Granite Creek Community Church Sermons: Recent Episodes
Granite Creek Community Church
Granite Creek Community Church online teachings are the Sunday Sermons from Granite Creek Community Church in Claremont, CA
The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard shows us that God is just, but it feels unfair. Guess what? We don’t get what we deserve and we don’t earn what we are given. Sometimes we are jealous of others’ gifts, breakthroughs, and even miracles. Lord, help us understand Grace, receive grace and even extend grace to others.
We are still on our series Matthew The Gospel Of The Kingdom. Today Pastor Josh and Pastor Michael talked about Transitional Generation and Overcoming Negative Family Patterns.
We are still on our series Matthew The Gospel Of The Kingdom. Pastor Josh and Meko talked about Transfiguration.
We are still on our Series Matthew: The Gospel Of The Kingdom and talking about Access to Heaven.
We are still on our series Matthew: The Gospel Of The Kingdom and Learning about how Jesus Heals.
We are still on our Series Matthew The Gospel Of The Kingdom. Today we are talking about Jesus Answers Your Prayers.
Today we are on a New Series. We are on talking about Matthew The Gospel Of The Kingdom.
What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!
What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!
What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!
Today we are going on a different journey. We finished our series on the keys to heavens economy and now we are on the journey towards The Battlefield of The Mind. We are so excited to jump into an amazing world-changing topic that Joyce Meyer has written about, spoken about, and shared all over the world. We are talking about the Promo into the new series.
Risk and Intimacy are the final two keys to Kingdom resources. God desire is to "prosper" us but in the Kingdom, he is more concerned about the condition of our heart than he is about our material success. Being vulnerable and risking builds faith, intimacy with God develops a heart that God can trust with his toys.
Today we are on a new Sermon Keys To Heaven's Economy. God can teach us how to proposer in any situation through a generous spirit and the revelation of his resources. For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Today we are in the book of Daniel. We talked about The Power of Prayer and How to Do it According to Daniel.
How do we maintain our character and make good choices in the midst of conflicting cultural pressures? How can we really thrive and agree with God's plans for us, not just survive? Part 1 of a 6-Week Series.
Artist Hyatt Moore shares his new creative series of paintings "The Beatitudes" and unveils these beautiful paintings. Hyatt Moore shares the creative process of "hearing" God's voice, and how God guided him to make choices and decisions and solve problems along the way.
Hyatt Moore is a prolific artist, painter, speaker and poet who shares with us a glimpse of how the gifts God has given him work out in daily life.
We finished our journey and now we are taking a new one into Dad Saves The Day. Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's.
Everyone has a measure of faith for salvation, but there is more, there is the “Gift of Faith”, that is given for the moving of mountains. We should eagerly desire this key yet often overlooked gift.
Take a Journey with us as we continue with The Charismata the Gift of Healing. The #Gospel is best expressed by physical healing if you don’t believe me ask #Jesus, He did a lot of healing to demonstrate the “Kingdom”. We can’t do “Church” without healing.
Today we talked about healing and our Youth Pastor Michael Jones gives his testimony and shares about the power of praying parents.
Today we are talking on The Charismata: Miracles, Signs, and Wonders. Today we heard that we should be stepping out in faith and if we see a sign walk through the door and that we need to pray for Jesus before the Miracles. When it comes to wonder we see the world in light, we see the world in wonder, we see the world in life, we see it bursting in living color, we see the world his way, and were walking in the light. Have you ever seen the wonder? In the air of second life having come out of the waters with the old one left behind. We see the world in love, we see the world in freedom, we see the Jesus way, He's the wonder in the wild.
The spiritual gifts of Knowledge & Wisdom are more than just God talking to us, they are used to release faith & grace into others who need encouragement, breakthrough or purpose.
We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church.
Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12). 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7
We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church.
Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12).
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7
We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church.
Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12).
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7
We are ending our journey on The Biography Of Paul. I hope you all enjoyed this journey with me traveling to different parts of the Bible. I hope to see you again on a completely different adventure and journey. We are talking about the Biography of Paul. There is much we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and for the advancement of His kingdom. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around AD 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern-day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry (Philippians 3:5–6). His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek would have been despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household would have spoken Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city (Acts 22:22-29).
We are continuing our journey on Paul. We are talking about the Biography of Paul. There is much we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and for the advancement of His kingdom. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around AD 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern-day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry (Philippians 3:5–6). His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek would have been despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household would have spoken Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city (Acts 22:22-29).
Today we are taking our journey from Paul to witness easter. We are talking about the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus or resurrection of Christ is the Christian religious belief that, after being put to death, Jesus rose again from the dead. It is the central tenet of Christian theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures".
Today we are we are ending our journey in Paul.I hope you had fun on this journey and come back for another journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.
Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.
Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.
Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.
Today we are taking a break from our journey and going to honor someone and his name is Billy Graham. We are also going to be talking about Doubt. So we are leaving exodus but we will be back on our journey.
Today we are continuing with Exodus and Pastor Meko is finishing what she preached on last week. Pastor Josh is going to continue on with Exodus. So please come on this journey with me.
Come with me on this journey and lets stop and look at the book of Exodus.Today we are starting a new series on Exodus. Come as we hear about moses.
Today we had a guest Speaker Will Hart and he had 2 parts to his sermon. Here is Part 1 and if you want to know more of what he talked about you have to go and watch part 2 and you will be changed by watching these sermons. So come on this journey with me today.
Today we had a guest Speaker Will Hart and he had 2 parts to his sermon. Here is Part 1 and if you want to know more of what he talked about you have to go and watch part 2 and you will be changed by watching these sermons. So come on this journey with me today.
Today we are going on our journey from the power of praise and worship to walking in hope in a faith lifestyle. What does hope and faith mean though. We define faith as “unquestioning belief, complete trust or confidence.” Hope is defined as “a feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by expectation.” When you look at Webster’s definition of both words, one deals with a belief while the other is a feeling with an expectation. I especially like the second definition of hope, “desire accompanied by expectation.” The Hebrew and Greek words for hope also means to have an expectation. It’s a concept involving trustful anticipation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of the promises of God. By definition, we can see that hope works with faith, but it is not faith. Paul says in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Paul describes God as being a God of hope in that He placed the hope within us. I believe that God also has hope. His Word says He desires that all should be saved, although we know this is will not be the case. Hope involves having a confidence and a desire and that is what leads us to exercise our faith. When we are walking in faith, we actually abound in hope because our “feelings” are aligning with God’s Word and our desires are now accompanied by an expectation with confidence. When that expectation is materialized, we know that God has acted on our behalf and we start the process of fully exercising our faith. Remember I told you earlier that you cannot walk in faith if you are not expecting God to do anything for you. You must have an expectation and this is where hope comes in.
Today we are still on our journey through the Faith Lifestyle Series. We are learning about the Power of Praise and Worship through faith. Here are 7 words on how to praise. So lets learn them today. 1. Yadah - Hands to God. 2. Towdah - Extend the hands while speaking the same thing. 3. Shabach - Loud adoration; testimony to what God has done. 4. Barauch - Expressing an attitude of love and trust by kneeling or bowing. 5. Zamar - Singing while using instruments. 6. Halah - Rave upon the Lord and act foolishly (and where the word hallelujah comes from). 7. Tehillah - Speaking and singing praises to the Father. Here are the most common words for Worship. 1.Hishtachavah - Bow down, kneel, give honor; an outward physical stance usually done during times of giving an offering or making a sacrificeThe most common Greek word associated with worship is: 2. Proskuneo - To do reverence to (and where we get the English word prostrate) Worship first, then praise. In looking at Psalm 100, we can see a few more clarifying differences between praise and worship. The very beginning of this Psalm says, "Worship the Lord with gladness and come before Him with joyful songs.” Verse three says, "Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us and we are His.” It's interesting in this Psalm that worship comes first. I believe that the first part of worship includes getting to know God. Once we have come into a relationship with Him, then we can begin to give Him praise. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." (Psalm 100:4) If we praise Him without recognizing who He is, or without really knowing Him, we are most likely just putting on a show.Praise and worship doesn’t just happen at church. I believe the Lord wants us to adopt a lifestyle of praise and worship, and not just do it once a week on Sunday. Praise and worship can take place outside of the four walls of the church we attend. We can sing praises to Him wherever we are, whether that’s at home or driving in the car. We can also silently thank Him while strolling through the aisles at the grocery store. Acts of worship can include giving to someone in need or visiting someone at the hospital. In fact, any time you act as a servant and put God first, that is worship. While there are both similarities and differences between the words praise and worship, one thing is certain: God desires both from us. The more we live a life of praise and worship, the stronger and more intimate our relationship with Him.
Today we are starting a new series Living in God's Balance. Come join me on this new journey and lets learn about Living in God's Balance. As a woman, are there days when you feel that your life has gotten out of balance? Between working long hours at the office, rushing to get the children off to school, or writing your latest novel, have you felt that there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done? You are not alone. Many of us feel the pressures of everyday life more and more these days. Many women are especially sensitive to how full their days have become and how little they seem to accomplish during “normal” waking hours. If you are feeling this way, then it’s probably a good time to take inventory of your life so that you can get back on track. We’ve all heard the old adage that life is a “balance of mind, body, and spirit.” Hearing that phrase is one thing. Living that principle is quite another in our often hectic world. Many people, both men and women, seek this balance in their lives. The solution can often feel elusive once our lives have gotten off a healthy path. There are many paths to living a balanced life. A Christian perspective to having a balanced life begins by examining your relationship with God. How close are you to God? Do you seek His wisdom often or are you trying to go through life on your own? We can often feel alone when life becomes overwhelming. A relationship with God means that you are never alone (Romans 8:35; Psalms 91:10-11). The more intimate your relationship with God the more faith you have that He will help you through even the toughest times. Knowing someone is always there who understands what you are going through is a major component in the process of healing and getting our lives in balance. Often we are plagued by a need to “control” our environment and our lives. Looming deadlines at work and conflicts with our spouse, our families, or people with whom we work are just a few examples of circumstances that can cause our lives to feel “out of control”. In turn, feeling “out of control” increases our anxiety and causes us to search for an end to our frustrations. Left unchecked, anxiety can lead to depression, further complicating our desire for balance. A relationship with God does not require any special knowledge. Nor must you be anyone other than yourself. Everyone can have a relationship with God. All that is required is that you have a desire to foster your relationship with Him. God can then begin to assist you in receiving what you need in order to live life more fully and more balanced (Luke 11:9-13; 1 John 5:14-15). Reading the Bible on a daily basis is another way to grow your relationship with God. Your faith in allowing God to help you through all aspects of your life will expand as you begin to understand God’s wisdom and His plan for you. As your faith grows, you will begin to experience a positive change in your life. Once the change occurs, you will begin to recapture the “balance” you’ve been missing.
Today we are starting a new series Living in God's Balance. Come join me on this new journey and lets learn about Living in God's Balance. As a woman, are there days when you feel that your life has gotten out of balance? Between working long hours at the office, rushing to get the children off to school, or writing your latest novel, have you felt that there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done? You are not alone. Many of us feel the pressures of everyday life more and more these days. Many women are especially sensitive to how full their days have become and how little they seem to accomplish during “normal” waking hours. If you are feeling this way, then it’s probably a good time to take inventory of your life so that you can get back on track. We’ve all heard the old adage that life is a “balance of mind, body, and spirit.” Hearing that phrase is one thing. Living that principle is quite another in our often hectic world. Many people, both men and women, seek this balance in their lives. The solution can often feel elusive once our lives have gotten off a healthy path. There are many paths to living a balanced life. A Christian perspective to having a balanced life begins by examining your relationship with God. How close are you to God? Do you seek His wisdom often or are you trying to go through life on your own? We can often feel alone when life becomes overwhelming. A relationship with God means that you are never alone (Romans 8:35; Psalms 91:10-11). The more intimate your relationship with God the more faith you have that He will help you through even the toughest times. Knowing someone is always there who understands what you are going through is a major component in the process of healing and getting our lives in balance. Often we are plagued by a need to “control” our environment and our lives. Looming deadlines at work and conflicts with our spouse, our families, or people with whom we work are just a few examples of circumstances that can cause our lives to feel “out of control”. In turn, feeling “out of control” increases our anxiety and causes us to search for an end to our frustrations. Left unchecked, anxiety can lead to depression, further complicating our desire for balance. A relationship with God does not require any special knowledge. Nor must you be anyone other than yourself. Everyone can have a relationship with God. All that is required is that you have a desire to foster your relationship with Him. God can then begin to assist you in receiving what you need in order to live life more fully and more balanced (Luke 11:9-13; 1 John 5:14-15). Reading the Bible on a daily basis is another way to grow your relationship with God. Your faith in allowing God to help you through all aspects of your life will expand as you begin to understand God’s wisdom and His plan for you. As your faith grows, you will begin to experience a positive change in your life. Once the change occurs, you will begin to recapture the “balance” you’ve been missing.
Today we end our journey in Romans. With the new year coming our journey is going to end with us getting new life and forgetting the old in our past. “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 CEV). Can a butterfly go back into a cocoon after it’s come out as a caterpillar? Of course not. It can’t happen. Once the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it is what it is — a butterfly. When you become a believer, you’re like that butterfly — you come out of your cocoon. It may take you some time to fly spiritually, but once you become a new creation in Christ, you are what you are. You are a new creation. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new” (CEV). So what does it mean to become a new creation in Christ? The moment you believe in Christ, there’s a spiritual metamorphosis — everything changes! This is a matter of faith and not sight.The greatest step of faith we can take in our lives is to believe what God says about who Jesus is and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I believe the second greatest step you can take is to believe what God says about who you are. You are a new creation in Christ! The Bible says in Romans 6:14, “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (NLT). A true life, a better life, a wonderful life is only found in Christ. When you become a Christian, you have a new life in him.
Today we are going on a different journey through Luke and learning about the real christmas story. We have been on many journeys and each of them very meaningful and this story will be the very reason why we go on these journeys. So in honor of Christmas today I give you the real christmas story. Mary, a young teenager living in the village of Nazareth, was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. One day God sent an angel to visit Mary. The angel told Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would give birth to this child and name him Jesus. At first, Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel's words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, "How can this happen?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son and that nothing is impossible with God. Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior. Surely Mary reflected with wonder on the words of Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV). So, while Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant just as the angel had said. When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant, he must have felt disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary's apparent unfaithfulness carried a grave social stigma. Joseph had the right to divorce Mary, and under Jewish law, she could be put to death by stoning. Although Joseph's initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame and decided to act quietly. But God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary's story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God's will. The angel explained that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus, and that he was the Messiah. When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary to be his wife in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Joseph's noble character was one reason God chose him to be Messiah's earthly father. At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census would be taken. Every person in the Roman world had to return to his or her hometown to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Because of the census, the inn was overcrowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.
Today we are going on our Journey into Romans and we will be on this very short series for a few weeks. Today when we stop in Romans we will be talking about Strength. Romans 8:31-39 may be the most comforting and encouraging passage in the entire Bible.1 These verses definitively declare that: Security leads to stability and productivity. Paul offers three hopeful assurances: (1) There is no opposition (8:31-32); (2) there is no condemnation (8:33-34); and (3) there is no separation (8:35-39). 1. There Is No Opposition (8:31-32) In spite of who or what comes against you, God is for you. In 8:31a Paul writes, “What then shall we say to these things?” This is the first of seven questions in this passage. Seven is the number of completion and perfection in the Bible. Throughout this passage, Paul’s goal is to exhaust any and every objection. “These things” (tauta) likely refers to the previous contents of his letter (1:18-8:30).This section is the Cliff Notes on Romans 1-8. Since Paul is astounded by God’s unconditional love he writes in 8:31b, “If God is for us, who is against us?” Notice Paul doesn’t ask the question, “Who is against us?” Rather, he qualifies the question with the phrase: “If God is for us . . .” The Greek word “if” (ei) is not a term of uncertainty, but of certainty. Paul is saying, “If God is working on our behalf (and He is), then who could succeed in opposing us?” His point is that no adversary or enemy is of any account when God is for us. Romans 8:31 was John Calvin’s life verse because it brought him much comfort and confidence. Today you may feel defeated, but Paul’s encouraging truth is that evil will never ultimately prevail. You will always be led to victory in Christ because God is for you. Today personalize the verse by adding your name: “If God is for ________, who is against__________?” In the movie, The Lion King, the young cub Simba is being surrounded by hyenas, and he gets ready to defend himself, when his father jumps up behind Simba and roars. At that great roar, the hyenas scatter. Now the truth is, sometimes hyenas do gang up on and defeat adult male lions. But, if every created being in the universe were to gang up on God, they still would not be able to defeat Him. With that kind of God for you, who can possibly be against you? Who or what do you have to fear? No one. Nothing. Security leads to stability and productivity. 2. There Is No Condemnation (8:33-34) Although you may feel condemned from time to time, God’s love for you is timeless and He will never condemn you. Paul writes in 8:33, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?17 God is the one who justifies.” This is a rhetorical question, equivalent to an emphatic denial. So the question is: Who would dare “bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer, of course, is no one. This question is from a courtroom setting. No one can charge you with sin crimes because God has justified you. God has acquitted you and declared you righteous before His perfect justice. If God pronounced this verdict, who can resurrect the charges of wrong doing that would bring you before Him again? There is no double jeopardy in God’s legal system! As a believer, you can be sure you are eternally secure because there is no sin that has not already been dealt with by Christ. Therefore, if God the Father went to all this work to save you, it is nonsensical to contemplate the remote possibility that you could somehow be lost. If “God is the one who justifies,” who is able to “unjustify” you? Absolutely no one! There Is No Separation (8:35-39) Since God set His love upon you in eternity past, He will continue to love you for all eternity. Paul makes this point inextricably clear by emphasizing the love of God or Christ three times in this section (8:35, 37, 39; cf. 5:5-8). Furthermore, the verb “separate” (chorizo) bookends this section (8:35, 39), confirming that there is no separation in your relationship with God. Paul begins with the question that is potentially the most critical question a Christian can ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35a) Of course, the answer is: No one can separate us from the love of Christ. However, you may say, “But I don’t feel like I love Christ all the time.” No, you misread 8:35a. It’s not who is going to separate us from our love for Christ, but who is going to separate us from Christ’s love for us. I don’t know about you, but my love for Christ can fluctuate between hot and cold. If my salvation depends upon the fervency of my love for Christ, I would have already been cast into hell. Thankfully, my salvation does not depend upon my love for Christ; rather, it depends upon Christ’s love for me. His life, death, resurrection, and intercession have secured my eternal destiny. The only reason that I will spend eternity with God is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. In closing There are three pairs in 8:38-39: (1) Death/life: Nothing in this life and nothing in death can separate a believer from God’s love. The two things we fear most, living and dying, are not threats to our eternal life. Whether we live or die, we are in God’s love. (2) Things present/things to come: Nothing in our present experience, nor anything to come, can separate us from God’s love in Christ. (3) Height/depth: If we were to travel to the “highest” or “lowest” points in the universe, or anywhere in between, we would never arrive at a place where we could escape Christ’s love. There is nowhere we can go where anyone or anything can take our eternal salvation away from us. By using these three pairs Paul could not be any plainer or clearer. Eternal life is eternal: Nothing in life or in death, nothing in our present or in our future, nothing in the entire universe, no matter how “high” or “low” we might go—nothing can separate us from His love. Paul selected these pairs because each represents the extreme of something dear to us (i.e., existence, time, and location). Just like we can’t cease being the children of our earthly parents once we are born, so we can’t cease being children of God once we are born again. We can no more be unborn spiritually than we can go back and be unborn physically. When we trust in Christ for salvation, by His grace, at that very moment, we become members of God’s family forever.
