A small church that is big on community
Pastor Selim, visiting from Serbia shares an update about their completed building, and an encouraging message about God's good plans for us, from Jeremiah 29:11. https://www.facebook.com/crkvapodsatorom.leskovac
What is the process through which God forms, shapes and changes our life? Do we play a part in this - or is it all God? Today's final in this series looks at a simple model to help us understand this process, and the role that our spiritual practices play in our spiritual formation. Further resources: Spiritual Formation Triangle https://www.crccoolamon.org/post/spiritual-formation-triangle Celebration of Discipline, by Richard Foster https://koorong.com/product/celebration-of-discipline-the-path-to-spiritual-growth_9780340979266 Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer https://www.practicingtheway.org/ This series is based on the Renovare video course "From the Inside Out". Access their free resources here: renovare.org/courses/io
We will become like the god we worship - what is your picture of God? There are three aspects of who God is that will help us in our spiritual formation. This series is based on the Renovare video course "From the Inside Out". Access their free resources here: renovare.org/courses/io
Fathers Day Interview with recently retired Minister, Rev Stephen Davis.
You are shaped by who or what you spend time with. Who or what do you trust to form you? This series is based on the Renovare video course "From the Inside Out". Access their free resources here: https://renovare.org/courses/io
What happens when people strive for what they think is “the Kingdom of God” but forget the righteousness part? Increasingly we find that our culture doesn't value Christianity, Churches are decreasing, people are not coming to faith - could it be, as Jesus says, that we have lost our saltiness, and are being thrown out and trampled underfoot? What does Jesus mean when he tells us to “seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness”? Matthew 5 to 7 gives us a practical insight into true righteousness.
Do you ever feel like you are living the meme "I can't adult today"? What does Jesus say to us about how to live in this world and deal with all the competing priorities and problems of life? Matthew 6:25-34 cuts through the noise of modern life and shows us how to live a life that is strong, confident, capable and different. Good different!
David and Jonathan - the covenant that releases immeasurable grace into Mephibosheth's life (1 and 2 Samuel).
As Christians, why is our fellowship together so important and valuable?
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart...." Hebrews 4:12
God's call, command and promises go together and are essential for living a full and abundant life. But sometimes the call gets difficult, and we can be tempted to stray from it, like Abraham did in Genesis 12. Knowing God's word, and the commands and promises contained in it will be essential for us in living out God's plans for our lives.
Jesus is quite clear: if we want to follow him, we are to “deny ourselves”, take up our cross, and follow him. It goes without saying that to do this will take some radical shifts in the way you think and manage your life. You will need new habits and new priorities. But what does it actually look like to deny ourselves? And what habits will help us do this? Matthew 16:21-28 and Matthew 10:16-42 Access further resources for this teaching via https://www.crccoolamon.org/programs
The story of Jesus walking on water - and Peter asking to join him, is a strange story. What is really going on here and how does it speak to us today? Quite simply, Jesus is making disciples - followers who have a rock solid faith in their calling to be disciples.
A revelation about grace and an understanding of eternity will result in the fruit of faithfulness and love (from Col 1:1-14)
We are tired, burdened, restless. But Jesus offers us a different way to live. His way leads to a revived and satisfied life. It is not like the usual human or religious way, his way is humble, gentle and will lead us to the soul-rest we crave. Come, take his authority upon you, discover new habits for your daily life and take hold of a rock-solid satisfied life. [PowerPoint Version at https://youtu.be/XJ1cruSD7Ko]
Rest - that wonderful thing we all crave but don't make time for. Ultimately though, rest is found in a person, not a place or thing. Rest is found in Jesus. "Come to me", Jesus says, "I will give you rest." Jesus is the only cure for our restlessness. Matthew 11:28-29.
Every believer is called to ministry.
It's amazing that God's story is mapped out - and he invites us to be part of that.
Being thankful is an important part of living in faith and growing our faith.
Raj shares with us some of his personal experiences and the importance of living in God's presence (Hebrews 10:19-25).
Matthew 7:24-27 shows us how what a Rock Solid Life looks like.
As we celebrate Communion together, Robyn shares some of her life story and encourages us to trust our heavenly Father - our Dad.
