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Shipwrecked

9/13/2020

Week after week as a kid, my brother and I tuned in to watch what would become one of television’s most popular series portraying the hilarious escapades of 7 people stranded on a South Pacific Island after a terrible storm knocked their boat off course. Each episode began with these words…

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip-that started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship. The jingle would end with….The ship set ground on the shore of this uncharted desert isle with Gilligan, the skipper too, a millionaire, and his wife. A movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann, here on Gilligan’s Isle.

As much as we enjoyed laughing at the silly plots of Gilligan's Island, there really isn’t anything funny about life-threatening storms on the ocean or being shipwrecked. It goes without saying that storms and shipwrecks are fun to watch… as long as they never happen to us! There is more than one kind of shipwreck however and the other kind is one I believe all of us will face at least once in our life, if not more. It's the shipwreck of our soul. Triggered by at least one traumatic event, we find our souls stuck and isolated, unable to move forward or backward in life. With that in mind, I want to take a few Sundays to talk about shipwrecks from the 27th chapter of Acts.

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A Broken World Needs a Perfect Savior

9/6/2020

In this guest message by Bobby Wood - Teaching Pastor at Redemption Church - we see how Daniel prayed for Israel's restoration - yet that restoration did not come immediately. No matter the trials you face and no matter how broken the world is, are you trusting Jesus?

Daniel 9

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Blessed Through Suffering

8/30/2020

Our Golden Spike Baptist Network executive director - Adam Madden - today taught from 1 Peter chapter 1. In this chapter, the church is told by Peter that they will suffer persecution - some even to death. But he also told them to still rejoice and trust in the Lord. That they had hope. That they would be filled with joy.

1 Peter 1

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Where on Earth did David Come From? - Part 2

8/23/2020

Before we dive into 1 Samuel 16 and meet a young shepherd named David who would become king, you might be wondering, where did David come from? Today we hear part two of the story that explains how such a young man of faith and devotion to the one true God came to be found in Israel. This book of Ruth not only tells the story of David's origins, it also tells a beautiful love story and gives real life examples of what godly manhood and womanhood look like, as well as reminds of us of God's stunning love for the lost and His sovereignty over all things.

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Where on earth did David come from? - Part 1

8/16/2020

Before we dive into 1 Samuel 16 and meet a young shepherd named David who would become king, you might be wondering, where did David come from? Today we step back to read the prequel that explains how such a young man of faith and devotion to the one true God came to be found in Israel. This book of Ruth not only tells the story of David's origins, it also tells a beautiful love story and gives real life examples of what godly manhood and womanhood look like, as well as reminds of us of God's stunning love for the lost and His sovereignty over all things.

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Fear God, Not Man - Part 2

8/9/2020

In this message, Pastor Charles gives us part two on the subject of fearing God and not man.

1 Samuel 15:22-31

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What Defiles a Man?

8/2/2020

In this message by Jeff Winters - Pastor of Sojourn Church and our Associate Pastor - we hear how it is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out.

Mark 7:14-23

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Fear God, Not Man

7/26/2020

When God told Samuel to direct Saul to obliterate the Amelikites, that was not exactly what happened. When it came down to it, Saul was more concerned with pleasing men than pleasing God. He feared the people more than he feared the Living God. In this message by Pastor Charles, we learn why obedience to God - even in tough times and through difficult challenges - is always the correct choice. Are you more concerned of what man thinks about you, or obedience to a Holy God?

1 Samuel 15

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Defining Life

7/19/2020

We all have defining moments-moments when our lives changed-a course correction occurs-a mile marker that signals either something has happened to us or in us that lasts a lifetime. As we pick up our study of 1Samuel today, we find the inspired writer giving us an overview of Saul’s life as King long before his reign comes to an end. It is somewhat out of place as resumes go for kings and communicates an important truth about defining our lives. Though successful in many ways by earthly standards, Saul failed where it counted the most- with God.

1 Samuel 14:47-52

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Guest Message - Dave Paxton

7/12/2020

Dave Paxton was here for our youth this week facilitating our Week of Hope. This morning, he blessed us with a message.

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Prepare by Praying

7/5/2020

When faced with a crucial moment of testing at the moment of Jesus' arrest, his disciples failed and failed miserably - because they had not heeded Jesus' exhortation to pray, and thus they failed to prepare. Join us this morning as we learn to prepare by praying.

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It's a Slow Fade . . .

