CHI ALPHA NOTRE DAME // Sunday, July 17, 2022 // Tim Kern, Guest Missionary
/
A SHINING CITY // Sunday, June 26, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — June 26, 2022
A Shining City
The Founders wrote the Constitution, not the Apostles.
What influenced the Founders?
1. Charles Montesquieu = 8.3%
2. William Blackstone = 7.9%
3. John Locke 2.9%
Two Treatises of Government
1500 + Scripture references
4. The Bible 34%
They wrote the Bill of Rights;
not the Ten Commandments.
Daniel St. Thomas Jenifer
Signer of the Constitution
In the name of God, Amen. I, Daniel of Saint Thomas Jenifer . . . of dispossing mind and memory, commend my soul to my blessed Redeemer. . .
William Cushing
First Associate Justice Appointed
by George Washington to the Supreme Court
Sensible of my mortality, but being of sound mind, after recommending my soul to Almighty God through the merits of my Redeemer and my body to the earth . . .
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney
Signer of the Constitution
To the eternal, immutable, and only true God be all honor and glory, now and forever, Amen!. . .
Roger Sherman
Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution
I believe that there is one only living and true God, existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. . . . that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are a revelation from God. . . . that God did send His own Son to become man, die in the room and stead of sinners, and thus to lay a foundation for the offer of pardon and salvation to all mankind so as all may be saved who are willing to accept the Gospel offer.
John Langdon
Signer of the Constitution
In the name of God, Amen. I, John Langdon, . . . considering the uncertainty of life and that it is appointed unto all men once to die [Hebrews 9:27], do make, ordain and publish this my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say-First: I commend my soul to the infinite mercies of God in Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of the Father, who died and rose again that He might be the Lord of the dead and of the living . . . professing to believe and hope in the joyful Scripture doctrine of a resurrection to eternal life . . .
Freedom of Religion.
NOT Control by Religion
Letter from the Danbury Baptists:
October 7, 1801
1. Religion is personal between the individual and God
2. People should not be discrimainated against…
3. Government = criminals.
4. The Constitution was to vague in the matter of government infringement in religion.
5. Jeffferson could not legislate.
6. Fed can’t usurp State Rights
President Jefferson’s Reply:
January 1, 1802
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man
and his God,
that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship,
that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions,
I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature would
“make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,”
thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.
Adhering to this expression of the
supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience,
I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights,
convinced he has no natural right
in opposition to his social duties.
John Adams
Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Second President of the United States
[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.
[W]e have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . . Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
The moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If “Thou shalt not covet,” and “Thou shalt not steal,” were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized or made free.
They created a Democracy,
not a Theocracy
Democracy Republic Oligarchy
People Law Elite
Christianity is not a political party
BEING A DISCIPLE IN A BROKEN WORLD- SUFFERING // Sunday, June 5, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — June 5, 2022
Being a Disciple in a Broken World:
Suffering
Matthew 4: 19 & 20 (ESV)
…he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 28: 18 – 20 (ESV)
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1. Cappadocia Map
2. Cave Dwellings
3. Modern Accommodations
4. Bedroom
5. Pool
6a. Cave Church b. c. d. e.
Why does a disciple have to suffer?
6. Picture of Gethsemane
7. Jesus Praying
8. Gethsemane Stone
1 John 2: 5 & 6 (NLT)
…those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Matthew 16: 24 (NLT)
Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Hebrews 2: 14 & 15 (NLT)
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.
15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.
Matthew 5: 11 & 12 (NLT)
“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
John 15: 18 – 20 (NLT)
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
Colossians 1: 24 (NLT)
I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church.
BEING A DISCIPLE IN A BROKEN WORLD pt 2 // May 29, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — May 29, 2022
Being a Disciple in a Broken World:
An Unlikely Disciple
Matthew 4: 19 & 20 (ESV)
…he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 28: 18 – 20 (ESV)
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1. Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey
2. Linden Tree
3. Lystra
Acts 14: 8 - 20 (NLT)
While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting 9 and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. 10 So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking. 11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human form!” 12 They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker.
13 Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, 15 “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings—just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 18 But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them. 19 Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. 20 But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.
BEING A DISCIPLE IN A BROKEN WORLD // May 22, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — May 22, 2022
Being a Disciple in a Broken World: Paul
Matthew 4: 19 & 20 (ESV)
…he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 28: 18 – 20 (ESV)
Jesus came and said to them,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1. Omrit, Israel
Acts 9: 3 – 9 (ESV)
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.
