What is the most difficult thing you have faced in your life?

Scripture Text

Psalm 27

Main Points or Ideas

This psalm is a call to turn to God and trust Him.

1. Vv. 1-6 - Confidence/faith in the Lord
• Declarations of God in the first verse
• V. 4 - Trials can reveal that the desires in our lives may not glorify God and can lead to a change
•  Don’t run away from trials; push into them

2. Vv. 7-12 - The cries of the believer when the world is spinning out of control

• “Lord, I need your presence!”
• Vv. 10-12 - Turning to the Lord and pleading at the feet of Mercy

3. Vv. 13-14 - Choosing to believe and trust

• Verses are call to wait on the Lord for He is good
• A placing of confidence in the Lord
• The repetition of waiting on the Lord implies an importance of waiting and trusting in God

Conclusion

Wait, trust, lean into the Lord. Waiting takes incredible faith

There may be transitions in life that are more difficult than we may realize.

Scripture Text

Genesis 37-41

Main Points or Ideas

1. Scene One: “Life’s not fair!”

• Three mistakes:
• Jacob’s Favoritism
• The Brother’s Hatred of Joseph
• Joseph’s Pride
• Joseph’s two dreams of rise to power

2. Scene Two: Trust That God Has a Plan

• Can you handle the unexpected?
• God wants us to know what is in our hearts.
• Is God in control of your life?

3. Scene Three: Work Hard and Make the Best of It

• Joseph had to choose to trust God’s plan
• Joseph had no idea what was in store

4. Scene Four: Get Up and Keep Going

• Sometimes it will seem like you are going the wrong direction from the dreams God has given you
• Humble yourself and submit yourself to the Lord’s plans

5. Applications:

• Do not give up. Push back against the set backs
• What is ahead can be harder than what you have overcome
• God is STILL THERE with you in it

Conclusion

Oftentimes, we will need to go through God’s lonely, devastating, hard path that is often rewarding. That is the way of life.

We are looking at the why and the Bible for alcohol and abstinence. Does the Bible endorse the consumption of alcohol?

Scripture Texts

Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 5:11; Psalm 104:14-15; Luke 10:34; 1 Timothy 5:23; Proverbs 31:6-7; Genesis 9:20-21

Main Points or Ideas

1. Part one: “Wine” in the Bible

• Words in Scripture - Wine (neutral, medicinal), new wine (positive, can be alcoholic), strong drink (non-grape fermented, often forbidden)
• The Bible does not strictly forbid the consumption of wine, but it forbids the act of drunkenness
• Ephesians 5:18; 1 Corinthians 5:11
• Wine is portrayed as positive in some Biblical Passages
• Wine in the Bible did have medical value
• Wine in the Bible could cause drunkenness
• Biblical wine was different than modern “fortified” alcoholic beverages
• Wine in the Biblical world was typically diluted before consumption
• The Biblical Term “wine” does not specify the amount of alcoholic content

2. Part two: Principles for Abstinence

• Drunkenness: Christians should denounce drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18; Proverbs 23:29-35)
• Self-Control: Christians should always be self-controlled (Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:5-7)
• Addiction: Believers should avoid items that will enslave them (1 Corinthians 6:12)
• Temptation: Christians flee temptation (Proverbs 4:14-15; James 1:13-15)
• Testimony: Christians should not tarnish their testimony before unbelievers (Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Peter 4:4)
• Example: Christians should be an example to other believers (1 Timothy 4:12)
• Stumbling Block: Christians should not cause others to stumble into sin (1 Corinthians 8:7-13; Romans 14:13)
• Association: Believers should avoid ungodly associations (Ephesians 5:11)
• Stewardship: Christians should be good stewards of their bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19; www.niaaa.hih.gov)
• Holiness: Believers should avoid hindrances to sanctification (Hebrews 12:1)

Conclusion

The Bible does not forbid the consumption of alcohol, but Dr. Kobelia believes that abstinence is the wisest and most judicious course of action in the modern context.

Cretans were a culture saturated with deception. Are you being a hypocrite?

Scripture Text

Titus 1:12-16

Main Points or Ideas

Titus 1:12 - “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’”

1. Lying

• God hates lying; Revelation 21:7
• Get good at confessing sin, not hiding it
• Lying is deception
• Cretans were consumed with lying
• Titus 1:2 - Our God cannot lie
• Lying is living hypocritical

2. Evil Beasts

• Proverbs 25:28 - no rule over spirit
• No self-control, hates rules or boundaries
• No desire for control

3. Lazy Gluttons

• Hate to work, love to eat
• Lustful, overfed, feeding off of others’ work
• Titus 1:13 - rebuke them sharply

• It is not okay to stay where you are (allusion to Titus 1:15-16)

• It is dangerous for Bible College students to hear the Bible in-depth for four years and not change

A Challenge

2 Timothy 4:3-4; Titus 1:16

Are you going to change? Or are you going to stay defiled in thinking?

It is:

• Detestable
• Disobedient
• Worthless for any good deed

Conclusion

Are you going to live as hypocrites? Or are you going to change your thinking?

Dr. Paul Hartog takes a theological approach to the sanctity of life and the unborn before Alne Hartog presents about Alpha Women’s Center.

Scripture Texts

Luke, Acts (various portions)

Main Points or Ideas

1. Luke 4 - The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

• V. 1 - Jesus filled with Holy Spirit and led by it
• V. 14 - Jesus returned in power of the Holy Spirit
• V. 18 - Jesus was anointed by Holy Spirit

2. Luke 1 - Holy Spirit and Infants, pre-born in womb

• V. 57 - Zacharias
• V. 41-42 - Elizabeth; John the Baptist; V. 39 - leapt in womb, first to respond to the news of Jesus’ conception - Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth and led her to bless Mary
• V. 15 - John the Baptist - Role in the Holy Spirit’s power and leading

3. Only humanity can be filled with the Holy Spirit

4. Unborn John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit; Elizabeth and son recognized Jesus as Lord only a few days after the conception of Christ

   
   

Conclusion

All life is precious.

Retaliation and revenge are instinctive actions to people who are doing wrong. But we should do the right thing with the right heart when someone is doing wrong to us.

Scripture Text

1 Samuel 24

Main Points or Ideas

• David did what was right toward Saul even when Saul was chasing him and trying to take his life.

• Rather than playing God, we should allow God to enact justice when someone else does wrong to us.

Conclusion

God gives us the power we need to forgive and do what is right even when we are wronged.

As Christians, we have a matchless opportunity to influence and impact others with the Gospel. God wants to use your career to do great things through and in you.

Scripture Text

Philippians 3

Main Points

Gospel influence must be the priority of your life.

Conclusion

God’s purpose for your life is to make you like Jesus while spreading His message, the Gospel, through your career. He wants to use everything in your life- your time, your talents, your treasures- for his purpose.

What does it look like to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ?

Scripture Text

Various

Main Points or Ideas

The “Ex’s” of Discipleship

Conclusion

Make sure the word of God is built into your life and lived out in everything you do.

Scripture Texts: 

Primary Text: 1 Peter 1:3-12

6 Reasons You Can Make It

We need to go through life with confidence and joy because of the hope that God has given us.

Daniel 1:8 is the key to success in your Christmas break this year. 

Daniel 1:1-8, 19-20

Main Points or Ideas

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) - “The Father of English Hymnody”

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

As Daniel and His Friends Resolved…

They had a new…

What did the teenagers know?

Take Home Truths: Three Tips to Taking a “Hard Right”