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From beginning to end, the Bible presents two paths, one leading to death and one to life. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). It is only in Christ Jesus that a person finds life, and the evidence that a person is in Christ is their spiritual “fruit.” What fruit are you producing, and what does it say about the path you are on? “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13–14).Take-Home Message: You are either on the path leading to death or the path leading to life.The path leading to death (20–21).Believers, Unbelievers, and Shame:Believers are not ashamed of Jesus.Believers are ashamed of past sins.Unbelievers take pride in what is shameful.Believers and unbelievers have historically held opposing views of what is shameful.In the end, believers will be vindicated, and unbelievers will be put to shame.The path leading to life (22–23).Roadblocks to Good Fruit:“I don't know the Bible.”“I don't know how to put it into practice.”“I don't want to put it into practice.”
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Send us Fan Mail“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35-39).Freshly written and sent out immediately "morning by morning" from the morning prayer time of Tommy Hays each day.God bless you and you have a great day!—Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministrieshttp://messiah-ministries.org
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT 3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God! 4 He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.Everything he does is just and fair.He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! • • • Micah 6:8 ESV 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? • • • 1. Justice of God defined. • • • The justice of God is “that essential and infinite attribute which makes his nature and his ways the perfect embodiment of equity, and constitutes him the model and the guardian of equity throughout the universe” (ATS Bible Dictionary, 1859) • • • 2. Justice of God demonstrated. • • • In the Garden Genesis 3:21-24 At the Cross Romans 3:25-26 Through Retribution Matthew 12:36-37 John 5:24 2 Corinthians 5:10 • • • Genesis 3:21-24 ESV 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. 22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. • • • Romans 3:25-26 ESV 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. • • • Matthew 12:36-37 ESV 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” • • • John 5:24 ESV 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. • • • 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. • • • 3. Responding to the Justice of God. • • • Embrace Jesus John 5:22-24 NLT Leave Vengeance to the Lord Romans 12:17-19 Act Justly Micah 6:8 • • • John 5:22-24 NLT 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, 23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him. 24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. • • • Romans 12:17-19 ESV 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” • • • Micah 6:8 ESV 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? • • • Application: I will thank the Lord because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17 NLT)
On today's episode, Pastor Cameron reminds us that when Christ is our Lord we can live with no fear! When He is for us, no one can be against us.
Located in the heart of downtown Maryville, Coram Deo Baptist Church (formerly Pleasant Grove at College Street) was founded as a church plant of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in 2017.
Located in the heart of downtown Maryville, Coram Deo Baptist Church (formerly Pleasant Grove at College Street) was founded as a church plant of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in 2017.
... and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:4).Support the show
I hope you're looking forward to Resurrection Sunday as much as I am. It truly is the best day of the year, when we sing the glorious truth that Christ the Lord is risen! But when the disciples expected Jesus to rescue them from Rome, they never imagined he would die—especially not on a cross, which was considered cursed by God. Yet his death was absolutely necessary if any of us were to be forgiven. Even if we could somehow pay for our own sins, we would simply die in them. The price would be paid—death—but there would be no redemption. Jesus, the perfect Son of God, had no sins of his own to pay for, so he alone was qualified to take ours upon himself. He paid the price we could never pay so we could be forgiven and have access to God through his sacrifice. Scripture tells us without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). The cross was God's chosen way for his Son to die—his blood shed, the curse taken, the penalty paid. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). And here is the good news: though the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). As we approach Resurrection Sunday, it's the perfect time to deepen our understanding of why Jesus died—and why it had to be on a cross. The disciples didn't understand at first. But once they grasped why he came, saw him risen from the grave, and were filled with the Holy Spirit, everything changed. Their despair turned to unshakable faith in their crucified and risen Messiah, and because he lives, so can we.
On this Palm Sunday message, we walk through Matthew 21:1–11 and ask a piercing question: Do we want Jesus as King, or do we just want control with a little bit of Jesus on the side?Tracing Jesus' intentional journey from Galilee to Jerusalem (cf. Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:51), we see how His entry on a donkey fulfills Zechariah 9:9 and reveals Him as the promised, righteous, victorious, yet lowly King. Instead of arriving on a war horse like the kings of this world, He chooses a humble donkey, redefining what authority, leadership, and lordship truly mean (Philippians 2:5–11; Mark 10:42–45).This sermon presses into:• Obedience without full clarity– The disciples obey a simple instruction (Matthew 21:1–3) without knowing the full plan, showing that following Jesus rarely comes with a complete roadmap (Hebrews 11:8; Proverbs 3:5–6).• Jesus as Savior and Lord– Many gladly receive Jesus as Savior (Ephesians 2:8–9) but resist Him as Lord (Romans 10:9; Luke 6:46). We explore what it means when He says, in effect, “The Lord needs it” and how that claim reaches into our money, relationships, time, and habits (Colossians 1:15–18).• Prophecy fulfilled, expectations challenged– Jesus fulfills Scripture (Matthew 21:4–5; Zechariah 9:9), yet not in the way the crowd expected. They want political liberation from Rome; He brings deeper liberation from sin (John 18:36; Romans 6:17–18).• The crowd vs. the city– The crowd lays cloaks and branches (Matthew 21:8; 2 Kings 9:13) and cries “Hosanna” (Psalm 118:25–26), but their faith is shallow and expectation-driven. The city asks, “Who is this?” (Matthew 21:10–11), staying cautious and uncommitted. Both see Jesus, but neither fully submit to Him.• Small obedience, big impact– A modern testimony shows how one simple invite to church, like the disciples' simple errand, can change a life (Romans 10:13–15; 1 Corinthians 3:6–7).We also hold Palm Sunday up against the future return of Christ in Revelation 19:11–16—first He comes on a donkey in humility, offering peace; one day He returns on a white horse in judgment and final victory over evil. Between those two arrivals stands our decision: will we surrender now to the humble King?Key Scriptures:Matthew 21:1–11; Zechariah 9:9; Luke 9:51; Matthew 16:21; Psalm 118:25–26; Revelation 19:11–16; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:5–11; Mark 10:42–45; Proverbs 3:5–6; Hebrews 11:8; Colossians 1:15–18; John 18:36; Romans 6:17–18.Listen to this message if you're wrestling with control, delayed promises, disappointment with God, or hesitating obedience—and discover the freedom of laying everything at the feet of the true King.
