Podcasts about our faith in jesus

We have not meditated enough on what it means to be “made” righteous. If we do, the way we pray or even relate to God would be different. In 2 Cor 5:21, the phrase “made righteous” is from the Greek word “gimomai” - and it is a derivative of the English language word “gene”. Since in human context, a child's gender is dermined by the “gene” of the father, so the believer's spiritual gender is determined by the “gene” of God. If your spiritual gene is from God and God is righteous, then it should not be difficult to believe that righteousness is the spiritual gene of the believer. We should never have to have a debate about this or engage in mindless argument. To believe otherwise will lead to spiritual confusion or spiritual gender dysphoria.So, when I hear someone say that a believer is a sinner, they have not believed this truth. Let me show you another scripture in 1 John 3:9. It says: “No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God's nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God.”‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭AMPC‬‬The divine sperm determines the gene of the child. God's divine sperm is righteous and holy - and that is what He transferred to the believer at spiritual conception. Such a person can't practice sin. Why? The nature of God permanently abides in him.Rom 5:1 TPT affirms this truth:“Our faith in Jesus transfers God's righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.”A believer's identity is not that of sin. How could it be when he has been born of God? Except we are saying God is a sinner! God forbid! It is a travesty to even have long conversations about this. If you think you are a sinner or a believer who still has a sin nature, you have not believed the scriptures. Religion has convinced us that when we are born again, we are not really made new. We're just a “forgiven version” of the same old person. Then, they go as far as to say that despite the promise of a new heart and spirit, we maintain our old nature alongside what God does in us. Therefore, we don't have a completely new nature; we now have a dual nature: our old sinful nature exists alongside a new nature in Christ. This sets our entire journey with Jesus off course. It means the rest of our life on earth is spent in a struggle between the two natures. That is like someone suffering from MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder)A christian is not revamped in heart and spirit but totally brand new. In the new birth, God doesn't clean our spirit and heart; He makes us new, i.e., a new creation. "New Creation" is "Kainos Ktisis" in Greek and means a creation "not found exactly like this before." or “never been seen before in the history of the universe." Or “superior to what it succeeds"  The Greek word used to describe the new creation is like the same way God created the heavens and the earth from nothing in Gen 1:1. 

Our faith in Jesus starts at the point of salvation. Our faith in Jesus grows and is strengthened through storms that we face. Is your faith in Jesus fierce like a buffalo today?

Our faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross has saved us from God’s judgment. It is by God’s grace we are saved.

In the fourth sermon in our series Finding Hope, Pastor Steve Gill teaches through the story found in Mark 9:14-27. In this story we meet a father desperate for help for his son who has been possessed by a demon since childhood. It is in this story that we find the father saying “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:23-24. Today's key idea: Our faith in Jesus is not about trying harder but about trusting in Jesus. What can we learn? 1. Be honest with God about your doubts. God is big enough to handle your doubts/questions/fears. 2. Trust that Jesus responds to your imperfect faith.

January 28, 2025 Daily Devotion: "The Promise of the Helper" John 14:16-18 New Living Translation   16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, [a] who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.[b] 18 No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. This passage emphasizes the victory we possess through our faith in Christ. To be "born of God" signifies a spiritual rebirth through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior (John 3:3). This rebirth empowers us to triumph over the challenges and temptations of this world. In a world filled with trials, it's easy to feel defeated. However, our faith is the victory that overcomes these adversities. The word "overcome" indicates a battle; we are engaged in a spiritual war (Ephesians 6:12). Yet, we are not left to fight alone. Our faith in Jesus our source of strength and assurance. As we embrace this truth, let us remember that our victory is not based on our own efforts but on our relationship with Christ. We are called to live victoriously, embodying the hope and peace that comes from trusting in Him. Let's pray for a deepening of our faith today, that we may become more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

January 19, 2025Pastor Chris WrightSincere LoveRomans 12:9-21Sincere love should be the foundation of who are. This is who God has called us to be. Our faith in Jesus has transformed our hearts and therefore should transform our lifestyle in how we love and relate to others.Healthy character & healthy perspective leads to healthy actions. We must embrace honest & sincere love – expecting nothing in return – in order to discover the best God has for us.Live in harmony, with humility, as we pursue holiness together.Thank you for listening!For more info on Redemption City Church check out our website. If you'd like to connect with us further, please fill out a Connection Card and one of our staff will get in touch with you.Follow us on on social media: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Going home for the holidays can lead to a mix of emotions. Some of you have been counting down the days until you could go home. For others, you are preparing to walk into a warzone. The reality is, young adulthood is a season of change, and that impactss our home and family lives as well. Our relationships with our parents and siblings change. Our faith in Jesus may be new to people at home and some of tho former traditions and activities just aren't for you anymore. How do we navigate these tensions and challenges?In this episode, we discuss various ways to make this trip home for the holidays a success. Here are some practical tips we walk through in the episode:Serve your family -- Do chores and tasks without being asked. Serving opens the door and demonstrates love.Remain consistent with your rhythms -- Have a spiritual plan. Keep reading your Bible. Keep praying. Create a conducive environment.Stay in touch with community -- Do a reading plan with friends and hold each other accountable. Be prepared -- Uncover common tripwires and don't be caught off guard by former temptations.Adjust expectations -- Your family and friends likely know a different version of you. Help kindly introduce them to the new you.Don't force your convictions on others -- You can't expect someone who doesn't know Jesus to act like Jesus.Share your story -- Give a reason for the hope you have (1 Peter 5:16). Tell people about what God has done in your life.Set boundaries with love -- Change is hard, especially for your family. Be gracious.Practice forgiveness -- Extend forgiveness quickly. Overlook offense. Apologize readily.Find a church and invite your family -- Use Christmas as opportunity to start new traditions. Enjoy this episode! Follow Going Somewhere Podcast on InstagramAsk a Question or Suggest a Guest | goingsomewherepod.comSubscribe to us on YoutubePodcast Music: Electric Ten by Broke in SummerGoing Somewhere is a resource of Northview ChurchStephen's Instagram & Website

In John 14, we read that as Jesus celebrated the passover with his disciples, knowing that he was very soon going to the cross, Jesus spoke words of comfort to His disciples, reminding them of the future glory of heaven. When Thomas asked how they could know the way to where Jesus was going, Jesus responded, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) In today's message, Pastor explores the question, what can calm our troubled hearts? Our faith in Jesus, the future promised to us, and our relationship with God through Jesus.

This week Peter Thompson spoke on The God of the Breakthrough. We are not victims but VICTORS! Our faith in Jesus brings great power, peace and optimism as we fix our eyes and focus on Him.

