المحتوى المقدم من Grace Point Baptist Church. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة Grace Point Baptist Church أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.
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You can't save your way to your dream life anymore. The truth is, you’re gonna need to learn to make more money. The Travis Makes Money Podcast is not your typical personal finance show. Rather than shaming you for buying a Starbucks coffee or pressuring you to become a billionaire, we focus on empowering you to make more money so you can enjoy life today while preparing for your future. You don’t have to cut back so much that you miss out on the present, and you don’t need to become the next Jeff Bezos either. Hosted by veteran podcaster Travis Chappell, each daily episode features interviews with regular people just like you – yes, you – who have learned how to make more money in unique and unconventional ways. From turning side hustles into an extra six figures to building massive business empires, these conversations dive into the mindset shifts, hard-earned lessons, and simple strategies that helped these individuals succeed. With over 1,000 podcast episodes under his belt, Travis has developed a unique ability to pull out inspiring stories and practical advice you can apply to your own financial journey that you just won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you’re looking for strategies on side hustles, skill building, investing, building generational wealth, or just motivation to take your next steps, this podcast is your resource. Tune in daily for insights, actionable tips, and inspiration from some of the most successful and interesting money-makers on the planet.
المحتوى المقدم من Grace Point Baptist Church. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة Grace Point Baptist Church أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.
المحتوى المقدم من Grace Point Baptist Church. يتم تحميل جميع محتويات البودكاست بما في ذلك الحلقات والرسومات وأوصاف البودكاست وتقديمها مباشرة بواسطة Grace Point Baptist Church أو شريك منصة البودكاست الخاص بهم. إذا كنت تعتقد أن شخصًا ما يستخدم عملك المحمي بحقوق الطبع والنشر دون إذنك، فيمكنك اتباع العملية الموضحة هنا https://ar.player.fm/legal.
Once upon a time… We all love a good story, don’t we? Jesus was the greatest storyteller when he walked with his disciples. He taught many things in what we call parables, which are simple stories that reveal a deeper meaning. Jesus spoke in parables not simply to teach moral lessons in a way people would remember but to reveal the kingdom of heaven. There are multiple layers to every parable that Jesus taught, but each one shows us something about God’s character and our own hardened, sinful human nature. Thirty-five percent of the content in the synoptic Gospels is the parables that Jesus told. If parables were Jesus’ primary teaching method, then they should be very important for us to study. What is a Parable? The word parable means “to set alongside”. A parable is a story that is set alongside a timeless truth to reinforce or to clarify a certain truth. Dr/ Albert Mohler defines a parable as, “ Surprising stories and word pictures drawn from the familiar, that powerfully reveal to us the unfamiliar”. God uses this concept throughout the Bible. Sometimes God uses historical accounts to stand as a standard to reveal His character and nature. In the Old Testament, God frequently God referred to himself as, “ I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt ”. The Egypt deliverance was their great story. The books of Esther and Ruth reveal aspects of the nature of God and the Gospel. The prophets were sometimes called upon to act out the message in sometimes uncomfortable ways, providing a visual parable if you will (look at Jeremiah and Hosea for example). Job is a true story that has become a parable for the sovereignty of God. Our creator knows our mind is wired for story because He created it that way. Our creator came, teaching in parables 2000 years ago, and they still speak to us today. Truth Obscured When Jesus first taught the parables to the original audience, they were obscure; his listeners didn’t grasp the true meaning of what Jesus was saying. The disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 13 verse 10, “ Why do you speak to them in parables?” They noticed that Jesus was not explaining the parables to the people. Jesus answered in verse 11, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” Why would Jesus intentionally obscure truth from the very people he came to save? The disciples and the people thought they knew who Jesus was. They were expecting a messiah who would overthrow the Roman empire and re-establish the great nation of Israel. The disciples were trying to help Jesus create a following by revealing who he was, or at least who they thought he was. Why was Jesus hiding the truth in stories? While Jesus explained the parables to his inner circle, he was really speaking to the church that would be birthed after his ascension. The parables are for us, revealing truths about the Kingdom of Heaven. In verse 12, Jesus explains that there are two kinds of people, those who hear and understand, and those who hear and do not understand. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
