Month: October 2023

Last Sunday, Terry continued his teaching on the Seven Churches of Revelation. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes and links to Bible Gateway to read verses that Terry references. Enjoy and be blessed!

God Is Coming, pt. 3

God is in the midst of His people, His churches – He knows what is going on in every church.

1 Peter 4:17 – Judgment begins with the household of God (His people – Israel & the Church)

These letters are report cards for the churches – what they’re doing right & where they are going astray and need to change their track.

The Church of Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11)

• v. 8 – characteristics/attributes/names of Christ
• Reminder: stay within the bounds of Scripture!
  • Revelation 22:18-19
• What They Were Doing Right (v. 9)
  • Smyrna was intensely persecuted, but spiritually rich
    • persecution breeds spiritual fervor/revival
• v. 9b – The Jews who rejected Christ & persecuted Christians
  • This persecution actually helped spread the Gospel
• Instruction to the Church (v. 10)
  • Persecution will get worse, but:
    • Fear no more
    • Be faithful unto death
      • Don’t deny Christ; focus on the life to come
• Instruction to the Individual (v. 11)
  • Listen & understand!
  • v. 11b – the Second Death = the Lake of Fire

The Church at Pergamos (Pergamum) (Revelation 2:9-17)

• v. 12 – the sharp, two-edged sword = the Word of God
• What They Were Doing Right (v. 13)
  • where Satan has his throne – Pergamos was an evil place filled with false deities/religions (and a huge temple to Zeus), but the Church held fast to Christ
• What They Were Doing Wrong (v. 14-15)
  • the doctrine of Balaam: they listened to false teaching
  • the devil turned people away to sexual immorality/compromise
  • living in the midst of pagan religion made it hard to stay true to Christ
• Instruction to the Church (v. 16)
  • Repent!
• Instruction to the Individual (v. 17)
  • even if the Church as a whole doesn’t repent, it is up to each person to return to God
  • there is a special blessing for those who listen to the Word and understand it

The Church at Thyatira (Revelation 2:18-27)

• v. 18 – Jesus Christ in His glorified state
  • Revelation 1:13-18
  • One big difference: in ch. 1, Jesus was “like a son of man” – here, He is identified as the Son of God
• What They Were Doing Right (v. 19)
  • they showed agape love
  • they were faithful
  • they served others for the Lord
  • they persevered
  • they actually got better over time
• What They Were Doing Wrong (v. 20)
  • they tolerated Jezebel (one who turns people away from God and to false religion)
• Instruction to the Church (v. 21-25)
  • v. 21 – God wants everyone to repent & gives everyone a chance
  • v. 22-23 – God knows all we think & do; no matter how pious we think we look on the outside, He will judge & punish those He knows are faithless
  • v. 24-25 – to those of the Church who remained faithful, God said to hold on & you will be okay
• Instruction to the Individual (v. 26-27)
  • v. 26 – Praise God for His faithfulness to the individual who overcomes – we will help to shepherd/administer the Kingdom
  • v. 27 – quote from Psalm 2:9
    • there will be no nonsense in God’s Kingdom
    • there will be no end to His Kingdom (Isaiah 9:7)

While Alan is spending his winter in warmer climes, we are blessed to have Terry begin a series on the Book of Revelation. This first message is an introduction and teaching from the first chapter of Revelation. To hear this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes and links to verses Terry references. Praying you are blessed by this series in the days ahead.

God Is Coming, pt. 1

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – In the last days… (before the Lord comes)

Revelation 1

• v. 1 – where the revelation came from
  • from God the Father
  • to the Son
  • to an angelic messenger
  • to John
• v. 2 – throughout this chapter, there are a number of names/descriptions of Christ; the first of these is found in this verse. For the full list, see below.
• v. 3 – a 3-fold blessing to those who
  • read the Book of Revelation
  • hear it
  • apply it
• v. 4 – seven spirits (seven-fold Spirit) = the Holy Spirit
• v. 4-6 – more of Christ’s names/descriptions
• v. 7 –
  • Acts 1:11
  • “even those who pierced Him” = Israel
  • When He comes, the people of God will rejoice, but the people of the world will mourn.
• v. 8 – more of Christ’s names/descriptions
• v. 9 – John was exiled to the island of Patmos (see map) for his testimony and speaking the Word of God.