Today we are going on our Journey into Romans and we will be on this very short series for a few weeks. Today when we stop in Romans we will be talking about transformation. Romans 12 transitions from teaching about what God has done for his people to what God expects from his people. How are the new people of God (the true Israel) supposed to live out their faith in the world? It appears that the first two verses of Romans 12 are the general commands on how to live out our faith in the world. Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice — alive, holy, and pleasing to God — which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God — what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2; NET). The first thing Paul is calling for is a total commitment. We are to present our bodies as the sacrifice to God. God is calling for us to give ourselves wholly to God. We are to offer ourselves to God. We are not to offer some of our lives or some of our bodies. We are to commit 100% of our lives and bodies to God. Sacrifice is the ultimate proof of true love. God proved his love for us through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). We are called to give ourselves completely to God. Paul has already taught this idea earlier in his letter to the Romans. When we were children we had a phrase, "Don’t be a copycat!" As kids, we like to mimic other kids. Of course, if you were the kid with originality, you did not like someone copying you. Paul’s instruction in verse 2 amplifies what Paul taught in verse 1. Being a sacrifice for God means that we will not be copycats of this world. The NLT reads, "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world." This is what it looks like to be alive to God, holy to God, and pleasing to God. Do not copy the world’s behavior and customs. Do not do the things they do. Do not think the way the world thinks. If we fit in with the world, then there is a problem. We have been conformed to the world if we fit in. Instead, Christians are to be transformed. Christians are not to allow the world’s pressures to change them. Rather they are be changed inwardly in the mind. Paul calls this the "renewing of your mind." It is a radical transformation that must take place. It is interesting to observe that the only other time this word translated "transform" is used in the New Testament is in reference to the transfiguration of Jesus. We are not be changed by the world, but radically changed by God by renewing our minds.The mind is the means by which this transformation takes place. We are to changing our thinking patterns away from worldliness and toward godliness. We must adjust our way of thinking about everything in accordance with the new life we have been given (Romans 7:6; 6:4). Paul warned in Romans 1:28 that the disobedient and worldly have debased and worthless minds. God does not want us to degenerate our minds, but renew our minds in Christ. Paul speaks of this renewal of the mind in another way in 2 Corinthians 3:18.
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are taking that journey back to The Beginning. So will you travel with me on this journey as we learn about Creation. Today we are learning where in the bible it talks about Gideon and the Angel of the Lord. The account of Gideon’s life is recorded in Judges 6:11-8:32. The backdrop for Gideon’s biography begins with the Israelites being ravaged by the Midianites as a consequence of their disobedience to God (Judges 6:1). For seven years they faced invasions from the Midianites, Amalekites, and Eastern foreigners who ruined their crops and destroyed their cattle. Although they had been unfaithful to God by worshipping the gods of the Amorites, they cried out to God for His help without realizing why this was happening to them (Judges 6:6). And so God sends them a prophet to remind them of how the one true God had provided for them in the past and yet how quickly they had forsaken Him (Judges 6:8-10). God hears their cries and graciously intervenes by sending an angel to Gideon to call him into service (vss. 11-14). Gideon, whose name means “cutter” or “cutter of trees,” belonged to an undistinguished family of the Abiezrites, but from the angel’s greeting we can assume that Gideon had already proved to be a mighty warrior (Judges 6:12). Though Gideon was a willing servant of God, he needed assurance that it was, in fact, God calling him to this divine service (vs.17). In accomplishing the mission set before him by God, Gideon proves himself to be faithful, a mighty warrior, a strong leader of men (Judges 7:17), and a diplomat (Judges 8:1-3). As such, he is included in a fitting testimonial for the great men of faith in Hebrews 11:32-34. Gideon was the fifth judge and renowned as the greatest of Israel. The highlights of Gideon’s life include his victorious battle against Israel’s enemies. However, we mustn’t overlook his amazing faith, by which he carried out God’s mission and which was first put to the test and confirmed when he destroyed the Baal idols his father and the community had been worshipping (Judges 6:25-27). Gideon’s battle triumph is preceded by God’s anointing (Judges 6:34). It was no small feat that Gideon managed to enlist his tribesmen, the Abiezerites, to go into battle with him. These were the men whose idols he had destroyed and who had renamed him “Jerub-baal” (Judges 6:32). Before entering battle, Gideon’s troops number 32,000, but in obedience to God he reduces them by 22,000 (Judges 7:2-3). Again in obedience to God he decreases the remaining 10,000 by a further 9,700, leaving him with just 300 men (vss. 7-8). This was against an enemy that is described as “thick as locusts” with “camels as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore” (Judges 7:12). With the battle finally won, the people suggest that Gideon rule over them as their king, but he declines their accolades and tells them the Lord will rule over them (Judges 8:22-23).
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are taking that journey back to The Beginning. So will you travel with me on this journey as we learn about Creation. Today we are learning where in the bible it talks about Bad Language. What should our speech be like? What should be our usual way of talking? It’s in the Bible, Colossians 4:6, NIV. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, . . . so that you may know how to answer everyone.” God asks us to rid ourselves of foul language. It’s in the Bible, Colossians 3:8, NIV. “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” What we believe is reflected in what we say. It’s in the Bible, Matthew 12:34, 35, NIV. “How can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are taking that journey back to The Beginning. So will you travel with me on this journey as we learn about Creation. Today we are learning where else in the bible it talks about In The Beginning and in the bible it starts in John 1."What do John 1:1,14 mean when they declare that Jesus is the Word of God?" The answer to this question is found by first understanding the reason why John wrote his gospel. We find his purpose clearly stated in John 20:30-31. “Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Once we understand that John’s purpose was to introduce the readers of his gospel to Jesus Christ, establishing Who Jesus is (God in the flesh) and what He did, all with the sole aim of leading them to embrace the saving work of Christ in faith, we will be better able to understand why John introduces Jesus as “The Word” in John 1:1. By starting out his gospel stating, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” John is introducing Jesus with a word or a term that both his Jewish and Gentile readers would have been familiar with. The Greek word translated “Word” in this passage is Logos, and it was common in both Greek philosophy and Jewish thought of that day. For example, in the Old Testament the “word” of God is often personified as an instrument for the execution of God’s will (Psalm 33:6; 107:20; 119:89; 147:15-18). So, for his Jewish readers, by introducing Jesus as the “Word,” John is in a sense pointing them back to the Old Testament where the Logos or “Word” of God is associated with the personification of God’s revelation. And in Greek philosophy, the term Logos was used to describe the intermediate agency by which God created material things and communicated with them. In the Greek worldview, the Logos was thought of as a bridge between the transcendent God and the material universe. Therefore, for his Greek readers the use of the term Logos would have likely brought forth the idea of a mediating principle between God and the world.
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are taking that journey back to The Beginning. So will you travel with me on this journey as we learn about Creation. The basic creation story is found in Genesis 1 and 2, with the account of what happened in the Garden of Eden in chapter 3. Genesis 1 begins before the existence of anything except God Himself. God’s revelation of Himself and His will for mankind is the beginning of the creation story. In this beginning, God created everything in the universe (Genesis 1:1). This includes all the heavenly bodies (including every star and planet), as well as everything on the earth. While the triune nature of God is not explicit in the Genesis account, God does reveal an “us” within the Godhead (Genesis 1:26). The Spirit is active in creation (Genesis 1:2) as is Christ (John 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–17). In the six days of creation, God formed light, the universe, and the earth (day 1); the sky and the atmosphere (day 2); dry land and all plant life (day 3); the stars and heavenly bodies, including the sun and moon (day 4); birds and water creatures (day 5); and all the land animals and man (day 6). Mankind is special above all other creatures because he bears the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and has the responsibility to steward and subdue the earth (verse 28). All of creation was completed in six days in all its vast array and wondrous beauty. God announced that His creation was “very good” (verse 31). Genesis 2 sees the ending of God’s creative work and gives a more detailed account of the creation of man. The seventh day is marked by God’s resting. The rest does not suggest that God was tired; rather, His “rest” was simply a cessation of work. God was done, and the universe was just as He wanted it to be. God’s six days of work, followed by a day of no work, establishes a pattern of taking one day in seven for rest and sets the number of days in the week still in use today. The keeping of the Sabbath later became a distinguishing mark of God’s chosen people (Exodus 20:8–11.)
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 5 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.
Today we are taking a detour on our journey and going to take the road to Love La. God wants us to know Him and spend time with Him and out of the overflow of knowing who He is and who we are to pour ourselves out into our neighborhoods and cities. This is the divine convergence of the Great Commandments(to love God and to love people) and the Great Commission(to preach the gospel and make disciples.)
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 5 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.
Today we are going on very great journey and we will be traveling for 4 weeks on this journey. Today we are going to see how Grace Changes Everything and How Martin Luther Changed The World. Martin Luther remains one of the most important and influential people in the western world. The year 2017 will see both scholarship and popular media reflect and comment on Martin Luther and his legacy—sometimes negatively. His reform of the church, his translation of the Bible, and his reshaping of Christian life changed the religious, social, and political face of Europe. These reverberations are still felt today—even here in far-away America, where Christianity and even the nation itself would look very different were it not for Martin Luther. Grace is a word that believers sing about all over the world. Sadly though, many people fail to understand the full meaning of God's grace and how it applies to their daily lives. As a result, they spend their days with no real sense of peace, joy, or happiness. This is an answer to the question why grace changes everything. The word freedom as defined by Dictionary.com is "the condition of being free of restraints". To a believer freedom means we are free from the restraint of sins. We no longer have to obey what our flesh desires. We can choose to follow after our Spirit and thus denying our flesh. Without the freedom that we receive through the blood of Christ, this is not possible. Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV) "1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." We were all incapable of living righteously because we had to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. We were forced to do what it wanted. There was no choice, no freedom. Why? Because we had no ability to turn from sin. To remain free in the liberty of Christ we must choose not to do any that will bring us back into bondage. When we are saved, we are freed from the restraints of our sin. But we can choose to give up areas we have freedom over. We can choose to do what the flesh wants. In doing so we are giving our freedom in that area away. But if we turn to God, and ask for His help we can regain that freedom again.
Today we are ending our 4 week journey with Abraham and Isaac. I hope you all had fun on this journey and will join me again when we travel to a completely different story and we go on a completely different journey. Today we learn that Abraham was being tested to see what he would do to his son Isaac. In Genesis 22 we learn that is where Abraham is being tested. 22 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. 9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
Today we are starting a new series on Abram and going on a completely different journey. This will be a four week journey. In Genesis chapter 15 we come to one of the high-water marks of Old Testament revelation, summarized for us in verse 6: “Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.”Up to this point, Abram’s faith has been more general in its nature. It has rested primarily upon the call of God as recorded in chapter 12: Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse (Genesis 12:1-3). God’s words to Abram155 are far from what we would have expected in such circumstances: “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great” (Genesis 15:1). Why would Abram possibly be afraid? He had just won a great victory over Chedorlaomer and the three other eastern kings (Genesis 14:14-15). Because of this, he had, no doubt, received considerable recognition, even from the pagan king of Sodom (14:17, 21-24). What fear could haunt Abram’s faith at such a time of victory? It is possible that Abram feared future military reprisals from Chedorlaomer and his allies. He may have won the battle, but had he won the war? The word of God to Abram, “I am a shield to you,” could very well be aimed at subsiding this fear of future military conflict. This cannot be Abram’s greatest concern, especially in view of the remaining verses. Abram’s victory was not so sweet in the light of one question which seemed to overshadow all else, “What good is success, without a successor?” Abram’s response to God confirms this: “And Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir’” (Genesis 15:2-3). Verse 6 describes Abram’s response – he believed God. He believed God’s promise of a son and of countless descendants through him. God reckoned his faith (not any works he had done) as righteousness. God did not stop here; He went on to reassure Abram concerning the land that He would give to him, for this too was a part of the Abrahamic Covenant. Abram wanted assurance from God that He would indeed give him this land. One would think that if Abram believed God for a son, he could also believe God for this land. God did not rebuke Abram; instead, God gave Him reassurance by formalizing his covenant. He had Abram kill a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon, dividing these in half, except for the birds (15:9-11). As I understand what took place here, this was not a sacrifice of worship; indeed, it was not a sacrifice at all. We do not even read of a fire, nor do we find the term “sacrifice” employed. Abram even had to shoo the birds away, because they wanted to eat on the carcasses. This was the ritual by which men entered into covenant with each other. The parties entering into the covenant would cut the animals in two, and then both would apparently pass between the parts, signifying that the covenant was conditional, that it was binding only if both parties kept their commitments. In this ritual, only God passed between the animal halves, signifying that this was an unconditional covenant, dependent only on His faithfulness. As God passed between the halves of the animals, He put Abram into a deep sleep, and in this sleep, he had a vision of what the future held for his descendants. Abram had a deep sense of terror, not only due to his being in the presence of the Holy God, but perhaps also because of his vision of the suffering of his descendants. God assured Abram that his descendants would possess the land, but that this would not happen quickly. They would first endure slavery and oppression in an unnamed foreign land for 400 years, but afterward they would come out with many possessions. Abram was told that he would die before the promise of God was fulfilled, but his descendants would surely possess the land. The sins of the Amorites who presently occupied the land were not yet complete. God would give them time, but in this time, their sins would only increase. Then, when their sins had fully developed, God would bring about divine judgment through Abram’s descendants.
Today we are starting a new series on Abram and going on a completely different journey. This will be a four week journey. Today we are talking about Faith. What does the bible say about faith. Abraham father of faith is about how he was tempted, faced adversity, failed, triumphed and overall kept the faith. When Abram went to Egypt to escape the consequences of a devastating drought in Egypt, Abram feared that he might be killed in Egypt on account of his wife who was a woman of exceptional beauty. Instead of relying on God’s protection, Abram lied and claimed that Sarah was not his wife, but his sister. In the process, Abram not only put his marriage at risk (the Egyptian Pharaoh actually took her into his harem), but also exposed his wife and the Pharaoh to possible adultery. Amazingly Abram repeated this attempted deception when he went to Gerar. Instead of relying on God’s protection, Abram again resorted to deception to try and save his own skin. Even though God had promised Abram numerous descendants, Sarai’s infertility was a challenge to both Abram’s and Sarah's faith. So, instead of trusting God, Abram and Sarai decided that they needed to “help God out” –they decided that Abram would sleep with Sarai’s maid-servant, Hagar, and build a family through her. Hagar conceived and bore Ishmael to Abram, but this act of Sarai and Abram would cause them both a lot of anxiety and discomfort. God knew that Abraham would struggle with the call before him, but He also knew that Abraham’s struggle would produce great growth and faith. There are 4 things that helped out in this situation. (1) Abraham was an old man when God called him to set out on this journey. 2. Abraham laughed at God and so did his wife Sarah…and God heard them. 3. Abraham lied about his wife being his sister, not once but twice. 4. Abraham trusted God when many of us wouldn’t have. God said to Abraham, “’Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Genesis 22:2
Today we are starting a new series on Abram and going on a completely different journey. This will be a four week journey. Today we are talking about Faith. What does the bible say about faith. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Perhaps no other component of the Christian life is more important than faith. We cannot purchase it, sell it or give it to our friends. So what is faith and what role does faith play in the Christian life? The dictionary defines faith as “belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.” It also defines faith as “belief in and devotion to God.” The Bible has much more to say about faith and how important it is. In fact, it is so important that, without faith, we have no place with God, and it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). According to the Bible, faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him. Faith is not something we conjure up on our own, nor is it something we are born with, nor is faith a result of diligence in study or pursuit of the spiritual. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that faith is a gift from God, not because we deserve it, have earned it, or are worthy to have it. It is not from ourselves; it is from God. It is not obtained by our power or our free will. Faith is simply given to us by God, along with His grace and mercy, according to His holy plan and purpose, and because of that, He gets all the glory. Some examples of faith are: Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the “faith chapter” because in it great deeds of faith are described. By faith Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord (v. 4); by faith Noah prepared the ark in a time when rain was unknown (v. 7); by faith Abraham left his home and obeyed God’s command to go he knew not where, then willingly offered up his only son (vv. 8-10, 17); by faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt (vv. 23-29); by faith Rahab received the spies of Israel and saved her life (v. 31). Many more heroes of the faith are mentioned “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies” (vv. 33-34). Clearly, the existence of faith is demonstrated by action.
