Christian Sermons from Calvary Chapel Greenmeadow, North Kingstown, RI

God is faithful and will see to it that He does everything He has promised to do. He is not finished with Israel or with us. Yet we cannot wait to make a decision for Jesus. There will be a time after which it is too late.

Joel prophesied that God would pour our His spirit in the Last Days. The Holy Spirit is a person, not a power, and he has come to personally live within each of us as believers for the purpose of bringing glory to Jesus Christ.

In this chapter, Joel gives answers to the when, what, how, and why questions relating to his message of repentance. Now is the time to return to Him with weeping and mourning for the Lord does not despise a pure and contrite heart!

As a prophet, Joel was responsible to turn the people back to the Lord. When crisis strikes in our lives, it is time to examine our hearts and see if there is something that demands our attention. This applies to us as individuals and to our nation.

We should not be surprised at the frequent distractions that arise; neither of the lies the enemy sends our way. But we must be deliberate in saying "no" to the things that would slow us or discourage us in our work for the Lord. Fight to the end!

What makes a good father? Love, attention, protection, provision, wisdom, guidance, leadership? Although none of our earthly fathers are perfect, our father in heaven possesses all of these attributes. All who have received the Son are children of God.

Because we spend a lot of time and energy on our most valuable possessions, sometimes it seems that they own us. We must remember that the value of these things is temporary and arbitrary. In contrast, God's value is eternal and intrinsic.

The Bible tells us who God is and who we are in relation to him. He made as a little lower than God, not a little higher than the animals. It is in His image that we were made. In Jesus, the full meaning of God's position with man is made clear.

Nehemiah's detractors ridiculed his efforts, but Nehemiah's work was guaranteed to succeed because he relied on God's direction and strength. We also must be diligent in the tasks the Lord has given us, resisting opposition and knowing the battle is His.

God wants us to carry out fully the work He has given us. Archippus needed encouragement in this area as we do today. Every month 1,500 people leave the ministry. We must expect hardships and we must first count the cost of serving Jesus.