Category Archives: theology
RESOLVED Week One | Sermon Notes
Today, we are launching a new RESOLVED sermon series that will run the rest of January. We are going to end the month with a big BAPTISM service on the 31st. If you are wanting to be baptized, start telling your friends and family to join you on the 31st. We are going to have photos and videos of everyone’s baptism.
RESOLVED: such a strong word. Resolved means: firm in purpose or intent; determined. to come to a definite decision.
Today, I want to talk to you about two areas that I am resolved in. I would love for you to follow me in these areas. Come on in, the water is fine!
I am RESOLVED to submit my life to God and remain consecrated to him.
I am RESOLVED to respond to the Gospel with everything that I have.
This series is one of those series where it will be easy for some of the churchy people to think: “oh, yeah. I know someone who really needs to hear this message. So and so has really been posting some bizzare things on Facebook, they need to resolve some things with God today!” However, this sermon series is not for so and so. It is for YOU. This is about YOU & GOD.
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2: 15-17
Last week, we had one of those days. You know one of those days when:
- When the Dryer breaks – large piles of laundry strewn out over whole downstairs. Went all the way to Lowes to get a new belt because their website said they did and they didn’t.
- When your indoor dog has diarrhea
- When one of your fish dies
- When you have people calling with emergencies.
- When two of your three kids are squirting things from all places
- When there is about 3 hours of homework at night
- We marinated the chicken so long that it tasted like a salt block. I went ahead ate it like a good husband. “mmmmmm, babe, this has so much flavor.” I was so thirsty.
- Poor thing when she took it out of oven some of the burning hot juice fell out of pan and burned her leg through her clothes.
When you have one of those days, it is extremely hard to keep your eyes on things above and not the things of this world. And…the things of this world are LOUD and RELENTLESS.
At the end of the BAD day, all of the pressure was temporal. All of the bad things were not eternal. They were earthly. They were the “things of this world”.
The world means anything that is opposed to God or His ways. Alienated by God. In rebellion against God. In the garden of Eden when sin first entered into creation, there was a separation between God and heavenly realm and the world.
This scripture is clear in saying that the world that we see, touch, experience, is temporary. It is fading away. The life that we live is just a blip on the timeline of existence. If all we do is focus on the temporary and loose sight of what is eternal and heavenly then we are not only wasting our time, but we do not have the love of the Father in us. The love of the Father draws us to what is truly important. Those things that are beyond what we can see and touch and smell and hear and taste.
Oh, but how enticing and captivating are those things that arouse or offend our senses. Pain hurts. Stress depletes. Betrayal robs. Loneliness abandons. Sin slowly kills.
Pain, stress, betrayal, loneliness, and sin are all symptoms of worldly issues. Most of the problems and heaviness we feel in life is because we have put too much attention or focus on the temporary world.
In order to deal with these difficulties, we often go to the wrong solution.
We crave attention from others so that they can provide our needs.
- We often look to other people to give us the affirmation or approval that will support our worldly view of ourselves.
- We look for pleasure in relationships, in sex, in money to deal with the consequences of our worldly pain
- We work so hard to achieve status and acclaim professionally. We need to be known or appreciated in the workplace.
When there is an absence of this approval and acceptance from others, we are driven to work harder or find someone else that will approve of you or satisfy you.
The Bible teaches a different way.
The bible teaches us how to MAKE SURE we are not lured into worldly vision and to keep our eyes on God’s ways.
I am RESOLVED to submit my life to God and remain consecrated to him.
I am RESOLVED to respond to the Gospel with everything that I have.
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 2 Timothy 1:6
Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 1 Timothy 1:19
Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21
Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25
Let’s take some time right now and examine ourselves. Let’s seek God to show us the areas where we are not focused on Him. We want to know where we focused on the world and not him. We want to know where we have placed substitutes in the position that He is only worthy to hold.
Wait a moment in meditation and prayer
We are so stuck, blinded, and used to our way of life that we need something to shake us and clear our thinking.
God gives us a package just for that.
- Prayer and Fasting.
- Meditation and Scripture reading.
- Gathering to Worship and Fellowship with other believers.
YOU RECEIVED A FASTING GUIDE.
