Messages

[Luke 1:5-25] Zecharias and Elizabeth were righteous and blamelessly obedient the sight of God - we can be too. He was chosen by lot and burned incense in the temple according to the Law of Moses, and God sent an angel to tell him He heard his prayer and is giving him a son who will be named John - God hears our prayers uttered out of the suffering experiencesof this life. Zecharias doubted the angel Gabriel sent from God - we should have faith when God speaks to you.

[Luke 1:1-4] Twelve Apostles were chosen as faithful eyewitness of the Old Testament fulfillment in their midst. Islam and Mormonism stand in opposition to this as unverifiable, secret revelation claimed by one man. Creation is our apologetic for God, but the Old Testament is our apologetic for Jesus. 
The Spirit and the Word together is the guarantee of truth; personal experience of objective truth is the Holy Spirit illuminating God’s Word.

[1 Cor 1:10-17] Baptism does not confer grace, it is not a sacrament. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is what saves by grace through faith. There is nothing magical in the act itself that accomplishes forgiveness and eternal life but the faith that reaches out to Christ and obeys His example and command. The gospel is the diamond which shines on its own, clever speech is not needed to adorn the gospel of Christ.

[Luke 1:1-4] Luke, and the other 3 biblical gospels, are apostolic eyewitness testimony, not myths distorted over decades like the game of telephone. Gospel is a unique type of literature which certainly contains history, narrative, and biographical material, but it is a unique genre. Evangelion (the greek word) literally means "good news widely proclaimed and gladly received." Luke's gospel is good news about salvation in a real person - a historical record of a unique and unrepeatable history, person, and event.

[Luke 1:1-4] If you met Luke, after hearing of all his missionary journeys, hardships endured with Paul, skills as a physician & historian, intensive and thorough research as a faithful friend and man of God, would you trust him to write an orderly account of all that Jesus did and taught?

[2 Peter 1:5-9] What does Christian diligence look like? If you’re not growing as a Christian, you’ve forgotten something - the cross of Christ that purified you from your sins. We as Christians must never forget our entry into this grace in which we stand, and continue to add to our faith so that we will be useful to God, bearing much fruit.

[Psalm 139:1-24] David reflecting on the all seeing, all knowing God, transcendent and personal God from the moment of his conception and in all places is ever present, guiding and helping him through every circumstance. The awe of this reality brings him to a sense of awe and worship of this powerful creator, protector, and guide.

[2 Cor 12:1-10] Paul was driven to boasting by necessity, in order to respond to the super apostles who are false teachers leading the beloved Corinthians astray from the truth, but he only boasts in his weakness.

[2 Peter 1:4] The word of God actually makes you more like God. The source is God’s glory and excellence and the goal is to become partakers of the divine nature through the means of His precious and magnificent promises. Continue to renew your mind by the Word of God.

[Romans 6:1-4] Water baptism, "immersion," is fundamental to Christianity because it represents the entry point so that we will understand what salvation is from the beginning; saving faith (justification) and personal holiness (sanctification) are required for salvation. Paul is using baptism as an illustration of the true gospel - don't you "know" what baptism teaches?