Scriptures alone is refuted by some. Lets look at some of their arguments and ask those who did not practice scripture only like Adam and Eve. Rev. 2-3 and most of the New Testament.

Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments." Baptism is one of those commandments for entering the Kingdom. It shows our faith and dedication to Him. We don't argue or question why or how, we just do it the way He says to do it. Romans 6:1-11.

Some feel that following Christ is like picking their favorite song. Is it that subjective? 1 Col. 1:15-23.

In scripture, candles not only represent the light of God, but it also represents our life.

Want to secure your salvation? Peter tells us there is a way. 2 Peter 1:1-10

What is at the heart of the rich man not wanting to give up his riches and follow Jesus? Maybe the heart of the matter was his heart. Mark 10:21-27

What does it mean to be the light of the world? Matthew 5:14-16

We are the salt of the earth. Time to get out of the shaker. Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:13 is lost on a world with plenty of salt on the shelf. It has a much deeper meaning when we really look at what His illustration reveals to us.

Weak faith? God can help. Mark 9:24

True Christian compassion as illustrated in the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

Why do some people reject the gentle call of Jesus to enter into His rest? Some reject salvation because they fear the changes that will come from accepting Christ. However, the changes that occur are the changes we desire to happen as Christians and those changes will make us happy and content in life.

The Bible is God's plan of salvation to save us from ourselves. It is God breathed and it is the standard of measurement that everyone must follow and adhere to in order to seek and serve Him. Deviation is not an option. Just ask Adam and Eve.

Is it worth it to be a Christian when you see the worldly prosper?

Barnabas is a unique character in the Bible. Called the son of encouragement, he was really so much more.

How to use prayer to diminish doubt in your life. The faithful in the Bible prayed a certain way that allowed them to have confidence that their problems were not too big for God.

Doubt is not necessarily indicative of weak faith. Even the faithful had their doubts. Abraham, Elijah, Peter and John the Baptist all had theirs. Doubt actually causes you and me to seek God's help in life

Hosea 2:14-20. God views His relationship with us like a spousal relationship. Not a one hour a week relationship, but one that is 24/7. When Israel was in captivity for infidelity, God sought to prove His love for them to show them who their true love is. In our valley of despair, God shows us that he is in control and shows His love by delivering us out of our problems.

Does God give special revelation to people today? When does God speak to us? Amos 1:1-2 gives us the answer.

1 Sam 16 teaches us that God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. Find your purpose today!

Resolutions are made to be broken, but revival can be forever. 2 Kings 17:23ff

The writers of the scriptures spoke in terms of absolute truth. No grey areas and no relativism. In 2 Timothy 3:16 Paul warned the young preacher about those who deceive and are deceived. The greatest deceiver we need to watch for is ourselves. It is sometimes hardest to be honest with ourselves. Relativism is not new, but it is very popular today. The more things change, the more they stay the same. We face the same problems with self-reflection and assessment as they did back then. Be honest with yourself and God's strength will help you grow and mature in your life.

Christians are not just survivors, they are overcomers. 1 Jn 1:1ff

The Forth of July reminds me of the times I recited the Pledge of Allegience in school. As Christians we pledge our allegience to Christ. Deut. 23:21 reminds us that vows such as these are not to be taken lightly.

Learning to be a Christian father from Paul.

Jesus chose the apostles from a diverse group of individuals. The church needs diversity in order to be healthy and help others find salvation.

In Job 42 we see why Job suffered and stayed true to God. His understanding of God and the faith it brings got him through it all. It can help us to.

James 1:2ff presents a peculiar way of looking at troubles in our lives. We don't usually look at our trials with joy, but if we study the passages there is a positive benefit to suffering. If you do the math you can see that it works out just right in the end.

On Memorial Day we remember those who died to protect our freedom. Phil 2:3-4 reminds us that we need to remember those who have gone to their reward and have left the legacy we enjoy in our churches today. Also, we need to remember those living today who need Christ in their lives.

Ps. 37. The Lord is committed to his people. Are you committed to Him?

Luke 1:26-38 Mary as an example and inspiration for today.

1 Thes. 5:16-22.

Luke 14:15-24. God prepares a feast for all who want to come.

In Romans 1:16, Paul gives us several words that can change your life.

The disciples reacted to the empty tomb in different ways. What do you see when you look at the empty tomb?

Life is like the seasons. Recognizing them can help us prepare for their coming. From Ecl 3.

God is listening. Mal. 3:13-18

God's best comes in a plain brown wrapper.

What can you learn from a mouse about God?

John 10:10 tells us that we can have life abundant. What is the abundant life? What is it not? Who is the thief?

Many feel hopeless today. Job felt that way to, but found the strength to keep going. Find out what he found out.

What is the benefit of going to Church? Is it necessary? What does scripture say about it?

Paul warns Timothy of those who would heap teachers around them that would tell them what they wanted to hear instead of the sound words of scripture. 2 Tim. 4:3-4

Romans 12:1-3. Paul tells us to renew our minds. Here's how.

Want rest from all the problems going on today? Hebrews 4:1-13 tells us where we can get it.

A new year causes us to reflect upon the past and look forward to the future. Don't take that first step without God. Eph. 5:15-17

Luke 2:8-14 gives us the true meaning of Christmas.

What if your horse won the Kentucky Derby and you chose it for the sacrifice today? Today's archetype is the unblemished animal used for the sacrifice. They used their best and it did not bring forgivness. God changed the sacrifice to His best and we have salvation. Giving your best is what God wants from us today.

This weeks archetype is about our need for nourishment. In the wilderness the Israelites had manna from above and water from a rock to meet their physical needs. Jesus because our living bread and the living stream for our spiritual needs.

In Exodus 16:1-3 we see the archetype of worldy security, Egypt. God changed that to Canaan or the land where God supports and secures us.

The archetype of a mountain is the subject of this weeks sermon. A mountain of sin and law represented by Mount Sinai is changed to Mount Moriah which represents mercy, grace and sacrifice.

Fourth in the series on archetypes and how God changed them. In Egypt, blood caused the angel to passover the houses that had the blood on them. God changed the passover from animal blood to Christ's blood. In judgment God will passover those who are covered by Jesus' blood and they will not experience judgment.

Third in the Series on archetypes. The story of Isaac's sacrifice from Genesis 22 contains multiple archetypes such as the absolute surrender of Abraham to his faith in God. The relationship between a father and the son he has to sacrifice parallels God and Christ and the provision of the sacrifice for our sins by God in Christ.

Second in the series looking at Biblical archetypes and how God illustrates the changes He makes to them and their meaning. This week we see the illustration of saving faith through the Flood story and baptism as the interrogation of true faith in a person.

God used archetypes to illustrate some of the lessons of the Bible. Yet, they are often neglected because we don't have the perspective of the first people to read the scriptures. If you could see it through their eyes, you would not see anything like you saw them in the past. This week we see the archetype of Adam and Christ.

Bitterness and hatred will destroy us both physically and spiritually. This is one pill you want to avoid. Hebrews 12:14-15

In Rev. 2 we see that the church at Ephesus is doing everything an active, involved church can do, but Jesus warns them that they have lost their first love. You can do everything possible, but if you are only going through the motions it means nothing. Ephesus is now a ruin. You don't want to end up that way. So how do you get back on track and regain that burning love of Christ? You can start by going back to the beginning to rekindle your love of Christ and get back to living your future!

The first commandment is not just the jealous rantings of a god among many. It is the assertion that God is the only real god. True contentment and happiness comes from knowing that He is in charge and will take care of us is we obey Him.

When Jesus said He was the living water and those who were thirsty could drink the multitudes knew that He said He was God or God's Son. Some accepted and some could not. The ones who could not accept that blamed it on something else that caused them not to believe. From John 7:40ff

To understand Psalm 23 you must read the Psalm 24.

Jesus dealt with two different people who were out of shape. One was straightened out by a miracle. The other could not be straightened out by anyone.

God does not choose leaders by the same criteria we choose our leaders. In 1 Samuel 16 we see what His requirements are for a leader and for His people.

