CCF Weekly Services Podcast

Jesus is approached by a rich young ruler with the right question, for the right reasons, and with the right attitude. He receives his answer and realizes what the real ostacle between him and peace with God was. The problem wasn't what he did or had, but his attitude towards them. Without a new heart, he couldn't recieve the peace Jesus lovingly offered.

1. Jesus is God and we are not.
2. The Commandments show us our problem, not the solution.
3. Receive what you can't achieve.

Thankfulness is the recognizing of something as good. When we are thankful to God, we're proactively choosing to see the good things in our lives with Him in mind as the reason we got through them. A loss of security, control, freedom, and everything else we take for granted are things God restores to us regularly in our lives. The more we take the time to notice, the better off we are in remembering just how good He is.

1. Thankfulness keeps us from entitlement.
2. Thankfulness puts our trials into perspective with God seeing us through them.
3. Thankfulness allows us to see God and ourselves for who we really are.

Jesus gives a series of parables that explain what it means to have a dynamic prayer life. The first is illustrated through point of contrast between an unjust judge who ignored those who needed his help with God who eagerly invests Himself in those who come to Him for help. The second is illustrated through another point of contrast between two prayers divided by honesty before God. The last was an actual situation where children came to Jesus for a blessing and were proactively welcomed and described as the kind of people who truly fellowship with God. Through these examples, we are given the path to powerful prayer; knowing who we're talking to, who we are, and what attitude we need to bring to the conversation.

1. God is more invested in answering our prayers than we are in praying.
2. Dishonest people won't speak truthfully with God.
3. The Heart of a prayer warrior knows who they're talking to, who they are, and that they're loved more than anything.

Jesus addresses the church of Thyatira as a church who had a lot of good things going for them, but still needed things they had to address if they were going to see the growth they had seen continue. A woman compared to the Old Testament queen Jezebel had become prominent in this church and taught that the cultural views of sexuality and idolatry were acceptable for Christians to approve of and participate in. While not everyone in the church had submitted to this false teaching, Jesus addresses them all with a very serious warning not to follow where this false teacher was headed because it didn't lead to Him.

1. False teachers can occupy very prominent positions in ministry.
2. Be careful spiritual consumers, even when it comes from people you trust.
3. The best way to answer a false teacher is with true teachings.

When it comes to the End Times, Jesus doesn't want us to be unaware of what He intends to be accomplished through all the of the wrath and terror that follows. God has demonstrated a consistent prophetic pattern throughout history whenever His judgments were tangibly demonstrated. First, a prophetic warning was provided. Second, a means of escape is provided. And finally, judgment falls after everyone who would receive mercy has.

1. God always provides a prophetic warning in anticipation of judgment.
2. God always provides a means of escape from the judgment He has plainly and publicly warned us about.
3. God only judges after every possible provision of mercy has been rejected.

Jesus writes to the church of Pergamos addressing the compromises they have made concerning their teachers. While they had endured a great deal of persecution, it didn't justify or excuse the areas they had allowed culturally accepted practices to take place among His church. He introduces Himself as their solution and their reason to keep fighting the Christian fight until they see Him face-to-face as He modeled for them first-hand.

1. Jesus intentionally introduces Himself as the Word of God as a solution for the problems He's going to address.
2. Christian warfare is a battle of ideas. We silence lies by answering, challenging, and debating them with the truth.
3. Fellowship with Jesus Christ is its own reward.

Jesus opens our eyes to our future which shines light on the dark times we live in. Skepticism will increase as to if Jesus is really coming again. Even many Church leaders stay away from prophecy, saying it is not practical. But properly understand, the message that Jesus can come at any moment, can bring us face to face with one of the most amazing truths that can change your life!

1. When you know the Lord, you have a home sickness. You are looking forward to seeing Jesus face to face.
2.He wants to move in your life with anticipating power which comes from a desire to see Jesus.
3. Be patient until the coming of the Lord, establishing your hearts.

Jesus gave us a masterpiece on teaching people. Four times Jesus uses the word watch! Jesus always saves the most important for last…”remember this” “What I say to you I say to all...watch!” Jesus is very concerned about us watching for his sudden return. But how do you watch for his return? How you answer that question is important as to how you view the days we are living in!

1. To prepare yourself for the 2nd Coming of Christ, look to the impact of his first coming
2. Some will mock Jesus' first coming just as the Pharisees. Others will become distracted and forget the amazing prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in His first coming.
3. We can rest assured that Jesus' second coming is rooted in the sure facts surrounding His first coming.