Growing Gracefully: Obedience
Awake Us Now
Growing gracefully in obedience is a response to the salvation God has worked in our lives through Christ Jesus. We are called to walk in obedience as a response to our faith in Jesus. Obedience is not necessary for salvation, but obedience is necessary! Join us as we explore Growing Gracefully in our relationship with Jesus Christ through obedience to Him and His Word. Obedience does not save, but neither is it optional. God desires not simply outward actions, but inner obedience to His Word. Pastor focuses on two important Biblical truths: 1. Obedience does not save - Jesus saves --Grace of...
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GOD ACTS! (Chapter 12) - He Proceeded to Seize Peter
Awake Us Now
God’s word brings light into our lives, gives us direction and points us to Jesus showing us where our hope and strength are found. Today’s story demonstrates this truth. Join us! Chapter 12 is about some of the persecution Peter experienced and we will look at Peter’s writings in 1 Peter in conjunction with this story in Acts chapter 12 for additional insights. THEN + NOW Persecution - Acts 12:1-4; 1 Peter 4:12-13 Herod Agrippa the First, encouraged by approval after arresting believers and putting the Apostle James to death, decides to arrest and imprison Peter. He has...
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Armor of God #10 - Keep on Praying!
Awake Us Now
"Prayer in the Spirit" is about taking time in the presence of the living God and allowing Him to nurture, nourish, transform, and renew our souls. It is not about "give me, give me, give me," but about "mold me, shape me, use me."
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Growing Gracefully: Training
Awake Us Now
Despite the most rigorous physical exercise and training regimen, our bodies will age and, eventually, die. But there is a training - training in godliness - that lasts into eternity. The spiritual diet we eat, the spiritual exercise we do and the spiritual training we choose affects our ability to grow graceful as Jesus’ disciples. Training ourselves for godliness has benefits for today, tomorrow and for eternity. Spiritual training is timeless. Train to be godly - Christianity is not a spectator sport. We can’t be a couch potato. We must be in training to be godly. This is training with...
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Growing Gracefully: Contentment
Awake Us Now
Even in the most difficult of times, believers such as the apostle Paul have known contentment, an inner peace, a certainty that God is in control. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we know that, through faith in Him, we will live forever. That certainty brings true contentment!
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Growing Gracefully: Humility
Awake Us Now
The humility modeled for us by Jesus is not only refreshing, it is life-changing and God-pleasing! Pride, on the other hand, makes us nauseating not only to others, but to God as well.
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Dig Deeper - Acts Chapter 11: The Origin of "Christian"
Awake Us Now
In Acts 11:26 we read that the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. “Disciple” is the most used word in the New Testament to describe followers of Jesus. It is used 261 times. The word “Christian” is used only 3 times in the New Testament. Brothers and sisters, believers, followers are also used but “disciples” is Jesus’ favorite word to describe His followers. Matthew 29:19-20 - the Great Commission - Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching...
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Growing Gracefully: Freedom
Awake Us Now
True freedom is living the full life that God always intended us to possess. In Jesus, we are freed from bondage to sin and are now free to please God!
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Growing Gracefully: Thankfulness
Awake Us Now
Some Biblical virtues mirror God's character, but this one -- thankfulness -- exalts God's character. Thankfulness promotes humility in us and strengthens our faith. ThankLESSness, by contrast, is an exceptionally dangerous sin.
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GOD ACTS! (Chapter 11) - The Disciples Were Called Christians
Awake Us Now
God’s Gospel Goes Global After Peter told the story of his vision and going to Joppa to the home of Cornelius, we read in Acts 11:18 that “… the believers in Jerusalem had no further objections and praised God saying, ‘So even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.’” And now the barriers that had existed between the Jewish world and the non-Jewish world are down in a single moment. The believers in Jerusalem that had grown up as devout Jewish people had their eyes opened to understand the new age that God promised had arrived. AND God’s Gospel Goes...
info_outlineToday’s message looks at the words of John the Baptist from Matthew 11:2-3, “When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'”
John although a deep believer came to a point where he had his doubts. Such big doubts that he had his own disciples travel 100 miles to ask Jesus that question.
Matthew 11:4-5 “Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
These are words from the Old Testament’s prophecies, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 35:5-6 “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.”
And Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.”
Jesus quoted these verses about the prophecies of the Messiah to show that He was the Messiah, that He and the prophecies were one.
John’s disciples are still listening as Jesus goes on and says in Matthew 11:11-15 “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist...For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Again, these words are quotes from Old Testament Scriptures found in Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:45-6 and Isaiah 40:3 that tell about the one who will prepare the way for the coming Messiah. These are words about John the Baptist.
The Controversy: What kind of Messiah?
⁃ Will he be prophetic, priestly or kingly?
⁃ Will he be a Messiah of mercy or judgment?
⁃ Would he suffer or reign?
⁃ Will there be 2 Messiahs who come once or 1 Messiah who comes twice?
The Biblical Evidence for Messiah:
⁃ Birthplace Micah 5:2
⁃ Lineage Isaiah 11:1
⁃ Miracles Deuteronomy 18:15
⁃ Sacrifice Leviticus 17:11
⁃ Resurrection Isaiah 53:11
We close with Pastor’s heartfelt encouragement to let the word of God speak to our hearts, to search the scriptures and find what Jesus the Messiah has to say to us.
No matter who you are, think about this: If Jesus really is who He claimed to be, there is nothing more important than knowing Him and being known by Him.
Jesus is different than what we expected….
But
He is exactly what the Bible predicted!
If God loved us so much He was willing to take on human flesh and fulfill everything spoken beforehand by the prophets, lay down His life on a cross, rise from the grave and announce forgiveness to all who believe, who would reject such an offer?
It’s true He was different than what was expected, but He is exactly what was predicted and He’s coming back! Therefore, we need to know Him and be known by Him.
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