Swamptime

Description: Satan has power and strategies to cause us to sin and fail in our life. BUT we also have power and strategies given to us by God to use in our battle against Satan and we can WIN.

Key Verse: 1 Peter 5:6-11; John 8:44; Genesis 3:1-7; 2 Samuel 11:1-5; 2 Peter 3:3-10; James 1:1-15; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 4:4 (used 1995 NASB)

Description: The majority of Christians manage to avoid the big “whopping” sins most of the time. Our sins are the grinding “day-to-day” violations that repeat themselves over and over again, and drain us of our faith and spiritual energy. Here are four steps on how to break this habit?

Key Verse: 1 Chronicles 21:1-27 (used 1995 NASB)

Description: In a fast-changing world, where technological and social pressures are remaking the society that we all live in, our faith in God through Christ, is still the mighty rock where we can find security and peace, no matter how much or how quickly things change.

Key Verse: Romans 10:17; Psalm 127:1; Romans 13:1-7; Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 25:31-46 (used 1995 NASB)

Description: Paul looks backward at his past and then sets resolutions for both his present and future, and then he encourages Christians everywhere to follow his example.

Key Verse: Philippians 3:12-21 (‘84 NIV)

Sermon Series: Christmas Conflicts

Description: Considering the contrast between the arrogance of King Herod and the humility of the wise men.

Key Verse: Matthew 2:1-18; Proverbs 29:23; Proverbs 11:2; Matthew 19:24; Psalm 49:20; 1 Chronicles 16:29; James 4:6; Proverbs 28:13; 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Peter 5:5-6; Mark 8:35

Description: What profit is there if you gain things and don’t have the relationships that matter? Lessons from the shepherds about how to overcome our own battle against materialism.

Key Verse: Luke 2:8-20; Matthew 6:24; Proverbs 8:10-11; Philippians 3:8-10; Matthew 13:44

Description: 3 Steps to making this Christmas season a joyful time regardless of any disillusionment or circumstances that surround you.

Key Verse: Luke 1:26-56; Matthew 1:20-25; Acts 20:35; Matthew 16:25; Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 5:6

Description: Looking at the conflict in the heart of Zacharias and steps to overcoming doubt.

Key Verse: Luke 1:5-20, 57-66; Proverbs 14:15; Matthew 21:21; James 1:6-7; John 3:18-20; Romans 10:17; Mark 9:22-24

Description: Why is this passage scary? The demands are personal. The demands are radical. And the demands are impossible, right?

Key Verse:  Luke 6:27-38; Matthew 6:12 & 15; 2 Corinthians 9:8

Description: Regardless of what point you start from, most religious discussions boil down to one issue - where's the dividing line?  Between you and me - Between truth and error - Between what is essential and what is not - Between salvation and loss of salvation.

Key Verse:

Description: Today we will look at the reality of Satan, and ways to use the power of prayer for God’s help in delivering us from him.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:13; Isaiah 14:14; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11, 18; James 4:7; 1 Corinthians 10:13; and many others.

Description: Does God tempt us?  We will learn how to identify and understand the differences between trials versus temptations. 

Key Verse: Matthew 6:13; James 1:13; Romans 7:18-19; Matthew 6:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Psalm 26:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 13:35

Description: Is God’s forgiveness of us truly conditional on our forgiveness of others? To answer that, we will look at a Bible principle, parable, and prescription for forgiveness.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 5:23-24; 18:21-35; Luke 12:48; Psalm 103:12; Jeremiah 14:10; Romans 12:17-19; Colossians 3:13; Hebrews 12:15

Description: The simple spiritual discipline of making this petition, every day, from the heart, is the antidote to four of our sin-sick soul’s greatest ailments. It will knock down barriers and open doors to a more vibrant relationship with our Father in Heaven. While this passage can refer to spiritual needs, it is also obvious that every day we ought to look to God for our physical needs.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:11, 31-34; Psalm 104:10-15, 20-28; James 4:1-3; 1 Timothy 6:8; Proverbs 30:8-9

Description:  Let’s look at what Scripture says about God’s will, and what it means to pray for God’s will in our lives and our world.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:10; Psalm 139:16; Isaiah 46:9-10; Galatians 5:16-17; John 8:28-29; Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 2:15; Ephesians 5:17; and others

Description:  What does it mean when we pray this and what part do you play in the Kingdom?

