Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…” (Matthew 5:13-16) What did He mean? Who was He talking to? What does it look like to be the salt of the earth?

In Scripture, salt symbolizes the truth of God’s Word. We are to be “salty” with the truth of the gospel.

Salt…

Preserves

Fights infections

Makes people thirsty

To be the salt of the earth means that…

By the power of God, we—the Church—are to be a preservative in the world, slowing down the moral and spiritual decay that takes place every day. We are to present the gospel to those thirsty, so they might have everlasting life. If the Church “waters down” the truth of God’s Word, the salt can’t be tasted—and it is good for nothing.

Jesus said, “… but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

Church, this is a word for us today. Only when we are “salty” can we present the gospel “Irresistibly.”

SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE GREAT COMMISSION

This leads us to the Great Commission. When we are “salty,” God multiplies what we do so that destines and generations are redefined.

DISCOVER what it looks like to become the salt of the earth. Join Pastor Phil Hopper at Abundant Life and be inspired to take part in the Great Commission.

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How do you position yourself to see God do the impossible? You see Jesus’ invitation to be a part of it as irresistible.

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

In John 4:3-7, Jesus sat beside Jacob’s well, tired and thirsty. He asked the woman, “Will you please give me a drink?”

Jesus’ invitation to engage in a conversation with the Samaritan would have gone against cultural norms. However, He saw an opportunity. He extended an irresistible invitation to engage in conversation.

After He spoke more with her, she came to believe He was the Messiah! Once again, we see Jesus’ invitation do the impossible… turn the heart of a broken woman into one that believed and received Him as the Savior of the world!

Remember Zephaniah 3:17, “For the Lord your God is living among you and He is MIGHTY TO SAVE...”

Whenever we’re willing to embrace the uncomfortable, we position ourselves to see God do the impossible.

Join Abundant Life and be comforted and inspired in uncomfortable situations. You will be surprised how God will use you in them to further His kingdom.

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Jesus found the church in Philadelphia in Revelation irresistible for 4 reasons…

REASON 1. THEY FOCUSED ON ETERNITY

Revelation 3:7-8

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens…”

THE CHURCH TODAY THAT JESUS FINDS IRRESISTIBLE has a faith that is risky and gives sacrificially to redeem lives eternally. That is the church where Jesus will open doors of opportunity!

REASON 2. THEY HAVE A HEART OF HUMILITY

Revelation 3:8

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength…”

THE CHURCH TODAY THAT JESUS FINDS IRRESISTIBLE recognizes its complete dependency on God. The church today always needs a vision that demands divine intervention that keeps us in a state of desperation.

REASON 3. THEY STAND ON BIBLICAL AUTHORITY

Revelation 3:8

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word…”

THE CHURCH TODAY THAT JESUS FINDS IRRESISTIBLE knows the Bible is absolutely true and its final authority.

REASON 4. THEY HOLD HIGH CHRIST’S SUPREMACY

Revelation 3:8

“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name…”

THE CHURCH TODAY THAT JESUS FINDS IRRESISTIBLE knows that Jesus has no equal in this world of many “deities.” He is the way to God exclusively! John 14:6, “I am the way…” Acts 4:12, “There is no other name under heaven…by which we must be saved…”

The Church today must believe in Christ’s supremacy and the complete sufficiency of His finished work at Calvary!

Join Abundant Life as Pastor Phil Hopper encourages the church of today by looking at the church of Philadelphia in Revelation and why Jesus found them irresistible.

Jesus is preparing His church for His coming. Get ready to walk through doors of opportunity!

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As parents who want to empower and equip according to the Bible in today’s culture, we must know how to develop children spiritually.

DEVELOPMENT AND DISCIPLESHIP

Developing children spiritually starts with discipling them. Discipleship is not the transfer of knowledge. It’s the transfer of life!

God intends for faith to be passed on to the next generation in the home. He’s given parents the primary responsibility for the spiritual development and discipleship of their children.

DEVELOPING A HEART FOR GOD

The church can teach a child the knowledge of God, but it’s in the home where they develop a heart for God. Unless we take them beyond the knowledge of God to knowing Him, they will never develop a heart for Him!

Join Abundant Life as we unpack practical ways and resources that will equip parents to be living proof of a loving God to a watching world—specifically to their children.

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You might not naturally allow God to change you in difficult circumstances, but there is a great blessing when you do. He wants you to receive peace in the midst of pain.

Jesus said that He gives you peace, but not as the world gives.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”—John 14:27

Often, we want peace according to how we think things ought to be. But this is a dangerous place to be. We can’t let our theology of God’s character be built off the floor of our situation.

Jesus also tells us that we will face trials and tribulations but can have peace in and through them.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33

Join Abundant Life this week as we discover the key to health, joy, and peace, no matter our circumstances.

JOIN US!

Join Pastor Toshaun Avery at Abundant Life as he preaches from the Bible looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, in every situation.

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Suffering is never pleasant, but it does come with a promise. In fact, it comes with a number of promises.

WHAT ARE THE PROMISES?

They can be found in 2 Corinthians 1:2-11.

God is the God of comfort and compassion. He wants us to know how to wield the weapons of spiritual warfare He gives us during suffering so we can embrace more of who He is and the promises released during suffering.

GOD’S PROMISES…

· Supernatural comfort

· Healing

· Deliverance

But how are these promises released by Him and received by us?

JOIN US!

Join Pastor Phil at Abundant Life as he preaches from the Bible about how these three promises are released and two critical weapons of warfare you need to know in times of suffering.

