Pastor Gary Faith Baptist Church: Recent Episodes
Gary Santino
Luke 7:1-10 Luke tells the story of when Jesus interacted with a Roman Centurion. Jesus marveled at this man's faith and used this gentiles faith as a rebuke for the unbelief of his own people.
Missionary Rick Shusler speaks from Luke 15 about how God is still working in the lives of people. He relates his testimony of how he was burned when he was a young man and how God has worked in his life.
Mathew 9:35-38 There is a labor shortage in the US for certain jobs, and if they are not filled it will effect our economy. There is also a labor shortage in the church, and it affects our ability to spread the gospel.
Psalm 126:5,6 This well know verse demonstrates a great mission principle, that we should have compassion for people to be saved. When was the last time you were brought to the point of tears so that a person could be saved? Both Jesus and Paul demonstrated a great emotional burden for people to be saved. We don't evangelize today because frankly we don't care.
John 4:31-42 What was Jesus's favorite food? It was not pizza and it was not physical food but the joy of doing the will of the Father by saving those who are lost.
Exodus 34: 1- 9
Who will you make a covenant with? God make a covenant with us, and it is eternal, but often we make weak commitments to God and we are easily attracted to gods that to not keep their promises. If we are going to enjoy the benefits of serving God, we should be loyal to him and not have other gods in our hearts.
2 Peter 2:10-18 - We know that Jesus is coming soon, so how do we prepared for it? We don't sell everything we have but we live our lives expecting his return by living like Jesus and brining as many people with us as we can.
Exodus 1:13-22 - One women is powerful enough, but four women who team up to save Moses is a powerful force. These four women are an example to every Christian about how they need to act in difficult times.
2 Peter 3:1-10 People have been talking about the second coming of Jesus for years. We have become dull so the urgency of His coming, but He could come at anytime. Why is he waiting so long? Peter responds to these questions and the answer may surprise you.
1 Timothy 4:12 - This Sunday was teen Sunday as they did the whole worship service. Pastor concluded with a message from 1 Timothy 4:12 by speaking about 3 important things for teens to remember, keep close to Jesus, be humble and have a passion for God.
2 Peter 2:5-10, Genesis 13,19 What happened to Lot? Peter tells us that he was a saved man, a righteous man. Yet on the outward appearance he did not seem like a saved man. In fact he did not have any fruit and he destroyed his family. Pastor points out three areas in his life in which he made some bad decisions that brought him down the wrong road that caused him to lose his testimony and fruit. This process is repeated often in the lives of Christians who loose sight of God and fall back into the world in which they live.
2 Peter 2:6-10 (ESV)
Why did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah? The bible does not give one specific reason but a multiple of reasons, in which pastor narrows it down to two, 1. Extreme pride and arrogance and 2. Sexual perversion. Peter says that the destruction of the city is an example to the world about how God will deal with ungodliness.
Mathew 28:17 - How would you react if you witnessed Jesus in his resurrected body? The disciples saw him, and some of them worshiped him but some doubted Him. The truth is we often doubt God. But Jesus was gentle with His follower and instead of rebuking them, he showed them the scars in His hands and wanted them to believe. How can we turn from a doubter to a worshiper?
Hebrews 10:1-18 The O.T. sacrifices were just a shadow and had no power to take away sin or change our lives. Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, once and forever gained us access to God and a new life. God does not require anything else of us but to believe in what he had provided for us.
2 Peter 2:1-12 There are some truths that are hard to swallow. There will be people who will try to destroy our faith through false teaching. God is not indifferent, in fact the language he uses is very strong against false teachers and false teachings.
2 Peter 1:12-21 - Peter was preparing to die and he wanted to remind the church of some very important truths. He wanted them to see the glory of God and the reliability of the Scriptures. Peter, on his deathbed wanted to remind the believers that everything that he taught was true!
2 Peter 1:5-12 How do we define what is a Christian? There are a lot of lists people have, but Peter gives us 7 defined qualities of what it means to be a Christian. They are not things we do but things we become.
2 Peter 1:1-5 Peter tells us that if we believe the promises of God, we can grow. Pastor Gary draws out three promises by which we can grow. 1. Multiplied
grace 2. Divine Power 3. New Nature
Romans 10:13-21 Paul uses an O.T. illustration about the messenger who would announce the outcome of a battle as an example of those who bring the message of the gospel to people. People come to know God through the preaching of the Word of God. The ones that bring the message have beautiful feet!
Psalm 81 God supplies our needs and sustains our lives. Not only that, he gives us the sweetness of honey, and it is found in the rock, Jesus. This world cannot gives us what we need, only Jesus.
Ephesians 1:1-13 -The blessing of Christian identity is that it does not depend on performance but faith. God has called us all three of the words used in the message, because they have been obtained by faith because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us. We are chosen, we are forgiven and we are loved.
Ecclesiastes 7:8-10
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”
For it is not wise to ask such questions.
We can all start something, that is not the problem. The difficulty is in finishing what we start. God is a finisher, and what he starts he finishes.
Luke 8-20 Why did the angels come to the shepherds? What did they have to say about the Christ? The Angles said he was the Savior, Messiah and Lord.
Luke 2:22-28- What was Simeon? He was an example of what it means to follow God. He was so close to God that God gave to him a special revelation. As he held the baby Jesus in his arms, he proclaimed the gospel declaring that Jesus is the Messiah for the whole world!