Key Verse: Matthew 6:10; Colossians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Philippians 3:20; Matthew 6:33; Acts 1:6-8; and others

Description: What is the Kingdom of God?

Key Verse: Matthew 6:10, 4:23; many others

Description: The Lord’s Prayer contains 6 specific petitions or requests, but Jesus directs us to begin our prayers by expressing our concern for the Glory of God. Why is this important and what does it look like?

Key Verse: Matthew 6:9, and others

Description:  Today we begin a study of the Lord’s teaching on How to Pray. The core of what we call ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ appears twice in the Gospels. This model prayer contains everything we need to know about prayer. We will also discuss what we don’t find in it.

Key Verse: Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4

Description:  To be a Biblical church, living the Word means verse by verse we submit and reshape our imaginations to the Holy Scriptures.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 6:1-10; Genesis 4:7; Matthew 6:16, 19-21

Description: When it comes to remembering, we might get by with letting some things slide, but there are other things that we must not forget. The apostle Peter reminds his fellow Christians of some wonderful ways in which God has blessed us and also admonishes us as to our need to grow spiritually and what can happen if we fail to grow.

Key Verse: 2 Peter 1:12-15; various passages throughout 1st & 2nd Peter; and several other Scriptures

Description: A church’s ability to fulfill this calling is dependent on the quality of its leadership. Much of 1 Timothy is devoted to the qualifications and functions of church leaders, but today Paul is clearly speaking to the broader audience of the whole church. This text tells us how we are all to treat the church leaders God has placed in authority over us.  Now these principles have application for every area of life where there are leaders and followers, but the focus of this text is the church’s spiritual shepherds. Local churches, just like nations, families, and businesses rise or fall on their leadership. What makes great leaders? It’s a bunch of great followers.  

 Key Verse: 1 Timothy 5:17-25 (ESV); several others

Description: Paul gives us 4 principles on how we as a congregation are to do ministry in the local church.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 5:1-16 (ESV); Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 3:16; James 1:27; Galatians 6:10

Description: Paul instructs Timothy in what makes a good pastor. Pastors should be people of discipline, constantly growing in God’s Word, developing their calling, and working hard at it. All of us as servants and followers of Christ should do the same.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 (ESV)

Description: In today’s scripture, Paul begins with a warning about trusting the wrong authority in your life. This warning from the Holy Spirit is for us today also.  We are living in the end times.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 1 John 2:18; 1 Peter 1:20; Hebrews 1:2; others

Description: From the very beginning, God has been trying to teach us authentic leadership. We are going to look at the ideals found in Timothy through the lens of some Biblical narratives that, when taught side by side, illustrate the ingredients of authentic leadership. There are four ingredients that capture all the characteristics on Paul’s Deacon list.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 3:8-13; Genesis 38 & 39

Description: Of the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, fourteen of them are related to character, only one of them is related to giftedness. Let’s examine these requirements.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; 1 Peter 5:1-2

Description: Independence Day - As we celebrate America’s birthday, every American should be grateful and feel blessed that we call ourselves Americans. Let’s look at the good and bad that we face as a nation.

Key Verse: Psalm 44 (ESV); Acts 17:30; 2 Chronicles 7:14

Description: Paul lays out 3 universal commands to all truly “godly women.”

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 2:9-15; 1 Timothy 3:15

Description:  Fathers Day - Although in Christ Jesus we are all equal, Paul has different instructions for men and women in the Church.  Men and women are uniquely gifted for different functions in the body of Christ. Today, we are going to focus on the problem of men in the church and then offer a path for men in the church.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Galatians 3:28

Description:  Paul gives a charge to Timothy…to teach sound doctrine, preach the glorious gospel, and defend the faith.  The Christian life is a battleground and we are to fight the good fight. Have you heard God’s charge to you?

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Romans 16:17; several others.

Description: The apostle Paul opens his soul about his past and the difference Christ made in his life.  What is your story?  What difference has God made in your life?

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Description: Today we look at Paul’s goals for Timothy and truths about false teachers.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:3-11; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; & many others

Description: Today we will look at the objectives for this study, the occasion of this epistle, why we are taking the time to piece together the story of a once great church, and the opening of this epistle.

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 3:14-15; 2 Timothy 2:2; 3:14-16; Acts 20:29-30; Revelation 2:4-5; 1 Timothy 1:1-2

Description: From Hannah, we can learn valuable lessons about raising children and committing our children to God.