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God’s pathway to becoming spiritually mature and more Christ-like is through suffering—in other words, “No pain, no gain.”

BIBLE VERSE

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 says, “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’”

From these verses, we learn that God desires to use pain and suffering in our lives for a greater good. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PAIN IS A PRIZE. Becoming spiritually mature and being used greatly for God involves suffering deeply.

2 AGENDAS AT WORK WHEN WE SUFFER—GOD’S & SATAN’S

God uses suffering for our sanctification. Satan uses suffering for our affliction.

God wants to use suffering to…

Develop our faith

Refine your faith

Satan wants to use suffering to…

Destroy our faith

Ruin our faith

Just as a goldsmith puts metal into the fire to get rid of impurities and make it more moldable, so too does God. He tests our faith so that we can be crafted into something useful and beautiful. This is the process of sanctification!

Satan will tempt you, but God will test you. God sees pain and suffering as a pathway to make you complete…

“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”—James 1:3

The agenda that ultimately influences your life in times of suffering is directly related to how you respond.

Satan wants you to respond based on what you see.

God wants you to respond based on what He has said.

So then, how do you respond to suffering? Becoming spiritually mature is a process. Allow God to guide you through it.

JOIN US!

Join Pastor Phil at Abundant Life as he preaches about the two agendas at work in our lives during suffering and how we can respond and embrace how God wants to use our situations to refine us so that we become spiritually mature.

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What are the marks of following Jesus authentically? The Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 6:17: “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks [scars] of the Lord Jesus.”

The Apostle Paul is teaching that authentic faith in Jesus will leave scars. The scars in our lives are to be

visible to a watching world, allowing us to share the message of Jesus’ bearing scars for our sins.

THE MARKS OF FOLLOWING JESUS…

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY

As a Christian, are you willing to sacrifice and suffer for the cause of Christ? The cross leaves scars. Living as an authentic Jesus follower will leave a mark.

VERSE: In Luke 9:23, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

LIVE CREDIBLY

Paul’s credibility as an apostle and follower of Christ came not from what he said but from his scars! The world is watching what comes out of our lives, not merely from our lips, before they decide if they will follow Christ.

VERSE: In 2 Corinthians 11:24-26, Paul wrote, “… I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren…”

LIVE FOR THE ETERNAL

Fools are not people who give their lives for the gospel but people who waste their lives living solely for themselves. The fools trade the eternal for the temporal. They live only for the material instead of the spiritual.

VERSE: In Philippians 3:7-8, Paul wrote, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

JOIN US!

Join Pastor Phil at Abundant Life as he preaches about the missing element in the Church today—the marks of following Jesus authentically.

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Scars (Part 2) | If God Is So Good, Why Do Bad Things Happen? [FULL SERMON]

Description:

If you’ve ever been through loss, suffering, or seasons of confusion, you’ve likely asked, “If God is so good, why do bad things happen?”

HOW SHOULD WE LOOK AT SUFFERING?

The Apostle Paul urged us to consider suffering in this life nothing compared to the glory to come.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope…”—Romans 8:18-20

MAKING SENSE OF SUFFERING

The Word of God helps us make sense of a world full of nonsense.

Join Pastor Phil from Abundant Life as he answers tough questions such as…

· Why is there so much suffering in today’s world?

· If God knew Adam would sin, why did He give him a choice?

· Does pain and suffering mean God’s plan of a perfect world is destroyed?

· If God is good and evil exists, does that mean God is not all-powerful?

· If God is all-powerful and evil exists, does that mean God is not good?

We must remember that our questions do not intimate God. Our questions deconstruct practices and beliefs to determine their truthfulness. Our response is to assimilate the truth in faith and apply it to our lives.

Join us as we ask tough questions and make sense of suffering in today’s world.

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No more victim mentality, no more blaming others, and no more excuses–it is time to embrace the truth that you are more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37). Ready to move from victim to victor? Debbie Stiegler shares how she came to embrace a conqueror mentality as Jesus took her pain and suffering and used it for good.

Jesus doesn’t always tell us where to talk in the midst of a painful circumstance and reveal our final destination. Instead, He often says, “Walk.” When we take one step of faith toward our breakthrough, God will show us the next.

God doesn’t give us a map. Instead, He gives us a compass. He is in control, but He doesn’t always take control. We take a step, and little by little, our path becomes clear.

When we start to journey forward, we will have scars. But God wants us to get beyond surviving and move into a conqueror mentality.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”—Romans 8:37

Perhaps you’ve gone through circumstances and wonder how God could ever redeem them. Yes, there is hurt, but you are still here. This is proof that your purpose is still set before you.

HOW DO YOU MOVE FORWARD?

-Accept the now.

No one comes out of suffering and loss without scars. It is time to accept them.

-Own your story.

Don’t pretend your pain didn’t happen. Owning your story allows you to shut the door on shame and guilt.

-Embrace the journey.

You can be in charge of the narrative of your life. You may not have intended to go through what you have, but you did end up where God intended you to be.

LASTLY…

· Don’t spend too much time on the villains. They’ve already stolen too much in your life.

· Tell the story of the conflict because that’s what develops your character.

· Talk about your hero—Jesus. Who pulls you out of the mud and mire and sets your feet on a rock (Psalm 40:2).

· Share your growth. Tell others about how your story changed, giving God the glory and releasing good to others.

Join Abundant Life as we discuss how to navigate a world of suffering and loss. You are more than a survivor, and your story is not over yet. You are more than a conqueror in Christ.

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