Podcasts about why because god

1. Many claim that God is sovereign, who actually do not believe the implications of God's absolute sovereignty. God's is absolutely and exhaustively sovereign even in the matter of sin. Why- Because God has never made a supplementary or contingency budget ever. He always purposed the cross of Christ and that means He always purposed sin, because you can't have the cross without sin. People can do all their gymnastics around this matter, but it is firmly established by the scriptures and I will thus not budge, because a god who gets surprised cannot save anyone.- -2. Secondly, the distinction between Law and grace is critical to faithfulness to telling and believing the story and purpose of God in Christ and that means salvation. Many mix them, wanting to be safe and not wanting to be called anti-nomians -anti-law- and mostly because of unbelief, but this matter God has always made distinctions-even in the Old Testament. --3. Building your leprosy diseased house with the stones of the Law is contrary to God's instruction. --4. A sinner cannot approach God on the basis of their performance of the Law. They need a different, but just basis if God should grant life to them. And for God to be just and the justifier of those who should be saved, He transacted all matters of salvation in the person of Christ.--5. Listen to the message and hear God's gospel. It is free-

You've probably heard this phrase time and time again, "God won't give you more than you can handle." It actually is traced back to Mother Teresa and later on, she said, "I wish He wouldn't trust me so much."But here's the thing: That is actually not a biblical statement and in fact, it's not a true statement. I want to remind you of what was the biggest event in the Old Testament: the Exodus. The Exodus changed the Hebrews into Israelites, just like the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension makes us Christians. That was the defining salvific moment of the Old Testament. But listen to this: they have the Philistines on one side, they have the Pharaoh's army bearing down on them from behind, and God had led them right to the edge of another kingdom that would help them and take them in, right? No, it was the Red Sea!This is an interesting place because we see the Israelites start to mutter and grumble and you see that theme over and over again in the Bible. God turns to Moses and says, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move." (Exodus 14:15) They were paralyzed in their fear and then this is what God did. He sent a great wind from the east to blow over the sea all night long. Why? Because God is all about bringing you face to face with your limitations. Will God give you more than you can handle? Absolutely! All your whole life long! Why? So that you can see just how much you need Him because He loves you that much. If He is the source of life, He would be a cruel God to let you go through your life never needing him.So don't fall into the same pattern the Israelites were in. Don't let your fear paralyze you. Get up, move, and take one foot in front of the other. I don't know what your particular circumstances are, but I know my God and He will not let you go through this alone. He will make a way for you!

Part 5 In the last four episodes we've learned all about how God speak to us and leads us by His Spirit, but what are the BENEFITS of this? In this week's episode we talk about some of the real-life situations and scenarios where we will benefit enormously from allowing ourselves to hear from God and be led by the Spirit. Why? Because God wants us to win all the time, every time! He ALWAYS leads us into triumph when we let Him show us HOW! (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren’t exceptions; they are the expectation. But they can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial things in our lives. But in order for that to happen, something has to happen in us. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bridge-dayton/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bridge-dayton/support

Towards the end of Joshua’s life, he implored Israel to remain true to God. Why? Because God had always been true to His promises to Israel in the past, making it certain that God would always remain true to His promises in the future. Whether God’s promises regard things we like or things we don’t, […]

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 31-32 NLT Support Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. Thoughts Chapter 31 is the last chapter that records Job's words to his accusers. In it, Job lists many different sins that a person could be accused of, and he tells how he is not guilty of them. He starts with one of a man's most common sins: looking with lust at a young woman. How many men can say that he has not done that? He says that he made a covenant with his eyes not to do that. I remember reading that Billy Graham, in all his travels made a similar covenant with his eyes. He would always avert his eyes to the ground when he was in a place where a pretty woman was around. This is a good strategy. Job asks if he has lied or deceived anyone, and then challenges God to weigh him on the scales of justice. Job goes on and on, saying that if he has done any of these things, then let one calamity or another happen to him if he has done wrong. Beloved, it probably goes without saying, but Job was a better man than me. I am far from the paragon of virtue that he was, and I would never say the things he said, because I would expect a righteous God to take me up on the challenges. And I would be left in a heap of hurt. Except that I wouldn't. Why? Because God sees me as clean. Spotless. As righteous as Job...and even more so. How could this be? Because I have been declared righteous in God's sight. Not by my good works, because as Paul said, my most righteous acts are as filthy rags. But because of what Jesus, my Lord and my Savior has done for me. He gave Himself so that I could be made clean and guiltless. Once I accepted His free gift of salvation, all of my sins were cast as far from me as the east is from the west. I am no longer that wretched soul who had no hope. Now I have the assurance that when the time for me to stand in front of the truly righteous Judge of all mankind, I will be declared worthy to enter eternity with Him, because I belong to Jesus. If you do not have that kind of confidence, you can have it now. All you have to do is accept Jesus into your heart today. If you want to do that, pray with me right now. Just say these words, either out loud, or quietly. Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that I have fallen short of your perfection, and I know that I need your forgiveness. Please, Lord. Come into my life right now. I know that you lived a perfect, sinless life, and that you are the Son of God. I know that you are at the Father's right hand, and that I need you. Please save me now. Help me to be the person you want me to be from this time forward. Thank you for saving me. In your name I pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer with me, then this is the most important day of your life. Congratulations. Whether you feel any different now than you did when you started listening to this podcast, or not, the Bible, which is God's perfect Word, tells us that you are now a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things are new.  Write me an email, or use the contact form here at the website if you prayed that prayer. I would love to have a conversation with you and help you on your new journey.

7. Church Begins - Problems Arise Right mouse click to save this Podcast as a MP3. Acts 15:1-4 "Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised after the custom of Moses, you can't be saved."  Therefore when Paul and Barnabas had no small discord and discussion with them, they appointed Paul and Barnabas, and some others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.   They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.   When they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. At its beginning, the apostolic church was one church under the unitary leadership of the apostles.  It had an expanding eldership, often called presbyters, bishops or overseers.' From earliest days, the church had a simple but well-defined order. Elders and deacons were set apart to their particular tasks, as we saw earlier in Acts 6. Members were received upon profession of faith and the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper were administered. Discipline was exercised, in which members who had fallen into sin and remained unrepentant were excluded from the church. The church was never individualistic: that is to say, people did not suddenly decide to 'join' or 'leave' the church, as is too often the case in modern churches. The church was a corporate entity, in which pastoral oversight and spiritual authority were exercised by the leadership.  A leadership raised up by the Lord and set apart according to a church policy mediated by the divinely inspired guidance of the apostles. This did not mean that there was neither controversy nor the threat of disunity. From the beginning, problems arose which needed to be resolved with pastoral, spiritual and judicial authority. It is therefore no surprise to find, early on in Church history, a question arising about the nature of membership in the church and to see the matter being dealt with through the collective leadership of the church, the apostles and elders, who met together in a deliberative assembly (Acts 15v6). The problem arose because some men from Judea came to Antioch and promoted the view that circumcision, according to the law of Moses, was necessary for salvation. 'They were opposed by Paul and Barnabas. The church must have been seriously upset by the dispute. There was no final resolution and so help was sought from the church in Jerusalem, still at this point the heartland of the Christian church, from which the problem had come in the first place. Paul, Barnabas and some other believers were reputed to take the case to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. It is impressive to see the orderliness and seemingly good spirit in which they sought to deal with the dispute. This is reflected in the way the news of the conversion of Gentiles was received along their path. The church was one church, united in a glorious obsession with the gospel and the conviction that there is one truth by which the people of God are to be guided and ordered in one, undivided body. Every theological and practical controversy potentially threatens the unity of the church. In this case, the issue was fundamental to the meaning and application of the gospel itself. The intense conservatism of some of the Christian Jews was expressed in an insistence that certain regulations of the Old Testament law be required of non-Jewish converts as prerequisites for their recognition as members of the church of Jesus Christ. This is, of course, the so-called ‘Judaizing controversy', which, notwithstanding the action of the Jerusalem Council, continued to dog the progress of the apostolic church and was to be he target of Paul's epistle to the Galatians. The heart of the matter is the tendency to add to the Word of God in defining who is, or is not, a Christian and thus expand the scope of what makes for a credible profession of faith to take in all sorts of unbiblical rules and requirements. The 'Judaizing' Christians in Antioch did not want to add some new man-made tradition of innovation, but desired to keep certain elements which had been God's will for the Old Testament church. How could that which was good and holy until Jesus came again, become an improper imposition afterwards? The answer had already been given explicitly and also implicitly in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit upon Samaritan and Gentile believers (Acts 8v7; Acts 10v45-48). The maintenance of an Old Testament regulation (in this case, circumcision), when it had been replaced by a distinctively New Testament ordinance (baptism), was equivalent to imposing a man-made tradition even though God had originally given it to his people. Why? Because God had made it clear, through the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, that baptism was to be the ordinance of incorporation with his people for the whole New Testament era, until its culmination in the Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 28v19; Acts 2v38). The transition period of the first-generation church of the apostles, however, made sensitive and difficult matter with which to deal. Jewish Christians still attended services in the synagogues and observed the ceremonies at the temple (see Acts 21v26 for an instance of the involving the apostle Paul). Only with the destruction of the Temple in AD70 would the ceremonial aspects of the Old pattern for godliness decisively recede from the practice of church. On arriving at Jerusalem, the delegates from Antioch were welcomed by 'the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them', This gathering evidently consisted of the leadership (apostles and elders) and many of the membership, including those convened were putting forward the requirement that Gentiles 'must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses' (Acts 15v5-6). This was the context for discussion of the issue. The Jerusalem Council, as it has been named, was a group of ordained elders together with the apostles, The significance of this council, beyond the immediate decision which was made, lies in the fact that the apostles did not make the decision for the church, as could well have been expected of men of their unique position and gifts, but participated, for the purposes of this decision, as elders with the other elders, albeit as the 'first among equals', It is for this reason that the Jerusalem Council is the great prototype of 'synods and councils', whether congregational or Presbyterian, ever since. Having convened for that purpose, the apostles and elders' engaged in a deliberative discussion of the issue referred to them by the church in Antioch, namely, whether the Judaistic proposition that circumcision and a commitment to keeping Mosaic law were to be required of Gentiles (Acts 15v7). There was free debate and no papering over differences. The apostles let the elders speak before they joined in, thus showing the way for the future, when their uniquely revelatory gifts would be gone. Furthermore, it is clear, from what is said later, that their goal was to know the mind of the Holy Spirit in the matter (Acts 15v28). The Jerusalem Council is a reminder to the church of Jesus Christ to go back to God's way of seeking the mind of the Spirit on the issues confronting the doctrinal purity and the practical peace of the body of Christ - namely, by God-appointed elders in deliberative assemblies. The way the discussion unfolded in Jerusalem is the most vivid recommendation for God's way to solve the church's challenges. Peter arose after much discussion, and proceeded to demolish the Judaistic viewpoint with arguments drawn from his own experience of ministry to Gentiles. He first described the conversion of the Gentiles as the work of God (Acts 15v 7-9). It had been God, not himself, who had determined that, through his lips the Gentiles might hear the message of the gospel and believe. It was certain that God had accepted them, because He had given the Holy Spirit to them, just as He had to Jewish believers; and this was proved by the Gentile Christians' faith, which was no different from their own (Acts 15v9). He then rebuked those Jewish Christians who would insist on human works - in this instance, circumcision and the law - as necessary for salvation (Acts 15v10). They should have known better! Their fathers could not bear the 'yoke' of the law. It could not save them. They could not keep it. To suggest that this same yoke is necessary to being recognised as a true believer in Christ was, in effect, to deny their own profession of Christ as their Saviour! Worse still, it was to trying to test God - that is, to challenge God's ability to save lost people by grace through faith in Christ alone! To make any action, however righteous in itself, an instrument of the justification of a sinner before God, when God has made it plain by precept and actual experience that it is by grace alone through saving faith in Jesus Christ, is to contradict the very essence of the gospel! Faith is in a category all of its own. Faith is not a 'work'. It is, to be sure, the act of the human heart casting itself upon the Lord, but it is pre-eminently the gift of God as Paul later says so that no one can boast (Ephesians. 2v9). Rising to a glorious crescendo, Peter declared emphatically the very heart of the gospel (Acts 15v11). Salvation is by grace alone, both for Jews and Gentiles. Jesus' yoke is easy and his burden is light (Matthew 11v30). There is no place for the yoke of a law, which could only condemn us! The two missionaries, whose labours had largely occasioned the controversy, supported Peter with testimony to the miracles attending the ministry to the Gentiles. These showed that God was working among them, as he had among the Jews. Then, as we shall discover next time, James speaks and the church goes forward in unity! Click or tap here to save this Podcast as a MP3. You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site! Click or tap on the appropriate link below to subscribe, share or download our iPhone App!

Listen in as we look at Matthew 1:18-25 and see how Jesus brings His people across the gaps of life.Notes/Quotes:"Sin is not a mistake. A mistake is taking the wrong exit on the highway. A sin is treason against a Holy God. A mistake is a logical misstep. Sin lurks in our heart and grabs us by the throat to do its bidding. One very difficult aspect of sin is that my sin never feels like sin to me. My sin feels like life to me, plain and simple. My heart is an idol factory, and my mind is an excuse-making factory.In accepting misrepresentations of the gospel that render sin anything less than this, you will never learn of the fruit of repentance.” - Rosaria Butterfield“Here Matthew gives the Messiah two names, by which we learn the essentials of the person and work of their bearer. Jesus is a human Jew—this is what his name says: “Joshua”; Jesus is also the divine Lord—this is what his name means: “God Saves.” Only when Jesus is seen through this dual optic does the gospel of Jesus finally make sense. And Matthew, perhaps intentionally, begins to grind the lens of this dual optic of true humanity and true divinity already in the initial chapter of his Gospel, a lens that will be polished still more in John’s Gospel and brought to a sheen in the Creeds.” - Dale Bruner“Man's maker was made man that He, Ruler of the stars, might nurse at His mother's breast; that the Bread might hunger, the Fountain thirst, the Light sleep, the Way be tired on its journey; that Truth might be accused of false witnesses, the Teacher be beaten with whips, the Foundation be suspended on wood; that Strength might grow weak; that the Healer might be wounded; that Life might die.” - AugustineWhat’s incredible about the Incarnation is not so much that a virgin conceived (remarkable though that might be) but that God became man. “What is truly amazing about the Christian faith,” says the physicist Jonathan Feng, “is the idea that God made the universe—from quarks to galaxies—but at the same time cared enough about us to be born as a human being, to come down, to die and be crucified in the person of Jesus, and to bring forgiveness and new life to broken people.” - Rebecca McLaughlinThe Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of God cannot be divorced from the service of man. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer“The way of trust is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the future. The next step discloses itself only out of a discernment of God acting in the desert of the present moment. The reality of naked trust is the life of the pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise.” Brennan Manning

