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Weekend Recap – By The Spirit

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My 9/10/17AM sermon, By The Spirit from Galatians 5:16-26, is now online.  This sermon got at the secret to how believers change (or the secret to their lives): the Holy Spirit.  Four times in these verses we’re directed to the walk, be led, live, and march by the Spirit.  So, I tried to unpack this to give people hope for living.  I hope it encourages you.

God Loves You – Even With Hurricanes

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Like many I’ve been thinking about the recent Hurricane Harvey and now the approach of Hurricane Irma into Florida.  I loved hearing John Piper’s hopeful Prayer in the Path of Hurricanes and appreciated the way he ended praying through Romans 8:38-39.  Nothing can separate you from the love that God has for you in Christ Jesus.  No loss, no suffering, no impending hurricane, no recovery effort, no seemingly hopeless situation.  Let’s all look to God and see the hope we have in Christ Jesus (and continue to pray for these things happening in our country).

New Adult SS Starting 9/10

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I’m amazed at how often we (as the church) forget to be about the most basic of things.  We’ve been given clear work to do until the Lord returns.  Well, this upcoming season will be encouraging to Crestview as Luke will be teaching the book of Acts.  This course is subtitled, “The Certainty of the Church’s Commission.”  Luke will use his expertise and wisdom to help connect us back to God’s heart for us as a people.  Plan to join us, starting this Sunday, September 10, at 9AM.

Weekend Recap – Freed To Serve

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My 9/3/17AM sermon, Freed To Serve from Galatians 5:13-15, is now online.  This sermon continued our journey in the Galatians series.  Paul has been showing that there is no other gospel than the good news found in Jesus.  This week’s sermon pried into the aim of our freedom in Christ: to serve others.  So, I hope it provokes this kind of service to others and helps show you what God intends for you.  We also spent some time praying for the effects of Hurricane Harvey.  I hope you enjoyed the Labor Day holiday as well.

Praying for Hurricane Harvey Victims

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Today is September 3, 2017, a day the President declared a national day of prayer.  Using some recommendations from Clear Creek Community Church as well as Jeff Medders, I handed out the following prayer points to assist those who want to help victims through prayer:

Prayers for Hurricane Harvey (Day of Prayer, 9/3/17)

HURRICANE VICTIMS

  • Pray for their feelings of hopelessness, stress, anxiety, and being overwhelmed
  • Pray that God would provide a safe place to stay while they are displaced from their homes
  • Pray for parents as they try to manage and protect kids while dealing with all the trauma that accompanies this disaster
  • Pray that their faith would be strengthened and not weakened; that the Holy Spirit would bolster their faith in the midst of this disaster
  • Pray for safe, reliable transportation to work and places they need to go

COMMUNITY

  • Pray for good and honest contractors to work with victims during rebuilding
  • Pray for efficient and honorable insurance companies and adjusters
  • Pray for wisdom and endurance for community leaders (first responders, government officials, nonprofit leaders, etc.)
  • Pray for useful, reliable, and skilled out of town/state helpers
  • Pray for schools and teachers as they try to help students focus and return to the new school year that was interrupted
  • Pray for doctors and hospitals who are trying to serve patients with potentially limited resources and road access
  • Pray that the cleanup time is surprisingly faster than expected because of all the people helping

LOCAL CHURCHES

  • Pray for clarity and strategic organization for church leaders as they manage volunteers and prioritize needs
  • Pray for discernment, proactivity, and sensitivity by church people with hurricane victims
  • Pray for safety for victims and volunteers as they clear out hazardous areas
  • Pray that “survivor’s guilt” doesn’t paralyze people who can be using the blessing of not flooding to focus on helping others
  • Pray God uses this catastrophe to show up big and change hearts through his people
  • Pray for stress and complications that come from housing/helping displaced friends and family
  • Pray that church people wouldn’t grow weary in doing good

 

Weekend Recap – Keep Running Well

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My 8/27/17AM sermon, Keep Running Well from Galatians 5:7-12, is now online.  This sermon continued exploring Paul’s theme that there is no other Gospel other than the good news found in Jesus.  And, this particular sermon showed how we keep running well.  We run well by avoiding anti-gospel influences.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

Gospel Friday – Looking to Jesus

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In Hebrews 12:1-2, we’re encouraged to run with perseverance the race marked out before us.  And, in v.2, we see that it comes by looking to Jesus.  Today, begin this day by looking to Him.  Out of joy, He went to the cross.  He is seated now at God’s right hand.  Look to Him today.

Weekend Preview – Keep Running Well

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This coming Sunday at Crestview, I hope to continue our series in the book of Galatians.  We will focus on Galatians 5:7-12.  This  passage has a focus of running well.  Running well means avoiding anti-gospel influences.  I hope you will join us as we study this and enjoy the Lord’s Supper together.

Weekend Recap – Standing Firm In Freedom

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My 8/20/17AM sermon, Standing Firm in Freedom from Galatians 5:1-6, continues Crestview’s series through the book of Galatians.  This series reminds us that there is no other gospel except the truth that we relate to God through Jesus Christ by faith.  In this sermon, I unpacked Paul’s call for us to stand firm in freedom (which is abundantly supplied to us through Jesus Christ in the Gospel).  We saw what freedom was not and what its destination was.  So, I’m hoping you’re encouraged to stand firm in freedom and have a faith that works itself out in love.