Luke 1:36-45 - Many people have and idea about Mary and who she was. Today we are going to learn about what Mary actuality said and we can get a clearer picture of who she was.
Matthew 6:19–34 Jacob Ives speaks about treasure that matters from Mathew chapter 6. As we begin the Advent season, let's think about what is really imortant.
Psalm 100 is a Psalm of praise and thanksgiving. When we gather together, we should be ready to shout, to worship, to sing, to acknowledge and to enter into His gate to give praise and thanksgiving to Him.
1 Peter 3:10-14 What does it mean to stand firm in the true grace of God? Peter started his letter with grace and now ends it with grace. Unfortunately many do not understand the power of grace and that the Christian life depends upon the grace of God now our own ability.
1 Peter 5:8,9 We should respect the Devil but not fear him. He wants to intimidate us like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. But Peter say, we must have the faith to resist him because he is a defeated foe. Pastor tells us to, wake up, repent, trust God and stop crying!
1 Peter 5:5-7 What does it mean to be clothed in humility? Why is God against the proud? How can we have more grace? These verse offer tremendous practical steps toward a more prosperous life, because God offer to us grace to help us in all of our problems. There is a chose, cast all our burdens on God or bear them ourselves.
1 Peter 5:1-4 What are the duties of a church leader? You may call him pastor, reverend, elder or father, but Peter reveals how church leaders are to perform their duties. They are to live out the gospel and shepherd the flock. Pastor relates some of his experiences and challenges all of us to be shepherds, not leaders.
Revelation 6:12-17 We can reject all earthly kings and ruler, but there is one king that we must bow down to if we want to have eternal life and that is Jesus. Our problems today stem from the fact that we bow down to the wrong king, Jesus is the King of King and Lord of Lord's.
1 Peter 4:12-19 Even though we can go through trials for being a Christians, we can rejoice in God's purpose for the trials because God is faithful. 4:19 Instructs us that we can trust him, commit our souls to Him because He is a faithful creator.
1 Peter 4:10,11 - Each Christian has been given a spiritual gift to use to serve others. People ask if they can be a good Christian and not to to church, but a better question is do you want to deprive the church of it's gifts because you do not want to use it in the body? We are accountable to God to use our gift for the body for the glory of God.
Did you know that hospitality is a spiritual discipline and not just an optional service? Peter tells us that we are to show or demonstrate hospitality one to another without complaining. In a world were people are beaten down and abused, our reaching out to them in tangible physical ways can make a life changing difference.
Jeremiah 36 - Why was Charlie Kirk assassinated and what can we do about it? The times we live in have not changed. When you speak the truth to people, there is always a danger of those who hate the truth to react. Jeremiah was commanded to write God's words to the king. However the king did not appreciate those words and burned the scroll that Jeremiah wrote in the fire. Charlie Kirk enters into the faith hall of all the martyrs before him, only that we witnessed it live and on social media.
1 Peter 4:8 This one verse could change your relationships with other people. Peter went from a very proud person to a man who uses love to cover other peoples faults instead of pointing them out. We are quick to point out the mistakes of others and hold grudges, but God says we should love other people and instead of being hurt by their faults, love them with the love of God.
1 Peter 4:7 Peter forgot to pray with Jesus when he was going through His most difficult trial. Now he is encouraging us not to make the same mistake but to watch and pray. Unfortunately most of us are like young Peter, instead of praying we are sleeping. Let's pray and not surrender to the flesh and give up on the power of prayer.
1 Peter 4:1-7 Just as Jesus fought the flesh in order to have the victory over sin, we are to have the same mindset. That is why we should never surrender because we have the victory in Jesus. Time is short and with t he time left we should be doing the will of God and not following the ways of the world.
1 Peter 3:18-22 What does Noah and baptism have in common? Peter illustrates our salvation by bring us back to the flood. Salvation is in the Ark, Jesus and when we give our lives to him we are made new and separated from the world. Baptism does not save us but is a picture of the inward change that takes place when we are saved.
1 Peter 3:13-18 How can we be a good witness when we are facing persecution? We hold to the hope that we have in Jesus for everlasting life. Hope is more powerful than fear, and as we understand and hold on to our hope, we have the courage to be a testimony for Jesus in word and in deed.
1 Peter 3:8-12 Now that we are new creations in Jesus, as we mature we need to develop our heat, change our reaction and pursue peace. Peter tells us it is evil when we react like the world by returning evil for evil. If we are going to influence others, we need to demonstrated the love of Jesus by being humble and having compassion on others.
1 Peter 3:7 - Peter gives the husband wise advice, be present with your wife, know your wife, and honor your wife. Your wife is a result of your investment in her.
1 Peter 3:1-6 What makes a woman powerful? It is not because of her outward appearance but because of her heart. The power of a woman's inner being has the ability to change her husband and influence him to come to Jesus.
How do you witness for Jesus at your work? Peter says for us to be a good, conciseness employee and demonstrate the love of Jesus by our behavior and humility. We are remined that Jesus carried our sins of the cross in spite of the opposition and mockery, because he had to finish the job God had called Him to do.
Proverbs 27:7 Talks about a person who has an abundance does not find pleasure in obtaining more. But the person who is hungry, will find pleasure in just the little things. One cause of our spiritual apathy is that we are not giving away what we have so that we can obtain more. We have become full and therefore we don't have a passion for God any longer.
