The Messenger – How to Win More!  Understanding the Culture’s Influence – what you must win them from.  Saving some from the Culture.

Our culture is becoming increasingly hostile to the God and the church of Jesus Christ. Biblical truths are attacked in government and media. Our world is showing its ‘true colors’: It’s bad, but there’s good news, too. As salt and light, Christians point to a better way, and a better day!

When evil takes root in society, Christians face persecution. To avoid this, some will conform. Jesus warns against this: We must be willing to be persecuted for doing what is right. At the same time, we must not return evil for evil, but rather do good and show mercy.

God is sovereign over governments, but they are often evil. When they are, God’s people demonstrate allegiance to Him by refusing to obey, knowing full well that they may face temporal consequences.

Christians live in this world as ambassadors for Christ, but are citizens of the world to come. How are we then to treat government? God deals with nations and leaders, and calls us to submit to them for His sake.

Augustine wrote his famous City of God in 413 A.D. In it, he describes two cities, the city of the world and the city of God, and calls on society to choose which city it will be a part of. Our challenge as believers is to live in both ‘cities’ – to be in the world, but not of the world.

God is sovereign over all human governments; nothing can thwart His eternal purpose. Christians can be assured that though the wicked may prosper, and evil rulers may mock God’s truth with their evil schemes, God’s plans are not impeded, and His ultimate victory is sure.

In spiritual battles which lie ahead, Christians will confront the vacuum of truth in our relativistic world. Jesus said, You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32). The challenge before believers will be severe: Do I know the truth?

We are living in changing times. Unbeknownst to most people, ‘social engineers’ without faith in God or His Word want to shape our future. What does the future bode for Christians? We who are used to freedom of worship must prepare ourselves to stand strong when trials come.

The start of a new year always brings hope and a fresh beginning.

Her name isn’t actually in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, but she is there – ‘she who was the wife of Uriah.’ Bathsheba was involved in the sin that stained the rule of Israel’s greatest king, David, resulting in death. But repentance and grace gave forgiveness, and new life.

Tamar and Rahab, the first two women in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus, both present a moral challenge to Christians. But the third, Ruth, seems a saint by comparison! Her circumstances, however, were far from great. Yet her life exhibits God’s love and grace.

Tamar, the first woman listed in the genealogy of Jesus, playing the role of a prostitute one time.  Rahab, the second woman listed, ran a brothel! Have we gone from bad to worse? No. God’s just showing us what’s possible when a life is touched by grace.

This Christmas we’re going back, way back,  to four Old Testament women in Jesus’ family tree. Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus records them for us – four unlikely women, who exhibit through their lives God’s redemptive purpose in sending Jesus to this world.

NBBC shares their thanks and praises! 

Paul’s at the end of his letter to the Thessalonian Christians, but he has two final things to say. One is a warning, the other a wish. But together they reflect Paul’s overriding goal for them: Walk worthy!

Jesus is coming, but we don’t know when. An issue that came up in Thessalonica and still matters today, was ‘What do we do while we wait?’  Some decided to shift their lives into neutral and do nothing. Bad Idea. This is our time… time to work.

The end is near, but difficult days lie ahead. Christians are suffering, and need encouragement. Paul requests prayer for the apostles, then expresses prayerful confidence that God will protect them in trying days. There is much here for us as we face these difficult last days.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul writes about a time of great evil and terrible judgment that is coming on the earth. All unbelievers who are alive will go through it. How should Christians respond to this truth? We learn this morning that we should stand firm, and take comfort.

Are we living in the last days? The COVID pandemic, advances in technology, threats of war and famine, and a rise in lawlessness all remind us of biblical prophecies. But to keep us from getting ahead of ourselves, Paul ‘fills in the blanks’ on what happens first.

We hear a lot about ‘justice’ today, but the harder we try to achieve it, the more we fail! In a world shrouded in sin, Christians look for Jesus’ return. When He comes, His righteous judgment will render rewards and retribution to every person.

One of the joys of parenthood is pride when our kids achieve great success. Paul’s ‘kids’ – believers in Christ in Thessalonica, were a source of pride to him: They stood strong despite persecution. And as a result, they would be ‘counted worthy of the kingdom of God.’

Here We Stand series, part 4, Our ‘Blessed Hope’: Jesus is Coming

Here We Stand series, part 3, Eternal Life is a Gift

Here We Stand series, part 2

Here We Stand series, part 1, The Bible is God’s Word

Heart of God Series – Love 

Heart of God series – Holy means: Exalted or worth of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.  Sanctity or separation from all that is sinful, or impure, or morally imperfect.

The Heart of God Series – Faithful to Keep, Perform, Deliver, Forgive, to the End.

Heart of God series – Grace for Me, You and the World

A five-part series on The Heart of God.  First, A God of Compassion.

We finish the foundation of victory over the sin nature established in Romans 6 and move to the power for victory provided by the Holy Spirit in Romans 8.

A continued study on Spiritual Warfare… Christ Died for you.

We continue to study spiritual warfare. This week is on The Flesh!

Be Strong, Put On, Take Up, Stand Firm…  A continuing study of Spiritual Warfare looking at the Armor of God.

Deceiver, Destroyer, Ruler… All names of a foe you need to be aware of!

God is our ultimate Father. He loves us, provides for us and shows us compassion. He has given us as fathers, many responsibilities regarding our wives and children.

Spiritual warfare – know God’s will and be aware of Satan’s lies!

There is an invisible world, and we are in an invisible war.  Our enemies are not physical, they are spiritual.

Paul loved the believers in Thessalonica; he couldn’t return to visit them, so he wrote this letter. He has exhorted and encouraged them; now he ‘farewells’ them with a prayer, a few final thoughts, ending with a reminder for them to never lose sight of God’s grace.

Church leaders are feeling pressure today: Covid-19 affects all of us, and Satan will use it to divide Christians. Elders ‘shepherd the flock of God,’ but as one pastor put it, sheep bite!  How can we keep peace in an angry world? This advice is especially needed in these times.

As he concludes his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul gives them practical advice. It’s as good now as it was then. These gems of truth go to the very heart of our spiritual foundation and actions. The closer you look, the more you’ll see.

God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.

The Day of the Lord is prophesied in the Old Testament – a time of God’s wrath, and blessing. When does this period of time begin, and how long does it last? How should it affect our lives today?

The Rapture isn’t the Second Coming, but what is it? Is it before the Great Tribulation? What happens when Christians die? What rises at the Rapture? Where do we go after the Rapture? Why is the Rapture a comfort for Christians? Questions…and comfort!

What’s the next event in Bible prophecy? Many theologians today roll end-time prophecies into one big event – the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming. But 1 Thess. 4:13-18 reveals a separate event – not the ‘Second Coming’ – that Christians look forward to.

Bible Text: Easter Sunday | Speaker: Phil Congdon

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times:  Those words from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities fit our day. Stress brings out the best and the worst in humanity. Paul’s practical advice to Thessalonian Christians is amazingly timely in our COVID-19 world.