23 Weeks – 5/21/2018 to 10/22/2018
Overview – According to many Bible scholars, the city of Corinth was the most wicked of its day. There were pagan temples everywhere you turned. Priestess prostitutes often filled those temples and roamed the streets around them. Corinth would not have made the top 10 places to raise a family! And yet, the Lord God Almighty used the Apostle Paul to plant a church in that place!
It was church with problems, however. Pride, division, and immorality were probably the most prominent. Pride, division, and immorality damage families and churches today in 2018. How have they impacted your family or church in the last 6-12 months? You probably know already! Listen to this series, and see how it may just speak to you, your family, and your church.
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 23, Airing Week of 10/22/2018
P.S. Stand Firm!
I Corinthians 15:58, 16:13-14
This Week – Sometimes the post script on a letter or email can actually be the real reason the person wrote in the first place. Sometimes the “by the way” comment can be the real reason for the phone call or conversation. The posts script of the book of First Corinthians just maybe the reason behind the letter. Paul says to stand firm and be on your guard which are both military terms and admonitions to the church at Corinth. Both terms speak to your life and mine!
Monday (10/22) – We read the “therefore statement” of first Corinthians. The word therefore is always used to reference what has already been said. He says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm”. It’s a military term meaning to hold your ground or position. Paul has just spent an entire chapter dealing with the resurrection. He was telling the church at Corinth to stand firm in that belief! Do you and I stand firm in that?
Tuesday (10/23) – We share the story of reading the book, “The Red Badge of Courage”, by Stephen Crane in junior high at an Indiana school. Right before each battle, the officers in the book would ride up and down the lines of the trenches and encourage the men to “stand firm, hold your ground, don’t give and inch!” Ministers, teachers, parents, and leaders are to be encouragers to people in the struggle of life. Their message is the same, “Stand firm in your faith!”
Wednesday (10/24) – Much of what we do for other people on this earth has little or no lasting value. You know that from your own life in the last month, or the last year. We tell a true story of acquaintance of mine who risked his life to save some furniture for a complete stranger. It turned out to be all for naught! Nothing you do for the Lord is in vain. We explain why! (You really need to hear this story!)
Thursday (10/25) – We don’t stand firm in our faith in our own strength and courage. We actually do it in His strength and in the courage that HE gives. That’s important to know that! We share the final words a minister said to his congregation after a decade long ministry. What he said is a model for your final words to your family, your neighbors, and your church perhaps? We focus on Paul’s words to “do everything in love”. What does that mean in your life?
Friday (10/26) – We close with the story of a funeral service that Dr. Kenneth Chaffin conducted for a middle age mother in his congregation. The woman’s daughter stood during the closing hymn at her mother’s service. The hundreds of people there stood with her. It was a hymn that spoke of not giving up believing in the Lord, in His power, and life. It was an example of standing firm in the Lord. Will people at your funeral stand in honor of the God who gave you your life?
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 22, Airing Week of 10/15/2018
The Only Hope!
I Corinthians 15:1-11
This Week – When you speak of the word “hope”, what do you really mean? Is it a vague hope in the future, hope in your job, hope that things will get better in your family? Or is it something solid like hope in death, hope even if and when the ship sinks, hope in the worst of circumstances? All this week on CrossHope, a message about the actual only hope in your life and mine: the resurrected Christ!
Monday (10/15) – Billy Graham used to tell the story of a coal mine collapse in either eastern Kentucky or West Virginia. We use the story as a springboard for a message on real hope. In fact it is the only hope we have that is eternal; it’s connected to the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Most people cannot live without hope. And yet we live in a world of “hopeless people”. Are you a person of hope or of hopelessness?
Tuesday (10/16) – Tell me what you believe about the resurrection of Christ, or don’t believe about that event, and I can tell you what kind of man or woman you are! Paul says that the resurrection of Christ is of “first importance”. We don’t use that term; we use the phrase “most important”. What is the most important fact or factor of your life? According to the word of God, it is that one grave is empty and we have hope!
Wednesday (10/17) – Jesus didn’t rise figuratively or metaphorically. The Bible teaches the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead. A figurative or metaphorical resurrection does nothing for you and me! You have hope in your marriage, your family, and your life and death because Jesus is alive forevermore! We talk about that today.
Thursday (10/18) – We tell about a person’s description of their childhood. It’s not graphic in terms of the negative, but it is heavy. You need to know that if children are listening. This man describes his childhood was like being “raised in hell!” And yet the Lord reached out to this man and gave him a taste of heaven. That’s what the Christ of resurrection and the grace of God will do in your life!
Friday (10/19) – We close with a story of my grandmother during World War II. She had a family and worked at one of the Chicago area steel mills, helping with the war effort. She was a new Christian, and yet felt led to take her Bible and visit a young man who was dying of cancer in the neighborhood. Three weeks before his death, she led him to the resurrected Lord! We are all terminal; we all need the hope that comes from knowing Christ!
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 21, Airing Week of 10/8/2018
The Lasting Legacy – Father’s Day Message
I Corinthians 13:8-13
This Week – The word is “legacy”. It actually means anything of value that we leave to those behind us of the next generation. Years ago at a luncheon in Ohio, I had the chance to ask former President George W. Bush what he thought his legacy would be. What’s yours going to be? One doesn’t have to be the President of a country to have a legacy. I really believe that the last 6 verses of First Corinthians 13 give us the legacy of choice. See if you don’t agree!
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Podcast
Monday (10/8) – We quote a writer who believes that we are impacted by our childhoods. Our parents either left or still are leaving to us their “legacy”. Paul says that the three great last qualities of life are: faith, hope, and love. Hopefully someone left you a legacy with those attributes; hopefully you are doing the same for the next generation. Then Paul dramatically says, but the “greatest of these is love!” Do you and I really believe that?
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Part 1
Tuesday (10/9) – A former writer for the Columbus Dispatch newspaper was a man by the name of Mike Harden. He believed that love is the simple thing that defines life. Does it define your life? Paul says that love never fails. Can you think of anything in your life, education, or career that has never failed for you? We talk about what Paul meant by those words. We then talk about a faith that overcomes doubt as a legacy to pass on!
