Grace Assembly Sermon Series (Recorded Services, Sermons & Teachings)

It is easy to get worn down, lose our inspiration, dissatisfied, and discouraged. Even with our faith. Today we started with several words of encouragement given through Les Lawrence - with a focus of God working through a time of transition and expansion. Pastor John then goes to Mark 4:35-41 and reminds us to have faith and trust in the Lord in all things. After all, the storm didn't wake the Lord; it didn't even bother Him. The Lord responded to His children because, just like now, He is always with those that are His. All the time, even in the storm or a mess of our making.

Happy Father's Day!! God wants us to recognize our need for Him. On this Father's Day, Pastor John invites a number of fathers from the congregation to share the biblical principles they use in the homes: Today's speakers include: - Scott Wood - Nelson Garcia - John Blomberg - Mark Medley Pastor John adds on to their comments with principles our Heavenly Father uses with us.

Today we start by recognizing the young adults graduating from school. Then Pastor Hannah talks about what to do when we feel out of place in the world!

Today Pastor John begins speaking about the miracles God wants to do now in this day and age - through us, not just the pastor, the teacher, or the clergy. Therefore, Pastor John starts by clarifying our role, our responsibility, our commission in these things. Since everyone who has given their heart to God is commissioned, rather than debate this point, we should be asking ourselves what the Lord would have us do when we encounter those in need. After all, we have been commissioned by the Lord.

Pastor John starts by sharing a vision and word the Lord gave him about how He controls unfathomable volumes of water to make the tides go in and out. Then going to scripture, Pastor John demonstrates how God wants to pour abundance and blessings in and through us in a similar manner. Also, during service we join Sarah & Dominique Jones as they are both baptized today!

Today Pastor John challenges us to reconsider how we think about the Holy Spirit. Starting with two saints and how they responded to Him, he reminds us the same Spirit that formed the earth, did the impossible for them, and raised Christ from the dead, dwells in every believer and seeks to be just as powerful in and through us.

Today guest speaker John Blomberg goes through the book of Jude and talks about how it applies today.

Join us today as the Youth take over all of service - from worship, to the message, to altar. God Can Turn Your Ashes Into Beauty - Madi Grace Edwards gives a message on conviction vs. condemnation. Forgiving Others, Even The Inexcusable - Allie Blomberg reminds us that just as we have been forgiven, we must forgive others. Faith Over Fear - Joslyn Blomberg challenges us to really trust God, in the good and the bad, and thereby demonstrating the generousness of our faith. Trust, Believe, and Act - Jonathan Revoir looks to the disciples and highlights how God's plans are always better then ours and - even when we don't understand it or as improbable as it seems.

Continuing with the Matthew 5, Pastor John picks up with meekness or power under control. He starts by reminding us that when we go against this Godly trait, our egos will ease God out of our lives. Instead, we are encouraged to humble ourselves like Moses and move in His P.E.A.C.E: P - place your faith in Jesus Christ E - employ prayer in your decisions A - adjust your focus from yourself C - control your anger and tongue E - exude your humility and mercy

Happy Easter! Pastor John starts in 2 Chronicles 16:9 to demonstrate how the Lord moves through all the earth looking to help and provide for those who are His. Furthering this vein of thought, he goes to Psalm 23 and shows how the Lord wants nothing but constant communion with us and nothing but the best for us.

Today Pastor John shares the podium with Richard Oti who tells us we are not meant to be bystanders. Even THE BEST coach needs and wants His team to get in the game. Starting in Luke 5:1-39, Richard looks to the an example where the disciples had to learn to get to the end of their own strength and understanding and still get in the game. Richard exhorts us to just show up. God knows our excuses and limitations and will use His ability, not ours, to finish the job.

There are many things to mourn and grieve over - lost love ones, wasted time, bad choices, and more. Starting in Romans 12, Pastor John reminds us to move from mourning and be transformed. After all, God is close to the broken hearted. So don't run from Him; run to Him. Rely on Him and He will comfort, transform, and replace that which caused us to mourn.

Working from the first Beatitude, Pastor John challenges our thinking to realize that the impossible is only going to happen when we are in impossible situations. It's only when there is less of us that we can allow more of Christ to show through. After all, blessed are those at the end of their rope for that's when they're at the beginning of hope.

Continuing to warn us about the temptations that will be upon the church in the last days, Pastor John focuses on Matthew 24:12. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, he warns us that despite the increased lawlessness around us, we can not let our love grow cold.

Today Pastor John points out that we are the church of the Living God that Jesus said He was building in Matthew 16:13-18. Further Pastor John reminds us and challenges our thinking that we are overcomers and through His great power the gates of Hell will not prevail against us!

Today's service starts with us joining Justin and Kristen Mulder as they dedicate their baby Adalee to the Lord. Then Pastor John encourages us to thank the Lord for the conditions He has put into our lives to slow down. Starting in Isaiah 30:15, Pastor John warns us to not spoil or wish away the quite hours He is giving us now. We need to search for Him now while He can be found.