Today we are starting a new series and going on a completely different journey. This journey we will be on for only three weeks. Today ends our three week Journey on the One Flesh Series. I hope you all enjoyed this journey and are excited to see what more journeys we can go on.
Today we are starting a new series and going on a completely different journey. This journey we will be on for only three weeks. So please come on this journey with us where two shall become one. There are four things that really destroy marriages. They are called “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. First Horseman – Criticism. The first one is criticism. In criticism, you frame your complaints as if there’s something defective in your partner. One puts the other one down. It is a global description of a flaw in your partner’s personality. There is a direct implication that something is wrong with your partner’s character. e.g.: Second Horseman – Defensiveness. The second horseman is defensiveness. When you feel under attack, people get defensive. Defensiveness is an attempt to protect yourself; to defend your innocence or to ward off a perceived attack. Sometimes it is done by counter-attacking, or by whining (innocent victim stance). e.g. “Me? What about you?” The Third Horseman: Stonewalling. The third Horseman is Stonewalling. In Stonewalling, the listener withdraws from the interaction while staying in the room. There is an effort not to give a clue that he or she is even listening. You will see this type of non-verbal behavior: The final Horseman is contempt. Contempt is really something to eliminate when it exists in a relationship. It includes things like threats, name calling, and insulting. To do that, we have to change a lot of things in your way of relating.
Today we are starting a new series and going on a completely different journey. This journey we will be on for only three weeks. So please come on this journey with us where two shall become one. In the Gospel of Mark, the Lord Jesus teaches that “from the beginning of creation ‘God made them male and female.’” He then declares a great and beautiful truth inscribed in creation: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6–8).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we finally got to the end our journey and reached our destination. Hope you had fun with us on our journey through the 66 books of the bible. Now we are going to end our journey with the book of Revelation. The Revelation is lavish in colorful descriptions of the visions which proclaim for us the last days before Christ’s return and the ushering in of the new heaven and new earth. The Revelation begins with letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor, then goes on to reveal the series of devastations poured out upon the earth; the mark of the beast, “666”; the climactic battle of Armageddon; the binding of Satan; the reign of the Lord; the Great White Throne Judgment; and the nature of the eternal city of God. Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ are fulfilled and a concluding call to His Lordship assures us that He will soon return.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with 2 and 3 John. The Book of 2 John is addressed to "the chosen lady and her children." This could either have been a lady of important standing in the church or a code which refers to the local church and its congregation. In those days when Christians were being persecuted such coded salutations were often used. The Book of 2 John is largely concerned with an urgent warning concerning deceivers who were not teaching the exact doctrine of Christ and who maintained that Jesus did not actually rise in the flesh but only spiritually. John is very anxious that true believers should be aware of these false teachers and have nothing to do with them. John is writing with his usual strong emphasis on truth to this much-loved brother in Christ, Gaius, a layman of some wealth and distinction in a city near Ephesus. He highly commends Gaius' care and hospitality to his messengers whose mission was to take the Gospel from place to place, whether they were known to him or were strangers. John exhorts him to continue to to do good and not to imitate evil, as in the example of Diotrephes. This man had taken over the leadership of a church in Asia and not only refused to recognize John's authority as an apostle but also refused to receive his letters and submit to his directions. He also circulated malicious slanders against John and excommunicated members who showed support and hospitality to John's messengers. Before John concludes his letter, he also commends the example of Demetrius, of whom he has heard excellent reports.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of 2 Peter. Knowing that his time was short (2 Peter 1:13-15) and these churches faced immediate danger (2 Peter 2:1-3), Peter called upon the readers to refresh their memories (2 Peter 1:13) and stimulate their thinking (2 Peter 3:1-2) so that they would remember his teaching (2 Peter 1:15). He challenged the believers to become more mature in their faith by adding to it specific Christians virtues, thereby becoming effective and productive in their knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-9). The Old and New Testament writers were set forth as their authority for their faith (2 Peter 1:12-21, 3:2, 3:15-16). Peter desired they become strong in their faith to withstand the false teachers that had crept in and adversely affected the churches. In his denunciation of them, he described their conduct, their condemnation, and their characteristics (2 Peter chapter 2), and also that they ridiculed the Lord’s Second Coming (2 Peter 3:3-7). For the Christians, Peter taught that the Second Coming is the incentive for holy living (2 Peter 3:14). After a final warning, Peter again encouraged them to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He concluded with a word of praise to his Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of 1 Peter. Though this time of persecution was desperate, Peter reveals that it was actually a time to rejoice. He says to count it a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ, as their Savior suffered for them. This letter makes reference to Peter’s personal experiences with Jesus and his sermons from the book of Acts. Peter confirms Satan as the great enemy of every Christian but the assurance of Christ's future return gives the incentive of hope.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Matthew. As an apostle, Matthew wrote the Gospel of Matthew in the early period of the church, probably in A.D. 55-65. This was a time when most Christians were Jewish converts, so Matthew’s focus on Jewish perspective in this Gospel is understandable. Matthew intends to prove to the Jews that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. More than any other Gospel, the Gospel of Matthew quotes the Old Testament to show how Jesus fulfilled the words of the Jewish prophets. Matthew describes in detail the lineage of Jesus from David, and uses many forms of speech that Jews would have been comfortable with. Matthew’s love and concern for his people is apparent through his meticulous approach to telling the gospel story.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of 1 John. False spiritual teachers were a big problem in the early church. Because there was not a complete New Testament that believers could refer to, many churches fell prey to pretenders who taught their own ideas and advanced themselves as leaders. John wrote this letter to set the record straight on some important issues, particularly concerning the identity of Jesus Christ. Because John's letter was about the basics of faith in Christ, it helped his readers reflect honestly on their faith. It helped them answer the question, Are we true believers? John told them that they could tell by looking at their actions. If they loved one another, that was evidence of God's presence in their lives. But if they bickered and fought all the time or were selfish and did not look out for one another, they were betraying that they, in fact, did not know God. That did not mean they had to be perfect. In fact, John also recognized that believing involved admitting our sins and seeking God's forgiveness. Depending on God for cleansing from guilt, along with admitting our wrongs against others and making amends, was another important part of getting to know God.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Jude. The Book of Jude is filled with references to the Old Testament, including the Exodus (v. 5); Satan’s rebellion (v. 6); Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7); Moses’ death (v. 9); Cain (v. 11); Balaam (v. 11); Korah (v. 11); Enoch (vv. 14,15); and Adam (v. 14). Jude’s use of the well-known historical illustrations of Sodom and Gomorrah, Cain, Balaam, and Korah reminded the Jewish Christians of the necessity of true faith and obedience. According to verse 3, Jude was anxious to write about our salvation; however, he changed topics to address contending for the faith. This faith embodies the complete body of Christian doctrine taught by Christ, later passed on to the apostles. After Jude warns of false teachers (verses 4-16), he advises us on how we can succeed in spiritual warfare (verses 20-21). Here is wisdom we would do well to accept and adhere to as we go through these days of the end times.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with Hebrews. The Book of Hebrews addresses three separate groups: believers in Christ, unbelievers who had knowledge of and an intellectual acceptance of the facts of Christ, and unbelievers who were attracted to Christ, but who rejected Him ultimately. It’s important to understand which group is being addressed in which passage. To fail to do so can cause us to draw conclusions inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. The writer of Hebrews continually makes mention of the superiority of Christ in both His personage and in His ministering work. In the writings of the Old Testament, we understand the rituals and ceremonies of Judaism symbolically pointed to the coming of Messiah. In other words, the rites of Judaism were but shadows of things to come. Hebrews tells us that Christ Jesus is better than anything mere religion has to offer. All the pomp and circumstance of religion pales in comparison to the person, work, and ministry of Christ Jesus. It is the superiority of our Lord Jesus, then, that remains the theme of this eloquently written letter.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with Ephesians. Doctrine occupies the greatest portion of the Book of Ephesians. Half of the teaching in this epistle relates to our standing in Christ, and the remainder of it affects our condition. All too often those who teach from this book bypass all the foundational instruction and go directly to the closing chapter. It is this chapter that emphasizes the warfare or the struggle of the saints. However, to benefit fully from the contents of this epistle, one must begin at the beginning of Paul's instruction in this letter. First, as followers of Christ, we must fully understand who God declares us to be. We must also become grounded in the knowledge of God's accomplishment for all humanity. Next, our present existence and walk must become exercised and strengthened. This must continue until we no longer totter or stagger back and forth with every spirit of teaching and subtlety of men. Paul’s writing breaks down into three main segments. (1) Chapters one through three introduce principles with respect to God's accomplishment. (2) Chapters four and five put forth principles regarding our present existence. (3) Chapter six presents principles concerning our daily struggle.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with 2 Timothy. Paul encourages Timothy to remain passionate for Christ and to remain firm in sound doctrine (2 Timothy 1:1-2, 13-14). Paul reminds Timothy to avoid ungodly beliefs and practices and to flee from anything immoral (2 Timothy 2:14-26). In the end times there will be both intense persecution and apostasy from the Christian faith (2 Timothy 3:1-17). Paul closes with an intense plea for believers to stand firm in the faith and to finish the race strong (2 Timothy 4:1-8).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with 1 Timothy. This is the first letter Paul wrote to Timothy, a young pastor who had been a help to Paul in his work. Timothy was a Greek. His mother was a Jewess and his father was Greek. Paul was more than just a mentor and leader to Timothy, he was like a father to him, and Timothy was like a son to Paul (1 Timothy 1:2). Paul begins the letter by urging Timothy to be on guard for false teachers and false doctrine. However, much of the letter deals with pastoral conduct. Paul instructs Timothy in worship (chapter 2) and developing mature leaders for the church (chapter 3). Most of the letter deals with pastoral conduct, warnings about false teachers, and the church’s responsibility toward single members, widows, elders, and slaves. All throughout the letter, Paul encourages Timothy to stand firm, to persevere, and to remain true to his calling.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with The Gospel Of Mark. This gospel is unique because it emphasizes Jesus’ actions more than His teaching. It is simply written, moving quickly from one episode in the life of Christ to another. It does not begin with a genealogy as in Matthew, because Gentiles would not be interested in His lineage. After the introduction of Jesus at His baptism, Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee and called the first four of His twelve disciples. What follows is the record of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Mark’s account is not just a collection of stories, but a narrative written to reveal that Jesus is the Messiah, not only for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. In a dynamic profession, the disciples, led by Peter, acknowledged their faith in Him (Mark 8:29-30), even though they failed to understand fully His Messiahship until after His resurrection. As we follow His journeys through Galilee, the surrounding areas, and then to Judea, we realize what a rapid pace He set. He touched the lives of many people, but He left an indelible mark on His disciples. At the transfiguration (Mark 9:1-9), He gave three of them a preview of His future return in power and glory, and again it was revealed to them who He was. However, in the days leading to His final trip to Jerusalem, we see them bewildered, fearful and doubting. At Jesus’ arrest, He stood alone after they fled. In the following hours of the mock trials, Jesus boldly proclaimed that He is the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One, and that He would be triumphant at His return (Mark 14:61-62). The climactic events surrounding the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection were not witnessed by most of His disciples. But several faithful women did witness His passion. After the Sabbath, early in the morning of the first day of the week, they went to the tomb with burial spices. When they saw the stone had been rolled away, they entered the tomb. It was not the body of Jesus they saw, but an angel robed in white. The joyful message they received was, “He is risen!” Women were the first evangelists, as they spread the good news of His resurrection. This same message has been broadcast throughout the world in the following centuries down to us today.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Titus. How wonderful it must have been when Titus received a letter from his mentor, the apostle Paul. Paul was a much-honored man, and rightly so, after establishing several churches throughout the eastern world. This famous introduction from the apostle would have been read by Titus: “To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:4). The island of Crete where Titus was left by Paul to lead the church was inhabited by natives of the island and Jews who did not know the truth of Jesus Christ (Titus 1:12-14). Paul felt it to be his responsibility to follow through with Titus to instruct and encourage him in developing leaders within the church at Crete. As the apostle Paul directed Titus in his search for leaders, Paul also suggested how Titus would instruct the leaders so that they could grow in their faith in Christ. His instructions included those for both men and women of all ages (Titus 2:1-8). To help Titus continue in his faith in Christ, Paul suggested Titus come to Nicopolis and bring with him two other members of the church (Titus 3:12-13)
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the Gospel of Luke. Called the most beautiful book ever written, the Gospel of Luke begins by telling us about Jesus' parents; the birth of His cousin, John the Baptist; Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born in a manger; and the genealogy of Christ through Mary. Jesus' public ministry reveals His perfect compassion and forgiveness through the stories of the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus, and the Good Samaritan. While many believe in this unprejudiced love that surpasses all human limits, many others—especially the religious leaders—challenge and oppose the claims of Jesus. Christ's followers are encouraged to count the cost of discipleship, while His enemies seek His death on the cross. Finally, Jesus is betrayed, tried, sentenced and crucified. But the grave cannot hold Him! His Resurrection assures the continuation of His ministry of seeking and saving the lost.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Acts. The book of Acts gives the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it. Although many faithful servants were used to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, was the most influential. Before he was converted, Paul took great pleasure in persecuting and killing Christians. Paul’s dramatic conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-31) is a highlight of the book of Acts. After his conversion he went to the opposite extreme of loving God and preaching His Word with power, fervency and the Spirit of the true and living God. The disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses in Jerusalem (chapters 1–8:3), Judea and Samaria (chapters 8:4–12:25), and to the ends of the earth (chapters 13:1–28). Included in the last section are Paul’s three missionary journeys (13:1–21:16), his trials in Jerusalem and Caesarea (21:17–26:32) and his final journey to Rome (27:1–28:31).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Philippians. Philippians can be called “Resources Through Suffering.” The book is about Christ in our life, Christ in our mind, Christ as our goal, Christ as our strength, and joy through suffering. It was written during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, about thirty years after Christ’s ascension and about ten years after Paul first preached at Philippi. Paul was Nero’s prisoner, yet the epistle fairly shouts with triumph, the words “joy” and “rejoice” appearing frequently (Philippians 1:4, 18, 25, 26; 2:2, 28; Philippians 3:1, 4:1, 4, 10). Right Christian experience is the outworking, whatever our circumstances may be, of the life, nature, and mind of Christ living in us (Philippians 1:6, 11; 2:5, 13). Philippians reaches its pinnacle at 2:5-11 with the glorious and profound declaration regarding the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians may be divided as follows:Introduction, 1:1-7I. Christ the Christian’s Life: Rejoicing in Spite of Suffering, 1:8-30II. Christ the Christian’s Pattern: Rejoicing in Lowly Service, 2:1-30III. Christ the Object of the Christian’s Faith, Desire, and Expectation, 3:1-21IV. Christ the Christian’s Strength: Rejoicing Through Anxiety, 4:1-9Conclusion, 4:10-23
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Colossians. Colossians was written explicitly to defeat the heresy that had arisen in Colosse, which endangered the existence of the church. While we do not know what was told to Paul, this letter is his response. We can surmise based on Paul’s response that he was dealing with a defective view of Christ (denying His real and true humanity and not accepting His full deity). Paul appears also to dispute the “Jewish” emphasis on circumcision and traditions (Colossians 2:8-11; 3:11). The heresy addressed appears to be either a Jewish-Gnosticism or a mix between Jewish asceticism and Greek (Stoic?) philosophy. He does a remarkable job in pointing us to the sufficiency of Christ.The Book of Colossians contains doctrinal instruction about the deity of Christ and false philosophies (1:15-2:23), as well as practical exhortations regarding Christian conduct, including friends and speech (3:1-4:18).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the Gospel Of John. The gospel of John includes only seven miracles—John calls them “signs”—to demonstrate the deity of Christ and illustrate His ministry. Some of these miracles and stories, such as the raising of Lazarus, are found only in John. His is the most theological of the four Gospels, and he often gives the reason behind events mentioned in the other gospels. The gospel of John shares much about the approaching ministry of the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ ascension. There are certain words or phrases that create a recurring theme in the gospel of John: believe, witness, Comforter, life – death, light – darkness, I am, and love. The gospel of John introduces Jesus Christ, not from His birth, but from “the beginning,” before creation. John calls Jesus “the Word” (Logos) who, as God Himself, was involved in every aspect of creation (John 1:1–3) and who later became flesh (verse 14) in order that He might take away our sins as the spotless Lamb of God (verse 29). The gospel of John includes several spiritual conversations, such as Jesus’ talk with the Samaritan woman that shows Him as the Messiah (John 4:26) and Jesus’ meeting with Nicodemus that explains salvation through by His vicarious death on the cross (John 3:14–16). In the gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly angers the Jewish leaders by correcting them (John 2:13–16); healing on the Sabbath, and claiming traits belonging only to God (John 5:18; 8:56–59; 9:6, 16; 10:33). The last nine chapters of the gospel of John deal with the final week of Jesus’ life. Jesus prepares His disciples for His coming death and for their ministry after His resurrection and ascension (John 14–17). He then willingly dies on the cross in our place (John 10:15–18), paying our sin debt in full (John 19:30) so that whoever trusts in Him will be saved (John 3:14–16). Jesus then rises from the dead, convincing even the most doubting of His disciples that He is God and Master (John 20:24–29).
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of Philemon. Paul had warned slave owners that they had a responsibility towards their slaves and showed slaves as responsible moral beings who were to fear God. In Philemon, Paul did not condemn slavery, but he presented Onesimus as a Christian brother instead of a slave. When an owner can refer to a slave as a brother, the slave has reached a position in which the legal title of slave is meaningless. The early church did not attack slavery directly but it laid the foundation for a new relationship between owner and slave. Paul attempted to unite both Philemon and Onesimus with Christian love so that emancipation would become necessary. Only after exposure to the light of the gospel could the institution of slavery die.
