"Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." Matthew 6:18 (NASB 1995)

The sermon examines the life of King Herod to illustrate the destructive power of guilt and the failure to act on known truth. It highlights how Herod respected John the Baptist and enjoyed his preaching yet remained paralyzed by fear of public opinion and social pressure. The preacher connects this biblical narrative to the human tendency to project internal guilt onto others through judgment and hostility. By analyzing Herod's eventual compromise and sorrow, the message warns against allowing external validation to override moral convictions. Ultimately, it calls listeners to confront their own hidden sins and release bitterness rather than perpetuating cycles of hurt.

The sermon explores the wedding at Cana, illustrating how earthly joys inevitably run dry while Jesus provides an inexhaustible supply of grace. By turning ceremonial water into superior wine, Christ manifests His divine glory and demonstrates that religious rituals cannot save the soul. The preacher emphasizes that this miracle serves as a sign pointing to faith in Jesus as the Son of God for eternal life. Believers are urged to obey His word completely rather than relying on self-improvement or worldly solutions. Ultimately, the message calls sinners to repent and trust in Christ, who drank the bitter cup of wrath so they might enjoy the good wine of salvation.

Length of service does not automatically equal depth of wisdom. Years can produce maturity, but they can also produce bitterness. Years can produce tenderness, but they can also produce hardness. Years can produce discernment, but they can also produce pride. So I do not say thirty years as though that makes a man anything. I say it only to testify that, after nearly thirty years of preaching, I have seen enough to know this: God keeps His promises. Have you recently decided to follow Jesus? Take your next step with Jesus: https://cbcgb.co.uk ⛪ ABOUT CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCHES: We believe that our Calvary Baptist Churches are a movement for all people to know God, Reaching Others, Building Lives, Honouring God and Make a Difference. 🤝 Support this ministry and help us reach more people with the Gospel: https://cbcgb.co.uk/give/ STAY CONNECTED: 🌐 Website: https://cbcgb.co.uk/ 🌐 Website: https://bjstagner.com 👍 Facebook: / Calvary Baptist Church-Cynon Valley 👍 Facebook: / Cardiff-Calvary Baptist Church 📸 Instagram: / @cibc_cynonvalley 📸 Instagram: / @calvary_cardiff 🎥 YouTube: / @calvarybaptistchurchesofGB

The Gospel of God - Message 20 - A Man of Unclean Lips - Romans 3:13-14. Someone once paraphrased these verses, "His tongue is tipped with fraud, his lips are tainted with venom, his mouth is full of gall [bitterness], his tongue a sword to run men through, and his throat a grave in which to bury them." But if we have been saved, our mouth is no longer a problem - or is it? The mouth reveals the heart. How do we keep them aligned together according to the Scriptures?

A husband living in Christ's name is going to function a certain way with his wife. Paul lays this out for us in Colossians with both a command and a warning. Both of these are critical to understand and wrestle with. In this sermon, we will look at these two things, but also look at some practical ways to better love our wife!

This sermon argues that trust and radical transparency are the essential foundations of a godly marriage, contrasting them with the modern tendency toward defensive isolation and legalistic prenuptial agreements. Drawing from Proverbs 31 and Micah 7, the speaker defines trust as confidence in another's character, belief in their word, and active commitment to their safety. The transcript highlights how concealment and hidden behaviors erode domestic peace, turning a home into a fortress of suspicion rather than a sanctuary of vulnerability. It further addresses the difficult process of restoring broken trust through godly repentance and the critical role of forgiveness in releasing moral debt without retaining bitterness. Ultimately, the message calls couples to pursue absolute openness and fidelity as a visible testimony of Christ's relationship with the Church.

The sermon emphasizes that true inner peace is found only by beholding the God of power, who possesses absolute might and sovereignty over all circumstances. It argues against the notion that human effort or mere belief saves a person, asserting instead that salvation rests entirely on trusting in Christ's finished work. Pastor Friesen highlights God's omnipotence through creation and providence, illustrating how He superintends even tragic events for a greater good. By reconciling God's infinite power with His goodness, believers can overcome anxiety and bitterness, recognizing that nothing is outside His control. Ultimately, the message calls for humble reliance on God's ability to preserve and save those who commit their souls to Him.

I think a question that must be asked is what is true repentance? The other question is what is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow? The writer of Hebrews will explore another term that is called "Root of Bitterness". Hopefully we can answer and define these crucial questions this morning.

Ruth 1:19-22