Podcasts about Worship God

"Joseph's Example and God's Story"Genesis 37The Book of Genesis Series - In The Beginning, God https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FD-EKLAyvI&list=PLrgvg1IJfGEoNskcuggMJPDwYu1n9alpmPastor Nate ClarkeJuly 19, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwAOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 409.

Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 409.

Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 409.

Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 409.

For Season 11, we'll be looking at why we do the things we do in worship, and in our daily lives. Is seems appropriate to address one of the biggest questions for this study. "Why do we worship God?" Danny and Kurt will use the Holy Scriptures to explain the answer to this important question.

"Eternal Life: Heaven & Hell"1 Thessalonians 4:13; Ecclesiastes 3:11Summer Heat Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT6NmO99e1g&list=PLrgvg1IJfGErAVbwQFvA1PDPnEl-XAEyhPastor Nate ClarkeJuly 12, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- 1 Thessalonians 4:13- Ecclesiastes 3:11- Eternal Life: Heaven & Hell- Every person will spend eternity either in heaven with God, or in hell separate from God.- HEAVEN- Romans 10:9-10- John 14:1-4- John 14: 5- John 14:6-7- Heaven will be God's presence forever- Revelation 21:4- In heaven, you will be rewarded for the good you've done with your life on earth.- Matthew 6:19-20- Matthew 16:27- 2 Corinthians 5:10- Heaven will be better than anyone could imagine- 2 Corinthians 5:8- Philippians 1:23- Psalm 16:11- Revelation 22:20- HELL- Matthew 25:41- Psalm 73:2-5- Psalm 73:9-12- Psalm 73:13- Psalm 73:16-17- Psalm 73:18-20- Psalm 73:27-28- “When my love fails me, my fear ought to keep me.” —John Piper- 6 False Doctrines on Hell     - Cultural belief, Satan's kingdom     - Naturalism      - Reincarnation- Hebrews 9:27     - Catholicism, purgatory      - Universalism - Matthew 7:13-14- John 14:6- Acts 4:12     - Annihilationism - Revelation 14:11- Luke 16:19-31- Romans 1:20- Romans 2:14-15- Genesis 18:25b- What do we do because heaven and hell are a reality?- Colossians 3:1-2- Matthew 5:22b- Colossians 3:5-6- Mark 9:43- 2 Peter 3:9Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Psalm 84:8-12, 2 Kings 25:27-30, Romans 1:20-32. The painting only came alive to those on their knees in prayer The right perspective is the position of worship

Psalm 84:8-12, 2 Kings 25:27-30, Romans 1:20-32. The painting only came alive to those on their knees in prayer The right perspective is the position of worship

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks!emersonk78@me.comExcel Still More Journal - AmazonNew GENESIS Daily Bible Devotional!Daily Bible Devotional Series - AmazonTitle Sponsor: Tyler Cain, Senior Loan Officer, Statewide MortgageWebsites: https://statewidemortgage.com/https://tylercain.floify.com/Phone: 813-380-8487TOZER's BOOKS LINKFalse Worship vs. Faithful Worship1) Worship is about Me vs. Worship is about God2) Worship is What I want to Give vs. What God Desires3) Worship is about Chasing a Feeling vs. Truth Producing Affection4) Detached from Emotion vs. Engages the Whole Heart5) About Proving I'm Right vs. About Drawing Near to God4 WORDS FOR WORSHIP (CAFA)1) CONFIDENCE in God2) ADMIRATION of God3) FASCINATION with God4) ADORATION for GodUse these. Pray with them. Explore them. Make it ALL ABOUT GOD! Everyday, everywhere, everything, including Sundays. 

"The Price of Poor Enthusiasm"Luke 19:41-45Summer Heat Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT6NmO99e1g&list=PLrgvg1IJfGErAVbwQFvA1PDPnEl-XAEyhPastor Casey SteenJuly 5, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwAOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

“Are angels real?” This question opens a discussion about their nature and purpose, addressing whether they are merely symbolic representations of God’s presence. The conversation also touches on the relevance of angels in our lives today and explores the distinction between angels and humans, including the popular belief that deceased loved ones become angels. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:35 – Let’s start at the bottom of the ladder. Are angels real, or are they symbolic ways of talking about God’s presence? 06:10 – So okay — if angels are real, can we just ignore them and get on with our lives? If they don’t do much nowadays, why should I care? 11:35 – Let’s define our terms cleanly. What exactly is an angel — and how much of what we believe comes from Scripture, versus theological speculation? 14:55 – Here’s one everyone has heard at a funeral: that grandma is an angel now, watching over us — that we get our wings when we die. Do human beings become angels when they die? 19:00 – Have angels always existed alongside God, or were they created like everything else? 23:00 – If angels are bodiless spirits, then how do we get all these accounts of angels appearing, speaking, even sharing a meal? How does a spirit with no body show up and get 29:25 – Roughly how many angels are there? Are we talking about a handful of major players, or something vaster — are there more angels or more humans? 34:45 – Most people have heard there are nine choirs of angels — seraphim, cherubim, archangels, and so on. Where does that come from, and what are these nine choirs of angels? 49:20 – We’ve talked a lot about praying to saints on this show — but why should we specifically pray to angels? Isn’t that more dangerous? Let’s steelman it. Twice in Revelation, John falls down to worship an angel, and both times the angel stops him cold and says, ‘Worship God.’ Paul warns the Colossians against the worship of angels. In light of all that, why would we ever pray to an angel? 53:10 – How do we even know angels can hear us?

"Loud Sins vs. Quiet Sins"Exodus 28:42-43Summer Heat Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT6NmO99e1g&list=PLrgvg1IJfGErAVbwQFvA1PDPnEl-XAEyhPastor Casey SteenJune 28, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwAOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Finding joy can feel impossible in a world filled with sorrow, especially when the weight of our pain feels unbearable. Yet even in the midst of brokenness, God's faithfulness never fails. His unfailing love meets us where we are, giving us a hope that anchors our souls and empowers us to worship Him through every season.Speaker: Ptr. Bong SaquingSeries: Heart Songs: Worship in the PsalmsScripture: Psalm 95:1-11Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06282026Tag

Finding joy can feel impossible in a world filled with sorrow, especially when the weight of our pain feels unbearable. Yet even in the midst of brokenness, God's faithfulness never fails. His unfailing love meets us where we are, giving us a hope that anchors our souls and empowers us to worship Him through every season.Speaker: Dr. Peter Tan-ChiSeries: Heart Songs: Worship in the PsalmsScripture: Psalm 95:1-11Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06282026Eng

In Matthew 22:15–22, the Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes to Caesar. But Jesus answered with perfect wisdom: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”In this sermon, Pay Caesar, Worship God, we consider what Jesus teaches about earthly authority, civic responsibility, and the far greater claim God has upon our lives. Christians may owe honor and obedience to governing authorities, but our worship, ultimate allegiance, and whole selves belong to God alone.

