else.
God doesn't love you because of your talents or your skills. He doesn't scan humanity looking for people to add to His team because they possess some useful talent. He desires for everyone to come to Him not because of what they possess but because they're His creation and they lack the intimacy, freedom, and the life that He designed them for. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, to come to the Father you have to humble yourself and allow Him to save and equip you for any good work.
Throughout scripture, you can see a pattern in the way that God works. He doesn't look for the powerful, the rich, or the famous. It's not that He can't use those people, but as Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Jesus's mother Mary, God chose her because she was humble. She was a nobody and God loves to work with nobodys. When you acknowledge that you're incapable and incompetent on your own, it allows room for God to come in and work in a way that glorifies Him alone.
It's quite miraculous and remarkable that anyone could ever be saved. As sinful and as depraved as humanity is, everyone deserves destruction from God who is utterly holy and righteous. Yet as Pastor Ricky will explain today, the truth is that God initiated salvation for mankind. He needs nothing from man. Yet He revealed Himself, not to punish and condemn but in order to save man. He offered Himself to take away all of your sins and He gives you righteousness in exchange.
The reality of man is the tendency to think that life is all about you - your hopes, your plans, your needs, your pain. The Bible is often viewed from this perspective as well. How can it benefit you? But ultimately it's about God, His Holiness, and His plan for creation. You'll discover today with Pastor Ricky that once you recognize the reality that God is holy and reigns in glory, you'll have a joy, freedom, and purpose in making much of God. You're meant to find fulfillment and satisfaction in Him alone.
Which would you rather have, a ring lollipop or a real diamond ring? A toy car or a real one? Today, Pastor Ricky shares that the things you cling to for security are just cheap imitations of the real thing that God offers. When He takes those weak substitutions away, He replaces them with what He alone can provide. God longs for you to have something far greater than you would get for yourself. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants to give you an amazing life that's filled to the brim with His presence.
What do you count on for stability in your life? Where do you turn when things are shaky? Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider your answer to those questions. As you study today’s passage from Isaiah 2, you’ll learn that God took away the things that the Israelites were leaning on for their sense of security. He did this because He loved them and He wanted to help them. Pastor Ricky invites you to discover that these earthly things will never be able to give you the peace and stability that you find in God.
You hear stories all the time about people being rescued from scary situations, like accidents or fires. In today's edition of Better News Radio, Pastor Ricky encourages you to let Jesus rescue you from the consequences of your choice to go your own way. Because you're secure in His love and grace, you don't need to be afraid of God's judgment. You’re safe in Jesus. Pastor Ricky reminds you that Jesus opens the door for you to have a relationship with God and to live in peace and hope.
People were devastated when the stock market crashed in 2008. The sudden loss of financial security caused some to spiral into depression and despair. What people thought they could count on disappeared in an instant. Today, Pastor Ricky asks you to consider what you are putting your stock in. Are you relying on the Lord for your security and your identity, or are there other things that you're hoping will sustain and comfort you? Today you’ll learn that God and His ways are the only stable foundation for your life.
Can you imagine driving home one day when all of a sudden your car falls into a giant sinkhole that opened in the ground? What you thought was stable fell away in the blink of an eye. Today Pastor Ricky cautions you that you could be building your life on things that can't hold you up in the long run. Like the ground over a sinkhole, these things will fail you leaving you devastated in hurting. Pastor Ricky shares that following God's plan for your life is the only foundation that you can trust.
Everyone wants their life to matter in some way, to have purpose and meaning. As you continue in today's study of Isaiah, Pastor Ricky invites you to explore God's vision for humanity. You'll discover that you can count on the fact that God will actively move in the world around you. When you live with the anticipation that He'll show up, your life becomes an adventure. Pastor Ricky shares that God wants you to join Him in the things that He's doing. Partnering with God in this way will bring you joy and purpose.
Every two years, the Olympic Games bring together people from all over the world. For those few days, athletes from every corner of the earth put aside their differences and gather together in an amazing display of diversity and strength. Today, Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants all people to know Him and to love one another. He's broken down the barriers that separate you. Because of Jesus, you can live in peace and unity with everyone. Not just for a few days, but for all time.
