Sermons

Bethlehem is the place where God was given for the needs of humanity. As Christians there is an inner desire that God plants in our heart to go into His field and gather up those whom are considered outcasts and unwanted. God wants to revive the present day church to find strength and power one more time in His redemptive love. We are called to go into the world and pick up what nobody wants and tell the world there is bread enough for all and this bread is Jesus Christ Himself. May we all be awakened to the absolute value of one soul!

[Song of Solomon 5:1–9, 8:5] Anyone above the age of three has experienced a broken relationship. Even as mature adults we are not immune to them. When we are hurt by others we push them away, and in return they push us away. What began as a minor conflict quickly becomes a broken relationship — neither person willing to soften their heart and humble them self. When we are hurt we rightly turn to the church for healing, but often find ourselves beaten and bruised. We turn to our friends, but they are consumed by their own problems. Church systems and structures will not heal a hurting heart. The church today is in need of more people filled with the Holy Spirit — focused on others rather than self, and ministering Christ’s love to the lost and hurting. Jesus has the power to heal marriages, restore families, and change lives.
 

In some degree or another we have all experienced loss and grief. There are times in our pain that we cry out and God answers us (2 Chronicles 18:31). There are other times when we get hit by random arrows (2 Chronicles 18:33) — divorce, loss of a loved one, backslidden children, etc. — that cause us to question God. How could this happen? Where were you God? We must be sure to maintain an eternal perspective on loss. We focus so much on seeking healing and comfort that we lose perspective. There are times when God calls us to anguish over sin and lost souls going to Hell. The church in America should be grieving over its lukewarm condition, but instead has accepted it.

In the Old Testament, Jonathan and Tamar are both given opportunities to forgive. Jonathan has a verbally, emotionally, and physically abusive father; yet he is able to walk in forgiveness. Tamar is sexually abused by her step-brother Amnon, but carries her shame as a “desolate woman.” Christ’s shed blood on the cross not only forgives us of our sin (propitiation), but also cleanses us of the shame of sin (expiation). When given the opportunity to forgive and be forgiven, how will you respond?

Today is a day of mercy and grace. God is gently calling out to those who are backslidden, those who have grown cold and those who need to make things right with God. The first call of Jesus is of love and forgiveness. The second call is, "You make a move"! The Bible says, "today if you hear His voice harden not your heart." Jesus is coming soon, so get up and shake yourself form the dirt and when you rise up the shackles of captivity and sin will fall off!

America has made a tragic mistake by allowing the worship of Baalism into the House of The Lord. The god of prosperity has become the god of this age. How this must break the heart of God! The Lord doesn’t judge with any delight in His heart but He looks down on what was supposed to be His heritage and says I can't let this go on any longer! He absolutely will not let His people pursue a path that will lead to hell. God is calling His church to return to Him and allow Him to take away all the iniquity in us that would keep His life from flowing through His Body. When we get right with God the storms will come but His church will stand with His Glory upon us. The testimony of the true church of Christ will not be shaken!

[Exodus 14: 1–4; 1 Samuel 9:3–7] We have all kinds of fears — public speaking, spiders, death, etc. One of our greatest fears is a fear of faith. It seems too dangerous, too demanding, and too draining. Trusting God often means we find ourselves in a difficult situation — in a place we don’t want to be, without resources, and at a time not of our choosing. Faith requires being placed in circumstances where all we can do is depend on God. If we are not willing to step out, we can miss what God has for us.

This message is for those who are in an intense unseen battle. You know that God has called you and loves you but you find yourself for a season in an extremely lonely and vulnerable place. Like King David you are sent to "lion and bear country". When you put your life in God's hands it draws the attack of the lion and the bear. Except the Lord show up we will be devoured. In this solitary unseen place there is evidence that God is with us because when the lion and the bear show up so does He! The Word of the Lord says, God had provided me a king, and He keeps the sheep. When we feel the weakest there is a king within us that will rise up and keep us. We will not be devoured, we will be delivered and become a deliverer.

Philippians 2:12-18 – Our culture is permeated with a self-help, pop-psychology mentality — using past hurts and experiences as excuses for present behaviors. As Christians we are called to “work out [our] own salvation.” This doesn’t mean we save ourselves; rather salvation is a gift from God that must be engaged. There is more to our faith than professing with our mouth that we are Christian. We must live a life that is pleasing to God and demonstrates the transformation that has taken place in us. Let your life be a testimony, not only to the world, but to other professing Christians.

Paul says that “to live is Christ and to die is gain,” but often times we seek life outside of Christ — some look for life in success, wealth, and fame; others turn to drugs, drinking, and sexual immorality; while many just seek escape through television and entertainment. Religion proposes to offer a solution, but only asks us to give up “things” rather than completely dying to self. Have you been crucified with Christ? How do you handle difficult circumstances? How do you react to difficult people? What do you do when you don’t get what you want when you want it? A life fully surrendered to Christ is one of rejoicing, abundance and victory.