Praying For Messed Up Saints
08/29/2010 09:24 AM
Most of us can think of people we get excited about
praying for. But we can also perhaps think of those for
whom prayer seems pointless or wasted. Sometimes people
we know can be so lost in their poor choices that we’re
not motivated to pray for them at all. Paul prays for a
group that you or I would avoid. And what he prays
helps us when God’s Spirit lays messed-up people on our
hearts. What do we pray then? Find out the answer as we
look at 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 together.
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With Confidence
08/22/2010 02:26 PM
The writer of Hebrews gives us an image of Jesus as our
high priest in Hebrews 4:14-16. This passage should
give us joy and excitement knowing that because of the
work that Jesus did on the cross and because He speaks
on our behalf, we can approach the throne of God with
confidence.
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When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Praying
08/15/2010 03:33 PM
We all face challenges and experience problems. Peter
and John faced them as well. Join us as we look at a
model prayer you can use as you go through those hard
times in life.
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Preemptive Praying
08/08/2010 11:52 AM
Passive people tend to react to life. Proactive people
prefer to anticipate events and shape them before they
happen. Prayer works the same way. We can pray about
things that have happened. Or we can pray before things
happen, and even shape the future by our prayers. Learn
how Paul did this as we look together at his ‘Proactive
Prayer’ in Romans 15:30.
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Prayer for an Energized Church
08/01/2010 01:03 PM
Sometimes we think of prayer as a habit that takes
energy and time from us. But in reality it actually
adds to our fruitfulness. It’s like fertilizing a crop.
There is an initial effort, but the payout is huge.
Join us as we look at how Paul’s prayer for the
Ephesians reveals how our prayers for each other
energize the church.
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Prayer for the Church with Everything
07/25/2010 12:59 PM
What do you pray for your church when there is no
monster decision brewing, no urgent crisis? What does
God want you to pray when circumstances in the church
are pretty good. The Spirit guided Paul in learning
what to pray for the Ephesian church when things were
going well. In his prayer we discover how to pray
meaningful prayers for our fellowship in ‘normal’
times!
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Praying for Growth
07/18/2010 04:55 PM
In our series on prayer this summer, we are looking at
Paul’s prayers. What Paul prays about shows us what is
important. In Paul’s prayer for the Philippians in
1:9-11, he focuses on spiritual growth and maturity.
Paul has an expectation that people grow in love, in
discernment, in character and in service. We should
have these same expectations.
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Praying for Greater Things
07/11/2010 02:29 PM
In Colossians 1:9-14, we see what the Apostle Paul was
praying God would do in the lives of the Colossian
church. Instead of praying for comfort and temporary
things, Paul prayed that the people would understand
God’s will, and that their lives would be changed. This
week we take a look at how at the heart of our prayers
should be a desire for life change.
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"Steps to Genuine Liberty"
07/04/2010 09:03 AM
Political liberty is a rare and precious gift which
most people in the history of the world seldom enjoy.
But there is a greater liberty that anyone in any
nation can enjoy that was made possible by Christ. Join
us as we look at 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 and explore the
genuine liberty God offers each of us in Christ.
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"Supersized Praying"
06/17/2010 10:49 AM
Sometimes our prayers fall into predictable ruts. We
pay attention to urgent needs, but if there is no
immediate crisis, we wonder how to pray. Paul’s prayer
for the Thessalonians shows us how to become more
focused and kingdom-centered in our petitions to God.
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"Prayer in an Unfriendly Culture"
06/13/2010 03:50 PM
It can be difficult to know how to pray when the church
faces hostility in the culture? How do we approach God
when our values are rejected and our love for Christ is
viewed as irrelevant or worse? As Paul writes to his
friend Timothy, he reveals the kinds of ways we can
pray in such circumstances. Join us as we tap into the
wisdom and encouragement of 1 Timothy 2:1-8.
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"Hope to the End"
06/06/2010 10:13 AM
Throughout the book of Zechariah, God has given the
Israelites visions to provide hope for their broken
world. We wrap up our study on Zechariah by looking at
the ultimate hope we have as followers of Jesus - hope
in the end times.
