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2013-01-13: Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 2 of 2)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:33 — )

Sermon Audio: Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 2 of 2)
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Habakkuk 1:1-11
Duration: 27:33
Size: 12.6 MB

Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 2 of 2)
Habakkuk 1:1-11

The questions I want to ask today are these:
“How should we think about these events?”
“How do we make sense of today’s news?”
“And how does today’s news fit into the grand scheme of history?”

The message of Habakkuk is one of the most helpful portions of Scripture to help us make sense of today’s news.

II. God’s Ways Are Often Misunderstood

A. By Careless Christians (1:5)
The trouble with Judah was that they never believed God’s prophets. People often do not believe God’s preachers.

We dare not go on any longer being apathetic.

B. By Non-Christians (1:11)
They credited all their success to their own strength.

And suddenly, they have found themselves cast down by God.

C. By the Prophet Himself (1:2-4)
But his reaction was very different. His question was how to reconcile all of what God was doing with the character of God.

Four lessons we can learn from Habakkuk.

First, today’s news is under God’s control.
Second, today’s news follows God’s plan.
Third, today’s news follows God’s timetable.
Fourth, today’s news is bound up with God’s kingdom.

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2013-01-06: Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 1 of 2)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:18 — )

Sermon Audio: Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 1 of 2)
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Habakkuk 1:1-11
Duration: 24:18
Size: 11.1 MB

Making Sense of Today’s News (Part 1 of 2)
Habakkuk 1:1-11

The questions I want to ask today are these:
“How should we think about these events?”
“How do we make sense of today’s news?”
“And how does today’s news fit into the grand scheme of history?”

The message of Habakkuk is one of the most helpful portions of Scripture to help us make sense of today’s news.

I. God’s Ways Are Often Mysterious (1:2a,5-6)

A. God’s Inaction (1:2a)
God seems to be strangely silent and inactive in some circumstances.

We have cried out to God but nothing seems to happen.

B. God’s Unexpected Providences (1:5-6)
Sometimes God gives unexpected answers to our prayers.

We see a certain situation and circumstance and we think that God should act in a particular way.

C. God’s Unusual Instruments (1:6)
God sometimes uses strange instruments to correct his people and his Church.

We must understand that the plain teaching of Scripture is that God may use very strange instruments indeed, and sometimes the very last instrument we would have expected.

Return next week for Part 2.

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2012-12-09: Christmas Originals – The Original Ornament

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:25 — )

Sermon Audio: Christmas Originals – The Original Ornament
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Duration: 29:25
Size: 13.4 MB

Christmas Originals
The Original Ornament
Matthew 2:1-12

The star I want to speak to you about from God’s Word this morning is a star more spectacular and more fascinating than any earthly star.

The Bible is to a large degree silent on the specifics of this star, as to what it was…

I. The Star Speaks of God’s Glory

This star in the sky was the Original Christmas Ornament and it speaks of God’s Glory.

All throughout the Bible we find light associated with God’s Glory.

Christians shine because God’s Glory is reflecting on them.

Is your life like that original Christmas ornament? Are you allowing God’s glory to be reflected through you?

II. The Star Speaks of God’s Guidance

What is the Guiding Light in your life?

Are you looking to the Word of God…the Bible that it might be a map by which God shines His guiding light to you…

They followed God’s guidance and they found…The Greatest Gift.

III. Their finding beyond the star was God’s Gift

And Yet…all of their gifts combined 1000 times over could not begin to compare to the marvelous gift of God, their eyes beheld as the star lead them to that place where they found “their Savior”.

He came as the gift to all of us who will receive Him.

How many kings stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me.

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2012-11-25: Christmas Originals – The Original Missionaries

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:38 — 8.5MB)

Sermon Audio: Christmas Originals – The Original Missionaries
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 2:8-20
Duration: 18:38
Size: 8.52 MB

Christmas Originals
The Original Missionaries
Luke 2:8-20

There is perhaps no more of an opportune time for our doing this…than in this season in which we especially celebrate the Savior’s birth.

I. They Received A Declaration

The angels had delivered a message to the shepherds…it was the declaration of Good News.

We ought to be Christmas Missionaries in the very finest sense…taking the declaration we have heard and received and with great anticipation we should be hurrying to tell others the message.

II. The Shepherds began an activity of Decoration

It is like they were turning on beautiful Christmas lights with each person that the shepherds told.

There is nothing that beautifies the world more than God’s marvelous love made known to all people throughout your community and then throughout the earth.

III. It made a difference in the shepherds lives Dedication

Sure these shepherds returned to their fields but they returned different. They returned changed.

Their lives were changed by God and theirs’ was a dedication to praising and glorifying God with their lives.

I want to encourage you in this season of special opportunity to take the Declaration you have received and to go out and get involved with Decoration spreading the Good News to others…and never grow weary in your changed life of Dedication to praising and glorifying God.