Love Worth Finding | Audio Program

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Malachi 3:7-12

At its core definition, stewardship is our relationship with money: how we obtain, save, invest, spend, and give our wealth. God is interested in this relationship, as is Satan—our enemy who would love to keep us in financial bondage.

If money increases our worries, or if we have plenty in the bank, but we have no treasure in Heaven, we are in financial bondage. We all want to be free from the curse of debt, but freedom is only found when we are faithful in stewardship.

Malachi 3:7 says, “Yet from the days of your fathers, you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’”

In order to obtain financial freedom, we must first personally return to God.

He does not need our money, but He wants our fellowship. When we remember tithing is God’s way of revealing our priorities to ourselves, we will see tithing as a great blessing. It is our privilege to show God that He is first in our lives and everything else is secondary.

Adrian Rogers says, “God is not raising money; God is growing Christians. God wants us to grow in grace and knowledge and to love Him.”

After our personal return, there is a financial release.

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:8).

By biblical definition, tithing is ten percent given to the temple of God (church), for the work of the temple. Giving to charities or ministries is good, but it is not a replacement for our tithes.

When we learn to give back to God freely, there will be a spiritual renewal.

God will renew our faith, rebuke our foes, and restore our fruitfulness. Our offerings are like seeds for a crop: when we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully.

Apply it to your life

Are you in financial bondage, seeking freedom from an indebted spirit? Remain faithful in stewardship; return to God, understanding He wants you first and foremost. Then, show your faithfulness through tithing.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: Psalm 126:5-6

The wisest thing we could do in the eyes of God is to remain faithful in evangelism. Psalm 126:5-6 reveals the soul winner’s promise: “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

The soul is of great worth; Jesus died upon the cross, paying the price with His blood and agony to show how much He desired our souls.

Our souls are also valuable because of their durability. When God made the human soul, He made it in His own image, therefore, it is endless, timeless, dateless, and measureless.

Every soul has the potential to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ or to spend eternity in the pits of Hell.

We would be wise to evangelize because it is the command of Christ. We remember that we are programmed to go forth (Psalm 126:6); nothing takes the place of going. It’s not enough to “live good lives,” because our lives are not what save souls…salvation through Jesus’s death and resurrection is what saves souls.

Adrian Rogers says, “We are to be spiritually distinct, but not socially segregated.”

We cannot lose our passion. If we feel we’ve lost our broken hearts for the unsaved, we must beg God to break them again. We must ask God to give us the eyes of Jesus who, when He saw the multitudes, was moved with compassion. (See Luke 19.)

We must ignite our power, for we bear seed for sowing (Psalm 125:6). In this passage, the seed is the Word of God, and in that seed, there is life. Because there is power of life in the seed, there is power in the soul winner who scatters the seed.

Finally, we must hold fast to our promise: if we keep sowing, we will see a harvest. We should not concern ourselves with the soil, we just sow the seed, asking God to give us open doors and increase.

Apply it to your life

Are you faithful in evangelism, recognizing your program, passion, power, and promise?

Adrian Rogers says, “You let Congress make the laws; let the President try to run the nation. Let the Hollywood stars have the fame and let those guys play football. But if you are wise, you’re going to win souls.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12

It is important that we understand that while Jesus Christ and the Church are not identical, they are inseparable. We cannot forsake the church; we must remain faithful in fellowship.

1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.”

This passage describes the church as a body, with Christ as the head. As our bodies inhabit our humanity, the church inhabits Jesus Christ. The body serves the life of the person who lives inside of it; likewise, we are Jesus’ hands and feet.

Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus is the invisible part of the visible church, and the church is the visible part of the invisible Christ.”

We are not just a collection of parts; we have life. The Holy Spirit moves us, therefore we are more than an organization… We are an organism. We have many members, but we have one agenda.

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The formation of the church body begins when the members are born again and spiritually baptized by the Holy Ghost. As a result, we are bound together as a single body in fellowship.

