Podcasts about mariners church chapel

Did you know that the Bible talks a lot about money (about 2,350 verses), more than verses on faith and prayer, combined! And Jesus said more about money than about both heaven and hell. God cares a great deal about how we feel about money and possessions. God knows that we are all prone to greed, no matter how much or how little we have. God wants us to live in freedom, because He is our provider and he knows what we need. Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples… Luke 12:1 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Luke 12:14 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Ephesians 5:5 NLT And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.” Luke 12:16 “He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ Luke 12:17-19 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ Luke 12:20 Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. Psalm 39:6 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:21 “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows…Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:6-7,32 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Our lives are but specks of dust falling through the fingers of time. Like sands of the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. Socrates You have decided the length of our lives. You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer. Job 14:5 NLT Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you…and you will be a blessing...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3 “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21 Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time. 2 Kings 13:7 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 2 Kings 13:4-5 “…they did not turn away from the sins…they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria” 2 Kings 13:6 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” 2 Kings 13:14 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 2 Kings 13:15-16 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.” 2 Kings 13:17 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 2 Kings 13:18 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.” 2 Kings 13:19-20a Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the [windows] of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Malachi 3:10 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Psalm 121 reminds us that we shall never lose hope because God is alive and he keeps his promises. Today, Ines answers the question: How do I remain hopeful, especially in the waiting? The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”–“a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Mark 1:1-3 In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Isaiah 2:2 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” Luke 1:31-33 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. Isaiah 11:1-3 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. Colossians 1:15-19 Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Philippians 2:6-7 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father… Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Matthew 24:36,42 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Psalm 130:5-6 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 “Faith knows for whom and for what it is waiting. It is fulfilled faith because it lays hold of the fulfilled promise.” -Karl Barth I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:3-4 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. Psalm 121:5-6 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

In Colossians 3:15-17, Paul directs us to always be thankful through Jesus Christ. Today, Ines answers the question: How does taking communion helps us shift from occasional thanksgiving to a life of gratitude? Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17 “The aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them.” G.K. Chesterton, Writer, Poet, Lay Theologian, Novelist And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17 eucharistéō = To be grateful, thankful, to give thanks For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve…While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:20, 26-28 “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 1 John 6:35 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. Deuteronomy 8:17-18 …The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:1-2 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Position Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. Nehemiah 5:14 The great outcry of the people Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” Nehemiah 5:1-2 The reality of injustice by others But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. Nehemiah 5:15 Motive • Reverence for God But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. Nehemiah 5:15b-16 • Justice and compassion Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. Nehemiah 5:17-18 Reward Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. Nehemiah 5:19 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Luke 17:3-19 tells the story of Jesus healing ten men of leprosy, and giving to one of them, the one who said, "Thank you", an even greater gift. Today, Ines answers the question: How to develop a heartfelt gratitude that is not attached to our circumstances? Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Luke 11:11-13 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 11:14 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Luke 11:15-16 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:17-19 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Running a Marathon On the side line: naysayers, doubters and haters But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. Nehemiah 4:7 • Their weapons: ridicule, anger, attacks They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. Nehemiah 4:8 • The aim: discourage, destroy Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” Nehemiah 4:11 • Their tactic: persistence Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” Nehemiah 4:12 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 On the race: step by step with God • Pray Hear us, our God, for we are despised…We prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Nehemiah 4:4a,9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” Nehemiah 6:9 On the race, • Remember After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” Nehemiah 4:14 • Focus, fight the right fight Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. Nehemiah 6:2-4 • Trust Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. Nehemiah 4:20-21 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:7 Beyond the finish line So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Nehemiah 6:16 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

