- Aug 18, 2021Legacy
- Aug 15, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 15, 2021Beware Of Imitation Armor
Aug 15, 2021Beware Of Imitation ArmorBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021We live in a world where Satan is the Prince of this worldThat means that everyday Satan and His army are trying to defeat God’s childrenHe knows he can’t snatch us out of God’s handSince satan knows there is no way he can get you, he tries to make you ineffectiveHow does he do that?He attacks you on every front that he can, to find a weakness to make you confused and hurtIf he can do that, you stop working for God and spend all your time worrying and upsetPut on the full armor of GodI want you to understand that this armor has to be God’s armor otherwise it doesn’t workLet’s look at what God’s armor includesGird your loins with TRUTHEverything satan does is calculating and he will try to convince you to use imitation armorHe says what is truth, isn’t that relative to each person. Your truth can be whatever you want it to be.Put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESSImitation armor doesn’t work. Just ask the Army.Do you really want to protect your heart with imitationsGod’s armor is actually impenetrableShod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of PEACEThe military spends millions of dollars on boots. They understand that if a soldier’s feet are injured the soldier is immobilizedIf satan can immobilize us, he gets a win because how many others won’t hear the gospelThe imitation we rely on is that someone else will goWhen you put on the full armor of God satan is defeated and the Gospel is spreadThe SHIELD of FAITHThis shield is able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil oneWhat if your imitation shield was hit by one of satan’s arrowsThe imitation shield is believing that satan isn’t going to bother youSatan deploys many demons throughout the world and we are all in danger of a satanic attack at any timeThe HELMET of SALVATIONThe biggest thing that satan does, is try to tell you that you are not saved and unworthy to be savedWhen you know that you have received salvation hold onto that hardMake sure that you are sureOne way to continually live in salvation and battle the evil one is to use the SWORD of TRUTHThere is no substitute and imitations will failA good soldier spends a lot of time making sure their weapon is in great condition and ready always for battle.When is the last time you cleaned your weapon and gave it a good inspectionSatan will throw every kind of imitation at you and if you put on imitation armor you can’t battleAccept no substitute, only use the armor of God!Now the question is do you know Him in order to receive that armor?
- Aug 8, 2021Workmen For God
Aug 8, 2021Workmen For GodBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021
During these crazy days, it is easy to get lost as to your real purpose in this world.
We are seeing Covid increasing at rapid levels once again and many hospitals are filling up
In fact, one of my High School classmates, Bubba Wood, needs your urgent prayers today
He is in ICU waiting for a respirator, which he desperately needs
When people are scared of death, they are usually more receptive to the Gospel
Therefore, we need to be ready to show people the truth of the Gospel
How can we make sure we are ready to share?
Look with me to 2 Timothy 2:15 NASBKJV says: "Study to shew thyself approved"Be approved as a workman for Christ
How are we workmen for God? Look back to vs 10-14I want us to break down each of these versesNow think about all these things in the context of being workmen for ChristHowever, there is a trap that we need to avoid
We spend years serving our earthly bosses in jobs, trying to do our very bestIf we are lucky, we might make a difference or we might be remembered for a few years
Think about this, if we are good workmen for God, the outcome is the population of heaven will grow.
There will be people that change their final destination from Hell to Heaven because we worked for God
Are you a workman for God today?
Do you know Him in the first place?
Do you want to?
- Aug 4, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 1, 2021When It All Goes Wrong
Aug 1, 2021When It All Goes WrongBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021
Have you ever had those days, weeks, months even years when everything went wrong?
It seems that no matter how hard you try, none of your plans work like you planned!
Alexander called this a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!
Our week seemed to fall perfectly into that category
It is easy to fall into a state of depression or "woe-is-me" attitude
These things are really happening and some of them can be really bad
So how do we, as believers, handle these kinds of days or more?
After about the 5th thing in a row had gone wrong for us this trip, I began to get down
Suddenly God placed in my heart a song and some of the lyrics are:
"Hey, Hey it’s a good day, even if things aren’t going my way, Jesus is alive and I am saved; so hey, hey it’s a good day!"
That song reminded me of scripture and I want to share that with you today
This whole chapter, Jesus is telling His disciples of His going away and coming againHe is telling them about the Holy Spirit who will come, and He is preparing them for hard times.
"In Me you will have peace but in this world you will have tribulation", Jesus said.
We have such amazing blessings in this world that when trouble comes we are shocked
The reality is that Jesus plainly told us that we will have trouble in this world
In the midst of all the things that went wrong this week, God said, "count your blessings!"
I began to look at that, instead of the trouble and, you know what, we had a lot of blessings
We were blessed with safe travel, we saw loving family, and hey, during this oppressive heat wave, we had AC!
There were way more blessings than trouble, and I remembered the other part of this verse
Jesus said “take courage, I have overcome the world”
Now when we put this whole verse together;We see that Jesus is telling us; it will get bad but my children I will take care of youWe can focus on the negatives, and we will fall into dark places
Or, we can take courage knowing that no matter how bad it gets, Jesus has overcome the world.
You know, after God reminded me of this, things still went wrong
Grasping this scripture didn’t make things suddenly all go right
What it did do, was help me stand back, take a clear look, trust God, and carry on
When you begin to look for the blessings in the trouble, it is amazing how God gives you peace.
The question however is this, do you know the God that has overcome the world?