The Bible is filled with journey upon journey. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move and today we are continuing that journey with the book of romans. Paul was excited about being able to minister at last in this church, and everyone was well aware of that fact (Romans 1:8-15). The letter to the Romans was written from Corinth just prior to Paul’s trip to Jerusalem to deliver the alms that had been given for the poor there. He had intended to go to Rome and then on to Spain (Romans 15:24), but his plans were interrupted when he was arrested in Jerusalem. He would eventually go to Rome as a prisoner. Phoebe, who was a member of the church at Cenchrea near Corinth (Romans 16:1), most likely carried the letter to Rome.The Book of Romans is primarily a work of doctrine and can be divided into four sections: righteousness needed, 1:18–3:20; righteousness provided, 3:21–8:39; righteousness vindicated, 9:1–11:36; righteousness practiced, 12:1–15:13. The main theme of this letter is obvious of course—righteousness. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul first condemns all men of their sinfulness. He expresses his desire to preach the truth of God’s Word to those in Rome. It was his hope to have assurance they were staying on the right path. He strongly points out that he is not ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16), because it is the power by which everyone is saved.The Book of Romans tells us about God, who He is and what He has done. It tells us of Jesus Christ, what His death accomplished. It tells us about ourselves, what we were like without Christ and who we are after trusting in Christ. Paul points out that God did not demand men have their lives straightened out before coming to Christ. While we were still sinners Christ died on a cross for our sins.
Today we are continuing our journey and today we left the city of Corinth and we are traveling down the road toward Galatians. The fact that we are justified by grace through faith means we have spiritual freedom. We are not under bondage to the dictates of the Old Testament Law. Paul soundly condemns anyone who would denigrate the grace of God and attempt to change the gospel (Galatians 1:8–10). He gives his apostolic credentials (Galatians 1:11–2:14) and emphasizes that righteousness comes through Christ not the works of the Law (Galatians 2:21). The Galatians must stand fast in their freedom and not be “entangled again with a yoke of bondage (that is, the Mosaic law)” (Galatians 5:1). Christian freedom is not an excuse to gratify one’s sin nature; rather, our freedom is an opportunity to love one another (Galatians 5:13; 6:7–10). The Christian life is to be lived in the power of the Spirit, not the flesh (Galatians 5:16–18). The flesh has been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20); as a consequence, the Spirit will bear His fruit in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22–23). In the end, the issue is not whether a person is circumcised but whether he is a “new creation” (Galatians 6:15). Salvation is the work of the Spirit, and we must be born again (see John 3:3). External religious rites such as circumcision are of no value in the realm of the Spirit.
Today we are still in the city of Corinth and we are still on our journey. Last week we learned about 1 Corinthians and today we are learning about 2 Corinthians. But today you don't have to travel far so come and listen to the story of 2 Corinthians. After greeting the believers in the church at Corinth and explaining why he had not visited them as originally planned (vv. 1:3–2:2), Paul explains the nature of his ministry. Triumph through Christ and sincerity in the sight of God were the hallmarks of his ministry to the churches (2:14-17). He compares the glorious ministry of the righteousness of Christ to the “ministry of condemnation” which is the Law (v. 3:9) and declares his faith in the validity of his ministry in spite of intense persecution (4:8-18). Chapter 5 outlines the basis of the Christian faith—the new nature (v. 17) and the exchange of our sin for the righteousness of Christ (v. 21). Chapters 6 and 7 find Paul defending himself and his ministry, assuring the Corinthians yet again of his sincere love for them and exhorting them to repentance and holy living. In chapters 8 and 9, Paul exhorts the believers at Corinth to follow the examples of the brothers in Macedonia and extend generosity to the saints in need. He teaches them the principles and rewards of gracious giving. Paul ends his letter by reiterating his authority among them (chapter 10) and concern for their faithfulness to him in the face of fierce opposition from false apostles. He calls himself a “fool” for having to reluctantly boast of his qualifications and his suffering for Christ (chapter 11). He ends his epistle by describing the vision of heaven he was allowed to experience and the “thorn in the flesh” he was given by God to ensure his humility (chapter 12). The last chapter contains his exhortation to the Corinthians to examine themselves to see whether what they profess is reality, and ends with a benediction of love and peace.
Today we left 2 Thessalonians and we are continuing our journey and traveling down the road to Corinth and talking about 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian church was plagued by divisions. The believers in Corinth were dividing into groups loyal to certain spiritual leaders (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:1-6). Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers to be united because of devotion to Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Many in the church were essentially approving of an immoral relationship (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Paul commanded them to expel the wicked man from the church (1 Corinthians 5:13). The Corinthian believers were taking each other to court (1 Corinthians 6:1-2). Paul taught the Corinthians that it would be better to be taken advantage of than to damage their Christian testimony (1 Corinthians 6:3-8). Paul gave the Corinthian church instructions on marriage and celibacy (chapter 7), food sacrificed to idols (chapters 8 and 10), Christian freedom (chapter 9), the veiling of women (1 Corinthians 11:1-16), the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14), and the resurrection (chapter 15). Paul organized the book of 1 Corinthians by answering questions the Corinthian believers had asked him and by responding to improper conduct and erroneous beliefs they had accepted.
Today we left 1 Thessalonians and we are continuing our journey and we are just going into the next town of 2 Thessalonians. Paul greets the church at Thessalonica and encourages and exhorts them. He commends them for what he hears they are doing in the Lord, and he prays for them (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). In chapter 2, Paul explains what will happen in the Day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Paul then encourages them to stand firm and instructs them to keep away from idle men who don’t live by the gospel (2 Thessalonians 3:6). We also had a small clip that went with today's sermon so if you are interested here is the link. It is from the ted conference by Diana Nyad. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx8uYIfUvh4. Start it at 9:00-11:40 that is the clip we listened to.
Today we are on our journey and we left James and we are continuing down the road and heading towards 1 Thessalonians. The first three chapters are about Paul longing to visit the church in Thessalonica but not being able to because Satan stopped them (1 Thessalonians 2:18), and how Paul cared for them and was encouraged to hear how they had been. Paul then prays for them (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13). In chapter 4, Paul is instructing the believers in Thessalonica on how to live, in Christ Jesus, a holy life (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12). Paul goes on to instruct them of a misconception they had. He tells them that the people who have died in Christ Jesus will also go to heaven when He comes back (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1-11). The book ends with final instructions of living the Christian life. This book can be applied to many life situations. It gives us the confidence as Christians that dead or alive when Christ comes back we will be together with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). It assures us as Christians that we won’t receive God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:8-9). It instructs us how to walk the Christian life daily (1 Thessalonians 4–5).
Today our journey is continuing with the new testament and we are walking down the path and preparing to stop in James. The Book of James outlines the faith walk through genuine religion (1:1-27), genuine faith (2:1-3:12) and genuine wisdom (3:13-5:20). This book contains a remarkable parallel to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. James begins in the first chapter by describing the overall traits of the faith walk. In chapter 2 and the beginning of chapter 3 he discusses social justice and a discourse on faith in action. He then compares and contrasts the difference between worldly and godly wisdom and asks us to turn away from evil and draw close to God. James gives a particularly severe rebuke to the rich who hoard and those who are self-reliant. Finally he ends with encouragement to believers to be patient in suffering, praying and caring for one another and bolstering our faith through fellowship.
We continuing our journey and we have left Malachi and we are headed on down the street on our journey toward Job. The book of Job opens with a scene in heaven where Satan comes to accuse Job before God. He insists Job only serves God because God protects him and seeks God’s permission to test Job’s faith and loyalty. God grants His permission, only within certain boundaries. Why do the righteous suffer? This is the question raised after Job loses his family, his wealth, and his health. Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, come to “comfort” him and to discuss his crushing series of tragedies. They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Job, though, remains devoted to God through all of this and contends that his life has not been one of sin. A fourth man, Elihu, tells Job he needs to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life. Finally, Job questions God Himself and learns valuable lessons about the sovereignty of God and his need to totally trust in the Lord. Job is then restored to health, happiness and prosperity beyond his earlier state.
Today we left Zechariah and headed down to Malachi. Malachi wrote the words of the Lord to God’s chosen people who had gone astray, especially the priests who had turned from the Lord. Priests were not treating the sacrifices they were to make to God seriously. Animals with blemishes were being sacrificed even though the law demanded animals without defect (Deuteronomy 15:21). The men of Judah were dealing with the wives of their youth treacherously and wondering why God would not accept their sacrifices. Also, people were not tithing as they should have been (Leviticus 27:30, 32). But in spite of the people’s sin and turning away from God, Malachi reiterates God’s love for His people (Malachi 1:1-5) and His promises of a coming Messenger (Malachi 2:17–3:5).
Today we left Haggai and headed on journey down the road to Zechariah. The Book of Zechariah teaches that salvation may be obtained by all. The last chapter depicts peoples from all over the world coming to worship God, who desires that all people follow Him. This is not the doctrine of universalism, i.e., that all people would be saved because it is God's nature to save. Rather, the book teaches that God desires that all people worship Him and accepts those who do, regardless of their national or political expressions, as in the freeing of Judah and Jerusalem from their political enemies. Finally, Zechariah preached that God is sovereign over this world, any appearance to the contrary notwithstanding. His visions of the future indicate that God sees all that will happen. The depictions of God's intervention in the world teach that ultimately He will bring human events to the end He chooses. He does not eliminate the individual's freedom to follow God or rebel, but holds people responsible for the choices they make. In the last chapter, even the forces of nature respond to God's control.
Today we are continuing on our journey we have left the Streets of Esther and are headed down the road to Haggai. Haggai sought to challenge the people of God concerning their priorities. He called them to reverence and glorify God by building the Temple in spite of local and official opposition. Haggai called them not to be discouraged because this Temple would not be quite as richly decorated as Solomon's. He exhorted them to turn from the uncleanness of their ways and to trust in God's sovereign power. The Book of Haggai is a reminder of the problems the people of God faced at this time, how the people courageously trusted in God and how God provided for their needs. Will the people of God reconsider their priorities, take courage, and act on the basis of God's promises? God sought to warn the people to heed His words. Not only did God warn them, but He also offered promises through His servant Haggai to motivate them to follow Him. Because the people of God reversed their priorities and failed to put God in first place in their lives, Judah was sent into Babylonian exile. In response to Daniel's prayer and in fulfillment of God's promises, God directed Cyrus the Persian king to allow the Jews in exile to go back to Jerusalem. A group of Jews returned to their land with great joy, put God first in their lives, worshiped Him and began to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem without the aid of the local people who lived in Israel. Their courageous faith was met with opposition from the local people as well as the Persian government for approximately 15 years.
Today we are still on our journey through the bible and left Nehemiah and are continuing on the path and stopping in Esther. Now the Book of Esther can be divided into three main sections. Chapters 1:1-2:18 – Esther replaces Vashti; 2:19-7:10 – Mordecai overcomes Haman; 8:1-10:3 – Israel survives Haman’s attempt to destroy them. The noble Esther risked her own death as she realized what was at stake. She willingly did what could have been a deadly maneuver and took on the second-in-command of her husband‘s kingdom, Haman. She proved a wise and most worthy opponent, all the while remaining humble and respectful of the position of her husband-king. Esther's story is much like the story of Joseph in Genesis 41. Both stories involve foreign monarchs who control the destiny of the Jews. Both accounts show the heroism of Israelite individuals who provide the means for the salvation of their people and nation. The hand of God is evident, in that what appears to be a bad situation is indeed very much under the control of the Almighty God, who ultimately has the good of the people at heart. At the center of this story is the ongoing division between the Jews and the Amalakites, which was recorded to have begun in the Book of Exodus. Haman’s goal is the final effort recorded in the Old Testament period of the complete eradication of the Jews. His plans eventually end up with his own demise, and the elevation of his enemy Mordecai to his own position, as well as the salvation of the Jews.Feasting is a major theme of this book: there are ten recorded banquets, and many of the events were planned, plotted, or exposed at these banquets. Although the name of God is never mentioned in this book, it is apparent that the Jews of Susa sought His intervention when they fasted and prayed for three days (Esther 4:16). In spite of the fact that the law allowing their destruction was written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, rendering it unchangeable, the way was cleared for their prayers to be answered. Esther risked her life by going not once uninvited before the king but twice, (Esther 4:1-2; 8:3). She was not content with the destruction of Haman; she was intent on saving her people. The institution of the Feast of Purim is written and preserved for all to see and is still observed today. God's chosen people, without any direct mention of His name, were granted a stay of execution through the wisdom and humility of Esther.
Today we have left our Christmas service and headed back on the road and are heading to Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a Hebrew in Persia when the word reached him that the Temple in Jerusalem was being reconstructed. He grew anxious knowing there was no wall to protect the city. Nehemiah invited God to use him to save the city. God answered his prayer by softening the heart of the Persian king, Artaxerxes, who gave not only his blessing, but also supplies to be used in the project. Nehemiah is given permission by the king to return to Jerusalem, where he is made governor. In spite of opposition and accusations the wall was built and the enemies silenced. The people, inspired by Nehemiah, give tithes of much money, supplies and manpower to complete the wall in a remarkable 52 days, despite much opposition. This united effort is short-lived, however, because Jerusalem falls back into apostasy when Nehemiah leaves for a while. After 12 years he returned to find the walls strong but the people weak. He set about the task of teaching the people morality and he didn't mince words. "I argued with those people, put curses on them, hit some of them and pulled out their hair" (13:25). He reestablishes true worship through prayer and by encouraging the people to revival by reading and adhering to the Word of God.
Today we took a break and had our christmas service. So Merry Christmas Everyone and Happy New Year
Today we are going on our journey and we left Ezekiel and now we are walking on the road and stopping in Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia from 605 BC to around 563 BC, and he was responsible for changing Daniel’s name to Belteshazzar. King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Judah, destroying Jerusalem in 586 BC, an event that had been prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:9). Some of the inhabitants of Judah were taken back to Babylon as captives, including a number of the children of royal and noble families, to be integrated into Babylonian society (Daniel 1:3–4). Among those taken were four boys, around the age of 14 at the time, named Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. All four of these Hebrew names had meanings connected to faith in God. But upon arrival in Babylon, their names were changed: “The chief official [of Babylon] gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego” (Daniel 1:7). The boys’ names were changed as a way of encouraging them to forget the God and traditions of their homeland and become conformed to the ways and gods of Babylon. It was a forced assimilation; Nebuchadnezzar wanted Daniel and his friends to “conform to the pattern of this world” (Romans 12:2), and a name change was one step toward that goal. Each name Daniel and his friends were given carried a meaning associated with a different Babylonian deity. Abednego means “servant of Nebo,” for example. Belteshazzar, the name given to Daniel, means “Bel protects his life.” The meaning of the name Daniel is “God is my judge.” The suffix of Daniel’s name (and Mishael’s) is -el, which refers to Elohim, one of the names of the God of Israel. Azariah and Hananiah carry the suffix -iah or -yah, which is short for Yahweh, the covenant name of God (see Isaiah 26:4). Miraculously, God kept these young men alive, even though they refused to conform to the indoctrination, diet, and religion of Babylon. Daniel and his companions asked to be fed vegetables rather than the king’s unlawful food, and they were granted their wish on the condition that their health did not suffer. God made them thrive physically beyond their peers, because of their God-honoring obedience (Daniel 1:8–16). They would not bow down to the idol of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s image, and were sentenced to death, but God saved them from the midst of a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:23–27). In the end, Nebuchadnezzar was forced to acknowledge the miracle, and he decreed that the people of Babylon honor the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (verses 28–29). After the wonders of God were shown to him, Nebuchadnezzar himself acknowledged Daniel’s true name and honored the God of Israel, writing, “Daniel came into my presence. . . . (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him)” (Daniel 4:8). Years later, the queen of Babylon still referred to Daniel by his Hebrew name, although she knows of Nebuchadnezzar’s attempt to change it: she spoke of him as “Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar” (Daniel 5:12).
We are on our journey again and we are going to be visiting Ezekiel. Ezekiel ministered to his generation who were both exceedingly sinful and thoroughly hopeless. By means of his prophetic ministry he attempted to bring them to immediate repentance and to confidence in the distant future. He taught that: (1) God works through human messengers; (2) Even in defeat and despair God's people need to affirm God's sovereignty; (3) God's Word never fails; (4) God is present and can be worshiped anywhere; (5) People must obey God if they expect to receive blessings; and (6) God's Kingdom will come. How can you cope with a world gone astray? Ezekiel, destined to begin his life's ministry as a priest at age thirty, was uprooted from his homeland and marched off to Babylon at age of twenty-five. For five years he languished in despair. At age thirty a majestic vision of Yahweh's glory captivated his being in Babylon. The priest/prophet discovered God was not confined to the narrow strictures of Ezekiel's native land. Instead, He is a universal God who commands and controls persons and nations. In Babylon, God imparted to Ezekiel His Word for the people. His call experience transformed Ezekiel. He became avidly devoted to God's Word. He realized he had nothing personally to assist the captives in their bitter situation, but he was convinced God's Word spoke to their condition and could give them victory in it. Ezekiel used various methods to convey God's Word to his people. He used art in drawing a depiction of Jerusalem, symbolic actions and unusual conduct to secure attention. He cut his hair and beard to demonstrate what God would do to Jerusalem and its inhabitants.
Today we took a detour on our journey through the bible and stopped in the road on Identity. Our identity in Christ is first and foremost one of newness. We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Identity is defined as “the collective aspect of the set of characteristics by which a thing is definitively recognizable or known,” so our new identity in Christ should be recognizable both to ourselves and to others. If we are “in Christ,” that should be evident, just as being “in the world” is equally evident. A further definition of identity is “the quality or condition of being the same as something else.” In the case of our identity in Christ, our lives should indicate that we are the same as Christ. The name “Christians” means literally “followers of Christ.” In our new identity in Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6), but we are reconciled to God (Romans 5:10). This new identity completely changes our relationship with God and our families, just as it changes the way we see the world. Our new identity in Christ means we have the same relationship with God that Christ has—we are His children. God has adopted us as sons. We are able to call Him “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15–16). We are both joint heirs (Galatians 3:29) and friends (John 15:15) of Christ. And this relationship is even stronger than those we have with our earthly families (Matthew 10:35–37). Instead of fearing God as judge, we have the great privilege of coming to Him as our Father. We can approach Him with confidence and ask of Him what we need (Hebrews 4:16). We can ask for His guidance and wisdom (James 1:5) and know that nothing will take us from Him (Romans 8:38–39). We also rest in His authority and respond to Him with trusting obedience, knowing that obedience is a key part of remaining close to Him (John 14:23).