God wants to give us a life in heaven - and a life here too. Is Jesus at the centre of your life?
Pastor Trevor Murphy shares with us from Romans 12.
The request of the Canaanite women - an outsider and undeserving, is granted, because of her faith in Jesus.
Joy. Acceptance. Peace. It's all on offer at Christmas – but only when we have Presence, spelled with a C. What do you want this Christmas?
We hurt ourselves when we resist God's plan for our lives because God has designed his world and us to flourish when we follow him. Will we allow him to interrupt us and give us a new calling and purpose, so we can live the full and fruitful life he has promised?
In your busy life, when was the last time you read the word of God? God's word is powerful - but do we take hold of it in our lives?
Whose plan is it anyway? Acts 24 and John 21:15-23 remind us that it's God's plan and as we follow Jesus we can trust that he is equipping us for the mission he has uniquely called each of us to.
Being a spirit led believer won't necessarily mean easy outcomes. God planned for his word to go “to the ends of the earth” and Paul's missionary journeys in the final chapters of Acts are part of this plan. In chapters 19 to 23 we see Paul being led by the Spirit through some difficult and dangerous situations as he journeys to Jerusalem, requiring determination to stay true to his calling while under threat and hardship. What does your journey to Jerusalem look like?
Idols rule our life when we trust in people, possessions or positions to give us power, control, approval or comfort. Idols are false gods of supernatural or human origin and when idols rule our life, Jesus doesn't. So how do we know if idols rule our life and what can we do about them? In today's passage, the Apostle Paul shows us what it looks like to live a life free from idols.
Is supernatural evil just something found in movies and superstitious cultures of times past? Is this something that we should think about in relation to our daily life? What is God's response to supernatural evil and what has been your experience of it - what are we to do with it? Humanity is in slavery - it is a prison that we can't taste, smell or touch, but it is real. However, the good news is that there is power in the name of Jesus to free us from that bondage. Resource: How to Discern the Voice of Evil https://www.crccoolamon.org/post/how-to-discern-the-voice-of-evil
Golden Vessels (2 Timothy 2:20) Bonita Byrne by
In the final parts of Acts we see Paul engaging with culture in a way that brings the message of the gospel "to the ends of the earth". But how are Christians today to engage with culture in an effective way? Do we get aggressive and fight it? Or accommodate culture and try and blend in? Perhaps we isolate ourselves from the culture? Are any of these common responses to culture effective and what can we learn from Paul in chapter 17?
God is not partial to one person over another, he doesn't have favourites, because in Jesus we are all invited into God's family. It's all about grace. But what exactly is grace? What does grace mean for us in our life today?
What one ingredient do we need to remain passionate for God?
Our communion service today takes a look at the gospel and 1 Peter 1.
Sometimes we have this idea that certain people aren't interested in God. Or are too hard-hearted. That some people would NEVER come to faith in Jesus. This isn't true, and Acts 8-9 tells stories of three unlikely, unexpected conversions.
Acts 8 presents us with an opportunity and challenge: to be scattered and sown as seeds of the word of God, knowing that what the enemy means for evil, God uses for good. Will we keep faithfully sowing ourselves - and God's word - into this world, in the midst of unexpected seasons of trouble or conflict?
We live in a society obsessed with pleasure and human bodies that crave pleasure - so what are we to do with suffering? Our passage today shows how suffering can be a blessing when we experience the filling of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with Jesus in the midst of that suffering.
Guest speaker Raj Prasad shares about missions and God's heart for all people.
Celebration Sunday (Communion with Robyn Amery) by
How can we live as a believer in a way that is neither tiresome nor irrelevant? Neither hostile nor harmless? Stephen, in Acts 6-7 is a great example of a believer who is a winsome radical, he lives with grace, power and wisdom in a culture hostile to the gospel message. How might we also live as winsome radicals in a culture that is increasingly hostile to the Christian faith?
What does it look like when the church is one with another? Unity is a key part of the church in Acts - and the church today.
How can a church be structured so that it is able to effectively care for each other, meet needs, minister the word and see new people come to faith? A healthy church will have healthy structures, and we see this happening in Acts 6:1-7.
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