Prayer

March 15, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Matthew 7:7–12

This sermon on Matthew 7:7–12 teaches that prayer is the believer’s way of requesting the spiritual strength needed to obey and follow Jesus. Jesus’ commands to “ask, seek, and knock” emphasize persistent and confident prayer, assuring believers that God is willing and able to answer those who come to Him. Prayer is powerful and available to all of God’s children, not just religious leaders, and Jesus illustrates God’s generosity by comparing Him to a loving father who gives good gifts to his children rather than harmful things. However, this promise is not a blank check for selfish desires; it is meant for those who belong to God and who ask for “good gifts,” especially the spiritual help needed to live out Christ’s teachings. Prayer strengthens both our relationship with God and our relationships with others, enabling us to follow the Golden Rule by giving us the spiritual energy to love, forgive, and obey. Therefore, believers should cultivate a daily, persistent prayer life, asking God for the wisdom, strength, and grace necessary to live faithfully as disciples of Christ.

Living in a Licentious Society

March 15, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Esther 1

Confident Prayer

March 11, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Hebrews 4:14–16

Pearls Before Swine

March 8, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Matthew 7:1–6

This sermon on Matthew 7:1–6 teaches that while Christians should avoid a judgmental spirit, they must also exercise wisdom and discernment about where they invest their time, truth, and spiritual energy. Using Jesus’ warning not to give “what is holy to dogs” or cast “pearls before swine,” the message explains that sacred things—especially the gospel and God’s Word—should not be continually offered to those who repeatedly mock, reject, or show no appreciation for them. The preacher emphasizes that believers should still share the gospel broadly and patiently, recognizing that some people take time to respond, but they should not persist indefinitely with hardened individuals; instead, they should focus on those who are receptive. The principle extends beyond evangelism to other areas of life—discipleship, personal purity, reputation, family priorities, and church worship—encouraging Christians to treat what is sacred with care and not entrust valuable things to people who do not value them, while also warning listeners not to become like the “dogs or swine” by repeatedly rejecting God’s truth.

Introduction to Esther

March 8, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • 1 Peter 1:13–16

A Positive Look at Negative Circumstances

March 4, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Romans 5:1–11

Correction for the Critic

March 1, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Matthew 7:1–5

In this sermon on Matthew 7:1–5, it warns that a critical, fault-finding spirit—what Jesus forbids when He says “Judge not”—ultimately harms the critic more than anyone else. Judgmentalism is defined as willfully focusing on others’ faults to reach negative conclusions about them, and Jesus teaches that such criticism rebounds on us: the same harsh standards we use will be used against us, damaging our reputation and relationships. More deeply, a critical spirit reveals blindness to our own greater sins—the “beam” in our eye—since honest self-examination would humble us and curb our urge to condemn others. Fault-finding also stunts spiritual growth and makes us hypocrites, unfit to help others overcome sin because we have not dealt with our own. Instead, believers are called to repent of criticism, regularly confess and confront their own sins, extend mercy, and help others out of humility and personal victory, remembering that God’s aim in Christ is not condemnation but forgiveness and restoration.

Matthew 11:28-30

March 1, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • Matthew 11:28–30

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

February 25, 2026 • Pastor Joe Dickinson • 2 Corinthians 13:11–14

Bro. Gabriel Echavarria

February 22, 2026 • Bro. Gabriel Echavarria • Philemon 1–11

Bro. Gabriel Echavarria

February 22, 2026 • Bro. Gabriel Echavarria • John 6:5–14

Bro. Billy Ingram

February 18, 2026 • Bro. Billy Ingram • Acts 1:6–11

Bro. Joe Decker Jr.

February 18, 2026 • Proverbs 27:19

Bro. Kerry Nance

February 18, 2026 • Bro. Kerry Nance • Matthew 15:21–28

Bro. David Hetzer

February 17, 2026 • Bro. David Hetzer • 1 Kings 9:10–14