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Kingdom Freedom – Week 2 There is one goal for this message and it’s an invitation. I want all of us who call ourselves Christians to make a commitment to the Church. Recommit your life to the Church, prioritize it, to sacrifice for it. Why? Because without it, very few of us would have ever […]
Kingdom Freedom – Week 1I want to tell you about a Navy Seal named Michael Monsoor. Michael was serving in Ramadi, Iraq. It was a terrible place then. There were loudspeakers all around the city with men yelling, “Kill the Americans!” and on September 29, 2006, Mike made the ultimate sacrifice for two of his friends.
They were on a roof and a grenade bounced off Mike’s chest. Mike could have escaped, but his friends couldn’t. So, he threw himself on the grenade & absorbed the blast. He died. His friends survived. One of the survivors said:
“Mikey looked death in the face that day and said, ‘You cannot take my brothers. I will go in their stead.'”
I watched the award ceremony where President Bush gave Michael’s Medal of Honor to his family, and it’s the only time I’ve ever seen a president of the United States cry.
The greatest act of love is giving up your life for someone else. It’s what Jesus did for us, and it’s what Michael did for his friends. – So what’s the point? Well, what does freedom require?
- Freedom requires sacrifice.
- Freedom requires responsibility.
- Freedom requires rules.
- Freedom requires surrender.
There is always someone trying to take your freedom from you, and that is true spiritually too. The satan wants to take your freedom. So he will tempt you with sin to make you a slave to sin.
12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Ephesians 6:12-13
So we fight, but we don’t fight the way we would if we were fighting a physical battle. We don’t use physical weapons. When the church talks about freedom, too often we’re talking about physical freedom. But our freedom is better than physical freedom. God will set our minds & spirits free. It’s eternal, not temporary.
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17
*Did you like this message, Freedom Kingdom – Week* 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.****
1 John – Week 4 How would the average adult describe a teenager? In most cases the description is usually negative and if you ask teens what they think adults would describe them as it is usually negative. In fact, for the last 20 years, Nick Rasse has been asking his high school class this […]
1 John – Week 3 I grew up terrified of the antichrist. The dispensational church I grew up in taught us that there’s an evil antichrist who’s going to control the world and kill all the Christians he can. He’ll cut your head off if you say you’re a Christian, and if you deny Christ […]
1 John – Week 2 Love is a theme that runs throughout the book. John talks about what we shouldn’t love, how we are loved, how we know what love is, and how we should act accordingly. And as John jumps into this theme in the early part of the book…he makes it clear that […]
1 John – Week 1 Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) We’re going through the book of 1 John and there’s a theme in the beginning of 1 John about God being the light in a dark world. God is light, and […]
The Perfect Library – Week 3 The satan didn’t tempt Adam and Eve to murder, steal, or tell a lie. He tempted them to question the Word of God. His tactics haven’t changed. So, it is incredibly important that we can trust the Bible. We can’t talk to the eyewitnesses of the events in the […]
The Perfect Library – Week 2 What if I told you there’s such a thing as a perfect library?… Well, there is. The Bible. I’ve been really intentional to tell people that the Bible is a Library, not a book. Why do I do that? Because that’s what it is? What’s the first thing you […]
The Perfect Library – Week 1 In this message, Pastor Mike tells us the full story that is presented in the Bible. He starts at the beginning when God created the Heavens and the Earth and ends with the current church and what we are called to do. This is a great message to watch […]
Heaven & Hell – Week 5 A creation always has a creator. There’s no such thing as an intelligent creation without an intelligent creator. So what is our job? Our job is to convince the world they’ve been lied to. It’s our primary objective. It’s our purpose. Billy Graham said, “I believe that one of […]
Heaven & Hell – Week 4 We will all die. Every minute 100 people die and on the way to death, God wakes us up with little deaths. Die to self. Die to sin, it’s little deaths that help us seek God. He allows pain because it wakes us up. We’re talking about Hell because […]
Heaven & Hell – Week 3Hear from Pastor Karen as she talks about how our bodies are just a tent, a temporary dwelling on earth. But in Heaven, we will have a permanent dwelling, a house.
2 Corinthians 5:1 says our earthly body is like a tent and a tent has some key features.
- A tent is limited.
- A tent is a temporary dwelling.
- A tent is not your home.
Therefore, if relate our bodies to a tent we can see that:
- Your tent (body) is limited.
- Your tent (body) is a temporary dwelling.
- Your tent (body) is not your home.
Heaven & Hell Week 3 Teaching Text2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are[a] being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
New Bodies5 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.[b] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
*Did you like this message, Heaven & Hell Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Heaven & Hell – Week 2What is Heaven?People don’t look forward to Heaven enough. Therefore, Pastor Mike spoke about what we know about Heaven. A lot of us think it’s a 24/7 church service, so we don’t want to go there, but it’s so much better than that.
Heaven will be a physical place. God is going to recreate the Heaven that exists today, and He’s going to recreate Earth, and those two places will make up the new Heaven and it won’t have a sea. Why? Many ancient cultures correlated the sea with evil spirits. They believed there were portals to hell at the bottom of the sea, and John says in Revelation 21 that in the new Heaven and new Earth, there won’t be anything evil, nothing bad.
Heaven will be a better version of Earth. Sometimes we think we’ll become like God in Heaven, but we won’t. We won’t be omniscient in Heaven. We will still have the joys of discovery, of art, entertainment, etc. That’s really what Heaven is. It’s the presence of God. When we are with God, we are in a form of Heaven, but the Heaven we will experience when Christ returns will be even better than the Heaven that exists today.
