Aug 15, 2021
The Prayer of Cleansing
Series: Connecting with God
CONNECTING WITH GOD: The Prayer of Cleansing
Today we continue in the Lord's Prayer with "Forgive us our trespasses.” Forgiveness is the greatest tool that God has given mankind for our life together in community with one another and it was modeled to us best in our Lord Jesus’ work on the cross. Through it we are able to have a fresh start and a clear conscience – both with God and with our fellow humans.
WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle
- Aug 15, 2021The Prayer of CleansingAug 15, 2021The Prayer of CleansingSeries: Connecting with GodCONNECTING WITH GOD: The Prayer of Cleansing Today we continue in the Lord's Prayer with "Forgive us our trespasses.” Forgiveness is the greatest tool that God has given mankind for our life together in community with one another and it was modeled to us best in our Lord Jesus’ work on the cross. Through it we are able to have a fresh start and a clear conscience – both with God and with our fellow humans.
- Aug 8, 2021All We NeedAug 8, 2021All We NeedSeries: (All)All We Need Have you ever noticed that there are some foods that leave you more hungry than you were when you started to eat? For me, it's soup! Some say that the purpose of the church is to feed hungry souls. How can we be sure that the "food" that is sought and served doesn't leave the hearers more hungry than they were before the service? Jesus calls himself the "Bread of Life", and that coming to him at his table is the only certainty we have that we will never go hungry. Jesus is all we need, his Word of forgiveness filling our souls and strengthening us for the journey ahead. Come to the table! Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD!
- Aug 1, 2021Bread of LifeAug 1, 2021Bread of LifeBy: Rev. Bil HoodSeries: Connecting with GodBread of Life In our Gospel today the crowds are caught up in the moment, not seeing the big picture. They had recently been fed by Jesus, who had started a meal with 5 loaves and 2 fish and turned it into a feast for 5000 with leftovers. They had tried to take him by force to be their king. He got away and they pursued him. They wanted more.
- Jul 25, 2021The Prayer of DependenceJul 25, 2021The Prayer of DependenceSeries: Connecting with GodCONNECTING WITH GOD: The Prayer of Dependence"Give us this day our daily bread" is God's reminder to us that we are to trust Him to provide for us – every day. In lean times and in times of uncertainty, we should not look to Washington nor to Wall Street to provide for us, but to God. In this petition of the Lord’s prayer we are saying that we trust Him to meet all of our needs – not just bread.
- Jul 18, 2021The Prayer of SurrenderJul 18, 2021The Prayer of SurrenderSeries: Connecting with GodConnecting with God - The Prayer of SurrenderThe second and third petitions of the Lord's Prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” form a prayer of surrender. Today we will learn four ways that surrender is the solution to stress.
- Jul 11, 2021The Prayer of ConnectionJul 11, 2021The Prayer of ConnectionSeries: Connecting with GodCONNECTING WITH GOD: The Prayer of Connection God is a person, not a power. You can connect and relate to him personally because He is our Heavenly Father. But the word “father” can bring up all kinds of bad connotations, hurts, difficulties, and experiences. As a result of our earthly fathers’ fallibility, we may think God is the same. In this message we explore four characteristics of God as Father using The Lord’s Prayer, that will help you see God for who He really is.
- Jul 4, 2021What’s Yours is MineJul 4, 2021What’s Yours is MineSeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsTHE TEN[DER] COMMANDMENTS: What's Yours is Mine Coveting is a dangerous sin because you can fall prey to it without anyone around you knowing it. It is first a sin of the heart. And it will make you miserable. How can we be content rather than covetous?
- Jun 27, 2021Tall TalesJun 27, 2021Tall TalesSeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsTHE TEN[DER] COMMANDMENTS: Tall Tales Everyone lies. But just because everyone’s doing it doesn’t make it right. Abraham lies about his relationship to Sarah because of fear. He also tries to justify his lie by pointing out how it is partially true. We do many of the same things. Yet, because Christ is the Truth (cf. John 14:6), we are called to be truthful.
- Jun 20, 2021Beg, Borrow But Don’t Steal, God loves to provide for usJun 20, 2021Beg, Borrow But Don’t Steal, God loves to provide for usSeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsTHE TEN[DER] COMMANDMENTS: Beg, Borrow But Don't Steal God loves to provide for us (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:10). Stealing takes what God has provided for someone else and tries to commandeer it for oneself. Therefore, stealing distrusts God’s provision. Theft, of course, is not just a crime of the poor. As the story of Zacchaeus demonstrates, even the rich can fall prey to distrusting God’s provision. The remedy for theft is both faith in God and generosity toward others. Do we live our lives in this way?
- Jun 13, 2021No Excuses
- Jun 6, 2021“Pleading the Fifth”Jun 6, 2021“Pleading the Fifth”Series: The Ten(der) Commandments"THE TEN[DER] COMMANDMENTS - Pleading the Fifth" When someone “pleads the fifth,” they are refusing to speak about a particular incident because what they say may wind up being incriminating. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus looks at the Fifth Commandment and pleads with us that we follow it not only in our actions, but in our hearts.
- May 30, 2021R-E-S-P-E-C-TMay 30, 2021R-E-S-P-E-C-TSeries: The Ten(der) Commandments"The Ten[der] Commandments - R-E-S-P-E-C-T" The great Greek philosopher Aristotle asserted that families are the basis of any healthy society. The writers of Scripture would agree. Thus, families need to thrive. The Fourth Commandment is meant to foster such thriving. Parents and children are to show mutual respect to each other. commands?
- May 23, 2021Stop! In the Name of LoveMay 23, 2021Stop! In the Name of LoveSeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsStop! In the Name of Love The Hebrew word “Sabbath” means “stop.” God’s desire is that we stop and take time to rest so that we may do the work He has given us. The Sabbath, then, is meant to be a joy, given by God out of love. Yet, in our culture, we all too often neglect this joy for the sake of workaholism. How can we be more intentional about practicing the rest God commands?
- May 16, 2021Name BrandMay 16, 2021Name BrandSeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsIn the ancient world, someone’s name was also their reputation. God does not want us to take His name in vain because that damages His reputation. Yet, by how we live and by what we do as Christians, we often do besmirch how God wants to be known. Honoring God’s name, then, includes everything we say and do. My Next Step(s): - When I am in a desolate place, I will trust that God has not abandoned me. - I will use the quiet, barren and boring times in my life to move toward God. - I will revere, not misuse, the Name of our immutable, eternal, loving God! - I will honor God’s Name by speaking/sharing it, praying it, and living it. - I will find my identity, meaning and hope in God’s Name placed on me in my baptism.
- May 10, 2021One and OnlyMay 10, 2021One and OnlySeries: The Ten(der) CommandmentsOne and Only Idolatry is when we take a good thing and turn it into a God thing which is a bad thing. Why is this a bad thing? Because it is an affront to the true God. But Isaiah also reminds us that we desire out of an idol what it can never give: help and fulfillment. Idols always disappoint. God, however, always keeps His promises.