Porter Podcast

Series:  RESET

Dealing with Depression

I Kings 19

Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalm 42:11 

degrees of depression

·      Dejection      (moments)

·      Discouragement     (seasons)

·      Despondency           (stuck)

·      Despair         (hopeless)

depression tendencies 

·      Depressed people often push people away, but feel like they are being ignored.

·      Depressed people sometimes exaggerate their worries and ignore God’s provision.

·      Depressed people can unhealthily focus on self.

·      Depressed people can develop a warped view of God.

Elijah             I Kings 19

Depression can affect anyone, even godly people. 

how God responds

God ministers to his physical needs.

God lets Elijah express himself.

God speaks truth to Elijah.

God ministers to Elijah’s physical, spiritual and  psychological needs.

2 things to remember 

ü Remember that God is merciful.

ü Remember that the devil is a liar.

3 things to do 

ü Confront the enemy’s lies by seeking God’s Word.  

ü Put your focus on others.

ü Affirm the Gospel is true.  

Series: Reset

Failure is Not Final

Mark 14, John 21

flavors of failure

·      Aspirational 

·      Missional

·      Moral

·      Covenantal

Simon Peter’s headline               Mark 14

the destructive path

·      Disappointment

·      Shame

·      Guilt 

·      Regret

·      Pessimism

Some people try to numb the feelings of failure; others try to embrace their failure. 

Failure is NOT a virtue to be celebrated.

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 

I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

John 10:10

the rest of the story                    John 21

God loves and redeems failures.

Facing your past is a part of redemption.  

God utilizes failures for His purposes and glory.

Failure will not be your last chapter, if you follow Christ.

Series: Reset

Pressing On

Philippians 3:12-21

the value of a reset

·      When we start over, we are reminded of mercy.

·      There are lessons learned best through the struggles.

·      The opportunity for a reset helps your hope flourish.  

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

reset tips

Have a good understanding of grace.

Have a realistic perception of yourself.

Work hard.  Grace does not excuse effort; it fuels it.

Spiritual growth does not happen without a fight!

People are at different stages in the sanctification process. 

Understanding our own struggle leads us to patience with others.   

Look for positive examples and imitate them. 

Remember who you are – you are a citizen of heaven! 

2022 Porter Reset Challenge

1.    Read your bible daily.

2.    Make church attendance a priority.

3.    Give regularly.

4.    Share Jesus with your network

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Series: Incarnation

Incarnation & Hope

Romans 5:1-5; Revelation 21-22

Hope is an essential need of humanity; without hope, death has already tightened its grip of an individual.  

Hope can be undermined by pain or delay.  

Hope delayed makes the heart sick,
but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

The Incarnation teaches that God came in human form in the person of Jesus. 

This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5:5

the incarnation and hope

The Incarnation reminds me that God is faithful to keep His promises.

The incarnation reveals that God is always at work, even in difficult circumstances.

The incarnation informs our eschatology.

            Eschatology = a study of the last things

            Two events that bring hope: the return of Jesus and the experience of heaven.

Revelation 21-22

Today’s Takeaways: 

Series: The Incarnation
The Incarnation and Missions
Philippians 2:5-11;2 Corinthians 5:15-20



RECAP

The Latin word incarnation = to become flesh

The doctrine of the incarnation teaches that Jesus was always God and became a Man.  

Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man. 

The Incarnation makes justice and mercy possible.  
                 


The incarnation & God’s character

•God is an initiative taking God.  

•God desires to dwell with humanity.  

•God self-sacrifices to accomplish His purposes.   

Incarnation & missions
Christians take the initiative to meet the needs of our community.  

Christians actively seek to “dwell” with others in our community.

The gospel normally spreads through relationships.

The term “incarnational” has been used to describe Christian mission work that emphasizes “dwelling” with those we are trying to reach. 

Risks of incarnational ministry

•It is easy to lose your distinctiveness. 

•The closer you are to people the more difficult it becomes to share your faith.  

Christian missions have not been done until the Christian message has been shared. 

Sacrifice for the mission is normal behavior for Christian people.  

Today’s takeaways
What needs has God impressed upon your heart?   Take the Initiative 
Where can you engage people outside of church?  Dwell with them 
How can you help spread the message of Jesus?  Sacrifice for it

Series: The Incarnation

God came near

John 1:14; Luke 1:26-37

The inclusion in early creeds, the debate at church councils and the Roman calendar all show the importance the early Christians placed on the birth of Jesus. 

Incarnation 

The Latin word incarnation = to become flesh

         John 1:14

Christians believe that Jesus is both God and Man.   

It is easy to emphasize one nature and neglect the other. 

The early church struggled to understand how these truths related to each other.  At the Council of Ephesus in 421 AD, the church came to an agreement: Jesus had 2 natures, but He was only one essence.   

Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man.

the Virgin Birth

Luke 1:26-37

The sinful nature of man is present at birth.   The Virgin Birth circumvented the transmission of the sin nature and allowed the eternal God to become a perfect man.

Christians affirm that God can do the supernatural.  

why Incarnation?

Jesus did not come to earth so God could understand man; Jesus came to earth so man could understand God.  

Hebrews 1:3

Through Jesus’ earthly life, we know what God is like and that God cares for us. 

            Hebrews 4:15

Jesus left the glory of heaven for the purpose of saving sinful man. 

1 Timothy 2:5-6

Today’s Takeaways

The Incarnation assures us God will always be with us.

No matter what we are going through, we can know that Jesus can help us—He has been there. 

In the life of Jesus, we have an example of how to live 

and treat others.

Because of Jesus’ incarnation, we have hope of forgiveness.

2 Timothy 3: 16-17

Series: Sermon on the Mount

Kingdom Benefits

Matthew 7:24-29

The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ teaching about what it means to be a citizen in the Kingdom of Heaven.  

A person becomes a Kingdom citizen through faith in God.

the benefits package

Entrance into the kingdom of heaven

The privilege of knowing God personally

  “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock.” 

   Matthew 7:24-25

The parable of the builders teaches us about foundations, time, endurance and choices.

The possibility of a transformed life

Our good works are a response to grace, not an attempt to maintain our relationship with God.

God’s love language is obedience.

“If you love me, you will keep my commands.”

John 14:15

The transformed life is not the pathway to knowing God, but it is the product of knowing God.

An enduring hope

A guaranteed future blessing

Today’s Takeaways

Series:  Sermon on the Mount

Entering the Kingdom

Matthew 7:13-23

Sermon Overview

·      The focus of the Sermon on the Mount is citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven--what a citizen is like, how he/she behaves, and how a person can gain access.  

·      The sermon exposes the gap between people’s obedience and God’s expectations.  

·      Citizenship is granted to those who humbly come to God through Jesus.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it.  How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

Two Different Ways

The two ways differ in appearance, in the volume of traffic, in difficulty of travel, and in destination.  

Entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven requires trusting Jesus, not yourselves.

“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. 

Matthew 7:15-16

False Prophets

There will always be those who undermine trusting Jesus.

Recognizing anti-Jesus “prophets” and philosophies is dependent upon an understanding of God’s Word and a grasp of what kingdom citizenship looks like. 

On That Day

There is a difference between possession and profession. 

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name? Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’

Matthew 7:22-23

Today’s Takeaways

Many will miss the Kingdom of Heaven.

Not every spiritual teacher or philosophy is helpful/accurate. 

No one will be saved by works, not even by good work.  

Entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven is dependent upon a relationship with Jesus.