I grew up in a typical Baptist church in the Midwest, and I remember well when I first heard of the Holy Spirit.  It seemed that no one really understood who or what the Holy Spirit was!  Particularly challenging was the public anger aimed at those who often spoke of the Holy Spirit and began to practice and manifest the " signs of the spirit," such as speaking in tongues and all things "charismatic."  Churches split over these issues, and I was confused and a little bit suspicious of those who said 'too much' of The Holy Spirit!   When we consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, we often encounter a wide range of responses, from clarity to utter confusion.  This is a lamentable situation, as the Holy Spirit is not just a peripheral aspect of our faith, but an integral part. A comprehensive understanding and application of the Christian faith is impossible without a firm grasp of the Holy Spirit's work in this life and the life to come.   There are many passages and teachings about the Holy Spirit in the Bible.  Here is a couple that can give us insight about this 'Spirit of God: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith."  I John 4:4, 5:4   In these two verses, John addresses a situation in which false prophets lead others away from true faith in Jesus.  These 'false teachers' have the spirit of "the antichrist," which is evil and works against the Gospel.  He teaches those early Christians that the Holy Spirit in them was more powerful than the spirit of the antichrist, and they had already beaten down that evil spirit because of God's power in the Holy Spirit!  There was no reason to fear the teachings of those false prophets or even the spirit of the antichrist because the Spirit of God had already won the war!              John makes  another point in Chapter 5: The victory that overcomes the world is "our faith."  Our faith in Jesus, our faith in the crucifixion, the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, and our faith that has led us to live with the Holy Spirit within us; that is the victory that overcomes the world of evil!  Our performance of personal abilities will not determine victory over evil; our faith in the life-giving message of Jesus, at work through the Holy Spirit – will bring the victory that overcomes the world!   The Holy Spirit  is not a mystery, though there may be misunderstandings and misuses of the 'gifts of the Spirit.'  However, for true believers, it is clear that any manifestation of God's power in a situation is a direct result of the Holy Spirit's movement.  This is yet another compelling reason to follow Jesus:  God is actively working through his spirit.  By following Him in faith and serving the Kingdom of God, we align ourselves with this divine movement.   You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcast with your friends and family.   We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/   Thank you for listening. We will see you next week!

This section of Hebrews 11 continues the long list of OT believers who accomplished great feats through their faith in the LORD & His coming Messiah. The author draws our attention to the stories of “Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets – who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection….” Our faith in Jesus wields the same power, and today we celebrate the faith-story of one such daughter of the King.

This section of Hebrews 11 continues the long list of OT believers who accomplished great feats through their faith in the LORD & His coming Messiah. The author draws our attention to the stories of “Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets – who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection….” Our faith in Jesus wields the same power, and today we celebrate the faith-story of one such daughter of the King.

Our faith in Jesus finds its truest expression through obedience that manifests in action. By following the teachings and example of Jesus, we not only affirm our belief but also demonstrate its validity to the world. Obedience becomes the tangible evidence of our faith, showcasing its transformative power in our lives and the lives of those around us.Through acts of love, compassion, and service inspired by Jesus' teachings, we embody the essence of our faith and bear witness to its truth. Whether it's comforting the afflicted, feeding the hungry, or standing up for justice, our actions reflect the depth of our commitment to Jesus and his message.As we align our lives with the principles of Jesus, we not only deepen our connection with him but also contribute to the realization of his kingdom on earth. In essence, our obedience becomes the living testimony of our faith in Jesus, proving its authenticity and relevance in a world hungry for hope and redemption.

Our faith in Jesus is based on personal conviction but is fully lived out in community. Being with people is as much a part of discipleship as private worship and prayer. We are a church that gathers.

The example in Luke 5 is Jesus doing extraordinary things for people who believed in Him. Verses 17-26 tell the story of a group of friends who lowered their paralyzed friend through a roof in order to get the man to Jesus. The man wanted and received healing but he received something even greater: forgiveness for his sins. Faith is what initiated the extraordinary healing. Our faith in Jesus will help us draw to Him and lead our friends to Him also.

Advent is a time of patience and hope.  Both of these virtues entails waiting.  Waiting for God is sometimes very difficult, especially in trying situations.  Our faith in Jesus, who is God with us and faithful to his promises, bolsters our ability to wait for him with joyful hope.  Our faith overcomes the tribulation of the world and even makes us peaceful in the face of possible persecution.  

Our faith in Jesus is both personal and public; we believe and have a personal relationship with God, but we also participate in the wider restoration of God's kingdom in this world.

1. Our faith in Jesus must GROW2. Our faith in him grows through PRAYER3. Our faith in Him grows through His Word - THE BIBLE

School is a part of life, but is it a part of our faith? Our faith in Jesus is meant to influence every aspect of our life… including school.  Through this series, we want to help student's see school as a gift to be grateful for and prayerful about, while providing tools to endure it one day at a time.

School is a part of life, but is it a part of our faith? Our faith in Jesus is meant to influence every aspect of our life… including school.  Through this series, we want to help student's see school as a gift to be grateful for and prayerful about, while providing tools to endure it one day at a time.

School is a part of life, but is it a part of our faith? Our faith in Jesus is meant to influence every aspect of our life… including school.  Through this series, we want to help student's see school as a gift to be grateful for and prayerful about, while providing tools to endure it one day at a time.

Even when you get just what you ask for, it may not be what you thought!             A few weeks ago, I walked out of a store into a large, car-filled parking lot, and my eyes immediately fixated upon a small, bright-red sports car. It was beautiful! I walked up to the car, looked it over, and then realized that someone was sitting in the driver's seat. Just as I caught his eye, he opened the door and began an excruciating climb out of the low-slung car. Because there was no way for me to escape the situation without talking, I waited. Then I asked him, after watching him struggle to lift himself out of the car, if it was 'worth it.' He flashed me a big smile and said, "Oh yeah!" We both had a good laugh and spoke for a moment about the perils of aging and "getting what you've always wanted."             Isn't that the way it is in life? You can yearn for something for years, save your money and finally get it, but the results are almost always the same:    After the new is worn off, it begins to lose its luster. Eventually, time takes its toll, and the joy and satisfaction it gives tend to fade. Almost everything in life is like that, and part of maturing is learning that not many things are genuinely 'worth it' to gain, especially if the costs of ownership are high! Whatever it is, be it a car, house, or pair of shoes.             This is part of what the Bible talks about. When we read scripture, we are taught that almost everything in this life will fade. What brings joy and happiness today will one day no longer be as satisfying, or it might wear out or even be stolen!    In fact, we are taught that only two things bring truly lasting joy into our lives: good and loving relationships and a living faith in Jesus.             Our relationships with others can be a true blessing, bringing joy into our hearts and putting a smile on our faces. Our faith in Jesus can be with us through good times and bad, giving us insight into the situations of life, encouraging and strengthening us, and ultimately carrying us into life after this life on earth. It is "worth it!"             The Apostle Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)             It's alright to gain worldly goods – they can be seen as blessings, or gifts, from God. Remember that everything in this life will fail; the only things truly 'worth it' are your good and loving relationships and your faith in Jesus.     You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family.   We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/   Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

