Granite Creek Community Church Sermons Video Podcast

Today we are on a New Series. We are on talking about Matthew The Gospel Of The Kingdom.

We are on the last of our series The Battlefield of the mind breaking self sabotage.

We are still on our series The Battlefield Of The Mind.

Today we are still on the Battlefield of the Mind.

Today we are still on our Series on The Battlefield Of The Mind. Today we are talking about The Mind Of Christ.

Today we are still on our series The Battlefield Of The Mind. We are talking about The Conscious Mind.

What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!

What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!

What is really on your mind and who put it there? When the devil has us thinking about our past, pain or just weird stuff, he has built "strongholds" or castles in our minds that he controls. We have the power through Christ to tear down those walls!

Today we are going on a different journey. We finished our series on the keys to heavens economy and now we are on the journey towards The Battlefield of The Mind. We are so excited to jump into an amazing world-changing topic that Joyce Meyer has written about, spoken about, and shared all over the world. We are talking about the Promo into the new series.

Risk and Intimacy are the final two keys to Kingdom resources. God desire is to "prosper" us but in the Kingdom, he is more concerned about the condition of our heart than he is about our material success. Being vulnerable and risking builds faith, intimacy with God develops a heart that God can trust with his toys.

Today we talked about 8 Keys to Heaven's Resources.

Today we talked about Favor, Relationship, Influence and Hard work.

Today we are on a new Sermon Keys To Heaven's Economy. God can teach us how to proposer in any situation through a generous spirit and the revelation of his resources. For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Today we are finishing up the series on Daniel and talking about Visions.

Today we are talking about Daniel and The Endtimes.

Today we are continuing with Daniel and talking about what's written on the wall.

Today we are in the book of Daniel. We talked about The Power of Prayer and How to Do it According to Daniel.

How do we maintain our character and make good choices in the midst of conflicting cultural pressures? How can we really thrive and agree with God's plans for us, not just survive? Part 1 of a 6-Week Series.

Artist Hyatt Moore shares his new creative series of paintings "The Beatitudes" and unveils these beautiful paintings. Hyatt Moore shares the creative process of "hearing" God's voice, and how God guided him to make choices and decisions and solve problems along the way. Hyatt Moore is a prolific artist, painter, speaker and poet who shares with us a glimpse of how the gifts God has given him work out in daily life.

We finished our journey and now we are taking a new one into Dad Saves The Day. Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's.

Everyone has a measure of faith for salvation, but there is more, there is the “Gift of Faith”, that is given for the moving of mountains. We should eagerly desire this key yet often overlooked gift.

Today we talked about healing and our Youth Pastor Michael Jones gives his testimony and shares about the power of praying parents.

Take a Journey with us as we continue with The Charismata the Gift of Healing. The #Gospel is best expressed by physical healing if you don’t believe me ask #Jesus, He did a lot of healing to demonstrate the “Kingdom”. We can’t do “Church” without healing.

Today we are talking on The Charismata: Miracles, Signs, and Wonders. Today we heard that we should be stepping out in faith and if we see a sign walk through the door and that we need to pray for Jesus before the Miracles. When it comes to wonder we see the world in light, we see the world in wonder, we see the world in life, we see it bursting in living color, we see the world his way, and were walking in the light. Have you ever seen the wonder? In the air of second life having come out of the waters with the old one left behind. We see the world in love, we see the world in freedom, we see the Jesus way, He's the wonder in the wild.

Today is pentecost sunday and we are talking about the gifts of tongues.

The spiritual gifts of Knowledge & Wisdom are more than just God talking to us, they are used to release faith & grace into others who need encouragement, breakthrough or purpose.

We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church. Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12). 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7

We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church. Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12). 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7

We are on a journey through the Charismata, or gifts of the Holy Spirit. The word charisma, with a single exception (1 Peter 4:10), occurs in the New Testament only in the Pauline Epistles, and in the plural form denotes extraordinary gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon Christians to equip them for the service of the church. Various lists of the charismata are given (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-30; compare Ephesians 4:7-12), none of which are exhaustive. Although "faith" (1 Corinthians 12:9), is an essential condition of all Christian life; some might be endowed with faith beyond their fellows. "Giving" and "mercy" (Romans 12:8) are among the practices of the Christian character; though some might possess them more than others. "Ministry" (Romans 12:7), i.e. service, is the function to which every Christian is called and the purpose to which every one of the special gifts is to be devoted (Ephesians 4:12). 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. I Corinthians 12:4-7

We are ending our journey on The Biography Of Paul. I hope you all enjoyed this journey with me traveling to different parts of the Bible. I hope to see you again on a completely different adventure and journey. We are talking about the Biography of Paul. There is much we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and for the advancement of His kingdom. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around AD 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern-day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry (Philippians 3:5–6). His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek would have been despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household would have spoken Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city (Acts 22:22-29).