Today we are continuing our journey with Lamentations come and learn about it and enjoy this journey. The Book of Lamentations is divided into five chapters. Each chapter represents a separate poem. In the original Hebrew, the verses are acrostic, each verse starting with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Book of Lamentations, the Prophet Jeremiah understands that the Babylonians were God’s tool for bringing judgment on Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:12-15; 2:1-8; 4:11). Lamentations makes it clear that sin and rebellion were the causes of God’s wrath being poured out (1:8-9; 4:13; 5:16). Lamenting is appropriate in a time of distress, but it should quickly give way to contrition and repentance (Lamentations 3:40-42; 5:21-22).
Today we left week 28 with Zephaniah and we are continuing our journey into week 29 with Jeremiah. So come and join our journey and learn about Jeremiah. The Purpose of Jeremiah is to record the final prophecies to Judah, warning of oncoming destruction if the nation does not repent. Jeremiah calls out for the nation to turn back to God. At the same time, Jeremiah recognizes the inevitability of Judah’s destruction due to its unrepentant idolatry and immorality. The Book of Jeremiah is primarily a message of judgment on Judah for rampant idolatry (Jeremiah 7:30-34; 16:10-13; 22:9; 32:29; 44:2-3). After the death of King Josiah, the last righteous king, the nation of Judah had almost completely abandoned God and His commandments. Jeremiah compares Judah to a prostitute (Jeremiah 2:20; 3:1-3). God had promised that He would judge idolatry most severely (Leviticus 26:31-33; Deuteronomy 28:49-68), and Jeremiah was warning Judah that God’s judgment was at hand. God had delivered Judah from destruction on countless occasions, but His mercy was at its end. Jeremiah records King Nebuchadnezzar conquering Judah and making it subject to him (Jeremiah 24:1). After further rebellion, God brought Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian armies back to destroy and desolate Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah chapter 52). Even in this most severe judgment, God promises the restoration of Judah back into the land God has given them (Jeremiah 29:10).
Today we left week 27 and are heading into week 28 with Zephaniah. So please come with us on our journey. So today we are learning about Zephaniah. Zephaniah pronounces the Lord’s judgment on the whole earth, on Judah, on the surrounding nations, on Jerusalem and on all nations. This is followed by proclamations of the Lord’s blessing on all nations and especially on the faithful remnant of His people in Judah. Zephaniah had the courage to speak bluntly because he knew he was proclaiming the Word of the Lord. His book begins with "The word of the Lord" and ends with "says the Lord." He knew that neither the many gods the people worshiped nor even the might of the Assyrian army could save them. God is gracious and compassionate, but when all His warnings are ignored, judgment is to be expected. God's day of judgment is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures. The prophets called it the "Day of the Lord." They referred to various events such as the fall of Jerusalem as manifestations of God's Day, each of which pointed toward the ultimate Day of the Lord.
Today we left the week 26 from Micah and headed into week 27 with Habakkuk. So we are continuing our journey into Habakkuk. The Book of Habakkuk begins with Habakkuk crying out to God for an answer to why God’s chosen people are allowed to suffer in their captivity (Habakkuk 1:1-4). The Lord gives His answer to Habakkuk, essentially stating, “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you” (Habakkuk 1: 5-11). Habakkuk then follows up by saying, “Ok, you are God, but still tell me more about why this is happening” (Habakkuk 1:17-2:1). God then answers him again and gives him more information, then tells the earth to be silent before Him (Habakkuk 2:2-20). Then Habakkuk writes a prayer expressing his strong faith in God, even through these trials (Habakkuk 3:1-19)
Join me as our journey continues. Today we are leaving from Nahum and heading in week 26 with Micah. The message of the Book of Micah is a complex mixture of judgment and hope. On the one hand, the prophecies announce judgment upon Israel for social evils, corrupt leadership and idolatry. This judgment was expected to culminate in the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem. On the other hand, the book proclaims not merely the restoration of the nation, but the transformation and exaltation of Israel and Jerusalem. The messages of hope and doom are not necessarily contradictory, however, since restoration and transformation take place only after judgment. The prophet condemns the rulers, priests, and prophets of Israel who exploit and mislead the people. It is because of their deeds that Jerusalem will be destroyed. The prophet Micah proclaims the deliverance of the people who will go from Jerusalem to Babylon and concludes with an exhortation for Jerusalem to destroy the nations who have gathered against her. The ideal ruler would come from Bethlehem to defend the nation, and the prophet proclaims the triumph of the remnant of Jacob and foresees a day when Yahweh will purge the nation of idolatry and reliance on military might. The prophet sets forth a powerful and concise summary of Yahweh's requirement for justice and loyalty and announces judgment upon those who have followed the ways of Omri and Ahab. The book closes with a prophetic liturgy comprising elements of a lament. Israel confesses its sin and is assured of deliverance through Yahweh's mighty acts.
Today we left our Journey from IServe and and took our Journey into week 25 and stopped to visit Nahum. Nahum did not write this book as a warning or “call to repentance” for the people of Nineveh. God had already sent them the prophet Jonah 150 years earlier with His promise of what would happen if they continued in their evil ways. The people at that time had repented but now lived just as bad if not worse than they did before. The Assyrians had become absolutely brutal in their conquests (hanging the bodies of their victims on poles and putting their skin on the walls of their tents among other atrocities). Now Nahum was telling the people of Judah to not despair because God had pronounced judgment and the Assyrians would soon be getting just what they deserved. Nineveh once had responded to the preaching of Jonah and turned from their evil ways to serve the Lord God. But 150 years later, Nineveh returned to idolatry, violence, and arrogance (Nahum 3:1–4). Once again God sends one of His prophets to Nineveh warning of judgment in the form of the destruction of their city and exhorting them to repentance. Sadly, the Ninevites did not heed’s Nahum’s warning, and the city was brought under the dominion of Babylon.
Last week we went on our journey and ended up in our IServe ministry and then took a detour into Jonah. Today we decided to stay on our path and continue with Jonah.
Today we finished our IServe ministry and continued on our Journey and stopped on Jonah. When God called Jonah to go and warn the violent and godless Ninevites of their impending doom, all his pride in being a Hebrew—and therefore uniquely favored by the Almighty (so he thought, no doubt along with many others of his nation)—rose up in rebellion. Pagans, to him, were the worst kind of human garbage, not even fit to pollute the good earth by living on it. They were the “untouchables,” and that God should take an interest in them was unthinkable. Therefore, not being one to put up with that which was not to his mind, he fled to Joppa and got himself a passage on a ship bound for Tarshish, which was in the opposite direction from Nineveh.
Today we left our journey from obadiah and headed into our IServe ministry. Our IServe ministry is all the ministries that you can currently serve in. So come on this journey as we learn more about the IServe ministry.
Today we left week 22 which was amos and now we are continuing our journey into week 23 with Obadiah. Our story starts with Obadiah. Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, is only 21 verses long. Obadiah is a prophet of God who uses this opportunity to condemn Edom for sins against both God and Israel. The Edomites are descendants of Esau and the Israelites are descendants of his twin brother, Jacob. A quarrel between the brothers has affected their descendants for over 1,000 years. This division caused the Edomites to forbid Israel to cross their land during the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt. Edom's sins of pride now require a strong word of judgment from the Lord. Obadiah's message is final and it is sure: the kingdom of Edom will be destroyed completely. Edom has been arrogant, gloating over Israel's misfortunes, and when enemy armies attack Israel and the Israelites ask for help, the Edomites refuse and choose to fight against them, not for them. These sins of pride can be overlooked no longer. The book ends with the promise of the fulfillment and deliverance of Zion in the Last Days when the land will be restored to God's people as He rules over them.
Today we left week 21 which was joel and now we are continuing our journey into week 22 with amos. Our story starts Amos. Amos is a shepherd and a fruit picker from the Judean village of Tekoa when God calls him, even though he lacks an education or a priestly background. Amos' mission is directed to his neighbor to the north, Israel. His messages of impending doom and captivity for the nation because of her sins are largely unpopular and unheeded, however, because not since the days of Solomon have times been so good in Israel. Amos' ministry takes place while Jeroboam II reigns over Israel, and Uzziah reigns over Judah. Amos can see that beneath Israel's external prosperity and power, internally the nation is corrupt to the core. The sins for which Amos chastens the people are extensive: neglect of God's Word, idolatry, pagan worship, greed, corrupted leadership and oppression of the poor. Amos begins by pronouncing a judgment upon all the surrounding nations, then upon his own nation of Judah, and finally the harshest judgment is given to Israel. His visions from God reveal the same emphatic message: judgment is near. The book ends with God's promise to Amos of future restoration of the remnant.
Today we left week 20 which was Hosea and now we are going on our journey to week 21 and stopping on Joel. Judah, the setting for the book, is devastated by a vast horde of locusts. This invasion of locusts destroys everything—the fields of grain, the vineyards, the gardens and the trees. Joel symbolically describes the locusts as a marching human army and views all of this as divine judgment coming against the nation for her sins. The book is highlighted by two major events. One is the invasion of locusts and the other the outpouring of the Spirit. The initial fulfillment of this is quoted by Peter as having taken place at Pentecost. A terrible plague of locusts is followed by a severe famine throughout the land. Joel uses these happenings as the catalyst to send words of warning to Judah. Unless the people repent quickly and completely, enemy armies will devour the land as did the natural elements. Joel appeals to all the people and the priests of the land to fast and humble themselves as they seek God's forgiveness. If they will respond, there will be renewed material and spiritual blessings for the nation. But the Day of the Lord is coming. At this time the dreaded locusts will seem as gnats in comparison, as all nations receive His judgment.The overriding theme of the Book of Joel is the Day of the Lord, a day of God’s wrath and judgment.This is the Day in which God reveals His attributes of wrath, power and holiness, and it is a terrifying day to His enemies. In the first chapter, the Day of the Lord is experienced historically by the plague of locusts upon the land. Chapter 2:1-17 is a transitional chapter in which Joel uses the metaphor of the locust plague and drought to renew a call to repentance. Chapters 2:18-3:21 describes the Day of the Lord in eschatological terms and answers the call to repentance with prophecies of physical restoration, spiritual restoration, and national restoration.
We are continuing our journey we just left week 19 of Isaiah and now are heading into week 20 with Hosea. Hosea wrote this book to remind the Israelites—and us—that ours is a loving God whose loyalty to His covenant people is unwavering. In spite of Israel’s continual turning to false gods, God’s steadfast love is portrayed in the long-suffering husband of the unfaithful wife. Hosea’s message is also one of warning to those who would turn their backs on God’s love. Through the symbolic presentation of the marriage of Hosea and Gomer, God’s love for the idolatrous nation of Israel is displayed in a rich metaphor in the themes of sin, judgment, and forgiving love. The Book of Hosea can be divided into two parts: (1) Hosea is a description of an adulterous wife and a faithful husband, symbolic of the unfaithfulness of Israel to God through idolatry, and (2) Hosea contains the condemnation of Israel, especially Samaria, for the worship of idols and her eventual restoration. The first section of the book contains three distinctive poems illustrating how God’s children returned time after time to idolatry. God commands Hosea to marry Gomer, but after bearing him three children, she walks away from Hosea to her lovers. The symbolic emphasis can be seen clearly in the first chapter as Hosea compares Israel’s actions to turning from a marriage to life as a prostitute. The second section contains Hosea’s denunciation of the Israelites but followed by the promises and the mercies of God. The Book of Hosea is a prophetic accounting of God’s relentless love for His children. Since the beginning of time God’s ungrateful and undeserving creation has been accepting God’s love, grace, and mercy while still unable to refrain from its wickedness. The last part of Hosea shows how God’s love once again restores His children as He forgets their misdeeds when they turn back to Him with a repentant heart. The prophetic message of Hosea foretells the coming of Israel’s Messiah 700 years in the future. Hosea is quoted often in the New Testament.
Today we are taking our journey on to week 19 and we are stopping on Isaiah. The Prophet Isaiah was primarily called to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. Judah was going through times of revival and times of rebellion. Judah was threatened with destruction by Assyria and Egypt, but was spared because of God’s mercy. Isaiah proclaimed a message of repentance from sin and hopeful expectation of God’s deliverance in the future. The Book of Isaiah reveals God’s judgment and salvation. God is “holy, holy, holy”, and therefore He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Isaiah portrays God’s oncoming judgment as a “consuming fire” . At the same time, Isaiah understands that God is a God of mercy, grace, and compassion.The nation of Israel (both Judah and Israel) is blind and deaf to God’s commands. Judah is compared to a vineyard that should be, and will be, trampled on. Only because of His mercy and His promises to Israel, will God not allow Israel or Judah to be completely destroyed. He will bring restoration, forgiveness, and healing.
Today we left Proverbs and we are continuing our journey into week 18 and made a stop into Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a book of perspective. The narrative of “the Preacher” (KJV), or “the Teacher” (NIV) reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking happiness in worldly things. This book gives Christians a chance to see the world through the eyes of a person who, though very wise, is trying to find meaning in temporary, human things. Most every form of worldly pleasure is explored by the Preacher, and none of it gives him a sense of meaning. In the end, the Preacher comes to accept that faith in God is the only way to find personal meaning. He decides to accept the fact that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God. The Preacher advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure. Two phrases are repeated often in Ecclesiastes. The word translated as “vanity” in the KJV, and “meaningless” in the NIV appears often, and is used to emphasize the temporary nature of worldly things. In the end, even the most impressive human achievements will be left behind. The phrase “under the sun” occurs 28 times, and refers to the mortal world. When the Preacher refers to “all things under the sun,” he is talking about earthly, temporary, human things. The first seven chapters of the book of Ecclesiastes describe all of the worldly things “under the sun” that the Preacher tries to find fulfillment in. He tries scientific discovery, wisdom and philosophy, mirth, alcohol, architecture, property, and luxury. The Preacher turned his mind towards different philosophies to find meaning, such as materialism, and even moral codes. He found that everything was meaningless, a temporary diversion that, without God, had no purpose or longevity.
So we have continued our journey into week 17 and made a stop in Proverbs. Proverbs is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It is an example of a type of literature Known as 'Wisdom'. The Book of Proverbs begins by giving us an idea of what it is about and where it comes from Proverbs Chapter 1:1. Proverbs is a book about how followers of God can live alongside others with integrity and put their faith into action. It shows how a relationship with God can permeate every action and thought. So there are proverbs about speech and thoughts, weights and measures and marriage. What is clear from Proverbs is that the reader can choose to either seek wisdom or live a life of folly. Certain temptations are clear and obvious crimes of violence, binding oneself by a rash pledge,sloth, and sexual impurity. If one is able to avoid these kinds of dangers then the rewards will more likely be long life and prosperity and honor. If one fails to heed the warnings then there will be dangers and pitfalls. We started by saying that the Proverbs form part of the Hebrew Bible, they are Jewish. They are also a part of the Old Testament, which means that for us as Christians we read them in the light of Christ. Jesus is seen as the living embodiment of the wisdom of God. The wisest teaching is that of Christ and the way he lived showed most clearly how we should live in relation to others.
We are on week 16 and we are on a great journey still and walking towards the book Song Of Solomon. The Song of Solomon is a lyric poem written to extol the virtues of love between a husband and his wife. The poem clearly presents marriage as God’s design. A man and woman are to live together within the context of marriage, loving each other spiritually, emotionally, and physically. The poetry takes the form of a dialogue between a husband (the king) and his wife (the Shulamite). We can divide the book into three sections: the courtship (1:1 - 3:5); the wedding (3:6 - 5:1); and the maturing marriage (5:2 - 8:14). The song begins before the wedding, as the bride-to-be longs to be with her betrothed, and she looks forward to his intimate caresses. However, she advises letting love develop naturally, in its own time. The king praises the Shulamite’s beauty, overcoming her feelings of insecurity about her appearance. The Shulamite has a dream in which she loses Solomon and searches throughout the city for him. With the help of the city guards, she finds her beloved and clings to him, taking him to a safe place. Upon waking, she repeats her injunction not to force love. On the wedding night, the husband again praises the beauty of his wife, and in highly symbolic language, the wife invites her spouse to partake of all she has to offer. They make love, and God blesses their union. As the marriage matures, the husband and wife go through a difficult time, symbolized in another dream. In this second dream, the Shulamite rebuffs her husband, and he leaves. Overcome with guilt, she searches the city for him; but this time, instead of helping her, the guards beat her—symbolic of her pained conscience. Things end happily as the lovers reunite and are reconciled. As the song ends, both the husband and wife are confident and secure in their love, they sing of the lasting nature of true love, and they yearn to be in each other’s presence.
Today we are continuing our journey and made our way to 2 Chronicles in the book of the bible. The Book of 2 Chronicles records the history of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, from the reign of Solomon to the conclusion of the Babylonian exile. The decline of Judah is disappointing, but emphasis is given to the spiritual reformers who zealously seek to turn the people back to God. Little is said about the bad kings or of the failures of good kings; only goodness is stressed. Since 2 Chronicles takes a priestly perspective, the Northern Kingdom of Israel is rarely mentioned because of her false worship and refusal to acknowledge the Temple of Jerusalem. Second Chronicles concludes with the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. As with all references to kings and temples in the Old Testament, we see in them a reflection of the true King of Kings - Jesus Christ - and of the temple of the Holy Spirit - His people. Even the best of the kings of Israel had the faults of all sinful men and led the people imperfectly. But when the King of Kings comes to live and reign on the earth in the millennium, he will establish Himself on the throne of all the earth as the rightful heir of David. Only then will we have a perfect King who will reign in righteousness and holiness, something the best of Israel's kings could only dream of.
