October 22, 2017

Sunday School
Heaven Is For Real!

·       Heaven: God’s Dwelling Place

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Deuteronomy 26:15 – Look down from your holy dwelling place in heaven and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us, just as you promised our ancestors – a land flowing with milk and honey.

1 Chronicles 16:31 – Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the nations say, “The Lord reigns!”

2 Chronicles 2:6 – Of course, who can really build a temple for Him, since the sky and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I that I should build Him a temple? It will really be only a place to offer sacrifices before Him.

Job 22:12 & 14 – “Is not God on high in heaven? And see the lofty stars, how high they are!  Thick clouds are a veil for Him, so He does not see us, as He goes back and forth in the vault of heaven.”

Psalms 11:4 – The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes watch; His eyes examine all people.

Psalms 33:13 – The Lord watches from heaven; He see all people.

Psalms 123:1 – I look up toward You, the one enthroned in heaven.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 – Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.

Isaiah 66:1 – This is what the Lord says: “The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where then is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest?

Daniel 4:35 – All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He wishes with the army of heaven and with those who inhabit the earth. No one slaps His hand and says to Him, “What have you done?”

Matthew 5:44-45 – But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 11:25 – At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things for the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.

Mark 16:19 – After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

Acts 7:49 – ‘Heaven is my throne, and earth is the footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is my resting place?’

Romans 1:18 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness.

Revelation 12:7-9 – Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels. So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

Revelation 21:22-25 – Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God – the All-Powerful – and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it. Its gates will never be closed during the day (and there will be no night there).

·       Heaven: The Future Dwelling Place of the Righteous

John 14:2 – There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 – I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man (whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up into paradise and heard things too sacred to be put into words, things that a person is not permitted to speak. 

·       Heaven: Where the wicked are excluded from

Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying murder, drunkenness, carousing and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Ephesians 5:5 – For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Revelation 22:15 – Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood!

·       Heaven: New Heavens

 Isaiah 66:22 – “For just as the new heavens and he new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain.”

2 Peter 3:13 –But, according to His promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.

Revelation 21:1-4 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more. And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist anymore – or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist.”

Sermon
James 4:7-10 - Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will life you up.
Subject: Submitting Yourselves To God!

• Put on the whole armor of God.

Six Steps to True Repentance
1. Submit to God: be subject to God; be ready and willing to listen to God; obey God. Be teachable, coachable and humble.
2. Resist the devil: closing ears and hearts to Satan's suggestions; don't be disrespectful; resist the devil and he will flee from you. Use the Word of God (Sword of Armor).
3. Draw near to God. Stay close to the consuming fire; Pray to God because He is well able to take of you; draw near to God and He will draw near to you; He promised never to leave us along. God will restore us.
4. Cleanse your hands and purify your double mindedness.  Confession should be followed by deep sorrow, however, to not dwell in sorrow.
5. Lament and mourn and weep when we have fallen short of the God's Word. We should prostrate ourselves in earnest prayer.
6. Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord.
 

October 8, 2017

Sunday School
The Trinity
The word Trinity isn't mentioned in the bible, however this doesn't mean it isn't biblical.
The following are just a few examples where two or the three Deities are mentioned.

·        Genesis 1:26 – And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

 

·        Matthew 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 

·        John 10:30 – I and the Father are one.

 

·        2 Corinthians 13:14 – The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

 

·        Matthew 3:16-17 – And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

 

·        1 Peter 1:2 – According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

 

·        John 14:16-17 – And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

 

·        John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

 

·        John 1:1 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.

 

·        1 John 5:7-8 – For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

 

·        Philippians 2:5-8 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 

·        Colossians 1:15-17 – He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

 

·        Luke 3:21-22 – Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

 

·        Genesis 3:22 – Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also the tree of life and eat, and live forever.

 

·        Matthew 1:23 – “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall His name Immanuel” which means, God with us.

