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Elijah Part 3: Trust

Sermon Recap

"God doesn't give us the full picture, He doesn't explain all; He just gives us the next step."

-Ric Garland

Scripture Focus 1 Kings 17:8-16

We are on week three in our series of Elijah, and this week Pastor Ric shares a message on what it means to trust the Lord, a few areas that tend to hold us back from doing so, and how and why we should push beyond them.

Trusting God means relying on and placing complete confidence in Him. Most Christians find this easy to do when things are going well. When you can see God actively working in your life, you can see people being positively affected by your influence, and you can see the big picture; it is easy to trust that God has your back. But what about when life isn't going so well, when you don't seem to be making an impact on others, and the big picture is a foggy mess? It's harder to be all in on trusting God when you don't understand.

But here's the thing.......

God wants the trust of our hearts, not the understanding of our emotions. God doesn't owe us an explanation! - Ric Garland

Three things that hold us back from fully trusting God.

Overthinking. When God's will doesn't make sense to us, we begin to overthink everything. Trust obeys the Word of the Lord, and His Word is clear. If you are unsure of God's will in a situation, then consider that it might be your will getting in the way of His.

"Trust follows the next step instead of demanding knowing the entire journey." RG.

Believing the situation to be impossible. God does not always provide the solution we would hope for in every case. But He always provides a solution. Sometimes our situations seem so impossible that we cycle back into anxiety, overthinking, and second-guessing. Our scripture in 1 Kings today gave such a vivid example of God providing solutions for Elijah every step of the way when he trusted that God had his back. He did not ask God to fill in every detail; He simply took the next step, and God always provided a solution.

Lacking faith. God's provisions and blessings always come through faith.

"When you follow the will of God, giving of your time, talents, or finances and in turn create a need for yourself, God will always fill that need." RG

Have you felt God moving in your heart but failed to act on it? Today our scripture shows how deeply Elijah trusted the Lord every step of the way, even though he could not see the outcome as he was going through it. Was he afraid at times? Confused? Wondering what the outcome would be? Probably but still, Elijah got up and went through as God directed.

When we fail to trust God, we let ourselves down. We go through life half alive, unwilling to be all in for fear of failure, forgetting that God shows us we need not be afraid when we have Him. Next time you feel God moving in your heart, will you trust Him?

Get up. Take the next step. Go through.

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Elijah Part II: Hide

Sermon Recap

We pick up our study of the prophet Elijah again this week. He has confronted the king- a dangerous feat- and survived, but now the Lord has told Elijah to go into hiding. Pastor Ric sets the scene for us and gives us some critical lessons that the Lord taught through Elijah during his time in hiding that we can apply to our own lives today.

Scripture Focus 1 Kings 17:2-7

Listen up

God has a plan for your life. A plan He crafted thoughtfully and in great detail in eternity past. God wants us to live up to that plan! Listen to God; He wants to communicate His plan with you. Plain and simple right? Yet, so often, we choose to be stubborn and ignore the will of God rather than see where His prompting leads.

"If you are confused about the will of God today, it may be a result of not obeying the will of God yesterday." -Ric Garland.

Back up

Most people who are successful at something do not achieve their success by reaching goals and milestones in an uphill, problem-free, linear line. God uses us similarly. If we are listening, we will pursue His calling for us, but that doesn't mean butterflies, rainbows, and a solid track record of success lie ahead. If that were the case, our old nature would probably sabotage the whole thing by glorifying ourselves rather than hitting the intended target of glorifying God. Often, God will set us aside or back so that, if we are really paying attention, we will allow ourselves to be humbled and genuinely vulnerable in front of the Lord. A vulnerable person will walk with the Lord in authenticity, and compassion, lacking fear of the judgment of other men.

"Vulnerable people stop asking "why" and instead trust the "Who." -Ric Garland.

Change up

Change can be uncomfortable for us because of the unknowns. Unknown expenses, unexpected hiccups, additional tasks we hadn't previously considered.. all these unknowns mean we won't have firm control of the new situation. Lack of control is scary! Thankfully God is always in control. Nothing comes as a surprise to God. If we are listening and are vulnerable in the presence of God, then we can have confidence in the Lord's omnipotence.

Dried up

Throughout our scripture focus verses today, Elijah is learning that God would never lead him where the grace of God could not keep him. We can see that lesson repeating in our own lives. If we are following the prompting of the Holy Spirit vulnerably and without fear, then we find that the Lord truly does give us all that we need. However, we often fall short instead interpreting events and circumstances in our lives as a direct and personal attack on us, a judgment of our sins, and betrayal from God. When things aren't going well for us, we begin to feel bitter, and when bitterness takes over, it's off to the races. We allow that person who did us wrong to become a god in our lives by placing our value and worth in what that person says or believes about us- right or wrong. But that's not what God wants. God wants to be the only God in our lives. We can have peace and confidence knowing that what He says about us is far more important than anyone else could. God doesn't promise us easy, problem-free lives, but He is never surprised by our situation, and He never abandons us.

"Dried up brooks are a measure of His love to demonstrate His grace if we open our eyes to His glory and stop being so self-oriented." -Ric Garland.

Key message points:

Deal with your stubbornness.

Learn to be vulnerable

Let go of control and fear.

Remove bitterness and trust God.

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Elijah: Part 1, Who is He?

Sermon Recap

Today we begin a ten-week study on the prophet Elijah. In this sermon, Pastor Ric explains what exactly a prophet is, gives us some background history on the governmental system in Israel, and introduces the "players" in leadership in Israel. This week's sermon gives us a clear understanding of the events that led to meeting the prophet Elijah.

Scripture Focus 1 Kings 17:1

"God does not say, 'Oops, sorry, I have been busy and didn't notice what was going on.' I can tell you-by faith- nothing happens by chance. Whatever happens, God has providentially allowed for it to happen for His glory, and for your good." -RG.