We share a common life, unified by the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of us. We belong to one another, casting aside any competition with one another or isolation.

We also show a common love as 1 Corinthians 12:25 and 26 say: “...that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

Finally, we serve the same Lord; Adrian Rogers says, “Loyalty to Jesus means loyalty to His body; you cannot love Jesus without loving what Jesus loves.”

As Jesus loves the church—faults, failures, flaws, and all—so should we.

Apply it to your life

We are all somebody in His body; accept your role, whether you are an ear to hear or an eye to see. Be yourself and give yourself to the church; as we work with each other, Jesus Christ will be seen through us.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12

It is important that we understand that while Jesus Christ and the Church are not identical, they are inseparable. We cannot forsake the church; we must remain faithful in fellowship.

1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.”

This passage describes the church as a body, with Christ as the head. As our bodies inhabit our humanity, the church inhabits Jesus Christ. The body serves the life of the person who lives inside of it; likewise, we are Jesus’ hands and feet.

Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus is the invisible part of the visible church, and the church is the visible part of the invisible Christ.”

We are not just a collection of parts; we have life. The Holy Spirit moves us, therefore we are more than an organization… We are an organism. We have many members, but we have one agenda.

“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The formation of the church body begins when the members are born again and spiritually baptized by the Holy Ghost. As a result, we are bound together as a single body in fellowship.

We share a common life, unified by the Holy Spirit dwelling in each of us. We belong to one another, casting aside any competition with one another or isolation.

We also show a common love as 1 Corinthians 12:25 and 26 say: “...that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

Finally, we serve the same Lord; Adrian Rogers says, “Loyalty to Jesus means loyalty to His body; you cannot love Jesus without loving what Jesus loves.”

As Jesus loves the church—faults, failures, flaws, and all—so should we.

Apply it to your life

We are all somebody in His body; accept your role, whether you are an ear to hear or an eye to see. Be yourself and give yourself to the church; as we work with each other, Jesus Christ will be seen through us.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: John 4:3-24

Our greatest need, privilege, and supreme duty as Christians is to worship God; it is the very reason we were created. We are invited, commanded, encouraged, and empowered to worship God because we become like what we worship.

Adrian Rogers says, “If you want to be utterly miserable, turn your life inward. If you want to be filled with joy, turn your life upward. Look into the face of God and learn to worship.”

In John 4, Jesus met a woman who had been blinded by Satan, broken by sorrow, and bound by sin. What Jesus shares with this Samaritan woman reminds us why it is important to be faithful in worship.

First, Jesus taught her the meaning of true worship.

It is easy to fall into the trappings of idolatry, insincerity, and iniquity. But, as Adrian Rogers says, “True worship is all that we are, responding to all that God is. It is the adoring contemplation of God revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. We worship according to the worth we place on God.”

Second, Jesus tells us how to practice the true method of worship.

John 4:23-24 says, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

We must be regenerated by the Father. We cannot worship a God that we don’t know; we must make certain that we have been born into the Father’s family. We must be activated by the Spirit; it is impossible to honor God apart from being filled with the Holy Spirit. We must also be regulated by the Word; true worship is linked with studying the Word of God, for we worship in spirit and in truth.

Finally, Jesus reminds us of our motives as worshippers.

We go to church not primarily for what we can get but for what we can give. We glorify God when we bring our worship to church; it reveals that He is of the utmost importance in our lives.

Apply it to your life

What does your worship life say about how much worth you’ve placed on God? Consider the meaning, method, and motive of true worship as you glorify God in your faithfulness to Him.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Passage: 2 Timothy 2:15

If we want to live holy lives, to be sanctified and powerful in the Lord, we must learn how to be faithful in studying God’s Word.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

First, if you want to understand the Bible, you must receive the saving Author of the Bible.

Without Christ, we are spiritually blind, as 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

An unsaved man can read the Bible and appreciate its beauty, history, and moral precepts; yet he will never know the deep meaning of God’s Word until he’s born again. When Christ is in our hearts, our eyes are opened, our hearts are stirred and our minds are enlightened to the things of Scripture. Only then can we learn His statutes.