Join Worship Leader Mekenzi as she shares on how God's worth is worth more than our reputation

"Your Weakness Is Your Greatest Flex"2 Corinthians 12:7–10 ESVSummer Heat Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT6NmO99e1g&list=PLrgvg1IJfGErAVbwQFvA1PDPnEl-XAEyhPastor Casey SteenJune 21, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwAOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

"Consumer mentality is killing the church in America"Acts 2:42Summer Heat Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT6NmO99e1g&list=PLrgvg1IJfGErAVbwQFvA1PDPnEl-XAEyhGuest Pastor Jon AlexisJune 14, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwAOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Minsan feeling natin sobra na ang mga pagkakamali natin para patawarin pa ng Diyos. Pero ipinapaalala ng Awit 103 na ang Diyos ay puno ng awa, biyaya, at pagmamahal. Lagi Siyang handang magpatawad sa mga lumalapit sa Kanya. Walang kasalanang higit kaysa sa Kanyang awa, at walang buhay na hindi Niya kayang baguhin. Kaya natin Siya sinasamba—hindi dahil karapat-dapat tayo, kundi dahil mabuti Siya.Speaker: Ptr. Paul De Vera Series: Heart Songs: Worship in the PsalmsScripture: Psalm 103:1-22Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06212026Tag

Sometimes we believe our failures are too great for God to forgive. But Psalm 103 reminds us that the Lord is compassionate and gracious, abounding in lovingkindness, and ready to forgive those who come to Him.No sin is beyond His mercy and no life is beyond His power to restore. This is why we worship Him—not because we are worthy, but because He is good.Speaker: Dr. Peter Tan-ChiSeries: Heart Songs: Worship in the PsalmsScripture: Psalm 103:1-22Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06212026Eng