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"Victory You Can Count On"
05/30/2010 09:27 AM
Victory is something we hope for, whether we’re trying
to lose weight, pass a class, sell a house, or complete
a project. But in this uncertain world victory can be
elusive. In Zechariah 12-13, God describes a victory at
the end of time over two forces. The first is external
evil. The second is human unbelief. God’s prevailing
power at the end of time is an encouragement for us
today in our ongoing battle to be strong in hope and
confident in Him.
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"Choosing the Good Shepherd"
05/23/2010 03:26 PM
As we celebrate the graduation of our high school
seniors, we take a look at Zechariah, chapter 11, and
see that God knew He would send a shepherd who would
guide us and take care of us. We can choose to follow
the Good Shepherd, Jesus, or we can choose to follow
the bad shepherds in this world who only want to
consume us and use us. It’s our choice. Who will you
choose?
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"Nomads or Warriors?"
05/16/2010 08:32 AM
Many people live life like nomads. They pack their days
with activities, but lack focus or a sense of mission
with their lives. It’s easy to do that because you face
endless diversions, choices, and things to invest in.
God has a better plan. He invites you to resist the
temptation to wander, to think like a nomad. He invites
you to become a spiritual warrior who embraces all the
great tasks only God’s people can do! In Zechariah 10
God invites you to join him in three life-changing
initiatives.
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"Tale of Two Peoples"
05/07/2010 11:12 AM
What irks God the most? The big answer is ‘sin’. But
one of the sins God dislikes intensely is
self-reliance. In Zechariah chapter 9 God promises
judgment on communities who think they don’t need him.
Conversely, he summons his people to depend on him and
flourish. Where do we tend to be self-sufficient and
miss out on God’s best? What awaits us if we are
willing to become more dependent on God? We’ll explore
those issues together in this teaching as we continue
our series about ‘Hope in a Broken World’.
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"Hope-FULL"
05/02/2010 08:20 AM
As you look towards the future, what are some things
you dream about? What motivates you to live a life that
is honoring to God? In Zechariah 8, God speaks about
the future for the Israelites, this future gives us
hope as well.
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"How Religion Leads to Disaster"
04/25/2010 10:31 AM
Religion can get a person in trouble. So can tradition.
God warns us through Zechariah that He doesn’t want
religion, that religion leads to self-centeredness and
disobedience and that religion has consequences.
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"The Branch that Builds an Empire"
04/18/2010 01:47 PM
Our world seems to offer us two kinds of leaders. The
first is the visionary, the charismatic person who sees
the big picture and fights for huge changes. This kind
of person who normally doesn’t connect with the
individual, who is preoccupied with the overall
results. The second kind of leader is more like the
counselor or therapist. This one is concerned about
your heart, your world, and the details of your life.
It’s the person with a shepherd heart. Zechariah 6
presents a prophetic picture of Christ, who will fuse
both roles together like no one else. It’s a glimpse
into someone who is worth of following with your whole
life!
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"Taking the Fun Out of Being Bad"
04/11/2010 10:16 AM
Sometimes our efforts for God look futile when we see
all the people who disregard Christ, yet who seem to
flourish financially, physically, and socially. The
call to live in a way that is spiritually
counter-cultural can seem like a burden when the values
of the Lord are so different than the values of the
society. How can we stay motivated in such times?
Zechariah’s 6th, 7th, and 8th visions address his
response to evil and show how God prepares a way for
his people in times when virtue is rare.
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Easter Sunday
04/04/2010 10:28 AM
Today many people are skeptical of Jesus and his
claims. As we look at the Easter accounts in the
gospels, we find someone who would be right at home
among today’s skeptics. Pilate didn’t care much for the
Jewish nation or for anyone who claimed to be a
messenger from God. We’ll take an historical look at
Pilate’s interaction with Jesus to discover some of the
dynamics of a person who was close to the grace and
freedom Christ offered, but who missed it by a thousand
miles.
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Palm Sunday: "A Parade of Expectations"
03/28/2010 10:38 AM
As Jesus rode on the colt of a donkey from the Mount of
Olives into Jerusalem, He was surrounded by a crowd of
people who each had their own expectations of who Jesus
was and what He had come to do. We will look at some of
the key groups of people we see in this story, and talk
about how we aren’t much different. We’ll look at the
real reason Jesus came and how we might need to adjust
our expectations of Him.