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Part 2
Wednesday (10/10) – Faith doesn’t eliminate doubt; it overcomes doubt. Secondly, we pass on a legacy of hope that overcomes despair. We all face despair in this life at some time. Your children will face it as well. Our hope in Christ and His resurrection is more than a good feeling; it’s the driving force in our being! Thirdly, we hopefully pass on a legacy of love that overcomes hatred. We either overcome our hatred or we are overcome by them! Think about that!
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Part 3
Thursday (10/11) – Think about this. Paul says that the three great lasting qualities in life are faith, hope, and love. And yet in the lives of many people you and I know they are the three qualities that are hard to find! That may be true with us. If what he said is true, what does that say about your life and mine? What does it imply in your life that love is the most important, and yet often the most neglected? Love is the one thing we take with us to heaven!
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Part 4
Friday (10/12) – There are about five stories I have told that are the most impactful of all of them. This story we tell today is one of them. It really is. What it says about the love of an earthy father is a picture of the Heavenly Father as revealed in the Bible. If faith, hope, and love are the three great lasting qualities of life, we need to have a relationship with the One who gives that legacy to us. His name is Jesus!
The Lasting Legacy – A Father’s Day Message, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 20, Airing Week of 10/1/2018
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message
I Corinthians 13:1-7
This Week – No other chapter of the book of First Corinthians has been reprinted more than the 13th. Traditionally referred to as the “love chapter” of the Bible, it is quoted at weddings and the copy for plaques for sale at gift shops. But Paul didn’t write it for weddings or as plaque material; he wrote it as the defining word on this most important subject in your life and mine! Every aspect of our lives is impacted by those we love and those who love us. Next week we’ll look at verses 8-13.
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Podcast
Monday (10/1) – We begin with a story that’s even hard to believe! Forest Church was a minister in New York State. He writes about his experiences in public school in the 1950’s with “nuclear attack drills”. His story will make you laugh and yet touch your heart in a profound way! We use it as the launch point for a message on the love chapter of the Bible.
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Part 1
Tuesday (10/2) – We begin with the reading of the text, verses 1-7. Paul doesn’t define love; he illustrates and exemplifies it. There is a difference. We bring up the following equation. We call it the “great equation of life”: Anything in life, minus love, equals zero! Say it out loud. Someone might say, “that’s too simplistic!” It is, but it is also absolutely true!
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Part 2
Wednesday (10/3) – Paul begins by talking about some of the things and attributes we can have in life. Yet, if we don’t have love, we have nothing and/or are nothing! He says we can possess the “tongue or voice of an angel”, and yet without love we are nothing. He then says that we can “fathom all mysteries”. Simply put, it means we’ve got everything in life figured out. And yet without love, we are nothing! I think you get the point of his argument. Paul then lists qualities of love: number one is patience!
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Part 3
Thursday (10/4) – Secondly, Paul says that love is kind. Really? How would you define your life in terms of kindness? Kindness is manifested by what you do and how you talk to people. Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It’s hard to have love in a home with envy, boasting, and pride. Love is not rude. That is an attitude of your spirit. Rudeness describes people you know; it may describe us!
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Part 4
Friday (10/5) – Love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not “delight in evil”, but rejoices with the truth! What would happen in your marriage, family, or any relationship if you and I practiced those things? You might be shocked. We close with a powerful story of a mother who lost three sons (triplets) at birth. What she says will move you deeply!
The Great Equation! – A Mother’s Day Message, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 19, Airing Week of 9/24/2018
His Spirit, His Church
I Corinthians 12:1-7, 11
This Week – Did you know that God “gifts” believers? What does that mean? It means that when you and I became a Christian, God gave us a spiritual gift to benefit the body of Christ! It’s a gift that helps, enables, and prompts growth in the lives of others. We weren’t created to simply be excess “fat” in the body of Christ. We all have functionality as believers! This week we talk about that from First Corinthians 12.
His Spirit, His Church, Podcast
Monday (9/24) – We begin with the thoughts of Dr. Chris Thurman who talks about the lies that impact our lives and families. The one in particular that we focus on related to the text is that “we must meet all the needs of others around us.” We share the sad story of a minister who felt he had to do the jobs of all the staff of his church! According to the Apostle Paul, we all have been gifted by God to be a blessing to the rest of the body of Christ.
His Spirit, His Church, Part 1
Tuesday (9/25) – We read the text about spiritual gifts. Paul says that no one can say that “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. It’s one of the most important statements in the New Testament. We don’t simply convert to Christianity because of an intellectual decision. We come to Christ because the Spirit of God speaks to our spirit that Jesus is indeed everything that He claimed to be. It’s an inside job or work of the Holy Spirit!
His Spirit, His Church, Part 2
Wednesday (9/26) – God does not call “professional Christians” to serve in His body, the church. He calls people like you and me! He calls people to a local church for a specific purpose. What a concept! He’s the head of the church, and He determines what each congregation needs. What could the Lord want to do with you and your capacities to bless the body of Christ? Think about it!
His Spirit, His Church, Part 3
Thursday (9/27) – Paul says that there are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. The word for gifts is “charisma”. He then says there are different kinds of “service or ministries”, but again, the same spirit. Your body is made of parts that have different functions and uses, but they’re all a part of the same body, under the same head of that body! So it is in the body of Christ!
His Spirit, His Church, Part 4
Friday (9/28) – Lastly, Paul says there are different “workings”. It’s the basis of our word, “ergonomics “or energy. The Holy Spirit can do in your life and mine what we cannot do on our own! What is it that you have an idea just might be what He would like to do in your life in terms of a “charisma”, a service, or an energy? Let Him work in your life!
His Spirit, His Church, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 18, Airing Week of 9/17/2018
Rethinking Communion
I Corinthians 11:23-29
This Week – Taking communion or the “Lord’s Supper” in the local church used to be more important than it is now in many churches. Often times, it’s relegated to another location after the service or minimized in other ways. Some churches look at it as in intrusion in what we do on Sunday. The focus is now music and message; not necessarily remembering the cross. What would the apostle Paul think of that? Find out this week!