• v. 10 – “in the Spirit” = worshiping God; “on the Lord’s day” = Sabbath Saturday.
• v. 11 – message was to be shared with seven churches in biblical Asia
• v. 12 – seven golden lampstands
  • Let the Bible interpret the Bible whenever possible (see v. 20)
• v. 13-16 – description of the glorified Christ: who He was before the incarnation, and who He will be for eternity
  • in the midst (He dwells within the Church, His faithful people)
  • like a son of man – John, who spent years in the company of Jesus during His time on earth, wasn’t sure if it was Christ he saw, because he saw the glorified Christ
    • clothed in a long robe
    • with a sash across his chest
    • white hair
    • eyes like “a flame of fire” = judgment
    • feet like burnished bronze
    • voice like the sound of many waters (think of the noise of Niagara Falls)
    • in His right hand He held the seven stars (see v. 20)
    • out of His mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword = the Word (Hebrews 4:12)
    • His face was like the sun
• v. 17 – John (who knew Christ well) fell at His feet as though dead
  • Christ made sure to minister to John before He continued (“Do not fear.”)
• v. 17-18 – more of Christ’s names/descriptions
• v. 19 – the outline of the Book of Revelation
  • things which you have seen (ch. 1)
  • things which are (ch. 2-3)
  • things which shall take place after these things (ch. 4-22)
• v. 20 – Christ interprets the symbols
  • lampstands = churches
  • stars = angels/messengers of the churches

Names /Descriptions of Christ in ch. 1

1. the Word (v. 2)
2. the One who is and who was and who is to come (v. 4)
3. the faithful witness (v. 5)
4. firstborn of the dead (v. 5)
5. ruler of the kings of the earth (v. 5)
6. He who loves us (v. 5)
7. He who has freed us from our sins by His blood (v. 5)
8. He who has made us to be a kingdom of priests (v.6)
9. Alpha & Omega (v. 8)
10. the One who is and who was and who is to come (v. 8)
11. the Almighty (v. 8)
12. the First and the Last (v. 17)
13. the Living One (v. 18)
14. was dead, now alive forevermore (v. 18)
15. holds the keys to death and Hades (hell) (v. 18)

Alan brought a lovely teaching from Psalm 84 for about being in God’s presence. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included Alan’s outline with some notes and links to Bible Gateway to read Scriptures Alan references. Enjoy!

A Psalm About Being in God’s Presence

Introduction: Three Ways God is Present

1. His omnipresence (Psalm 139)
2. His positional presence – the temple, the tabernacle, where believers are gathered (Matthew 18:19-20)
3. His indwelling presence (John 17:20-23)

Psalm 84

1. Three Results of Being in God’s Presence (Psalm 84:1-2)
   • Where God is present, there is beauty.
     • It’s a beautiful thing to see God’s presence in His people.
     • Keith Green “Stained Glass” (click to listen on YouTube; scroll a bit to read the lyrics in the comments)
   • God’s presence creates a hunger for more of Him.
     • Sometimes we aren’t hungry for God because we are satiated with everything else.
     • We don’t know we are to hunger for Him.
     • Psalm 63:1
   • God’s presence brings a substantive joy to the whole of our person.
     • Psalm 16:11
     • Psalm 32:11
     • Psalm 51:12
     • It’s a joy built on the surety of salvation, walking in God’s way, and having Christ’s righteousness.
2. Contentment in God’s Presence (Psalm 84:3-4)
   • God’s presence lets you know you are valuable.
     • The Psalmist says something about two birds which Jesus mentions in the New Testament:
       • Sparrows
         • was considered a worthless bird, but God values it and gives it a home (Matthew 10:29)
         • God gives a home to birds, how much more does He value us?
       • Swallows
   • God’s presence can be a remedy to restlessness.
     • A swallow is always darting about, but even it has a nest.
     • Matthew 11:28-29
     • When we sacrifice those things that make our spirit restless on the altar of God, we can find peace in Him.
   • God’s presence is an inexhaustible personal resource.
     • He is to David the “Lord of Hosts” and “My King.”
     • God is not so exhausted in taking care of the multitudes that He wouldn’t have enough time for you individually.
3. God’s Presence in Our Hearts (Psalm 84:5-11)
   • God in our heart is a source of daily strength in life’s trials, if we really want it.
     • To want it, we have to keep our heart highway open to God (Philippians 4:13)
     • “I can’t; He can. He never said I could; He always said He would. And He always will.” -Major Ian Thomas
   • God in our heart can turn sorrow in our lives into a spring in others’.
     • Living Water (John 7:38)
   • God in our heart is our shield and our anointing.
     • He sets our hearts apart to Him.
   • God in our heart should be seen as better than everything else.
     • Is it?
     • Better is one day in Your courts!
   • The evidence of God’s presence in our heart is how much we really trust Him.

Terry spoke a few Sundays ago on “The Call” and the people who answer God’s call. To hear this message, simply click play on the audio player below. *The recorder was turned on a bit late, so the introductory part of the message is missing. Also included are some notes and links to Scriptures he references in this message.

The Call

God’s ways are not our ways! (Isaiah 55:8-9)

2 Peter 3:9 – God doesn’t want anyone to perish.

The Holy Spirit draws us to God (John 6:44).

