Episodes
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
The Use of Spiritual Gifts
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 = This message addresses a problem that is common to many believers, and that is very similar to the problem experienced by the church in Corinth in the days of the apostle Paul. It deals with the abuse and misuse of spiritual gifts, and the dangers it can cause. It offers the same solution Paul offered to the Corinthian church, a solution that honors God and reflects His calling for everyone of us.
Saturday Mar 11, 2023
Receiving the Holy Spirit
Saturday Mar 11, 2023
Saturday Mar 11, 2023
Acts 8:14-17 - Unfortunately, some people think that receiving the Holy Spirit is all about personal empowerment. They think it is something God gives us to endow us with some supernatural power. This, however, can only lead to a self-centered attitude, contrary to the Lord's commandment to love one another. It is a problem the New Testament talks about, as it was addressed quite directly in Paul's letter to the Corinthian church. It was also a problem in Samaria, where Simon the magician attempted to buy that power with money. But the giving of the Holy Spirit is not something that is independent from the church, and certainly not something God grants for personal gain or power.
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Responding to Suffering Audio Sample - Introduction
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
This is an audio sample from the Introduction of our pastor's most recent book, Responding to Suffering. The book is available in print from most major retailers. Click here for additional information.
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Responding to Suffering Audio Sample - Preface
Friday Mar 03, 2023
Friday Mar 03, 2023
This is an audio sample from the Preface of our pastor's most recent book, Responding to Suffering. The book is available in print from most major retailers. Click here for additional information.
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
The Blessing of Purity
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Tuesday Sep 06, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:8 = Purity is a familiar concept. We want pure water to drink, pure air to breathe, and pure products that are free from contamination. But what does it mean to be "pure in heart"? Is our heart free from anything that would contaminate it? Are our motives pure? Can we ever do the right things and still be wrong?
Tuesday Aug 30, 2022
The Blessing of Mercy
Tuesday Aug 30, 2022
Tuesday Aug 30, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:7 = Mercy is a vital aspect of our character. But what is it, actually? Where does it come from? How can we have it in us? You may be surprised to discover how much it depends on love and giving. In this message you will find not only a definition of mercy, but what it looks like in actual practice.
Monday Aug 22, 2022
The Blessing of Hunger and Thirst
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Monday Aug 22, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:6 = A starving person has a single, all-consuming passion for food and water. Nothing else has the slightest attraction or appeal; nothing else can even get his or her attention. What are you starving for? What do you thirst for? It has to do with desire, passion, and ambition.
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
The Blessing of Gentleness
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:5 = What do we do when someone is less than perfect and annoys us? A Rembrandt's painting, the Nightwatch, was sliced with a knife. Michelangelo's Pietà was damaged by a man with a hammer. What did the curators do? Did they dismiss those works of art because they were defective or damaged? How much more important are people than a painting or a statue?
Monday Aug 15, 2022
The Blessing of Mourning
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Monday Aug 15, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:4 = Blessed are those who mourn. As we continue in our series on the beatitudes, we encounter another strange statement from Jesus that needs to be understood. It seems like a paradox, and perhaps it is, especially if we look at life from a secular perspective. How can mourning be a blessing?
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
Putting On the New Self
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
Saturday Aug 13, 2022
Reading: Colossians 3:1-17 = Surely, you would not put on dirty gardening clothes to attend a formal wedding, nor would you put on a formal dress or a tuxedo to work on your garden. Changing clothes is a very familiar illustration for all of us, and one that is rich with meaning. It is for that reason that the apostle Paul was inspired to use it to illustrate our need for spiritual transformation.
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
The Blessing of Poverty
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
Thursday Aug 04, 2022
Reading: Matthew 5:3 = Blessed are the poor in spirit. What does this famous statement mean? How does it apply to us today? What difference does it make? In this first sermon in the series on the beatitudes in Matthew 5 we address this and other important questions.
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Why, God?
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-19 = Suffering has always been present in our world, but in time like these the amount of suffering we experience just seems to be overwhelming. The figures are staggering, not only for COVID, but the wars, the natural calamities, the famines, the social injustices, the accidents, the broken relationships. It seems as if the whole world around us is now in turmoil. Faced by all this, we ask many questions, but most of all, we ask "Why, God? Why do You allow so much?" It is not a topic we like to talk about, but it is an important one, and Scripture addresses it, pointing us to the greatest hope we can ever have. This message looks directly at that hope.
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
He Has Done All Things Well
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Reading: Mark 7:24-37 = Two miracles among the Gentiles that speak volumes about Jesus. He modeled care, compassion, patience, understanding, and does the same for us. God looks at our heart and our faith. It doesn't matter who we have been, what color our skin is, or how righteous we thought we were. In Him we find redemption, but it is all about Him, not us!
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Honoring Him With the Heart
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Thursday Jul 28, 2022
Reading: Mark 7:1-23 = Just as in the days of Jesus, today too many people live an external religion without the heart. In this message we address what discipleship is all about by taking a close look at what Jesus said about the heart of a disciple.
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Be Firmly Rooted and Established
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Monday Jul 25, 2022
Reading: Colossians 2:6-15 = There are subtle deceptions, according to the philosophies of men, that could take us captive. How can we recognize them, and be firmly rooted and established in the truth? How can we make sure that our contribution to the church is truly according to God's will?