- Dec 8, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 7
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 7
- Dec 5, 2021The Miracle Called Christmas
The Miracle Called ChristmasJesus coming to save us from our sins wasn’t an afterthought
The prophecy of a coming Messiah had been passed down for centuries before Jesus’ birth
While it may not have been an afterthought, it was truly a miracle
God chose to provide a sacrifice to pay the price of sin for every person
He provided His Son Jesus through a virgin so that all would know this was a miracle
He provided an earthly father to look after Jesus until His time had come
It was a miracle that Joseph listened to the angel instead of saving face with people
I want you to understand that every part of this familiar story is a miracle
A young woman’s miracle conception that she probably didn’t really understand
The fiancé that went against his instincts to protect them both and became an object of ridicule
All of this was done as God had designed
He made the preparation for man’s salvation from the moment He decided to give us free will
We say the words “From the manger to the cross” but sometimes it is hard to really grasp that reality
What if you were told you were going to have a child and that child’s purpose was to die
That would be unimaginable
But God
He loved the world so much that He gave His only Son
This miracle that we call Christmas is the celebration of the most important gift to the world
So I’m begging you all, this year, please don’t let the miracle of Christmas become an afterthought in your celebration
We decorate our homes, we buy wonderful gifts, we make delicious food and all these things are good
But what if the true miracle of Christmas becomes lost in the celebration
I saw a scene once that had all these giant secular objects to celebrate and off to the side a tiny manger scene
That is how the world sees Christmas if the manger exists in the celebration at all
The miracle that will never be repeated has been pushed into the background
By Christians
If we don’t actively celebrate the Miracle of Christmas the world will forget it was even a thing
The question for you today is, do you believe in the miracle called Christmas
If you believe, the scripture says you shall be saved by this miracle
Will this be the year that you truly celebrate the miracle of Christmas?
- Dec 1, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter6
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter6
- Nov 28, 2021Thankful For God’s Protection
Thankful For God’s Protection
- Nov 21, 2021Thankful For God’s Blessings
Thankful For God’s Blessings
Today we will celebrate our Thanksgiving together after the service
What, exactly, are we thankful for each year at this time?
Many answers to that question may come, but, let me say, the greatest reason to be thankful is God’s blessingsWe looked at this verse last week when we talked about God’s Grace Today, I want to look at it through the lens of blessings The first part of this verse says “all things are for your sakes” Understand, that this means the things that are good and the things that we call bad are for our sakes In other words, blessings can come in heartache as well as happiness We need to realize this and thank God for all the blessings I know that it is really hard to give thanks in everything because some things feel so bad Sometimes things happen to us and, at the moment, we can’t see how it is a blessing But God uses these things to change our direction or reinforce our trust in Him When we finally understand that God’s plan for us is never to hurt, but always to bless, it is an amazing revelation God’s blessings in every form give us peace, if we look for them Are you thankful for God’s blessings today?The greatest blessing we can be thankful for is found in Romans 5:8The KJV says while we were still sinners Christ died for us. The greatest blessing to be thankful for is that Jesus paid for our sin on the cross and He overcame the grave Prior to Jesus death He gathered His disciples together for the Passover meal During this time, He told the disciples that the bread represented His body and the wine His blood He told them to take this supper and remember Him until He returns Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for the blessings God has given us Have you ever received the blessing of salvation? - Nov 17, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 5
Bible Study – Ezra 5
- Nov 14, 2021Thankful For God’s Grace
Thankful For God’s Grace
We celebrated Veteran’s day last week, so you would think that is what we would talk about today;
Instead, I want to talk about something even more powerful.