September 11, 2001. A horrific attack shook the world, affecting countless lives. It was traumatic for the survivors and those who lost loved ones. It was a doorway that everyone had to go through. Only the Lord knows the doorways of grief and trauma that potentially await us this year. From Successful to Suffering The biblical figure Job had to endure terrible and painful doorways. He was blameless and upright according to Job 1:8, yet Satan was permitted to inflict terrible things on this righteous man. In all he endured, Job did not sin lose his faith in God (see Job 1:22). Job’s friends’ slander and accuse him as they try to make sense of his suffering. In chapter 19, he tries to defend himself. Through all this, God seems to be silent and preventing Job from finding relief (see Job 19:8). It is evident that God is showing Job that the only way forward is by going through the doorway of suffering. Suffering can be an intensely lonely time in a person’s life. Job laments that everyone has deserted him (see Job 19:13-19). As Job is making his plea for mercy, he knows that God has allowed these awful events to happen (see Job 19:21). Job recognizes God has permitted his pain; he doesn’t give Satan any acknowledgment. If we learn anything from the account of Job, it is a study in the sovereignty of God. We don’t know why God allows suffering, but ultimately, we know that God has promised to work it all for our good and for His glory. There are countless stories of people who have gone through the doorway of incredible pain and suffering allowing God to use their pain for His glory. From Pain to Perspective From verse 25, we notice Job changes his focus. It seems as if he had a prophetic revelation that went millennia ahead of his current situation and points to the redeemer, a portrait of Jesus. What shifted? Job walked through the doorway of suffering and found that Jesus was right there. God gave Job a revelation of what is to come, the eternal and abundant life that Jesus offers. While Job was on the inside of the door, he was experiencing excruciating physical pain, trauma and even slander. He was frozen, stuck in his pain and trauma. But when he took his focus off his immediate situation and turned to the Lord, he walked through the doorway of trauma and found that God was already there. He was not alone; God had never left him (see Deuteronomy 31:8). From Hurting to Healed The promise of God’s presence is echoed throughout Scripture, culminating with the giving of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to the church. Sometimes when we encounter suffering, we freeze, not knowing how to move forward through the door that we are facing. There are times when God seems far off; we get stuck, paralyzed by the trauma or the unknown of living beyond the current painful situation. We cannot see what healing would even look like or how to get through the doorway. Are you dealing with trauma? Stuck on the threshold of the door, paralyzed by trauma or fear of the unknown? When you experience trauma that was not your fault and not your choice, God invites you to work through the effect of the trauma. That is what God did for Job; He can do that for you. Healing will come as you step through the doorway by allowing God to change the effect of the trauma. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
As we stand on the brink of a new year, I want to spend the next two weeks focusing on the prospect of changes that we all will be facing in the coming year. Changes can be likened to doorways. Sometimes doors open to us, and we have the choice to step through them into a life change. It may be a new relationship or a job, or even a new home. Some people will graduate or receive a promotion. Others will retire. New doors can be stressful yet exciting, filled with potential. When we as believers face a new doorway, we must have faith to step into the unknown. Jesus described himself as the door in John 10:1-13. From this passage, we see that Jesus is the only door to eternal life, Jesus is the key to abundant everyday life, and Jesus is our Good Shepherd when we face life-altering doors. Jesus is the only Door to Eternal Life In John 10, Jesus declares that he is the only way of salvation; he is the only door to a relationship with God, sadly this doctrine is not widely believed in many Christian circles. A recent survey of 3100 people who claim to be born again Christians found that only 25% believed in the exclusivity of Christ for salvation. I want to categorically state today that as long as I am called by God to preach the Word of God, I will hold to the truth that Jesus is the only way of salvation. If Jesus was not the only way of salvation, there would be no point in proclaiming the Gospel; it would be irrelevant. Jesus makes the statement in John 10 verse 9 that he is the way of salvation. There are several other verses in the Bible that explicitly declare that Jesus is the only way of salvation (see John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5). No other religion has a god who did what Jesus did. Jesus is the only savior who stepped down from his throne in heaven and paid the price for our salvation by giving his life as a ransom for our sins. We don’t have to do anything to earn salvation, and we cannot add to our salvation. Jesus is the Key to Abundant Life in the Daily Doors of Life Once we have established that Jesus is the only door to eternal life, how does this knowledge affect our day to day lives in 2025? Jesus said