Key Verse: 1 Samuel 1:1-28; Psalm 127:3-5; Luke 12:15; Proverbs 1:7; 1 Samuel 16:7; Matthew 16:26 (‘84 NIV)

Description: You and I were put on this earth with gifts, talents and relationships that are waiting to fulfill God’s purpose. The story of Nehemiah suggests 3 actions that we need to take to answer the question…“What is the purpose of my life?”

Key Verse: Nehemiah 1:1-11, 6:1-2; Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)

Description: There are things that are within our control to break free from and start fresh again.  And, if we are going to do it the right way, we may need to take some drastic measures. Elisha is a good example of this.

Key Verse: 1 Kings 19:19-21; Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:5-10; Romans 8:7

Sermon Series: Philippians (verse by verse study)

Description: Why should Christian people be generous?  Why should citizens of heaven be concerned with managing earthly resources? Why should you regularly, sacrificially and, of course, cheerfully give to the Lord’s work?  Paul gives us 3 huge reasons.

Key Verse: Philippians 4:10-19; John 15:1-8; Matthew 6:21; 2 Corinthians 9:6; Acts 20:35 (‘84 NIV)

Sermon Series: Philippians (verse by verse study)

Description: Paul had a secret, the secret of being content. Contentment is the foundation for the generous spirit that the Holy Spirit wants to reproduce in each of us.  Being content is a choice of character we can learn and cultivate.

Key Verse: Philippians 4:10-13; Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; Matthew 6:25-26; 2 Corinthians 9:11, 12:9; Philippians 1:20-21 (‘84 NIV)

Description: Jesus has defeated death—that is the full message of the Gospel. Let’s look at 5 basic truths established by the resurrection.

Key Verse:  Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6 (NIV); many others

Description: What is true peace? Paul gives us God’s own 8-step peace plan for our lives.

Key Verse: Philippians 4:1-9; John 14:21 (‘84 NIV)

Description: Paul had a constant concern of false prophets and teachers, and humanistic philosophy invading the Lord’s church. He continually warned the church to watch out. How can we know if we are an example or an enemy of Jesus?

Key Verse: Philippians 3:17-21; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Acts 20:28-31; 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 (‘84 NIV)

Description: Using illustrations from the world of athletics, Paul lays out 5 steps to Christian maturity and why we cannot just sit on the sideline and try to skate our way into heaven.

Key Verse:  Philippians 3:12-16; 1 Corinthians 10:12; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Description: Paul learned that one can never find true joy until he discovers true treasure. The Church in Philippi was discouraged and in desperate need of a joy transfusion. Paul was in prison and they were under persecution. So Paul gives them, and us, keys on how they can keep on rejoicing in Christ.

Key Verse:  Philippians 3:1-11; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Description: How did the Church grow so quickly? God’s plan was for the Word to go from Christ to Paul to Timothy to faithful men and on to others who would teach others. And everyone who truly loves Jesus is to be an active participant in that plan. Just like Paul and Timothy, we all need to figure out first how to be, and then how to find, faithful people.

Key Verse: Philippians 2:19-30; 2 Timothy 2:2; Mark 16:15; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Description: Is the Christian life essentially a matter of passive trust or of active obedience? Paul gives us 3 incredibly practical action points which flow from the What, the How and the Why of our salvation.

Key Verse: Philippians 2:12-18; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Description: Nothing destroys our fellowship and evangelistic success like the sin of division. We will look at 3 principles in Paul’s plea for unity and what we should do.

Key Verse: Philippians 2:1-11; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Description: Paul addresses the hope he has for the Church no matter what happens to him. He encourages the Church to stand strong when persecution, suffering, obstacles, and opposition come to them – and us.

Key Verse: Philippians 1:27-30; various others (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Sermon Series: Philippians (verse by verse study)

Description: What can others see in your life as a Christian that is unique and compelling, making them want to know more of Christ? There are four extraordinary choices that marked the Apostle Paul and, if we have the right perspective, should mark us as truly different.

Key Verse: Philippians 1:12-26 (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)

Sermon Series: Philippians (verse by verse study)

Description: Let’s look at the joy of our partnership in the Church and steps to the love we should have for each other.

Key Verse: Philippians 1:3-11; Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:35 (Scriptures from 1984 NIV)