2 Corinthians 9:1-15 How generous are you? Paul talks about the benefits of being generous. If we understand hos generous God has been with us, generosity towards others should flow out of our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - Paul compares his missionary outreach to that of a father with his sons and children. If we are going to have a lasting impact in peoples lives, it will take a long term commitment to people by being involved in their lives.
Acts 13:1-3 - We start out missions month and today we will answer the questions what is a missionary? Pastor gives 5 qualities of a missionary from Acts chapter 13.
Jonah 4:1-11 - Jonah did not want the people of Niniva to repent because he wanted them to be destroyed. He was also upset because his shad tree had died and he was baking in the sun. God challenged him because he was angry about the wrong things and not concerned about the children that did not know God. How often we are angry and upset about the things of live that don't have eternal value, but fail to be concerned about the things God cares about.
1 Peter 13-17 - Nobody likes to submit, especially to evil leaders. But Peter, who was facing persecution from Nero teaches us that the best way to be a witness is to obey those who rule us and demonstrate the Jesus is real by the way that we live our lives.
1 Peter 2:4-10 How can we change the world? Many young people desire to make a difference. We can change the world by changing ourselves thus influencing those around us. In order to change ourselves, we must fight the spiritual war within us between the flesh and the spirit.
1 Peter 2:4-10 - Jesus is the perfect cornerstone on which we should build our lives. We are to offer up spiritual sacrifices for Him in building the church. How do we approach the church? Is it a place we go to listen or is in a place where we go to offer to God our spiritual scarifies.
1 Peter 2:1-3 If we are going to have a healthy spiritual diet, we need to stop eating junk food, the works of the flesh, and desire the milk of the word of God so we can grow.
1 Peter 1:20-25 - What is the hope of the resurrection? We have a new life in Jesus, we have new strength to live the Christian life and we have a meaning that transcends this life. Peter at one time was fixated on this life, but now he understands that we live this life with eternity in mind.
1 Peter 1:13-21 - There are three motivations for us to live a holy life, the ransom, the blood and the lamb. The truths of the gospel trump emotionalism as a reason to live our lives for Jesus.
1 Peter 13-17 - What is holiness? Peter tells us that we should be holy as God is holy. How do we become holy and what does that mean. Pastor explains three ways in which we should have a mind for holiness.
1 Peter 1:10-12 Do you know that we are a privileged people? We are witnessing what the prophets and the angles would of liked to witness. The prophets did not understand the suffering Savior even though they wrote about him. The angles cannot experience the grace of salvation, thought they would like to.
1 Peter 1:6-9 - Is it possible to have joy even though we are experiencing the pain of suffering? The answer is yes, not because of the pain but because of what it can produce in us. Peter had learned that suffering was not bad, but had value in that it purified his faith.
1 Peter 1:5 - How can we make it to the end of our faith? Often times we sin and fail to live up to what we should be as Christians. But the truth is that it is no dependent upon us or our power, but on the power of God!
1 Peter 1:1-4 - When Peter first followed Jesus he looked forward to the glory that would follow him as he witnessed Jesus ascend to the throne and restore the glory of the kingdom of Israel. What he did not understand was that suffering comes before glory. Now he writes this letter to the scattered churches and reminds them that the celebration is coming, but we will have to suffer first.
Psalm 6 we read about David's heart and how he cried out to God as he was suffering. But not only was he suffering, he was in distress about his relationship with God and the enemy having victory over God's people. Yet he knew that if he would cry out to God, God would hear him. Do we cry out to God so that we can be closer to him? Do we cry out to God in order that his work will be done on this earth?
How can we have a successful marriage? The only way is to follow the instructions or the laws of marriage. Genesis 2:23-25 instructs us on the four laws of marriage.
2 Corinthians 5:10, Philippians 3:10-14Christians have been forgiven for their sins because of the blood of Christ. But all Christians will appear before the judgement seat of Christ. We will give an account for how we live our lives and we can gain rewards by being faithful to Jesus. We can also lose rewards by not finishing the course.
Acts 13:36-41 - There are times when good people don't see eye to eye. Paul and Barnabas were two great men of God who came to an impas. The conflict was so strong that they ended up going their separate ways. There are times when believers don't get along. There are times when they may separate. But that does not mean that one is right or one is wrong. In the end, God in His love continues to work in the lives of His servants.
Galatians 2:11-21 Paul declares that we are saved by faith without the works of the law. But he also adreses the question, if it is that easy, can we just do what we want and have fire insurance? The answer is emphatically no. The cross not only saves us, we live through the power of the cross. We are saved by faith and we live by faith. Paul says that he is crucified with Christ, he no longer lives but Christ lives in him. Many times we trust the power of the cross to save us but not for us to live the Christian life.
Psalm 80 Three times this psalm askes God to shine on them. In other words they were seeking God's favor in their lives to restore them to their former glory. As we begin the new year, we need the presence and power of God.
James 4:113-17 - As we begin the new year, it is helpful for us to analyze how we are using our time. Are we using our time as wisely as we could? James warns us that we need to use the opportunities that we have and not rely on having another day. He tells us that it is sin to know what we need to do and not do it.
Ephesians 3:7-12 The Christmas story is about giving. But often we only get half of the story. We are given in order that we would give to others. The true meaning in giving is not just to get for ourselves but to give to others. One of the gifts we receive is love. But love is only understood when we love others.
Romans 3:19-31 Romans 3:24 tells us that we are justified by faith. A better question to ask than if you died today would you go to heaven is if you were to stand before God today, are you justified in His sight? The only way we can be justified by faith is if we have the imputed righteousness of God. This is a result of the price that Jesus paid on the cross so that you and I can go free.