There will be no pain of any kind. It’s all gone. The Bible tells us that we’ll have jobs in Heaven, but we’ll enjoy them. We’ll work because we’ll want to work. Some people wonder:
How could I enjoy Heaven if everything is good there?
This thinking happens because we have a bad definition of good. We equate good with boring because we don’t think of work, competition, and achievement as good. Everything you enjoy on Earth will be better in Heaven, but that’s hard to comprehend because sin has clouded our understanding of good. We think our relationships in this world are the pinnacle of good. – Some say:
How could I enjoy heaven if someone I love went to Hell?
That’s a great question. Here are three points to think about it.
- We don’t know who goes to Heaven.
- Everything we love about people is a gift from God
- True joy does not come from experiences.
I hope that you can at least trust God that Heaven will be awesome. Even if we can’t imagine it, we trust Him, and that makes us want it all the more. – So how do we get there?
What will happen when we die?1. Our bodies die. 2. Our souls are with God. 3. Jesus will return to Earth. 4. We all face judgment
Heaven & Hell Week 2 Teaching TextRevelation 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.[a] 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
*Did you like this message, Heaven & Hell Week 2? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Heaven & Hell – Week 1Who Gets Into Heaven
80% of Americans believe in an afterlife.
Americans can’t agree on anything, but we agree on this. So you’d assume there’s a debate on every corner about how to get there. Nope. Most people are content to take what’s given to them. – So what about you?
Are you a good person?
To that question, almost everyone says, ‘I think so.’ Almost everyone. Why? Because we all think about the bad people in the news we choose to watch and in the movies, and we compare ourselves to those bad people, but
What ratio of good to bad works gets someone into Heaven?
The Bible doesn’t give us a ration. Is it a 50/50 thing? I just need to do more good than bad? Is there a sliding scale? Does giving $20 to the church cancel out murder?…”Stealing is 10 hail Marys, but lying is only 2.”
Who decides what is good and bad?
The Christian church sure can’t agree on it, and they’re using the same Bible. What about things the Pope used to say are good, & now he says they’re bad? What about things like slavery, sexism, unjust wars, and divorce?
When does the counting start?
At what age do my bad actions count against me?… I hope it’s 40. & if I do 1 more bad than good, do I go to Hell because of that 1 bad?
Heaven & Hell Week 1 Teaching TextI Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
*Did you like this message, Heaven & Hell Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
First Things First – Week 3Sexual and Spiritual IntimacyWhat is the most important thing in your relationship with your spouse? What is your relationship built on?
Every relationship has a hierarchy of values. Here are four kinds of intimacy from least important to most important.
Physical intimacy. It’s the least important. Why? You’ve only got one body to give and there’s only so long you can go. Your body is going to age, and get less & less attractive. Physical intimacy is very limited.
Social intimacy. You can be social with more than one person. A good social group can actually build intimacy between two individuals. It’s on the social level that we start to really care about someone.
Intellectual intimacy. Is about shared ideas we don’t have to agree on everything, but we connect on the things we do agree on. We have common values that team us up when we’re with people who don’t have those values.
Spiritual intimacy. Allows two people to become one. This is why it’s important to be equally yoked, to be married to another Christian. You can only have spiritual intimacy with someone you are spiritually connected to and it’s the biggest box because God’s in it. Put God first.
First Things First Week 3 Teaching TextI Corinthians 7:1-5
7 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.[a] 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.
3 The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. 4 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.
5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
*Did you like this message, First Things First Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
First Things First – Week 2 – How God Protects UsGod doesn’t always protect us physically, but when we put Him first, He gives us peace and eternal protection. I know that seems like a really simple idea, but the version of Christianity that is dominating America today is a very physically focus Christianity. It’s all about God making my human life better. But Jesus said,
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.
John 16:33
I think that’s the mark of someone who knows that their life is in Christ, and not in this world. Their faith in God is so great, that their worries of this world fade away. They have peace.
Even in victory, we will have pain. The temptation is to believe that victory means everything will be easy. No. God never intended for us to live an easy, comfortable life.
If I offered you $1 billion, would you take it? _ What if taking the $1 billion, meant you won’t wake up tomorrow, would you take the money? _ So how valuable is life? You would rather wake up than have $1 billion.
First Things First Week 2 Teaching TextPsalm 23:5
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
*Did you like this message, First Things First Week 2? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
First Things First Week 1 The principle of first.This week we hear pastor Mike and Robert Morris talk about the principle of first.
- The firstborn must be sacrificed or redeemed.
- The first fruits must be offered.
- The tithe must be first.
First Things First Week 1 Teaching TextExodus 13:1-2
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Dedicate to me every firstborn among the Israelites. The first offspring to be born, of both humans and animals, belongs to me.”
Exodus 12:12
12 you must present all firstborn sons and firstborn male animals to the Lord, for they belong to him. 13 A firstborn donkey may be bought back from the Lord by presenting a lamb or young goat in its place. But if you do not buy it back, you must break its neck. However, you must buy back every firstborn son.
*Did you like this message, First Things First Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 15 Do you want to be powerful?
This week we hear pastor Paul talk about the ascension of Jesus and the Holy Spirit descending. He asked this important question:
Who would you rather provide your life agenda? God or You?
Jesus. Week 15 Teaching TextActs 1:6-12
The Ascension of Jesus6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. Week 15? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Easter 2023Easter 2023 was a great celebration where Pastor Mike talked about how we are asleep and we need to wake up.
To be alive, we need 4 basic elements:
- Water
- Air
- Food
- Light
What is Jesus? He is the living water, the breath of life, the bread of life, & the light of the world. We can’t live without Him. So what about you? Take an honest look at your life and ask, does my life come from Jesus?
Jesus’ resurrection proves that Heaven is not a disappointment we’ll have to settle for. It means we’ll stop settling and start living.