What is a prophet?

A prophet is essentially a spokesperson between God and man who received direct revelation from God and revealed it clearly and succinctly to humanity. A true prophet was 100% accurate 100% of the time- something that is humanly statistically impossible. A true prophet will never contradict or steer you away from God. There are two types of prophets; foretellers, who predict what God will do, and those who forthtell, who declare the truth about God.

Are there still prophets today?

Since the Bible has been completed, prophets today forthtell the truth based on the authority of Scripture.

Who was Elijah?

Elijah was a prophet who came from a small, rugged town called Tishbeth in an area northeast of the Jordan River. His background is unknown, but based on his origins in Tishbeth, historians do not believe he would have been a very polished or sophisticated type of man. Yet, despite his "backwoods" roots, Elijah was one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament.

The End of Theocracy

In the book of Samuel, the Israelites had decided they wanted a human king overseeing their nation, like the other nations around them, rather than God. God allowed this to happen, and Israel was divided into a northern and southern kingdom. Both northern and southern kingdoms would endure many years of evil rulers.

"Israel was born in rebellion and nursed in apostasy. Bloodshed and assassinations, murder, and malice, intrigue and immorality, conspiracy, deception, hatred, and idolatry prevailed for six uninterrupted, dark decades in Israel." -RG.

The eighth King of the Northern Kingdom is King Ahab. It built altars to Baal and Asherah poles. He was a wicked king. It is Ahab's wife, though- Jezebel, who really ran the show both in and out of their marriage. So, it is she who rules the people of Israel. She systematically begins to exterminate the worship of Yahweh, replacing it instead with the worship of pagan gods and idols.

"Yahweh is alive, active, and involved. Nothing happens that a sovereign God is not in control of." -RG.

A Prophecy is Shared

In today's verse, the prophet Elijah comes from out of the blue, a nobody from nowhere, to bring a foretelling prophecy to King Ahab. The prophecy says there will be no rain or dew unless on his command. Elijah had complete confidence in his prediction because God had promised to withhold rain from this land if his people turned from Him to other gods, and that's exactly what they had done. For an agricultural community, lack of rain would be devastating. Elijah's prophecy attacks Baalism at its theological core- if Baal, the god of rain, can't even make it rain, then who is really in charge? Will the people of Israel see their mistake? Elijah trusted God's presence more than he feared the possible consequences from the King for speaking the truth.

Three key points

God is always in change-even when we don't see it.

We have to actively practice the presence of God.

God doesn't want perfect people. He just wants yielded hearts.

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Everyday Christianity: The Disciple-Making Life

Sermon recap

"Rise up and be someone worth imitating." -Ric Garland

Scripture Focus Philippians 3:17

Pastor Ric wraps up our series on everyday Christianity this week with a fifth and final message. This sermon highlights why the everyday Christian life is one of disciple-making and the weight and responsibility that it carries.

In our scripture this week, Paul shares that influence goes both ways, meaning we should surround ourselves with others who will positively impact our lives while being a positive example of God to others around us.

As humans, it is our natural inclination to wish to be a part of something, and the everyday Christian life is a life of fellowship. People who pour into us, and people we pour into. Fellowship, when done right, is an incredibly powerful thing. Fellowship brings joy, strength, security, and unity. Biblical fellowship is built on a foundation of trust. However, it can be easy for a group of people to fall into the trap of cynicism rather than trust. When there is a gap between our expectations and reality, we may find ourselves filling that gap with assumptions rather than asking questions and getting to the root of the problem. So many issues between people could be solved if we would ask questions and be direct rather than cynical of the person or situation.

“A critical element of everyday Christianity is allowing the fellowship of the church to impact and influence your life. If there is a barrier or hurdle there, that needs to be removed ASAP!” -Ric Garland.

Discipleship is allowing others to influence our lives. Being a disciple maker means that I am influencing others to be what I already am. Sounds simple enough, but consider for a moment the responsibility this holds. If others are looking to you as an example of what it means to be a Christian, what do they see? What do they feel? As John MacArthur said, “You might be the only Bible that a non-believer may ever read.” What are they reading?

“Allow God to use your life, to influence and impact the lives of others for His glory. God designed your life in every single minute detail to accomplish His goal, which is for your good and His glory! God designed you to reach someone for Him that no one else can!” -Ric Garland.

To impact others in the way God desires, our lives are to reflect the five elements of the everyday Christian life that we have been working through in this series. Click the links below for a refresher of each part, or rewatch the sermon!

Dynamic Life- A genuine desire to know God.

Dissatisfied Life- Always growing in my belief.

Devoted Life- Singularly focused on bringing glory to God.

Determined Life- Seeing my faith walk through to the finish.

Disciplined Life- Staying focused and committed to all the above.

When we live in this way, we can be true examples of God to everyone we encounter.

“Whether you like it or not, your life is impacting the lives of others. The question is, is it a positive influence towards God, or a negative one?” -Ric Garland.

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Everyday Christianity, The Disciplined Life

Sermon recap

“I discipline my life not so that God would love me more (because he cannot) but so that I learn how to love God more.” -Ric Garland.

Scripture Focus Philippians 3:15,16

We are now five weeks into this incredible series, Everyday Christianity. This week, we look at what it means to live a disciplined life. The direction this sermon takes isn't what you might expect!

What do you think when you hear the word discipline? Rules? Codes? Punishments? Correction? Legalism? Me too. This sermon challenges us to change our beliefs on what living a disciplined Christian life means.

Discipline is wanting something bad enough.

If we do not desire the outcome of something badly enough, we will not put in the work required to see that thing through. We will work to have the time and energy for what we see as important, from the mundane to the supremely important. It is that simple. From improving our health to having a great marriage to maturing in our faith, the growth and success of these things and many more are directly related to how badly we desire the result—the things we want badly enough we will see through to the finish line.

How does that apply to our lives as Christians?

Thinking back over the last few weeks, we have been building the scaffolding to bring ourselves to a place where we can apply discipline to our Christian lives. Consider what we have learned about Christian life thus far;

The Dynamic Life, seeking a real relationship with the Lord. Ditch the checkboxes. Here is where we choose to deny ourselves and trust God.

The Dissatisfied Life is satisfied with what we cannot change and dissatisfied with what we can change. Take a knee. Every. Single. Day. Here is where we choose to die to ourselves and hand the reins over to Christ. He is our ultimate authority.

The Devoted Life looks like a singular focus on bringing glory to God. Here is where we choose to decide to walk by faith where ever God leads.

DENY => DIE => DECIDE

"It is the outworking of a passion-filled soul that desires to experientially know God so much that they become dissatisfied with their beliefs, devoted to one thing- to be complete in Christ, determined to finish. To do this takes discipline." -Ric Garland.

We need to develop the discipline, the determination, to see this race of life through to the finish so that when the day comes that we finally meet God, we come to Him fully mature. That comes from daily decisions, daily actions to be active in God's Word, and applying the principles of His Word to your day-to-day life.

Living a life truly disciplined in faith will not be boring, not in the least. It will be an adventure in freely desiring to know God deeply and learn how to love Him more. It won't always be easy, but If it feels like a punishment, you'll need to go back and reassess the first three steps we have discussed.

"Discipline is the fruit of someone who understands the Gospel and the grace of God in their lives." -Ric Garland.

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Everyday Christianity, The Determined Life

Sermon Recap

The measure of a person is not how much it takes them to stop, but how much opposition they have, and yet they keep going. -Ric Garland.

Scripture Focus Philippians 3:14

In this series, Everyday Christianity, we have talked about The Dynamic Life, seeking to know God personally. The Dissatisfied Life, being satisfied with that which you can not change, and unsatisfied what that which you can. And The Devoted Life, allowing God to be our "one thing," the center of everything we believe, say, and do. This week Pastor Ric gets into what it means to live The Determined Life.

Which of these descriptions sounds most like you?

I feel a strong desire to work hard and do everything "right." I HAVE to check off each and every box that fits into the picture in my head about what a Christian should be, do, say and look like. Sometimes I don't feel like continuing in certain areas of service or with certain people, but I think it is my duty to do so. I feel intense guilt if I ever miss church and worry about what others might think. I always strive to put my best, most "Christian" foot forward. Being a Christian is about being a better me.

I live by the line "by grace through faith," and that is it! Through God's grace and my faith, I know I am saved, and the rest of this whole deal is up to God. I don't have a do another thing. I come to church when I want to; other times, I stay home. I don't think it matters much what I do between now and when I get to heaven because God says He will bring me the finish line. Being a Christian is about God.

Is either of these people more or less correct than the other?

Does God wish for us to sit back and shrug our shoulders, come what may? Or, does God want for us to take a tight grasp on our lives and circumstances and work hard to make it into something we think He would appreciate? Yes….to both. There is a delicate balance between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man, and Paul says it perfectly in Philippians 2:12-13.

The manner of our pursuit towards our goal, our prize, will look different for each of us. It will look different in different seasons of our lives and change as we mature as believers. But the prize remains the same for us all. We will all be subject to judgment someday, not of our sins but rather our motivations and accomplishments. Through obedience to God's Word, our responsibility is to make our salvation real every day of our lives. If we check all the boxes, but our motivations are misplaced, what good was it? If we sit back and wait for God and end up progressing nowhere because we didn't pull our weight, what good was it? The determined life is a both-and lifestyle.

We must be active in our pursuit of a strong relationship with God while also humbling ourselves so that we may live out the missions He has for us joyfully and in the manner He has planned. God's plans are always better than our own!

Let us be people who are in God's word daily so that we may grow to be more like Christ, living lives that genuinely glorify Him while we are here on earth. So that when we arrive in heaven one day, He will welcome us with a cheer and a celebratory smack on the back, as a good a faithful servant.

Some of us will choose not to do this. Instead, we will plant our feet in shallow soil without ever digging deeper for the rich soil. Still, we have a place in the farmer's basket- but we may not be regarded quite as high as those whose roots anchored themselves firmly into the rich soil, and because of this, grew more maturely than we allowed ourselves to grow.

The Determined life is one with a settled decision to finish. A determined Christian life is filled with The Word of God, is connected to other believers, is full of tough choices, and is intentionally focused on being active in finishing within ourselves what God started. Will we do it perfectly? Nope. Will it be worth it? You bet!

I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3:14

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Everyday Christianity, The Devoted Life

Sermon recap

What is your one thing? The one thing that you can’t stop thinking about. The one thing that drives everything you do. It affects every decision you make, every opportunity you take, where you spend your time, money, and energy. The one that if you think deeply about, you might be overwhelmed by emotion. The one thing that everyone sees in you because you are so committed to it that they cant not see it. The thing you concentrate on, believe in, and never shift your focus from? So what is your one thing?

Scripture Focus Philippians 3:13

After a brief, unexpected hiatus, Pastor Ric is back at it again with part three in our series on everyday Christianity. If you have not heard parts 1 and 2 in the series, I encourage you to do so. The lessons are building on one another, and it will be helpful to have a complete understanding of each. This week we examine what it means to live a devoted life, why we are called to do so, and how to apply what we have learned in real-time.

Our "one thing" is the one thing we are wholly devoted to. As Christians, when we choose Jesus to be our one thing, life is motivated by grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, as we-by faith-conform to the image of Christ for the glory of God.