 

·        2 Corinthians 1-21-22 – And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us and who has also put His seal on us and given us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

 

·        Genesis 11:7 – Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.

 

·        1 John 5:7 – For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

 

·        1 Corinthians 2:10-11 – These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thought of God except the Spirit of God.

 

·        Titus 3:4-7 – But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

·        1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

 

·        Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Sermon
Acts 11:26 - It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.
Subject: What It Means To Be A Christian

Four things to think about to be a Christian:

1. You must receive Christ. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away.  2 Corinthians 5:17
2. You must resemble Christ. We should emulate Jesus; have the mind of Christ in kindness, caring, loving, etc.
3. You must represent Christ in all things, everywhere you go; in deeds, witnessing to the unsaved.
4. From all this we will rein with Christ forever! When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will appear with Him in glory.  Colossians 3:5

Homecoming Service
 
Welcome to our 61^st Annual Homecoming Service and our 130^th Church Anniversary. We are so pleased and happy to see all the familiar faces and can’t wait to start the celebration.   So again, we say welcome to you all!!!

 

The Occasion – On this Homecoming occasion with all the nation’s and world’s problems, we as Christians know that we have the promise of God of an eternal life. We have the Holy Spirit who has provided us His fruits which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

So as we journey through this life awaiting our home-going, let our souls be well, our relationships with others be strong in love and our Christian beliefs always in accord with God.
 
Rev. Clifford E. McIlveen - The Speak of the Hour

1 Kings 17:1 and 18:38-39 - And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."
Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord - He is God! The Lord - He is God!"

Subject: Surely God Is Able!

• God has said that all this would happen but God is still God!
• Elijah means my God is Yewah.
• Yewah means self existence
• Ahab was the Kind who Elijah spoke to about there would be no rain.
• It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.  John 6:63
• Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7
• We can come back to God through the Word.
• Elijah was obedient to God.
• God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24
• Here I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all round you; so be as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. But be on your guard against men. Matthew 10:16
• God is all. We must bow down to Him because He is surely able.

June 26, 2016

On Sunday May 15th, I visited our sister church, Avant, for church service.

The message came from Matthew 1:18-20 - v18 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. v19 Joseph, her fiance`, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.  v20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit."

Subject: "God Chose a Father For His Son"

A Father's Day Sermon

• Joseph was the earthly father to Jesus
• The father should be present in a child's life
• Joseph was a godly man and God's choice
• Joseph was a loving man, not vengeful but mindful. He had no resentment towards Jesus
• Joseph taught Jesus the trade of carpentry
• Joseph was devout and obeyed God in all things
• Joseph was faithful to God when he fled with Mary and Jesus; faithful in his spirit filled duty going to the various feasts, festivals, & sermons
• Joseph was wise and discerning

June 26th

Sunday School

Acts 28:1-31; Romans 1:1-32

• Paul on the Island of Malta, was bitten by a poisonous snake the the inhabitants thought he would die because they thought he was a murderer but Paul slung off the snake and the people were soon changed their minds. 
• Paul Arrives at Rome and was permitted to have his own private lodgings although he was guarded by a soldier.
• Paul preaches  at Rome but the most wanted to argue with him, so Paul told them to go (read verses 26 and 27)
• Paul said that the salvation he was preaching about from God, was also available for the Gentiles.
• In Romans chapter 1, Paul summarizes the Good News about Jesus Christ, who came as a human by natural descent, was part of the Jewish royal line through David, died and was raised from the dead and opened the door for God's grace and kindness to be poured out onto us. (From Life Application Study Bible)

Sermon

John 4:4-9 - v4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. v5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. v6 Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. v7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." v8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. v9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?"

Subject: "The Living Water"

• Dehydration is a detriment, draining and can kill but water is a life saver.
• Are we dried up Christians?
• Jesus offers living water
• Living water is never deadly to the soul.

