Friendship Community Church

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Sermon Series "Waging War"

Victory

December 31, 2023 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

So the presents are unwrapped but do you feel His presence? Take a minute to reflect on this next question before you answer it...ready...Do you feel Victorious? In what or who? Are you in a battle or trial right now, with your health, a relationship, life in general? Does your life have PURPOSE? When you look in the mirror are you content and feel blessed or cursed? Are you proud to be a Christian today? Are you fired up to go to battle for your Commander? Do you believe that we are winning the War? Do you feel prepared to continue the War? This week we will be finishing the teachings of the Holy Spirit on Waging War - The Victory. If you have been part of the training program at Friendship since August we have been learning about the Spiritual War that we are in and how we need to defend ourselves and loved ones from the evil that exists. This week we will find encouragement from our Commander so you do not want to miss this! Commit yourself and your family to following and listening to the Holy Spirit of God and we look forward to fellowshipping and praying with you this week.

Christmas Eve Service 2023

December 24, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Holy Light"

"The Big Picture"

December 24, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst" - 1 Timothy 1:15 Jesus was born to die. He came to be the Savior for us and for the whole world. Believers know this, but we tend to lose sight of it this time of year. We focus on the joy and the miracles and the celebration of His birth like somehow it's separate from His purpose. But God was planning this and foretelling it through the Law and Prophets for well over a thousand years, which means the Messiah's birth and death would always be linked. In order to save us and provide for our forgiveness, He had to shed His blood, something one can only do if they become flesh. This weekend at Friendship, we'll talk about "The Big Picture" of Jesus' birth for not only His own parents, but the whole world. If we want to wage war against the enemy, we must yield our own understanding to His; we must let go of our small picture of our circumstances and surrender to His big picture plan, even when we don't understand it.

"Interrupting Evil"

December 17, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted" ~ Job 42:2 In this short statement by the faithful and patient Job, he declares not only God's sovereignty, but also His omnipotence. He is able to do whatever He wills and if He wills it, no one can stop Him. While most believers do not doubt this statement, how many of us actually live like it? To know that God's purpose is still on schedule no matter what we are dealing with should be somewhat life-changing for all of us. When someone mistreats us or something bad happens to us, we can trust that God sees it all and that He decides how much we can take before He steps in to put a stop to it. This is what He did with Job, and it's what He does with each of us, as Satan seeks to devour each of us. Satan has been working against God's plan for more than 6,000 years, but God always breaks in and shuts down his work. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about God's work of "Interrupting Evil" and specifically how God made a way for the Messiah to be born even though Satan's every move was to stop it. We'll also discuss what this means for us, and how we can rejoice in all circumstances because of Jesus. Join us to check it all out!

"Aware of the Enemy"

December 10, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it" - Genesis 4:7 We clearly live during a time when the devil is right next to us, and his temptations are crouching at our door, yet we don't even see him. The world has confused what is good and what is evil, and sadly the Church has done little to bring clarity and truth. In some cases, the Church has muddied the waters even more! We are more distracted than ever, which makes us less aware of the enemy's schemes, which makes us more vulnerable than ever. The best way to decrease our vulnerability is to stay constantly alert and vigilant as the New Testament commands. We have to become familiar with the ways the devil will try to trap us, and then humbly submit to Christ and resist the devil. This week at Friendship, we will further discuss what it means to be "Aware of the Enemy", and we'll specifically talk about making sure we don't think too highly of ourselves, for it's when we think too highly of ourselves that we let our guard down and become most susceptible to him. We hope you'll join us for this very urgent instruction that impacts our every day!

"Following Orders"

December 3, 2023 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV Who or what are you listening to for direction for your day? What is your plan of action if you are blessed with another day? When something goes right or wrong in your journey who or what do you give credit to for that? How many people define their success by saying, "I am the best at _____"? Too often, we listen to ourselves for direction, and that's when we get into trouble, or worse, we have success. When we don't listen to our heavenly Father, Jesus Christ our Teacher, and the Holy Spirit of God our Advisor, we take matters into our own hands, or the hands of others, and basically try to become independent of God's wisdom. If you think of yourself as a computer, what software are you running on, and is it constantly being updated? Here is another thing to consider: are you in charge of your life, and is it your life to be in charge of or was it bought and paid for by someone? If you claim to be a Christian, then one can argue that you are now a slave to Christ, or, in our current series inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, WE ARE SOLDIERS! And we are not just any soldiers, but soldiers for the ARMY OF THE LORD! This week at Friendship Community Church, there is a briefing on "Following Orders" and what orders we ought to be following as believers. So gather up as many soldiers for Christ as you can and "fall in line" to worship with us!