Tonight is a time of worship, celebrating, and sharing what the Lord has done during the recent corporate fast.

Starting in 2 Timothy 3, Pastor John warns us about the times we are in and the challenges we are facing. He also warns us that while this describes the world, this was written for the church and we need to look at our lives in this context.

Pastor John reminds us that if our thoughts are scattered, we're bound to be double minded. And if we're double minded, we will be unstable in all things in our life. There, things we are experiencing, or even not experiencing, are often the results of what we think. Starting in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Pastor John demonstrates how all of our thoughts, meditations, and imaginations matter in our spiritual strength.

Continuing the teaching of how to navigate life beyond the doors of church, Pastor John uses the example Jesus gave us through the disciples in John 21. Rather than getting frustrated, angry, or depressed how things turn out with our efforts, we need to respond to and follow the Lord's directions. And instead of avoiding life's difficulties, Pastor John reminds us Jesus wants to help us successfully navigate them minute by minute in faith.

Today Pastor John begins by defining Biblical fasting as: - Needing spiritual breakthrough due to life's burdens; - Intentionally denying the flesh in order to gain a response from the spirit;- Renouncing the natural in order to invoke the supernatural. Then going to Matthew 6 and then James 1, Pastor John demonstrates how fasting can give us both clear spiritual vision (upward) and understanding (inward) in our lives.

Happy New Year from Grace Assembly! Today Pastor John exhorts us with the truth that all of life's questions are answered by one Scripture - if we would just listen. Embracing the four elements covered is essential for our spiritual growth and stability.

God wants us to always run to Him. Regardless of our circumstances, He is our refuge. Starting in 1 Kings 17:5-16, Pastor John demonstrates how obedience in God will sustain us. We just need to turn to Him, trust Him, and receive from Him. In return, He has gifts for us but they often remain unopened due to our disbelief or disobedience.

On the Christmas Eve of 2020, we wish you and all of yours a very Merry Christmas from everyone at Grace Assembly! Today Pastor John starts with a short story to remind us that while we see imperfections and limitations in ourselves, God sees opportunities and means to glorify Himself. Pastor Hannah then goes to the Gospel of John to explain all that happened with the simple act of Christ dwelling with us.

In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus asked whether or not He will find faith when He returns to the earth. Starting with the widow and the unjust judge, Pastor John digs into what biblical faith looks like.

Just like the song says, a baby changed everything. Starting in Luke 2, Pastor John demonstartes how true this is - Jesus came as a baby the first time and in doing so He changed everything! All of creation should rejoice! So the only question that remains is what are you going to do with this Jesus?

Pastor John encourages us that if God speaks to us it is guaranteed to be the most intelligent thing we will ever hear. Further, what we do based on what we hear God say is our faith in action. Therefore, when we look to Him for help, we should remember that He is limitless in what He can offer and do. And when praying, Pastor John challenges us to consider the following about the limitless resources of God that we are tapping into: 1. Strength and power; 2. Knowledge and wisdom; 3. Guidance and direction 4. Healing and comfort; 5. Forgiveness and acceptance; 6. Values and principles; 7. Skill and ability; 8. Love and community; 9. Hope and courage.

Even with this being the craziest and strangest year most of us has ever experienced, Pastor John Blomberg reminds us of to be thankful. In spite of everything that may have been troubling, he goes over a list a of the many things we could, and should, give God thanks for.

Under the unction of the Holy Spirit, Pastor John warns there is a new persecution coming and some have already been affected by it. It is a demonic activity to create fear, isolation, and division. Pastor John takes us to the word to demonstrate how it is the church’s responsibility to be a catalyst against it and we need to be ready to give an answer.

Everyone has a filter system in their life - how they process decisions and results. This can be past experiences, self-help material, or personal successes or failures. While these methods may produce fruit, they don't produce anything real or lasting that will stand the test of time. In contrast, good, lasting fruit comes from a healthy root system. Therefore, using Jeremiah 17:7-8 as a foundation, Pastor John encourages us to create filters from a God's perspective. After all, God knows what is going on in our life, where we are, and what we need. Further, He'll use our every, ordinary lives and circumstances to teach us how to do this.

Gary Slate takes time during the recent men's dinner to discuss moving from not knowing Christ, to making it to heaven by the skin of our teeth, to pursuing all the blessings Good has for us - even on this side of Heaven. After all, knowing Christ is the Ultimate Prize.

Pastor John only shares one verse today, Romans 12:1: So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him (The Message). I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (ESV).

Pastor Hannah exhorts us that we need to consult with the Holy Spirit about our plans. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord. After all, God is not responsible to honor plans He didn't initiate. Starting with Isaiah 55:8-9, Pastor Hannah reminds us that God is really smart and available to us so we need to seek His wisdom and council.