America, America! God shed His grace on you.God’s grace. What a wonderful thing to think about. It is only by the grace of God that we can have salvation As we spend November to Remember, think about how great the grace of God is in your life If God withheld grace and only gave us what we deserve, every single one of us would receive damnation But God! God gives us His incredible grace, and it is the thing we should be thankful for every day.Just to get a great picture of God’s grace, look at Psalm 103:1-12 NASBIf you took all the rest of this passage out and only focused on verse 12, it is the most amazing thing But you can’t take the rest of the passage out because God’s grace is all over us every day What should we do with the knowledge of God’s grace in our lives? Praise Him and thank Him daily. Live our lives graciously, remembering His grace To realize how much God’s grace has done for us and not live thankful is beyond comprehension Knowing God’s grace has covered us in our shortcomings should make us thankful to God for eternity What grace should really do is cause His people, who are called by His name, to extend grace to others in this world Reality is, the very people who are so blessed with God’s grace are the same people who rarely extend grace to others The slave whose debt was forgiven, refused to give that same grace to those who owed him Christians are some of the most brutally judgmental people in the world, but we should give the most grace Understand that as God gives us so much grace, when we also give it to others it spreads When grace is spread, God is glorified In modern day language we would say “Pay it forward” As God gives grace to you, give it to all those around you. “Grace, Grace, God’s Grace, Grace that is greater than ALL our sins” Have you ever experienced God’s grace? Have you trusted Him and realized that, because of His grace, your sins are cast as far as the east is from the west? You can experience the Grace of God that is available today Once you do….pass it on! - Nov 10, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 4
Bible Study – Ezra 4
- Nov 7, 2021Thankful For God’s Love
Thankful For God’s Love
Welcome to Fall! When the weather turns cool and foliage changes, I’m blown away by how Great God is!
This is when the world seems to look toward Christmas
November is a great time to remember to be thankful to God for everything
Over the course of 4 weeks we are going to see how to use November to RememberProbably, most of us could quote John 3:16, but have you ever dwelled on it? “For God so loved the world” Think about the most loved you have ever felt, isn’t that wonderful? God’s love makes that look tiny. God SO loved, meaning a love that was everything He has And He gave it to ALL! Understand that God’s love is not withheld from anyone Yes! God loves even what we call “bad” people. He loves every person! That is a love that is amazing, right? I’m thankful that God loves me, even when I know I’m not a perfect person. I’m thankful that God loves even the “bad” people, because it is so easy to become one. Now that we are all feeling thankful for God’s love, let me ask you something; What do we do with that Love? You see being thankful means we live graciously. If we live graciously, then we follow the example given to us in our Savior and love EVERYBODY I know “that’s impossible!”, right? It is, in the flesh, for certain. We all struggle to love, when we can’t even like everyone. For believers, one stumbling block to loving everyone, is when people are blatantly living in sin. Think of it this way, those are the people who need God’s love most urgently. If we don’t live the love God gave us, then how will they see it? You see, being thankful means it actually changes your life. You live thankful every day. God’s love is the most amazing gift that anyone can receive. Have you experienced God’s Love and the Salvation it brings? Are you ready to live that love everyday? - Nov 3, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 3:7-13
Bible Study – Ezra 3:7-13
- Oct 31, 2021Beware Of The Monster
Beware Of The Monster
As children, we seem to have irrational fears about monsters
We see them in the closet, under the bed and especially in the shadows
Over time, we learn that there is no such thing as monsters and our fears mostly subside
I say mostly because we still see monsters as we grow up
What if I told you a fear, or at least a healthy respect of monsters is a good thing
Today is Halloween and people all over will dress up and celebrate fear
The thing about fear is that it is a mechanism to keep you safe
I titled this sermon “Beware of the Monster”
In our scripture today, we see is that satan is seeking people to devour like a lion
Remember how I said, as we age, we are taught there is no such thing as monsters
Well I want you to know today that there is one monster, and he is in this world, and his name is satan
On Halloween, people, who are normal looking, dress up as something scary
Satan, who is scary, masquerades as an angel of light according to 2 Cor 11:14
We normally fear scary things, but the problem is, satan doesn’t appear scary
Our text says satan is seeking to devour, yet people are not afraid
People treat satan as if he is a child in a costume
Satan can’t destroy those who have given their life to Christ, but he can make us miserable
Look at verse 9Being firm in our faith, we can resist satan
Because of satan, we will have suffering
What we have to understand is how to overcome the suffering through Christ
Beware of the devil but don’t dwell on him. Instead dwell on Christ.