4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 And for three days he was without sight,
2. Saul on the Road to Damascus
3. Paul’s 1st Missionary Journey
4. Gate into Antioch Pisidia
5. Antioch Pisidia
6. Looking Out
Romans 1: 7 & 11 (ESV)
To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you
Acts 13
STAND FOR LIFE // May 15, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — May 15, 2022
Stand for Life
Life is NOT Subjective
Genesis 1: 27 (NLT)
So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Proverbs 22: 6 (ESV)
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Deuteronomy 22: 28 & 29 (NLT)
“Suppose a man has intercourse with a young woman who is a virgin but is not engaged to be married. If they are discovered, 29 he must pay her father fifty pieces of silver. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he may never divorce her as long as he lives.
1 Thessalonians 4: 4 (NLT)
…each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—
When does life begins?
Genesis 2: 7 (NLT)
Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
Jeremiah 33: 4 (NLT)
For the Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Jeremiah 1: 5 (NLT)
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
Psalm 139: 13 (NLT)
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
LOCAL FOCUS // Sunday, May 1, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/Sunday — May 1, 2022
Local Focus
Proverbs 29: 2 (ESV)
When the righteous increase, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
Proverbs 23: 7 (ESV)
…as he thinks within himself, so he is.
Dr. Benjamin Rush
John Adams: 1 of top 3 Founders…
1. George Washington
2. Benjamin Franklin
3. Benjamin Rush
Today’s Standards: Evangelical
1st Bible Society
1st Sunday School Program
1st Abolitionist Society
Father of Public Schools under
the Constitution
Started 5 Universities…
Women and Blacks
Thoughts Upon the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic
Used to be 13 different nations.
Now One Nation of 13 States.
What must we teach in schools to stay a nation?
1. Love and Serve God
2. Love and Serve their country
3. Love and Serve their family.
We have Anti-Family Public Policy because we have people with an
Anti-Family worldview.
Local Focus
1st 4 Battles of the Revolutionary War:
1. Lexington
700 British vs 70 Americans
70 Americans = Rev Jonas Clark…
Taught = Self-Defense
18 Americans shot…
2. Concord
700 British vs 300 – 400 Americans
Rev William Everson
Now it’s Self-Defense
1st British of the war are shot…
3. Road Back to Boston
4500 Americans along the way
Guerilla Warfare…
4. Bunker Hill
Rev Joseph Willard
2 Companies that joined the others…
Local Victories to National Victory
Great Awakening / National Revival
George Whitfield
Chaplain to the State of Georgia
7 trips on horseback from Georgia to Maine (Massachusetts)
Preached in EVERY town he traveled through…
Preached 34 Years… 18,000 Sermons
80% of Americans Physically heard him preach…
MESSAGE PENETRATION
Local Focus
Vote in America:
1. Must be 18 years old
2. Legal Citizen
Required:
1. Register
2. ID
65.3% of Eligible citizens registered.
100+ Million Americans don’t care…
Presidential Elections:
Last 11: Average 54% Voter Turnout
54% of 65.3% = 36%
Eligible Population Participate…
18%
American Population Determine Who Our President will be.
Off Year Elections:
Last 21: Average 38% Voter Turnout
38% of 65.3% = 26%
Eligible Population Participate…
13%
American Population Determine Outcome: Gov Senator Congress
HE DID IT FOR YOU // EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — April 17, 2022
He Did It for You
Hebrews 12: 1 & 2 (ESV)
…let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Death Benefits
1. TOTAL Forgiveness
Colossians 2: 14 (NLT)
He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
Ephesians 1: 7 (NLT)
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.
Romans 4: 25 (NLT)
He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
2. Deep Healing
1 Peter 2: 24 (NLT)
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.
Isaiah 53: 5 (NLT)
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
Matthew 9: 35 (NLT)
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness.
Proverbs 18: 24 (ESV)
A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Romans 8: 22 & 23 (NLT)
…he creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 23…we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.
3. True Freedom
Romans 7: 15 – 18 (NLT)
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
Romans 6: 6 – 11 (NLT)
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Who are these benefits for?
Acts 10: 35 (NLT)
In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right.
How do I access these benefits?
John 1: 12 (ESV)
…to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
WONDERS IN THE WILDERNESS pt 3 // Sunday, March 27, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/Sunday — March 27, 2022
Wonders in the Wilderness
Mark 1: 6 (ESV)
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
Acts 10: 9 – 16 (NLT)
The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,
10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds.
