Church guide

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 06-09-2019 - Quitting isn't an option - Part 2. Text: Galatians 6:2 - "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - - “As the Spirit of God empowered the church, they devoted themselves to fellowship. They had a dedication to one another that would be impossible unless God was in their midst.”-Francis Chan. Whose burdens have you carried recently? We often describe emotional pain the way we would physical pain. "I got stabbed in the back." "It was like a punch to the gut." "My heart is broken." "The preacher really stepped on my toes." -- Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”-Genesis 2:18. The implications for this verse go well beyond marriage. “Relationship does not so much bring us into confrontation with others as it does confront us with ourselves."-Timothy Keller. Whether we want to admit it or not, our independence is killing us. -- “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.” - The Wizard of Oz. -- Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.-Hebrews 10:23-25. *We must make an effort to be available for others. *We must treat each other as family. *We must continue to pray for one another. *We must go out of our way to encourage one another. *We, like Jesus, must serve each other. Solo Christianity isn't a biblical option. So, I'll give up on the local church when God does, and not a second sooner.

Steve Norris kicks off our Summer Series tonight! Steve preaches for Robinson & Center in Conway. We'll look at Discipleship. Steve will speak on what it means to love the Lord with all of your heart, soul and mind. See you at 7!

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 06-02-2019 - Quitting Isn't an Option - Part 1. Text: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. Was there ever a time when you gave up on God? It's not that most people doubt the existence of God. It's that they question His perceived absence. Paul can be trusted due to the fact that he doesn't act like things are okay when the things aren't okay. When we panic we often blame and complain. Blaming and complaining are the exit ramp to quitting. *Hard pressed, but not crushed. *Perplexed, but not in despair. *Persecuted, but not abandoned. *Struck down, but not destroyed. God is rarely early. He's always on time. He's always on His time. Embracing weakness brings more peace because we realize afresh that God loves us by His grace, not because we are strong. Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We don't fight for victory, we fight from victory.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-26-2019 - “This is my Gospel.” Text: 2 Timothy 2:8. "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,". * * * Gospel simply means "GOOD NEWS!" 2 Timothy 2:14 - Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 2 Timothy 2:23-24 - Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 2 Timothy 1:10 - "...Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." *The Gospel changes how you approach death. *The Gospel changes how you approach life. John 4:13-14-Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. =The water is found in the Word. =The water is found in our gatherings. =The water is found in us. We have a responsibility to take water to the world. We also have a responsibility to go to the source so people can be drawn to it and build their world around the well.

I love the fact that God's Word never paints a picture that life is always a piece of cake. Instead of sugarcoating things, God is honest about life on earth. But God is also honest about life after earth. God keeps telling us over and over, "Don't give up!" Join us this Sunday at 9 as we look at some very tried and true words about staying committed to Jesus in the middle of everything this world throws at us. Blessings!

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-19-2019. Lovable Losers. •Matthew 16:24-25- Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. •Matthew 10:38-39- And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. •Mark 10:28-30- Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. •Luke 17:32-33-Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. •Philippians 3:7-8- But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. *Following Jesus is for losers. *Not everyone who encountered Jesus left better. Some left sadder. *Jesus believed the winning strategy was to lose. *In Luke 18:21-23, The word "sell" rang so loudly in the young man's ears that he failed to hear the words "you will have.” *Good losers gain Jesus. *When your life collides with Jesus, you have a new definition of what it means to win and lose. Related Scriptures: Luke 9:23-24; Matthew 13:44.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-12-2019. Honoring Mothers. Text: Isaiah 49:15-16 & Isaiah 66:13. “I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. No man is poor who has a godly mother.” –Abraham Lincoln. Both God and Jesus embody motherly characteristics. A mother's heart is a treasure box. Mothers have great intuition. A mother feels every pain her child feels. A godly mother believes in her children. "My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you." -Proverbs 6:20-23. Related Texts: Genesis 1:26-27; Isaiah 49:15-16; Isaiah 66:13; Matthew 23:37; Psalm 27:10.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-05-2019. James: Faith Asks for Help. Text: James 5:13-20. "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." Prayer isn't our last resort, it should be our first response. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." - Philippians 4:6. Everything means every single thing. Prayer is God's gift to reject and rebuke the lie of self autonomy. Prayer verbalizes the importance of the Christian community. Prayer reminds us of the sovereignty of God. Prayer helps put into focus what God desires. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, there is no stone our God can't move. Ask, but better yet, ask someone to ask God with you.

