Simple Church

Paradise.  The perfect couple.  The perfect food supply.  The perfect place.  Then, satan comes along. 

What were relationships supposed to look like?  What do they look like now that sin has entered the world.  

The best new: once sin enters the world, it is immediately defeated.  

Yoked, part 2 - Genesis 2:15-25, 3:1-21

If you are wanting to avoid spiritual warfare...do nothing.  Because when Paul describes how to put on spiritual armor he's talking to people who are actually going into battle.  And the people who are really ready to go into battle better put on the armor.  

We have the wrong idea if we think that when we are doing something for God it should be easy.  Just ask Nehemiah.  

Spiritual Warfare, part 3 - Nehemiah 4

What percentage of the time do you think we see guys bringing a girl to church instead of the other way around? 

What percentage of faithful church attendees stop attending church altogether once they get involved in a new relationship with someone? 

A young couple are pledged to be married, and miraculously the girl comes up pregnant.  He's hurt.  He's done.  But he's in love with both the girl and the God he serves.  

Before Mary and Joseph were ever betroth to be married they separately already had a foundation of righteousness before God.  Even in the midst of things, seemingly, not working out like Joseph wanted them to he still obeyed the Lord.  Joseph was seeking the Lord before all that started, and that formed his obedience during the most difficult times.  

Yoked - Matthew 1:18-25

"This war is not fought on foreign ground. This war is fought in our backyard; it's in our home."

Satan tried to disrupt. 

Jesus was (and is) the answer.

Evil spirits beat up a false Christian. 

Jesus was honored. 

Evil confessed. 

And the Gospel spreads. 

The Name of Jesus is not something to be played around with. 

Spiritual Warfare, Part 2 - Acts 19:8-20 

We don't give the Holy Spirit enough credit of what He can do in our life.  He will one day raise us from the dead; He will bring us to live with Him forever.  Then why don't we think He is powerful enough right now to help us walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh today? 

No longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness. 

Romans, Part 5 - Romans 8:1-11

Faith brings joy.  We get distracted by all the stuff right next to us because it's the closest to us.  We have to remember God is near.  

The hard times - life, work, circumstances, relationships - it's temporary.  And the trials God brings our way don't just pile up against us - they are FOR us.  The trials bring a hope of salvation that we could not otherwise experience. 

Jesus dying on the cross seemed awful, but it was the best thing that could have ever happened. 

Romans, Part 4 - Romans 5:1-11

Ransom.  The price that is paid for a hostage. The price that is paid to get someone back.  

Redeemed isn't just about Ruth and Naomi or Gomer and Hosea; it's about us.  It's our story.  There was a price that had to be paid for our redemption and Jesus was the only one that could pay it.  Jesus looked at His life as a servant and a ransom because He wants a relationship with me more than I want a relationship with Him. 

Redeemed - Ransom for Many - Mark 10:35-45 

What do you have to do to be able to share the Gospel?  Share your story.  And the beauty of it is that when we share Jesus with others we are all the same - we are all sinners.  

Everything in history points to the same place - faith in Jesus.  Old Testament animal sacrifices, the way the enemy was punished in the Garden of Eden, and the heroes of our faith.  It all points to a faith in Jesus. 

Romans, Part 3 - Romans 3:21-31

What God asked Hosea to do was crazy.  But what God was asking Hosea to do wasn't just about him; it was so that God could be glorified and the people would know of His love. 

Sin led Gomer to chase after things that would only leave her empty time and time again.  It's the double trap of sin: sin entices you away from God and then condemns you after you've done it.  And yet, even through all the sin in Gomer's life, all her husband wanted was her.  

All God wants is you.

Redeemed - Hosea 1:1-9; 3:1-5; 6:1-6

September 6 - Ruth to Redeemed

Boaz was a man of integrity, and Ruth and Naomi were in great need.  And with six scoops of barley, he gave them the assurance of a promise to cover them during their time of need.  They needed provisions.  They needed hope.  They needed a redeemer.   

Ruth had a one time been with people who did terrible things in the sight of The Lord.  And now, when all hope nearly seemed lost, and in a way that only God could orchestrate, she was about to be in the lineage of Jesus - our Redeemer.  

Ruth to Redeemed - Ruth 3 & 4