Romans 3:19-27 Why did God give us the Law? Can we be saved by keeping the law? Are we saved by faith or are we saved by keeping the deeds of the law? Paul makes it clear that the law was given to show that we need God's grace and that we cannot be justified by keeping the law but only by faith.
John 3:1-15 The story of Nicodemus is a well know conversation between Jesus and a very religious leader. Jesus clarifies the teaching of what it means to be born again or born from above. It also explains what it means to be converted or regenerated. This is the good news of the Gospel that Jesus came not only to save us from our sins but to give us new life to overcome our sins.
Matthew 7:15-23 There are many people who are curious about God. But Jesus said that it is now enough just to be curious about God but he wants people to know Him. Join us as we unpack the difference about knowing about God and really knowing God.
Psalm 146 We are a people who often like to follow personalities. During this election time we are putting our trust in an elected official to solve our problems. But the only person that can really help us and the only on we can completely trust in is God.
Leviticus 19:33,34 What does the bible had to say about immigration? This is a hot button topic today. How should we respond as Christians?
John 18:38-John 19:16 How should the church react to the up coming election? As we study the trial of Jesus, it seems like that often times the church and state are in opposition. But the one truth that never changes is that the Kingdom of God will overcome. We should participate in the election, but we also need to keep our focus on the true king, Jesus.
Nehemiah 13:1-31 How is the Christian life similar to cleaning the garage? The work God is doing in our lives will never be completed, and we are often dealing with messes over and over again. Nehemiah had gone back to his job, but when he came back he had to aggressively deal with the sin of the people. He did not back down but was savage in how he approached it. We need to aggressively deal with the sin in our lives and not become wearying in well doing.
How does God view divorce? Malachi 2:12-16 we learn that God is not pleased with divorce but also gives three ways in which we can prevent divorce. Marriage is a convent between the man the woman and God. It is a relationship that is not to be broken but enjoyed.
Nehemiah 10:28-39 - Have you ever signed a contract without reading the contents? God's people were so moved that they were willing to sign a document promising God that they would keep His laws. We often avoid commitment today when it comes to church but not to work. We would do well to recommit ourselves to God and be serious about our serves to Him.
The Bible says to praise the Lord. Nehemiah chapter 9 is a prayer of worship and praise to God. Do you struggle with what to say when you pray? You can take these 11 principles of praise and pray them to God to honor Him for who He is and what He had done in your life. The conclusion of this worship time is that God is faithful and we are not therefore we will honor and worship Him more!
Nehemiah 8:1-11 Nehemiah went from building the physical walls to building the people. God wants to build us from the inside. He wants to build the church, but he wants to build it from the inside. How does he do this? By the teaching the Word of God so the people of God can understand it, obey it and enjoy fellowship with Him.
Nemiah 6:1-19 Nehemiah was close to finishing the wall. His enemies tried to distract him from finishing it by trying to join him in the work. But they were not trying to help him but to destroy him. Pastor Gary talks about three distraction and how Nehemiah handled them.
Nehemiah 5:1-19 How do we deal with people problems? Nehemiah had faced external opposition but now he is facing internal problems as conflict arose among the people. How did he deal with it? He faced it head on and he also lead by example. When we face people problems we need to face them and resolve them rather that ignore them.
Nehemiah 4:9-23 What do you do when the enemy wants to kill you? You pray, adjust your plan and keep working. That is what Nehemiah did. He did not quit and did not give into fear. He instead trusted in the power of God but also came up with a plan to defeat the enemy. Jesus told His disciples to watch and pray. We like Jesus and like Nehemiah need to watch and pray so that we will not give into the temptation to quit.
Nehemiah 4:1-23 - As they began to build the wall the enemies came and opposed them. Not only did they threaten them, they wanted to physically harm them. The truth is there are people who hate it when God's work is prospering. If we are going to finish the work that God has for us we are going to learn how to face opposition.
Nehemiah 3:1-32 Nehemiah was instrumental in getting the project going but he could not do it alone. The people had a mind to work and everyone did their part. The wall was rebuilt in 52 days because everyone worked together. I have heard it said that 20% of the people do all the work in the church. But what if everyone did something? We could do so much more together! How are you putting your hand to the task for the kingdom of God?
Nehemiah 2 teaches us the importance of not only praying, but planning. God opened the door for Nehemiah to speak to the king, but he was not unprepared. He had a plan in place to present to the king.
There are two Christians disciplines that are very important but seldom practiced and those are prayer and confession. Nehemiah when he heart the terrible news about the state of Jerusalem did not fall into despair but humbled himself before God and confessed the sins of him and the nation. He appealed to the promises of God which both let his confession and prayer for restoration. We read the story in Nehemiah 1:1-11
Nehemiah 1:1-11 Pastor starts a new series based on the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was used of God to rebuild the wall that had been destroyed in Jerusalem. In this message the question is asked, who will build the wall? In other words who will allow them selves to be used of God to encourage, guide and instruct the people of God for the glory of God.
Ephesians 4:29, Proverbs 18:21 - Many marriage problems are a result of poor communication. Not only in marriage but proper communication is important in all of our relationships. Pastor is going to help us understand why communication breaks down and how we can learn to communicate well so that our marriages and all of our relationships can be strong.