There are two types of water

A. Water on earth offers

•  temporary relief for the body
• Naturally dug up
• will thirst again
• a substitute that will not satisfy for very long

B. Eternal Water (Life)

• Supernatural
• Heaven sent
• For the soul
• Offers eternal life
• One will never thirst again

Consumption! Did the woman drink of the living water that Jesus offered? Yes! She left her bucket, went back to her village to tell about her experience and the villagers believed.

August 10, 2014

Sunday School
Hebrews 1214-29 continued and Hebrews 13:1-25

• We must worship God in spirit and in truth.
• Hebrews 12 v22-28 - But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.  See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven?  At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."  The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."
• Hewbrews 13 v1 - Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
• God said, "I will never fail you. I will never forsake you."
• Some were teaching that keeping the Old Testament ceremonial laws and rituals were important for salvation. But these laws were useless for conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires. The laws could influence conduct but they couldn't change the heart.
• Lasting changes in conduct begin when the Holy Spirit lives in each of us.
• v15 - Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.

Sermon
Ecclesiastes 3:1 - There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.
Subject: "Is This Your Season?"

• Season is a period of time.
• We don't seem to have a problem with "if". We have a problem with "when" God will do what He says.
• Isaiah 54:17 - No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and "their righteousness is from Me", says the Lord.
• 1 John 4:4 Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
• Matthew 16:18 - And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
• Satan is not our biggest foe. We are.
• Romans 8:28 - And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, to them that are called according to His purpose.
• God never changes no matter what we go through or do.
• Our lives revolve around the SON (Jesus).
• God measures seasons by truth and revelations.
• We must have a right relationship with God.
• Everything in our lives has a season.
• God is not trying to catch us off guard. We need to listen to the Holy Spirit.
• Jesus challenges us and changes us.
• We must welcome the challenge and the change.
• God is preparing us for our reward.
• Matthew 9:37 - The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

July 27, 2014

Sunday School
Hebrews 12:1-14 - to be continued.

• We, as Christians need to stay focused on the "prize" at the end of our journey.
• Romans 5:1-4 -There, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run int problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.
• Jesus' struggles and endurance are an example to us all.
• We are to endeavor to persevere.
• We must be circumspect.
• Discipline is to be endured for God loves us enough to rebuke us.
• Hebrews 12:12 - Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
• Hebrews 12:13 - "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
• The enemy (Satan) creates chaos but we are to resist and remain calm.

Sermon
John 9:1-5 and Acts 9:1-4 & 8

John 9 v1- As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. v2- His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" v3- "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. v4- As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work. v5- While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Acts 9 v1- Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest  v2- and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. v3- As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. v4- He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" v8- Saul go up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.

Subject: "When You Are Blink, You Just Can't See!"

Blind spot - an area that cannot be seen under certain circumstances or difficulties or where no light can penetrate.

• The disciples immediately jumped to the conclusion that the blind man had sinned or his parents had in order for him to be born blind.
• Jesus corrected them and stated that the man's blindness was to show the works of God when Jesus healed the man.
• The Pharisees were blinded and mistrustful of the healing power of Jesus.
• Some blind spots are by choice such as the Pharisees who refused to see Jesus for who He really was. They wanted to hold onto their power and position.
• Blind spots are created from fear or prejudgies or hatred.
• Blind spots develop over time and are hard, if not impossible to overcome if one is unwilling.
• True encounters with Christ makes one humble, where the evil spirit in you is broken so that God can lift you up.
• Psalm 51:10-12 - Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Snippet from Sermon

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October 27, 2013

Sunday School

1 Timothy 5:1-25

• Treatment of elders should be with respect and view as your father or mother.
• Treat youthful adults as your brother or sister and with respect.
• To widows who have children, the children are to take care of her.
• If the widow has no one and is worth, give her work in the church so that she may impart her knowledge to others . (Reference: Luke 2:36-37 - There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was very old; she lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was widow until she was eight-four.  She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
• If she is a young widow, marriage is suggested and the raising of a family and home.
• Paul tells Timothy just what needs to be said and done so there are no problems to arise.