Similarly, the great temple built by Solomon was not designed to last forever. Just 150 years later, it was in need of repair from decay and defacing by future generations who turned back to idolatry (2 Kings 12). But the temple of the Holy Spirit - those who belong to Christ - will live forever. We who belong to Jesus are that temple, made not by hands but by the will of God (John 1:12-13). The Spirit who lives within us will never depart from us and will deliver us safely into the hands of God one day (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). No earthly temple contains that promise. The reader of the Chronicles is invited to evaluate each generation from the past and discern why each was blessed for their obedience or punished for their wickedness. But we are also to compare the plight of these generations to our own, both corporately and individually. If we or our nation or our church is experiencing hardships, it is to our benefit to compare our beliefs and how we act upon those beliefs with the experiences of the Israelites under the various kings. God hates sin and will not tolerate it. But if the Chronicles teach us anything, it is that God desires to forgive and heal those who will humbly pray and repent (1 John 1:9). If you could have anything you wished from God, what would you ask for? Fabulous wealth? Perfect health for you and your loved ones? The power over life and death? Amazing to think about it, isn't it? But more amazing is that God made such an offer to Solomon and he chose none of these things. What he asked for was wisdom and knowledge to complete the task God had assigned to him and to do it well. The lesson for us is that God has given each of us a commission to fulfill and the greatest blessing we can seek from God is the ability to carry out His will for our lives. For that, we need the "wisdom from above" (James 3:17) to discern His will, as well as the understanding and intimate knowledge of Him in order to motivate us to Christlikeness in both deed and attitude (James 3:13)
We are continuing our journey through the bible and we are on week 14 but we decided to take a little detour through our journey and stop in Psalms. The book of Psalms—known to Jews by its Hebrew title, Tehilim, or Praises—unites Christians and Jews, who view it as an aesthetically unmatched, yet gritty and honest, guide to worship for the people of God. KingDavid prepared this collection of songs and hymns for worship in the Temple in Jerusalem 3,000 years ago; yet the Psalms continue to inspire, comfort, and challenge us today. One Christian scholar says the total collection “became one of the most popular books in ancient Israel, and has remained so among countless millions of people throughout the centuries.” David’s poetic talent, his influence, and indeed, his life can be seen throughout the psalms, and equally so in books of the Bible outside the psalms. Read his lament over Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:19–27) and his “last words” (23:1–7). Many of the psalms correspond with events in the life of David.Like the five books of Moses, Psalms is also divided into five books. Scholars also believe David compiled Book I (1–41) and Book IV (90–106), and wrote many of the psalms in Book II (42–72). Scholars also believe Psalms 9 and 10, and 42 and 43, respectively, were probably originally one psalm.
Wednesday night bible study is talking about the books of the bible that we are learning on sunday. Wednesday night is an in depth study on the things we did not hear about.
We are still on our Journey and are on week 13 talking about 1 Chronicles.The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles are dedicated to lists and genealogies. Further lists and genealogies are scattered throughout the rest of 1 Chronicles. In between, the Book of 1 Chronicles records David's ascension to the throne and his actions thereafter. The book concludes with David's son Solomon becoming King of Israel. Briefly outlined, the Book of 1 Chronicles is as follows: Chapters 1:1-9:23 - Selective Genealogies; Chapters 9:24-12:40 - David’s ascent; Chapters 13:1-20:30 -David’s reign.In David’s song of thanksgiving to God in 1 Chronicles 16:33, he refers to the time when God will come “to judge the earth.” This foreshadows Matthew 25, in which Jesus describes the time when He will come to judge the earth. Through the parables of the ten virgins and the talents, He warns that those who are found without the blood of Christ covering their sins will be cast into “outer darkness.” He encourages His people to be ready because when He comes, He will separate the sheep from the goats in judgment. Part of the Davidic Covenant which God reiterates in chapter 17 refers to the future Messiah who would be a descendant of David. Verses 13-14 describe the Son who will be established in God’s house and whose throne will be established forever. This can only refer to Jesus Christ.Genealogies such as the ones in 1 Chronicles may seem dry to us, but they remind us that God knows each of His children personally, even down to the number of hairs on our heads (Matthew 10:30). We can take comfort in the fact that who we are and what we do is written forever in God’s mind. If we belong to Christ, our names are written forever in the Lamb’s book of Life (Revelation 13:8). God is faithful to His people and keeps His promises. In the Book of 1 Chronicles, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise to David when he is made king over all Israel (1 Chronicles 11:1-3). We can be sure that His promises to us will be fulfilled as well. He has promised blessings to those who follow Him, who come to Christ in repentance, and who obey His Word. Obedience brings blessing; disobedience brings judgment. The Book of 1 Chronicles, as well as 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings, is a chronicle of the pattern of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration of the nation of Israel. In the same way, God is patient with us and forgives our sin when we come to Him in true repentance (1 John 1:9). We can take comfort in the fact that He hears our prayer of sorrow, forgives our sin, restores us to fellowship with Him, and sets us on the path to joy.
We are continuing our Journey through the bible and are on week 12 and talking about 2 Kings. Second Kings depicts the downfall of the divided kingdom. Prophets continue to warn the people that the judgment of God is at hand, but they will not repent. The kingdom of Israel is repeatedly ruled by wicked kings, and, even though a few of Judah’s kings are good, the majority of them lead the people away from worship of the Lord. These few good rulers, along with God’s prophets, cannot stop the nation’s decline. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is eventually destroyed by the Assyrians, and about 136 years later the Southern Kingdom of Judah is destroyed by the Babylonians. There are three prominent themes present in the Book of 2 Kings. First, the Lord will judge His people when they disobey and turn their backs on Him. The Israelites’ unfaithfulness was reflected in the evil idolatry of the kings and resulted in God exercising His righteous wrath against their rebellion. Second, the word of the true prophets of God always comes to pass. Because the Lord always keeps His word, so too are the words of His prophets always true. Third, the Lord is faithful. He remembered His promise to David (2 Samuel 7:10-13), and, despite the disobedience of the people and the evil kings who ruled them, the Lord did not bring David’s family to an end.
We are continuing our Journey and are on week 11 talking about the book 1 Kings.David dies and Solomon comes to the throne. At the beginning of his reign he assumes God's promises to David and brings splendour to Israel and peace and prosperity to his people. The centrepiece of Solomon's reign is the building of the First Temple: the claim that this took place 480 years after the Exodus from Egypt marks it as a key event in Israel's history. At the end, however, he follows other gods and oppresses Israel. As a consequence of Solomon's failure to stamp out the worship of gods other than Yahweh, the kingdom of David is split in two in the reign of his own son Rehoboam, who becomes the first to reign over the kingdom of Judah. The kings who follow Rehoboam in Jerusalem continue the royal line of David (i.e., they inherit the promise to David); in the north, however, dynasties follow each other in rapid succession, and the kings are uniformly bad (meaning that they fail to follow Yahweh alone). At length God brings the Assyrians to destroy the northern kingdom, leaving Judah as the sole custodian of the promise. Hezekiah, the 14th king of Judah, "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord" and institutes a far reaching religious reform, centralising sacrifice at the temple at Jerusalem and destroying the images of other gods. Yahweh saves Jerusalem and the kingdom from an invasion by Assyria. But Manasseh, the next king, reverses the reforms, and God announces that he will destroy Jerusalem because of this apostasy by the king. Mannasah's righteous grandson Josiah reinstitutes the reforms of Hezekiah, but it is too late: God, speaking through the prophetess Huldah, affirms that Jerusalem is to be destroyed. God brings the Babylonians against Jerusalem; Yahweh deserts his people, Jerusalem is razed and the Temple destroyed, and the priests, prophets and royal court are led into captivity. (The final verses record how Jehoiachin, the last king, is set free and given honour by the king of Babylon).
We are continuing our Journey through the bible and we are on week 10. The book of 2 Samuel can be divided into two main sections—David’s triumphs and David’s troubles.The book begins with David receiving news of the death of Saul and his sons. He proclaims a time of mourning. Soon afterward, David is crowned king over Judah, while Ish-bosheth, one of Saul’s surviving sons, is crowned king over Israel. A civil war follows, but Ish-bosheth is murdered, and the Israelites ask David to reign over them as well.David moves the country’s capital from Hebron to Jerusalem and later moves the Ark of the Covenant. David’s plan to build a temple in Jerusalem is vetoed by God, who then promises David the following things: David would have a son to rule after him; David’s son would build the temple; the throne occupied by David’s lineage would be established forever; and God would never take His mercy from David’s house.David leads Israel to victory over many of the enemy nations which surrounded them. He also shows kindness to the family of Jonathan by taking in Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son. Then David falls. He lusts for a beautiful woman named Bathsheba, commits adultery with her, and then has her husband murdered. When Nathan the prophet confronts David with his sin, David confesses, and God graciously forgives. However, the Lord tells David that trouble would arise from within his own household.Trouble does come when David’s firstborn son, Amnon, rapes his half-sister, Tamar. In retaliation, Tamar’s brother Absalom kills Amnon. Absalom then flees Jerusalem rather than face his father’s anger. Later, Absalom leads a revolt against David, and some of David’s former associates join the rebellion. David is forced out of Jerusalem, and Absalom sets himself up as king for a short time. The usurper is overthrown, however, and—against David’s wishes—is killed. David mourns his fallen son. A general feeling of unrest plagues the remainder of David’s reign. The men of Israel threaten to split from Judah, and David must suppress another uprising. The Lord Jesus Christ is seen primarily in two parts of 2 Samuel. First, the Davidic Covenant as outlined in 2 Samuel 7:16: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever” and reiterated in Luke 1:31-33 in the words of the angel who appeared to Mary to announce Jesus’ birth to her: “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Christ is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant; He is the Son of God in the line of David who will reign forever.
We are still continuing our Journey through the bible and we are on week 9. Pastor Josh talks about 1 Samuel. One night, Samuel heard a voice calling his name. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Samuel was about 12 years old. He initially assumed it was coming from Eli and went to Eli to ask what he wanted. Eli, however, sent Samuel back to sleep. After this happened three times Eli realized that the voice was the Lord's, and instructed Samuel on how to answer. Once Samuel responded, the Lord told him that the wickedness of the sons of Eli had resulted in their dynasty being condemned to destruction. In the morning, Eli asked Samuel to honestly recount to him what he had been told by the Lord. Upon receiving the communication, Eli merely said that the Lord should do what seems right unto him. Samuel initially appointed his two sons as his successors; however, just like Eli's sons, Samuel's proved unworthy. The Israelites rejected them. Because of the external threat from other tribes, such as the Philistines, the tribal leaders decided that there was a need for a more unified, central government, and demanded Samuel appoint a king so that they could be like other nations. Samuel interprets this as a personal rejection, and at first is reluctant to oblige, until reassured by a divine revelation. He warns the people of the potential negative consequences of such a decision. Samuel was a knownchozeh, a seer believed to be endowed with true spiritual insight, in contrast to the false prophets, enchanters and magicians of the neighboring nations. When Saul and his servant were searching for his father's lost asses, the servant suggested consulting the nearby Samuel. Samuel recognized Saul as the future king. Just before his retirement, Samuel gathered the people to an assembly at Gilgal, and gave them a farewell speech in which he emphasised how prophets and judges were more important than kings, how kings should be held to account, and how the people should not fall into idol worship, or worship of Asherah or of Baal; Samuel threatened that God would subject the people to foreign invaders should they disobey. This is seen by some as a deuteronomic redaction; since archaeological finds indicate that Asherah was still worshipped in Israelite households well into the 6th century. However, the Bible says in 1 Kings 11:5, 33, and 2 Kings 23:13 that the Israelites fell into Asherah worship later on.When Saul in preparing to fight the Philistines, Samuel denounces him for proceeding with the pre-battle sacrifice without waiting for the overdue Samuel to arrive. He prophesies that Saul's rule will see no dynastic succession. During the campaign against the Amalekites, King Saul spared Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and the best of their livestock. Saul tells Samuel that he spared the choicest of the Amalekites' sheep and oxen, intending to sacrifice the livestock to the Lord. This was in violation of the Lord's command, as pronounced by Samuel, to "... utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass" (1 Samuel 15:3). Samuel confronts Saul for his disobedience and tells him that God made him king, and God can unmake him king. Samuel then proceeded to execute Agag. Saul never saw Samuel alive again after this. Samuel then proceeds to Bethelehem and secretly anoints David king. He would later provide sanctuary for David, when the jealous Saul first tried to have him killed. Samuel died and was buried in Ramah. According to classical rabbinical sources, this was at the age of fifty-two. Saul later had the Witch of Endor conjure Samuel's ghost in order to predict the result of an up-coming battle. This passage is ascribed by textual scholars to the republican source. Classical rabbinical sources say that Samuel was terrified by the ordeal, having expected to be appearing to face God's judgement, and had therefore brought Moses with him (to the land of the living) as a witness to his adherence to the mitzvot.
We are still on our Journey through the bible and on week 8 with the book of Ruth. Pastor Josh talks about Ruth.During the time of the Judges when there was a famine, an Israelite family from Bethlehem – Elimelech, his wifeNaomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion – emigrated to the nearby country of Moab. Elimelech died, and the sons married two Moabite women: Mahlon married Ruthand Chilion married Orpah. After about ten years, the two sons of Naomi also died in Moab (1:4). Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. She told her daughters-in-law to return to their own mothers and remarry. Orpah reluctantly left; however, Ruth said, "Intreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if aught] but death part thee and me." (Ruth 1:16–17 KJV) The two women returned to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest, and in order to support her mother-in-law and herself, Ruth went to the fields to glean. As it happened, the field she went to belonged to a man named Boaz, who was kind to her because he had heard of her loyalty to her mother-in-law. Ruth told Naomi of Boaz's kindness, and she gleaned in his field through the remainder of barley and wheat harvest. Boaz was a close relative of Naomi's husband's family. He was therefore obliged by the Levirate law to marry Mahlon's widow, Ruth, in order to carry on his family's inheritance. Naomi sent Ruth to the threshing floor at night and told her to go where he slept, and "uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do." (3:4) Ruth did so. At midnight Boaz was afraid and turned to see that a woman lay at his feet. When asked who she was, she replied: "I [am] Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou [art] a near kinsman." (3:9) Boaz blessed her and agreed to do all that is required, and he noted that, "all the city of my people doth know that thou [art] a virtuous woman." (3:11) He then acknowledged that he was a close relative, but that there was one who was closer, so he deferred to spread his cloak over her at that time, and she remained in submission at his feet until she returned into the city in the morning. Early that day, Boaz discussed the issue with the other male relative, Ploni Almoni ("so-and-so"), before the town elders. The other male relative was unwilling to jeopardize the inheritance of his own estate by marrying Ruth, and so relinquished his right of redemption, thus allowing Boaz to marry Ruth. They transferred the property and redeemed it by the nearer kinsman taking off his shoe and handing it over to Boaz. (Ruth 4:7–18) Boaz and Ruth were married and had a son named Obed: who is "the father of Jesse, the father of David." (4:13–17)
We are in week 7 of our series and Pastor Josh talks about Judges. The book of Judges, which is believed to have been written by the prophet Samuel around 1050 – 1000 BC, presents us with a sad and turbulent period in Israel’s history. Contrasted greatly with the victorious book of Joshua that precedes it, Judges shows the failure of Israel to conquer their enemies, claim their inheritance, and the huge effect that this had on their life and relationship with God. Throughout this entire book, we see a repeated cycle, one that we will call ‘The cycle of sin’. That shall be the focus of this study. There was a repeated cycle throughout the entire book – a cycle of sin, bondage, repentance, devotion, followed by sin and bondage again. Israel would follow the Lord when there was a leader who reminded them of the ways in which they should walk, but with his death they again wandered off following other gods and their own desires. God would then allow an enemy of Israel to conquer the people so that, through desperation (unfortunately) they would again look to Him. Now it would be nice, would it not, if this was only a message of history – a message that no longer applies to God’s people today. But study church history over the last two thousand years and you see the cycle repeating itself. But the story of the church is only the story of the culmination of individual Christian lives, so we cannot end there. We need to be more specific. The cycle of sin is unfortunately evident in many Christian lives today. Maybe it is one enemy, or one particular area of weakness that consistently drags you down into bondage. Maybe compromise has allowed the temptation of the enemy to have far too great an influence in your life, leading to worldliness and the deception of sin. You think you have got on top of it until suddenly, the same failure rears it’s ugly head again and you’re back to square one! I think we can all relate to parts of this, so we should all be able to learn from this as well. Judges is a book that teaches us both how they became captive to the enemy, and also how they got out of that bondage. And in doing so, it then teaches us how to break the cycle of sin. Looking over your past as a Christian, have you seen this in your own life? Has your Christian walk been a cycle of victory and defeat? Do you see the cycle occurring in your life? If we are honest, the message of Judges is a wake up call for each of us. It is a warning of what can happen once we become comfortable and begin to compromise with the enemy. It is a signpost, and a danger signal of the perils that can lie ahead in our Christian lives.
We are on our 6 week on the Journey through the bible and today Pastor Josh talks about Joshua. Joshua is a story of conquest and fulfillment for the people of God. After many years of slavery in Egypt and 40 years in the desert, the Israelites were finally allowed to enter the land promised to their fathers. Abraham, always a migrant, never possessed the country to which he was sent, but he left to his children the legacy of God’s covenant that made them the eventual heirs of all of Canaan (see Ge 15:13,16,18; 17:8). Joshua was destined to turn that promise into reality. Where Deuteronomy ends, the book of Joshua begins: The tribes of Israel are still camped on the east side of the Jordan River. The narrative opens with God’s command to move forward and pass through the river on dry land. Then it relates the series of victories in central, southern and northern Canaan that gave the Israelites control of all the hill country and the Negev. It continues with a description of the tribal allotments and ends with Joshua’s final addresses to the people. The theme of the book, therefore, is the establishment of God’s people Israel in the Lord’s land, the land he had promised to give them as their place of “rest” in the earth (1:13,15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1; see also Dt 3:20 and note; 12:9–10; 24:19; 1Ki 5:4 and note; 8:35). So the Great King’s promise to the partriarchs and Moses to give the land of Canaan to the chosen people of his kingdom is now historically fulfilled (1:1–6; 21:43–45).