When we instead choose something else to become our one thing, we become the center of our universe, the center of our devotion, and we, consciously or not, are choosing to turn away from God. There is no middle ground. You are ALWAYS either actively walking towards a closer relationship with God or away from it. So often we allow ourselves to live somewhere in between because it is easy there-comfortable. Doing "enough" so that we don't feel guilty- but also not allowing ourselves to fully dive in for fear of the discomfort or "inconvenience" it may cause.

We aren't preparing for a future in this world; instead, we are preparing for our future in heaven.

Realizing this should change our beliefs about what is most important. Living a life devoted to Jesus allows you to make decisions that align with His word, humbling us and bringing our focus towards glorifying Him to which we owe all rather than things of this world that someday will not matter.

4 Steps in Devotion

Be honest and answer the question, What are you devoted to? Remember, the Christian life is motivated by grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, as we-by faith-conform to the image of Christ for the glory of God.

Learn to say no to opportunities that do not fit your devotion.

Keep it simple. Choose one thing you need to work on to bring you closer to your goal and work on only that one goal at a time; complexity is the enemy of focus.

Learn the difference between failure and quitting. When you fail, own it. Then, confess it, make it right, refocus and keep going. Quitting is not an option.

Don't just start the race- Finish it!

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Everyday Christianity; The Dissatisfied Life

Sermon recap

“You don’t change behavior by changing behavior; you change behavior by changing your beliefs.” -RG.

Scripture focus Phillpians 2:12

This week Pastor Ric gets into why Christians should live a dissatisfied life… Wait…What? A dissatisfied life?? Hold on…. Didn’t we JUST cover how Christians should live dynamic lives? That seems pretty much the opposite of dissatisfied…. And I KNOW I am supposed to be content with what I have… isn’t that also the opposite of dissatisfied? This week’s sermon gets to the heart of understanding the biblical difference between contentment and dissatisfaction.

We define biblical contentment as: The learned attitude of a Spirit-filled Christian that has been given all spiritual blessings. They are self-sufficient to accomplish God’s agenda and live above the events and others out of their control.

Biblical contentment is:

Learned- It doesn’t come naturally to our old nature.

Not Easy- You have to go through difficult experiences and situations to fully understand and know/desire contentment. God allows these situations so that we may grow in our faith.

Through the power and strength of Jesus. Our ability to overcome mental stress and be content is given to us through Christ.

Finding peace and confidence in difficult situations, being willing to submit, and accepting God’s will for the things we can not change.

Biblical contentment is not:

Running away from or ignoring hardships

Pushing down emotions when times are hard

Not grieving loss

We find ourselves discontent when we focus on inaccurate beliefs about who we are and what we are capable of based on judgments of others or our own inner critic without pausing to realize who we are in Christ. What does Christ say about you? Whose opinion of us means the most? The secret to contentment is knowing who you are in Christ. (Review Ephesians 1)

We define Biblical Dissatisfaction as: The attitude of not being satisfied with that which I CAN change/control. So what can we change? What can we control??? Ourselves and our beliefs. That is it! We cannot change anyone else. We can influence, pray for, love, encourage, rebuke, challenge, and praise others, but we can not change them.

Can we be both content and dissatisfied simultaneously?

We can be content with that which we can not change while at the same time being dissatisfied with that which we can change. When we know who we are in Christ, we can be dissatisfied with our current beliefs knowing we are called to strive for much higher standards. We should be dissatisfied enough to motivate us to challenge old beliefs and make change happen. There will never come a time when we have “made it” this side of heaven. Personal growth is a faith walk, one in which we are growing to be more like our Savior, who doesn’t just love us- but also likes us!

We can live dynamic Christian lives filled with peace, joy, love, and adventure. But first, we need to be discerning in knowing the difference between contentment and the motivation that stems from dissatisfaction. So let us not settle for okay lives but do the hard work of building dynamic lives. Growth can be uncomfortable. Old habits can be hard to break. But our loving God has given us all of the tools we need to succeed!

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Everyday Christianity: The Dynamic Life

Sermon recap

“We live by boxes. We all have boxes that we check off. We all have, in our minds somewhere, 'Spirituality looks like this, and if I check these boxes off, then I am going to be a spiritual person.' " -RG.

Scripture focus Philippians 3:10,11

Pastor Ric starts the New Year off with a bang here at Epsom Bible Church with this sermon! This is week one of six in the series that will examine everyday Christianity. For the next six weeks, we will get into just what it can look like to live fulfilled Christian lives. And NO, that doesn’t mean a boring life! In fact, quite the opposite. We begin the series in Philippians with Paul, who knows all about living a dynamic Christian life.

In our world, in our reality as humans, we live performance-based lives. Our physical bodies, economic states, social interactions, and interpersonal relationships often flourish or fail in direct relation to our performance surrounding each. So it can be extremely tough to truly accept that our walk with God is not based on those same cause and effect performance markers. This is why, no matter how much we try to deny it, we all struggle with legalistic tendencies to one degree or another. Legalism puts works, actions, and religious checkboxes before our personal relationship with Christ. Legalism isn’t an act but rather an attitude, interpreting the events of the world by the measure of how it affects you. Nothing drains you of life and enthusiasm more than trying to earn acceptance and/or the fear of losing it.

What do you picture when you think of someone who is a good Christian? Do you think they will be judged by those same measures by God when the time comes that they meet Him?

“It is hardwired into our old nature for us to have to compare ourselves, or earn something, or for us to 'make it happen' on our own.” -RG.