Pastor John reminds us that God is doing more than preparing us for heaven.Rather, He is doing something much more intimately in each of us, He is checking every single motive in our hearts. Beginning in Ezekiel 36:26-27, Pastor John shows God is going to the root of our issues and create a newness in us. After all, He is the only one that truly sees the great potential in each of us.

Using Psalm 13 and King David's experiences, Pastor John demonstrates how as believers we can move away from our lives and circumstances and move closer to truth in Christ. Pastor highlights two things from the text 1. Pour out our hearts, without complaining, but talking honestly with God; 2. Choose by faith to rejoice in the Lord. This will enable us to move beyond our situations and what we see into the supernatural.

If we're not careful we can have a leanness in our souls - that is, we forget about God's holiness. This often happens when we put what we want above everything else. Going to Mark 5, Pastor John demonstrates this concept by looking at a miracle rejected by those it was meant to help but causing His enemies to bow in His presence.

The word of God is light and as believers we are said to be light. How does that work? The word of God must be in us and His word is meant to bring forth truth and light. Pastor John warns us we are often distracted from this due to our fear, doubt, and unbelief. Starting in Isaiah 30, Pastor John demonstrates how these things oppose God and can extinguish this light and truth. In contrast, as Hid children we need to stand against these things and wait and trust on Him.

Pastor John begins in 2 Chronicles 26 and King Uzziah to demonstrate that whether we are kings, priests, pastors, or young children, we all need to accept that if God says something, that's what we need to embrace. Just because we don't see His wrath poured out on disobedience now doesn't mean God changed His mind. Rather, He is giving us mercy and grace and the chance to change our minds.h The Lord is preparing and purifying His children so that He may pour His glory through our lives. Therefore we must pay close attention and heed His words. It's not about formalities but about our hearts.

Last week Pastor John talked about how the Word of God was the footer of what we build our faith upon. Today he askes us what are the corners we have established? Are we using eternal or temporal things to set our boundaries? Going to Psalm 139:1-14, Pastor John encourages us to know in our knower - to set a straight, firm and true corner - that God knows us and He is with us.

Teaching form Romans 14, Pastor John reminds us that whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Therefore, if our "faith" doesn't have power or influence over our lives, our actions, and our words, we should question what we say we believe. Further, Pastor John gives us two spiritual footers for us to build our convictions upon: - They must be built on the word and; - They should serve to build others up.

Today, while Pastor John reminds us that while this is a time of transition, he also asks us if we are looking in the wrong direction. God wants us to look higher and focus on all we really need - Him. After all, all He really wants is us (Psalm 50:7-23).

Guest speaker Les Lawrence focuses on Psalm 102 and the change to Israel that impacted them profoundly and dovetails into the times we are living in now and moving towards. Les raises the question - Are we the last generation?

Focusing on fear and anxiety, but applying to all things in life, Pastor John tells us the only way to counter whatever we struggle with is to bring it into the light. Don't hide it, confess it, and deal with it openly and honestly with God (1 John 1:5-9). That's what makes the difference between mastering something or being mastered by it.

Starting in Genesis 1, Pastor John points out that the Lord spoke everything into existence and it was so. But not man. He formed us. He molded us with His mighty hand. And then He out His very breath into us. Even today, He looks to do the same work with us - to transfor and fill us again.

Using contemporary conditions, Pastor John goes to Hebrews 10 to demonstrate how today's believers may were spiritual masks. The masks we put on are self-preservation or self-worth hide God's glory. The challenge for us is to remove our masks and radiate the same way Moses did.

On this Sunday as we recognize our graduates, Pastor Hannah speaks about simple, direct, and essential lessons to learn from the life of Moses. These lessons aren't just for the graduates - they are for all of us.

Happy Fathers Day from all of us to you!! Pastor John Blomberg shares from his heart and life about the need, desire, and real way God changed his thinking and actions in life. Why? So John's life will glorify and align with God's will in all things that he does. So that John would leave a legacy of Christ in his family. So that John may receive a crown; the crown He has for all the faithful.

Last week Pastor John talked about the perilous times we are in. But the Lord doesn't want to leave us in the lurch. So this week, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Pastor John instructs us from the Word on how to successfully navigate the days we are in.

Starting in Luke 12:54-59, Pastor John looks to help us synchronize our spiritual watches so we are not ignorant about what time it is. It's a time of peril, danger, and adversity. It's a time of worry and potential dissipation. It's time to be alert and stay focussed on the Lord and doing His good will.

So often we struggle with hearing from the Lord. But the Holy Spirit hovers over us waiting to land and infuse us with power. We just won't stand still and wait on Him. He waits for our full attention so He can fill our hearts and our lives and walk with Him. And on this day of Pentecost, Pastor John talks about how this changed how God shared His Spirit with the first Christians and shares it with us today.

Going back to the transfiguration of Christ, Pastor John focuses on two sets of scripture from 2 Peter that create a foundation and state the desire for what God wants us to to hear and do.