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"Making the Impossible Possible"
03/21/2010 08:28 AM
Challenges, we all face them. Some are small and fairly
easy to overcome, others can be overwhelming. In
Zechariah, the Israelites were facing an overwhelming
challenge in rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. God
shows Zechariah some things to remember in looking at
their challenge. Those things are practical for us
today as well!
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"God's Las Vegas: A kingdom in the desert"
03/14/2010 09:34 AM
In some ways, Las Vegas is a wonder. It’s a thriving,
gaudy, busy city in the desert. Long before anyone
lived there, God planned a community in the wilderness
of ancient Israel, built on the ruins of a fallen
nation. Zechariah speaks of the fresh new community God
will create, and of the holiness he will bring to its
chief priest (and its inhabitants) after the
devastation of destruction and deportation. The
prophet’s words remind us of what God can do with our
broken and impure lives if we will trust him.
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"God's New Normal"
03/07/2010 01:42 PM
In our world, the idea of normal carries baggage with
it. Normal for some can include lying on a resume,
omitting income on taxes, and not reporting a dent you
put in another’s car, or mocking others who believe in
Christ and biblical morality. Zechariah sees a vision
of a new normal that God is preparing for his people.
It’s part of the hopeful future Jesus calls believers
to in our day.
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"Moving Forwards by Going Backwards"
02/28/2010 02:30 PM
Today’s world presents us with bigger challenges than
can frighten or intimidate the strongest among us. It
seems like so much around us is dysfunctional and
broken beyond repair. This new preaching series in
Zechariah looks at the hope that God bring us in such
times. Zechariah speaks to a dispirited people saddled
with a task that seems impossible. God’s words through
him offer us encouragement as well. The book begins by
showing us that the way forward starts by taking a step
backwards. We look at some things in our lives we would
rather ignore, but issues we must address to move
forward.
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Praying Like Jesus - "Praying for the Church"
02/23/2010 01:21 PM
Its easy to drift into generic praying for the church.
We can ask God simply to bless the whole body and hope
He will understand what we mean. In John 17, Jesus
makes sets some very specific priorities in praying for
the church he will soon die for. It’s a great model we
can learn from so that our prayers for Christ’s
church—local and global—can be targeted, clear, and in
tune with the heart of God.
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Praying Like Jesus - "Praying For Those We Love"
02/14/2010 11:19 AM
What is really important in life as you look at those
you love? Jesus shows us in John 17 as he prays for
those he loves, his disciples. Join us as we look at
part two of Jesus’ prayer in John 17.
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Praying Like Jesus - "Praying In Dark Times"
01/31/2010 09:29 AM
It can be tough to express yourself to God in
prayer—especially when it seems like life is unraveling
or you’re facing a very difficult challenge. Jesus
faced one of the toughest challenges of his life on the
night of his arrest. His conversation in prayer to the
father helps us learn about the power of prayer when
life gets tough.
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Praying Like Jesus - "Why Pray"
01/24/2010 10:27 AM
There are several things in our world that are amazing,
that we don’t totally understand. Prayer is one of
those things. Join us as we dig into the parable of the
widow and the judge as Jesus teaches why we are to
pray.
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Praying Like Jesus - "How Not to Pray"
01/10/2010 09:50 AM
We tend to build many of our skills by copying how our
parents, teachers, or friends do things. Unfortunately,
some of the methods we pick up from those around us can
be very flawed. And we don’t notice because it seems
normal. Jesus begins teaching on prayer by challenging
two approaches that are very common (even among
Christians), but not helpful. He points out two ways
not to pray in Matthew 6:5-8.
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Christmas Future
12/27/2009 04:06 PM
At Christmas we discover that many people show their
‘religious’ side. They may agree with the idea that
“Jesus is the reason for the season” and may even
affirm that he is in one sense a savior come to earth.
But their lives are an echo of people who reject
Christian truth. What are the characteristics of a
belief that goes deeper? How are we to live in light of
Christmas? Join us as we look for answers to these
questions from Matthew 2:11-12.