In our series, Living in Victory, we are showing how the Bible prepares us so that we can stand in the day of attack. Ephesians 6:10-17 explains that this world, whether we like it or not, is not a fairy tale existence, but is a theatre of war between the forces of darkness and light, God and Satan, good and evil. This cosmic battle affects everyone of us, and we need to be prepared.   The Apostle Paul talks about how we can stand firm in the evil day of attack. You will face many kinds of battles in life. You may face battles over your mental health, your family, your finances, your health, there may be spiritual battles and cultural battles. This armour of God that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 details how you can stand against each type of attack on your life.    Last week we heard how important it is to have the Belt of Truth. This week we see the next piece of armour, the Breastplate of Righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 says “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”   A breastplate in Roman times was made of bronze and iron that covered the whole torso. It was designed to protect the soldier's vital organs, such as the heart and lungs, from sword attacks when in battle. A modern equivalent is body armour. The Christian's body armour is a breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is a word the Bible uses a lot, but what does it mean?   Nicky Gumbel, the pioneer of the Alpha Course and former Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton church in London said, “The word ‘righteous' is often associated with the ‘self-righteous', and has almost become a term of abuse. However, ‘righteous' in the Bible is a wonderful word and extremely important for our understanding of the whole Bible.”   How is this relevant to us when we are attacked? Because this is to do with a full-on attack where Satan wants to take you out because he is going for your heart, your lungs and your vital organs. If he can damage your heart – your emotions with fear, rejection or shame, he can take you out, unless you are protected (Proverbs 10:25,28,30). Nicky Gumbel goes on to say, “'Righteousness' is ultimately about right relationships – a right relationship with God and right relationships with others. In the New Testament, we come to understand that this righteousness is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.”   A Roman soldier had faith that the blacksmith had designed his metal breastplate to stop any sword attacks reaching his heart. How can you have faith the breastplate of righteousness will protect you from spiritual attacks to our hearts and emotions?  1. The Breastplate of Righteousness shows God's AFFECTION for you (1 John 4:9-10; 1 Peter 3:19; Romans 5:6-8) 2. The Breastplate of Righteousness removes all ACCUSATION against you (John 8:44; Revelation 12:10-11; Isaiah 61:10) 3. The Breastplate of Righteous grants you ACCESS to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16; Romans 5:2; Isaiah 1:18  Apply  The Breastplate of Righteousness shows God's affection for you. When we understand righteousness, we understand how much we are loved by God (1 John 4:9-10; 1 Peter 3:18). So, righteousness speaks to us of God's love – because God who was totally righteous made plans to save the unrighteous. He knows the unrighteous will perish if you are not right with God (Romans 5:6-8). Think about it: while you were still a sinner, still in unrighteousness, were not right with God, were rebelling against God, He gave His life for you. The breastplate of righteous is God's love for you. There's nothing you can do to stop Jesus loving you. There's nothing in your past that can stop Jesus loving you today. It is not the breastplate of your own righteousness, but the breastplate of the righteousness of God. You can't trust in your own righteousness as we have all done wrong. But the Lord loves us and He showed that at the Cross. Whatever you are going through, know you are loved by God.    The Breastplate of Righteousness removes all accusation against you. Satan is the accuser. He will do anything to try to discourage you, to convince you that you are not worthy of being in the presence of God. Jesus speaks of the devil in John 8:44. Whenever you feel any accusations come upon you, whenever you face these thoughts and doubts, whenever you think you are not worthy enough, you need to “Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place.” Revelation 12:10-11 teaches us how the battle will be won. This is such important foundational teaching of the Christian faith, and it is why our Life Class course for people who are new to the Christian faith teaches these 5 confessions from scripture: - By the blood of Jesus, I have been redeemed from the power of the enemy. Satan has no power over my life because I have been brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. - By the blood of Jesus all my sins have been forgiven. - Because I walk in the light and have fellowship with other Christians, the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanses me now and continually from all sin. - By the blood of Jesus, I have been justified and God sees me as if I had never sinned. - By the blood of Christ, I have been sanctified and set apart for God.  This is truly something to celebrate! Through Christ you have been cleaned up and are given new robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Do you deserve it? No! The Prodigal Son parable in Luke 15 gives a picture of the robe of righteousness God gave to you when you gave your life to Jesus. It's a free gift. You cannot earn it and you cannot work for it. When the father welcomed the Prodigal Son home, it was a picture of our Heavenly Father's amazing love and grace. John Newton the former slave trader became convicted of how much God loved him, despite his dark past, when he wrote the famous song ‘Amazing Grace'.  The Breastplate of Righteous grants you access to the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16 teaches that we can come boldly. Our faith in Jesus qualifies us to gain access to the throne of grace. Theologian Derek Prince said, "It is not the righteousness of works, it is not the righteousness of a religious law, but it is a righteousness that comes only by faith." We have in our own righteousness, no possibility of access to God. When we understand what Christ has done at the Cross for us, then we can come “boldly to the throne of grace” knowing that Jesus knows you by name and is waiting for you. Also we can come continually. The King of Kings' throne of grace on which Jesus continually sits can be accessed by anyone who has faith in Him (Romans 5:2). And we can come to the throne of grace now (Hebrews 4:16). Don't accept wrong thoughts such as ‘I can't come now because I've mucked up. I need to sort myself out first'. Jesus tells us to put on His breastplate of righteousness and come now (Isaiah 1:18).  The breastplate of righteousness is another big key of how to stand firm in times of trouble and attack. It is vital to put on that breastplate of righteousness to guard our hearts and emotions, knowing that we are accepted by God as the object of his affection, that we are not facing accusation, but we have acceptance, and we have access to the Lord. So, stand firm in whatever you are facing, and you will resist every attack that is coming. 

