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Weekly sermons from our Pastor, Barry Wilkinson.
Episodes
Wednesday Jun 19, 2019
Wednesday Jun 19, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Take the Next Step
Scripture: Galatians 6:9
Date: June 16, 2019
LAST WEEK'S WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: What is something that God wants you to take some action steps toward that will help you make some progress?
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9)
Here are three words to help us take the next step in our relationship with Jesus:
- Increase
- Implement
- It is your actions - not your intentions - that determine your life.
- Luke 9:23
- Galatians 6:8-9
- A couple of helps to move from good intentions to godly actions: grow good habits; just show up
- Inquire
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: What is the biggest "next step" for you? Ask God to show you the biggest thing you need to start or to keep doing.
Wednesday Jun 05, 2019
Wednesday Jun 05, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: Growing in the Wilderness
Scripture: Exodus 3:1
Date: June 2, 2019
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back fo the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. (Exodus 3:1)
What advice would you give to someone who wants to grow in their relationship with the Lord?
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
God is able to use all the seasons of life for His glory and for our good.
One of the keys to life with Jesus is to surrender each season to Him for His purposes.
The word Horeb means dry or dried up, that is, "dry," "desert." It was the general name for the mountainous district in which Sinai is situated, and of which it is a part.
The wilderness season for us may be:
- caring for aging parents for a long time with little or no help
- stubborn physical ailment that seems like it will never go away
- soul-ache from a rebellious child or unfaithful spouse
- moving to a new place, job, or school
- the loss of a good friend
- a thankless job
Here are 4 things we can trust God for in the wilderness or dry seasons:
- Growth is taking place that you cannot see
- Remember this: when Moses felt qualified, he was not, and when he felt unqualified, he was.
- Deuteronomy 8:2
- It will reveal some things that cannot be revealed any other way: pride, dependency on feelings, too much desire to be noticed, serving God for the results.
- God's purpose is never to ruin but always to refine.
- When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie/My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply./The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design/thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine. ("How Firm a Foundation")
- There is no such thing as instant growth. You can't microwave maturity.
- God is there when you cannot feel Him
- "You know that feeling when God is right there,e this close, and you can just feel His loving arms around you, and you can literally hear His voice whispering in your ear, telling you how much He love you? I don't. I never have." -Brant Hansen
- "Our feelings have nothing to do with whether God loves us or is still involved in our lives." -Brant Hansen
- "There is no basis in Scripture for the idea that if God is still involved with you, you'll have good feelings. Unless, that is, your actual god is your good feelings." -Brant Hansen
- "I'm here 1) by God's appointment; 2) in His time; 3) under His training; 4) for His time." -Raymond Edman
- "Small disciplines done consistently lead to big results over time." -Craig Goeschel
- Psalm 16:7-8
- God sees when nobody else does
- In the wilderness, we learn that God sees when nobody else does, and, hopefully, we learn that that is enough.
- Deuteronomy 3:10-11
- God is not wasting time even though you may feel like it
- Moses calls Horeb the "mountain of God' by anticipation, with reference to the manifestation of God.
- Exodus 24:15-17
Sunday Jun 02, 2019
Sunday Jun 02, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Throwing Off Dead Religion
Scripture: Matthew 23:5a, 23-28
Date: June 2, 2019
LAST WEEK'S WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Ask God to show you any area of unbelief and trust God to untangle you.
But all their works they do to be seen by men. (Matthew 23:5a)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside fo the cup and dish, but inside they are full fo extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (Matthew 23:23-28)
If we get more caught up in a religion, church, or denomination than we do Jesus, we will be tempted to quit.
When I say "religion" today, I'm talking about dead religion: a system that emphasizes rules, rituals, and regulations as a way to earn God's favor.
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race (marathon) that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)
"There is always a danger that in our worship we would simply focus on the motions, but our hearts would not be in it. There is a danger that would follow the rules, do everything right, but not be right in our hearts." -Kyle Idleman
Here's three helpful ways to make sure we are living with God and not simply dead religion:
- Let's value relationship over rules
- Let's value purpose over performance
- "The law got one thing done: it dramatically played out the futility of our trying to please God. But Jesus offers His work of perfection as our own." -Kyle Idleman
- A major theme of Hebrews is the superiority of Christ: He is better.
- The purpose is that we help each other see that Jesus is better.
- I'll grow frustrated
- I'll feel exhausted
- I'll fake it till I can't fake it anymore
- Matthew 23:5a
- I'll end up conceited or defeated
- Matthew 23:27
- Let's value helping over hindering
- What helps?
- When I'm growing in my love for Jesus and others
- When I am worshipping from my heart
- "The music must not turn the church into an audience enjoying the music but into a congregation singing the Lord's praises in His presence." -John Calvin
- When I am responsive to the Holy Spirit
- What helps?