Wake up! The world has lied to you. The stuff they call truth isn’t truth. Jesus is the truth.
Easter 2023 TEACHING TEXTEphesians 2:1-6
2 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.[a] He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
*Did you like this message, Easter 2023? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. – Week 14In this teaching, Jesus. Week 14, we hear Pastor Mike talk about Jesus doing something none of us could imagine enduring, and in his humanity, He couldn’t have done it. So how did He do it? How did Jesus endure the cross?
Everyone has felt it. Every student, parent, and leader has felt the urge to quit. “I’m not smart enough. No one will help me. I don’t have enough money. I’m too shy. I’m too ugly.” Maybe you want to quit your marriage, job, or something else. Quitting is Easy. Perseverance is hard.
You might have to work harder or fail more times than others. You might have to be more disciplined or read slower than others. You might not be as smart, pretty, or wealthy, but
God has given you everything you need to do what He created you to do.
JESUS. WEEK 14 TEACHING TEXTMatthew 27:26-37
26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters[a] and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
The Crucifixion32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[b] and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[c] 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 14? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. – Week 13Watch
Listen
In this teaching, Jesus. Week 13, we hear Pastor Mike talk about Peter and how our Biblical mandate is to lead people to Jesus, but half of us think it’s wrong. Why? Because we’re actually following the opinions of culture, not the truth of Scripture.
JESUS. WEEK 13 TEACHING TEXTMatthew 26:69-75
Peter Denies Jesus69 Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came over and said to him, “You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean.”
70 But Peter denied it in front of everyone. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Later, out by the gate, another servant girl noticed him and said to those standing around, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.[a]”
72 Again Peter denied it, this time with an oath. “I don’t even know the man,” he said.
73 A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, “You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.”
74 Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed.
75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 13? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 12 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 12, we hear Pastor Mike talk about our need for mentors and how we should mentor others.
Everyone should have a mentor. The people I know who grow more than most are mentor squirrels. They’re gathering mentors like squirrels gather nuts. YouTube isn’t enough. You can learn to build a house on YouTube, not a life.
Mentors know you. They can customize their advice to your specific situation. When they know you, they can tell you what you need to know, not expect you to search for the right questions on YouTube.
But here’s the danger. Don’t wait until you’re perfect before you move to mentoring others. A lot of mentorship squirrels never become mentors. Their identity gets so wrapped up in perfecting themselves that they never mature into a person who focuses on others more than themselves. Jesus came to shift our focus from self to others. So we must lead others.
Look for ways to influence people. Find young people and take them under your wing. This will take intentionality. Jesus (God Himself) was regularly in the home of his disciples. At some point, we have to say
I can’t go any further until I’m leading someone beside me.
If you’ve struggled with something but don’t anymore, mentor someone. If you’re out of debt, lost weight, been promoted, learned to cook, gotten married, given birth, or read a book in the Bible. If you’ve done almost anything, find someone who hasn’t done that thing and mentor them.
JESUS. WEEK 12 TEACHING TEXTMatthew 26:17-29
The Last Supper
17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come, and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.
20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table[a] with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[b] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 12? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 11 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 11, we hear Pastor Mike talk about anger and if being angry is a sin. He references the time Jesus clears the temple.
He spends most of the time asking these two questions.
- Why did Jesus kick over tables?
- Jesus was fighting against greed.
- Jesus was fighting against discrimination.
- Is anger a sin? Is anger a sin? Not if it’s righteous anger. Not if you are angry about true injustice. But how much of our anger is actually righteous anger? How much is actually frustration with people who hurt us or people we disagree with?
Anger breaks relationships.
When you’re angry, ask yourself, “is this worth breaking a relationship?” If not, run from anger. If the news makes you mad, stop watching it. If you get angry when you drink alcohol, stop drinking. The apostle Paul said,
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Ephesians 4:26
Sinful anger happens when someone takes something from us, or hurts us. Sinful anger usually has a statement like, “I deserve,” “that’s not fair,” or “it’s my right.”
The root of sinful anger is self-focus.
Spiritual maturity reduces anger because it removes the focus from the self to God. As we mature spiritually, we set our eyes on things above, and when we do get angry, we get angry about the things God gets angry about.
JESUS. WEEK 11 TEACHING TEXTMatthew 21:12-16
Jesus Clears the Temple
12 Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!”
14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”
But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 11? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 10 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 10, we hear Pastor Mike talk about when Jesus feeds 5,000 men & their families, but He does it with the food in a little boy’s lunchbox.
Supernatural things happen when we give to God. This boy gave to Jesus, and Jesus used his generosity. When we’re generous, we get to physically participate in bringing Heaven to Earth.
Jesus commands us to be generous people, and this boy showed us what happens when we are.
This is what happens when we are generous:
- When we give, we honor God.
- When you give, we bless others.
- When we give, we are blessed.
JESUS. WEEK 10 TEACHING TEXTLuke 9:10-17
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. 11 But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.
12 Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”
13 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” 14 For there were about 5,000 men there.
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 So the people all sat down. 16 Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. 17 They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 10? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 9 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 9, we hear Pastor Mike talk about when Jesus healed a man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath.
Most people complain about things in their lives that they’re not actually willing to change. I’m overweight. I’m poor. I’m depressed. I’m lonely. I’m childless. So ask yourself:
Would I actually like to get well?
I don’t want to be stressed anymore, but I can’t give up Netflix. I don’t want to be addicted, but I also don’t want to give it up.
So when Jesus asked the guy at the Pool of Bethesda “would you like to get well?” the guy gave an excuse (John 5:7). I’m not sure this man was open to hearing about other possible ways to be healed. He had one idea of how the healing would go, and Jesus’ way was different.
