- May 12, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 31
- May 9, 2021A Mother’s Faith
A Mother’s Faith
Mothers are amazing and they are the great teachers of lifeI want to share with you this morning a few things that mother’s teach us
That list is funny, but it’s true!
Every year at this time, I try to think of a Biblical mother that we can learn from
This year I want to learn from Naomi
This is a lot of tragedy for one woman to endureRemember, during this time, women didn’t have any rights on their own
Now, without any males left to take care of her, she decided to return to Bethlehem
So, look what happened with her daughters-in-law
Naomi must have shown faith for Ruth to want to serve her GodMother’s lives are not always easy and sometimes children learn from the struggle
Reality check.
Even mother’s struggle with their faithNaomi means “Pleasant”Mara means “Bitter”
Even so, she strived to take care of her daughter-in-law
In chapter 2, Naomi’s hope was restored as God provided Boaz to take care of them
Naomi taught Ruth how to trust God and He provided a redeemer in Boaz
The story of Naomi and Ruth is unconventional, but, often times, so is life
Naomi’s faith wasn’t perfect and a Mother’s faith isn’t either
Moms today, if you have ever struggled thinking you aren’t good enough;
Understand that all of us struggle with that because we live in a fallen world
But God made you a mom for a reason and He is always there for you
God knows exactly what He is doing so trust Him
A mother that follows God will be the mother that she is supposed to beThis goes for Grandmothers, Great-Grandmothers, Step-mothers
And yes even Mothers-in-law
In fact, it applies to all people; if we follow God, we will be exactly right
So are you following God today?
Do you want to? - May 5, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 30
- May 2, 2021Salvation
Salvation"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
What does the word Salvation mean?
Salvation is necessary!
Vs 12 says we “must be saved”
Because we are lost, John 3:16 NASB
Because we can’t save ourselves.
God provided salvation for us. Why else would He do that except we must be saved
Salvation in the here and now
Salvation can’t happen after death. It has to happen in the here and now
There is only one way under heaven for salvation
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.Prior to vs 12 we see that the name being talked about here is Jesus
The incredible thing is that salvation is offered to ALL!
for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."Salvation is a gift
You can’t buy it
You can’t earn it
You don’t deserve it
It is a perfect gift that God has offered you through Jesus Christ
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,Now the question is, will you accept the gift?
A gift, no matter how amazing, is no good unless it is received.
God has offered to ALL the ultimate gift of Salvation
Will you simply accept it and be saved?
- Apr 28, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 29
- Apr 25, 2021Start Right Here
Start Right Here"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."If God’s people have turned away and things are bad because of that, vs 14
So many people want to blame the problems in this world on everyone but self. We say we want to see peace and unity but do nothing to see it happen. In verse 14, the Lord told Solomon exactly what had to happen. I want to say today that, if we want to see our land healed, it has to start right here. It has to start in the hearts of the people who are called by His name. So how do we do that?
If My People…
Who are called by My Name…
Will humble themselves…
And Pray…
And seek My face…
And turn from their wicked ways…
Then…
I will hear from heaven…
And forgive their sin…
And heal their land…
It starts right here in the hearts of His people. He will never leave us, even when we have failed Him. It is past time for us to realize that, in order for the world to change, the church has to return to God! It starts right here in the heart of His people. It starts right here in His church. Are you ready to begin?
- Apr 21, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 28
- Apr 18, 2021The Best, Kind
The Best, Kind
We live in a world where everyone wants to tell you how to liveMany people are frozen by the volume of decisions
The latest social media challenge seems great, even though people are dying from it
What is a person to do?
The wisest person that every lived has something to tell us
Solomon was the wisest man to live, and he said listen to counsel and accept disciplineHe goes on to say, the counsel of the Lord will stand
That counsel of the Lord says Kindness is desirable in a personThink about how many of our social problems today could be solved with kindness
Kindness shows love not hate
I saw on Bro. Kevin Wade’s truck the following statement:
Be Kind to every Kind
Kindness diffuses so many situations where people are primed to respond with hate
The world has primed us all to stand our ground and back down from no one
People have grabbed onto this so hard that they will fight over anything
People look for some ulterior motive in everything, even when it doesn’t exist
The remedy for that is kindness. It is so easy to be kind.
I’ve seen people, as I approach them, with this scowl on their face
I smile real big and say Hi! How are you today?
Even with a mask on, people see the smile and hear the kindness, and they smile
Kindness comes easily out of joy in your heart
Joy in your heart comes from a fear of the Lord or a relationship with Him
See how wonderful God is, and this relationship fills us with joy!The best thing is kindness!
