FOCUSING ON LOVING YOUR ENEMIES Loving your Enemies – MATTHEW 5:43-48 (NLT) Teaching about Love for Enemies 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect How can we look at people who have done us wrong and honestly look at them with a heart of love? It is not easy to love and to overlook sin, BUT JESUS DOES THIS DAILY FOR US! JESUS TELLS US EXACTLY HOW. –          Let not the enemy steal your blessing –  really take a look at how this love is important. –          Look beyond the head knowledge you may have and let’s get into our hearts –, “What is your heart’s condition? Look deeper into your own life and ask yourself one question: “Could I really learn to love my enemies?” # 1 – The Reminder (v43) Do we really recognize the importance of loving one another? Think to yourself of someone who just aggravates you to no end – do you love them? If someone would catch fire in front of you, would you put the fire out? How about if it came to saving them from the fires of hell – would you tell them how they could be saved? This is the love... Read More

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHERE YOU’RE GOING Do you have a set course in your life? An established direction? Outlined with purposeful thought? Or are you simply a boat floating on the water with a broken rudder, able to be pushed whichever way the wind blows, governed by the tides and external forces? To be the guide of your own life, you have to get a hold of the rudder. James 3:4-14 (MSG) 4 A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. 5 A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything – or destroy it! 6 A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. 7 This is scary: You can tame a tiger, 8 but you can’t tame a tongue – it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. 9 With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. 10 Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! 11 A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? 12 Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?  13 Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s... Read More

HE MAKES ALL THINGS NEW   Luke 9:25 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed How To Have Right Ambitions Worldly ambition is selfish. It’s seeking success in the things of the world and competing with people of the world. It’s saying, “I’m going to work hard to have more than you and become better than you” and Christians should not be like this. Psalm 69:9 For zeal for your house consumes me…… We are supposed to have ambition in the Lord. We are supposed to work for the Lord and not to compete to be better than anyone else, have a bigger name than others, or have more stuff than others. With that said it’s a great thing to have ambition, dreams, and to be a hard worker, but a Christian’s ambition is to be towards Christ. Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Quote: Leonard Ravenhill says “My main ambition in life is to be on the devil’s most wanted list.” Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men. Ephesians 6:7Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men.  Proverbs 21:21 Whoever pursues righteousness and unfailing love will find life, righteousness, and honor. Psalm 40:8I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.  How To Make A Fresh Start Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” When a new day begins, make sure you’ve let go of yesterday. Don’t stay stuck on yesterday’s arguments, disagreements or hurts. TODAY IS A NEW DAY. Don’t hang onto what you could have done. Let the... Read More

Psalm 39:4-7 (NLT) 4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.” 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?  My only hope is in you.   Prepare for the Future for there is a good future ahead oy you. God promises us that he has plans for us that are of a good future with hope!   FOCUS ON THE FUTURE John 3:2-3 (NLT) 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”   Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT) 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.   Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT) 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are... Read More

A Look Back A Reality Check In The New Year 2 Corinthians 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you–unless indeed you fail the test? Reality Check While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. (1 Thessalonians 5:3–4, ESV).   Don’t be tempted to find your peace and security in anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ. If the apostle Paul could say things like, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12b), and,   “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith”(2 Corinthians 13:5), and,   “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”(1 Corinthians 9:27), then each of us should assume a need for reflecting often and honestly on the condition of our souls.   “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall”(2 Peter 1:10). Anticipating God In The New Year Joshua 3:5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” WAITING WITH ANTICIPATION Watch faithfully. That we not only watch for the Lord to return, but stand firm in our faith with courage and strength while He tarries. We need to be watching out for false prophets and remaining aware of the signs of the times. But most importantly, we need to anticipate His return every day. Revelation 16:15 promises a special blessing for those who are watching with... Read More

A New Attitude For The New Year Choosing Your Attitude Will Have a Greater Impact on the New Year Than You Think Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Here’s your Action Plan: Choose your attitude. Choose to take responsibility for your attitude and the impact it has on your life. Choose to focus on those aspects of your life over which you have some control. Choose friendships. Choose to dwell on positive things. (“Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, think on those things”; Philippians 4: 8). Choose to make changes. A Year Of New Beginnings Through His grace and mercy, God has promised us a new beginning that will endure for eternity… John 10:10 “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 2Co 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” The good news is that God says, “I want to do something new in your life. I want to give you a FRESH START, A NEW BEGINNING.” God takes us to places of dependence, then creates new beginnings, new blessings. He makes all things new. When we come to Christ, we become a new creation. All things become new. God is a creator. He makes new things; He is not in the box we try to place Him in. He can do in your life what you have never seen done before. God is only getting started! A New Vision For The New Year Job 8:7  And though your beginning was small, your latter days will be very great. Step 1: Quit making excuses. It is always too soon to quit. Bible tells us to quit making excuses, admit... Read More

INTRO: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16 MSG: Plan purposefully. “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3 Prepare prayerfully. “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” Psalm 20:4 Proceed positively. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 Pursue persistently. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11   CONLUSION: No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. Philippians 3:13-14

Sermon #3 – Dec 17th, 2017  THE GIFT INTRO:                                    Let’s unwrap this Gift and see what’s inside MSG:                                                1. LOVE – THE LOVE OF GOD……. John 3:16-17 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.   Brought the LIGHT to the world for HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD……. John 1:5 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 8:12 12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Psalm 27:1 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Ephesians 5:14 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”  John 12:3535 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36 Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them. The Unbelief of the People 37 But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. So That Everyone Can Have Eternal LIFE John 1:4 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. CONCL: What will you do with This Gift... Read More

Mary’s Choice  What’s your choice?  What God Asks Mary To Do Will Change Her Life Forever. What God has given you will also change your life forever. Ezekiel 36:26–And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 2 Corinthians 5:17–Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come It Will All Happen, But Not The Way Mary Expected.  When you ask how, the angel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35).    Luke 1:38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.  What do you say to that? Mary said Yes. YES to God, YES to the impossible, YES to the plan of God. What would happen if you would say yes to God all the time. Isaiah 43:19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. When the angel said, “Nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37), Mary took a deep breath and replied, “May it be to me as you have said.” With those words Christmas came to the world. Mary Believes the Impossible All Things Are Possible 1.)  Matt. 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 2.)  Luke 1:37 For nothing will... Read More

Sermon #1– Dec 3rd  2017:  Follow The Star A star is a luminous sphere of plasma held together by its own gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye from Earth during the night, appearing as a multitude of fixed luminous points in the sky due to their immense distance from Earth. The Star of Bethlehem (Jesus Came to Bethlehem Which Means The House Of Bread) or Christmas Star, has been foretold in….  Num. 24:17 I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth. Jer. 23:5 “For the time is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And inspired the “wise men from the East” to travel to Jerusalem. The star leads them to Jesus’ home in the town of Bethlehem, where they worship him and give him gifts. That was the beginning of the greatest light and beacon on earth. According to Revelation 22:16 “….. I am the bright morning star.”  Jesus has become and is the light of the world, who leads everyone who will follow HIM into all eternity. MATTHEW 2:2A …and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? The Magi’s question gives us three points to ponder.       The star indicates that someone will be born who will be far greater in ……. 1) HIS birth, is greater than any other birth, there is no other birth like His 2) HIS kingship becomes the king of kings 3) His name is above any other name Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us, a son is... Read More