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Recent Sermon Notes
What a weekend we had with guest minister Nancy Dufresne. She shared on the power of faith and reminded us that God and the Holy Spirit should always remain our focus. That means when we face difficulty, listening to the Holy Spirit, our guide on the inside, is the best thing that we can do. You can walk in faith toward your miracle!
Pastor Jim delivered his seventh installment in his series on the book of Romans, entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” The first three chapters of Romans focuses explicitly on the definition of sin. “Because,” as Pastor Jim says, “if you don’t understand what sin is, you will not understand the solution to the sin problem.” Paul wanted them to understand that all of mankind has a sin problem, and no matter who you are, you will never, ever be able to achieve righteousness through your own merit. If doesn’t matter if you’re a secular pagan who worships Zeus or a religious Jew who strictly follows the law, God will never see you as righteous through your own effort. Pastor Jim has much more to say in this message subtitled, “All Under Sin.”
Last Sunday, Pastor Mac taught a message entitled, “They Brought.” He said, “If you’re in a relationship with the Lord, you’re in a covenant with Him. And that covenant is one of blessing.” Yet, many covenant believers do not seem to walk in the level of blessing the Bible promises. Why is that? Pastor Mac said walking fully in the provision and purpose of God begins by understanding what the definition of a covenant actually is.
What a wonderful Easter weekend we had as we celebrated Jesus! His resurrection is the focal point for our faith, for it bridges the gap between the seen realm and the unseen realm. As you go through your day today, remember that the resurrection power of Jesus has the ability to raise your circumstances high above anything you can imagine. The touch of death does not need to destroy your life! God’s resurrection power is at work in you and through you to touch this world for Him.
Pastor Jim gave the fifth installment of his series entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” The first three chapters of Romans can be summed up by saying people who rely on their own righteousness, their own ability, their own self-effort will not escape the judgment of God. It is only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can any man escape His judgment. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul defines New Testament righteousness as the ability to stand before God without a sense of guilt or inferiority.
Love in Context #4: God’s Love for You | Pastor Mac Hammond| October 9, 2022
Recap:
If we are going to fully understand how to love others well, we must first understand the bigger context of God’s love for us. God’s love for us is unending and unconditional, but we must know that it is not something we earn. It is something we can seek to understand and believe, for the more it becomes a revelation in our heart, the more it removes fear and the more it changes us for the better.
Dive Deeper:
What does love look like? Well, we know that love will be shown as we pursue peace and follow holiness. We know that love is not characterized by bitterness, but by forgiveness. We know that love is not offensive. Most importantly, though, we know what love looks like by looking at God’s love for us.
Your love for other people will flow out of your understanding of God’s love for you. When you know and believe that God loves you, you will have a solid foundation for loving others. He makes our love perfect. When we know God’s love for us, the torment of fear leaves, for there is no fear in love.
When you realize how much God loves you—Almighty God, the All-Sufficient One—you realize that you have no reason to fear. Fear doesn’t have to be a part of your life. Your understanding of just how much God loves you will expand as you meditate on God’s Word and what He has said about His love for us.
The more you saturate yourself in truths about God’s love for you, the more you’ll begin to show that love to others, and the more you’ll follow the Word that God has given you. You won’t obey God’s words or commands because you’ve been forced to or because you’re trying to earn His love. You’ll obey God’s commands because you love Him. Keeping God’s commandments keeps condemnation far from you and it keeps you focused on God’s love for you, rather than the wrongdoing you’ve done. Focusing on God’s love keeps us following His plans and ideals because we know He has given those out of His love for us!
Read About It:
Ephesians 3:17-20 TPT
Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.
John 15:1–11 KJV
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you know that God loves you?
2. How do you know that God loves you?
3. What is your favorite verse to remind you of God’s love for you?