Susquehanna Valley Baptist Church

Bitterness, can corrode relationships, hinder spiritual growth, and undermine the work of God. And it is not God's will for us to have bitterness in our lives. The remedy is not mere willpower, but the active, Spirit enabled rejection of bitterness through faith in God's justice, sovereignty, and provision. Forgiving and setting aside the hurt, to pursue holiness.

The biblical practice of fasting is not a legalistic requirement, but a profound act of self-denial rooted in spiritual discipline and alignment with God. Fasting, paired with watchful prayer, reflects a deep commitment to godly service amid trials and burdens, countering the world's self-centered values.

While Biblical Fasting has its rightful place in the disciplines of a believer, it must remain in its proper Biblical context. It is an individual choice, wholly voluntary, that seeks to subdue the flesh for the purpose of surrender to God.

The cross that Christ bore was not easy, nor was it enjoyable. He suffered immensely so that you and I might have salvation from the just penalty for our sins. Jesus, and Jesus alone, was able to go through the pain and suffering that He endured. Praise be to God for His great love!

The church of Philadelphia was at a crossroads. Would they go forward with the Gospel, or would they fall into apostasy? It is vital to be seeking after God and going where He calls us to go.

There are four vital ways believers today can support global missions. By embracing the responsibility of service. Cultivating sympathy through prayer and correspondence. Offering supplication in persistent intercession and providing tangible support through financial stewardship and practical care.

Death is inevitable and judgment follows, yet the rich man's tormented plea in Luke 16, reveals a startling concern for his unsaved brothers. Prioritizing their salvation over his own suffering. Though unregenerate, his continuous cry for someone to warn his family underscores a profound spiritual insight. Often prayer and concern focus on personal needs rather than the desperate spiritual condition of others, urging a renewed urgency to share the gospel before it is too late.

The local church is the birthplace of all missions activities. Yet, the church cannot accomplish God's full purpose if not all the members are fulfilling their duties. One must take the small steps of faith in obedience to God, so that He can use both them and the local church to accomplish great things on His behalf.

What we have in this life is very little, but God takes a little and does a lot with it. The key to the believer's life is total surrender to God. It requires laying your life on the line and going all in for Him.

The church of Philadelphia had many strong qualities despite their little strength. They had held fast in the midst of trials and had continued to promote the Word of God to the world.

Our life is an investment we will make for eternity. Therefore, we must take care to invest it for the Lord. It is easy for us as sinners to chase after the things of this world, but they are fruitless. Let us use this opportunity of life to invest for eternal rewards.

God has required two things of believers when it comes to missions. We must send, and we must go. The harvest demands us do both. If we do, we will be able to behold trophies of God's grace.

In the local church, there are two duties concerning missions. We are to send, and we are to go. Neither sending nor going is more important than the other. Each one is necessary for the successful propagation of the Gospel.

God has given believers the great ministry of distributing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do we find ourselves too accustomed to the Gospel that we don't recognize its greatness, its power, or its working? We must continually stay amazed at the greatness of what God has done so that all men might be saved.

There are countless souls in this world who have never heard the gospel. They, like the man at the pool of Bethesda, cry out, "I have no man." Who will be the man that will step up and take the Gospel to the condemned of Adam's race?

The church at Sardis was alive in that it was present in body, but it was dead in its actions. Our faith is shown in our actions, not simply our words.

Sin always brings judgment to those committing it. For believers, salvation is guaranteed us by God. Yet, there is still judgment for the believer and that is shown in the church at Thyatira which had failed to prevent the woman Jezebel from teaching false doctrine.

There is only one thing that can transform the life of a sinner and that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is a sure light. From the events of Acts 16 to the present, He has not changed. The gospel has not changed, and it never will. Hope will only be found in the light which is Christ.

Jesus's victory over sin, death and the world, is not merely spiritual but bodily, culminating in the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of believers into incorruptible, immortal beings, rendering death's sting powerless. As Christians, we need to embody this hope through steadfastness, immovability, and abounding in service, resisting cultural pressures, doctrinal compromise, and weariness by anchoring our identity in Christ's finished work and the sustaining fellowship of the church.

The church of Thyatira had done many good works, but they had failed to protect themselves from false doctrine. Rather than resist the false doctrine of the woman Jezebel, they had accepted it and become a sensual church.

The biblical view of fasting is not a mandatory religious obligation, but a voluntary practice rooted in devotion rather than ritual. Acts 13 and Colossians 2, argues that true spiritual completeness comes not through external disciplines like Lent, whose origins are traced to post-apostolic Catholic tradition, but through being 'complete in Christ,' whose fullness dwells bodily in Him.

One of the identifications of the overcomer in Christ is ones love for God. This love is not words or feelings. It is actions that show our obedience to the command to God to love Him.

The Biblical teaching about the coming judgment should provide a positive motivation for the life of each saint. The Great White Throne Judgment, though not involving believers, provides the believers with many motivations for this life.

False doctrine and false teachers have always been present in New Testament churches. It is vital that believers know the Word of God so that they do not fall into the snares of such iniquity.

The church at Pergamos had endured much, but they had fallen into the snares of false doctrine and worldliness. The message given to them is a rebuke of their worldliness and a call to repentance.

God, through Christ, has given us all that we need to overcome the obstacles we have in this present life. We are assured that we will suffer throughout life and have great needs. Yet, through it all, we can be victorious through Jesus Christ.

Though we most often speak of the Lamb's book of life, there are actually several books that are dealt with in Revelation 20. These books show forth the marvelous greatness of our God in His holiness, His faithfulness, and His power.

The overcomers referenced here in Revelation are believers who have gained the victory through Christ. The message given to them is to remain faithful in Christ and in His Word.

To be led in the Spirit is to be decisive in submission to Him. It is making the decision to put the dictates of God above one's own personal preferences.

Unbelievers have a day of ultimate reckoning that is coming to them. This judgment, referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment will be a day of great agony for all who have not believed God. Regardless of one's status, fame, or popularity, each unbeliever will come face to face with God's might and His majesty. They will forever be regretting the decisions they made on this earth.

Though the flesh remains weak and prone to failure, the believer's position in Christ ensures ultimate victory, grounded in the resurrection, the cross, and the promise that nothing can separate them from God's love.

The church at Smyrna suffered intense persecution for their preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the midst of such persecution, God offers great peace and rest.

What is the major focus of your love? Is your love focused on earthly objects, or is it focused upon the Lord? When Christ is the priority of our love, the rest will fall into the proper order behind Him.

The church at Ephesus had good qualities. But they had forgotten their first love - their love for God. This is the only problem mentioned in the church, but it was a problem of gigantic proportions that would lead to its ugly demise.

God no longer uses visions to reveal His will to mankind. But throughout the Word of God, God did give visions to holy men of God. Today, He speaks through His Word.

We as Christians have many regrets in our lives and perilous times often come. But we can put our trust in God who is our hope and security.

El gozo que perdura no está arraigado en nuestras circunstancias. Más bien, se fundamenta en una relación personal y continua con Dios. Ni el éxito personal ni los deseos cumplidos jamás traerán gozo a nuestras vidas. No, nuestro gozo proviene de nuestro andar con Dios, impulsado por la fe.

What produces your happiness? Is it the things of this world? If so, your life will not be one of great spiritual productivity. True happiness can only come through Jesus Christ and living one's life for the glory of God.

Knowing and doing God's will begins with spiritual rebirth, as affirmed in John 3, and is sustained through a life marked by gratitude, sanctification, submission, growth, and even suffering.

The sermon establishes the theological foundation of the believer's priesthood by tracing the concept of the firstborn from Old Testament figures like Jacob and Joseph to the New Testament reality of Christ as the firstborn among many brethren, emphasizing His preeminence and the inheritance of all believers. It highlights how God initially designated the firstborn sons of Israel as priests, later transferring that role to the Levites as a foreshadowing of the universal priesthood of all believers in Christ. Through passages in Romans, Colossians, and Hebrews, the message affirms that believers are joint heirs with Christ, sharing in His kingship and priestly authority, particularly in the millennial reign, where the last shall be first. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates divine grace and equity in salvation, affirming that all who come to Christ, regardless of when they believe, receive the same eternal inheritance. Ultimately, the sermon calls the church to embrace its priestly identity with responsibility, to stand in the gap against spiritual compromise, and to live in faithful stewardship of the divine calling.

Believers from both the New Testament era and the tribulation period—particularly 144,000 Jewish evangelists and surviving Gentile believers—will reign with Christ, their faith demonstrated through sacrificial works during the final days of earthly turmoil.

Christmas is a time of great joy for believers. Why? Because it marks the time that Jesus was made flesh in order to be the sacrifice for our sins. Without His miraculous incarnation, there is no miraculous salvation.

Il incombe au croyant de connaître la volonté de Dieu pour sa vie. Un manquement à cela témoigne d'un manque de sagesse dans sa vie. À quoi ressemble une personne qui accomplit la volonté de Dieu? Premièrement, elle vit une vie nouvelle.

Great joy is available to the believer through Jesus Christ. This joy is not fleeting but continual. This joy is made possible by the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Without His coming to earth, salvation would have been impossible. But because He came, lived, died, and was raised again, we can have eternal life with God the Father.

Es responsabilidad del creyente conocer la voluntad de Dios para su vida. El no hacerlo es evidencia de una falta de sabiduría en su vida. ¿Cómo se ve una persona que cumple la voluntad de Dios? Primero, está viviendo una vida nueva.

Because of God's faithfulness to keep His promises, believers have no need to be consumed by anxiety about the future. Yet, we still should know what the Bible speaks of concerning the last days. In this lesson, we delve into the judgments of God specifically given in Matthew 25.

The gifts of the wisemen were practical, prophetical, praise-ful. Yet, it was the worship that was the most important.

New Testament believers will be judged at the Bema Seat for their works, not their sins, with rewards or loss based on faithfulness. Old Testament saints, though resurrected and judged for their faith in Christ, are believed to undergo a separate judgment prior to the millennial reign. Tribulation saints, who will be saved during the seven-year tribulation period, are judged for their faithfulness, with their reward being reign with Christ.

Ответственность верующего – знать волю Божию для своей жизни. Незнание её является свидетельством недостатка мудрости в его жизни. Как выглядит человек, исполняющий волю Божию? Во-первых, он живет новой жизнью.

विश्वासी का दायित्व है कि वह अपने जीवन के लिए परमेश्वर की इच्छा को जाने। ऐसा करने में विफलता उसके जीवन में बुद्धि की कमी का प्रमाण है। परमेश्वर की इच्छा पूरी करने वाला व्यक्ति कैसा दिखता है? सबसे पहले, वह एक नया जीवन जी रहा है।

In the Old Testament, there were many mediators between God and man. But in the New Testament, we have one mediator, and it is Jesus Christ. But through Christ, we are priests with the ability to speak directly to God.