Serving After the Storm
Hi Everyone, In times like these folks ask all kinds of questions, but the only relevant question is, “What can I do help?” You have pitched in to help Cheri and Allen the past two days and they are so grateful. I once heard that one of the measures of the strength of a church [...]
Rejected or Accepted?
John 1:9-13
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who [...]
A Mother’s Hope and Heartache
Judges 13
There’s nobody like mom. Mothers have made an indelible impression on their children’s lives since the beginning of time. If you look back through the pages of history, seeking to find those men and women who have left their mark, you will find that there was a mother who first left her mark on that [...]
Running For Henry!
2013 Austism “PieceWalk and Run”
Good Morning, At the beginning of 2013 our pastor, Herman Stevenson, started a running club for those who hadn’t run. It was called the “Couch to 5K Club” and it has taken off like gangbusters! Their first race together was the “Beacon On The Bay 5K” at Lake Hefner. This past week some of Herman’s [...]
Can I Get a Witness?
John 1:6-8
In light of all that we have learned about Jesus, so far in our study of John’s Gospel, it is mind boggling that God has chosen to use broken vessels to carry His message of mercy, forgiveness, grace, redemption, and salvation to the world. Stop and think about it with me just for a moment. [...]
Empty Thoughts and Darkened Hearts
Romans 1:21-23
As we continue our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome today we have to remember where we have been so far in our study. If you will remember, our last few studies have focused on our current situation, we are living life under the wrath of God. The wrath of God is [...]
No Excuses!
Romans 1:18-21
We actually began the study of this section of Scripture last week by taking a look at the wrath of God. If you will remember God’s anger, or His wrath, is not like our anger. Our anger is oftentimes impulsive and explosive. God’s wrath is purposeful. God’s wrath is an expression of His love. God’s [...]
The Life and The Light of Humanity
John 1:3-5
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all [...]
The Cross and The Crown
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
This morning there are followers of Jesus all over the world who are gathering to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Christians have been doing this since the first Easter morning, but there is one place on the planet where they’ve been doing it the longest—the place that we know as The Church [...]
The Power of God
Romans 1:16-17
When we began our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome I told you that this letter has been used by God to transform countless lives and spark revivals across the globe. One of the revivals, or maybe I should say, “reformations,” that came about because of the letter to the Romans is [...]
“In The Beginning…”
John 1:1-2
I was taught, somewhere along the way in English class, that when you write a paper or give a speech you should “tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them.” I found out much later that it wasn’t my English teacher who dreamed up [...]
I’m Not Ashamed
Romans 1:16
I have a declaration to make this morning. A statement that I just can’t keep to myself. I have been pondering the possible repercussions my announcement could bring about. I have been considering the potential consequences of my disclosure. I’ve weighed the benefits of keeping it to myself against the cost of letting the cat [...]
The Good News of John
“So That You May Believe…”
If God was going to pick someone to tell His story, John wouldn’t have been a likely candidate. He wasn’t a theologian. He was a fisherman. He wasn’t even-tempered, kind, and loving. He was temperamental, harsh, and difficult to reason with at times. He didn’t meet Jesus at a church picnic. He met Jesus while [...]
We Have An Obligation To Fulfill
Romans 1:8-15
Paul had the heart of a missionary. He had a love for people that he did not know, he had a desire to go to places where he had never visited, and all of this was rooted in a deep sense of obligation that he felt towards all people. When we think of the word, [...]
Spiritual Warfare: Going on the Offensive
Ephesians 6:17-18
Last week we began studying the last section of Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus. Throughout Paul’s letter he has been encouraging the brothers and sisters in Ephesus by teaching them about the many, many, blessings that God has showered upon His people. Paul taught them that they have been blessed with every spiritual [...]
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Romans 1:1-7
This week, in our study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, we are going to take a look at Romans 1:1-7. These seven verses, in large part, summarize the entire message that Paul wanted to communicate to the brothers and sisters in Rome. It is the “gospel of God,” the good news of [...]
Paul’s Letter To The Church in Rome
Today we are beginning a study of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. There are 66 books in the Bible and yet I would say that more revivals of the soul can be traced to the book of Romans than to any other single book in God’s Word. Throughout history people like St. Augustine, [...]
Spirit Filled Work
Ephesians 6:5-9
Several weeks ago we began to take a look at a section of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus that began back in Ephesians 5:18 where Paul encouraged the folks to be filled with the Spirit instead of being filled with wine. We learned that being filled with the Spirit of God leads to [...]
Draw Near
James 4:8
Our understanding of things oftentimes is based upon our relation to the event taking place, the information being shared, and our own perspective. We can watch the first quarter of a Thunder game and be thoroughly convinced who the winner will be, only to be proven wrong if we walk away before the final buzzer [...]
Solomon’s Wisdom on the Training of Children
Proverbs 13
For anyone who desires to reach a high level of expertise in their chosen field, passion, or profession it is important that there be an ongoing commitment to training, instruction, correction, and the continuous task of sharpening skills. You may be an aspiring student in college who desires to run a business one day. Your [...]
Casting Off Restraint
Proverbs 29:18
Vision. The word stirs the hearts of millions of people who are longing for some direction in life, some sense of purpose in life. You can put the word “vision” in the title of a book and it will fly off the shelves. You can hire a coach who has vision and is willing to [...]
Spirit Filled Homes: Parents and Children
Ephesians 6:1-4
How are families to function? Most people never really give it a thought. We get married, eventually have children, and do our best to make things work. In Paul’s day there were well established “household codes” that served to provide structure, a chain of command, and guidance for the family unit. When thinking about “household [...]
Spirit-Filled Homes
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
In our Scripture for today we have an incredible opportunity to learn about the transformative power of the Holy Spirit upon the relationships we share in our household. Paul talks about the relationships of husbands and wives, parents and children, and “slaves and masters,” or in our day, we could say, “employers and employees.” Dr. [...]
Friends
Proverbs 27:1-10
Today we get the opportunity to turn the page in Proverbs and learn a brand new lesson. Proverbs 27 is an interesting chapter in that verses 1-10 and 11-22 are really a reflection of one another. The footnote in The Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible says, This unit brings together a loose collection of [...]