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Recent Sermon Notes
Pastor Jim wished all the mothers in the congregation and online a very happy Mother’s Day. It was a day dedicated to the celebration of motherhood, acknowledging the great devotion mothers have toward their families. He pointed out there was one specific thing at which mothers are very good—how to feed their children the Bread of Life like no one else can.
Pastor Mac taught a message entitled, “The Accuser of Brethren.” “This message is important,” he said, “because it encapsulates our challenge in this life and summarizes things in a significant way.” His subject? How to avoid deception! The basic truth of this message is this: If the enemy can’t deceive you, he can’t defeat you!
Pastor Jim preached a message subtitled, “The Holy Spirit Leads You Out of the Dominion of Sin.” This is his 33rd message in his teaching series on the book of Romans called “Unveiled Grace.” The message was based on Romans 8:13, “For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.” (Amp.) This verse tells us that through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to put to death the evil deeds of the body.
Pastor Mac taught a message on the celebration of Easter. He said, “The kingdom of God is based upon the Word of God. In fact, the kingdom of God is a manifestation of the Word of God and His purposes on the earth.” The celebration of Easter is a centerpiece of all that He’s done to enable humanity to rise to the level only possible in Him—and to escape the realm of death!
Pastor Jim taught the 31st message in his series on Romans: “Unveiling Grace.” The Bible is clear, under the New Covenant, there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Yet many believers are walking around under the weight of condemnation. Pastor Jim explains these believers are trying to absolve themselves of their sins through their own self-effort, which is another way of saying “through their flesh.” What they’re trying to do is live under Old Covenant laws. There’s a word for Christians like that—miserable!
For His Kingdom #4: Commitment |Pastor Mac Hammond| November 20, 2022
Recap:
The primary reason people don’t receive anything from the hand of God is a lack of commitment. Commitment is essential to Christianity, for when people become a Christian, they enter into a covenant relationship with Almighty God. That covenant relationship is a back-and-forth relationship where both parties play a part. Now, this works mostly in our favor because of the grace and kindness of God, but it would be incorrect to assume that we didn’t also have a part to play. We do. Our job is to commit to follow God.
Dive Deeper:
You will never finish something if you don’t first commit to finish. Commitment is an important step in the completion of any project. Commitment can change your experience of life completely.
Psalm 50 tells us that after we pay our vows to God, we can call upon Him and He will answer us in the day of trouble. That word “pay” has a financial connotation, particularly when we realize that money is the least place in which we have to be faithful (See Luke 16). It is a good thing to commit to serve God in your finances.
As Pastor Mac has talked about over the past few weeks, we serve God financially first through the tithe, which is ten percent of our income. Secondly, we bring Him offerings beyond the tithe. In fact, the Lord says that these two things follow each other, for those who tithe will receive blessings from heaven that they will not be able to receive, meaning they will be willing to share and use what God has given them to bless others. According to Malachi, that’s when God can rebuke the devourer for your sake!
If you feel stuck in a day of trouble, find a promise of God related to that trouble. Make a promise back to Him. Everywhere God has a promise to you, you can have a promise back to Him. If you are facing health issues, commit to make healthier choices. If you are having financial issues, commit to tithe and then sow seed into His kingdom. Make a promise where sin is a problem in your life, and then get ready to watch God respond as you fulfill your commitment.
Read About It:
Psalm 50:14–15 KJV
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: and call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Malachi 3:10–11 KJV
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
Galatians 6:6–10 KJV
Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Discussion Questions:
1. Have you made a commitment to God recently?
2. What areas of your life are easy to commit to God?
3. What areas of your life are difficult to commit to God?
4. Will you commit to tithes and offerings this year?