CCW Podcast

It has been well said, ”Never doubt in darkness what God has revealed in the light.” When Christians go through difficult times in life, they often forget who they are and who God is. The secret to surviving dark days is focusing on the light of God’s truth. This Sunday we will be looking at Psalm 71 about life’s dark times and how to respond to them.

This Sunday we will be looking at how life’s troubles can make us stronger. Most people go through life trying to avoid pain. We use money, medicine, and any other method to protect ourselves. Scripture teaches the opposite. While we aren’t to seek trouble or trials, when they find us, we should look for the hidden lessons and blessings.

It is significant that in Jesus’ parable of the sower, two of the three soils that failed to produce a crop represent people who did not know how to handle suffering. The rocky soil, pictures those who receive the word joyfully at first, but do not sink down roots, so that when affliction or persecution comes, they fall away. The thorny ground reflects those who seem to grow for a while, but then allow, among other things, the worries of the world to choke out the word so that it does not bear fruit unto eternal life (Mark 4:16-19). If we don’t learn how to handle affliction, worries, and other kinds of suffering, we will not persevere as a Christian. On the other hand, if we learn how to handle suffering, we will grow solid through it. This Sunday we will look at The Disciplines in Dealing with The Devil through Trials.

Good churches are hard to find! I often hear people. who were in a good church, share how they moved to a another town or community and seemed to have a great deal of trouble finding a healthy church. Sometimes. the church lacks vital worship. It's also possible that the fellowship could not find a pastor who faithfully preaches the Word. Sometimes the church is racked with dissension over petty issues or is hung up with legalism. This is not to say that churches should be trouble-free, but when we compare our fellowship to 1 Peter 5:1-7, we can see what it takes to have A Healthy Church.

How can we know if a trial is from the Lord, from Satan, or from our own making? How can we rejoice in trials when, honestly, we feel angry toward God? Is the anger natural or sinful? Is trusting God an impractical cliche or the most practical thing you can do in a trial? A person who has gone through a horrible trial angrily asks, “How can you trust a God who allows this to happen?" This Sunday we will answer these questions in a message titled, A Pep Talk For The Persecuted.

We are living in an extremely perverted age. Moral purity is fighting for its life. This world is steeped in its wicked debauchery as it seeks to serve and satisfy the desires of depravity. This could be expected from the world, but even many professing Christians have given in, surrendered to the moral contamination of the day. In chapter four of first Peter, we are reminded that if we are going to have an impact on the people around us, we must be different from them. It is not easy to be different. It is not popular to be different. However, it is required that we be different. We must have a holy walk in a hostile world. This Sunday we will look at seven principles Peter gives us for Living For Eternity.