North Hills Church of God

Jesus says that people would recognize his disciples as such if they have love for one another. It's a simple but profound message. Remember to allow yourself to slow down, have real encounters with people, keep showing up, and continuing to love.

Why God would allow tragedies to happen is a common question and inevitably comes up during seasons of grief. People have wrestled with this for a long time and there is no succinct or singular answer, but there are some applicable truths to consider. - God blesses us with free will - Suffering helps produce good character - Bad things happen that God does not want - Bad things happen to good people - God's ways are higher than our ways

Figuring out what to say or do when someone is experiencing grief and mourning can be intimidating. Be thoughtful in what you say, remembering that less is often more, and be present for them.

Faith is a marathon, not a sprint. Life will not always be easy, but if you persevere, there is a crown of life waiting for you when Jesus returns.

The birth of Christ, the Messiah is such a joyous celebration. Please don't lose sight of the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

The story of Moses has many similarities to Jesus. Most of all, Jesus is our deliverer. Like Moses delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, Jesus delivers us from our slavery to sin. We need to repent, believe, and place our full trust in Christ today. Use this Christmas season to spread the news of our great deliverer.

The story of Joseph in the old testament foreshadows the story of Jesus in so many different ways. The similarities occur over thousands of years apart and are written by different people, yet are very clear. All this points to the fact that Jesus was God's plan from the very beginning.

Although Jesus isn't formally introduced until the New Testament, about 3/4 of the way through the Bible, we see all throughout the Scriptures that God had a plan for his son. With the benefit of hindsight, we see many Old Testament people and events pointing to our Messiah. Here are 16 key examples of Christ's foreshadowing in the Old Testament: Adam: the first and the last Adam Abel: the innocent, acceptable sacrifice Noah: the savior through judgement Melchizedek: the priest-king Isaac: the beloved son offered up The Passover lamb The bronze serpent in the wilderness The manna: bread from heaven The Tabernacle The High Priest The sacrificial system Boaz: the kinsman redeemer David: the shepherd king Solomon: the prince of peace Jonah: the prophet in the belly for three days The festivals

The book of Esther offers many lessons, but perhaps the most important is the focus on using your unique position to serve God. After all, where has God placed you "for such a time as this"?

God provides for his people. He may not assure us that life will be easy. But we absolutely are assured that our God will deliver. If you remain faithful to God, you will have victory and salvation in him.

Good or bad, what we do in our lives will be uncovered. While you may be able to hide your deeds momentarily, the truth is always revealed in time. For like Haman, we will also reap what we sow.

Haman's entire being is poisoned by his inability to forgive. If you are holding onto a grudge, to a sense of unforgiveness, the best thing you can do is let it go. Freely forgive even if the person doesn't deserve it. Otherwise, you may find yourself going down a similar path to Haman, where one person poisons your entire being.

Esther's initial response to the problem was self-centered, which lead to fear. However, she decides to think of others and the dear turns into courage. Selfishness leads to fear, but selflessness leads to courage.

Every good story has a big problem and we find the big problem in the book of Esther in chapter three. What will happen now that the king has signed into law that all the Jews in country should be put to death? Will God use Esther to solve this massive problem?

In chapter two, Esther rises to power out of nowhere. However, she morally compromises herself in this process. We need to read further to find out what God is going to do with Queen Esther. Will he use this lady who morally compromised herself for his glory?

The book of Esther is unique in that it doesn't mention God directly...not once. The first chapter doesn't mention our protagonist, Esther, either. However, we can see God setting the stage for this amazing story and there are still important lessons to be learned and. The first is to control our appetite. Self-control is an essential fruit of the spirit for Christians and the first chapter of this book provides an example of its importance.

If you're in depression, don't assume God isn't near you. Seek out God, draw strength from his presence, draw comfort from his word. God isn't done with you, you have a mission and purpose to carry out for him.

It's unfortunately all too easy to feel disconnected from God in our culture. While we wait on the promise of the future kingdom, we can follow Jeremiah's advice given to the Israelites while they were in exile. Seek the welfare of the city you live in follow its rules pray for it share the gospel advocate for Godly principles If you seek God with all your heart, you will find him

Focus on what is important in this world; don't get so caught up on the little things. Our focus should be on God's kingdom and his righteousness. Anything that distracts us from this is garbage and we need to throw it out of our lives. What are you going to do with the precious time God has granted you?

There's going to be a great banquet one day where we will dine with Jesus himself. If we accept Christ's invitation to take part in this great feast, there are things we must lay down.

God has an amazing reward in store in the age to come for those who accept Christ. There will be no death or pain or sorrow. Instead there will be eternal joy, where we can live in the presence of God and enjoy his creation as intended.

Part of God's original design for mankind was to enjoy the pleasures of the world. David and Solomon tell us that God is still a God of pleasure, but Solomon warns that if we seek pleasure as the end game, it is but a vanity. If we seek God. the giver of pleasure, we are tapping into an eternal source of pleasure.

God is the inventor, designer, and rule-giver of pleasure. Going back to the garden of Eden, God's original design was for man to enjoy his creation. Is God still a God of pleasure today? If so, how do we respond to this?

There have been many great events this summer where God has been working. We know that God has been at work will continue to be working up until the return of Christ Jesus. It's up to us to partner with God and the church as we work to expand his kingdom.

Discovering our spiritual gifts and using them faithfully, opens the door to real spiritual growth. But, discovering your spiritual gifts starts with knowing Jesus.