So what is your excuse?
We all do it: “I believe God heals marriages, but not mine. I’m done with my marriage.” “I believe God heals addictions, but I kinda like mine.” “I believe in tithing, but here’s why I don’t tithe. I’m different.”
God’s promise of salvation isn’t that He’ll forgive your sins and then leave you screwed up and broken. Jesus wants to make you whole.
A terrible idea that is destroying lives right now is the idea that people don’t change. It’s not Biblical. It’s not logical, and it’s incredibly depressing. You’re not stuck the way you are, but here’s the problem:
You can’t change yourself. You need God. He’s the creator, the owner. If your goal is to be rich, you might get rich, but you’ll be miserable. If your goal is to get sober, you’ll be sober and depressed. Seek God first, and He’ll give you what you need.
JESUS. WEEK 9 TEACHING TEXTJohn 5:1-18
Jesus Heals a Lame Man
5 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,[a] with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.[b] 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”
7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”
8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, 10 so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”
11 But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12 “Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.
13 The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 14 But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” 15 Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God
16 So the Jewish leaders began harassing[c] Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. 17 But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” 18 So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 9? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 8 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 8, we hear Pastor Mike talk about the beatitudes and how God blesses outsiders. In Jesus’ teaching, he isn’t saying He won’t bless insiders, but statistically, they are less likely to receive His blessing.
A vessel becomes valuable when its contents
are valuable.
We’ve got a world of people assigning value to people and to themselves based on their beauty, their wealth, their power, or the number of followers on Instagram, but it’s all meaningless. We’re all going to die, and
Without God our bodies are worthless.
But if God is in you, your value cannot be measured. If God is in you, you are infinitely valuable.
We are all called to give everything to each other. Christians are vessels who choose to surrender their agendas to be used by God. We’re the vessel, and when He is in us, we have value.
Jesus. Week 8 Teaching TextMatthew 5:1-12
The Sermon on the Mount5 One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 8? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 7 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 7, we hear Pastor Mike talk about Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee and how we can overcome storms in life.
If we put our faith in Jesus then the storm cannot defeat us. Jesus didn’t just help them endure the storm. He calmed the storm.
Now that we’re on the other side of the resurrection, we see that Jesus’ invitation to put our faith in Him isn’t about faith for physical protection, but about faith for eternal protection. We are more than our bodies because faith gives us eternal life. Put your faith in Jesus, and you will live forever. Christians, nothing can kill you. You’re eternal; an eternal flame no darkness can extinguish. It’s not a promise of physical comfort. It’s of eternal life.
Reasons people chose not to have faith in God:
- Bad things happen.
- Skepticism about miracles.
- Christians hurt me.
Jesus. Week 6 Teaching TextMark 4:30-41
Parable of the Mustard Seed30 Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”
33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. 34 In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
Jesus Calms the Storm35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 7? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 6 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 6, we hear Pastor Mike talk about Jesus’ first miracle, turning water into wine. Jesus turned water into wine because he wanted to honor His mother. Mary, Jesus’ mother asked him to do this so as a Jewish man he followed the 5th commandment and honored his mom. The second reason was to keep the party going.
What are we going to do in Heaven?
In Matthew 8:11 we read we will …feast in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus. Week 6 Teaching TextJohn 2:1-11
The Wedding at Cana
2 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 6? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 5 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 5, we hear Zack Poitra talk about Jesus’ callings and missions and how we should view the callings and missions God gives us.
Some of Jesus’ missions/callings were:
- Loving People
- Following the Law
- Honored Parents
Some Common missions/callings in our lives:
- Work
- Marriage
- Parenting
- Honor Parents Jesus. Week 4 Teaching TextLuke 5:1-11
The First Disciples5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee,[a] great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon,[b] its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 5? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 4 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 4, we hear Pastor Mike talks about Jesus being tested by the satan in the wilderness and when Jesus spent some time in Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and cast out a demon from a man. We can learn from Jesus on how we should respond when we face devils.
- Respond with the Truth of Scripture.
- Don’t be a victim. Jesus. Week 4 Teaching TextLuke 4:1-13
The Temptation of Jesus
4 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,[a] 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
3 Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’[b]”
5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me.”
8 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’[c]”
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’[d]”
12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’[e]”
13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
Luke 4:31-37
Jesus Casts Out a Demon
31 Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. 32 There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority.
33 Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil[a] spirit—cried out, shouting, 34 “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35 But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.
36 Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” 37 The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 4? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 3 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 3, we hear Pastor Paul talk about Jesus’ Baptism where Jesus kind of hears those awesome words, Good Job, from God and what it meant for him and what this story teaches us today.
Jesus. Week 3 Teaching TextMatthew 3:13-17
The Baptism of Jesus13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.[a]” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened[b] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 2 TeachingIn this teaching, Jesus. Week 2, we hear Pastor Karen talk about the first recorded words from Jesus and how these words he spoke can guide us in the year 2023.
Why do we eat Doritos? Why do we look at social media? Why do we sleep in? Why do we waste money? Why do we imitate trends on social media? What motivates us to do certain things?
To better understand how we are motivated Pastor Karen explained this equation.
Motivation = Expectancy + Value – CostExpectancy is the belief that you can do a behavior and achieve a result.
Value is the perception that a task is rewarding or useful.
Cost is the sense that what you’re doing causes some kind of pain.
Jesus’ first recorded words are “Didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s business?” In this statement, he is revealing to us what motivates him. Everything he does is to fulfill his Father’s business. Like Jesus, we should live our life through this lens.
This year, when people ask you why you do something will your answer be “Didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s Business?”
Jesus. Week 2 Teaching TextLuke 2:41-52
Jesus Speaks with the Teachers41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[a] 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.
