Category: 2010 Sermons

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2010-05-02: Nothing to Prove — Nothing to Lose

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:27 — 15.8MB)

Sermon: Nothing to Prove — Nothing to Lose
Speaker: Pastor Frank Clore
Scripture Text: I Samuel 17
Duration: 34:27
Size: 15.7 MB

David and Goliath
Nothing to Prove — Nothing to Lose
I Samuel 17

  1. God is not the author of fear.
  2. God has given us a spirt of power, love and self-discipline.
  3. We must ask, “How do we defeat the giants of our lives?”
  4. David lived a simple principle to defeat the giants of his life. He had nothing to prove and nothing to lose.
  5. Everything he was and everything that he had belonged completely to God.
  6. Saul’s soldiers ran away in fear.
  7. The more they delayed, the more intimidated they became.
  8. The more intimidated they became, the harder the problem became for them to handle.
  9. We get so caught up in the battle that we do not see beyond ourselves.
  10. God is bigger than our giants.

Three Strategies For Battling Your Giants

  1. Never assume that what worked for somebody else to defeat their giant will automatically work for you.
  2. Trust first in the Lord and not just in the weapons that you have been given.
  3. Celebrate your victories.

Quote To Remember

Mother Teresa said, “I’m not called to be successful. I’m simply called to be faithful.”

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2010-04-18: LLYWD

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:23 — 14.8MB)

Sermon: LLYWD
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 32:23
Size: 14.8 MB

Romans 13:11-12 “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.”

The truth is that we are all terminal.

Jesus not only came to give me eternal life in heaven, but He also came to give me abundant life here and now.

Ecclesiastes 8:8, John 10:10

1. Live with a sense of urgency.

Maybe the most dangerous word in the English language is the word someday.

Someday, I will __________.

Just as we must let God’s grace and mercy cover the past, we must let God’s care and providence cover our future.

Matthew 6:27-30, Psalm 118:24

2. Live with a sense of eternity.

As much as it is a mistake to take today for granted, it is an even bigger mistake to take eternity for granted.

You must personally receive the gift of salvation made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Hebrews 9:27, II Corinthians 4:18

3. Live with a sense of priority.

When I live with a kind of a bi-focal vision, one eye on eternity and one eye on the gift of today, then I can really begin to prioritize my life and actions.

Take off… your frantic pace of life.

Put on… more time for relationships.

Living like you were dying is…
More about today, less about tomorrow
More about people, less about possessions
More about God’s priorities, less about my plans
More about the eternal, less about the temporal

Psalm 46:10

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2010-03-28: Lasting Returns — Faithfulness

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:17 — 12.5MB)

Lordship Living — God Provides

Sermon: Lasting Returns — Faithfulness
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 27:17
Size: 12.4 MB

What Good Is a Coat of Many Colors
If It Has a Stain on It?

The Book of Genesis closes with the remarkable story of the Old Testament character Joseph and his family. The life of Joseph has some strong parallels to the life of Jesus Christ. Both were gifted, both lived holy lives, both suffered, and both were responsible for the salvation of lives (although in Joseph’s case, it was physical salvation, rather than spiritual).

Among the many attributes Joseph possessed was that of longevity—endurance. He was true to his God, whether things were going well or not so well.

Endurance is a characteristic God wants to cultivate in each one of us. Today, let’s examine the life of Joseph and see if we can’t learn some of his secrets for Lordship Living.

Today’s Focus: God rewards those who are faithful to Him.

Food for Thought: I will put my time, talent, treasure, and touch to work for the Kingdom.

Lasting Returns

  1. When we model unfaithfulness, others are affected by our actions.
  2. When we model faithfulness, we influence others to be faithful!

Faithfulness Is a Choice

  1. It’s not always easy to follow through on our choices.
  2. Faithfulness is a choice, and it’s one we have to stick with if we are to please God.

Through Our Faithfulness, We Gain Lasting Returns

  1. The natural inclination of every one of us is to cling to the things we have.
  2. God wants us to be generous—with Him and with others.

Waldo Weaning’s Three Levels of Giving

  1. You have to (Law)
  2. You ought to (Obligation)
  3. You want to (Grace)

God Gives Us Gifts and Talents for a Reason

  1. God has given you gifts for a reason, and that reason is to bless others.
  2. In God’s eyes, all gifts are equal because they equally serve the Body—His Church.

How much do you own in that direction?

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2010-03-21: How Am I Doing? — Trust

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:36 — 13.1MB)

Lordship Living — God Provides

Sermon: How Am I Doing? — Trust
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Genesis 22:1-18
Duration: 28:36
Size: 13.0 MB

“What Would You Sacrifice?”

Have you ever sacrificed anything to help someone else? What did you give up? Did you miss it? Has anyone ever sacrificed anything to help you?

The Old Testament story of God’s command for Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac may cause us to wonder, “What was God thinking?” But the real issue wasn’t the survival of the boy, but rather the trust of Abraham—and whether he loved the Lord enough to obey Him—even when it involved the life of his precious child.

Today, let’s look at this amazing story and mine it for nuggets of truth to help us better understand how God works in this journey of Lordship Living.

How Am I Doing?

  1. If the story of Abraham and Isaac models any expectation God has for us, surely it is total reliance on God.

The God and Abraham Story

  1. Abraham passed God’s strange test of faith by living through the trial with a completely surrendered heart.
  2. Abraham’s total compliance to God proved his total reliance on God.

Clue Number One

  1. A surrendered heart is always ready to sacrifice regardless of the confusion.
  2. God was not after Isaac’s death; God was after Abraham’s life!

Clue Number Two

  1. A surrendered heart is always willing to worship regardless of the cost.
  2. Abraham was obliged both in duty and devotion, even with gratitude, to part with Isaac, because he was offering his beloved son to a trusted friend.

Clue Number Three

  1. A surrendered heart is always open to obedience regardless of the countermand.
  2. Abraham and his son traded their undeniable devastation for indescribable celebration.

Trust

  1. Partial obedience is perfect disobedience!
  2. Total reliance on God is total obedience to God!

God doesn’t want dead martyrs as much
as He desires living sacrifices.

Next week: Lasting Returns

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2010-03-14: The Blessings We Don’t Deserve — Relationship

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:07 — 14.2MB)

Lordship Living — God Provides

Sermon: The Blessings We Don’t Deserve — Relationship
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 31:07
Size: 14.2 MB

“Go Ahead—You Deserve It!”
(Don’t You?)

Have you ever noticed some people around us don’t seem to get what they deserve? I mean, you’re standing in line at the grocery, you’re dog-tired, the kids are squealing, and some young, skinny, cute person—without a care in the world—steps in front of you. Did I mention you’re in the line for “12 Items Only,” and the line-breaker has 35 (you have only 3)?

If only we were God! We could discreetly point our finger and ZAP—the line-breaker would shrink to the size of the little person we already knew her to be (about the size of a housefly). Then the clerk would swat the little annoying creature, and we would once again be ready to pop our groceries on the belt.

Ah, but line isn’t like that, is it? We see undeserving persons receive glory, promotions, honor and other benefits all the time, when we know full well they don’t really deserve them (but we do).

What do we really deserve? It’s a question worth asking. Today let’s examine it and try to find some answers.

The Blessings We Don’t Deserve

  1. God expects us to extend grace and mercy to those who seemingly don’t deserve them, because the truth is, we don’t deserve them any more than they do.
  2. As we consider the characters Jacob, the Prodigal Son, and the Dying Thief, remember: God provides new beginnings for old scoundrels.

Three Undeserving Scoundrels

  1. Without doubt, our God is the God of underdogs.
  2. Jacob was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from the Father, and who finally turned from rebellion to a right relationship with the Lord.
  3. The Prodigal Son was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from his father and finally turned from his rebellion and to obedience and humility.
  4. The point is: the Dying Thief was an old scoundrel who received a blessing from God in his final breaths.

Rebellion, Religion and Relationship

  1. Jacob truly represents an undeserving rebellious scoundrel. But his older twin brother, Esau, represents an apathetic, religious scoundrel.
  2. Jacob, the Prodigal Son and the Dying Thief—clearly understood they did not deserve to receive the blessings of Father God—so they finally humbled themselves, turned from rebellion, and entered into right relationships with the Lord.
  3. Rebellion is shaking a fist in God’s face.
  4. Religion is climbing the ladder of self-righteousness believing we will meet God at the top.
  5. Relationship is God coming down the ladder in the person of His Son and meeting us at the bottom rung where we’ve humbled ourselves.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.
Sin has left a crimson stain;
He washed it white as snow.
—Elvina Hall

Next week: How Am I Doing?