- Jun 15, 2022Bible Study – 1 John 3:1-7
Bible Study – 1 John 3:1-7
- Jun 12, 2022God Or Google
God Or Google
A recent study of adults in the United Kingdom found they checked their smartphone every 12 minutes
I personally believe, today, in the US, it is probably closer to every 5 minutes
A recent commercial uses this to ask “ever wonder what all those people are doing on their phones”
The title of the message today is God or Google
The question is – Who do you turn to first?
It has been said that, if Google were to suddenly go away, a whole generation of young people would be lost
The reality is, it isn’t just young people!
This passage is about having confidence that you can take everything to God and He will answer
I asked the question "God or Google?", because too many believers ask Google instead of asking God
Understand that Google is people who have selected possible answers for random questions
Google isn’t your creator that knows you intimately
Yet many people would rather just Google it than to get on their knees and give it to God
John wrote this so that you may know you have eternal life.
I asked Google “How can I have eternal life?”
I received 201 million possible answers
I asked God “How can I have eternal life?”
One answer! The true answer!
Don’t get me wrong, Google can help you find out some things, but it is not always right!
You see there is never a time that God is unreachable
We know, without a doubt, that, when we pray, God hears us.
When He hears us, He will answer
Romans 10:9 gives you a definite answerGoogle gives you possible answers
The point I’m trying to make here today is the same point I was making Wednesday night
We have got to live Godly and not worldly lives
If we are believers, why are we not going straight to the creator first and always for the answers we need?
What if we talked to God every five minutes during a day instead of our smartphone?
What if “knee” mail became more important than email?
What if we in this world, truly trusted God more than Google
What a huge difference that would make in our world
Are you ready to do that today?
- Jun 8, 2022Bible Study – 1 John 2:15-29
Bible Study – 1 John 2:15-29
- Jun 5, 2022In The World
In The World
Have you ever just wished you could get away from all the junk in the world and have your own private world?
You’re not alone!
The truth is that if you know Jesus as Savior you are not of the world.
Because you are not of the world, the world hates you!
This is the main reason that we, as believers, desperately want to be apart from the world.
Take heart because the world hates you just like the world hates your Father
If we were comfortable in the world, it would mean we were not of our Father
Notice that Jesus says He did not ask to take us out of the world
Some believers want to hide away from all things and just be out of touch
This is not what Jesus said. He said He didn’t want us taken out of the world, just protected from the evil one
So if we aren’t intended to be taken out of the world, what does that mean?
Once again Jesus says we are not of the world as He is not of the world.
Why is something repeated in scripture?
For emphasis! Jesus says twice we are not of this world.
Then in vs 17 Jesus asks the Father to sanctify them in the truth
He also emphasizes the fact that God is the truth.
Don’t take them out of the world, just sanctify them, meaning prepare them in truth.
One of the reasons that God’s people would rather be out of the world is they aren’t spending time in His Word
Instead of spending time wishing we could get out, spend time studying why we are here.
Pay very close attention to vs 18Jesus says He has sent us into the world.
If He sent us, why are we trying to get out of it.
This passage shows that God’s people are to be in the world but not of the world
We, as a the human race, spend large amounts of time trying to get out of stuff
Probably if we spent more time just doing things instead of hiding we would all be more joyful
If Jesus says He sent us into the world then isn’t it about time we obeyed and went out trying to reach people
Instead of hiding in the safety of the church walls, let us Go and Tell!
Join me today in praying that God will reveal to us where and how we need to go
Are you ready to be part of this awesome family?
- Jun 1, 2022Bible Study – 1 John 2:1-14
Bible Study – 1 John 2:1-14
- May 29, 2022Peace
Peace
This is a time when we remember all the brave men and women that gave their lives for our Freedoms!
There is something about that….it took people before us to give us the freedom to live!
I will always celebrate my fallen brothers and sisters and the legacy they left behind
Today, however, I want us to look at another who died for ALL
This is Jesus who died for ALL
He spoke these things so that we might have peace.
What things? Vs 29-32Jesus said in vs 33 “in Me you may have peace” It is because of his death, burial and resurrection that peace was possible Peace from the desires of Satan because Jesus was greater In the United States today, we can have peace because of those who paid the price for us. Because they were willing to fight for the freedom to become “One Nation Under God” Because they were willing to fight that you may be able to execute the free will that God gave us As wonderful as that is, only Jesus death, burial and resurrection granted us real freedom…..from the penalty of sin. Jesus said “in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation.” The peace that we all so desperately seek is available but the world tries to block it from you In the world, we have senseless slaughter of children both unborn and born We have evil that is more celebrated than good. We have immoral and illegal acts that are everyday cast as “normal” or even “good” How can we look at our world today and find any peace? Our men and women, that gave their lives for this country, gave everyone freedom but some misuse it Jesus gave us freedom from the very sin that we commit which gives ultimate peace In fact, even after He said there will be trouble in the world He said “take courage, I have overcome the world” Today, in all the anxiety of this wicked lost world, remember Jesus has overcome! Today you may be still anxious because you do not know Jesus My question is, are you ready for peace? Know Jesus Know Peace No Jesus No Peace - May 25, 2022Bible Study – 1 John 1:4-10
Bible Study – 1 John 1:4-10
- May 22, 2022God Provides
God Provides
Perhaps today you are very concerned about all the mess going on in the worldThere are real problems that are very scary especially to consumers
This isn’t the first time people have been scared and concerned about their immediate future
The Israelites had finally been released from the bonds of slavery only now afraid they will starve to death in the wilderness
It is a natural thing as humans to fret when we see situations that seem impossible to overcome.