Wednesday May 29, 2019
Wednesday May 29, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: So You Got an F
Scripture: Exodus 2:12-22
Date: May 26, 2019
So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?" Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!" When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father's flock. Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. When they came to Reuel their father, he said, "How is it that you have come so soon today?" And they said, "An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock." So he said to his daughters, "And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread." Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." (Exodus 2:12-22)
What do we do when we fail?
We need to learn to think about life with God's thoughts.
Failure can be used as a discouragement or a development.
When we respond to failure like God wants us to, then God can use failure to promote:
- Obedience
- Exodus 2:14-15
- 2 Corinthians 7:10
- Sometimes when we see the consequences of our sin, it helps us to not sin. It might be:
- your child's broken heart
- your spouse's hurt
- the pain of regret
- the wasted opportunity
- the guilt that comes
- "God's ways are too good to miss." -Charles Stanley
- Satan's ways - and my ways - are too bad to embrace.
- A teachable spirit
- "Success is moving from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." -Winston Churchill
- Experience is the best teacher...learn from someone else's experience.
- Exodus 2:15
- We can be taught that:
- spiritual ends are not achieved by fleshly means
- timing is as important as action
- hiding wrong does not erase wrong
- Exodus 2:12
- A servant's heart
- Exodus 2:16-17
- Humility
- Humility helps us to see that we need God and each other.
- Exodus 2:16-21
You may have wandered
You may have stumbled
You may have tripped
You may have fallen
You may have crashed
You may have failed
It doesn't mean you're finished
It doesn't mean it's over
Throw yourself into the gracious, loving and merciful hands of God
He will pick you up!
-Christine Caine
Sunday May 19, 2019
Sunday May 19, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Throwing Off Lies
Scripture: John 8:44
Date: May 19, 2019
LAST WEEK'S WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Change your self-talk from fear to faith.
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44)
Believing lies about God and how we relate to God is extremely damaging.
Jesus is the truth.
Here are some lies the devil wants you to believe:
- you'll never be good enough.
- you've made too many mistakes.
- you'll never be able to stop.
- God doesn't really care about you.
- no one really cares about you.
Hebrews 12:1, NIV
Lies need to be exposed and replaced with God's truth.
So let's look at some lies we believe and learn some truths from God that can set us free:
- You don't have what it takes
- "I'm trying to get a petition started that changes he name of Facebook to Façade and Instagram to Mirage." -Kyle Idleman
- With God, I have everything I need to do everything I need to do.
- 2 Peter 1:3, NLT
- You can fix it yourself
- How's that "fixing other people" thing working out for you?
- When I believe I can fix it myself, bad things happen:
- it increases pride
- If you get in trouble ask for help.
- it minimizes real problems
- I can quit anytime I want to.
- it fuels hypocrisy
- it increases pride
- John 15:5
- Hebrews 4:15-16, NIV
- You deserve to be happy
- After all, God wants me to be happy.
- God's ultimate goal is not for you to feel happy today.
- Here's the catch: short-term happiness often leads to long-term regret.
- If you believe God wants you to be happy above all else, you will fall into other lies...very damaging lies:
- You'll believe that whatever makes you feel happy must be right and whatever makes you feel unhappy must be wrong.
- You will believe God exists to serve you.
- There is a good chance you'll end up walking away from God.
- Psalm 37:4
- Psalm 32:11
- Psalm 144:15
- Philippians 4:4
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Intentionally seek ways to find your happiness in Jesus.
God wants you to be happy but true happiness comes from pursuing Him.
Wednesday May 15, 2019
Wednesday May 15, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Keep Perspective
Scripture: Hebrews 11:34-39
Date: May 12, 2019
LAST WEEK'S WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Identify one thing that you will keep fighting for (and you know God wants you to) that you are tempted to give up on right now.
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mocking and scourging, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did to receive the promise... (Hebrews 11:34-39)
When the fog of trouble, pain, and disappointment rolled in they kept their eyes on God.
Let's talk about how we can keep perspective and not give up:
- Have a Godly - not grumbling - perspective
- Hebrews 22:39a
- Why were they able to not give up? Their goal was to please God.
- Galatians 1:10
- "God has spared my life so I will forgive them. What I am doing presently, I am going to do double work for the Lord." -Pastor Kabir
- Have faith-filled - not fear-filled - self-talk
- Psalm 42:5, NIV
- Lord, I'm counting on You right here.
- God is going to see me through this.
- God is going to strengthen me.
- God is going through this with me.
- God is not going to quit loving me.
- I'm doing this for you, Lord.
- I'm doing this because I love you, Lord.
- Turn perspective to praise
- It will helps us a lot to learn to look for reasons to praise God and thank God.
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Pull one of the following (or something like it) and say it to yourself a lot this week.
- Lord, I'm counting on You right here.
- God is going to see me through this.
- God is going to strengthen me.
- God is going through this with me.
- God is not going to quit loving me.
- I'm doing this for You, Lord.
- I'm doing this because I love you, Lord.