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Christmas Past
12/20/2009 04:05 PM
Expectations. We place them on everything. Expectations
were placed on Jesus as well, from several hundred
years before his birth up to now. Join us as we look at
the prophetic expectations of the Messiah and at
expectations we place on God today.
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Life: Redefined - "Picture of Patience"
12/13/2009 09:45 AM
Our culture hates waiting. Fast food vendors count the
seconds it takes to fulfill an order. Traffic signals
count down to red so you know if you should accelerate
or not. Cell phones offer instant weather and instant
text messaging. But patience is essential if we are to
walk in faith and trust God. James 5:7-12 helps us
understand the qualities of the patience Christ can
give us—illustrated through a farmer, the prophets, and
Job.
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Life: Redefined - "The Hidden Cost of Stuff"
12/06/2009 04:22 PM
Good things often come with hidden costs. A new lawn
needs attention or it will be overgrown. A son or
daughter will require sleepless nights, doctor care,
protection from the boogeyman, parent-teacher
conferences, and braces. In this season of Christmas
shopping James takes a look at the stuff that tends to
fill our lives. He reminds us that our possessions come
with hidden costs we sometimes don’t think about. Join
us as we explore what these are in James 5:1-6.
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Life: Redefined - "Living with the Unexpected"
11/29/2009 08:16 AM
We place our trust in several things on a daily basis.
In our cars, in our friends, in our plans, in our
instincts, in our government, in our education system,
in our health care, to name a few. In today’s message,
James points out that we must trust God as we look to
the future and as we live today.
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Life: Redefined - "War of the Worlds"
11/22/2009 12:26 PM
There is a war waging on between the things of this
world and Kingdom of Heaven. The world wants you to
pursue things that will only satisfy for a time; they
are things that will not last. God desires that we
pursue His Kingdom and things that will endure forever.
What side will you choose? Who will win your love and
affection? James 4:1-12 sheds light on the war going on
and yet gives us hope for victory.
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Life: Redefined - "Two Kinds of Wisdom"
11/15/2009 08:25 AM
We have dozens of regulatory agencies whose purpose is
to make sure that our food and medicines are be free of
contaminants. Every now and then you hear a report of a
product that was distributed and found to be unsafe.
Alarms ring and massive investigations follow. But
there is no agency to protect you from tainted wisdom.
How do we protect ourselves? James helps us develop
some tests to distinguish between a worldly wisdom that
can be deadly and the wisdom from God, which brings
health and promise.
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Life: Redefined - "The Power of Words"
11/08/2009 08:15 AM
It’s easy to assume that as long as our speech is not
peppered with vulgar words, it’s generally pleasing to
God. In James 3:1-12 the Bible takes us deeper into
this issue of speaking in a way that honors God. Join
us as we do some self-assessment as we look at the
power of words.
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Life: Redefined - "The Poverty of Good Intentions"
11/01/2009 11:26 AM
What is more important? What we believe or how we live?
James addresses this very issue. His conclusion...
both! They go hand-in-hand. Join us as we look at the
relationship between faith and works!
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Life: Redefined - "The Damage of Favoritism"
10/25/2009 11:20 AM
Most of us have been in those awkward situations where
someone demonstrated favoritism in a way that
indicated we were second class people. But sometimes we
find ourselves unwittingly following a culture that
loves to relate to people according to status. Discover
how God wants his people to approach this temptation to
treat people with favoritism as we examine James 2:1-13
together.
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Life: Redefined - "The Danger of Being Religious"
10/18/2009 04:07 PM
James shares about a couple things that should mark a
follower of Jesus - reflection and action. Join us as
we look into how we can better listen and reflect on
God's Word and the importance of putting it into
practice - living it out!
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Life: Redefined - "Dynamics of Battling Temptation"
10/11/2009 07:28 AM
Our world tends to dismiss problem of temptation or
address it by trying to change the social environment.
God takes a much more proactive approach to the things
that lure us into failure, fruitlessness, and pain.
James 1:13-18 offers some tactics in dealing with
temptation that can work for you.
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Life: Redefined - "God's Agenda in Adversity"
10/04/2009 07:41 AM
We tend to view adversity only in a negative light.