Note: Words have power.
Romans 10:9 Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Our belief in that verse is powerful therefore when we speak unkindly, with malice or hatred, those words cut, harm and can savage a person. And, God is not pleased.

Sermon

John 9:1-7

Subject:  And Jesus Passed By

v1 As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. v2 His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  v3  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the words of God might be displayed in him.  v4  As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  v5  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  v6 After saying this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.  v7 "Go," He told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

• John wanted everyone to know about the deity of Jesus.
• He did miracles where no man could have performed them. 
• Mark 6:34 - When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching many things.
• Manifestations of God's power are shown throughout the bible.....making the blind man to see, the man with leprosy, clean.
• Mark 1:40-42  - A man with leprosy came to Him and begged Him on his knees, "If You are willing  You can make me clean." Jesus was indignant. He reached out His hand and touch the man. "I am willing, He said.  "Be clean!"  Immediately the leprosy left Him and he was  cleansed.
• The power of God lies in His compassion. For He so loved the world that He gave His only Son...
• Jesus has the power to make helplessness into hopefulness.
• With God, all things are possible - Matthew 19:26 - But Jesus beheld them and said unto them, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible."
• We must obey as the blind man did when Jesus told him to go and wash....for obedience is better than sacrifice. (1 Samuel 15:22 - But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the Lord; your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice?  Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering  the fat of rams.

 

When life seemed unbearable:

to the blind man
to the woman at the well                              JESUS was passing by!
to the beggar

In our lives today when things are unclear, challenging, depressing, load bearing, mournful.......
                                                                     JESUS is passing by!

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.




 

Setpember 8, 2013

Sunday School

1 Timothy 2:1-15

 

• Change can happen with prayer
• Pray for discernment
• Jesus is the divine truth
• We should pray without anger or doubt, lifting up holy hands.
• Women should dress modestly with decency and propriety.
• Women should not be permitted to teach men or have authority over them.

Note: Who is Paul talking to?  Who is speaking?   

 

• We should strive to understand ritual compared to reality.
• Are we steeped the ritual of communion or do we realize that this ritual is actually a focus on Jesus; His sacrifice for us?
• The baptism as we know it today is a ritual which actually mean our submission, repentance and obedience to God.
• Christians have equal access to God through prayer.

 

 

Sermon

Galatians 5:22-23

v22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

v23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

 

Topic "The Second Fruit - Joy"

 

• Paul tells the Galatians that if they abandon God they will live in sin.
• We should abide in the True Vine
• The Holy Spirit produces the one fruit - Christ
• Joy is the springboard to live like Christ
• Be prompted by the Spirit of God
• If you were arrested as a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
• Conflict loses joy.
• We should want the glory of God to show through us.
• We should be a living example
• God shapes and molds us if we avail ourselves of Him
• God wants to use us for His glory
• Joy and happiness, there is a difference
• Joy is mentioned over 300 times in the Bible and happiness, 26
• This joy I have, the world did give it and the world can't take it away....is a reference from, to name a few..... John 16:29-33; Romans 5:1-5; Romans 8:28; John 16:24; Philippians 4:4; Romans 12:12; James 1:2 
• The joy of the Lord is our strength
• Psalm 30:5 - For His anger endures but a moment; in His favor is live: weeping my endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
• Psalm 51:12 - Restore to me the joy of Your salvation; and upon me with Thy free spirit.

