Pastor Bob teaches on the Requirements, Characteristics and Rewards of Biblical leaders. Two notable passages that address the characteristics of Elders and Deacons are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:6-9. (2005)

May God bless you through this message! 

The Epic Life

Why are we here?

 Most of us aren't really sure why we're here.  We found Christ, but now what?  For many, being a Christian means that we superimpose a Christian commitment over our existing lifestyle, dreams, hopes, aspirations, etc.  Our moral and ethical choices change, but our life's purpose often remains unaffected by our newfound relationship to Christ. (9/2014)

May God bless you through this message! 

The Epic Life

Fyodor Dostoevsky said, "So long as man remains free, he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find something or someone to worship."

The reason that we have this need to worship is because God has put that desire in our hearts. We've been implanted with that need, passion and longing to worship someone or something because that someone or something is to be God Himself. That was God's plan from the very beginning. So the question is, "What or whom do we worship?" Worship can be defined as "an act of completely giving over one's interest, desires, and admiration to some other person or thing." The word actually comes from the Old English word, "worthship," which means to ascribe worth or value to a person or thing. In fact, in the Bible, this word "worship" is mentioned over 160 times and words related to worship, like bowing down or giving thanks or raising your hands, all these things are mentioned more than 600 times in the Scriptures.

May God bless you through this message! 

The Epic Life

There are really just two races that we can run: the world's race or God's race. We can run the world's race which is a race for wealth, recognition, and power. There's certainly other things involved, but fundamentally we're racing for things of material value, prestige, things that elevate us in the eyes of other people. We've all run that race.

As followers of Christ, we're called to run God's race. In Matthew 28, as Christ was preparing to leave earth, he commissioned believers to make disciples of all nations, teaching them everything that He's taught, that they might obey Him and walk in His ways. As long as we live on earth, our race is the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples.

May God bless you through this message! 

The Epic Life

The Bible teaches us that we are to:

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name.”  Hebrews 13:15  

As Christians, we certainly have much to be thankful for:

In light of the many blessing that God has given us, our lives should be full of praise, thanksgiving, and joy. 

May God bless you through this message! 

Pastor Bob delivered this sermon in November, 2004.

The Bible teaches us that we are to:

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name.”  Hebrews 13:15  

As Christians, we certainly have much to be thankful for:

In light of the many blessing that God has given us, our lives should be full of praise, thanksgiving, and joy. 

May God bless you through this message! 

Pastor Bob delivered this sermon in November, 2004.

Pastor Bob summarizes parts of Exodus thus far and gives people time to respond through prayer. Enjoy the summary and your prayer time!

Blessings,

In Old Testament times, legal and binding covenants were not drafted by attorneys and then signed by the parties involved. Instead, legal agreements were formalized by means of a very graphic covenant ceremony.

Called, “Beriyth” (to cut a covenant), this ceremony ratifying a legal agreement was sealed by cutting an animal in half.  Then the two participating parties would pass between the halves while repeating the terms of the covenant. By doing so, the two parties were stating, “If I fail to fulfill my commitments to this covenant, may I suffer the same fate as this animal.”

This process is described in Gen 15:10-21 when God promised Abram a son.

      In the Old Testament, there are three different types of covenants:

1. A parity covenant between two human parties, both of whom voluntarily accept the terms of the agreement (1 Sam 18:3,4; Mal 2:14; Obad 7).

The components of Suzerain-Vassal Treaties of that time (1500-1200 BC) are:

1. Preamble (Identification of the Covenant Giver)

The covenant at Sinai in Exodus 24 encapsulates all of these occurrences. 

Blessings,

The Ten Commandments give us the fundamental principles for life and conduct.  Exodus 21-23 applies those 10 principles to the complex context of daily living.

While these laws were specifically given to Israel as God’s covenant people, they are universally applicable and provide the judicial framework for all democratic countries in the world today.  

Blessings,

Introduction

The chapters in our study today establish the “Civil Laws” of Israel -- the regulations that involve the just punishment and procedures to follow for crimes committed.  These were the laws that Moses was instructed to teach those who were put over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens (Ex 18:21-22).

Blessings,

As we look at these civil laws instituted by the Lord, we observe several things:

1. They reveal a morality/ethic that was far beyond that of the nations in that day.