But kindness, true kindness, comes out of a relationship with our Savior
Do you have that relationship that fills you with joy and allows kindness to overflow?
Do you want to?
- Apr 14, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 27
- Apr 11, 2021What Now?
What Now?Can you imagine the emotional roller coaster the Apostles were on?
They had been with Jesus when He made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem
They celebrated the Passover with Him and He told them He was going to die
They saw the arrest and they saw Him crucified
Then something incredible, He arose from the grave!
Now, in today’s passage, He was about to leave them again
As I thought about this journey, it reminded me of something
LIFE!
We are all on a journey that has unpredictable twists and turns
Jesus is always steady
Jesus told His disciples all of this would happen before it occurred
So what about after the resurrection?
What did He share with the disciples and is it relevant to us today?
I want us to see three things Jesus talked to His disciples about and it is for us too:
First, Jesus talked with His disciples about the end times.
Vs 6-7“It is not for you to know” Jesus said. So we need to be prepared for wheneverThe Father knows the time but our job is to live every day as if it is our last
If you were told your time was ending tomorrow, what regrets would you have?
Did you use your time to further the Kingdom of God?
Secondly, Jesus told the disciples about the Holy Spirit
Vs 4-5So how do you live every day as if it were your last?Through the
Holy SpiritIf we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us and follow, we can live every day for God
People tend to shut out the prompting of the Spirit instead of listening
In fact, if we simply listen to the Holy Spirit, we receive that Power that we talked about
We need that power to follow through with the last thing Jesus told the disciples
Lastly, Jesus gave the disciples and us our instructions until His return
Vs 8We are to go out into the world and build the Kingdom by reaching peopleWe’ve been given the power through the Holy Spirit
So when the end time comes, have you done all you could?
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He charged His believers with the mission
Let’s be an Acts 1:8 church, taking the gospel everywhere
Today you need one thing to be able to do that.
A relationship with Jesus. Do you know Him today?
- Apr 7, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 26
- Apr 4, 2021Power
Power
He is not here, He is Risen!
We have been focusing on the Resurrection for a while now
Why focus on the Resurrection?
The Resurrection is the reason we have hope! Because, without it, Jesus is still dead
The Power of the resurrection is the greatest power
As people, we know that, sometimes, we are powerless
BUT…
The power over the grave is also for those who believe and accept JesusIf we are believers in Christ, we become children of God and we, too, have the power!
Everyone can know God through His power
His power is clearly seen in all creation. Do you see it?The very power of God is the cross, and it is the power to save all who will come.This world has no power like the power of God
God so loved the world that He gave Jesus to save us!!
Jesus died on that cross to pay the debt for our sins
Through the power of God, Jesus walked out of that grave 3 days later
He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf
He stands with arms open wide offering you the same power to overcome the grave
Are you ready to stop being powerless and receive His power?
You can receive the power of the Holy Spirit today!Today is the day to receive the power of GodLet’s all LIVE OUT the Power of almighty GOD!Do YOU have the power? You can receive it today!
- Mar 31, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 25
- Mar 28, 2021What Waits Ahead
What Waits Ahead
Welcome to Palm Sunday!This year we are looking at this story through Resurrection EyesJesus had set His mind on going to JerusalemThis was important for Him to go to Jerusalem to the TempleWhy did He need the donkey to complete the journeyWas He just tiredEverything Jesus did on that day was purposeful
Look closely at who was shouting and praising HimIt was the crowds of followers and those who had gone to hear His teachingWhile his followers and the crowds with Him shouted praisesAll the city said “who is this?See, while the crowds were following Jesus He was focusedHe was focused on what waited ahead of HimJesus was laser focused on the cross and the Salvation that He was about to bringHe would do it for all those praising HimHe would do it for all those who said Who is this?He would even do it for all those who would later shout “Crucify Him!”His focus wasn’t that one moment in time as Jesus arrived in JerusalemThat wasn’t His focusThe things that waited ahead, the cross, the grave, and the resurrectionThis is what Jesus was focused on during this amazing timeYou see, if any of those items were not completed we would be lost foreverJesus wasn’t soaking in the moment of praise by a crowdHe was thinking about how He loved you and why He had to do what He had to doToday the question is have you thought about Him?Have you given your life to Him? - Mar 24, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 24
- Mar 21, 2021Denied
Denied
People are funny
Sometimes, if we are associated with something, we may deny it
New Orleans Saints fans, at one point, wore bags over their heads during games
People sometimes try to change their appearance to keep from being recognized
Sometimes, people just flat deny something, even when they are found out
Peter was very loudly telling Jesus He would fight for Him in Mark chapter 8Peter even followed right into the courtyard of the high priest
Peter was a faithful follower and He was going to stay that way
Many believers today are loudly singing His praises on Sunday
But on Monday, they don’t even recognize that they are a beliver
Some just don’t talk about it, but others flat out deny being a believer
I want to be clear, I’m not talking about pretend believers
People that try to talk the talk, but they have never given their life to Jesus
I’m talking about bonafide believers that have a real relationship with Christ
Just like Peter, those believers, when pressed, often deny
How is it that we can sing “Just as I am” on Sunday and then be someone else?