As we continue on in the Lenten season we are reminded that Jesus is the Lamb of God and that He resolutely and willingly went to suffer the pain and punishment of mankind's sin. The prophet Isaiah described what the Messiah came to accomplish in Isaiah 53:4-9 - "Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth." With Gerhardt we joyfully procliam: "O wondrous Love! what hast Thou done! The Father offers up His Son– The Son content descendeth! O Love, how strong Thou art to save!" (TLH 142:3). What amazing love indeed! The knowledge of God's love in Christ, and Christ's love at the cross move us as well. Paul writes: "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:11). We are moved to service to our God and Savior, in this life, with our hands, our hearts and our voices! May the LORD bring you to a true appreciation for love He has shown you, and move you to live your life in service to Him, giving you joyful and thankful hearts for His salvation. May the LORD bless your worship this weekend!
Main Idea: Salvation Is of the LordText: Romans 9:6-13Outline: A. False ExpectationsB. Children of The PromiseC. According to God's Purpose of Election
Many are seeking God's face in the wrong way. Sadly, if we do not educate ourselves on the Lord's instructions, in the Bible, we will not see progress in our lives. God hears all of our prayers. If we are not praying God's Will be done, our prayers are not hitting the Throne Room.You see, only the fervent (white hot) prayers of the righteous availeth much (James 5:16). If you are not submitted to God (James 4:7) and saved (Romans 10:9), that is the first step. Following God's instructions and not our own is the second step. Why? Because when you become saved, while you believed God raised Jesus from the dead, you are also required to confess Jesus as your Lord (Romans 10:9). So Jesus is now leading you in your life. Your life is not your own; you have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). Similar to an employee of a company, where there is a boss: the employee has to follow the rules, it is no longer what the employee wants any longer. Well, the same applies to the Lord's Kingdom, except the Lord paid a very great price for you, and loves you, both far more than any company would have paid for you. Not only this, the Grace of God actually allows you enjoy serving Him and there is no longer a separation between you and your Creator because Jesus has paid your punishment, in your stead... instead of you.Topics this week:- If you're not submitted to God that is half the problem- If you are still doing things your way, then you are not submitted to Jesus (James 4:7)- God's Ways are Higher- Only God's Word accomplishes and does not return void- Serving the devil and praying to Jesus will not get you breakthrough with the Lord- God prepares the Way for you when you live, pray, study, acknowledge, and do His WillThis program covers the following Scriptures from the Amplified Classic version (AMPC): Psalms 34:14-19, 1 John 4:15-17, Luke 22:41-44, Joshua 24:15, Proverbs 5:21-23, Proverbs 15:3, Psalms 24:3-6, James 4:7-10, Proverbs 14:8-12, Proverbs 21:2-8,Proverbs 21:1, Isaiah 55:6-9, 1 John 4:15-17, Isaiah 55:1-3.Pastor Catrice teaches this this week.Support the showClick Here to Send Us Your Prayer Request.
When words fail and grief feels overwhelming, God does not leave us alone. This Crosswalk Devotional is rooted in Romans 8:26–27, reminding us that the Holy Spirit actively meets us in our weakness—interceding, comforting, and strengthening us when we don’t know how to pray. For believers walking through loss, anger, exhaustion, or spiritual dryness, this passage offers deep reassurance: God’s Spirit is already at work within us. Rather than being distant or passive, the Holy Spirit is fully God—our Helper, Comforter, and constant companion. From the moment we place our faith in Christ, He dwells within us, guiding our hearts back toward peace, hope, and renewed strength. Even in seasons of confusion or emotional pain, the Spirit faithfully prays on our behalf according to God’s perfect will. Highlights The Holy Spirit meets believers in moments of weakness God understands our prayers even when we cannot find the words The Holy Spirit intercedes according to God’s will Grief, anger, and doubt do not disqualify us from faith The Spirit brings comfort, peace, and renewed strength God is always present—especially in seasons of loss Believers are never alone in their pain Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: Finding Comfort in the Holy SpiritBy Vivian Bricker Bible Reading:“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). When I first became a Christian, I had trouble finding peace due to the grief I was experiencing. Living in the aftermath of the death of a loved one changed me, and I began to struggle with anger. Instead of conducting myself with kindness, love, and grace, I often lashed out or said something I would later regret. If you find yourself in a similar situation, take comfort in knowing you are not alone. This does not mean we are not believers. Rather, it simply means we will face more challenges in growing in our faith. At these times, we need to find comfort in the Holy Spirit. Sadly, many people, including believers, are unfamiliar with the Holy Spirit. They may even view the Holy Spirit as an inferior person within the Trinity. However, it’s essential to understand that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, which means He is God. The Holy Spirit is an especially important Person in our Christian walk as He is our Helper, Protector, and Comforter (John 14:26). Instead of distancing ourselves from Him, we need to draw closer to Him. This is especially true when we are feeling alone or disconnected from God. The Holy Spirit is our friend, and He is already living inside of us from the moment we place faith in the Lord (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19). For all eternity, the Holy Spirit will be with us. He can give us comfort when our days feel overwhelming and bleak. Intersecting Faith & Life: The Apostle Paul tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). Allow these words to bring your heart comfort today. Through this passage, we see that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Whether we are struggling with our Christian walk, anger, or grief, we can rely on the Holy Spirit. Moreover, when we are too tired to pray or don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. We might not know what to pray for, but the Holy Spirit does. During times of intense emotional turmoil or overwhelming pain, it can be hard to pray. The Holy Spirit will intercede for us at these times and bring comfort to our hearts. Instead of doubting Him, we can find great comfort and peace in His presence. The Holy Spirit will bring joy, hope, and renewed strength back into our hearts. Dear Father, I praise You for always being with me. Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit. Please give my heart and soul comfort today. Sometimes I don’t know what to pray for, or I’m too weak to pray. Please help the Holy Spirit to intercede for me and bring my concerns to You. Thank You, Father, Amen. After reading this devotional, do you feel your attitude toward the Holy Spirit has changed? How can you find comfort in the Holy Spirit today? Further Reading: Galatians 5:22-23 Luke 11:13 2 Corinthians 3:1 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Thank you, Lord!
