Every church - every biblical New Testament church - involves beginning a journey - of traveling together through a country not our own. Every true follower of Christ has citizenship in heaven and for a season we have an adopted country here below.
3.20.22 Journey to the Cross: Prayer
Introduction:
The hardest thing you and I will ever do is to develop a consistent prayer life. The hardest ministry to develop in a church is the ministry of prayer and intercession that has broad participation.
Overview:
Luke tells the story of Jesus from three perspectives:
1. Preparation for Proclamation, 2. Power in Proclamation, and 3. Perseverance in Proclamation. This passage of Scripture brings all three of these perspectives at one time.
3.13.22 "Trust and Obey"
Trusting God and obeying God are sure ways of a joyful, peaceful and a fulfilling life in Christ.
May we always trust and obey! Through the ups and downs, when feeling happy or feeling down. When we are full and when we are hungry. When we are relaxed and when we don’t understand. May we always trust and obey.
Throughout the Bible it speaks about God not wanting our gifts and sacrifices, He wants us to love and obey Him.
3.6.22 "Unity in the Body of Christ" (the Church)
We have been chosen as Christ’s representatives on earth. In light of this truth, Paul challenges us to live our lives worthy of the calling we have received – the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own.
That call includes being:
Humble Phillipians 2:3-4
Gentle Titus 3:2
Patient Proverbs 14:29
Understanding Proverbs 3:5; 18:12
Peaceful 2 Cor. 13:11
(challenge) Col.3:12-17
2.27.22 Pastor John's "Dash" and farewell sermon “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH” Matthew 16:13-18
As you can see, I have spent my adult life championing Christianity my family and the Church. God loves the church! The Bible says the Church is the Bride of Christ! God wants His people to find a Bible-believing church where we can worship, serve and fellowship.
2.20.22 “Have This Attitude”
To say the world is a divided place is a huge understatement! Unfortunately, that division drifts right into churches as well. That’s always been the case. The Apostle Paul had to squelch disunity in Corinth, Ephesus, Rome, Thessalonica, Colossae and here in Philippi. The enemy of Christ wants to bring discord, disunity, dysfunction, friction, and divisions of all kinds. When he does, fewer and fewer people are impressed with the truth of the Gospel, because Jesus said the world would recognize us as Christ-followers by “our love!” (John 13:35). So, what can we do about it? (see Philippians 2:1-5)
2.13.22 "Your Jericho"
Moses is dead! God has appointed Joshua as the new leader. The wilderness wanderings are over. It’s time to settle into the promised land. They miraculously cross the Jordan River, set up a memorial and before them is the great city of Jericho. The Lord’s promise to Joshua was, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go…for I the Lord your God will be with you” (Joshua 1:6-9).
2.06.22 “What Are You Doing Here?”
The prophet Elijah orchestrated one of the greatest miracles in the Bible (1 Kings 18:16-46). He stopped rain from falling for 3 years and called down fire from heaven to consume the altar of God and went on to kill 450 prophets of Baal. He was on cloud nine, until he wasn’t. Where we pick up the story we see Elijah running for his life. Thankfully God went with him and asked him this profound question, “What are you doing here?” Occasionally, I think the Lord wants to ask us the same question!