51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 2? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Jesus. Week 1 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Paul talks about the birth of Jesus.
Jesus. Week 1 Teaching TextLuke 2:1-7
2At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2(This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
*Did you like this message, Jesus. – Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Christmas At The Cam-Plex – 2022 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about when you die, there will be a test. When you get to paradise, they’ll ask “why should you get to go in,” and what will you say? “Well, I…” Wrong answer. “Because I was good, or I obeyed… or I ate broccoli” No, the answer is
Jesus.
Because HE was perfect. Because HE died & rose again.
Christmas At The cam-Plex – 2022 Teaching TextRomans 10:9-10
9If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
*Did you like this message, Christmas At The Cam-Plex – 2022? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Fresh Start Week 3 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about the Holy Spirit as our guide in reaching our destiny. We do so much to keep God from guiding us and you might be thinking “no, He’s God. You can’t tie up God. Can’t He just make Himself free?” They said the same thing to Jesus. They said,
if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!
Matthew 27:40
Jesus didn’t save himself. Why? Because God has given people an uncomfortable amount of freedom to sin and to reject Him. We’ve got a world of people trying to reach their destiny, but they don’t know where they’re going.
Fresh Start Week 3 Teaching TextLuke 1:28-35
28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
*Did you like this message, Fresh Start Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Fresh Start Week 2 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about Submission competitions and how it makes relationships better for everyone. If we both give sacrificially, we give what we couldn’t get on our own. My wife can give me what I couldn’t get by myself…obviously. So we need healthy competition.
It’s all about helping everyone unlock their individual potential so they can make the team better. When the team gets better, everyone on the team wins. Submission is a competition, but it’s healthy competition.
So why should we submit to one another out of reverence for Christ? Ultimately, we’re on God’s team and it is worshiping God.
Fresh Start Week 2 Teaching TextEphesians 5:21
Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
*Did you like this message, Fresh Start Week 2? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.*
Fresh Start Week 1 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about forgiveness. Ephesians 5:1 says we should imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. If we are children of the forgiver, we are called to be forgivers. If a parent is good, the children will imitate the parent. That’s why we’re called disciples. Disciple means follower.
What is the cross a symbol of? Forgiveness. If you want to follow Christ, you forgive like He forgave. If our goal is to be like Christ, we forgive like He forgave. Take up your cross. It’s a sacrifice for the Kingdom.
Fresh Start Week 1 Teaching TextMatthew 6:14-15
14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
**Did you like this message, Fresh Start Week 1? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.****
No Shave November Week 4 TeachingIn this teaching, we hear Pastor Mike talk about how the New Testament is a balancing act. It’s constantly telling us that goodness can’t save us. The law can’t save us, BUT we should be good because we’ve been saved and what does goodness look like? Well, that’s simple: Extravagant Love The entire law of Scripture can be summed up in one word: love. If you want to know if an action is right or wrong, ask yourself, Is it loving?
No Shave November Week 4 Teaching TextGalatians 6:11-17
Paul’s Final Advice11 Notice what large letters i use as i write these closing words in my own handwriting.
12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,[a] my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.[b]
17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.
**Did you like this message, No Shave November Week 4? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.****
No Shave November Week 3 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Paul talks about the freedom we have in our Christian walk and how the apostle Paul talks a lot about it all throughout his letters, but especially in the book of Galatians which we have been focused upon this month. And as we dig into Chapter 5 a little, we will see how Paul talks about that Freedom and how, depending upon what we do with it, […]
No Shave November Week 2 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about faith and how God’s not like us. He wants us to be faithful, and the only way we can be effective in our mission is to be faithful, but because we can’t stay faithful to Him. He was faithful for us, and the literal Good New is: Our faith in God’s faithfulness is enough. We cheated on God, and He says, you […]
No Shave November Week 1 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about how we should not focus on the approval of people but on the approval of God. The idea of winning the approval of God is tricky though because our salvation is not contingent on our works. There is nothing we can do to be saved by Jesus. When we start to believe that we can sanctify ourselves by being good enough, we […]
Acts Week 8 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about growth in desserts. Growth is possible in the desert because before the rain comes seeds were already planted. What’s the desert in your life right now? Maybe you’re in debt, your marriage is falling apart, you’re addicted to porn, you hate your job, you feel lonely, and you’re overwhelmed. There are good seeds in there so water them. We can sit around and complain […]
Acts Week 7 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about resolving conflict. The ability to resolve conflicts is evidence that someone is a child of God and the good news is, we actually have an incredibly helpful outline in Scripture about how to handle conflict. Watch or listen and learn how Jesus teaches us to resolve conflict. Acts Week 7 Teaching Text Acts 15:4-10 and 19 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed […]
Acts Week 6 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about getting guidance from the Holy Spirit. Christians, let’s get really serious real fast. How much confidence does being filled with the Holy Spirit give you? Acts Week 6 Teaching Text Acts 13:4-12 Paul’s First Missionary Journey 4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus. 5 There, in […]
Acts Week 5 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about having crucial conversations and how to give grace and speak truth. We can’t just know the truth. We have to take action, to share the truth. So many of us are tempted to run to our comfort zones, away from important conversations. We get scared, and avoid the conversation. Patterson says in the book Crucial Conversations: “The mistake most of us make in our […]
Acts Week 4 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about Stephen who became the first Christian martyr and how when you are under attack how can you remain faithful to God. How do we make it through leadership storms? When you choose the be a leader you’re signing up for trouble. Why? Because there are people in this world who love to punch up. No expert is smart enough. No boss or pastor can […]
Acts Week 3 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about entrepreneurship. Acts Week 3 Teaching Text Acts 6:1-7 Seven Men Chosen to Serve 6 But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching […]
Acts Week 2 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he talks about courage and confidence. Acts Week 2 Teaching Text Acts 4:12-22 12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” 13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They […]