“Jesus Christ Our Lord”Romans 1:1-7Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/
View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/god-with-us-and-god-for-us/To all those loved by God who are in Rome (and Casper), called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7). Amen.Ahaz is a wicked, unbelieving king. He is a descendant of King David, but he is unlike David who cherished his children and led the nation of Israel in their worship of the true God. Ahaz sacrificed his own son in the fire as he led the nation of Israel in the worship of pagan gods.Earlier in chapter 7, Isaiah records how King Ahaz of Judah is being threatened by Pekah, the king of Israel, who has allied himself with Rezin, the king of Aram, to destroy Judah. The prophet Isaiah calls King Ahaz to trust in the Lord for protection from this alliance. Ahaz refuses. His solution to this threat is to make is own alliance with the nation of Assyria, north of Aram (2 Kings 16:1-9).Isaiah tells Ahaz that he doesn't need this alliance with the wicked nation of Assyria. The Lord will protect Judah from its enemies. To prove this, Isaiah tells Ahaz to pick a sign – any sign – as proof of his protection. The Lord spoke to Ahaz again. He said, "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above" (Isaiah 7:10-11).Ahaz could have asked for anything. He could have gone simple and asked for a shooting star across the sky that night. He could have gone big and asked for an asteroid to come crashing down on his enemies. He could have asked for any sign he wanted.But King Ahaz doesn't trust in God. Instead, he trusts the alliance he had made with Assyria. Because he doesn't trust God, there was no sign that would have convinced him of God's power to save his throne or country. In false humility, Ahaz refuses to "test" the Lord. Ahaz responded, "I will not ask. I will not test the Lord" (Isaiah 7:12).To prove to Ahaz and to the world that his promises can be trusted, God decides on his own sign. He is not going to allow an unbelieving king to stand in the way of the physical deliverance of Judah and the eternal deliverance of all who believe the sign. God chooses a sign that is an embarrassment to Ahaz because it is so simple, yet so miraculous. It is also a sign that would take 700 years to fulfill. So, Isaiah said, "Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:13-14).God promises the virgin's Son and his Son will be named Immanuel – God with us... and God for us.What does it mean that Jesus, the Son of God, is "God with us"? To help understand the relationship of God to humans, imagine the relationship of humans to ants. Young Hudson volunteered to be our resident "ant-lover" for this story.Imagine that Hudson's dad, Ty, is going to be resurfacing their driveway. But Hudson notices that there's a large anthill at the edge of the driveway. He becomes worried that when the hot asphalt is poured onto the driveway, the asphalt will also fill the anthill – killing the countless ants inside.Hudson, being the ant-lover that he is, goes outside to start talking to the ants. He tells them about his dad, the driveway, the asphalt, and their anthill. He tells them the entire story.What do the ants do? ... Nothing. They ignore Hudson, even though he's trying to help them. So, Hudson gets down on their level. He puts his face right above the anthill and shouts warnings for them to pack up and leave. The ants just run away.What can Hudson do? He loves the ants. He wants to rescue the ants. But he's too superior to them. They're too puny. He's like a "god" to them.Hudson decides that the only way they'll listen to him is if he becomes one of them. So, that's what he does. He goes to his closet and put on his Ant-Man suit from Halloween. (Ant-Man is one of the Avengers.)Hudson, in his Ant-Man suit, pushes a button and shrinks down to become the size of an ant. (This is a very high-tech Halloween costume!) In this form, he's able to communicate with the ants and save those who believe his message.It sounds like a silly story, doesn't it? It will seem even more silly when Hudson wears his Ant-Man suit to church one day.It seems ridiculous that a person would become an ant to save the ants. But that's no more ridiculous than God becoming a human to save the humans.Think of the world the Son of God left. Our classiest mansion would be an anthill to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be crumbs on heaven's table. The idea of becoming an ant with a segmented body and antennae? That's nothing compared to God becoming an embryo and entering the womb of Mary.But that's what the Son of God did. The God of the universe was born into the poverty of a peasant and spent his first night in the cow's feed trough. The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into our neighborhood. The God of the universe left his eternal seat on his golden throne, surrounded by saints and angels to be born in time and laid in a manger surrounded by Saint Mary and Saint Joseph. Who could have imagined God would do such a thing?Why would Jesus come? He comes to be Immanuel. He comes to be God with us.But I want you to understand that God being with us is not necessarily good news. He has every right to be God with us in righteous anger over our sins. He can be God with us in justified judgment over how we act and live. He can be God with us in deserving punishment over our continual crimes against God and humanity.A king coming to be with his people is not good news if he's there to raise their taxes. A judge coming to be with the people in the courtroom is not good news if he's there to sentence them to prison. A human coming to be with the ants is not good news if he's there to step on their anthill. And God coming to be with his creation is not good news if he's coming to bring the hellish punishment they rightly deserve.It is significant that when the angel appears to Joseph in a dream he says, "Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The God who is coming is not coming to destroy his people because of their sins. Rather, he's coming to save his people from their sins. In other words, the God who is with you is the God who comes for you.We call this the incarnation. Divinity combined with humanity. God's gift of his Son wrapped in cute, little baby skin. We confess our belief in the incarnation in our three Christian universal creeds.The Apostles' Creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary..."The Nicene Creed: "For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human."The Athanasian Creed: "He is God, eternally begotten from the nature of the Father, and he is man, born in time from the nature of his mother, fully God, fully man, with rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father as to his deity, less than the Father as to his humanity..."This is what the incarnation of God taking on human flesh reveals: Jesus is the King coming to free his people from the tyranny of the Devil. He is the Judge coming to release the prisoners from the prison of hell. He is the God-Man coming to proclaim rescue to those who will listen and believe. He is the God who could come to us to wipe us out and shed our blood. However, instead he is the God who comes to wipe out our sins with his blood.God with us is only good news if God is for us. The good news is in changing the preposition. "For" means that Jesus is on our side, out to get our enemies. We are the "apple of his eye" (Psalm 17:8). He comes to live the perfect life for us, in our place. He comes to suffer for us, in our place. He comes to die for us, in our place. He comes to be the fulfillment of his names. He is Jesus because he saves us from our sins. He is Immanuel because he is God with us since he came for us.Again, why would Jesus come? Because he loves to be with the ones he loves.Dr. Maxwell Maltz tells a remarkable story of a love like this. A man attempted to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn't get to them. They perished. He was burned and disfigured in the fire. The man mistakenly interpreted his pain as God's punishment. He would not let anyone see him — not even his wife.The wife went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told her not to worry. He said, "I can restore his face." The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would refuse again.Then why her visit? She told the doctor, "I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him. If I can share his pain, maybe he'll let me back in his life."Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by her love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man's bedroom door, he called loudly. "Sir, my name is Dr. Maltz. I'm a plastic surgeon, and I can restore your face." No response. "Please come out." Again, there was no answer.Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife's proposal. He said, "She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you let her back into your life. That's how much she loves you." There was a moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the doorknob began to turn.The way the woman felt for her husband is a small picture of the way God feels about us. But he did more than make the offer. He took on our face, our disfigurement. He became like us. Just look at the places he was willing to go to reach people – feed troughs, carpentry shops, deserts, and cemeteries. He visited mountain tops and temple courtyards. He went into the homes of friends, Pharisees, tax collectors, centurions, and dead little girls. The places Jesus went to reach us show how far he goes to fulfill his name, "He saves."Getting back to the story of King Ahaz... Israel and Aram failed in their plan against Judah. Both Israel and Aram were defeated by the Assyrians, with the northern kingdom of Israel falling to Assyria in 722 B.C.But then, look out, Ahaz! Assyria was not going to stop with knocking off Israel and Aram. Assyria would then turn its attention to Judah. After the promise of the virgin birth, Isaiah told King Ahaz, "The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house, days worse than any since the day that Ephraim broke away from Judah. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria" (Isaiah 7:17).God fulfilled that promise, too. Assyria threatened Jerusalem 21 years later. At that time, Isaiah had to counsel the next king of Judah, Hezekiah, to trust in the Lord and not in political or military alliances. King Hezekiah listened to the counsel of Isaiah, and that threat again was lifted.God fulfilled his promise to wicked King Ahaz in sending a virgin's Son to be named Immanuel. This is why every Advent we sing, "Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Jesus is Immanuel – God with us by being God for us. He loves to be with the ones he loves. Amen.This gospel is about his Son, who in the flesh was born a descendant of David, who in the spirit of holiness was declared to be God's powerful Son by his resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 1:3-4). Amen.
