Lessons for Living (Audio)

The problem that non-Christians – and, unfortunately, many Christians – have is that they believe that the words in the Bible are merely words. While they’re not magic or anything like that, it’s the fact that these words were written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Mark will be teaching today that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes the words of scripture come alive. You’ll hear that without the influence of the Holy Spirit the words of the Bible are just words. But with the Holy Spirit opening your eyes, those simple words become life-giving truth.

Many Christ followers think that they could “never” share the Gospel with a coworker or friend. They think they aren’t well-spoken enough or that they’d just be too nervous to say things the right way. In his teaching today, Pastor Mark will remind you that if you’re a Christ follower that you’re already witnessing about Jesus to the people around you. You might not be doing it well but you are witnessing about God’s changing power. Pastor Mark will be talking about your need to live a life more consistent with scripture, which will cause people to see God’s power to change their lives, too.

The social norms of the Roman Empire were so different from today that it’s hard to even imagine. Temple worship – which was really legalized prostitution of men, women, and even children – was rampant. And as crazy as politicians are today, they haven’t yet openly demanded to be worshipped as gods. Pastor Mark will be teaching today about the job all Christ followers have: to impact their individual worlds in the same way that the early Church did. You’ll be challenged to let God remake you in His image and then be used by Him to take the Gospel to those around you.

One of the things that drew attention to the early Christians was the change in their lives. They began living very differently than they had been before, and stuck to this even when they began being persecuted by their family and friends or the government. Pastor Mark will be teaching that if you’re going to be a real Christ follower that you’re going to undergo change in your life – possibly significant change. You’ll hear about God wanting to make you into a reflection of Jesus. You’ll also discover that this remake will require change in thought and behavior on your part.

Through the millennia, mankind has tried to feel like they’re getting access to God. Through rituals and sacrifices – sometimes even their children – men and women have reached out, trying to find the right combination to gain a relationship with God. Pastor Mark will be teaching today about this universal problem and its solution. You’ll learn that this incorrect thinking has found its way into the church, and how it reveals itself there. Pastor Mark will tell you what a true relationship with God looks like and the things you can do to be an authentic follower of Christ.

Becoming a mature disciple of Christ is hard work. Learning to overcome sinful habits, thought patterns and behavior is work that goes on all the time. Cooperating with the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out is not for cowards. Pastor Mark will be teaching about allowing the Holy Spirit to influence you in every area of your life. You’ll hear that this influence is both necessary and beneficial. You’ll find out about the obstacles and enemies that you have that will try to keep you from progressing in your Christian walk, and you’ll learn about the new source of power to win that’s available to you.

Nobody likes pushy salespeople, right? I’m sure that there are places you won’t even shop because of the aggressiveness of the salespeople. They don’t seem to care about what you really want – they only have in mind the stuff they want to sell you. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the right way to approach someone and talk to them about Jesus. You’ll hear about the story of Phillip, and how God did some pretty amazing things through him. You’ll learn the importance of the word “tact” when presenting the Gospel and you’ll be reminded that, above all, Christianity is about the human person, not the “numbers”.

Quick question for you: is it possible to finish a project without having first started that project? “Of course not!” you’ll say, and you’d be right. There’s no finishing anything without beginning that thing. And Pastor Mark will be teaching today that it’s the same when it comes to your path as a Christ follower. You’ll hear about the importance of listening for God’s voice, then listening to God’s voice, and then doing what God’s told you to do. You’ll hear about a man named Phillip, who wasn’t a pastor or even an apostle, who God was able to use because of Phillip’s obedience and stepping out in faith.

Do you ever find yourself frustrated by how your life’s going? Do you work and sweat and struggle but it feels like you’re trying to swim through molasses? Well, it could be because you’re fighting against what God wants you to be doing. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the importance of obeying God. He’ll be sharing that the obeying’s not just about things like salvation, but in asking God what you should be doing in everything. The act of obedience includes asking God about all of the decisions in your life – large and small – and trusting Him to guide you.

You’ve probably heard stories of people, horrible people, who were radically changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Guards at Nazi death camps, terrorists, abortion doctors – people that in the natural would never have been thought of as candidates for salvation through Christ. Pastor Mark will be teaching today about God’s power to change. You’ll hear about the apostle Paul – one of the most radically changed people ever; certainly the best known. You’ll learn about the ability of God to change anyone, even people that you know that Jesus could never reach.