Pr. Kevin preached on going from groaning to glory as we dove deeper into discovering and living out our spiritual gifts. 

"And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." -Romans 8:23

The groaning causes us to long for the glory that will come…

…vs. 22 - Outward Groans - Creation has been groaning since Genesis 3. Sin affects more that the one who is doing the action.

…vs. 19 - Visible Glory - When everything will be restored to how it was created and the curse of sin is gone. 

…vs. 23 - Inner Groans- Sin also affects our inner being. The internal battle affects our ability to follow the Spirit, use our spiritual gifts, and live our lives for the Lord. 

…vs. 24 - Anticipated Glory - We have this hope that He is the One knocking at the door ready to meet us. 

The groaning causes us to long for Jesus' coming. 

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Pr. Nick preached about crises of faith as we dive deeper into discovering and living out our spiritual gifts. 

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands" -2 Timothy 1:6

Paul reminds us to fan into flame the gift - specifically God has gifted each one of us with a gift or gifts that are intended to be used to serve one another and for his purposes. 

In a crisis of faith we are told to feed the fire of our faith by using our gift. The picture here is stoking the fire…like oxygen to the heat. 

When we are humbled and weak, so often it is in this state we are more affective and more reliant on God and therefore our weakness is made strong by the power o f God within us. 

God does not scare you into submission. A trial is not a test in which God is causing anxiety and apprehension so as to manipulate you to do what He commands you to do…

Rather the Spirit leads…

…By faith to  exercise our gift by the power of Him at work in us

…By faith God leads us to exercise our gift by a spirit of love

…By faith God leads us to exercise our gift with discipline

Our hope is not in our strength, it's in His and this is why we proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior of all.

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Pr. Kevin preached about what is means to be a living sacrifice as we dove deeper into discovering and living out our spiritual gifts. 

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." -Romans 12:1

The benefit of a living sacrifice…

…God gave us differing gifts in order that we would depend on one another. 

…There is no love without giving - it requires surrender, sacrifice, and thing selflessly.

The benefit of a holy sacrifice…

…A holy sacrifice is one that is done unto God or for God. It is done with a renewed mind, in faith, by faith.

The benefit of an acceptable sacrifice…

…One that is transformed rather that conformed.

…Free from competition, comparison and chaos

…Done in humility rather that pride, done for the body of Christ. 

The greatest benefit of a sacrifice is on the cross…

…It is the cross where Jesus bought life for you

…It is the cross where the Christ, the Holy Sacrifice made full satisfaction for your sin

…It is the cross where the Lord made you acceptable to God.

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Pr. Nick preached about what love has to do with discovering and living out your spiritual gifts. 

"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." -1 Corinthians 13:13

Until that day we stand before Him face to face when Christ Jesus has finally and completely restored all things to the way God intended we still need…

…Hope - our hope rests in Christ and that day.

…Faith - faith is the evidence of things not seen, so we need faith now, but when they are seen we will no longer need faith or hope. 

But love… it will always be and we will be and on that day we will be in perfect relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Love ties it all together

The point here is - Spiritual gifts do not have meaning if void of love. Spiritual gifts find their value in their purpose - Sharing the love and grace of Christ. You can get everything right, but if you don’t get this right you have it all wrong

We do not have true love in our hearts. It comes from God by way of His sacrifice and atonement. Jesus took on our arrogance, pride, and selfishness so that we could have eternal life and could live out His purposes and blessings. Love bears all things because upon Himself all things were taken, in order that we could experience all things for eternity with Him.

God is patient with you and kind. He does not keep record of your wrongs — on the cross He cast them as far as the east is from the west. He does not rejoice in wrongdoing or injustice but He rejoices in the truth. He bares all things, and has endured all things… Because He is love.

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Pr. Nick preached about how you can know what your spiritual gifts are as we continued in our new sermon series, Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts. 

If God really imparts supernatural/God-given gifts in each of His children, how do I really know what gifts are available to me and how do I get them? Does the Bible give me a list of things to chose from? 

We don’t know for sure if we have an exhaustive list of gifts but we are given many examples of spiritual gifts in various books of the Bible such as I Corinthians 12:8-11.

If we neglect to truly understand spiritual gifting, we are more likely to gage our roles/abilities within the Body of Christ based upon assumptions, feelings, preferences, and personalities.

And what happens when we do this…

…You get… people sitting on the sidelines not operating in the gifts; only seeing themselves as spectators rather than players on the field. 

…You get people not doing what they're gifted to do, but rather what they're told to do or what they feel like doing, or what they’re guilted into doing. And that’s how we burn out. 

…You get people doing what’s popular or what everyone around them is doing and this results in too many people doing the same things or not enough people doing the things that are less popular to do.

Jesus never intended for His church to operate on their own efforts, only His performance and His work of the Cross and His victory in the resurrection can provide the power for you to live out the will and work of God within His kingdom.