What Worship Is Jonathan Parnell Download Psalm 100,Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!2 Serve the Lord with gladness!Come into his presence with singing!3 Know that the Lord, he is God!It is he who made us, and we are his;we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,and his courts with praise!Give thanks to him; bless his name!5 For the Lord is good;his steadfast love endures forever,and his faithfulness to all generations.Last Sunday, my family and I had the joy to worship with Kenny Ortiz and his family at Horizon City Church in Orlando. For those of you who don't know Kenny, he was a pastor here at Cities before we sent him out to Florida a few years ago to plant Horizon City. And it was so good to see him and spend a little time with him — and we had a funny moment together …Each of my kids had new backpacks they were toting around, and Kenny had the same kind — I think it's pronounced ‘Os-pree.' It's a backpack for hiking. Well, they have straps that buckle across the front, and my kids figured out right away that there's a whistle attached to the buckle. It's kind of discreet, but the kids figured it out, and so they, of course, were walking around blowing this whistle. Pastor Kenny sees this, realizes he has the same kind of backpack, with that same buckle, and that same whistle, and he says: “Hey, I never knew what that was!” And of course he starts blowing the whistle too. There was a lot of whistling going on! It was a funny moment!And Kenny made this a great moment. Because he thought it was incredible that he had this thing for so long, that was literally right under his nose, and he didn't know what it was. We've probably all been there before about something, but look, one thing I hope we never say that about is worship. This thing we do together on Sundays, and what we're called to do in all of life — we need to know what it is.Because being a worshiper is most fundamentally who we are as humans. Being a worshiper of Jesus is most fundamentally who we are as disciples of Jesus.Our worship of Jesus is the most important action we ever do as humans — so we should understand what we're doing when we worship.Psalm 100 helps us here.Today we're gonna look closely at Psalm 100, and I want to show you three truths about what worship is.The first is this:1. Worship is a declaration of our allegiance. We're gonna see this right away in verse 2, but before we get there, let me remind you about the context: Going back to Psalm 93, we're in a section of psalms all about the reign of the Lord, or the final coming of the Lord in judgment and salvation. And we established (back in Psalm 97) that what's in view here is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. These psalms are talking about the end of the world when Jesus returns in final judgment for his enemies and salvation for his people. And our response on that day as his people, as those saved by Jesus, will be worship — it'll be praise, thanksgiving, gladness, joy, singing — all the happy words we see in these psalms. That's what we're gonna do together with all of creation. Psalm 100 is right in line with this theme we've been seeing.In Psalm 100, the reader is commanded to worship God now with seven different imperatives. I'm gonna read all of them, starting in verse 1, but follow with me and see if you can spot them:Verse 1: Make a joyful noiseVerse 2: Serve the LordCome into his presence (v. 2b)Verse 3: Know that the Lord, he is God!Verse 4: Enter his gatesGive thanks to him (v. 4b)Bless his name (v. 4c)There's no doubt this whole psalm is about worship, but I want to call special attention to verse 2, that first line: “Serve the Lord with gladness!”What does that word “serve” mean?What Does It Mean to Serve?The word for “serve” is interesting because it can literally mean to work and serve as a servant, and it can mean to worship. And in a lot of cases, it has a double sense. To worship God is to serve God, to be submitted to him, to swear allegiance to him. That's what's intended most times when this word is used in the Old Testament. And it was Israel's biggest problem. Their problem was who they served. For example, in the Book of Deuteronomy, first, God is very clear. He says, Chapter 6, verse 13:“take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. You shall not go after other gods …”Then he says, Chapter 8, verse 19:“And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.”11:16,“Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them…”So one thing we know for sure here is that worship must mean more than an experience a few times a month on Sundays. Instead, worship is about an all-of-life allegiance, and it is a choice. It's a choice between two options: You either serve other little-g gods (bad idea), or you serve Yahweh, the one true God. Those are your choices.Those are the choices that Joshua set before the people of Israel in the Book of Joshua, Chapter 24. This is an epic scene in the Old Testament. Joshua gathered all of Israel, and he addressed all the people. He reminded them of their history and all that God has done for them from the calling of Abraham to the rescue from Egypt to the possession of the Promised Land, and he said, to all the people: “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord …” (v. 14) He said:“choose this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (v. 15)It was an amazing moment. Joshua is saying, Me and my house are devoted to the one true God! My allegiance is to him — it's to Yahweh alone. That's what it means to serve the Lord, and that's what Psalm 100, verse 2 is getting at. To worship God, to serve him, is to declare your allegiance to him. It is about loyalty to our true King!A Daily ChoiceAnd we basically have that choice every morning when we wake up … Imagine, when you wake up, that Joshua says to you, personally: Hey, choose this day whom you will serve. Who's it gonna be? …And don't rush the moment . …Of course we know the right answer, but really think about it: at the end of the day if you were to assess your time and your energy, and what you give your best attention to, and what motivates you, who are you serving? Is it comfort? Reputation? Success? Power? Money? Who's it gonna be? To whom is your highest allegiance?Look, when it comes to worship, the real contrast throughout the storyline of Scripture is not worship versus non-worship, but it's who you worship: either you will serve the Lord or you will serve something else.Church, serve the Lord.And that is one reason Sundays are the best day of the week. Worship is more than a Sunday experience, but man, Sundays are important. Because on Sunday, the first day of the week, is the day that launches us into the next six days. We come together to say to God, before one another, “As for me, I will serve the Lord.”And of course we serve him with gladness. Let's not act like it's a hard choice. The way of Jesus is the only way. He alone has the words of life! We are gladly all in with Jesus. Worship is a declaration of our allegiance.2. Worship is congruent to our existence. We see this in verse 3. This is actually the center of the psalm — the center of the seven imperatives. The psalmist says, verse 3: Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.This is very straightforward. Get this: we worship God because he made us.This logic is repeated in all the great Confessions. I love how the 1689 London Confession puts it. This is Chapter 2, paragraph 2. The Confession says: God is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands; to Him is due from angels and men, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, as creatures they owe unto the Creator, and whatever He is further pleased to require of them.What it means to be a creature is that our Creator has the authority to require our worship. Because: God is God; we are not God; God made us.Resistance to CreaturelinessAnd look: the spirit of the age hates this fact. The mindset of the world, people of the world, hate the fact that they are made. They can't stand it. Because they worship the Self. We've talked about this recently: that in our sin, humans want to be their own gods. They want control over reality — even if it means murdering their pre-born children or mutilating their own bodies. They want to be gods to themselves. And the best explanation I've ever read of this is by the late theologian John Webster. He describes the essence of sin as the despising of our creatureliness. He writes:“To be a creature is to have one's being in relation to God, for ‘to be' is ‘to be in relation' to the creator, and only so to have life and to act. To be a sinner is to repudiate this relation, and so absolutely to imperil one's life by seeking to transcend creatureliness and become one's own origin and one's own end.” (Webster, Holiness, 84)The people of this world, dead in their sins, hate that they are creatures — and we know what this is like. It used to be all of us!In sin, you try to do everything you can to pretend you are not creature, you try so hard to be you're own god … but the problem is that there was a time when you did not exist. You did not exist, and then, when you did come into existence, you had nothing to do with it. That's what it means to be made.Have you ever thought about that?The Wonder of Being MadeI was thinking about this last week. We were having family dinner, and it was a beautiful moment together, it just hit me. I said: Y'all there was a time when none of us existed. …We had no existence at all. We were simply not. But then, we did exist. We do exist. We're here right now. Because we were made!And so what do we do as those who are made? We worship our Maker! It just make sense!The worship of God is congruent to the basic truth that he created us.And here are two very practical things we do with this — First is for parents, for moms and Dads (and since it's Father's Day, I mean this especially for Dads.) Here it is: 1) Teach your children that they are made. When Elizabeth was a toddler and just learning to talk, Melissa and I did a little catechism with her, and one of the first questions was, “Who made you?” Except we didn't ask that way. We would say it like this: “Elizabeth, who made you?” And she would say, “God!”And recently I asked all of my kids that question, and they all got the answer right. They all said God.And look, I know I'm not a perfect dad, and I'd never claim to be, but I feel pretty good about this one. Parents, we can all do it. Teach your children that God made them. And their eye color, and their hair color, and their skin color — it's all wonderful because God did it. And second, for all of us …2) Be amazed that God made you. It is so good to be made! It is so good that God is God; we are not; and God made us! And yes, we owe him everything — like the 1689 says, to Him is due whatsoever worship, service, or obedience he requires. But remember, the worship we owe him is not drudgery for us, but it's actually what satisfies the deepest longings of our soul. It's why we were made! It's why we exist!Psalm 100, verse 3: “It is God who made us and we are his!” Worship is congruent to our existence.3. Worship is grounded in the character of God. This is verse 5. And it's the verse that grounds everything said in verses 1–4. It's the ultimate reason why we … make a joyful noise, and serve the Lord, and come into his presence, and know that he is God, and enter his gates, and give him thanks, and bless his name.The reason we worship God is “for” — verse 5 — or because:the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.We worship God because he is worthy of worship, and his worthiness is evident in his character.That is what this verse is saying, and the grammatical construction makes that clear: Worship God because of his character — and in particular, because of his goodness.And we see this construction and this reason show up over and over again from Psalm 100 onward. Now we're gonna see this, but let me go ahead and tell you:Psalms 106 and 107 start the same way: “Oh give thanks to the Lord ... for he is good.”Psalm 117:3, “Extol him, all peoples ... for great is his steadfast love toward us.”Psalm 118:1, “Oh give thanks to the Lord ... for he is good.”Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord ... for the Lord is good.Psalm 136:1 “Give thanks to the Lord ... for he is good.”And then in Psalm 136 the psalmist repeats 26 times that God's steadfast love endures forever.Church, look, the Lord is good; his steadfast love really does endure forever. That's why we worship him. It's because of who he is, and who he is is good.Even in the Valley?But you might say: “Pastor, it doesn't seem that way for me right now.”Maybe you're going through a season of suffering. Maybe you've been battling discouragement and disappointment, and you feel stuck. You're just in the pit and you don't know what to do. You certainly don't ‘feel' the goodness of God where you are, and yet you hear this call to worship God for his goodness — and we just need some help here. I want you to know that even in the valley — in your valley, in your pit — God is still good, and you can worship him. In fact, your praise from the pit has a unique glory and sweetness to it that honors God more, shames the devil, and baffles the world.And I was trying to think here of some historical examples — like who are the saints in church history who have modeled this for us? There are many.But then it occurred to me: God has given us examples within our own church. The Examples God Has Given UsI think about Jen Jacobs, who died in 2022 at 38 years old. She had been diagnosed with cancer and fought hard, and I remember being at her house one day with a small group of people surrounding her, trying to bring encouragement. And Jen couldn't even open her eyes, but she wanted to sing the song “Good, Good Father.” And we did: we all sat there and sang “You're a good good Father, that's who you are!”And then I think about Kayla Rigney, our dear sister who died two years ago at 35 years old. She also battled cancer, and used to help lead worship on Sunday mornings. And one Sunday, the last Sunday she ever sang up here, she stood right there, half her hair was gone, and she led us in singing:I love You, LordFor Your mercy never failed meAnd all my days, I've been held in Your handsFrom the moment that I wake upUntil I lay my headOh, I will sing of the goodness of GodChurch, do we realize the examples God has given us? … right under our nose.And then of course I think of our dear sister Jean Swenson, who for decades was bound to a wheelchair after being paralyzed from the neck down. Jean modeled for years that we don't measure the goodness of God by our circumstances, but that our circumstances must be interpreted through the goodness of God. We start there! We start with: God is good.And because God is good, he therefore must have good purposes in hard things. Jean was an example for us of what her friend, Joni Erickson Tada, has been saying for over fifty years: “God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves.”And that is his goodness. And church, we're gonna worship him because he's good. No matter where we are. And what God has done to prove his goodness is that he sent his only Son here. While we were sinners, when we deserved nothing but his wrath, God showed us his love in that Jesus died for us. Jesus took our sins upon himself. He suffered in our place. He defeated sin and death, and he has given us himself. We are united to him by faith. We are forgiven and free. Heaven is our home. Eternal joy is our future. Church, we can worship him now. And that's how we're gonna close. I get that there are some moments in life when we might say, about certain things, “Hey, I never knew what that was!” But Cities Church is not gonna say that about worship:Worship is a declaration of our allegiance.Worship is congruent to our existence.Worship is grounded in the character of God. And at this Table, this morning, we worship him. The TableEach week this Table directs our hearts to the cross of Christ where God's goodness displayed. If you're not a Christian, this is a moment for you to believe. Right now, wherever you are, turn from your sin and trust in Christ. Ask Jesus to save you, and he will save you. That is our story as Christians, and that is who this ritual meal is for. This is a soul-reviving cordial where we remember the goodness of God to us through the cross of Jesus Christ.Brothers and sisters, we who trust in Jesus, let us eat and drink together, and give him thanks.