LOOK AT INFO ON THERE FOR A CHURCHWIDE 21 DAY FAST. Monday and Tuesday we will have prayer meetings here 7pm. Childcare provided.
RERUN Sermon Notes from Jan3
There is nothing like a good rerun! It was great the first time. Wonderful the second time.
Today, you are getting a rerun of 2015. The best moments of the preaching and teaching and discipleship.
2015 was been a year of extremes for our church. Some individuals in the church experiencing the worst year of their life. Family problems, Illness, the passing of loved ones. Two dramatic flooding events with millions of dollars worth of damage. Then, on the other hand, as a collective group we have records broken at the church with attendance, giving, new members.
Let’s look at 2015 according to the numbers:
- On average, we have 88 people watch live each Sunday, however the archives have been watched and listened to 20,052.
- On an Average Sunday we had: San Marcos: 826 = Biggest: 1260 (2 weeks ago)
- 190 went through 101 (membership session)
- 74 – Promise Groups in 2015. Meeting every day of the week.
- 515 – Average number of people attending groups each week
Every week, we encourage you to give financially to support the work here.
- We gave $40,000 to international missions and $60,000 to local missions
- In our 2020 vision offering, we had $13,426 given and $54,368 pledged
We began the year wanting to THRIVE.
We want to eliminate the separation of positive faith “moments” at church/private devotion and mundane everyday life so that we can live in the healthy rhythm of a Spirit saturated life.
Ephesian 4: 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
God wants us to be spiritually mature and emotionally mature. So we need to be aware of our self. Our emotions. Knowing yourself helps you get to know God. Awareness of yourself and your relationship with God are intricately related. We won’t be afraid to admit our struggle, our emotional trouble. Instead we humbly take it to God.
If we want a FIRE of God in our life we need three key elements. Just like earthly fire needs heat, fuel, and oxygen. Our relationship with God needs: God’s Presence (heat), Devotion (fuel) and Sabbath (air) Intentionally and consciously plan to keep God at the center of everything we do.
One of those ways is to TALK TO GOD
Most of us have a problem talking to God because: We don’t understand how much God really likes us. We give a lot more attention to people that we like and those who we are connected to closely.
When it comes to prayer, God is not concerned with our oratory skills or what others think about our prayers. You don’t have to sound a like a preacher or a deacon. You need to sound like a child that is needing a Father.
God wants us to share our thoughts, desires, concerns with him. He cares for us. We spent a whole sermon series going through the Lord’s model of prayer in Matthew 6. It gives us a structure for our conversations with God.
We begin talking to God…”Father, I come in the name of Jesus Christ.” The name of Jesus Christ is my ticket. My access. Dropping the name Jesus gives us access, credibility and common ground in our conversation with God.
As we left winter and approached the Easter season, our mind focused on why Jesus goes to such great lengths.
When reading the Old Testament we actually hear the broken heart of Jesus. Listen to what he says.
Song of Solomon 3:1… I sought him whom my soul loves; I sought him, but found him not. 2 I will rise now and go about the city, in the streets and in the squares; I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, but found him not. 3 The watchmen found me as they went about in the city. “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” 4 Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not let him go…”
At each turn in the story, Jesus is making his way to you. He is searching the valleys and ascending the high mountains. Where is Pete? Where is Monica? Where is Robin? Where is James? Where is Sharon? I hear them crying. I know they are hurt. I know they are separated from me and are afraid. Afraid of life. Afraid of me.
But, I’m looking for you! You are my love.
We think we are different or weird because of our problems.
We often think that God is inaccessible to us because WE have separated from HIM. This separation is our fault and we don’t understand how he could still want us. After all when people leave us it is so difficult for us to accept them back into our lives.
We think that we will always be THE SAME. The SAME ol’ SAME ol’ The SAME cycle of addiction – The SAME relationship issues – The SAME financial trouble. If you are ready to change the SAME habits as your dad and granddad and great granddad ……. I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! God gives SAMEness a new look.
“the SAME” has been getting a bad rap because it mostly is associated with negative, boring, or monotonous patterns. God gives SAMEness a new look.