Isaiah 57:1-21 God says that he will lift up and heal those who are humble and broken. Isaiah 57:15 Explains to us the way of healing and peace, it is in the presence of God. He invites us to dwell with Him. But we have to come with a repented heart because the place where God lives is a holy place without sin.
1 Samuel 16 - Why was David called a man after God's own heart? It was because of his faith in God and his relationship with God. The most important part of our life is the development of the inner man.
Matthew 18:1-6 Jesus teaches us that if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we have to humble ourselves to the status of little children. We have to recognize that we are helpless without the Father's help. He also warns that those who would cause one of his children to fall, execution is a better option that living. Jesus tells us that those who mess with His kids will face consequences.
Zechariah 4:1-13 I am sure you have heard the verse, not by might, nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts. But do you know the background? Do you know the powerful message God sent to His struggling servant so he could finish the task? God sends us the encouragement we need to finish the work that God is doing in our lives. Zerubbabel faced great difficulties but God said that the task would be completed by his hand. How we need this encouragement today.
1 Samuel 1:18-28Have you ever made a vow to God? Hannah made a vow to God and she kept it and because she put God first, he blesses her with five more children. It may seem hard to keep a commitment to God, but the blessings make the struggle worth it.
1 Samuel 1:1-18 This is part one of a two part sermon series on Hannah. How was she able to overcome when so much was against her? She was a social outcast because of her bareness and she had constant pressure from the enemy that was in her own house. Yet, through her God raised up the prophet Samuel. She was able to accomplish this because of her faith in God.
Are you follower of Jesus or just an observer? The crowds observed Jesus but this woman embraced Jesus. What was the difference? Faith
Romans 8:5-15 What does it mean to but to death the flesh by the Spirit? We are free to live in the Spirit. We have to receive, believe and embrace the Spirit.
Matthew 25:31-46 - Jesus expects for us who know Him to be His hands and feet in the this world. We minister and serve Jesus when we minister and serve others.
Scott Brown missionary to Mexico City talks about how we can turn our trials into blessings.
Psalm 46 Pastor teaches us that Psalm 46 demonstrates that everything that happens, takes place so that God will be lifted up among the nations. The earthquake in Turkey is an example of how God is using turmoil to bring people to Him.
Luke 16:1-15 The story of the unjust steward shows us that we are wise when we use the master's resources to invest in eternity. Everything we own belongs to God, therefore we should use what he has given to us for His's glory.
Hebrews 11:1-6 - What is faith, why is faith important and how do be get faith? These are the questions that Dana will answer as he talks about the importance of faith.
Luke 22:31-34 Jesus warned Peter that Satan has a plan for him, but Peter did not listen. Yet, if he had listen to Jesus, he might not of fallen into temptation. There are three ways in which Satan tried to tempt us, but out pride, but fearing the circumstances and by looking at others.
Jeremiah 34:1-22 God commanded the people to free their Hebrew slaves on the seventh year. They refused and because of this God judged them. This has a parallel to Mathew 18 when the servant did not forgive his servant with such a small debt. Unless we forgive and release we will not have peace and we will not be pleasing to God. Lord help us to be a people that not only forgive with our mouths but also are willing to forgive with our heart.
Romans 12:1 John 4:21-24 Genesis 4:1-5 - Worship is about a place and a sacrifice. The place is our heart and we are the sacrifice. Are you willing because of God's great grace to lay everything on the Altar?
Revelation 4-5 Do we worship here in the church like we will worship God in heaven? These two chapters give us a picture of what a worship service will be like in heaven. We will focus on God and His Son Jesus. The focus of worship is not us but God.
Psalm 96 - This Psalm calls us to sing the songs of God in worship and praise. This is a new song of renewal, a song of supremacy, a song of worship and a song of hope.
Malachi 1:6-14 Does our worship honor God? God confronts the priests for offering a worship that was disrespectful and rejected by God. They would honor their boss and governor but not God. Pastor offers three descriptions of how their worship did not honor God.
2 Chronicles 30:1-27 tells the story of a worship revival lead by king Hezekiah. He re instituted the Passover and lead the people to worship at Jerusalem. The worship was so powerful that the bible says their voices were heard in heaven. 2 Chronicles 30:27
Luke 1:5-25,39-45 Elizabeth has been silent until now. But now she is going to speak about all that has been happening in her life. What she says is very significant and shows us that Jesus is the Messiah.
Luke 1:5-25 -Zacharias and Elizabeth were elderly and had not children. They did not have much hope for having a child. Yet, when the angle showed up, he had news that was going to change their lives. We may not understand how things in our life works, but there is one thing that is true, when God shows up, things change.
Luke 1:5-25 Zacharias and Elizabeth were very old and they had no children. Yet they were faithful to God. The Bible says that they were blameless walling in God's laws. There are times when we have to be faithful, even though we my not see God's blessing, yet. Pastor Gary encourages us to be faithful in the hard times.
How can we love Jesus? Jesus tells a dinner time story in Luke 7 about what it means to love Jesus.
What is the gospel? The word means good news, but the good news is very specific. Paul lays out the specifics of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-7
Luke 4:18, 19“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. (gospel) What is the gospel? Jesus stood before His peers and proclaimed that He was fulfilling the prophesy in Isaiah 61, that he was the Messiah, who came to preach salvation. Jesus not only came to preach the gospel, He is the gospel. The gospel message has no power without Jesus being who he is.
Psalm 1 - The bibles says blessed, or happy is the man who turns form evil and turns to God. Many in the church have memorized this Psalm that promises prosperity to those who follow him.