Some people are just good at giving gifts. They always seem to know the perfect thing to make your day. Well today, Pastor Ricky shares that God loves giving you gifts that will change your life. You’ll discover that not only has God made a way for you to have a relationship with Him through Jesus but He's also made it possible for you to live at peace with other people. This gift of reconciliation has paved the way for you to break through barriers so that you can experience true community with others.
Parents typically know when their kids are trying to butter them up and sadly, the sweet words and unusual helpfulness, they lose their meaning when a child uses them to try and get what they want. Today, Pastor Ricky shares that God feels the same way about how you interact with Him. As you’ll hear, God doesn't like it when people only do things, even if they're good, because they want something from Him. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants you to walk closely with Him and love the people around you.
If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you’ve had the privilege of seeing the earth from a whole new vantage point. This shift in perspective allows you to understand the world around you in an entirely new way. As Pastor Ricky begins a new series in Isaiah today, he challenges us to let the truth in this study shift our perspective. Just like looking out of an airplane window, the Book of Isaiah can help you live your everyday life with a new outlook, making a difference where the rubber meets the road.
There's always forgiveness available for those that have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that even though God will forgive us when we sin against Him, it doesn't necessarily mean we won’t suffer the consequences of that sin. There is a reason God has given us boundaries and commands us in His Word. It’s to keep us safe, to keep us on the straight and narrow path. When we decide to venture off the path that God wants us on we will eventually suffer the consequences.
It's been said that sin will always take you farther than you want to go and keep you there longer than you want to stay. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he’ll be exhorting us to confess our sins to God as well as to confess our sins to one another. The temptation to sin always comes along with the temptation to keep it in the dark and a secret. Just like Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned, we too have this same tendency.
As Pastor Ricky continues his series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be reminding us that although sexual attraction is important, there's much more to marriage than sex. We were created to glorify God and to be well-pleasing to Him first and foremost. In our culture, sex is everything. We see it in commercials, we glorify it in conversation. And although sex certainly is a gift from God, sometimes we tend to elevate it to be even more important than pleasing God.
Contrary to popular belief, you were created by design and we're not some cosmic accident that evolved from a primordial soup into an intelligent being. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to live for the Lord and to glorify Him with our bodies because we were created in His image. We are held to a high moral standard of holiness because we are to imitate God as His dear children. If the devil can convince people that they evolved from animals, people will start acting like that.
Just because you don't suffer the consequences of your sinful activities or behaviors right away doesn't make it any less sinful and detestable to God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through Proverbs, he'll be encouraging us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. We need to be careful not to allow certain images into our minds. We need to be cautious against playing with sin because sooner or later it will destroy us.
Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us to guard our hearts with all diligence. Now, clearly, this command within Proverbs isn't talking about guarding our literal, physical hearts. This is talking about guarding the seat of our emotions and thoughts. The Apostle Paul challenged the church to take every thought captive that is contrary to Christ. Some of the ways we guard our hearts is by obeying the commands of Jesus and not allowing ourselves to be deceived by false teachings.
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be challenging fathers to properly reflect the image of God the Father. It's a great privilege to be a father but so often many fathers have low standards of what being a good father looks like. The standard is properly reflecting God, the Father, to their children. Satan is busy at work trying to humiliate the position of the father of the home. If the enemy can bring down the father, he can begin to bring down the rest of the household.
There are so many avenues that a child could receive information and perspectives on life. The most important place a child should be taught about life is their Godly counsel from their parents. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how important it is for fathers to step up and impart Godly wisdom to their children. If fathers aren't raising their children up in the ways of the Lord the world will teach them the ways of evil and in this evil age, fathers need to be even more diligent than ever before.
Jesus is called the Prince of Peace and for good reason. Jesus is the only person who can bring peace and joy into our lives. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us of all those things we tried filling up our souls with in order to obtain a sense of peace and rest and how Jesus satisfied our longing by His presence. The Holy Spirit brings love, joy, and peace to the children of God. As we abide in Jesus, The Vine, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
The biggest lie that Satan tells us is that it's easier to give in to the world system and that satisfaction and peace can be achieved apart from God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, we’ll learn how peace can only be obtained by receiving salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. The only way we can have peace with God is if we receive the grace of God by faith. Sin is a temporary fix. It doesn't provide peace. Living for the Lord and obeying his commandments brings true peace.