Monday (9/17) – The definitive word on communion or the Lord’s Supper in scripture is First Corinthians 11. It says it all. Paul tells us that the Lord Himself gave him the directives he shares with us. Paul was saying, “This comes straight from the top!” That’s important; it has greater weight because of the source! Its message is for you and me, both! Do you and I get that?
Tuesday (9/18) – Communion is the most important thing we do in a worship service. Maybe that’s why Satan doesn’t want you and I to take it! We share the story of a church that had 1,200 in worship and offered communion after the service in a classroom. I counted less than a dozen people in the room. I honestly wondered what Paul would have thought. Communion is an act of submission as well as remembrance.
Wednesday (9/19) – I really don’t have a legalistic attachment to communion. But I do feel it’s an obedience issue. What about you? Paul says that when we take communion, we “proclaim” the Lord’s death until He comes. Conversely, when we don’t take it, we don’t proclaim His death in our lives or anywhere else! When I’ve heard people “brag” about taking communion at Christmas and Easter alone, I wonder how the Lord reacts. Something is missing in that person’s life.
Thursday (9/20) – Paul tells the church at Corinth that they are not to take communion in an “unworthy manner”. It has nothing to do with our “personal worthiness”, none of us is worthy! (The worthiness is in the sacrifice; He is worthy!) He was referring to the “way” we take it. We don’t treat the holy as if it were unholy! We are to take it seriously, not casually!
Friday (9/21) – The strongest statement I have ever made in any sermon in my life is in this message, in this particular segment! I actually saw a man in a previous ministry start to weep openly when I said these words. They have to do with how and what we proclaim to Satan when take communion. It may move you to tears as well, because of what it says to your spirit!
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 17, Airing Week of 9/10/2018
For Whose Glory?
I Corinthians 10:23-31
This Week – The largest crowd I ever spoke to was around 4,000 people at a high school graduation, (baccalaureate service) in Columbus, Ohio. It was held at a public arena and believe it or not, I was told I could speak about anything I wanted. (That would never happen today!) My text was the last verse of the passage we study this week, where Paul said, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God!” It was a fitting message for high school graduates. Come to think of it, it’s a fitting message for you and me in 2018.
Monday (9/10) – Paul is still dealing with the issue of eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. It was really a “hot” topic at the church at Corinth. People in the church were actually divided over the matter. Fortunately, people don’t divide over issues in the church today, right? Wrong! We talk about that issue and issues in your life and mine today in 2018.
Tuesday (9/11) – What would happen if every man said “whatever I do in my life, I’m going to do for the glory of God?” What would happen if every woman said that and actually meant it! We begin talking about 8 different ways we can bring glory to God in our lives. What a concept! Number one is by doing good deeds. Jesus said that doing good deeds brings glory to the Lord god almighty! In Mathew 5:16, Jesus says doing good deeds brings praise to the Father!” It’s not about us, it’s about Him!”
Wednesday (9/12) – The second way we glorify God is by “producing spiritual fruit”. Jesus says that by bearing much fruit, we “show ourselves to be a follower of Christ!” We discuss what that means in 2018. The third way is “expressing gratitude to the Lord and others for what has happened in our lives”. Thanksgiving always brings honor to the One being thanked. The fourth way is what Paul said was to “honor God with your body”. That’s personal. It is, to both you and the Lord!”
Thursday (9/13) – The 5th way we honor God in 2018 is when we are “insulted for following Christ”. The apostle Peter said that the “spirit of God is upon you when you are insulted for the sake of Christ!” The sixth way has to do with unity. Unity in a family, in a business, and in a church brings honor to the Lord! Disunity brings dishonor to all of the above! The seventh way we bring honor to the Lord is how you relate to your family. Really? Yes, read First Timothy 5:3-8.
Friday (9/14) – The 8th way we bring honor and glory to God is by “confessing sin!” All sin is a wound against the Father in Heaven. Many people don’t realize that! When you and I do confess sin, God is honored! We close with a powerful illustration from D-Day about 200 men who were given a special assignment that resulted in most of them being killed or wounded. Their assignment was not survival, but to accomplish their task. Our task in 2018: to bring Glory to God by everything we do!
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 16, Airing Week of 9/3/2018
Running the Race that Matters!
I Corinthians 9:24-27
This Week – The Apostle Paul used an athletic illustration to talk about the Christian life. He called it “running a race” that has permanent ramifications! We don’t run race for a crown, a trophy or a medal; we run it for eternity’s sake. It was a metaphor that he not only understood; his readers at the church of Corinth would understand it as well!
Running the Race that Matters! Podcast
Monday (9/3) – Many of you will remember the name Rosie Ruiz from American athletic history. She ran in the Boston Marathon in 1980. She was initially declared the winner. Unfortunately she hadn’t run the race the way it was meant to be run. Oh, she crossed the finish line; she just didn’t run the race. There are parallels in people’s lives, spiritually. We talk about that all this week!
Running the Race that Matters! Part 1
Tuesday (9/4) – As Paul says in our text, we are all running a race called the Christian life. It’s a race to finish, not simply to participate in for a few years or decades. The reward is eternal life with Christ! It’s not like a race of today that is temporary or temporal. That race is of this world; God’s race is the most permanent experience of life. Are you in the race? If not, why not?
Running the Race that Matters! Part 2
Wednesday (9/5) – We not only are running the race, we have a goal. Our goal is not just heaven; it’s also to be reproduced Christ in our lives. How is that people see Christ? Hopefully, they see Him in you and in me. You may be the only Bible that people read! Meaning the only Scripture they hear is what they hear from your mouth.
Running the Race that Matters! Part 3
Thursday (9/6) – We talk about Jim Elliot, an American missionary who was martyred in Ecuador, killed by members of an Indian tribe. We share a remarkable statement he made in college before his death. He talked about the flame of God in our lives that perhaps is snuffed out by the asbestos- like things of life. The asbestos of possessions, of people, of experiences that you and I know are putting out the flame of God in our lives. What is the asbestos in your life?
Running the Race that Matters! Part 4
Friday (9/7) – We close with a similar story that we began with on Monday. This story is about a woman portrayed in a TV movie running a race with determination and purpose. She barely made it; but she did finish. Decide today that you are in the race called the Christian life not to win, but to finish. Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful until death!” We run toward the prize set before us, eternal life with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
Running the Race that Matters! Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 15, Airing Week of 8/27/2018
It’s Not that Complicated!