We are continuing our journey on Paul. We are talking about the Biography of Paul. There is much we can learn from the life of the apostle Paul. Far from ordinary, Paul was given the opportunity to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. The story of Paul is a story of redemption in Jesus Christ and a testimony that no one is beyond the saving grace of the Lord. However, to gain the full measure of the man, we must examine his dark side and what he symbolized before becoming “the Apostle of Grace.” Paul’s early life was marked by religious zeal, brutal violence, and the relentless persecution of the early church. Fortunately, the later years of Paul’s life show a marked difference as he lived his life for Christ and for the advancement of His kingdom. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around AD 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern-day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry (Philippians 3:5–6). His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek would have been despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household would have spoken Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city (Acts 22:22-29).

Today we are taking our journey from Paul to witness easter. We are talking about the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus or resurrection of Christ is the Christian religious belief that, after being put to death, Jesus rose again from the dead. It is the central tenet of Christian theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures".

Today we are we are ending our journey in Paul.I hope you had fun on this journey and come back for another journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.

Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.

Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.

Today we are going on a New Journey and Talking about The Life Of Paul. Come with me on this journey. Paul was actually born as Saul. He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia around A.D. 1–5 in a province in the southeastern corner of modern day Tersous, Turkey. He was of Benjamite lineage and Hebrew ancestry. His parents were Pharisees—fervent Jewish nationalists who adhered strictly to the Law of Moses—who sought to protect their children from “contamination” from the Gentiles. Anything Greek was despised in Saul’s household, yet he could speak Greek and passable Latin. His household spoke Aramaic, a derivative of Hebrew, which was the official language of Judea. Saul’s family were Roman citizens but viewed Jerusalem as a truly sacred and holy city. The pivotal passage in Paul’s story is Acts 9:1-22, which recounts Paul’s meeting with Jesus Christ on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus, a journey of about 150 miles. Saul was angered by what he had seen and filled with murderous rage against the Christians. Before departing on his journey, he had asked the high priest for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for permission to bring any Christians (followers of “the Way,” as they were known) back to Jerusalem to imprison them. On the road Saul was caught up in a bright light from heaven which caused him to fall face down on the ground. He hears the words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He says, “Who are you Lord?” Jesus answers directly and clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (vv. 4-5). As an aside, this might not have been Saul’s first encounter with Jesus, as some scholars suggest that young Saul might have known of Jesus and that he might have actually witnessed His death.

Today we are taking a break from our journey and going to honor someone and his name is Billy Graham. We are also going to be talking about Doubt. So we are leaving exodus but we will be back on our journey.

Today we are continuing with Exodus and Pastor Meko is finishing what she preached on last week. Pastor Josh is going to continue on with Exodus. So please come on this journey with me.

Come with me on this journey and lets stop and look at the book of Exodus.Today we are starting a new series on Exodus. Come as we hear about moses.

Today we had a guest Speaker Will Hart and he had 2 parts to his sermon. Here is Part 1 and if you want to know more of what he talked about you have to go and watch part 2 and you will be changed by watching these sermons. So come on this journey with me today.

Today we had a guest Speaker Will Hart and he had 2 parts to his sermon. Here is Part 1 and if you want to know more of what he talked about you have to go and watch part 2 and you will be changed by watching these sermons. So come on this journey with me today.