Imagine you're in the mall and a voice comes over the loudspeaker warning everyone to evacuate immediately because of a fire in the building. If you truly hear what the voice is saying, you will make your way to the closest exit. And if you don't, if you don't believe what's being said, you'll keep shopping. Wisdom is much the same way. She's calling out to us all the time. The question Pastor Ricky will ask is this, are you listening?
A quick perusal at your local bookstore will reveal a large market for obtaining wisdom. Gurus and the like, make claims about secret sources of wisdom that can only be unveiled by them. Today Pastor Ricky will demystify the source of wisdom. Friends, it isn't complicated. Wisdom is found in the word of God and the author of the word of God is God Himself. While God certainly can use wise people around us to impart wisdom, getting it from the source is truly the best option.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Do you desire wisdom? Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that in order to become wise we need to have the fear of the Lord. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Having fear of the Lord is having an honor of God and a reverential awe of who He is and how He's sovereign. Having a healthy fear of God is understanding that all life is being held together by His hand and that He is almighty. We need to have respect for God the Father. And He’ll bestow His wisdom upon us.
As Pastor Ricky begins his new teaching series through the Book of Proverbs he'll be encouraging us to obey the wisdom of God that was penned through Solomon. Solomon was known to be the most wise man that has ever lived. Solomon asked God for one thing and he asked for wisdom. One of the things that is greatly lacking in today's culture is Godly wisdom. The best way to be wise is by reading the word of God and applying it to our everyday lives.
The brokenness of this world is becoming more and more obvious. Sin is increasing all around us. We can see the effects of it daily. Pastor Ricky will encourage each of us to wake up and realize that this world is not worth living for. We must live for an eternal higher prize, eternity with Jesus.
Right now, though it's hard to completely understand, each of us will live forever. Of course not in our current state but everyone will live eternally. The question is where will you spend eternity? Today we’ll learn that the answer to this question lies in another. Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
The amazing truth that we’ll discover with Pastor Ricky today is that God isn't concerned with quantity. He's concerned with quality. It’s not about how much you give, it’s about why you give. What has He entrusted you with and are you using it for His glory and the furtherance of His kingdom?
Stop and ask yourself, what have I been entrusted with? What gifts has God given me? When you have those answers, the next obvious question is, how can I use what is God’s, that He's entrusted to me, to further His kingdom? Living with this question constantly at the forefront of your mind brings blessing.
Have you ever really stopped and asked yourself that question? The answer is fairly simple. Nothing you have in your life, including your very life itself, is of your own doing. Everything that you have, all that you are, is because of the grace, and mercy, and goodness of the creator of the universe.
Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do you have a desperate need that you're unable to provide for your family? In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us that God is able to meet our needs and deeply cares about our circumstances. Abba Father did not spare His only Son in order to provide salvation for mankind. Since Jesus freely gave His very life for us, how much more will He give to us when we have a true need? Therefore we should pray for our daily provision and have faith that God will provide.
The Philippians church though poor were known for their amazing sacrificial generosity. It's through the gifts of this special church that the Apostle Paul was able to do his ministry work. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that when we give to God we're actually partnering with Jesus in the advancement of the gospel. Pastor Ricky also points out that when we give using our temporary means, we rack up for ourselves exciting eternal rewards where rust and moth can’t touch our prize.
Have you ever been around an ungrateful person? It's not fun to hang out with them because well, their attitude reeks. In today's message, Pastor Ricky encourages us to be content with our station in life. God wants us to have joyful, grateful hearts that reflect Him. The way to be content is to find our strength and purpose in Jesus Christ. When the Lord is at the center of our lives, we can be content in all circumstances for we know that He is our provider and that He deeply cares about us.
We live in a time and place of great blessing. Americans enjoy unprecedented prosperity. We have cell phones, food of all kinds from all over the world, machines to wash our clothes, cars to get us to and from wherever we want to go, and houses to keep us safe, dry, and warm. Despite these many blessings, discontentment can ruin our peace. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that the secret to contentment is gratefulness. We must remain thankful for all the Lord provides in order to avoid selfish grumbling.
