New Study

 Information on the upcoming study, Grace by Max Lucado can be found under the schedule tab.

Recruiting

I saw this image message online  the other and it really struck a chord with me. When I think about my life, I've never really felt at home here in this life. I've lived in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and South Carolina while spending a few summers in Pennsylvania, New York and California. None of these places have really felt like HOME. 

I'm fortunate enough to have had a wonderful home with Mom, Daddy and Grandma. Then as I grew up and accepted Christ, God's love gave me a type of home here on earth. But when I go out in the world, I don't feel at home. God is home in my heart. Since I've had a small taste of that special kind of home, I look forward to go home to heaven.

Do you feel at home here on this earth? I think home should be where you are loved unconditionally. You and all your quirkiness are cherished and celebrated. Your contributions are accepted because your loved ones know your heart, and despite how you may sometimes come across, they know that your heart is right. 

Home is pure love because you are all believers and that belief in the Heavenly Father cements a bond between you that is unbreakable. How awesome is it that you share this unfathomable love from God, that He gave his only son to save us from sin.

Some of us are lucky enough to have had an earthly family like this That's a small type of home. Some of us have had a more extended group that offers us a taste of home. While many others have had no glimpse of this wonderful type of earthly home. Shouldn't we, as Christians, want to share this love with them, so that they too, will find a glimpse of home here on earth? Didn't Jesus call us all to spread the Gospel? Jesus said, "do business till I come." Luke 19:13. He gave us prophecy to give us purpose. Because we have a future and hope we have work to do. 

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. Matthew 28:19 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 

New Study

 Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven by Dr. David Jeremiah

Beginning on Thursday, October 29, 2020

The successes of this world should never satisfy us, because we were made for something more. We were made for heaven, and heaven is a place prepared for us. God created all of us with a deep-seated hunger for heaven and for Himself, and it can never be filled with anything less.

Revelation - The Church in Laodicea

 This Week's Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22

The seven churches in Revelation may have been chosen to receive Christ's apocalyptic message because of their location. They were all located along a major trade route, which included the most populous and influential parts of the province. Once the message predicting the end of the world was given to churches in these cities, the message would easily spread to Christian communities in the rest of the province.

Each letter was spoken by Jesus, and recorded by John. Even though a different message was written to each of the seven churches, all the messages contain warnings and principles for everyone. The advice in these letters is prophetic (predicting the future) forewarning us of the traps than can lure us away from our faith in Christ.

The message in chapter 3 is written to the church in Laodicea. Laodicea was the most wealthy of the seven churches. It was known for its banking industry, cloth & dyeing industry, and a medical school that produced eye salve.

In verse 16, John recorded that the Laodicean Church was lukewarm, it had become hardened and self-satisfied. It was destroying itself. The same can be said of our churches today; halfhearted, in-name-only Christians who pride themselves on being self sufficient. Jesus counseled them to buy gold from Him. Gold that is spiritual treasure. Instead of clothing from their cloth & dyeing industry, Jesus tells them to wear white clothes from Him (righteousness). Christ told them not to use their eye salve, but to get medicine from Him to heal their eyes so they could see the truth.

Christ was showing the Laodicean Church that true value was not in material possessions, but in a right relationship with God. Our material possessions and achievements have no value compared to the everlasting future of Christ's Kingdom. When we look at churches in our society today, we see indifference, and uncaring attitudes. We, like the Laodicians, are a “me first” affluent society. We can avoid God's discipline by inviting Him back into our hearts, through confession, worship, service, and studying His Word. The Holy Spirit can reignite our passion and devotion for God when we allow Him to work in our hearts.

The commentary in the NIV Life Application Study Bible says, “The Laodicean church was complacent and rich. They felt self-satisfied, but they didn't have Christ's presence among them. Christ knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they didn't notice that he was trying to enter. The pleasures of this world – money, security, material possessions – can be dangerous, because their temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God's offer of lasting satisfaction.” Verse 20 describes our twenty-first century churches too. It's why our society is crumbling. Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts. He wants to have fellowship with us, and he wants us to open the door and invite Him inside.

