Lessons for Living (Audio)

About twenty or so years ago there was a man who was positive that he’d figured out the exact date of Christ’s return. Well, he sold a lot of books and got a bit of attention. Then, when the date came and went, he suddenly had a “refinement” of his date, setting it for a few months later. That day came and went, and so did he. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the truth of Jesus’ second return. He’ll be using the letters of the apostle Paul who wrote about this topic. Paul wanted to comfort some of the believers in Thessalonica and correct their thinking about this matter.

If you’re above a certain age you understand the concept of a “worn out” body. The things you could do at twenty-five are a lot harder to do at forty and almost impossible at sixty. Those times are when people want to reverse the clock on their physical bodies. Pastor Mark will be teaching what the Bible has to say about the rapture and what happens to Christ followers at that time. You’ll learn what’s going to happen to your body and how your new body will differ from your current one. You’ll discover that God has a lot of wonderful plans for you after you transition from this world to heaven.

People want to believe in a heaven. The idea of a place of wondrous comfort to live in after death is really appealing. Hell, not so much. So, men and women have spent thousands of years trying to figure out a way to get to what they believe heaven is. Pastor Mark will be teaching what the Bible has to say about heaven. He’ll talk about what’s going to happen to the earth during the last days as well as the thousand year reign of Jesus. He’ll remind you that the only way to get to heaven is to become a child of God by repenting of your sins, and accepting Jesus’ death on the cross for you.

People talk about death as the great divide. The living are permanently separated from the dead; all that is left are the memories of the departed one. This is the reason that people grieve when someone they care about passes away. However, Pastor Mark will be teaching today about an even greater divide; the divide between those in heaven and those in hell. You’ll hear that those in hell will never see the people that they know who are in heaven. It’s the same for the people in heaven who have unbelieving friends. That’s why it’s important for you to make the decision to follow Christ now. After death is too late.

Nobody really knows – that is, they have no first-hand observations – of what happens after death. Therefore, whatever belief you have about that is a matter of faith. The apostle Paul references this when he says that if the resurrection of the dead isn’t true, Christians are most to be pitied. Pastor Mark will be teaching today about the resurrection of the dead. He’ll be sharing what the Bible has to say about what happens post-death; he’ll also be talking about the end times and the events that’ll happen then. He’ll be telling you the reasons you should trust what the Bible has to say about these things.

Every day, wherever you go, wherever you look, you’ll see sexualized advertising. It won’t be pornographic (hopefully), but it’s intended to arouse sexual feelings in you. It can be very frustrating as a Christ follower to have to deal with this situation. You don’t want to poke your eyes out, so what are you to do? Pastor Mark will be teaching about how to fight this battle, which begins in the mind. He’ll be talking about aligning your mind with God’s mind, which means knowing what God has to say about such things. You’ll hear from the scriptures how the early Christians dealt with the same temptations.

Most people understand that sex is a normal, natural act. What most people either don’t know or don’t acknowledge is the source of sex: God. Like most things in the world, the Devil has tricked people into believing that sex just ‘happened’, without a planner or designer. Pastor Mark will be teaching that this worldly belief is wrong. There is a design and plan to the world, and God is the one who designed and planned it. His plan included sex, which at the beginning He declared to be “good”. You’ll learn that God’s designs are good and work great for you when you do them His way.

For the last few decades there has been an emphasis in society on what’s called “self-esteem”. This has been stressed in schools at all levels as well as in the popular culture – “you need to feel good about yourself” and similar phrases are what you’ll hear. Pastor Mark will be teaching that this mindset will only lead you to frustration, because it ignores or rejects the truth about who you are and why you’re here. You’ll find out that if you take a look at your life from God’s perspective that you’ll find your true reason for existence. After embracing God’s viewpoint you’ll be able to find the peace and contentment you’re seeking.

Unfortunately, people hurt each other. Sometimes it’s on purpose; many times it’s unintended. Regardless, people hurt and get hurt. Some adopt the attitude of “do unto others before they do to you”. Not a healthy way to live, is it? Pastor Mark will be teaching today about the attitude and mindset a follower of Jesus should take. You’ll learn that it’s very different from the way the world views hurting and hurt. You’ll find out that although God doesn’t do the hurting, He wants to use the hurt that will happen to you to change your character, and make you someone who can help others in similar situations.

It’s common knowledge that if you want to be able to compete athletically at a high level that you must provide your body with the proper fuel in the correct amounts. If you don’t do that, you’ll fall short of your goal. Pastor Mark will be teaching that it’s the same for the Christ follower. Christians need to ingest God’s word to make their spirits stronger and more able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. Pastor Mark will help you see the importance of reading scripture regularly, and you’ll learn how to live a life that’s always getting closer to God and benefiting others.