In our series, Living in Victory, we are showing how the Bible prepares us so that we can stand in the day of attack. Ephesians 6:10-17 explains that this world, whether we like it or not, is not a fairy tale existence, but is a theatre of war between the forces of darkness and light, God and Satan, good and evil. This cosmic battle affects everyone of us, and we need to be prepared.   The Apostle Paul talks about how we can stand firm in the evil day of attack. You will face many kinds of battles in life. You may face battles over your mental health, your family, your finances, your health, there may be spiritual battles and cultural battles. This armour of God that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6 details how you can stand against each type of attack on your life.    Last week we heard how important it is to have the Belt of Truth. This week we see the next piece of armour, the Breastplate of Righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 says “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”   A breastplate in Roman times was made of bronze and iron that covered the whole torso. It was designed to protect the soldier's vital organs, such as the heart and lungs, from sword attacks when in battle. A modern equivalent is body armour. The Christian's body armour is a breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness is a word the Bible uses a lot, but what does it mean?   Nicky Gumbel, the pioneer of the Alpha Course and former Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton church in London said, “The word ‘righteous' is often associated with the ‘self-righteous', and has almost become a term of abuse. However, ‘righteous' in the Bible is a wonderful word and extremely important for our understanding of the whole Bible.”   How is this relevant to us when we are attacked? Because this is to do with a full-on attack where Satan wants to take you out because he is going for your heart, your lungs and your vital organs. If he can damage your heart – your emotions with fear, rejection or shame, he can take you out, unless you are protected (Proverbs 10:25,28,30). Nicky Gumbel goes on to say, “'Righteousness' is ultimately about right relationships – a right relationship with God and right relationships with others. In the New Testament, we come to understand that this righteousness is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.”   A Roman soldier had faith that the blacksmith had designed his metal breastplate to stop any sword attacks reaching his heart. How can you have faith the breastplate of righteousness will protect you from spiritual attacks to our hearts and emotions?  1. The Breastplate of Righteousness shows God's AFFECTION for you (1 John 4:9-10; 1 Peter 3:19; Romans 5:6-8) 2. The Breastplate of Righteousness removes all ACCUSATION against you (John 8:44; Revelation 12:10-11; Isaiah 61:10) 3. The Breastplate of Righteous grants you ACCESS to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16; Romans 5:2; Isaiah 1:18  Apply  The Breastplate of Righteousness shows God's affection for you. When we understand righteousness, we understand how much we are loved by God (1 John 4:9-10; 1 Peter 3:18). So, righteousness speaks to us of God's love – because God who was totally righteous made plans to save the unrighteous. He knows the unrighteous will perish if you are not right with God (Romans 5:6-8). Think about it: while you were still a sinner, still in unrighteousness, were not right with God, were rebelling against God, He gave His life for you. The breastplate of righteous is God's love for you. There's nothing you can do to stop Jesus loving you. There's nothing in your past that can stop Jesus loving you today. It is not the breastplate of your own righteousness, but the breastplate of the righteousness of God. You can't trust in your own righteousness as we have all done wrong. But the Lord loves us and He showed that at the Cross. Whatever you are going through, know you are loved by God.    The Breastplate of Righteousness removes all accusation against you. Satan is the accuser. He will do anything to try to discourage you, to convince you that you are not worthy of being in the presence of God. Jesus speaks of the devil in John 8:44. Whenever you feel any accusations come upon you, whenever you face these thoughts and doubts, whenever you think you are not worthy enough, you need to “Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place.” Revelation 12:10-11 teaches us how the battle will be won. This is such important foundational teaching of the Christian faith, and it is why our Life Class course for people who are new to the Christian faith teaches these 5 confessions from scripture: - By the blood of Jesus, I have been redeemed from the power of the enemy. Satan has no power over my life because I have been brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. - By the blood of Jesus all my sins have been forgiven. - Because I walk in the light and have fellowship with other Christians, the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanses me now and continually from all sin. - By the blood of Jesus, I have been justified and God sees me as if I had never sinned. - By the blood of Christ, I have been sanctified and set apart for God.  This is truly something to celebrate! Through Christ you have been cleaned up and are given new robes of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). Do you deserve it? No! The Prodigal Son parable in Luke 15 gives a picture of the robe of righteousness God gave to you when you gave your life to Jesus. It's a free gift. You cannot earn it and you cannot work for it. When the father welcomed the Prodigal Son home, it was a picture of our Heavenly Father's amazing love and grace. John Newton the former slave trader became convicted of how much God loved him, despite his dark past, when he wrote the famous song ‘Amazing Grace'.  The Breastplate of Righteous grants you access to the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16 teaches that we can come boldly. Our faith in Jesus qualifies us to gain access to the throne of grace. Theologian Derek Prince said, "It is not the righteousness of works, it is not the righteousness of a religious law, but it is a righteousness that comes only by faith." We have in our own righteousness, no possibility of access to God. When we understand what Christ has done at the Cross for us, then we can come “boldly to the throne of grace” knowing that Jesus knows you by name and is waiting for you. Also we can come continually. The King of Kings' throne of grace on which Jesus continually sits can be accessed by anyone who has faith in Him (Romans 5:2). And we can come to the throne of grace now (Hebrews 4:16). Don't accept wrong thoughts such as ‘I can't come now because I've mucked up. I need to sort myself out first'. Jesus tells us to put on His breastplate of righteousness and come now (Isaiah 1:18).  The breastplate of righteousness is another big key of how to stand firm in times of trouble and attack. It is vital to put on that breastplate of righteousness to guard our hearts and emotions, knowing that we are accepted by God as the object of his affection, that we are not facing accusation, but we have acceptance, and we have access to the Lord. So, stand firm in whatever you are facing, and you will resist every attack that is coming. 

Have you seen the battery commercial with the pink bunny marching about, beating a bass drum? Several of them have appeared over the years. The trademarked tagline for the commercial started as “keeps going” and later morphed into “still going.” In fact, you could use those phrases to describe the mascot, not just the batteries. The bunny has been used in ads for nearly 35 years. The company wants you to associate their batteries with long life. It's almost like the battery-powered bunny never fails. The bunny shows us one nuance of the word persevere. Listen to 1 Corinthians 13:8-9, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”  We could also translate the first phrase of this passage as “Love perseveres.” We've seen this week that the word perseverance has a geographical nuance. It can mean to stand your ground or remain in place. But it also has a temporal meaning. It refers to something that doesn't stop, that keeps going, that never fails. This is a character trait that we must develop as we mature in Christ. Our faith in Jesus must never fail. Even in the face of persecution and suffering, we must continue to trust and wait patiently for Jesus' return. Like that bunny, our faith must just keep going. How to leave a review: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/rate-and-review/ Visit Elmer Fuller's author website at: https://www.elmerfuller.com/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Have your doubts ever held you back from fully trusting in Jesus? Or have your doubts been silenced by others in the past? Are we supposed to just accept what we're told?Our faith in Jesus can come with doubts as we wrestle with our relationship with God, and that's not always a bad thing! Tune in to Pastor J.B. as he teaches us how God comforts and encourages us among our questions, and how we can grow faith and wisdom when we handle doubts healthily.-Next Steps

Jesus' calming of the storm reveals his authority over all of creation, not just sickness and evil spirits. His disciples' surprise suggests that even they hadn't fully grasped who he is—and Jesus' gentle challenge confirms it: "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" (v. 26). Our faith in Jesus, then, can be little or great, weak or strong, and everywhere in between. Ultimately, though, the question is not "How big is your faith?" but "How big is your God?"