## IntroductionI love survival stories. One of my absolute favorites is entitled “The Endurance,” and is about Earnest Shackleton’s attempt to cross the Antarctic Continent from 1914-1917. And what makes it so gripping is the cycles of hope and despair. You’re reading along and they are enduring unbelievable catastrophes. They are getting stuck in ice, their ship sinks, they are in open seas on an iceberg. They run out of key supplies. And you think to yourself, “Wow, I can’t imagine this getting any worse.” And then you look at your book and your only a quarter of the way through. And sure enough, it gets way worse. But then they get this incredible stroke of luck and you think, “Oh, man they are going to make it!” And you’re on this adrenaline high of hope. And you think, “This has got to almost be over.” And you look at your book and you haven’t even reached the halfway marker. And then you find out why. Tragedy strikes. And then you are just crying in sympathy for these guys. It can’t get worse. And it gets way worse. It just keeps cycling through these incredible highs where they celebrate a stroke of fortune only to be rewarded with an unforeseen tragedy of monstrous proportions.And this is kind of the way the Joseph narrative reads. He goes from mountain to valley to mountain to valley. You could illustrate it like this.Joseph starts out on this mountain top, this incredible position of privilege of an especially gifted, favorite, handsome son. But tragedy strikes! His brothers act on their raging jealousy and strip his identity from him like skin from an animal. His family, privilege, language, culture, values, and even his name are stripped away. His naked body and soul is sold into slavery.It’s a tragic valley low. But then with the Lord’s help, he rises to a position of incredible influence and privilege in Potiphar’s house. And now we are standing on a mountain high. Who wouldn’t love the view from where he stands? That is, until strategy strikes in the form of a seductress.Today we watch Joseph go from being in charge to being charged with rape. We watch him descend back into the valley and reach a low watermark, beneath his previous bottom. So let’s watch how this happens in the text. You will remember that this woman is bad news. On the outside, she looks extremely attractive and is always put together. Her hair is always so effortlessly perfect, the clothes are tailored to the perfect length, very physically gifted, very beautiful to behold.But she’s bad news. Why is she such bad news? From the text alone we can tell she has an adulterous heart, she’s a skilled liar, and she is very manipulative. Let’s re-read part of the text from last week and see the seductress work her angle.He’s getting slaughtered by temptation. But he’s trusting God. If you were to summarize from Joseph’s response his chief reason for resisting this woman, what would it be? “How could I do this great evil and sin against God.” That’s his core reason. That reason has both a positive and a negative built into it. There is a consequence of sexual sin and there is a reward for righteousness. And both are intended to keep us in the place of blessing. But I want to illustrate how important it is to correctly identify the consequence and the reward. Because the incorrect identification of reward and consequence might psychologically destroy you.ConsequenceLast week, we mostly talked about consequences. Sexual sin has consequences that we need to take really seriously. We used the analogy of temptation as bait. Every temptation hides a sharp hook that leads to death. And the reason temptation works is because it deceives. Satan is a deceiver. He’s always making bad things look good and good things look bad.Joseph was able to resist temptation because he was able to uncover the deception. This was not life. This was death. It may be pleasurable now but it will be miserable later. The Bible always tries to help us see the deceptions woven into sexual experience. There are always consequences.This woman was hunting down Joseph. Here was a married woman trying to hunt down a precious life. There are always consequences of sexual sin. Yes. We’ve identified those. But God gives us more than just deterrents. There is also a reward for righteousness.Reward.I’ll say it one more time. It is so important to identify the correct consequences and the correct reward. Because the incorrect identification of reward might psychologically destroy you. So what is the reward of righteousness? Let’s begin with what it is not.Let me illustrate it this way. If you were to listen in on Joseph’s prayer life in the heat of his temptation, what do you think he would be praying? “God help me live a life of complete integrity. Everyone knows I’m a follower of YHWH. God, reward me for my righteousness. I want to live completely above reproach. I want to be like a sheet of Teflon so that no accusation has even the slightest chance of sticking. Reward my integrity!”If you overheard that prayer, what’s reward do you think he’d be referring to? Here’s the mistake most of us make. Most of us assume that with enough diligence, obedience, and righteousness, our life will turn out pain-free, struggle-free, and we will have relational harmony throughout. We think God ought to reward our righteousness with wonderful circumstances.Let me show you how dangerous this can be. Let’s imagine for a moment that Joseph incorrectly believes that the reward for righteousness is favorable circumstances.Motives for ObedienceLet’s keep reading the narrative through the lens of this incorrect expectation:Now, this has got to have a wearing effect on a guy. Let’s suppose for a moment that in the heat of these temptations, what was motivating Joseph was the belief that his righteousness was going to be rewarded. And he had a very specific understanding of what that reward was. Let’s imagine Joseph with the yet-to-be-written book of Proverbs in his hands. He reads chapter 1:And he’s thinking, “Okay God, I’m counting on you take out this adulterous woman. I’m going to obey you. This is tough but I trust this is going to get better. After all, you told me:”“So God, I’m praying that you would fix this situation. That’s what I really want.”And we could imagine a Joseph whose motive for obedience was the reward for his righteousness in the form of vindication, justice, relational harmony, and comfortable situation. Well, look at what happens next.Now Joseph is freaking out at this moment. But he’s got his book of Proverbs and it just so happened that it was September 11 so he had just read Proverbs 11 that morning.“Okay, God, you’ve said that my reward for righteousness is deliverance. Time for you to do that, right now.”And he was so consumed with chapter 11, he read clean through to chapter 12:“Cause my house to stand! The reason I obeyed you, Lord, was that you promised to reward my righteousness. Time for some help here.”Now if Joseph thought in his mind that the reason he is obeying the Lord is that he will be rewarded for his righteousness in the form of comfortable circumstances, he would be very, very, very disappointed. He would feel very betrayed and very confused at this point.Think about Joseph in heavy chains around his neck and manacles around his wrists and ankles. And he would have said something like this, “The whole reason I obeyed you, Lord, is that you promised to reward my righteousness and now I’m in prison. What kind of reward is that?”Many people turn from God for exactly this reason. They are confused by suffering and ask, “God, why did you take my son or daughter? Why did you let that terrible accident happen? God, why did that financial tragedy destroy us? Why are we suffering from this physical illness?” And they walk away from God.Prosperity Preaching in Conservative ChurchesNow most of us realize that suffering plays a role in the Christian life. Now not one of us in the room buys into prosperity theology which basically says, “God wants you to be materially, circumstantially prosperous and so if you are not materially prosperous you are out of step with God’s will. You either don’t have enough faith, you haven’t prayed, you have some sin in your life, or some combination of these factors.” We ought to know, just from a cursory reading of the Bible that this is bogus theology. There are dozens of heroes of the faith that honored God and were rewarded with suffering - including Joseph and even Jesus himself. That can’t be right and it isn’t. We realize that suffering is part of the Christian life.But what I want you to understand is that prosperity theology did not originate with greedy preachers. It originates in your own greedy heart. At a very subconscious level, we believe that we deserve ease. We expect comfort. We expect a physical reward for righteousness. We expect comfort and relational harmony ought to be our reward for righteousness. And here’s how I can prove it. I’m going to trick you so watch for it. See if you can relate to this train of thought: “Man, I have really got myself into a mess. I’ve totally been a terrible parent and now my kids are acting up in this way. I’ve been neglectful. I feel guilty about that. I’ve been totally mean to my spouse and now they are all mad at me and I deserve it. I’ve been really lazy and procrastinated. So now I’m reaping the rewards for that. I didn’t save for retirement and now I’m paying the price. What was I to expect? I made this bed and now God is making me lay in it.”There it is. That is conservative evangelical prosperity theology at it’s finest. Yet if our righteousness does not merit prosperity and good circumstances, then our unrighteousness does not merit poverty and bad circumstances. Why? Because God does not reward or punish primarily through circumstances. If the gospel of Jesus Christ means anything, then it means you are already righteous. You have been merited the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It means the verdict has already been delivered. And there is no judging of your works as if they are the basis upon which you receive pleasant or unpleasant circumstances. The basis of our circumstances is God’s sovereign, providential plan for our good and for his glory. There is no ying-yang. There is not karma upon which the world operates that says because you did this bad thing over here, the cosmic powers that be will ensure this bad thing will happen to you and because you did this good thing over here, the divine forces of the universe will ensure that this good thing happens to you.If you think that your circumstances are somehow divinely linked to your righteousness or unrighteousness, how would you explain what you witness in the world? Is it not the case that sometimes the unrighteous prosper and the righteous suffer? And is not the inverse true? And if you concede that this exists, how would you ever know when your good circumstances are a result of your good behavior or when your good circumstances are a result of God circumventing your bad behavior?God does not reward our righteousness with material prosperity, physical prosperity, or relational prosperity. There is a reward but that’s not it. On the other hand, God also does not punish our unrighteousness with material poverty, physical poverty, or relational poverty. There are consequences to unrighteousness but that’s not it.You want to argue with me, I know. Isn’t there cause an effect? For sure. That’s not what we are talking about. Yes, if you punch people, they are going to punch you back. Yes, if you are kind you will generally receive kind treatment. Is there a connection? Of course. Here’s the distinction I’m making. I’m trying to disconnect the reward of righteousness with circumstances. Yes, certain causes will generally have certain effects. But that effect is not a reward. The reward of righteousness is something else. What is the reward?One of the most remarkable things about Joseph is that he understood reward. The reward for righteousness is simply this: closeness with God. How could I do this great evil and sin against God?Joseph wasn’t looking to get a position of influence from God, nor riches, fame, glory, or blessings from God. He was looking for God! God was the desire of his heart. Joseph appears to have the heart described by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.It is so easy to confuse the reward, isn’t it? The gift is God. The gift is being with God, closeness, the feeling of satisfaction knowing you didn’t betray him, freedom from guilt, the satisfaction of his smile. This is the reward. This is what Joseph was after.Many are after a different reward. They mistakenly believe that the reward for righteousness is the gifts of God rather than God himself. In fact, if you remember, this is the problem with the Psalmist in Psalm 73. You may recall, the Psalm begins:The Psalm begins by affirming that God rewards the righteous. Great! But what’s the reward? That’s the all-important question we have been asking. It’s easy to get it wrong. And at first, Asaph did get it wrong. Asaph, the writer of this Psalm, says, “My foot almost slipped when I looked around and I saw the wicked prospering.” Everywhere he looked he saw reversals of how things ought to be. He saw the wicked being rewarded. They were the ones who were well-fed, had luxury cars, got anything they wanted, and got away with such evil.If the righteous are rewarded, then how do you explain this? God doesn’t reward the righteous. He’s rewarding the wicked! And what’s God’s answer? You’re totally misunderstanding the reward. The reward of the righteous is nearness to God. Closeness to God is the reward and separation from God is the consequence of unrighteousness. And when the Psalmist enters the house of God, it’s all made clear to him.This was Joseph! “How could I do this great evil and lose the relational intimacy I have with God?”Do you feel distant from God? Perhaps it is because of sin. If I ever feel distant from God, this is always the first question I ask myself. Am I aware of any sin that might be distancing me from God? I might be getting away with it like the man of Psalm 73, but I have no closeness with God. Repent!The godly prize this closeness with God more than anything in the world. How could I do this great evil and sin against God!For Joseph, the reward and the consequences are one and the same. The consequence of sexual sin is that God becomes very distant. The reward of righteousness is that God becomes very near.Now here’s where you can actually see the reward given to Joseph in the text itself. Even though Joseph was unjustly thrown into prison, accused of attempted rape, and had his character drug through the mud, they could not take from him the thing he prized most. Now, look at how it is stated in the text. It’s so beautiful!Now there, my friends, is your reward for righteousness. The reward of the righteous is the awareness of the steadfast love of God, the presence of God, and communion with God. Joseph was rewarded with the awareness of the steadfast love of the Lord. What a beautiful picture. Locked in prison walls, stripped of everything, all men’s power used against you to destroy you, but you have the steadfast love of God! Joseph was richly, richly rewarded!Now, this might seem a little too neat and too tidy. Those who are currently in a difficult situation might say to me at this moment, “You sure look comfortable up there. Have you ever suffered a day in your life? I mean, in the midst of suffering it sure doesn’t feel like I’m being rewarded with intimacy with God. It actually feels more like God is about 10 billion miles away as I scream out my prayer into the night and he doesn’t answer.”You won’t always feel the reward in the midst of difficult circumstances. In fact, do you remember Job? The Bible says Job was a righteous man, blameless and upright and God allowed him to go through a period of intense suffering. Job has lost his house in a hurricane, all his family, his entire 401k has been wiped out, and he’s got some nasty sickness replete with body boils, a sickness that would make COVID-19 look like a dreamy relief. Not only that, but his friends are heckling him that he must have sinned in some horrific way.He’s suffering as a righteous man. What is our reward supposed to be for the righteous? The reward is supposed to be a relational closeness with God. We are supposed to feel close to God. Is that how Job feels?How do we square this? It sounds nice to say that God is our reward for righteous living, but is it true to our experience? As Joseph stood staring at his prison wall, how do you suppose he felt? Elation? I doubt it. How is the reward of righteousness experienced?Let me give you an example. Running is terrible. Those of you who actually enjoy running are freaks of nature. For most of us, we just hate it. You don’t feel like anything good is happening. I generally feel like throwing up, like my legs are rubber mallets, and my lungs are tiny plastic sandwich baggies flapping in a hurricane. It’s truly just torture. But then when I finish, suddenly, the magic kicks in. My body is flushed with energy, I feel loose, my muscles thank me for actually being used. After the suffering is over, I stand back and I realize that the suffering eclipsed the really wonderful things going on at a much more nuanced level.The reward was there all along, it was just being drowned out by the noise of suffering. This is much how the reward of righteousness works in the midst of suffering. James Fixx wrote a book entitled, The Complete Book of Running which sounds pretty definitive, doesn’t it. I’m guessing he’s one of these freaks. And there’s a section in the book where he addresses the psychology of running. He says the hardest thing about running a marathon is winning the mental battle. When you suffer, weird stuff happens to your mind. He says, “I would be in the middle of a marathon and the pain would wear on me to the point where I would ask myself the question, ‘Why am I doing this again?’ But the pain makes you forget.” And he would start to wrack his brain for a reason why he was punishing himself so severely and he would find he had no answer.Isn’t that sometimes how you feel in suffering? I’m sure Joseph felt this way. “God, why did I choose to obey you again? Why didn’t I just give in? God if I had slept with that woman, I would have had a really great night, and probably would have even been rewarded in some way but now I’m cursed. What’s the reward for righteousness again?” And he has no answer.Maybe you are suffering for righteousness’ sake and you find you have no answer. You thought there was an answer but you can’t remember it. So you know what James Fixx recommended? Memorize the reasons. Before every race, he would memorize the reasons he loved running. And when he was super tired, he would recite those reasons back to his own brain. That’s good advice for the Christian. If Joseph had the New Testament, for sure he would have memorized:You could imagine this being very helpful. Because prisons are not fun. Imagine being in prison and what your body would be screaming at you. How would you feel being hungry, hot, the smell of urine and human waste, dirty, sick, and coughing. What’s my reward for righteousness again? Nothing comes to mind.I’m sure in this moment, all Joseph’s dreams about sheaves of wheat bowing down and stars bowing down seemed like pipe dreams. All he can see and smell and taste is the dungeon. But there’s this verse I memorized. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.Now James Fixx had one final trick. “If things really get bad and you can’t remember what you memorized, the final trick I used to play on my brain is I used to say, ‘Well I know when I get there, I’ll remember it. I know I had a good reason to start. When I get there, I’ll remember it.’”Now there’s a lot of wisdom in this, and this is what Joseph does. Joseph says, “How can I then do this wicked thing and sin against God?” At that moment it’s all clear. But then he gets tossed into prison, and perhaps God feels a million miles away. But he can say, “I have no idea why this happening and I can’t even remember the reason I decided righteousness was worth it. But I know there was a reason and when all this is over, I’ll remember.”Imagine a marathon runner who forgets the reason he runs and just decides to quit. The reward was all around him, it was in him, it was just ahead of him in spades, but he couldn’t remember and so he just stopped. How tragic to lose a race because you forgot!Do you know the Christian’s version of this? It’s Romans 8:28, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose.” I don’t know what that good purpose is, but when I get there, I’ll remember. When I get there, I’ll know it. You see Romans 8:28 is a verse for the dungeon. It’s not what you quote when you get a stimulus check. It’s what you quote when you find out you have cancer, or when your child walks away from the faith, or when your marriage is in shambles.Nobody Can Take The RewardYou see, for a Christian, one of the greatest comforts is that nobody can take that reward away from you. Nobody has the power to take away that assurance. In Joseph’s case, everyone tried. Everyone was trying to ensure that nothing worked together for Joseph’s good. There were all sorts of power exchanges going on trying to strip Joseph of his reward for righteousness. If you inspect the narrative closely you will see the story is a story of various powers trying to destroy Joseph and strip him of his reward, but he is indestructible because of God’s righteousness in him. No power can destroy the righteousness of God.And you can see this in the text by tracing the Hebrew word “hand.” In Hebrew, the word ‘hand’ is nearly synonymous with power. In an agrarian society, power is represented by plowing, tying a rope, harvesting, building, farming, weaving, raising children - all things we do with our hands. And there are all these expressions in the Bible that associate power with the hand: - God shuts his hand. - Open your hand to me or do not relax your hand. - A mighty hand and outstretched arm or the right hand. - Deliver my enemies into my hands.The hand is synonymous with power. You can trace the word ‘hand’ through the narrative. At first, Joseph is put into the hand of the Ishmaelites. He’s under their power, under their hand. But soon the power shifts. Everything in Potiphar’s house is given into Joseph’s hand. Everything that is, except Potiphar’s wife. But then the woman uses her imperial hand, her power, to try and grab Joseph. But that grasping hand does not reach Joseph. Only his clothes are left in her hand. She is ultimately empty-handed. And all through the narrative the power shifts, from Joseph’s brothers to the Ishmaelites to Potiphar to Pharaoah to the seductress. Who has the power? Whose hand is controlling these events?As we back away, we are shocked to see, none of these hands are actually doing anything. It’s the sovereign hand of God, orchestrating, keeping, preserving, redeeming, strengthening those he wills to strengthen, and destroying those he wills to destroy. Ultimately Joseph entrusted himself to that gracious hand and when he is safe in God’s hand nothing can touch him. Nothing can hurt him. The hand of the woman could not reach him. The hand of others could not separate him from the hand of God.And this should be a lesson for us in suffering. It’s the thing we memorize. It’s the thing we recall to mind. The hands of men can never ultimately assail me. They don’t have the power to take away my reward. Their hands can’t reach that far.Even though the suffering is so terrible, know that when the suffering lets up the reward will be obvious. For Joseph that suffering lets up. And even though it’s not perfectly clear at this moment in prison, he begins to see glimpses of God’s hand working, saving, redeeming, preserving, and keeping. Listen to it.The story of Joseph is the ultimate example of Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and who are called according to his purpose. What if you were Joseph with one key difference? What if you knew that the answer to your suffering is that your suffering would be written into the pages of the Bible to encourage other Christians? Wouldn’t it be easy to suffer through prison for two years if you knew that you would be made ruler of the entire land?Wouldn’t that change things? Of course it would! Can you trust God if you don’t know the reason? God’s hands are large enough for that. Can you accept the fact that your reward for righteousness will not necessarily be pleasant circumstances, but in that dungeon of darkness, God will show you his steadfast love?Ultimately, this has incredible sustaining ethical power because circumstances don’t factor into the reason why you obey. It’s why Joseph was able to resist. Why are you righteous? Why do you keep God’s sexual ethic, Joseph? What is Joseph’s answer? Because the nearness of God is my good. How could I do this great evil and lose closeness with God? If the only reason you obey God is that you don’t like consequences, you will fail. It’s easy to think, “I’m righteous because it’s beneficial to my business. If I get caught it would be horrific. If I get caught, my reputation would be destroyed. Can’t have that. If I got involved in this sexual stuff, well, I can’t imagine breaking apart my family. That would be more than I could bear.”That’s all fine. What if you were totally righteous but you were falsely judged, condemned, and then destroyed as if you committed all those sins? If the only reason you obey God is for the good circumstances he brings you, then you are preaching to yourself a prosperity gospel. Could you choose righteousness if the reward was nothing else except the nearness of God?ApplicationYou see, the man or woman God uses is not necessarily a missionary or a pastor or ministry professional. Joseph wasn’t any of these. He wasn’t in ministry. The person God uses is the one who resists temptation when nobody can see. One who, in the secret watches of the night, is righteous because he loves the smile of God. A man or woman who does the right thing when nobody is watching. That’s who God uses.