Secondly, we must recognize the sovereign authority of the Bible.

All Scripture is the breath of God, inspired by Him. The Bible interpreted by the Holy Spirit is the final authority—not human reason or conscience.

Third, we must resolve to make a serious analysis of the Bible.

It’s not enough to say that God is the author of the Bible or that the Bible is absolutely authoritative. We must rightly divide the Word of God, laying aside our intellectual pride and bringing our open minds. We must analyze it in context, with common sense and deep concentration. Read poetry as poetry, prophecy as prophecy, promises as promises, and precepts as precepts.

Lastly, we must respond with a steadfast application of the Bible.

To love God is to keep His commandments. Inspiration without obedience will cause the Word of God to sour within us rather than energize us. We must put these things into practice.

Adrian Rogers says, “Bible study gives you knowledge about God. Obedience gives you knowledge of God. You can study the Bible and learn about God or you can obey the Bible and know God.”

Apply it to your life

Are you exercising your faithfulness in studying the Bible? Read God’s Word in context, with common sense and full concentration today.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: Acts 10:34

Would you be prepared to share the light of the Gospel the moment someone asks about it?

In Acts 10, Simon Peter was invited into the home of Cornelius, a Roman officer, to share his faith with him and his household.

Acts 10:34-35 says, “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.’”

Peter, a Jew, preached the message of salvation to the first Gentile, claiming that the door of salvation is wide: anyone who wants to enter may come. But the way is very narrow: Jesus is the only way to Heaven. If we are not saved by Jesus alone, we are not saved at all.

The evidence of Jesus Christ has not changed over time. The same testimony Peter gave to Cornelius is our testimony today. Peter’s threefold testimony reveals how we can share the light of Jesus with others.

First, Peter gave his personal witness account as a saint.

Having walked with Jesus and witnessed Him firsthand, Peter had unmatched confidence in the virtuous life, vicarious death, and victorious resurrection of Christ.

Adrian Rogers says, “A Christian with a glowing witness is worth a library full of arguments.”

Peter’s second line of evidence was the prophetic witness of the Scriptures.

Acts 10:43 says, “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

The Old Testament also bore witness that every prophecy about the Messiah—more than 300—was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. It is an absolute mathematical impossibility that these Scriptures could be fulfilled apart from divine inspiration and the deity of Jesus Christ.

Finally, Peter had the persuasive witness of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit of God anointed Peter, so that his words would convince and convict Cornelius and his family.

We are not waiting on the Holy Spirit—as Believers, God has already sent Him to strengthen and empower us to witness to others.

Together, Peter’s personal witness, Scripture’s fulfilled prophecy, and the Spirit’s persuasion provoked the Gentile Pentecost, proclaiming that the Gospel was for everyone, even us!

Apply it to your life

Are you confident to share what Jesus Christ has done in your life? Have you asked God to anoint you with His Spirit, so that He may convict others through your testimony?

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: Mark 8:34

Our souls are of infinite worth. When God made the human soul, He made it in His own image, therefore, our souls are endless, timeless, dateless, and measureless. The soul is the most valuable part of each of us, and so often, the first thing we sacrifice for the things of this world.

Mark 8:35-36 says, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

No one ever gains the whole world, and whatever part of the world you would gain, you cannot keep forever. The world cannot satisfy our deepest longings—neither pleasure, possession, nor philosophy could ever satisfy because God made us for Himself.

Our souls are priceless treasures of tremendous worth; each one was formed with incredible creativity. Every soul has the potential to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. Our souls are also valuable because of their durability; they last for all eternity.

Adrian Rogers says, “God never makes duplicates. You are the handiwork, the crafting, of Almighty God.”

Our souls are also extremely rare; each is unique. Our souls are of inestimable worth. Jesus died upon the cross, paying the price with His blood and agony to show how much He desired our souls. Therefore, we must be extremely careful with our souls. Any one soul not given to the Lord is a waste of a soul. It is a foolish transaction.