Look at the possibilities of when our SAMEness is transformed into His SAMEness! Instead of focusing on our SAME brokenness, let’s focus on Jesus. We as believer, can boldly say because of our faith in Jesus, “oh, yeah, I am the SAME.” “I’m the SAME as HE has always been.” This begins to redefine your past, present and future. When you put your faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, then you have access to a new YOU.
When you get down to it….Most of us have a problem with our pattern. The problem of our lives is not our problems but our patterns. The problem is the pattern.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)
We are to pattern our life after the original Word of God.
It is not complicated. It is not. Peaceful people are those that are following the pattern. Get over yourself, submit to a higher authority (Jesus), live for him, serve others.
When you change the pattern, you change the product!
When we come to Jesus, he converts us through THREE BAPTISMS:
Salvation, Water, Spirit
- Salvation to all those who call on the Name of the Lord – brings eternal life.
- Water baptism ushers you into a new identity in Christ.
- Spirit gives confidence and clout.
We need that Confidence from God’s Spirit. We live in a very difficult, broken world!
There is true evil existing in the world and someday it will be dealt with efficiently and effectively. We can trust in our heavenly Father as the ultimate Judge setting all things right. In the meantime,
We should respond to it with the love and hope of Jesus. We bring justice to our situations not by judging but by bringing Jesus.
Not by drawing guns (smoke wagons), but instead by turning the other cheek, being the salt of the earth, being a city set on a hill. You can trust God today that He will take care of you. He will heal your wounds now. He will make sure that anything that needs to happen will happen. You can rest.
Romans 12:17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
We studied the book of GALATIANS in the month of July.
The book of Galatians brings clarity to the Gospel of Jesus. It gives a picture of a fake gospel that looks and sometimes feels like the real gospel, and then the actual Good News. The fake gospel says that you will be accepted and approved of by what you can accomplish as a good person.
Real Gospel is the Good News that you don’t have to save yourself from this world, but that God loves you so much He saves you
Galatians 3:6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. 8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles (all of us in here today) to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
And…
Everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved. “People of San Marcos, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. Jesus was nailed to the cross and killed. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. (Acts 2)
We baptized 132 people in 2015. We went to the San Marcos River on August 23rd and baptized 68 people!
You were created with specific talents, skills, and abilities. You have a unique personality. You were created with Spiritual Gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts (abilities), but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
In Mark 2:1, When the crippled man needed to get to the feet of Jesus, his friends carried his mat to the house, up to the roof, tore off the roof, lowered him to Jesus. At the point of his greatest need, his relationships carried him to Jesus. Who is carrying your mat?
HOME WRECKERS
Matthew 7:24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Our finances wreck us because of our selfishness and lack of discipline. Our desire to please our self. Our marriages wreck us because we look to another human being to be our source of completion.
What Paul is saying is that contentment and peace comes from something besides what money can buy. It comes from something besides being married to a specific person.
Give to God your finances. Wives submit to your husbands. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church.
These are INSEPARABLE. You can’t have one without the other. When these are together, this is where the magic happens.
Your home is built on a firm foundation.
It’s a Wonderful Life | Week 3
I want to talk to you a bit about your Wonderful Life. In the Movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey lives in Bedford Falls. A man of big dreams and high aspirations. Yet, he spent his whole life helping others all the while his own plans are ruined. He never gets where he wants to go. George is stuck. He is frustrated. Ultimately, he is suicidal because of a bad business transaction. He finds himself angry at the world and proud of nothing.
Then, he has a “come to Jesus” moment, when God leads in through this life and he sees first hand the value of his life. He sees the deep meaning below the meaningless surface.
Let’s check out this spoiler footage at the end of the movie when he realizes he has a wonderful life after all.
- CLIP ONE George comes down stairs happily with family. He is led with his wife to the living room where he is about to receive a bunch of money.
STOP! Hang on a second. I want you all to see a very profound truth in life that is clearly defined in this movie. You might skip over it if you don’t watch closely.
When we see George here he is ecstatic, yet he has no clue (THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT) at this point that he will receive any money. When he is walking down the stairs, he still believes that he owes $8000, his business is a total failure, that he will loose his possessions.
REWIND THE TAPE AND LETS SEE IT AGAIN.