All throughout the Bible, God does extraordinary things with ordinary people. This series examined some of those people and how their acts of faith glorified God and teach us lessons still today. Today's message recaps God's team throughout the Scriptures and how God does The Extraordinary Through the Ordinary.

Instead of conforming, Daniel transformed his mind through an ever growing relationship with God. Like Daniel, we have external pressures to conform to the patterns of this world, and we can stand firm against this pressure by drawing on the faith and courage of Daniel.

Nehemiah was deeply troubled when he heard the news from Jerusalem and he acted on it, moving over 750 miles to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. There are several things we can learn from his actions. Prayer is the first response, not a last resort Compassion inspires action God can use your position for his purpose

After examining the evidence, the most likely date Jesus died on the cross for our sins is April 3, 33 AD. The exact date aligning with prophecy that occurred 500 years earlier is important for multiple reasons. Proof of truth and authority of the Scriptures The God of the Bible is the true God Jesus is the anointed Messiah Slides from the message Further Research: The Jewish Calendar, A Lunar Eclipse And The Date Of Christ's Crucifixion The Death of Jesus

This series provides a look into pretty strong evidence of an exact date of the crucifixion of Jesus and a prophecy predicting the exact year he would die for our sins. The most likely date is April 3, 33 AD and is established by looking at the following pieces of evidence. Timeline of leaders active during Jesus's death When Jesus started his earthly ministry Passover calendar Lunar calendar Slides from the message Further Research: The Jewish Calendar, A Lunar Eclipse And The Date Of Christ's Crucifixion The Death of Jesus

Peter undoubtedly had many setbacks in his life - this is a part of being human. However, Peter didn't take these setbacks lightly and he responded in major ways to spread the message of Jesus and win so many hearts for Christ.

Time and time again Abraham responded in faith. He wasn't perfect, but he was a father who had faith in God and was able to accomplish so much because of that faith.

We often feel unequipped when God calls us to ministry. However, we know that God equips us with the tools needed to bring about his purpose and glory. Gideon's story is a great example of this.

Matthew left everything to follow Jesus. Like Matthew, our past doesn't have to be our future and can often be a platform for ministry.

David did not achieve victory over Goliath without risk. David's singular act of courage spread to the whole Israelite army. Faith in our own lives also comes with risk, but not much great happens through the pursuit of comfort and complacency. God does the extraordinary through the ordinary who are willing to step out in courageous faith.

Lessons from Joseph Suffering doesn't disqualify you - it may be part of your calling God doesn't just work after the pain; he works through it Choose forgiveness over revenge

Lessons from Ruth God can do extraordinary things through an ordinary act of faith The most important mission field for most of us is our home

Struggles are a part of life. Doubt is common but it's important to keep wrestling, keep at it and never get up. Pray and ask God to strengthen your faith. The reward is worth it!

Why do we not enter into the paradise of God's kingdom immediately after accepting Jesus as lord and savior? The thought of immediately entering into the perfection of God's kingdom is intriguing however, we would not have an opportunity to witness to others if that were the case.

The death and resurrection of Jesus are the greatest events in human history. His life was a sacrifice for our sins, but his second coming will be in power and glory brining about his father's kingdom. We have the opportunity through faith to be on the side of Jesus when that day comes - we must simply believe.

Jesus' triumphal entry boldly fulfills the prophecy in Zechariah 9 that he is the king. Like the witnesses to this event, we can respect Jesus as our king through obedience and giving him the best that we have.

God gives us multiple chances, but NOT infinite chances! This means that: We must repent quickly There is hope for us even after failure God's mercy is not something to play games with

You don't need to try harder; you need to connect closer.

In the pursuit of knowing and understanding who God is, let the scriptures speak to you. Don't let tradition get in the way but listen to Jesus who said the his father was greater than him. This is important because God desires our recognition.

When one of these relationships is missing or broken, it leads to a sick church. When a church lacks in influence, it loses its mission. Symptoms include: inward focused culture lacking in growth and decline community irrelevance When a church lacks in community, it loses its strength. Symptoms include: shallow relationships and support conflict and division grow spiritual growth stalls When a church lacks in intimacy, it loses its purpose. Symptoms include: prayer becomes an afterthought programs and activities overshadow spiritual growth sin is tolerated or ignored These three core relationships are an embodiment of what Jesus identified as the two greatest commandments - loving God and loving others. (Mark 12:28-34)

The decision is ours. We already know that God wants a relationship with us. Our responsibility is to put this most important relationship first and foremost in our lives. In order to do that, watch out for barriers like sin, busyness, and a divided heart. If we have no love for God, we have no purpose.

Creating authentic community within the church requires overcoming division, busyness, and individualism. However, we can succeed in creating real church community by committing to regular fellowship, getting involved in a small group, and praying together and for one another.

Relationships with fellow Christians inside the church are more community driven and meant to be more like family. These relationships are paramount because we can spiritually strengthen each other and provide mutual encouragement. In fact, our influence with the world is all for naught if not for our love for one another.

Our relationships with those outside the church must involve serving as ambassadors for God's kingdom. We can seek the interests of God's kingdom and influence the world around us by serving, praying, leading by example, developing meaningful relationships, and finding opportunities to share the gospel message.

As Christians, we often find ourselves in a choice between following Christ or listening to the world. These showdowns require faith in God, but when we choose to make a stand and live for Christ, we gain so much more than we lose.

The next step in determining what we value is looking at how we spend our money. Our finances are a key indicator of what's important to us. How you spend helps you discover what you value.