‘Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; and they were gathered at Socoh which belongs to Judah, and they camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. Saul and the men of Israel were assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah, and they drew up in battle formation to confront the Philistines. The Philistines were standing on the mountain on one side, while Israel was standing on the mountain on the other side, with the valley between them. Then a champion came forward from the army encampment of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. And he had a bronze helmet on his head, and he wore scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze saber slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-carrier walked in front of him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle formation? Am I not the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man as your representative and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “I have defied the ranks of Israel this day! Give me a man, so that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and very fearful. ‘

1 Samuel 17:1-11

“God’s Power”
‘Now Eliab his oldest brother heard him when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, “Why is it that you have come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I myself know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle.” The people answered him in agreement with this statement, saying, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” Then David said to the men who were standing by him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and rids Israel of the disgrace? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he has dared to defy the armies of the living God?” And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will make the man who kills him wealthy with great riches, and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were very fearful. As he was speaking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard him. Then David left the baggage in the care of the baggage keeper and ran to the battle line. And he entered and greeted his brothers. Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle formation, army against army. So David got up early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper, and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the entrenchment encircling the camp while the army was going out in battle formation, shouting the war cry. For Saul and they and all the men of Israel are in the Valley of Elah, fighting the Philistines.” Bring also these ten slices of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the well-being of your brothers and bring back confirmation from them. Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brothers. And the Philistine came forward morning and evening, and took his stand for forty days. but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock at Bethlehem. So David was the youngest. Now the three oldest followed Saul, The three older sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who had gone into the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and second to him, Abinadab, and the third, Shammah. Now David was the son of the Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, the man whose name was Jesse, and he had eight sons. And Jesse was old in the days of Saul, advanced in years among men. ‘

1 Samuel 17:12-28
https://my.bible.com/bible/2692/1SA.17.12-28

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.

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.

Pastor Christina Karanick

From the Bible:
Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Matthew 27:50-51
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

Genesis 3:20-24
‘Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. The L ord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. Then the L ord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the L ord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.’

John 17:15-17
I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.

Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Pastor Christina Karanick

The message of the Gospel, that Jesus lived, died, and was raised to life again is not some message that we accept once and cruise onto eternity. Instead, Peter seems to make it clear that it is a message for right here, right now.

From the Bible:
1 Peter 1:3-6
‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ‘

Pastor Christina Karanick
From the Bible: Isaiah 40:1-11

‘The voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the L ord in the wilderness; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her guilt has been removed, That she has received of the L ord ’ s hand Double for all her sins.” “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God. “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the uneven ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the L ord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the L ord has spoken.” A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the L ord blows upon it; The people are indeed grass! The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. ¶Go up on a high mountain, Zion, messenger of good news, Raise your voice forcefully, Jerusalem, messenger of good news; Raise it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” Behold, the Lord G od will come with might, With His arm ruling for Him. Behold, His compensation is with Him, And His reward before Him. Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in the fold of His robe; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. ‘

https://my.bible.com/bible/2692/ISA.40.1-11

(Note: We believe there was an issue with our graphics card during this recording. The video may be a little choppy, but we felt the message was worth posting anyway. The audio was not affected.)
Message by Pastor Christina
1) Confess Your Sins
2) Receive Forgiveness
3) Cleansed from Unrighteousness
From the Bible:
‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ‘
1 John 1:9
https://my.bible.com/bible/2692/1JN.1.9

Pastor Christina Karanick teaches on looking at the promise of God’s Goodness in our families, job, and churches. We need to accept, embrace, believe & decide that God is working on my behalf.
God knows how to care & provide for His kids. God doesn’t waste ANYTHING (even the bad stuff), God uses messy things.

From the Bible:
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. — Romans 8:28

But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive. — Genesis 50:19-20

And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the L ord your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the L ord your God commanded you to celebrate the Sabbath day. — Deuteronomy 5:15