Have you ever asked God to reveal your spiritual gifts? Discovering your gifts are about growing in your relationship with Jesus and His body — it’s not about you finding yourself or discovering your personality. It’s about acknowledging what Jesus has already done and done with in you and how you fit just right in this fellowship we call the church.

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Pr. Nick preached about the benefits of discovering spiritual gifts in our new sermon series, Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:1-10

Verse 4 says these gifts are for service and activities that make up many different aspects of ministry and facets for growing together as the Body of Christ and reaching other with the gospel…  but all are united in One Spirit and purpose. 

What does Gifts mean?

…Displays of God’s grace/blessing - They are more than natural abilities you are born with like singing, they are spiritual and supernatural. They are gifts that you could not know if not from God. 

What are gifts for?

2. Gifts for the common good - It’s not for you that you have been given a gift… it’s for the common good… but it will bless you to live out your gifts and abilities.

Common good’ is a picture of the church functioning, displaying properly

3 Questions to ask yourself…

…Do my actions support the greater whole? 

…Do my opinions unite or divide? 

…Do my words build up or tear down?

Common good is about His relationship with us maturing/growing and it’s about God’s long term plan. 

Jesus made a way so that you could fit in and all who are in didn’t get in because of what they did instead by what He did! Your place in Him is given freely because He loves you!

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Pr. Nick kicked off our new sermon series, "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts" as he preached on walking in a manner worthy of the call from Ephesians 4:1-12.

This last Sunday was the 70th year anniversary of Emmaus' worship services and we want to continue to be a church is that is eager to maintain unity and walk in a manner worthy of the calling. 

We are not a result of random chance but rather we are part of a collective that God has designed and formed to fulfill His greater purposes. No one is overlooked; each of us has been given special ability for the greater good. 

He is the Vine we are the branches - the branches bare fruit if they are connected to the Vine. It's all in Him. 

There are not elite and non-elite Christians. Full time workers or part-time working in the Kingdom…

…We all play a role.

Walk in a manner worthy means…

…The believer maintains unity in the bond of peace because we are connected to Him. 

…The believer lives our the call when connected to Him.

…His righteousness is our righteousness - We are worthy because He is worthy.

The key to discovery your role and your spiritual gift or gifts is found in a heart that is fully surrendered to the finished and completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the victory that we already possess in His resurrection…

Where do you fit in?

…It starts with a unified purpose in Him and through Jesus.

…You fit in - in Jesus and in Jesus we are unified together. 

How might we better connect to Him so therefore we will be better connected to the collective Church in order to life in the blessing that God has made us for and desires to work in and through we?

We need real tangible interaction especially if we are going to reach the world for Christ. 

We would love to pray with you today!

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Pr. Nick preached on God's timing and earnest prayer.

There is a battle going on - both spiritual and physical…

…Standing for Jesus will mean some level of hardship and persecution because light and dark do not mix.

Standing on the promises of God also means we are standing in a spiritual conflict zone…

… the enemy wants to stop what God is doing on earth as it is in heaven.

What does it look like to stand in a spiritual conflict zone?

- Relational Conflict - in the home, outside the home, with loves ones, with strangers, etc.

- Temptation - desire, urge, impulse

- Internal Troubles - doubt, grief, fear, anxiety, lack of confidence

We need deliverance, physically yes, but also spiritually…

…That is what Jesus offers each and every one of us! By His sacrifice for our sins and the penalty He paid for us! 

We would love to pray with you today!

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Pr. Kevin preached on seeing Jesus in the day to day. 

Jesus isn't hiding, but we can get so caught up in what we are doing that we don't recognize Him. 

He wants to reveal Himself to you today!

Can you see Jesus? Are you ready to see Him?

He will change you, He will stretch you, and grow you….

…Once you answer the call to be His disciple, life is not the same. 

Seeing Jesus is the motivation we need to serve Him…

…He is the One that came into our dark world to bring light.

…He is the One that called to the thief on the cross and said, today you will be with Me in paradise.

…He is the One that remembered and died for you.

…He is the One that is interceding for you still today.

We would love to pray with you today!

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Pr. Nick preached on keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus through the storms of life. 

A little homework for you: Self-inventory or personal zone of assessment:

There is both something physical & spiritual going on…

…There is an enemy attempting to keep the work of God from taking place on earth as it is in heaven!

We are not alone, Jesus is fighting the battle on our behalf & the victory has been won by Christ on the Cross!!

In Matthew 14,  Peter steps out of the boat - his safety and security in the storm and goes out to Jesus…

…We think so often that the safe place is the human built safeties like the boat where we are secure - when all along the safest place to be is where He called us out to be with Him.

Do what God calls you to do, not what feels the safest.

Go to the one who is Lord over the opposition, the chaos and the struggle…

…The weapons of our warfare that destroy strongholds are: Prayer, time in the Word of God, and Worship.

We would love to pray with you today!

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