Today we are going on our journey from the power of praise and worship to walking in hope in a faith lifestyle. What does hope and faith mean though. We define faith as “unquestioning belief, complete trust or confidence.” Hope is defined as “a feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by expectation.” When you look at Webster’s definition of both words, one deals with a belief while the other is a feeling with an expectation. I especially like the second definition of hope, “desire accompanied by expectation.” The Hebrew and Greek words for hope also means to have an expectation. It’s a concept involving trustful anticipation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of the promises of God. By definition, we can see that hope works with faith, but it is not faith. Paul says in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Paul describes God as being a God of hope in that He placed the hope within us. I believe that God also has hope. His Word says He desires that all should be saved, although we know this is will not be the case. Hope involves having a confidence and a desire and that is what leads us to exercise our faith. When we are walking in faith, we actually abound in hope because our “feelings” are aligning with God’s Word and our desires are now accompanied by an expectation with confidence. When that expectation is materialized, we know that God has acted on our behalf and we start the process of fully exercising our faith. Remember I told you earlier that you cannot walk in faith if you are not expecting God to do anything for you. You must have an expectation and this is where hope comes in.

Today we are still on our journey through the Faith Lifestyle Series. We are learning about the Power of Praise and Worship through faith. Here are 7 words on how to praise. So lets learn them today. 1. Yadah - Hands to God. 2. Towdah - Extend the hands while speaking the same thing. 3. Shabach - Loud adoration; testimony to what God has done. 4. Barauch - Expressing an attitude of love and trust by kneeling or bowing. 5. Zamar - Singing while using instruments. 6. Halah - Rave upon the Lord and act foolishly (and where the word hallelujah comes from). 7. Tehillah - Speaking and singing praises to the Father. Here are the most common words for Worship. 1.Hishtachavah - Bow down, kneel, give honor; an outward physical stance usually done during times of giving an offering or making a sacrificeThe most common Greek word associated with worship is: 2. Proskuneo - To do reverence to (and where we get the English word prostrate) Worship first, then praise. In looking at Psalm 100, we can see a few more clarifying differences between praise and worship. The very beginning of this Psalm says, "Worship the Lord with gladness and come before Him with joyful songs.” Verse three says, "Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us and we are His.” It's interesting in this Psalm that worship comes first. I believe that the first part of worship includes getting to know God. Once we have come into a relationship with Him, then we can begin to give Him praise. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." (Psalm 100:4) If we praise Him without recognizing who He is, or without really knowing Him, we are most likely just putting on a show.Praise and worship doesn’t just happen at church. I believe the Lord wants us to adopt a lifestyle of praise and worship, and not just do it once a week on Sunday. Praise and worship can take place outside of the four walls of the church we attend. We can sing praises to Him wherever we are, whether that’s at home or driving in the car. We can also silently thank Him while strolling through the aisles at the grocery store. Acts of worship can include giving to someone in need or visiting someone at the hospital. In fact, any time you act as a servant and put God first, that is worship. While there are both similarities and differences between the words praise and worship, one thing is certain: God desires both from us. The more we live a life of praise and worship, the stronger and more intimate our relationship with Him.

Today we are starting a new series Living in God's Balance. Come join me on this new journey and lets learn about Living in God's Balance. As a woman, are there days when you feel that your life has gotten out of balance? Between working long hours at the office, rushing to get the children off to school, or writing your latest novel, have you felt that there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done? You are not alone. Many of us feel the pressures of everyday life more and more these days. Many women are especially sensitive to how full their days have become and how little they seem to accomplish during “normal” waking hours. If you are feeling this way, then it’s probably a good time to take inventory of your life so that you can get back on track. We’ve all heard the old adage that life is a “balance of mind, body, and spirit.” Hearing that phrase is one thing. Living that principle is quite another in our often hectic world. Many people, both men and women, seek this balance in their lives. The solution can often feel elusive once our lives have gotten off a healthy path. There are many paths to living a balanced life. A Christian perspective to having a balanced life begins by examining your relationship with God. How close are you to God? Do you seek His wisdom often or are you trying to go through life on your own? We can often feel alone when life becomes overwhelming. A relationship with God means that you are never alone (Romans 8:35; Psalms 91:10-11). The more intimate your relationship with God the more faith you have that He will help you through even the toughest times. Knowing someone is always there who understands what you are going through is a major component in the process of healing and getting our lives in balance. Often we are plagued by a need to “control” our environment and our lives. Looming deadlines at work and conflicts with our spouse, our families, or people with whom we work are just a few examples of circumstances that can cause our lives to feel “out of control”. In turn, feeling “out of control” increases our anxiety and causes us to search for an end to our frustrations. Left unchecked, anxiety can lead to depression, further complicating our desire for balance. A relationship with God does not require any special knowledge. Nor must you be anyone other than yourself. Everyone can have a relationship with God. All that is required is that you have a desire to foster your relationship with Him. God can then begin to assist you in receiving what you need in order to live life more fully and more balanced (Luke 11:9-13; 1 John 5:14-15). Reading the Bible on a daily basis is another way to grow your relationship with God. Your faith in allowing God to help you through all aspects of your life will expand as you begin to understand God’s wisdom and His plan for you. As your faith grows, you will begin to experience a positive change in your life. Once the change occurs, you will begin to recapture the “balance” you’ve been missing.