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” Phil 4:13
Look back at vs 6-7 of our textThe best way to be on the alert is to humble ourselves and cast our anxiety on Christ
I don’t tell you to beware of the monster so that you dwell on him but so you recognize his attacks
If we can recognize the enemy, we know how to defeat him
The question is; do you know the only One that can defeat him?
Without a relationship with Christ, satan can not be defeated
Are you sure of your salvation today?
- Oct 24, 2021Funerals For Good Living
Funerals For Good Living
Hebrew 9:27 says “it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgement”
In the last 8 days I have been a part of three funerals
Knowing this was the week ahead, I began to think about eternity and how many people live like there isn’t one
I found an article about a service in South Korea that is offered to all
Free funerals for the living
Since it began in 2012 more than 25000 people have participated in “living funerals”
These simulated death ceremonies are designed to help you appreciate life and inspire gratitude and even forgiveness
Death is the destiny of everyone and the living should take it to heart
I saw many pictures at the funeral home this week that were different
One had a coffin being transported to the grave in a fishing boat
Another had a set of golf clubs leaned against the coffin
I’ve even heard of someone being buried with their rifle in the coffin
While all of these things were meant to show the things people loved to do in life, they were sad to me
Because there is no hunting, fishing, golf or football in heaven
If there is a service for me one day, the only item I want people to see is my Bible
Because, if death is the destiny of everyone, then, as a living person, we need to understand what really matters
So why do I say funerals for good living? To remind us that we only have a finite amount of time here
That should help to remind us do what Matt 6:20 says and store up treasures in heaven
Look at verse 4This is saying, instead of living in this life to pleasure ourselves, we need to remember what is ahead
Think about this…if you die today what would your funeral look like?
Would people be talking about what a great football fan you were?
Maybe they would even say you were a good person and many other nice things
But what about you….do you know what is going to happen after your death?
Have you laid up any treasure in heaven?
Will you be in heaven?
It isn’t automatic that you are going to heaven
When we spend time at funerals, it makes us think about our own mortality
One day death will come for you. So, the question is: Are you ready for what happens after that?
Have you ever given your life to Christ and accepted the salvation that He offers?
Let the Funeral help you live better by trusting in God and living every day for Him
Will you give your life to Jesus today?
- Oct 20, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 3:1-6
Bible Study – Ezra 3:1-6
- Oct 17, 2021Don’t Settle For Less
Don’t Settle For Less
Have you ever heard someone say “I got a better offer”
Sometimes people say that and others looking on don’t think it is a better offer
Sometimes it is just taking an offer in a moment when it wasn’t thought through
Often times that better offer ends up being much less than what you could have had
Don’t settle for less!
Look with me today to
Eph 3:14-19 NASBPaul was writing this passage to the church at EphesusHe wanted them to understand that, even if he was in prison, they could still be filled with the Holy Spirit
Surely after Paul was put in prison they may have felt as if all was lost
Maybe what they had was as good as it was going to be
Look at verse 13Because he knew their weakened state, he prayed for themHe was praying in 16 that they would be blessed and strengthened through the Holy Spirit
He knew there was more and he didn’t want them to lose heart and settle for less
Sometimes it isn’t losing heart as much as it is losing sight of the things ahead
Believers sometimes get so wrapped up in the here and now they forget about the eternal
The problem with doing that is we are settling for something temporary
Instead of striving for something more
John 10:10 Jesus says “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly”
Paul is still praying here that believers would live in Christ and be rooted in loveThat believers would see the breadth and length, height and depth
Before we settle for the tiny things this life has to offer we need to see how much more we could have
The prince of this world, satan, tries desperately to make this world beautiful and pleasing to you
He knows that if you look past this world you will not settle
“that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God”If we allow ourselves to be satisfied in this world, we have not received that fullness God offers
When we are only partially filled, it is much easier for satan to make us ineffective by settling for less
The only thing that will lead to is buyers remorse
Do you long for a life that is full and abundant?
