Service Times
Worship Service
Sun. 9:30am – 10:30am
Sunday School
Sun. 10:45am – 11:20am
Prayer Meeting & Bible Study
Wed. 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Crusaders Club (Seasonal)
Thurs. 3:00pm – 5:30pm
Crusaders Teens (Seasonal)
Thurs. 6:00pm – 8:00pm
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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:47 — 32.9MB) Subscribe: Psalm 40:1-8
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Last week we learned God’s decree that all Christians are to give. The first step in giving is to give our entire beings to God so He is free to make us into the image of Christ. Today we are going to look at the desire to give. I find grace to be one of the most amazing things God shares with us. Nothing about grace is demanding, and nothing about grace takes for itself. What does grace have to do with the desire to give? Everything! Every facet of grace is saturated by desire, never by demand. Demand is Law! David is one of the best examples of a man with a desire to give to God, and others, so let’s let him help us answer the question!
- GOD’S MINISTRY 1-6. It is important to notice that this Psalm begins by revealing why and how God was able to minister to David. *If you want to learn how to receive God’s most abundant blessing then do as David did and “wait patiently for the Lord.” The 2nd and 3rd words of this psalm are 2 words we don’t like to hear because we live in an instant society and culture. The picture here is like a thoroughbred race horse in the gate! Did you ever see one just stand there half asleep not caring if the gate opened or not? No! Those horses are anxious, jittering, and snorting! They know that gate is going to spring open and they will unleash all their power and accelerate to full throttle as hard and fast as they can! They want to run! Now, could that same picture be used to define you as you wait on the Lord to minister to you? Are you so excited and eager to find out what God’s amazing grace has in store for you next that you just can’t stand it until He reveals it?The other 21st Century problem with the way David waited on God was that David waited patiently! Wait was the action David took in regards to God’s work in David’s life, and patiently was how David waited on God. David didn’t care how long it took, He was willing, in his heart, to wait on God, as Paul told the Philippians, “Who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” David wanted/desired God’s work, God’s way in his life. Is that the desire of your heart? If you want to be on the same page as God it must be!
- DAVID’S MESSAGE 4-5. David responds to God’s great goodness toward him by telling us what does not please God, then what goes straight to God’s heart as a sweet smelling savor! The wrong approach to God’s goodness. V. 6 Read 6a. God does not delight in performed rituals—no matter what they are, or what purpose the giver intends in giving them! Now look at the right way to view the relationship between you as God’s adopted child and Your Redeemer. David recognizes and teaches us that God does delight in and expect from each of His children personal responsibility exhibited in a desire to obey God! So the question is simple: do you find your greatest delight in giving to God not 10% of what you have to give, but giving Him 100% of you? This will help you answer that question: why would you not give all to Him Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:38 — 30.1MB) Subscribe: Prov. 3:9, 10
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. This is one of the most interesting and complex chapters in the entire book. It is the 3rd time Solomon has written “My son.” The 1st appeal in the book is an appeal for the person of God to live a separated life from evil. It is the doctrine of sanctification being taught in the OT. The second appeal to “my son” is in Ch. 2 and is an appeal to get wisdom. This 3rd appeal is teaches the true Christian to fear the Lord. In this chapter Solomon writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit teaches that in order to receive and enjoy the rich fullness God offers His adopted children, we must be willing to:
1. submit to God all that we are and all that we have; Notice the emphasis is on “all.” We must also follow Christ’s teaching to…
2. love/respect all other people; notice where the emphasis is again. Finally, we are to 3. Display an eagerness to dedicate ourselves to living exactly as God expects us to live as His redeemed. Let’s look at how Solomon teaches us God’s decree to give; that includes all of everything about your life.
- OUR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD! 9. Solomon uses an interesting word that is translated “honor.” The word literally means “heavy” and is used to symbolize or show how much a person actually loves and respects God. Remember Deut. 8:18— “Remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” So the question is: how “heavy” is your offering to God? Are you thinking about your financial giving? If you are, that’s ok, but that is not the emphasis of the verse. Financial giving is only part of the wealth God gives us. Remember that James 1:17 says “every” good gift is from God, so that includes all of everything about your life. *Your wealth is your entire life. Solomon clearly teaches that we are to honor God with all our wealth, not just the financial part of it. So now, how “heavy” is your offering to God? Now let’s look at…
- GOD’S PROFOUND REPSONSE TO US! 10 God tells us to give all our life to Him, and to give Him the first portion of all we produce as a test of our true confidence or trust in Him. For many returns to them far more than they give! Often when a Christian begins their week with proper intents and motives concerning worship, God returns to them an entire week of blessings touch all parts of their life. You have read the testimony of those who come on Wed. evening to pray. Any of them will tell you God has so enriched their lives because they give Him that time in worship and prayer, they find it harder to miss, than to be part of it! You will only understand that by experience!! No one who even casually reads The Bible will miss the truth that God requires His people to give. God is not asking us to do something He hasn’t first taught us by doing Himself. It’s that leadership by example thing! In giving you salvation and all that comes with it, God has given you more than you can give Him throughout eternity! Seriously, don’t you think it reasonable of God to ask you to give Him all your life in all its parts, so He can give to you in good measure, packed down running over, poured into your lap?