Adrian Rogers says, “Your soul was made for God and until your soul finds its rest in God, your soul will never find satisfaction. You’re His poem—His masterpiece.”

To lose your soul would be a tragic, immeasurable loss—all the wealth of this world cannot compare to the value of a soul. It is an irreplaceable and irreversible loss—after death, we don’t get a second chance.

It’s an inexcusable loss—completely avoidable. Because of Jesus Christ, our sin has been atoned for. And if we belong to Christ and confess our sins, those sins are forgiven.

We can be saved, through conviction, conversion, and confession.

Apply it to your life

Are you playing games, gambling with your soul? To lose it to this world would be a foolish, fatal tragedy. Give it to Jesus, who saves it and keeps it for all of eternity.

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Whether we realize it or not, there is a battle raging in our minds at every moment: spiritual warfare between light and darkness, good and evil, Jesus Christ and Satan. We cannot afford to be ignorant, and we cannot possibly be neutral.

2 Corinthians 10 shares encouragement for us in this battle for our minds.

First, this passage warns us of the warfare of our foe.

There is a deadly array of demons dedicated to the destruction of our thought lives. They are under the authority of the prince of darkness—the devil. He wants our minds, because it is through the mind that God communicates, changes, and controls us. When we’re saved, we receive the mind of Christ, and use our minds in different capacities than we once did. The devil wants to corrupt our minds so we fall out of fellowship with Christ.

Second, this passage addresses the weakness of our flesh.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh” (2 Corinthians 10:3).

The spiritual battle is not in the flesh, but our flesh can be a point of weakness in our fight. We do not have what it takes to overcome on our own.

This passage also reminds us of the weapons of our fight.

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

One of our weapons is the sovereignty of God, who is our Commander-in-Chief in this fight.

We also have the authority of our commission, as 2 Corinthians 10:8 says: “For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed…”

Finally, remember, we have our certain courage.

Jesus Christ has already won the war. We win the battle each and every day by guarding our minds with all diligence (see Proverbs 4:23).

Apply it to your life

Adrian Rogers says, “Center your mind upon Jesus. Don’t let the devil take away your pure-hearted devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Stay in love with Him and there won’t be any room for those filthy, wicked, lustful, prideful thoughts that bombard us all.”

Sermon Overview

Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:4-8

Even the strongest Christian can struggle with mental health. Many of us find ourselves shackled by the chains of disappointment, depression, anger, and fear. While in prison, weighed down by real chains, the Apostle Paul wrote about the freedom we can have in Christ. In Philippians 4, he reveals five steps to mental health.

Rejoice in the presence of the Lord.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:4-5). Paul knew he was not alone in his prison cell; the Lord was with him. No matter our circumstance, the joy we have in the Lord is continuous, because Jesus is constant.

Adrian Rogers says, “No matter where we are, how lonely the night, how dark the road, how dismal the prison, how big the problem, Jesus Christ is always there.”

Rely on the protection of God.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication…” (Philippians 4:6a).

Whatever problem we may face, we can talk to God about it. Worry hurts us so badly, because by definition, it is the idea of being pulled apart; it is useless, wasteful, and wicked. Rather, we can trust God in the big things and the little things.

Reflect on the provision of God.

“...with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6b). Rather than praying with self-pity, we should be filled with thanksgiving, praying with gratitude for all the Lord has done, and all He will do.

Rest In the peace of the Lord.

“...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). The peace of God is what guards us and protects us. We don’t keep this peace—it keeps us.

Reflect on the purpose of God.

“Finally…whatever things are true… noble… just… pure… lovely… of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

We can be selective about what comes into our hearts and minds. We must keep our thoughts on the right things, so that we don’t miss the purposes of God.

Apply it to your life

Consider these five steps to mental health today. Pray that you would remember the Lord is near, to rejoice in Him and not in our circumstances. He is our protection, our provision, our peace, and our purpose.