Do you know the one that can give it to you?
Don’t settle for less when the best is available!
- Oct 13, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 2
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 2Chapter 2
- Oct 10, 2021Let’s Be Builders
Let’s Be Builders
DivisionThis seems to be the word of the 21st century
Every time you read a news story some group is angry at another group and unwilling to come together
We know that the lost world will always be this way but it is not how the church is called to be
In today’s world the church is just as much divided as the lost world
Do you know that almost anyone can do demolition but it takes skill to build
Look with me to
1 Thes 5:11-25 NASBThe very first verse of this passage is encouraging building one another upLet’s be builders within the church and those outside the church will notice
When I say the church, I’m speaking of the church universal, meaning all God’s people
This is something that 21st century Christians do not do very well. Build across the spectrum of all believers.
“Live in peace with one another”Are you getting this, we are to build up the whole body not just one arm and demo is not a good thing
This is called building up of the body of ChristAs I said before it takes skill to be a builder
You aren’t going to find a video on YouTube on being a builder of the body.
There isn’t a book at Lowes or Home Depot that can teach you.
How do I attain the skills to be a builder of the body?
This is exactly how you become a good builderNotice the first steps are “rejoice always” and “pray without ceasing”
If we follow those two steps, then what we are really doing is living in Jesus so he can teach us.
Something modern believers find very hard to do is give thanks in “everything”
We only want to be thankful for the “good stuff”
God uses all things to teach us how to be good builders
Vs 21 – 22 sound so easy but in this world these are areas we struggle in
When we do not abstain from evil we are tearing down and not building up
Satan is throwing everything he can at you to help you fail
But ultimately we are the ones that give in to evil or not
When we overcome the evil, through constant prayer it is God sanctifying us to continue to build
The greatest thing we can do to help each other in this endeavor is vs 25Pray for one anotherAre you a demolition specialist or are you ready to build?
- Oct 6, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 1
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 1
- Oct 3, 2021Rest
Rest
The word rest brings many different thoughts to people
Some immediately think of sleep
Some a vacation
Some even think of Retirement
I want to look at why rest is important for the Human body
1 in 3 adults are not getting enough sleep according to a new study by CDC
The American Psychological Association says that one large factor of sleep deprivation is STRESS
WebMD lists stress as a factor in Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even alzheimers disease
No wonder rest is something people say they want
Look with me today to Matthew 11:27-30 to see what the scripture says about restFirst of all Jesus says “ALL things have been handed over to me by my Father”In vs 28 Jesus says “Come to Me” “Come to Me” doesn’t mean swing by for a minute. It means to live in Him. When we live in Christ daily we give Him everything. “All who are weary and heavy laden” are you tired, worn out, at the end of your rope? “come to Me” Jesus says and “I will give you rest” This isn’t a temporary rest. It’s not a day that you can sleep late or a vacation or even a day to just relax. This is permanent rest. He will give you rest by you living in Him daily. Vs 29 says “take my yoke upon you and learn from me” Jesus is telling you if you come to Him to live in Him daily He will give you rest by teaching you to give all your troubles to Him In order to take His yoke…..we have to let Him remove ours. “you will find rest for your souls” The burdens, the weariness, all this can be overcome if we allow Christ to remove our yoke and place His on us Again however, I want to remind you this isn’t a picture of a brief rest and then back to the grind This passage is showing us that Jesus wants us to live in Him and let Him be our Lord every day and night When we say Jesus come be my Lord, we have to let Him, every day“My yoke is easy and My burden is light”Doesn’t that sound much better than to be overloaded and burdened down? If you have never come to Jesus, He is calling you today, to give Him your life If you have asked Him to be your Lord already then strive to live in Him everyday, it is what He wants from us. Are you ready to Rest today? - Sep 29, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
Bible Study – Isaiah
- Sep 26, 2021First Place
First Place
The Prophecy:
