Be in prayer today for Pastor Jason as he brings a message to us.  This is his first message back from vacation, those are always powerful:)

By Bill Starr

What do we believe?

We believe that a Christian is called to do everything to the glory of God, to make disciples of all nations, to pursue love and do good to everyone, to be a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to him/her, and to obey the Word of God in all matters of faith and life.

Why do we believe this?

1 Peter 4:11 – whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Why does it matter?

In this text Peter is talking about spiritual gifts.  There are two kinds of gifts – speaking gifts and serving gifts. If you have a gift of speaking, Peter exhorts us to that when we open our mouth to speak; we need to speak the word of God. We are to speak God’s truth, not our own ideas. The emphasis is on using your speaking gift to declare the Word of God. If you have serving gift, you are to exercise it by the strength which God supplies. You must be energized by the Holy Spirit, walking in the Spirit so you are not serving in the power of the flesh.

Look at the intention of having these gifts – it is to bring glory to God. What then is the intention of all that we do? What is the intention of our holiness, the intention of our love, and the intention of our service? That God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Remember I Corinthians 10:31 echoes these same thoughts when Paul tells us that “whatever I do whether I eat or drink, I want to do all to the glory of God!”

Think about it – everything I do, from the significant to the insignificant is to be done with excellence so that God can receive the glory. All glory and dominion belongs to Jesus and I honor him when I carry out my life in a manner that exalts him. To do big, important things with excellence is not very difficult.  The difficulty is in making sure that I am doing them to bring glory to God and not to myself. As an example, do you plan your daughter’s wedding so it honors you as a great parent and event planner or do you plan it so God gets the glory?

To do all things, even the routine things, with an eye to magnifying and exalting the name of Jesus is not so easy. How do I get up in the morning in a way that brings glory to God? How do I interact with my neighbors in a way that brings glory to God? Cut the grass? Wash the clothes? Work at my job? Participate in Worship on Sunday morning? Discipline my children?

The text tells us that Jesus is owed all glory forever and ever. What can you do today to honor him in some of the mundane areas of life?

By Jeff Carlisle

What do we believe?

We believe that a Christian is called to do everything to the glory of God, to make disciples of all nations, to pursue love and do good to everyone, to be a faithful steward of all that God has entrusted to him/her, and to obey the Word of God in all matters of faith and life.

Why do we believe this?

1 Corinthians 10:31 – So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Why does it matter?

A common phrase I heard growing up in Mayfield, Kentucky was “don’t embarrass the family.” There was no instruction about being good, kind, or respectful, just a reminder not to mess up the reputation of the family name. At that point in my life, the phrase sounded very awkward. Now, I know that the phrase is a part of my reality. When I walk out of my house, I represent my wife and kids, my Mayfield family, my employer (Living Hope), and myself. If I make a poor choice, then all the reputations of those I represent suffer. The Scripture we read today reminds believers that in all that we do, we should glorify God. That thought should reign supreme in our mind. In this world, believers should represent God. In Exodus 19:6, it says that God’s chosen one are his priests. A priest is one who mediates between God and the world. So when non-believers look at us, they should see evidence of God in our lives. When we speak, they should hear evidence of God in our lives. Our conduct opens up opportunities for others to see the love of Christ and opens doors for us to share the Gospel

By Dennis Strom

What do we believe?

Though sin remains a reality, as we are led by the spirit, we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and endeavor to keep His commands.

Why do we believe this?

Titus 2:11,12 –  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age

 Why does it matter?

Being led by the spirit is vital to a believer’s walk with God. The Holy Spirit was provided for us as our comforter and to some extent as our conscience. Jesus is quoted in John 14:26 as saying “26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Are you led by the Spirit ?  He will help you live in self-control. He will help you to live a Godly life and He will bless you with His consistent, loving counsel on everyday things. The Holy Spirit will lead you to a deeper walk with God, a more fulfilling life and He will grow you in the Lord.

Let the Helper, The Holy Spirit, teach you all things and bring you to remembrance of all that Jesus has said …..  As Believers we have the Holy Spirit within us…. Trust and be led by Him today.

By Stu Borders

What do we believe?

Though sin remains a reality, as we are led by the Spirit, we grow in the knowledge of the Lord and endeavor to keep His commands.

 Why do we believe this?

1 John 2:3-6 – And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

 Why does it matter?

“If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.”  We’ve probably all heard this before.  Scripture tells us that it is similar for the Christian life.

The way we live our lives reflects what we believe.  When we believe in Christ, he makes us into a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and while our life is physically the same, it should look different as God acts in and through us.  What is great in this passage is that while we have a responsibility to learn God’s commandments, it is His spirit that empowers and enables us to keep them.  One of the ways we abide in Him is through learning His heart in the Bible and obeying it.