To all those loved by God who are in Rome (and Casper), called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7). Amen.Ahaz is a wicked, unbelieving king. He is a descendant of King David, but he is unlike David who cherished his children and led the nation of Israel in their worship of the true God. Ahaz sacrificed his own son in the fire as he led the nation of Israel in the worship of pagan gods.Earlier in chapter 7, Isaiah records how King Ahaz of Judah is being threatened by Pekah, the king of Israel, who has allied himself with Rezin, the king of Aram, to destroy Judah. The prophet Isaiah calls King Ahaz to trust in the Lord for protection from this alliance. Ahaz refuses. His solution to this threat is to make is own alliance with the nation of Assyria, north of Aram (2 Kings 16:1-9).Isaiah tells Ahaz that he doesn't need this alliance with the wicked nation of Assyria. The Lord will protect Judah from its enemies. To prove this, Isaiah tells Ahaz to pick a sign – any sign – as proof of his protection. The Lord spoke to Ahaz again. He said, "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above" (Isaiah 7:10-11).Ahaz could have asked for anything. He could have gone simple and asked for a shooting star across the sky that night. He could have gone big and asked for an asteroid to come crashing down on his enemies. He could have asked for any sign he wanted.But King Ahaz doesn't trust in God. Instead, he trusts the alliance he had made with Assyria. Because he doesn't trust God, there was no sign that would have convinced him of God's power to save his throne or country. In false humility, Ahaz refuses to "test" the Lord. Ahaz responded, "I will not ask. I will not test the Lord" (Isaiah 7:12).To prove to Ahaz and to the world that his promises can be trusted, God decides on his own sign. He is not going to allow an unbelieving king to stand in the way of the physical deliverance of Judah and the eternal deliverance of all who believe the sign. God chooses a sign that is an embarrassment to Ahaz because it is so simple, yet so miraculous. It is also a sign that would take 700 years to fulfill. So, Isaiah said, "Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:13-14).God promises the virgin's Son and his Son will be named Immanuel – God with us... and God for us.What does it mean that Jesus, the Son of God, is "God with us"? To help understand the relationship of God to humans, imagine the relationship of humans to ants. Young Hudson volunteered to be our resident "ant-lover" for this story.Imagine that Hudson's dad, Ty, is going to be resurfacing their driveway. But Hudson notices that there's a large anthill at the edge of the driveway. He becomes worried that when the hot asphalt is poured onto the driveway, the asphalt will also fill the anthill – killing the countless ants inside.Hudson, being the ant-lover that he is, goes outside to start talking to the ants. He tells them about his dad, the driveway, the asphalt, and their anthill. He tells them the entire story.What do the ants do? ... Nothing. They ignore Hudson, even though he's trying to help them. So, Hudson gets down on their level. He puts his face right above the anthill and shouts warnings for them to pack up and leave. The ants just run away.What can Hudson do? He loves the ants. He wants to rescue the ants. But he's too superior to them. They're too puny. He's like a "god" to them.Hudson decides that the only way they'll listen to him is if he becomes one of them. So, that's what he does. He goes to his closet and put on his Ant-Man suit from Halloween. (Ant-Man is one of the Avengers.)Hudson, in his Ant-Man suit, pushes a button and shrinks down to become the size of an ant. (This is a very high-tech Halloween costume!) In this form, he's able to communicate with the ants and save those who believe his message.It sounds like a silly story, doesn't it? It will seem even more silly when Hudson wears his Ant-Man suit to church one day.It seems ridiculous that a person would become an ant to save the ants. But that's no more ridiculous than God becoming a human to save the humans.Think of the world the Son of God left. Our classiest mansion would be an anthill to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be crumbs on heaven's table. The idea of becoming an ant with a segmented body and antennae? That's nothing compared to God becoming an embryo and entering the womb of Mary.But that's what the Son of God did. The God of the universe was born into the poverty of a peasant and spent his first night in the cow's feed trough. The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into our neighborhood. The God of the universe left his eternal seat on his golden throne, surrounded by saints and angels to be born in time and laid in a manger surrounded by Saint Mary and Saint Joseph. Who could have imagined God would do such a thing?Why would Jesus come? He comes to be Immanuel. He comes to be God with us.But I want you to understand that God being with us is not necessarily good news. He has every right to be God with us in righteous anger over our sins. He can be God with us in justified judgment over how we act and live. He can be God with us in deserving punishment over our continual crimes against God and humanity.A king coming to be with his people is not good news if he's there to raise their taxes. A judge coming to be with the people in the courtroom is not good news if he's there to sentence them to prison. A human coming to be with the ants is not good news if he's there to step on their anthill. And God coming to be with his creation is not good news if he's coming to bring the hellish punishment they rightly deserve.It is significant that when the angel appears to Joseph in a dream he says, "Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The God who is coming is not coming to destroy his people because of their sins. Rather, he's coming to save his people from their sins. In other words, the God who is with you is the God who comes for you.We call this the incarnation. Divinity combined with humanity. God's gift of his Son wrapped in cute, little baby skin. We confess our belief in the incarnation in our three Christian universal creeds.The Apostles' Creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary..."The Nicene Creed: "For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human."The Athanasian Creed: "He is God, eternally begotten from the nature of the Father, and he is man, born in time from the nature of his mother, fully God, fully man, with rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father as to his deity, less than the Father as to his humanity..."This is what the incarnation of God taking on human flesh reveals: Jesus is the King coming to free his people from the tyranny of the Devil. He is the Judge coming to release the prisoners from the prison of hell. He is the God-Man coming to proclaim rescue to those who will listen and believe. He is the God who could come to us to wipe us out and shed our blood. However, instead he is the God who comes to wipe out our sins with his blood.God with us is only good news if God is for us. The good news is in changing the preposition. "For" means that Jesus is on our side, out to get our enemies. We are the "apple of his eye" (Psalm 17:8). He comes to live the perfect life for us, in our place. He comes to suffer for us, in our place. He comes to die for us, in our place. He comes to be the fulfillment of his names. He is Jesus because he saves us from our sins. He is Immanuel because he is God with us since he came for us.Again, why would Jesus come? Because he loves to be with the ones he loves.Dr. Maxwell Maltz tells a remarkable story of a love like this. A man attempted to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn't get to them. They perished. He was burned and disfigured in the fire. The man mistakenly interpreted his pain as God's punishment. He would not let anyone see him — not even his wife.The wife went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told her not to worry. He said, "I can restore his face." The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would refuse again.Then why her visit? She told the doctor, "I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him. If I can share his pain, maybe he'll let me back in his life."Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by her love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man's bedroom door, he called loudly. "Sir, my name is Dr. Maltz. I'm a plastic surgeon, and I can restore your face." No response. "Please come out." Again, there was no answer.Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife's proposal. He said, "She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you let her back into your life. That's how much she loves you." There was a moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the doorknob began to turn.The way the woman felt for her husband is a small picture of the way God feels about us. But he did more than make the offer. He took on our face, our disfigurement. He became like us. Just look at the places he was willing to go to reach people – feed troughs, carpentry shops, deserts, and cemeteries. He visited mountain tops and temple courtyards. He went into the homes of friends, Pharisees, tax collectors, centurions, and dead little girls. The places Jesus went to reach us show how far he goes to fulfill his name, "He saves."Getting back to the story of King Ahaz... Israel and Aram failed in their plan against Judah. Both Israel and Aram were defeated by the Assyrians, with the northern kingdom of Israel falling to Assyria in 722 B.C.But then, look out, Ahaz! Assyria was not going to stop with knocking off Israel and Aram. Assyria would then turn its attention to Judah. After the promise of the virgin birth, Isaiah told King Ahaz, "The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house, days worse than any since the day that Ephraim broke away from Judah. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria" (Isaiah 7:17).God fulfilled that promise, too. Assyria threatened Jerusalem 21 years later. At that time, Isaiah had to counsel the next king of Judah, Hezekiah, to trust in the Lord and not in political or military alliances. King Hezekiah listened to the counsel of Isaiah, and that threat again was lifted.God fulfilled his promise to wicked King Ahaz in sending a virgin's Son to be named Immanuel. This is why every Advent we sing, "Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Jesus is Immanuel – God with us by being God for us. He loves to be with the ones he loves. Amen.This gospel is about his Son, who in the flesh was born a descendant of David, who in the spirit of holiness was declared to be God's powerful Son by his resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 1:3-4). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/god-with-us-and-god-for-us/
“Jesus Christ Our Lord”Romans 1:1-7Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c] faith for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/
Todaywe're continuing to look at Ephesians 4:4-6. One of the outstanding characteristicsand testimony of the early church we read about in the early chapters of the Bookof Acts was that “they were in one accord” (Acts 1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24,32; 5:12). So much so that in Acts 4:32 it was said of them: “Now themultitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither didanyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had allthings in common.” Theyprayed to the same Lord. They prayed to the same God. They had the same HolySpirit working in each one of them. And because of that, they were in oneaccord. My friend, when you're in one accord with the fellow believers aroundyou, there is the awesome power of God that comes down upon us to be a greatwitness to all the world around us, in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and tothe uttermost parts of the earth. Remember that the light that shines thebrightest at home shines the farthest. Thegreatest hindrance to the church to the witness of the church is the fact thatso many times in our churches, the believers who claim to have the same Lord donot get along with each other. That's why Paul wrote the whole book of FirstCorinthians. He heard that there were divisions among them. So much so that inhis introduction to them in 1 Corinthians 1:10 he wrote: “Now I plead withyou, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak thesame thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectlyjoined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Herein Ephesians 4:4-6, Paul reminds us of the spiritual realities that make usone, one in unity, unity in the church despite our diversity and differences. Yesterdaywe talked about, “One body, one Spirit, one hope of your calling” (v. 4).Today we will be looking at the next spiritual reality, which is “One Lord”(v. 5). InRomans 14:3-10, Paul wrote these words to the church at Rome, dealing with thedivisions they were having in their church. "He who observes the day,observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to theLord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for hegives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat,and gives God thanks. .. . For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to theLord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For tothis end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord ofboth the dead and the living. Now,this is powerful reminder that because we are a part of one body, one Spirit, andhave one hope of our calling, and knowing one day we will stand before the LordJesus Christ and give an account of our attitudes and actions we should “endeavorto keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). This is also possible because we should rememberthat we are serving “the same Lord” (Romans 10:12; 1 Corinthians 12:5). Jesusis either Lord of all, or He's not Lord at all. When there's contention amongus, it's because we have forgotten that we have the same Lord that we worship,that we follow, that we submit to, that we surrender to. If there's contentionin the church, it's always because of a person who has pride in his heartthinks he knows better maybe than the others or he has pride in his heartbecause he thinks he's better than others or he thinks he has more spiritualgifts or he's given more than others in the church. Proverbs 13:10 tells usthat: “Only by pride cometh contention…”. My friend, these things oughtnot to be. There should be oneness of spirit, oneness of heart, oneness ofpurpose and mission in our churches. When we have that, it's because there werecognize that there is one Lord. IsJesus the Lord of your life today. Is Jesus honored and worshipped as Lord in yourchurch? How can there be disunity when we're loving and serving the “sameLord”?
