Unshakable
Parting Words of Wisdom
December 3, 2017 • Collin Monger
The Apostle Peter wrote this book having experienced numerous personal persecutions and trials. It is an exhortation to stand strong through difficult adversities. • Lead by Example: Christian leaders are not called to make the “popular” choice. Do what is right in God’s eyes knowing that others are watching also. • Live in Humility: Humility does not equate to humiliation. We must decrease so that God can increase in us. • Be on the Lookout: The Devil is looking for apathetic believers to devour. Jesus has already overcome Satan so stand firm in your faith in Christ! (Verses cited: James 3:1; Hebrews 13:17; Titus 1:9; Matthew 5:16; James 4:10; Romans 12:3; John 3:26; John 3:30; Job 1:7-8; James 4:7; 1 John 4:4)
Keeping Your Bearings
November 19, 2017 • Collin Monger
When we lose our bearings, it is easy to become disoriented and lost. As Christians, we need to remain focused on Christ, and his message, or we will drift aimlessly through life. • Don’t be surprised: Persecution is the natural response sometimes to the gospel. Do not let it be a cause for alarm. • Stay positive: Focusing on God leads to a positive disposition through negative situations. Not all suffering is righteous suffering but when we suffer for our faith we become more like Christ. • Be confident: Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We have a mission to accomplish, sharing God’s word, and we do not have time to be subtle. • Trust your pilot: God is in control and sees infinitely everything. God always seeks to either build us up or draw us back to Himself. God never forgets and he never fails. (Verses cited: Exodus 32:7-8, 17; Proverbs 11:14; Philippians 4:8, 1:12; 1 Peter 2:20; Matthew 5:11, 5:10; Romans 8:1; 2 Corinthians 11:24-28; Romans 1:16; 2 Corinthians 10:17; John 9:4; James 1:2-3; Romans 8:38; Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 46:10)
Resisting the Tide
November 12, 2017 • Collin Monger
Life is easier when we go with the flow. Christians, however, are called to resist the tide and stand against the culture in faith. • Stand Firm: When we resist the tides of culture we are meet with strong opposition. Therefore, we must be ready, proactively preparing for cultural opposition. • Stand Out: Christians are weird, our lifestyle should set us apart from nonbelievers. Standing out for Christ grabs the attention of skeptics and brings glory to God. • Stand By: There is more coming; Jesus’ return could happen at any moment. Use this time to get ready and become more like Christ. (Citations: 1 Corinthians 15:33; Romans 12:2; Psalm 56:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Luke 9:23; Matthew 7:14; Ephesians 6:11, 6:14, 6:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-2; Matthew 5:16, 24:36)
Seek High Ground
November 5, 2017 • Collin Monger
When we face storms in life we need to be prepared and plan how we will deal with these storms. The world’s response is to “get even”; the Bible tells us to take the high ground. • Seek Higher Ground: When a storm seeks to beat us down we need to stand strong in our convictions and hold fast to our faith. Don’t stoop down to the world’s level, elevate the world to yours. • Stand Our Ground: We must be prepared to defend our faith. We should be able to explain what Christ has done for us. Share the gospel with gentleness and respect. • Sanctified Ground: Christ also suffered persecution from the world. Persecution enhances our connection to Jesus because it makes us more like Him. Opposition means we are going in the right direction. (Citations: 1 Peter 4:12; Matthew 5:7, 38-41; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Romans 12:21; Proverbs 25:21-22; Galatians 6:7; Job 1:8; Matthew 5:10; Psalms 66:16; Luke 8:38-39; John 4:28-29, 15:18, 16:33)
An Unshakable Marriage
October 29, 2017 • Collin Monger
Historically, submission in marriage has received negative connotations. In a Christian Marriage, both husband and wife are called to be submissive to one another albeit in fundamentally distinct ways. • Submission in Marriage is Loving: Submission is a heart issue. When we are submissive to our spouse we do so out of love, not obligation. • Submission is Limited Relationally: This submissive love applies only to husbands and wives. Wives are not called to submit to all men and husbands are not being called to place the needs of all women before themselves. • Submission Produces Spiritual Blessings: A godly spouse can affect an unbeliever unlike anyone else. Through submission, wives can show the loving nature of Christ. • Submission Leads to Internal Beauty: We cannot allow external beauty to replace Godly character. Physical beauty fades but submission cultivates an unperishable beauty. (Citations: Exodus 20:2; John 14:6; Ephesians 5:22, 5:25, 5:33; Galatians 3:28; Matthew 5:9, 5:41; 1 Corinthians 7:13-16; Song of Solomon 4:1, 4:3, 4:9, 4:11; Proverbs 31:10-12, 31:20, 31:25-26, 31:28-30)
A Theology of Work
October 22, 2017 • Collin Monger
When it comes to work the Bible is clear about how we should respond. At all times, we do the job to the best of our ability. The task may seem trivial or insurmountable but in both situations, we must give it our all as if we were working for the Lord • We have a Godly Mandate: We have a calling from God to serve others as if we were serving God. Through our actions people see our faith. • We have a Godly Ministry: We should always be on the lookout to share our faith through our work. Through our actions people see Christ at work in us. • We need a Godly Mindset: We must always keep our perspective Godly. Even in challenging work situations, remember the example of Jesus and, seek to form our will to God’s plan. (Citations: Colossians 3:23; Genesis 2:15, 2:2; Luke 2:49; John 9:4; 2 Thessalonians 3:10; Matthew 5:29; Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 28:19-20; John 13:15)