in John 10:10, “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Jesus came not only to save us but that we may have abundant life. This abundant life begins when we are truly born again and begin our relationship with our Creator. This abundant life is not exempt from the trials and pain of life; rather, it is a life of peace with God, a life that lives to glorify God and enjoy His presence even in the midst of suffering. To live this abundant life, we have many daily choices to make. Little choices that either lead to life or produce a slow death in us. Every day we are faced with new doorways as decisions are presented to us. Doorways of Distraction There are doorways of distraction: spending hours on social media, online browsing, watching hours of TV, listening to unhelpful podcasts, or the distraction of pornography. These doorways lead to a slow death in us, not eternally speaking, but a numbing of the mind and soul. I challenge you this year to make a radical decision to change what you are feeding on. When you decide what to watch, read, listen to, and consume, ask yourself: is it producing life or death in your heart and mind? Doorways to Transformation We have the choice every day to open the doorway to things that are life giving and supernatural. This doorway is opening the Word of God and prayerfully allowing the power of the Word of God to transform our life. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
Imagine you were tasked with the greatest announcement in all of History. Imagine that God put you in charge of making the announcement of the birth of Jesus, the promised Messiah. How would you go about it? Today you might launch a mass media campaign, or a viral video series, maybe spend a lot of money on TV commercials. Obviously, none of these methods were available in the first century, but God used a very unlikely method all the same. First God used ancient prophets who wrote and taught about a coming messiah. Most of them were alive around seven-hundred years before Jesus was born. But then God is silent for four-hundred years, until a small group of shepherds have an angelic encounter that announces the birth of the Christ child. The shepherds seemed to be unlikely candidates for a world-altering announcement. The shepherds heard the angel’s pronouncement and saw the host of angels singing—and they believed. As they believed, they responded in four ways to the incredible news they had heard. The angel of the Lord made the message personal for them, saying in Luke 2:11, “ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord .” This child who was born was for them, it wasn’t a child who would be disconnected from their lives. By visiting the shepherds, the angel revealed the grace of God toward all of mankind. Shepherds were really outcasts in Israel, In fact their work not only made them ceremonially unclean, and it probably kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time so that they could not be made clean. God does not always call the rich and mighty; frequently He calls the poor and the lowly (see Luke 1:51-53). The shepherds got it, and they responded in faith in four ways: 1: They Believed Now it may seem obvious that they would believe. They had just had an incredible supernatural encounter the likes of which very few humans have ever witnessed. But they had to believe the word of the angel. But what about us? I am sure none of you have seen a mighty host of angels, but there is a promise when we believe by the power of the Holy Spirit (see John 20:29). Do you believe? Believing always requires a response. There is always an action or a step of faith that follows belief. The shepherds responded. 2: They Obeyed (Luke 2:15). In verse 15a we read, “ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “ Let’s go …” Notice that in verse 11, the angel didn’t tell them what to do, but rather it was an invitation. When Jesus is presented, there is always an invitation. And their faith compelled them to go and see the Christ. Even as a baby, he changed lives, and he is still changing lives today. Some people have suggested that these shepherds were some distance away, it was not a simple task to find someone to take care of their sheep. But they worked it out, they were not going to miss this opportunity. How often we are given opportunities to encounter the Lord, but we find it too inconvenient. We know we really should go to that prayer meeting, or that life group, but we feel a bit tired. It is just a little inconvenient. And so, we miss out on what may be a special time with the Body of Christ. When the Lord gives you an invitation, always respond even if it is inconvenient, maybe, especially if it is inconvenient! This leads to the third response: Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