It is the 5th week in our series and Pastor Larry is talking about Deuteronomy. In all the Hebrew manuscripts the Pentateuch (q.v.) forms one roll or volume divided into larger and smaller sections calledparshioth_ and _sedarim . It is not easy to say when it was divided into five books. This was probably first done by the Greek translators of the book, whom the Vulgate follows. The fifth of these books was called by the Greeks Deuteronomion, i.e., the second law, hence our name Deuteronomy, or a second statement of the laws already promulgated. The Jews designated the book by the two first Hebrew words that occur, _'Elle haddabharim_, i.e., "These are the words." They divided it into elevenparshioth . In the English Bible it contains thirty-four chapters.It consists chiefly of three discourses delivered by Moses a short time before his death. They were spoken to all Israel in the plains of Moab, in the eleventh month of the last year of their wanderings. The first discourse ( (1-4:40) ) recapitulates the chief events of the last forty years in the wilderness, with earnest exhortations to obedience to the divine ordinances, and warnings against the danger of forsaking the God of their fathers. The second discourse ( (5-26:19) ) is in effect the body of the whole book. The first address is introductory to it. It contains practically a recapitulation of the law already given by God at Mount Sinai, together with many admonitions and injunctions as to the course of conduct they were to follow when they were settled in Canaan. The concluding discourse (ch. 27-30) relates almost wholly to the solemn sanctions of the law, the blessings to the obedient, and the curse that would fall on the rebellious. He solemnly adjures them to adhere faithfully to the covenant God had made with them, and so secure for themselves and their posterity the promised blessings. These addresses to the people are followed by what may be called three appendices, namely (1), a song which God had commanded Moses to write ( 32:1-47 ); (2) the blessings he pronounced on the separate tribes (ch. 33); and (3) the story of his death ( 32:48-52 ) and burial (ch. 34), written by some other hand, probably that of Joshua.
Pastor Josh is on the 4th week talking about Numbers. The book of numbers is largely Narrative History as far as its genre. It was written by Moses about 1450-1410 B.C. Key personalities include Moses, Aaron, Miriam, Joshua, Caleb, Eleazar, Korah, and Balaam. The purpose of the book of Numbers is to tell about how Israel prepared to enter the promise land, but sinned and was punished. It describes Moses taking two population censuses, hence the name Numbers. From chapters 1-9 the Israelites are preparing for their journey and entry into the promise land. Moses begins by taking a census of all the tribes, primarily to see how many men are available and in shape for military service. Next, Moses dedicates the Levites and instructs the Nazirite vows and laws. During this time, the Israelites celebrate the 2nd Passover one year after their exit from bondage. In chapters 10-12, the Israelites travel from the wilderness in Sinai to approach the promise land. The people complain about their food, God gives them quail, and because of their greed, He also sends them a plague. Miriam and Aaron learn a lesson about whom God places in leadership. In chapters 13-19, we see severe punishment for disobedience and unfaithfulness to God. Moses sends out 12 spies to perform reconnaissance on the promise land. The 12 spies return and only two of them bring good news. The people fear the occupants and rebel against taking the land. For this God punishes them and sends them into the wilderness for forty years to roam. The last chapters of Numbers, from 20-36, the new generation of Israelites again attempt to enter the land to take it as God promised. This time they easily destroy two nations that confront them as they are entering. Balak uses his prophet Balaam to learn to seduce the Israelites to worship Baal. Because of this disobedience, about 24,000 people die, including Balaam. Before the book of Numbers ends, Moses again conducts a census, and Joshua assumes the leadership of Israel in place of Moses who is banned from the promise land, due to his disobedience.
Pastor Josh is Continuing our series with Leviticus. Leviticus has a very simple structure and message. It's intent is to define the boundaries of godly human sexual realtionships. There are three of them, which i call the inner, middle, and outer boundaries of godly sexuality. Verses 6 through 18 define the "inner boundary," prohibiting sexual relationships with close relatives. Verses 19 and 20 define the "middle boundary," which limits sexual relations within marriage and prehibits them outside marriage. Verses 21 through 23 define the "outer boundary" of unnatural sexual relations. Verses 24 through 29 tell us about God's judgment upon a nation that crosses these boundaries.
We are on our Journey through the bible and we are on week 2. Pastor Josh is talking about Exodus Part 1. He talks about the blood of the spirit.
We are on our Journey through the bible and we are on week 2. Pastor Josh is talking about Exodus Part 2. He talks about the ten commandments.
Pastor Josh starts a new 2 part series Route 66 starting with Genesis and he will continue for 66 weeks. Here is part 1 of Genesis.
Pastor Josh talks about Part 2 of the new series which is Genesis. The new series is Route 66 a 66 week Journey through the bible.
Pastor Josh talks about the parable of the rich fool. Jesus told a parable about a man who had riches to a man who wanted riches. A man in the crowed approached Jesus as an authority figure that the man's brother might listen to. He asked Jesus to tell his brother to give him his share of the family inheritance. The family inheritance was much more important to first century israel than we can imagine it meant their future. The man in today's parable is pronounced a "fool" by God. The remarkable thing is that this person that God calls a fool, we would very often call a success. A fool in biblical language was not a description of mental ability but of spiritual discernment.
Pastor Josh talks about Prayer and talking with God. When we decide to talk with God, we should find a quiet spot. Jesus instructed His followers to go into a room and shut the door to enjoy privacy in communication with God—our communication is not for show, after all (Matthew 6:6). Make sure all distractions like radios or televisions are turned off. At first we may feel embarrassed to kneel to pray. That’s okay. We just need to realize that our Father wants to hear from His children. We do not need to be embarrassed in any way when we come to Him in prayer. Some people try to set aside a regular time of the day to pray. Both King David and the prophet Daniel found time to pray three times a day (Psalm 55:17; Daniel 6:10). We can be very thankful that we can go to God at any time—we don’t have to have an appointment!Why do we harbor such thoughts? The Bible reveals that God wants us to talk with Him and have a personal relationship with Him. But how do we do that? Communication with God is called prayer. For generations, people have wondered how to pray. Jesus’ disciples even asked Him to teach them how to pray; and in answer, Jesus gave an outline for prayer inLuke 11:1-4 (amplified in Matthew 6:5-13).
Pastor Josh talks about His Story Our Hope it was Easter Sunday. This is the morning when the Christian church celebrates what we have come to know as Easter. It is the day when we commemorate and celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. However, instead of Easter, I prefer the name "Resurrection Sunday. May I remind you that Resurrection Sunday is not about Easter bunnies, Easter eggs or the giving of gifts. It is about celebrating the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the dead on the first Resurrection Sunday. With that in our minds this morning, let's journey back to that first Resurrection Sunday morning. Let's look in on the events at the tomb of Jesus that day and see what happened and what it means for you and me! Some Came To Look - Matt. 28:1 - Maybe they were coming to pray or to meditate near the place where His body had been buried. Maybe they were coming to make sure that everything was in order at the tomb. Whatever the reason, we are told that they "came to see the sepulchre". Some Came To Labor - Mk. 16:1; Lk. 24:1 - These verses teach is that some of the women came to perform one last labor of love for the Lord Jesus. They came to finished anointing His body for burial. They wanted to serve Him one last time. Some Came To Linger - John 20:11-18 - These verses tell us that Mary Magdalene lingered at the tomb after the others had already gone away. Here was a woman that owed much to Jesus. There had been a time in her life when she had been possessed by seven demons, Mark 16:9. Her life had been radically changed by Jesus and she loved Him more than life itself. If you will remember, she was one of the last at the cross, Matt. 27:61, and she was the first to see Him after He had risen from the dead, Mark. 16:9. She loved Him so much for what He had done for her. Surely her hear was broken that morning, but still she came to love Him and worship Him! This passage begins with a tale of life and it ends with the telling of a lie. Which has influenced your life the most? The life or the lie? I praise the Lord for the life! It has changed my life forever. The events of that day will forever reverberate throughout eternity. Those who come to Jesus by faith will be saved, and become partakers of the life of God in Christ. Those who believe the lie are damned! Let me just remind you that this was the first Resurrection Day, it won't be the last! Because He lives, those who place their faith in Him will live too! Those in the graves will come forth one day, 1 Thes. 4:13-17, and those who are alive when He comes will never taste of death. Because when He died He tasted death for us, Heb. 2:9! Thank God for that day when death lost the battle with Life forever! Thank God for the day the battle was forever won for you and me! Thank God for that first resurrection day!
Pastor Josh Continues on Storytime with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. According to the Gospel of Luke a traveler (who may or may not have been a jew) is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead along the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a Samaritan comes by. Samraitans and Jews generally despised each other, but the Samaritan helps the injured man. Jesus is described as telling the parable in response to the question from a lawyer, "ANd who is my neighbor?" whom Leviticus says should be loved. This parable is interpreted allegorically, with the Samritan representing Jesus Christ, who saves the sinful soul.
Pastor Meko talks about the parable of the wedding feast prepared by a king. In the parable, Jesus tells of a king who prepares a great marriage feast for his son. None of the first round of invitees is willing to come, and a second group is invited. While everyone who comes is sitting at the tables enjoying the occasion, one man is singled out for attention because he does not have on the right garments. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless” (Matthew 22:11-12). It doesn't say he was naked, but he was missing something. He did not have on a wedding garment.
Pastor Meko continues with Storytime and talks about the Persistant Widow and the Unjust Judge. In the parable of the persistent widow, a poor, powerless person persists in nagging a corrupt, powerful person to do justice for her. The parable assumes John the Baptist's teaching that holding a position of power and leadership obligates you to work justly, especially on behalf of the poor and weak. But jesus focuses the parable on a different point, that we are "to pray always and to not lose heart". He identifies the hearers-us- with the woman, and the prayed to person -GOD- with the corrupt judge, a strange combination. Assuming that jesus doesn't mean that God is corrupt, the point must be that if persistence pays off with a corrupt human of limited power, how much more will it pay off with a just God of infinite power. The purpose of the parable is to encourage Christians to persevere in their faith against all odds. Also is that only God can bring about justice in a corrupt world. That is why we must pray and not give up in our work.
Pastor Josh Talks about the parable of the talents. In the parable of the talents, it appears that Jesus is stressing the importance of a person using their talents. The Parable of the talents is given by Jesus right after he talks about his second coming and that no one know the day or the hour and so a believer must be using their talents. So which one are you a faithful servant or one that hides their talent and their profession of faith in christ. You can find this parable in Matthew 25: 14-30
Pastor Josh talks about The Parable Of The Prodigal Son. The Parable Of The Prodigal Son is one of the parables of jesus. According to the story, a father has two sons. The younger son asks for his inheritance before the father dies, and the father agrees. The younger son, after wasting his fortune, goes hungry during a famine, and becomes so destitute he longs to eat the same food given to hogs, unclean animals in jewish culture. He then returns home with the intention of repenting and begging his father to be made one of his hired servants, expecting his relationship with his father is likely severed. Regardless, the father finds him on the road and immediately welcomes him back as his son and holds a feast to celebrate his return, which includes killing a fattened calf usually reserved for special occasions. The older son refuses to participate, stating that in all the time he has worked for the father, he never disobyed him; yet, he did not even receive a goat to celebrate with his friends. The father reminds the older son that the son has always been with him and everything the father has belongs to the older son. But, they should still celebrate the return of the younger son because he was lost and is now found.
Pastor Josh started a new series called Storytime. We all have a story to tell and we talked about the seeds of love through the parables. Today we talked about The Parable of the Sower. The parable of the sower conerns a sower who scatters seed, which falls on four different types of ground. The hard ground "by the way side" prevents the seed from sprouting at all, and the seed becomes nothing more than bird food. The stony ground provides enough soil for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow, but because there is "no deepness of earth," the plants do not take root and are soon withered in the sun. The thorny ground allows the seed to grow, but the competing thorns choke the life out of the beneficial plants. The good ground recieves the seed and produces much fruit. To summareize the point of the Parable of the Sower. " A man's reception of God's Word is determined by the condition of his heart." A secondary lesson would be " Salvation is more than a superficial, albeit joyful, hearing of the gospel."
Pastor Josh talks about how your past leads or determines our identity. Also that we are not our past and today is a new day. One thing God does is forget. He also talks about how we can win the victory and the mindset of present future. Like in Napolean Dynamite Uncle Rico says that he could have gone pro and buys a time machine to go back in time.
Pastor Meko taught us about the evils of anger. Seeking dark global agendas stream rolling over goodness, truth, and freedom throughout the world is more than enough to make anyone feel angry, negative, and even enraged. We as a humanity, along with all our rights, are under siege and the most common response to being attacked is either through anger and aggression, or fear and retreat-which is based on a raw fight or flight reaction. While it sometimes seems there is no other way to respond, there is danger of becoming the very thing we've set out to defeat if we act through aggression or hatered in any way. Just like in the video when anakin starts to turn. He let his anger become the best of him.
The value that stood out the most was "believing the best" about other people. Think about that for a minute. What does believing the best actually mean? How often when we talk or relate with someone do we believe or assume the absolute best about the other person? What could happen if we did? What would it take to get there? I believe there are three areas we can all improve that will make a difference. Those areas are: How We View Ourselves, How We View Others, and How We Relate and Communicate With Others. The apostle Paul understood as well as anyone what it was like to be deserted, doubted, envied, distrusted and disdained — even by his fellow Christians. If anyone should have had a guarded, cynical view of people, it was Paul. Paul’s confidence wasn’t in God’s people, but in God who indwells his people. He learned to see fallible people through God’s infallible eyes. He was also living out the Golden Rule of treating people how he would want to be treated. All of us want others to believe the very best of us, so why are we reluctant to extend that same courtesy to others? We often think that by not believing the best, we are protecting ourselves from hurt, but this usually becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we entertain suspicious, judgmental or critical thoughts, people will most likely mirror those same attitudes and assumptions back toward us. Conversely, if we think kindly and positively toward them — assuming the best — then they usually pick up on that and strive to live up to our noble expectations.
Pastor Josh talks about good v evil. With the help of Yoda they also talk about that God is everywhere, faith, force and how you have to believe and how you view God.
Pastor Josh talks about the gospel according to star wars called discovering who you really are. Who we really are is buried under layers of a protective shield created by years of building a defense against society around us. Most of us have been conditioned by the world, friends, family and others to think like the world. Or we have been in dysfunctional families that didn't give us a chance to love ourslves unconditionally.
God put a piece of divine nature or creative energy inside us. If we meditate and look for this, we will discover who we really are. We are a beautiful being, a child of Light often smothered by darkness. Negative, dark and evil forces try to destroy us from birth. This is to put out the spark of creative energy inside us, so we will be miserable and fearful in a world of evil doers. Self forgiveness, acceptance and unconditional love of self and others sets us free to see who we really are.
Pastor Larry talks about Living With Victorious Intent. Living with intent is living a life that is healthy and purposeful, but also joyful. It's asking ourselves what will make ourselves happy. Intents come from our soul, whereas goals come from our mind. Finding Intent is about asking yourself three main questions: Who am I? What do I want? How can I serve? Ultimately you have to ask yourself what makes you happy, it's often very different from all the external expectations people have. We don't have to be the Superhero, but we can do great things in our everyday lives. Intent doesn't have to be all about meditation and sould searching. It's supposed to be fun. It's all about being joyful and happy and free.
Pastor Larry Talks about The Power Of Christmas. The power of christmas says in Matthew 1:21: “She will bear a Son; and you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who will save his people from their sins. Now all this took place that what was spoken by the lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: saying, ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel.’ Which, translated, means ‘God with us.’ And Joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took her as his wife, and kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son; and he called his name Jesus.”
We had a Guest Speaker Brad Dacus and he talked about the end of days. The end of days or the Last Days is a future time period described in the eschatologies of the dominant world religions, both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic, where world events achieve a final climax.
Pastor Larry talks about how to get your prayers answered. There are Four Steps to take to get your prayers answered. The first and most important step for getting answers to your prayers is this: Find scriptures that definitely promise you the specific thing you are praying for. The second step for answered prayer is this: You must ask God for what you want and believe that you receive it. The third step for getting your prayers answered is this: Thank God for the answer, before you can see it. The fourth and final step for answered prayer is this: Let every thought affirm that you have the answer to your prayer.
Pastor Josh is talk about the Gospel According to Star Wars. In this series we explore the many spiritual themes that weave throughout the movie. From the Force to the dark side, the issues discussed in the films a moral and spiritual complexity that, if paid attention to, can help us better understand our place in the world and our relation to others and to God.
The missions team came back from Africa. The team talks about what they experienced and what they saw happen there and the time they had with pictures.
Pastor Larry talks about being the church in times of terror. To ask, “What does it mean to be the church in times of terror?” is really to ask a question about our identity. How does a people gathered by, in, and around the Crucified and Resurrected One respond to inexplicable evil and suffering? Besides that, terror has many faces. The destructive terror of evil is a prodigious shape-shifter. Terror may take the form of cancer or infection or grave injury. It may be a wildfire or flood that wipes out entire communities. Or perhaps an addiction or mental illness that steals someone we love, making them unrecognizable to us. Point is, not every terror confronting the church will be unleashed by a madman who kills with a gun or a madman who kills by royal decree. And for a people determined by the Cross and Resurrection, I don’t know how much of a difference it makes if the terror that comes to us takes the form of a man with a gun, or starvation, or famine, flood, fire, or plague. Being the church means having the capacity to absorb suffering and evil rather than inflicting them.
