The church in Antioch gave us such a great example, they loved and cared for others so much. They didn't stop at the members of their own church. They supported other churches that were in need, whether financially or needs of manpower, they helped. They sacrificed in ways that so many people find difficult. Pastor Ricky encourages us to follow their example, to care for others, to break down the walls, and really get to know our brothers and sisters in Christ and love and care for them.
The Book of Acts - Breaking Down Dividing Walls, Part 3
Peter showed such a great example of not allowing dividing walls stop him from sharing the gospel. Today Pastor Ricky shares the huge divide between Peter and Cornelius. In their day, Jews weren't even supposed to receive Gentiles. They weren’t supposed to eat or stay with them. Peter went to a Gentile, Cornelius, because the Lord told him to break that divide. This one act of obedience by Peter opened the door of salvation to a huge people group that otherwise would have been shunned.
The Book of Acts - Breaking Down Dividing Walls, Part 2
You may be out there listening today and think it is impossible for you to be saved. You may think if you walk into a church lightning will strike you down. The good news is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one deserves what Jesus did on the cross for them. Jesus died for everyone. He didn't just save the people from sin who weren't too bad seeming on the outside. He isn't picking and choosing, so now that you know choose to follow Jesus today.
The Book of Acts - Breaking Down Dividing Walls, Part 1
Today Pastor Ricky teaches that Jesus, as He taught, did two things over and over again. One, He abolished the additions to His law, like the cultural divide. And two, He raised the bar for what it meant to be holy. Jesus let them know that those laws weren't even in the Bible, to begin with. He taught that The Law was meant to reveal our hearts, to show us how holy the Lord is and our need for Him. Not to be a list of ceremonial laws. Even today we can create a divide like this among people.
The Book of Acts - Does Jesus Still Walk, Part 2
There are people who live as if God was part of creation but isn't around now. Like as if He started things off and now we're on our own, things will just work themselves out. Pastor Ricky teaches us through the miracles in the book of Acts that Jesus is here with us now. He is active in our lives and we're filled with His power right now. We don't have to do things alone in this life. Jesus overcame even death to have the victory so that we can live confidently in that victory all the days of our lives.
The Book of Acts - Does Jesus Still Walk, Part 1
Luke tells us in his gospel about Jesus taking on different forces and winning. In Acts these stories are similar. Jesus healing people shows that He has power over every realm. He takes on nature, spiritual forces, sickness, disease, and even death and wins. The story of Peter healing in Jesus’ name in the book of Acts shows that Jesus is still with us, that He still has the power. Pastor Ricky encourages us that even today Jesus is with us, and in power, we can have daily victories in this power.
The Book of Acts - Impossible Circumstances, Impossible People, Part 2
All people need to be restored to God. We're going to come up against people who seem impossible to save. Pastor Ricky points out that the passage about The Suffering Servant was put in the Bible for times like that, to show us all to have a heart that cares that everyone should come to Christ. Some people make us so angry, they mock us or mock Jesus but Jesus died for them too. He wants us to continue to love them regardless. If you win that soul for eternity your blessings will far outweigh the suffering.
The Book of Acts - Impossible Circumstances, Impossible People, Part 1
When we’re living in the world we can take on bad habits from the world. Separating ourselves into groups and subcultures, there are stigmas that go with any group. There's a class system that gets developed. The Samaritans coming to the Lord and becoming part of the fellowship of God shows us to break down those barriers. The Samaritans were thought of as lower than the Jews. The believers accepting them as just as good as they were, spoke volumes. Jesus died for us all, not just some.
The Book of Acts - Leaders, Ethnic Dividers and the Gospel, Part 2
Have you ever been looked at disparagingly because of your race? Maybe walked into a place that you thought you didn't belong? Or maybe you have tattoos, or are watched when your shopping because you’re thought to be a thief? Pastor Ricky preaches the gospel to you and to me. He wants us to do the same. The gospel breaks down worldly dividers. The gospel changes things for everyone. We're no longer a certain race or group. We become sons and daughters of God. We’re family.
The Book of Acts - Leaders, Ethnic Dividers and the Gospel, Part 1
During the early church, they had the same issues arise as we do. They had people with needs. They had widows, orphans, and handicapped people who couldn’t work and relied on the goodness of others for their sustenance. Just like today, there are millions of people that without humanitarian efforts would be dead. The lesson here in Acts, that Pastor Ricky is teaching, is that the main thing needs to stay the main thing. The Gospel is to be preached first.
