May 23, 2021 |
1 Samuel 26 |
exposition
Full Transcript Available
How do you respond when trouble comes your way? Some of us question God asking, “Why me Lord, why’s this happening to me?” Some of us try running away, hoping that trouble won’t be able to find us. Some of us get angry and embittered and just wallow in our pain. Others become immobilized with fear and stick our heads in the sand, hoping trouble will just go away. But trouble always finds us doesn’t it?
God was preparing David to be king and he was being persecuted by the king who opposed him. Let’s see how David responded to trouble. In the book of 1 Samuel 26, David again spares Saul’s life, depending on God to deliver him from all his trouble. We can depend on God to deliver us from all our trouble.
May 16, 2021 |
1 Samuel 23:15-24 |
exposition
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Are you ever tempted to take matters into your own hands? Sometimes it may seem to be your only recourse, but most of the time it only leads to more trouble. This is especially true when we become impatient with how things are going with our finances or in our relationships. We know what God’s Word says about debt and being a good steward, but we think we know a better way. So we take it into our own hands by going into debt to buy a new car or a new house, but then we can’t even enjoy them because of the financial stress. Or a single person becomes so lonely and worried about not finding a certain someone, that they take matters into their own hands and compromise on matters of faith and end up feeling even more miserable. The temptation to take matters into our own hands usually comes from a lack of patience and trust for those in authority over us. This is especially true in our willingness to trust God and to put things in his hands.
In the book of 1 Samuel, while fleeing from Saul in the wilderness, David learned to put everything in God’s hands. We can learn to put everything in God’s hands.
May 9, 2021 |
1 Samuel 25 |
exposition, mother's day
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Where do you get your advice? Is it from a newspaper column or a horoscope? Is it from your parents, your mom or dad? Your grandparents? Many get their advice from peers or from the culture or from a Hollywood star or a sports hero. The truth is though, most of us just follow our own advice. We do what we want to do. But the Bible says: Proverbs 3:7 (ESV) Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
This is the better way. We can get wisdom from the Lord. We can live by godly wisdom. In the book of 1 Samuel 25, the Lord gave a woman named Abigail godly wisdom to prevent David from killing her foolish husband. We too can live by godly wisdom.
May 2, 2021 |
1 Samuel 21 - 23:14 |
exposition
Full Transcript Available
How many of you in going through a time of wilderness today? You’ve been asking those same wilderness questions, like, “Where are You, God?” Or maybe you’ve been running so long, trying to find your own way, that you just feel so lost that you don’t know where to turn. Some of you may be feeling like you’re in a great place today, but be certain of this, we will all face times in the wilderness at some time in our lives. That’s where David is in our reading today. He’s on the run and living in the wilderness.
In the book of 1 Samuel, David learned to trust the Lord more than he ever had, while living on the run from King Saul in the wilderness. We can learn to trust God when we feel like we’re living in the wilderness.
April 25, 2021 |
1 Samuel 18-20 |
exposition
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We all want to be loved. God made us that way. We were created to love and be loved. We were created to love God. Yet, we have rebelled and rejected His love. And this has led to the sin and suffering we see in our world today. And God demonstrated His own love for us by giving us His anointed, Jesus, to pay for our rebellion and to reconcile us to God. Why? Because God loves us.
Do you love Him with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength? Do you love Him above all others? Above your spouse, your children, your friends? Above your self? Do you love Him enough to surrender the throne of your life to Him and to put Him ahead of yourself and all others? In the book of 1 Samuel, people responded to David in many ways, but a man named Jonathan responded to God’s anointed with steadfast love. We can respond to God’s anointed Jesus with steadfast love.
April 18, 2021 |
1 Samuel 17 |
exposition
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What giants are you facing today? Something that seems so big and overwhelmingly scary that you’re afraid to face it? A giant can be a problem or a person that you are “all to pieces” about facing. Giants make us want to run away in fear or feel so dismayed that we can’t move. What giant are you facing? Maybe it’s someone you need to confront with a problem or an offense. How do you face them? You’re losing sleep over it. What will you do? How will they react? Maybe it’s an addiction. Every time you try to overcome it, you lose. You’ve almost given up. Maybe it’s a bad medical diagnosis. There was a spot on the X- ray. Your doctor has scheduled tests. You don’t know if you can face it.
There are many kinds of giants. What do you do when you’re facing a giant?
In the book of 1 Samuel, David had faith in God to overcome a Philistine giant named Goliath who threatened Israel. We can have faith in God to overcome the giants we face.
April 11, 2021 |
1 Samuel 16:1-23 |
exposition
Full Transcript Available
Do you have a heart for God? A heart that yearns to know Him and to please Him in all things? Or do you have a heart for something or someone else? All of us begin life with a heart for ourselves. We want our own way, not God’s way. And the longer we say “yes” to self and “no” to God, the more our hearts harden towards Him.
The Lord still seeks those who have a heart for Him. Those who will respond to His call and obey His Word. In the book of 1 Samuel, the Lord sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a man after his own heart named David to be the new king that God called to replace Saul. We can learn how to respond to God’s calling as we consider this story.
April 4, 2021 |
Romans 6:4-11 |
easter
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Everyone wants to live the good life. Isn’t that the American dream? To live the good life? There’s only one problem. Once people achieve the so-called “good life,” they find it isn’t good enough.
Do you ever feel emptiness, exhaustion, or enslavement? Then, I’ve got good news for you today. There’s something better than the good life. There’s a better life, a new life found only in Jesus Christ! In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote that those who identify with Christ’s death and resurrection might live in newness of life. We can experience this new life by identifying with the death and resurrection of Jesus.
March 28, 2021 |
Mark 11:1-11 |
palm Sunday
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Did you know that your response to Jesus is the most important decision you’ll ever make? Some of you have grown up going to church, and you learned how to respond to Jesus from their teaching. Or maybe your parents taught you how to respond to Jesus, so your response to Him is based on theirs. Others may have grown up in a home that didn’t attend church. You know about Jesus, but you’re not sure how to respond to Him. Your opinions may have been formed by Hollywood, or social media, or what your friends and family say about Him.
Regardless of your background, it’s important to make a personal and well-considered decision about your response to Jesus for your self. You can follow the crowd, but crowds are fickle. Why not make a decision based on the witness of the Scriptures concerning Jesus and the testimony of those who follow Jesus?
March 21, 2021 |
Deuteronomy 31:1-8 |
Full Transcript Available
This week we’re inspired by the song, “I’ll Stand By You” by the Pretenders.
Does knowing that you have a friend that will stand by you help you face the difficulties and uncertainties of life? Maybe you’re facing a difficult situation or an uncertain future today? Maybe there’s someone here who’s facing a surgery. The outcome is uncertain. It causes fear and anxiety. Someone else is starting a new job. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure beset you. Someone is planning to move to this area. Feelings of loneliness and uncertainty about the changes worry you. Someone is getting married, the date is set, the dress and the tuxes are ordered, but are you sure doing the right thing?
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites that could face the future without fear knowing the Lord Himself would always stand by them. We can face the future without fear knowing that the Lord always stands by us.
