Cloud’s Creek Baptist Church

In today's sermon on Ephesians 3:14-19, we read Paul's prayer for the Ephesians to grasp the mystery of God's goodness. The emphasis is on God's unlimited resources and the encouragement to seek more from Him. We are urged to desire a deeper experience of God's love. The passage parallels the greatest commandment, emphasizing strength, soul, mind, and love. The prayer is for the congregation to be filled with the fullness of God, seeking a life saturated with His presence and blessings.

In today's message, we explore Ephesians 3:20-21, focusing on God's ability to do immeasurably more than we can imagine. We discuss praying confidently in God's will, considering different levels of His will. We talk about the importance of giving glory to God in all aspects of life and living intentionally in alignment with our new identity in Christ, as we have read in the first 3 chapters.

This week, we're delving into Ephesians 3:1-13, unraveling the mystery of God revealed through Jesus. As we explore the fulfillment of numerous prophecies by Christ, we come to understand the intricate plan God had in place throughout history. We'll grasp the cosmic significance of the church and its role in proclaiming God's goodness to believers and the spiritual realms. We'll reflect on Paul's example, encouraging each other to prioritize others for the sake of the Gospel. Let's remind ourselves of the profound impact of the cross and allow the Gospel to naturally lead us to care deeply for others.

This week, we look at spiritual death and God's transformative grace. Reflecting on Ephesians 2:1-3, we acknowledge our universal brokenness and enslavement, emphasizing that we were all once spiritually dead. There is a stark contrast between living in the flesh and living in Christ. Being a Christian isn't just about the afterlife but experiencing new life now. We're reminded to view others not as enemies but as people in need of life. The world tends to be a place of despair, with a real enemy at work. But God's love and mercy make us alive with Christ and offer incomparable grace. We live in gratitude, knowing that salvation is a gift, not earned. We stress the importance of maintaining hope amid worldly challenges, living out our new life, and being ready to share the reason for our hope.

This week we look at the importance of prayer and the content of our prayers. Emphasizing that our prayer lives have often been influenced by a consumerism culture, leading us to pray for small and material things, almost treating God like Santa Claus. Instead, we ought to shift our prayers towards a desire for spiritual growth and transformation. The focus is on changing our identities and understanding ourselves as God sees us. Pray for a deeper knowledge of God and a higher spiritual view rather than just seeking changes in our circumstances. This passage also underscores the accessibility of understanding scripture, encouraging us to read the Bible and ask God for wisdom and insight. The core message revolves around placing Jesus above all things, recognizing that He is higher and more significant than any worldly concern. It calls for a shift in priorities, with a desire for more of Jesus and less of ourselves, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of our faith and God's plan.

Every Super Hero is a normal person who then gets extraordinary power. The new life we have in Jesus gives us the ability to love and care for others. We have a role as the hands and feet of Jesus. There are so many around us who need help, even just a little encouragement can go a long way. Ask God, and be on the lookout for opportunities to help others.

This week, we explore a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus. He talks about their adoption as children of God, stressing that this adoption is a permanent and profound transformation. This challenges the idea that everyone is automatically a child of God and highlights the importance of a personal relationship with God through salvation. Paul also mentions that believers are co-heirs with Christ and shares in God's glory. We explore that our eternity begins at the point of salvation, urging us to live in alignment with our relationship with God. We should perspective, emphasizing that salvation is not just about what happens after death but how we live our lives now, focusing on knowing and glorifying God.

Have you ever felt that need for pitch-black darkness to sleep in? In a world filled with artificial light, the value of light as a commodity from ancient times becomes more apparent. The sun, moon, and stars were the primary sources of light. In our exploration of the names of God, we've now reached Jehovah 'Ori, signifying God as our light. David recognized the significance of light, describing the Lord as his light and salvation in Psalm 27. In the New Testament, John also equated Jesus with light, emphasizing His role as the light of the world. This means that by following Jesus, we find direction, confidence, and purpose, guiding us through the darkness of the world. As children of the light, we carry this divine light to illuminate the path for others, exposing hidden struggles and sins. We are bearers of the divine light, showing the way to hope and righteousness in a world full of darkness.

This week, we delve into the name "Jehovah-Raah," which means "the Lord my Shepherd." We discuss how God's role as our Shepherd implies guidance, protection, and provision. It emphasizes the need for trust in God's guidance, especially in uncertain times, and encourages us to find contentment and blessings in His care. We're reminded to live in the present, allowing God to lead us, and to find rest and peace in His presence. Psalm 23 serves as our guide as we look at what it means to have God as our Shepherd.