You can’t eat walls Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain… Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” Nehemiah 5:1-2, 5 Nehemiah’s alarm When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. Nehemiah 5:6 A heart restoration I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. Nehemiah 5:7-8 • Blessed to be a blessing “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing....and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3 • Love for people “If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them...Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.” Leviticus 25:35-36 The flow of wisdom So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.” Nehemiah 5:9-11 Starts with God For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:16-18 Leads to justice Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Mark 3:4-5 Food for life “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised...the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised. Nehemiah 5:12-13 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” John 4:34 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:13-14 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:15-16 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. James 5:17-18 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. James 5:13 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. James 5:14 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:15-16 Chiastic pattern: A: prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well B: pray for each other so that you may be healed A: prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective PRAYER HEALS! Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man...When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Mark 2:3-5 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20 The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:15 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.” 2 Samuel 12:1-3 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.” 2 Samuel 12:4 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.” 2 Samuel 12:5-6 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.’ 2 Samuel 12:7-8 ‘Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 2 Samuel 12:9-10 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled “to the measure” of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 Bad for you now: You lose things The LORD sent Nathan to David…Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?” 2 Samuel 12:1-9a Bad for you later: You gain consequences ‘Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ 2 Samuel 12:10 What to do instead: Repent, seek after God’s heart Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” 2 Samuel 12:13 I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. Psalm 38:18 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:1-2, 10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1-2 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Building for the future Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. Nehemiah 2:17-18 The purpose of the work Beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth, like the heights of Zaphon is Mount Zion, the city of the Great King. Psalm 48:2 To work well with others, put God first Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them. The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Nehemiah 3:1-3 God uses ordinary people willing to work • Priests • Men, Women, Sons, Daughters • Craftsmen, Goldsmith, Perfume makers • Governors, Rulers, Merchants • Servants You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel. 2 Samuel 15:5-6 …“Look your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you…If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” 2 Samuel 15:3-4 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.” 2 Samuel 15:13 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing. 2 Samuel 15:12 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.” 2 Samuel 15:14 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.” 2 Samuel 15:15 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom…Go back, and take your people with you. May the LORD show you kindness and faithfulness.” But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.” 2 Samuel 15:19-21 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.” 2 Samuel 15:25-26 But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:3-4 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Romans 12:19 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33 When they hurled their insults at him, [Jesus] did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23 The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders. 2 Samuel 18:5 “Have faith in God…And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:22,25 “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.” 2 Samuel 12:13 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests…The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. Nehemiah 2:8-9 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. Nehemiah 2:11-12 The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 12:15 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Nehemiah 2:13 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. Nehemiah 2:17-18 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing? they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king? Nehemiah 2:19 A mission from God is always met with resistance “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first… Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” John 15:18, 20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding...” Nehemiah 2:20 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:10-12 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

A mission from God, through us, for other people The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:1-2 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1:1-2 See 8 photos (I will run through them fairly quickly, but as soon as I start talking about camping, put up Camping 1 and 2 and hold #2 for a while as I set up the glamping metaphor.) “Christians are like manure: you leave them all in one pile and it stinks, but if you spread it out it makes things grow.” -Francis Chan They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3 “Bad news is the genesis of breakthroughs.” –Caleb Anderson, Favor with Kings, pg. 37 The Babylonians set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 39:8 “I [King Artaxerxes] issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition…Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.” Ezra 4:19-21 “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” –C.S. Lewis When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Philippians 2:6-8 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit—I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people… Romans 9:1-4a When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:36-38 For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:4b …As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. v.13 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Genesis 3:9-11 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:12-13 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. v.14 A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord. Proverbs 19:3 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh… Galatians 5:17 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. v.15 Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. Psalm 7:14 Image slide: spiraltext-01.png Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. v.16 …take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. v.17-18 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Would you rather have knowledge or wisdom? “Wisdom is, I suppose, the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” The Fourfold Treasure (1871) Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3:14-16 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(A) and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3:14-16 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 “When the devil speaks a lie, it is bad. When he uses the world to perpetrate a lie, it is worse. But, when the members of the church become his instruments to spread devilish wisdom, it is the worst of all situations.” Simon J. Kistemaker and William Hendriksen, Exposition of James and the Epistles of John But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18 The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17 “If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Vance Havner Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky…God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells…then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.” Job 28:20-21,23,27-28 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. Psalm 111:10 I [wisdom] love those who love me, and those who seek me find me…For those who find me find life and receive favor from the LORD. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death. Proverbs 8:17, 35-36 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Life gives us many choices. In this episode Ines teaches us about the most importaint choice that Jesus teaches us about. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:15-16 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:17-20 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:26-27 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. Matthew 7:28-29   “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13b-14 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25 “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:9-10 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 “Enter through the narrow gate.” Matthew 7:13a “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Ines teaches us how we can become more attractive as Christians by learning how to judge corectly rather than be critical followers of Jesus. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38 “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 4:24 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:9 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Leviticus 19:15 “You have judged correctly” Luke 7:43 “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” Romans 2:1 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity. Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!...” 2 Samuel 12:5-7a Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Psalm 51:1-3 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:4,10 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12 …“Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:39-42 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:43-45 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Today Ines challenges us to put our faith in action and live to the full potential that God has created us for! “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:13-17 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Matthew 25:31-33 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom...For I was…” • “hungry and you gave me something to eat” • “thirsty and you gave me something to drink” • “a stranger and you invited me in” • “needed clothes and you clothed me” • “sick and you looked after me” • “in prison and you came to visit me.” “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we…? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:37-40 "When you give away extravagant love, people feel like they've met heaven." Bob Goff, Love Does Our Mission: Inspire people to follow Jesus and fearlessly change the world “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world…I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:18,22-23 (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Priorities. Every day we awake to our set task list in our minds. Get out of Bed, Go to work, Eat dinner, etc. But in our daily routine and habits, how often do you prioritize God? In Mark 10:21-27, we discover how Jesus wants us to prioritize our faith above our daily comforts and truly devote our lives to our Lord. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in giving his life to pay for our worldly sins so that we could have eternal life. Yet we still fear death as though it is “The End”. What if that ending is only truly the first beginning? John 12:23-33 reminds us that Jesus is more alive today than ever. When we follow him faithfully, we can experience His gift of abundant life now and forever. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Equality is a consistently hot topic in the media. When you get down to it, respecting others is at the root of equality. 1 Peter 2:16-17 tells us to not only show proper respect for all of God’s creatures, but to use this as a positive tool in your daily life and practices. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