You already have it all when you give your life to Christ. John 10:10

In Luke 17:11-19 ten lepers got what they wanted. Healed, they sought the approval of the priests to reenter society. Only one thought to thank the one who made it possible before going to the priests.

Sign, Sign, everywhere a sign. If you had a sign for your forehead, what would it say?

Sometimes we feel that life is a treadmill and we are running as fast as we can and we are still not getting anywhere. Jesus wants to help. Instead of pulling your burden with a harness, let Jesus hook up His yolk to your life and you are not alone with your burdens. Matthew 11:28ff.

There is very little real satisfaction in this world. You can be satisfied with Jesus and his guarantee. From Psalm 63

The warning signs are there if you know what to look for to avoid sin.

Paul tells us to imitate him imitating Christ. Today, we are the ones others should imitate. Are we being a good example/witness for the Lord?

Romans 6:23 tells us that we earn our way to everlasting punishment. However, eternal life if a gift. What is your decision?

As we think about freedom this 4th. of July, let us also look at the freedom from sin and doubt we enjoy in Christ.

What is man that God considers Him. That is what David asked in Psalm 8. The answer will give your life purpose and meaning.

Cynicism makes our lives less enjoyable. We can focus on the worldy like Solomon and write our own Ecclesiastes, or we can focus on Christ and write our own happy ending.

The story of the prodigal son is the story of our rebellion and how God (the father in the story)receives us when we return to him.

What is your soul worth? Are you looking for riches here? In Matthew 16:26 Jesus asks us that question.

God gives us an illustration of how he can make us better. However, like clay we need to be pliable in order for it to happen. From Jer. 18:1-6.

Christians celebrate a memorial day every Sunday. Titus 3:3-7 tells us why.

Jesus said that there is only one gate to enter the kingdom. He also said that it was narrow and few would find it. Statements like this make me sit up and pay attention. From Luke 13:22ff.

Sometimes the values of a good mother are more evident as time goes on. From Romans 16.

Jesus tells us that there are four responses to the gospel. Where do you fit in? From Mark 4:1ff

The KJV says that we are a peculiar people. The Greek word means set aside or set apart. However, we are a peculiar people to the worldly and that is not a bad thing. Titus 2:11-14

Some ask why we can't worship God any way we want to woship Him. One story that illustrates that is the one about the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. One was acceptable and one was not. One was a sacrifice and one was just an offering. On the road of life, "I Did It My Way" should not be our mantra, but it should be I Did It God's Way. From Genesis Chapter 4.

Part 2 of the last lesson in the series "Victory In Jesus." Fear keeps us from experiencing full faith in Christ and fear of what accepting Christ will do to us personally is the greatest fear of all.

1 John 5:4. Faith is our victory. This two part lesson looks at the two stumbling blocks that prevent us from having full faith in Jesus. This lesson looks at doubt and how it robs us of true joy in Christ.

Faith is our only defense against Satan, trials and tribulations. We will not be successful in our walk if we do not build up a strong shield against our enemy. Doubt weakens that shield and we must rid it from our thoughts. Ephesians 6:16.

Victory In Jesus Series:
Last week we left Peter drowning in a sea of doubt. This week we see Peter experiencing victory in Jesus because of his faith. His faith in the resurrection that emboldened the disciples to preach the first sermon in Acts 2:14ff

This week we explore Peter's faith and doubt in the story of walking on water. As long as Peter keep his sight on Jesus he was fine. However, when he started to look at his situation he began to sink. Peter's faith won out over his doubts. In our own life, who is winning?

Second in the Victory in Jesus series. Faith is the victory for Joshua and the Israelites against Jericho. Joshua 6:1ff

First in the series "Victory in Jesus":

God's commands may seem out of the ordinary for some, but follow them we must. 1 Jn 5:4 says we are victorious because of our faith and faith leads us to trust and follow God even when the world is heading the other direction.

Solomon is remembered mostly for his great wisdom. However, his life went downhill because of his turning away from God. From 1 Kings 11.

Isaiah 30:1-7 teaches us that the world is not a place to return to once we have accepted Christ. The Israelites desired to return to the slavery of Egypt rather than face the unknown with God on their side and at other times thought Egypt would assist them. People today return to the world for the supposed security it offers to us. It is slavery with a ball and chain. The world is too big of a ball to be chained to today.