Today we are starting a new series Living in God's Balance. Come join me on this new journey and lets learn about Living in God's Balance. As a woman, are there days when you feel that your life has gotten out of balance? Between working long hours at the office, rushing to get the children off to school, or writing your latest novel, have you felt that there are just not enough hours in the day to get it all done? You are not alone. Many of us feel the pressures of everyday life more and more these days. Many women are especially sensitive to how full their days have become and how little they seem to accomplish during “normal” waking hours. If you are feeling this way, then it’s probably a good time to take inventory of your life so that you can get back on track. We’ve all heard the old adage that life is a “balance of mind, body, and spirit.” Hearing that phrase is one thing. Living that principle is quite another in our often hectic world. Many people, both men and women, seek this balance in their lives. The solution can often feel elusive once our lives have gotten off a healthy path. There are many paths to living a balanced life. A Christian perspective to having a balanced life begins by examining your relationship with God. How close are you to God? Do you seek His wisdom often or are you trying to go through life on your own? We can often feel alone when life becomes overwhelming. A relationship with God means that you are never alone (Romans 8:35; Psalms 91:10-11). The more intimate your relationship with God the more faith you have that He will help you through even the toughest times. Knowing someone is always there who understands what you are going through is a major component in the process of healing and getting our lives in balance. Often we are plagued by a need to “control” our environment and our lives. Looming deadlines at work and conflicts with our spouse, our families, or people with whom we work are just a few examples of circumstances that can cause our lives to feel “out of control”. In turn, feeling “out of control” increases our anxiety and causes us to search for an end to our frustrations. Left unchecked, anxiety can lead to depression, further complicating our desire for balance. A relationship with God does not require any special knowledge. Nor must you be anyone other than yourself. Everyone can have a relationship with God. All that is required is that you have a desire to foster your relationship with Him. God can then begin to assist you in receiving what you need in order to live life more fully and more balanced (Luke 11:9-13; 1 John 5:14-15). Reading the Bible on a daily basis is another way to grow your relationship with God. Your faith in allowing God to help you through all aspects of your life will expand as you begin to understand God’s wisdom and His plan for you. As your faith grows, you will begin to experience a positive change in your life. Once the change occurs, you will begin to recapture the “balance” you’ve been missing.

Today we end our journey in Romans. With the new year coming our journey is going to end with us getting new life and forgetting the old in our past. “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 CEV). Can a butterfly go back into a cocoon after it’s come out as a caterpillar? Of course not. It can’t happen. Once the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, it is what it is — a butterfly. When you become a believer, you’re like that butterfly — you come out of your cocoon. It may take you some time to fly spiritually, but once you become a new creation in Christ, you are what you are. You are a new creation. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new” (CEV). So what does it mean to become a new creation in Christ? The moment you believe in Christ, there’s a spiritual metamorphosis — everything changes! This is a matter of faith and not sight.The greatest step of faith we can take in our lives is to believe what God says about who Jesus is and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I believe the second greatest step you can take is to believe what God says about who you are. You are a new creation in Christ! The Bible says in Romans 6:14, “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (NLT). A true life, a better life, a wonderful life is only found in Christ. When you become a Christian, you have a new life in him.

