Mar 9, 2025
Growing in Godly Character – Full of Joy
Series: Galatians
 
Life has a way of throwing challenges at us.  It can be hard to feel much joy when things in your life are just going wrong. 
 
I imagine that’s how the disciples were feeling as they spent what would be their final hours with Jesus.  They were beginning to understand that He was going to leave them by way of death.  This caused them grief and fear.  But, Jesus tried to help them see that their grief was only going to be temporary – their passing grief would give way to lasting joy that only Jesus can bring!
 
In John 16:16-22, there are 3 things which contribute to our Joy in the Lord.  First, we see that 1) Jesus Cares About What Concerns Us.  Next we find that 2) Jesus Fully Knows the Future.  And finally, we acknowledge that 3) Jesus Can Totally Transform Our Lives.
 
Only Jesus can give us true, lasting joy!
 
 
Galatians 5:22
Mar. 9, 2025
 
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  • Mar 9, 2025Growing in Godly Character – Full of Joy
    Mar 9, 2025
    Growing in Godly Character – Full of Joy
    Series: Galatians
     
    Life has a way of throwing challenges at us.  It can be hard to feel much joy when things in your life are just going wrong. 
     
    I imagine that’s how the disciples were feeling as they spent what would be their final hours with Jesus.  They were beginning to understand that He was going to leave them by way of death.  This caused them grief and fear.  But, Jesus tried to help them see that their grief was only going to be temporary – their passing grief would give way to lasting joy that only Jesus can bring!
     
    In John 16:16-22, there are 3 things which contribute to our Joy in the Lord.  First, we see that 1) Jesus Cares About What Concerns Us.  Next we find that 2) Jesus Fully Knows the Future.  And finally, we acknowledge that 3) Jesus Can Totally Transform Our Lives.
     
    Only Jesus can give us true, lasting joy!
     
     
    Galatians 5:22
    Mar. 9, 2025
     
    To watch the video of this message, click here.
  • Mar 2, 2025Growing in Godly Character – Perfect Love
    Mar 2, 2025
    Growing in Godly Character – Perfect Love
    Series: Galatians
    Love shows up a lot in the Bible.  If we’re going to understand love the way God wants us to understand it, we need to have it clearly defined for us.  There is one passage in particular which makes love the primary focus.  
     
    In 1 Cor. 13:4-7, Paul sets out to define love: 1) What Love Is; and 2) What Love Isn’t – basically, what it does and does not do.  There, Paul uses 15 different verbs to describe the love which God has for us, and the love which we are to have towards others.
     
    We need to love others the way God loves us.
     
     
    Galatians 5:22
    Mar. 2, 2025
     
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  • Feb 23, 2025Warning Lights on the Dashboard
    Feb 23, 2025
    Warning Lights on the Dashboard
    Series: Galatians
    With the final verses of Galatians 5, Paul gives a list of vices and virtues – a list of the works of the flesh vs. the fruit of the Spirit.  In doing so, Paul provides a checklist for measuring the conduct of those who consider themselves spiritual.  These are the markers of how we are doing, bad or good.
     
    In this message we are only going to look at the negative side of things which Paul presents in verses 19-21.  He groups these 15 sins into 4 categories, warning us to steer clear of : 1) Sexual Sins; 2) Spiritual Sins; 3) Social Sins; and 4) Self-Indulgent Sins.  The last thing we'll look at is our need to: 5) Understand the Seriousness of Our Sinful Habits.
     
    Habitual sin has horrible consequences.
     
     
    Galatians 5:19-21
    Feb. 23, 2025
     
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  • Feb 16, 2025Liberty is Not License
    Feb 16, 2025
    Liberty is Not License
    Series: Galatians
    The false teachers in Galatia were concerned with Paul’s message of freedom in Christ.  They apparently thought that if people were freed from the requirement to obey God’s Law, chaos would result.  It would encourage people to live according to every selfish wish.
     
    In Galatians 5:13-18, Paul seeks to counter this concern by explaining that Christian liberty is not license to live however we want.  Instead, Paul points out 2 things: that 1) We are Set Free for Loving Service, and that 2) We are to Live Life by the Spirit’s Leading. 
     
    His point is that true Christian freedom is seen in lovingly serving others by the Spirit’s leading.
     
     
    Galatians 5:13-18
    Feb. 16, 2025
     
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  • Feb 9, 2025Do Not Disturb
    Feb 9, 2025
    Do Not Disturb
    Series: Galatians
    There are so many different things that can disturb us in this life.  Wouldn't it be nice to hang out a "Do Not Disturb" sign and know that these things will simply go away?  Regrettably, that's not what happens.  It is not just our circumstances that can disturb us, but people telling us things that are untrue as well.  We need to carefully evaluate the things we hear and are taught, to be sure it aligns with God's truth.
     
