Sermon: Rowing Against the Wind

Matthew 14:23-33

Pastor BH

Date: October 12, 2008

Don't create a self-fulfilling prophecy

1. In times of depression, fix your eyes on Jesus. Focus on our blessings not our problems. The goodness of God.

Psalm 27:13 ~ I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

2. In times of defeat, we need to fix our eyes on the greatness of God.

Jeremiah 32:27 ~ I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

3. In times of darkness, fix your eyes on the cloesness of God. He is in my boat, so I know I'll make it to the other side. He gives the peace that passes all understanding.

Philippians 4:7 ~ And the peaxce of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Sermon: Peer Pressure at any age

Galatians 2:11-13 NIV

Pastor CR

James was the brother of Jesus. James was spineless. Peter caved in to peer pressure. Mass confusion broke out in church; called a hypocrite; pulled away from the Gospel.

1. We need to seek approval from God and not anyone else

Peter means "Rock"  ~ he walked with Jesus, shared life and teaching with Him and he still caved to peer pressure.

Galatians 2:9 ~ pillars, apostle

God made me; God sees everything I do; God will be the one who judges me

2. Peer pressure doesn't lessen with age. Peter was at least 40-60 years old when he caved to peer pressure.

3. Don't worry about what everyone else around you are doing (v. 12)

    A.  Everyone else is not doing it

    B.   Even if they are doing it, doesn't make it right

    C.   If the Bible says it's wrong, then it's WRONG

4.  Keep good company

Samson went spineless to peer pressure because of women. You'll turn out like the people you surround yourself with.

Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

The opposite of peer pressure is Biblical accountability.

Mark 5:27 - Peter, James and John. Even Jesus surrounded Himself with the right people. 

Sermon: The Church Family ~ Sons of God

Galatians 3:26-29 NIV

Pastor CR

August 12, 2007

Ephesians ~ Church = building

I Corinthians ~ Body of Christ - the soliders

Romans 8:15 Sonship - Abba Father

When we are saved, we are adopted into God's family. We have a spiritual Father and many siblings. Christianity is about relationship with God.

The church at Galatia were going through divisions. Paul was crashing down the barriers.

Acts 13:1 Simeon called Niger

Acts 16:1 Timothy's mom was a Jew and Dad was a Greek, but was accepted into church regardless of nationality or skin color.

James 2 - No favoritism

Church is to be:

1.  Inclusive ~ welcomes all types

2. Love one another ~ care about them; take care of them; have their back

3. Flee petty division ~ it's the little things that cause problems

How can we do these things:

Galatians 3:26-27

Baptism - public profession of faith

Clothed - put the things of Christ on us; one in spirit

I Samuel 18:1-4 - a covenant with each other

Ephesians 4:22-24

Sermon: Five great things about church

Pastor CR

1.  Patient church

2. Optimistic ~ happy ~ with a "can do attitude"

3. Willing to take risks

4. Embacing change

5. Payer

Sermon: The Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4:1-7 NIV

Pastor CR

1.   She believed in God = faith

2. She acted on the commands of God - she did something for herself regarding the problem

The woman came to him - Elisha

He puts the responsibility to help herself back on her

Willing to do what you can with what you have. God will perform miracles.

James 2 ~ prayer ~ I don't have because I don't ask

The church is to help serve the widows

Bible is the source of people of faith ~ they prayed and acted

She did EXACTLY what was told to her

Sermon: Recipe for healing spiritual & emotional wounds

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Pastor MH

My people ~ relationship, a belonging, see Romans 10:10-13

Humble themselves ~ our will gets in the way of our healing. Let the (doctor) God do His job. You must submit your will to God in order for Him to heal you. Just let go! Pride is the destruction of health, family, church. Pride is self-reliance whereas humility is God reliance.

Pray and seek my face ~ we have to TALK to God. He wants to hear from us.

Praying ~ petition - asking for help and then be quiet and listen

Seeking His face ~ looking for His will to be done - His guidance. You must be humble to seek His face. Remember Christ in the garden ~ on knees, prayed and sought guidance

Turn from their wicked ways ~ repentance, turn away from what is causing the pain. A child's hand on hot stove =  hurts. True forgiveness comes from repentance.

Then I will hear from heaven, forgive you and heal you.

Sermon: Letter of Recommendation

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 NIV

Pastor CR

January 21, 2007

2 Timothy ~ recalling your tears

You act the way you are taught to act. We are to be a "living recommendation" of who Jesus Christ is to others.

1. We produce a letter of recommendation (v. 2) in others when we pour ourselves into them.

2. We are a letter of recommendation (v. 3) ~ we are public documents just like the Declaration of Independence

3. We represent God