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

• God doesn’t always (or even usually) call the qualified (1 Corinthians 1:26)
• 5 Types of People that Answer God’s Call (1 Corinthians 1:27-28) *the recorder was turned on at this point
  1. foolish things of the world: how the world views us
  2. weak things: those that need help/don’t have it all together
  3. base things: lowly, ignoble, without family (unimportant to the world)
  4. despised things: those the world has turned its back on
  5. the things that are not: those counted as nothing in this world
• Why? So we won’t glory in ourselves, but in God. (1 Corinthians 1:29)
  • What causes a Christian to be successful is not who we are on our own, but how much God can work through us.
  • Humble thyself so He can lift you up (1 Peter 5:6)
  • Philippians 3:3-14 – Paul’s testimony
    • let go of ourselves
    • take hold of Christ
  • Isaiah 42 – the Suffering Servant
    • God specializes in using damaged people (Isaiah 42:3)

Loving God with Our Soul was Alan’s fourth part of his continuing series on Living the Great Commandment. To listen to this message, simply click play on the audio player below. Also included are Alan’s outline and links to Bible Gateway for the Scriptures he references. Enjoy!

Living the Great Commandment (Part 4)

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:36-40; Luke 10:25-28; Mark 12:28-34

Loving God with Our Soul

1. Defining the Soul:
   • The word translated soul is the Hebrew word Nephesh, meaning “breath of life” (Genesis 2:7).
     • The idea is our life as it is connected to the creator God. The concept of the soul as something separate from the body is more of a Greek philosophical concept and would have been foreign to the Hebrew mindset.
     • When the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) is translated, in the majority of English translations, as “love God with all your soul,” it is saying love God with the whole of your being, as it is connected to your Creator. He is the breath of life in your throat and lungs, so love Him completely.
2. Soul Satisfaction (Psalm 42:1-2; Psalm 23:3)
   • What we look to for satisfaction in our lives exhibits where our love allegiance lies. The soul is always seeking satisfaction.
   • “God is most satisfied in us when we are satisfied in Him.” -John Piper
   • If we say we love God, our lives must be shown to be satisfied in God.
3. A Soul Story (Luke 7:31-48)
   • This story is a great picture of love allegiance defined by what a person treasures.
   • What do you really treasure?
4. The Soul and Emotions
   • The soul and sorrow:
     • St. John of the Cross – “the dark night of the soul”
     • Jesus was called “a Man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3)
     • John 12:27
     • Psalm 42:3-5
   • The soul’s delight and joy:
     • Psalm 35:9
     • Psalm 63:5
     • Psalm 94:19
5. The Soul and Eternal Life
   • Luke 10:25-28
   • Luke 12:13-21
   • 1 Corinthians 15:42-58
   • Proverbs 19:16
6. Conclusion
   • Our lives have an eternal dynamic. If our lives demonstrate a love for God and others, that is evidence we are in right relation to God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. To be in relation to God the Father and His Son through the Spirit is to have eternal life.

Alan continued his series on Living the Great Commandment by teaching us about “The Mind and Loving God and Our Neighbor.”

Living the Great Commandment, pt. 3

Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:36-40

The Mind of God and Loving God and Your Neighbor

1. Big Starting Point
   • Our love for God is based on His first loving us. His love has flowed to us to flow out of us. Our love for God involves seeing His mercy and lovingkindness to us (Psalm 51:1, John 17:26). God demonstrates His love in giving His Son (John 3:16).
2. How do we use our mind for loving God?
   • Have a mindset that thinks upon God & the things of God and see life from a Christ-minded perspective.
   • You become what you think (Matthew 12:34).
     • 2 Corinthians 10:3-7
       • Having a mindset on God requires more than just human effort. Foremost, it requires the Spirit.
       • Having a mindset on God makes you aware of arguments and obstacles against God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
       • Having a mindset on God involves a knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:15-23).
       • Having a mindset on God requires obedience (2 Corinthians 10:5).
   • What you should think upon (Philippians 4:1-9)
   • Two kinds of mindsets (Romans 8:5-11; Galatians 5:13-26)
     • A mind that is set on the flesh has 4 characteristics:
       • The end is death (meaning the absence of the Spirit)
       • Hostile to God
       • Doesn’t submit to God
       • Cannot please God
     • A mind that is set on the Spirit has 2 main characteristics:
       • Life alive in Christ
       • Life lived in peace
   • A mindset on Christ looks after others, not just one’s own needs (Philippians 2:1-11)
3. Conclusion: The only life that was ever lived as God intended mankind to live was lived by Christ. Our obedience is found in being Christ-like. We bring Him glory by loving Him and loving others.