Today we are going on a different journey through Luke and learning about the real christmas story. We have been on many journeys and each of them very meaningful and this story will be the very reason why we go on these journeys. So in honor of Christmas today I give you the real christmas story. Mary, a young teenager living in the village of Nazareth, was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. One day God sent an angel to visit Mary. The angel told Mary that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would give birth to this child and name him Jesus. At first, Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel's words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, "How can this happen?" The angel explained that the child would be God's own Son and that nothing is impossible with God. Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior. Surely Mary reflected with wonder on the words of Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (NIV). So, while Mary was still engaged to Joseph, she miraculously became pregnant just as the angel had said. When Mary told Joseph she was pregnant, he must have felt disgraced. He knew the child was not his own, and Mary's apparent unfaithfulness carried a grave social stigma. Joseph had the right to divorce Mary, and under Jewish law, she could be put to death by stoning. Although Joseph's initial reaction was to break the engagement, the appropriate thing for a righteous man to do, he treated Mary with extreme kindness. He did not want to cause her further shame and decided to act quietly. But God sent an angel to Joseph in a dream to verify Mary's story and reassure him that his marriage to her was God's will. The angel explained that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus, and that he was the Messiah. When Joseph woke from his dream, he willingly obeyed God and took Mary to be his wife in spite of the public humiliation he would face. Joseph's noble character was one reason God chose him to be Messiah's earthly father. At that time, Caesar Augustus decreed that a census would be taken. Every person in the Roman world had to return to his or her hometown to register. Joseph, being of the line of David, was required to go to Bethlehem to register with Mary. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Because of the census, the inn was overcrowded, and Mary gave birth in a crude stable. She wrapped the baby in cloths and placed him in a manger.

Today we are going on our Journey into Romans and we will be on this very short series for a few weeks. Today when we stop in Romans we will be talking about Strength. Romans 8:31-39 may be the most comforting and encouraging passage in the entire Bible.1 These verses definitively declare that: Security leads to stability and productivity. Paul offers three hopeful assurances: (1) There is no opposition (8:31-32); (2) there is no condemnation (8:33-34); and (3) there is no separation (8:35-39). 1. There Is No Opposition (8:31-32) In spite of who or what comes against you, God is for you. In 8:31a Paul writes, “What then shall we say to these things?” This is the first of seven questions in this passage. Seven is the number of completion and perfection in the Bible. Throughout this passage, Paul’s goal is to exhaust any and every objection. “These things” (tauta) likely refers to the previous contents of his letter (1:18-8:30).This section is the Cliff Notes on Romans 1-8. Since Paul is astounded by God’s unconditional love he writes in 8:31b, “If God is for us, who is against us?” Notice Paul doesn’t ask the question, “Who is against us?” Rather, he qualifies the question with the phrase: “If God is for us . . .” The Greek word “if” (ei) is not a term of uncertainty, but of certainty. Paul is saying, “If God is working on our behalf (and He is), then who could succeed in opposing us?” His point is that no adversary or enemy is of any account when God is for us. Romans 8:31 was John Calvin’s life verse because it brought him much comfort and confidence. Today you may feel defeated, but Paul’s encouraging truth is that evil will never ultimately prevail. You will always be led to victory in Christ because God is for you. Today personalize the verse by adding your name: “If God is for ________, who is against__________?” In the movie, The Lion King, the young cub Simba is being surrounded by hyenas, and he gets ready to defend himself, when his father jumps up behind Simba and roars. At that great roar, the hyenas scatter. Now the truth is, sometimes hyenas do gang up on and defeat adult male lions. But, if every created being in the universe were to gang up on God, they still would not be able to defeat Him. With that kind of God for you, who can possibly be against you? Who or what do you have to fear? No one. Nothing. Security leads to stability and productivity. 2. There Is No Condemnation (8:33-34) Although you may feel condemned from time to time, God’s love for you is timeless and He will never condemn you. Paul writes in 8:33, “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?17 God is the one who justifies.” This is a rhetorical question, equivalent to an emphatic denial. So the question is: Who would dare “bring a charge against God’s elect?” The answer, of course, is no one. This question is from a courtroom setting. No one can charge you with sin crimes because God has justified you. God has acquitted you and declared you righteous before His perfect justice. If God pronounced this verdict, who can resurrect the charges of wrong doing that would bring you before Him again? There is no double jeopardy in God’s legal system! As a believer, you can be sure you are eternally secure because there is no sin that has not already been dealt with by Christ. Therefore, if God the Father went to all this work to save you, it is nonsensical to contemplate the remote possibility that you could somehow be lost. If “God is the one who justifies,” who is able to “unjustify” you? Absolutely no one! There Is No Separation (8:35-39) Since God set His love upon you in eternity past, He will continue to love you for all eternity. Paul makes this point inextricably clear by emphasizing the love of God or Christ three times in this section (8:35, 37, 39; cf. 5:5-8). Furthermore, the verb “separate” (chorizo) bookends this section (8:35, 39), confirming that there is no separation in your relationship with God. Paul begins with the question that is potentially the most critical question a Christian can ask: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35a) Of course, the answer is: No one can separate us from the love of Christ. However, you may say, “But I don’t feel like I love Christ all the time.” No, you misread 8:35a. It’s not who is going to separate us from our love for Christ, but who is going to separate us from Christ’s love for us. I don’t know about you, but my love for Christ can fluctuate between hot and cold. If my salvation depends upon the fervency of my love for Christ, I would have already been cast into hell. Thankfully, my salvation does not depend upon my love for Christ; rather, it depends upon Christ’s love for me. His life, death, resurrection, and intercession have secured my eternal destiny. The only reason that I will spend eternity with God is because of the person and work of Jesus Christ. In closing There are three pairs in 8:38-39: (1) Death/life: Nothing in this life and nothing in death can separate a believer from God’s love. The two things we fear most, living and dying, are not threats to our eternal life. Whether we live or die, we are in God’s love. (2) Things present/things to come: Nothing in our present experience, nor anything to come, can separate us from God’s love in Christ. (3) Height/depth: If we were to travel to the “highest” or “lowest” points in the universe, or anywhere in between, we would never arrive at a place where we could escape Christ’s love. There is nowhere we can go where anyone or anything can take our eternal salvation away from us. By using these three pairs Paul could not be any plainer or clearer. Eternal life is eternal: Nothing in life or in death, nothing in our present or in our future, nothing in the entire universe, no matter how “high” or “low” we might go—nothing can separate us from His love. Paul selected these pairs because each represents the extreme of something dear to us (i.e., existence, time, and location). Just like we can’t cease being the children of our earthly parents once we are born, so we can’t cease being children of God once we are born again. We can no more be unborn spiritually than we can go back and be unborn physically. When we trust in Christ for salvation, by His grace, at that very moment, we become members of God’s family forever.