David went through a terrible time when his son Absalom rebelled against him. Yet, in all of his pain, he cried out to God who was able to comfort him. He even said he was able to sleep soundly because God was his shield and strength. Psalm 3 shows us that in spite of the trial, even when it happens in our own home, God is out strength.
Matthew 6:7-11 The Lord's prayer is not a prayer that Jesus prayed, but a model prayer that we can follow that teaches how to pray. We can use this as an outline to help us develop a prayer life.
Luke 18 tells us the story of how Jesus stressed the importance of not giving up on prayer. If an unjust judge will listen to a widow, will not a loving God answer our prayers?
We cannot fight the spiritual battle without prayer. Pastor Gary concludes the book of Ephesians by speaking about the importance of prayer.
The sword is our offensive weapon. Paul tells us it is the World of God. We have a powerful weapon at our disposal, we need to TOM - Trust it, obey it and meditate upon it.
Ephesians 6:16-17 What protects our minds? The helmet of salvation. Satan wants us to doubt His word and His purpose in our lives. Therefore we need to put on our helmet.
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Ephesians 6:15 and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:15 What does it mean to have our gospel shoes on. It means that we have the peace of the gospel and we are not afraid of the war that we are in. Pastor mentions four kinds of peace we have because of the gospel.
'above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ' Ephesians 6:16 The fiery darts of the wicked are being aimed at every believer. We by faith deflect these arrows. Pastor mentions six arrows that Satan shot at David and how he overcame them.
Ephesians 6:13-14 - Our heart is protected when we are right with God. We become right because we receive His righteousness and we continue to be right with God when we walk in His way.
Ephesians 6:14 The first piece of the armor is the belt of truth. It is the piece of the armor that holds everything else together.
Ephesians 6:12 Tells us that the real war is against evil spiritual forces. We cannot with the fight in the flesh, we must walk in the spirit.
Ephesians 6:12 - We have to know the plans or the wiles of the devil. His methods have never changed, he wants to destroy our lives and he lies to do it.
Ephesians 6:5-9 instructs us about work. Work is part of our worship and we can be better workers when we understand that we work for God and that we are paid by God.
Ephesians 6:4 When speaking about raising children, Paul addresses the dads. He tells them not to frustrate their kids and to raise the up in the nurture and discipline of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1-3 tells us about a commandment that is followed by a promise. What is the promise? It is that we will live a peaceful life when we obey and honor our parents.
We know of Jesus as our savior, but he is also our king. The resurrection was His coronation day. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus in the Prophet, Priest and King. Today we will focus on Jesus as the priest. He not only is our priest, he is our sacrifice.
This Easter we will be learning about Jesus as the Prophet, Priest and King. Today we learn that Jesus is the prophet that came to teach us the will of God.
Ephesians 5:22-33 What do we base our marriage on? It has to be more than just feelings. The three foundations of marriage give us something that we can build our marriage on.
Ephesians 5:22-33 Today we will be talking about the mystery of marriage. It is not a mystery in that we cannot know or God is hiding it from us, but as we are filled with the Spirit we begin to understand God's perspective.
The Bible tells us to walk in the spirit. How can we walk in the Spirit and what does that mean? Join us as we look at the context and try to understand what it means to walk in the Spirit. Ephesians 5:15-21
Ephesians 5:4-16 We are the children of the light. It is time for us to wake up and walk in the light. We need to be wise with our time and use it for the glory of God.
Psalm 121 The writer asks the question, where does our help come from? Our help comes from God who make the heaven and the earth.
Brent Monticue brings a message from Luke 24:13-35 about how we can look forward by looking back to the work of Jesus in our lives.
The Bible says that But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. There is a time when we just need to stop and reflect on the meaning of the Christmas story.
Luke 2:14 is a well know Christmas Bible verse. But what did the angels mean by peace on earth?
Why can't we find joy today? Jesus said he would give us His joy. On of the way we find this joy is in serving others.
The Christmas story is a love story, how God loves us. Paul talks about this love in Romans 8:31-39. It is one of the greatest passages in the Bible that gives us the assurance that we can never be separated from God's love.
Titus 2:11-15 Christmas celebrates the first coming of Jesus. Today we are looking for the second coming of Jesus. Hope is our expectation and waiting for the second coming of Jesus.
Ephesians 5:3-7 Paul may seem like he is out of touch, but he shows us that in spite of culture, God's commandments for sexuality have not changed.
Ephesians 4:32-5:2 - How can we forgive? We can forgive because God has forgiven us. Pastor gives three reasons why we can forgive. Bitterness is a poison that we drink hoping the other person gets sick. As hard as forgiveness is, the alternative is even harder.
Ephesians 4:29 tells us not to let corrupt communication come out of our mouths but that which is good that ministers grace to those who hear it. God wants us to put off the old way of communication and to put on a new way of communicating.
Paul tells us that we are to put away stealing and work with our hands so that we can give. This gives us a new perspective on work realizing that we are honoring God through work and helping others.
Paul tells us not to give place to the devil. What does this mean? The battle is in our minds and we should not entertain thought that go against the Word of God.
Paul's command to be angry and sin no contains an imperative, that is to be angry. Anger is often abused and most of the time we get too angry. However God has given us the emotion of anger so that we can take action.
We need to put off lying and tell the truth. Ephesians 4:25 is in an important principle for us to learn.
