Ordinary to Extraordinary
June 23, 2024 • Todd Deering
At the wedding at Cana in Galilee, Jesus would rise to the occasion when the bridegroom had run out of wine. Using this moment of embarrassment for the family to demonstrate and reveal His real power and purpose to the world. This was much more than just turning water into wine; it showed what Christ can do in the hearts and souls of those who have faith in Him. When we genuinely trust in Christ and let Him fight our battles for us, we can see real transformation in our lives as He takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary.
Set Apart
January 7, 2024 • Todd Deering
God chose the Israelites for a special purpose; they were a nation set apart to bring forth God's ultimate plan of redemption to the world. God maintained His relationship with them through the priests of the tribe of Levi. These priests would devote their lives to the Lord and be representatives and mediators between God and the people. When God sent His son into the world, he offered a gift of grace and forgiveness to all mankind, and if they would accept him, they would be invited to be part of His chosen people. They would become the Holy Nation, the Royal priesthood, and a kingdom of priests. The one who surrenders to Christ is enlisted as a priest, an emissary of God called to represent God to the world.
Discovering The Word
November 19, 2023 • Todd Deering
As King Josiah begins his reign, he seeks the Lord and begins removing the idols of worship from his kingdom. As he rebuilds the temple, a great discovery is made, which had been missing from the kingdom for two generations – The Word of God. We can all be lured in by the world's promises of happiness, satisfaction, and the latest trend of finding joy. But nothing has the real power of the very voice of our creator. God’s Word has stood the test of time and offers truth that can pierce the soul, encourage a broken heart, convict us of sin, and ultimately offer mankind the gift of salvation. As Josiah reads the very Words of God, he tears his robes and realizes how far his kingdom has drifted from the Lord.
Outcast
July 23, 2023 • Todd Deering
Jesus came into this world not to condemn, separate, or cast out His creation but instead, He came to offer hope and love to all people. Mankind has a sinful struggle in its heart, a struggle of division, judgment, and segregation. Jesus came to break down these walls and show us how to love people no matter what they are, what they have done, or how much they are like us. Each one of us should look to Jesus and welcome all people into our care so that we have an opportunity to share with them the hope of the Gospel.
Separated
March 26, 2023 • Todd Deering
As we go through life, we all struggle with sin. The Bible says that we are all separated from God and His glory because of sin, and that only through repentance can we walk closely with the Lord and stand in His blessing. The Israelites struggled with this same problem when they came to the city of Ai. A man named Achan would take what did not belong to him and cause God to remove his favor and blessing from the people.
Foundations: God Three in One
September 18, 2022 • Todd Deering
The one true God of the Bible, from beginning to end, has been chasing down His creation to reconcile a broken relationship with a sinful people. And, ever since the beginning, He has had a plan of redemption for us. As we see this plan unfold, we see three distinct persons of God, The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. All three wholly and fully God, yet all three described individually and in depth in His Word. How can we reconcile this reality and who are the three persons of God?
The Simplicity of Christ
March 13, 2022 • Todd Deering
Jesus came on to a very complicated religious scene and started teaching against the Pharisees. How would they respond and what was the message the Christ had for them and in turn us? Matthew 11:28-30 Mathew 22:34-40 John 8:1-11 Luke 18:9-14 1 Timothy 1:12-14 Galatians 3:27-28
In Tribulation
November 14, 2021 • Todd Deering • John 16:33
The bible says that "In this world you will have tribulation", but how can we truly have joy when things are falling down around us? Does God control the good things and the bad? These are some of the tough questions that Job had many thousands of years ago and we still have the same trouble that he did. Let's take a look at the account of Job and see what we can learn about how to handle tough times and how to truly have peace in our hearts through any struggle.
Sacred Covenant
August 29, 2021 • Todd Deering • Genesis 2, Ephesians 5
In the beginning God had a plan for mankind and a plan for marriage. What has the world done to that plan and how does it look different in today's world. Marriage represents something so much greater than just a piece of paper or some regal requirement. Let's look to God's Word to see how things should be. References: Genesis 2:21-24 Isaiah 40:8 Galatians 5:19-20 Genesis 3:16 Ephesians 5:21/25 Ephesians 5:31-32
As I Have Loved You
June 27, 2021 • Todd Deering
Christ sits down with His disciples here as gives them a commandment - To love one another. But how are we supposed to do this in life and what is the example we need to use. References: John15:12 Ephesians 5:1 1 John 3:16-17 John 13:34-35 Romans 5:6-8 Luke 6:32-36 John 15:13 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
In Our Midst
January 24, 2021 • Todd Deering
Sometimes Jesus is right in front of us, calling to us, telling us He is the way to eternal life. When we choose to believe in Him we can have a peace that surpasses all understanding. Sometimes we may be following God in our life and get to a place that doesn't look the way we think it should, is God still with us? As we dig into the Book of John we get to the hour that Jesus has been talking about, the hour that all of scripture has pointed to, and it is not exactly what people thought it was going to be. Verses: John 12: 27-36 John 12:27 2 Corinthians 5:21 John 12:28-30 John 12:31 John 12:32-34 Luke 17: 20-21 Revelation 19: 11-16 John 12:35-36 Referenced: Genesis 22 Isaiah 53:5 Hosea 3 Mathew 26:53 John 8:50 John 8:12
Good Soldiers
November 15, 2020 • Todd Deering
Once we come to know the Lord, we are transferred from a citizenship of this world to a citizenship of Heaven. It is at this point that we serve a new master, no longer do we serve ourselves but the one who enlisted us. Are we following Him or are we entangled in civilian pursuits?