Jesus came to earth in the midst of scandal. While Mary was innocent of her suspected sin, most of her community didn't know that. She would have been the subject of gossip and rumors and Joseph took that on himself when he agreed to be the father to her child. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, Jesus is not afraid of your scandal. He doesn't care about the opinion of men. He cares about you and He'll come to you in the midst of your sin, embrace you and pull you out of that mess.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Husband? Part 1
Was Jesus' father Joseph perfect? No, of course not. He was a flawed, humble man yet God had a great purpose for him. He was a necessary part of fulfilling prophecy and raising God's very own son, as he took on human form. As Pastor Ricky will point out in today's message, many men would have walked away from Mary and the scandal of her pregnancy out of wedlock. Joseph even considered it. But because he had faith in God, he took on the task he was called to and helped raise our Savior.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 2
This broken world is like a long night in the wilderness. If you imagine yourself cold and hungry, with the sounds of wild animals all around, it's a place of vulnerability. But then the sky gradually fades from black to a smokey blue, followed by tinges of orange, and then at last the sun breaks over the horizon. As Pastor Ricky illustrates in today's message, as a believer the horizon is glowing with that orange light, and true to God's promise, Christ is going to return and bring light that will put our sun to shame.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Family? Part 1
You need family. Sadly because of sin and selfishness, as well as things that are out of our control, all families are broken in some way. Even the most perfect-looking family has its faults if you start to dig deep enough. That's just a part of living in a fallen world. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today’s message, the situation isn’t hopeless. Your family may not be perfect but if you cling to and rest in God's promises, you can find peace and unity that you can't find anywhere else.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 2
God doesn't love you because of your talents or your skills. He doesn't scan humanity looking for people to add to His team because they possess some useful talent. He desires for everyone to come to Him not because of what they possess but because they're His creation and they lack the intimacy, freedom, and the life that He designed them for. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, to come to the Father you have to humble yourself and allow Him to save and equip you for any good work.
The Perfect Family? - The Perfect Mom? Part 1
Throughout scripture, you can see a pattern in the way that God works. He doesn't look for the powerful, the rich, or the famous. It's not that He can't use those people, but as Pastor Ricky points out in the example of Jesus's mother Mary, God chose her because she was humble. She was a nobody and God loves to work with nobodys. When you acknowledge that you're incapable and incompetent on your own, it allows room for God to come in and work in a way that glorifies Him alone.
Disciple - Rhythms of Discipleship, Part 2
There is one reason and one reason alone that the early church was so successful in reaching the world around them for Christ and that reason is that they were dependent on God. This church immediately prayed whenever there was a problem or whenever they needed directions. When you have a good prayer life it shows that you're truly dependent on God and that you know you have no strength in yourself. How is your prayer life? If it's lacking you're telling God you don't need Him.
Disciple - Rhythms of Discipleship, Part 1
Is being a disciple of Jesus Christ part of the regular rhythm of your life? Many that come to church only keep Christ in that part of their day but you as a disciple are to represent Jesus every single day and every moment of your life. Are you representing Christ properly at church? How about in school or in your home with your family? The way the Lord reaches this dark and lost world is by being properly represented by His children and then revealing Himself through them.
Disciple - Disciples Scatter, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky teaches on the acts of the Holy Spirit through the early church you will begin to understand why this early church was used so powerfully by the Lord. The believers here in this chapter are taking their discipleship very seriously as well as making disciples of others. When you focus on ridding yourself of sin and communing with the Lord you will begin to change from the inside out. As you change and look more Christ-like, unbelievers will see there is something very different about you.
Disciple - Disciples Scatter, Part 1
Many in the American church primarily focus on the aspect of becoming a disciple individually and don't move forward and make disciples of others. It's easier to just focus on your own discipleship and it's easier to stay in your comfort zone and not reach out to others. But Christ calls you to be bold and to make disciples. This was not a suggestion this is a command and the early church took it very seriously. It's time that the church today takes Christ's command to make disciples just as seriously as the early church did in the book of Acts.