Empty hands and fat wallets may not be the best way to go. From Matt. 19:16ff

Jesus had many moments in time that caused those around him to take notice.

Are there any absolute truths today? From John 8:31-32

Lot while righteous, did not worship God like his uncle Abraham did. He chose the fertile plains by Sodom and Gomorrah. He prospered and became a magistrate, but that was all taken away when God destroyed the cities. What did he gain? Nothing. Abraham let Lot chose the direction he would go knowing God would take care of him no matter what would happen. Abraham had faith and worshiped God. What did he gain? Everything. Sin affects us and living around sin wears on our faith. Chose your path wisely so that God can be a part of us and our life.

2 Peter 1:20ff tells us that we can't twist the scriptures to our desires, but that we must "study to show ourselves approved" what was written.

In John 21:1-17 We see someone not unlike ourselves. He had given up and went back to doing what he used to do in life. That man was Peter and Jesus, in verses 15-17 makes Peter confront his apathy. The result was the first sermon in Acts chapter two that Peter preached to the multitude. It is said that the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. However, you can pull yourself up out of the rut and that is what Peter did and made a difference in the world.

From Ezek 11:1-19. Israel was in captivity because their hearts were like stone. Many today are affected by a "heart of stone" that prevents them from fully experiencing God and Jesus in their lives

1 Kings 18. For true repentance the Israelites had to give up their most precious commodity after three and a half years of no rain.

Luke 13:1-5
What is "true" repentance? Is it being caught in the act or a change of mind? What stops some from really repenting?

Paul's problems inspire us to have the proper attitude about our lives and some of the lies we tell ourselves about how life should be in Christ.

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James and Paul seem to be in a war against faith verses works. However, nothing could be farther from the truth if one carefully examines the book of James.

Habakkuk wonders what's going on, because evil abounds in the world and God seems to do nothing about it. Atheists and Christians alike wonder why bad things happen to good people. The atheist sees evil and concludes there is no God. Christians see evil and have faith that God is in control and will work things out in the end. Habakkuk 2:4 states that the righteous will live by faith.

1 Cor. 9:8 teaches us that God is the "I am". He is everything to us.

Many say, "God does not mind what we do." See what He does when even his chosen people felt that way. From Is. 1:1ff

Spirutality vs Religion. Worship in private or worship in church. Before you decide for yourself why not find out what scripture says. From Hebrews 10:24-26.

How we should deal with the burdens we must bear in life and how we can help others when they experience them. From Gal. 6

From Psalm 17. David prays for restraint in dealing with Saul. He wanted to remain faithful to God and not retaliate, but let God deliver him from his enemies. Do we pray for God's will to be done, or give him a "wish list" of what we want to have happen?

Second Part on the Lord's Prayer. The dangers of getting more than our daily bread.

Learning how and what we should pray for from The Lord's Prayer.

From Is. Chapter 40. God comforts his people and delivers them from their trials

Some say we are hard-wired to be good or bad. Paul said we should exercise self-control over our sins. From 1 Cor. 9:27

Jesus warns that we must guard our hearts. From Luke 21

Second in the Book of Hebrews series. Chapter 11:1-4 introduces us to faith and its possibilities.

Ec. 3:1-15
Solomon relates how God goads, or causes us to think and the nails that anchor us like tent stakes in God

In 2 Sam. 5 we see that David is called by God to lead his people. We today are called by God through Jesus to serve Him. Are we answering the call?

There are many paths in life, are you on the right one?

I needed it yesterday!

We're going to serve something or somebody, who will it be?

From Mark 4:35-41
Is faith the size of a mustard seed easy to achieve, or difficult?

I was reading my Bible and a fight broke out!

Two brothers decide to offer to God what He has not asked them for and the consequences.

Don't resist the call to become a Christian today!

Elijah performed great miracles through God, but when his life was threatened he headed for the hills.

Overcoming sin begins with how we deal with temptation. Jesus and Eve dealt with Satan's temptation in different ways and had different outcomes.