Ephesians 4:17-24 Paul talks about one of the most important principles regarding the Christian walk, putting off the old man and putting on the new man.
Ephesians 4:5-16 God has given gifts for the work of the ministry. If the church is going to be united and powerful we need to seek to use our gifts for the building and edifying of the body.
Paul pleads with us to walk a walk that is worthy of our calling. What are we called to do? We care called to so all we can to preserve unity in the church. Ephesians 4:1-7
Paul tells us to let Christ dwell in our hearts by faith. It is when the love of Christ dwells in our hearts that we are able to understand His power that can do great things in our lives. Ephesians 3:14-21
Christians and Afghanistan are fearing for their lives. Yet we are afraid to witness when we are not facing any persecution. God had a message to the church in Smyrna that should provoke us to live for Jesus and appreciate our freedoms while we still have them.
Paul was a deep theologian, but he was also a practical preacher. In Ephesians 3 he gives some details about how he approached ministry on a practical level.
Aaron Kaeble our guest speaker talks about how Jesus is the greatest of all time at accepting people.
What is the source of liberty? Paul proclaims where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. The true source of all our freedom is God.
The rich young ruler had it all, with the exception of eternal life. What is keeping you from the kingdom of God?
Ephesians 2:10 states that we are God's masterpiece. He is the one that is working in our lives so that we can live up to the potential that He has already ordained that we should walk in.
Ephesians 2:1-4 Why is the Christian life so difficult? We are fighting a spiritual battle in a world that is actively fighting against God. We can have the victory because we are risen with Christ, however we need to understand the environment in which we live.
Paul prays that we will understand and see with our hearts the tremendous benefits that we have in Jesus. Ephesians 1:15-23
Why are we here and what are we hear for. Paul answerers those questions for us. Part of our identity is realizing who we are and what our purpose in life is.
You have heard about cars for clunkers? God has a better and more enduring buy back program, it is call redemption.
Ephesians 1:3-6 What are the blessings that we have? We have our identity in Jesus. A Christian does not have an identity crisis when they understand the phrase IN HIM.
We are so blessed. But not material, but spiritually. The missing element of our lives is the spiritual man, and without it we cannot be satisfied.
Today we start our series in the book of Ephesians. We will learn the context of how the church was started and how it relates to us today.
How did Jesus treat Peter after Peter had denied Him? Jesus was gentile and direct with him and confirmed his worth by stressing the call that Jesus had on his life. When we fail Jesus He invites us back into fellowship with Himself.
Peter made some very bold claims about how he was going to defend Jesus. What happened however is that he learned a lesson in failure. Peter needed to fail so that he could understand God's will.
Thomas refused to believe until he put his hands in the scares of Jesus. What Thomas a doubter or was there something deeper to his faith? The resurrection answered the question for Thomas and it also answers the question for us, who is Jesus?
Pilate had to make a decision that he did not want to make. He tried to avoid it but in the end made the wrong decision. We all will be faced with the question, who is Jesus?
Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. But what was his motivation? What was he thinking as he lead the soldiers to arrest Jesus?
John chapter 17 is the true Lord's prayer. Jesus prayed that we might be one in the same way that Jesus and the Father are one.
Jesus declared just before He died, "It is finished." Jesus completed the work of our redemption on the cross. God does not start something without finishing what he started. This is a great encouragement and help to us to realize that everything God does, He finishes.
We desire to grow but we don't enjoy the struggle. The truth is that if we want to grow, we must embrace the struggle.
Hebrews 11 is known as the hall of faith. Verse 6 tells us that it is impossible to please God if we do not have faith. If we desire to know God and see Him work, we have to live a life of faith.
Matthew 6:221-34 - Do you know you are exactly in the spiritual state that you want to be? God said that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Jesus said those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled. The fourth law is very powerful, what we seek, we will find.
If we could understand that everything that God asks us to do, he also supplies the means in which to accomplish the task, it would change our lives and our approach to the Christian life.
1 Chronicles 29:11-15 David describes this principle. God in independent and He does not need anything or anyone. But we are completely depended upon God for everything.
This week we begin a series about the 7 spiritual laws. The first law will lay down the foundation for all the others laws. He is God and we are not.
Psalm 90 was written by Moses when he was traveling through the wilderness for 40 years. Moses lived in a difficult time of wandering, yet he kept his eyes on God and was able to grow through God's grace. Great advice for us as we continue to live in this time of uncertainty.
What is the hope of Christmas. It is the hope that we can be free. It is the freedom to never say again that nobody cares.
Jesus came to reconcile our relationship to God by dying on the cross for our sins. He offers us forgiveness, even though we don't deserve it. Forgiveness is possible and it is personal.
Mathew 1:18 states that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This is a miracle. To deny miracles is to deny the existence of God and the power to transform a life.
Mathew 1:1-17 We often skip the genealogy when we read the Bible. But they contain if you will the resume of Jesus. It also demonstrates to us who he is and how he identifies with us. Jesus did not come to the elite, he came to the poor, to the ordinary, to the 99.
Ray served in N.Y. city, Malt and now Ethiopia. Ray has a love for the work in Ethiopia and missions.
Pastor Ion Hrezdac encourages us to use the time and freedoms we have to preach the gospel. Pastor Ion tells us what it was like evangelizing during communism and how God's had we real to them.
2 Samuel 7 is David's prayer of thanksgiving to God for all he had done for him. At the heart of his prayer is a desire for the nations to know God. The mission of the church is the same, to make Christ known.
