Video

Not knowing the results of Ministry

Story in the video:
Pastor Paul received an early morning wakeup call from a frantic lady that could hardly be understood in the beginning. Once Paul got her to repeat what she was saying, he discovered that she was calling from ICU and her niece had been hit by a car while walking across the street. She told him that she was currently on life support but, not expected to survive.

From the Bible:
‘Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the L ord said, “My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the L ord saw that the wickedness of mankind was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. So the L ord was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Then the L ord said, “I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the L ord . These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for humanity had corrupted its way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, “The end of humanity has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of people; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and put the door of the ark on the side; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. Now behold, I Myself am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kind, and of the animals according to their kind, of every crawling thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. As for you, take for yourself some of every food that is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and them.” So Noah did these things; according to everything that God had commanded him, so he did.’

Genesis 6:1-22
https://my.bible.com/bible/2692/GEN.6.1-22

Video

Meet the Neighbors

For many of us, church has always been a weekly meeting or two at building where we listen to someone give us a sermon that we call church. Nothing wrong with that, but it may not be the most effective way to reach the people around us. A recent national study found that when asked if your best friend invited you to church would you go? 64% said “no”. Of the 64% no’s when asked if that same best friend invited you to their home to talk about Jesus, 73% of those no’s said “yes”.

The Bible has several mentions of how average people used their homes as a place to worship. This is typically called house church or the church that meets at so and so’s house. Jesus met with people in their homes where he taught, fellowshipped, and performed many miracles.
If we are going to reach our neighbors, friends and family with the Gospel of Jesus Christ we may want to consider inviting them to our own homes to talk about Jesus.

Matthew‬ ‭8:14-15‬ ‭
“When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. And He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him.”
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Luke‬ ‭19:5-6‬ ‭
“And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” And he hurried and came down, and received Him joyfully.”
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‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:27-29‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
“After that He went out and looked at a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he left everything behind, and got up and began following Him. And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:38-39‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
“Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word.”

Luke‬ ‭10:5-7‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬
“And whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ And if a man of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide; for the laborer is deserving of his wages. Do not move from house to house.”
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Philemon 1:2
And Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:

Acts 2:46
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,

1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord.

Acts 20:20
How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,

Romans 16:5
Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia.

Acts 2:42
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts 5:42
And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Romans 16:1-27
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. …

Colossians 4:15
Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.

Acts 2:2
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Romans 12:4-8
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

1 Corinthians 14:26
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up

Video

Devoted

Message by: Pastor Christina Karanick

Acts 2:42
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

“Koinonia”
– Our word FELLOWSHIP is derived from this Greek word defined as “holding something in common” used 20 times in the New Testament

Roman 12:4-5
For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.

Acts 2:46-47
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

1 Peter 5:8-9
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
 

First off, notice how the passage says “the enemy prowls like a lion, looking for someone to devour.” Not some group, or some church, but someONE. Lions are strong, yes, but they also know they have a much better chance at a meal when they can get an individual cut off and apart from the herd. Lions know, like the enemy knows, that it’s far more productive to attack one than it is to attack an entire herd.
 
Think about that with me for a moment today. The enemy is looking for someONE to devour, not some group. There is strength in the herd, the group, the church and it can be dangerous to forgo the community in favor of your own isolated path.
 
Secondly, notice how Peter says we should respond to the enemy’s tricks. He says we should “resist him, stand firm, and remember that the FAMILY of believers around the world is enduring the same kinds of suffering.” Resist him, yes. Stand firm in the faith, yes and yes. But also, remember the family of faith. Set your mind on the herd, on the group, and on the church fellowship. Remember you’re not alone in the battle, but rather, there’s a whole worldwide church experiencing similar suffering and pain as you.
 
The enemy wants to get us alone, or get us thinking we’re alone, but Peter wants us to remember we are not alone. We’re part of a much bigger family, a fellowship with a common focus and bond.

Video

The Devoted Church in Acts

Pastor Christina Karanick discusses the church in the Book of Acts.

Acts 2:42-47
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Matthew 4:23
Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Ephesians 4:11-13
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

2 Timothy 2:2
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Video

Heather Finds Her Calling in Nursing

Heather’s Friend told her about a nursing opportunity on a Mercy Ship. After a little research, Heather knew that she was meant for this mission. Mercy ships are floating hospitals that travel to locations where people are in dire need of medical care.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Matthew 25:35-36
For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.