Title: Excellent Warfare Text: I Timothy 1:18-20 FCF: We often struggle engaging in spiritual warfare we face every day. Prop: Because God has given all we need to wage a winning warfare, we must hold fast to faith and obedience. Scripture Intro: ESV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to I Timothy chapter 1. Paul, since his introduction, has been laser focused on communicating to Timothy what he must do there in Ephesus. And my oh my is there much to do. There are false teachers spreading myths and fantasies, prattling on endlessly about things that only lead to more discussion and less certainty. They want to be teachers of the law, when in reality, the law is its own teacher. It reveals the sinfulness of sinners and their plight before a holy God. Ultimately the law accords with the gospel because the law reveals the sinfulness of sinners and the gospel teaches that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. So now Paul will tie this up in a tight little bow. In a very real way, his letter hasn’t even started yet. But Paul has done one thing for certain. He has made it plain that the gospel of Christ is at the forefront of all he will say in this letter. Indeed, it is exactly how Timothy’s mission will be accomplished and this church ordered and grown. So let’s let Paul conclude his opening remarks to Timothy, his dear son, and see what they may have for us today. I am in I Timothy chapter 1 – I’ll start reading in verse 3 again this time from the ESV. You can follow the pew bible on page 1337 or whatever version you prefer. Transition: Only three verses – but much to say. Let’s dig in! I.) Fulfilling God’s charge requires we fight well, so we must hold fast to faith and obedience. (18-19a) a. [Slide 2] 18 – This charge I entrust to you, Timothy my child, i. What charge? ii. Really, we need to go all the way back to verse 3. The charge Paul is giving Timothy has really been encapsulated in everything Paul has said to Timothy since that verse. 1. The rebuke of the false teachers and squashing their teachings 2. The proper use of the law to reveal the sinfulness of sinners, and thus being in full agreement and conjunction with the gospel message Paul was entrusted with. 3. The magnificence of God’s mercy and grace to take even the worst of sinners and make them an illustration of His patience. iii. Paul uses the word entrust here. He is entrusting Timothy with a charge. This is a word Paul used of himself being entrusted with the gospel because Christ considered him trustworthy. iv. So now it appears that Paul considers Timothy trustworthy… v. So if we had to capture and understand all of this in the most simplistic terms we could… what is the charge? What is the call? What is the command? 1. Hebrews 13:17 – Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. 2. Ephesians 4:12-16 – God gave pastor teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry which is to build up the body of Christ until we all attain the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God. That is being a mature person attaining the measure of the stature of Christ. So, we are no longer children tossed by waves and carried by winds of teaching and trickery of people who lie and scheme. Instead living the truth in love, we will grow up into Christ who is our authority for from him the whole body grows, consists, supporting each other in love. vi. In short – the call, is for Timothy to shepherd this flock. To put down false teaching, preach the gospel, and grow people into the full stature of Christ. vii. The tone of this charge is couched in the language of father and son. Paul loves Timothy and desires greatly that he would succeed. This charge is not heavy handed or abrasive, although it is serious. Really, as we’ll see in a moment – it is a call to arms. b. [Slide 3] in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, i. We have absolutely no idea what these words of prophesy about Timothy are. ii. In chapter 4 of this book, Paul references a time when Timothy received some prophetic insight during his ordination and commissioning, but as to what those words are – we can only guess. iii. Based on both contexts, we can assume that the prophesies were toward Timothy being an elder and shepherd. They were certainly positive prophesies – not of doom but of success. iv. It is reasonable to assume that Timothy was prophesied to be a God-pleasing elder and shepherd. That he would lead by example and sound teaching. v. Beyond that – it is difficult to know anything more. vi. So Paul is here, banking on those prophesies. He wishes for Timothy to lead his flock well and keep them from false teachers and teachings. And he is looking to what was already spoken of Timothy as basis for his high expectation. c. [Slide 4] That by them you may wage the good warfare. i. Reminding Timothy of what had been spoken about him by godly men, would have been nothing but encouraging. ii. After stepping off the boat in Ephesus and seeing all the problems that lay before him, I’m sure Timothy felt overwhelmed. Especially when he could be interpreting Paul’s words here to be saying that it is up to him to fix it. iii. But Paul’s words of encouragement here are a correction to that. iv. Timothy – it is not up to you. God spoke that you would be a certain kind of man. A man that He would empower to do these kinds of things. v. So go do them! vi. But make no mistake… vii. It will be a battle. Just because God has spoken that you will be victorious, does not mean that there won’t be times that you feel defeated. The battle is the whole of this life. There may have been several years where Timothy thought that this was impossible. viii. In fact, we know from Hebrews that Timothy spent some time in prison. We also know in Revelation that Ephesus ultimately did not keep their first love. But they did do well at rejecting false teachings, hating sin, and enduring trials. Sure – not good that they departed their first love (probably a love for one another) but there is a lot positive said about Ephesus. And I think we have to conclude that it is because Timothy was granted success as their shepherd. d. [Slide 8] 19a – holding faith and a good conscience. i. Participle holding – indicates the means by which he is to fight the good fight ii. How was Timothy to fight in such a way that he will win? iii. He is to hold on to faith. iv. Faith is a many nuanced word in Paul’s writings. Sometimes he means Christian doctrine, sometimes he means the faith of Christ, sometimes He means personal trust… so what is this? v. The faith of Christ is not something he must hold onto. It is something given. vi. Beyond that one, the other two could be both true simultaneously. Not only that Timothy would cling to the received teaching of the apostles and not deviate from sound doctrine (something Paul has already referenced) but he could also be speaking with reference to personal trust in God’s word, and promises to Timothy. Specifically, in reference to the prophecies made about him, and even promises made to all God’s elect. vii. So firstly, Timothy is to cling to what He has been taught and to actively continue to believe what God has said. viii. But not separated from that faith at all, Timothy also must hold fast to a good conscience. Now what does this mean? ix. It means a working or active conscience. One that is not seared. One that is not calloused. x. A sensitive conscience. One that God uses to help discern truth from error and right from wrong. A working conscience is one that the Spirit uses to guide and correct a believer. xi. So Paul says that in order for Timothy to wage a good warfare – a successful warfare in being the servant leader God has commissioned him to be – he must hold fast and continue to hold fast to sound doctrine and His personal trust in the words of God and a life that lives those words and teachings by living righteously as an example. xii. Faith and practice. xiii. Trust and obedience. e. [Slide 5] Passage Truth: So from Paul to Timothy, he hands the reigns of this ministry over to him officially. He entrusts him with this charge. To shepherd the flock there in Ephesus. To put down false teachers, to use the law for its purpose, and to preach the gospel. Why? Because God has already spoken it to be. It will be. Nevertheless, this will still be a fight. It will be a war. And Paul commands Timothy to fight it, well! f. Passage Application: To do this, Timothy must hold fast to faith and a good conscience. The application then is, trust and obey. Trust the words of God that you have received and live them! That will ensure that you fight well for the souls of your flock. g. [Slide 6] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from I Timothy we see God entrust all His people with the same charges. Not necessarily to lead or shepherd a flock – but certainly to put down false teaching, to preach the gospel including the law, and to depend on the promises God has made about us. Do you realize that God has guaranteed His grace to His people? Do you realize that Christ will present His bride spotless one day? Do you realize that the gospel will not fail!? In fact, until all God’s elect have heard, that even when the 99 are found -God still pursues the one! Born of God -do you realize that God has entrusted you with a high calling too and given you promises of success? God said that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church. We are at war! But we know how to wage this war… and to do so to win! How? h. Broader Biblical Application: Trust and Obey! Not with earthly weapons – but with the Word of God. Don’t be Gideon shouting “the Sword of the Lord and of Gideon” NO! Simply shout “The Sword of the Lord!” How can we possibly put down false teaching if we don’t cling to sound teaching? How can we possibly preach the true gospel if we do not cling to and believe it? And how can we speak of Christ’s mercy and grace to save sinners – when we live in sin? No friends. Trust and obey is the core of spiritual sanctification. Trusting God at His word without distinction and living all His commands without exception. Then and only then will we fight to win the prize. Transition: [Slide 7 (blank)] Fulfilling God’s call on our lives is guaranteed to be a war. How can we possibly win? Clinging to sound teaching, God’s promises, and obedience is how we are to fight well. But what happens when we don’t fight well? II.) Failure to wage a good warfare leads to destruction, so we must hold fast to faith and obedience. (19b-20) a. [Slide 8] 19b – By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, i. The question is, have these some rejected a good conscience, faith, or both? ii. The word this is properly translated. It is not these, but this. It is singular. iii. It makes the most sense grammatically that some have rejected a good conscience. iv. What does it mean to reject? It means to cast aside. It means to put down. It means to suppress. v. And so it has been true many a time. How many in the last year have apostatized the faith and have also revealed baser passions and lusts? How many have rejected their confession and shortly thereafter have divorced their wives, committed adultery, fled to the arms of a homosexual lover, or rejected moral certainties that only the blessed word of God can give? vi. Indeed many begin questioning their faith when they begin questioning the integrity of God’s moral standards. vii. In short – to reject or sear the conscience, to reject a practiced and righteous faith… is to reject the faith itself… and that has consequences. And what are they? viii. Shipwreck. ix. They have made shipwreck of their faith. x. What does this mean? xi. They have lost their rudder. Believing the right things with their heads but making exceptions for God’s will as it pertains to their lifestyles, has in effect, torn down what they believe. xii. My friends we do not teach a faith that is purely encapsulated in our heads. Nor can we have a faith that awakens our heart but not our hands. xiii. No my friends. True faith and a good conscience go hand in hand. They depend on one another. xiv. The first sign of doctrinal and confessional collapse… is moral compromise - making exceptions on some things God says because they do not fit with our passions and pleasures. xv. You probably know someone who confessed the Christian religion… they claimed to be what you are… but they also wanted to do what they wanted to do. They have since called into question every moral standard and every sin they desire that God forbids. They have masterfully explained away why God couldn’t mean what He said so plainly. They have taken great pains to justify their disregard for God’s law. xvi. And even if they still claim to be a Christian now…my friends… if they have rejected, excused, or justified God’s law as something they do not need to follow… their faith is already collapsed. They have ran it aground on the rocks of sin. xvii. And this is not some made up thing… Paul knows two men for which this has happened. b. [Slide 9] 20 – among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, i. Hymenaeus will come up again in II Timothy. We actually learn that his particular abandonment of the truth is that he was teaching and preaching that the resurrection of the dead had already occurred and that we were living in days after that. ii. It seems that this belief was used to justify wicked behavior. Since the resurrection had passed them by, it was natural to think that it didn’t matter any longer. Hymenaeus was instigating people to pursue youthful passions and pleasures – since the resurrection had already happened. iii. Alexander is mentioned in II Timothy as well. Although there is less certainty that it is the same Alexander, since the name is so common. It is reasonable to conclude that it is the same one. iv. Yet, all that is said of him is that he is a coppersmith (possibly to differentiate between others in the church or that the church knew) and that he has done great harm to Paul. v. In either case – it seems that these men had rejected a good conscience and thus had made a shipwreck of their faith. vi. But what is the consequence of making a shipwreck of your faith? c. [Slide 10] Whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. i. Handed over to Satan is a particularly difficult expression. ii. Is it ever ok for us to hand someone over to Satan? What does it mean? Why is it ok that Paul did this? iii. Handing someone over to Satan is, in essence, removing them spiritually from the protection and watch care of the church. They are excommunicated – meaning not simply that they were no longer allowed to attend church – but spiritually they were cut off from the assembly. iv. We talked about ordinary means of grace before. The Word, prayer, preaching, and church discipleship. So much of the way God gives grace to His people is woven to the assembled body of Christ. To be cut off from it, by removing one’s presence and spiritually removing one’s affiliation, is to starve that person for the air of grace. v. What is the only kind of person that does not gasp for air when it is removed from them? A dead person. And the only kind of Christian that can go without gasping for grace when it is cut off, is a fake one. And so, handing these men over to Satan is their final test. vi. Will they gasp for air, repent and return – or are they actually still dead? vii. The reason Paul says – handing to Satan – is because there are only two families and two kingdoms. If one is cut off from the kingdom of God and of Light – there is only one other option for which kingdom they now inhabit. And the master of the kingdom of darkness does not treat his citizens with the love and kindness that God shows to His. Instead that master seeks only to selfishly destroy all who come to him. God knows this and has sovereignly built that into the final and most extreme means of disciplining His own children. God allows Satan to do what he does to His own children so they would repent and return. viii. But for Hymenaeus and Alexander… they never did. And so, they revealed that they went out from us because they were not of us. Not only is this final and extreme step in church discipline a way for God to remedy the sin problem in His people – but it is also a way for the church to remain pure from those who are only pretending. d. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: Up to this point Paul has been helping Timothy to understand his call and how to fulfill it. But this last part is more of a somber addition. The fact of the matter is, that there are consequences for failing. Consequences that we must at least be aware of – and by every effort seek to run from. Paul explains that failing to hold to a good conscience is the first sign of a faith hitting the rocks. And ultimately that leads to church discipline where they will suffer remedial punishment until they are either returned to the fold, or judged forever. e. Passage Application: So to Timothy – Paul says TRUST AND OBEY! Keep on trusting God at His word and Keep on obeying Him. That is the only way to fight well. And if you aren’t fighting well – you may lose. f. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Zooming out from I Timothy we understand that from God’s perspective we are either His or not. Elect or not. Saved or not. Sheep or Goats. And we cannot somehow fail that and lose our election or salvation. However, from man’s perspective we still have no idea who the elect are. And that is true of anyone, ESPECIALLY when they are living in opposition to God’s laws or rejecting His teachings. The interesting thing here is that Paul neither gives up on Hymenaeus and Alexander nor does he assume that Timothy is impervious. Even with Timothy’s prophecies, Paul still encourages him and warns him as if he could reject a good conscience. Why? Because Paul has seen many in his ministry reject the faith and fall away. And Paul does not give up Alexander and Hymenaeus as if they were lost causes. Why? Because Paul has seen people in his ministry return from church discipline. In either case the truth remains – God’s people continue to trust God and obey Him. Even if there are periods of time when they do not, those are few, far between, short lived, and corrected before they leave this world. g. Broader Biblical Application: And so we cannot simply take our ease in the promises that God has made about His elect, convinced that we are one of His sheep. Why? Because those guarantees do not eliminate our responsibility to trust and obey – but they do give us confidence to trust and obey knowing that God will help us. So we too must cling to the words of God and obey Him. Conclusion: [Slide 13(blank)] And if you are a member of the true church, one born of God, born of the Spirit, baptized into Christ, then you too have been entrusted with a charge. You too have been called salt and light. You too have been called ambassadors of the Kingdom of God and His Christ, Jesus our Lord. And you too must prepare for this battle if you are to fight well. Because we know what happens when we fight poorly. We make shipwreck of our faith. And possibly not ours only – but even others. My friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, we need every ship on the water. In our culture false teaching abounds. Much of what is labeled Christianity has not held to a good conscience nor have they held on to every word of God without distinction. Whether it be by moral compromise or doctrinal squishiness – the visible church in America is rife with ships broken on the rocks. Do we have those who abuse the law of God? You better believe we do. Either those who add to it and make human effort the most important aspect of keeping God’s law, or those who take away from it, and conclude that God no longer cares if we live pure lives. Many Christians in name mock God’s law with how they view His law and how they ignore it. Does the American church make much of God’s mercy and grace for sinners? No. By detracting from the sinfulness of sin and even relabeling our sin as something not quite sin – we have stolen from the majesty of the mercy and grace of God. My friends we are in a fight. And it seems as though we are losing. But remember what God has promised. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Christ will present you spotless before His throne. Grace is available for those who need help. So how do we fight? We must hold fast to our faith. The confession of truth we believe. The core doctrines of our faith. We must trust the words of our God without distinction. All His words are right. We cling to His Word as if it is oxygen to us. We do not minimize or dismiss any part of it. We look back through the interpretive tradition of the church and cling to what the church has always taught. We are not bound by tradition, but simultaneously recognize that no man forms any private interpretation of God’s Word. We determine what has been given by consensus and not by individual discovery. Secondly we hold fast to a good conscience. One that He has given us. A conscience that is able to discern between right and wrong. Truth and lies. A conscience that is tuned to His will for us. A conscience that guides us to obey His Word to which we also cling. It is by holding fast to faith and a good conscience – trusting and obeying our God – that we will fight well. If you aren’t new to our ministry – I hope that you have seen this come through in what we have been teaching and preaching for the last 5 years or so. And hopefully now after this message – if not before it – you have seen why this is of utmost importance. We must be people who cling to faith and practice – we must trust and obey our Lord. If we wish to wage a good warfare we must hold on to faith and a good conscience. So tell me, if this is how we wage a good warfare. By clinging to what God says is true and obeying His commands, how can you do that if you never avail yourself of the Words of life? How can you know what God says if you have not listened? How can you trust His promises if you do not know them? How can you cling to sound doctrine if you are largely ignorant of the church’s historic interpretational teachings of scripture? How can you obey God’s commands if you do not know what they are? In a poll done by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway in 2018– some staggering statistics were revealed about what Evangelical Christians believe. (Another of these will be released on Tuesday for this year. Can’t wait to see how things have changed over 2 years) Once again, this is not our nation folks… this is evangelicals – people like you and me – who have answered this way. [Slide 14] 52% of evangelicals agree that although mankind does sin a little, most people are good by nature. Christ came to save sinners – which means most people don’t qualify. 56% of evangelicals disagree with the statement – even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation. 52% of evangelicals agree that God accepts worship of all religions. So there was no need for Jews to convert and receive Christ. 78% of evangelicals agree that Jesus was the first and greatest being created by God. 41% of evangelicals agree that God ALWAYS rewards true faith with material blessings in this life. 32% of evangelicals believe that their own religious beliefs are a matter of personal opinion and not founded on objective and irrefutable truth. [Slide 15(end)] The problem is not that we teach too much theology friends. It is that we teach too little. Doctrine – God’s Word – and thinking deeply and clearly about the whole counsel of God systematically and historically – is glaringly absent. But you know what teachings aren’t absent in evangelical churches today? Teaching on the end times. Angels and Demons. Self-help, money management, finding your spiritual gift and of course – getting more organized and being a better you. This is exactly the kind of nonsense that Paul told Timothy to squash. There are people, evangelicals, in churches like this one, that believe that most people are good, and that you have to do something really bad to earn God’s wrath, and that the first and greatest being God created was Jesus. I think we can put away our discussions of whether or not a bar code is the mark of the beast. I think we can set aside our endless discussions of the nature of angels and demons. I think we can stop obsessing over finding which spiritual gift we have so we can neglect to use it. Why? Because endless discussions on these things will not help us fight this war well. It is time for the myths, legends, and silliness to stop. If we are to fight this war well – we must cling to the core doctrines of our faith, the truths of God’s Word revealed through the ages to His church, and the promises He gives us and we must obey His commands. This is how this war will be won. This is how we can wage a good warfare. And it starts by knowing what God has said. What did HE say… and then… how shall we live? Now more than ever the church needs to focus. We must be focused!

The second elegy speaks toward anger. God’s anger with the people of Judah, and the anger of the poet toward God - one who is almost an enemy of the people. This is so necessary, because many have been taught to hold it in, to not speak to God this way, to keep our “emotions in check” and to not let them “get the better of us.” But that is not what we witness here, not at all. And why wouldn’t the poet be angry? How angry would you be if no one listened to your cry, to your wailing because of the pain and the hopelessness of your people? How angry might you be with God when you cry out and its seems God ignores you? It’s likely the anger over the pain would well up, and eventually it would spill out, and it should spill out. Especially toward and before God. As Miroslav Volf rightly observes, unattended rage should be dropped at the feet of God. Why? Because God can handle it. More than that, naming and seeing our anger - allowing it to flow can be a gateway for us to see and name that which is causing our anger. Anger, can actually be a first step toward healing, toward speaking truth. And speaking truth is, after all, what prophets do. As Kathleen O’Conner points out, when we name what is wrong, when we lament, when we open ourselves to grief and anger - we expose the conditions that cause God’s good world to get out of order; we name them, and in doing so, open make them and us visible for remedy.

The second elegy speaks toward anger. God’s anger with the people of Judah, and the anger of the poet toward God - one who is almost an enemy of the people. This is so necessary, because many have been taught to hold it in, to not speak to God this way, to keep our “emotions in check” and to not let them “get the better of us.” But that is not what we witness here, not at all. And why wouldn’t the poet be angry? How angry would you be if no one listened to your cry, to your wailing because of the pain and the hopelessness of your people? How angry might you be with God when you cry out and its seems God ignores you? It’s likely the anger over the pain would well up, and eventually it would spill out, and it should spill out. Especially toward and before God. As Miroslav Volf rightly observes, unattended rage should be dropped at the feet of God. Why? Because God can handle it. More than that, naming and seeing our anger - allowing it to flow can be a gateway for us to see and name that which is causing our anger. Anger, can actually be a first step toward healing, toward speaking truth. And speaking truth is, after all, what prophets do. As Kathleen O’Conner points out, when we name what is wrong, when we lament, when we open ourselves to grief and anger - we expose the conditions that cause God’s good world to get out of order; we name them, and in doing so, open make them and us visible for remedy.

I'm that person who buys food with damaged packaging.  I purposely pay FULL price for cereal in crushed cartons and dented canned lentils. Why? Because God has given me a Divine calling to invest in people that are often labelled as 'too difficult', 'too intimidating' or 'too complicated'. But be warned, things can get messy when you don't take your own history into account as you  minister to people who also have their own complex story. 