6/28/2020

One of the childhood memories etched in my mind is that of my granddad out in his corn field with a hoe. Hoes can be used for many things but my granddaddy mainly used a hoe to pull up weeds. He knew what all farmers (and gardeners) know - if you don’t pull up the weeds in your crops or garden, they will choke out the life of what you have planted. A weed is such a small and seemingly insignificant thing and yet, if left unstopped, it can ruin very big things.

In our continuing study through 1 Samuel, we read how Israel’s first king, Saul, refused to deal with the weeds growing in his heart. We learn how these weeds, over time, eventually cost him something much bigger - his kingdom. It is a reminder for all of us to pay attention to our hearts on a daily basis.

1 Samuel 14

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Trusting God Through Trials

6/21/2020

Maintaining a life of integrity in Christ is not without its challenges. That the Christian life is sometimes best described as a battle or a struggle is not far off the mark. Not every day is a battle-not every week is a battle and not every season of life is a war. But there are seasons, days and weeks when it is just that- a battle. We are not without divine help however. The Bible gives us specific stories that illustrate eternal principles in this regard. 1 Samuel provides just such stories-a reservoir of illustrations to help us get a grip on how to wage war and win. We pick up our study in 1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 13:15-14:15

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Overcoming Our Enemies

6/14/2020

In her book, War on the Saints, Jesse Penn Lewis explains that one of the ways the devil deceives the world and the church is when he comes in the guise of somebody or something which apparently causes them to go God-word and good-ward. When the Devil tempted Eve in the Garden, he said, “you shall be as gods.” He did not say, “you shall be like demons.” His true objective in deceiving Eve was to get her to disobey God but his scheme was, “you shall be like God.” Had she reasoned, she would’ve seen that the deceiver’s suggestion exposed itself… disobey God to be more like God.

As we resume our study in 1Samuel today, we read how Saul, the first king of Israel, did just that. He disobeyed God in order to be more like God. He allowed pride to set the pace for his life rather than humility. Saul’s downfall reminds us that pride is a very real problem in the Christian life. Conversely, that humility is a key component to spiritual growth.

1 Samuel 13

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The Transition

6/7/2020

1 Samuel 12 marks the significant transition from the age of Judges to the age of Kings in Israel. Samuel marks this transition with parting words still relevant and life-giving for us today. Join us and learn what it means to retire well, remember well, and repent well.

1 Samuel 12:1-25

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God Uses Adversity

5/31/2020

Most farmers hate insects. To a farmer, “insect” is a bad word. Insects eat crops and threaten harvests. By contrast, entomologists love insects. Entomologists make a living by studying insects and see them much differently than the farmer. To an entomologist, insect is a good word. Perspective makes all the difference. How we see something determines how we relate to it. With that in mind, how do you see adversity? Is it friend or foe? Is it a gift from God or something to be avoided at all costs? As we resume our study of 1 Samuel today, we find God visiting Israel with adversity…but adversity with a good purpose.

1 Samuel 11

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A Word of Encouragement from Philippians

5/24/2020

While Paul was in Rome awaiting trial before Nero, he was a prisoner in a home due to orders from the local authorities. Stuck at home. Sounds familiar, right? Well then why was his letter to the Philippians filled with such joy and praise and confidence? Today Charles goes through Philippians (like, actually goes through it, reciting it from memory) and shows us how we too can have joy and freedom, even when life is not what we expected.

Philippians. All of it.

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Sovereign Grace

5/17/2020

But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115:3

If the God of this world was cruel and evil, these words would not be very comforting! What hope could there be for us if the God who does as He pleases was evil? But God is not evil! No, He is love and good and always has our best interests at heart. And no matter what choices we make in life, ultimately God uses all of that for His glory. We see this truth highlighted in 1Samuel 10 where God sovereignly provides for His people in ways much better than they deserve.

1 Samuel 10:17-27

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Come Follow Me

5/10/2020

It was the Russian writer, Leo Tolstoy, who said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” In some ways, it might be much easier to change the world than ourselves. We’ve been this way for so long, changing ourselves seems almost impossible, especially when it involves dying to self. Of course, we are helpless to bring about true change until God’s grace transforms us and we are born again. Once that happens however, every day becomes an opportunity to become conformed to the image of His Son. And by changing us - He changes the world.