We live in a world where anxiety, depression, and worry are running absolutely rampant. However, Jesus doesn't want us to spend even one minute in needless worry. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us how to gain our peace back by following the instructions of the Apostle Paul. First and foremost, we need to maintain an attitude of gratitude. When we’re thankful for all that God does for us, it helps us gain a heavenly perspective. Secondly, we should focus on good and pure things instead of what ails us.
Are you struggling with conflict with another brother or sister in Christ? In today’s message, Pastor Ricky encourages us to commit to resolve conflicts by agreeing in the Lord. Division and strife have no place in the body of Christ. When we're at war with each other, we are behaving just like the unbelieving world. However, as the church functions in unity and love, the world will recognize the Holy Spirit at work and be drawn to Christ. Put succinctly, they will know we are Christians by our love, not by ugly unresolved conflict.
Our fallen flesh has an unending appetite for wickedness and sin. Scripture warns against using the grace of God as an opportunity to indulge the flesh. In today's message, Pastor Ricky challenges us to deny our sinful natures in order to follow Christ. When we submit to God’s will, we don't leave room for the flesh to control our behaviors. Our bodies are the temple of God and should be used in His service. Therefore, we must die daily to our selfish will in order to become more and more like Jesus.
We live in a digital age when solid Biblical teaching is literally at our fingertips. While this is a blessing, there's an inherent danger in gaining knowledge without application. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that simply reading Christian books and listening to sermons doesn’t lead to spiritual maturity. Instead, we must actually apply what we learn. This requires discipleship and leadership by example from church elders and mature mentors. In other words, instruction shouldn’t just be taught, it should also be caught.
The Apostle Paul wrote that he considered everything as lost in order to gain Christ. In today’s message, Pastor Ricky challenges us to ask the question, “Would we give up all things for Jesus?”. If anything in this world, be it a job, a relationship, or a dearly held reputation, if it comes before a relationship with Christ, we fail to recognize the value of a personal walk with Jesus. Further, if we don't bow our knee to the lordship of King Jesus will be held accountable on Judgment Day for our disobedience.
Saul of Tarsus had a very impressive resume. He came from an upstanding Jewish family, had the best education, and as a Pharisee enjoyed the respect of his peers. However, when Saul met Jesus on the Damascus Road, he gladly gave up all of his worldly prestige for the joy of knowing Jesus as Lord. In today's message, Pastor Ricky reminds us that having a personal relationship with Christ is more fulfilling and brings with it more joy than any poultry thing this world has to offer.
There are many people that are deceived into believing that their goodness or their acts of kindness will earn them a place in heaven. The Bible says that nothing could be further from the truth. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that all of our religious works, church attendance, biblical knowledge, and human effort can't earn us a right standing with the Lord. The only way we can have a relationship with Jesus is to trust in the free gift of salvation through faith. Put simply, we can’t earn God’s grace. We simply receive it by faith.
When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the debt for our sin and made us right with God. In other words, we no longer have to work through toil, piety, and obedience to try and earn a right relationship with the Lord. Instead, we approach the almighty God by faith in Jesus alone. In today's message, Pastor Ricky uses the words of the Apostle Paul to warn us against the temptation of legalism. When false teachers try to persuade us back into the bondage of religion, we must cling to our trust in Jesus’ all-sufficient sacrifice.
Do you feel empty inside? Are you always striving for happiness and never seem to find it? In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that those who thirst for something more can find living water in the person of Jesus Christ. Those who drink of the Lord will never thirst again. God, the author of life itself, is able to feed our hungry souls with His truth and love. Through the power of His resurrection, Christians can know without a doubt that they have eternal life with God their maker.
Where do we find life fulfilling joy? Sustained joy doesn't come from houses, careers, or earthly relationships. These things while blessings can only buy us temporary happiness. They can’t sustain us in difficult seasons. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches us that true joy comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. God is the one that can give us peace in the midst of the storm, love when we feel rejected or unlovable, and comfort and joy even in seasons of trial and pain.
The love of God is overwhelming and perplexing. In this life, we just simply can't understand it. The idea that the God who created everything, from a microscopic level to the scale of the galaxies cares for us, is mind-boggling. As we continue to examine the book of Philippians with Pastor Ricky, we're reminded of this shocking reality. We may not ever understand why God loves us but because of that love, we can live lives that bring Him glory and draw the people around us into His incredible grace.