I Corinthians 9:19-23
This Week – The word is “witnessing”. Churches have turned the act of witnessing into a formal exercise that requires experience and training. Witnessing is simply being a person who shares what he or she has heard, seen, or experienced. We actually witness every day to people by the way we interact, speak, or reflect another person’s encounter with us! The Apostle Paul told the church at Corinth that he became all things to all people in order to win some!
It’s Not that Complicated! Podcast
Monday (8/27) – We begin with a dated survey of servers at restaurants who said the meal they like the least was “Sunday lunch for the church crowd”. Christians were, by and large, demanding and low tippers to boot! We introduce what it means to be a witness to the gospel of Christ in terms of how we live and relate to others. What Paul said 2, 000 years ago speaks to “witnessing “today in 2018.
It’s Not that Complicated! Part 1
Tuesday (8/28) – Paul talks about doing things for the “sake of the Gospel”. We all do things for the sake of a school, community, team, or an employer. What do you do for the sake of the Gospel? Paul said that he became “all things to all people” to reach some with the good news. He came along side people and shared Christ with them. We tell a great story of a man witnessing to a gun dealer!
It’s Not that Complicated! Part 2
Wednesday (8/29) – We need to avoid a “know it all” attitude when we witness to people. Ministers are probably the greatest offenders in this area. God will do more with your humility in witnessing that He would ever do with your pride or mine! Next, we need to make other people feel comfortable, not intimidated. We then need to be sensitive to people’s “stories” of their lives. We all have a story!
It’s Not that Complicated! Part 3
Thursday (8/30) – Realize the Holy Spirit’s job is to convict people, not ours! Our job is simply to share with people. The Lord takes what we say and He uses it in the life of other people. If there is a miracle in preaching and witnessing, it’s not in the “delivery”; it’s in the reception of what’s delivered. This is the most important lesson of witnessing! It really is!
It’s Not that Complicated! Part 4
Friday (8/31) – We close with the story of witnessing that took place in a prison where two lifers are talking. One prisoner is witnessing to the other. It’s a picture of one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. That’s true with all of us. We’re all beggars who are starving from a lack of spiritual food. We all need the “bread of life” in our souls. Have you ever given another beggar any bread? Decide to be a former hopeless person who shares hope with another hopeless person!
It’s Not that Complicated! Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 14, Airing Week of 8/20/2018
What’s Love Got to do with it?
I Corinthians 8:1-13
This Week – One of the most significant problems in the church at Corinth had to do with food! Sacrifices happened around the clock in pagan temples of Corinth. They were offered up in sacrifice to a pagan god or deity. Paul would say bluntly in chapter 10 that were really offered to demonic spirits! That was no small thing to some people. Some Christians had no problem eating the meat; others struggled with doing that. Both views were to be respected!
What’s Love Got to do with it? Podcast
Monday (8/20) – In my 35 years on the radio, I can honestly tell you I’ve never referred to a story I’ve told as being “stupid”. And yet, that’s what I do with the opening illustration told by Dr. Kenneth Chafin. It’s a true story of a woman associating a small town bowling alley with sin and degradation. It’s somewhat funny, but it’s a great lead in to the message from I Corinthians 8.
What’s Love Got to do with it? Part 1
Tuesday (8/21) – Christians in Corinth had a major dilemma in their spiritual lives. Do I eat meat that has been sacrificed to an idol in a pagan temple? Wouldn’t that be a compromise of my faith? Paul deals with this problem by admonishing people to act in love, not in legalism. Love trumps knowledge. Don’t do anything, Paul would say, that might cause a fellow believer to “stumble”.
What’s Love Got to do with it? Part 2
Wednesday (8/22) – Paul tells the believers at Corinth that on one level an idol is absolutely nothing! And yet the man or woman with a sensitive conscience might think it was terribly wrong to eat meat that had been offered up to an idol. Paul was saying to be respectful of people who thought it was wrong. Why? Because of love, not because of legalism or liberty! What do you do or not do out of love for others?
What’s Love Got to do with it? Part 3
Thursday (8/23) – Paul says we are to “do nothing that might cause my brother or sister in Christ to sin”. How does that admonition play out in your personal life? If you thought by going to a certain place might be a “stumbling block” to a fellow believer, would it make any difference where you went? A teacher connected to a local Christian college told me he thought this was just maybe the most important message from the series. I’m not sure I agree, but it is really an important issue in your life and mine!
What’s Love Got to do with it? Part 4
Friday (8/24) – We close with a story that wasn’t found in a “Christian book or publication”. It was found in a motivational magazine for sales people. The essence of the story is this: “Tell me what you love and I’ll tell you what you sell!” We always “sell” or promote what we love. When we love the Lord with all our hearts and minds, we will hold Him up to other people. Does that make sense? Love trumps knowledge. It trumps what we do in every area of life.
What’s Love Got to do with it? Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 13, Airing Week of 8/13/2018
God’s Gift: Marriage!
I Corinthians 7:1-7, 14, 27-29
This Week – The Bible actually offers great marriage counseling in First Corinthians 7! Read it and I promise it will speak to you and your spouse in some way. God instituted marriage; He might have something to say about it. This week on CrossHope, we study this very important chapter. Let it speak some truth, hope, and conviction into your marriage.
Monday (8/13) – Most ministers choose one of two extremes regarding talking about marriage. They either talk “sanctimoniously” about marriage, meaning they are so heavenly; they are of no earthly good. Or, more commonly they joke about marriage. It’s really permissible to do both, but it does help if something that is offered that is practical and real life. That’s what reading this passage does! Listen to it today on CrossHope!
Tuesday (8/14) – Context is important in reading scripture. Paul wrote in anticipation of the return of Christ when he wrote this. Even so, his advice and comments speak to marriage in 2018. We share four principles regarding marriage in this passage. 1) Marriage is a partnership. A couple is mutually obligated to bless each other! Did you know that? Do you both practice that if you are married?