The Book of Acts - Gospel Advanced, Part 2
Pastor Ricky likens our sharing Jesus to a balance scale. The scale has the other person, issue, or obstacle on one side, it's totally way down. But when we get on the counterbalance side alone, nothing happens, it barely budges. But we aren't alone. We have the power of Jesus on our side. He is on the scale with us and it's weighed down enough. This is what happens when you share Jesus. You may not know the words going in but the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom and power.
The Book of Acts - Gospel Advanced, Part 1
We get our power from Jesus. His name is where our power to share the gospel comes from. Pastor Ricky speaks about Peter being uneducated but having the power of Jesus. He stood before educated men and preached the Gospel in a way that blew them away. They spoke to each other saying that he was uneducated but the way he spoke about the Gospel made them see and believe there was a real change in him. That's what will bring people to Jesus around us, the change they see in us.
The Book of Acts - The Spirit Poured Out, Part 2
Pastor Ricky reminds us of Day 1 stuff of Christianity. Repent, that’s it. Troubled Christians don't need a bunch of counseling sessions, they need to repent. They need to go back to Day 1 stuff. Do you get caught up in trying to clean up your act a little before spending your quiet time with Jesus? Or wanting to change something before you give it all over to Him? Repent. It's as easy as that. Turn around and give it all over to the One who already knows where you are and has promised to handle it.
The Book of Acts - The Spirit Poured Out, Part 1
Have you been looking forward to The Last Days? The Israelites were looking forward to The Last Days too, for when the Messiah came and saved them. We can look forward to the same thing, The Second Coming of Christ. We have heaven waiting for us, we have our new bodies and an eternity with the Lord. How could we not be looking forward to The Last Days? We're not very different than the Israelites waiting for Jesus to come the first time. We have so much to gain from His glorious return.
The Book of Acts - Prologue, Mission and Power, Part 2
The book of Acts recounts amazing occurrences of the Lord through the apostles. Pastor Ricky wants us to realize that we too are filled with that same amazing power. The Holy Spirit power was also given to us when we came to know the Lord. We have been given this power that can bring dead men to life. We’re to go out and tell people about the change that's happened within us. Why would we keep such an amazing power a secret? Be encouraged today that you Christian, have that power.
The Book of Acts - Prologue, Mission and Power, Part 1
Jesus came and paid for our sins. He is our King, our risen Lord, and our Savior. When you're commanded by authority to do something, you do it. When you're asked to do something by someone you love it isn’t a burden, but a blessing. We’re told by Jesus to go out into all the world and share the Gospel. This is commanded by our King and lovingly told to us by our Savior so our response should be immediate and done in love. The sharing of the Gospel should be a blessing and reveal Jesus.
Thy Kingdom Come - Deliver Us From Evil, Part 2
The Lord's Prayer teaches us so much about the character of God and the hope of redemption that we have in Christ. When we accept the gift of salvation not only is our past sin forgiven but we're also given a hope for a life free from sin. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, as long as we live in the flesh were subject to the temptations of this world but when we allow God to lead us, He’ll not lead us into temptation but further us into righteousness and freedom.
Thy Kingdom Come - Deliver Us From Evil, Part 1
When we pray the words, “deliver us from evil” we may picture God as an armored tank, protecting us from the external forces of evil that surround us. Well God certainly does offer that kind of protection, there is another danger lurking that we often overlook. As Pastor Ricky warns in today's message, all of us are born with sinful desires, like ticking time bombs in our hearts. We need to be alert and aware of these desires and be ready to run to Christ as soon as they rear their head.
Thy Kingdom Come - Forgive Us Our Debts, Part 2
Have you been hurt by someone? Maybe they harmed you or someone you love in a way that just seems unforgivable. As Pastor Ricky continues to lead us through the Lord's Prayer we're challenged to do the impossible. It won't be easy. It won't feel as good as revenge does in the moment. It'll take a lot of prayer and the Holy Spirit’s helping hand but forgiveness is vital for all followers of Christ. We've been given an immeasurable grace and we need to extend that same grace to our debtors.
Thy Kingdom Come - Forgive Us Our Debts, Part 1
Most of us have opened a bill and found ourselves in a mild state of shock over the debt it contained. Medical bills, tax bills, loans, whatever it was, it may have felt insurmountable in that moment. Imagine if a benefactor walked up to us, took that bill, tore it up and declared that they would take care of it. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that is exactly what Christ has done for us. He took our debt of sin, a debt we could never pay, and He paid it with His own life on the cross.