What is God inviting you to believe? Last week we talked about what it means to believe in Jesus for salvation. To illustrate my point, I professed that I believed the chair could hold me, but if I didn’t act on that belief by stepping on the chair, no one would believe that I actually believed that (see Romans 10:9). Believing always requires a response, an action or a step of faith that follows belief. In Matthew 2, we read about a group of wise men who simply believed—and acted in response to that belief. Who Were the Wise Men? To understand why the wise men’s active belief is significant, we first need to understand who they were.Our cultural and traditional Christmas scenes get two things wrong about the wise men, which are also called magi: The wise men did not arrive along with the shepherds. When they visited Jesus in Bethlehem, he was not a newborn, and Mary and Joseph were not living in a stable. Their visit likely occurred six to eighteen months after the birth of Jesus. The number of wise men. Though tradition says three, we do not actually know how many magi there were. From the three gifts listed in Matthew 2:11, many people have assumed there were three kings from the Orient, but this is not certain. What we do know is that when their caravan arrived in Jerusalem, there were enough of them to trouble the whole city. In addition to these common misconceptions, it’s also important to understand that these wise men were not Jewish. They were Gentiles, outside the covenant people of God. By bringing these wise men to the feet of Jesus, God was revealing right from his birth that Jesus was the Savior of the whole world (see John 4:42). Romans 15:12 says, “ …The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” What Did the Wise Men Do? The magi responded in faith—to the sight of a star in the sky. They traveled for months, crossing thousands of miles of desert and mountain and harsh conditions, to see the “king of the Jews”, though they themselves weren’t Jews (see Matthew 2:2). Just consider the journey that the magi took. It was a huge undertaking to travel great distances 2000 years ago. There was no air travel or trains, no Holiday Inn Express, no Quick trip to buy a snack on the run. They had to plan and carry all their provisions. Journeys were dangerous, not to mention expensive. These men had to spend a huge sum of money to travel to a small insignificant town in Israel. What did the Wise Men Bring? The wise men didn’t come empty handed. They brought gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These seem like strange gifts for a one-year old. Why not a car seat or changing table or some other culturally appropriate baby gift? The gifts, though strange to us, were actually symbolically significant and probably provided the money for Mary and Joseph to take Jesus to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. The gifts are also prophetic. The wise men knew what many people celebrating Christmas today don’t know—the purpose and the mission of the life of Jesus. Gold: the precious metal represents that Jesus is the King Frankincense: the strong smelling fragrance indicates that as Jesus lived, the fragrance of his life impacted many with miracles and teaching (see 2 Corinthians 2:15). Myrrh: the embalming substance used at burials was a prophetic declaration that Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for many. He came with the purpose of being a sacrifice for our sins. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
What does the word “believe” mean? The dictionary answers, “To consider to be true or honest, to accept the word or evidence of someone or something.” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/believe) No Work Needed By definition, a Christian is someone who believes on Jesus for righteousness. Romans 10:6-7 says, “But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” These verses sound a bit confusing, but what Paul is saying is that there is nothing we need to do to earn our salvation. We don’t need to go anywhere or do anything. This is righteousness based on faith in the risen Lord Jesus. Faith in the truth of God’s word and the Gospel. Our salvation is through faith in Jesus alone (see Ephesians 2:8). Confess and Believe How do we place our faith in Jesus? Romans 10:9 tell us, “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” We have established that it takes faith to be saved. From this verse we see that there are two things that we have do: confess and believe. Confess To confess Jesus as Lord, we must first acknowledge our need for a Savior, turning from our sins and repenting of them (see Matthew 4:17 and Acts 2:38). We confess Jesus’s saving Lordship privately to him and publicly to others. A new believer’s baptism is a public confession, a testimony to others. Baptism doesn’t save you, but it is a public declaration of what Jesus has already done in your life. This is why, before someone is baptized, we always have them confess before the congregation what Jesus has done in their life. There is power in our confession. Believe But believing is more than simply saying a few words. Anyone can say a sentence without believing it. Faith on Jesus is believing that he can save me from my sin and then trusting him for my salvation. There is a difference between believing in something and believing on something. One can believe in the historical Jesus, the fact that a man was born and lived in Israel 2000 years ago, without believing that he is the Christ and the only way of salvation. Believing is more than declaring; it is evidenced in how you live. When we truly believe on Jesus for salvation, it changes the way we live so that our decisions and lifestyle flow from a Christian perspective—what we would call a Biblical worldview (see John 8:31-32). We must believe that Jesus died in our place, but we must go further and trust him with our lives now and in eternity. We must believe on him for salvation and for our transformation. Belief That Saves Salvation is not based on giving verbal ascent to certain truths. Our salvation is based on fully trusting on Jesus, leaning on him, resting on his completed work—believing that Jesus has saved you and that he will save you. This is belief that saves. We, by nature, believe in things and people all the time, but sometimes our belief is unfounded. The person or thing we believe in lets us down. We believe in our strength, until it is gone. We believe in our wealth, only to find it fleeting. We believe in our medical professionals, until they have no answers. We believe in our friends and family, until they desert us in hard times. We believe in our political leaders, only to find that they don’t share our values. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