God has a plan, even in our suffering. No matter what it looks like, no matter how you feel, no matter what the circumstances are, God is in control and at work for His glory and our good. When we trust in God and His goodness, even when the situation is not good, our hearts are filled with hope and courage to face the future with certainty. Why? Because God is certainly good, He is certainly strong enough, and He is able to finish what He starts. This section of Romans 8 expands upon the spiritual paradox of suffering and glory by connecting us to the work that the Holy Spirit is performing in the middle of those painful situations.

Do you believe that God is present with you all the time? I am listening to the Audible version of A. W. Tozer’s book, "The knowledge of the holy”. Once or twice a week I listen to a chapter before going out to pray and use the theme as the foundation to my devotional time with God. This morning’s chapter was on the omnipresence of God. Today I will bring you some reflections on this theme. If God is God he must be omnipresent. This we can take as an intellectual fact. However, the question is whether this presence remains an intellectual thought, or becomes personal. Surely God intended to be a personal experience. The Psalmist wrote, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.” (Psalm 89:15 NIV11) God's personal presence with us is not a New Testament concept. However, it is a more powerful and intimate experience. Why? Because God came in flesh: “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” (John 1:18 NIV11) Jesus promised us a far more powerful, permanent experience of the presence of the Father: “My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23 NIV11) Father, Son and Spirit all have made their home in us: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11 NIV11) Why might we struggle with recognising and experiencing his presence as much as we would like to? Doubtless there are many possible answers to this, but for today I suggest two. 1. God respects our choices. Because he loves us, he allows us to choose to be conscious of his presence. In this sense he is unobtrusive. Always present, but never insistent on being noticed. He is always willing for us to connect with him, but he needs inviting.  2. Our pain may obscure our awareness of his presence. I am reminded of an illustration in the book, “Interior castle” by Theresa of Avila. Let me adapt her thought. Imagine yourself in a room with close friends. Someone turns out the lights and you find yourself in a pitch black room. You know that you are still in the presence of your friends, but you cannot see them. If you are attentive, you can still be conscious of their presence. But if you become overwhelmed by the darkness, you may forget they are there.  What does this mean for us? At least the following: * Gods promises are with us all the time, therefore we can live without being controlled by our fears. Complete confidence is ours. * God's joy is with us all the time, therefore we can, at any time, experience his joy no matter what is going on.  * God's peace is with us all the time, therefore we can, at any time, experience his peace no matter what is going on in or around us. It is true we do not feel this or experience it all the time. As Tozer puts it:  “As a child might cry out in pain even while sheltered in its mother's arms, so a Christian may sometimes know what it is to suffer even in the conscious presence of God.” Chapter 14 Nonetheless, it is a wonderful comfort to know that God's presence is not dependent on my awareness of his existence. I can trust he is with me all the time no matter what else is going on. His presence is not dependent on my sinlessness, nor my awareness. My prayer is that I will grow in both my willingness to acknowledge his presence, and a valuing of his presence more and more during my average days. Question for the week: “Which spiritual practices help you to be more aware of God's presence with you during your normal day?” One other thing.  I am preparing a teaching series on prayer for the Thames Valley churches of Christ. We begin next week. If you would like people to know one thing about prayer, what would that be? If you would like to learn one thing about prayer, what might that be? Please drop me a line with your thoughts: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: malcolm@malcolmcox.org. If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://www.malcolmcox.org. Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) God bless, Malcolm PS: You might also be interested in my book: "An elephant's swimming pool", a devotional look at the Gospel of John mccx, Malcolm Cox, Watford, Croxley Green, teaching, preaching, spiritual disciplines, public speaking, corporate worship, Sunday Sample, Corporate Worship Matters, Tuesday Teaching Tips, Quiet Time Coaching, coaching, coaching near me, coach, online coaching, savior, quiet time, devotion, God, Jesus, Pray, prayer, malcolm’s, cox,

Becoming a follower of Christ, and finding my identity in Him, brings with it blessings that can be found in no one else. It is a privilege to be a child of God.But just like with my earthly father, I bear the image of my Heavenly Father, and I carry the name and reputation of my Heavenly Father. I must be about my Father’s business too. Why? Because God has entrusted the church, and that includes us, with His reputation. I bear the image and the name and the reputation of my Father.

Psalm 25:10 NLT  'The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.' I find ‘unfailing’ a difficult word to comprehend. Living in Britain, I have grown up confident that the weather that greets me in the morning will have completely changed by lunchtime. I cannot rely upon weather, nor the weather forecaster who advises me on the day ahead. So I’m unsurprised by the nature of my character which is equally changeable. I move from affability to tetchiness as easily as sunshine gives way to rain.   So, the idea of a character who never changes is difficult to comprehend, even harder to trust. Yet this is how our God is described. A lover who never falters. A love that’s consistent in its intensity. Such constant love is the very definition of faithfulness.   Often, I feel distant from God. My prayers appear unanswered, or answered with a response I find less than consoling. I apply my inconsistency to my apparent friendship with God, who I can barely discern. Doubt, disappointment and frustration arise and, due to the discomfort they create within me, I direct them all at God, blaming him for my current condition.  Just as when I get caught in the rain unexpectedly and know the weather will change soon, so God invites me to weather my personal crises in the expectation that life will change. Why? Because God’s love is unfailing, and he is faithful to his promise. The greater challenge is that weather is measurable while God’s unfailing love is intangible. True faith is anticipating a change in the weather without any evidence, apart from God’s promise. Learning to live with a confidence in God’s love that mirrors the consistency of God’s love for me has been a significant, painful trial. But as I journey through the autumn of my life, I sense a greater understanding and can rest more easily within such unfailing love.  QUESTION: What is the best way to understand God’s love?  PRAYER: I commit myself to resting in your love today, Lord.  

Part 1 There are two prayers God can’t (not won’t - can’t!) answer: Prayers asking Him to do something He’s already done, Prayers asking Him to do something He’s told us to do. Many prayers prayed for revival are prayed like this: “Oh Lord, save the nations! Pour out your spirit! Send revival! Touch people’s hearts! Fill us with your presence!” They sound nice and sincere, but they’re actually ineffective prayers that God can’t answer. Why? Because God has ALREADY provided salvation for all men - they just have to receive it. (Hebrews 10:14) He had ALREADY poured out His spirit on the earth and the Spirit has never left! (Acts 2:16-18) The SAME POWER that raised Jesus from the dead is ALREADY in us - He can’t send more power/fill us/touch us any more than He has! (Romans 8:11) So what is the RIGHT way to pray for revival and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these last days? Join me as we go through the Word to find out how to pray in line with the Word and the finished works of Jesus! When the church begins to pray fervently and EFFECTIVELY for revival, amazing things will take place!

"Stop listening to the panic and listen to God's Word," Bro. Jeff advises.  Why? Because God is sovereign!  Christ's purpose was divinely revealed to many, and to us.  If you've not met the Savior, won't you seek Him today? 

This concludes our series, "If God Is with Us," with Part 2 of last week's sermon, based on Luke 11:1-13. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

Today we live our heroes, on the sporting field, in politics and in movies. I was watching TV recently and saw an ad with a montage of the various stars of  Discovery channel shows and they start to applaud and when the shots pull back they are applauding doctors, nurses and first responders in this pandemic.   Suddenly we see the fact that real heroes are very often ordinary people who, through adverse circumstances, rise to do extraordinary things. Today want to examine the life of an ordinary, discouraged, oppressed even timid guy who became a judge, a leader and a conqueror. His name is Gideon.   SIX LESSONS ON FAITH FROM A FAITHLESS GUY   In Judges, we see the cycle of the nation of Israel’s fortunes. They rebel against God, God allows Adversity and oppression, in their pain they cry out to God, and God in His love sends a hero to rescue them. They repent, then fall away again and the whole cycle continues. Maybe this is how your life looks?   That’s where we meet an ordinary guy called Gideon, who has something to teach us about faith. He’s as oppressed and scared as the next guy with his situation, not an impressive hero at all, and I for one relate to that!   1.      GOD USES TOUGH TIMES TO GET OUR ATTENTION   This pandemic has driven some people away from God, and some of us towards Him. Either way, for the first time in a long time, He has our attention. People are not thinking about cars, houses, things, football or food, they are thinking about life, family and what really is important in this world.   But the end of Judges 5, we find the nation at peace, at ease and, as often happens, complacent and apathetic about God… Many of us just a few months ago. They had it all, and as it tends to happen to us all in such times, Israel forgot God. They became self-sufficient. They didn't need God.   So the Lord thought He’d shake things up a bit by rousing an enemy against them to show them how hard life can be without Him.   Judges 6:1-2 (ESV Strong's) The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.   So God sends these evil Midianites to oppress them for 7 years. The Midianites were a terrifying and warmongering tribe who raided and stole all the produce on the land, forcing the Israelites to live in fear and even retreat to caves to survive. And although these Israelites had largely forgotten God, and were back into idolatry by this stage worshipping Baal, in a pinch they turned back to the true God…   7 years, you might ask why they waited so long to turn back to the Lord? Because they're a lot like us - they waited until every other possible option played out and they couldn't take it any longer.   Judges 6:6 (ESV Strong's) And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the LORD.   How many times have hard circumstances come to us, and we never stop to ask what God is planning for us in those circumstances? Instead we hold out, thinking that we can handle it on our own. Learn this from Gideon: every experience in life is a test. And every trial in the lives of God's people is tailored to draw us closer to God, and grow faith in our hearts.   Here's the point: When tough times come, instead of looking at them as if God is punishing you, instead of whining and complaining about how tough life is, try to see them as God's gift of grace. A test, even a blessing to grow your faith.   C.S. Lewis said it like this, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It's His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."   Right now God is shouting to a unbelieving world, and to us who are Christians, and we need to hear Him and respond by turning to Him.   Hebrews 12:11-12 (ESV Strong's) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,   2.      GOD’S VIEW IS BIGGER THAN OURS   God sees far more than we do, and He is waiting for us to turn to Him. He sends an unknown prophet to call the people back to repentance, then He raises up an unknown and unlikely hero, called Gideon.   Gideon’s name actually means, “One who cuts down tress and destroys stuff,” But he was anything but that! He was frustrated, timid and scared.   Judges 6:11 (ESV Strong's) Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.   Winnowing wheat should be done in a breezy area, not a hole in the ground. But so scared were the Israelites of Midian they resorted to compromise. And the angel of God, with ironic humour, says this…   Judges 6:12 (ESV Strong's) And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”   God sees things inside us when we cannot. Here’s Gideon, threshing in a wine press, and he is greeted not as who he sees himself as, but as who God sees him becoming!   One of the biggest lies the devil sells us is that God only uses special people. If you are a born-again believer, you are God's child, royalty, a prince or a princes, and God says He has plans to prosper you. He says you are His workmanship, His masterpiece, and He is out there preparing opportunities for you to become the mighty man or woman of God you are destined to be!   Ephesians 2:10 (ESV Strong's) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.   God sees not who you are right now, but who you can become in Him.   3.      GOD CONFIRMS HIS PRIORITIES WITH HIS PRESENCE   Gideon felt like God had long abandoned them…   Judges 6:13 (ESV Strong's) And Gideon said to him, “Please, my Lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”   Some of you feel like that right now. Isolated, lonely, socially distanced, many feel disconnected from the church, and from God. Gideon felt like that. It’s ok to feel like that, it’s just not ok to stay there. God looked him full in the face,   Judges 6:14 (ESV Strong's) And the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”   Gideon then throws up his upbringing.   Judges 6:15 (ESV Strong's) And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”   Listen, whatever your family, your background, your failures or your past, destiny is determined not by circumstances, but by choices. If the devil tries to remind you of your past, try reminding him of his future! God’s reply was   Judges 6:16 (ESV Strong's) And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”   When God calls you, He empowers you and even better, He walks the road with you. You are never alone. People ask where is God in all this COVID stuff, and I tell them I know where He is… Right here with me, walking the road!   God confirms His priorities with His presence. He says, I will be with you, and He doesn’t lie…   Numbers 23:19 (ESV Strong's) God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?   But Gideons lack of faith began to shine through in his next words…   Judges 6:17 (ESV Strong's) And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me.   Many of us are like this, we doubt the promises of God. Gideon is talking directly to God, and has nothing but doubts and excuses. Here’s the thing… God didn’t zap him! God loved him, and showed grace by slowly building his faith. But once built, Gideon needed a test to prove to himself that God can use him to rescue his people.   4.      PERSONAL FAITH PRECEDES PUBLIC USEFULNESS   How could Gideon leads his people to victory when his own family were idolators. God isn’t God to Gideon’s people, Baal was!   So the first assignment from the Lord was to take his dad's prized bull and tear down the idols. Then, Gideon was to sacrifice said bull using the wood from the destroyed idol. Gideon did it, passed the test and kicked up a huge storm of reaction.   Why would this detail be in the Bible? To show us that, if we want to become great for God, we must first set our own house in order.   Before God can use you mightily, He must be magnified in your own life, in your own home. Private faith prepares us for public power from God, and there are no short cuts… Holiness is holiness.   Judges 6:27 (ESV Strong's) So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.   So there was still fear, but he stepped out and did it, scared or not. So is there anything you've been holding on to? Is there any sin that you're clinging to? Knock down your idols today. Confess your sin. Deal with it and return to full obedience to God and the God will use you to impact the world!   Will it stir things up when you do this? You bet, but God will honour those who honour Him! It happened for Gideon, and even his idolatrous father Joash began to change and stand up for his son and the Lord.   Judges 6:31 (ESV Strong's) But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”   5.      GOD IS PATIENT WITH OUR FAITH   Now despite Gideon being touted in Hebrews as a hero of the faith, his story shows anything but a hero for a long time.  He passed the personal test of faith, and now people rallied to the cause of fighting Midianites, 32,000.   Judges 6:34 (ESV Strong's) But the Spirit of the LORD clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.   If this were a movie, he’d come up with a rousing speech, “We will fight them on the fields, on the ground, in the mountains, this is our finest hour, this is our Independence Day. But no, Gideon was busy doubting.   I’m like that as a pastor. You’re called, God has anointed you, but some days your faith just has the wind sucked out of it. It only takes a few words of criticism, a questioning glance, and suddenly you doubt that God’s even called you at all.   Even after his encounter with Almighty God, even though he had been obedient to clean shop at home, and even though the Holy Spirit was empowering him, Gideon still struggled with doubts. He knows that God has promised to save Israel through him, but he's looking in the mirror and the reflection he sees doesn't look encouraging.   God still doesn’t zap him. God doesn’t even chastise him for lack of faith. God loves him, and extends grace to him and meets his bizaar request about fleeces.   Judges 6:37-38 (ESV Strong's) behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.   A fleece is not faith, but it is faith building. Faithful people don’t need to put out a fleece, but sometimes some of us do.   Great… Fleece put out, God comes through, I’m ready to go Lord! Oops, maybe not…   Judges 6:39 (ESV Strong's) Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”   Again God does it to prove He is with him in power.  I love how loving, tender, and patient God is with us. Gideon is making a deal with God. He wants a confirming sign. I bet most of us are no different.   Why did God bother? Why not just say, I’ve had enough of your doubting attitude Gideon, I’m going to empower Joshua down the road instead of you.  That’s how we think God is with us, but when we genuinely have doubts, God loves us enough to persist… Not forever, but until our faith is stronger.   Our Lord was developing this man into a fully invested man of faith, matching each doubt with a kind reassurance. God will show you the same patience as well as you seek His face, dealing with each of your fears to grow you into a man or woman of God.   6.      VICTORY IS OBTAINED BY GOD’S POWER, NOT OURS   Gideon is good to go, it’s game on, and he heads off to war with his 32,000, knowing God is empowering him. But God has other plans. We think we know  best, we have ideas and opinions, but sometimes God just trumps them.   Judges 7:2-3 (ESV Strong's) The LORD said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.   Brilliant God, just chop our numbers by 2/3. Why? Because God doesn’t want us to take the glory for ourselves, thinking we did it all! And God knows us so  well. Pastors think they are great because they have a big church. Business people who are successful praise their skills and hard work. Families where kids turn out good praise their parenting. Yes, our actions and abilities influence it, but no matter how good we think we are, it is all, every bit of it, a blessing from the Lord.   James 1:17 (ESV Strong's) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.   BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!   Only 10,000, but still God says that’s too many. Really God? Yes, He culls the army down by 9,700 men who stoop to drink from a river, leaving only those 300 who lapped water from their hands. Now God’s happy, and Gideons faith is stretched but holds…   Judges 7:7 (ESV Strong's) And the LORD said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”   God does this to us as He builds our faith. Little by little He teaches you to rely solely on Him. Ignite Church is scattered and stretched in this COVID time. My faith is stretched, and trying to restart live church is scary. It’s an unknown, and perhaps God is stripping us back to teach us to trust Him more. Jesus said,    Luke 18:27 (ESV Strong's) But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”   God created an impossible situation of human weakness to exalt His own strength. This is His specialty!   Accomplishing God's purposes is not determined by the bottom line on a finance sheet, or the size of our congregation, or the efficiency of our plans, or our skills, talents or determination. We need to attend to all those things, sure.   But the truth is, God is looking to glorify Himself on earth through people who are fully dependent on Him, who believe He is with them and are ready to charge the enemy in the name of the Lord!   God doesn't need a majority vote from us on this. He doesn't need us at all. But He loves us so much He invites us to join Him in doing His will. When we do, we reap the blessing and He gets the glory. D. L Moody said: "Give me ten men who fear nothing but sin and love nothing but God, and I shall change the world."   So Gideon led the 300 out with trumpets, torches, and jars to meet the crazy killers. God sent confusion into the ranks of the enemy so that they began attacking each other. When it was over, 120,000 Midianites had killed one another and the other 15,000 fled. God had answered Israel's prayers, and He did it all using a fearful, normal bloke who decided to trust God.   SO WHAT ABOUT US?   Gideon shows us that you don’t have to be a super Spiro to be used by God. You don’t need a Bible degree, a ton of money or extreme talent.   God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things, and in this extraordinary time, I believe God wants to use you. You don’t need anything special, just a heart for God, a phone, a Facebook account and it also helps to have a church who believes in you.   But you need 2 things… A heart devoted to God, and I mean really devoted, not just “Hey God, can you get me this,” But, “I’ll serve with everything I have no matter what.” And the second thing you need is faith, faith to step out and believe God, faith to stand when others fall, faith no matter if you get what you want or not.   I know many of you watching want to be used by God. Maybe you struggle with faith. Pray with me and let’s commit ourselves to the Lord to use us as a church over the next many months to shine God’s love.  

This sermon is based on Luke 11:1-13. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

This sermon is based on Isaiah 43:1-7. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren’t aberrations; they are expectations. They can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.

This sermon is based on Romans 15:13. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

How do you picture God’s peace? Is there a chance it makes you feel comfy and cozy…maybe like a Snuggie? Well, this week Pastor Jake Wirth suggests we scrap that picture for a more practical one. Why? Because God’s peace is far more functional than a feeling. Tune in as we learn how God’s peace isn’t one that’s passive, but protective.

