Believers must work constantly not to lose sight of God's work in our lives and will for our communities and world. In this week's sermon, Pastor Carter Conlon shares how believers can defend their minds and spirits against daily erosion and spiritual blindness. He encourages us to constantly remind ourselves of God's promises and past work so that we can remain aware of God's presence around us.
As we continue our Freeway sermon series, Pastor Gary Wilkerson shares about the importance of forgiveness in our road to freedom. In Luke 7, Jesus is interacting with two people, one who knows she is a sinner and the other who is self righteous. Jesus then shares a story contrasting two people who owed a debt of varying amounts. The one who was forgiven the most is the one who shows the most love. Unforgiveness hinders our relationship with others. Jesus said it is your faith that saves you. It is our faith in the complete forgiveness from Jesus that gives us freedom to love as God intends.
Pastor Gary Wilkerson continues our Freeway series talking about awareness. When the Bible says to examine ourselves we tend to focus on the negative, but it also means seeing if something is acceptable by looking for the good. Yes, there is a time to look for weights that slow us down or things that hinder the fullness of God in our life, but we are not to grovel in our sin and failure, but rest in the finished work of Christ.
Pastor Gary Wilkerson kicks off our Freeway sermon series talking about prodigals. In Luke 15, we see an all-out prodigal who blew his entire inheritance on wild living. Partway prodigals are more common though. They maintain a form of right behavior, while self-managing "small" sin that no one knows about. Whether an all-out prodigal or a partway prodigal, the remedy is the same; come into the house and celebrate the Father's love.
Those who make right choices, will have a bright testimony. We will live in mediocrity, if we choose to walk by our own reasoning. We are invited to petition God for the power to stay away from everything that would dull our spirit. God is looking for a people who will shine like sign posts so they can lead people into His heart.
The call of God involves change. It leads us to the unknown and the uncomfortable. The will for self-preservation can be our fiercest enemy. Jesus understands what it means to struggle with weakness and fear, that is why He invites us to come boldly to the thrown of grace. In these last days our cry should be, “not my will but yours, here I am Lord what would you have me to do?”
How is the church to respond when the world around us seems to be coming apart? Pastor Gary Wilkerson draws the answer from 1 Peter 4:7–11 in what he calls "The 7-11 Vision." In these verses, Peter encourages Christians to continue loving deeply, to have disciplined and earnest prayer, to host friends as well as strangers, and to use our spiritual gifts to serve others.
Each believer has been given the power of the Holy Spirit in fullness, yet we do not see the church prevailing. Why are we not a triumphant church full of love and grace? Pastor Gary Wilkerson reminds us of the fifty-two "one another" verses in the New Testament that speak of the unity, love and humility that we're to show to one another—even when it isn't always reciprocated.
There is power that comes from the Holy Spirit that enables us to go to the ends of the earth telling people about Jesus. When the Holy Spirit is at work, chains fall to the ground and prison doors swing open. We must pray and believe that Jesus can and will deliver and save. Nicky Cruz shares about the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Peter, Paul and even his own life.
Fear robs the heart of the courage we have in Christ. God has not given you a spirit of fear rather He has given you His love and placed inside of you the power to do something to bring glory to His name. We are empowered by the Spirit of God, secure in His love and made free to love one another and our enemies.