No one is immune to suffering, but Christians have the hope of glory to look forward to in and through their suffering. If you are experiencing extended periods of hardship, you might struggle to hope in that future glory, but the promises of God’s Word do not fail. The apostle Peter knew that the early church was going to experience trials of persecution, and he wanted them to be prepared. As he ended his letter, Peter gave the church family three important instructions to obey so that they could glorify God in the difficulties to come Be Humble (1 Peter 5:5-7) Submitting to Elders Peter exhorted the young people to submit to their elders in humility. A healthy church honors the voice of all generations. Submission requires humility (see v. 6). As we submit to God, we are to humbly submit to and prefer one another in love. Clothing in Humility Peter exhorts all of us to clothe ourselves in humility, the same humility that Jesus displayed as he walked the earth (see Philippians 2:6-8). Pride is the root of all sin; therefore, humility is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal. Humility is not thinking poorly of ourselves; it is simply thinking of ourselves less and preferring others first. Treating Our Pride Verse 6 begins with the following phrase, “ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God…” When God begins to do a powerful work in our lives that brings Him glory, sometimes we feel God’s mighty hand as a heavy weight. God allows us to feel the heavy weight of suffering, which is naturally humbling. Suffering can serve as a remedy for pride. Learning Patience The glorious hope we have is the promise of the rest of that verse, “ …so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (see v. 6b). The key, of course, is the phrase “ at the proper time.” The hardest part of suffering is learning patience. Our impatience is a remnant of pride that God is working out through suffering. Giving Over Our Worries God doesn’t simply put us under His heavy hand like a cruel master; He gives a promise in verse 7, “ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” Giving God our anxieties must come from the realization that we cannot handle them ourselves. God does not forcefully take our worries and our anxieties; He invites us to hand them over to Him in humility. Holding on to our anxieties is prideful, and the heavy hand of God lovingly gets heavier until we release our burdens to Him. When we are suffering, we struggle to believe what Peter says in verse 7—that He cares for us. We don’t trust that He is good. These are lies from Satan. As we give Him our concerns, God promises to minister to us in four ways: (a) He gives us the courage to face our cares honestly and not run away (Isaiah. 41:10). (b) He gives us the wisdom to understand the situation (James 1:5). (c) He gives us the strength to do what He has called us to do (Philippians. 4:13). (d) He gives us the faith to trust Him to do the rest (Psalm. 37:5) Be Watchful (1 Peter 5:8-9) We have an enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy (see John 10:10). Peter writes, “ be sober minded”. In other words, he wants us to think rightly about the situation we face. This is hard when we are suffering, but it is crucial. To have right thinking is to have God’s perspective, keeping His promises and the scope of eternity in view. We give the enemy a foothold when we are not watchful. Satan devours by bad thinking: discouragement, hopelessness, pridefulness, and arrog Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
By God’s design, the local church is to be led by elders. Other names for that role are pastor, shepherd, or overseer (see Acts 20:28). In 1 Peter 5:1-5, Peter provides instructions and exhortation to the elders of the church; we can all learn from these leadership lessons. The Role of the Elder Jesus bought the church with his own blood. Although we like to identify our community as “ my church ”, in truth, it is “ his church ”. The primary role of the elder is to tend to the sheep, feeding, leading, and protecting them. The challenge is that elders are also sheep, and as such they need accountability and shepherding themselves. The Bible teaches that healthy church leadership should have more than one elder. This strengthens the church and guards against strong personalities that might slowly introduce false teaching. A healthy church will only grow from healthy leaders. A church will never grow in an area of ministry if the leaders are not leading the way by example. The Proximity of the Elder. Peter writes in verse 1, “ So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed.” Peter is exhorting the elders who