What is love? If you ask multiple people this question, you will receive multiple answers. In the Book of Ruth, we learn of love and its many facets of loyalty, sacrifice and faith. This podcast demonstrates how following your faith in Jesus will keep you on the path of true love. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

In your day to day life, do you get the feeling that you need something more? Is your soul thirsty for God’s love and guidance? Today as we study Pslam 63 (My favorite passage!), we explore the desire to have God in our lives and as our guiding force. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Advice on relationships and how to make or break them is found on nearly every magazine cover in the grocery store. There never seems to be advice on the most important relationship in your life, the one you have with Jesus. In Genesis 2 & 3, we explore our relationship to God and how it informs the way we should relate to one another. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

During the holiday season we are reminded to live with thanks in our hearts and lead our lives with a purpose. Why are we not prompted to celebrate this virtue year round? Today Isaiah 40 shows us that with the abundant hope God has given us, we can survive and thrive in any situation that comes our way at any time of the year. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Do you feel like you have more than enough peace in your life? In the songs of this Christmas season, we hear the message to “let there be peace on earth.” As we reflect on at Isaiah 9.6 we are reminded that as children of God we walk with peace everyday. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We have all heard the saying that appearances can be deceiving, and it is what is on the inside that truly matters. Do you allow God to shape you instead of the world? Looking at Romans 12, we reflect on how we can offer ourselves to him as an instrument of our faith and live a practical life in his light. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Through sharing from her personal stories and the study of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ines Franklin shares how it is possible to love like God loves. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Through sharing from her personal stories and the study of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ines Franklin shares how it is possible to love like God loves. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA) The post Sermon | True Love appeared first on Trochia.

Sometime we try to pick and choose the laws of God that we like or suit us at that time. In Romans 7 we seek to better understand the law, sin and how those correlate with our daily walk with the Lord. Paul lays out a very powerful message in Romans to give us a better understanding of God’s law in our life. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

The Lord has spoken into our lives and thankfully, we are continually reminded of the truths the Lord has set forth for us. We take this week to read through the gospel chapters, so we can be reminded that we are not at war with God. How can we be at peace with God when the world wants to help us forget that we are at peace with God. There is nothing we can add to God’s grace as we take a look at Romans 5 - God’s love being poured out for us giving us an unshakable hope. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

This week we learn by example how we are to follow Jesus through some of his initial followers. Don’t we wish we felt at ease telling others about God and our journey? We need guidance when telling others and we have a God who wants to guide us. Looking at Psalm 32:8, the Lord speaks to us directly and tells us how he will show us the way. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We follow the story of two men in the bible who hear the story to Jesus’ resurrection and flee away from the city. Away from Jesus and choose a different path. When do we know we are on “the not so good” road and can we change our path or find our way back? Where have you found yourself on “the not so good” road in your life? Jesus finds us here and minsters to us, guiding us back to the path that was originally marked out. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

In those moments in life where something has left such a profound mark on us, good or bad, how can we be affirmed that God is watching over us. We look to the book of Psalms to see a great example of where God is when life happens and His unending kindness. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