Deuteronomy 12 answers four questions about worship — who, where, how, and what is required — revealing a God who demands exclusive devotion, dwells among His people, orders worship for joy, and claims all of life as worship. Every thread points to Christ, who is the true temple and whose blood finally accomplishes what the blood of bulls and goats never could.

The world is filled with noise that constantly competes for our attention, making it easy to lose sight of what is true. Yet in every season, God remains worthy of our praise. Because of His steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness, we are called to respond with lives centered on worship—not just through songs we sing, but through hearts that trust, obey, and delight in Him.Speaker: Ptr. Marty OcayaSeries: HeartsongsScripture: Psalm 96:1-13Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06142026Eng

Ang daming ingay sa mundong ‘to na patuloy na umaagaw ng ating atensyon. Kaya naman, ang dali nating malihis at makalimutan kung ano ang dapat pahalagahan. Pero sa bawat panahon ng ating buhay, ang Diyos ang karapat-dapat na papurihan. Dahil sa Kanyang walang sawang pag-ibig, awa, at katapatan, tinatawag Niya tayong mamuhay ng may pusong sumasamba sa Kanya—hindi lang sa pamamagitan ng mga awit, kundi sa sa pagtitiwala, pagsunod, at paggalak sa Kanya araw-araw.Speaker: Ptr. Bong SaquingSeries: Heart Songs: Worship in the PsalmsScripture: Psalm 96:1-13Watch the full message here: https://go.ccf.org.ph/06142026Tag