This sermon is based on 1 John 4:7-12. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

Many married entrepreneurs are frustrated because their spouse doesn't believe in or support their vision. Why? Because God gave you the vision, not your spouse. Your faith has been activated to see something that doesn't exist yet, so you can believe the vision without seeing proof. However, your spouse may not have received a word from God about it, so they don't have a basis for faith yet, which means they will need to see some tangible proof. In today's Daily Word, we are going to explore the concept of asking God to provide your spouse with proof of success so your spouse can get on board with the vision. Links Marriage Academy Partnership

200503 Easter 4 Drive in Service (audio)200503 Easter 4 Order of ServiceSermon Manuscript:One of the words that Christians use in a special way is the word “world.” Those who are not familiar with Christ’s the apostles’ teachings might think that the globe, the planet earth, is being talked about with that word. That is not what is meant when the New Testament speaks about the “world.” What is meant by the word “world” has a lot to do with another special Christian word—the “flesh.” Here, too, those who are unfamiliar with Christian teaching might think of the butcher shop with such a word. But, again, that is not what Christians mean with the word “flesh.”So let’s begin by better understanding the word “flesh” as it is used in the Bible. “Flesh” is the word that is used to talk about the way that all people are after the fall into sin. When Adam and Eve sinned against God it was no longer natural for them to do the will of God. Instead, they loved themselves above everything else. What they wanted out of life was to be as comfortable as possible. They did not want to work or have trouble or suffer. They wanted to minimize these things as much as they possibly could, and they wanted to maximize pleasure. The more pleasure the better. This often drags the flesh into gluttony, drunkenness, pornography, adultery, and many other excesses. This is all contradictory to God’s will. It is God’s will that we should be content with what we have and to thank God for it. It is his will that we should love our neighbor and look out for him. We should help and support him in whatever needs he might have. We should help him to improve and protect his possessions and income. We should work, have trouble, and suffer—not so that we can get filthy stinking rich, but because it is helpful to those whom we are serving.And so now, perhaps, we have an idea of what the flesh is and what it is after. The flesh is greedy, lazy, deceitful, hankering after pleasure, honor, glory, and power. With these things as the endpoints, the goalposts, in life, all our thoughts, words, and actions are directed towards attaining them. Our flesh acts as though we are going to live forever and so it tries to accumulate more and more. It acts as though we will never be judged, and so it has no scruples. Whatever it can get away with, it does. If no one is looking, then do it. This is what is meant by the word “flesh” in the New Testament.What is meant by the word “world,” then, is the accumulation of all people’s flesh. The flesh’s goals and philosophies and ways of living are all included in the word “world.” As the accumulated wisdom of everybody’s flesh, you might say that the “world,” that is, its philosophy and way of life, is what comes naturally to people. People naturally understand looking out for themselves. They naturally understand that striving after honor, glory, and power is beneficial for a person’s quality of life. It is inconceivable to our flesh that any other way of living is even possible, because any other way of living is so impractical.But it is actually the world that is impractical, for the world cannot go on forever. It will not go on forever. Something that Jesus points out about the people who lived at the time of Noah and at the time of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they assumed that things would keep going on the way they had been. The folks at those times were contentedly living their lives as each saw fit. None of them paid any mind to their Creator or to any kind of judgment. They thought things would go on like that forever—perhaps they believed that they were going to build a more wonderful and advanced world. But then judgment came. A whole lot of people hope that there is no god. In fact, this is what comes naturally to our flesh as David points out in Psalm 14. People hope that there is no God so that they won’t be accountable for what they have done. But there is a God. And he does, indeed, judge, as every calamity and every disaster testifies to us, including the flood, and including our present troubled times.It is an unpleasant experience to recognize that God is judging and punishing accordingly, for if you actually understand this, then you will be disturbed or even terrified. Who wants that? Nevertheless it is a very good thing for us. It is good to learn that the way of the flesh means death and, therefore, by God’s just judgment, eternal death in hell. Adam and Eve would have much rather continued to busy themselves in the garden with their fig leaf clothes and making a life for themselves. They didn’t want to hear God’s Word. With their bad consciences, they were terrified when they sensed that God was drawing near. But it was much better for them to have this happen than for them to continue on as they were. Why? Because God did not just have a word of judgment; he also had a word of hope. He had a word of promised redemption. They were not doomed to live forever stuck in a life of selfishness, murder, and adultery. The Christ would come and he would set things right.And so he has. You know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers. You know that you were redeemed, that is, purchased, not with things that pass away, such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ—a Lamb without spot or blemish. In him, and in his resurrection, you have been born into a new way of life. With your first birth you were born into the flesh. With the second birth, being baptized into Christ, you have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, as Peter says.And so in contrast to living according to the flesh, you now are enabled to walk according to the Spirit. The way of the Holy Spirit is God’s will for us. God’s will is that we should love him with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Your sights are set above the horizon of this present world. As Peter says in our Epistle reading today, we are aliens and temporary residents in this world. This world of sin and injustice, misery and death, cannot go on forever and will not go on forever. We do not put our hope in any earthly thing. Our hope is in that world where our sinful flesh, together with every other evil thing, is put under Jesus’s feet once and for all. In heaven we will no longer be selfish, lazy, bloated, corrupt wretches. We will be filled with love from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet.But we do not need to wait until we get to heaven to live this new life of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, we cannot continue to live according to the flesh if we hope to be saved. Do not let anybody deceive you. We cannot live according to the flesh all our lives and then, at the last moment, treat the Gospel like a get-out-of-hell-free card. It’s remarkable how people get what they want. Those who want to chew up and spit out their neighbor like a peach pit are going to end up in such a place where evil people will have each other to chew on. Those who burn with lust so as to take possession of that which is not theirs, will burn with lust and be taken possession of eternally. They’ll get what they want, but so will those who pray, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence and taken not they Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with Thy free spirit.” Those who pray for such things, will get what they want too. And this gift will be eternal.But, again, we do not need to wait for heaven to live this new life of love. You may begin to love now by the gift of the Holy Spirit who has been given to you. You may live according to the Holy Spirit instead of according to the flesh. All the apostles urge his new life for us Christians. Their letters would be incomplete if they did not teach those who believe in Christ how to live a life that is pleasing to God. That is why they give instructions for Christians, depending on their calling in life, for how they should conduct themselves. Our epistle reading today is a portion of such a section of Peter’s letter. Peter tells us not to live for pleasure, to be obedient to those whom God has placed in authority over us, and specifically addresses how slaves are to interact with their masters.There is a lot of worthy instruction that we could do with what Peter tells us, but with the time that we have remaining today I’d like to hone in on one thing in particular. I think it illustrates especially well the difference between the way of the flesh and the philosophies of the world vs. the sanctification of our lives that takes place in us by the Holy Spirit. It has to do with what Peter says to those Christians who happen to be slaves. Now there is no reason for us not to simply translate what Peter says to terms that are more familiar to us, so that is what I’ll do. I use the terms employee and employer instead of slaves and masters.So Peter says, “Employees: submit to your employers with total respect, not only to those who are good and kind, but also to those who are harsh. For this is favorable: if a person endures sorrows while suffering unjustly because he is conscious of God.”Such thinking, such humble actions, are totally foreign to our flesh, as I think all of us can immediately recognize. The flesh is only interested in those good works that are handsomely rewarded (if nothing else than) by praise and recognition. But what about this little good work that Peter speaks of here? You are not going to get on the six o’clock news for cheerfully doing what your boss tells you to do. Nobody notices things like that. Perhaps even your boss wouldn’t recognize your cheerful obedience, so how could anybody else know about it? No monuments or statues are put up to memorialize such actions. You won’t get a building named after you at some university someplace. But it is especially these kinds of good works that Christ’s apostles urge upon us Christians in our new life in Jesus’s resurrection. How different this is from the world! The world falls over themselves in praising rich philanthropists and other famous do-gooders. They have no time for little people or little acts of kindness. But while it is probably the case that other people do not notice the little things that you do in your callings and stations in life, God certainly sees such things. You might not have your praise from men now, but it is much better to have your praise from God if he should say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” It is much better to receive praise from God, because he knows what he is talking about—something that you won’t find with the praise of men. Men are always looking for the best bang for their buck in the good works that they do. Christians, on the other hand, love so that they can love some more. Having loved some more, they love yet still more.Therefore we have something very practical for you Christians with Peter’s words here. Do you want to be a Christian? Do you want to live a new life of love instead of your old life of selfishness? Then listen to your boss and cheerfully do what you are told. Don’t do this just for those who are reasonable and lavish praise upon you, but also for those who are cranky and harsh.But I know that a lot of you are retired, so what about you? You also have the opportunity to love, right in front of your noses. Break those old habits of bickering with your spouse, annoying one another. Slough off whatever mean things are said or done to you and think about how you can do good for them. Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, honor and cherish your wives and be patient with them.Or take children: theirs is right in from of their noses too. The golden work for children to do is to honor their father and mother. Again, this is totally unimpressive to the flesh and to the world. They make disobedience to those who are in authority into a sign of independence and manhood. But they are fools and liars. Children, make it your goal for your parents to be glad that you are their child. Gladly serve and obey them. God attaches a special promise to the fourth commandment: if you honor your father and your mother it will go well with you, and you will enjoy long life on the earth.All people, regardless of age or station in life, have people right in front of their noses that they can love and work and suffer for. This work that the world sneers at as servile is actually royal, noble work, for you are following in the steps of your master, your king. Jesus loved. His was a good life. You, likewise, will live a good life by loving those whom God has placed into your path.

We have a strong Hope in this life “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” Romans 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Without hope, we will find it very difficult to continue to exercise patients during times of affliction and we won’t be faithful in prayer. Often, we don’t appreciate the important things in life until we lose them. It is especially true when it comes to hope. It’s when you end up in a hopeless place; you realize how much you really need hope. If you are feeling hopeless right now don’t give up! (Hope is alive) The bible is a book recorded with many hope-filled breakthroughs. There are also many amazing testimonies of people that were in a place of utter hopelessness that now live in the power of the fullness of God’s hope. We not talking about the kind of hope that is often spoken of in this world. That kind of hope is merely wishful thinking; it is nice but it won’t get you very far. The hope we are talking about is so much more powerful than wishful thinking. It is Christ centered! Our hope looks back to Christ’s death and resurrection and looks forward to His coming. A hope that 1 Corinthians 13:13 says will remain – never ends - always available. To have this real unending hope in this life: We need a scriptural basis for that hope. Did you know that there is ONE scriptural basis which is fully sufficient for every situation and every need? (Like a Monkey wrench one size fits all) I want us to focus on this one scripture for persistence in hope. Romans 8:28 (NASB) – And we know that God causes All Things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. I draw your attention to the first three words of this verse: “And we know” The most important question to ask yourself: “Do you really know?” This then means that there is nothing that has happened, or ever will happen, that is not covered by what is stated in this scripture. There is no event, no situation, there is not disaster in which we need to despair. Why? Because God causes everything even apparent disasters to work together for good to those who love Him. He is in supreme control. Isaiah 40:28 – Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become tired or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. Jesus said: Matthew 28:18 – “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Romans 8:31 (KJV) – If God be for us, who can be against us? Did you notice the two conditions in Romans 8:28 – “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose?” These two conditions are very important You see God has a purpose for each life All that He does in our lives: His gifts; His provision; His leading; His watchful care. Everything He has done for us is for the fulfillment of that purpose. Purpose here means: “Prothesis” in Greek meaning: Living with deliberate intention. When I am called according to His purpose it simply means living out His life through my life. With deliberate intention Loving God is the foundation on which we build our lasting hope. Luke 10:27(Amp) – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. 1 John 5:3 (Amp) – For the [true] Love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts and His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey]. God’s promise to us; Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV) – 13I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. It’s important to know this: That our assurance of God’s love and care does not depend on everything going right. Paul talks about tribulations, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger and sword. But on all that he still says: Romans 8:37 – “No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” We have been talking having strong hope in this life Perhaps you’re not meeting the two conditions: Loving God and walking in His purpose. Now is a wonderful opportunity to draw close to real hope again.

This sermon is based on Colossians 1:15-20. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

Many of us are trying to "figure out" how to succeed in our calling. However, figuring it out on our own is stressful. Why? Because God has not called us to make success happen, but to receive success in our calling. In today’s Daily Word, learn the three baby steps to receive success. Links Ministry School Partnership

Christian entrepreneurs worldwide are trying to "figure out" how to succeed in their calling. However, figuring it out is stressing many of us out. Why? Because God has not called us to make success happen, but to receive success in our calling. Listen to the replay from our Faith Discussion (from April 19, 2020 at 6 pm est) to hear more about this concept. Links Faith Discussions Partnership

This sermon introduces our new series and is based on Revelation 21:1-4. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel during the weeks we cannot meet due to Covid-19 restrictions: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Let me just say it: of all the times for the angel of the Lord to introduce the name, Immanuel (meaning God with us), to use it to announce to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was by the Holy Spirit was the worst. Why? Because from that point on, we have thought that Immanuel was a Christmas name and only properly used during Advent. Now, to be fair, Joseph was in a very difficult time and Israel was mourning in lonely exile there and that whole Caesar Augustus tax decree was extremely bitter (tax time always is), and those are all perfect occasions to remind us that God is with us. But somehow, we have lost the connection between “God with us” and our most agonizing times and made “Immanuel” a Christmas word. But I want to tell you, ho, ho, ho, it’s absolutely not. It is a word for us to hold on to and use in every situation, the good and the bad, the up and the down, in riches and in poverty, and in sickness and in health (but especially in the bad, down, poor and sick times!). Why? Because “God with us” is God’s special name that speaks to his love for humanity; and it is a name we need to remember whenever we pass through the waters or walk through the fire or shelter-in-place. For you see, Immanuel, God with us, is God’s name for us to have and to hold forever. Join us for a series entitled, “If God Is With Us. . . .”

“And I think that’s the whole point, it’s trial and error. I didn’t just wake up and be like oh ‘I’m here’, ‘I’ve arrived’. I still haven’t arrived. There are still struggles and challenges. It’s really just a process of taking thoughts captive, because I know the word of God and because I know the truth of God and because I’ve experienced God in ways I don’t even know how to explain. When thoughts come up that try to send me in my past. I now know I have the authority to be like ‘wait a minute that’s not God’s nature’. Why? Because God says that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made” - Carlee Janae On todays episode we have our friend Carlee Janae joining us on the podcast. We met Janae the summer of 2018 when we first moved to Raleigh. She was our first intern and mastermind behind all of our beautiful design work. She has her own design agency, Creative Roots Agency, she’s the host of Naked and Exposed the Podcast, the poet/ author behind it Hurts to Heal a book of short poems, and an amazing photographer. Her energy and spirit is contagious, God is working through her in such amazing ways. By the end of this episode your spirt will fell recharged! We started by discussing her journey into design and her walk with the lord. The last half hour Shane pivots in an important way discussing race, politics and injustice. We had an amazing conversation around these topics and how faith can help see “differences” and understand them in a different way. Thanks so much for joining us today...We touch on many topics this week including: -What got Janae into Design and Poetry -What stared the Naked and Exposed movement -How we move forward with our new calling and leave behind our old identity-How we deal with suffering and hardships -How the Bible can be translated in today’s day and age -How Janae has fully stepped into her faith and calling -How God shows himself to us -How to find the root of our brokenness-Janae’s views on race reconciliation -The reality of her world being a black women who loves God and who has a passion for Social Justice - && so much more . . .Connect or learn more about Carlee JanaeInstagram @_carleejanaeNaked and Exposed Podcast It Hurts to Heal Book Kreative Roots Design Agency Thank you so much for tuning in. If you enjoyed this weeks episode please be sure to share on social media, rate and review. LOVE Y'ALL! @smallseedbar@shanemackinnon@hollyy_mackinnon

It is easy to be deceived by miracles, signs and wonders. In times of desperation, people are usually open to all kinds of spiritual experiences. We must be cautious. Why? Because God is not the source of all spiritual experiences.Preached on 26.01.2020www.higherlifechristiancentre.org.ukwww.embracinglifeinchrist.com_______________________________Email: pastor@higherlifechristiancentre.org.uk

You've heard the statement: Don't blindly follow. In the Qur'an, Allah articulates humans as being created the only creatures with reason and that we should use that reason to seek the truth and believe in it. 90 seconds after the Arabic introduction, Ustadh Michael Wolfender describes in English how Allah, over time, sent prophets with the same message: believe in One God. Today, there are Christians, believing in Jesus' original, true message, who support Muslims' belief in monotheism. Ustadh Michael describes how, after Jesus, people changed the religion and the message he delivered. Indeed, Jesus completed the message delivered to the children of Israel. He declared that after him a final messenger would arrive for all of mankind and to follow Moses' message. Why? Because God has sent the same message for all mankind: worship One who is our Creator. The superpower in Jesus' time was the Roman Empire, who worshiped idols such as Venus, Neptune, Jupiter and so on. These people added to the religion Jesus brought, including to worship him as God's son. 300 years after him, they made Christianity the state religion with these added beliefs; though, in the Bible, Jesus is recorded saying to 'worship your Lord, He is One.' To this day, there are Christians who don't agree with perversions to the original Christian message. Brother Michael includes the story of his relatives, as Christians and their beliefs, along with the stories of two early believers in Islam and three duas which helped, in the early days of Islam, to uphold and spread Allah's message.Support the show (http://www.goodtreeacademy.org/donate?id=pd)

How do you picture God’s peace? Is there a chance it makes you feel comfy and cozy…maybe like a Snuggie? Well, this week Pastor Jake Wirth suggests we scrap that picture for a more practical one. Why? Because God’s peace is far more functional than a feeling. Tune in as we learn how God’s peace isn’t one that’s passive, but protective.

Forgiveness is a mark of the Christian life. It is not always easy, but it is something that all believers must learn to embrace. Why? Because God is forgiveness and it is His nature.Many people are locked in an emotional prison simply because they are unable to let go of a wrong or an offence that was done towards them. Do you have a bitter memory from the past that is robbing you of happiness today? Friends, forgiveness is the reason why Jesus came into this world and died for us. As you seek to understand what it means to forgive and let go of hurts, may you be set free and be strengthened in grace, mercy, and love.