It's something we often wish would stay out of our
lives completely. What would you think of someone who
challenged you to consider it 'pure joy' whenever you
face trials? That's precisely what James challenges us
to do. This morning we will learn from James how to
view adversity as constructive because of Christ's
purposes in our lives.
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The Friendship Factor: "A Door to Christ-like Character"
09/27/2009 08:44 AM
Today, we wrap up our series on friendship by
continuing to look at the relationship between Jonathan
and David. In 1 Samuel 20:18-42, we can see many
characteristics of friendship. These characteristics
should also be present in our relationship with Christ.
In fact, Jesus exhibited many of these traits as well.
Join us as we look into these behaviors.
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The Friendship Factor: "A Door to Problem Solving"
09/20/2009 01:34 PM
One of the challenges to honest friendships is that
they include disagreement, even conflict. Because no
two of us are wired exactly the same way, our
priorities will class at points. We will gravitate
toward different solutions. We will have different
views of other people. In today’s study you will learn
how Jonathan and David worked to resolve conflict that
arose over Jonathan’s father King Saul. Jonathan and
David worked through ways of dealing with their
differences to the glory of God. We can to.
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The Friendship Factor: "Tasting Success"
09/06/2009 09:23 AM
It’s easy to view spiritual success as a personal task.
But God designed reality in such a way that we can be
most successful spiritually as we partner with others
and cultivate friendships built around His kingdom
purposes. Join us as we look at the dynamics in the
early friendship between David and Jonathan in 1 Samuel
18.
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The Friendship Factor: "Making Friendships Redemptive"
08/30/2009 11:59 AM
Some of the friendships we enjoy are satisfying, but
don’t seem to go anywhere. We can learn about each
other’s tastes, preferences, and background without
sensing any growth as a result of the relationship.
Join us as we look at the amazing dynamic between Paul
and Barnabas, and discover how to bring redemptive
tools into relationships with others.
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The Friendship Factor: "How Friendship Builds Hope"
08/23/2009 11:37 AM
Most of us like the idea of friendships, but life
sometimes gets in the way. We get busy. Others get
busy. It’s easier not to make commitments and be
intentional. And sometimes friendships get complicated
and messy. Join us in this first sermon in our new
series called “The Friendship Factor” as we look at the
book of Ruth to discover how friendship gives us hope
in tough times.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Living for Eternity"
08/16/2009 06:09 AM
Heaven and Hell are literal places. Each person will go
to one of the two places. How can you ensure you are
going to Heaven? How should the reality of this affect
how we live? Join us and find out!
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Unshakable Hope"
08/09/2009 11:35 AM
Instant access to all the bad news the world can
produce makes it seem like hope seems in short supply
these days. For the Christian, the return of Christ
offers an ultimate hope that is bigger than today'
challenges. Join us as we look at the kind of hope we
can enjoy in light of Christ's promised second coming.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Radical Religion"
08/02/2009 07:30 AM
It seems like everyone has a different idea about what
today’s church should be doing. Some like buildings,
others detest them. Some argue for overseas missions,
others would bring all missionaries home. Some favor
small groups and no collective meetings, others prefer
the impact that comes from massive worship services.
Some push for social caring, while others put
proclamation first. Wouldn’t be great if Jesus gave us
direction about setting our priorities? The good news
is that he did, in answer to a question in Matthew 22.
Join us as we look at the nature of “Radical Religion”
according to Jesus.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "A Place to Belong"
07/26/2009 09:07 AM
We were once broken, lost and confused, and God pulled
us out of the mess and placed us in something beautiful
that He is creating... His church. We have been called
by God to do His work, and we need each other to
accomplish what He has for us. In this message we look
at what it means to be a part of the church, the body
of Christ.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Your Personal Life Coach"
07/19/2009 12:01 PM
Have you ever given much thought to the Holy Spirit?
When you look at the Holy Spirit, you see many
similarities with that of a coach. Join us as we look
at the work of the Holy Spirit, our personal life
coach!
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Death Row Rescue: Key Questions"
07/12/2009 01:00 PM
Jesus Christ invites his followers to share the message
of reconciliation with the world. Many in our
pluralistic culture, even in our churches, have
different views about the afterlife and how we reach
heaven—if there is a heaven. In today’s teaching you
will discover how the teaching of the Bible sets itself
apart from the speculation that tends to prevail in our
time.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "One Like Us"
07/05/2009 09:02 AM
When something is at 100%, it is said to be “full”,
nothing can be added. So, how can something be more
than “full” without overflowing? It is said that Jesus
is both fully God and fully man. How is this possible?
