Sister Cindy Linton, May 8, 2022 Mothers are important. Mother's Day became a national holiday in 1914. It's celebrated globally, and rightfully so. The work of a mother is impactful.  We read of trees throughout scripture. They're useful to heal the nations, and they also bear fruit. The Apostle Paul makes them personal by telling us Christians should be bear fruit, and that the fruit we bear is not for us to consume, rather it's for those around us.  

What type of fruit should a Christian have in their life? 

We find the answer in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." We apply this today looking at these fruits and those that come from a mother. A mother sets the atmosphere for those around her. Her fruit serves to nourish those in her home, her children, and those she interacts with. It's important for a mother to consider - what type of fruit is in my life? What am I growing? Join us today as we correlate the influence of a mother to a mighty oak growing from a little acorn.  

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday May 1, 2022

We may know who Jesus is, but do we know who we are?

When we know who we are, there is confidence. When we don't, we slump become ineffective, we fall into anxious thoughts. If we don't know who we are uncertainty steps in, and paranoia consumes our thinking. 

At times we struggle understanding our identity. This isn't anything new. The disciples had the same struggle. We find an instance in John 21:3, "Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing."

The disciples were anxiously waiting for Jesus to come back. They were on edge. For three years they walked with Him, and now He was gone. They didn't know who they were without their teacher. They did what we often find ourselves doing when we experience the same sort of situation. They went back to what they knew. They were grasping for comfort, and they found a way to cope with their loss. 

Have you ever felt like God has left you?

The disciples did, they forgot their original call was to be Fishers of men, no longer a fishermen. They forgot their call to wait. Perhaps you find yourself forgetting today. Maybe you've lost your way and gone back to what you used to know. If that's you, join us in this message. Just as Jesus didn't leave the Disciples. He hasn't left you either.  Let's get back to our mission together. 

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday April 24, 2022

God is coming make sure you're ready.

Is it possible to receive God's mercy and reject His grace? Can you have one without the other? Do you need both?

Join us as Pastor Josh talks to us about the necessity of receiving God's mercy AND grace, and also extending it to those around us. We'll look to the book of Jonah where we find the people of Nineveh. They outline for us that it is possible for us to receive one while rejecting the other. This word points us to the necessity of allowing both to be active in our life.

Why is it important to have both God's mercy and His grace?

Mercy prevents God's judgement. Grace is what gives us a new start. 

Sometimes we hold on to His mercy. We covet it, and protect it. Yet say, "No," when it comes to embracing the new start He wants us to embark on. 

Godly living is vital. A Godly lifestyle is a necessity. There's no way around it. 

Let's examine our life by asking the tough question, "Lord, Have I received Your mercy, and pushed away from Your grace?" 

God is coming, making sure we are receiving His grace and mercy is a great step to make sure we're ready.

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday April 17, 2022

We serve a RISEN Savior. The journey to the tomb was not joy-filled, but thankfully it doesn't stop at a sealed tomb. Christ conquered everything at the Cross. Resurrection Sunday is a celebration of His victory over death, hell, and the grave. A victory that still continues today. He rose in triumph over it all letting us know, we don't have to live bound by the things Christ conquered on Calvary. Sadness, depression - whatever you're bound by, God has victory for you. 

Join us in this message as we consider three questions we must all ask ourselves:

1) Am I living in the power of the Resurrection?

2) Do I believe the words of Jesus Christ?

3) Is there evidence in my life that proves I believe?

Matthew 27:50-51

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday April 10, 2022

Have you ever wondered what do I need a deliverer for?

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the last week of Jesus' life. It celebrates the moment when our deliverer triumphantly entered into Jerusalem. Today we mark this special day, by looking at the journey to the cross. We're learning together about our great need for a Deliverer. This day specifically was about professing Jesus as King. Too often we miss what this week is all about. We relegate it to a blip, a quick newsflash and move on. Those who gathered to shout, 'Hosanna,' we find they missed it too. Their perception of who He is, and what He came to do was off. 

Matthew 21:1-11

When we look to Palm Sunday we see the King entering the city. This journey to the cross however, didn't start here, it began in Jericho and is made up of many moments in between. These are moments of preparation. They involved care, love, and compassion that many during that time missed. Jesus doesn't want us to miss them. It is in these moments of preparation we see His yearning for us and the compassion of the cross, come into focus. 

Join us in this message where we examine the Journey to the cross by looking at the details of Palm Sunday, and the moments Jesus doesn't want us to miss. 

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday April 3, 2022

Easter is a time of redemption. It's a joyous time, and we are prepping for it in a new series!

There are many different types of missions, but the only one that matters is Jesus'.

The Bible is a manual written to us from Jesus declaring, "I lost you." "My heart hurts because you are not with me." In our natural state we are lost from an eternity with our King, but that's not God's desire for us. He longs for us to receive His mission.  