Acts Week 1 Teaching In this teaching, we hear from Pastor Mike as he kicks off our new teaching series called Acts. Acts Week 1 Teaching Text Acts 1:6-11 The Ascension of Jesus 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you […]
Working Wisdom Teaching In this teaching we hear from Pastor Paul as he shares with us some valuable tips from the book of Proverbs about how to work with wisdom. Working Wisdom Teaching Texts Proverbs 6:6-9 6 “Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. 9 But you, lazybones, how long will you […]
Week Four of At The Movies 2022 In this teaching, we watch some scenes from the movie Free Guy. At The Movies 2022 Week 4 Teaching Text I Corinthians 13:9-13 9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 10 But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew […]
Week Three of At The Movies 2022 In this teaching, we watch some scenes from a movie called Yesterday. It’s a modern day parable of inspiration, grace, and faithfulness. At The Movies 2022 Week 3 Teaching Text Luke 5:29-32 29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ […]
Week Two of At The Movies 2022 In this teaching, we watch some scenes from a less well-known movie than we usually do, but it is a powerful movie called Mass. It’s about a mass shooting that happened in an elementary school, and it’s a powerful example of forgiveness, reconciliation, and grace. At The Movies 2022 Week 2 Teaching Text Matthew 5:23-24 23 “So if you are presenting a sacrifice[a] at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone […]
Week one of At The Movies 2022 In this teaching, we watch some scenes from the movie, American Underdog, the true story of Kurt Warner, an NFL MVP quarterback and Super Bowl winner. In this series, we spend some time reading through the key passage from the message before we launch into the teaching, and today’s passage is 2 Samuel 7:8-14. At The Movies 2022 Week 1 Teaching Text 2 Samuel 7:8-14 8 “Now go and say to my servant David, […]
Week Four of Wilderness Life In this teaching, hear Pastor Karen wrap up the Wilderness Life series. She will ask us to assess where our lives feel like valleys, the places we are far from God, and encourage us to ask the Holy Spirit to move in us and breathe new life. Wilderness life Week 4 Teaching Text Ezekiel 37:1-14 1 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a […]
Week Three of Wilderness Life In this teaching, hear Pastor Paul give a message talking about how to survive the wilderness and how to run to God in the wilderness. Wilderness life Week 3 Teaching Text Psalm 84 1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.2 I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord.With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.3 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow builds her nest […]
Week Two of Wilderness Life In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message on why would a loving God allow bad things to happen? Wilderness life Week 2 Teaching Texts Hebrews 4:15-16 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help […]
Week one of Wilderness Life In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about being in the wilderness. Mike talks through the story of Elijah and how he went from a mountain top experience right into a time in the wilderness. Watch or listen and see how Elijah made it through the wilderness life. Wilderness life Week 1 Teaching Texts 1 Kings 19:1-12 Elijah Flees to Sinai 19 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including […]
Week Five of Follow Me In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message talking about the idea of trust. He uses 1 Peter 2:17 & 18 to help explain how we as Christians should trust each other. Follow Me Week 5 Teaching Texts 1 Peter 2:17-18 17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.Slaves18 You who are slaves must submit to your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you—not only if they are […]
Week Four of Follow Me In this teaching, hear Zack Poitra give a message talking through 2 Timothy 1 and how important mentorship is in the development of your life and as you mentor others how important that can be for them as well. Paul was a great mentor to Timothy. We should follow Paul’s lead. Follow Me Week 4 Teaching Texts 2 Timothy 1:3-16 Encouragement to Be Faithful 3 Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a […]
Week Three of Follow Me In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message Talking through Hebrews 12. God’s standard is perfection. Holiness or hell. Our reaction to that is supposed to be “I can’t be holy.” To which God says, “exactly. you can’t. So let me.” There are going to be times when you will be weary. Your body will be exhausted and broken down, and you’ll be tempted to stop following Jesus and give up your eternal inheritance, […]
Week Two of Follow Me In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about the Pool of Bethesda. He reads out of John 5 where Jesus heals a man who has been sick for thirty-eight years. Follow Me Week 2 Teaching Texts John 5:1-15 Jesus Heals a Lame Man 5 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,[a] with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, […]
Week One of Follow Me In this teaching, hear Pastor Paul gives a message about the interaction between Jesus and a rich man in Mark Chapter 10. Follow Me Week 1 Teaching Texts Mark 10:17-27 The Rich Man 17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But […]
Week Six of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about perseverance and used the apostle Paul to exemplify how the source of our energy is through the giving of ourselves. Like Paul, whose body may have been a mess, but still he rejoiced in his suffering knowing that suffering produces endurance. He had a mature faith that gave and gave and gave until giving became addictive. We should rejoice in suffering because we know that […]
Week Five of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about wearing Christ. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Either they want to lead a group, serve a group, or enjoy the company of a group. No matter what the reason is, we all want to be a part of a group. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:12 that God chose us and that we should clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, […]
Week Four of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about wonder and hope. Do you believe, do you know to your core that if you place your whole reliance on God that all will go well? Why do we have hope? Because we gave our future to God, and we trust Him with them. Paul says in, Colossians 3:3 “For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” […]
Week Three of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message about what gets us into Heaven. There are some Christians still teaching that we need to obey a bunch of man-made laws to be saved, but we’re free from that. Don’t let religious leaders use man-made laws to control you. Paul, in Colossians 2, is asking why would we keep following old laws that have been removed? Our new life has begun! We don’t wait until […]
Week Two of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Mike give a message titled God’s Many Energy Sources. Pastor Mike talks about the 6 places we as Christians get our power. Where does our power come from? The Good NewsLovePrayerGod’s WillGod’s DominionJoy Energy Source Week 2 Teaching Text Colossians 1:6-14 6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives […]
Week One of Energy Source In this teaching, hear Pastor Chris give a message titled Stand Firm. Pastor Chris talks about how sometimes as Christians we feel far from God or we feel separated from him and how Paul speaks to this and gives us insight on what we should do even during those moments. He writes in verse 23 “But you must continue to believe in this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance […]