While it is easier to be served than to serve, God has called us all to be servants to Him and to each other. Our faith in Jesus should lead to actions of obedience and service if our faith is truly genuine. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29

(27 October 2022) 신약 성경 후반부에 위치한 히브리서의 주제는 ‘예수 그리스도는 살아계신 주님 Jesus is the living Lord' 입니다. ‘살아계신 주님 The living Lord'라는 관점으로 히브리서를 읽게 되면 우리의 신앙 또한 ‘살아 있는 신앙 Our faith in Jesus is also Living Faith' 인 것을 확인할 수 있습니다. 그래서 히브리서 3장의 말씀에서 강조하는 것은 ‘오늘을 어떻게 살 것이냐? How would you choose to live for TODAY?' 입니다.  기원전 400년도에 활동했던 그리스 희극 작가 Aristophanes는 ‘PLUTUS (WEALTH)'를 발표하면서 ‘재산의 분배와 그것을 성공하는 신'이 ‘최고의 신인 Zeus'를 대신하는 최고의 신에서 되어야 한다는 내용을 희극으로 묘사하고 있습니다. (http://www.online-literature.com/aristophanes/plutus/1/) 이 극의 주인공인 가난한 노인 ‘Chremylus'는 친구인 ‘Blepsidemus'에게 일시적으로 장님이 ‘재물의 신인 Plutus'를 잘 돌보면 재산이 모든 사람들에게 공평하게 나눠질 거이라고 말하면서 이렇게 말합니다, “Today things are better than yesterday.” Aristophanes는 가난하고 힘들었던 어제보다 훨씬 좋은 오늘을 사람들에게 전해주고 싶은 마음을 주인공인 가난한 노인 Chremylus의 입술을 빌려서 전하고 있습니다.  히브리서 3장의 말씀도 죄를 지었던 어제보다 훨씬 더 강한 믿음으로 살고 있는 오늘을 강조하면서 그리스도인들에게 용기와 격려를 전하고 있습니다.  이번 목요찬양집회를 통해서 ‘어제 보다 더 나은 오늘'을 감사하며 ‘내일을 준비하는 오늘'을 살고 있는 예배자들을 축복합니다.  이번 주 목요일에 만나요.  CRW SMALL GROUP TALK1.How do you understand ‘Today things are better than yesterday'?2.After becoming a christian, in what area are you a better christian/person now than before? 3.In what are do you want to be a better christian/person now than before? CRW Message on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNNhxJj28wsyji3TT0ULHCgCRW Message on Podcast: CrossRiverWorship_Message —————어제보다 나은 오늘 Today will be better than Yesterday (히브리서 3:12~15 / Hebrews 3:12~15) 12 형제들아 너희는 삼가 혹 너희 중에 누가 믿지 아니하는 악한 마음을 품고 살아 계신 하나님에게서 떨어질까 조심할 것이요 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 오직 오늘이라 일컫는 동안에 매일 피차 권면하여 너희 중에 누구든지 죄의 유혹으로 완고하게 되지 않도록 하라 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 우리가 시작할 때에 확신한 것을 끝까지 견고히 잡고 있으면 그리스도와 함께 참여한 자가 되리라 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.  15 성경에 일렀으되 오늘 너희가 그의 음성을 듣거든 격노하시게 하던 것 같이 너희 마음을 완고하게 하지 말라 하였으니라.As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Those who have faith in Jesus as the Messiah or Deliverer of God are no longer slaves to sin or to the law. We don't live in sin apart from God—and we don't live by the law to earn God's favor. Our faith in Jesus makes us children of God and heirs to all that is His.

Homily for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus The flesh of our faith is Hope which refers to the resurrection. Through this hope in our faith, it gives us an assurance and consolation of eternal life after our earthly life. Thus, the reality of death becomes the door of the life promised to us by Jesus as He promised to Martha that those who believe in Him will have eternal life. Thus, the death of Lazarus becomes the venue to reveal the mystery of the resurrection or life eternal wherein the resuscitation of Lazarus prefigures His own resurrection. Our faith in Jesus is not in vain because He did not remain in death but eventually resurrected so that just as we share in His passion and death so we also share His glorious resurrection.

Our faith in Jesus compels us to serve one another. Join us as Brian Pursley takes us through 2 Peter 1:1-21 explaining how faith is the foundation in our lives, how we fashion our lives more like Christ and that no matter our age he has a purpose for our lives.

What are the things in your life you tend to put your hope in? Our faith in Jesus and our relationship with Him is the reason we can have a hope that is secure regardless of the circumstances we face.

Two years ago I was able to travel to Israel and visit a number of significant places we read about in the Bible.  On my last day in Jerusalem, our group visited the Garden Tomb site (pictured below).  It's the place which best matches the description given to us in John's gospel as to where the body of Jesus was buried. When we first arrived, I was surprised by two things; the number of people in attendance, and secondly, the diversity of those people.  There were people from every continent on earth gathered as one group near the Garden Tomb.  At one point I was able to hear multiple languages singing worship songs to Jesus, it was truly a small glimpse of Heaven! Why were we all there?  We wanted to see the empty tomb of Jesus (and I can verify, it was empty)!  My brothers and sisters from every corner of the planet and myself know this simple truth: Our faith in Jesus is built entirely upon his resurrection from the dead.  I could walk away from the Garden Tomb with added boldness, courage and devotion because my savior lives! Why does this matter?  There continues to be a growing wave of skepticism regarding the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  Smart, intelligent, and sophisticated influencers continue to share their skepticism as to why it's silly to believe that dead people rise from the dead.  This then raises a very relevant question, which many people, maybe even you, wrestles with: Can a reasonable, rationale person believe that Jesus rose from the dead? In this sermon we will talk about how history provides us with ample evidence to believe that Jesus of Nazareth not only died on a cross, but rose from the dead!  And because of these facts, our lives can be transformed forever.

