Category: Salvation
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Preparing for Christmas – A Struggle of Faith
Sometimes we forget how much of struggle Christmas was for the first people who experienced it. I think of the struggle of Mary and Joseph as they made their way to Bethlehem. I think of the struggles of everyone who was visited by an angel. At each encounter, the angel had to say, “Do not…
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Why Jesus Came
On Sunday we began a new series on the things that we forget about Christmas. What profound meaning Christmas has! The reality that the lights, presents, family get-togethers, and other trappings are just trappings is easy to mess up. It is easy to substitute the icing of Christmas for the cake. I mentioned Sunday that…
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Unforeseen Consequences
When we think about the flood recorded in Genesis, we think of judgment, salvation, rain, animals, and an ark. We don’t necessarily think of the subject of unforeseen consequences. Yet, they are there. We have the consequence of the terror of animals. We have the consequence of a fear of rain and a fear of…
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Thanksgiving
This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. Yet, I wonder how often we really have given thanks. I mean, it is one thing to utter the simple, “Thank you.” It is quite another to truly give thanks. Do we even understand how powerful thanksgiving is? God has said in His Word that the refusing to give thanks…
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Fruit Checking
I urge you to not become a fruit checker. Why?It is a depressing job. To look for the blemishes and nicks and rotten spaces in fruit has got to be one of the more discouraging jobs. Why? Well, what makes perfect, perfect? Is there a standard of perfection that any piece of fruit can match? …
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Trust is hard
This week’s worship time was focused on trusting God. We talked about trusting and how difficult it is sometimes. It is difficult because our stress-filled times make us forget God’s faithfulness. It is difficult because we want easy answers. It is difficult because we undervalue walking with God. It is difficult because trust requires faith…
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Why We Fight
This Sunday we talked about why Christians fight with each other and unbelievers about points of doctrine. Sometimes these points of belief are minor. Sometimes these points of belief are major (or at least we believe them to be so!). However, I rarely see anyone asking, “Do I have to fight about this issue?” Even…
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The 2nd Coming
Jesus taught about the end and His return in some depth in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Yet, I am always amazed at how people use the ‘signs’ of Christ’s return to say much more that Christ did. He says, ” When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be…
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Purity – Modelling Purity
This week’s and last weeks sermons were about purity. We ended by talking about the necessity of modelling We read in Titus 2, “Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love…
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Purity – Clean on the Inside
Our passage for this week is Psalm 119:9. It says, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word." Purity. Yes, it is about morality. However, purity is also about much more. Purity in our morality is important. Purity in what we think, allow into our minds, and…
Pastor John D Jakes 