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Most Christians think that worship comprised of going to church, singing some worship songs, and in some traditions raising your hands while you're singing them. Some who feel even more spiritual sing worship songs while they're at home or in the car. However, the Bible talks more of worship in a broader sense than just praising God with our voices. Come and listen to what the Bible talks about true worship beyond just hymn singing.

Sermon Notes

Romans 12:1 Worship also means presenting your body as a living and holy sacrifice to God

Romans 12:2 We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds

Romans 8:5 – 8 The mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, dead and cannot please God

Ephesians 4:17 - 24 Lay aside your old self like a garment and put on a new self by your mind

1Corinthians 2:16 We have the mind of Christ

The Bible discusses a topic, especially in the book of Job, that you've probably observed in your life. That good things happen to good people, bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to bad people, as well as good. However, the Scriptures talk about another group of people and the promise that God makes to them. Come and listen to who that group of people is and what the promise of God is.

Sermon Notes

Romans 8:28 God causes everything to work for good if you love Him and are called to His purpose

Romans 8:29 & 30 God working to make you better

Romans 8:31 If God is for us nothing is against us

Romans 8:32 Since God did not spare Jesus there is no wayf He will not give you good things

Romans 8:33 Wo will bring an accusation against us because God justifies

Romans 8:34 Who can condemn because Jesus intercedes

Romans 8:35 – 39 Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Paul gives a list showing no separation from God’s love

When public prayer and private prayer was removed from public school, many religious people's response was, "There will always be prayer in school as long as there are tests." The reason for that is that people usually pray when there's a felt need, and the stronger the felt need, the more fervent the prayer. So for instance, even in a combat situation when it gets hot and heavy, many agnostics or even atheists who are unsure or convinced there's no God will reach out and pray that God might save them or keep them from harm.

We tend to pray with there is felt needs. However, the Bible suggests that we pray more than that, and it also tells us how to be effective in that prayer and how God helps us. So I would ask you to come and listen to what the Bible says about prayer and how to be effective.

Sermon Notes

1 Thessalonians 5:17 & 18 Do not stop praying

James 4:3 Don’t get because ask with wrong motives

Romans 8:26 & 27When we do not know how to pray the Spirit does it for us because it intercedes according to the will of God

Matthew 6:9 – 13 The Lord’s teaching on prayer

Unfortunately, we are very politically divided, so this example I'm going to suggest that whoever happens to be the president is a person you voted for and supported. But let's say this person just was inaugurated, and then you get contacted shortly thereafter that they want to meet you, but not only do they want to meet you, they want to meet you in the Oval Office, and they want to discuss with you what your concerns are and what your needs are. I'm pretty certain you would make sure that you are able to go to that White House, go to that Oval Office, and discuss your problems with the president. Someone far greater than the president, with far more power than the president, has sent you a letter with the very same topics. You can see what that greater person is and how he wants to discuss with you your needs.

Hebrews 4:14 & 15 Jesus understands what we are going through, yet without sine

Hebrews 4:16 Because of that we can go directly to the Throne of Grace (God) with confidence and get help

Hebrews 7:25 Jesus save forever to those who draw near to God because He intercedes for us

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

The Roman Empire developed a mechanism to execute people. It was called crucifixion. It was a cruel, painful, and shameful way to die. But that's how they treated their criminals, their insurrectionists, and anybody else who might defy them. Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus was crucified. But he wasn't crucified as a criminal. Even the one who judged him Pilate said that he found no fault in him. The concept of crucifixion has come to us when you'll hear people say, "Well, I'm being crucified," which usually means that they're being attacked or judged improperly. The Scriptures talk about crucifixion as well, but it has an entirely different view towards crucifixion. So come and listen to this message on crucified to see what the Bible says about it.

Sermon Notes

Galatians 2:20 Crucified with Christ yet I live

Galatians 5:24 Passions and desires crucified

Galatians 6:14 The world has been crucified to me and I to the world

Luke 9:23 – 26 Pick up your cross and follow Him

You will frequently hear parents say that they want their children to be happy. Well, the Father in heaven wants more than your happiness. As a matter of fact, He wants not only for your happiness, but it was something greater than that and it is His will. Come and listen to what the Father's will is for your life that is greater than happiness.

Sermon Notes

1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18 God’s will is to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks

Philippians 4:4 We are to rejoice in the Lord always

James 1:2 – 4 Rejoice in various trials it produces endurance

Matthew 5:11 & 12 Rejoice when you are persecuted because of Jesus, you will have a great reward in heaven

There seems to be today a overburden of anxiety. People are anxious for personal things like finance or health or family situations. Other people are anxious because of climate change or overpopulation or whatever the worldwide problem might be. There seems to be a lot of self-help books on how to deal with anxiety, but they don't seem to help. I encourage you as we take a look today at what the Bible says about being anxious and how to deal with it.

Sermon Notes

Philippians 4:6 – 8 Don’t be anxious and how to avoid it

Matthew 6:24 – 34 Don’t worry, it does not help

Knowledge is a wonderful thing. We know what we know. There are times that we know what we don't know. And unfortunately, there are times when we don't know what we don't know. John is going to write a letter to believers about eternal life. He's going to tell us something that we can know, but unfortunately, many believers don't know that they know this. So come and listen to what John writes, that we believers can have in Jesus.

Sermon Notes

1 John 5:13 Knowing you have eternal life

Matthew 7:21 – 23 He never knew them

Romans 8:16 & 17 The Spirit bears witness with our spirit

Psalm 51:10 – 13 Restore the joy of salvation

You've probably heard it said, or maybe you've even said it yourself, "Don't judge me." Someone says that usually because they're pretty sure that the outcome of that judgment is negative, that for some reason that they didn't act or say the right things and don't want to hear that condemnation. The Scripture is going to talk about two different types of people, those who are judged and those who aren't. Let me listen to how to be on one group or the other. Is one in which I try to take scriptures that are bite-sized, something that you can easily memorize, so that when you are dealing with life, that these scriptures will come to memory and you will defeat the liar.

Sermon Notes

Romans 8:1 Now those in Jesus are not condemned

John 3:14 – 18 Those who do not believe in Jesus are condemned already, it is not the rejection of Jesus

Some of those popular books and bookshops are self-help books. People are always trying to improve their lives, whether it's to become rich, to influence friends, become, make friends. There's always people seeming to want to better their lives. However, they rarely talk about and look at how to live and be righteous. There is a book that talks about that and how to live that way and I'll become that way. Let's see what a righteous person lives.

Sermon Notes

Romans 1:17 Quoting Habakkuk 2:4

Genesis 15:1 – 5 God’s promise to Abram

Genesis 15:6 Abram’s response and God’s response to Abram’s response

Hebrews 11:1 & 2 Approval by God is faith

Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God