Righteousness is not produced by our works, and it can not be earned. Ultimately our humanistic value system is worthless because it is not about us. It is about Jesus, His sacrifice, and the power of His resurrection. The righteousness of God is based on faith and is given as a free gift- no strings attached, to all who will humble themselves enough to accept it. God chose you while you were a sinner, and it is only by God’s endless grace that you have been saved.

“Once you realize that you are truly free from performance Christianity, that EVERYTHING has been accomplished for you. That God can NEVER change His mind. A relationship like you have never had before or will have again begins. God’s Grace moves you, motivates you, and changes you!” -RG.

In our scripture focus verses this week, Paul speaks of the goals of his faith walk:

To know God. Not to just know about him intellectually but to know Him experientially. To live a life where you are experiencing God daily.

To live in the power of his resurrection. To recognize and keep top of mind the sacrifice that Christ has made. Allowing our faith to humble us rather than concerning ourselves with what the world says we should do. The power of God is only limited when we are unwilling to yield to Him.

To have fellowship. To be willing to be misunderstood.

To conform. To be more like Jesus in everything we do!

Pastor Ric challenges us to pick one (only one!!!!) of the following statements that you would like to focus on this week.

As I am living life with all its pains and uncertainties, I want to deepen my knowledge of God as He carries me through.

I want to sense the power that resurrected Jesus from the dead surging through my life to overcome the resistance of sin.

When I choose to suffer for being misunderstood for my commitment, it will draw me closer to my Savoir, who understands.

I need to daily die to self to allow the Holy Spirit to overcome the power of sin in my life.

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Hanukkah

Sermon Recap

What happened in the 400 years between the last book of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ?

Scripture Focus John 10:22-31

Last week wrapped up a seven-week study of Malachi. Conveniently, we find ourselves going into the Christmas season- the coming of Christ. This week Pastor Ric sends us on an intriguing trip through time into the 400 years between the final book of the OT and the birth of our Savior. We also get the rundown on the Jewish holiday Hanukkah and Jesus' role.

Our journey through time introduces us to an extremely corrupt Syrian ruler named Anitcous. He was responsible for defiling the Holy Temple, even offering a pig on the altar as a means to worship the Greek god Zeus. This display was alarming to the Jewish people. An elderly Jewish priest named Mattathias gathered together a group of men who would fight back against the Syrians. Eventually led by Mattathias' son Judah, the group was called the Maccabees and defeated the Syrian army despite unlikely odds. Upon victory, the Maccabees went to Jerusalem. The defiled Holy Temple was purified, idols removed, and the tainted altar dismantled. Since the alter was a porous stone, they could never thoroughly cleanse it, but since it was sacred, they could not dispose of it either. Instead, they set it aside, confident that when the Messiah came, he would tell them what to do with the pieces.

While they awaited the arrival of the Messiah, they built a new altar. When the new altar was complete, they rededicated the altar. Part of this dedication ceremony involved lighting a menorah with purified oil. However, only one day's worth of oil had been left untainted in the temple by the Syrians. So the story goes, the Menorah, with one day's worth of pure oil, miraculously stayed lit for a full eight days. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of Judah's army and the miracle of the oil.

It was during a Festival of Dedication or Festival of Lights- also known as Hanukkah that Jesus was approached by other Jews present at the celebration. Again, they ask him if he is or is not the Messiah. Despite the tremendous amount of evidence proving who Jesus was, they were blind to the truth, and Jesus knew it. Jesus responds that he has already told them, yet they do not believe.

The evidence was there!

Jesus was born to the right family line- David's.

In the right place -Bethlehem.

He made the blind to see.

He made the lame to walk.

He made the deaf to hear.

He went to the poor and brokenhearted.

He raised the dead!

But ultimately, the Jewish people desired a political Messiah, not a righteous one.

They then picked up stones- pieces of the defiled altar (the very altar that was being saved for when the Messiah came) and began to throw the pieces at Jesus. If they only realized what they were doing!

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Sermon recap

Sometimes we get so caught up in serving that we miss the point, allowing ourselves to become busy and we forget the heart of what we are doing. We can become more focused on what we have to do than who we are serving and why!

Scripture focus Luke 10:25-42

This week Pastor Karl speaks on the importance of finding spiritual and relational balance in the holiday season (and beyond!).

No one, anywhere, would be celebrating Christmas if it was not for the fact that Christ was born. Jesus truly is the reason for the season! Christmas is such a fun, festive, and magical time. It is filled with wonderful family traditions and making lasting memories. With all the wonderful festivities that come with this joyous season, we are bombarded with additional commitments, activities, and tasks. Our to-do lists can become overwhelmingly large this time of year!

Pastor Karl shares with us the Parable of the Good Samaritan and the story of Martha and Mary in Luke Chapter 10. Through these verses, Jesus reminds us of the importance of looking out for one another and serving while also being aware of where our focus lands while serving each other.

Here in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus tells the lawyer, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” God calls us to Love Him and serve others so that they may also see Him through us.

We should be serving with open arms and loving hearts. Yet so often, while trying to be good hosts or good employees, or loving and giving Christians, we find ourselves caught up in the details missing the big picture. As with the story of Martha and Mary, it is easy for us to become so consumed by our to-do list and maintaining a hospitable presence that we end up missing out on the joy of connecting with others and sharing God’s love with them. When we fail to do this, we miss the big picture and fall short of bringing true glory to God.

Has your Christmas season been a blur of cleaning, prepping, rushing, wrapping, giving, welcoming, setting up, and picking up? Are you measuring your worth in how busy you have been or how many things you have checked off the list? Pastor Karl challenges us to take a step back and recalibrate and seek a balance between serving and allowing ourselves always to have time to sit at Jesus’ feet and share Him with others!

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Future. Promised. Malachi Part 7

Sermon recap

“No matter how dark this world gets, so long as we have breath, there is hope. We have a Savior!” -Ric Garland.