Hey everyone I’m Pastor Gary Hoban and welcome to episode 36 of Refinery Life radio /TV. Our goal here is to release a 2-3 minute video / Podcast each day, designed to challenge you and get you to spend more time with God. Today we are going to talk about, Your weapon against temptation. Have you ever noticed how Jesus handled temptation? When satan tempted Jesus during the forty days in the wilderness, Jesus responded to every temptation by saying, “It is written……It is written…..It is written” in Matthew 4:4-10. Why? Because God’s Word is truth, and only truth can refute the lies satan sends our way when he tempts us. Satan wants us to believe sin will give us pleasure and satisfaction. By contrast, God’s truth warns that sin leads to guilt and emptiness. Are you armed with God’s Word? Do you know what it says? Are you fighting your battles against temptation with the sword of the spirit, The Word of God? Get to know what your Bible says about the kinds of temptations you face. Ask God today to help you identify the lies that you will be bombarde with today, including the lies you will tell yourself. Thank Him for arming you with the truth and teaching you to use the sword of the spirit effectively. Until tomorrow Stay in the blessings I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word. When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer. Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body! You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.faithministries.com.au. When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you. So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us 2019 IS A YEAR FOR REFORMATION © www.faithministries.com.au 2019 All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968, no part of this Article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission. Visit us at www.faithministries.com.au Twitter @PastorGaryHoban @RefineryLifeGC Facebook @PastorGaryHoban @RefineryLifeChurch Instagram @gary_hoban @refinerylifechurch YouTube Refinery Life Church Australia http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkvD9z50SuKWxhSw0TPQkgQ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/refineryliferadio/message

Final part of the I’m Not Okay series!! Mannnnn when life gives you lemons haha...all you can do is trust in God!!! Life has been hitting hard and that’s what I talk about in this episode. I didn’t know how much my world could crumble in just one week! But of course He got me through!! It was tough and I was not okay, but it’s okay to not be okay. Why? Because God’s on your side! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/FindingMyJoi/support

The Gospel is our only hope: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified for the forgiveness of sins. Why? Because God so loved the world and desires none to perish. We can’t add to this, we can only accept His offer to believe in Him for the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of becoming new.

This Sunday, we are finishing our series on faith. Every major figure in the Bible has had significant identifiable weakness.Abraham and Sarah were too old to have kids, and yet their entire calling depended on them having kids.Moses was not a good speaker.Gideon was the weakest in his tribe.Hannah could not have a son.David was the youngest in his family, also showed significant lapses in moral judgement.Jeremiah is too young.Mary was a virgin (how could she bear a son?)John the Baptist lived in the desert.Peter was impulsive and uneducated.Matthew was a tax collector.Paul persecuted Christians.The Bible does not try to hide these weaknesses. If anything, it BRAGS about them. Why? Because God calls us in the midst of our weaknesses.Faith is trusting that God is at work even in the places where we are shaky. And, somehow, through God's work, "we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken." (Hebrews 12:29)

Original Broadcast: January 2009 Monthly Theme: Jesus' Exaltation (Apostles' Creed) [Christ] is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:34) He Sits When we confess that Jesus "sits at the right hand of the Father," we are not locating Him in a fixed position. When we arrive in Heaven, there will not be a neon sign directing us, showing us the point that is "the right hand of God." There's no such fixed place. Why? Because God's right hand is everywhere because God is everywhere. Many will disagree that the humanity of Jesus cannot be everywhere all at once like His divinity, but that's not what the Bible teaches us. David prophesied that God would say to His Messiah, "Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool" (Psalm 110:1). Throughout the Bible and much of antiquity, the right hand was synonymous with power and authority. That's where we get the phrase "right-hand man". He or she is the one who has been given all the authority of the one who originally and rightfully possesses it. When we confess that Jesus sits at the right hand of God, we are confessing that He is the one through whom God has given all His authority and power, just as Jesus told His disciples, "All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18). As St. Paul tells the Romans, Jesus has all this authority and uses it to intercede for us before God the Father. As we have begun a new year on the calendar, let us make a resolution to thank our Lord and Savior for His intercessions daily. Amen.

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Some would contest that no sound was produced. Why? Because many believe that sound does not exist if no one hears it. However, as Christians, we know this isn't quite true. Why? Because God is omnipresent. Therefore, everything happens before Him. In fact, not only does He hear each tree that falls, but He sees and hears each of us too, through His undivided, gracious attention! Join us this Sunday, as we discover Jesus showing up before His birth, to visit an Egyptian slave named Hagar, in our sermon "The Angel And The Slave," from Genesis 16:1-16.

It's hard to live in this world. The Deceiver does his best to delude us and turn us from God. But, being "ALL IN" means standing firm in our faith when everything tells us otherwise. It means not growing weary in doing good. Why? Because God is faithful and will establish and protect us against the evil one, if we remain faithful to Him. Join us this morning as we study through 2 Thessalonians and discover how God makes us holy by directing our hearts toward His love and the steadfastness of Christ.

Pastor Mike Anderson -- In the Faith Foundation sermon series we have looked at several aspects of faith. 1.) Faith is a gift from God. 2.) Faith is not blind but being sure of what you hope for and confident of what you do not yet see. 3.) Faith is not passive, it is active. It is a daring and bold confidence to do what is impossible without God’s help. 4.) Without faith it is impossible to please God. Why? Because God delights in us when we trust him with our lives.

Caleb Drahosh All who are in Christ have been given the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit has given each a spiritual gift. It is important that these spiritual gifts–along with everything that is given by God–not be used haphazardly, but decently and in order, for the building up of the church. Why? Because God is a God of peace; he is not a God of confusion. Confusion and chaos in the local church come as a result of self-focus, but peace and order are established when we love one another.

For live shows, social media bits and investment opportunities go to: www.LaughsAreUp.com Mission Statement We strongly believe that when laughs are up and outrage is down, profits are through the roof. Why? Because God is Great and that's how God Make It. The more important question is how will we pull this off? It’s actually not that much of a long shot, I just need a thousand true fans to support me either by becoming an investor right here on Patreon or buying tickets to a comedy show OR by being a Netflix Executive and giving me one of these million dollar stand up comedy and a TV show deals. Some of you might be reading this and thinking “you're just a shill for Big Laugh!” To which I would respond, So what if I am? The people need the joy to alleviate the existential angst of being alive and we proudly provide direct to consumer/market happiness through laughter. Laughter is an important necessity in life. Check out the bits on social: FB, Insta /laughsareup

For live shows, social media bits and investment opportunities go to: www.LaughsAreUp.com Mission Statement We strongly believe that when laughs are up and outrage is down, profits are through the roof. Why? Because God is Great and that's how God Make It. The more important question is how will we pull this off? It’s actually not that much of a long shot, I just need a thousand true fans to support me either by becoming an investor right here on Patreon or buying tickets to a comedy show OR by being a Netflix Executive and giving me one of these million dollar stand up comedy and a TV show deals. Some of you might be reading this and thinking “you're just a shill for Big Laugh!” To which I would respond, So what if I am? The people need the joy to alleviate the existential angst of being alive and we proudly provide direct to consumer/market happiness through laughter. Laughter is an important necessity in life. Check us out social: FB, Insta /laughsareup

Mission Statement We strongly believe that when laughs are up and outrage is down, profits are through the roof. Why? Because God is Great and that's how God Make It. The more important question is how will we pull this off? It’s actually not that much of a long shot, I just need a thousand true fans to support me either by becoming an investor right here on Patreon or buying tickets to a comedy show OR by being a Netflix Executive and giving me one of these million dollar stand up comedy and a TV show deals. Some of you might be reading this and thinking “you're just a shill for Big Laugh!” To which I would respond, So what if I am? The people need the joy to alleviate the existential angst of being alive and we proudly provide direct to consumer/market happiness through laughter. Laughter is an important necessity in life. Support this Corporate Mandate at: Patreon.com/laughsareup PayPal.Me/laughsareup Join the Mailing List: www.LaughsAreUp.com Check it out social: FB, Insta /laughsareup Corporate Responsibility includes Ensure Laughs are up Ensure Outrage is down Community Outreach/Engagement (this the political stuff + Collabs) Laughter and love movement - stop the wars with laughs Squash beefs, fairly call fights so we can laugh not fight Profits must come from 1 or 2. NOT from being a sociopath or being a workaholic thus becoming a much-needed example of Joyful Human Productivity. Remind people that God is Great and God Make It Deliverables: Weekly Podcast Episode (10 - 60 minutes, 2 bit Minimum / Episode) + Monthly locked content for patrons

Moses and the burning bush tells us something unmistakable: that all man's attempts to secure freedom are counterfeit to what only God can do, which is to provide sacred salvation. "Remove your shoes, for the ground upon which you stand is holy". Why? Because God declared His intent to save. 

[Jesus said:] "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26b-28) God's Stewards are Served and Serving God's stewards recognize that their stewardship involves a Gospel-powered style of life which is demonstrated in servanthood within all the arenas of life. We live in a consumer-driven socity. Unfortunately, this gets brought into the church as well. We think that by sitting in the pews we are the customers of the service. How many times have you left a worship service saying, "I didn't get anything out of it"? If you're thinking that's a problem, you're right. You should never leave a service saying that because you have received God's Word asit was proclaimed from the pulpit. If you observed Holy Communion, you received Christ's Body and Blood. In the Lutheran Church, we call our main Sunday service the "Divine Service". Why? Because God comes down to us and serves us with His Word and Sacraments so that we may be equipped to go out and serve others. May you see this blessing that God has for you in His service. Amen.

Welcome to Talking Chopped the new podcast by Brandon T Gorin and David Piccolomini! This is the podcast where we review episodes of the TV Show Chopped! Why? Because God decreed it It’s a holy war as three members of the faith try and duke it out in the Chopped Kitchen. Come watch Brandon, Dave … Continue reading Leap of Faith Ft Myles Hewitt Ep 57 →

Taking a stand for truth is going to involve a bold step against personal fear. Jesus, in fact, actually sends His people out like sheep among wolves. Christians seldom desire to be hated by all men. Jesus committed Himself to such a mission. A mission of sorrow. He knows that those whom He sends will face the same, but He still tells us not to fear. Why- Because God's cause wins- Regardless of what seems to be failure. We can look back, look forward, and to our present. His present perspective is that we should not fear, even in the face of death. To face even death in this world is far less dreadful than facing hell. Remember forever. There are many reasons for fear, but many more reasons for courage.

We have spoken about holiness over recent weeks, but one thing I constantly mention is that, rather than being legalistic, judgemental and arrogant about the absolutes we believe God’s Word teaches, we must temper our strong stand with love. So today I want to begin sharing on love, God’s love in us.   1 John 4:16-20 (ESV Strong's) So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.   The Beatles sang “All you need is love,” and then they broke up. Nevertheless, no song typifies the cry of the human heart and the sentiment of our culture like that one, and love is a term, often misused, that is on everybody’s lips. In the recent campaign to legalise homosexual marriage, the slogan “love is love” took centre stage.   And who can disagree that love is the supreme virtue, and that if it reigned, the world would be a better place? Love is the prevailing theme in all of our books, movies, TV show and songs. According to Billboard, love has been the dominant theme of more than 60% of successful pop tunes since 1958. I recently shared this at Carlos and Linda’s wedding, both being musicians, so I thought I would use song lyrics to illustrate just how dominant love is as a theme in our culture…   What is this crazy little thing called love? Is it a many slendoured thing, because I wanna know what love is, the greatest love of all, because love will keep us together. And what’s love got to do with it? It means that if I’m all out of love, your love will lead me on, and what the world needs now is love, sweet love. In fact it must have been love, the power of love, that makes me keep on loving you. Some say, I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that, but then how deep is your love? If you’re thinking out loud, if love is all around us, then true love, endless love is when I say I will always love you, ou, ou.   THE MEANING OF LOVE   But what do we mean by “love”? For many in our culture, love is mostly a feeling of positive regard for others, or kind treatment of other people. Christians don’t disagree with John Lennon that all we need is love; we just have a more profound understanding of what love we actually need. 1 John 4:10 (ESV Strong's) In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.   This is not an arrogant statement. I am not saying our love is better than someone else’s. However, English is a very inadequate language when it comes to describing many things, and especially love. In English we have one word… love. So we say, I love my wife, I love Vegemite. I love Jesus, I love football, I love my church. It’s the same word. In Greek the language of the New Testament, there are 7 words for love, although only 4 are used in the Bible… lets start with 3 not in the Bible… 1.      LUDUS Ludus is playful or uncommitted love, involving overt flirting or seducing, without commitment. The focus is on fun, so it is not necessarily sexual, but it is uncomplicated and undemanding.   2.      PRAGMA Pragma is a kind of practical love founded on reason or duty and longer-term interests. In this love, sexual attraction takes a back seat in favour of personal qualities and compatibilities, shared goals, and making it work. In the days of arranged marriages, pragma was very common, with princes and princesses marrying not for love but for political advantage. 3.      PHILAUTIA Philautia is self-love, which can be healthy or unhealthy. Today we would probably equate this with self esteem, good or bad. Ok, now for the types of love mentioned in the Bible, in ascending order… 4.      EROS Eros is erotic, sexual or passionate love, and is the type most akin to our modern construct of romantic love. In Greek mythology, it is a form of madness brought about by one of Cupid’s arrows. It is the gooey feeling inside, the flutters in the stomach, and sexual arousal. While many men just want this type of love, most women hope it grows into one of the next two kinds of love. 5.      STORGE Storge is family love, especially the love between parents and children. It is dependent on familiarity and dependence upon, rather than hanging on personal qualities. It’s the love that says, I may not like you or agree with your choices, but I will love you because you are family.” 6.      PHILIA  Philia is friendship love, or shared goodwill. It is friendship founded on mutual benefit, companionship, dependability and goodness. In Aussie lingo it is mateship, inferring close and reliable friends, and in this sense my wife can also be my closest friend. 7.      AGAPE   The highest form of love is agape love, which is unconditional and even unmerited love. It’s the love God has for us, and it is independent of who we are, what we do or what we say. This kind of love stands firm and gives its all, even when it is not reciprocated… John 3:16 (ESV Strong's)  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.   The word agape is demonstrated in Luke 15, where the Father waits and then welcomes so lavishly the wayward son, who is not deserving  any love. It is unconditional love! And it makes the recipient of that love very content and secure!     FEED MY SHEEP   John 21:15-19   A really interesting play between the two most common forms of love in the Bible occurs in John 15.   Peter, you might remember, had publicly denied Christ 3 times, and then the cock crowed. Jesus, after His resurrection, now publicly asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him, and then each time commands him to feed the sheep. It is forgiveness and public restoration, but if we delve deeper, there is an interesting use of two Greek words for love. Twice Jesus uses agape, and Peter answers phileo. The final time, Jesus uses philia… let me paraphrase the passage like this…   John 21:15-17 (ESV Strong's)    “Simon, son of John, do you love me unconditionally more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you as a brother.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me unconditionally?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you like a brother.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me like a brother?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you like a brother.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.   Could it be that Jesus, calling Peter to unconditional love, saw the difficulty Peter had responding and “lowered the bar” to allow Peter to connect? Some commentators think so. Interestingly, the next verse after this talks about the sacrifice Peter must make, even giving his life, which is an agape form of love!   WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? Let’s be honest, when God speaks of His love He is talking about the highest form of love. He offers us unconditional, unending, unwavering love in the for, of His Son Jesus, and He asks us to show this kind of love to those around us. John 15:13 (ESV Strong's) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.   Love not demonstrated is nothing more than a feeling, and love demonstrated during times of pain and trials, self sacrificing love, agape love is something even the world will take notice of!   WHAT DOES CHRIST’S LOVE LOOK LIKE?   John 15:9 (ESV Strong's) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.   The visible expression of God’s love is seen in His Son Jesus Christ. So let’s look at the love of Christ…   1.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS DIVINE   Jesus’ love is divine in origin, it’s not something human, but supernatural…   1 John 4:16 (ESV Strong's) So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.   It does not say that God loves, it says that God IS love.  So love is who God is, and that love has existed between the members of the Trinity for all eternity. That means God’s love never fades or fails.   Psalms 136:1 (ESV Strong's) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.   When you come to Jesus, a whole new dimension of love opens up to you. After 30 years of walking with Christ, I must confess I still cannot fathom love so divine, so profound and so timeless.  We need a love that will not let us down, and this is the love God gives us in Christ.   Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV Strong's) that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.   2.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS SELF-GIVING   Second, Christ’s love is self-giving. We see this in Jesus’ life and especially in his crucifixion—Christ gave his very life for us.   Human love may include feelings of positive regard for another, and it may even include kindness, but divine love takes kindness to the ultimate degree. It involves the willingness to sacrifice oneself for the sake of another.   Romans 5:8 (ESV Strong's) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   3.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS IMPARTIAL   Jesus Christ’s love is impartial. Jesus did not die only for his friends, He died for the entire world (see Jn 3:16), a world in rebellion against God that hated and despised Him.   Paul explains it well… Human love is usually extended toward those we believe are deserving of it.   Romans 5:7-8 (ESV Strong's) For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   We tend to love only those who love us. But God’s love is fundamentally different: while we were sinners, even enemies of God, he sent his Son to die for us. This is agape love, not something that you earn, not even something you deserve, it is love that transcends what we do or say, and it is available to all.   If a Muslim enters our church, can you love him? If a gay person or a transgender comes in here, can you love them? We say yes in principle, but how could you demonstrate that love? Would you have a gay person to your home for dinner? God’s love is impartial, and Christ ate with sinners when He was on earth. He never condoned their sin, He just loved them!   4.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS CREATES THE VALUE OF THE OBJECT     Fourth, Christ’s love creates the value of its object. This is an important fact that we as believers often overlook.   Some people assume that God loves us because he sees something valuable and sacred in us. We reason, “We must be worth something if God loves us.”   The truth is that God does not love us because He sees something of value in us… no, we are worth something simply because God loves us, because we bear His image. Martin Luther said that God’s love creates our attractiveness; it is not our attractiveness that generates God’s love. We are fallen and undeserving of God’s love. Yet he loves us unconditionally with His agape love. God loves us because He is love, not because of anything within us!     Think of the story of the Prodigal son. He wanted out of the family in order to gain his inheritance. His self-centredness and moral destitution didn’t merit his father’s affection. But his father persisted in loving him, so that as soon as he saw he was returning home, his father ran to embrace him.   Luke 15:20 (ESV Strong's) And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.   This is a picture of God’s love for us. Just as the father ran to his son, welcoming him with open arms, so God stretched out his arms on the cross and welcomed us home. Today, this divine love is available to you too, and when you come to Him you will find true value as a human being forevermore.   5.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS UNDETERRED   Loving someone when they throw it back in your face is hard. It’s hard enough to love someone when they do not even notice you’re alive, but loving someone who actively attacks you and seeks your destruction is a superhuman, even a divine thing.   Jesus in the cross, in pain and agony, facing certain death, looked upon those bent on His destruction, those who hated Him more than anything in the world and said,   Luke 23:34 (ESV Strong's) And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”   Christ’s love was undeterred, it never gave up, it loved when it was abused back.   6.      CHRIST’S LOVE NEVER FAILS   The beautiful passage of 1 Corinthians 13 includes these verses…   1 Corinthians 13:7-8 (ESV Strong's) Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.   The love of God never fails. Human love, even that of the best intentions, fails. People get hurt, people move on, people pass away… at some point human love fails.  Whatever you face right now, God’s love never fails. However hard things are, however mean or evil people might be, whatever you think of yourself, God’s love never fails. Why? Because God is love and God is eternal, and He never fails.   Christ is the alpha and Omega, He has no beginning and no end. If you don’t give your life to Jesus, you will go to hell. I didn’t say it, God says it, and despite inflation, the wages of sin remains the same… death (Romans 6:23).   But if you come to the love of Christ, His love manifests in you and, because He promises to take you to Heaven, your love becomes eternal too, because it is His love in you.   7.      CHRIST’S LOVE IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT   I cannot explain Christ’s love for us, but I know we all desperately need it. We need to be saved from our sin, we need to know we have Heaven when we die, and we need to know we have heaven in our hearts right now. Every single one of us needs to know we are loved, to sense this uncompromising, unending, unconditional love that God has for us.   We know we need it, and in this place we sense His love. But how can we share this same love with a sick, twisted and dying world? God in His infinite wisdom chooses to show His love through His people.   John 13:34-35 (ESV Strong's) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   We are God’s billboard for His love. But this is not about trying to manifest enough love for someone you hate or dislike. It is this… knowing God so closely, so intimately that His love just shines through us.   That is undeterred, divine and supernatural love, and that is the love of Christ. In this church, in every church, we need that kind of love.   Let me share a story about undeterred yet divine love shining through.   A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE   Romans 5:5 (ESV Strong's) hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.   God’s love poured into our hearts, or as the King James says, shed abroad in our hearts... let me share a real life story of God’s divine, agape love taking over where human love fails.   Corrie Ten Boom was imprisoned in Ravensbrück concentration camp during World War 2 for helping  Jews escape Nazi persecution. Her parents and sister died there, but due to a clerical error, she miraculously survived. After the war she became a Christian speaker, and after speaking at a Munich church in 1947, a bald man stepped forward to greet her.   She knew this man well; he’d been one of the most vicious guards at Ravensbrück, one who had mocked the women prisoners as they showered. “It came back with a rush,” she wrote, “the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. And now this same man was pushing his hand out to shake hers, and saying: “A fine message, Fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!” And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course — how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?  But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face to face with one of my captors, and my blood seemed to freeze. “You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard there… But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein” — again the hand came out —“will you forgive me?” And I stood there — I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven — and I could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place — could he erase her slow terrible death simply by asking forgiveness? The soldier stood there expectantly, waiting for Corrie to shake his hand. She wrote,  “I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do. For I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us.” Standing there before the former S.S. man, Corrie remembered that forgiveness is an act of the will — not an emotion. “Jesus, help me!” she prayed. “I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.”  Corrie thrust out her hand. Then she reported this… ”And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. “I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart.” For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realised it was not my love, it was His love in me. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit.     WE ALL NEED TO SHOW HIS LOVE TODAY   Have you tried to love someone who seemed unlovable? Have you felt devoid of love, yet known you have to show God’s love despite how you feel.   Love is a decision, not a feeling. And where our love stops, God’s love takes over!   I have even this past few weeks been attacked without mercy, and I found myself needing to forgive and to show the love of Christ to those who seemingly hate me. Some of you here face this challenge, the challenge of showing God’s love to someone who seems unlovable, someone who maybe even returns hatred for your love, venom for your kindness. Maybe you have tried before, and been hurt, yet you know this person, family member, friend or maybe ex-partner, ex-friend or possibly even a total stranger, need to see God’s limitless love shining through you.   1 John 4:19-21 (ESV Strong's) We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.     Sometimes it is easier to die for Christ than to live for Christ. It is easier to say you love someone than to demonstrate it, and it is easier to perform an act of love than to live it our day by day!   Today I want to challenge those here facing 5e daunting task of loving those who don’t love you back, of loving those who seem to persecute you. I want to pray that God’s supernatural love flows through you as it did Corrie Ten Boom.                       So the love of God is a different kind of love than we normally conceive. And what’s even more astounding is that God calls us to imitate him by loving others in the way he has loved us. It’s not about loving feelings or kindness toward those who deserve it. Love is unconditional, to be given to the undeserving and even to those who oppose us. “I tell you,” Jesus said, “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44). It nearly goes without saying that this type of love is impossible to practice. It’s a different order of love altogether. We would need divine power to love divinely. But of course, this is just the thing the Bible assures us of possessing, the love of God poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (see Ro 5:5). It can be said that the Christian life is nothing more than learning to let God’s divine love permeate everything we do and say. All you need is love? Yes—but a love that is more than we can imagine.

