Topic: faith

Sometimes life is good. In fact, sometimes life is VERY good. One could say, "A mountaintop experience." But what is a mountaintop experience of life? How do we know it's truly a mountaintop and not a butte (A false mountaintop)? In this sermon, we look at the very first Christmas in Luke 2:1-7. Likely, this was a mountaintop experience for Mary as she held the son of God in her hands and placed him in the manger. What we learn from Mary provides some insight in to what we should do when we are on the mountain. The important thing for us to remember: God is with us when we're on the mountain.

Did you know Jesus taught more on finances (and hell) than any other topic in the Bible? It's true. And there's good reason for it. In this sermon we look at the parable of the talents. There is much to learn about stewardship. In fact, it's written on our very money. "In God We Trust".  Is that just a slogan? Or is it what we truly believe? Is it a way of life? Is it an exercise of faith?  In this sermon we look at the parable of the talents. There is much to learn about stewardship.

In this sermon from Luke 2:1-5 Mary and Joseph set out on a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This was no small task. A 70 mile trek with a very pregnant Mary (with God's son), they had faith that God had a plan in all of this. A lack of faith can cause all kinds of damage. It can lead to brokenness, depression and even suicide. Likewise, a life of faith can have the opposite affect. Have you ever been taken to the edge of a cliff only to be pushed off? Has God ever done that to you? Has He ever lead to you to yell, "I'm Breaking Up With You!?" Find out what this has to do with faith in this sermon.

Have you ever had any moments in your life, moments in your faith, where maybe you've doubted your salvation? You've doubted whether or not you're going to heaven when you die, whether there is life or death? Have you ever wanted a little extra assurance that you're going to go to heaven when you die? That's the first question. And the second question is like it. Are you overburdened and do you ever have moments in your life where you look at the world around you and you think to yourself, "Man, it is just too much! There's just too much going on around me." Does it feel like the world is just too much? John talks about that in this passage. In this sermon we will talk about overcoming the world and we will talk about assurance in our faith, assurance in our salvation.

"I can't tell you how many times people, when they get in that kind of a funk, they pull away from people who can help them; who can give them biblical counsel, they pull away from their best friends, they pull away from their spouses. The Bible says the Evil One is like a roaring lion, walking around, roaming around seeking home he may devour. When we isolate we become easy pickens for the Evil One!"

When I say God can do impossible things, how does that sit with you? Do you believe God can and will provide? God has a way of showing God can do impossible things and He uses the womb to show he has power no one else has. He does it repeatedly in Scripture, God opening up wombs. Now He doesn't always open up wombs. Sometimes that's not in His Plan. But if He does open up a womb, it's for a purpose. God opens wombs to show He can do impossible things. But the virgin birth stands alone in Scripture. There's nothing else like it. It stands alone. God does impossible things!

It's like focusing on the coffee cup. If you're walking and you focus on the coffee cup, you'll spill. You're so focused on not spilling you put your eyes on the cup... and you end up spilling. But if you have your eyes on where you're going, the coffee doesn't spill! It's awesome! When we look at our failures and we dwell on our failures, we fail. But when we look at Jesus... This is life in Jesus! He has done all the work! He has forgiven us! Don't focus on your failures. God doesn't! Why should you?

Rahab was always known as "Rahab the Prostitute." Yet I want to tell you it doesn't matter. It has no consequence for your future. God wants to give you a future. And your future is being a child of God and not your past. Not that label that we give ourselves. God wants to give you hope and He wants to bring you a new life. You are NOT your past!

For the next 20 years Samson is with God's people. The Philistines are still in control, but they don't want to mess with Samson. But they do what to find something out. What makes him strong. Then the text says there's this women of ill-repute and Samson decides he wants to go down and be her "friend." The Philistines see this and they say, "Hmmmmmmm Samson's in town and now we know how to get to him. Hey Delilah come over here! Delilah! You need to get close to Samson and find out what makes him so strong!"