- CLIP TWO
Rewind and start scene over. Ok, right here George has no idea that a blessing is coming. For some reason, he is profoundly at peace and has joy in the midst of his dark financial and future reality. Then, we see the grace of God displayed as the community comes and drops all this money on his table. Now, he not only has peace, but he also has blessing and understanding.
So, how did George find peace before he found his reward or blessing?
Quite simply, he prayed. “I don’t really know you. I am not really a praying man, but if you are listening, “Help me find my way.”
Some folks in here today, might not have talked to God in a long time, or you have not been focused on God. You are not a praying person, but you find yourself in the place needing the magic of Christmas to overwhelm you.
Let’s talk to God, today. The good news is that He is listening and ready to move.
There is peace in His manger that precedes your blessing.
There is peace available to you today is not based on the fulfillment of your dreams.
There is a peace from God that surpasses understanding. It guards your heart and mind.
Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Before we go to the next verse, let’s make sure we understand that last line. “His peace will guard your hearts and minds AS you LIVE IN Christ Jesus.” Live in the truth of who Jesus Christ is. Why he came and what he accomplished.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Can you imagine what it would look like to live in a village of 100 people your entire life. The village is in a remote, mountainous area of central Guatemala. About 30 minutes down a rough 4×4 path to the nearest small town.
Marry a guy from the village and raise 6 kids. Then, after your kids are almost grown, you husband leaves you. Two years after your husband leaves, 2 of your sons are murdered.
This is the story of Dora Flores Morales. She found herself single. No support. Heartache from divorce and then the despair of loosing two children.
But, God…
She cried out to God and God’s response was, “I need you to lead the church of the village.” Not exactly the message she thought she would hear or wanted to hear, but she was obedient and began to lead the only church in the village of Las Joyas.
Dora has sort of found herself in the place of George Bailey. Trapped. Life not going as planned. Things that she thought were secure and trustworthy have been pulled from her, But GOD…
Check out this video of a prayer session I captured of this church praying to God for provision.
God’s peace moves towards her and envelopes her. She gives all the glory to God for the amazing peace she feels that passes all understanding.
How could you be at peace and live in these conditions? Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Dora has no idea, but we are about to walk to the front and start dumping money in this manger just like the community did for George. George had no idea it was going to happen and as the people of Las Joyas prepare for Christmas this season, they have no idea that there is a group of people in San Marcos, Texas about to sacrificially give so that their community can have fresh water this year. So that their kids can have a safe place to learn this year. A new water system for the whole village. A fence, bathrooms, a new roof and playground at the school.
Today, we are going to participate in the blessing of a whole village. They have been praying for God to help them with their needs. So many great needs in this rural village of Guatemala. When Erica and I were there this summer, we captured this video of them praying for God to help their need.
If you are new and haven’t heard about what we are doing, we are taking up a special offering right now that will 100% go to reach people outside of these walls. We have a 5 year plan to completely transform the village of Las Joyas. In 2016, we will start with water and school.
We are also going to start other campuses of PromiseLand in surround areas: Lockhart, TX State, etc.
You should have been given a card when you walked in today. If you didn’t get one, we want to hand you one now. Raise your hands and we will get you a card.
- Explain Card
- PRAY
- GIVE!
It’s a Wonderful Life | Week One
Week one of our sermon series: It’s a Wonderful Life. Listen to the message podcast by clicking here.
George Bailey lived in Bedford Falls. A man of big dreams and high aspirations.
Film clip: The Last Meal – (George and his dad, Peter Bailey, at the dinner table)
George Bailey looks like many of us. We are pursuing the Wonderful life! We are running fast towards our goals and aspirations. We believe that contentment can be found in adventure and success in hard work.
It’s a Wonderful Life. Really? On the news this week, we saw the latest installment of evil. 14 people gunned down in California. There have been 355 mass shootings this year. The face of evil that other countries across the world see on a regular basis is now being seen here. It shocks many Americans because we think we are smarter or should have evolved than this.
It’s a Wonderful Life. Really? 600,000 will die from heart disease this year, 580,000 will die from cancer, 55,000 from the flu or pneumonia, over 40,000 will take their own life.
To the Christ follower, the darkness of the world often saddens us. We weep with those who weep. We mourn and do not minimalize the suffering. It is real.
