Haggai - Build the House

August 29, 2010 PM
David Dawson

Audio

Haggai’s place in history was to challenge and encourage the people to rebuild God’s temple in Jerusalem. He called his people to invest in God’s house and promised that a commitment to God’s glory would bring satisfaction. It is easy for us to hear God’s message in Haggai. Though our lives do not center around a construction project, there is still great frustration in neglecting God’s work and great reward in working for his glory.

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Free!

August 29, 2010 AM
Romans 8:1-11

Dave Marttunen

Audio / Questions / Leaders


Some laws supersede others. The law of flight is greater than the law of gravity. In Biblical terms, grace supersedes merit. Today we will learn that the law of sin and death, which grips all of us and demands justly our punishment, is overcome by the law of life in Christ. Romans 8 shines as a brilliant beacon of hope into our lives as it describes how faith in Christ brings us power through God's Holy Spirit living in us.

Zephaniah - Threats and Lullabies

August 22, 2010 PM
David Dawson

Audio


God takes great delight in us as a parent cares for a child. This love and delight is expressed in many ways. God warns us and comforts us. At times he needs to threaten us while at other times he knows we need encouragement. Zephaniah’s message contains both. What side of God’s love do you need to hear today?

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Of Two Minds

August 22, 2010 AM
Dave Marttunen

Audio / Questions / Leaders


Dickens began his epic novel, The Tale of Two Cities, with the line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” He could have been writing the story of the common Christian life. Dickens opening sentence describes the Christian life that we experience. Every Christian is locked in an internal war. Every Christian has two natures, not one, and these two natures battle for control; one over the other. In Romans 7, Paul clearly describes the battle that every Christian faces—a desire for good and an innate pull towards evil. Today, as we study Romans 7 we are introduced to the battle and the opportunity to experience the victory that Christ alone can give us.

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Habakkuk - Faith Waits

Aug 15, 2010 PM
David Dawson

Audio


Our faith is always stretched when we have to wait. When our prayer request goes unanswered, when the answer comes in an unexpected way and when life difficulties linger, our faith in God is tested. Habakkuk experienced these tests of faith and he can inspire us to cling to faith amidst our waiting.

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Slave to God?

August 15, 2010 AM
Dave Marttunen

Audio / Questions / Leaders


Are rules and freedom mutually exclusive? When grace wins our freedom then the law and sin are no longer our masters. Does this mean rules fly out the window? Does our freedom mean that without the „fear‟ of penalty and punishment we can and will do whatever we want? Most importantly, is doing whatever we want the pathway to freedom or bondage? Will our actions as Christians pay dividends or create deficits? The Holy Spirit through the pen of Paul walks us into the deep end of these topics. His purpose is to lead us into lasting liberty that already belongs to us in Christ. He wants us to discover and choose the benefits that accrue when we make choices consistent with being redeemed by Christ.

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Nahum - Filled With Wrath

August 8, 2010 PM
Minor Prophets #7
David Dawson

Audio

When we hear a strong presentation of God’s anger, we have a tendency towards embarrassment. Anger feels unbecoming of a loving God. Yet as we examine the nature of God’s anger, we see that it is shaped by his love and
that we would not want to live in a world that holds no sense of justice.

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Enslaved

August 8, 2010 AM
Dave Marttunen

Audio / Questions / Leaders

We have a natural dislike to the word slave. We are convinced that all slavery is wrong, and all slave owners are bad. We think that independence is preferable to everything else. We so prize our independence which we synonymously define as freedom, that regardless of the cost—starvation for us and our children, illness and plague for us and our children—it is preferable to slavery. We believe deeply in our hearts that it is better to be a poor, uneducated, and sick free man than to be a rich, educated and healthy slave. With this value firmly in place, when we come to a Scripture like Romans 6 and read the language of slavery, we are immediately offended. When we read that in God’s view, we should consider ourselves his slaves, that he has in fact bought, paid for, and will eternally own us, we jump back in horror. God cannot be good and own us… can he? He cannot be righteous, loving, kind and merciful and own us… can he? He cannot be for us, if he enslaves us can he? Today we are confronted by this truth, we all serve something and whatever we serve will master us.

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Thriving in the City Part 9

August 1, 2010 AM
Titus Part 9
Dave Marttunen

Audio / Questions / Leaders

No one loves being wrong but some people hate it. When being wrong and hating to be found wrong live in the same moment, the results can be catastrophic for the person and for the group. Paul is clear in coaching us and Titus: mistakes happen. Everyone is in a process of change; putting off old ways, old desires, old patterns and putting on new ones. As we mature, we change our minds, our attitudes and change our behaviours. To get to that place, others will speak into our lives. Who can tell you that you are wrong? Who can tell you that the differences you prefer are not good for you or others? Can you receive healthy correction and participate in productive conflict? Today as we conclude our studies in Titus, we learn that thriving in our city means that we cannot avoid internal conflict. How we engage in conflict and bring correction is key to our maintaining a healthy Church community. Self discipline and Church disciple are as essential to fulfilling our mission with God, as is loving Him and doing good works which show our love for others.

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