Vulnerability is crucial in the life of a believer. First and foremost, we make ourselves vulnerable before Christ, acknowledging that we are weak and need Him to empower us. Secondly, we need to open up and recognize our need for fellow believers. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today's message, we need to be honest about our shortcomings and bravely reach out to our brothers and sisters, to walk alongside us and provide accountability and guidance as we see Christ together.
Many of us love to complain. It may be over the actions of others or the way the world seems bent against us. If we really want to, there's no shortage of material to fuel our grumbling. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through Paul's letter to the Philippians, we’re reminded what our speech should sound like as believers. Complaining doesn't belong in that speech. No matter how bad it may seem, we can view it as an opportunity to rely on and glorify Christ despite the circumstances.
We live in a dark, broken world. We were born into it and our lives were full of sin before we met Christ. We didn't have to clean ourselves up and make ourselves righteous for Him to love us. He saw us in our weakness and had compassion on us. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, when we accepted Christ's gift of salvation, He came in and started to change us from the inside out. He is light and as we surrender ourselves to Him we reflect that light more and more brightly.
Many believers have fallen into the trap of allowing the cross to become just another Christian symbol. We see it at the front of a church perhaps, on our walls at home, and many wear it around their necks. It's become just a cultural icon. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, when we cease to be shocked at the intense sacrificial love that was expressed on the cross, we need to take a step back and survey our hearts. It’s truly incredible what Christ did for us on that tree.
Living for Christ goes beyond avoiding sin and sharing the gospel with the people around you. To follow Jesus means to take on His mindset. As Pastor Ricky will explain in today's message, Jesus humbled Himself to our level, and even lower to bring us freedom. His entire existence as a human was one of humble service. When we take on that mindset, there's nothing too low for us. From inconvenience to outright suffering, we should be willing to go great lengths for the people in our lives.
Most of the decisions we make in life naturally stem from a desire to do what will benefit ourselves. In our families, churches, or workplaces, how often do we take the time to think about how a choice might harm or benefit those around us? As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through Philippians in today's message, we’re challenged to step outside of our selfie culture and start living lives that are focused on serving Christ and others over our own interests.
In our selfie culture, many are preoccupied with putting on a good face and making themselves lovable. We take pictures of ourselves in our most ideal moments and then plaster them all over social media, painting a picture that says life is perfect when in fact it's far from it. As Pastor Ricky examines today's passage and how it applies to us in our culture, we’ll learn what it means to live outward and upward. Our lives will feel so much more fulfilled as we surrender ourselves to Christ and His mission in this world.
Being a part of God's kingdom will cost us. It's comforting to dwell on the positive aspects of living as citizens of the gospel but the truth is we can expect suffering and hardship to be an unavoidable part of our journey. As Pastor Ricky examines what it means to live as members of this eternal kingdom, we're reminded that while we experience pain and persecution, we can have joy in knowing that our lives are bringing glory to Christ and spreading the life-giving knowledge of His kingdom.
Jesus himself commanded us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God’s. We’re to be good citizens in the country we dwell in. This means respecting the laws in so far as they don't contradict scripture. As Pastor Ricky continues to explore the first chapter of Philippians in today's message, we are reminded of our greater citizenship. As believers, we’re members of God's kingdom. His kingdom is one of grace, love, and justice and those values should govern every aspect of our lives.
Giving up everything probably sounds horrible to most of us. If we're honest with ourselves, we love our stuff and because we love stuff, we live lives that are preoccupied with getting more of it. Yet, even when we get that new car, or TV, or whatever that thing may be, we find ourselves longing for more. As Pastor Ricky examines the example of Paul, we’re reminded that there is only one way to find true and lasting joy and contentment. That is when we let go of everything until the only thing left is Christ.
Wow, those are some powerful words. Something deep down resonates when we hear that Christ is worth more than all of those things that are so valuable to us in this life. At the same time, our desire to serve self makes us question that statement. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today’s message, when we start living in a way that acknowledges the insignificance of our most prized possessions, relationships, or goals, it will result in a radical change of focus from serving self to all-out service to our Savior.