The Leader You Have Always Longed For (Zechariah 9-11)
Dr. John Maxwell said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” There is much truth to that statement. Whether we are currently in a leadership position or are in a place where we are being led, we have a sense of what good leadership is about. In this section of Zechariah, we are introduced to one who will be the perfect leader. Our task will be to discover how we can emulate the leader we have longed for.WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle
- Nov 6, 2022The Leader You Have Always Longed For (Zechariah 9-11)
The Leader You Have Always Longed For (Zechariah 9-11)Dr. John Maxwell said, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” There is much truth to that statement. Whether we are currently in a leadership position or are in a place where we are being led, we have a sense of what good leadership is about. In this section of Zechariah, we are introduced to one who will be the perfect leader. Our task will be to discover how we can emulate the leader we have longed for.
- Oct 30, 2022Clean and Empowered (Zechariah 3-4)
Clean and Empowered (Zechariah 3-4)
God does His work through His people. The enemy of God, Satan does all he can to discourage and discredit God’s people. But God in his grace, cleans and empowers us to be all we can be for Him. We see God at work in the process in Zechariah 3-4 for Joshua and Zerubbabel. As we look at this passage through the cross we discover that through Jesus God cleans and empowers us. - Oct 23, 2022A Passionate God (Zech. 1-2)
A Passionate God (Zech. 1-2)
God is passionate. God is passionate about one thing. He is passionate about His relationship with His creation. God is passionate about you. He is passionate about you and your relationship to Him and your relationship to the faith community. When we individually and collectively are fully invested in our relationship with God we find Him to be our comfort, our protector, and our confidence. - Oct 16, 2022Recheck Your Priorities (The Prophecy of Haggai)
Recheck Your Priorities (The Prophecy of Haggai)
What would cause you to reprioritize your life, or your habits? What makes you rethink your circumstances? It seems that it often takes some sort of close call, or some kind of disaster to often make us evaluate what is really important. The challenges from Haggai, to God’s people who had returned to the land will help us take a good look at our own priorities and see where we may need to come back in line with God's standards. - Oct 9, 2022Responding to God’s Warning (The prophecy of Zephaniah)
Responding to God’s Warning (The prophecy of Zephaniah)
Tornado warnings. Hurricane warnings. Flood warnings. People respond differently. Some head for shelter, evacuate, or find the high ground. Others determine that they will “ride it out.” Natural disasters are no respecters of people, and the results of not heeding the warnings are tragic. God repeatedly warns his people that he will deal with their sins. Only those who respond in humble repentance are spared. - Oct 2, 2022When Nothing Seems To Make Sense (Habakkuk)
When Nothing Seems To Make Sense (Habakkuk)
If you have ever wondered if God knows what he is doing this prophet is for you. If you have ever questioned God, this prophet is for you. Habakkuk, has trouble with God's plan but in the end, he trusts God more than he trusts his circumstances. It is a lesson for us all.. - Sep 25, 2022“No Middle Ground” (Nahum)
“No Middle Ground” (Nahum)
God does not play games. God does not just give suggestions. When we last saw the Ninevites they had repented from their sin. God relented from his judgement of them. Unfortunately for the Ninevites, their revival did not last. Roughly, 100 years later they were as sinful and warmongering as ever. Nahum is God’s prophet to call them out. But before we gloat over the failure of Nineveh, we need to look in the mirror and ask, “Is my own commitment to God a growing daily reality?” - Sep 18, 2022There is Hope (Micah 6:9-7:20)
There is Hope (Micah 6:9-7:20)
Even though he is fully aware of our faults and failures, God still offers us hope. Our hope is in the God who knows the beginning from the end. We can't even know what this afternoon holds. Our hope is in a God who promises to forgive as we come to him in humility. - Sep 11, 2022The Power of Humility (Micah 5:1-6:8)
The Power of Humility (Micah 5:1-6:8)
The culture in which we live celebrates those who are confident. We celebrate those who dream and dream and then achieve it. But there is another quality that is to be celebrated but is often overlooked. There is a unique power to humility. When we are humble we rely on God for success. We depend on God and not our own wits. We treat others with dignity and respect. We are able to see how God has been working in us. God calls us to live humbly and trust him to recognize our work. - Sep 4, 2022It’s About Leadership (Micah 3:1-4:5)
It’s About Leadership (Micah 3:1-4:5)
As the leaders go, so goes the group, be it a nation, or a community, or a church, or a family. Micah calls the leaders from the political, spiritual, and judicial realm to account. They were supposed to point people to God and lead by following God. But instead they had determined that personal power was more satisfying than servant leadership. We are all leaders of someone and God expects us to lead properly. - Aug 28, 2022Hold the Rope (Galatians; Philippians 3)
Hold the Rope (Galatians; Philippians 3)
Accountability is a two way street. We work together to hold one another accountable for following Jesus. However, we need to also take care of our own soul and see to it that we hold ourselves accountable for following Jesus as well. Philippians 3 reminds us of our responsibility for individual accountability. Galatians 6 points to our responsibility for being accountable in the community. Both are needed to live a godly life. - Aug 21, 2022Freedom to Change (Micah 1-2)
Freedom to Change (Micah 1-2)
The Prophet Micah had seen a great deal throughout his life. He had seen his nation, Judah go from a power house to a vassal of Assyria to a nation that successfully rebelled against the Assyrians. And yet in their relative freedom they had yet to come fully around to following God. Freedom for those who follow God is not doing anything they want; it is the freedom to change and learn to be more like God. Judah did not learn this lesson in Micah’s time. - Aug 14, 2022Human Anger v. Divine Compassion (Jonah 3-4)
Human Anger v. Divine Compassion (Jonah 3-4)
It is one thing to obey. It is another thing to obey with a right heart. Jonah reveals his true heart. He really wanted God to zap the Ninevites. They were a war mongering enemy who deserved punishment not compassion. In a living word picture God reveals to Jonah the depth of divine compassion, grace, and sovereignty - Aug 7, 2022In the brine but not yet pickled (Jonah 1:17-3:3)
In the brine but not yet pickled (Jonah 1:17-3:3)
Sometimes we think we have gone too far astray and that we are not useful to God any longer. Jonah had to be thinking that all along. But he does the one thing we all can do, he prays. And the lesson he learns is that God is always there and always willing to give another chance. - Jul 31, 2022You can run but you can’t hide (Jonah 1)
You can run but you can’t hide (Jonah 1)
Jonah is the one minor prophet most know about. That is because of the story of the great fish. But there is more to Jonah than a Fish Story. We will learn about God and his relentless pursuit of us, his grace to save us from ourselves, and his willingness to let us think we can make life work on our own. Until we can’t.