The changes that happen within the human heart are important for all of us-it is especially important for those in positions of leadership. As we jump back into the OT Book 1 Samuel, we find Israel’s first king needing a heart change-a transformation of character critical for Israel’s growth and health in the days to come.
The events surrounding Saul’s appointment to the kingship of Israel provide important insights related to internal heart change and following Jesus today.

1 Samuel 10:1-16

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A Faithless People and a Faithful God

5/3/2020

Ever been inspired by a story of lost donkeys? Perhaps not yet, but 1 Samuel 9 has much more to teach us than we may initially see on the surface. Come explore this passage with us and witness the greatness of God, his faithfulness toward his unfaithful people, as well as a timely warning for us today.

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Israel's Folly - Part 2

4/26/2020

In his book, Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller defines an idol as "anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living." His definition reminds us that idols are not necessarily wood and stone images we bow down to- they can also be good things that take the place of the One true God. Idols are especially prevalent during days of stress when our soul’s peace of mind is threatened. Such was the case many years ago when God's people looked to a King to give them what only He could-security in the midst of trouble. The lessons of 1 Samuel 8 are especially relevant during these days of pandemic pressure.

1 Samuel 8

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Israel's Folly

4/19/2020

Food manufacturers have taken great strides in the last several decades to remove the guesswork from food spoilage issues by stamping an expiration date on their products. The stamp usually says something like “Best if used by" or "Please use by.” The further ahead or on that expiration date, the safer the food, usually. If you are eating food after its expiration date, however, well you are asking for trouble. In a similar way, every living thing has an expiration date, including you and me. The challenge comes when we use human wisdom to attach expiration dates to our lives rather than God’s. Such was the case with the Israelites who attached an expiration date to Samuel’s usefulness to their country and missed it by a country mile. We resume our study of 1 Samuel today by examining one of the misguided reasons the Israelites wanted to replace Samuel with a King- his old age

1 Samuel 7:15-8:9

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Easter's Invitation

4/12/2020

Before the world is in the grip of a global pandemic, it is first and foremost in the grip of a loving God. That this God loves us without measure is revealed in the death of His Son. Yet, believing that Jesus died won’t bring one ounce of peace or joy today- his death is historical fact. It is believing that He died for you that makes the difference! Our ultimate joy today is not rooted in the hope that a vaccine will soon be made, our lives returned to normal and the economy restored. Our joy is rooted in the God who loved us enough to send His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. In today's message from Ephesians 2, we consider why Christ's sacrifice for our sin is far more important than anything happening in our world today.

Ephesians 2:13

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His Sovereignty and His provision

4/5/2020

Stressed over the challenges of working from home? Concerned about your retirement in light of stock market losses? God cares about the fears we face, and His Word gives us hope. In today's message, we look at two truths in Scripture - God's sovereignty and God's provision. We then see how these truths lead us to submit to Him and trust Him. Listen and experience His peace.

Hebrews 12:3-12

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Miracle at Mizpah

3/29/2020

Some of us may remember the ketchup commercial many years ago where two small boys are waiting for the ketchup to make its way from the bottle to the hamburger. In the background is the song “Anticipation” which draws upon the value of waiting for a good thing. The commercial was updated several years later with the same song, also using a hamburger, but the two boys were gone. Instead, it begins with the song playing then a hand holding a plastic bottle of ketchup appears. We get the first few bars of the song and then we get the sound of ketchup burping out of a plastic bottle. These two commercials might well represent two kinds of people today: one patiently waiting for God to fulfill His purposes, the other impatiently trying to force matters along. Waiting is not easy, especially when it involves uncertainty, hardship and pain but it is one of God’s most effective tools in bringing about spiritual life. As we resume our study in 1 Samuel 7, we find important truths that help us face the long days of uncertainty in our own time.

1 Samuel 7

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<<Previous

Shipwrecked

A Broken World Needs a Perfect Savior

Blessed Through Suffering

Where on Earth did David Come From? - Part 2

Where on earth did David come from? - Part 1

Fear God, Not Man - Part 2

What Defiles a Man?

Fear God, Not Man

Defining Life

Guest Message - Dave Paxton

Prepare by Praying

It's a Slow Fade . . .

Trusting God Through Trials

Overcoming Our Enemies

The Transition

God Uses Adversity

A Word of Encouragement from Philippians

Sovereign Grace

Come Follow Me

A Faithless People and a Faithful God

Israel's Folly - Part 2

Israel's Folly

Easter's Invitation

His Sovereignty and His provision

Miracle at Mizpah

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