Disciple - Disciples Gather, Part 2
God desires that His children gather together and corporately worship and seek Him. He promises a special and unique experience of His spirit. All believers have different spiritual gifts and the Lord desires that you would gather together as the body of Christ and be used to benefit others. When you come to church, do you expect to experience a move of the spirit of God? Or do you just show up and go through the motions? Purpose to expect a move of God at church and look for ways to serve others.
Disciple - Disciples Gather, Part 1
The foundations to a healthy Christian Life are reading the Word of God, prayer, sharing your faith, and fellowshipping in the church. Today Pastor Ricky will be focusing on the importance of fellowshipping with other believers. The Bible says, do not forsake the fellowship of the brethren and sadly there are many today that don't think it's important to go to church. The truth of the matter is that you do have the Holy Spirit in you but He promises a special experience when you gather with other believers.
Disciple - Disciples Believe, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the importance of Christians to grow in faith, he will be showing how it's not enough to just have faith but that the power is in the object of your faith. Having faith does nothing for you. Your faith must be placed in the person of Jesus Christ. As you go through trials and tribulations the only thing that will sustain you is how well you know and trust Jesus. If you lack faith it's because you're not spending intimate and quality time with the Lord.
Disciple - Disciples Believe, Part 1
To truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you must be able to place your whole trust and faith in Him, no matter what. The book of Hebrews says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. During your journey as a disciple of Christ, you will be put through circumstances and trials that will test and try you so you can grow in your faith. Place your faith in the person of Jesus Christ.
Disciple - Disciples Tell, Part 2
When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and He lives inside of you, He does a transforming work from the inside out. As your life radically changes and you fall deeper in love with Christ you can't help but talk about Him with others. The Holy Spirit within you desires for you to preach the gospel to a dark and dying world. Pastor Ricky will be sharing with you the basic functions of the gospel to help you easily share with others. Don't fear man for what can man do to you? Trust in the Lord.
Disciple - Disciples Tell, Part 1
In this text, the Lord casts out a legion of demons from a man who lives in a graveyard. Demons are very real but you should never fear them because greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world. Just as Jesus had the power to cast out these demons, He has power to transform your life and to transform the lives of those you minister to. As you preach the gospel to unbelievers, His power proceeds out from you and does the work.
Disciple - Disciples Are Unstoppable, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching on the Parable of the Sower, he will be emphasizing the importance for believers to scatter seeds and patiently wait for the harvest. You're just commanded to preach the gospel. You aren't responsible for the harvest, that's the Lord's job. Don't try and examine the heart of unbelievers just do your duty to preach the gospel. Don't underestimate the power of God's Word when you speak it into someone’s life. The Word of God will never return void.
Disciple - Disciples Are Unstoppable, Part 1
Today Pastor Ricky will be teaching on the Parable of the Sower and exhorting us as believers to scatter seed by preaching the gospel. The Lord commands His followers to go out into all the world preaching the gospel and making disciples. Are you fulfilling this great commission? You're called to scatter the seeds of the gospel and it's up to the Lord to cause the seeds to grow. As you’re faithful to do your part of the work, the Lord is faithful to do His part.
Disciple - Disciples Eat With Sinners, Part 2
Jesus was known for eating with sinners and tax collectors and the religious people despised that Jesus did this. Christ said He came to heal the sick and to call sinners to repentance, not the righteous. Jesus basically told the hypocritical Pharisees and religious leaders that they couldn’t be saved until they realized they were sick with sin and needed a savior. And you can't be saved by doing good works. It is only by God's grace. Don't look down on the ungodly. Love them and administer to them.
Disciple - Disciples Eat With Sinners, Part 1
As Jesus was passing through the multitudes of people He stopped and saw Matthew the tax collector and called him and told him to follow Him. Now Matthew was considered to be a traitor to his own people at one of the most corrupt jobs a Jew could have. Yet Jesus stopped and saw him and called him. Jesus saw you and called you as well. He looked past your sin and showed you love and poured out His grace. Do you see the unbelievers around you in this way? Stop and reach out to them.