With all that is happening in the world today, is it any wonder that people are dealing with extreme levels of anxiety and depression? Our lives… our country… our world is broken! We yearn for restoration and renewal in every aspect of life. We need spiritual, emotional and relational renewal! But how do we move forward with so much working against us? We rebuild. We restore what is broken. That’s what the Book of Nehemiah is all about. God’s chosen people were broken and their capital city lay in ruins, but God had a plan to restore the broken and He still has a plan for us as well today!
At the beginning of the book of Exodus, God’s people are growing in strength and number while living in Egypt. Things look good for them and everything is going well until a new Pharaoh rises to power that turns their prosperity to oppression. It’s easy to imagine God’s people wondering, “What is going on?” or “Where is God?” or “Is He doing anything?” Today’s message from Exodus 2 reminds us that God never wastes a moment but is always working for His glory and the good of His people, even when it’s not clear in the moment.
In our message today, we’re going to be thinking about “Connecting People to God through Worship.” We’re going to look at some of Jesus’ teaching in John 12, and then we’ll consider the implications of this teaching for our church, as well as, our personal lives. We’re going to talk about worship: what it is, why it’s important, and how it impacts others. And so rather than having a time for worship—followed by a message about how we are to worship—I want us to hear from God’s Word about the “how to” and then spend time together as a church family worshiping!
Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi, “…but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6). Prayer is a theme that runs throughout his writings—and throughout the entire Bible. This morning, I want us to focus on Paul’s first letter to his disciple, Timothy, as we seek to understand its importance in the work of evangelism.
A few years ago, our ACTIVATE Team spent many hours working toward a unified and simple mission statement for our church. This statement is a concise explanation why our church exists. It outlines our purpose. It defines who we are! Our mission statement is centered around three primary words—connect, unite and equip. So over the next few weeks, we’re going to take some time to examine each one of these statements in our mission. As we look at each of these, I want to challenge you to evaluate how we are doing in fulfilling our purpose. How are you doing in fulfilling your role here at Temple Rogers? What can you do to help perpetuate this mission?
Anger itself is not sin. It is the natural reaction that we are not pleased with what is happening. Unfortunately, most of the time it is a foreshowing of the sin we are about to do. This morning we are digging into the conflict amongst Nabal, Abigail, and David, and how we can Deal with our anger appropriately, and not be dealing anger out.
The book of Acts contains a record of the events of the early church after the ascension of Jesus. God was faithful to bless and multiply the church both spiritually and numerically but as the church grew, persecution rose to meet it. Acts 9 is an account of God’s intervening hand in midst of persecution on behalf of the church. What He did helps us understand that His interventions are not interruptions, but an opportunity for God to witness Him work.
James instructed his readers to, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” (James 1:2) His readers were followers of Jesus who were scattered across the known world as a result of persecution for their faith and he is calling them to consider their trials as a reason and opportunity to rejoice. How in the world would they do that? Why should they do that? And why should we do the same when we meet disruptions and difficulties in our life?
When it comes to following Christ, we’re not guaranteed a life without difficulty. While we live in this world, we will still face circumstances outside of our control and be challenged by those that deny the Truth. What should we do when this happens? Where can you find the confidence to keep pursuing Christ when it feels like everything is against you?
Ministering in the heart of the Philippines since 2015, Fil Kakilala is working hard to disciple new believers, train up new church leaders, and touch people’s lives with the gospel of Christ. The fruit of this ministry is evident, as many people are coming to know Christ and are being baptized!