Sunday May 12, 2019
Sunday May 12, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: God's Will My Way
Scripture: Exodus 2:11-15
Date: May 5, 2019
Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, "Why are you striking your companion?" Then he said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" So Moses feared and said, "Surely this thing is known!" When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:11-15)
Moses tried to do God's will his way.
Acts 7:22, NIV
Moses decided to do God's will in Moses' way and Moses' time.
He did the right thing the wrong way.
Let's see several ways you can try to do God's will your way:
- Wrong motive
- Acts 7:23, 25
- We fail when we are more concerned about what others think than about what God thinks.
- Exodus 2:12
- Since he did not look up, he had to cover up.
- He was man-conscious, not God-conscious.
- Wrong strength
- Exodus 2:12
- "Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody. He spent his second forty years learning he was a nobody. He spent his third forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody." -D. L. Moody
- "He dedicated himself to the will of God, but not the God whose will it was." -Charles Swindoll
- We fail when we attempt to do God's work by human strength.
- Wrong timing
- Today is a great time to:
- start having a quiet time
- start praying with your family
- start talking about Jesus to someone
- invite someone to church
- start praying a lot about youth camp
- "The time is always right to do the right thing." -Martin Luther King
- Today is a great time to:
- Wrong method
- Exodus 2:12
- God's ways are the ways of love, truth, holiness, righteousness, forgiveness
- Wrong result
- Acts 7:26-28
- I try, I fail; I trust, God succeeds
- Exodus 2:14, 15
Sunday May 05, 2019
Sunday May 05, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Keep Fighting
Scripture: Genesis 32:22-31
Date: May 5, 2019
And he arose that night and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven sons, and crossed over the ford of Jabbok. He took them, sent them over the brook, and sent over what he had. Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's' hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. (Genesis 32:22-31)
Here are some things we don't want to quit on:
- deep relationship with God
- Godly, loving and fun family
- health
- integrity
- fridneships
- forgiveness
- prodigal child
- friend that does not know Jesus
- praying life
- Bible study
- quiet time
- Sunday School
- youth group
- church
- reading Christian books
- hobby
- sharing your faith
- living boldly or with courage
- not settling
- exercise
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Identify one thing that you will keep fighting for (and you know God wants you to)that you are tempted to give up on right now.
Here are three truths that we need to know to help us keep fighting:
- battle's place
- Genesis 32:24
- Our biggest battle is with God.
- The biggest determining factor of your life is your relationship with God.
- God is either your best friend or biggest enemy.
- battle's pressure
- Will he start fighting for God instead of with God?
- Genesis 32:24-28
- How did Jacob fight? He hung on to God and would not give up. God had not given up on him.
- Don't quit fighting with or for God. God has not quit on you.
- battle's provision
- Genesis 33:4
Wednesday May 01, 2019
Wednesday May 01, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: Moses - An Unlikely Start
Scripture: Exodus 2:1-10
Date: April 28, 2019
And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children." Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?" And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the maiden went and called the child's mother. Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water." (Exodus 2:1-10)
Moses was an unlikely influencer. He was someone that you would not expect God to use.
"Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody. He spent his second forty years learning he was a nobody. He spent his third forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody." -Dwight Moody
1 Corinthians 1:27-29, NLT
God is still looking for people who will simply believe Him enough to obey despite our weaknesses and doubts.
Let's see three reasons why he had an unlikely start and how God used him in spite of (or maybe because of) that start:
- Powerful adversary
- Exodus 1:16-22
- Exodus 2:2
- Psalm 139:13-14, NIV
- Perplexing arrangement
- Exodus 2:5-9, NIV
- "It doesn't matter how great the pressure is; what really matters is where the pressure lies. Whether it comes between you and God or presses you nearer His heart." -Hudson Taylor
- Providential adequacy
- "We are going to have to let God move in if we are to move on." -Christine Caine
Wednesday May 01, 2019
Wednesday May 01, 2019
Series: Quit Quitting
Sermon: Keep Believing
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3
Date: April 28, 2019
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3)
What is it that you started a long time ago that you are still glad you are doing today?
What do you wish you had kept doing one year ago? Five years ago?
What was it in January you felt God calling you to do this year?
We know we can trust God because Jesus meant what He said and said what He meant, and Jesus is faithful 100%.
Here are three aspects of faith to encourage us to keep going:
- People
- One definition of encouragement is persuasion to do or continue doing something.
- Hebrews 12:1
- The key here is that we have a faith that finishes.
- "You're winning the battle - when you stay in the battle." -Ann Voskamp
- Let's keep believing and praying: pray first and pray most.
- Picture
- Hebrews 12:2
- Since Jesus did not give up or quit on you, don't give up or quit on Him.
- "Faith is a confidence that keeps believing all the pieces are going to somehow fit together, even when you don't have the big picture to work from. It's believing that God has a purpose, even when there seems to be no reason." -Kyle Idleman
- Hebrews 11:8
- If you don't give up and keep following, you will have a faith story.
- Prize
- Hebrews 12:2-3, NLT
- Jesus really is too legit for us to quit.