When we want to seek God’s voice and we are ready to listen but God seems silent, how can we be encouraged to keep listening? We look to numerous people in the bible who were struggling with this same issue and how they chose to handle their predicament. We will see that some chose to handle it wisely and others less so. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We can enjoy reading the bible because we love God’s word, not because we should feel guilty for not reading it. This week we try to discern how God speaks to us through his word; opposed to, how the evil one try’s to deceive us. Only when we can identify the difference between the two can we know which one to trust. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Struggling with distractions, we are constantly bombarded with messages telling us what our identity is supposed to be. Today we discuss how we can reset our identity during the week and understand what our identity truly is through Christ. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

In order to understand the importance of Palm Sunday, we first need to understand the big picture. This week we study the events leading up to Palm Sunday to better grasp how and why this day unfolds through scripture. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Starting off in the book of Genesis to understand God’s intention for judgement and how we are to understand its meaning. We study the differences between how God has said we are to judge and how we tend to judge. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Jesus gives us the feeling of completeness and fullness. Ines Franklin digs deep into the sermon on the mount and how Jesus shows us that the key to living life to the fullest is through the power of prayer. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

This message tackles the difficult topics of divorce and adultery. This week we visit the book of Matthew and dig deeper into the sermon on the mount. Through Jesus sermon we can learn that He wants us to be happy but the way we are looking for it isn’t the correct way. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We are born with the right to be happy but we are in a constant pursuit. We explore the ways the people tend to look at happiness, research of happiness, defining it and if it is something that is actually achievable by the worlds standards. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

How can we prepare our hearts and our minds to have fruitful and productive lives in the upcoming year. We look this week at how God defines being productive and fruitful so we can live it out; as well as, reflect on ways we could have lived differently in this past year. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

The joy in our hearts can only be increased by our Lord and Savior. In times that the world tries to tell us how we can have joy. This week we learn how to truly increase joy in our lives and avoid the pitfalls of false happiness and in doing so we must first know the difference between happiness and joy. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We are always obsessed with time. This can be another pitfall keeping us from experiencing God’s love. We look at the book of Exodus to see how we can use our time more effectively in a way that is honoring to God. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Understanding what keeps us from experiencing God’s love and what gets in the way of us loving our neighbor. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others and this get’s in the way of loving ourselves and loving others the way God calls us to love them. Comparison can offer perspective and it can help us feel grateful but there can be pitfalls that damage our sense of self. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We need to love our neighbor because we need it for our survival. God calls us to settle down and be prosperous together in community. It’s so easy for us to be that bad neighbor. This week we take a look at ways we can be a loving neighbor because we have been placed around one another for God’s purpose. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

It is essential to identify the telltale signs of temptation triggers in our lives but most of us haven’t taken the time to step back and discern what the enemy is trying to use against us. Evil crafts meticulous lures of desire to deceive us off the path of the wise and onto a path of insecurity and anger. That’s not the life we want. Let’s equip one another to be mindful of temptation and overcome it. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine)

Today we are going to focus on how temptation is the pitfall that we all struggle with. We take a look in the book of James to better understand how Jesus’s brother deals with temptation and how we can be mindful of the cycle of temptation after we have persevered through our struggles. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

After spending three weeks in Sri Lanka and India with our ministry friends there, my husband and I were reminded of the importance of relationship. In this sermon, I share a little bit about the trip and about how important it is to seek wisdom from God through a close relationship with Him. I am convinced that the only way to discern God's will is to live in a close relationship with God. I was so excited to share a preview of the result of my nine year study about discerning the will of God: four practical ways to discern God's will even through life's most challenging seasons. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

For most of us, surrendering to God is a daily struggle. We respond to God's faithfulness in one of three ways: with faith that is willing; with faith that is willing but with conditions; and with faith that is unwilling. Thankfully, our lack of faith does not change God; but, it changes us. The story in Judges 4 and 5 is a great example of this, and thus it encourages us to increase our willingness to trust God. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We love heroes! The Bible tells great stories of heroes and villains. In this sermon, we study the story of Samson. We soon learn that he was his own worse enemy. He was wonderfully human, like you and me. Nevertheless, God used Samson's strengths and weaknesses. This EPIC story reminds us that God can use us, ordinary folks, to do extraordinary things. It's never too late. God never leaves us nor forsakes us. Jesus is our ultimate hero. He has work for us to do. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