Wednesday (8/15) – The second principle speaks to purity. 2) Marriage offers the possibility of a relationship of purity. What a concept in 2018. 3) Marriage offers the benefit of spiritual protection. In verse 14 Paul says an “unbelieving husband or wife” is sanctified or set apart by being married to a Christian! A home has a measure of blessing because one person is a believer in that home! 4) Marriage brings problems into a relationship! We begin that thought today and continue on Thursday.
Thursday (8/16) – Marriage doesn’t solve all problems; it also brings problems that were or weren’t there before in a person’s life. We quote a much older minister who said that any marriage is one of the following: “a haven, a hindrance, or a hell on earth”. I share that in reality it’s all three, depending on the day of the week! God is still on the throne regardless of what it is today in your life!
Friday (8/17) – We close with a powerful story told by Dr. Kenneth Chaffin. He tells an “in spite of story”. In spite of poverty, physical handicap, divorce, and other social limitations in his early family life, God was there! God was the God of deliverance and hope in his life and family. It’s a parable for you and me. In spite of what may be happening in your life and/or marriage, God can work and bless in 2018!
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 12, Airing Week of 8/6/2018
When the Problem isn’t the Problem
I Corinthians 6:1-7
This Week – When I started in the ministry, a professional counselor in a seminar told me that most of the counseling you do will fall under one of three “root problems”. I thought at first that it was pretty simplistic to say that, but I’ve found it to be surprisingly true! This message is about people in Corinth suing one another in court. I will suggest there were root problems underneath the legal issue at hand.
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Podcast
Monday (8/6) – The counselor pointed out this powerful message. The three “root problems” are bitterness over past wounds, guilt over unconfessed sin, and thirdly, temporal or misplaced values. After years of counseling people, I have found that most of what I talk to people about does fall under one of these headings! After sharing this message recently, people went out the door whispering, “All three, Randy, all three!” What about you?
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Part 1
Tuesday (8/7) – We begin with the reading of the text. We then talk about people who go to a doctor with an “identified problem” medically. The doctor does some testing and tells us that the problem isn’t what we said it was; it was something more involved or serious. That’s true in life in families, marriages, and in churches! Often times, there is a much deeper issue that needs to be discussed. It was true at Corinth!
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Part 2
Wednesday (8/8) – The reason the people were suing one another in the church at Corinth was first of all division and a “party spirit”. The church was divided into at least four groups or camps! We share a true story of people still fighting the Civil War 150 years later! It happened at a wedding that I conducted at a church in Atlanta. We may laugh at this story, yet in point of fact it is sad! What do you think?
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Part 3
Thursday (8/9) – The second root cause of the conflict in Corinth was pride. Pride has more to do with the conflict you experience with others than you may think! Proverbs says that “pride breeds quarrels”. Are you ailing to admit that in your own life? The third root cause was spiritual immaturity. They were spiritual babies, not growing in the word of God!
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Part 4
Friday (8/10) – The fourth root cause of lawsuits was jealousy and envy. The Bible says that jealousy arouses fury, and envy rots the bones! What has jealousy done in your life? What about envy? The fifth cause was “an argumentative spirit”. The sixth was “immorality” in the body of Christ. We spend most of our time on this one. Immorality has a ripple effect; it causes other problems. Haven’t we seen that in our own lives and the lives of others?
When the Problem isn’t the Problem, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 11, Aired Week of 7/30/2018
Personal Morality… Really?
I Corinthians 5:1-6, 6:18-20
This Week – We look at the most politically incorrect passages out of First Corinthians this week on CrossHope. They’re words that have to do with one of most sensitive subjects in 2018: personal morality and behavior. Most people like to separate their personal lives from their spiritual lives. The only problem with that is that the Bible doesn’t do that! Scripture speaks as if my personal life is the same as my spiritual life. That’s new territory for some people. Let’s talk about that this week!
Personal Morality… Really? Podcast
Monday (7/30) – There was a scandal in the church in Corinth that was known by both those inside and outside of the church. A man (perhaps a leader) in the church at Corinth was living in an intimate relationship with his step mother! The Apostle Paul mentions that this was something that wouldn’t even be approved of in the secular community. And yet the congregation didn’t even “blush” about the problem. We read the text and make some comments about this delicate situation.
Personal Morality… Really? Part 1
Tuesday (7/31) – We continue with the reading of the verses in chapter six that are laughed at by our culture in 2018. It deals with the subject of sexual sin. Paul states that when a man or woman a sins sexually, they are “sinning against their own bodies”. He reminds them that their bodies are “temples” of the Holy Spirit of God. It’s therefore a sin against the Lord as well. Those words are not only politically incorrect in 2018; they are considered offensive and culturally incorrect. You or someone you know may be utterly offended by those remarks!
Personal Morality… Really? Part 2
Wednesday (8/1) – Paul says that the people at Corinth were prideful. Their pride “blinded” them to the sin in their congregation. Has pride ever blinded you to a sin in your own life? Paul tells the people to “flee immorality”. The words flee immorality means to “run like crazy”! That means don’t place yourself in situations where you are tempted morally. Have you ever placed yourself in harm’s way morally?
Personal Morality… Really? Part 3
Thursday (8/2) – Nothing ruins the reputation of a church faster that open immorality. Even people in the world expect a higher standard from people who call themselves Christian. “Fleeing immorality” can be computer related, place related, or even person related. It’s very personal. What does that statement mean to you and your life? My guess is that you know!
Personal Morality… Really? Part 4
Friday (8/3) – There is no such thing as “sin in isolation”. You can’t be a father or mother and sin and NOT affect your children. You can’t be a husband or wife and sin, and not impact your spouse. You can’t be a son or daughter and sin, and not impact your parents. There is a ripple effect to all we do. We even impact the very Holy Spirit of God by the choices we make!
Personal Morality… Really? Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 10, Airing Week of 7/23/2018
The Victory that Matters!
I Corinthians 15:50-57
This Week – Because of Easter coming up this week in the series, we move ahead in this series from First Corinthians to the famous passage about the resurrection. If there is one chapter in the New Testament that is fully dedicated to this subject, it’s the 15th chapter of the book where Paul make a dynamic case for believing and trusting in the resurrection of Christ, and ours as well. If you know someone who needs some assurance about life after death, introduce them this chapter of this book!
The Victory that Matters! Podcast
Monday (7/23) – We begin with a question asked of me at Ohio University by a student who wondered why one of her professors seemed obsessed with the idea of no resurrection after we die. She asked me why I thought that he was so fascinated with this life being all there is. I asked her to tell me what she thought! She had the best answer of all: If there is no resurrection, it doesn’t matter how we live.
The Victory that Matters! Part 1
Tuesday (7/24) – The stages of our lives was described by author/sociologist Gail Sheehy. It’s interesting to hear her labels for each decade in your life. You may find it informative. Regardless of where you and I are on her chart of life, we need the hope of resurrection that is promised by the Apostle Paul. We need the victory that is assured in life and in death because of HIS resurrection!
The Victory that Matters! Part 2
Wednesday (7/25) – We discuss a controversial illustration by author Robert Wise about traditional and contemporary worship services. It will offend people on both sides of that equation! He has some strong things about the typical traditional worship service; he then has comparable criticisms of the “contemporary” worship services. You need to hear his advice for both styles of worship! It involves this passage about the resurrection.
The Victory that Matters! Part 3
Thursday (7/26) – Do you remember Todd and Lisa Beemer? Think back to the events of September 11, 2001 and you will start to remember. Todd was on the United Airlines flight that crashed in Pennsylvania. I share a story about meeting his parents, years later in a most unusual way. It will touch you in a powerful way, and relate to thoughts about the resurrection for all of us!
The Victory that Matters! Part 4
Friday (7/27) – You may come from a background where making the “sign of the cross” was a part of worship and/or a part of your personal commitment to Christ. Regardless, we all need the “sign of the cross” over our lives, our marriages, our families, and our futures! We talk about a dramatic story of someone making the sign of the cross over her dead husband. It will speak to you about the power of First Corinthians 15!
The Victory that Matters! Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 9, Aired Week of 7/16/2018
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father
I Corinthians 4:14-17
This Week – Dr. Paul Pearsall was a psychologist years ago who died in 2007. I’ve quoted him often over the years. He’s not without controversy, but I still quote his thoughts on family. He believes that the family hasn’t failed; rather we have failed the family. The Apostle Paul in First Corinthians 4 gives some family lessons from a spiritual father.
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Podcast
Monday (7/16) – We introduce the text with comments about the family from Dr. Pearsall. He believed that we are becoming more and more isolated from other family members. He also believed that we have not learned family maintenance. We then read Paul’s “family feelings” toward the church family at Corinth. It will speak to you and your family in 2018!
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Part 1
Tuesday (7/17) – Paul felt a family relationship with the church at Corinth. He founded the church, and spent a year and a half with them as their pastor. He had a bond with them that went deep. He talks about some strong issues, and yet doesn’t shame them. We talk about the difference between guilt and shame. Someone needs to hear that word today! Maybe you, perhaps?
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Part 2
Wednesday (7/18) – Paul warns the people at Corinth. We share the definition of “warn”. In this case it means to “put in mind”. Part of being a parent is putting in mind of your children that which they need to know. We tell the humorous story about a group of young men from Columbus who bought a used Greyhound Bus with over 1,000,000 miles on it. They rehabbed it and planned a trip to California. Listen to what happened to them!
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Part 3
Thursday (7/19) – We talk about love in real life. That’s how love is really lived out! It’s a day to day, week to week, month to month process. When it’s based in the love of God through Christ, it lasts for your entire life. We illustrate that with a humorous story with a sobering point. You really need to hear this story about loving people in real (not theoretical) life!
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Part 4
Friday (7/20) – We close with the true story of an airline flight over Hawaii where part of the roof of the plane came off in flight at 24,000 feet. We quote one of the passengers who describe what was happening on the plane missing the top over first class. It was not only harrowing; it was quite emotional. You really need to hear this story! The second story out of this event is actually more astounding than the first!
Family Lessons from a Spiritual Father, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 8, Aired Week of 7/9/2018
Found Faithful!
I Corinthians 4:1-5
This Week – How important is faithfulness in your life? Probably more important when you are on the receiving end of someone else’s faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Paul tells the church at Corinth that they have all been given a “trust” individually as well as corporately. He then charges them to be faithful to that trust personally and as a body of believers known as the church.
Monday (7/9) – The word faithful has more to do with our standing with the Lord than anything else. He doesn’t demand our being successful, or our being achievers. But the Lord does admonish us to be faithful to Him! Being faithful to Him means obedience to His word! If other people being faithful to you matters, how much more does our faithfulness mean to the One who created us and gave His life for us on the cross!
Tuesday (7/10) – We begin with an illustration from the first Gulf War in 1991. The first American casualties of that conflict were 11 U.S. Marines killed by “friendly fire”. The motto of the United States Marine Corp is “semper fi” which means always faithful. If you want to do something radical with your life in 2008, be faithful to your God, your family, and your country!
Wednesday (7/11) – Paul says that a person’s conscience can be clear, but that doesn’t necessarily make us innocent. Has anyone ever hurt you deeply, only to say later, “My conscience is clear”? The implication is that a clear conscience makes them free of any guilt. God is the judge, not our consciences. We talk about that in your life and mine. This is really important!
Thursday (7/12) – We quote the Apostle Peter who says, we all have been given a trust. If we have a spouse, we have been given a trust. If you have children, you have been given a trust. If you have a job, a house, a car, anything, you have been given a trust. We are to be found faithful with the “trusts” that have been given to us. Being found faithful just maybe the ultimate compliment from the Lord!
Friday (7/13) – We close with an illustration from the movie, “Darkest Hour” about Winston Churchill. Churchill was the “pivotal” person in the war effort in Britain in World War II. What he said at a college graduation after the war could be pivotal in your life and marriage today! He challenged his audience with the phrase, “Never give up!” Paul the Apostle would say, “Be faithful” to the trust that has been given to you. The last book of the Bible says this, “Be faithful unto death!”
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 7, Aired Week of 7/2/2018
Least Noticed, Most Important
I Corinthians 3:9-15
This Week – Sometimes in life, the least noticed thing in a person’s life turns out to be the most important thing in their day to day living. For instance, some people never mention the chronic pain in their body; yet it drives every moment of their lives. The foundation of your life is like that. Maybe no one knows what the most important thing in their existence is. We talk about that spiritually in your life and mine.
Least Noticed, Most Important, Podcast
Monday (7/2) – We begin with an illustration of a man who was considered to be the wealthiest man in England. Yet, people didn’t think that he looked the part. That can happen in every area of life, including the spiritual. What is the foundational thing of your life? The Apostle Paul said that it must be Jesus Christ alone!
Least Noticed, Most Important, Part 1
Tuesday (7/3) – If your life were reduced to just the “moments” of life that really mattered, how long would your life be? Would it be seconds, minutes, hours, or a few days? That’s the question we ask by looking at our passage today from First Corinthians. Paul said that no one can build on a foundation in life that is more important than Jesus Christ, the son of God. If that is true, what else ultimately matters?
Least Noticed, Most Important, Part 2
Wednesday (7/4) – Did you know that anything good in your marriage flows out of your relationship with Christ? Anything good in your family or career flows out of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Most people in our country would laugh at that; they believe it flows out of money and things. What would you say?
Least Noticed, Most Important, Part 3
Thursday (7/5) – We talk about a sailor who was lost in a storm at sea because he had nothing to hold on to! What do you have to hold on to in your life in 2018? Most people would identify something that is temporary or passing. The only thing that we can hold onto that is permanent and eternal is Jesus. That sounds religious, you say. It’s also the truest thing in the world!
Least Noticed, Most Important, Part 4
Friday (7/6) – You may remember the movie from the 90’s called, “Apollo 13”. We discuss an incident that happened in the film and in real life. It provides the closing illustration of the scriptural truth of Paul’s words to the church at Corinth. Nothing ultimately matters as a foundation for your life other than Jesus Christ! Hopefully, before we leave this earth, we will discover that truth.
Least Noticed, Most Important, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 6, Aired Week of 6/25/2018
Worldly or Carnal?
I Corinthians 3:1-9
This Week – How do you define the word, “worldly or carnal”. Some of you may remember when you either were told or believed that card playing, going to any movie, or dancing were examples of being worldly or carnal. I never danced in high school until I attended a conference in Dallas, Texas. The word got back to my parents and my home church in Hammond, Indiana. To this day, I don’t know how people found out! We talk about worldliness this week on CrossHope.
Monday (6/25) – Paul will give a definition of worldliness today that just may surprise you. He tells the church at Corinth that worldliness or carnality involves the following: jealousy, arguing, being immature, and envying other people. Wait a minute; I know a lot of Christians that fit that definition of worldly! Maybe it will just speak to you and your family!
Tuesday (6/26) – We read the entire text where Paul defines worldliness and carnality to the church family at Corinth. It’s a definition that may just surprise you. He never mentions what we think he might mention; rather he uses common behavior in a lot of churches today. He then says, “That’s worldly or carnal!” This is an eye-opening passage in 2018!
Wednesday (6/27) – We use a graphic description about immaturity in a 20 year old. He was at a restaurant with his family. His mother had to feed him like a “baby” and even used baby food type items to feed him. It was unnatural to watch, because it wasn’t natural. Paul says Christians at Corinth were immature spiritually. That also is unnatural! He explains why.
Thursday (6/28) – Paul uses the term, “argumentative spirit” as an illustration of spiritual immaturity! When Christians have a “party spirit” and argue with one another, they are not acting mature. They are acting as children in immaturity. Paul says that is being worldly! What a concept! That describes many church members of the average church in 2018!
Friday (6/29) – We close with a true story told out of World War Two. A 15-year old boy is standing in front of a firing squad in France. He is about to be executed with other people from his village, when he is miraculously rescued by a group of American G.I.’s. What happens next in this story is something you don’t want to miss! It’s a fitting close to this message on worldliness.
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 5, Aired Week of 6/18/2018
From His Spirit to Ours
I Corinthians 2: 9-14
This Week – Have you ever learned what your “learning style” is? Some people learn visually, some learn in an auditory manner, meaning through listening. Some people learn tactilely, meaning through touch. What’s your learning style? We talk this week about a most important learning style that comes through the Spirit of God to our spirit! That may seem preposterous to some people, yet it really is true!
From His Spirit to Ours, Podcast
Monday (6/18) – We study a passage this week from First Corinthians that talks about how the man or woman of God learns from the very spirit of God! We don’t learn it intellectually or physically, we learn it as the Spirit of God speaks to our spirits. Paul actually says that the Spirit of God “reveals” things to us. They are discerned or understood spiritually. We talk about that and more this week on CrossHope.
From His Spirit to Ours, Part 1
Tuesday (6/19) – We discuss what Paul meant by the phrase, “God has revealed things to us by His Spirit”. We then add a parallel text from the book of Galatians 5, where Paul talked the “acts of the sinful nature”. Why? Because that encompasses some of what God reveals to us through our spirits! What God reveals to us could very well be those things mentioned in Galatians!
From His Spirit to Ours, Part 2
Wednesday (6/20) – We talk about witchcraft in the life of a Christian! Isn’t that impossible? No, it really isn’t. Whenever we “curse “a person and wish ill will upon them, we may have been involved in a form of witchcraft! We explain how. The Holy Spirit will reveal things to you a psychiatrist, spouse, sibling, or child will never reveal to you! We may be surprised to see what the Lord just may reveal to us.
From His Spirit to Ours, Part 3
Thursday (6/21) – The upside of Galatians 5 talks about the ‘’positive” side of the Spirits work in our lives. God can reveal those things to us as well. Dr. Bruce Wilkinson tells us that we need to ask the Lord to reveal both the positive attributes and the negative listed in Galatians 5. What could happen in your life and mine if we actually prayed for the Lord to do that?
From His Spirit to Ours, Part 4
Friday (6/22) – The Holy Spirit will convict you, He will warn you, and He can admonish us to watch out for evil in our lives. We give a dramatic example of that through a Chicago bus driver! This story just may speak to you today. We then close with a story about my youngest sister that will bless you in a powerful way. It really will. Don’t miss today’s broadcast of CrossHope!
