We continue in the Sermon on the Mount, Chap. 7: 15-23. For those who choose the narrow way (that leads to life everlasting, and joy in our following Jesus), Jesus now warns us that there is deception on the way, wide gates that beckon or deceive us into abandoning our journey. We can be deceived by false prophets, or deceive ourselves with false service. Pastor Ryan reminds us that not only is Jesus the greatest Teacher, He is also Lord! Heed what He says!

We arrive, in the Sermon on the Mount, to a "fork in the road", a pivotal moment in Lord Jesus' Great Teaching (Math. 7:13,14). At last, He asks His listeners to decide! The broad, easy way or the narrow, challenging way?

Which will you choose? Jesus gives us instruction on utilizing the narrow path, the road that leads to certain life.

"Ask, seek, knock" - Pastor Symps leads us into a thorough lesson regarding Jesus' charge to us concerning prayer, how our Lord calls us to prayer, what it means in our relation to the Father (and how Jesus demonstrated it), and how His lesson clarifies the declaration of the Golden Rule.

Matthew 7: 7-12 is our text for today

we are back into our series of Matthew, focusing on Matthew 7:1-6. Pastor Ryan shares about our Lord Jesus' message on judging. Just what did He mean when He said "do not judge"? What does this say regarding our responsibility to confront sin? How do we implement our Lord's instructions regarding speck and plank removal, and this done by broken people redeemed by Jesus? And what does it mean to not cast our pearls before swine and dogs?

Our guest speaker, Dr. Chad Raith, delivers us a guest message that is critically related to our series in Matthew, regarding the importance and cost to true discipleship to Jesus and its heart requirement for citizenry in the Kingdom of God. Dr. Raith asks us, "is Jesus your Logos? Is the "Word that became flesh" (John 1:14) the one sole guiding principle that governs your thoughts and actions?

We explore what this means, with all its ramifications, in the 1st chapter of John.

The sermon is preceded by a deeply valued introduction of our guest speaker by Pastor Ryan, as well as equally heart-felt birthday blessings from the congregation!

From our sister congregation of Ebenezer Church in Holguin, Cuba, Pastor Rubierdo Aho shares from his heart on surrendering to God's Will and authority for the good of your life to be realized. He preaches from Exodus 15: 22-27, and shares how the desert (the isolated focus on God) strengthens you, avoiding bad choices in the desert, making right choices, and understanding those times when God must test you.

Our own Gustavo Rodriquez serves as interpreter.

Pastor Ryan preaches on the resurrection message provided in Luke Chap. 23, 24, and asks the question: why do you continue with your dead things, when the Risen and Living Jesus Christ is so ready to love and save you?

In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus addresses our heart's condition and its relationship with wealth. Jesus knows we simply CANNOT serve two masters, and as children, our rightful Master is God, not wealth (mammon).

Pastor Ryan explains Jesus' intent to protect us from our natural inclination to trust our money for security instead of Him. Do not invest in money, but instead invest in eternal interest!

We explore how money is meaningless, yet useful, how our vision is poor, and how, even in money, our lives are directed by our heart.

Now we look closely at Jesus' teaching on righteous, Kingdom-like practices, how to know more of the Father as we give, pray and fast (Matthew 6:1-18). Pastor Ryan helps us ponder a kind of righteousness that models dependency on the Father, and helps us interpret the blessings accrued as we give, pray and fast the way that our Jesus instructs us to do.

We begin Chap. 6 today, where Jesus talks to us about doing good things for the wrong reason. After addressing the evil things that people do, He now addresses what our good actions should be like as Kingdom children. Pastor Ryan asks us "what IS the motivation of your heart?" How should we practice giving? Does our good works reveal our dependence on God, do they truly show us loving our neighbor? What reward are we truly seeking?