Easter 2022 Homecoming Have you ever felt weary? I mean really weary, burnt out, frustrated with life, sick of the job, & “the kids are wearing me down. I can’t do it anymore.” Did you know Jesus felt like that? One time was the night before He was killed: Matthew 26:38-40 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with […]
Week eight of Phone Zombies In this teaching, hear about the importance of replacing hurry with sabbath. Pastor Mike talks about how removing some bad habits and replacing them with spiritual practices will help you become who God created you to be and reveal how Jesus’ yoke is easy to bear, and the burden is light. He is not saying that doing spiritual disciples will give you rest. He did those for decades, and they usually made his life harder. […]
Week Seven of Phone Zombies In this teaching, hear about the importance of replacing consumerism with generosity. Pastor Mike talks about why he thinks generosity is the ultimate evidence of mature faith. Phone Zombies Week 7 Teaching Texts Acts 20:35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 10 Those who love […]
Week Six of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Zack Poitra talks about the importance of replacing anger with gentleness. Having your anger control your life is never going to end well. We must follow Jesus’ way and replace anger with gentleness. Phone Zombies Week 6 Teaching Texts Matthew 26:47-56 Jesus Is Betrayed and Arrested 47 And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been […]
Week Five of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Pastor Paul talks about the importance of replacing isolation with accountability. Being in isolation with technology can be dangerous. When we are in Isolation with technology Satan does some of his best work. He knows that it is easier to tempt us, to distract us with all kinds of things that can pull us away from Jesus. And into a life that is lonely and yes, sinful. Phone Zombies Week 5 Teaching […]
Week Four of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about the importance of replacing distractions with the table. All throughout Jesus’ ministry, he ate good food with bad people. Food was essential in his ministry so we should make eating around the table with no distractions a regular part of our lives. Phone Zombies Week 4 Teaching Texts Luke 10:38-42 Jesus Visits Martha and Mary 38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came […]
Week Three of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about social media. One of the dangers of social media that is so incredibly destructive is the danger of comparison. We should replace comparison with friendship. Phone Zombies Week 3 Teaching Texts Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Did you like this message, Phone Zombies Week 3? Check out more of our Sunday teachings here.
Week Two of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Pastor Paul talks about how we should replace notification with prayer. Phone Zombies Week 2 Teaching Texts 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. John 15:1-7 Jesus, The True Vine15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches […]
Week one of Phone Zombies In this teaching, Pastor Mike opens up in the first week of our new series by talking about how we all have habits and some habits give life and some habits take life. We want to focus on replacing habits that take life and replace it with habits that give life. So we should replace the scroll with scripture. Reading scripture does not earn you salvation. Jesus gave us salvation when he died on the […]
More than Words In this teaching, The Vow, Pastor Keith Loy talks about the three reasons why we need to watch what we say for they are more than words.
- Our tongues convey direction.
- Our tongues communicate character.
- Our tongues create problems.
The Vow Teaching Texts Proverbs 15:1-4
15A gentle answer turns away anger, but a sharp word causes anger.
2The tongue of the wise uses much learning in a good way, but the mouth of fools speaks in a foolish way.
3The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the bad and the good.
4A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but a sinful tongue crushes the spirit.
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Week Six of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about Daniel Chapters 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. and what these chapters teach us about fear. We may have fears, but we don’t let them stop us. We’ll face the beasts because God is a God of power and love. He’s mighty, and He cares.
Behind Enemy Lines Week 6 Teaching Texts Daniel 9:25
Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes.
Daniel 7:13-14
13 As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed.
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Week Five of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about Daniel Chapter 9 and how we were created to worship. Specifically, we were created to worship God, but that’s not how it plays out. Is it? Often the things we were created to do get perverted. The desire to do what we should do runs out of control.
Behind Enemy Lines Week 5 Teaching Text Daniel 9:17-19
17“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
18“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
19“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”
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Week Four of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about Daniel Chapter 6 and how Daniel protested the new law quietly but did not hide it either. He would later be thrown in the lion’s den as punishment for not following the new law. When we are behind enemy lines we must follow respect authority even when it is evil.
Behind Enemy Lines Week 4 Teaching Text Daniel 6:1-28
Daniel in the Lions’ Den 6 [a]Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. 2 The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. 3 Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.
4 Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy. 5 So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”
6 So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius! 7 We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions. 8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.” 9 So King Darius signed the law.
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. 11 Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help. 12 So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?”
“Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
13 Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”
14 Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”
16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.
19 Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. 20 When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “Long live the king! 22 My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
24 Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.
25 Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:
“Peace and prosperity to you!
26 “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
For he is the living God,
and he will endure forever.
His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and his rule will never end.
27 He rescues and saves his people;
he performs miraculous signs and wonders
in the heavens and on earth.
He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.[b]
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Week Three of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about Daniel Chapter 3 and the faith that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had.
Behind Enemy Lines Week 3 Teaching Text Daniel 3
King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
4 Then a herald shouted out, “…5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews…12 There are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them…15 “I will give you one more chance…But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace? 25 Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” 26…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27…Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego!”
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.