TONIGHT’S FISHING DERBY IS STILL ON. SEE YOU THERE!

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-28-2019. What are you waiting for? James -- Faith + Works. Text: James 4:13-5-6. "If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." C.S. Lewis. Submitting your future to God. 1) It involves embracing that this life is temporary. God's desire isn't to depress us, it's to impress upon on how important life is. 2) It involves embracing God's sovereignty. God's not against planning. He's simply against plans that don't begin with Him. 3) It involves embracing the priority of doing the right thing now. Delayed obedience is nothing more than disobedience in disguise. We need to do the right thing now.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-21-2019. Relationship Goals - From Regret to Restoration - Resurrection and Redemption. Text: John 21. "The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian Faith is the absolute truth." Henry Morris. The resurrected Jesus was concerned with encouraging, engaging, and equipping His followers. Jesus has a different definition of friendship than we do. Jesus desires to restore that which seems broken. Restorations can be very hard. But restoration IS possible! Peter doesn't redeem himself. Jesus is the one who does the redeeming here. Jesus desires to give us responsibility. Peter means "rock." Jesus gives him this name knowing he would fail. Whether we're at the beginning, end, or in the middle of our journey, the call from Jesus is the same: "Follow me."

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-14-2019 - Relationship Goals. Text: Numbers 16, James 3. Pilate knew it was because of envy that Jesus had been turned over to him. Envy is always concerned with my rights and my wrongs. Envy almost always corresponds to a distrust of God. At its best, envy is a climber and a snob. At its worst it is a destroyer. It begins by asking, plausibly, “Why should I not enjoy what others enjoy?” and it ends by demanding, “Why should others enjoy what I may not?” -Dorothy Sayers. We should celebrate the success of others. When satan stands next to us, it’s because he needs our help to destroy something. Defeating the spirit of the offended self - we must commit to building a culture of admiration, appreciation and celebration. You won’t experience everything others enjoy, nor will others experience everything you enjoy, but we all can experience and enjoy the blessing of Christ. In that, we’re all equal. Related Scriptures: Proverbs 18:19; Proverbs 27:4; James 3:14-16.

Sermon - David Lawrence - 04-07-2019 - Faith That Impresses Jesus - How’s Your Faith - Weak <--> Strong. Text: Matthew 8:5-13. Walk The Walk. Empowered Living. Extraordinary Faith. Impressive Faith is humble and trusts in Jesus’ power & ability. True biblical humility is the realization of our total dependency upon God and prepares the heart for living in a posture of trusting God without having self-sufficiency or pride. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5. In building a real faith, ask God for more faith, prove what you believe, study what the Bible says about faith, live by faith and endure trials with patience.

Regular Schedule of Services: Sunday Morning Worship 9:00 A.M. Bible Classes 10:20 A.M. Evening Worship 5:00 P.M. Wednesday Classes 7:00 P.M. Wednesday Worship 7:40 P.M.

No event in human history compares in magnitude to the resurrection of Jesus. When Jesus gave up His Spirit, He was fully trusting in the promise His Father had made to bring Him out of the grave alive. ONLY the power of God could bring His Son back to life! The resurrection means that our lives will never be the same. Life can be difficult though and we often feel broken. Join us this Sunday morning as we see how the risen Jesus puts us back together when we're broken into pieces. Micah Brinkley will lead our songs of praise. Be thinking of someone you know that needs to hear what Jesus has done for them, as well as what He can do through them. See you Sunday at 9!