are among the people, implying that these elders were directly engaged with the community. Pastors who are not in the trenches are not shepherding. YouTube “pastors” are not shepherding. In times of persecution, the leadership of the church is crucial (see 1 Peter 4:17). Humble local shepherds play a critical role in helping the church withstand the temptation to swim along with the stream of the world’s culture, especially during times of trial. Sadly, leaders who run away during persecution are hirelings and not true shepherds as Jesus said in John 10. John Maxwell said, “ A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Peter identifies himself as a co-elder, but he had some extra credibility: he witnessed the crucifixion as Jesus died in our place on the cross. He also saw the empty tomb as Jesus victoriously conquered sin and death. Peter knew that even though there is suffering now, there is glory coming later. Glory always follows suffering, and this coming glory should motivate the elders in their shepherding. Peter had a healthy eternal perspective, and we should too. How often do you think about Jesus coming again, and how does it affect your leadership of others? The Leadership of the Elder Peter goes on to encourage the elders in verses 2 and 3, “ shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock .” To exercise oversight is to care for others, not dominate or dictate. Oversight is providing care for the church family; it is a high calling and a serious responsibility. Peter then compares three styles of leadership. Compulsion v. Willingness “ People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” —Theodore Roosevelt. The Lord wants elders to lead willingly, not from compulsion or some type of guilt and shame. When the Lord asks us to lead, we must respond willingly with a ready “yes” in our hearts. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
In the year 304, Emperor Diocletian declared that he had destroyed the Christian church. Today over two billion people identify as Christians, and few people remember the emperor. Over 200 years before Diocletian’s Great Persecution, Peter wrote to the early church to prepare them for extraordinary persecution. He warned them that even though persecution was coming, they would benefit from it. Over 365 million believers face intense persecution everyday in 2024, and I don’t think it is a stretch to expect persecution to come on the Western Church soon. How are we to prepare for and even respond to persecution? In 1 Peter 4:12-19, Peter gives the church four instructions to follow in preparation for the persecution that is to come. 1: Expect Suffering (1 Peter 4:12) Throughout history, persecution has been normative for those who live for Jesus. In Genesis 3, God declared war on Satan, and as a result, Satan has been attacking those who worship the one true God. Persecution is not a strange thing for believers; in fact, the absence of persecution should be strange. But when we do experience persecution, we must remember who our enemy is. The person persecuting us is not our enemy; our enemy is Satan and his demons. Jesus died for the persecuted and for the persecutor. 2: Rejoice in Suffering (1 Peter 4:13-14) Peter writes that we should rejoice when we are insulted for the name of Jesus. Peter lists several privileges that come with persecution; these are reasons why we can rejoice in the midst of it. i: Our suffering is fellowship with Christ. As we read in Isaiah 53, Jesus came as the suffering servant; he is not removed from or unfamiliar with pain and suffering (see Philippians 1:29). God uses the refining fire for our good, and when we do suffer, Christ is with us in the fire. It is in those times of intense persecution that many Christians testify to the incredible nearness and fellowship with Jesus, and that is a reason to rejoice. ii: Our suffering means future glory. In our Western mindset, we tend to believe that suffering is to be avoided, and the absence of suffering is glorious. But for the Christian, hardship is the path to glory. God doesn’t remove the suffering; He transforms it into something glorious (see John 16:20-22) We see this displayed on the cross—the pain and agony that Jesus went through was changed into something glorious and powerful. There is always a purpose and a glorious outcome to the suffering we endure as a result of persecution. Sometimes we don’t see the outcome in this life, but it is always glorious, and that is a reason to rejoice. iii: Our suffering leads to the Holy Spirit’s ministry (1 Peter 4:14) There are many testimonies of persecuted Christians who say things that no human would normally say, even while being put to death for the name of Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit, they are filled with courage and boldness (see Acts 7:55). This has been the experience of many believers, boldly singing, and declaring the Gospel even while they are losing their lives in an excruciating way. This supernatural power is a reason to rejoice. iv: Our suffering glorifies the name of Jesus (1 Peter 4:16) In our modern context, we lose the impact this verse would have had on the original readers. In the 1st century, being called a Christian was a term of ridicule, a slur. It is becoming increasingly more so today. Do you boldly bear the name of Jesus? Are you willing to suffer ridicule for claiming his name? This verse promises there is glory in bearing his name, and that is a reason to rejoice. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