Unwavering Character
October 15, 2017 • Collin Monger
The word “submission” sometimes feels like a four-letter word. When we think of submission we need to remember we are not surrendering our individuality but rather aligning our power to God’s will. • Why we submit: Submission is an attitude of the heart. We submit to authorities in order to silence critics and to show the nature of Jesus Christ. • To whom do we submit: We are called by scripture to submit to every human authority. This submission ends when the authority calls us to sin. • How do we submit: Everyone, being created in the image of God, is due a certain level of respect and honor. We show submission by how we treat others. • When do we submit: We submit continually, as an act of obedience to God. We don’t choose when to submit, we live as Christ lived, showing honor and respect always in every situation. (Citations: Isaiah 55:8; John 6:38; Matthew 26:4-5; Proverbs 17:11; Matthew 5:46; Proverbs 24:21; Matthew 22:20-21; John 19:11; Galatians 6:5-6; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:7; Matthew 10:28)
Built for a Purpose
October 8, 2017 • Collin Monger
If you want to complete a job safely and efficiently you need to use the right tool. Every tool was created to complete a specific function. You were created by God with a specific task in mind. I. We are reshaped by God: God is molding us through our experiences and reshaping us so we can be used for His kingdom. II. We rest on Christ: A building rests on a corner stone and as our faith rests on Jesus. If we rely on our own strength we will ultimately fail. III. We reflect the Lord: The way we respond to crisis, and our everyday struggles, shows where we have placed our faith. If we have faith in Jesus it will become evident in our lives. (Verses cited: John 15:16; Psalm 139:16; 1 Corinthians 12:7; Matthew 25:25-26; Romans 14:12; Jeremiah 18:4, 29:11; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 3:4-9; Matthew 5:9, 5:16; Acts 7:60; Luke 23:34; Acts 26:14)
The Foundation of Faith
October 1, 2017 • Collin Monger
Things built on poor foundations crumble. Our faith is built on a firm foundation, the Word of God. • Excavation: Put away the things of this world. Remove anything that does not show the love of Christ. • Incorporation: Everything of substance, of life and godliness, comes from scripture. The Bible is pure and, when studied, is designed to be applied into action. • Evaluation: Our faith is defined by our attitude towards Christ. Does your faith lead you to crave the word of God and a rejection of worldly desires? (Verses cited: Matthew 7:24-27, 24:35, 16:16-18, 6:24; Romans 12:2; Matthew 13:12; Ephesians 4:22; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 28:19-20; John 1:1-2, 1:14; Psalm 37:4; John 4:14)
Disaster Response
September 24, 2017 • Collin Monger
Storms are a part of life but they do not last forever. The world should be able to identify us as Christians by how we respond to these storms. • Focus our Minds: Prepare your mind for action; mentally prepare yourself by focusing on our hope through grace. Live as if Jesus was standing right beside you. • Focus our Hearts: Hope goes from a head knowledge to a heart knowledge. We are free from the religions of this world and we must change the focus of our hearts to live accordingly. • Focus on Love: If we have a focused mind and a focused heart than our focus will be on love. The world will know we are Christians by our love. Remember, as a believer, you are never alone. (Verses cited: Psalm 9:10, 112:6-7; Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:23; Philippians 3:21; Romans 12:1; Matthew 5:14, 6:8; John 5:6; John 5:6; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Matthew 15:8; Genesis 4:23-26; 2 Peter 2:5; Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 12:26)
Tested and Approved
September 17, 2017 • Collin Monger
Everything of quality must be tested to determine its value. Our faith has been tested and approved. • Our faith is permanent: Our faith is based on the unmovable promises of God. • Our faith is growing: Trials of life help to grow and mature our faith. • Our faith is being purified: God uses trials to help distinguish between genuine faith and false faith. • Our faith is positive: Without faith, we cannot have a relationship with God. We see God working in and through our lives. • Our faith is proven: We can trust our faith because it has been checked against scripture and proven true.
Get Ready, a Storm Is Coming
September 10, 2017 • Collin Monger
We face many storms in our lives; storms that are physical as well as spiritual. Through these storms, we are called to remained focused on Christ and to have hope. • The Author Matters: Peter wrote the book of 1st peter. He was qualified to write this book because he endured persecution. • The Audience Matters: This book was written to the early church; a group of people who faced severe oppression. • The Reason Matters: This book is a reminder that we as Christians are sanctified, set apart by God for His work. • The Reminder Matters: Even through challenging times we must persevere through faith in Christ. (Verses cited: John 16:33; Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47, 4:4; John 13:37-38; Matthew 26:69-70; John 18:36; Matthew 10:36; Romans 12:2; John 17:11&16; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Psalm 23:4.)