Today Pastor Ricky will be warning us against building up our own cities here on earth, rather than putting our trust and faith in our eternal city with the Lord. What is in your life that you hold precious, that cannot be shaken? The only thing in your life that cannot be moved is your eternal destination with the Lord. Be careful to not build up your own empire here on earth, rather than focusing on building up the kingdom of God. Keep an eternal perspective. The kingdom of God cannot be shaken.
Behold Your God - Behold His Plan, Part 1 - Isaiah 44
If you place your hope in the temporal things of earth, you will become greatly disappointed and depressed. As a Christian you have a heavenly city, an eternal home with the Lord. You don't need to seek the things of the world to find fulfillment. Purpose to seek the city that is to come, whose maker and builder is God. You're a pilgrim just passing through this world. You should have in anticipation for eternity to come. If Christ came back today would you be ready and excited, or ashamed?
Behold Your God - Behold The Servant, Part 2 - Isaiah 42
Jesus Christ is the perfect picture of a true servant. When Jesus had the Last Supper with his disciples, He took the lowliest of jobs and washed their feet. You should look at Christ's example and purpose to imitate Him daily. Whenever you read of Jesus, you will find Him always pouring Himself out and serving His community. Are you radiating the presence of Christ in your community by your service? The only reason why God hasn't taken you home yet is because He has service for you to do.
Behold Your God - Behold The Servant, Part 1 - Isaiah 42
As Pastor Ricky teaches through the book of Isaiah, he will be teaching us how the prophet Isaiah is speaking of Christ the servant. Now that Christ lives inside of you, you're now a servant in the kingdom of God. The Lord delights in you and pours out His Spirit on you in order to equip you to further the kingdom of God. The mission of the servant is to act rightly in accordance with the word of God and to draw others to redemption in Christ. Are you accurately representing Christ?
Behold Your God - Behold His Sovereignty, Part 2 - Isaiah 41
The essence of the Gospel is that those who should live in fear have been brought near as friends. Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of living a faith-filled life rather than living in fear. Fear is the antithesis of having faith in God. The prophet Isaiah in this text will be explaining to the Israelites that there is nothing to fear as a child of God because God is sovereign and in control of the universe. If you are battered by fear, cling to the rock that is Christ. He will give you His peace.
Behold Your God - Behold His Sovereignty, Part 1 - Isaiah 41
The essence of the Gospel is that those who should live in fear have been brought near as friends. Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of living a faith-filled life rather than living in fear. Fear is the antithesis of having faith in God. The prophet Isaiah in this text will be explaining to the Israelites that there is nothing to fear as a child of God because God is sovereign and in control of the universe. If you are battered by fear, cling to the rock that is Christ. He will give you His peace.
Behold Your God - Behold His Power, Part 2 - Isaiah 40
Pastor Ricky will be continuing his teaching on God vs. idols through the book of Isaiah. Israel turned away from God and focused their attention on things that God created. The Lord is rebuking Israel in this text for not loving and worshipping Him. The definition of idolatry is loving something and giving adoration to something or someone more than you love and adore God. Is there anything or anyone that draws your attention and devotion away from God?
Behold Your God - Behold His Power, Part 1 - Isaiah 40
Pastor Ricky will be asking you this question today, “Do you place all your trust in God or in idols?”. Your actions will reveal if you place your trust in God. You can't say that you believe God will provide for you and then live in worry and forsake the call God has on your life in order to stock up on money and resources. When times get tough do you run to the world for comfort or do you turn to Christ? There is nothing that can save you and give you peace like God Almighty, turn to Him alone.
Behold Your God - Behold Your God, Part 2 - Isaiah 40
Today our focus will be on the importance of beholding our God and falling deeper in love with Him. The only way that you can become more Christ-like, the only way you can rid yourself of sin, is if you focus on Christ and His presence. When you spend that intimate time with Christ in communion you will naturally begin to become more and more like Him. Don't allow sin to be your main focus, have Christ as your main focus and He will enable you to live for Him.
