If preaching the gospel has become a chore for you or if you're left feeling guilty that you're not proclaiming the gospel enough, there is a fundamental problem. Pastor Ricky will be explaining that the problem is simply that you're not spending time communing and falling in love with Jesus. When you experience the love of God and you're being filled with His Holy Spirit, you have the joy of the Lord and can't help but proclaim His goodness to those around you.
Against The World For the World - Proclaim, Part 1
Sometimes there are seasons in the life of a believer when proclaiming the gospel becomes less of a priority. Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us to make Jesus known to everyone. In our text, Peter is exhorting the church to comprehend and believe who they are in Jesus before he encourages them to proclaim the gospel. Many times the reason believers don't preach the gospel is because they don't understand who they are in Jesus. You are a part of a royal priesthood, never forget that.
Against The World For the World - Cornerstone, Part 2
In the last prayer that Jesus prayed to the Father before going to the cross, He desired that His disciples and the church would remain unified in Him. As Pastor Ricky continues his series on Jesus being our one and only cornerstone, he'll be explaining how the church has no reason to be divided. As Christians we may not agree on every aspect of the Word of God but as long as we agree on the foundation of Jesus and the core fundamentals of our faith, we should be unified.
Against The World For the World - Cornerstone, Part 1
As many of you already know, the foundation of a building is the most vital aspect of a structure that keeps a building secure. You can't build up on a weak structure because it will either crumble immediately or in time it will come crashing down. In our teaching today, Pastor Ricky will be explaining that the only way we can really grow into mature Christians is if we tear up the foundation the world has laid in our lives and replace it with Jesus. Only Jesus can sustain your life and keep you secure.
Against The World For the World - Built, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on Christians being built up as a spiritual house, he'll be emphasizing the reason God is building us up to begin with. The Lord commands us to be holy as He is holy. He reveals through His word that we're being built up as a spiritual house to be a royal priesthood. God isn't simply molding us and transforming us for no reason. The purpose is so we can be His ambassadors that truly reflect His character. Don't kick against the goads, allow God to build you up.
Against The World For the World - Built, Part 1
I don't know if you've noticed but since you’ve come to Jesus, you still have flaws that need to be worked out. You are a building project that is a work in progress. Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the importance of allowing God to build us off as a spiritual temple to be used for His glory. One of the most important things to understand about this concept is that Jesus Himself is the one that's doing the building, not you. The only thing you can do is cooperate with what God is purposing to do in and through your life.
Against The World For the World - The Counter-Cultural Christian Community, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his series on the countercultural Christian community, he'll be explaining that the foundation of believers in Jesus is eternal. We have an eternal hope of glory whereas the world system has no hope at all. There's a reason why the world seeks to look for ways to live longer. It’s because they're afraid of what will come after death. We however will have eternal rest and don't need to get worried over the temporal issues in this world.
Against The World For the World - The Counter-Cultural Christian Community, Part 1
When you became a Christian did you notice, as time went on, that you looked less and less like the world? There should be a sense that you don't belong to this world system any longer. Pastor Ricky will be helping us understand that our identity is in Jesus and we shouldn't yearn for acceptance or desire to fit in with the world. As you read the Word of God, you'll notice very quickly that the Christian community is called to a much higher standard and it's actually in stark contrast to the world.
Against The World For the World - Holiness is a Result of Hope, Part 2
All throughout the Bible, there is an emphasis on having an eternal perspective and living in light of eternity. Some have said that you can be too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good. The Bible teaches however that the more heavenly-minded you are, the more focused you'll be in furthering God's kingdom on earth. Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us today to live our life as though we can come face-to-face with God at any moment. Go into eternity without having any regrets.
Against The World For the World - Holiness is a Result of Hope, Part 1
The Apostle Peter in our text is repeatedly encouraging the church to understand and act upon their hope in the Lord. The Bible says that those who have this hope in Jesus, keep themselves pure just as He is pure. As Pastor Ricky continues to teach on the theme of hope in this section of scripture, he will be explaining that the natural reaction to having hope in Jesus is the desire and power to live a holy lifestyle. If you're not living a Godly life, the root issue may be that you doubt who Jesus is.