The pressure of the world is great!
People do not like confrontation, and Jesus is confrontational
We often keep our mouths shut to simply avoid the confrontation
Sometimes, people go even further and deny a fact to avoid it
What about Peter? He denied Jesus
In John 21, Jesus appears to Peter, and three times Peter professes his love for Christ
In Mark 14, Peter wept after denying Christ, and in John 21, he professed his love
We know, that from that day on, Peter preached Christ until his death
My question for you today is simple:
Have you denied Christ?When we look at the Resurrection, we know Jesus claims believers before the Father
He also said He would deny those who deny Him
Don’t avoid confrontation by denying Christ
Instead, confess Him before men, that they too might give their life to Christ
Don’t be denied, instead be welcomed, good and faithful servant
Do you really know Christ today or are you a pretender?
- Mar 14, 2021A Sign Of Hope
A Sign Of Hope
Any time we are told something that is hard to believe, we want to know how
We want something that proves it is true; perhaps some kind of sign
Jesus, in the days leading up to his death, was teaching the people
The scribes and Pharisees, in trying to discredit Jesus, asked for a signNotice here that Jesus called them an evil and adulterous generation Jesus knew their real motive for asking for a sign was simply a ploy to trap Him He called them an adulterous generation The only sign He said would be given Three days and three nights There are all kinds of arguments and interpretations of 3 days and 3 nights We don’t have the time to unpack all these differing views The point is, the sign Jesus was really talking about Was not about the actual times as much as the death and resurrection The real sign is that Jesus was going to be resurrected and overcome the grave You see, today, people everywhere are just looking for some kind of hope Something that will get them through this time of despair and emptiness They want some sign that shows everything is going to be alright The sign they need is a sign of hope Jesus, through His death, burial, and resurrection, is that sign of HOPE! He has come that we may have life, and have it abundantly The sign you need to see today is that, because of the resurrection, You too can have eternal life through Christ Jesus! The sign of Hope is that Jesus paid the price for your sins and made a way to the FatherThat is the Hope that we have, that Jesus made the way for usToday, the sign that the world needs has been given in the Resurrection of Christ Today, do you trust in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection? Have you seen the sign of Hope? - Mar 10, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 23
- Mar 7, 2021God’s Purposes
God’s Purposes
Why do seemingly good people go through bad things?
Have you ever found yourself asking that question?
We want to keep people from going through hard times
The apostles were no different from us
Jesus was telling His apostles about the hard times he was about to go throughNow He tried to prepare them by helping them see who He was Regardless, they did not want Him to go through this hard time For some reason, we believe that our lives should be smooth sailing John 16:33 says “you will have trouble in this world” Every thing we call trouble in this world is preparing us for the next day Trouble also prepares us to help others going through the same thing You see, God has His purposes for all that we encounter in this world We must change how we approach life with our own ideas in mind God created us for His purpose and He knows exactly what that purpose is People often wonder, "Why am I here?" Then shrug that thought off and try to make life for them anyway In the passage we read today, the apostles try to stop Jesus from doing God’s will It was because they didn’t know God’s will Jesus told Peter, you are not setting your mind on God’s interest but man’s Notice, that was right after He said get behind me satan Satan wants to convince you that everything is about you Jesus, in what He said, reminded Peter and the other apostles it is not about them It is God’s purpose that we need to live for every day We have to get close to God to know what His purpose is for us. God’s purposes may cause us to go through trouble In fact, we have been told that sometimes it will cause us trouble Think about what God’s purpose cost Jesus He went through torture and pain and death on a cross for God’s purpose What if Peter convinced Him not to go through with that? The second half of John 16:33 says “take heart I have overcome the world” God’s purposes may be painful sometimes, but Jesus has overcome the world This means that, as His followers, we have overcome with Him Do you have Resurrection eyes or are you staring at the world? When we trust God’s purposes, we see the salvation in the cross and the resurrection Do you trust Jesus today? - Mar 3, 2021Book Of Revelation Study 22
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