Gateway Bible Baptist Church

The sermon, titled 'The Brutal Bite of Bitterness, part 2,' centers on Naomi's spiritual and emotional descent following personal tragedy, illustrating how bitterness—rooted in disobedience, unprocessed grief, and misplaced blame—leads to isolation, spiritual apathy, and a distorted view of God. Drawing from Ruth 1:6–22, it contrasts Naomi's hardened heart, marked by self-pity, criticism, and rejection of love, with Ruth's faithful, sacrificial commitment, highlighting the transformative power of grace and repentance. The message warns against the destructive consequences of bitterness, including emotional instability, victimhood, and spiritual blindness, while urging listeners to confront hidden resentment, confess sin, and embrace God's redemptive purpose. Anchored in Scripture—from Romans 8's groaning creation to Psalm 51's plea for renewal—it calls believers to choose faith over despair, forgiveness over bitterness, and to find true joy not in circumstances but in Christ, who bore our pain and offers restoration.

May your faith be truly alive and not falsely contrived

The sermon, titled 'The Brutal Bite of Bitterness,' centers on Naomi's spiritual and emotional descent following personal tragedy, illustrating how bitterness—rooted in disobedience, unprocessed grief, and misplaced blame—leads to isolation, spiritual apathy, and a distorted view of God. Drawing from Ruth 1:6–22, it contrasts Naomi's hardened heart, marked by self-pity, criticism, and rejection of love, with Ruth's faithful, sacrificial commitment, highlighting the transformative power of grace and repentance. The message warns against the destructive consequences of bitterness, including emotional instability, victimhood, and spiritual blindness, while urging listeners to confront hidden resentment, confess sin, and embrace God's redemptive purpose. Anchored in Scripture—from Romans 8's groaning creation to Psalm 51's plea for renewal—it calls believers to choose faith over despair, forgiveness over bitterness, and to find true joy not in circumstances but in Christ, who bore our pain and offers restoration.

Realize that even one sin condemns a person before God

The sermon, drawn from Ruth 1:1–5, confronts the spiritual peril of choosing one's own way over God's will, illustrating how personal autonomy, rooted in materialism and self-reliance, leads to spiritual decline, broken relationships, and profound despair. Centered on Elimelech's decision to flee a famine in Bethlehem—symbolizing God's provision—into Moab, a land of idolatry and moral decay, the message underscores the consequences of abandoning divine direction: spiritual complacency, compromised faith, and tragic loss. The preacher highlights six crises—cultural apostasy, famine, lack of faith, death, compromise through ungodly alliances, and ultimate hopelessness—each reflecting the inevitable outcome of living by sight rather than faith. Drawing from Deuteronomy, Romans, and Isaiah, the sermon calls believers to reject the 'gospel of modernism' that promotes self-determination and instead embrace God's way, which, though marked by trials, brings true provision, purpose, and peace. The exhortation is clear: surrender the illusion of control, submit to God's will, and find life not in comfort, but in faithful obedience.

The sermon, drawn from Ruth 1:1–5, confronts the spiritual peril of choosing one's own way over God's will, illustrating how personal autonomy, rooted in materialism and self-reliance, leads to spiritual decline, broken relationships, and profound despair. Centered on Elimelech's decision to flee a famine in Bethlehem—symbolizing God's provision—into Moab, a land of idolatry and moral decay, the message underscores the consequences of abandoning divine direction: spiritual complacency, compromised faith, and tragic loss. The preacher highlights six crises—cultural apostasy, famine, lack of faith, death, compromise through ungodly alliances, and ultimate hopelessness—each reflecting the inevitable outcome of living by sight rather than faith. Drawing from Deuteronomy, Romans, and Isaiah, the sermon calls believers to reject the 'gospel of modernism' that promotes self-determination and instead embrace God's way, which, though marked by trials, brings true provision, purpose, and peace. The exhortation is clear: surrender the illusion of control, submit to God's will, and find life not in comfort, but in faithful obedience.

Let us truly love our neighbours as ourselves.

Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ

Let others see your genuine and pure faith in God.