Pastor Josh talks about Paul and how our power is made perfect in weakness. Paul said that God allowed the weakness in his life to protect him from pride, assuring him that, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is perfected in weakness.” So if you feel weak today, you can give God praise for it. You can say, “Lord, thank You for protecting me from spiritual pride and keeping me in a place where I can speak for You. I can go to anybody in the city and say to them, ‘The Lord has been merciful to me. I am not the strongest of people in His kingdom, yet He has touched me. His healing is beginning to flow in my life and He is changing me sovereignly by His power.’” I know you feel that God is asking you to do something that works against your strengths. But God has called you and that means his strength is working through you and that will make you sufficient for the task. God’s Word says your weaknesses, doubts, and insecurities are no surprise to God. You may try to hide them from others, but you can’t hide them from the one who created you. The truth is, God created you with weaknesses. And, since he’s God, he couldn’t have made a mistake. Is it possible he created you with weaknesses in order to keep you on your knees before him? With you dependent upon him, you’re able to do all things through him who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13–14).
Pastor Josh talks about The Ascension. The Ascension signaled the end of his earthly ministry. It signified success in His earthly work. All that he had come to do, he had accomplished. It marked the heavenly return of his glory. It allowed him to prepare a place for us. After Jesus rose from the dead, he presented himself alive to the women near the tomb, to his disciples, and to more than 500 others. In the days following his ressurrection, Jesus taught his disciples about the kingdom of God.
Come join our community as we celebrate the amazing gift of Mother's! Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky gives a sermon about the wisdom of women and the importance of the role of a mother.
Join us for our second week in this amazing series about the infinite love of God. Pastor Josh teaches on love, discusses the recent prophecy conference, and also features a special word from Jake Hamilton.
This week is the beginning of a dynamically powerful series about the infinite love of God.
Pastor Larry Kapchinsky preaches a sermon about the resurrection of Christ and the importance of Easter.
It's Palm Sunday! Watch and Celebrate with us as Pastor Larry Kapchinsky teaches about Christ's arrival into the city! This lesson really looks at the meaning of "Hosanna".
Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky continues the series on The Ides of March, as we delve deeper into what it means to live by faith.
"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood leads on to fortune." Join us as we embark on an exciting new series based around the Ides of March! Inspired by Julius Caesar, Pastor Josh gives a strong sermon on discerning omens. This is definitely a series you won't want to miss.
Join us this Sunday for the series finale of our Daniel Plan Series! Guest Ryan Hall gives a short talk on the importance of worship, and Pastor Josh concludes the sermon with a powerful message.
In this Sunday's sermon, Pastor Janie Sjogren gives a message on community. Having a good sense of community is essential to completing the Daniel Plan, and is important in everyday life as well.
Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky gives a very inspiring sermon on goal setting and achieving Godly victory. Goals are an essential part in living life, and Pastor Josh goes over how to set Godly goals.
This morning, Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky leads the church into a message about controlling ourselves, and the importance of keeping our bodies holy.
Join us this Sunday for the second part of our series on How We Love. Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky delivers a sermon answering the final questions about love.
This Sunday, we are begining a new series on how we love. Have you ever had any questions or stuggles with relationships? Have you ever wanted deeper, more meaningful relationships? Join us as we learn the answers to these questions and more, as we learn How We Love.
Pastor Larry Kapchinsky continues the series of miracles with the church. This week, he talks about Gods greatest miracle: The miracle of Jesus.
Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky continues exploring miracles in the Bible. Along the way, he reveals a secret, undocumented miracle that Jesus performed. Find out what the secret miracle is in this week's messege.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus walked on water? Or how miracles really work? Join us as Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky leads the church into a new series on Miracles.
Pastor Meko brings our Fruit of the Spirit series to an end with the fruit of Love. Visit the Fruit of the Spirit one last time as we conclude our series with what started it all: LOVE
Why is Self-Control essential to the Christian walk? How can we better learn to have Self-Control in our daily lives? Have these questions answered and more as Pastor Meko gives a powerful sermon on Self-Control.
This week, Pastor Josh dives into the fruit of the spirit of faithfulness. If you have but the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains. Join Pastor Josh as he explores the different aspects of what it means to be faithful.
When one considers the fruit of the spirit, the fruit of gentleness seems weaker than the others. However, Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky sheds a new light on gentleness as he delivers this paradigm-shifting message.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you..." said Jesus to his disciples. So, how do we get peace and why are our lives filled with anxiety? Find out the secret to this gift from Jesus, the very thing the Apostle Paul discovered in his life, as Pastor Josh uncovers the hard truths to this fruit of the spirit.
In beginning our new series, "The Building Blocks of Spiriual Formation," we jump into the first "fruit of the spirt," LOVE. What does God mean when he wants us to bear the fruit of love? It is quite different than what our society teaches and offers. It is better, bigger and deeper.
Go. Jesus has commanded us to go out into the world and MAKE DISCIPLES. We are not to cloister up together as Christians and simply look at the dirt of the world in despair. Nor are we to just embrace every sin and call it okay. We are called to live our lives, making and growing relationships, being different, showing love without compromise, changing culture, and being the salt and light of the world. Go.
God will give us more than we can handle... Wrong! We often hear and are told this as a truth, but that is not what scripture says. God tells us that we will not be TEMPTED beyond what we can bear. But, He tells us that we will face trials while here on earth. God wants us to trust him and lean on Him in trials. In order for us to do this there must be TENSION.
We can forever be confident that the Lord is good and He is good to us. Why then do so many bad things happen to us and in the world? We will have trouble while we are here on earth, but we cannot let that affect our knowledge that GOD IS GOOD.
Where is God? It is a question we all ask at some point. If you have once felt His closeness, but no longer feel Him neer, where has he gone? The honest answer is that He has not gone. You have. Whether something else has captivated our hearts, we are disobedient to His calling, are in sin, or any other great number of things, it is us who are moving away from God. He is still there. Once we admit that, figure out or ask Him what is in the way, we can begin moving back towards closeness with our saviour.
It's all about the mouse! Rather, it's all about Jesus. The question, or the test, is, do you know Him? Do you honor Him? And do you love Him?
You are God's masterpiece. His workmanship. His Design. Too often, after years and years of listening to negative voices, including our own, we believe the lie that we are worthless. We think we aren't good enough or can't be good and please God. The opposite, however, is true. YOU ARE GOD'S MASTERPIECE.
Continueing our series, "The Bible According to Disney," we take a look at the first movie Disney created, Snow White.
Sometimes we think if we just sprinkle "pixie dust," or live off of spiritual "highs" we will be okay. But you won't. You are actually living in "Peter Pan Syndrom" and running from what God is asking you to focus on in order for you to grow spiritually. Our love towards the Father should be that of a child, with no strings attached, just as Jesus tought. Paul teaches from this truth but explains that we must not reason like a child, but an adult. Don't be a child in your faith and run from the things God is wanting you to mature in. LOVE the Father like a child, but THINK like a mature adult in your faith.
Where is your self worth? Our worth is not in who we are but whom we belong to. Buzz and Woody find their worth in their owner Andy, and how glorious it is when we find our worth in our Heavenly Father. King David is a reflection of us in all his fallen nature that surfaced from his longing for self worth. When he finally realized his worth was in God alone, he rejoices in the knowledge that God knows everything that he does. We are terrible sinners, but God knows everything that we do and still loves us!
How do we know what true love is? Is it the extreme emotions we feel with fluffy butterflies? Or is it something deeper? Strangely enough, the truth can be found even in Disney. Find out what true love is as we look at this biblical truth found in the movie Frozen.
We all go through different life transitions. Change can be hard, so how do we cope? Hope is what carries us through life and difficult times. It is a gift from God that allows us to grieve while having joy when things go wrong.
What are the marks of a believer who is led by the Holy Spirit? How do we know if we are being led by the Holy Spirit? Joy, praise, healthy relationships and an empowered witnessing follow the leading of the spirit. They will poor out of you like a bucket filled with holes.
The Holy Spirit is our bridge between this world and the spiritual. He is our direct connection to communing with God. He is God in us. When we turn to our creator, seeking MORE of Him and yearning for his deep closenes, the spiritual and physical collide in ways our natural minds can't always understand.
Delve deeper into the knowledge of who the person of the Holy Spirit is. Our Lord. Our God with us. Our God in us.
Who is the Holy Spirit? There are so many misconceptions about this third part of the trinity. Sadly, He is so often overlooked or pushed to the background. He is, however, equal with the Father and the Son. For they are one. He is powerful and Important. He is God who dwells within us, councils us, guides us, and comforts us.
He is Risen! Jesus died for us, rose again, ascended into heaven and is still alive! He did not leave us alone however. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and we are not alone! You, are NOT ALONE.
Who are we? We are all unique. However, to really be who we are, we must turn to King Jesus, die to ourselves, and give him EVERYTHING. It is when we do this unconditionally, without expecting God's "things" or blessings in return, that our unique self becomes magnified through Christ.
What are our Convictions? If we are about relationship and not religion, then where does following the law, or the "rules," come into place? We must follow the law, but we cannot get caught up in them either. For it is impossible for any of us to completely follow them. But, still we must follow the rules. Rather, and more importantly, we need to get to a place, like David, where we LOVE the law.
Is your sea raging? When we are in the midst of a storm we must remember to look back at what God has already done for us in order to move forward. Let your history shape your future.
The navigation of our future has begun, but what direction is Granite Creek headed in? Get ready to dive into the VISION and DIRECTION of seeing FAMILY and CULTURE transformed by HEAVEN.
Now you have a dream, but what do you do with it? The next step requires you to take that dream out of the clouds and place it in reality, which requires navigating the future. Simply, your life. This path can only go one way or another, however. Will you choose the great big door, with wide open space, or the the narrow path to a tiny door, which leads to Jesus?
Pastor Joshua Kapchinsky's installation service as Lead Pastor of Granite Creek Community Church.
God is faithful. From where we are to where we have been, God's great orchestra of events abundantly spills out this precious truth and the kingdom dream He has for his Church.
We yearn for mechanical formulas. We want to find shortcuts to the mind of God. But this is not God’s design—or should I say, this is not God’s will. His ultimate concern is not to get you or me from point A to point B along the quickest, easiest, smoothest, clearest route possible. Instead, His ultimate concern is that you and I would know Him more deeply as we trust Him more completely.
What keeps you up at night? What rules over your peace and welcomes anxiety? The stalk market? The number of facebook likes you have? While looking at Daniel and the dream of Nebuchadnezzar we uncover a scary reality that we base our lives on these weak and easily shattered foundations. And just like Nebuchadnezzar, we break down if our foundation is not "The Rock," Jesus Christ. But we have a God who graciously reveals this to us, even in dreams, when we are standing on shaky foundations.
What is God's dream for His Church? Jesus came to undo the works of the devil. The war has been won! The battle rages on, however, and the Church must continue the works of Jesus, standing firm in the knowledge and proclomation of His victory over the works of the ememy.
What happens to our dreams? And how do we cope with years of unanswered dreams? Don't let go of your dream! What is going on is so much deaper and so much more important. He has to change you and build you into the person you need to be first to be able to handle that dream.
Have you ever had dreams for your life? What about God's dream for you? Sometimes God speaks to us even in our dreams at night while we are asleep. How can we discern what is from him and what is not? Interpreting God given dreams takes a person of character with discernment through the Holy Spirit. Learn how to CATCH GOD'S DREAM for your life as he takes your own dreams and directs them to partner, and align, with His.
We are the church. Sometimes it seems the church is filthy, encompassing numerous problems and issues. But, learn what the Church means to Christ and who we are as His bride. It is a wonder far beyond our heart's content that enables us to dream big dreams for ourselves and our church.
Many Christians live in unnecessary anxiety because they lack God’s Peace. Discovering the secret of God’s peace is difficult. Defending your peace from the enemy of God and the world is just as hard. Paul shows us how to learn the "secret of peace” and how to keep it once we get it...
We all want to be blessed by God, but most of us go about gaining God's favor the wrong way. Doing 'God Stuff' to make God happy and in turn gaining his favor is the wrong approach. We can't actually earn God's favor, we already have it. Our problem is we have a number of issues in our lives that block God from favoring us. Ruth didn't know God as well as we do today, yet she is highlighted in history as highly favored. How did she do it?
We all want to be blessed by God, but most of us go about gaining God's favor the wrong way. Doing 'God Stuff' to make God happy and in turn gaining his favor is the wrong approach. We can't actually earn God's favor, we already have it. Our problem is we have a number of issues in our lives that block God from favoring us. Ruth didn't know God as well as we do today, yet she is highlighted in history as highly favored. How did she do it?
In ending our series of God's Kindness That Brings Provision, take the step of trusting God with your needs as a challenge for yourself between you and God, and relinquish THE FEAR OF NOT ENOUGH!
The fear of not enough is a roadblock that must be passed. God is our provider, and we must learn to TRUST Him.
Why do we we have fear of not being provided for? Even when we have enough the process of looking into the future and wondering if we will make it is daunting, scary, and unnecessary. God says He will provide and He means what He says. So, don't take yourself so seriously, stop to "look at your hands," taking time to stop and see God's intricate design, and make the decision to just GO ALL IN.
Are you plagued by fear? Wondering how, and if, God will provide? Starting our new series, "God's Kindess That Brings Provision," Pastor Steve Sjogren Speaks about regaining our courage and looking at the life of Moses.
Pastor Josh speaks about persistant faith and ending our series of Your Spiritual Depth, guest Jake Hamilton leads us in worship and speaks ecouraging words into our lives and the life of the church.
Venturing deeper into "Your Spiritual Depth" brings us to a place where we must choose to grow into an emotionally mature adult. But what does that look like? Am I not already a mature adult? This maturity lies in Gods love penetrating us and then reflecting out towards Him and others. The goal of the Christian life is to LOVE WELL. True spirituality includes not only loveing God but also the SKILL of loving others MATURELY.
Our culture knows little of rhythms. We are chronically hurried. Everyone complains of busyness and being stressed out and we have no idea how to change.
The question: how to live life oriented around God; calm, content, confident and peaceful? How do we enjoy the life to the full? Clue, it's in the 4th command...
Grief, loss and pain. It is no secret that Jesus said we would endure hardship in this life. So, hardship will come. And for most of us has already cut deep into our lives. But what if our grief and pain can have a reason, a purpose? If we allow Him, God will help us wrestle through it, and then cause it to strengthen, benefit, and better us. Don't let your suffering have no purpose. Let Him grow you out of the dark.
Do you ever feel like you are up against a wall? We all inevitably experience walls throughout our life and in our spirituality. Where many turn away or give up we need to JOURNEY THROUGH THE WALL in order to change and find ourselves back in God's joy and presence.
The cycle is now putting off the sinful patterns of my biological family and culture and being transformed so that I might be my authentic self in Christ and be a blessing to the world. God put you here for a reason, but you HAVE TO GO BACK TO GO FORWARD
I have always had the opinion that those who want to “find themselves” are selfish and narcissistic, and I think that is a true statement for most people who go on such self discovery expeditions. BUT…. If you don’t know yourself, how can you give yourself to God? And how can anyone be in a healthy relationship with you? So there is a fine line between introspection (bad) and self awareness (good). David was not only self aware, he knew where God was and what he was called to do. David was confident yet not cocky..
What lies beneath your Surface? We are all on a journey of spiritual growth. We can choose to not grow, get to a certain point and level off, or address what is spiritually and emotionally unhealthing below our surface to begin transofrming into the unique person God has specifically made every one of us to be.
Small things done with great love will change the world. Steve Sjogren pioneered the modern serving/outward-focused church movement more than 30 years ago when he planted a church in Cincinnati. The church grew from 5 people to over 6000, primarily through a strong emphasis on caring for the needy, small groups, and showing God’s love in practical ways such as cleaning toilets for local businesses, giving away bottles of water at busy stoplights, and delivering hot dogs and hamburgers door-to-door. Steve has observed in more than 30 years as a church planter and coach: that a church’s greatness has less to do with thousands in weekly attendance, the size of the sanctuary or the number of books the pastor has published. Instead, greatness is an ongoing process that is moved by the presence of God among His people.
Focusing on the gifts of life rather than what we lack is not only a happier way to see the world, it's Biblical. This week, we focus on this gift of salvation as we note that the summer season is coming to a close.
TRUTH: About Who You Really Are. You glorify God by being yourself, your true self! Begin the journey to find your true self, to be lead by the Spirit of Truth and to be set free into a new life. (FYI, can't get this done in one Sunday sermon, but it's a start!) John 3 & Psalms 19
You probably feel as if you are living in the margins of the paper of your life. How could you possibly be able to offer care for anyone else? Jesus offers care for those who care for the poor. This doesn't mean that Jesus only cares for the wealthy or those who can otherwise afford to care for the poor. It means so much more.
Friends are a source of inspiration, support and humor. More than that, friendship is a fountain of hope.
Friendship with sinners. One week is not enough time to even begin to cover this topic. In this follow-up, Pastor Josh examines more of the external and internal challenges that accompany living a Godly life in your relationships.
Examples abound in the Bible of friendship with sinners. Though it is a modeled behavior, it can provide challenges -- even centuries later.
Get in the friendship zone. Spiritual friendship is another level of friendship to examine as we continue to explore friendship in all of its glory.
Is God your buddy? Continuing to explore different elements of friendship, this week we examine the idea of friendship with God.
Pastors Larry and Joshua Kapchinsky together discuss fatherhood -- not only in Biblical terms but also in everyday life. An enjoyable and informative interchange between father and son informs this teaching.
God is great. So great, in fact, that we can't deal with it. Pastor Josh confronts our own desires to define and control God and explores why we tend to do it.
Pastor Joshua Kaphinsky discusses that feeling you get when you've had your focus on something for some time and you finally achieve it. Once you've managed that success, how do you define and measure yourself?
Pastor Joshua discusses what it means to be Spiritually Gifted to Serve. While not typically lauded in our culture, it is among the greates of gifts.
How does one summon the energy to love in trying times? A Mother's Day Message from Janice Kapchinsky.
Irresistible love is... well, irresistible. So how do we practice self-control in the face of irresistible love?
Pastor Joshua teaches about what is most valuable in life. Even more valuable than wealth itself.