"Divine Weapons"

November 26, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

We have much to be thankful for, my friends. Even if this year has been a tough year for you, or if this time of year is always tough for you due to the circumstances you've faced or losses you've grieved, we have reason to give thanks and see evidence of God's faithfulness everywhere we look. Knowing that He is sovereign and that we have hope no matter what allows us to have the appropriate perspective regarding our struggles and the ways in which the enemy of our souls comes against us. It may be through circumstances, through temptations, or even through other people that he tries to wreak havoc in your life. Don't fall for it. Choose to fight your battles using the Lord's ways, rather than your own. This week at Friendship, we'll be talking about the "Divine Weapons" that are available to us particularly in conflict with others. And those weapons may not be what you think they are. Prayer, fasting, and worship are good, but the Lord's weapons are to follow the Lord's ways - gentleness, kindness, love, humility, sacrifice, forgiveness, servanthood, just to name a few. As the holidays are upon us and we spend more time with those close to us, we want you to be prepared for conflict with the tools which may be weak to man, but are mighty in God.

Armor Up

November 19, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him" ~ Psalm 28:7 As many of you know by now, my first taste of Dover, Pennsylvania came not through this congregation, but through my job as a driver for FedEx Ground way back in 2004. While working that route for over four years, the absolute best time for business and the absolute worst time for stress levels was the holiday season. I often allowed the stress of the job during that time to rob me of joy and gratitude in a season when both should be on the forefront of my mind as a believer. The truth is, this happens to far too many of us. As you think about Thanksgiving next week, is your mind filled more with stress and worry about preparations, or gratitude for God's great mercy and grace in your life? As you consider that Christmas is under six weeks away, are you worried about shopping, money, and family plans, or focused on what the arrival of the Savior as meant in your life? The devil sometimes tempts us into sinful actions, but other times his goal is merely to make us forget about God, to become indifferent to what He has done and is doing for us. Either way, we need to wage war against his plans. This week at Friendship, we will discuss what it means to "Armor Up" so we can stand against Satan's wicked schemes. It's not as simple as putting on the armor of God; we also must get rid of our own stuff first. Join us for this important training to help prevent you from falling victim to plans of the evil one!

Taking a Stand

November 12, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" ~ Isaiah 1:17 God is clear through the prophet Isaiah and others in the Bible that the poor, needy, oppressed, orphaned, widowed, and lonely are close to His heart. He commands that His people stand up for them when they cannot stand up for themselves. Yet, we find that so many Christians are simply not in this game. They are waiting for someone else to do it or assuming God will just do it without us. But that's never been His style. Even in the New Testament, shortly before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples that love for one another is how they would be identified as belonging to Him. This love He refers to is not a feeling, but an action, and one that requires sacrifice and service toward one another. This week at Friendship, we'll look at what it means to love one another and specifically talk about "Taking a Stand" for those who are waiting for us to do so, and for whom God has commanded us to serve. Join us and be prepared to yield your hearts to Him!

"Sending the Help-er"

November 5, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Do not quench the Spirit" ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:19 If I'm being honest, this verse used to make me a little bit uncomfortable the first few times I heard it. My thought was, "What right or even ability do I, a sinful man that's basically a speck in all the universe, have to suppress or thwart the move of God?" While it's true that we don't have the right to quench the Spirit - and Paul clearly commands us not to - we DO have the ability. God has given us free will, which we have used to rebel and sin. But when Jesus came to save us, He knew He couldn't stay, at least in the flesh, so He promised to send us the Holy Spirit, the Helper, so that He would always be with us in Spirit. The Spirit is the Helper because He reminds us of Jesus' words and gives us strength and comfort to get us through each day. But we have to be willing to accept His work in our hearts in order to be blessed by it. When we read the above verse or even talk about the work of the Spirit, we so often think about what He's doing outside of us. But that section of Paul's letter is clearly about our own character and godliness. You are unable to quench the Spirit's move in the world, but you must be unwilling to quench it in your own life. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about God "Sending the Help-er" because He knows we cannot win this spiritual war on our own. Join us and see what the Spirit is up to in your life!

Training Regimen

October 29, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" ~ Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I had absolutely no idea until seeing this picture that our Savior had such well-defined abs! In reality, since He ate healthy, non-processed foods, worked in physical labor, and walked almost everywhere He went, it's very likely that He was in great physical shape. Yet, that was never His goal. He didn't need a diet plan or exercise program to maintain His figure because He knew His figure only existed for a short time. Instead, Jesus focused on His spiritual health, constantly praying, fasting, and seeking fellowship with the Father. He taught His followers to take care of what God had given them, but also not to make the fleeting ideals of this world their idol. Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, so we must be careful in how we treat them. Nevertheless, we must also prepare ourselves for an eternity without these bodies. This week at Friendship, we will talk about the "Training Regimen" that prepares us for both the spiritual war in this life, as well as the next one. We'll specifically discuss discipline, prayer, fasting, and other parts of this training that are designed to produce godliness within us. Your cross-fit program begins this weekend and we hope to see you there!

