The Open Word (Audio)

God wants all people to come to Him. He doesn’t expect any of us to be perfect before we do. We’ll all have our struggles with sin, our misunderstandings of theology, as well as all kinds of other emotional and mental baggage. As carriers of the Gospel, it’s not our job to pass judgment, but instead to explain the way of salvation. As Pastor David will explain in today’s message, this doesn’t mean overlooking sin, but instead acknowledging our inherent weakness and our need for salvation in Christ.

In 1st Corinthians, Paul said he made himself “all things to all men” in order to spread the Gospel. Even so, he still offended plenty, but as Pastor David will point out in today’s message, his top priority was spreading the Gospel, not refining his own faith experience. He found freedom in Christ that many couldn’t understand, but instead of simply enjoying that freedom for his own comfort or enjoyment, he was willing to abstain or hold himself back if it helped him share Christ with someone.

It’s sad how little of an impact many believers have in their community and world. If you’ve come to Christ, you likely remember those early months or years where you had passion and an urgent need to share what you’d found with others. As Pastor David will point out in today’s message, that zeal has a tendency to wane over time, and many tried and true Christians get caught up in keeping up the rules and maintaining the routines and completely forget their first love, Jesus Christ.

It’s sad how little of an impact many believers have in their community and world. If you’ve come to Christ, you likely remember those early months or years where you had passion and an urgent need to share what you’d found with others. As Pastor David will point out in today’s message, that zeal has a tendency to wane over time, and many tried and true Christians get caught up in keeping up the rules and maintaining the routines and completely forget their first love, Jesus Christ.

Have you ever found yourself in that place: feeling overwhelmed by all of the things you can’t control? Anyone who’s honest with themselves has been there, or will find themselves there at some point in their life. As humans, we’re weak and extremely limited. This reality has been made even more clear by the events we’ve endured this year. As Pastor David continues our study of Acts, we’ll be reminded that God is in control and we can either struggle against Him, or find rest in Him.

.What have you been placing your trust in? In your job or bank account? Maybe your family or friendships? If those things are your foundation, you can expect to experience some major shaking and settling throughout your life. As Pastor David will explain in today’s message, Christ alone should be your foundation. He’s steadfast and unchanging, no matter how chaotic this fallen world may be. Nothing can surprise or overwhelm Him. When you rest in Him, you can go through life with peace and confidence.

While living with sin or weak faith will have consequences in your life, placing your faith in Christ will not keep you from experiencing hardship and struggle. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The trials will look different, but as Pastor David will warn in today’s message, they’ll often be more intense. The assault of the enemy will play on your natural desire to serve self over others. The easy thing will be to compromise and neglect God’s calling, but the right thing is to persevere for the glory of your Savior.

This life is just a vapor in the scheme of eternity. In the midst of a trial, it can be really hard to look beyond your immediate pain and discomfort. It’s tempting to take the easy path and avoid hardship wherever possible. But, as Pastor David will remind us in today’s message, the path a believer is called to walk is not easy. It’s going to be hard. There are those who’ll face physical torture and death, but when you remain faithful to Christ, your witness will be strengthened, and the eternal rewards will be great.

If you ask any faithful follower of Christ to describe their life, very few would use the words “easy” or “comfortable.” Yet, for many who come to the faith, they’re led to believe that the life of a believer is full of material blessings and ease. As Pastor David will demonstrate in the example of Paul, the closer you get to God, the harder your life will get. The more you live out your convictions and share the truth of the Gospel, the more resistance you’ll face from an enemy who sees the threat you pose.

All too often we try to squeeze God into a box of what we understand, but can’t be contained in our doctrine or reason. As Pastor David will remind us in today’s message, there’s no force of nature or will of man that can prevent God from carrying out His will. You can actively and purposefully reject Him every single day, just to find that He’s orchestrating things in your life and even using you to carry out His will. The best thing you can do is submit to Him and consciously join in His good and perfect will.