13 Then a voice said to him,
“Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”
14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”
16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.
Colossians 2: 16 (NLT)
So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
Wonders in the Wilderness
Exodus 4: 22
Hosea 11: 1
Matthew 2: 13 – 15; 19 – 23
Exodus 12: 29
1 Peter 1: 19 – 21
Exodus 13: 21 & 22
John 10: 4
John 1: 19 & 28
Acts 3: 22 & 23 (NLT)
Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’
23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
Numbers 21: 4 – 9
John 3; 14 & 15 (NLT)
…as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
1 Corinthians 11: 23 - 26
For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread.
24 and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people — an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
26 For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
WONDERS IN THE WILDERNESS pt 2 // Sunday, March 13. 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — March 13, 2022
Wonders in the Wilderness
John the Baptist
Luke 1: 14 – 17 (NLT)
You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah.
He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.
He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,
and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.
Luke 1: 80 (NLT)
John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
1 Kings 18
How was John the Baptist like Elijah?
The places where he ministered:
1. Bethany: Beyond the Jordan
John 1 : 28 (NLT)
This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
John 1 : 29 & 31 (NLT)
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.
1 Kings 17: 3 (NLT)
Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook,
near where it enters the Jordan River.
2. Aenon near Salim
John 3: 23, 25 & 26 (NLT)
At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.
25 A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.
26 So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”
1 Kings 19: 16 (NLT)
… anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet.
3. Jordan near the Sea
Matthew 3: 13- 17 (NLT)
Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
14 But John tried to talk him out of it.
“I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
2 Kings 2: 11 (NLT)
As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire.
It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven.
Kings 1: 8 (ESV)
He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?”
8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Mark 1: 6 (ESV)
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
John 3: 7 – 9 (NLT)
When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath?
8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.
9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
Matthew 11: 4 – 6 (NLT)
“Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—
5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”
6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”
WONDERS IN THE WILDERNESS // Sunday, March 6, 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/
Sunday — March 6, 2022
Wonders in the Wilderness
1. Qumran Map
2. Satellite View of Qumran
3. Caves of Qumran
4. Overhead View of Qumran
Why were the Essenes there?
Deuteronomy 8: 1 – 3 (NLT)
Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.
3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Jesus repeated this when led into the dessert and tempted by the Devil…
Matthew 4: 4
Dead Sea Scrolls are the Essenes attempt to live by
“Every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Meticulous care in writing EVERY LETTER…
THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD!!!
5. Mikvah
1. Repent…
2. God forgives…
3. Ritual Bath Declaration of devotion to Righteous living…
Living Waters… Flowing… Aquaduct
US: 1 John 1: 9 (NLT)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Deuteronomy 8: 2 & 3 (NLT)
Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character,
and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.
Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors.
He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone;
rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Then they would sit back down and receive more instruction…
When this teaching time was concluded, the people would go back to their homes and instruct their families…
Why the Wilderness?
Isaiah 40: 1 - 5 (NLT)
Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned. Yes, the Lord has punished her twice over for all her sins.” 3 Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! 4 Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
HOLD ON pt2 // Sunday, February 27. 2022 // Pastor Jeff Hines
/Sunday — February 27, 2022
Hold On (Part 2)
Colossians 2: 6 (NLT)
…just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord,
you must continue to follow him.
Helpful Habits…
1. Keep my heart pure.
2. Stay Alert
3. Be Firm in God’s Will.
Isaiah 26: 3 (NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Psalm 33: 11 (NLT)
… the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.
What is God’s will?
1. To know and love Him (Worship)
2. Join His family (Fellowship)
3. Grow and Mature (Discipleship)
4. Serve people (Ministry)
5. Share the Good News (Witness)
2 Benefits of focusing on God’s will:
1. Tenacity
The ability to persevere when you feel like giving up.
2. Resilience
The ability to get back up each time you get knocked down.
Luke 9: 62 (NLT)
…Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.
Romans 6: 13 (NLT)
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin.
Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the
glory of God.
Helpful Habits…
1. Keep my heart pure.
2. Stay Alert
3. Be firm in God’s will.
4. Have a grateful heart.
Colossians 4: 2 (NLT)
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
1 Thessalonians 5: 18 (NLT)
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Why can we be grateful even during hard times?
1. Because God will strengthen us.
Psalm 138: 3 (NASB)
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.
1 Peter 5: 10 (NASB)
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
Why can we be grateful even during hard times?
2. Because hard times can’t change God’s will!
Hebrews 12: 28 (ESV)
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.