BUT it does not shock or surprise us. We know its source.
It is not because of a gun or because of a mental illness or because humans haven’t evolved beyond it.
It is because there is a very real and present “evil being” that is seeking to destroy God’s creation. Satan exists. We see evil and sin in this world because of satan. Christmas is a like a pinhole of light in a dark landscape.
The birth of Jesus is the beginning of a light that is spreading even to this day. Reversing a curse. Rewinding a trend. That someday will completely accomplish its mission.
Even with full lights on in the room, there is still darkness on the edges, corners. Shadows difficult places where there is no light. Could you imagine a time where darkness will be completely defeated. There will be no more shadows. Not just in the atmosphere, but in your life. No more secrets, no more suffering. No more pain or disease. No more betrayal and backstabbing. No more deficits. No more darkness.
Isaiah 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Here we are between now and God’s ultimate restoration of all things. We live in the hallway between the resurrected Messiah, Jesus Christ on one side and the rejoining of heaven and earth forever. We live in between
The only way we can say that Life is Wonderful is to understand the whole scope of time. The whole picture. Life snippets can be exhilarating, exhausting, haunting.
Christ, the light came, so that we could have Life MORE Abundant. Jesus said while on the earth, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10”
If you are looking for a life of wonder by the scope of your adventure or the size of your bank account, you will be always chasing after an elusive prize. We often accomplish our goals of success. We land the job. We win the promotion. We graduate! We get the raise.
Yet, isn’t it amazing how life has a way of disintegrating wins. A new season rolls around and it feels like you are starting over. We find ways to spend our bonuses and raises.
Life has a way of sucking the win out of our successes.
A Life of Wonder comes from outside of the chase. It comes from outside of the destination.
Luke 1:6 Zechariah (a priest) and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
What must that be like in that day in time. Kids were everything back then. Our generation now is all about the career and personal life. Back then, if you didn’t have kids, you were over. Kids were the path to meaning and significance. You didn’t just have 1 or 2 or 3 kids. You had as many kids as you could because many kids died young. Here they were faithful to God. Living their ordinary life…not seeing anything spectacular. Not bitter. Not giving up. Just living and serving God.
8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
Those words are bold because I want to emphasize the normal, mundane, sort of life that They lived.
10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. 11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth…
Wait a minute, what prayer? Which prayer? Way back? Did he pray it every day? Had he given up on that request? Either way, it didn’t affect his worship. He was faithful. He continued to work his job, love his wife, and worship his God. Day in and day out. Believing God’s will to done.
The message today is, don’t sweat the small stuff. In fact, invest in the small stuff. God might be testing you, he might be waiting until the right time, or he might realize you need a ‘no’, but you can rest assured, that he has not forgotten about you. He has not abandoned the world.
He loves the world. He is heartbroken about the darkness and despair. The separation is not pleasing to him. In fact, he loves us so much that he choose to actually participate with us in its brokenness.
What an awesome God.
To choose to be with us.
When God wants to change the world he doesn’t send an army instead he sends a baby. That baby leads us to God
Romans 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.) 26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Won’t Change the Message. Will Change the Method.
I Love My Church! | Week Three
“I Love My Church.” Do you?
Last week, I announced that we are now translating our 9:45am service into Spanish. Also, we are adopting the Village of Las Joyas in Guatemala and will be giving an offering in December towards a new well and school facilities. We are taking 2 mission trips in 2016 to Mexico and Guatemala. Get more details on our website or The Hub! EXCITING!
Life is about more than “me”. Life is about “we”.
November is when the weather begins to chill down quite a bit, but for me it’s a very emotionally warm month. I love the change of season. The family time. Hanging out with family, eating, sharing stories of the year, loving on one another, a break from work. We are taking some time this month to think about the value of our church family. Life is about more than “me”. Life becomes much more rewarding and fulfilling when you remember that God created “we”.
Ephesians 2:19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.
PromiseLand San Marcos is a healthy “We”. What a great place to connect with others. Many of you have not heard the story, but this “we” started 12 years ago in 2003.
There were about 30 of us gathering on Friday nights. We knew that God was in it and that he had great plans, but I want to be real honest with you. I had no idea that it would be like this.