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 03-31-2019. Text: Romans 8. The Power of the Gospel - - Romans: The Righteousness of God. “There is also irony here: when Christ sets us free from slavery to the flesh, He calls us to the royal liberty of slavery to Him. That is why we call Him Master." Jimmy Allen. A. Paul tells us what happened, “Because” When Satan tries to remind you of your past, respond with "The Lord rebuke you!" B. Paul tells us how it happened, “For” The problem wasn’t with the law, it was with us. C. Paul tells us why it happened, “In order that” The end goal isn't for us to feel better; the goal is for us to be righteous. “Look what God's done for me! Is this how I should respond to Him?” -Timothy Keller.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 03-24-2019. The Man of Many Sorrows. Text: John 11. When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in His Spirit and greatly troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” * Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end of, or change, in a familiar pattern of behavior. Sorrow either has the ability to harden us or push us closer to God. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23. * Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17. * Jesus calms our fears with love. “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.” Emily Dickinson. * We can trust God with this. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.” Psalm 56:8. > > When we grieve, it’s because we have a broken heart, not a broken brain, and certainly not a broken faith. We can’t live as if it never happened, but we can live forward. < <

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 03-17-2019. Growing up in the Lord. Text: Hebrews 5 and 6. All growth that is not towards God is to decay. Common mindsets - - - ** "Feed me!" Acts 8:9-25 ** "Never mind. I'll feed myself." Acts 5:1-11 ** "Let's feed one another." Acts 2:41-47 One must make the decision to grow. We must go beyond first principles. To press on toward maturity, one must be an encourager, not a discourager. The fatal metaphor of progress, which means leaving things behind us, has utterly obscured the real idea of growth, which means leaving the things inside of us.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 03-10-2019. (No Video) The Good Shepherd. Text Psalm 23. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 03-03-2019. Lessons from the Younger Generation. Text: 1st Timothy 4:12 "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." **Nobody is too young or too old to set an example of faith. **Look on the interior, not the exterior. **Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you. “Help us. Teach us.” “Keep fighting the good fight.” When the cross is our focus, we should be eager to crucify our pride and take the extra steps to reach across generations with kindness, grace, and a listening ear. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 06-09-2019 - Quitting isn't an option - Part 2. Text: Galatians 6:2 - "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - - “As the Spirit of God empowered the church, they devoted themselves to fellowship. They had a dedication to one another that would be impossible unless God was in their midst.”-Francis Chan. Whose burdens have you carried recently? We often describe emotional pain the way we would physical pain. "I got stabbed in the back." "It was like a punch to the gut." "My heart is broken." "The preacher really stepped on my toes." -- Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”-Genesis 2:18. The implications for this verse go well beyond marriage. “Relationship does not so much bring us into confrontation with others as it does confront us with ourselves."-Timothy Keller. Whether we want to admit it or not, our independence is killing us. -- “I think you are wrong to want a heart. It makes most people unhappy. If you only knew it, you are in luck not to have a heart.” - The Wizard of Oz. -- Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.-Hebrews 10:23-25. *We must make an effort to be available for others. *We must treat each other as family. *We must continue to pray for one another. *We must go out of our way to encourage one another. *We, like Jesus, must serve each other. Solo Christianity isn't a biblical option. So, I'll give up on the local church when God does, and not a second sooner.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 06-02-2019 - Quitting Isn't an Option - Part 1. Text: 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. Was there ever a time when you gave up on God? It's not that most people doubt the existence of God. It's that they question His perceived absence. Paul can be trusted due to the fact that he doesn't act like things are okay when the things aren't okay. When we panic we often blame and complain. Blaming and complaining are the exit ramp to quitting. *Hard pressed, but not crushed. *Perplexed, but not in despair. *Persecuted, but not abandoned. *Struck down, but not destroyed. God is rarely early. He's always on time. He's always on His time. Embracing weakness brings more peace because we realize afresh that God loves us by His grace, not because we are strong. Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We don't fight for victory, we fight from victory.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-26-2019 - “This is my Gospel.” Text: 2 Timothy 2:8. "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,". * * * Gospel simply means "GOOD NEWS!" 2 Timothy 2:14 - Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. 2 Timothy 2:23-24 - Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 2 Timothy 1:10 - "...Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." *The Gospel changes how you approach death. *The Gospel changes how you approach life. John 4:13-14-Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. =The water is found in the Word. =The water is found in our gatherings. =The water is found in us. We have a responsibility to take water to the world. We also have a responsibility to go to the source so people can be drawn to it and build their world around the well.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-19-2019. Lovable Losers. •Matthew 16:24-25- Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. •Matthew 10:38-39- And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. •Mark 10:28-30- Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. •Luke 17:32-33-Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. •Philippians 3:7-8- But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. *Following Jesus is for losers. *Not everyone who encountered Jesus left better. Some left sadder. *Jesus believed the winning strategy was to lose. *In Luke 18:21-23, The word "sell" rang so loudly in the young man's ears that he failed to hear the words "you will have.” *Good losers gain Jesus. *When your life collides with Jesus, you have a new definition of what it means to win and lose. Related Scriptures: Luke 9:23-24; Matthew 13:44.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-12-2019. Honoring Mothers. Text: Isaiah 49:15-16 & Isaiah 66:13. “I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. No man is poor who has a godly mother.” –Abraham Lincoln. Both God and Jesus embody motherly characteristics. A mother's heart is a treasure box. Mothers have great intuition. A mother feels every pain her child feels. A godly mother believes in her children. "My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you." -Proverbs 6:20-23. Related Texts: Genesis 1:26-27; Isaiah 49:15-16; Isaiah 66:13; Matthew 23:37; Psalm 27:10.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 05-05-2019. James: Faith Asks for Help. Text: James 5:13-20. "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." Prayer isn't our last resort, it should be our first response. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." - Philippians 4:6. Everything means every single thing. Prayer is God's gift to reject and rebuke the lie of self autonomy. Prayer verbalizes the importance of the Christian community. Prayer reminds us of the sovereignty of God. Prayer helps put into focus what God desires. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, there is no stone our God can't move. Ask, but better yet, ask someone to ask God with you.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-28-2019. What are you waiting for? James -- Faith + Works. Text: James 4:13-5-6. "If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." C.S. Lewis. Submitting your future to God. 1) It involves embracing that this life is temporary. God's desire isn't to depress us, it's to impress upon on how important life is. 2) It involves embracing God's sovereignty. God's not against planning. He's simply against plans that don't begin with Him. 3) It involves embracing the priority of doing the right thing now. Delayed obedience is nothing more than disobedience in disguise. We need to do the right thing now.

