Luke Harriman gave a message on worship following the youth retreat in Leesburg last weekend. If we all know in our heart that worship is the highest calling in our lives, what are some of the barriers that might cause us to not fully enter into worship of the Father "in spirit and truth"? Brother Luke examines some such barriers in the account of Hezekiah's celebration of the Passover.
Brother Richard Ledgister looks at the lives of two men and considers the difference of being inside God's will for our lives and outside his will. He first looks at the prodigal son as an example of someone outside God's will and then turns to the example of Peter, following the command to cast out his net once more. While we can't necessarily look at our circumstances to determine whether we are walking according to God's will, we can find confirmation as we pray, read His Word, and walk in obedience to the truth we know.
Brother Laurel Smalling delivered this message yesterday, challenging us with several models we find in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians. He showed us the model church, the model servant of the Lord, the model brother, and the model walk for the believer in light of the Lord's imminent coming.
Brother Colbert Martin offers this summary of the life of Mary of Bethany. As he traces her story through the gospels, Brother Colbert draws many practical lessons for us from her example.
This was the first message of 2017, given by Brother Jasper Barnett.
These three messages were given on the Saturday of the annual Fort Lauderdale Conference. The theme of the conference was "The Person of the Lord Jesus Christ," considering the six steps of His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification.
Brother Bill Hickey, visiting from Pennsylvania, presented this ministry yesterday on our need to really find what the Lord meant by giving us "life more abundantly" in our day-to-day experience. Taking us through some familiar scriptures such as John 3:16, Psalm 23, and Ephesians 1, Brother Bill encouraged us to try to see our lives through God's eyes.
Brother Viv John preached this message of encouragement while he and his wife were in town for the funeral of his nephew. What a hope we have in Jesus, whatever our current circumstances. Drawing from each chapter of 2Timothy, Brother Viv challenged us to be stirred up, strong, studied up in the Scriptures, and ready to depart when the Lord calls us.
During a visit from Jacksonville this past Sunday, Brother Donovan McFarlane shared this encouragement to resolve to be more Faithful, Available, and Teachable in 2017. He drew examples from the lives of Joshua, Achan, and Samson.
This message considers the difference between a gift and a wage in the context of our salvation. What do we owe God for our salvation and the gift of His Son? Why do many hymns contain the language of debt if eternal life is a free gift? "Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe"; "Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him; Who can tell how much we owe Him?" Considering these thoughts in light of Romans 3 and 6 can be helpful.
Jim Auld delivered this message on the first Lord's Day of the month, reflecting on some of the things God has shown us that will come to pass.
This message tracks the changing attitude toward Jesus in John 9 of the man who was born blind.
Luke Harriman gave this message on Sunday about the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we truly see Him and time spent with Him as essential to our lives on a moment-by-moment basis. As one temple guard put it in John 7, "No one every spoke like this man!"
Scripture passages: John 6:63; 7:37-46
Brother Vic Coffman shared this message to us during a visit from Minneapolis this Sunday. Drawing from Paul's instruction to Timothy, Brother Vic suggests the command to "pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace" represents God's program for the church to follow during the last days.
Scripture passage: 2Tim 2:22
Brother Collin Beckford gave this message on the Lord's Day, considering the peerlessness of the Lord. There is truly none like Him! May our worship be fueled by the knowledge that the Lord Jesus has no equal!
Orrin Ledgister gives this message regarding the many things Scripture tells us the Lord Jesus "became" and "was made" and calls us to show our appreciation to Him in worship. One example Brother Orrin focuses on is appreciation shown by the demon-possessed man the Lord restores in Mark 5.
Scripture passage: Mark 5:1-20
Luke Harriman presented this message considering three instances in Scripture where someone laments, "I have no man." God claims through the prophet Ezekiel that He found no man to stand in the gap for broken down Israel. The invalid by the pool of Bethesda complained that he had no man to help him get healed. And the Samaritan woman responded to the Lord's challenge to bring her husband (man) by claiming "I have no man." In each instance, the Lord Jesus proves to be the Man of God's own choosing. We do well to honor Him as Lord of all.
Scripture passages: Ez 22:30; Jn 5:1-14; John 4
Brother Viv John delivered this message from the gospel of Matthew on our need to truly see the Lord for who He is and then to go tell what we have seen to a world desperately in need of a Savior.
Scripture passages: Matt 27:36; 28:6-7, 10-20
Brother Ken Huebner delivered this message on the Lord's Day, considering the meaning of the word "Lord" and its significance for our relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. Visiting several passages of scripture, Brother Ken asked us to search our own hearts and determine whether we have truly submitted to Christ as the Lord of our entire being: body, soul, and spirit.
Brother Norris Clarke shared this message on the Lord's Day from the life of Gideon. Using this remarkable story of God's power, Brother Norris described four principles that will lead to an experience of victory in the Lord: vision, valor, vigilance, and vitality.
Scripture passage: Judges 6 & 7