Worldly wise. Sounds like something we should all aspire to, but Pastor Matt Gould says, “No!” Why? Because God says so! Well into our Victorious Christian Living discussion series, we address wisdom, what it is, what it isn’t, and how godly wisdom produces love, peace and gentleness, and not a big head and an inflated ego.

I have been running a series on mastering various aspects of your life, and we’ve talked about mastering your past, your time and your mind. All of these are important aspects to bringing control of your life, but today’s message is one that can often completely dominate our lives, but we never speak about.. mastering your money.   Understand I’m not trying to make you give money to the church, and (disclosure) I’m not trying to give financial advice. I just want to talk about the fact that money masters many of us rather than us mastering money, and discover what God says about how we can control money.   WHO’S SERVING WHO?   In the 1960s a United States Senate committee predicted the work week would be down to just 14 hours by 2000, with at least seven weeks off a year. That clearly has not happened, because what they failed to factor in is the incredible greed people have to get more and more! So rather than relax, we choose to do more Work to get more money to have more stuff we have less time to enjoy!   Mark 10:17-22 (ESV Strong's) And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.   This young man thought he had great wealth, but in fact his great wealth had him! Do you possess your money, or does it possess you? And by the way, don’t think you even need money to have it possess you! Some poor people are more obsessed with money that’s those who have it!   Let me point out that money in itself is not evil, it is neutral. It’s not wrong to have money. It’s not evil to be wealthy, neither is it necessarily a sign of God’s blessing. Since time began, people have believed that being wealthy is a sign of the blessing of God, and sometimes it is, but I know very wealthy people who have lives, marriages and children who are falling apart.   Money doesn’t buy happiness, you can just be miserable in comfort. I’d rather be happy.   The San Francisco Federal Reserve reports that, all else being equal, suicide risks are higher in wealthier neighbourhoods, a demonstration of the folly of trying to “keep up with the Joneses.”   AFLUENZA   Let me introduce you to a contagious disease that affects all of us. We are all infected with afluenza, the disease that makes us insatiably crave more and more.   How many of you here have a new generation iPhone, android or tablet? How many have a car less than 5 years old? How many of us have rooms in our house we haven’t been in for months! That new TV, that new computer, ouch, whether we can afford it or not, we’ve got to have it and we’ve got to have it now. Saving for things is so old, delayed gratification is so last century, right?   1 Timothy 6:6-10 (ESV Strong's) (Paul says this…) godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.   Money is not the root of all evil, the love of it is! And our society teaches us to love that stuff from the very beginning of life. People love it so much they will do anything to get more of it! They sell their time, they sell their bodies, they even sell their souls for money, but we spend it faster than we make it!   Even in the first century, Paul was concerned about afluenza, and he didn’t even own a credit card! Today it’s all, “Buy now, pay later,” and instead of waiting and saving, we want it all now, many times putting in credit things we don’t need but we do desire, even when we know we will not be able to pay them off!   Australia has more than 16 million credit cards accruing a debt nationally of over $33 billion. Combined with personal loan debt, Australians now owe $109 billion, that’s more than $4300 for every man, woman and child in the country.  More than 10% of us are expecting to live with that debt our whole lives and never escape it! Many of us have been caught in the debt trap!   Christians say that the things of this world don’t satisfy, that only knowing and serving God can satisfy, but do we live like it? Paul said the rich fall into a snare, and the wannabe rich do also, but he also suggests that godliness with contentment is great gain. Let’s get specific, he is saying that we should be content with a roof over our heads, food on the table and cloths on our backs.   THE CONTENT OF DISCONTENT   Discontent is an all pervasive thing in 21st century life. Marketers realise that the basis to advertising and hence our economy starts by inflaming discontent. No advertisement I’ve ever seen says, “Hey, you’ve got the best car, don’t buy ours!” “Hey, your phone is still current, don’t bother checking out the new iPhone.”   We are so intent on our discontent.  No one is contented these days, we all want more and more.   Hebrews 13:5 (ESV Strong's) Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   Listen, we grow content when we see God as our sole Provider, and we grow discontent when we focus on gratifying our desires rather than looking only to our genuine needs. (Not unlike the 2 year old who says, “But I NEED chocolate!”)  Paul wrote…   Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV Strong's) Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.   We often want to quote, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,” but did you know that that verse is about being content with your life and serving God? Paul is saying, “I can do both poverty and wealth through Christ who strengthens me!”  If we truly value our relationship with Christ over our fleshly desires, we can learn to be content regardless of what we do and don’t have. Paul faced many trials, and was blessed in many ways, and his joy and contentment did not depend on what he had, or had not.  That’s the secret…   Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV Strong's) Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.   True wealth is not about having more, it’s about desiring less!   TIPS TO MASTERING YOUR MONEY   Master your money, or it will master you! Jesus told us in Matthew 6 that we cannot serve two masters, we cannot properly serve both God and money. One of them has to be our master, and the other by default becomes the slave. We go to jobs we don’t really like, doing things we don’t really enjoy to buy things we don’t really want… I ask you, are you the slave or the master of the dollar?   Matthew 6:24 (ESV Strong's) “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.   Our society demands that we serve money, but Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money. Jesus didn’t say it would be difficult to serve both; He said it would be impossible. We cannot serve both, so therefore, we must choose.   So what are some tips to help in mastering your money?   1.     RECOGNISE WHO OWNS WHAT   The crazy thing is that your money isn’t really yours at all!   Psalms 24:1 (ESV Strong's) The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,   God owns it all. What does that mean in practical terms? First, it means that God has the right to take or use whatever He wants, whenever He wants. We are simply managers of the resources He entrusts to us.   Secondly, if we recognise God’s position as the ultimate owner, then every spending decision we make becomes a spiritual decision. Instead of asking whether or not we can afford to buy something, our questions should rather, “Does God want me to use His resources in this way?”   Job was a rich man, but he recognised that whatever happens to him, God is the ultimate owner.?   Job 1:21 (ESV Strong's) And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”   2.     SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN   This is debt reduction 101, but most Aussies don’t get this… you need to spend less than you earn. Simple mathematics.  Stop buying things and putting them on credit! Pay for it or don’t get it.   No matter how much money people have, there will always be unlimited ways to spend it. Spending less than we earn is the number one key to achieving financial freedom and security-regardless of what happens in the overall economy. Simple, easy to apply and it makes sense.   Proverbs 21:20 (ESV Strong's) Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.   Spending more than you earn devours your financial life. Be wise and spend less   3.     AVOID DEBT   The average family devotes 25 percent of its spendable income-the amount left after taxes-to paying off outstanding debts, much of it as interest! Not only does going into debt presume upon the future, but it pre-commits our resources, limits our financial flexibility, and dictates what we can (and cannot) afford to do down the road.   Proverbs 22:7 (ESV Strong's) The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.   Going into debt makes you a slave to the banks and credit companies. Now some debt is what we call good debt, because you into debt to finance something that will eventually make you money. Your home, for example, is usually considered good debt. Investment or business debt can be good, as long as the investment is sound (talk to a financial advisor).  We got a loan to buy this church, and have paid over $70,000 off the property. But anything that doesn’t earn income is not smart debt. Borrowing for cars, holidays, consumer goods or fun toys makes you a slave to someone else!   4.     HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY   Proverbs 17:18 (ESV Strong's) One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.   Credit cards are very convenient. I now have them on my phone, so I don’t even need to carry cards.   Buying consumer debt on a credit card is foolish. If you cannot control your spending, credit cards are an explosive trap that will ruin your life, with interest up to 4 times higher than house loans. You need to be able to pay it off, and do so fast.  Some of us here need to have some plastic surgery… cut up those cards. Pay off that debt, and never use the things again!   5.     PLAN YOUR FINANCES   Setting financial goals makes a lot of sense. Most of us don’t set such goals, we just stumble along from crisis to crisis, overcommitting ourselves and then becoming slaves to debt.   Proverbs 21:5 (ESV Strong's) The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.   Think twice or three times before you commit once. Do you really need that debt now? Is it good? How do you put the pieces of your financial future to fit together.   Money experts also suggest that we make one goal building liquidity. What is liquidity? It’s cash, or assets that can be readily and quickly converted to cash.  I meet so many older people who are asset rich and cashflow poor.  They live like paupers but stay in a too big house they own worth a million dollars.   A cardinal sin in finances is to max yourself out, committing so much to ongoing debt or payments that you cannot live a reasonable life. If your mortgage payments are so high you cannot afford to buy the new curtains for the lounge, they’re just too high! If anything goes wrong, you’re exposed to great loss. We must live within our means, either spending less or earning more or both.   6.     BALANCE THE BOOKS   I’m a businessman, and I can tell you the two basic solutions to your financial woes… either spend less, earn more or both! Whether it’s working and extra few hours, taking in a border, mowing lawns or selling eggs or honey, earning a little more can make a big difference.   If you are overspending, it is a fools paradise and cannot last forever, unless you’re a government! You will slide into debt and like more than 2 million Australians, never find a way back out. Money has a nasty habit or luring us in, and we usually spend up to our means. We start with little in the way of finances, and we live simply and keep it tight. When we start to earn more, we spend more also, buying more. If however our income reduces, we most often fail to reduce spending with it…   Ecclesiastes 5:10 (ESV Strong's) He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.   In the 1870s, then richest man in the world John D Rockefeller was asked, "How much money is enough money?" He replied, "Just a little bit more." Nothing has changed!   STEPS TO MASTERING YOUR MONEY… THE WAY AHEAD   If you are struggling with your finances, bad debt or spending, if you feel like your money is mastering you, here are some ways you can start to master your money and move ahead?   1.     DECIDE TO MAKE A CHANGE   I have a cousin who is financially very badly off. They live in a rented house too small for their family, never have any money to spare and life is a real struggle. He loves coffee, and when they stayed with us, I have a very nice coffee machine which makes excellent coffee.   Yet every day, every single day, he travels to the store and buys a designer coffee. That’s his priority, but to my mind it’s a place they could save some money, up to $40 a week.   The first step to mastering your money comes when you decide to make little changes.   Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV Strong's) “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?   Do the same thing and you get the same results. Decide now you want to live as master of your money, not the servant, under the control of money and banks, and commit to making changes.   2.     LISTEN TO THE RIGHT ADVICE   Some are like this picture… Whether you see a financial advisor, one of several christian groups offering debt reduction ideas, or a trusted friend or mentor, seek advice from people who know what they are talking about…   Proverbs 12:15 (ESV Strong's) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.   Seek advice from people who are trustworthy, not your mates at the pub!   3.     MOVE AHEAD SLOW AND STEADY   Aesop said, “Slow and steady wins the race.” Most money problems are not solved instantly, but there is a long road and you need to be committed to to see results. Make slow and steady progress, make changes and stick to them and be prepared for a long haul as you wrestle control back from your money and give it to God.   Zechariah 4:10 (NKJV) For who has despised the day of small things?   Chances are your money problems won’t be solved by winning the lottery or robbing a back. Start small, be consistent and purpose in your heart to see it through.   4.     BE GENEROUS   When money controls you and you’re tight for money, the tendency is to be tight with your generosity too. I think this is a trap, because the more you focus on what you don’t have, the more it starts to master your thoughts, and your life.   I am not a proponent of the prosperity gospel. I don’t believe that if you give to God you can demand financial riches or “name it and claim it”. I don’t believe in giving to get, and I guarantee you, neither does God. But, when I put Him first, when I have a generous spirit, all I can tell you is that God just seems to bring resources and blessings into my life, financial and other, at the right time.   Proverbs 11:24 (ESV Strong's) One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.   Even in our worst possible financial moments, Fiona and I have made it our practice to be generous. So if I meet you at a coffee shop, I will always be the first one to try and pay, because I want to bless everyone and be generous, and I trust the Lord that He will take care of us. And He does!   Let me for a moment talk about tithing. I am frequently asked questions about tithing, because nothing upsets people like a money hungry church. Once again, I err of the side of being generous.   I won’t tell you what you should do, but this is my standard…  Personally, I don’t just tithe. I give 10% of my income to this church, but for me that is the baseline. Then I start to give, and give and give, generously. Why? Am I trying to get something from God? No, I’m trusting Him!   If you want to master your money, stop trying to use it to manipulate God! He says this…   Malachi 3:8-10 (ESV Strong's) Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.   I’m not after your money, but I also don’t want you to rob God, and miss His blessing and provision in your life. He asks you to test Him with your generous heart, and if you do, He promises to provide above and beyond. I am living testimony of this, so if you want to master your money, try trusting instead of tithing.   Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV Strong's) Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.   5.     DECIDE TO SEEK GOD FIRST   Jesus says that where our treasure is, our heart is also in Matthew 6:21. He even says not to worry about our provision, our clothes and food, because God has it all under control. Then He says this…   Matthew 6:31-33 (ESV Strong's) Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.   I work for money, you work for money, but in the end, money comes and goes. Becoming pastor of this church has allowed me to prove this point in my life. I have stepped back from consultancy jobs, cut out business groups, scaled back my own practice and Fiona has given up her job. We have given these up to seek first His Kingdom in this church, and to be honest we haven’t felt any financial loss.   Even though officially I am earning less money, it doesn’t feel like it. Why? Because God loves me and appreciates that I seek Him first, rather than grasping for more and more money.   I am serving Jesus and trusting Him to take care of me and my family money needs, and true to His promises, He does. This is the secret of mastering your money… seek first His Kingdom, and leave the rest up to Him. Be generous, be wise with money, get out of debt and learn to delay your gratification, but in the end if you live for Christ, that’s the main thing you care about, right?   If you are tight for money, facing financial difficulties or being mastered by your money, or your lack of money, stand up and let’s give this to Jesus now!   And godliness with contentment is great gain.

Dead-ends are never the end. Why? Because God is never out of options. His plans unfold before us. The surprising split of the Red Sea reminds us of the surprising resurrection of Jesus. Salvation is always a surprising work of grace.

We are continuing our summer series through Psalms & Proverbs and will be looking at Psalm 146 this Sunday. This Psalm is part of the collection know as the "Hallel Psalms" because they all start with the phrase "Hallelujah", which means "praise the Lord". We'll see that we are called to praise the Lord in our lives. Instead of looking to other things, we are to look to God as the object of our worship. Why? Because God is faithful, compassionate, just, and the King. We praise the Lord who is worthy of our praise!