Join us as we explore the person of Jesus, how He can
be both fully God and fully man and why this matters to
His followers.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "A Physician's Tale"
06/28/2009 03:02 PM
Our understanding what makes people tick and how to
relate to them shapes our lives. Our culture offers us
competing views of the nature of man. Are we
perfectible? Do we have real problems, or can we blame
everything on our environment? If evil is real, what
can we do to restrain or conquer it? Does sin exist? In
this study we will help you think through these
questions as we look at four common views about the
nature of mankind.
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "The Bible - God's GPS"
06/21/2009 04:26 PM
You often hear people refer to the Bible as “God’s
Word”. How can we be confident that the Scriptures are
truly the word of God? How can we be confident that the
translation we hold in our hand is consistent with what
was written 2000 years (and more) ago? Join us as we
look at the authority and reliability of the Bible!
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Real Christianity in a Confused World: "Potato-head Religion"
06/14/2009 08:31 AM
It’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “My God would
never do this.” or “My God would not act like that.”
Each of us, no matter how devout, tend to shape our
view of God around our preferences. This morning we
look at the challenge to step back, ditch our designer
God, and move from a ‘potato-head’ religion to
something more majestic and real.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "Answering Your Skeptics"
06/07/2009 11:29 AM
Lies and misleading statements corrode the trust we
have in people and institutions. They undermine our
willingness to consider what others say. These factors
also create a skeptical attitude toward the Christ and
the teachings of the Bible. Today’s teaching
looks at Titus 3:1-14 to discover some simple steps we
can take to respond to the skepticism of our age.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "The Road Less Traveled"
05/31/2009 07:06 AM
God’s grace is a wonderful gift. But sometimes it
becomes little more than a gooey, sentimental word that
implies God puts up with all kinds of nonsense from
people. In reality, grace is a means God uses to
promote transformation in our lives. Today’s teaching
looks at the practical lessons grace teaches us.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "When Natural is a Bad Choice"
05/24/2009 09:16 AM
Doing what comes naturally is easy for all of us. But
it’s not always wise. Titus 2:1-10 looks at daily roles
you and I have and challenges us to trade our normal
choices for uncommon ones as men, women, leaders, and
workers. Discover the exceptional choices God calls us
to make in these everyday roles as his ambassadors.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "Binging on Spiritual ‘Junk’ Food"
05/17/2009 10:08 AM
When is the last time you walked into a convenience
store and came out with an apple? It probably has never
happened. We typically walk out with junk food. Why?
Because it tastes good, it is easy and it satisfies our
hunger. In the same way, we in the Church are bombarded
with “Junk” theology – teaching that maybe sounds good
and makes life easy, but it doesn’t line up with sound
doctrine. Effective ambassadors for Christ recognize
“Junk” theology and know how to combat it. Titus
1:10-16 shows us how.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "Follow Me To Wherever"
05/10/2009 10:41 AM
Some assume that commitment to doctrine makes people
rigid and unlikeable. But Titus 1:9 reminds us that
people who have strong kingdom convictions are the best
ambassadors for Christ. In this message you will learn
how kingdom convictions make you effective in helping
others.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: “When Weird is Good”
05/03/2009 09:33 AM
When our media spotlights religious people who are
strange, it gives the impression that Christianity is
for oddballs. Christians who want respect can respond
by trying to blend in with the culture. We tend to
conform. But the more we conform, the less influence we
bring to the culture. How can we stand out or be
different in a positive way? That’s the question we
will seek to answer in this study as we look at Titus
1:8.
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Habits of an Effective Ambassador: "Too May Vincents"
04/26/2009 09:16 PM
One of the most
embarrassing U.S. Ambassadors was a man named Vincent.
Yet sometimes when we look around at the church we see
lots of people who are poor representatives of Christ.
This morning we examine some relational skills we can
cultivate if we want to be better ambassadors for Jesus
and his kingdom.
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