    In Galatians 5:7-12, Paul sets about to expose the false teachers who were disturbing the Galatians, showing who they are, what they are doing, and what their destiny is.  Along the way, Paul ends up giving us 6 signs that you may be sitting under a false teacher: 1) False Teachers Distract Christians from Faithful Obedience; 2) False Teachers Replace God’s Clear Truth with Their Own Clever Teaching; 3) False Teachers Push Their Misguided Message to Every Part of the Church; 4) False Teachers Cause Confusion and Face Condemnation; 5) False Teachers Spread False Reports about Spiritual Leaders; and 6) False Teachers Focus on Sensational Rituals being Required for Salvation.
     
    Stand firm in your faith and don’t be disturbed by false teachers.
     
     
    Galatians 5:7-12
    Feb. 9, 2025
     
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  • Feb 2, 2025Freedom!
    Feb 2, 2025
    Freedom!
    Series: Galatians
    Paul’s view of freedom is much different from our society’s view of freedom.  For Paul, freedom begins only in a relationship with God through Christ and in the Spirit, while our culture sees freedom as doing whatever a person wants.
     
    In the opening verses of Galatians 5, Paul discusses true, Biblical freedom, a freedom only found in a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.  The chapter opens with Paul’s call to 1) Stand Firm in the Freedom You’ve Received by Faith.  This is followed by his explanations of what legalism does and what faith does: 2) Legalism Lacks the Power to Save and Leads You Away from the Savior; and 3) Saving Faith Waits on the Lord and Works at Loving.
     
    Faith in Christ frees us from trying to earn salvation and leads us to truly love others.
     
     
    Galatians 5:1-6
    Feb. 2, 2025
     
     
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  • Jan 26, 2025Who’s Your Mama?
    Jan 26, 2025
    Who’s Your Mama?
    Series: Galatians
    Relationships matter, and sometimes they offer us certain privileges.  Of course, the most important relationship anyone could possibly have is with the One True God.  That is a relationship which is offered to us through faith in Jesus Christ.  This is the message of the Bible – the Good News that we can be forgiven for our sins and have the privilege of receiving eternal life, if we will confess our sins and believe in God’s Son.
     
    Paul has been writing to try to bring the Galatians back to an understanding of the simple truth that we are saved by faith, not by works of the Law.  In Gal. 4:21-31, Paul highlights 3 basic principles about the Christian faith: 1) Saving Faith is Based on an Accurate Understanding of the Bible; 2) There is a Right Way and a Wrong Way to Approach Our Relationship with God; and 3) Remaining Committed to God’s Truth Can Create Conflict.
     
    A clear understanding of who you are in Christ should guide your conduct.
     
     
    Galatians 4:21-31
    Jan. 26, 2025
     
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  • Jan 19, 2025I Wanna Be Like You
    Jan 19, 2025
    I Wanna Be Like You
    Series: Galatians
    Paul had already taught the Galatians about salvation through faith in Christ.  But, they seemed to be reverting to leaning on the Law for their relationship with God.  This was the result of some false teachers who had come into the church spreading heresy.
     
    In Galatians 4:12-20, Paul makes a plea to the Galatians to follow his example to them.  He lays out 5 things for us in this passage which are designed to encourage us in our pursuit of Christ.  We need to: 1) Strive to Be an example to other believers; 2) Seek out good spiritual role models; 3) Stand firm in your faith; 4) Steer clear of those who cause spiritual harm; and 5) Spur each other on to grow in Godliness.
     
    We need to persistently and patiently encourage each other in our pursuit of Christ.
     
     
    Galatians 4:12-20
    Jan. 19, 2025
     
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  • Jan 12, 2025A Religious Relapse
    Jan 12, 2025
    A Religious Relapse
    Series: Galatians
    in Galatians 4:8-11, Paul presents us with a great truth, that God Knows Us & Wants Us to Know Him.  But, surrounding this great truth is a grave warning about how we seek God, Don’t Return to Worthless Ways of Working to Reach God.  The final verse of our paragraph give us A Peak at Paul’s Pastoral Heart.  He truly cares about these Christians and wants the best for them.
     
    Keep growing in Christ to avoid returning to the pitfalls of your past.
     
     
    Galatians 4:8-11
    Jan. 12, 2025
     
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  • Jan 5, 2025Contentment in a Materialistic Culture
    Jan 5, 2025
    Contentment in a Materialistic Culture
    Series: New Year
    True contentment is found in trusting Christ for your future.
     
     
    Proverbs 30:7-9
    Jan. 5, 2025
     
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