Most people think of October 31st as Halloween—but it’s also Reformation Day, a cornerstone of Christian history that forever changed how believers understand salvation. Rooted in Romans 5:1–2, this devotional reminds us that faith—not works—justifies us before God. Martin Luther’s courage to challenge corruption in the church reignited the truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and his bold stand still calls us to live out the Gospel with conviction today. Highlights Reformation Day commemorates October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door. Luther’s actions reclaimed the biblical truth that salvation comes by grace through faith, not by works or wealth. His translation of the Bible into German gave ordinary people access to God’s Word for the first time. Today, over 700 languages have Scripture translations—a legacy of the Reformation’s impact. Believers are called to guard against modern distortions of the Gospel, like prosperity or works-based teachings. Living out Reformation truths means boldly proclaiming salvation through Christ alone and standing firm in sound doctrine. Join the Conversation How can you live out the truths of the Reformation in your daily faith walk? Share your reflections and gratitude for the freedom we have in Christ. Tag @LifeAudioNetwork and use #ReformationFaith #GraceAlone #FaithInChrist to join the conversation.
What you believe about Jesus Christ shapes what you believe about everything else. In this message from The Apostles' Creed series, Pastor Roger Pettay unpacks the four powerful truths embedded in one short confession: “I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.” Discover what Scripture reveals about: • Jesus — truly human, our Brother and Mediator. • Christ — the Anointed One, our Prophet, Priest, and King. • His only Son — the unique, one-of-a-kind, eternal Son. • Our Lord — the divine, sovereign YHWH made known in Jesus. This message calls every believer to move beyond admiration to confession, allegiance, and obedience—to live under the gracious rule of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Subscribe to stay connected with weekly teaching from Exalt Church. #ApostlesCreed #BiblicalTeaching #GospelCentered #SoundDoctrine #JesusIsLord #ExaltChurchVA
Here's an interesting question: Do you think God wants you to face your world, your life, with unwavering confidence? Is there anything to be gained by lacking confidence? What message does it send if you and I, as Christ-followers, appear uncertain or doubtful? Does that bring glory to God? On the other hand, does it bring glory to God if you have the kind of self-confidence the world says is necessary? This confidence is proud and self-focused, self-assured and braggadocious? It brings glory to yourself. We certainly need confidence. But putting a lot of it in yourself is risky, because it's undependable. You can feel confident one day or about one thing, and then the rug gets pulled out from under you the next day and there goes that self-confidence out the door. It's God-confidence you and I need, not self-confidence. His confidence makes a difference in the way we live and our ability to do what God put us here to do. And it will look different on each of us. However, there are certain things we must be confident of to face life with God-confidence. I want to share some necessary tools for the God-confident woman. The first tool you need is to be totally confident of your faith. Confident in your relationship to God through Jesus I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day (2 Timothy 1:12b). Confident in God's sovereignty For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth (Psalm 71:5). Confident in God's love For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Confident God will never leave you or forsake you God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b). Confident that God answers prayer This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us (1 John 5:14). Now, if you are confident of those things, then you have the foundation for God-confidence. That's where it begins.
1 Timothy 6:13-16 (Keep the commandment unstained until the appearing of our Lord) Romans 8:31-39 (Nothin in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ)
In this message from our Luke series, student and family minister Josh Brown preaches Luke 12:35–59 and calls us to live ready for the return of Jesus. Jesus' words, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,” frame the entire passage and define Christian readiness as both posture and perseverance. With vivid images of tucked robes and tended lamps, Josh shows how a ready heart trusts Christ's promise to return, and how daily dependence—through prayer, Scripture, worship, and fellowship—keeps faith burning bright. Readiness is not vague anticipation; it is attentive, active obedience now. Luke 12 moves from heart to hands. Jesus' parable of the faithful and unfaithful servants makes clear that none of us owns what we manage; we steward what the Master has entrusted to us. The blessed servant is the one the Master finds doing His will when He comes. That steady, ordinary faithfulness—discipling children, serving the church, giving generously, praying for friends, opening the Bible when no one sees—matters eternally. Jesus also issues a sober warning: the servant who assumes “my master is delayed,” mistreats others, wastes resources, and lives for self will face judgment when the Master returns at an unexpected hour. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required” is not a slogan but a summons to accountable stewardship. Josh also wrestles with one of Jesus' most bracing claims: He did not come to bring peace but division. Allegiance to the crucified and risen Lord will at times divide households and friendships because the peace of God comes only in Him, and following Him means dying to self and living by the Spirit. Yet the same Jesus promises true peace in Himself: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Real faithfulness is not gritting our teeth; it flows from union with Christ, who was perfectly faithful, “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). We are not earning God's approval by our obedience; we obey because, in Christ, we already share His righteousness and are sealed by the Spirit. The passage closes with urgency. Jesus rebukes crowds who can read the weather but not “interpret the present time.” He urges reconciliation on the way to the judge, a picture of the Gospel's now-or-never gravity. Apart from Christ, we carry a debt of sin we cannot pay. “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Scripture presses the claim of the present: “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). Readiness is real only if it moves us to respond to Jesus now—repenting of sin, entrusting ourselves to His finished work, and stepping into faithful stewardship in whatever He has put in our hands. If you are drifting, distracted, or weary, let this sermon reawaken you to the joy and seriousness of living ready. If you are walking faithfully but feeling the cost, find courage in the One who overcame the world and serves His people at the table when He returns. And if you have never surrendered to Christ, hear His invitation today. The King is returning at an hour we do not expect. Will He find you ready? Open Luke 12:35–59 with us and learn how ready hearts trust His return, ready lives stay faithful, and ready souls respond now. Search terms: Luke 12:35–59 sermon, keep your lamps burning, stay dressed for action, faithful and wise servant, Jesus second coming, Christian readiness, stewardship and accountability, division not peace, interpret the times, urgency of repentance, Gospel of grace, John 16:33, 1 Peter 1:13, Ephesians 6, Philippians 2:8, Romans 6:23, 2 Corinthians 6:2, Hebrews 3:15.
Regardless of background, one thing that is certain, and that we must understand, is that salvation belongs to the Lord. It is His choice and promise for us to be saved.