Because, if you do not know Him, you will have no peace.
- Jul 21, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #5
- Jul 18, 2021The Most Beautiful Bridge
Jul 18, 2021The Most Beautiful BridgeBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021Bridges are built for the purpose of closing a divide. They are built over any gap, water or land that needs to be closed. Some bridges are not pretty to look at, but they do their job.Other bridges are built with grand architecture that makes you just want to stare at them; they are so beautiful.You see, there is a great gap between God and man; and that gap was created by sinIt is a man-made gap that is so huge, no engineering will ever be able to close that gap.I want to be clear. In the beginning, God was with man and there was no gap,until man committed their first sin. At that point, there became a separation that man couldn’t close"Well, I guess that means I have no hope. If no man can bridge that gap, then certainly I am without hope."This is Jesus! Jesus paid the price we were unable to pay on the cross at calvary, therefore, bridging the unbridgeable gap!This is the Most Beautiful bridge, because it leads to LIFE! There is one thing, however; Have you ever heard of a toll bridge? In order to cross it, you must pay a price. Jesus has paid your toll to cross this bridge. You just have to accept the gift, and you will be allowed to cross Jesus shed His life blood on the cross in order to bridge the gap for you Will you accept this gift and cross over that bridge to reconciliation with God today? This is the only way the separation between God and man can be closed. Are you ready?
- Jul 14, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #4
- Jul 11, 2021Faith and Forgiveness
Jul 11, 2021Faith and ForgivenessBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021Does anyone struggle with forgiveness?
I believe that, as human beings, this is something we all struggle with.
No one wants to be treated in a way they feel is wrong.
Many arguments stem from simple misunderstandings or miscommunications
The result however, is not simple at all.
When we have a hard time with forgiveness, sometimes, we hold on to that unforgiveness for a lifetime.
Unforgiveness in our lives can have a very negative effect on our prayer life.
In our text this morning, Jesus is telling his disciples that prayer is powerful, if you have faith.
In fact, He says, when you pray, believe that it is already been given and it will be.
If we look at these two verses together, we see that unforgiveness will truly block our prayers
In order to have true faith, we have to believe that God can conquer all things
A word spoken to a fig tree caused it to wither, and Jesus says you can cause mountains to be cast into the sea
These things seem impossible, but we know that Jesus said they are possible through faith
If we can trust that He is able to do these things, don’t you think He is able to help us overcome unforgiveness?
Faith!
Faith!
Faith!True faith means giving everything to God
We give Him our fears, our hurts, our joys, our struggles, and yes, we can give Him our unforgiveness
This passage is showing us that, if we are to pray effectively, we have to forgive first
Matthew 5 says leave your sacrifice at the altar go and be reconciled and then return to offer it
In other words, forgiveness has to happen before God will even accept our offerings
In our world today, there is much unforgiveness. Certainly this is one of the reasons for so much discord.
We ask believers to pray without ceasing about our Nation, but we also need to forgive without ceasing
In our individual lives, as well as the lives of our Nation, we must rid ourselves of the hate through forgiveness.
Today I’m asking you to examine your heart. If you find there is unforgiveness there, please ask God to help you forgive today
Perhaps you don’t understand how that can be because you’ve never asked for forgiveness from your own sin
God is offering full forgiveness today, but you have to repent of the sin in your life and ask Him to forgive you
He stands with open arms waiting for you today.
- Jul 7, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #3
- Jul 4, 2021Under God
Jul 4, 2021Under GodBy: Bro. George RiekSeries: 2021
Today, as we celebrate Independence Day, I want to reflect on true Independence
People have longed to be independent since the beginning of time
The problem is, what do we want to be independent from?
Today, much of our nation truly wants to be independent from our creator, God
They seek an independence that allows them to have freedom
They think that God represents oppression
The truth is, mankind can never be independent from God
John 15:5 says, "apart from me you can do nothing"
See, to be out from under God places you squarely under satan
You see, those who are not under God, add sin to sin with their rebellion
Those who execute a plan not under God cause more pain and suffering from sinWhat you take safety in, that is not God, will be your shame
"We are endowed by our creator", says the Declaration of Independence
Our creator is clearly a reference to God, the creator of all
Our founding fathers recognized that it is our creator that gives us everything
To seek independence from God is like saying I want to be free from breathing
As an Independent nation, we are independent from other nations
The reason we can be independent from other nations is our dependence on God
President Eisenhower recognized that, and pushed to add that language in our pledge
In fact, if we are not Under God, then we are against God
Matt 12:30 says “He who is not with Me is against Me; and
He who does not gather with Me scatters"
Your life, just like our Nation, must be under God
God, our creator, has a purpose for you, but you have to be under Him to find it
How blessed are all those who long for Him
A true celebration of Independence from foreign powers
Is actually a celebration of dependence on our perfect God
Will you choose, today, to be Under God or against God?
He gives that choice to ALL
- Aug 18, 2021Legacy
- Aug 15, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 15, 2021Beware Of Imitation Armor
- Aug 8, 2021Workmen For God
- Aug 4, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
- Aug 1, 2021When It All Goes Wrong
- Jul 21, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #5
- Jul 18, 2021The Most Beautiful Bridge
- Jul 14, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #4
- Jul 11, 2021Faith and Forgiveness
- Jul 7, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #3
- Jul 4, 2021Under God