Why does there seem to be so much tension in society today? Psalm 2 informs us that this tensions has at it's root the battle that is in our heart.
Daniel chapter 4 is the epistle of Nebuchadnezzar. He was a pagan king the ruled the known world at the time, but he learned a lesson about the one who really rules the universe.
Romans 13:1-7 instructs us about God's purpose for civil authorities and how we should respond to them.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 teaches us that it is our duty to pray for our elected officials, regardless of party. In a day in which there is a great political divide, the church needs to center on the gospel and prayer.
True revival will culminate in worship. Josiah organized the Passover, which points us to Jesus, the reason for our worship.
We love to serve God out of emotion, but there are times when we must serve him out of duty.
When they went to repair the temple, they found the book of the law. Can you imagine that the Bible was lost in the house of God. When Josiah heard the words of the law he repented. How have we lost the Word of God in the church? We know it but we don't respect it's authority.
Detox is a fad that many people are using to cleanse their system from all of the impurities that are in our diet. Josiah purged the temple of all the impurities in their religion. We also need a spiritual detox today if we are going to know God fully.
How did an 8 year old boy break the trend of evil kings and become a king who served the Lord with all of his heart?
The revival that took place during the reign of King Josiah was the last revival that took place in the southern kingdom before they went into captivity. In order to understand this story it is important to understand the context and the four principles to understanding this passage.
David was at the end of his power and possibilities. He had cried until he had no more power to cry and the people were speaking of stoning him. What did he do? He found his strength in God.
Jesus tells us that he gives his peace to us. Did you know that peace is a gift that God gives to us? You can have God's peace through walking with Jesus.
James tells that we should be joyous when trials come because they produce patience. Patience or endurance produces perfection. If we are going to cope during these times, when need to learn how do endure difficult seasons.
Zacchaeus had everything, but he did not have Jesus. The greatest key to coping is to have Jesus. He is the source of all our joy and peace.
How do we know what to pray? We have a book called the Psalms which gives us prayers, meditations and songs that we can use to help us pray. Pastor take a look at Psalm 57 and helps us discover principles for prayer.
Paul instructs young Timothy that God has not given us the spirit of fear. Then why are we so fearful? Pastor Gary give us some practical advice about how we can cast out the spirit of fear.
Philippians 4:11-14 - One of the most quoted verses in the Bible is Philippians 4:13. But did you know that this verse applies to how we cope with life? Paul tells us he has learned in whatever situation he is in that he can prosper. We are excited to begin this new series on keys to coping.
In Psalm 82 God call the leaders of his people into judgment. In the light what is happening in our country with the protests, riots and police brutality it is a reminder that God will hold the leaders of his people accountable for their action or inaction.
During this crisis many churches are not able to meet. But a day is coming when Jesus will take his church out of the world and church will be forever. We also call this the rapture.
Revelations 13 talks about the mark of the beast. What does this mean for us? Does the fact that we have a chip in our credit cards mean we have the mark of the beast? Listen as pastor Gary talks about the meaning of the mark of the beast.
We celebrate mothers day with a message about Dorca. She was so precious to the people that God raised her from the dead to bring her back to the church.
2 Timothy 3:1-12 Paul tells us that in the last day dangerous times will come. He goes on to describe what people will be like in the last days. Are we in the last days? You be the judge.
2 Peter 3:1-14 There are some that mock the second coming because it has been over 2,000 years since Jesus said he would come back. However God has plenty of time and he is waiting for you to be saved.
We are starting a new series this week, is this it about the last days. Are we living in the last days and what are the signs? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 tells us that we are in the last days, however we should be awakened but not shaken.
Luke 24:1-12 - They came to see a body, but it was not there because Jesus is alive. Jesus only lived 33 years, but his life still impacts us today. Why? What happened? He arose from the dead!
God has a way of turning around a situation. What look like a desperate situation for the God's people who were on the brink of extinction, God changed the ending. It shows us that in the darkest of times, God has a way of turning the situation around.
Have you ever done a good deed and it was not rewarded? This happened to Mordecai, however God did remember and he did reward him. We lean through the story of Esther that we should do good all the time because it is right to do.
God is always working behind the scenes. We may not believe it but God has us in the exact spot where he wants us to be. This is the first in a three part series on the book of Esther.
As we are confronted with the corona virus some ask the questions what this from God? Why did he sent it? God often sent plagues to bring His people back to him. This week we are looking at Deuteronomy 28:58-64 for answers.
Jesus told the disciples that he no longer calls them servants but friends. What does this mean, how can we become a friend of God?
Jesus told his disciples that he would give them His Joy. Discover how we can have steady joy no matter what is going on around us.
Jesus said is you love me you will keep my commandments. For some the commandments of God are a burden not a joy. The problem is not commitment but love for Jesus.
Jesus makes us a promise that we will do greater works than those he had done. Therefore what are you asking God to do through you to bring honor to his name?
Jesus gave to his disciples a new commandment, to love each other as Jesus loved them. How did Jesus love? Pastor talks about 4 ways in which Jesus loves us from John 13.
The teacher does something the disciples were not expecting. He washed the feet of His disciples. He did not just teach about being a servant, he demonstrated what a servant should be. We find our happiness not in being served but in serving.
Jesus was about to go to the cross and face the greatest trial of his life. How did he have the courage and confidence? He knew who he was. This is a very important principles for us to understand, who we are in Christ.