Our faith in Jesus is not a matter of religious tradition, it is based on the fact that He rose again and forever upended all creation. The miracle of resurrection is at the centre of Christianity and should flow through the vein of every follower of Jesus. In this Easter message by Pastor Dave, we are reminded of how God wants us to daily experience and proclaim His resurrection life!

The resurrection of Jesus is such good news for us because His empty tomb means that ours are going to empty out someday too. Our faith in Jesus means our tombs are only temporary. The resurrection is an invitation to more. To trust Jesus more and in that, to experience the more that you were created for. There's more to this story.

This week we gathered together and prayed for a number of various needs that we are all experiencing. The Lord our God hears all of our cries and all we have to do is bring these issues before him. Our faith in Jesus is what makes this life bearable because we know that He will never let us down. If you have an needs, grievances, desires or etc. bring them before the Lord. I love you all and be blessed in Jesus name! Check out the YouTube version of the channel and join the family: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsHzbN9Ut4hhri85-1zO9PQ If you would like to join us for bible study, bible study is on Friday nights from 7:30pm - 9pm CST. To get the link, please feel free to message us at perceptualpneumaministries@gmail.com.

One challenging thing for me about our faith is how everything begins with the Father.  Hi, I'm Mike Henry with Follower of One. Thanks for joining me on the Follower of One Podcast. We try and take a few minutes every day to challenge ourselves to live like full-time ministers in the workplace.  And in John chapter six, verse 44. Jesus makes a very challenging statement. He says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." That's from the New American Standard Bible,  Jesus states, many challenging things, very clearly in the Bible. And in this passage, he clearly points out that the Father starts salvation for each of us. A friend brought this passage up recently while we were praying for other friends and family members who are not yet followers of Jesus. And we know from this passage that the Father is the one who starts the process. God, the Father draws us. We also know from first Timothy two, four, and from second Peter, three nine, that God wants all of us to be saved and to come to a  knowledge of faith in Jesus and truth about how the world really works. So what does this mean for us today at work? Well, we can't fix people. We can't talk them into following Jesus. That's between them and Jesus. But we can live in a way that is consistent with scripture. We can live like we know and trust God's power. We can live according to God's rules. And when we live that way, that helps us to pray for others and to consider them more important than ourselves. It also helps us to appreciate others and to share Jesus' love for them; to look for ways to be a blessing to others. It helps us serve others because of what Jesus did for us, by coming as a servant.  Our lives change when we realize that everything begins with the Father. Our job is to simply do what he says. Our job is to simply take part in his plan.  But we also must be ready to give a defense. That's why we practice being able to explain our actions, using "I" and "me" statements. That's the fifth daily activity that we talk about called speaking for ourselves. This passage reminds us that everything begins with the Father. We still have a role to play. Our faith in Jesus provides contrast in an unbelieving world. When we live differently, God uses our lives in the life of others. The facts of our lives can't be argued when we live according to a different strategy; when we live following Jesus.  So the question today for us is will we cooperate? It all begins with prayer. We can punch in, tell God "Here I am," and get on the clock with Jesus." Jesus. Here I am. What do you want me to do today? Help me listen for you and act when you give me ideas to act." That's a great beginning prayer. Prayer like that will be answered, too. God will transform our common everyday weekday into a landmark day. Today could be that day. I would like to challenge you to live that way today and also to consider joining us in the Follower of One Online Community. We're a body of people who want to live following Jesus every day, seven days a week. You can learn more about it at https://community.Followerofone.org. Join us and you can even check out our next Marketplace Mission Trip. Thanks so much for being a marketplace minister. And thanks for making a difference in your life. Live today, following Jesus. And he will use that in the lives of other people. Thanks very much.

Episode 57 - Free Gold "To the Jews who had believed in Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teachings you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” You've just read John 8:31-36, and if there's one thing we can take away from this magnificent bit of scripture, it's this: Our faith in Jesus is what sets us free, and our faith in Jesus is better than gold. With Veterans Day upon us, Preacher Milo points to the history of our freedom as Americans as a powerful illustration of how we should celebrate our faith-based freedom as Christians. He then breaks down our spotlight scripture before giving us two practical ways to apply our God-given freedom to our life. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: ●       [00:44] Our Spotlight Scripture: John 8:31-36●       [02:15] Preacher Milo's message to all veterans●       [05:22] Opening prayer●       [06:12] Golden ●       [07:41] What Veterans Day teaches us about our freedom as Christians●       [09:17] Fun facts about Veterans Day●       [14:53] Freedom●       [17:03] A discussion on John 8:12-30 to contextualize our spotlight scripture●       [22:40] Are you a believer or a challenger?●       [24:26] The three categories of discipleship●       [30:56] Two ways to apply your faith-based freedom in your life ●      [36:07] Closing prayer Key Quotes by Preacher Milo:●       The way in which we celebrate the history of our veterans in America is significant as an illustration to how we celebrate our freedom, not just as Americans, but also as Christians.●       Freedom comes through the Son. The Son is part of the family. The Son of the King is royalty. The Son tells the slave, “You can go. You are free.” You are really free because the Son has the authority to set you free.●       Our faith in Jesus is what sets us free, and our faith in Jesus is better than gold.●       When your faith is genuine and it gets tested, it proves itself to be true faith, because it results in you giving God praise, glory, and honor.  Why? Because the truth of Jesus has been revealed to you. You believe in Him. You know Him. 

Our view of Jesus will impact every area of our life. Our faith in Jesus should transform the relationships we have. Christ is greater than it all. This means we should make Him greater in our homes, our churches, and the world. Choosing to make Jesus a priority causes us to have greater hope, greater wholeness, greater freedom, and greater purpose. In this collection, we'll talk about how to make Jesus greater in and through our lives.

Our faith in Jesus is supposed to be demonstrated to this world. The Bible says with out that demonstration our faith is dead. In this message we discuss how to bring our faith to life by doing good works and how our identity is directly connected to the good that we do in this world.