Come and Worship the Holy God Will Stueve Download Psalm 99,The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!4 The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity;you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.5 Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them.7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.8 O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!This morning we sang one of the greatest hymns of the Christian faith, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” It was written by a man named Reginald Heber, who was an Anglican bishop and missionary to India.One source tells us that as Heber wrote this hymn, he was at a loss to come up with words that adequately described the character of God. That even as a gifted poet, he could not improve upon the simple phrase “holy, holy, holy,” the same words that the angels sing to God in heaven right now.Reginald Heber knew that God's holiness was simply beyond what words could describe. And that's what this psalm and this sermon is all about: describing the indescribable holiness of God.Psalm 99 is a call to worship the holy King of the universe. And it concludes a group of “kingship psalms” from 93-100 all celebrating the reign of the Lord.This psalm neatly divides into three parts, and as we work through it, it'll be like examining a diamond, as we look at God's holy character from three different angles with each part concluding with a call to worship the holy God…Verses 1-3 call us to worship God for his holy reign.Verses 4-5 call us to worship God for his holy justice.Verses 6-9 call us to worship God for his holy forgiveness.And we desperately need Psalm 99 today…God's holiness might be the aspect of his character that us fallen sinners understand the least. Many of the biggest problems people have with Christianity today at root, involve a failure to grasp the holiness of God…The problem of hell: how could a good God send anyone to hell? This question rests on the false assumption that people are basically good, that sin is not a big deal, and God should really just get over it.The problem of pluralism: Is there really only one way to God? Can't people just practice whatever religion they want? This question implies that the one true God is not in fact worthy of the worship of all of his creatures.The problem of God's law: The reality that God puts boundaries on our behavior. This is ok. This is not ok. And many respond today, “Nobody can dictate how I live my life except me.” All of these objections to Christianity fail to grasp the reality of God's holiness. And so my prayer for this sermon is that God would awaken in all of us a joyful trembling at the holiness of God. That our hearts would be in tune with the angels in heaven right now who day and night never cease to say,“holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”1. Worship God for his holy reign.That's what verses 1-3 are saying…The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!The psalmist paints a picture for us here of all peoples and all creation in awestruck wonder before God's majesty. And he uses OT imagery here… He says God “sits enthroned upon the cherubim.” We know from the OT that cherubim functioned as guards of God's holy presence. After Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the garden, a cherubim with a flaming sword guarded the entrance to God's presence. In the tabernacle and the temple, cherubim were over the mercy seat, symbolizing this same guarding of God's presence.The psalmist reminds us of this image to call to mind the holiness of God…Theologian Steve Wellum says that God's holiness is “an overarching way of describing God's sheer God-ness, which also entails all of his other divine perfections.”God's holiness is not really one attribute among many, but the aspect of God's character that pervades all of his attributes. So God's love is a holy love. His justice is a holy justice.God's holiness speaks to his utter uniqueness, his absolute transcendence, his infinite value, his perfect moral purity, his incomprehensible glory, and his unrivaled beauty. His “sheer God-ness.”As 1 John 1 says,“God is light. And in him is no darkness at all.”Think pure, perfect, blinding light. Think of going out on a hot summer day and having a staring contest with the sun shining in full strength.That's a small glimpse of what holiness is. And as we consider the doctrine of God's holiness, I think we're called to respond in two ways…First, tremble before him. Verse 1 says,“let the peoples tremble!”Likewise, Psalm 2:11 says“serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.”Michael Reeves puts it this way,“Trembling in wonder at God…is the key to true humility, which is not about trying to think less of yourself or trying to think of yourself less but about marveling more at him. A true and happy fear of God simply eclipses self.” So when you read the Bible… remember who's talking to you! Remember Isaiah 66:2, where God says,“this is the one to whom I will look, he who is humble, and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.”And when you pray… remember who you're talking to! Remember Ecclesiastes 5:2, don't “let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth.”My friend Jacob Barwig, who will, Lord willing, be planting King's Church with me, is someone that I would call a “pause-prayer.” A pause-prayer. Maybe some of you know what I mean.Most of us, when we go to pray, we just get right to it… “Dear Lord, thank you for this day…” But not Jacob. When he prays, he begins with a good pause. And I appreciate that about him!The last time we met I asked him like I usually do to close our time in prayer, thanking God for our meeting. And so we bowed our heads, and the pause began…And I'm thinking to myself … You know I really appreciate how Jacob prays, how he approaches God with a humble silence and reverence …And the pause kept going … and eventually Jacob looked up at me and said, “oh, did you want me to pray?”… That time, it was a miscommunication. But most of the time, Jacob helps me remember who I'm talking to when I pray!The point is: our lives should be marked by a happy fear. A joyful trembling at the Holy King who reigns, who is great in Zion, who is exalted over all the peoples!The second way we're called to respond to God's holiness: Be holy as he is holy.1 Peter 1 says,“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.”What a high calling! Be holy as God is holy! Be like God!And as we examine our own lives, it is easy to get discouraged by our lack of progress in the faith. It is easy to only see our failures to measure up. And paradoxically, the more we grow in our faith, the more we see just how holy God is, and how much we fall short of his glory!But as Robert Murray Mc'Cheyne once said,“For every one look at yourself, we must take ten looks to Christ.”Remember what Christ has done for you. We don't strive for holiness out of duty, but from a desire to please the One who loved us and gave himself for us! Let gratitude for the gospel drive you to holiness. Let Jesus's done be the fuel for your doing.And be encouraged that your growth in holiness is not something you do on your own. This is a work that God is doing in you. And that he has promised to complete for those who are in Christ.As we read in Romans 8, “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.”If you have trusted in Christ, if you belong to him. You are going to be like him one day. Blameless, spotless, holy. Let us remember that as we strive to be holy, even as God is holy. And this brings us to point two… 2. Worship God for his holy justice.Look with me at verses 4-5:The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity;you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.5 Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!As we turn the diamond of God's holy character, the psalmist shows us that God's holiness is demonstrated in his justice. We have had countless rulers and kings throughout history. And much of that story can be described with the phrase might makes right. In other words, whoever is the biggest and the strongest gets to be king, regardless of whether they're good or evil. Not so with the Lord. For the Lord, as one commentator says,“his is a might that loves what is right.”It's the King in his might who loves justice!Recently, I've been reading through the story of David in 1 & 2 Samuel. It's an absolutely epic narrative. But every time I read through it, I have the same roller-coaster experience …I see David's promising beginning as a humble shepherd boy, a man after God's own heart, who defeats Goliath against all odds. Then we see David the virtuous warrior on the run, who shows mercy to Saul and who is victorious in every battle because the Lord is with him. Then we see David enthroned as King, subduing all enemies under his feet and expanding the kingdom of God's reign … and we think … what could possibly go wrong? This is the guy! This is God's holy King!And then wham! 2 Samuel 11, where David sins spectacularly as he takes another man's wife and kills a faithful soldier … and the slow downfall of his kingdom begins.And after reading David's life, we say, “Oh for the perfect King! Oh that we would have a King that does not sin, who is not corrupted by power!”The Lord Jesus is that perfect, holy King. For us sinful human beings, power corrupts. Not so with Jesus. He is all-powerful and incorruptible. Perfect in power, perfect in love, perfect in purity. And every ruler that disappoints, every pastor that falls, every leader that stumbles, should cause our hearts to long for the absolutely perfect reign of King Jesus. Don't we long for the return of our King? Don't we long for him to right every wrong? To make all things new?For when Christ comes to judge the living and the dead, he will come in holy justice. So we can take comfort. As we live in a world full of sin and injustices, that seemingly go unpunished. We know that on the last day there is not one wrong that will not be righted. Every sin will be accounted for and justly punished, either on the cross or in hell.And we will worship God for this, just like the saints cry out in Revelation 19,“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”In heaven, among the endless reasons we will have to praise God, we will praise him for his holy justice.We see this in the life of Charles Spurgeon…As his mother prayed for years for him to come to Christ, she said, “Now, Lord, if my children go on in their sins, it will not be from ignorance that they perish, and my soul must bear a swift witness against them at the day of judgment if they lay not hold of Christ.”She's saying, I love you my dear son, but if you continue to reject Christ, I will fully agree with God's just judgment against you on that day.That is a heart that treasures the holy justice of God. And that's what this psalm calls us to.Psalm 99 calls us to worship God for his holy reign. To worship him for his holy justice. And lastly…3. Worship God for his holy forgiveness.Look at verses 6-9 with me:Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them.7 In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.8 O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!In these verses, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel stand for the priesthood, which was the provision made for sin under the Old Covenant.When God's people disobeyed, these men called upon God to have mercy. And God both graciously forgave and justly disciplined his people.And of course, the daily sacrifices of bulls and goats, and the fallible priests of Moses, Aaron, and Samuel point us to the New Covenant, and our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us once and for all.As Hebrews 9 puts it, 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.The God of holy love who gave his one and only Son, that whoever would believe in him would not perish but would have eternal life.If you're not a Chistian, know that your days are numbered. Your death has already been determined by the sovereign God of the universe. And after death, comes judgment where you will stand face to face with your Maker. Have you called upon him yet? Are you trusting in the Lord Jesus and his work on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins? Psalm 99 tells us that God is a forgiving God. He does not forgive everyone. But he forgives every person who calls upon his name. So turn from your sin, and turn to Christ. And he will abundantly pardon you. He will cast your sins into the depths of the sea. He will separate your sins from you as far as the east is from the west. Call upon him today! Embrace his forgiveness today!And if you are a believer here today: Cherish the forgiveness of God! That through the blood of Christ we get to draw near to the perfectly holy God. That all-consuming Fire! We get to come before his throne! Before the throne of God above,I have a strong and perfect pleaA great High Priest whose name is love,who ever lives and pleads for me.The more we understand the holiness of God, the more we will cherish his forgiveness. And the more we cherish his forgiveness, the more we will walk in joyful, trembling, awestruck obedience to our King.As Psalm 130 says,“If you O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.”May we all cherish his forgiveness today.Let's pray…

