Tag: Val Watkins

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2025-01-12: Singing A New Song – All Things Made New

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:54 — 17.8MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Psalm 40:1-5

All Things Made New
Singing A New Song
Psalm 40:1-5

“(God) put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God”

Music, especially singing, takes a person’s mind off the suffering and soothes tension.

But when people sing a new song, they do tend to think about the words because they’re new.

So, it doesn’t matter what song of praise you sing, if it works for you, sing it.

And that’s the foundation of our new song–a song not just of how much Jesus loves me, but a song of how much we love Jesus.

The songs we sing every Sunday can offer hope to a hopeless world.

Sing therefore because you have a song to sing. Not because you’re good at it but because you love Jesus.

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2025-01-05: A New Name Written Down in Glory – All Things Made New

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:24 — 15.4MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Revelation 2:17

All Things Made New
A New Name Written Down in Glory
Revelation 2:17

But names are important. They can shape how we think about ourselves–how we view ourselves.

II Corinthians 5:17 — “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

His love is higher than the heavens and his forgiveness removes our sins as far as the east is from the west.

Now, there’s a difference between something that’s been “made new” and something that’s been jimmy-rigged.
Jesus said He “came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

Martin Luther said “Jesus Christ never died for our good works. They were not worth dying for. But he gave himself for our sins, according to the Scriptures.”

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2024-12-29: Empty the Jar at Christmas — The Journey He Made

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:47 — 15.1MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: John 1:1-5, John 1:9-14, Philippians 2:5-11

Empty the Jar at Christmas
The Journey He Made
John 1:1-5, John 1:9-14, Philippians 2:5-11

Today, I want to focus on the journey that Jesus made because that’s what Christmas is all about.

John begins by presenting three truths to show that the Word is God in John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word–the Word existed eternally.

John is proclaiming this to be true for the Word–from the beginning of time, light has always overcome darkness.

Even worse though–His own people, the Jews, not only didn’t receive Him, they even rejected Him.

He came to this earth, lived without sin, taught people how to live for God, healed the sick and raised the dead, then gave up His own life out of love for humanity.

We’re told that Jesus was obedient to the will of God–even to the point of death on a cross.

Jesus is the light that shines on all, the creator of all, the man who died and raised for all. He made this journey out of love for all.

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2024-12-15: Empty the Jar at Christmas — The Gifts We Bring

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:59 — 11.3MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:9-11

Empty the Jar at Christmas
The Gifts We Bring
Matthew 2:9-11

I suspect that each of those gifts was more like wrapping paper. Beautiful on the outside, but inside–there was something valuable hidden!

So hidden within that gift of Gold, was a proclamation: Jesus is King.

So, Frankincense was an offering (or a gift) to God. And hidden within that gift (to Jesus)…was this message: Jesus was God in the flesh.

So, the gift Myrrh the Wise-men brought declared Jesus had come to be our Priest.

The question today is this: What can I bring to Jesus? What kind of gifts can I bring to a God–a King–a Savior…who has everything?

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2024-12-01: Empty the Jar at Christmas — Ready for the Journey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:41 — 14.3MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Matthew 2:1-2

Empty the Jar at Christmas
Ready for the Journey
Matthew 2:1-2

I believe he did this to bring the point home that Jesus is for all of mankind.

The Persian wise men of their time likely learned about prophecies like Numbers 24:17.

Many had heard the shepherds declare that they had seen the messiah and were filled with wonder.

Again, I believe God had a greater purpose in sending the wise men and having Matthew include them in his gospel message.

And that is what some of you were. But…that’s the part that matters–who you are now.

Empty the jar–it’s about holding nothing back from God as we worship Him.

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2024-11-17: Lies People Believe — I’ve Got Too Much Dirt

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.

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2024-11-10: Lies People Believe — I Am What I Am

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.”

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2024-11-03: Lies People Believe — I Did It My Way

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.