Ibelieve what we're talking about today is one of the most important things wecan talk about in the Bible and especially in the New Testament, and that is theforgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins, and knowing that we'reforgiven. Yesterday we started looking at Ephesians 1:7, and there it tells usthat “in Him we have redemption through His blood”. We explained thatyesterday. Redemption through the blood. How His blood has redeemed us, has setus free from our sin, has paid the ransom price to a holy God so that we do nothave to stand guilty before Him. And then next He says, "And theforgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace." Oneof the greatest feelings I have ever had emotionally, mentally, spiritually, inany way, humanly speaking, was the day that I knew I was forgiven for my sins.February 21st, 1971. God didn't hold my sins against me any longer. The guiltwas gone. The darkness was gone, and the burden was lifted. In the NewTestament, the forgiveness of sins is the central theme of the gospel message. Itemphasizes God's mercy and His grace through Jesus Christ. It addresses thefact that man is a sinner. That man is a fallen creature. Man is separated fromGod. Man is alienated from God. We're separated from God by our sin. And “thewages of sin is death”. The payment for sin is death. But my friend, “thegift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Goddoesn't forgive us because He loves us. Many people have that mistaken idea,but that's not true. God forgives us because He sent His Son to die in ourplace for our sin. Jesus took the penalty for our sin. He took the guilt. Hetook the shame. He took all of it, the death of our sin upon Himself and diedin our place in a substitutionary way. Our sin was imputed to Him and Hisrighteousness has been imputed to us, and therefore being justified by faith wehave peace with God (Romans 5:1). The word justified means now we have a rightstanding before a holy God. We're no longer guilty before a holy God. Theonly way to be forgiven is to first recognize that you need to be forgiven.That you find yourself under the weight and guilt of your sin and you have noway to deal with that. Going to church, living a good life, doing good deeds,doing anything you're trying to do to remove your sin. The sacraments,religion, nothing can remove your sin. No priest, no man on earth can removeyour sin, my friend. Only one person can, and that is Jesus Christ through thedeath, His death on the cross of Calvary. And when we acknowledge that, then wecan cry out to God for forgiveness in repentance of our sins. Atthat point, we express our faith and trust in what Jesus did for us on thecross. And that's when the moment of salvation takes place and we are forgiven becausewe have a Savior, Jesus Christ. There is no other way (Acts 4:12). Oh, nogreater experience than to be forgiven. And that's the love God has for us(John 3:16). He sent His Son to die for us. Love is expressed in the fact thatHe does forgive us through His mercy and the grace of Jesus Christ on the cross. That'swhy when we forgive those who trespass against us those who hurt us we areexpressing not our love because our love is pretty faulty at best, but we'reexpressing God's love because God is love and God only can forgive sin and myfriend you have experienced that, it's then for Christ's sake that you canforgive others, not that they deserve it any more than we deserved it. Well,this is a great truth. We have the forgiveness of sin according to the richesof His grace. Have you been forgiven? I trust you have. Godbless!
God's grace is the gift of eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God's grace is the gift of eternal life. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
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Send us a textWelcome & Final ReflectionsWelcome to the final episode in our series through the book of Romans.Today's message, titled “Should We Praise the Lord?”, is both a concluding meditation and a doxological exclamation point to one of the greatest theological works in the Bible.As we wrap up this journey together, we pause not to summarize or analyze one more time—but simply to worship.This episode is not primarily about personal application or practical instruction—it is about offering something back to God. After all we've received through this study of Romans—truth, grace, conviction, encouragement—it is only fitting that we end with praise.Paul closes his letter with greetings, grace, and glory. So today, we do the same.From the depths of doctrine to the heights of doxology, this final message invites us to lift our eyes and our hearts and praise the only wise God—through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.Thank you for walking through Romans with me. I hope this series has blessed you, challenged you, and rooted you deeper in the truth of the gospel.May grace always be with you. And may glory always go to Him.
Take It All
Take It All
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com
One moment they were in their apartment building. The next they were under it. Ninety people were trapped when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar suddenly leveled their building.Fifty Myanmar children went to preschool that day. At least a dozen died there in the sudden collapse of their school. One doctor in Mandalay said: "Wherever I looked, I saw collapsed buildings. Only dust." It's a tragedy that's almost incomprehensible. Especially when some scientists are estimating the death toll could even go to 10,000. Not numbers. Somebody's son or daughter. Husband or wife. Mom or dad. In spite of the ferocity of the quake, many did not have to die. As one expert explained, building codes in this quake-prone area "fail to fully consider earthquake resistance measures." In other words, unlike places like Japan, structures are not built to withstand the shock of a major quake. It's not just buildings with that kind of vulnerability. It's people. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What the Quake Can't Take." Cancer. Stroke. Heart attack. The death of a child. Or, like me, the death of the love of your life. It's just been a litany of loss lately among friends and acquaintances. Bad news from the doctor. Financial collapse. A devastating fire or storm. The collapse of a marriage. Mental health and anxiety issues are off the charts. It's like we're all living in a quake prone zone. The question is not, "Will there be a lifequake?" The question is, "Is what I'm building my life on strong enough to withstand the trauma that shakes everything in my world?" So many things we live for... we depend on... our "go to's" fail us when the quake hits. We look around and there's "only dust." What is there that the quake can't take? That's something the Biblical psalmist addresses when he wrote these words in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with surging... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall". He's saying here that literally, everything is collapsing. But listen... "The Lord Almighty is with us." A ship in a storm can be tossed around violently. But the anchor holds. Mine did nine years ago next month. It shook my world like nothing else ever could. The Great Quake - death - suddenly took my Karen, the love of my life since I was 19. But there's something it couldn't take. My personal relationship with the only Person who ever beat death. The one man who walked out of His grave under His own power. Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God. Yes, the one who promised to love me "til death do us part" kept her promise. But death did us part. But, in the words of Scripture, "Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). It's the love we saw poured out for our sins on the day we call Good Friday. A love that didn't turn its back then. A love that never will. Millions of people for two thousand years have anchored their life to this Jesus, and found that "we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19). It seems appropriate that on that morning we call Easter the Bible says, "there was a violent earthquake" at the tomb of Jesus. For that is the day He walked out of that grave to conquer the Great Quake of death. Listen, if you want to be sure you belong to Him in an uncertain world, our website is there to help you begin a relationship with Him. Would you go there today? It's ANewStory.com. Someday I will face the Great Quake. But not alone. For, as the Bible says, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For YOU are with me!" (Psalm 23:4)
One moment they were in their apartment building. The next they were under it. Ninety people were trapped when a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar suddenly leveled their building.Fifty Myanmar children went to preschool that day. At least a dozen died there in the sudden collapse of their school. One doctor in Mandalay said: "Wherever I looked, I saw collapsed buildings. Only dust." It's a tragedy that's almost incomprehensible. Especially when some scientists are estimating the death toll could even go to 10,000. Not numbers. Somebody's son or daughter. Husband or wife. Mom or dad. In spite of the ferocity of the quake, many did not have to die. As one expert explained, building codes in this quake-prone area "fail to fully consider earthquake resistance measures." In other words, unlike places like Japan, structures are not built to withstand the shock of a major quake. It's not just buildings with that kind of vulnerability. It's people. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "What the Quake Can't Take." Cancer. Stroke. Heart attack. The death of a child. Or, like me, the death of the love of your life. It's just been a litany of loss lately among friends and acquaintances. Bad news from the doctor. Financial collapse. A devastating fire or storm. The collapse of a marriage. Mental health and anxiety issues are off the charts. It's like we're all living in a quake prone zone. The question is not, "Will there be a lifequake?" The question is, "Is what I'm building my life on strong enough to withstand the trauma that shakes everything in my world?" So many things we live for... we depend on... our "go to's" fail us when the quake hits. We look around and there's "only dust." What is there that the quake can't take? That's something the Biblical psalmist addresses when he wrote these words in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with surging... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall". He's saying here that literally, everything is collapsing. But listen... "The Lord Almighty is with us." A ship in a storm can be tossed around violently. But the anchor holds. Mine did nine years ago next month. It shook my world like nothing else ever could. The Great Quake - death - suddenly took my Karen, the love of my life since I was 19. But there's something it couldn't take. My personal relationship with the only Person who ever beat death. The one man who walked out of His grave under His own power. Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God. Yes, the one who promised to love me "til death do us part" kept her promise. But death did us part. But, in the words of Scripture, "Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39). It's the love we saw poured out for our sins on the day we call Good Friday. A love that didn't turn its back then. A love that never will. Millions of people for two thousand years have anchored their life to this Jesus, and found that "we have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure" (Hebrews 6:19). It seems appropriate that on that morning we call Easter the Bible says, "there was a violent earthquake" at the tomb of Jesus. For that is the day He walked out of that grave to conquer the Great Quake of death. Listen, if you want to be sure you belong to Him in an uncertain world, our website is there to help you begin a relationship with Him. Would you go there today? It's ANewStory.com. Someday I will face the Great Quake. But not alone. For, as the Bible says, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For YOU are with me!" (Psalm 23:4) {module Open a chat window - needhim}
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).