"The Army"

October 22, 2023 • Associate Pastor Ben Sorbello

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.." ~ Matthew 10:34 NKJV Were you ever waiting to be picked by a team for some kind of sport during recess? In some cases, you are then picked by the team for whom you didn't want to play. How about when you got older and more competitive and it became all about winning and not just playing? Now, you are given choices in life - you can get a promotion that comes with a pay raise, but you may have to lie, cheat, or steal to get it. I remember a choice I was given when I was in sales and marketing, specifically regarding estate planning. If I were to move to the next level, I would have to convince people to turn over all their assets to the company I represented and invest it in annuities. I knew that it was not the best investment for the families, but I could have made several thousand dollars a week if I pursued it. Instead, the Holy Spirit of God convicted me and convinced me not to do it, and I left the company. When it comes to life after death, are you going to heaven or hell? Do you know what team you are on and whose army you are in? Team Jesus or Team Satan(or the world)? This weekend at Friendship, the Holy Spirit of God will be training us on who is in the Lord's Army! Do not miss this and invite as many people as you can because we are currently recruiting new soldiers in Dover, PA.

Our Commander

October 15, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" ~ Ephesians 6:17 In this brief sentence, which is part of the "armor of God" section of Paul's letter, he urges believers everywhere to take with us into spiritual warfare a weapon that isn't ours to begin with. And if you'll notice, it's the only piece of the armor of God that is primarily for offense. Everything else has to do with defending ourselves against the enemy's attacks, but the sword is something we can use to fight back. But we must never think that the sword is something we can conjure up on our own. It belongs to the Holy Spirit; it is HIS sword, and it's the word of God. It's a weapon of divine power (2 Corinthians 10:4), and it is given to us directly from "Our Commander". This week at Friendship, we will talk about why it is important to recognize and submit to Christ as our Commander in this great spiritual war that rages. We will also look at what makes Him a particularly great commander along the same lines of a general who was once a soldier, a coach who was once a player, or a teacher who was once a student. Join us and learn to follow His lead!

The War That Rages

October 8, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Consider how precious a soul must be, when both God and the devil are after it" ~ Charles Spurgeon When I was a kid, long before there were smart phones or video games to keep children occupied all day, I'd play backyard football with my friends. One of the specific games we used to play was called "Fumble Rumble". In this game, one player would carry the football toward the goal line and literally everyone else on the field would be trying to get the ball from him. The result was usually a mad scrum while the ball-carrier held onto that football like his life depended on it. When we think of spiritual warfare with this analogy, it's easy to think we are the ball, the soul that God and the devil are after. But in reality, our faith in Christ is the ball, we are the ball-carrier, and the powers of the devil are everybody else trying to separate us from our faith. They don't want our faith, but they don't want us to have it either, for once we have lost sight of the victory in Jesus, it becomes much easier for them to attack our souls. This week at Friendship, we continue in the WAGING WAR series but pivot from the discussion on prayer to a direct discussion about "The War That Rages" all around us. If we understand the war, then we can understand how to be prepared to fight. We sincerely hope you will join us for this critical "briefing" before you head back out into the battlegrounds.

The Examen

October 1, 2023 • Pastor Logan Ames

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" ~ 2 Corinthians 13:5 With the above words, the Apostle Paul urged believers to do something that can be very difficult at times. No one wants to have to stare down their mistakes and study their weaknesses. Every single week in the NFL, there are teams that get absolutely crushed by their opponent. The only way for the head coach to figure out what went wrong and why is to go back and watch the recorded game film, even when he'd rather not. Marketing executives have to evaluate why a certain strategy backfired for their company. Pastors and churches have to be honest with themselves about why they aren't raising up more committed followers of Jesus. If any of these people are not willing to intentionally examine themselves, they will continue failing at the tasks they have been given to accomplish. The same is true for Christians. This week at Friendship, we will talk about an old prayer called "The Examen" which provides a formula for intentional self-examination that can become a daily spiritual discipline. How can we yield our own will to God's will if we aren't even aware of our own shortcomings? How can we see where God is in every part of our day, including our sins, if we don't take time to reflect on it? Join us to learn some vital tools for the discipline of faithful and honest self-examination while yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit in your soul.