Pastor’s Messages

Pastor’s Messages

Why Church? (Series)

Why Church? (Series) Is it really that important to be a part of a local church? Can’t I just have a personal faith and that’s enough? We jokingly call these Christians, “Bedside Baptists” when I was growing up. I did my best growing up to always be sick on Sunday mornings. Sometimes my mom would buy it but usually I would end up having to with my mom and my brothers. Before I received Jesus I didn’t like going to…

Justified For A Purpose

Romans 4:4-5  4 Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. The justified believer is declared to be free of the demands of the law since they have been fulfilled in Christ and they are no longer subject to the penalty of the law. They are justified, set right by God, and placed…

Dont Settle For Isolation And Loneliness

Don’t Settle For Isolation And Loneliness 2 Timothy 4:16-18  At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be…

Leverage Used At Our Expense

Leverage Used At Our Expense Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart    and lean not on your own understanding;6 in all your ways submit to him,    and he will make your paths straight. What are the negative emotions that regularly leave you exposed to Satan’s attacks? Anxiety, fear, guilt, lust, or anger. If he can just find a foothold into your life, he will exploit it in every way possible and then heap guilt on you, so you beat yourself up. The enemy…

God Will Anoint You For What He Asks Of You

Luke 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, God thoroughly equips and empowers us through faith to complete every task in His will, before He ever asks us to do things for Him. This anointing through the Holy Spirit allows us the ability to accomplish…

Are You On The Right Path?

What is it that causes you to get a little stuck in life, unable to make decisions and weighed down by stress? Indecision can cause anxiety and frustration so it’s important to have clarity of thought as we are moving forward on the right path that God has for us, but that requires that we trust Him more than we trust ourselves. Proverbs 3:5-6     Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.…

How We Live Affects Our Prayer Life

How We Live Affects Our Prayer Life When we add prayer to our recovery process, our habits and hurts start to heal. The truth is true recovery requires prayer. Still many people try to change their lives in their own strength, but lasting recovery requires prayer. So why is it that so many people’s lives start to change and then they hit a wall and start going back to their old ways again?   Why do some people seem to…

What Causes Hesitation And Uncertainty In Your Life?

Is there anything you believe God wants to do but you’ve let fear and doubt keep you from stepping forward in faith? Fear and doubt cause us to become complacent or anxious. Either we give into our fears and become a bump on a log, or we live in fear and doubt with restless worry and nervous concern. If we want to get off the sidelines and into the game of purpose and passion, then self-doubt needs to be delt…

Maturity Is Not About Knowing More

Maturity Is Not About Knowing More   Why is it that some Christians who know God’s word are so critical, meanspirited, and judgmental? They’ve obviously studied God’s word for many years, but they have what I call a Pharisaical mindset. They are grumpy, arrogant, and act as though they don’t ever struggle with sin. They are unapproachable and cause nonbelievers to hate Christianity, the church, and Christians in general. Jesus had some choice words for these haters that might surprise you.…

Do you Struggle With Anxiety And Feeling Defeated?

In what areas of your life do you feel defeated and anxious? Is there anything that you can do to be freed from these condemning thoughts and feelings so that anxiety can be replaced with peace and joy? Sometimes we feel so discouraged and defeated in our Christian lives. We all struggle with temptation and sin and then the guilt and shame that follow can cause us to cave and think defeated thoughts. Then our emotions can become our guide…

Don’t Let Your Past Define Your Future

Don’t Let Your Past Define Your Future When John Travolta has a new part in a movie, he said he starts with the walk. All his characters have a different walk and that helps him find his new personality for the movie. When Jacob was a young man, he was a fraud, a scam artist, and a con. When he finally humbled himself and confessed his sin one night, God gave him a new identity, blessed him, and gave him…

Victory In A Spiritual Battle

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. We can live victorious lives if we know how to prepare for the battles. We don’t have to give in to Satan’s attempts to control us through temptations. We are called to guard our hearts, and we do that by God’s truth renewing us and cleansing us from negative thoughts and emotions. Fear and guilt truly is the devil’s playground. Are there any negative…

God Uses All Situations To Bring Blessings

God Uses All Situations To Bring Blessings Our most powerful testimonies come from our times of struggles. Because God meets us in our brokenness and brings comfort and healing. The prosperity gospel churches try to show their spirituality by having lots of stuff and financial success. True spirituality produces people who are mentally, relationally, emotionally, and spiritually whole during times of adversity. That means our joy and peace doesn’t depend on our circumstances. Philippians 1:12-14 Now I want you to…

The Wake of Anger Behind You

The Wake of Anger Behind YouLook behind you. Is there a wake of broken relationships that keeps growing? Is there anyone who has experienced your rage and is still fighting to move on? How has anger impacted your family? How has anger impacted your co-workers, and friends? Proverbs 14:29 People with understanding control their anger, but a hot temper shows great foolishness. When we lose our temper, everyone around us gets hurt. Parents might be able to make their children…

A Different Weapon For A Different Kind Of Warrior

A Different Weapon For A Different Kind Of Warrior                                                          2 Timothy 2:25-26                                                                                   25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. We all face opposition because of our faith in Jesus. It’s important to understand that the source of this opposition isn’t a coworker,…

Enjoying Prayer

Enjoying Prayer Many people feel uncomfortable praying, so they rarely do it, let alone enjoy it. Prayer has the potential to be something you look forward to every day. It’s where intimacy with the Lord can be experienced time and again. Do you struggle sometimes with how you should approach Him? Don’t overthink it. Be real with what you are thinking and feeling. Share what’s on your mind or what you’re anxious about. Sometimes I intentionally let scripture guide me…