Tag: Jesus

• Preparing to Follow God

  Sometimes we make things difficult that are really quite easy.  Have you ever put together a tent?  I have seen people spend hours in a jumbled up mess.  Then, suddenly, they looked at the directions in a different way and poof their tent was up in ten minutes. (no, I won’t admit that the person…

  Pastor John

  May 17, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Baptist, Calvary, character, church, complicated, desire, faith, faithful, follow, God, holy, hope, indianola, invitation, Jesus, love, mystical, simple, spiritual

• An Encounter with God

  I have a wonderment this week.  I wonder if the only ones who truly try to meet with God are the fringe elements of our family.  Now, I am not talking about all of us who have meetings about God, but when it comes to meeting God on a Sunday morning (or any day of…

  Pastor John

  May 2, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Baptist, Calvary, church, cold, come near, dead, emotion, encounter, faith, forgiveness, God, grace, hope, indianola, Isaiah 6, Jesus, joy, love, mercy, philosophy, real, relationship, theology, wonder

• Why the Resurrection

  Have you recently considered the claims of the Scripture? No, I don’t mean the claims of people who carry the Bible – they could have an agenda. I mean, have you really read what the New Testament claims about Jesus? It isn’t a message of morality. The New Testament does not have a simple respect…

  Pastor John

  April 26, 2011

  Uncategorized

  1 Corinthians 15, Baptist, Calvary, church, cold, dead, faith, forgiveness, future, God, grave, hope, indianola, Jesus, life, love, patronize, philosophy, relationship, resurrection, sin, stone, theology, truth, wonder

• Why We Need Jesus

  This is Easter week.  Good Friday is now just days away.  Although it may seem superfluous, I feel a need to examine why Jesus had to come.  My reason is simple: in every generation there have been whole groups of people who seem to be oblivious to their need for a Savior of their soul. …

  Pastor John

  April 20, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Baptist, Calvary, church, cold, come near, dead, faith, forgiveness, friend, God, grave, hope, indianola, Jesus, joy, love, mercy, philosophy, positions, reconciliation, relationship, sin, theology, wonder

• Good things gone awry

  Last Sunday afternoon we were talking about the rich young ruler in Mark 10.  We noticed that the man thought about what he could ‘do’ to be saved.  He asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.”  I know that this is a grammatical nuance, but I pointed out then (and…

  Pastor John

  April 15, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  appearance, Baptist, be, being, Calvary, checklist, church, do, doing, faith, forgiveness, God, heart, indianola, Jesus, Mark 10, prayer, works

• What Makes Church, Church?

   Have you ever thought about what difference there is between worshipping God on your own by the lake and worshipping God with God’s people on a Saturday night or Sunday morning?  Hebrews 10 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider…

  Pastor John

  April 5, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  another, Baptist, Calvary, church, encouragement, faith, friend, God, Hebrews 10, indianola, Jesus, love, me, mercy, prayer, reaching around, speech, we

• A Serious Mission

  God’s Word says, “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15) …

  Pastor John

  March 30, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Acts 14, Baptist, Barnabas, Calvary, church, compromise, convictions, cross, crucifixion, disciple, God, gospel, indianola, Jesus, love, Paul, political, salvation, save, sinners, social, universalism

• On Mission With God

  In Acts 13 we see Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey.  On Sunday, we did not focus on Paul and Barnabas’ success.  Instead, we focused on their response to opposition and resistance.  It is there that we see Paul and Barnabas’ character shine through. We do not see them grow frustrated or hopeless. …

  Pastor John

  March 22, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Acts 13, Baptist, Barnabas, Calvary, character, church, convictions, disciple, faith, feelings, God, indianola, Jesus, Judges, knowing, love, military, morality, Paul

• Faith in the Trenches

  Sunday, we looked at the deliverance of Peter from Herod in Acts 12.  It is an amazing passage of Scripture highlighting the power of God.  It is also a profound example of fervent prayer.  Yet, the part that I personally find so instructive is the response of the people.  Acts 12:5 says, “So Peter was…

  Pastor John

  March 14, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  actions, angel, Baptist, Calvary, church, disciples, discourage, doubt, encourage, exercise, faith, free, God, hope, indianola, Jesus, love, Peter, prayer, prison, stretching

• Walk through the valley

  Mountains and valleys. We seem, as spiritual beings, to desire the mountain top experience with God.  In Acts chapter, Peter has quite a mountain top experience with God.  Not only does he have a vision, but God also changes his understanding of the gospel message.  That’s quite a mountain top!  Then comes chapter 11.  He…

  Pastor John

  February 23, 2011

  Salvation, Uncategorized

  Baptist, Calvary, church, exiles, faithfulness, famine, gentile, God, indianola, Iowa, Jesus, Jewish, live, mountains, pastor, Pentecost, persecution, Peter, prayer, schedule, sermon, valleys, yes