This week, we reflected on Cloud's Creek's 235-year journey in Oglethorpe County. We acknowledged that it is staying focused on God's mission that has sustained us. From our inception after the Revolutionary War to navigating through historical challenges, God's enduring grace has been our anchor. We marveled at His unwavering love and faithfulness, which motivates us to stay devoted to His mission. Our mission involves connecting people with God through the gospel, nurturing spiritual growth, and serving within and outside the church. On this special anniversary, we renew our dedication to the mission of Connect, Grow, and Serve.

In today's sermon, we explored the name of God, Qanna, which means "Jealous," a term used in the Bible to exclusively describe God's unique form of jealousy, distinct from sinful envy or coveting. We learned that God's jealousy is rooted in His desire for what rightfully belongs to Him and His commitment to His chosen people, as seen in His care for Israel in the Old Testament. God's love, exemplified in John 3:16, highlights His worthiness of exclusivity in our lives. We also discussed the commandment to love God wholeheartedly and the need to guard against various forms of idolatry in our lives, redirecting our focus and gratitude toward Him in everything we do.

This week we explores the concept of Jehovah-Mekoddishkem, focusing on the process of sanctification in a believer's life. It highlights that God sets a high standard for holiness, which remains unchanged but is made clearer with the Holy Spirit's guidance. Salvation is seen as a journey of growth, and we should be vulnerable and allow God to remove sinful aspects from their lives. That we would be transformed into the image of the Lord through the work of the Holy Spirit.

This week we explore the name of God, Jehovah-Jireh, which means "God Will Provide." We dive into the story of Abraham and Isaac, highlighting Abraham's trust as God provided a substitute for Isaac's sacrifice. This name emphasizes God's role as our ultimate provider, offering not only physical needs but also substitutionary atonement through Jesus. We're called to place our trust in God for all needs, seek His kingdom, and find fulfillment in Him. Ultimately, Jehovah-Jireh assures us of God's provision, both in salvation and daily life.

In today's sermon, we explored the concept of Jehovah-Nissi – "The Lord is my Banner." This banner symbolizes God's guidance and victory in our lives. We learned from the story of Moses holding up the staff of the Lord during a battle, highlighting that our victory comes from God's faithfulness, not our own strength. We discussed the importance of community, finding our identity in God, and equipping ourselves with the armor of God for spiritual warfare. The sermon reminded us to prioritize God's banner above all else and to stand united as His children.

This week we look at what Jesus told the disciples shortly before His death and resurrection. Do not let your hearts be troubled. This message holds true to us today as well, we can trust in God and know that He will take care of us no matter what storms we may face. We can trust that not only has Jesus gone to prepare a place for us, but He also sustains us here on earth.

This week, we explore the significance of the name YHWH (Jehovah), used over 6,500 times in the Old Testament. It symbolizes God's holiness and authority. The book of Revelation exemplifies the awe-inspiring encounter with God's holiness. This name also emphasizes God's lordship, demanding our submission and adherence to His will. We must avoid selective obedience and emphasize the importance of aligning our beliefs with scripture. Embracing God's lordship means denying self and following Jesus, acknowledging His supreme guidance.

This week we explore the name of God "El Roi" through the story of Hagar and discover the intimate and caring nature of God. As we delve into the biblical narrative, we'll find comfort in knowing that God sees us in our distress and truly understands our emotions and struggles. This powerful revelation will remind us that God cares deeply for the afflicted and reaches out to those who feel abandoned. So, when we face difficult times, let's take heart and trust in the God who sees and walks with us, even in the darkest valleys of life.

This week we look at the name "El Shaddai," meaning "God Almighty." It highlights God's absolute power and sovereignty over all things. The story of Job exemplifies trust in God's control despite difficult circumstances. Believers are encouraged to let go of their desire for control, find relief in God's power, and trust in His ability to do more than we can imagine. We recognize God as El Shaddai, the Almighty, and place our faith in His control.

This week we delve into the concept of "Elohim," a plural noun used to describe God, emphasizing His multiple greatness as the Creator. Pastor Blake highlights its usage in the Bible and its significance in understanding God's nature. We explore the creation account in Genesis, noting the poetic format and the unique mention of God saying, "Let us make mankind in our image." We address the debate between evolution and creation, emphasizing that belief in either does not negate God as the ultimate Creator. The name Elohim encourages worship by recognizing God's creation and its purpose, reminding us not to prioritize worldly treasures but to seek eternal treasures in heaven. The overarching message is to acknowledge Elohim as the magnificent, plural Creator and to respond with worship and a purpose-driven life.

So much of Paul's ministry is defined by surrender. God can, and wants to do incredible things through us, but we limit Him based on what we're willing to give up. Paul was willing to surrender everything including his identity in pursuit of being used by God for the advancement of the gospel.

A shorter message than usual because we spent much of the day in prayer. But we looked at Romans 12:1-2 and the challenge to prioritize the kingdom of God, and refocus on spiritual things as we start off the new year.

