Pastor Nate brings the message, "Pleasing God with Purity” from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. It's no secret that sexual freedom has been a focal point of our society. Why not? We are pleasure-seekers after all. As we open up chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, God's Word directs us in a better path forward, one that keeps the pleasure of sexual activity within the safe boundaries of obedience to God.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Comfort of the Coming King” - Part 2 from Isaiah 42:1-9. As we continue our Advent series this Sunday, we see that the coming Savior would be gentle with His people. "A bruised reed he will not break; and a faintly burning wick he will not quench." No one is a cast-away. No one will be written off. Jesus is for His people.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Comfort of the Coming King” - Part 1 from Isaiah 40. Do you find comfort in your circumstances or in the character and promises of God? As the Jews were agonizing in exile, God gave them a promise of comfort. It's a promise anchored in His unchanging character that extends to our lives today. A Savior would come and those who wait on Him shall renew their strength.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "My Shepherd: He is Enough" from Psalm 23. Pastor Nate reminds us, from a familiar text, of God's care for and provision in our lives.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "Increasing and Abounding in Love” from 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13. What role does your love for others play in your standing before God? That's a question that Paul answers at the end of 1 Thessalonians 3. When we see love flowing through our lives God is establishing us in holiness.
Sunday Morning...Pastor Nate brings the message, "Promise, Law, and Faith" from Galatians 3:15-22. How often do we come to our personal Bible reading and gloss over a section of Scripture because it seems to be irrelevant to everyday life? At first glance, our next section in Galatians might feel that way. But there are jewels of truth to be obtained in this passage. Pray that God will give us a blessing from His Word through this passage.
Pastor Nate brings the message, "The Blessing of Abraham" from Galatians 3:6-14. As we move into the doctrinal section of Galatians, Paul unpacks the theology of the Gospel by using the OT character of Abraham. He was a man who believed what God had promised, and God blessed him accordingly. The connection that Paul makes is that we have been given the promise of Christ, and if we live by faith in Him, we are one of Abraham's sons, receiving the blessing. What is that blessing? You'll see it in this passage.
Our pastoral assistant for youth, Stephen Ellison, brings the message, “Perseverance in Prayer” from Luke 18:1-8. Prayer is one of the easiest areas of the Christian walk to grow discouraged in when we don’t see results as soon as we’d like, but Scripture instructs us to not grow tired of continuing to ask of God. Jesus reminds us that our loving Father desires for us to be diligent in bringing our requests to Him, and He loves to provide for those that belong to Him.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “The Truth of the Gospel” - Part 2, from Galatians 2:14-21. As we continue our sermon series in Galatians, it’s clear that Paul’s great desire is for People to accurately understand the Gospel. As it was then, so it is now…some are teaching that belief in good works is what saves a person. What a hopeless outlook in life! The Bible teaches us that we are sinners, that Christ died in our place, and that belief in Him alone is what saves us from hell. So, the Gospel is not belief in good works. It’s belief in Jesus.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “The Truth of the Gospel” - Part 1. Even the best of Christians leaders will at times fall into the “fear-of-man” trap. In this next section in Galatians, Paul uses failure of Peter and Barnabas as a platform to begin teaching on justification. Paul’s point is that we certainly will not be justified in God’s eyes by works that impress others but rather by faith in Jesus.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Accepted by the Apostles.” Some of the early churches planted by Paul were later deceived by false teachers who claimed that circumcision was needed for salvation. In Galatians, Paul is responding with the message that salvation comes by faith alone in Christ alone. But the question is: “Why should we believe you, Paul?” That question is what Paul is answering in chapters 1-2 of Galatians.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Called by God’s Grace” from Galatians 1:10-24. The testimony of a changed life is very powerful because it begs the question of “how?…how did that person change?” In our sermon this week, Paul employs the tool of testimony to point people back to God as the one who powerfully calles people by His grace.
Pastor Andy brings the message, “Divine Destiny” from Acts 8:26-40. Luke records the meeting between Philip and an Ethiopian. And the closer we read, we realize, “This cannot be just coincidence!” This study will help us to better understand God’s divine destiny for Philip and for the Ethiopian. And, for us today.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Jesus…Given for Our Sins.” This message begins a new sermon series in the book of Galatians. In Galatians Paul explains what the Gospel isn’t, and how the Gospel is manifested in our lives. You familiarize yourself with Galatians by picking up a study Bible and reading the introduction material.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Confidence in the LORD” - Part 2. Since Christians have the privilege of coming to God in prayer we should study the Psalms which include both helpful examples and rich theology concerning prayer. Last week’s sermon from Psalm 20 taught us that we should trust in God because of who He is and seek His glory to be on display with our prayer requests. This message shows how God answered David’s request and how focusing on the glory of God helps us with prayer.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Confidence in the LORD.” Fully trusting in the LORD, David went into battle after battle and faced giants greater than him. His ultimate hope was not in military might but in “the name of the LORD our God” and God delivered David. Are we supposed to pray Psalm 20? And, if so, in what situations?
Pastor Nate brings the message, “God’s Creation, God’s Word, God’s People.” Psalm 19 speaks of God’s creation and His Word. Creation declares not only God’s existence, but also His glory. God’s Word powerfully guides us through everyday life and declares Jesus as the one and only Savior. The response to God, the creator and author of scripture should be humility and surrender at the deepest parts of who we are.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Is God Enough for You? When the trial delivers a major blow to your life is God enough for you? We know the correct, Sunday-school answer to that question, but does our heart confidently answer, “Yes, God is enough!” In Psalm 18 David leads us through various aspects of God’s nature that will bolster our faith for the coming week to endure through the trials and believe that God is enough.
Pastor Andy brings the message, “Vindication from the Lord” from Psalm 17. When we walk in fellowship with God, we expect God’s favor to be on us. But what happens when we find ourselves in fellowship with Him and experiencing difficulty? Where do we turn? Psalm 17 gives voice to the person caught in the storm of unjust treatment and points us to our supreme Advocate, God Himself.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “The Lord is My Chosen Portion” from Psalm 16. There are several Biblical steps we can take when we find ourselves in fearful crises such as praying for deliverance or trusting in God’s sovereignty. Or, as we see in Psalm 16, we can consider whether or not the greatest gift is still ours in the moment of crisis. Psalm 16 will encourage us to see that when all seems to be in peril, we still have God.
Pastor Nate brings the message, “Fellowship with God” from Psalm 15. How must we live to enjoy fellowship with God? That’s the question that David asks in Psalm 15, and it’s not one of legalism. It’s a question grounded in love for God. Psalm 15 gives us an insight into regular disciplines we an pursue in order to enjoy our relationship with God.
Pastor Luke brings the message, “Rekindle Your Affection” from Revelation 2:1-7. In the first of Jesus' letters to the churches in Revelation he commends and confronts the Ephesians. They cared deeply about theology and morality, but they had a deep deficiency -- they lacked love for Jesus. We too can be like the Ephesians, doing much for the sake of Jesus' name yet all the while having a heart that is cold toward him. As we come to this passage, it is our hope that Jesus would help us rekindle our affection for him.