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:52 — 37.1MB) Subscribe: James 1:2-8
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Last week we began studying how God governs or manages everything in creation. One of the most comforting thoughts is that God will always achieve His purposes in his creation and sin can never stop those purposes from being accomplished. Today I want to share with you three more truths from Millard Erickson’s outline about God’s sovereign control over all of creation.
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNIFYING! The heart of God and His love, grace, mercy, and His plan of redemption are all designed to draw a person’s life into harmony with God’s will. God has told us what we must do to live a life as He expects His adopted children to do. Go to James 1: read 2-8. James is explaining to us that at different times, places, and in various ways God intervenes in our life in such a way that we understand what we have to do to bring our life into harmony with His will. When we freely choose to submit to God, to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do what God wants us to do, the way He wants us to do it, and at the time he wants us to do it – then the result is that what God wants for us, and what we want for us become harmonious or unified. If you will spend some time thinking about that you will discover how amazing it is; and you will also realize that God is constantly drawing you to Him. The interesting thing about God drawing you is the more He draws you to Him – the more you want to be drawn to Him!
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNHAMPERED! Here are a couple questions for you: is it okay with you that God knows some things you don’t? Is it also okay with you that you don’t or can’t understand everything God tells us in His Bible? The reality is that there are some things it’s just not necessary for us to understand. God’s sovereignty, and His governing of creation is one of the things we don’t need to understand. Proverbs 3:5, 6 is just one passage that tells us that very thing. The point is this: God knows exactly what He is doing at all times, why He is doing it, and exactly what He wants His activity to accomplish.
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNQUESTIONABLE! As with all things concerning God, nothing about His governing activity over His creation ever contradicts anything about His nature or character. For example, the old saying it is never right to do wrong to do right! When a person believes that God is leading them to follow a certain course of action, when all things are the way God wants them, He lets us know we are on the right track. And once you have experienced the providence of God in your life in this manner – you will understand what a comforting and amazing doctrine this is.
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 51:10 — 44.3MB) Subscribe: GOD’S GOVERNMENT PART ONE
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Today we are going to examine God’s government. One way to define God’s governing relationship to His creation according to Millard Erickson is by defining it as “God being actively engaged in achieving His purposes in His creation and that sin cannot thwart those purposes.” I’m going to use Mr. Erickson’s outline. We will look at the first 4 truths today, and the other 3 next week.
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNERRING! God’s sovereignty/providence is what directs the universe, and everything that happens in it. And it is unerring at every point! Caution! Do not confuse or mistake God’s perfect guidance over all of your life for a life of ease. Any true man or woman of God knows by personal experience that God’s perfect plan sometimes leads us through hot fires, dark valleys, severe trials, sharp rebukes, and other life changing processes that are neither easy nor pleasant while they are being experienced. Finally,
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNPREJUDICED! In His sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.”James 1:17 = “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from The Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows.” There are certain benefits or blessings that God’s adopted children enjoy, that the unsaved and ungodly do not. However, God extends much of His goodness to all people everywhere. God’s universal laws work for all people whether saved or unsaved. Gravity keeps everything everyone that it’s supposed to in contact with the surface of the earth; God’s laws of physics are applied consistently everywhere to everyone. The love of God, His offer of salvation to all people without regard to the color of their skin or where they live –all have the same effect on people around the world. Notice next
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNIVERSAL! David says in Ps. 103:19 = “His kingdom rules over all.” We read in Daniel 4:35 “He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, ‘What are you doing?’” Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:27, “ God has put all things in subjection under His feet.” What these Scriptures and others like them are telling us is that God’s governing hand reaches two and touches every part of creation. The emphasis in Scripture is on the good that results from God’s universal governing activity. Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well; Jesus healing the blind man by the pool; or perhaps something a little closer to home! How about those times you have been involved in conversations that’s began with some general topic – and turned to a discussion concerning the Lord? A coworker approached you asking you to pray for them – or ask you to answer a Biblical question? Please understand beloved, those are not random acts of chance! All of those are deliberately planned events that are result of God’s governing His creation. And here is what you should remember about that – sometimes God includes you in His government! Think about that! Now notice
- GOD’S GOVERNING ACTIVITY IS UNIQUE! God’s family of adopted children is now and always will be innumerable. Only God Himself knows the number of people that will eternally inhabit the new earth. But here’s something you must remember –God calls every person to salvation individually! God does not have a family made of cookie-cutter children. You are as uniquely individual as your DNA. In a culture and society where people are being reduced to numbers, God’s children can be confident that He does not allow them to get lost in the shuffle. So beloved, if you are a true child of God rest assured you have His full attention – does he have yours?