It seems like we are growing more and more exhausted as a culture. We are burnt out, running around, and hanging on by a thread. Those aren't things that describe a life of joy. So what is it like to live with Joy? How can we have Joy in a culture of chaos?

As we wait for Christmas, we look at those who were waiting in anticipation for Christ's first coming, and ask how we can live with that anticipation looking toward His return.

Thankfulness is a lifestyle that can be difficult to live out in our culture. We are constantly bombarded by companies trying to make us dissatisfied with what we have so we want more. When we fight for thankfulness because we realize Christ is enough for us, it will lead us to live overflowing with thankfulness for what God has done and blessed us with.

Where do you get your strength? Where does your glory go? We can have a tendency to look to other places to give praise and to get strength. In this chapter of Acts, we see that looking up is always going to provide us with better results. Especially when there are consequences for things like taking glory away from God.

The vision God gave Peter can be a tough thing to interpret. As a modern-day believer, it's easy to get confused by what part of the Old Testament Law is still relevant to us. The vision didn't abolish any part of the moral law, but freed believers from the civil and ceremonial laws. God has been drawing all nations to Himself since the beginning of time, and this chapter shows us the gospel reaching the gentiles. And He will not return until every nation has heard the Gospel!

Cornelius the Centurian was remembered by God because of the way he lived. The qualities used to describe him are qualities that should mark our lives as believers. He was Devout and God-fearing, generous to the needy, and prayed regularly. These are not always the things we think of when we think of living for Jesus, but they are important in how we carry ourselves.

God is so powerful that He can redeem anyone. Saul killed Christians and wasn't too far gone to save. The faithfulness of Ananias to obey God no matter how uncomfortable the request resulted in the salvation of Saul. There are no limits to God's power in what He can do, or how He can use us.

The story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch is a fantastic example of the ability we have to share the gospel in our lives. It's not something that should feel like a daunting task but is more simple than we realize. Through the Holy Spirit, we can recognize opportunities and meet people where they are. We can listen to people's needs instead of feeling like pushy salesmen. We just have to believe the Holy Spirit will support us, that there is power in the gospel, and believe in ourselves.

Chapter 8 kind of serves as a catch-all chapter. It contains amazing stories about how the gospel has advanced in the nations. We see how God takes bad things and redeems them in the spreading of the gospel despite persecution. Then the story of Simon the Magician shows us the importance of discipleship and how the Gospel unites people from different backgrounds.

The end of Acts 7 brings us to the end of Stephen's speech and the religious leaders' reaction to the speech. They are heard-hearted and instead of receiving what Stephen has to say they kill him. They had the opportunity to understand God's pursuit of mankind, but instead of being teachable, they killed a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. The takeaway from Stephen's life is that we should be full of the Holy Spirit. Scripture repeatedly describes Stephen this way and instead of striving to be more like Stephen, we should strive to be more full of the Holy Spirit.

God is Faithful. We take an opportunity to share and appreciate what God has done in our lives (which has been edited out for privacy and audio issues). Because of God's faithfulness to us, we should respond by being faithful stewards of what He has given us. At Cloud's Creek, everything we do is to Connect, Grow, and Serve. We Connect to God and community, grow in spiritual maturity and knowledge, and serve both inside and outside the church. We do everything in Love because of the Love He has so richly poured out on us.

We continue to look at Stephen's response to the religious leaders in Acts chapter 7. He begins to point to the parallels between Moses and Jesus, that they were both the saviors who were initially rejected by the nation of Israel. We have to be careful that we don't end up like the religious leaders of that day, so focused on our own way of living that we miss out on who Jesus is. We have to recognize our own depravity and marvel at the power of the salvation we have received. Instead, we think of our sins as "no big deal" or think that we aren't that bad. Our salvation is not defined by our ability to be good or follow a set of rules. The question is do you have a relationship with God?

Stephen responds to false accusations by using the platform to share the gospel. He starts back at the patriarch of Israel, Abraham, trying to get the religious leaders to understand God's pursuit of them through the start of history. God is pursuing a relationship with each one of us and He frequently works through unlikely circumstances, but all of scripture points to Jesus. Everything leading up to Jesus's birth was part of God's glorious plan to bring us back to Him. When we have a relationship with God our lives should point to Jesus. Everything that we do is an opportunity to give glory to God, and show those we interact with that He loves them, and pursues them.

Things don't just happen because we think they're a good idea, we have to follow through with action. The early church realized the charity aspect of ministry was getting bigger than they could handle, so they appointed men of character to lead this ministry. We still are called to use our gifts and passions to serve the Kingdom of God, and realize that we should have high standards for those leading ministries. The men who were appointed to head up the ministry of charity were able to do so because they were truly living for the Lord. We must hold our church leadership to high standards for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

When we are at the center of God's will, we get to see His incredible power as He accomplishes His plans. The believers in Acts got to be part of a jailbreak to advance the Gospel, and when we live in obedience we too will see amazing things happen. They preached the Gospel despite facing persecution and were careful to be obedient to God while also being highly regarded by the people around them. The enemy wants to deter us from spreading the gospel and render us ineffective.