Against The World For the World - Hope Beyond the World, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching through the book of 1st Peter he’ll be reminding us that there's no trial or tribulation that can overshadow the glory of our salvation in Jesus. You can lose your health, your career, you could even be persecuted unto death but this is only a light affliction compared to eternity in heaven. You have an inheritance waiting for you in heaven and the Lord has sealed you until the Day of Redemption so take heart and remain at peace.
Against The World For the World - Hope Beyond the World, Part 1
When you hear the word “hope” what comes to mind? Biblical hope isn't a Jiminy Cricket, Wish Upon a Star type of hope. Biblical hope is a guarantee that what God says will come to pass, will indeed come to pass. Today Pastor Ricky will be expounding on the promises of God and how we can be assured of our salvation because our hope is placed in Jesus Christ. There are many things in this life that you can put your hope in but none of them, besides the Lord, will assuredly remain faithful until the end.
Against The World For the World - Against the World, For the World - Part 2
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching us the importance of understanding God's unconditional love for us. The Lord wasn't surprised when you got saved because He chose you before the foundations of the world. The Bible says God in His sovereignty and foreknowledge knew you would respond to His invitation to salvation. The word of God says that no one comes to the Son unless the Father draws him. So because of God's love, He reached down from heaven to draw you to Himself. You are loved.
Against The World For the World - Against the World, For the World - Part 1
Have you ever been mistreated and persecuted simply because you're a Christian? Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that there's absolutely nothing abnormal about being persecuted for your faith in Jesus. The Lord Himself said that if the world hated Him first, the world will hate you as well. No servant is greater than his master. If the world persecuted Him, the world will persecute His followers. If you are discouraged just remember that you have the ultimate hope of salvation and eternity with the Lord.
Vision - Witnesses, Part 2
Have you ever been corrected about something you were doing and instead of being gently redirected the person blasts you for doing it wrong? It turns your heart away from that person because their manner towards you was distasteful. In today's teaching, Pastor Ricky mentions that people can have a similar reaction to you if you tell them about God in a way that's belligerent or offensive but there's a better way to tell about Jesus. Let your message be inviting, not inciting.
Vision - Witnesses, Part 1
Just think of all the things that it takes to qualify for a loan. You need to have good credit and have proof of who you are and where you live, who you’re dependents are, etc… There's paperwork and some red tape that you have to cut through to get qualified. What do you think it takes to qualify for the kind of witness that God wants you to be? Pastor Rickys informs you today that it's simpler than you might think. The typical resume that the world requires is inconsequential as a Christian witness.
Vision - Family, Part 2
The underlying message of so many movies out there is a so-called empowering agenda of rising above the community that you've been a part of. You’re departing from your past to find yourself and own it, regardless of the ones you left. This message is slightly misguided but what should the message be? Today Pastor Ricky expresses the type of heart that's good to have when you're a part of a community or family of believers. It’s essential to embrace, love, and serve your spiritual family.
Vision - Family, Part 1
Just about everyone can relate to some dysfunction in their family, right? There are different personalities that are forced to come together and somehow get along. But then there's inevitably some kind of family drama because there's no way everyone gets along without any conflict. So how does this fit in the context of a church family? Today Pastor Ricky explores the various facets of what it means to have community with other people in a way that proves you're in it together for God's purposes.
Vision - Disciples, Part 2
When you choose to vote for someone you identify with them in some way. You publicly proclaim that you're backing them up, enough to endorse them as someone you want in leadership. But if you don't buy into the message they're expressing, you're not going to sign your name to that person being in a position of authority over you. What about when it comes to God? Today Pastor Rickys asks if you're prepared to follow God in a way that you could support and even imitate His way of living.
Vision - Disciples, Part 1
Being a follower of someone these days is usually associated with following someone on Instagram. What does that even mean? Are you just checking up on pictures that someone is posting but you don't really know them? In other times, being a follower of someone meant a very different thing. In today's passage, Pastor Ricky touches on how being a follower of Jesus entails living, and breathing, and following everything about what Jesus stood for. So who are you choosing to follow today?