The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Psalm 110:1-2). Our text is part of a military psalm. Its battle time. In the New Testament it was linked to Jesus' ascension into heaven. This is one of the psalms that led to the composition of the song, “Lord of lords and King of kings”. It is a central doctrine of the Christian faith: Jesus reigns over earth from heaven. Our faith in Jesus the king is a source of comfort and courage for Christians. But there are ways that this truth can be misused. I want to mention two to help us live more fully out of this comfort. A possible misuse is that I shrink this reality to be about me. The Heidelberg Catechism teaches that Jesus' ascension means that he ‘defends and protects us' (A51). Its easy for us to assume this means that everything should go well for me or for my church. When trouble arises, our first response seems to be ‘Why?' or ‘How could God let this happen to me or to us?'. But that was never the intent of this teaching. It needs to be understood in light of Jesus statement to his disciples, “I will build my church.” This was just after Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah of God. This Messiah would build his church. Revelation 19:11ff shows a picture of the victorious church, but the New Testament clearly shows that the road to victory would not be straight and easy. It would be difficult with plenty of setbacks and hardships including the martyrdom of many Christians. Our doctrine of Christ's Lordship recognizes that there is a long road to travel before every tongue acknowledges his Lordship and every knee bows before him. We can endure the agony of the journey because we know how it will end. The journey becomes more bearable when we learn to change our prayer from ‘Lord bless me' to “hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done.” We must become less; he must become more. Now a second way that we can misuse our faith in Christ's Lordship. One of my favourite hymns growing up was, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” The church organ made us want to march. I imagined columns of iron clad Christians carrying machine guns and swords marching off to distant lands. As I got older, and hopefully more mature, I realized that this was not the image the Bible presents for the church. Paul is emphatic, “be completely humble, and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). And Peter adds that when we give reason for our hope in Christ as Lord, we are to do so with ‘gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 4:15). Too often, the church has attempted to use military and political means to achieve Christ's victory. It sets us back each time. This kind of marching always sets us against other people. The church is not against other people, “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” (Eph. 6:12). Being kind and gentle and compassion can appear rather insignificant. It does not make the news. We do not need to make the news; nor do we need to be impressive. We are called to follow Jesus, who is Lord. He will build his church through our acts of kindness and compassion, through our gentleness and love for each other and the stranger.

Our faith in Jesus will be tested. (Luke 22:31-32) Trials, persecutions, rejections, challenges, these are all proving grounds. A proving ground is a controlled environment where something can be tested to prove if it works. The preparation has been performed so now come the test. 1. God does not allow the test to come until we are ready. 2. The test is designed not to destroy us, but to prove us. How do we endure these inevitable tests? By being convinced of the goodness, the plan and the power of God. Know that everything we will be tested in will be in a God controlled environment. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” Jesus said. You will not be destroyed but you will be tested. (James 1:12 Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28) We all have stuff but Jesus can carry all of our stuff. He can navigate us through all of our storms. He wants everything that is in our hearts, the good and the bad. His love for us is unconditional and nothing is hidden from Him.. Accept today God’s free gift of salvation. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Seek Him while He can still be found. His evidence is all around us. How is your heart? If you have questions, need someone to talk to or would just like to say hi, contact us. This message can also be heard on the Church website at ccsrv.org and viewed on YouTube. Tune in weekdays at 11:00 am and 11:30 pm to KEPT 96.9 FM for Hydrate Radio. A half hour ministry outreach collection of teachings from previously recorded studies. Thank you for visiting ccsrv.org May God increase your faith and may the peace that passes all understanding overwhelm your soul. God bless your journey.

We are seeing more and more professors of faith publicly renounce their faith in Jesus! Heresy in one time faithful denominations is as a wildfire!Our faith in Jesus seems under severe attack!It can be terribly discouraging! What are we to make of it?

A couple of weeks ago, I had a reconstructive surgery on my face to close the wound left by the removal of a large skin cancer. I arrived early at the surgery center to go through the pre-opp set up. At the appointed time, I was taken into the operating room where I met with the surgeon and the anesthesiologist. Once again, the surgeon explained the procedure and they began to apply the anesthesia. As I looked around the operating room I noticed how clean and sterile the room was.As we all know, cleanliness is very important in the hospital. In fact, the closer you get to the operating room, the more important it is. Doctors in an operating room know that the smallest amount of impurity can contaminate the procedure. Great effort is made to sterilize the equipment so that all impurity is removed and no infection can set in.If human doctors go through great detail in an operating room to make sure the environment is free from contamination, then it not to surprise us that God calls us to purity in our lives.1 Peter 1:14-16 - “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”I know these aren't popular verses today, but this is the Word of God to us. Peter calls us to live holy lives before the Lord. So, what is holiness? What does it mean to be holy? First, let's look at the holiness of God. He is absolutely perfect. There is no trace of sin within him. He is high above us all. No one can compare to Him. God's holiness spreads through His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. The biblical word “holiness” means to be “set apart.” In the Old Testament when God called the Israelites to be holy, it meant they were separate and distinct from the other nations as they served the one true God and obeyed his commands. Today as believers, we need to be "set apart" from the world unto the Lord. We need to be living by God's standards, not the world's. God isn't calling us to be perfect, but to be distinct from the world.Our faith in Jesus calls for us to live by a different set of values than the unbelieving world around us. We seek to honor God by living lives that are obedient to His Word. We let God's Word define morality. We don't follow popular opinion, we follow the Word of God.Listen to these words from 1 Peter once again. God is saying to us: “Be holy, because I am holy.”Here's another interpretation. God says, “Be like me.” That's right. God wants us to be like him. Holiness is at the essence of who God is, and God says, “Be like me.”To be holy is to be like Jesus. It's to be like Jesus in our attitude. It's to be like Jesus in our thoughts. It's to be like Jesus in our conversations. It's to be like Jesus in our actions, choices, and decisions. It's to be like Jesus in our motives, and in our character. When I see people who have known my family for a long time, I often hear them say, “You look so much like your Dad.” It's in my genes. There is a family resemblance. If you and I are Christians, there ought to be a family resemblance. God's children ought to reflect their Heavenly Father to the world. We want to live in such a way that God is honored and glorified in the way we live. With true humility in our hearts, let's live so that others may see the Jesus who lives within us. Today's Challenge: Determine to let your daily prayer be, “Lord, I want to be more like you.” As we pray this prayer, the spirit of God will lead and guide us in each area of life.

As we get ready for the election results on Tuesday, Craig gives us an important reminder that God is sovereign, no matter who is elected President. Our faith in Jesus and our identity in Him must come before our patriotism. Join in for a much needed message on faith and American politics. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ferncreekcc/message

Join Pastor Chris as he works His way through the Gospel of Mark. This week's highlighting thought: "We are not enough and that's the point. Jesus is enough and what Jesus did was enough. Our faith in Jesus as the well pleasing Son of God, means that we are well pleasing in the sight of our heavenly Father."