Pastor Nick preaches about how false gods and idols lead to nothing but disappointment.Exodus 20:4

This powerful exploration of worship challenges us to move beyond our limited understanding of what it means to honor God. Drawing from Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, we're confronted with a transformative truth: worship isn't just about Sunday morning songs or religious gatherings—it's about valuing God above everything else and ordering our entire lives around that value. The message exposes how easily we can stand in the middle of something historic and weighty, yet miss its significance because our minds are on lesser things. We're invited to examine what truly occupies the highest place in our hearts—is it our careers, our families, our appearance, or our comfort? These aren't bad things, but when they become God-sized things, they distort our lives because they were never designed to carry the weight of our worship. Only God is worthy of that weight. The call to worship 'in spirit and in truth' means we must ground ourselves in the unchanging Word of God while allowing the Holy Spirit to transform information in our heads into affection in our hearts and obedience in our lives. This isn't about religious performance; it's about authentic relationship with the One who created us, redeemed us, and is actively seeking worshipers who will love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

"For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit,rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Ibelieve this verse is the key verse for this entire chapter. As we talk aboutthe spiritual mind, Paul here gives three distinguishing marks of a genuinebeliever. Howdo you know if your faith is real? How do you know the difference between trueChristianity and mere religion? Today, specifically, we will be looking at thefirst one today. True believers worship God in the Spirit. Paulbegins by saying, "For we are the circumcision." Now rememberthe context. The Judaizers were saying that physical circumcision was necessaryfor salvation. But Paul says, "No, we are the true circumcision." Heis speaking of believers. He is speaking of those who have experienced aninward work of God in the heart. Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedlyreminded Israel that He wanted more than outward rituals. Remember Deuteronomy10:16. Moses says: "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of yourheart." Jeremiah 4:4 says: "Circumcise yourselves unto theLORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts." Soeven in the Old Testament, God was looking beyond the outward ceremony to theinward condition of the heart. The New Testament makes this very clear inRomans 2:28-29: "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly... but he isa Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in theSpirit." My friend, God has never been impressed by religious ritualsalone. A person can be baptized, join a church, attend services every week, andstill not know Christ. Yousee, salvation is not an outward change first. It is an inward transformationthat eventually changes the outward life. The Bible teaches that if we are inChrist, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Thefirst mark of a true believer is this: we worship God in the Spirit. Jesusspoke about this in John chapter 4 when He met the woman at the well. Shewanted to talk about the place of worship. Jesus wanted to talk about theheart. He said: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worshipin spirit and truth" (John 4:24). Yousee, the Pharisees were experts at outward worship. They knew the ceremonies.They knew the rituals. They knew the traditions. But their hearts were far fromGod. They worshiped God with their lips, but their hearts, Jesus said, were farfrom Him. True worship is not merely going through the motions. It is notmerely singing the songs. It is not merely attending church. True worship flowsfrom a heart that has been changed by God's Holy Spirit. Itis possible to sit in church all your life and never truly worship. It is alsopossible to worship God while driving down the road, sitting on a porch, orwalking through a hospital hallway. Worship is the response of a redeemed heartto a wonderful Savior. When God's Holy Spirit lives within us, worship becomesa way of life. Ihave met believers all around the world who had very little materially, yetthey radiated joy and worshiped. I wish you could go to the slums of Bombaywith me and see believers in the midst of unbelievable poverty radiating withjoy. Or meet people in my first pastorate in Winchester Virginia, like Mildred Fahnestock,who was an invalid in a wheelchair with very painful crippling rheumatoidarthritis, yet had the glow of God upon her life. I also think of PhyllisSeverson in my second pastorate in Holland Michigan, who suffered from MS andspent years in a wheelchair. I knew her for many years, and she glowed with theglory of God and worshiped Him from that wheelchair. Myfriend, worship does not depend on circumstances. It depends on a relationshipwith God. This is what we must understand. We worship God in the Spirit. Thatis the first mark of a genuine believer. Do you have that mark today? Let'spray. Father, today, may we worship You in spirit and in truth. We ask this inJesus' name. Amen. 