Scripture Focus Malachi 3:13-4:6

Today Pastor Ric wraps up our seven-week study of the book of Malachi. We discover four types of people represented at the time- and that we still embody today. Pastor Ric challenges us to listen to the description of each type and choose which groups we personally fit into. When we can relate to one or two of the group more than the others, it reveals some specific areas of growth we can benefit from or serve as an encouragement to keep going and growing.

The Deceived

These are the people we hear about most in the book of Malachi. To onlookers, they appear to be “doing everything right.” They even THINK they are doing everything right. However, they are entirely missing the fact that they are not truly honoring God. They are upset that He is not blessing them as they feel they deserve to be blessed. The reality is they have traded their personal relationships with God for the upkeep of their religion. The deceived check off boxes, like attending church every Sunday, but their hearts are not in it.

The Determined

These are people who are consumed by the knowledge of their insufficiency in the presence of God Almighty. They are deeply rooted in their faith. They made a firm decision about God and will never change their mind about Him no matter what heartaches they might face—knowing that God understands their hurt and sees each of their tears. They understand deeply that God is ALWAYS on their side, no matter what circumstances are surrounding them.

The Devastated

These are the unsaved. People unwilling to acknowledge that Jesus is our Savior in this lifetime will spend eternity in Hell. A day will come, as it is promised- when all knees will bend and acknowledge Him, but for some, the acknowledgment will sadly be too little too late.

The Devoted

The devoted are the people who work hard at living lives that bring Glory to God. They are active in their pursuit of Him and present in their relationship with Him. They follow the Law of Christ as best they can daily. They don’t just “talk the talk.” What the devoted say they believe will be evidenced by their actions. They are faithful and true followers of Christ.

Which do you identify with?

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Relationship. Violated Malachi Part:6

Sermon recap

The motive behind any and all giving should always come from a desire to bring glory to God.

Scripture focus Malachi 3:7-12

This week Pastor Ric continues on in our study of the book of Malachi. God has pointed out the Israelites multigenerational disobedience and asks that they turn from this disobedience and return to Him. Unfortunately, the Israelites yet again fail to see where they have disobeyed. So, the Lord reveals to them their fault- calling them out on their misplaced faith, as evidenced by their half-hearted tithing. Old Testament law was clear- Obey, and God will bless, disobey, and He will curse. Yes, the Israelites were paying their tithes- But not the complete 10% that God desired, and not with correct motives or humble hearts. God is ALWAYS more interested in our hearts than our words or actions. Here again, the Israelites were simply checking off boxes; they did not have genuine relationships with God, just ones that appeared good on the surface.

Why does God need my money?

God does not need our money, and no one could ever “out-give” God. The 10% tithe from the OT was not a requirement from God because He needed money, rather it was a requirement because He desires His people to have humble hearts and always keep him first. God does not want money to get in the way of our relationship with Him. The problem arises when people grip so tightly onto their money that it becomes an idol. They idolize their money and the things they can buy with it. We have probably all been guilty of this at one time or another- maybe even right now. Whether it stems from a scarcity mindset, or a desire to appear a certain way towards others, regardless of reason when we allow money to become an idol in our lives, we rob God of the glory He is due. Choosing instead to claim the glory for ourselves. The issue here is NOT the amount of money we have OR the amount we give. The problem is who we are giving the glory to. The desire to be the one receiving glory rather than giving the glory to God is precisely why Satan fell, and the root of all sin.

Under the Law of Christ, God promises to bless and asks us to obey. Giving demonstrates that we understand the grace of God and shows a sacrificial heart. Giving is a form of worship and demonstration of our trust in God to meet our needs.

So….. What should I be giving?

There is no standard for giving, each of us should give within our means. We can pray for guidance on an amount or percentage- and remember that this may change up, or down as time - and life happens. Just because you have always given a certain amount does not mean you should continue to give that amount- pray for guidance!

Giving to the church helps us extend our reach with the Gospel in many ways including the ability to send out more fully funded missionaries, capital region outreach programs, starting our church revitalization, and building a sanctuary!

The most important piece is not the amount you give but the motive behind your giving. Your motive for giving should always come from a desire to bring glory to God.

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Justice. Disbelieved. Malachi Part:5

Sermon Recap

We think...

“Why is it, God? I thought when I came to know Christ as my Savior, and I leaned into your word, and I started trusting in your values and in your principles that everything would go right….But it’s not!!”-RG

Scripture Focus Malachi 2:17-3:6

As we continue on in our study of Malachi, we get into the very relevant topic of justice. Pastor Ric helps us to see some common pitfalls Christians find themselves in and some ways to reframe how we see and experience injustice.

Have you ever asked God, or wondered, why He doesn’t hear you? Why He isn’t helping you? Why your life has to be so hopeless? Or why He is hiding from all the sin going on around you?

You have?

You are not alone.

The Israelites were feeling the same way here in Malachi. Truthfully-all throughout history, people have asked these same questions. Like the Israelites, we often believe we deserve to understand the why behind each injustice we see or experience. We believe that by doing “all the right things,” we deserve problem-free lives. We weary God with our grumbling and arguing about what is and is not just. But, it can feel especially difficult to understand when we see people living in sin yet appearing to be simultaneously living the good life. What is the point, God, of following you if this guy over here can have such a great life and not know you while I am over here suffering? The short answer is: We can not see the whole picture, but God does.

Our perception of God’s justice is not necessarily reality.

Trusting God when you feel like questioning His fairness:

Remember, God’s timing is always perfect. He is ALWAYS working in our lives even when we can’t see it, even when it doesn’t make sense, and even when it doesn’t fit within the mold of our expectations for what should or should not be. There is nothing that has not been sifted through His hands.

Remember, God will ALWAYS accomplish what He has promised to do. There is nothing we can do to affect this.