Behold Your God - Behold Your God, Part 1 - Isaiah 40
God has put eternity into our lives. He has created man with a longing for the Lord. Before you came to the Lord you had a God-shaped void in your heart that only God could fill and satisfy. Now that you've received Christ into your heart you have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding but you still have the flesh within you that tries to sway you into longing for everything other than God. Always remember your first love and pursue God. He will satisfy you.
This Is What You Trained For - Mark 3:13-14
Christianity is not meant to be a spectator sport. We’re all called to declare the good news of the Gospel and help others to follow Jesus. What would change in our Christian lives if we, like the disciples, knew that one day we would become fishers of men? That when we read our Bibles, we did so ready to teach others, and when we prayed we do so in a way to teach others to pray? Lord, help us to be active partipants, learning in order to pass it along to others.
The Wrong Healing - Mark 2:1-5
At times it may seem like Jesus gives us a gift that we don’t quite want as much as a gift He does not give. That’s because Jesus sees past our immediate physical needs and sees our deep spiritual need. He desires to give us the greatest gift, to be forgiven from all our sins, to be justified before God, and reconciled to Him. He doesn’t want to just give us something that will make us whole for just a day, a decade, or even a lifetime, but for all of eternity!
Leaving the Nets - Mark 1:16-20
In our current day, do we feel the cost of following Jesus? Have we offered Jesus every part of our lives or just certain parts? As followers of Christ, we are called to offer every part. Is He worth it? The Scriptures tell us He is! And what we gain is far more than we lose.
Even Jesus Got Away - Mark 1:35-38
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Jesus withdrew and prayed. If Jesus, the Son of God, chose to do this, if this was His pattern, shouldn’t it be our pattern as well? Prayer is an open invitation from the King of the Universe, to come, find rest, be refreshed, and ask for help for the day.
The God Who Speaks - Habakkuk 2:1-2
“Why do bad things happen to people who seem good?” That’s a question humanity has been asking and struggling with since the beginning of time. And although God is not required to answer, He does! And He does it time and time again. He has revealed Himself through His Word and invites us to wait on Him, to seek Him, to hear His voice, and ultimately trust Him.
The God Who Actually Cares - Psalm 8
When we look up and behold the expanse of space and begin to grasp all of that, we can’t help but ask the Lord, “Who am I that you are mindful of me?” However mind-blowing that might be, the glorious truth is that the same God who made and sustains the universe around us is the same God who is interested and cares about every detail of our lives.
Strength In Weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Today you’ll notice a change to our normal format. You’ll learn why in today’s podcast. But what will not change is our desire to share encouraging gospel thoughts, Better News, for each day. As Pastor Ricky works to improve his health, isn’t it reassuring to know that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness, that the more we lean on Him the stronger we become? Let’s all lean on Him today.
A Better Picture of Jesus - Romans 8:31-34
“He who was once despised and rejected of men, now occupies the honorable position of a beloved and honored Son.” Often the picture of Jesus we are most familiar with is him hanging on the cross. Surely, that picture is right and we should never forget it. But Scripture also gives us another picture: the picture of Jesus in glory at the right hand of God. This glorious Jesus should encourage and strengthen our souls as well.
A Legacy Worth Leaving - Proverbs 20:7
“If we walk before the LORD in integrity, we shall do more to bless our descendants than if we bequeathed them large estates.” It’s right to think about the kind of legacy we will leave to family, friends and the generation after us. But here Spurgeon reminds us that if we want to leave a godly legacy we should start with our own character.
The Test of Prosperity - Nehemiah 9:38
“We should not only let our troubles confirm our dedication to God, but our prosperity should do the same.” Often in times of adversity, we go to the Lord and pray fervently and ask for His help to follow Him. But in times of prosperity or peace, we can sometimes drift from God. Spurgeon encourages us that great joys should be times of recommitting ourselves to follow the Lord as well.