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Week Two of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching, Pastor Mike talks about Daniel Chapter 2 and how we can and should reach the next generation.
Teaching Text Daniel 2:1-48
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream 2 One night during the second year of his reign,[a] Nebuchadnezzar had such disturbing dreams that he couldn’t sleep. 2 He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers,[b] and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. As they stood before the king, 3 he said, “I have had a dream that deeply troubles me, and I must know what it means.”
4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic,[c] “Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”
5 But the king said to the astrologers, “I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into heaps of rubble! 6 But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!”
7 They said again, “Please, Your Majesty. Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means.”
8 The king replied, “I know what you are doing! You’re stalling for time because you know I am serious when I say, 9 ‘If you don’t tell me the dream, you are doomed.’ So you have conspired to tell me lies, hoping I will change my mind. But tell me the dream, and then I’ll know that you can tell me what it means.”
10 The astrologers replied to the king, “No one on earth can tell the king his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, enchanter, or astrologer! 11 The king’s demand is impossible. No one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they do not live here among people.”
12 The king was furious when he heard this, and he ordered that all the wise men of Babylon be executed. 13 And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. 15 He asked Arioch, “Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?” So Arioch told him all that had happened. 16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time to tell the king what the dream meant.
17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. 19 That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. 20 He said,
“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
for he has all wisdom and power.
21 He controls the course of world events;
he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars.
22 He reveals deep and mysterious things
and knows what lies hidden in darkness,
though he is surrounded by light.
23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors,
for you have given me wisdom and strength.
You have told me what we asked of you
and revealed to us what the king demanded.”
Daniel Interprets the Dream 24 Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.”
25 Arioch quickly took Daniel to the king and said, “I have found one of the captives from Judah who will tell the king the meaning of his dream!”
26 The king said to Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar), “Is this true? Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?”
27 Daniel replied, “There are no wise men, enchanters, magicians, or fortune-tellers who can reveal the king’s secret. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the future. Now I will tell you your dream and the visions you saw as you lay on your bed.
29 “While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events. He who reveals secrets has shown you what is going to happen. 30 And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart.
31 “In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. 32 The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, 33 its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. 34 As you watched, a rock was cut from a mountain,[d] but not by human hands. It struck the feet of iron and clay, smashing them to bits. 35 The whole statue was crushed into small pieces of iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold. Then the wind blew them away without a trace, like chaff on a threshing floor. But the rock that knocked the statue down became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.
36 “That was the dream. Now we will tell the king what it means. 37 Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. 38 He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.
39 “But after your kingdom comes to an end, another kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third kingdom, represented by bronze, will rise to rule the world. 40 Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth one, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. 41 The feet and toes you saw were a combination of iron and baked clay, showing that this kingdom will be divided. Like iron mixed with clay, it will have some of the strength of iron. 42 But while some parts of it will be as strong as iron, other parts will be as weak as clay. 43 This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But they will not hold together, just as iron and clay do not mix.
44 “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. 45 That is the meaning of the rock cut from the mountain, though not by human hands, that crushed to pieces the statue of iron, bronze, clay, silver, and gold. The great God was showing the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its meaning is certain.”
Nebuchadnezzar Rewards Daniel 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar threw himself down before Daniel and worshiped him, and he commanded his people to offer sacrifices and burn sweet incense before him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is the greatest of gods, the Lord over kings, a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this secret.”
48 Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.
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Week One of Behind Enemy Lines In this teaching Pastor Paul talks about how we are similar to Daniel in living in a pagan land. As Peter says in 1 Peter 2:11
11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
We are temporary residents and foreigners. We are behind enemy lines. What does that look like and how do we live as Christians behind enemy lines?
Teaching Text Daniel 1:1-20
1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah,[a] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia[b] and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.
3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.[c]” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.
6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah. 7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:
Daniel was called Belteshazzar.
Hananiah was called Shadrach.
Mishael was called Meshach.
Azariah was called Abednego.
8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”
11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others.
17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.
18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
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Church At Home In this teaching, Pastor Karen talks through a discipleship wheel that will help you set a New Year’s Resolution for your spiritual journey.
Download Discipleship Wheel
Teaching Texts Luke 5:16
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
1 Peter 4:10-11
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Matthew 20:25-28
25 …“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Acts 2:42-47
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper[i]), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
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a samtsirhC Message In this teaching Pastor Paul talks through the Christmas Story before Jesus is born. It’s all about the anticipation of Jesus’ arrival.
Teaching Text Luke 1:28-56
28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,[a] favored woman! The Lord is with you![b]”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.[d]”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise 46 Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
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Week 4 of Messianic Math In week 4 of Messianic Math, Pastor Mike Wilson talks about how we have all that we need.
Teaching Text Psalm 23:1-6
A psalm of David.
1The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
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Week 3 of Messianic Math In week 3 of Messianic Math, Pastor Mike Wilson talks about how important it is for Christians to be generous.
Teaching Text Mark 12:41-44
The Widow’s Offering
41Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.[a]
43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
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Week 2 of Messianic Math In week 2 of Messianic Math, Pastor Mike Wilson talks about how important it is to be known for what we are for, what we add to the world rather than what we’re against, what we want to take away from the world.
Teaching Text Acts 15:1-2
While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers[a]: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them, arguing vehemently. Finally, the church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local believers, to talk to the apostles and elders about this question.
Acts 16:19
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
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Week 1 of Messianic Math In week 1 of Messianic Math, Pastor Mike Wilson talks about how getting out of debt isn’t about wealth it’s about being useful to God. He put us in this world to accomplish a goal. He created us for a mission, and debt makes us less useful to God in fulfilling that mission.
Teaching Text Matthew 6:24
24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
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