In order for worship to meet God's criteria, three “musts” are needed: We must be born again, the Son of Man must be lifted up and we must worship in spirit and in truth. Worship is not about feelings and emotions, or simply a time when we gather on a Sunday morning. True worship comes about when our spirit-the divine nature within us-meets with the spirit of God. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/81/29?v=20251111

"How should a Christian think about and interact with artificial intelligence?"Ephesians 5:15-17Summer Heat SeriesPastor Nate ClarkeJune 7, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Ephesians 5:15-17- How should a Christian think about and interact with artificial intelligence?- Don't overreact and over spiritualize - 1 Peter 1:13- AI is a tool- AI will create a greater need for understanding and discernment- Ephesians 5:15-17- Philippians 1:9-10- HEADLINE: A.I. Chatbot Preaches at Church in Germany: 'Looks Like the Unveiling of the Antichrist/Beast System'- HEADLINE: World Economic Forum Contributor Says A.I. Could Rewrite the Bible, Create 'Correct' Religions- HEADLINE: PETA Goes Biblical With ChatGPT Vegan Rewrite of the Book of Genesis- Let AI assist the work of your hand, not replace the cry of your heart.- Jeremiah 29:13- Solomon Ray- Jeremiah 29:4-9- “Don't opt out of the world around you, engage it!” - Attack it, control it, ignore it- Attack it, control it, ignore it, redeem itOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Because Christ will restore creation and dwell with his people forever, we must anchor our hope in the future he promises. Revelation 21:1–22:21 (ESV): 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. 22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. 6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Main Idea: Those who WORSHIP God hear GOD.Competing VoicesWe cannot hear God clearly when FEAR NARRATES.We cannot hear God clearly when RESENTMENT is SHOUTING in our souls.We cannot hear God clearly when the voice of ACCUSATION forces us into HIDING.Holy ListeningWe can hear God in spiritual FRIENDSHIPSWe can hear God in spiritual DIRECTION.We can hear God in spiritual GROUPS.TakeawayQUIET the noise, WORSHIP deeply, and stop WALKING alone.

"What does the Bible say about borders and immigration?"Leviticus 19:33-34Summer Heat SeriesPastor Nate ClarkeMay 31, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Leviticus 19:33-34- What does the Bible say about borders and immigration?- Tribalism: organized around ethnicity. Protect your own. Fear the outsider. - Nationalism: organized around borders, shared values and morals, and laws.- “E Pluribus Unum” = “out of many, one”- “We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws.” Presidents Obama and Clinton- The role of the Christian, the role of the government, and the role of the immigrant- Leviticus 19:33-34- The role of the Christian: do not mistreat the foreigner, but love them- The role of the government: to protect the people and borders of its nation and administer justice without partiality. - What does the Bible have to say about national borders?- Acts 17:26- Numbers 34:1-2- A rule that is not enforced isn't a rule. Borders that aren't enforced aren't borders. A nation without borders isn't a nation. Therefore, a nation that doesn't enforce its borders will cease to be a nation. - Why should a nation respect and protect its borders?- National security- Nehemiah 13:1-3- To preserve its prosperity- Leviticus 19:15- Proverbs 6:30-31- Romans 13:1-2- Romans 13:3-5- The role of the immigrant is to join in with and obey the laws of the nation.- Ancient Israel: outsiders could join but they had to follow proper procedures to do so and could not change the culture or reshape the covenant in Israel.- Exodus 12:49 (one common law)- Exodus 20:10 (nations customs and rhythms)- Leviticus 18:26 (standards of morality, right and wrong)- Exodus 12:48 (uncomfortable, sacrificial ways)- Deuteronomy 31:12 (learn the Hebrew language)- Nehemiah 13:15-21 (morals and values)- The Story of Ruth    - Foreigner from Israel (Moabite)- Deuteronomy 23:3    - Resident foreigner. Leaves her land and joins culture and laws of Israel- Ruth 1:16-17     - Welcomed and living, but within laws- Leviticus 19:9-10    - Makes it official, married to Boaz (Ruth 4:1-12)    - Joined Israel, part of the genealogy of Jesus, the great-grandmother of King David- Ephesians 2:12-13, 19- Philippians 3:20Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

WATCH ON YOUTUBE Speaker: Josh MitchellScripture: Exodus 32:1-6 Big Idea: Wholly Worship a Holy God 1. My heart is an idol factory2. Idolatry is God on my terms3. Worship God as He truly is

"Fulfilling The Great Commission"Matthew 28:18–20 ESVThe Church Series - Part 5 - Every Believer is Called MissionallyPastor Casey SteenMay 24, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Fulfilling The Great Commission- Matthew 28:18–20 ESV- The church does not merely have a mission. The mission has a church.- 1 — THE GREAT COMMISSION BEGINS WITH THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST- 2 — THE GREAT COMMISSION IS FOR EVERY BELIEVER- 3 — THE GREAT COMMISSION DEMANDS SACRIFICE- 4 — JESUS PROMISED HIS PRESENCE- 5 — THE GREAT COMMISSION IS ABOUT DISCIPLES, NOT DECISIONS- 6 — HELL IS REAL AND THE GOSPEL IS URGENT- 7 — THE GREAT COMMISSION STARTS WHERE YOU ARE- God placed you where you are on purpose!- Some are called locally. Some globally. But every believer is called missionally.Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Church Life, “Final Ministry, Pt. 1”                                Acts 28:1-16  A Miracle of Survival (vv. 1-6) Nu. 21:6-8 6 So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died. 7 Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”Jo. 3:14-16 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[g] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  A Miracle of Healing (vv. 7-10) Ma. 16:17-18 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”Ja. 5:13-15b  13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick....       A Meeting of Kindness (vv. 11-16) Rev. 22:8b-9 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”Ro. 1:10-12  10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 

"We Build Strong Families"Joshua 24:15The Church Series - Part 4 - The Most Important System of GovernancePastor Nate ClarkeMay 17, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Our Vision: Worship God, Equip the believers, Reach the lost- Our Values: Grounded in His Word, Guided by His Presence, Building Strong Families, and Fulfilling the Great Commission- Joshua 24:15- We build strong families- Systems of governance: The family (Eph 5), the Church (Eph 4), the government (Rom 13)- "Peace in society depends upon peace in the family." Saint Augustine- Your family story is not the obstacle to God's plan, it is often the setting for it.- Natural Families      - God ordained & designed: husband + wife = children.- Genesis 1:27-28- Genesis 2:24- Deuteronomy 6:6-9- "When parents receive a child from the hand of God, they receive a life to be shaped and molded." Elisabeth Elliot     - Example: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus- Broken families     - Example: Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37)     - God's plan is not hindered by man's dysfunction (Genesis 50:20)- Blended families     - Example: Jacob, Leah, Rachel (Genesis 29-30)     - God works even in complicated family systems - Adopted families     - Example: Moses & Pharoah's daughter (Exodus 2)      - God used his adoption to position him with influence and access that he would use to deliver Israel- Restored families     - Example: Prodigal son (Luke 15)     - God can redeem any situation- Spiritual family     - Example: Jesus and his disciples- Mark 3:31-35- Ephesians 1:5 NLT- Romans 8:15 NLT     - Because God is a provider, what you lacked in your natural family, God can give you in your spiritual family.- Your family story is not the obstacle to God's plan, it's often the setting for it.- Joshua 24:15bOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

