North Park Baptist Church

In today's message, Jon Shepherd reminds us how God's plans are so often different from our own plans, and that the building of Christian character comes often through suffering. In this, Jesus is our ultimate and perfect example.

2 Corinthians 4:16 starts with the words, "Therefore we do not lose heart." In today's message, Don Parsons shares from this chapter of scripture the many reasons why we have courage in light of the gospel, while sharing real-world examples of faithfulness in the midst of suffering and persecution.

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells a parable about how a shepherd owning 100 sheep would leave his sheep on the hill to go searching for one sheep who had wandered away. In today's message, Pastor Phil preaches from Matthew 18 about God's heart for his sheep: how God values every sheep, watches over every sheep and pursues every sheep.

In Matthew 18, Jesus gives a dire warning about the consequences of causing believers to stumble in sin. "If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea." In today's message, Pastor Phil examines this passage to show that Kingdom greatness is demonstrated by how seriously we take the spiritual well-being of others and ourselves.

In Matthew 18, Jesus explains to the disciples that whoever wishes to be greatest in the Kingdom of God must become the servant of all. In today's message, Pastor Phil teaches from this passage how Kingdom greatness begins with humble dependence on Christ and leads to humble service to others.

In John 4, we read the story of the woman at the well--how Jesus deliberately went through Samaria, and spoke to a woman who was living in sin in order to tell her about the redemption which could be found only in Him. Jesus tells her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." In today's message, Pastor Phil encourages us to ask the question, where do we find our satisfaction in life?

God looks deeper. The Spirit changes us. Patience shows it. In today's message, Pastor John explores how true attractiveness is an inward beauty, and a result of the working of the Holy Spirit.

At the end of the Book of Joshua, we read how Joshua assembled the nation of Israel together at Shechem, and delivered a message from the Lord, reminding them of how they were brought from Egypt to the Promised Land. Joshua then challenges Israel to choose whom they will serve, but the choice is an ultimatum: if they serve the Lord, they cannot serve other gods. Israel makes their choice to follow God, and Joshua's generation keeps their promise. As we approach this passage from scripture, we are reminded that the call to follow God is also a call to let go of the vices and idols we are tempted to hold on to.

At the end of his life, Joshua called the nation of Israel together and gave them his final instructions. In today's message, Pastor Phil teaches how Joshua called Israel to remember that they belonged to God, and to remember what God had said and what God had done. And as we walk with the Lord, we know that this call to remembrance is for us, too.

After Israel had finished driving the nations out of the Promised Land, the two-and-a-half tribes East of the Jordan River returned to their homes, and built an altar there so that later generations would still remember that they were a part of God's people. But the Western tribes feared that this altar was meant for idolatry, and they were fully ready to go to war. But first, they spoke with the Eastern tribes to find out the intent behind the altar. In today's message, Pastor Phil teaches three key ideas from this passage: sin must be taken seriously, there is danger in acting on unconfirmed assumptions, and there is great value to having reminders in our lives about the things that matter.