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10.30 AM Worship Celebration
Nursery classes are provided
Weekly Bible Study
Wednesday 7 pm
Communion
1st Sunday
Pastor
Dr. Richard Winter
Growing, Serving & Saving
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Recent Sermons
“I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB"
Gal 2:20 (GW)
20 I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live I live by believing in God's Son, who loved me and took the punishment for my sins.
Gal 2:20 (GW)
Pastor Richard Winter (audio file)on 07/04/2010
“I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB"
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or to often that this great nation was founded not but religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."
-- Patrick Henry
"Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they even attempt to remove religion from politics."
-- George Washington Farewell Address to Nation
"The 1st amendment has created a wall of separation between church and state, but that wall is a one directional wall, it keeps the government from running the church, but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government."-- President Jefferson
"THE PATRIOTS"
“THE CHRISTIANS”
THE PATRIOTS
1/ THEY MADE A BOLD DECLARATION
2/ THEY PAID A HIGH PRICE
3/ THEY REAPED A GREAT REWARD
DECLARATION SIGNERS
2 became Presidents
10 US Congressman
19 Judges
16 became Governors and dozens of others held other high political offices
“THE CHRISTIANS”
A. WE TOO MADE A BOLD DECLARATION
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me...“
Gal 2:20
B. AND LIKE THE PATRIOTS WE MUST ALSO PAY A HIGH PRICE
"Then the people answered, `far be it for us to forsake the Lord and serve other gods!...We too will serve the Lord, because He is our God..."
Josh 24:16,18
"Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers who had brought them out of Egypt They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them."
-- Judges 2:11,12
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Lk 9:23
"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.
Lk 7:21
"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for anything good."
Titus 1:16
"SELF"
To the people is Jesus day picking up ones cross meant only one thing.....DEATH.
C. WE ALSO WILL REAP A GREAT REWARD
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set free..."
Jn 8:32
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed..."
Jn 8:36
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.."
Rm 8:1
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...." Rm 8:18
"He has given us new birth into a living hope...and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you..."
1 Pe 1:3,4
The declaration is bold : "Jesus is my Lord“
The price is high :
"Die to self"
But the reward is greater
HAPPY LIFE and a
Happy July 4th
“ENJOYING GOD" Part 1
Jer 9:24 (GW)
24 If they want to brag, they should brag that they understand and know me. They should brag that I, the Lord, act out of love, righteousness, and justice on the earth. This kind of bragging pleases me, declares the Lord.
Jer 9:24 (GW)
Pastor Richard Winter (audio file) on 6/27/2010
“ENJOYING GOD" Part 1
“What do you want to be for your children?” a Father was asked .
Reply: I just want to be the kind of person my children enjoy and I want them to know how much I enjoy them”
“Let him who boasts, boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth for I delight in these.”
Jer 9:24
“What is the chief end of man?” to which they answered
“To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
WE MUST KNOW WHO WE ARE
WE MUST KNOW OUR ENTITLEMENTS
WE MUST LIVE UP TO WHAT WE HAVE
Ephesians 1:1 says “Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus.”
1. SAINTS ARE SINGULARLY SELECTED
- by God for His purposes
- life is to be enjoyed now and eternally
2. A SAINT IS HOLY
- perfection is unattainable in this life
- holiness indicates to the world you belong to God
3. A SAINT IS FAITHFUL
“To the saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus.”
Eph 1:1
true enjoyment comes from doing what you know is right
sainthood frees us to enjoy God,
His creation and His blessings
4. A SAINT IS ORDINARY
everyday people are God’s focus and He loves us
where ever we are living we are called to enjoy what God has given us
….in this world we must focus on the right objects and always looking backwards means we will never see what is in front of us ……
LET GOD LOVE “YOU”
“ENJOYING GOD" Part 3
Eph 1:13=14 (GW)
13 You heard and believed the message of truth, the Good News that he has saved you. In him you were sealed with the Holy Spirit whom he promised. 14 This Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will receive our inheritance. We have this guarantee until we are set free to belong to him. God receives praise and glory for this.
