CCF Weekly Services Podcast

In a perfect world, we see how ministry is done. In an imperfect world, we can take notes and model what perfect ministry looks like.

1. A wasted life doesn't invalidate salvation, only rewards.

2. Ministry should be the natural produce of a work of God in us.

3. A blameless life is an honest one.

Paul and Silas continue their ministry journey into Thessalonica. Their witness of the Gospel through the Old Testament and engaging with them through questions is a model for the attitude we need to bring towards evangelism.

1. You can't help how people respond to God's Word. You can only make them more or less reasonable for doing so.

2. There is no such thing as a Christian who isn't called to share the Gospel.

3. The more you share, the more you realize what you have.

Ezekiel's prophecy continues with an insight into who will be serving in a perfect church. The Priests aren't perfect. The Leaders aren't even perfect. They're all simply there because they want to be with Jesus and do what He's called them to do. That needs to be our motivation in ministry.

1. Jesus is a great boss to work for.

2. Jesus will either be your reward in ministry, or a distraction from what you're really looking for out of it.

3. If we don't consider the pattern of life that led to our mistakes, we're just going to keep repeating them.

Paul and Silas are persecuted for their faith and unlawfully thrown into prison. Instead of being overwhelmed or discouraged by their circumstances, they allowed God to give them the confidence and strength to endure them and created the Philippian church as a result.

1. The peace of God is the power to endure trials, not prevent them.

2. Spiritual warfare is answering false doctrine with truth.

3. God specializes in making the work of the enemy backfire.

Ezekiel is shown by God personally where His throne and altar will be in the Millennial Kingdom. With new features that will as much be corrections as they are reminders of God's dealings with mankind in Israel's history.

1. God's Glory is literally describing His worth.

2. A relationship with God begins with understanding our need for mercy.

3. Heaven is being with Jesus, and something we can enjoy today.

Paul's missionary journey didn't start or continue how we'd expect a legitimate work of God to go. Yet regardless of their expectations or the opposition they faced, God accomplished more through the salvation of Lydia than the crowds many of us would expect.

1. Don't hold God to promises He's never made.

2. Salvation is a greater miracle than we give it credit for.

3. Spiritual warfare is won in the realm of truth, not rituals.

The descriptions of the Millennial Kingdom are as intentional as we should be in worship.

1. Worship means to bow down.

2. Worship should be done intentionally.

3. Worship is a get to, not a got to.

The Apostle Paul finally meets the man we know as Luke the Physician. While it took some time and a lot of twists and turns to get there, their attitude towards hearing from and trusting God is what enabled them to be exactly where He wanted them.

1. The first step to hearing from God is being with His people.

2. Trust is the foundation of every relationship.

3. No is an acceptable answer to prayer.

Thankfulness is a fruit of the spirit. It is not only a gift from God, but impossible to do properly apart from Him. With the example of the 10 lepers during Jesus' earthly ministry, we have an example of the kind of blessings we settle for compared to the blessings God wants to give us through thankfulness.

1. Thankfulness is the first sign of a heart in line with God's.

2. God doesn't want you to settle for lesser blessings.

3. If you don't have anything else to be thankful for, remember you're going to Heaven.