Remember, God ALWAYS keeps His promises. No sin will escape the judgment of God. It is either covered under the blood of Jesus or will be paid for by eternal death.

People often get it backwards. They think, “When I accept Christ as Savior, God will bless me with everything I want and extraordinary life.”What they should be thinking is, “When I accepted Christ as Savior, I dedicated my life to living in a way that glorifies Him because I owe all to Him who saved me.” We are not the center of the universe as much as we might think we are. God is!

God is Immutable. We can find rest in this truth because it means:

“Nothing ever happens to God.”

His person never changes. Not his mood, not His love for you, not His enthusiasm for you. He is always wise, in control, fair, good, holy, merciful, loving, and just.

His passion never changes. NOTHING can separate you from God. He is ALWAYS on our side.

His plans never change. No matter how much you think you mess up, nothing can thwart the plans God has for you.

His promises never change.

“On this side of glory, He has never promised a fair life. Injustice will happen, so will hurt, hate, and horrible things. But through it all, He has promised to give you what you need to carry out His purpose.” -RG.

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Faithfulness. Abandoned. Malachi: Part 4

Sermon recap

We live in a world where it is acceptable to edit out things we dislike, disagree with, or find offensive. But that isn’t how God operates. God’s Word always tells the truth- even when the truth is not what we want to hear.

Scripture Focus Malachi 2:10-16

This week Pastor Ric delivers another truth-filled but potentially challenging to receive message regarding sex and marriage.

God created marriage before sin ever entered the world. God created marriage as a means for us to find deep, lifelong, loving companionship with another in a manner different from any of the other relationships in our lives. The marriage relationship is different from the other relationships for many reasons, but the main difference is that it involves having sex. Sex is a good and meaningful act between a husband and wife. God lays this out for us way back in Genesis 2:24-25. He created marriage, and He controls its character and laws. God says marriage is a permanent and physical union between one man and one woman for one lifetime. Marriage was God’s first covenant to humankind. A covenant is never meant to be broken. Marriage is a commitment to not only your spouse but also God. But successful marriages take all three being active participants!

Here in Malachi, God calls the Israelites out. His design for marriage was being cast aside; the Israelites were making their own decisions about right and wrong, and in doing so, had been unfaithful not only to each other but also to God.

Is that not exactly what the world is doing today? Making up our own rules about what's right and wrong when it comes to our sexual relationships?

As the Israelites did then, we too attempt to argue our faithfulness and rationalize our sexual sins and immorality by customizing our Christianity to fit what is convenient, feels good at the moment, or is widely “accepted” by the world. But, unfortunately, just because the world widely accepts something does NOT mean it’s okay with God.

When we choose to disregard God’s intentions for marriage or His rules about sex before and within marriage, we allow Satan to create a counterfeit relationship. Satan loves to create cheap counterfeits of the beautiful and wholesome things that the Lord creates. The statistics on pre-marital sex and abortion rates of people who consider themselves to be Christians are jawdropping. Never mind infidelity and divorce! Satan is hard at work lulling people into the false belief that these things are no big deal and will not have lasting effects on their lives. But, they are a big deal, and the result is always harmful to us in the long run.

God takes purity in relationships very seriously because His design for a loving, lifelong marriage is perfect.

“We need to raise up our value system. God is not a cosmic killjoy. He created us for sex!” -RG.

But when we make up our own rules about marriage, His perfect design is lost, and our purity- lost with it.

God gives us 8 principles of purity when it comes to sex and marriage

Principle of Origin- Sex between husband and wife is a good thing. It should never stop.

Principle of Honor-Marriage was God’s first covenant, and He still thinks it’s essential!

Principle of Intimacy- Sex is not just a physical act; it involves the body, soul, spirit, and heart.

Principle of Propagation- A product of sex is children, which is only positive within a marriage

Principle of Temptation- God tells us to resist all sin, except sexual immorality; God tells us to FLEE from this one!

Principle of Ownership- Your body is God’s. He created it, and He dwells in it. He owns it. Therefore, we need to be glorifying God with our bodies.

Principle of Partnership- A Christian is not to marry an unsaved person.

Some of these principles seem easy to follow, others may not, but it’s not up to us to pick and choose. The Israelites missed this. They treated their marriages as a convenience rather than a covenant and then were surprised when their lives and relationships weren’t what they had hoped.

"God doesn’t play games."-RG.

We can not knowingly live in sin while also having true fellowship with God.

Thankfully, where there is repentance, there is restoration. So whether you are married, divorced, or single, as the day you were born, let us be people who commit to purity and holiness in our relationships with one another so that we may live out God's perfect design of companionship.

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Love. Lost. Malachi Part 2

Sermon recap

Scripture focus Malachi 1:2-5

“Just Him saying “I have loved you” should have been enough. It should have been- mic drop-right there-end of discussion.” -Ric Garland

This week Pastor Ric guides us through four verses in Malachi that really cause us to pause and evaluate where our hearts are concerning our relationship with the Lord and our expectations for that relationship.

To recap, the book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and is written by the prophet, Malachi. A Prophet, by definition, is someone who received wisdom and truth directly from God and spoke for God. Therefore, what Prophets foretold ALWAYS came true because it was from God, and He never lies.

The theme in Malachi 1:2-5 is the lost relationship between the Israelites and God. The Israelites were great at practicing their religion, but all the rituals and customs in the world could not foster a real relationship with God when their hearts weren't aligned in truth.

And their hearts were not aligned!

The Israelites had a false definition of love. (Just as we often do today.) They defined love from God as getting what they expected to make them happy. As soon as their expectations of the life they thought they deserved to have were not met, they questioned God's love for them.