As believers, we must ensure that we are prepared to do whatever God calls us to do. God puts us in specific times with a specific purpose, and we have an incredible opportunity to impact the world with the gospel. We just have to be ready to take action when we have the chance.

As we watch the Holy Spirit working in the early church, even though they were being persecuted, they were highly regarded among the people. The church today is not highly regarded by the lost people around us. How do we get back to being people who are liked and well-thought-of? It's going to take us being people of character, who care, and who have something to offer.

Instead of asking God to get us out of tough situations, we can ask God to help us THROUGH those hard times. The early church asked for boldness when faced with persecution instead of asking for an easier path. Then God delivered! He filled them with the Holy Spirit, which we can also ask God to do. We have to take up our cross daily, surrendering to God all that we are to bring Him glory.

When we follow Christ, it should change our identity. We shouldn't try to hold onto things and not let God change us but should lay down every part of ourselves so that we can be more loving to the world around us. Peter and John had an attitude of "How can we not talk about Jesus!?" and we should have a similar attitude. When we let have every aspect of our life, when we love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind, that's when we are going to be overflowing and excited to talk to other people about what God has done in our life!

After receiving the Holy Spirit the people of God gathered together in our first exposure to the church. They were marked with a devotion to learning, strong sense of community, and generosity. These changes the Holy Spirit made in their lives drew more people to join the church and follow Jesus. These characteristics are something we should take note of and make sure we're still embodying those desires today!

After the arrival of the Holy Spirit, Peter starts to explain what Jesus has done to the people gathered to see the Holy Spirit. Peter is excited to tell them that Jesus fulfilled prophecies (over 300), He defeated death, and He gives life. As believers, we should be excited about what Jesus has done for us. Following Jesus isn't just part of our lives, it overflows into everything we do. Our excitement should spill over into love and witness to the would around us.

After the Ascension, the disciples knew that they had work to do but didn't have the Holy Spirit yet. They spent their time in preparation both spiritually and physically. Then when the Holy Spirit came everything was different. The Holy Spirit is not a weird mystic part of Christianity, but He is the part of God we experience the most. We should not fear the Holy Spirit, but open up and surrender more of ourselves to Him.

We kick off our new series in Acts and see that there is a work that God has for us to do. We have to shift our focus from the physical things of the world to look at the Kingdom of God, then realize we have work to do. We should not just be hearers of the word, but doers. God is a God of work and we were created and given a purpose. Acts shows us the example of the disciples putting into action the things that God taught them to do.

As we close our series on prayer we talk about the power that we have access to when we pray. Scripture teaches us that there is incredible power in prayer, but the power doesn't come from us. The power of prayer is that we have access to God, when we pray aligned with His will it has an incredible impact. Prayer shouldn't be our last line of defense but should be our starting point. If we understand the power of prayer it should drastically impact our prayer life and cause us to make it a priority.

Fasting is often mentioned in tandem with prayer so it makes sense to talk about fasting when we talk about prayer. Fasting should be a regular part of our life as a believer and there are a lot of benefits. Similar to prayer, it's important that we make fasting God-focused instead of self-focused. If we take a proper approach to fasting it will help us rid ourselves of distractions and increase our faith.

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? In John 17 Jesus prays for His disciples, and then for us. We look at how Jesus prayed, and what that means for us today. It is a prayer filled with selflessness and love that shows us His desire for us as His people. He wanted us to be a people of unity and love.

Many people have asked the question: Who is Jesus? It is an important question for our faith. We take a look at the 7 "I Am" statements that Jesus makes about Himself in scripture.

The concept of God's will can seem daunting to understand, and it is, but there is also an aspect of God's will that is easy to understand. God's will for your life is pretty clearly spelled out in scripture. There are things He wants all believers to do in their lives. We have plenty to do without trying to find more that God wants us to do. On the flip side, the more difficult part of God's will is when it doesn't line up with our desires. The attitude of "Your will be done" is the mark of a mature prayer life, but is one of the more difficult things to say. It becomes an easier concept the more we understand the goodness of God and that His ways our better than ours.

We started the morning off by watching a video that was more performance than prayer (Which can be found here). Prayer is not a performance for others, or for God. We don't need to impress anyone else, and we cannot impress God. Prayer is about being in the presence of a God who loves us, not trying to perform something for Him.

As we kick off our series on Prayer we look at why we pray. Like many things, we have made prayer about ourselves, instead about on God. We have to shift our focus from trying to get God to do what we want to allowing Him to change us. Our prayers should be something that aligns us with God, and brings Him honor through Worshipping Him.