From His Spirit to Ours, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 4, Aired Week of 6/11/2018
Cutting to the Chase
I Corinthians 2: 1-5
This Week – The phrase is worded, “cut to the chase”. It came out of the movie making industry years ago. It has come to mean, get to the bottom line or the main thing of an issue. This week, we cut to the chase about preaching. We study a passage of scripture about preaching where Paul states unequivocally what preaching is to be about. It is always to be about the person and work of Christ. Nothing more and nothing less!
Monday (6/11) – We “cut to the chase” about what is to be covered in preaching. It’s not about the issues of the day or the cultural pressures that come to bear. It’s not about what’s “hot” and what’s not! According to the Apostle Paul, it’s all or nothing about the person and work of Christ. The person of Christ refers to His identity. The work of Christ has to do with what He did: He died on the cross for our sins! That’s it in a nutshell!
Tuesday (6/12) – We quote an author who talks about the four types of sermons heard in our culture today. 1) The all is well with world sermon. 2) The all is rotten with the world sermon. 3) We all have problems sermon, what’s yours? 4) The talk show topical sermon. According to Paul, biblical preaching comes from the spirit of God and conveys the gospel of Christ! If it doesn’t, something is missing!
Wednesday (6/13) – You and I don’t have what it takes to take the sin out of lives and remove guilt. But the Lord does through His word and grace. Everything we do in a message is predicated on the idea that God is at work through His word in what it says to us. If that’s true, why would we waste our time with nice talks to nice people about nice things?
Thursday (6/14) – We’re impressed with earthly wisdom and intellect. And yet what changes lives is the power of God through His spirit delivered through His word. God can use anyone of any intellectual capacity to convey His word and message to them. We tell a story of God using a homeless person to witness to a newspaper editor and help lead him to Christ.
Friday (6/15) – We conclude this story about the newspaper editor who came to Christ after a conversation with a homeless person whom God used in a powerful way in the editor’s life. He wasn’t reached by human wisdom, dazzled by intelligence, or wowed by brilliance. He was reached by the simple gospel of Christ shared by a person of no status in the culture today!
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 3, Aired Week of 6/4/2018
Power in Weakness?
I Corinthians 1: 26-30
This Week – The word is “paradox”. It means that something doesn’t make logical sense, yet is true! You may be married to a paradox! You may seem paradoxical to your spouse or family. We study a paradoxical concept this week: power in weakness. God actually chooses to demonstrate His power in our weakness; His success in our failures; His hope in our hopelessness!
Monday (6/4) – On the very day I edited this message for CrossHope, I saw the news that author Tom Wolfe died. He happened to be the author of the story I would quote at the beginning of the message. He talked about the original NASA astronauts possessing the “right stuff”. The Lord is not looking for people with the “right stuff”; He’s looking for people with the right spirit of humility and brokenness!
Tuesday (6/5) – Paul says that God has chosen the “weak things” of life to shame the strong. Why would He do that? God will do more with our weaknesses than He would ever do with our strengths. Our availability is actually more important to the Lord than our ability! Most people have trouble believing that; yet it’s true. Moses had a speech impediment, yet God used him to speak before the King of Egypt. God wanted to demonstrate His power and capacity in someone with limited capacity.
Wednesday (6/6) – God used a man named Gideon who had an army of 32,000 men. Yet, the Lord reduced his army by 99%! Gideon defeated the nation of Midian with a mere 300 men. God empowered his little army to do something beyond their capacity! Why? God wanted to demonstrate His power though their weakness. We share the same principle illustrated by the story of David and Goliath.
Thursday (6/7) – David was able to defeat a giant called Goliath. David tells us how and why: the battle is the Lord’s. Meaning what? Meaning God is involved in things that happens in our lives to demonstrate His strength, His wisdom, and His power. What has He done in your life? The battle just may be the Lord’s in your situation.
Friday (6/8) – We close with a story that you will never forget, once you hear it. It’s from the Wall Street Journal! The story is called “The Power of My Powerless Brother” by Christopher Davinck. It’s about Chris’s brother who was severely handicapped and lived in the same room of their house for over 30 years. And yet this brother demonstrated the power of God in his weakness.
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 2, Aired Week of 5/28/2018
Real Wisdom, Real Power
I Corinthians 1: 18-25
This Week – Two of the idols that we worship in the United States today are “education” and the idol of “public opinion”. Yet we study a passage of scripture this week that says “real wisdom and power” come from what many say is foolish or nothing, yet it is the very power of God! See if you don’t agree after listening this week!
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Podcast
Monday (5/28) – We measure power and influence differently than the Lord does. What the world sometimes says is foolish turns out to be the very power of God! That is especially true with the “message of the cross”. The message of the cross may be a joke or intellectually lame in the eyes of many, yet the Lord has chosen the proclamation of His word to demonstrate His power and wisdom!
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Part 1
Tuesday (5/29) – We tell the story of G. Gordon Liddy who was sentenced to years in prison for his involvement in what is called the “Watergate affair” during the presidency of Richard Nixon. We share what Liddy said after coming to Christ. His definition of repentance is probably the best one I have ever read or heard. See what you think!
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Part 2
Wednesday (5/30) – If there is a “miracle” in preaching, it’s not in the delivery of the message; it’s in the reception of that message. We illustrate that point in a very touching way. God can take a second rate delivery of a message, and use it to help change a life. God takes what we offer and uses it in ways we cannot measure.
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Part 3
Thursday (5/31) – We tell the story of professional golfer, Payne Stewart’s conversion to Christ. His description of what God did in his life will move you in a powerful way. Real power and real wisdom come from the Lord and His word. You may not believe it right now. But after God has had his way in your life, you will!
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Part 4
Friday (6/1) – We close with the story of Dr. David Redding coming home after being gone three years in World War 2. His simple telling of his dog recognizing his whistle when he walked down the lane of his home in the middle of the night will grab your heart. His analogy of our heavenly Father recognizing us when we come home to Him will mean even more to you than that!
Real Wisdom, Real Power, Part 5
A WILD CHURCH IN A WICKED CITY
Message 1, Aired Week of 5/21/2018
Unity Matters!
I Corinthians 1