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Who is winning the battle over the control of your life? You or Satan?
This year during Lent, we are going to Make War on the sin in our lives. We are going to claim the victory we have over sin through Jesus Christ. No longer will we allow sin to remain. We are going to Make War and launch a full-scale assault on personal sin.
Lent is the time of the year when we walk with Jesus through the wilderness and come face to face with Satan’s temptations. The battles we face may be different. But the victory over our sins is found only in Christ.
Join us beginning Sunday, February 26 at 11am or visit us on iTunes for this new message series
Make War: A Call to Personal Holiness
February 26
Make War: Man vs. Man
March 4
Make War: The Dangers of Sexual Sin
March 11
Make War: Fighting Satan and Growing Old
March 18
Make War: Take Control
March 25
Make War: Your Mind is a Battlefield
April 1
Make War: How Jesus Defeated Sin
April 8 (Easter) Free brunch at 9:45am and worship begins at 10:30am.
What will you do with Jesus?
Earlier today I was reading through the Gospel of Matthew and ran into this passage…
“So everyone who acknowledges me (Jesus) before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33, ESV)
Jesus tells us we have to make a choice. We can either acknowledge Jesus with our lives, our words and our actions and be accepted into God’s kingdom or we can deny Jesus with our lives, our words and our actions and be denied from God’s kingdom.
What will you do with Jesus?
Real Faith: 21 Key Verses About Faith
On Sunday we began a new message series at Neel Road called Get Real. The series is based on 1 Corinthians 13:13 where Paul explains that when our Christian walk is authentic there are three things that will be present: Faith, Hope, and Love.
Sunday’s message was about real faith. Here are some of the key points and 21 key verses about faith.
A lot of people, Christian or not, have the wrong idea about what faith is…
Faith is not just a willingness to believe in God or concede that there may be a God. That’s not faith. Also, faith is not the amount of effort we put forward to believing in God. Faith cannot be measured our efforts to believe or be spiritual. Faith is not the same thing as hope. Sometimes we hear people say, “Well I don’t know what else I can do about this or that situation, so I’ll just have to have faith that everything will work out.” That’s not faith. That’s not even hope! (We’ll talk about hope in a couple of Sundays.) There is this idea today that as long as we have “faith” in something, whatever god or idea that may be, we’re going to be okay. That’s not true and it’s definitely not faith. That’s the relativistic idea that pervades our society and culture today that says, “I’m okay, you’re okay, so we’re both okay.”
So what is faith?
Here are 21 key verses in the New Testament about faith.
Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.”
Hebrews 11:6
This verse tells us that faith is something we have to have!
Ephesians 2:8-9
Here, Paul explains that faith is a gift from God.
Luke 7:50
Jesus tells us that faith is something that saves us.
James 1:2-4
Our faith can be challenged.
James 2:17
Faith without works is dead.
Matthew 17:20
Jesus explains that even if we have just a little faith, we can move mountains or obstacles in our lives.
Romans 10:17
Faith comes from hearing the gospel preached.
Romans 14:1
This verse reminds us that our faith can be weak at times.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Paul challenges us to close our eyes and walk by faith
Galatians 3:24
We are justified before God because of our faith or by our faith.
Galatians 3:26
Through our faith we become God’s children.
Ephesians 4:5
There is only one faith.
Ephesians 6:16
Our faith is a shield that protects us from Satan’s attacks.
2 Thessalonians 3:2
This verse warns us to be careful because not everyone has faith.
1 Timothy 1:5
Our faith should be sincere.
1 Timothy 5:8
Real faith impacts the way we live our lives on an everyday basis. (at home, at work, at school, etc.)
2 Timothy 1:5
Faith can be passed down from generation to generation. (or not)
Titus 2:10
This verse encourages us to have good faith. The Greek word used here for “good” is agathos meaning honorable and useful.
Hebrews 11:3
This verse explains that only by faith can we begin to understand how the universe was mysteriously designed and created by God.
1 Peter 5:9
This verse encourages us to stand firm in our faith.
So what is real faith?
Real Faith=Belief+Trust+Commitment
Join us this Sunday for Get Real: Real Love!
Make War
The last 72 hours have been incredible. Our Student Ministry has just returned from our 2012 Winter Retreat to Myrtle Beach, SC. We joined four other churches in the Salisbury area over MLK Weekend for an amazing adventure.
Although there were plenty of games and fun to be had, we spent our time in worship and small groups discussing a rather unfamiliar topic to most teenagers. Inspired by a message series by John Piper, entitled How to Kill Sin, we challenged students to examine their own lives and heart and begin to make war with “the deeds of the body” that prevent us all from growing into the maturity that Christ intended.
13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:13
This was a rather difficult subject to tackle with teenagers. Too often, our society sends us the messages like “look out for #1,” while Jesus teaches that we are precisely what stands between us and the pursuit of holiness in Christ Jesus. Perhaps we should all listen to Paul’s words and live life by the spirit…let’s make war!
12 Scripture Verses for 2012
Starting off a new year is always exciting! It’s like driving down a long winding road with no end in sight! Making New Year’s resolutions and setting goals is a great way to start of a new year…and we can honor God at the same time! God’s word offers some great guidance and insights for how to get started.
For Making God A Priority in Your Life – Matthew 6:33
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
For Letting Go of the Past – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; and the new has come.
For Losing Weight or Living Healthier – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
For Managing Your Time Better – Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days that we may grow in wisdom.
For Getting Personal Finances in Order – Romans 13:8
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
For Getting Out of Debt – Proverbs 22:7
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
For Walking with God Daily – Psalm 105:4
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.
For Trusting God – Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
For Helping Others – Matthew 25:40
Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these…you did it to me.’
To Stop Worrying About Things – 1 Peter 5:7
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
For Waiting on God (Patience) – James 1:12
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.
For Keeping God First in Your Life – 1 John 5:21
Keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your heart.