BUT GOD!!!
Even today our heavenly Father knows what we need and he will take care of us
The Israelites were desperate and they began to grumble against God but God said, I got this.
Nothing is impossible with God!
That still applies today!
The people heard what was said but they had yet to experience it.
It as if God said to the people, watch this!
He provided meat in the evening and what was eventually called Manna in the morning.
Neither of these things could have been done by men but God provides
Has there ever been a time in your life when you didn’t know how you were going to make it and something unexpected happened?
BUT GOD!!
He always does it in His way and perhaps we can’t even understand
“What is it?”
In Hebrew that phrase “what is it?” translates to “Ma’n Hu? Which we pronounce as Manna
Notice how the people gathered different amounts but it was exactly what they needed
Even though we don’t always understand, God provides exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.
Today I want us to understand that even in these uncertain times, God Provides
Instead of living fearful we can trust God to see us through.
So the only question is, do you know the God that Provides?
- May 18, 2022Bible Study – 1 John 1:1-3
Bible Study – 1 John 1:1-3
- May 15, 2022Sweet Aroma
Sweet Aroma
“Thanks be to God who always leads us”
Paul’s original plan had been derailed slightly, and he wanted to let the Corinthians know he was following God
This is how we all need to be, followers of God no matter if it isn’t according to our plans
Smells tend to stick in our memory. Both pleasant and unpleasant smells.
In this passage it is talking about a triumph parade during which the generals burned incense as they passed by
The picture here is of God in His triumph as a sweet aroma that we should always remember
We too should have a sweet aroma to God as we serve Him daily
The aroma of the triumph smelled great to the victors but very bad to those defeated
In this passage the drastic difference is the gospel is sweet to those who have received and foul to those who have rejected
Never the less, we are to strive to send that sweet aroma to God’s nostrils as we serve Him
Who is sufficient?
Is anyone sufficient?
Truly not one is really worthy but through Christ we can consult God
When we truly spend time with the Father our message to others is not corrupted by self
We give to them what God gives to us and it is a great thing
“we are not peddling the Word of God”
The meaning here is that we aren’t watering down or changing the Word of God but delivering it as we receive it
Have you ever watched an interpreter?
Sometimes I wonder are they really saying exactly what the person told them to say or not?
There are people in this world today that try to spin God’s word to fit their desire
When this happens the aroma is actually a stench
“we speak in the sight of God in Christ”
It is because of Christ and His propitiation of our sins, that we can hear from God in the first place
Through Christ we speak the Word of God and the first audience of that is God
When we hear from God and then share the gospel with others, God is the first audience member
He is listening so you better not spin it but pass it on, just like you received it.
When we do, God is pleased and we are like that sweet aroma that God loves so much.
If you choose not to share the word that God has given you, the aroma is not sweet but foul
Today will you march in triumph and produce a sweet aroma as you speak the gospel message?
Or will you remain stagnant and give off a foul stench that would not be pleasing to anyone especially God?
- May 11, 2022Bible Study – Nehemiah Chapter 13
Bible Study – Nehemiah Chapter 13
- May 8, 2022A Mother’s Laugh
A Mother’s Laugh
Happy Mother’s Day!
Today I would like to look at one biblical mother named Sarah
So we see that Sarah could not believe what she heard
Some people want to say that Sarah didn’t have much faith
Sarai, as she was originally called, is found following her husband in faith
She didn’t know where they were going or what they were supposed to do
But she did not protest; she followed where God told them to go
We can learn a lot from this mother
God could choose to show us everything planned for us up front
But, He doesn’t
So many of us are hesitant to step out on faith for any reason
What we can learn from Sarai/Sarah, it is most important to just go
I sometimes wonder how many people remain lost today due to our reluctance
In our text today, we are critical of Sarah because she laughed at a miracle
Most of you ladies in here could relate that, at an old age, childbirth would be impossible
All things are possible with God
Vs 1 says “the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised”
You see when we take that step of Faith God honors that
Sarah, at 99 years of age, gave birth to a son
I know what you are thinking
"I’m so glad that wasn’t me"
But for Sarah, God was faithful and He always is
Again, what we see is, even though Sarah doubted...
God blessed her
What we need to take away from this is, God is able
Knowing God is able, we need to trust Him and be faithful
One of our biggest problems today is we don’t fully trust God
We don’t want to step out on faith, but you never know when God will use YOU.
Sarah, after seeing the miracle that God did, said “God has made laughter for me”
“Everyone who hears will laugh with me”
When we are faithful, all those who are around us are lifted up too
Do you truly trust God?
Are you ready to do that right now?
