Philemon 7 – For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you. THEME OF THE DAY. A REFRESHING CHRISTIAN. Settle in and ponder the relationship of the Apostle Paul and Philemon based on today’s scripture. These two brothers in Christ simply loved each other. And it wasn’t…
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
New Testament
Three of the most deceitful and soul-damaging sins we may commit are complaining, procrastination, and discontentment. Today we focus on the topic of discontentment. Here we find an attack on God’s character. Discontent says, “God, I don’t deserve this treatment and I deserve more from You than I have.” Don’t go there. We don’t want what we really deserve from God.
Life is full of burdens. Life is hard. Life is trying. We are confronted with much this side of heaven which seems to overwhelm us, drown us, and if not careful, will cover us with a blanket of hopelessness. Yet for the Christian, we have a Burden Bearer who knows our weaknesses, cares for us with a love beyond description, and comes alongside us to be our burden-bearer.
In this sermon, Pastor Jim continues the study of the prison prayers of the Apostle Paul. The first stop has been in Ephesians 1:15-21. In this prayer, he is praying for believers to have a great knowledge of God that leads to a more confident and assured walk with Him. And he does so with a petition that they might know what is the immeasurable greatness of God’s power working in them. This is an important petition for believers for, when answered, it helps them live by faith and confidence in what God has already provided for them in Christ – His great power to live an overcoming life, a serving life, and an enduring life.
In this message Pastor Jim continues to delve into the deep meaning of the greeting and opening paragraph in 1 Peter. Here we encounter a hope through Christ Jesus to an amazing inheritance, promised by God, the centerpiece of which is Jesus Himself. An inheritance that will bring us joy and pleasures eternal.
1 Timothy 1:15-16 – The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal…