The Day of Pentecost
The followers of Jesus, who numbered about 120, were told to wait in Jerusalem until the “Promise” of the Holy Spirit. When the Day of Pentecost came, God poured out the Holy Spirit on all who had gathered in that Upper Room. It was an AUDIBLE, VISIBLE, and VERBAL event—the sound like a rushing wind, […]
The Power of the Holy Spirit
Some Christians feel powerless—struggling to have victory over sin, unable to be bold in their witness, tired of running the race, wondering if there is more to the Christian life than just biding their time until Jesus returns. Maybe this describes you, and maybe it’s all because there is an absence of God’s power without the […]
The God of Restoration
In our society we typically throw away things that are broken or in terrible condition. But not God! He loves what is broken and discarded because then He can mend them and reclaim them for His glory. In other words, God is the God of restoration. Biblical restoration is when God takes something broken and […]
Pilate the People-Pleaser
Pontius Pilate was the Prefect appointed by Rome to oversee central Israel, including the city of Jerusalem, during the time of Christ. In fact, he became the pivotal figure in sentencing Jesus to death by crucifixion. Ironically, Pilate had determined three times that Jesus was not guilty of being condemned to death. So then why […]
God’s Gift to the World
Christmas day is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! He was God’s greatest Gift to the world. In fact, it’s why we give gifts at Christmas time—to commemorate the Gift and the Gift-Giver! In today’s short teaching, Pastor Gary uses “GIFTS” as an acronym to remember that God Is Faithful To Save! God […]
A Census, An Angel, and a Star
At the first Christmas 2000 years ago, God used different events and objects to direct people to Jesus—to behold the One who was born to save the world. He used a census to lead Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem where Jesus was to be born. He used an angel to lead shepherds to witness the […]
God Chose You
Matthew 1 takes us to the scene of Joseph taking Mary as his wife and adopting Jesus as his own. God chose Joseph for a specific purpose – to raise His only Son. Joseph’s example gives us a glimpse of God the Father, who loves us and has chosen us for a specific purpose. How […]
Lessons From A Teenager
Mary the mother of Jesus plays a significant role in the Christmas story, but she also has been a figure of confusion over the centuries. Who was Mary according to the Bible? How do our views differ from the views of the Roman Catholic Church regarding Mary’s life and legacy? And what can we learn […]
A Prayer for Unity
When Jesus prays for us in John 17, He asks the Father to give us UNITY. But what kind of “unity” is Jesus speaking of? Does He mean that we should just all “get along,” accepting everything and anything under the “umbrella of unity?” Not at all. Unfortunately, some Christians and/or churches, in pursuit of […]
Who is the Holy Spirit
Jesus talks more about the Holy Spirit than any other single subject during His closing words to the Disciples gathered in the Upper Room for their last Passover together. He wants to assure them that even though He is going away (when He ascends back into Heaven after His crucifixion and resurrection), He will not […]