Video

Signs of the Times (Mark 13)

Message, Video / By /

Signs of the Times Message Introduction

Currently, we are talking about “Understanding the End Times.” The term “end times” does not occur in the Bible, which generally uses the phrase “the last days.” I use the terms end times and last days interchangeably. Why would we want to study and understand the end times? Many people think that the end times are way off in the future and have no practical relevance for our lives today. However, in this message series, we have already established that according to the Bible, we are living in the last days. The last days spans the time from Jesus’ ascension into heaven until Jesus returns at His second coming. Therefore, a study of the last days is important to us today, because we are living in those last days. The instructions that God gives in His Word concerning the end times apply to us today.

The purpose of prophetic Scriptures is not for us to be able to figure out exactly when and how everything is going to unfold in the future. The purpose of prophetic Scripture is to help us to live for and obey God right now, in the year 2014 of the last days.

2 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)  First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

…

Signs of the Times (Mark 13)Read More »

Jesus Will Come Back (John 14)

Message, Video / By /

Jesus Will Come Back Message Introduction

Currently, we are talking about “Understanding the End Times.” Last Sunday, we discovered that we are living in the last days, according to the Bible. The last days are the time between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and his return to this earth at the second coming. So the last days have been going on for 2000 years, but one day they will end, when Jesus appears. That’s what we’re going to talk about today in a message entitled “Jesus Will Come Back.”

To begin the message today, I want to put Jesus’ return into historical perspective. God wants you have the big picture of history, which is really His Story, it’s all about Jesus. Too many people just understand bits and pieces of the Bible and don’t understand how it all fits together. But in order to understand the second coming of Jesus, we need to understand what has happened in history. And how the second coming will complete God’s plan for history. Last Sunday, I introduced you to the seven major supernatural events of history, the seven C’s of history. We’re going to look at them again today in light of Jesus’ coming again. …

Jesus Will Come Back (John 14)Read More »

When Are the Last Days? (Acts 2)

Message, Video / By /

Last Days Message Introduction

Today we begin a new message series entitled “Understanding the End Times.” We live in perilous and dangerous times. Two thirds of voters in the US think our country is headed in the wrong direction. The last few weeks, we’ve seen headlines about the deadly virus Ebola and continued reports of the Islamic ISIS barbaric practices. The Middle East seems to be perpetually in the news, with conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Iran and other players. We are concerned about terrorism coming to our shores by the hand of Islamic violence.

In our own country, we are confronted with increasing acceptance of sinful practices such as abortion, homosexual marriage, gambling, pornography, divorce, adultery, violence and racial issues. Just in the last few weeks, pastors in Houston were ordered to hand over their sermons to the lesbian mayor’s office to see if they made any negative reference to homosexuality. In Idaho, a pastor was being threatened with jail for refusing to marry a homosexual couple. Right here in St Louis, threats of rioting are being made depending on the outcome of the grand jury deliberations on the Ferguson shooting.

Is this just more of the same? Or is something unusual going on in our world? If you’re over 30, you have been around long enough to realize that our country is in a downward spiral. Does God’s Word speak to the times that we are living in? …

When Are the Last Days? (Acts 2)Read More »

Defeating Worry (Luke 12)

Message, Video / By /

Defeating Worry Introduction

Today, we’re concluding our message series “Need Direction?” In this series, we’ve been talking about how to get God’s guidance for our lives. We need God’s guidance in order to make right decisions and stay on track with God’s plan for our lives.

Today, our message is entitled “Defeating Worry.” We’re going to be talking about worry in the context of making decisions. First last answer the question “What is worry?” Worry is anxiety, concern or even fear of something bad happening in the future. We don’t worry about the past or the present, we worry about what may happen in the future.

So, people may worry before making a decision. Will I make the right decision? If I don’t make the right decision, what will happen in the future? People may worry after making a decision. Will this decision work out in the future? You can even make a decision based on worry. Since I am worried about X, I will make a decision to minimize my worry about X.

Worry is the polar opposite of faith. Faith looks to the future with hope and anticipation of good things happening. Worry, on the other hand, looks to the future with fear and anxiety of bad things happening. What does the Bible say regarding worry? The Bible tells us as believers, as people of faith, that we should not worry, but have faith.

Philippians 4:6 (NLT)  Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

…

Defeating Worry (Luke 12)Read More »

Wrong Decisions (Genesis 15-17)

Message, Video / By /

Wrong Decisions Introduction

In our message series Need Direction? we’ve been talking about how to make decisions. When we make a decision, we can make a right decision or a wrong decision. Sometimes, people are so afraid of making a wrong decision, that they fail to make any decision at all. Most of the time, not making a decision is often the same as making a wrong decision. God places us in situations where we must get His guidance and act to make the right decision. God wants to guide us by the voice of His Spirit to make the right decisions.

Psalm 32:8-9 (NIV) I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

…

Wrong Decisions (Genesis 15-17)Read More »

The Holy Spirit’s Whisper (John 14)

Message, Video / By /

The Holy Spirit’s Whisper Introduction

Today, we’re continuing in our message series Need Direction? In this series, we’re learning how to receive guidance and direction from God for our lives. Let’s review some of the key means of guidance that God has provided for us.

  1. The first and most important means of guidance is God’s Word, the Bible. God’s Word provides us with the principles and examples that should inform every decision that we make in life.
  2. The second means of guidance is the Holy Spirit and prayer. Oftentimes we think of prayer as asking God for something. Yet, prayer is meant to be two-way communication. The way that God communicates with us in prayer is through the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday, we talked about the importance of prayer in guidance. Today, we’re going to talk about the Holy Spirit.
  3. The third means of guidance is godly counsel and we’ve had a message on that several weeks back. Getting good counsel from other believers is essential.
  4. Finally, the last means of guidance is simply the circumstances of the situation. This is the least authoritative form of guidance, as God often leads His children to do things that seem to defy natural logic.

…

The Holy Spirit’s Whisper (John 14)Read More »

Scroll to Top