Though we just examined part of Paul's itinerary today, we did some deep study to reveal a series of life's valleys were present. And as we meditated on these valleys, perhaps you were reminded of your own life's valleys. Perhaps you've lied to yourself. You've maybe lied to others. “I got over it. I'm okay. I moved on. I got passed it.” But you didn't. Deep down, you still realize, you've just walked miles, the scenery changed, but you never got out of the valley! "Even in the valley. I still believe you're good."

Hear from Woodland Friends Church from Guest Speaker Mark Brewster, on "how to kill a lion!"

If some outside force radically upsets your pocketbook, and messes with your religion – you’re bothered. I’ve heard of political platforms that instead of running on hope, runs on this sort of alarmism, “You’re money is being mismanaged, and your religion is being undermined.” This man Demetrius has a goal in mind, “Our beloved goddess, her very reputation is at stake here if we don’t do something.” Now, the connections to a recent politician becomes even more eerie. A riot starts with a slogan although it’s not Make America Great Again, or Save America...

The Bible says God is holy. Sacred. He’s not something we just play around with like this.” This is always true. And we see sins so easily in kids but eventually we just see the same sins in us, only more deviously done. Under disguises as it were. How many of us don’t honor the Name of God? How many of us just play with His power, as if it’s something we could harness.

This is going to be one of those sermons that looks at a topic of some debate within the Christian faith. This passage might propose a lot of questions. The best thing to do when questions arise from a passage of Scripture, is see if we can’t discern what the God-inspired author is trying to communicate, instead of trying our hardest to make him say something we think he’s saying.

Sermons from the Woodland Friends Church in Central-North Idaho.

I might even suppose that Apollos had a firm understanding of justification by faith through grace. That is, trusting in Jesus to be accounted righteous. Because this is conditional, on paper, transactional. It’s the Judge, God, declaring us guilty, and then the paperwork being filed on our behalf, and the Judge then reading, “Oh, well Apollos here, Kevin here, has filed the Jesus Clause. They’re stating faith in Jesus, and so we’re going to apply the punishment to Jesus. Sins are now forgiven. Price is paid.” Even that, is not enough. It’s not the full gospel..

Paul is having his plans changed in Ephesus. He says, “No, I need to get to Jerusalem this time,” it’s not because he’s thinking he’s saved by the Law. That’s not at all his thinking. He’s taking the personal exercise of discipline, the vow, the understanding he has with God in this season serious. He told God, “I’m going to do this vow in this season of my life. I’m going to make it to Jerusalem as a way of saying thanks for your faithfulness!”

Some might say this - “So what? Just lay off touching on that topic, and focus on more important things, like the Gospel.” That’s like telling a Doctor, “Don’t tell me about cancer, just praise me for all the other parts of my body that are good and praiseworthy.” Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, “He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment,” (John 16:8). Jesus also says that, “the world...hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil,” (John 7:7).

Today. He’s commanding you to repent. I don’t say that feeling super-Holy-Spirit-inspired, I got a word from the Lord, I’m saying that knowing that His command for repentance for whatever sin that you might be ignoring was a command issued the day it first happened. So today, He’s commanding you to repent.