Click here to link directly to the audio file.**********I have had the opportunity to do a lot of study around the subject of counseling inside the Church. I believe there is an effective way to counsel and a means of providing counsel that causes victim thinking to rise up and take over. Unfortunately, too many of us have been trained and impacted by godly counsel that has done little when it comes to substantive change in who we are. It is when we come into situations where we are faced with counsel from people that I am seeing as being unsafe that trouble is bound to happen.When I classify those giving some counsel as being unsafe, I'm in no way accusing them of wrong doing. I have been an unsafe person in way too many situations where I was providing counsel for those having difficulties in their life. I pray that the fact that I was unsafe didn't contribute to the world's ability to make victimization happen in the lives of those I had the honor to counsel in the past.What makes a person unsafe when we are put in positions of offering counsel to others? I believe it is when we aren't fully aware of what is going on inside of us that our safety in any given situation can come into question. It is when we are driven by personal motives to offer counsel of any type that our ability to be objective can quickly go out the window. When it does, we become just as unsafe, in many ways, as the worst victimizer in the world today.I know that last statement is kind of harsh, but it is true. When people come to others for counsel, it is usually as a result of things not working out quite the way they wanted. Just the very fact things are so far down that one person would risk opening up to another with all this is going on is a sign that things must be pretty rough. In that vulnerable state, the down and out person needs counsel that comes from a place of objectivity. That only happens when the one giving counsel is fully aware of their own shortfalls and feelings. We become unsafe when we give advice based on motives we might have, even good motives that come from teachings straight from the Bible.Let me give you an example and show you what I mean. I have shared this scenario in previous podcasts but will give it to you again because it proves my point about the need for safe people.My wife is the main bread winner of our family. She has been for the better part of our 32 years of marriage. As a man, this can be a real challenge to who I am suppose to be. We didn't go down this path lightly. Barbara and I have spent many, many hours of prayer over this issue. God has continued to show us this is the path He has us on - so that's the direction we continued to go after.I wish I could tell you God had the last word on this subject. Time and time again, either Barbara or I would come to a place you might call a crisis of faith. We would doubt that we were doing things "right." It was during one of those times when I was left questioning God's plan when I confided in some godly people at my church about my situation.I hope you know how hard that was for me to do. To admit that I wasn't in a position to be able to support my growing family is not an easy thing for any man to do. By opening up, I was looking for affirmation that we were on the right path. Here's where the difference between safe and unsafe people really came into play.A few of the people I met with came back to me with truth from the Bible. They reminded me that God's plan was for man to be the provider. They were quick to remind me that my wife and I were going against God's plan by not having me be the bread winner of our family. It was alluded that God's blessing just couldn't remain on me and my family if I chose to ignore God's truth from His word.Now I was in a real quandary. Not only was I suffering a crisis of faith, apparently my decisions were dooming me and my family to a life absent of the blessing of God. Can you hear the victim thinking coming out of that last sentence? Where did that victim thinking come from? It came from the godly counsel of well meaning but unsafe people. What that counsel did for me was to drive me underground. It wasn't that I was looking for these people to simply confirm the direction my life took. It was that they seemed to be trying to fix me that really made them unsafe to me.Though their intentions were nothing but honorable, I felt shamed and isolated. They didn't take time to listen to how much Barbara and I had sought for God's direction over the years. They didn't stop to ask about my upbringing that might have played into the crisis of faith I was suffering. They seemed more interested in making sure God's word was upheld at the expense of my suffering soul. Counsel based strictly on the black and white of what God might be saying isn't a safe way of helping anyone when they need help. God doesn't seem to do things that way, why should we choose to counsel in ways that are unsafe?Because I walked away from those relationships thinking that it was unsafe to share challenging times with people, especially church people, I put myself exactly where Satan loves followers of Jesus to be. It is when we isolate that hope for change gets eliminated from our lives. Fact is that we need God in order for change to happen in our lives. God is a safe person all the time. Problem is that we also need people in order for change to happen. People aren't always all that safe. I think things need to change on the people side of the equation.Our Bible reading today highlights the need to be a safe person to those around us. Check it out with me now.Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. Galatians 6:2-3 (MSG)It is when we share the burdens of others we complete Christ's law. It isn't when we fix a sinner's problem using Biblical truths that we fulfill the law of Christ. Of course, Christ wants us to be obedient to God's Word, but, action happens after safety is established. This is a pattern we see time and time again in God's word. I have failed to mirror this pattern too many times in my life. I'm willing to bet you have too.My friends who were using scripture to point out the obvious to me didn't do a thing to help carry this burden. They seemed more interested in getting credit for fixing my burden with God's Word. It isn't safe when we have motives that come from places other than God's leading. Our reading today seems to be saying that God is more interested in relationship than He is in results when it comes to obedience. I think that is how we, too should be focused as we are drawn into places where one person is sharing their burdens with another.This doesn't mean that we are to ignore sinful ways in a person's life. It does mean that we are to seek God in how we are to be a part of carrying that person's burden that might be driving them into sinful practices. For most of us in the Church, that is an assignment that is too messy and time consuming for us to consider. It is so much easier to just give godly advise and move on. Being a safe person isn't always nice and neat. Being safe takes time. That's why finding safe people is a challenge sometimes, even in the Church. That needs to change.That last statement isn't there to guilt you into anything. If I'm using guilt to get you to do something, I'm being unsafe once again. I'm a prime example that things can change. I'm one of those people who wanted to be the dispenser of quick fixes when it came to carrying another person's burdens. Fact is that I have too many burdens of my own to carry yours too! In the past, I was way too quick to give you fast answers to hard questions because I simply didn't have the time needed to really understand, or even care, what you were going through.That has changed in my life. It is my deep desire to be a safe person. Why? Because God has shown me how safe He has been in my slowness to change. That fact has altered my perspective on what love can really look like. That has changed my view of God and I want to be a part of helping others see God in that light more.All I know is that I need safe people in my life. God isn't enough. Shocking as that last statement is, I believe it is as godly as anything else I have presented in this podcast, including our Bible reading today. God isn't enough when it comes to our lives being different. We need each other. More than that, we need safe versions of each other.Stay with me over the next couple of days and learn more about what it means to be safe in another person's life. In the meantime, think about what a safe person would look like in your life. Rejoice for those people you find safe. Keep them close. Open up to them. Let them carry your burdens with you. That's the only way I know that can work to keep us empowered by our victor status in this world that wants us so over burdened that we are no earthly good. We change that possibility by finding and being safe people who are willing to let God flow through them in world changing ways.

In God’s economy, things are not about what we deserve. Why? Because God is compassionate and gracious… The universe runs on grace, even for the people we don’t like, even for the people that have hurt us, even for the people that have broken our hearts, the universe runs on grace. And when you understand that, your life can change. This is the message of the cross: that Jesus came into the world to give Himself, not based on anything that we have ever done to deserve it, salvation is not about deserving.

In 1980, the new wave rock band, Devo, released their biggest hit, “Whip It.” It was intended as satire against American optimism and became an anthem of counterculturalism. It also had significant appeal in sadomasochistic circles. What’s interesting about the song is that it alludes to the premise that you can whip any problem — person, place, or thing — into the end-state you wish it to be in. Unfortunately, this mentality has crept into the church. Today, I want to talk about whips and how they have become a problem for the body of Christ. John 2:15 And having made a lash (a whip) of cords, He drove them all out of the temple [enclosure]—both the sheep and the oxen—spilling and scattering the brokers’ money and upsetting and tossing around their trays (their stands). Jesus made a whip. And He “violently” drove sinners out of the temple. This is the narrative that has been shared for this story. And while we see in the two verses that follows this, Jesus was upset because the temple had become a place of merchandise and that it was fulfilling of a prophecy that said zeal for God’s house would consume Him. I’m going to deal with these two verses in a few minutes but let’s review the nature and character of Jesus. First, Jesus was nonviolent. He told those who heard him that “an eye for an eye” was not the proper approach. He rebuked James and John for wanting to bring fire from heaven. He chided Peter for cutting a man’s ear off. In all the Gospel accounts, we never find Jesus causing or bringing harm to anyone. So Jesus would have been at odds with Himself to commit a violent act when He, Himself, was against violence. The rulers of the temple allowed moneychangers (usurious lenders and unscrupulous merchants) to operate in the temple. In other words, legalistic religion permitted this. These were not drunkards, prostitutes, or whoremongers — these were people with religion’s stamp of approval. And they were making merchandise out of the people of God. This is what got Jesus whipped into a frenzy! Not the temple, itself, but how the temple system was polluting the people. Jesus was showing us that sometimes, we have to chase things out of the temple of God — which is our bodies. Anything that can take advantage of you or others needs to go! Jesus was sweeping the law, the monetary system of the world, and religion out of the temple — in other words, he was giving us an example of renewing our minds! So, in this context, Jesus used this cord as more of a broom than a whip! If we continue further into the book of John, we see Pontius Pilate having Jesus scourged before going to the Cross. It’s here where we find what religion really likes. The purpose of the Romans scourging Jesus was to get him to confess to a crime he did not commit and to conform to the detente established between Rome and the legalistic Jewish leaders. Religion likes pain. Religion likes beating people into submission. Religion likes to hear confession. Grace refuses to hear any confession of wrongdoing and does not accuse anyone. Why? Because God said He’d remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12, 10:17)! Grace empowers us to confess our holiness (Hebrews 10:10, 14) and our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)! Grace enables us to recognize we are loved by God! Religion sees Jesus’ whip in the same context as the Roman whip. But Jesus’ whip was to demonstrate the removing of impurities while the Roman whip intended to beat purity into the one human being with no impurities! The Apostle Paul had a whip issue, too. In Acts 2:24-28, we find Paul arrested and about to be flogged. But Paul had an ace up his sleeve — he reminded his captors and tormentors of his Roman citizenship, which made it illegal for him to be beaten without first being tried and condemned. This is some good news for you, right here! The world, the enemy, and religion will try and beat you into submission.

The word for authority is the Greek word "exusia" which means delegated authority. God has given you and I authority to transact business on His behalf on the earth. We must take this authority and put it to work in our communities, cities and the nations at large by our prayer life. We must understand that we are partners with God to enforce His spoken Word on the earth. We are God’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) God is looking for individuals who are willing to stand in the gap to fulfill His purposes and enforce His covenant on the earth. When believers respond to God’s call for this final hour, they will experience the Glory of God more than ever before in the history of the church. Why? Because God is drawing a distinction between His bride and others. Can He count you on this very final hour?

Every Christian knows what its like to struggle with the same sin time and time again. However, God's Word promises us that we do not have to fail when that old life-dominating temptation rears its ugly head. We do not have to succumb to the same old sickening sin. Why- Because God's promises and His Word are greater than the power of our sin-

This week Pastor Kamron talks about something we simply don't like to talk about. A place called... Hell. It's a very real place. The Bible is clear about it. Jesus talked about Hell twice as much as He talked about Heaven. WHY? Because God's plan is that NO person would go there. Jesus provided the way to NOT go there. But here is the rub. If Jesus talked about Hell SO much. Why don't we? Why do we placate those who might be going there? Listen to this week's message and see if you need to readjust your own reality of Hell.

What does it really mean to be "saved"? Take a look at Matthew 1 and Matthew 28 as bookends signifying the simplicity of the Gospel - the hope and promise that God saves. Why? Because God is with us.

Realities that are not always easy to accept. People often prefer to deny the hard facts of life. But we all need to. Why? Because God requires honesty in dealing with His truth - ultimate reality. Yes, we need to face our sin before a holy God. But the Bible is filled with assurances of God’s great truth - the wonderful certainty of eternal life for all those who trust in Christ. We hope that you will have the courage to face some great realities from God’s Word on our program this week.

As John's visions recorded in Revelation draw to a close he sees the destiny toward which all history is moving. What he sees, but really hears, is the eruption of heaven in thunderous praise. Why? Because God wins. But, more importantly, love wins.

Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren’t aberrations; they are expectations. They can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.

Jesus told his followers that unavoidable trials aren’t aberrations; they are expectations. They can actually serve a beneficial purpose. Why? Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.

Your future is the exact opposite of your feelings. Your destiny is the exact opposite of your dead ends. Your purpose in life is the direct inverse to the past in your life! Why? Because God builds his greatest strengths upon your greatest weaknesses. Because Jabez knew this, he was singled out from a list … Continue reading "The Prayer of Jabez"

It is unwise and a waste of time to be waiting for God to transform your life after experiencing the New Birth. Why? Because God has supernaturally transformed you into a brand new creation or person in Christ at the instant of New Birth! In this awesome teaching (Part 1 in a series), you will discover that God has supernaturally changed your inward man into a new person, who is conformed to the image of Christ. You will also discover the supernatural potentials and capacities of your new inward man in Christ.  

God commands us to observe the Sabbath because He cares about us and we care about Him. How are you with Sabbath? From Exodus 35:1-3 1. The Sabbath is part of a healthy rhythm for life. (v.2) 2. The Sabbath is intended for rest. (v.2,3) 3. The Sabbath is holy and for the Lord. (v.2) 4. Not observing the Sabbath has negative consequences (v.2) Applications 1. Check your calendars and schedules to see if you live a life that honors Sabbath. (Concept of Sabbath Ladder) 2. The Sabbath is a day for: a. Personal care b. Family and community care c. God care 3. Sabbath is a Date with God, space and time for us to experience the gospel and be made whole again. God gave us the gospel to create a safe environment to look beneath the surface. I don’t have to prove that I’m lovable or valuable. I don’t have to be right all the time. I can be vulnerable and be myself even if others don’t accept me. I can even take risks and fail. Why? Because God sees the 90 percent of the iceberg hidden below the surface, and he utterly, totally loves me in Christ."* *From The Emotionally Healthy Church, Peter L. Scazzero

Wk 1 we are to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Wk 2 Most will not accept the kingdom. Like the good soil, we have to be receptive and obedient God's word. Wk 3 This is a time of God's grace and patience, but it will come to an end with a time of separation of those who do not follow Christ. Wk 4 The Kingdom of heaven is destined to advance. Matthew 13:31-32 the parable of the mustard seed The mustard seed is like a tiny speck- the smallest seed a farmer would plant. But it would grow to be the largest plant in the garden, growing to 10 or 15 ft high. Matthew 13:33-35 the parable of the yeast Usually yeast is portrayed as representing sin in the Scriptures because of the way it decomposes the dough and a small amount permeates throughout. But it is used here to show that the kingdom of God starts small, but grows to affect the whole world. This was not the first time that God's kingdom was prophesied to advance from small and insignificant to huge growth. In the Neo-Babylonian empire, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. He was so upset with it that he called his wisest advisors to interpret it, but he wanted to be sure that the interpretation was true, so he told them to tell him his dream first and then to give the interpretation - or he would have them killed. Daniel was a Jew, a captive from Judah. He prayed and God revealed Nebuchadnezzar's dream and the interpretation. Daniel 2:31-35 The meaning of the dream is a vision of five earthly kingdoms that would rule their world. [show picture] Head of gold - the Babylonians Chest of silver - the Medes and Persians The waist and thighs of bronze - the Greeks The legs of iron - the Romans The feet of iron and clay - a restored Roman Empire in the end times that will be crushed by God's Kingdom The stone not cut by human hands is the kingdom of God. It started small but crushed the statue - the kingdoms of men - and grew to the size of a mountain. Two points of application: 1) God's kingdom is destined to advance. We feel like we're the underdogs, like we're in retreat as our society walks further away from God. But God loves to start with something small and insignificant so that he can show that it grew and advanced by His power. Slaves in Egypt escaped a powerful nation - and plundered them - why? Because God fought for them. David was a boy when he came to a battle where warriors were afraid to face Goliath and he said, this man defies the God of Israel, I will fight him. Why? Because God fought for him. "Jesus grew up in a backwards province of a conquered people to poor parents; He taught for three years in neighboring villages, and occasionally at Jerusalem; His followers were mostly the poor and uneducated; then he fell into the hands of his enemies, and died the shameful death of the cross; That is how kingdom of God began - but it would advance to world-wide influence. Ultimately, the kingdom of will outlast all earthly kingdoms, all philosophies, all societies, all religions. Are we defeated? No, God's kingdom is destined to advance - God will work to advance his kingdom. 2) The kingdom of God advances around us as we let it advance within us. You want your kids to follow Jesus? You follow Jesus everyday, more and more. Your coworkers need the kingdom of God in their lives? You take hold of the kingdom. Matthew 11:13 The Kingdom of Heaven advances into this world with conflict. There are forces of evil which oppose God’s word and His work. But God’s Kingdom is also coming with power and many people are being freed from the power of Satan as they take hold of the good news of Jesus Christ.

A continuation of our Genesis series, looking at the story of Abraham and Hagar. Through this message we discover that there are strangers all around us. As followers of Jesus, and as descendants of Abraham, may we welcome all the strangers in our lives. Why? Because God has welcomed us.

Every fall – at that same blessed time that the NFL season is kickin’ off – Momentum begins one of its most beloved series: Momentum at the Movies. For a few weeks we talk about some of the hottest flicks in the industry and ask, “What can the best writers, actors, and directors teach us about loving God and loving people?” Why? Because God has a way of sneaking His story into just about every plot. So if you’re a movie-lover who’s interested in learning about God, the Bible, and Jesus, this series is a great entry point for you. Come hang with the church that meets in a theatre.

Every fall – at that same blessed time that the NFL season is kickin’ off – Momentum begins one of its most beloved series: Momentum at the Movies. For a few weeks we talk about some of the hottest flicks in the industry and ask, “What can the best writers, actors, and directors teach us about loving God and loving people?” Why? Because God has a way of sneaking His story into just about every plot. So if you’re a movie-lover who’s interested in learning about God, the Bible, and Jesus, this series is a great entry point for you. Come hang with the church that meets in a theatre.

Every fall – at that same blessed time that the NFL season is kickin’ off – Momentum begins one of its most beloved series: Momentum at the Movies. For a few weeks we talk about some of the hottest flicks in the industry and ask, “What can the best writers, actors, and directors teach us about loving God and loving people?” Why? Because God has a way of sneaking His story into just about every plot. So if you’re a movie-lover who’s interested in learning about God, the Bible, and Jesus, this series is a great entry point for you. Come hang with the church that meets in a theatre.

Psalm 23 is known in the culture as the psalm of comfort in times of tragedy. Why? Because God is presented as the shepherd of our soul - guiding, leading, feeding, protecting, and caring for us. No matter how deep the valley or how dark the shadow, we have confidence that death and sin don't have the final say. The good shepherd gave his life so that by grace alone, we can dwell with God forever.

Fast from food in order to feast on the Word amidst your time in prayer. Why? Because God’s Word is our lifeline to God himself.

Spending time with God through worship is one of the most valuable things we can do. Why? Because God promised that as we draw near to Him, He will also draw near to us. And where the presence of the Lord is, there is freedom and life. When we spend time with Him, our minds will be renewed and our faith will be strengthened. Through worship, we can experience the peace and stillness our heart and soul needs. "Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." -Psalm 29:2

Be patient with the peculiar. Forgive those who have fallen. Help those who are hurting. Do good to your enemies. Why? Because God has been merciful to me. Because I am going to need mercy in the future. Because it makes me happy.

Be patient with the peculiar. Forgive those who have fallen. Help those who are hurting. Do good to your enemies. Why? Because God has been merciful to me. Because I am going to need mercy in the future. Because it makes me happy.

I love the Secret Place. Why? Because God sees in secret. It's not what you do out in public that gains the interest of God in a special way. It's what you do in SECRET that grips His heart and captures His favor. Find out for yourself as you listen to this message.

Jesus had a lot to say about money. Why? Because God knows that our heart follows our money.  In this message, Rod Loy  covers some practical advice for handling our finances.