Sermon Notes & Articles
Faith in Jesus for salvation is just the beginning. We are saved and made new to become more like Jesus. This journey takes nurture and growth. Use the articles and sermon notes below to help your foundation of faith grow deeper and stronger in God.
I'M READY TO FOLLOW JESUS
AFTER THE SERMON-Who Are You Following?
Who are you following this year? Who is leading your life? Who’s teaching you how to live, what to think, how to treat others, and what to focus on? It’s a new year, so where are we headed? Do we have a plan or vision for who we want to become and where to go? Pastor Ryan urged us to follow Jesus and he used a scripture we all probably didn’t expect…
Hope That Meets Us Here
Christmas. “The most wonderful time of the year.” When everything is just a little bit more bright and cheerful, when light and love abound . . . but what about when in the midst of the most wonderful time of the year, you feel anything but wonderful?
Does Jesus Bring Peace or Not?
If you attend church chances are you’ve heard a Christmas message about Jesus being the “Prince of Peace” and have seen Christmas cards that say, “Peace on Earth.” But maybe you’ve been confused because as you read through the book of Luke or Matthew you run into the verse where Jesus says, “Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!” (Luke 12:51)
The Attitude of Gratitude
A Family Devotional for Thanksgiving
Gratitude increases your spiritual vision. Daily thanking God for His provision increases our ability to see His faithfulness. We’ll quickly discover that God's provisions and blessings have always been there, our hearts just needed to catch up…
I Respectfully Disagree
What do you do when you come across a person who thinks, holds beliefs, votes, and advocates for things differently than you? How do you have a respectful and beneficial conversation, even if you disagree? Is it possible to disagree without burning bridges... even walking away on good terms? Yes, I do believe it is possible! Here are some tips for having respectful conversations with people…
AFTER THE SERMON-TOGETHER-You Are Not Alone
This past Sunday Pastor Ryan began a new series entitled TOGETHER. We heard Pastor Ryan’s heart come out and really the Word of God as he showed us in scripture that we belong together, therefore we are not alone.
WHY WE SING-PROMISES
This is our first publish of WHY WE SING. The purpose of WHY WE SING is to help you understand the song Biblically so you can worship God more emphatically.
WHAT IS PENTECOST?
Today, in 2020, we don’t commemorate Pentecost as if it was a historical power we can only remember. No, the Holy Spirit continues to come and fill all believers who seek this prophetic, promised power from God.
LET US NOT NEGLECT OUR MEETING TOGETHER
Hebrews 10:25 says, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” This is a favorite scripture verse for pastors! I’m seeing this scripture being used quite a bit right now and for good reason, we haven’t been able to gather the way we are meant to as the fellowship of believers.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD DAY AND A BAD ONE
I love the visual of a continual feast and not just because I like food. A feast makes me think of joy, laughter, the company of family, good friends, and holidays. I also think of how a feast offers a variety of foods to indulge, just like this life offers a variety of things to enjoy.
AFTER THE SERMON-Rest Is Essential
The question Pastor Ryan posed that is key to this new series is what have we learned is essential? What were some lifestyles we lived before COVID that we would like to leave behind and new lifestyles or things we want to bring with us as we reopen?
AFTER THE SERMON-Identity Resurrected
Identity matters…Identity is who you are or how others know you. Your true identity comes from God, but sin stole or caused us to lose who we were truly meant to be. The only one who should have a say in who we truly are is our creator. In order to figure out who you are, you have to know whose you are. You are God’s creation and when Jesus died and rose again for you, God was paying the ransom, cleaning you up and claiming you back from sin and this world. God is calling you home to be more than His creation, but His child that He dearly loves. When our identity is resurrected so is our understanding of who we truly are, who we were always meant to be and all the blessings that come with being a child of God!
WHAT ARE YOU WATERING?
What are you watering? It may seem like a strange question, but we get what we water. My granddaughter Ava was watering a dead plant, which seemed ridiculous. However, she kept watering it, and after a few weeks, a small green sprout appeared. The plant seemed to be dead, but Ava! It's the same with God. Situations, circumstances, relationships, possibilities may seem dead or impossible, but God!
AFTER THE SERMON-Hope Resurrected
Pastor Ryan opened with a story about his daughter watering a dead plant in a flower pot. Much to His surprise a new shoot from the plant broke through the soil weeks later. Ryan shared how that resonated with him to not give up hope.