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:55 — 38.1MB) Subscribe: This week we invite Herb Bruss to deliver the message that God has given to him for us.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:53 — 41.1MB) Subscribe: Colossians 1:15-20
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. To the true Christian man or woman of God this great doctrine of the providence of God brings the ultimate confidence and security to their hearts in knowing that “for those who love God all things work together for good…” We know that because God’s way is perfect (and David uses exactly those words in Psalm 18:30) all God wills is always flawless and righteous.
- THE INTERPRETATION OF PRESERVATION! Millard Erickson defines preservation as God’s maintaining his creation in existence. Wayne Grudem defines it as God keeping all things existing, and maintaining the properties with which he created them. When we say everything today is the way God created it we mean – water has always been two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen in every molecule – or water has always been water. Grass has always been grass. Let’s consider:
- THE IMPLICATIONS OF PRESERVATION! There are some important truths we need to notice at this point! As we examine these truths they begin to help us see how intricately and intimately God is involved with us as individuals, not just as the human race. The first truth is: All preservation is always in the present tense! Right now you are on God’s mind and He is keeping/holding you in existence, as He has done since your conception. And that just concerns your physical life here and now. The truth is you have been in God’s mind from eternity past until the time you were conceived – then you were not only in His mind, but you became an eternal part of His creation. Depending on both your current relationship and fellowship with God as one of His adopted children – knowing that preservation is always in the present tense – should bring to your daily life security, peace, joy, confidence, and a significant sense of humble gratitude. It is God who maintains our existence, and everything about it! Think of it this way – you continue to exist because God wants you too! A second truth that we should understand concerning preservation is that it should be thought of in a very positive way! We know that God will always act to direct all the affairs of our life so the ultimate result is always the best possible way to the best possible goal! Another truth to consider is preservation is also a means of God’s provision. OT history is filled with examples of God’s provision for His people. NT history records that Jesus told The 12, not to take any provisions with them as He sent them out to preach the gospel, because God would provide for them all they would need – including the words they would speak on His behalf. Now let’s consider:
- THE IMPACT OF PRESERVATION! Go with me to Phil. 1. Look at v. 6. The 1st impact of God’s preservation is that *He will finish the good work he has started in you. God will not leave any part of His creation undone or unfinished – and that includes you! What is the good work God has started in you? A short, clear answer can be found in Romans 8:29 where God tells us His adopted children have been “predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ.” The bottom line is this – if you are a true Christian – it doesn’t make any difference what circumstances you’re under, or what “lot” you consider your life to be – God will finish the good work He has started in you!
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:36 — 33.2MB) Subscribe: Hebrews 1:1-3
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. We must understand there are some things we just don’t and never will understand about our infinite, and eternal God. We must come to the point where we say I just don’t get it, but God does and that is what is important to me. Before we can begin to study what God does in salvation, we must first study how and why God does what He does. The only starting point that ultimately leads to complete harmony, peace, and as much understanding as is humanly possible is – in the beginning God! To start anywhere else can only lead to confusion, turmoil, and utter despair. When we start with, “in the beginning God” we have a rational explanation for the great doctrine of the providence or sovereignty of God. We believe in a personal God Who is infinite in His wisdom, power and righteousness or goodness. We also believe God is the one and only Creator of all that exists; which, by right of creation, makes Him the exclusive owner of all creation in all its parts. We further believe that as a righteous and Holy God, He will act toward His creation in a manner that is always consistent with Who He is. A. H. Strong, defines God’s providence as (on your outline) the actual care and control of the physical, mental, and moral universe. Like all Biblical doctrines, this one can become overwhelming – because it stretches from eternity past into eternity future. So what I want to try to do is answer the question: why do I need to know this in the first place?
In his book, Christian Theology, Millard Erickson gives a clear 4-point answer that helps us see the need, at least for a fundamental knowledge of this doctrine.
First, it is necessary to study the doctrine of providence because it explains how and why God preserves his creation.
Second, the doctrine of providence explains how God is actively engaged in achieving his purposes in his creation and that sin cannot thwart those purposes. Read Ps. 135:5-7; Eph. 3:7-13.
Third, the doctrine of providence explains how prayer brings the Christian in line with God’s purposes, thus enabling God to accomplish those purposes. Read Ps. 84:11; 1 Cor. 12;9-10.
Fourth, the doctrine of providence explains how and why God uses miracles to fulfill his purposes. Read Josh. 10:12-14; John 9:1-7. Mr. Erickson then makes a great concluding statement when he says, for the believer; God is ever present and active in caring for him or her. The Providence or sovereignty of God over all creation should be, to the true Christian, one of the most comforting and reassuring truths in all of Scripture.
If we can help you answer your spiritual questions, call us at (574) 643-9419.
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