In One Year At His Feet, Chris Tiegreen says, “ Jesus does not want only to be followed and obeyed. He wants to be savored and enjoyed. In the dining room of our life, He wants the lengthy, personal fellowship of the common meal, not the brief acknowledgment before it. Jesus is not just at our door for a visit, He's moving in. He puts all His touches on the place and fixes it up just as He likes.”

I'm left with such peace and comfort thinking of Jesus moving in and making a lovely home in my heart. Many people have forgotten that only Jesus can provide spiritual wealth saving us from the spiritual bankruptcy that has befallen humanity.

Hope in the Midst of Adversity

 

Scripture text for this week is Romans 8:18-39

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” These verses contain some of the most comforting promises in all Scripture. I found myself drawn to them this week after watching the news and shaking my head at all the sorrow, fear, pain, anger and Godless behavior going on all around us.

We are currently facing adversity of epic proportions. Watching the news on any channel brings about fear and anxiety. Satan and his minions use fear as a means of control. Worry, fear, and anxiety can overwhelm us with a thick shadow of darkness, controlling our every move and decision. There is so much turmoil going on around us today: wars, persecution, racism, violence, crime, natural disasters, terrorism, economic uncertainty, unemployment, and most certainly Covid-19. Protests have gone from peaceful to violent and hateful. So many people are full of hate and expressing their anger in frightening ways. It is a fearful time.

We fear for our safety. Even political differences have erupted into volatile events that have many attempting to squelch the ideas and even free speech of others in order to demonstrate one's good character of the moral correctness of one's position on a particular issue. Many do not seem to recognize that evil men dwell in high placers of power. The media has been actively attempting to influence our ideas and behavior.

Yet in all of this we must remember that there is only ONE source that we should look to in order to gain perspective and directions on how to proceed with our lives. One place to look for comfort and be reminded of the great love God has for us, the Gospel. Romans offers peace and direction for us, reminding us that God is in control. Absolutely nothing, whether natural on this earth, or supernatural from heaven or hell, could ever cause God to stop loving us.

1. How do you feel as you read verse 19? For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Do you wait in eager expectation? why or why not?
2. How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness? verse 26 - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 
3. In what ways are we more than conquerors? verses 37-38 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Define Me

He doesn't use a pitchfork
He doesn't have a tail
He comes disguised as fear and lies
To remind you when you've failed
He doesn't wear a red suit
And he doesn't smell like smoke
He sneaks around 'til he finds your doubt
And that's where he makes his home

But when he comes for you
All you gotta do

Is take a look at the devil right square in the eye
And tell him I have believed you for the very last time
Devil, I know you've been lying to me
You do not define me
'Cause all of your power has been swept away

Your threats are as empty as Jesus' grave
So devil, go get behind me
You do not define me

He knows the ways we're different
Where we're tempted to choose a side
Takes the beauty in our diversity
And he'll use it to divide
And he'll split us over doctrine
Or the color of our skin
And when we fight with fear and hate
He's the only one who wins
But when he comes your way
Just put him in his place

One Name above all names
Defines who I am, allows me to say that
I've got the victory
Over the enemy
One God above all gods
Who knows who I am, and gives what I've got and
I've got authority
To make the devil flee

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Ross King / Jonny Diaz

1 Peter Lesson 1

Main Idea:
Rightly understanding our identity as citizens of God's kingdom and aliens in the kingdom of darkness will equip us to love our fellow Christians well.

Peter tasked his readers to live holy and love others.

The book of 1 Peter carries all of the pastoral warmth of an apostle who'd seen just what the world thought of those who followed Jesus and learned to live well despite it. It's a message of hope in the midst of darkness, encouragement in the midst of exhaustion, and a promise in the midst of this world of struggle. Our hope is not in this world.

