Complete Joy in the midst of a Pandemic. In John 15:9-13 Jesus promises us complete joy, or the full measure of joy. But for many of us we would say that we aren’t living in the reality of complete joy. Then on tip of that add the circumstances of the a global pandemic and...
Sermon Tag: Churches in Crystal Lake
Casting Down Idols and Exposing Blind Spots
As I look at how this Corona-virus pandemic has been playing out, I keep asking God what are you doing? And I believe one of the things that God is doing is exposing the idols and blind spots in the church, at least here in the U.S. This is a very biblical concept. When we...
Covid-19 The Curse, the Mercy, and the Response
Sorry for poor audio quality Covid-19 The Curse, the Mercy, and the Response The Curse • This is a question I have been hearing both from believers and non-believers. o “Why would a loving God allow this to happen?” o To briefly answer this question, we must go back to Genesis 1 & 2 •...
Winning the War for Your Mind part III Temptations
Pastor Tim Mengler continues in the series Winning the War for Your Mind this week dealing with temptations. • 1 Cor 10:13 There is nothing unusual about our temptations. • Why is this important? Because the enemy tries to convince us no one else has this problem. o Use this verse, don’t condone the sin;...
Winning the War for Your Mind Part II
Winning the War for Your Mind Pt II Scripture as Our Weapon (Psalm 23) Psalm 23:1 What is the job of shepherd? To provide and care for, to protect, to look out for. • When those thoughts are coming against you. I feel alone, I feel unprotected, I feel uncared for. o Respond with what...
Winning the War for Your Mind
Winning the War for Your Mind (2 Cor 10:1-5) Verse 3 Paul realizes that this is spiritual warfare. This is a spiritual issue, not a worldly one. Verse 4 The implication is that Paul sees their criticism of him being rooted in a demonic stronghold. • The word stronghold refers to a place where an...
The Heart of Worship Pt 2 In Spirit and Truth
The Heart of Worship Pt 2 (John 3 & 4) • John 3 A Pharisee named Nicodemus come to Jesus and asks to know more about the Kingdom. o Jesus says, in order to know God and understand the Kingdom of God, you must be born again. o John 3:5-6 There are two parts to...
The Heart of Worship (With Communion Message)
The Heart of Worship (Physical posture as worship) • In Matt 14 after Jesus clams the storm, it says “they worshipped Him.” • The word ‘worshipped’ here means: to fall down, to kneel, to bow down, fall at the feet of another, to prostrate oneself. It can even mean to kiss the hand of. o...
On Mission with God: To the Nations and the Neighbors
On Mission with God: To the Nations and the Neighbors (Rev 5:8-10) • Matt, Mark, & Luke all have the same basic command from Jesus to be on mission and take the Gospel to all nations. • These passages are generally referred to as the Great Commission. Acts 2:5 God saw fit to have every...
Let God Be on Mission in You: Growing in the Desert Season
Let God be on Mission in You: Growing in the Desert (Matt 4:-11) • The Lord wants to grow us to be more like Him and one of the primary ways He does that is through a wilderness or desert experience. o Desert seasons are also often very long, sometimes years. • All three Gospels...
On Mission with God: Serving as the Gospel
On Mission with God: Serving and Compassion (Matt 20:24, John 13:12) • Matt 20:26 The context here is that the mother of Zebedee’s sons came asked for her sons to sit at the sides of Jesus. Then the other ten disciples get made about this. • In the Greek Jesus actually states this very emphatically,...
On Mission With God: Immanuel
On Mission with God: Immanuel • Isa 7:14 This Hebrew name occurs three times in the OT with two times being in Isa 7 & 8 • The name implies that Jesus is leaving heaven and coming to be with us here on earth. The structure of the name: The name is really made up...
On Mission with God: Being Sent Ones
On Mission with God: Being Sent Ones (Luke10:1 and Acts 2-3) • Again, and again Jesus gives the command to go! o Matt 28:18-20 o Many of Jesus’ parables give us insight into what the mission will look like. Luke 10:1 Jesus is commissioning and sending out the 72, expanding His mission team from 12...
Learning to be Content
In Philippians chapter 4 Paul says that he has learned to be content in every situation. I think that’s a great lesson for us all to learn. Let’s look at this passage and ask who were his teachers and what was the curriculum to see if we too can learn to be content? Learning to...
A Life Worth Following
Paul tell us in this verse to follow him as he follows Christ. But what made Paul’s life worth following? A Life Worth Following (1 Cor 11:1) 1 Cor 11:1 Is my life worth following? Context: Paul is addressing the entire Corinthian Church. He is not writing to an individual believer. Three key issues here:...
It’s Not My Job: It’s My Gift
It’s Not My Job: It’s My gift (Colossians 3:22: 1 Cor 12:12) • The context of 1 Cor 12, Paul is talking about Spiritual Gifts. o Then in this section he abruptly talks about the body, meaning the church. o He is creating this picture, this analogy that the church is like the human body....
My House Shall Be Called A House of Prayer
My House Shall Be Called A House of Prayer. This scene comes during the Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem. After Jesus comes riding into the city with everyone cheering and singing praises there is this little verse where Jesus goes into the Temple and looks around. Verses:12-14 He curses the fig tree and a...