Healthy community is a goal for every church, but cultivating it is challenging. Even the first century church that the Apostle Peter wrote to in 1 Peter had to be encouraged to work towards a healthy community. Watch and Pray In 1 Peter 4:7, Peter writes, “ The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” The state of the world today indicates that we are rapidly getting closer to the day of Christ’s return. As we see “the day” approaching, we need to be mindful of how we live. Preparing for Christ’s return does not mean hiding in a cave and isolating from the world while stockpiling food. Rather, it means focusing on living as the salt and light of the world, being self-controlled and sober minded. To be sober minded is to use right judgment, to have steady and clear thinking. If you are sober minded in this world, you will not be drawn to false teaching regarding the return of Christ. Instead, you will be focused on preparing for his return. If our minds are confused, we will have an unfocused prayer life. It is crucial that we are people of prayer, watchful, alert, and sober minded as we see the day of the Lord approaching. Peter wrote these words with his own painful memory in mind. Jesus asked him to watch and pray, but Peter fell asleep and couldn’t pray with Jesus as he fought the greatest battle in human history before going to the Cross (see Mark 14). There is no place for listless prayers in the Church; we need to be alert and energized in our prayer warfare. Love One Another Peter continued in verse 8, “ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins ”. Within the body of Christ, we must prioritize loving one another earnestly and with intentionality. We can only love with the love that comes from God; it is a supernatural love by the Spirit of God. It is not an optional extra (see John 13:34). It is always humbling to realize how little grace we have for someone we don’t know and love, yet for someone we love, we are quick to overlook an offense. Out of relationship comes grace. If someone is bothering you, take the time to learn about them. Get to know them and see how God has uniquely designed them to be a blessing to the church—including to you. Show Hospitality to One Another In verse 9, Peter exhorts the church to be hospitable, which is a spiritual gift and essential for a healthy church community. This is not the sole function of a small team in the church; it is everyone’s responsibility. We cannot outsource this command. Serve One Another In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul teaches about the spiritual gifts given to the church for the health of the church. Peter underlines the fact that these gifts are for us to steward within the church family (see 1 Peter 4:10). If you are not serving one another, you are missing out by not exercising the gift God has given you. Everyone is gifted differently, and we all have differing roles to play. Two Spiritual Gifts In verse 11 Peter highlights two gifts, “ Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies…” Teaching: This is more than simply information transfer; this is declaration of the truths of God’s word. This is the crucial declaration of the Bible in the church. Serving: Serving one another in the Body of Christ. Why are these two so important? In 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul wrote, “… But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” What are the higher gifts? I would like to propose that the higher gifts are the servant gifts. The gifts done in secret, the Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
Everyone goes through suffering; no one is exempt. As Christians, we can be assured that God uses every moment of our suffering for a greater purpose. In Chapter 4, Peter encourages the believers to endure suffering because there is a purpose in it. He reminds them and us that while Jesus lived on the earth, he was a man of sorrows (see Isaiah 53:3-5). There was a purpose to Jesus’s suffering—our salvation—and there is a purpose to our suffering—our sanctification. Armoring Up Peter writes in verse 1, “…arm yourselves with the same way of thinking,” To arm oneself is to prepare for battle. Arming ourselves with the knowledge of the Bible—the Sword of the Spirit—is the greatest way we can prepare for life’s battles. Peter wants us to arm ourselves with the same attitude Jesus had toward the world, sin, and suffering. If we face suffering without a biblical worldview, suffering will embitter rather than purify us. The Bible clearly says we will endure hardship in this world (John 16:33); we cannot dodge that bullet. If we want to live victoriously in the face of suffering, we must embrace a biblical worldview of the challenges we face. Restraining Sin Verse 1 ends with a somewhat confusing statement, “…for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” This doesn’t mean that the person who has suffered is no longer capable of sinning. Rather, it means that they are no longer enticed by temptations the way or to the degree that they once were. In Luke 15, the prodigal son came to his senses while in the literal pigpen of his sin. He realized that he was made for more; the slops and corn husks were not desirable to him. He left the pigpen and returned home to his father. If you are a