A healthy church guards against false teachers. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” — 1 Timothy 1:1–2 1. The threat of false teachers. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine…” — 1 Timothy 1:3 The gospel of Jesus must be our highes...
Jan 28, 2024
We glorify God together, when we live in unity with each other. “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” — Ephesians 4:1 “…eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” — Ephesians 4:3 “Unity is kept not created.” — Dr. Daniel Akin “…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” — Ephesians 4:2 Humility “Clothe yourselves…with humility toward one another, for ...
Jan 21, 2024
By his death, Jesus brought us into a new life together. What did Jesus do to bring us together? What does that mean for our life together? 1. Jesus brought us close (vs. 11–13) “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hop...
Jan 14, 2024
Unity is not easy for the church, but it’s a necessity for the blessings of God. We bring great delight to the domain of hell when we allow discord to exist between us and our brothers in Christ. Psalm 133:1-3 “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has ...
Jan 07, 2024
No matter what is behind you or what is before you, Jesus is still reigning over you. 1. Jesus’ presence should comfort you (vs. 9–13) “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches...
Dec 31, 2023
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” — John 1:1–2 The Word was with God. The Word was God. Why does the deity of Jesus matter? “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” — Genesis 3:15 1. Because Jesus is God, He fully knows you. 2. Because Jesus is God, He fully loves you. “For while we were still weak, at the ...
Dec 24, 2023
Why does the humanity of Jesus matter? Matthew 1:18–25 “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as ...
Dec 17, 2023
In the story of David we see… 1. We see the brokenness of the world. 2. We see the brokenness in us. 3. We see Jesus. Matthew 1:1 “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” 1. Our Sovereign God is in absolute control. 2. Our Sovereign God is faithful. 2 Samuel 7:16 “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.” 3. Our Sovereign God is gracious....
Dec 10, 2023
We will not always understand what God is doing. Don’t chase a God you can explain; chase a God you can exalt. “When David’s time to die drew near he commanded Solomon his son, saying, ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth.’” — 1 Kings 2:1-2 1. Be a man. You must have thick skin and a soft heart. 2. Be obedient. “…and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, tha...
Dec 03, 2023
“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” — 2 Samuel 11:1 1. David is blessed. 2. David is bored. Why is sexual sin enticing in moments of blessing? “… let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” — 1 Corinthians 10:12 Why is sexual sin enticing in moments of boredom? The key to resisting any temptation is to be ...
Nov 26, 2023
“And it was told King David, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom & all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went & brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox & a fattened animal. And David danced before the LORD with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David & all the house of Israel brought up the...
Nov 19, 2023
“There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.” — 2 Samuel 3:1 1. Abner: A picture of the sin of selfishness. “While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.” — 2 Samuel 3:6 We cannot live for the Kingdom of Jesus and the Kingdom of Self simultaneously. “For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jes...
Nov 12, 2023
What do you value most in life? “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.”— Matthew 13:44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”— Matthew 13:45-46 1. Is Jesus our greatest treasure? If Jesus is our greatest treasure, that will be evident in how hard we chase after Him. If you need something in addition to Jesus to make you ...
Nov 05, 2023
1. David’s Request (vs. 1–8) “Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and bad...
Oct 29, 2023
Sin originates in the heart. “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” — Matthew 12:34 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” — Matthew 15:19 What rules your heart? 1. A heart not ruled by God. - Saul (NOT ON SCREEN) “Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistine...
Oct 22, 2023
“Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks. And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.” — 1 Samuel 24:2-3 “…the men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to y...
Oct 15, 2023
What does real, biblical friendship look like? “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” — 1 Samuel 18:1 “And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt...
Oct 08, 2023
How do you respond when life troubles you? “Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.” — 1 Samuel 18:12 “But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.” — 1 Samuel 18:16 “Then Saul said to David, ‘Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD's battles.’” — 1 Samuel 18:17a “For Saul thought, ‘Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines b...
Oct 01, 2023
“Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle.” — 1 Samuel 17:1 “And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.” — 1 Samuel 17:3 “And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.” — 1 Samuel 17:4 “He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail and the weight of the coat was five thousand sheke...
Sep 24, 2023
“The eyes of the LORD are searching the whole earth, looking for those whose heart is fully committed to him…” — 2 Chronicles 16:9 God does improbable things through improbable people so His purposes are achieved. The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel?” — 1 Samuel 16:1a 1. It’s the natural response to pain and loss. 2. It serves a purpose. 3. It has its limits. “Weeping may remain/tarry for the night, but joy comes wit...
Sep 17, 2023
1. He is a God of Amazing Grace “Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” — 2 Samuel 7:1-2 “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.” — 2 Samuel 7:3 “But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, ‘Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?’” — 2 ...
Sep 10, 2023
We have been blessed in Christ for the benefit of the world. 1. We have been blessed so the world may know God. (vs. 1–2) “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” — Psalm 67:1–2 What’s keeping us from making God known among the world? We forget our own need for grace. We hijack God’s blessing. We lose sight of the source of blessing—Jesus Christ. 2. We have been blessed so the world may ...
Sep 03, 2023
You can live for God in a city that has turned against Him. “These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem.” — Jeremiah 29:1–2 “Thus says ...
Aug 27, 2023
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word…” — Ephesians 5:25–26 What’s Keeping Us From Loving The Church? 1. We’re disappointed. Our spiritual letdowns lead to our spiritual meltdowns. If you’ve been hurt by the church: - “Let it go!” - Re-envision how valuable the church is to God. The church is called the people of God. “What agreement has the temple of God with idols...
Aug 20, 2023
“That you…may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” — Ephesians 3:18–19 Love is not merely what God does, it’s who God is. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God ...
Aug 13, 2023
David Pollack, a former University of Georgia football player and football analyst on ESPN's College Gameday for 12 years, shares his faith story and journey.
Aug 06, 2023
There is nothing more dangerous to our spiritual vitality than spiritual apathy. Spiritual apathy is growing numb towards Jesus and His church. “But when they had gazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.” — Hosea 13:6 “So whoever knows what to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” — James 4:17 7 Warning Signs of Apathy 1. Decline in church and/or group attendance. 2. Lack of concern for souls in your community. 3. Lack of enthusiast...
Jul 30, 2023
“I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy stronghold...
Jul 23, 2023
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth….” — Acts 1:8 In light of what Jesus died for, what will you give your life for? “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declar...
Jul 16, 2023
“Asa had an army of three hundred thousand men from Judah, equipped with large shields and with spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand from Benjamin, armed with small shields and with bows. All these were brave fighting men. Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.” — 2 Chronicles 14:8-10 (NI...
Jul 09, 2023