Brandi tells us giving isn't only monetary or worth doing unless we're getting something in return, it comes from our hearts. Our faith in Jesus helps us fight the obstacles that stand in our way of practicing generosity. thesourcehouston.org

Actions speak louder than words. Our faith in Jesus is on display when we live out the nitty gritty details of life at work, in school, and with friends and family. The call and choice to follow Jesus in an increasingly un-Christian society impacts every relationship, including those under the roof where we live. While not writing a Marriage Manual, Peter provides practical counsel to Christian wives and husbands seeking to work out their faith in their most intimate commitments. His words in 1 Peter 2:11-3:8 give timely advice for all of us, in whatever relational status we find ourselves today. Let's figure out how to put Peter's words into our actions this Sunday. Take a few moments to read what he has to say, and then let's wrestle out some application this weekend. Oh, and this is important, we can't make a twenty-first century application of Peter's words until we understand the first- century context for husbands and wives. Bill

Jason Hunter 1. Be Aware   Mis-Leading Messages - Check what people tell us about God with                                           the Bible   Mis-Leading Messiahs 2. Be Courageous - Faith in Jesus is where lasting courage comes from. Our Faith in Jesus overcomes = 1 John 5:4 3. Be Expecting - New world to come - John 16:33  1 Peter 4:12-14    God knows that bad things are happening 4. Be Discerning - many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.  Be ready. Matthew 24:42-44 5. Be Faithful - most people's love will grow cold Deuteronomy 6:4-5  Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one. Make Jesus your number 1 Love - Keep HIM #1 6. Be Resolute - The one who endures to the end will be saved. Be Ready 2 Timothy 4:5-6 I will not give up, no matter how bad it gets.  Stick with Jesus, no matter what. 7. Be Vocal Matthew 24:45-46 - Gospel will be preached - Tell others the "Good News" - Jesus Saves What is the Good News about Jesus?  

Our faith in Jesus is something which should influence our private spiritual life as well as our public life and interaction with others. In this final chapter of Colossians, Paul gives instructions and greetings which reveal his view of how the...

Brad Sullivan Palm Sunday, Year C March 20, 2016 Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church, Bay City, TX Luke 19:28-40 Luke 22:14-23:56 The Hope of the Gospel Is in the Pit of Despair Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem has got to be the most disappointing political campaign rally in history. Today, we got to hear the good part about him riding in on a donkey and the people putting palm branches down for him and shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” The people all had their “Jesus for President 033” signs. The place was littered with “Make Israel Great Again” posters, and the crowd was in a frenzy, waiting to hear what Jesus would say on this last stop on his campaign before taking over Jerusalem and then marching on Rome and kicking those guys out. It seemed to be glory upon glory as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and yet the people’s hopes were disappointed. What we didn’t hear in the story today is that Jesus rides a little further and begins weeping for Jerusalem. “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side.” Jesus gave no victory speech. He did not thank his supporters. Other than a weeping lament, Jesus didn’t respond at all to the huge campaign rally. Once he got to Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple and made people upset by driving out the money changers and the animals. The crowd who had gathered to hear Jesus speak to them looked at one another and said, “That was weird.” “Yeah, and kinda lame.” They were disappointed. The great hope they had in Jesus had not been realized. Their disillusionment in Jesus began. Their hearts began to turn against Jesus even as Jesus’ life began careening headlong toward the cross. The hope of the Gospel was not to be found in the in the glory of Jesus’ march on Jerusalem. His ride into town did not lead to glory but to the cross. It’s ironic today that the cross is so prevalent as a symbol of our faith. We’ve got it on jewelry, on our hand, around our necks; people have crosses tattooed to them; crosses adorn our houses, some of our businesses. We see crosses everywhere. We see crosses as a symbol of hope, and yet we often forget why the cross is a symbol of hope. We remember Jesus when we see a cross, I know, but at the same time, we are a society that is rather pain and suffering averse. There are huge industries of anti-aging products and procedures as we try to fool ourselves into thinking that we’re not going to die. The stories we tell of ourselves via Facebook and selfies are carefully curated to present glowing, positive images. After hard days, we often self medicate, even with just one or two drinks to take the edge off, and who can blame us? No one likes suffering and death, which is why our cross adorned lives are so ironic. The cross is a symbol of suffering and death. The empty cross has come to be a symbol of resurrection, but it is first a symbol of suffering and death. Our faith in Jesus doesn’t let us avoid suffering and death. Resurrection only comes after suffering and death. Carrying crosses around reminds us that the hope of the Gospel is found in the pit of despair. The hope of the Gospel is found in the pit of despair, and that is very good news, because as much as our society is averse to suffering and death, we’ve pretty much struck out in avoiding suffering and death. Any preacher who says you can avoid suffering by following Jesus, wasn’t listening to Jesus. Jesus promised his disciples that suffering would happen. It’s something of a relief to realize we’re not supposed to avoid suffering. We’re not going to avoid suffering. We haven’t failed as a disciple of Jesus because we suffer. Suffering and sadness has happened and will happen to every one of us, and it is not because we’re following Jesus wrong or because our faith isn’t strong enough. We can’t avoid suffering. We move through suffering. We can’t avoid the cross. Jesus tells us to take up our cross. For the hope of the Gospel is found in the pit of despair. Only in the pit of despair are we truly able to let ourselves die. “Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it.” (Luke 17:33) There are parts of us which we need to let die, in order for God to give us new life. Often our carefully constructed and cultivated identities, the very parts of us which we’ve formed to try to avoid suffering, are the very parts of us which we need to let die so that God can work his resurrection within us. We don’t get to that point through the glory of accolades and praise. We only come to resurrection through the agony of the cross. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus,” Paul said, “were baptized into his death?... if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:3, 5) Our hope is in resurrection, in new life, but we can’t bring about new life. Not even Jesus made himself resurrected. He didn’t snap his fingers and skip over death into new life. Jesus marched toward the cross. He did not avoid suffering. Jesus climbed down into the pit of despair with us. He didn’t give us a way out. He gave us a way through. As Winston Churchill said, “if you’re going through hell, keep going.” The suffering of the cross is where our hope is to be found. No one wants suffering. We’d be fools to pray for suffering, but suffering will find us. That is where we will find the hope of the Gospel, not in our own strength, but when our strength has failed us. In the darkness of the pit of despair is where we see the light of Jesus most clearly. In the darkness of the pit of despair, we see the light of Jesus, leading us onward through the darkness, through the death of our selves, and into the light of his resurrection. Amen.

Our faith in Jesus need not be separated from our 9-5 labors