It seems impossible to change the world, but what if you’ve been selected to change one life? God has called you. He gives you the authority and power. Now go! Change the life of a family member, a neighbor, co-worker, the dry-cleaning lady, housekeeper, or a friend. It is now your time. Jesus wants to be with you and to send you. He believes that you can be and do like him. Yes, you can change one world. It will change yours. Are you willing? (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

I grew up wanting to write my own story. My idea of success was owning a Jaguar by the time I was thirty and having my picture included the Encyclopedia Britannica. *Lame* Jesus called Levi, he called me, he calls you, to a bigger story. Follow Jesus. Don't settle for anything less! (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine CA)

In Luke 5, we read of a leper who does the unthinkable. He, an "unclean," unlovable, dishonored, rejected man, approaches Jesus. With bold humility he asks, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." We can learn so much from this story. All of us pray, but few of us are willing to pray boldly, and so often we do not pray with humility. Are we afraid that our requests might be unreasonable? Are we afraid that God is not able or willing to answer our prayer? Are we refusing to humble ourselves? But, what if – because He loves us – he is not only willing, but he is waiting for us to ask? (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine CA)

Communion helps us remember who Jesus is, and what he did and continues to do. At Mariners Church Chapel, we celebrate Communion every Sunday. The danger for us who take communion regularly is that we can easily make it routine and lose sight of its meaning and importance. If we do not take the time to remember, this tradition soon becomes an “empty” ritual or tradition. It’s pretty easy to take Communion for granted, to get used to celebrating it and not take the time to make sure you are going into the Lord’s Supper with the right frame of mind. Before we take Communion, we need to spend some time reflecting on these two questions: "Who is Jesus" and "What did Jesus come to do?" (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

Have you ever thought of confession as a celebration? Our personal "fellowship" with God depends on a clear recognition of our human nature, as well as a proper estimate of the nature of God as revealed by his Son Jesus Christ. Confession is a reality check. It connects us with our inability to save ourselves, with God's gracious willingness to save us, with the enormous price that was paid for us and with the gratitude that should fill our hearts. When we confess, we celebrate God's grace. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine CA)

In a world that over promises and under-delivers, where suffering seems to be on the rise, we all need hope. The Christian hope is rooted in the work of salvation completed by our Triune God. Do we understand it? Will it pass the test of suffering? Can we get more of it? In this sermon, Ines explores how it is, as Paul tell us, that we can increase our hope even when we experience great suffering. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

None of us are perfect parents, but we all have a perfect heavenly Father. We can learn from God how to care for children and make a positive difference in their lives. Ines preaches on material compiled by Doug Fields. From his thirty years of experience as a youth and young adult pastor, Doug compiled ten actions children need from caring adults. Here Ines covers the last four and also shares from her own experiences. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

We are designed by God to be in relationship with Him and each other. But, let's face it, relationships are messy and love is not always easy. We want to love people, but our love is limited, compromised and imperfect. Through sharing from her personal stories and the study of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Ines Franklin shares how it is possible to love like God loves. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

By the second week in December, we all feel the pressure of the Christmas holiday season. There is so much to do, so much busyness, that we can easily miss the reason for Christmas. Ines takes us through the story in Luke 2:22-40. Joseph and Mary are following the rules in taking Jesus to the Temple, but they have a surprise encounter with a couple of strangers, Simeon and Anna. What they offer Joseph and Mary is something we desperately need. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

No matter how you feel about the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, we are all going to feel the pressure of what I call the runaway train of "more." We will see more, do more, eat more, buy more, give more, stress more and maybe weigh more. If we are not careful, this tsunami of more can do a lot of harm to our hearts. Ines Franklin seeks to remind us of the natural human tendency and danger of wanting more and to invite us to grab hold of the only antidote against it, GRATITUDE. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

At the root of any waiting lies a promise. Something was pledged or committed to us. There are two ways to wait, passive waiting or active waiting. For this message, we're going to look back at how God makes and keeps his promises. We're going to consider how we are to actively wait until his promises come true. When it comes to Jesus, some of us are deep in passive waiting. It is my desire that today's message will shift us to active waiting. (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)

It is not Easter and we are not talking about a funeral, but this message is about the Resurrection. Every day is a good day to talk about the resurrection of Jesus Christ because it affects us here and now. Believing in the resurrection means that we can trust on God to bring new life to a dead marriage or a broken relationship. He wan restore a shattered heart and save us from our additions. This message is about leaning on the power of the resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit. I gave it just a few days after my mother-in-law died of a sudden heart attack. Amazing! (Mariners Church Chapel, Irvine, CA)