Unfortunately, there are many around us who would say they “know God” but that have never looked at His commandments nor do they seek to live a life abiding in Him.  They decide what a “right life” looks like and His truth is not in them.  We have to always seek to know God more and allow Him to shape our lives through His word by the power of His Spirit.

How will you make sure you are learning God’s commandments in order to walk as He walked?

By Matt Haste

What do we believe?

We believe the Holy Spirit is the active agent in our sanctification and seeks to produce His fruit in us as our minds are renewed and we are conformed to the image of Christ.

Why do we believe this?

Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Why does it matter?

Christianity is more than a set of doctrines to believe. It is a life to be lived for the glory of God. The Christian life is a process of being transformed from our old way of doing things to our new life patterned after Jesus. This process of transformation is called “sanctification” and today we will look at how it happens.

Romans 12:2 is an interesting command. “Be transformed.” In this verse, we are specifically told to do something but the action is given in the form of a passive verb. This means that we are not so much told to do something as we are told to receive something. Someone else is going to do the doing. Why is this significant?

The “someone else” implied in Romans 12:2 is the Holy Spirit. He is the active agent in our sanctification. He does the work of making us more like Jesus. So, spiritual growth is always a result of the work of God. However, Romans 12:2 is still a command. We are called to “be transformed” by presenting ourselves to God as a “living sacrifice” so that He can do the work of renewing our minds and transforming us to the image of His Son.

What do you think this looks like in your daily life?

By Stu Borders

What do we believe?

We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment where the redeemed will dwell forever in the presence of the Lord and the unredeemed will spend eternity in Hell.

Why do we believe this?

Revelation 21:1-8 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place[a] of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Why does it matter?

Unfortunately, we have all cried at some point and many of us have felt deep sorrow in our lives.  This passage is a reminder of what God desires for each of us.  We are reminded that each day we live, we live in a place that is affected by sin.

The effect of sin does not end in our relationships; our planet moans to be returned to way it was created.  John recounts his vision of our planet being renewed and restored by God.  It is a beautiful sight as he describes it as “the bride adorned for her husband.”  The most beautiful part of this whole description is that God is able to dwell again with His creation because sin and its consequences are no more.  God tells us that He is making all things new!

Unfortunately, there is another side to this event.  For those who have not been adopted as children of God through His gift of the “water of life,” there is a much worse outcome.  John tells us that their portion is the second death, which is eternity in the lake of fire and sulfur, separated from God.

How does this truth change your perspective on today?  Who does not know about the “water of life”?

By Dan Edmonson

What do we believe?

We believe in the resurrection of the body and the final judgment where the redeemed will dwell forever in the presence of the Lord and the unredeemed will spend eternity in Hell.

Why do we believe this?

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

 Why does it matter?

Repeatedly in Scripture we are told of another life, another body, and another way of living. As we study through the Scriptures, we find its truth to proclaim a resurrection of all and a final judgment of all. Some people struggle with this, but we must remember that we serve a Holy God who is also absolutely just.

Our justice system today is so convoluted that we now have a much distorted view of what true and absolute justice looks like. This causes confusion for many. God, however, has not changed. He is still absolutely just. At some point, He will judge every single one of us who has ever lived and in that process He will separate the sheep from the wolves. He will separate those who accepted Christ and those who refused to accept Christ. He has also given each of us believers a great motivational tool to share the Good News. Those who do not accept Christ will go to an eternal Hell. Wow. Pray today that God gives you words, power, and wisdom to share the Good News to others that He places in your circle. Pray you will clearly see those opportunities and that your way of living may also speak into the lives of others. Pray God use me for your glory!

By Matt Haste

What do we believe?

We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His glorious kingdom.

Why do we believe this?

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Why does it matter?

One of the most amazing aspects of Christianity is that the story is not yet finished. As Christians today, we live in an era that many have labeled as being “between the times.” We are between the time when Jesus first came to the earth to bring salvation and the time when He will return to establish His glorious kingdom. These two incredible events ought to shape our existence.

Because Jesus has come, we can know God. We have access to the Father through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. All of our lives ought to reflect the reality that Jesus has indeed come.

However, that is not the end of the story. We worship a Savior who has not simply come but is also coming again. Jesus has promised that He will return and, when He does, He will establish His kingdom forever. 1 Thessalonians 4 gives us some of the details of what this moment will be like. While it can be tempting to speculate on all of the various questions surrounding the return of Jesus, it is wise to take note that this passage has only one command in it: “Encourage one another with these words” (v18).

Be encouraged today! Your Savior is coming soon!