How to Approach God in Worship | God's Holiness and Our Hastiness Pastor Jon Lash

In this episode, Bobby Bosler speaks honestly about a morning when he felt spiritually dry, empty, and numb even while preparing to preach and serve the Lord. Rather than pretending that surrendered Christians never experience seasons of silence, he reminds young people that even faithful believers can feel worn out, thirsty, and distant from God. Through prayer, worship, and Psalm 42, Bobby explains how the Lord began to turn that emptiness into spiritual refreshment. The episode encourages listeners not to panic when they feel dry, but to seek God, worship Him, and trust His promises even when the feelings do not immediately change. Topics Discussed Serving God while still feeling empty The danger of assuming spiritual people never experience dryness Why silence and numbness do not mean God has left you Depending on God's promises when feelings do not change The connection between spiritual thirst and Psalm 42 Worshiping God in the middle of dryness Seeking God honestly instead of hiding discouragement How God can use spiritual thirst to draw your heart back to Himself Key Takeaways You can be surrendered to God and still have moments where your soul feels dry. Spiritual numbness should not drive you to discouragement, but to deeper dependence on God. God's promises are still true even when your feelings do not immediately confirm them. The answer to spiritual thirst is not pretending, performing, or quitting; it is going to the Lord. Worship can turn your attention away from your emptiness and back to God's worthiness. Psalm 42 reminds us that thirsting for God is not unusual, but it must lead us to seek the living God. Don't stay in the silence. Seek His face, praise Him, and let Him meet the need of your soul. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

When your life feels stuck, keep taking little steps forward through seemingly small acts of obedience. God restores movement through obedience. Prayer. Scripture reading and meditation. Serving others. Fellowship with other believers. Personal discipline. Forgiving others. Worship God - privately and publicly. Reach out to us at Encouragingchristians@gmail.com for prayer or encouragement. We are here to help you.

"Guided by His Presence"Numbers 14:41-44; Exodus 33:15-16The Church Series - Part 3 Consumer-based vs. Presence-based churchPastor Nate ClarkeMay 10, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Worship God, Equip the believers, Reach the lost- We are grounded in His Word, Guided by His presence, Building strong families, and fulfilling the Great Commission- Numbers 14:41-44- Exodus 33:15-16- Guided by His Presence- "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today 95% of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95% of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference." AW Tozer- Numbers 14:39-40- Numbers 14:41-43- Numbers 14:44-45- Numbers 14: God's presence is an afterthought- Exodus 33:1-5- Exodus 33:12-16- Exodus 33: God's presence is the main thought- Afterthought: Independence. "We got this!"  Main thought: Dependence. "We need you, God!"- Afterthought: wants the 'thing' at the expense of God  Main thought: wants God, even at the expense of the 'thing'- Afterthought: moves whenever  Main thought: refuses to move without God- Exodus 13:21-22- Afterthought: results in defeat and loss  Main thought: results in presence, rest, divine favor- Numbers 14:45- Exodus 33:14- Consumer-based vs. Presence-based- C Primary audience is people. P Primary audience is God- C Works to please people. P Works to please God- C Gears worship service towards people. P Gears worship service towards God and His presence.- C Program driven, people driven, talent driven, etc. P Driven by His presence- C Jesus is a mascot. P Jesus is master- C Martha church. P Mary church.- C Focused primarily on what the human consumers say will make them happy. P Focused primarily on encountering God through worship, Word, prayer- C Sunday = performance for the people. P Sunday = offering to God- C Ask: did the people like it? P Ask: Did God show up?- Exodus 33:15Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online

Revelation 22 ESV   The River of Life 22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. Jesus Is Coming 6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.   For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.

"Grounded in His Word"2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12The Church Series - Part 2 What is the Bible and why does it matter?Pastor Nate ClarkeMay 3, 2026Virginia's proposed Constitutional amendments on Abortion & Marriage - How to VOTE BIBLICALLY: https://youtu.be/Y8z8xTFsOn8How should Christians respond to wickedness in the world? https://youtu.be/2OJUIM9YRwASERMON NOTES:- Worship God, Equip the believers, Reach the lost- We are grounded in His Word, Guided by His presence, Building strong families, and fulfilling the Great Commission- 2 Timothy 3:16-17- Hebrews 4:12- Grounded in His Word- The Bible:     - 66 books     - 40 different authors     - Written in 13 different countries on 3 continents      - Written in 3 languages     - Authored by kings, prophets, fisherman, doctors, tax collector, scholar, shepherd, priest, average guys     - Written over roughly 1,600 years- It's never been easier to get a Bible, and never more common to not know what it says.- 93% of Americans say they own a Bible and the average American owns 4 copies.- Less than 2 out of 5 professing Christians read their Bible at least once per week.- Arizona Christian University's Cultural Research Center with George Barna:     - 4% of Americans have a Biblical Worldview today (consistent with Biblical principles, beliefs, and behaviors) compared to 12% 25 years ago.     - 1% of Gen Z, 2% of millennials, and 7% of Gen X / Boomers have a Biblical worldview     - 53% identified as a Christian while saying they don't believe salvation comes through a personal confession of sin and believing in Christ as Savior. - Why must we be grounded in His Word?- God's Word gives divine wisdom.- Psalm 119:29- Psalm 119:105- Psalm 119:110- Psalm 119:130- Proverbs 2:6- God's Word is eternal.- Matthew 24:35- Psalm 119:160- Isaiah 40:8- God's Word brings life.- Romans 15:4- John 15:11- Romans 10:17- Psalm 119:28- Matthew 4:4- God's Word gives you power over the devil.- Psalm 119:11- Psalm 119:133- 1 John 2:14b- God's Word brings freedom.- Hosea 4:6 ESV- John 8:31-32- God's Word will change your life.- James 1:22-25Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Mechanicsville outside Richmond in Central Virginia.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.online