Tag: Val Watkins

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:22 — 16.0MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: John 13:34-35

All Things Made New
The New Commandment
John 13:34-35

There should be a truth that–in everything we say–people should sense what we’re saying is: “I Love You… Jesus speaking.”

Jesus says we need to focus less on ourselves and more on others: Philippians 2:3 “…in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

It’s “new” because it runs counter to our natural human tendencies.

So how do you fight that false theology? First, you define what love is.

So, first, you define what love is… then you work at showing love.

Compete–outdo one another–to show love, because what you do for others, you do for Jesus.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:49 — 17.7MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: II Corinthians 1:18-22

All Things Made New
The Power of New Promises
II Corinthians 1:18-22

That’s what the world wants to know about us: can they trust us? Because, if they can trust us, odds are they’ll trust God as well.

The Bible is a book of promises: According to one source “The New Testament has 750 promises, …”

He gave us those promises so that we would know He’s got our back.

The thing about promises though, they don’t happen “right now.” A promise is usually made about something that is in the distance.

So, Jeremiah (if you will) was looking forward to Friday, because God’s promises are always faithful.

Without Jesus you can’t have the Holy Spirit! Without Jesus you can’t have the guarantee of heaven.

God offered us His promises because He loves us.

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.

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.”