child of God, you will no longer enjoy living in the pigpen of your sin. Your tastes will have changed; sin will no longer hold the appeal it once did (see 1 Peter 4:2 & 1 Corinthians 5:17). When you find yourself tempted toward or back in the pigpen of your life before Christ, you will quickly run from it and return to the Father. If, however, you live in willful sin without conviction, you are most likely not saved. You cannot be a child of God and enjoy living in the pigpen. Coming Judgment Peter looks to the future: our lives are short, and we must not waste time going back to play in the pigpen of sin and brokenness. He writes in verse 3, “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.” Peter lists the specific sins that his audience saw all around them, the sins that enticed them. We can add to his list the sins we see all around us, the sins that entice us—gossip, lying on our tax returns, pornography, etc. The time is past for living in that pigpen. Walk in purity because life is short. The world is rapidly moving towards the judgment of God. Suffering Witness As you walk in purity, you will be countercultural, and that may attract attention, good or bad. “ With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you,” 1 Peter 4:4 says. When you live for Jesus, walking out the new life he has given you, your life will raise questions. Some people will be drawn to the peace of God in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Never underestimate the example of your lifestyle. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
Over the last few decades there has been a lot of discussion about the separation of church and state. While I don’t believe a pastor should direct the congregation to vote for a specific candidate, I also don’t think that the church should stand idly by and allow corruption and immorality to govern our nation. Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, “ the church and state should remain separate institutionally, but the church should be the conscience of the state. “ The church is supposed to be the moral compass of the nation; unfortunately, the church has largely compromised with culture to gain acceptance and numbers. As a result, the church has lost the authority to be the voice of morality. Churches and Christians see themselves as poor victims, a weak and marginalized minority. But Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “ You are the light of the world…” As Christians and as the church, we are Christ’s ambassadors, sent to represent Him in all spheres of life. When we do not represent His heart and morals, Satan continues to destroy this nation. “ Great nations rise and fall. The people go from bondage to spiritual truth, to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, from dependence back again to bondag e.” (Alexander Tytler 1747 to 1813) Looking for Saving in All the Wrong Places In 1 Samuel 8, the nation of Israel was going through a leadership transition. The great prophet Samuel was old, and the people began asking for a king. Under Samuel’s leadership, the nation had expanded, their enemies had been subdued, and the nation was at peace. But the people were not satisfied; they wanted a king. God gave them what they desired. The Israelites saw the nations around them and asked for a king so they could be like those nations (1 Samuel 8:5). The people were crying out for a savior. They thought that an earthly king would prevent and solve all their problems. On the surface, the request for a king seems reasonable. Israel was coming of age as a nation and needed to fit the mold of a successful nation. But this request upset Samuel because he realized that the people had rejected God as their King. They were looking for an earthly leader to take His place (see 1 Samuel 8:7). Israel was once again turning their back on God. God’s chosen people, the people of the promise to Abraham, the same people of the covenant that God made with Moses on Mt Sinai, wanted to settle for an earthly king to rule over them. Israel had forgotten who they were; they had lost their moral compass. Sadly, in America today we are not much different; we look to a president or the leaders in Washington to solve our problems instead of turning to the only one who can solve the problems of this nation and the world – Jesus Christ. Receiving What We Ask For In response to their request, God tells Samuel to warn the nation that a king will do them harm. He would tax them heavily and require their sons and daughters to serve in his army and in his courts. Despite this heavy burden, they still demanded a king. God gave the children of Israel what they wanted. God in His severe mercy and sovereignty gives nations what they ask for because ultimately He uses the leaders of nations for His purposes. God chose Saul, a Benjamite, to be the first king of Israel. It seemed that Saul was the right man for the job; he had amazing leadership skills and potential to be a powerful king. Unfortunately, Saul became a bad king and, just as God had said, the nation became Saul’s slaves. Bad leaders enslave their people, and that is what Saul did. Read More and Discover More Sermons at https://gpchurch.us/…
مرحبًا بك في مشغل أف ام!
يقوم برنامج مشغل أف أم بمسح الويب للحصول على بودكاست عالية الجودة لتستمتع بها الآن. إنه أفضل تطبيق بودكاست ويعمل على أجهزة اندرويد والأيفون والويب. قم بالتسجيل لمزامنة الاشتراكات عبر الأجهزة.