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-21-2019. Relationship Goals - From Regret to Restoration - Resurrection and Redemption. Text: John 21. "The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian Faith is the absolute truth." Henry Morris. The resurrected Jesus was concerned with encouraging, engaging, and equipping His followers. Jesus has a different definition of friendship than we do. Jesus desires to restore that which seems broken. Restorations can be very hard. But restoration IS possible! Peter doesn't redeem himself. Jesus is the one who does the redeeming here. Jesus desires to give us responsibility. Peter means "rock." Jesus gives him this name knowing he would fail. Whether we're at the beginning, end, or in the middle of our journey, the call from Jesus is the same: "Follow me."

Sermon - Michael Meredith - 04-14-2019 - Relationship Goals. Text: Numbers 16, James 3. Pilate knew it was because of envy that Jesus had been turned over to him. Envy is always concerned with my rights and my wrongs. Envy almost always corresponds to a distrust of God. At its best, envy is a climber and a snob. At its worst it is a destroyer. It begins by asking, plausibly, “Why should I not enjoy what others enjoy?” and it ends by demanding, “Why should others enjoy what I may not?” -Dorothy Sayers. We should celebrate the success of others. When satan stands next to us, it’s because he needs our help to destroy something. Defeating the spirit of the offended self - we must commit to building a culture of admiration, appreciation and celebration. You won’t experience everything others enjoy, nor will others experience everything you enjoy, but we all can experience and enjoy the blessing of Christ. In that, we’re all equal. Related Scriptures: Proverbs 18:19; Proverbs 27:4; James 3:14-16.

Sermon - David Lawrence - 04-07-2019 - Faith That Impresses Jesus - How’s Your Faith - Weak <--> Strong. Text: Matthew 8:5-13. Walk The Walk. Empowered Living. Extraordinary Faith. Impressive Faith is humble and trusts in Jesus’ power & ability. True biblical humility is the realization of our total dependency upon God and prepares the heart for living in a posture of trusting God without having self-sufficiency or pride. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5. In building a real faith, ask God for more faith, prove what you believe, study what the Bible says about faith, live by faith and endure trials with patience.