• Peter's letter was not written to instruct believers if they experience suffering, but when they experience it. Suffering is a guarantee for the Christian life, but that should not be a source of discouragement for those who follow Christ. As Kyle explained in the video, opposition provides opportunity to speak of God.

Peter doesn't tell us that soon our faith will bring us reprieve, that God will reward us with worldly comfort. Pe, he makes it clear that suffering and joy can and should co-exist.

Life with Christ is one of both Joy and suffering. The trials we face remind us that this is not our home. Because of his sacrifice, our hardships are temporary, but our hope is eternal. Even more, through faith in Christ the holy Spirit has transformed us such that we can face suffering with joy. Our hope is no longer rooted in circumstances, but in the unchanging faithfulness of God.

Kyle ended the video by reminding us that our identity always drives our behavior. Who we are determines how we will live. If you have trusted in Christ, and you are a new creation and hardship provides the opportunity to reflect that to the world. So, take heart in the difficult days they are not a surprise to God and he allows them to refine your faith and bring glory to his name.

1 Peter 1:13
With minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.

Philippians Bible Study Lesson 8

Phillippians 4:10-23
link to video on Right Now Media 
https://www.rightnowmedia.org/Content/Series/368582

• Main Idea: When we follow the call to joyful sacrifice, we can find contentemnt in any cirecumstance and thus live generously.

In verses 10-14, Paul discuses contentment. Ask yourself if you have great needs, or are you discontented because you don't have what you want? We must learn to rely on God's promises and Christ's power to help us be content. If we always want more, we need to ask God to remove that desire and teach us contentment in every circumstance. He will supply all our needs, but in a way that he knows is best for for us.

People can often make Philippians 4:13 about themselves. But if we know anything about Philippians, it's that Paul is not after personal gain. He advocates for putting others first, for seeing our lives as garbage compared to knowing Jesus, and to being content. This is one of the most-quoted verses in the Bible. We often see it recited before sports games or captioned on a social media post. But without its context, we can make the verse out to mean that Jesus is a spiritual steroid shot that empowers people to make game-winning goals or climb the corporate ladder. The power we receive from our our belief in and relationship with Christ is sufficient to do to his will and to face the challenges that arise from our commitment to doing it. He does not grant us superhuman ability to accomplish anything we can can imagine without regard to his interests. As we struggle for the faith will will face troubles, pressures, and trials. As they come, we must ask Christ to strengthen us.

In verse 17, Paul is making it clear that his primary desire is for the Philippians to gain the benefits that come with being generous – maturity, joy, and trust in god. In other words, he's more concerned about the Philippians than himself. As the Philippians share in Paul's suffering, Paul's equally invested in them. Think about what stands out to you about Paul's attitude in this verse. Consider what it could look like to receive gifts with a similar attitude as Paul?

Think about people in your life who aren't Christians. Write their names down and commit to praying for them this week. Ask God for opportunities to talk about Jesus with them.

1. Why do you think contentment can be so tough for us?
2. Jo explained the significance of Paul mentioning Cesar's household in the final lines of this letter. He's reminding the Philippians once more that Jesus is Lord – not Caesar. God is bringing people into his family and Caesar can't stop him. What's hopeful for you about the fat that Jesus is Lord and that God can move despite human authorities?
3. What are some ways you've heard people use Philippians 4:13?
4. In what ways could Philippians 4:13 offer encouragement for you as you pursue contentment in all circumstances?
5. The word Paul uses in verse 14 that's translated “to share in my troubles, is sygkoinoneo. It implies a partnership with someone, often over a period of time. The Philippians partnered with Paul in his mission to spread the gospel from the beginning. What does it show about the Philippians that they not only gave, but also persisted in giving to Paul?
6. What about the Roman's conversions offers you hope for those you know who aren't following Jesus?