Focal Passage: Luke 5:17-26 What is our greatest need of all time? Some believe our greatest need is financial. To have the resources to live a comfortable life is the zenith of this idea. Others believe our greatest need is emotional. To have our emotional self affirmed is seen as most important from this standpoint.  Still others believe our greatest need is relational. That is to have family and friends

Focal Passage: Isaiah 42:1-12  The word G.O.A.T. is often used as an acronym for Greatest Of All Time. The next several weeks we will be looking at Scriptural G.O.A.T.s.: the Greatest Name, Need, Sin, Gift, Command, and Return. We begin this week with the Greatest Name – the name of the One, true, triune, and living God, at Father, Son, and Spirit. To be a G.O.A.T. means that no one

Focal Passage: I Peter 3:8-17 Remember Bernie Madoff? He was the financier who stole millions from hundreds through a Ponzi scheme that was sinister and shocking. Madoff’s sinister deeds were kept secret from everyone save a few co-conspirators, even family members, by hiding his shenanigans on the 13th floor of a nondescript building. No one was allowed on that floor except for Madoff’s fellow criminals. That floor housed a small

Focal Passage: II Corinthians 8:1-9  Mention money and Jesus in the same sentence and you can get yourself in trouble. Too many salacious controversies with religion and money have caused many people to avoid being regular, faithful, consistent financial givers to God’s Kingdom causes. We have become freelance givers, doling out cash where and when we want. But is this right? Yes, we are called to give according to our

Focal Passage: Philippians 4:10-20 Contentment is an enigma surrounded by a mystery folded within a conundrum. Paul says it is a “secret” (vs. 12). We all want it, but it proves elusive. What is contentment? Does it mean passiveness? Lack of ambition? Is it accompanied by an, “I don’t care what’s going on around me, I’m cool,” all the while the house is burning down?  Added to the difficulty of

Focal Passage: Philippians 2:1-11  Humility is one of those characteristics that you are not supposed to know you have, but everyone else should know you have it. If you know you have it, you don’t. Yet, few people consider the nature and scope of humility. Just what is this necessary but elusive characteristic of the mature Christian? It may be best to begin by defining humility by what it is

Focal Passage: I Timothy 4:6-16 The Point: A godly life points others to Christ. Good character is one thing, but godly character is of another kind. While there may be many “good” people in this world, though ultimately there is none good, not one (Romans 3:9-18), rare is the person who is godly in such a way that their life points others to faith in Jesus Christ.  Godliness can be

Focal Passage: II Peter 1:1-11 The Point: God equips with Christlike character I grew up in a small town filled with ‘characters,’ colorful, wonderful people who were not bland or the same. Like the man in our church who wanted a red pick-up truck, so he went down to the store, bought a gallon of red paint, a paint brush and painted his old farm truck red. He was as

Focal Passage: Hebrews 6:1-12  The Point: A true relationship with Christ is seen in our perseverance.  Can a true believer walk away from the faith? The answer is an unequivocal NO. Yet, thousands walk away from Jesus every day. What’s going on? Answer: It is entirely possible to confess what you do not possess.  Yes, we are commanded to confess Christ as Lord and Savoir based on His atoning death

Focal Passage: John 10:7-14, 26-30 The Point: God keeps His children securely in His hands. Terms like “once saved always saved” or “the security of the believer” or “you can’t lose your salvation” are often tossed around the Church, but without doctrinal foundation. We know these phrases are true, but why are they true? In part John 10 enables us to understand the great truth of the believer’s security. John