Is the Christian Worldview Gone? (GPS Vlog #7)
Many years ago now, there as an uproar when former President Obama remarked that the U.S. was not a “Christian nation.” While there may have been a lot of resistance to this statement, two polling agencies discovered that he may not be far from the truth. Join us today as we explore the subject of worldviews and what present surveys tell us about the state of our nation and the church and the great responsibility and mission we have before…
Thoughts on Death
Death is a reality for all of us. Unless Jesus comes again before we enter the grave, we will all die. And death is one of those odd subjects that people don’t like to talk about but yet commands interest as well. There are all sorts of stories on YouTube about people’s after-death experiences. I was watching a video today asking “What happens when we die?” Looking to Scripture, what does it have to say about death and hope for…
Paradise…It’s More Than You Think (GPS #5)
You hear or read reports about mortality rates from time to time. The mortality rate for mankind is 100%. Death is a part of life that many are not comfortable talking about. It is a necessary conversation though particularly because there are only two destinies for us as we die: 1) eternal separation from God or 2) eternal fellowship in the presence of God. There are many misconceptions about heaven. We’re going to right a few of those today and…
The Greatest Impact You Can Have…Your Influence as a Dad
I am more and more sensitive to the awesome responsibility of being a dad. Not just in providing for them physically in making sure that they have the basic necessities plus some extra for fun. More importantly, I have been more and more sensitive to the impact I can have on my children for better or worse by the example I set before them. In a world of “influences” on social media, men be an influencer in your home for…
Good Father with Good Wisdom (GPS #3)
Continuing on the theme of fatherhood that Pastor Paul hit on Sunday, let’s journey back to the book of James today and see its correlation to the book of Proverbs as we talk about God being a good Father who gives good wisdom. “Our Father…” – 1 Jn 3:1
God Is Working All Things… (Rom 8)
Isn’t it amazing at how we can come back to a familiar text of Scripture and be encouraged or grasp something new from it? That happened for me today. And I pray it will for you as well in this video clip I’d like to share. We must remember it’s all about God. May you be encouraged today. God bless! Guest Speaker: Tim Jeske (MCE) on Romans 8
Do You See the Grace of God? (Rom 8)
The great hymn of the faith comes to mind today – “Wonderful grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin…” Are you singing the rest of the verse now? But it’s true. God’s grace is wonderful and Romans 8 highlights (and not just the chapter but the whole book) the grace of God for us. How do you see the grace of God as you read through it? Take a moment today to watch and then reflect on the wonderful…
Dual Citizenship (GPS Vlog #2)
Christians have a unique identity. Not only are we citizens of our respective countries of origin (or more generally citizens of earth), but we are also citizens of heaven. I find that when it comes to hot topics as we are discussing in our new sermon series that we tend to side with the earthly rather than heavenly citizenship. Today, we’re diving into this subject of dual citizenship and what it means for us in our interactions with others and…
Looking with God’s Eyes (GPS Vlog #1)
It is hard to see purpose in the midst of the hows & whys of tragedy. Yet God tells that there is. In fact, we see that suffering has purpose and God has used it for our greatest good. Join us as we explore that today from Isaiah 53 and discovere what purpose our suffering may have as we look at it with God’s eyes. Thanks for watching! “Responding to Tragedy”
Security & Fruit (Jas 5)
At the end of James, he calls us to seek the lost whether that be an unbeliever in the midst of the church or a believer who is caught up in sin. That study on Sunday naturally leads us into a conversation about eternal security and how maybe we have abused it at times. Thanks for joining us today! “To Seek & Save the Lost”
The Word of God as Our Guide…Even on Prayer (Jas 5)
Sadly many have been deceived and given misinformation about the subject of prayer. It has left people with false hope. The same could be said of many other things in life including relationships, the keys to happiness, purpose and fulfillment in life. Through this segment today, may you be encouraged to let Scripture be your guide in all matters of life, searching it and finding what it has to say. Thanks for watching! “Let’s Pray” (Jas 5:13-18)
Constant Communication with God (Jas 5)
Prayer. It’s the red-phone to heaven. It’s the walkie-talkie to call in reinforcements. Sometimes we speak of it as a specially reserved time in our morning devotions or a segment of a service. But it is more than all of these things. It is living in constant communication with God – a constant attitude of dependence on him. Thanks for watching as we explore this important topic James highlights in ch. 5. “Let’s Pray” (Jas 5:13-18)
Learning from Others on Suffering
James encourages us from ch. 5 to look to the examples of the prophets and Job as we encounter suffering in life. Their testimony is meant to encourage us, particularly in being patient, having endurance, and God’s purpose and care. The Scriptures isn’t just a random collection of writings. There is purpose, even instructing us in how to endure suffering. I’d like to encourage you not only with this text, but with the lessons and example Paul Tripp learned through…
Vertical Vision (Jas 5)
In James 5, we see both oppression and injustice. As James tells his readers to “be patient” in 5:7, he calls them to a different perspective. And that perspective that he calls them to is meant to impact their everyday life. Thanks for watching as we explore these subjects together! “One Response” (Jas 5:7-12)
Contentment Surgery (Jas 5)
James, while addressing the issue of oppression by the rich, hints at a character quality we must develop for our lives–contentment. This subject applies not just to finances but to many areas of life. But in order to come to that place, we need some spiritual surgery. What’s the deeper issue? Thanks for watching. See these videos: “It’s a Trap!” – Jas 5:1-6 (May 8, 2022 Sermon) & “I Want! I Want! I Want!” by Paul Tripp CCLI Streaming License…
Radical Disciple or Rationalizing Follower? (Jas 5)
James 5 confronts the financial oppression that was occurring in the writer’s day. Underlying the content of the passage though is this call to radical discipleship–to not adopt the norms of our culture, but rather follow after Jesus wholeheartedly. However, we may be guilty more times than not of being a rationalizing follower instead of a radical disciple. We find ways to explain away what Jesus calls us to and instead continue on in what we are content and comfortable…
Depending on God
James confronts those living in complete independence of God at the end of chapter 4. If that is what living independently of God looks like, what is characteristic of a life dependent on God? Thanks for watching as we explore that question today!
God’s Faithfulness Hasn’t Changed
God was faithful in bringing what he promised to pass as we talked last time. Sometimes however, we doubt his faithfulness from an experiential level as we encounter certain events and times in our lives. But his faithfulness never changes. He always has a plan, is always working it out for our best and his glory. Thanks for watching!
What Are the Odds?
What are the odds? Ever used the phrase. Sometimes it is in astonishment at what just happened or we are shrugging off something and don’t even consider it a possibility. Today we’re looking at some statistics that should give us confidence in the faithfulness of God to his Word and strengthen our hope in Christ. Thanks for watching!
Is Good Friday Really Good?
My son asked us the other day at dinner about the origins of Good Friday. He wasn’t referencing the biblical account by the eptimology of the phrase itself. So we looked into a bit this week. Is Good Friday really good? Thanks for watching! “Who Do You Say I Am?” – April 10, 2022 Sermon “What’s So Good About Good Friday?” – Passion Conference CCLI Streaming License # 20229783