In this message we explore 3 principles to the mission. (John 8:23-30)

1) The announcement (Luke 2:10-11)

Jesus was never confused about the mission. We are the ones who get confused, and we get tripped up with the lust of our flesh. This lust of the flesh all started with Adam back in the garden. God's desire has always been a relationship with us. Sin entered in with Adam. Sin enters in with us just the same. God paid the cost of redemption, and He has known the plan even from the beginning with Genesis 1:1.

2) His Love (John 3:16,  1 John 4:9, Romans 8:37, Isaiah 54:10)

There is mercy because Jesus loves. The love of God has no end. Do you struggle to understand the love of God?

3) Grasp the Revelation 

Jesus is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. God was in the man Jesus. When he wrapped Himself in flesh He was saying, I must do what no one else can. (John 8:58)

There is only one God, and His name is Jesus. 

Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

Deuteronomy 6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:"

John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."

John 10:30, "I and my Father are one"

Revelation 22:13-21

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday March 29, 2022

We've put down the Word of God for 'How to' clips, but God is bringing us back to it. 

This is the fourth and final message in our 'How to' series. Today Pastor Josh focuses us in on How To: Be Victorious by outlining four steps we find in scripture. 

4 steps to take to be victorious:

1) Take the first step. 

Jesus has already paid the price for our victory. 

2) Know it's all in Him. 

Israel was given a promise, and giants stood between them and their possession of it. They saw the fruit, but the Giants detoured them. 

Are there giants standing in your way? Do you see victory - but the obstacle in front of you seems too big? 

Are these giants causing you to forget the faithfulness of God, and the work He's done in your life already?

3) Claim it. 

Faith demands action. We have to put forth effort to be victorious in taking our promise. We must work for it. 

Joshua 18:3 says, "And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?"

What a powerful question to turn to ourselves. How long are you going to wait to take hold of the promise God has given you? Now is the time to activate our courage, and claim it. 

4) Fight for it. 

The bolder we are the louder we become. Why aren't be bold when it comes to the Kingdom of God, and claiming victory over the promises He has given us? Mark 16:6-8

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Want more? This message is part of a series.

How To: Be Courageous

How To: Be An Overcomer

How To: Be MORE Abundant

In the Normal IL area? We would love for you to meet up with us for service...it just might be the beginning of something spectacular.

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday March 20, 2022

God's desire for our life is abundance - and not just abundance but MORE abundance. Too often we think we're living in a mindset that thinks, "How can it get any better than this?" While God is calling us closer, beckoning us to step into the more abundance He's planned for us. What more does God desire for us?  To know, we've got to go to the Source.

Our hands are limited, but our Father's are not.  

In today's message Pastor Josh shows us how to get the more abundance Jesus tells us is available. 

John 10:10, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

If you enjoy this message, please consider leaving a rating and a review on iTunes or where ever you choose to podcast. Know someone that could use this same encouragement? We truly appreciate when you share The Church messages with your family and friends.

Want more? This message is part of a series.

How To: Be Courageous

How To: Be An Overcomer

In the Normal IL area? We would love for you to meet up with us for service...it just might be the beginning of something spectacular.

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday March 13, 2022

Do you have questions about life? Are you searching the internet for a quick "How to," tip? Has your search for convenience and a quick fix caused you to overlook God by laying down His original, "How to book?" 

In this message we're continuing our "How to" series by looking to see what God says about how to be an overcomer. 

We'll look to Joshua and find he was an overcomer. He was given a promise, and looked to God for instruction on how to claim it. 

Much the same, we have been given a promise. Are we looking to God asking for His direction when it comes to claiming it?

To possess it, Joshua waited to hear from the Lord. Are we?

Join us in this message as we discover two principals we must understand if we are ever going to take possession of the promise God says is ours and become the overcomer God desires.

Did you miss out on the first message of this series? Check it out How To: Be Courageous 

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Pastor Josh Linton, Sunday March 6, 2022

Who doesn't love a short "How to video?" You can find a video teaching you to do just about anything these days. 

Social media as convenient as it is however, is no match when it comes to the "How to's" we find in the Word of God.

Joshua 1:9, "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Commands: 

Be Strong. 

Be Courageous.

Do not be afraid. 

Do not be discouraged.

Promise:

For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. 

It was a promise to Joshua, and it's still a promise to us years later. Getting it though, requires courage. 

Do we know what it means to be courageous?

God does, and he's given His Word to us showing us the answer.

Join us today, as we dive in and discover three steps to become courageous. 

This message is part of a series. To hear more check out the links below:

How To: Be An Overcomer

How To: Be MORE Abundant

If you enjoy this message, please consider leaving a rating and a review on iTunes or where ever you choose to podcast. Know someone that could use this same encouragement? We truly appreciate when you share The Church messages with your family and friends.

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