Haven't we all been here a time or two?? But, unfortunately, we misunderstand how God defines love. Like a good parent doesn't always give their children, whom they love dearly, what they want, God doesn't always give us what we want or think we want.

"God doesn't give us what we need to be happy. He gives us what we need to be Holy." -Ric Garland.

The truth is- God is more interested in our holiness than our happiness.

Can the two go hand in hand?

Absolutely, sometimes. But not always.

When they don't, it doesn't = God no longer loves me.

"God not only loves you, but He chose you before the foundation of the world to be His child. Not because of your works, your behavior, your talents, or your gifts. It's because of who HE is that He loves you."-Ric Garland

Have you ever felt like the Israelites did? Have you ever said or even thought, "God, I don't see it, I don't feel it, where are you? If you love me so much, then why am I struggling so much?" I bet you have. Have you lost the wonder and joy of your salvation?

Three reasons love can be lost in our faith walk.

Failure to Grow Spiritually. We let our pride get in the way of our growth. God begins to reveal something to us, and then we take over, showing our unwillingness to let His will be done through us in HIS way.

Bitterness. We become so consumed in making sure others "get what they deserve" that we forget it's not up to us, and it's not our responsibility to handle it. In doing this, we are essentially telling God, "I don't trust you to handle this person the way I think they should be handled."

Compromise leads to corruption. This one is sneaky. A cover-up for unbelief. We deliberately violate Biblical principles excusing them with well-worn and well-placed excuses. This might look like misused or misinterpreted bible verses that seem to justify a choice or lifestyle or the use of "God's Grace" to not change destructive behaviors and underlying unbelief.

Remember, God's sovereign will, will be done, but we also have a responsibility. It's our responsibility to believe. When we believe His word, ALL of it, in our hearts and souls, our words, actions, thoughts, and behaviors WILL reflect our level of belief.

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Respect. Denied, Malachi Series: Part 3

“We need to stop playing church.”

-Ric Garland, Lead Pastor

Sermon Recap

Scripture Focus Malachi 1:6-14, 2:1-9

Continuing in our study of Malachi, Pastor Ric gets into the heart and depth of worship and how we respect- or fail to respect our wonderful God.

Respect can be defined as worthy of honor. And honor, glory. When we respect someone, we admire them. We look up to them and follow their guidance. We wish to be more like them. When we honor someone, we glorify their name.

In today’s Scripture, God is calling the Israelites out on their lack of respect for Him. Their worship appears to glorify God, but in reality, their worship is only glorifying themselves. Their hearts are not in their worship. They have lost their fear of God. They are no longer working out their salvation. They have incrementally cut their relationship with God right out of their customized religion. The worst part is that they have become so far removed from real relationship and rationalized in their sin so much that they don’t even realize they are living in sin! They are going to church, and they are bringing offerings-so what if they aren’t the best quality? The Israelites are doing everything they are “supposed to do.” So please God, they snicker; please spell this out for us... How exactly can you tell us we are doing you wrong?

God’s response is clear.

They are giving God their leftovers.

They would never dream of providing a blind or lame animal to their governor, so what makes it ok for them to bring such offerings to God? God calls out their lack of respect.

What happens when we deny God the respect He is due?

We lack awareness of the presence of God. Sometimes, we get too caught up in outward appearances and performances. You can sing every worship song, serve on the weekends, and host small groups, but if your fellowship with God is off-kilter, then you can be doing all these things and not even realize that God has “left the building.”

We misunderstand our self-worth. We are not chosen by God because of what we do, say, or believe. We are not better than anyone else. There will come a day when every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess. God does not NEED us; He WANTS us. How cool is that?!

Worship becomes boring. When we lack respect for God, worship is done in duty rather than in devotion. Church becomes a box to check off. “If God is boring in your heart and life, then that’s not the God of scripture. He is exciting and dynamic! God doesn’t want to put chains on you and make your life miserable! He is there to say, “ I want to give you the most dynamic life I could ever offer. But you’ve got to lay down and worship me. You have to take yourself out and put me in!” -Ric Garland

"We give God enough to quiet our conscience, but we do not give God our best."-Ric Garland. Lead Pastor

God does not give us His leftovers! Not even close. God gave us His only Son! He loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ, who lived a sinless, blameless, worth life for us! You, me.. unworthy sinners. Jesus paid the full price of sin for all. God doesn’t just deserve our respect the depths of what He deserves can’t even be described or truly even understood.

What then does true worship look like?

Wisdom of Worth. You understand and feel in the depths of your soul l the worth of having a great relationship with your Compassionate Creator. Whatever we truly worship in our hearts, we find the time, money, or resources for.

Humility. When we lack humility, we glorify ourselves. God desires us to come to him with humble hearts. When we come to him bearing our hearts and showing repentance, and humility He takes pleasure in restoring us.

Fellowship. God created people to be in relationship with not only Him but also each other. Therefore, we should be giving too and depending on others so that we can work together as one body.

Transformation. God’s word tells us not to be conformed by the world but transformed by the Holy Spirit. “The world is squeezing us, saying, I want you to change your viewpoint, your clothes, I want you to change everything about you. The world is trying to conform us and put us into a box and make us think and act in a certain way.”-RG. God desires our hearts to be changed so that our focus is always on Him, and our worship is always true. True worship to God is a sacrifice of worldly desires so that we can become a living sacrifice.

“The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.” -Ric Garland, Lead Pastor

We aren’t perfect.

We never will be here on earth.

Somedays, we will feel God’s presence so intensely that we can’t help but fall to the ground and weep, overcome but humility and awe. Other times we will realize we are just going through the motions without much of a second thought- and certainly no due respect to our Lord, the LORD of armies. We are incapable of elevating ourselves to where He stands. God stands alone, the only one worthy of worship, surrender, and the love of every human heart.