If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ Submit a Prayer Request: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/prayer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 16:12–17 - [12] Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. [13] Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. [14] Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. [15] Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. [16] Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. (ESV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen _ Venmo: @CareyNGreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Carey@careygreen.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/
If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: David, from Ohio, who listens every morning. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 14:8–9 - [8] For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. [9] For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (ESV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen _ Venmo: @CareyNGreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Carey@careygreen.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/
If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ TELL SOMEONE ABOUT THE MORNING MINDSET - Your personal recommendation can make an eternal difference in the lives of the people you know! STEP ONE: Go to http://YourMorningMindset.com STEP TWO: Share that page with someone you know! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 14:5–6 - [5] One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. [6] The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (ESV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen _ Venmo: @CareyNGreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Carey@careygreen.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/
If you're curious about how to become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (this is an EXTERNAL resource, not owned by the Morning Mindset. Please do not leave messages for Carey there. See below for contact info). ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Anonymous MM Listener - Start off my daily commute to center my day in the clinic around Jesus. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:19–20 - [19] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” [20] To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” (ESV) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUPPORT OUR WORK: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen _ Venmo: @CareyNGreen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTACT US AT: Carey@careygreen.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/
Today, Cherie dives into Proverbs 2 and the intentional pursuit of wisdom. Unpacking active language in this passage—accept, store up, call out, seek, search—emphasizes that wisdom doesn't just happen; it's something we must prioritize. Cherie challenges listeners to reflect on how their time reflects their priorities and highlights how pursuing wisdom ultimately leads us to the fear of the Lord (Romans 12:1-2). The reward? Favor and provision. True wisdom isn't stumbled upon—it's pursued.WHAT IS NEUE THING?Neue Thing is a non-profit ministry, founded by Cherie Wagner, that exists to equip women with the Word of God. Cherie's life-long passion is two-fold: knowing Jesus Christ and making Him known. Author of Found On My Knees, Awake O Sleeper, Rest, Hope, Psalms for Life, and Knowing Your Name, Cherie writes Bible studies for women that will encourage them to know and believe God's Word, equip them to live it, and empower them to take it and transform this generation for Jesus Christ.CONNECT Website: https://neuething.org/Email Subscription link:https://neuething.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neuethinginc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neuethingGive to Neue Thing: https://neuething.org/give/RESOURCESProverbs: The Wise, The Fool, The WickedKnowing Your NameFound On My Knees: The Journey from Brokenness to BlessingAwake O Sleeper: EphesiansRest: 30 Days of Exploring God's Invitation to RestHope: Tethered to an Unwavering GodPsalms for Life
Jan. 25 & 26, 2025 - You Can Have It All Lord! Pastor Ed Taylor Romans 12:1-2 | Study #20250126 TOPICAL - Take It All
Personal Revival, Nation Awakening & Generational Reformation “Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord ” (Romans 12:11). Cultivating our spiritual hunger for God is part of the believers lifestyle. Our communion and relationship with Jesus through His Word, prayer, fasting and friendship is the quest that fuels sustainable personal revival. In this newest episode of The torch, Brian focuses on our personal pursuit for God's heart and specifically keeping the fire and passion burning in the midst of uncertain times. We are currently raising funds for our Sanctuary Building that we are building. If you'd like to partner with us in building a resting place for the presence of the Lord, you can give today at: https://www.victoryfla.com/give For all the latest on all things from Brian, be sure to check out our website at https://victoryfla.com and follow us on social media. Welcome to The Torch. A podcast with Brian Gibbs, presenting Biblical insights and prophetic perspectives for cultural and current events in this day and age. Contending for personal revival, national awakening and generational reformation. Download our app at: https://victoryfla.com/app Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victorychurchfla/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victorychurchfla/ X: https://twitter.com/victorychurchfl/
that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved – Romans 10:9
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
Hell is a topic many people have misconceptions about. What is it exactly? It is an eternal separation from God and Jesus made teaching about hell a priority. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). We are all filled with sin, but those who build their identities on anything other than Jesus Christ will only be disappointed with the result, here on earth and all of eternity. We encourage you all to invite the people in your life to surrender to the gospel, invite them to Paradigm tomorrow night, and share this sermon with them! Each week, the Paradigm sermons are posted on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts as free resources for you to listen to the word if you miss a week, want to re-listen, or even share with a friend! https://www.bible.com/events/49289723 Paradigm is a weekly gathering of Kansas City college and 20s-30s young adults who desire to see Jesus made known throughout the city! Want to come & see? Email us at paradigm@livingproof.co to give us a heads up so we can greet you, or just show up any Tuesday night at 7pm to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a relaxing environment, hear messages relevant to college and young professionals, and build relationships with other young adults. Subscribe to the ParadigmKC podcast and YouTube, follow us on Instagram & Facebook, find our location, and learn more at http://paradigmkc.com/.
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