A first, I remember thinking, “man it would be amazing if we had our own building.” That would be so amazing!
Then I remember thinking, “we will have arrived if we get our own building and we have like 500 people gathering on a Sunday. Wow! We would have arrived.”
Little did we know all of what God would have in store for us. When we were faithful to the message and not stuck in our ways, God produced growth!
I Love My Church Because it Will Never Change its Message but it is Not Afraid of CHANGE its Methods.
Our message is Jesus. Our message is not about rituals or statues or superstitious. Our message is that you can trust the ancient manuscript of the Bible. We stand on the Bible as the Word of life!
The Word of God is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. memorize it and store it.
In the Bible is the mind of God. In the Bible is the state of man, the doom of sin, the way of salvation, the happiness of the believers.
The bible’s doctrine is Holy, its precepts are binding, and its history is true You can read it and be wise, believe it and be saved, practice it and be holy. It contains light to direct. It has food to sustain you. It can comfort you. It can cheer you.
It’s the travelers mount. the pilgrim’s staff. the Christian’s charter
There is nothing like the Word of God! There Heaven is open, the gates of Hell closed, Jesus is the Grand subject, and the Glory of God is its end.
It shall fill the memory. It should rule the heart. It should guide the feet You read it slowly. you read it frequently. you read it prayerfully.
It is the mind of Wealth. the river of pleasure. It is given to you here in this life. it will be open to us in judgment. it is forever settled in heaven. it involves the highest responsibility. it condemns all who trifle with it pages.
This book is supernatural in origin, eternal in duration, divine in authorship, inexhaustible in meaning, perfect in precept, universal in readership, personal in application, powerful in effect.
It is sharpen than a 2 edged sword. it cuts both ways. No blade equals it
It has survived every attack. there is no book to equal it. It is life, a hammer, a seed, it penetrates darkness, it breaks opposition. It will melt, and consume. Its incorruptible, it uplifts, upholds, builds, sustains, orders your steps, gives hope, it shows us his will.
The Word of God: produces fruit, convicts sin, converts souls, cleanses the conscience, corrects the wrong, supports the right, conquers all foes. Read it, heed it, desire it, and preach it, Rightly divide it, live it, suffer for it, use it and if need be die for it.
Know it in your head, store it in your heart, show it in your life, and sew it in the world
No wonder the devil and Hell hates the Bible.
At PromiseLand San Marcos, we are always going to stand on the word of God. Believe in the Word of God, preach the Word of God. That is our Message!
The literal parts, the prophetic parts, the parables. Most of all the core message of:
John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
We will never change our stance on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
At the same time, I Love My Church Because of its willingness to change any method necessary to reach more people.
We have been called to be fishers of men and we are not afraid to change hooks and bait at any point. Our Sunday Celebration schedule, location, music, creative elements, preaching style, use of technology, social media, advertising, outreach events, small groups, leadership team, new membership process, office hours…
All of these things change over time.
We have bought property, added a service, added another service. Started streaming online, started a weekly podcast, Built a new $2million building, added another service.
We are looking forward to the next 5 years… to 2020. We have been asking God what might be the next step for our church. What is our 2020 vision?
(2020 Vision Video)
My pastor always said, I have built churches without money, but I have never built a church without people. During this sermon series, I want to convey the rich and robust culture of PromiseLand, give you an insight on how things happen, and also inspire you to jump in at a deeper level.
Things don’t just happen. Growth, development, and progress are a direct result of a planting seed, working the farm, and then relying on God to produce supernatural growth with what we have sown in the ground, THEN we go back to work and exert a lot of labor to bring in the harvest.
The same is the case with your personal life. Your life is the result of the seeds you have drought. However, over the term of many years, you will reap exponentially more than what you have sown.
Let’s start sowing good seed in your life. Let’s start a new cycle. A new growth track.
PromiseLand San Marcos is here to walk with you through the planting seasons of life. The difficult parts when you don’t enjoy the fruit of your labor yet. We know how it is. We have been there. In fact, some people in our church that have been in the family of God for years are in a planting season right now. Nothing to show of it right now. In fact, looking at soil with seed in it looks boring, barren and discouraging.
Robin Steele 