Month: November 2024

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:26 — 14.8MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Romans 5:6-11

Lies People Believe
I’ve Got Too Much Dirt
Romans 5:6-11

Now, if someone with as much dirt as Barabbas could become a follower of Jesus, do you really think you have too much dirt for God to handle it?

Jesus, however, gave His life even though none of us deserve His sacrifice.

Exhibit A, Paul’s life before knowing Jesus.
Even though he thought he was acting with great zeal on behalf of God, he was actually sinning against the God he proclaimed to love.

Exhibit B, the life accomplishments of Paul as a Christian.
Eventually, it’s believed that Paul’s faith cost him his life.

Exhibit C, what motivated him to go through it all.
Even as His enemy, He sent His son Jesus to die on the cross. Jesus did all the work to reconcile me to God.

We’ve taken the plunge and accepted the gift of grace that God offered through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:22 — 13.5MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: II Corinthians 5:14-17

Lies People Believe
I Am What I Am
II Corinthians 5:14-17

The phrase simply means–I have no choice–that’s just the way it is.

But that doesn’t stop people from continually protesting: “I can’t help myself”, “I can’t change who I am”. “It’s not my fault!”

To people who engaged in sin who said, “I was born that way” Jesus said “You must be born again.”

Jesus came to transform people…to remake them.

Now the problem is this: the people who buy into that mindset often face hopelessness and despair.

The first step to being healed of your sin. Recognize that you’ve messed up and want to change–REPENT!

The Christian is never trapped by their past. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:17 — 12.6MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Proverbs 3:5-10

Lies People Believe
I Did It My Way
Proverbs 3:5-10

But, when it comes to the more serious decisions of life, if we insist on doing things our way, it can get real dangerous…real quick.

It’s an impressive song about facing life’s difficulties…and triumphing over the challenges — I Did It My Way!

It’s no longer going to be your will that guides you…but God’s.

But when churchgoers do this (when they insist on doing things their way), they don’t think of it defying God.

If Jesus is not the Lord of your life — somebody’s got to be.

Nothing he had done compared to what Jesus had done…for him.