 



 

August 25, 2013

Sunday School

Short Study on 

Faith and Belief

• So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move for here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.  Matthew 17:20 (NKJV)
•  Belief - an opinion or judgment in which a person is fully persuaded.
• We see that our beliefs are things that we are thoroughly convinced of . Usually, but not always, they are ideas and/or concepts that we gather through acquiring information and experience. Because of that, our beliefs can change over time as we gain more knowledge and experience more things throughout our lives. 
• Faith = Belief + Action + Confidence
• Faith includes our beliefs, but it is bigger than that. Faith requires action. If it doesn't move us to do something or say something, actually take some kind of action, it is not really faith at all.  In James 2:17 it says, "So you see, faith by itself is not enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
• Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him just believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
• Until we take action our "faith" is just a bunch of words. James says that unless faith produces action it is in fact dead or not faith at all.
• Some get confused and turned around on this point and try to do good things to generate faith. However James did not say that the good things we do produce faith. He said our faith, if it is real and alive, will naturally move us to do good things.
• Confidence - trust that is based on knowledge or past experience.
• Basically confidence is a measure of how firmly we hold to a particular belief.
• Now we can see how belief and faith are interrelated. The difference between the two is subtle. Understanding that subtly makes things that Jesus said have more sense to us.
• When we believe the truth with enough confidence to take action we exercise faith. And it doesn't take much of that faith to see huge things happen, even miraculous things.
• You can see where unbelief, that is believing things that are not true, believing lies, completely clogs up the working of our faith. Unbelief prevents us from ever seeing the miraculous in our lives.

Note: Some information made available from Google, Bing, religious references.

 

 

 

Sermon

Matthew 27:1-2 - v1- When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death: v2 - And when they had bound Him, they led Him away, and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Subject: Caught up, Tied up & Tangled up!

 

How do we bind Jesus?

• When Jesus isn't the main focus in our lives; when we do not put Him first; when He isn't the top priority in our lives.
• God desires our praise, our allegiance, our attention.
• God is a jealous God.
• We need to loose Him in our lives, allow Him total control
• By fear and unbelief
• A double minded man is unstable in all his ways - James 1:8
• If we remember that we can do "all things" through Christ who strengthens us.....
• In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us - Romans 8:37 
• Failure to grow spiritually
• Read Luke 19:13-27
• Are we still the same as we were last week, last month, last year?
• Jesus came so that we may have life and have it abundantly - John 10:10
• If the Son make you free, you are free indeed! John 8:36

 

 



July 28, 2013

Sunday School

2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 & 2:1-17

• Thanksgiving and Prayer is what Paul writes in his letter to the church of Thessalonia.
• Paul praises the church for its growing of faith and their love for one another.
• The love of God has brought us to where we are.
• Through trials we are stronger.
• If we keep our minds on Jesus, we will be in perfect peace.
• Pray always for one another.
• v11 - With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
• Jesus was the first fruit. He is the way, the truth and the life.
• The first converts are first fruit.
• Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.... do not become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us...whether by a prophecy or by word or mouth or by letter...asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
• Don't let anyone deceive you in any way because that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.
• It is important to study for ourselves so that we may know the truth for ourselves.
• We are to stand firm and thank God.
• God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Sermon

John 15:12-15

v12 - My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
v13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's brothers.
v14 - You are my brothers if you do what I command.
v15 -  I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you brothers, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Subject:

Can't We Just All Get Along? 

 It's All About Relationship Or It's Ain't About Nothing!

• In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)
• In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth... ( Genesis 1:1)
• God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion....... (Genesis 1:28)
• I am the true vine, and my Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in me that bears not fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  (John 15:1-2)
• v 9 - As the Father has loved Me, so have I love you. Now remain in my love.
• And now these  three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
• vs 18-19 - If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
• In other words, if you are standing with Jesus, Satan will bring all his forces to bare.
• You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
• Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. (1Corinthians 15:58)
• Peace be still, God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory. (Ephesians 3:20-21)
• And we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free. (John 8:32)
• Pray for a discerning spirit.
• God created us to have fellowship with Him.
• God is looking for "productivity" in us.
• Trust God during your pruning times.
• Be bold in your faith.
• And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.  (Romans 12:2)
• Have you been tried in the fire and come out as pure gold?
• For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)