Eph 1:13=14(GW)
Pastor Richard Winter (audio file) on 7/18/2010
"ENJOYING GOD" Part 3
Today we will examine a work of the Holy Spirit that is designed to let you know that God is within your life and you can relax and enjoy Him
Paul described this experience as a sealing of the Holy Spirit “And you were also included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation. Having believed you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of his glory”
Eph 1:13-14
We get a clue to the spiritual meaning of Sealing when we look at Jesus and his words about his own sealing
John 6:27 “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you. On Him the Father has placed his seal of approval”
“This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”
Matt 3:16-17
“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me as the scripture says, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
John 7:37-38
John the writer disciple even goes on to clarify the saying even more But he spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Vr 39
“I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I is coming, whose sandal straps I am not worthy to lose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Luke 3:16
This is how the divine Godhead operates : in perfect union
- the Father adopts us all
- the Son redeems us
- the Holy Spirit seals us
The Holy Spirit melts the wax of our lives and presses in the seal of Christ : and the result of our sealing is a 3 part activity
-1stly there is confirmation : the assurance of salvation
-2ndly there is conformation : we are changed into Christ’s image
-3rdly there is conflagration: we are set on fire for God’s purposes
WHY WE CLAMP THE LIDS ON
Unfortunately we see many saints of God stopping after salvation
Now this is not the fault of Christ
Some folk are victims of incomplete biblical instruction
Preachers can only take people where they have been
When we struggle with letting God be in control
-we know we are living in our own strength
-and we know we are not enjoying God
-we never discover how to really enjoy God
THE SPIRIT PROVIDED PRO- NEWAL
The sealing of the Spirit provides pronewal
Pro meaning : forward
Newal meaning : newness
THE DEPOSIT OF HEAVEN
Paul says this sealing is a guarantee of our inheritance
-an earnest deposit, a down payment
-we move to enjoy what God has provided for us
-the sealing is only the beginning
Make a time to be open to God for all his fruit and gifts
"ENJOYING GOD" Part 4
Eph 1:17-18 (GW)
17 I pray that the glorious Father, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know Christ better. 18 Then you will have deeper insight. You will know the confidence that he calls you to have and the glorious wealth that God's people will inherit.
Eph 1:17-18 (GW)
Pastor Richard Winter (audio) on 7/25/2010
"ENJOYING GOD" Part 4
A Series
LOOKING WITH A NEW SET OF EYES
This week the news has carried the wonderful scientific breakthrough
-corneal transplants are now possible with new cells being grown
But the bible also speaks about a second set of eyes that we all have
1. HEART EYES
Paul writes in Eph 1:17-18
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father may give you the spirit of Wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”
Our hearts have eyes
-the heart eyes are our inner eyes and what do they do
-they give us tha ability to discern truth
-to feel the true emotion that truth reveals
-and take us to truth obedience to God’s plan for our lives
2. PHYSICAL EYES
Prior to our relationship with Jesus we saw through natural eyes
Conversion is equivalent to a cataract removal surgery
We are now just ready to receive and understand what the Lord can do for us…this is what we should see…these 3 things
The heart eyes of the church in Asia Minor needed to be opened
All of Christianity is an affair of the heart
-we love with the heart, the deep seated emotions are of the heart
-we praise from the heart with the expressions of love
-we are now called to see the world from the heart not the eyes
-are our spiritual eyes open
-do they need a spiritual awakening today so we can see what God has ready for us to enjoy?
WHAT TO SEE WITH SPIRITUAL “HEART” EYES !!!
1.THE HOPE OF OUR CALLING
Our calling is obvious we have been called to be saints
Our hope is not a wish
Think of the words from Jer 29:11
“For I know the thoughts I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts of good and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Hope is not what Christ gives it is what He is: he is our hope !
Proverbs 23:7 reminds us that we become what we think we are
“For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”
2.THE RICHES OF HIS INHERITANCE
“All that the father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out….this is the will of the father who sent me, that all he has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life.” Jn 6:37-40
3.THE GREATNESS OF HIS POWER
Eph 1:19-21
“And his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead an seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.”
“Jesus said where he went we would go also “
Think then of your mind as a kingdom.
Who is on the throne of that kingdom?
If you are on the throne remember its Jesus’ kingdom and he must be enthroned
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