Walking in Truth

In today's message, Pastor Johnny will remind you that sin is not something to mess around with, even a little bit! The Bible says that people should run away from sin, quickly! But for some, some think that they have the self-restraint to dip their toes in the waters of sin... They might not dive in head first but they aren't dry either... So when you become tempted to engage in sin, even if it seems small, remember the power that sin can have, no matter how minor it might feel. Christ can give you the strength to resist sin!

Many people have often put on a good face to mask what's really going on in life... Because sometimes life can be really difficult and maybe you just aren't ready to talk about it... And in today's message, Pastor Johnny will remind you that sometimes a mask has more behind it... Like sin. For some, they can become fantastic at hiding the sin that permeates their life... But eventually, it all comes out, one way or another. So take the time today to unburden yourself, give the Lord your struggles and accept forgiveness.

The Israelites were enslaved by the Babylonians for 70 whole years. Eventually, the children of Israel became complacent and gave in to the reality of their Babylonian captivity... And in today's message, Pastor Johnny will remind you that sometimes you can give in to the reality of the hold that your sin has on your life... But it doesn't have to be that way. The Lord promises that if you call out to Him, confess and repent of your sins, you will be forgiven! No ifs, and, or buts about it! Just forgiveness!

We live in a world ripe with injustice. And so often, we become angry with the gap between how things are and how they ought to be. As Christians, we’re called to seek justice; and yet, as Pastor Johnny points out today, the Bible makes clear that justice will not come to fullness until God’s judgment of all mankind. Because of this truth, we can have peace and rest in the reality that one day all things will be made right – no one who does evil will get away with it in the end, and no good deed will go unrecognized.

As people living in a world broken by the effects of sin, we all find ourselves turning away from God from time to time. But Pastor Johnny encourages us to admit our sin in those moments, and turn back to God. Pastor Johnny’s message today is about events that took place thousands of years ago, yet he shows how we can glean wisdom that still applies to our modern lives. We see in these texts the sinful nature of mankind, contrasted with the grace of a loving God who never changes.

As Pastor Johnny teaches through the book of Judges today, we see a portion of Israel’s history reminiscent of all human history – up to this day. Despite God’s goodness and promises, people always turn away from Him and to worthless things. God is a fountain of living water that nourishes and satisfies us, but over and over again we neglect Him and attempt to gather water from empty wells. But in God’s grace, He stands ready to forgive us if we’ll just turn back to Him, and we can once more experience His blessings.

Today, as Pastor Johnny teaches the story of Abimelech – son of Gideon – we see the universal truths that these texts expose about leaders. Leaders who only desire their own power and selfish ambitions continue to rise up, just like Abimelech. And when people turn away from God and toward these leaders, it never ends well. As followers of Jesus, we are not to put our faith in humans, but in God himself. And instead of fighting the way the world fights, we pray for our enemies and seek justice always.

While the story of Gideon is promising for a while, it eventually takes a turn. As Pastor Johnny points out today, Gideon made the right decision by refusing the people’s request to make him king – instead of reminding them that God is their king. But we soon question his heart in the matter, as Gideon goes on to make a monument to himself and becomes an idol to the people. Pastor Johnny uses this passage to show the dangers of seeking recognition from people, and doing good things for bad reasons.

As Pastor Johnny teaches about the story of Gideon today, he brings attention to a shift we see in Gideon’s character. While Gideon entered the scene as a cowardly farmer hiding from the enemy, he has developed into a confident man who is mature enough to put his own pride in check to resolve disputes. Pastor Johnny shows how we likewise ought to put our pride in check and remember Jesus’ call on our lives to be humble servants. And just like we see from Gideon, this attitude can diffuse quarrels.

No matter what's in your way when you hear God's voice and guidance, you need to follow Him and what He says. Pastor Johnny is going to show you today how blessed it is to live a life keeping God first and living for Him. When God's on your side, you don't have to fear any roadblock Satan throws at you, because you already have all you need to get through it. Nothing is too big for God to handle for you, and He'll provide you with everything you'll possibly need to get through anything in the way.