Today we are going on our Journey into Romans and we will be on this very short series for a few weeks. Today when we stop in Romans we will be talking about transformation. Romans 12 transitions from teaching about what God has done for his people to what God expects from his people. How are the new people of God (the true Israel) supposed to live out their faith in the world? It appears that the first two verses of Romans 12 are the general commands on how to live out our faith in the world. Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice — alive, holy, and pleasing to God — which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God — what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2; NET). The first thing Paul is calling for is a total commitment. We are to present our bodies as the sacrifice to God. God is calling for us to give ourselves wholly to God. We are to offer ourselves to God. We are not to offer some of our lives or some of our bodies. We are to commit 100% of our lives and bodies to God. Sacrifice is the ultimate proof of true love. God proved his love for us through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). We are called to give ourselves completely to God. Paul has already taught this idea earlier in his letter to the Romans. When we were children we had a phrase, "Don’t be a copycat!" As kids, we like to mimic other kids. Of course, if you were the kid with originality, you did not like someone copying you. Paul’s instruction in verse 2 amplifies what Paul taught in verse 1. Being a sacrifice for God means that we will not be copycats of this world. The NLT reads, "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world." This is what it looks like to be alive to God, holy to God, and pleasing to God. Do not copy the world’s behavior and customs. Do not do the things they do. Do not think the way the world thinks. If we fit in with the world, then there is a problem. We have been conformed to the world if we fit in. Instead, Christians are to be transformed. Christians are not to allow the world’s pressures to change them. Rather they are be changed inwardly in the mind. Paul calls this the "renewing of your mind." It is a radical transformation that must take place. It is interesting to observe that the only other time this word translated "transform" is used in the New Testament is in reference to the transfiguration of Jesus. We are not be changed by the world, but radically changed by God by renewing our minds.The mind is the means by which this transformation takes place. We are to changing our thinking patterns away from worldliness and toward godliness. We must adjust our way of thinking about everything in accordance with the new life we have been given (Romans 7:6; 6:4). Paul warned in Romans 1:28 that the disobedient and worldly have debased and worthless minds. God does not want us to degenerate our minds, but renew our minds in Christ. Paul speaks of this renewal of the mind in another way in 2 Corinthians 3:18.