The sermon centers on the transformative power of divine presence, emphasizing how God's nearness reorients the believer's identity and purpose. Drawing from key passages in Scripture, it unfolds the theme of abiding in Christ as the foundation for spiritual fruitfulness and enduring joy. The tone is both pastoral and convicting, inviting listeners to surrender control and trust in God's faithful provision. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt application, the message calls the audience to live with expectancy, rooted in the unshakable promise of God's presence. Ultimately, the sermon affirms that true peace and purpose are found not in circumstances, but in communion with the living God.

Let others see your genuine and pure faith in God.

Delight yourself in the LORD, and in His ways, and you will receive His mercy.

Stop hearing, and start doing

Arise, go and preach the Gospel! All people are worthy of hearing the Gospel.

Believe the Gospel, and you will be transformed.

Restore God's worship to its rightful place both personally and corporately.

Thank the Lord for second chances.

Be slow to wrath, and allow the Lord to lead and guide your speech.

Love the local church, and realize of your responsibility to the local church as a member and active participant.

To seek for godliness, one must pursue quietness!

The sermon explores the nature of temptation, emphasizing that it is an unavoidable aspect of the Christian life, but not a cause for despair. Drawing from James 1, it highlights the importance of viewing trials as opportunities for developing patience and enduring faith, ultimately leading to a crown of life. It clarifies that God does not tempt, but allows trials to test and strengthen believers, urging them to resist the allure of sin by submitting to God, filtering thoughts, and actively choosing obedience, while affirming that God's grace is available to those who humbly seek it.

Love the local church, and realize of your responsibility to the local church as a member and active participant.

Let your identity be Christ, and your mission in life be in the pleasing of Christ.

Go to God often, and see the treasure of infinite wisdom solve your life's problems.

Jonah tells the men that he is a prophet and running from the Lord. The heathen sailors realize that Jonah is a runaway from the Lord's calling, and he must be cast overboard.

The sermon emphasizes that trials and tribulations are inevitable aspects of life, not as punishments, but as opportunities for spiritual growth and maturation. Drawing from Scripture, particularly James 1 and 2 Timothy, it asserts that enduring these hardships with patience and faith, rather than cursing or resisting, leads to a deeper relationship with God and the development of a resilient character. The message encourages believers to embrace trials as a refining process, akin to testing silver or forging steel, ultimately leading to a state of perfected faith and a greater capacity to radiate God's glory, mirroring the example of Job and the promise of eternal reward.

Our prominence in the eyes of the Lord begins with our submission to the authority and leading of God.

Trust God no matter what the circumstances dictate.

We must courageously accept what God says about us, trusting in Him alone, and then boldly tell others of His grace.

May we truly have a heart that seeks the betterment and spiritual progress of those in the faith.

Let God be sufficient for all circumstances of life.

It is never wise to run from the Lord's calling on one's life. Be the witness God has called us to be.

Let God be sufficient for all circumstances of life.

Obey the Lord and receive His sweet abiding presence.

A loving relationship with the Lord will compel you to follow God's rule and thereby enjoy a joyful spiritual walk with Christ!

The sermon emphasizes the necessity of actively controlling one's thoughts, aligning them with biblical principles to cultivate a peace-filled mind. Drawing from Philippians 4 and passages like 2 Corinthians 10, it highlights the importance of casting down ungodly thoughts and bringing every thought captive to Christ, encouraging a shift from reacting to thoughts to behaving according to biblical precedents. The message underscores the value of virtue and praise as filters for thought, advocating for a mindful consideration of truth, honesty, justice, purity, loveliness, and good report, ultimately leading to a reliance on God's peace and a life reflecting His character.

A loving relationship with the Lord will compel you to follow God's rule and thereby enjoy a joyful spiritual walk with Christ!

Let your heart and feet match the words you speak, the preaching you hear, and the Bible you read about Christ.

How should the local church and a Christian be connected? What part does the local church have to the believer? These and other questions will be looked to see what the Lord Jesus Christ thinks about His local New Testament church.

Source Material: David Cloud, Book: "Bird's Eye View of the Bible"

In order for a church to be transformed, its members must have the correct mindset towards one another.

A peace-filled mind requires a biblically centred filter for your mind,

This is part 3 of a series on how to have a transformed church. How can I be an effective Chrisitan, and be all that I was created to be. Will you display an undeniable loyalty to Christ?