Faithful is the Word

Being hopeful rather than fearful about the end times. End-times theology and discussions are hot topics. For many, the idea is encouraging. Yet, for others, it can be a stumbling block. In this sermon, we will give a general overview of key elements(the Eschatology Study of the End) so that Christians can properly fuel their faith rather than frustrate themselves and others. Text: Acts 1:6-8

There have been many debates over errors found in the Bible. Who is right and wrong, and how can we be sure? In this sermon, we examine some honest questions and concerns to confirm whether we can place our confidence in what is found in the Bible. Today's Key Text: 2 Peter 1:1-21

Do you believe what you believe is really real? Many are wrestling with faith and doubt. God’s Word has much to say about deconstruction and discipleship that can show us how to learn and affirm what we believe is true.

Today, we will examine criticisms about Christianity to discern what deconstruction is all about so we can learn without losing our faith.

Text: Genesis 3:1-9

If you do not line up batteries with the proper polarity in a device, you will have no power, even though the potential is there. In the same way, we can fail to experience God's power in our lives if we misapply God's Word and take it out of context. 

Text: Philippians 4:1-23

What we think about affects how we live. This is especially true regarding our faith. We must first learn to fix our focus if we hope to develop a spiritual mindset that helps us mature and live a life worthy of the Gospel (Philippians 1:27). Text: Philippians 3:1-21

A mindset is a set of deeply held beliefs that affect our behavior. A negative mindset cannot produce positive results. A term that describes this pattern is called rumination. This is a way of thinking that continually replays negative experiences or words.

I like to describe ruminating as free falling from a plane, unable to deploy the parachute. Just as a car is meant to fuel our fuel and our bodies are meant to run on food, we must learn to feed our minds with what it was designed for to learn to have something to live for.

It is common for people to recognize toxic traits in themselves or others. But how can we solve the problem to stop the spread? In this sermon on Philippians 1:21, we will discover how to find joyful freedom from a toxic world.

An unhealthy relationship with money can rob you of a healthy relationship with Jesus. In this sermon, we examine Jesus' teaching on why it is impossible to serve God and money simultaneously so that we can become better stewards of our money and not slaves to it. Key Text: Matthew 6:19-24

In this episode, I revisit a challenging word from Paul regarding how Christian slaves and slave masters were charged to live and love one another and how it models for us a faithful approach to work that could testify to the power of the Gospel.

Other topics include how my wife and I handle the "Monday Blues" and other details about our work life. Watch the full sermon: Rich Relationships (Work)

Our work matters more than you think, regardless of whether we collect a check for it. In this sermon, we will examine how to have the right relationship with work and those involved in it to discover a matchless sense of purpose.

In this episode, I briefly reflect on a weird interaction between Jesus and his mother that did not make it to the sermon. I also shared a recap of my birthday week while sitting down with my wife to discuss parenting lessons we've learned.

Watch the full sermon: Rich Relationships (Parents & Kids)

For some people, there is no place like home. For others, they would rather be anywhere else but home. This sermon will examine what God says about having a happy home and why it matters for our souls.

BEHIND THE SERMON gives you a sneak peek at things I have lived or learned regarding my most recent sermon. In this episode, I reflect on my sermon "Rich Relationships," focusing on marriage, which comes from 1 Corinthians 7:1-40. Listen to the full sermon: "Rich Relationships: Marriage." https://youtu.be/GlObr3dSzA0

God has given us a wonderful Word to help people have a faithful view of singleness. This sermon reflects on what God has said regarding relationship status, sex, and significance.

BEHIND THE SERMON gives you a sneak peek at things I have lived or learned regarding my most recent sermon.

In this episode, I reflect on my sermon "Rich Relationships," focusing on marriage, which comes from Ephesians 5:22-31. Topics:

• Why do some marriages work and others don't?
• What does the word "submission" mean?
• What does submission look like in a marriage?
• How to define the roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives.

Listen to the full sermon: "Rich Relationships: Marriage."

It's hard to experience a meaningful marriage when the relationship gets messy. In this sermon, we examine God's design for marriage to discover what true love looks like in Christ Jesus!

It's hard to experience a meaningful marriage when the relationship gets messy. In this sermon, we examine God's design for marriage to discover what true love looks like in Christ Jesus!

BEHIND THE SERMON gives you a sneak peek at things I have lived or learned regarding my most recent sermon.

In this episode, I reflect on my sermon "The Complete Truth about Relationships," which comes from Genesis 1:26-31.

Topics:

• Prioritizing the right kind of relationships
• How to identify problematic relationships vs healthy ones.
• What does the creation account show us about our need for God?

ALSO...

This episode introduces three new segments, including...

1. "Fast Five" - I take five minutes to share five things about my week that were meaningful to my life or the sermon
2. "The Editing Floor" - I share study notes from the past week that did not make it into my sermon.
3. "Sitting with the Sotolongos" - I invite my wife to join me as we share how we are practicing what has been preached.

You cannot get relationships right if you approach them with the wrong perspective. That is why it is important to go to the beginning to learn the basics about relationships to experience what they are all about. Text: Genesis 1:26-31

Spiritual growth involves making Jesus preeminent in your life, not just prominent. In this message based on Colossians 1:15-21 and 2:6-7, we examine why Christians should practice prioritizing Christ and placing Him first in our lives.

In this episode, I share from the parking lot of my kid's school some segments from the Editing Floor that didn't make it into the sermon while also further explaining the purpose behind the sermon title and how Jesus made it possible for true followers to learn to be holy in a human way.

WARNING: My hoodie says, "Hold my beer" ~ George Washington. It is meant to be a sarcastic joke (he never said that). The hoodie was also a gift from the store Bucee's. Alcoholism, like the abuse of any substance, is wrong and I not beneficial for followers of Christ.

Your diet makes a difference. This also applies spiritually, as the information we consume and believe will form us in one way or another. So, we must watch what we eat by looking to Christ in His Word as our primary source of life.

In this episode on “Behind the Sermon” I share a cool testimony of how I had to apply the message all week, as well as a cool illustration, that me and Church member discussed after the sermon in the lobby. I also share some extra pieces from the editing floor, as well as some details on how I approach the text I’m gonna preach on all week. #biblestudy #faith #hope #jesus #preaching #pastoring #church

Christian, stand on business.

But not just any "business."

God is Holy, and He desires us to be holy, too. How is that possible? In today's message, we look to remove all anxiety, shame, and guilt associated with struggling to live for the Lord by discovering the connection between the living hope we have in Christ and living a holy life through Christ.

1 Peter 1:13-2:3

In this episode of "Behind the Sermon," I share some personal reflections on how God's Word spoke to me while also expanding on topics such as purity culture, what it means to be "on fire" for the Lord, and much more.

New beginnings mark the end of something as change sets in. Begin this new year by learning how Moses' encounter at the burning bush teaches us what it means to be "on fire" for the Lord and live holy according to God's Word. Text: Exodus 3:1-10 Topics: Holy Living, Purity Culture, New Year's Resolution, On Fire

Learning to live for the Lord faithfully begins with learning to read His Word faithfully.

This sermon is based on Dr. Tito Sotolongo's dissertation.

Key Verses:

1 Tim 1:15, 3:1, 4:9

Titus 3:8

2 Timothy 2:11

Other Verses:

Matthew 7:21, 25:23

2 Thessalonians 3:3

Psalm 23

2 Tim 1:5-9, 2:8-14, 4:6-8, 16-18

There is so much more to the account that introduces Christ in the Gospel of Luke that helps us to appreciate the significance of Jesus' birth and why it still matters after all these years.

In this sermon, we conclude our year-long focus on prayer by looking to the end of the Bible to begin to pray faithfully.

Knowing what to pray for and how to live has more to do with who you know than you think.

Praying has a lasting effect on those who practice it humbly, consistently, and according to God's Word. The ultimate result of praying in this way is meant to do something to us rather than give something to us.

Not only did Jesus teach his followers to pray on purpose, but He told them to pray for their purpose. In this sermon, we examined a lesson that reveals God's basic purpose for the lives of His followers, which can be done in infinite ways.

How we pray says a lot about who we are. This week, we reflect on a teaching from Jesus that shows how Christians are to pray in the faith and practice their faith so that others can come to saving faith in Christ.

In this message, we will examine one of Jesus' weirdest and most controversial acts to discuss how to process in prayer truths that are hard to hear.

Contrary to popular belief, there are such things as stupid questions, especially when the right questions are asked in the wrong way. In today's sermon, we will see how to position our hearts in prayer when faced with hard questions about life.

The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar not only helps us to understand the origins of the conflict in the Middle East, but it also helps us to understand the importance of persevering in prayer that is rooted in the revelation of Christ, who alone can resolve the conflict in our souls!

Is it possible to lament and still love Jesus? In this sermon, we prayerfully consider how God's Word addresses the place where our feelings meet our faith.

For revival to spread throughout a nation, it must first overflow from within the Church, filled with people submitting themselves to God's Word and Will. In this message, we will learn how God's atonement addresses our abandonment when we repent and believe in Christ.

The prayer of Jabez became very popular in the early 2000s. Since then, many have used it to pray for personal blessings. In this sermon, we dive into the prayer of Jabez to learn what kind of personal blessings God wants us to pray for.

Praying can be a struggle if the person praying is unwilling to submit everything to the God they are praying to. Today's sermon will discuss why everyone wrestles with issues and how to fight those battles better.

We need to be reminded daily of what we have in Christ so that we do not revert to old and unfruitful ways that promise us life but in the ends robs us of it.

The Apostle Simon Peter understood that the point of prayer is not to get what you want, have God fix your problems, or so you can level up in the Spirit to do great things. At its foundation, praying is about learning to depend on God the more you know His character so that he can guard your mind and grow your faith.

In this sermon, we will learn to beware of what can tear down our faith and be aware of how to build ourselves up in the faith.

"The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect." What did James mean when he said this in James 5:16? What does it take to be righteous, what kind of things can they do when they pray, and why are their prayers considered powerful? We will consider all this and more in this single sermon over the entire letter of James.

Praying with the wrong focus leads to unfortunate results. Today, we look at Paul's letters to Timothy to learn what the goal of prayer ought to be and how to practice it faithfully.

The purpose of prayer is to live a productive life in Christ. Today's message examines the pitfalls that would cause Christians to live a fruitless life instead of a fruit-filled one.

There is a form of faith expressed in praying and participating that is refreshing to the soul. In this sermon, we look at how Paul's prayer for Philemon's participation in the faith could impact an entire community.

Jesus taught His followers to pray that God delivers us from evil, including evil teaching that can cause us to deny Christ or dethrone Him in our souls. We are looking at Paul's prayer to the Colossians to learn how we must also be watchful of what we are learning because it will impact how we live.

Prayer is underutilized because it is misunderstood. Part of that problem is that Christians need help to understand who they are in Christ. This was Paul's goal in his letter to the Ephesians. Every Christian at any age must continue to grow this way, praying to a mighty God who has and does more to and through us than we can imagine.

For many, praying is not fun. It can be awkward sometimes, especially if you don't know what you are doing. But the joy from praying isn't in the act but the object of our prayers. That is what we are going to uncover in this message.