Posts

Showing posts from 2013

Live Inspirationally

Here's a sermon by Jason Jaggard (I wish I could link specifically to his sermon, but I don't think I can -- so you'll have to scroll down) about living inspirationally. http://www.churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 Philippians 2:12-18 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice w

Defining Moment

Here is a sermon by Marcus "Goodie" Goodlow, at Ecclesia Church: http://www.churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 It's based on 1 Samuel 7:1-10 , about the Israelites turning back towards the Lord, but then being attacked by their enemies. They beckon God to show up and save them, and He does! In the sermon Goodie says, "Courage to sacrifice is the prelude to the phenomenal." What an awesome statement! I've been thinking about courage a lot lately (and have written about it). It's often believed that self-preservation is basic human nature, so just embrace it and get what you want in life. But are these the folks that are truly celebrated in life? No! It's the ones that sacrifice themselves, through life or in death, that receive the highest honor. It's also what Jesus did. So the next time you're given the opportunity to inconvenience yourself for the good of someone else, take it! Then see what God does! We have been given &qu

Words We Live By - Matthew 18:20

Here is #5 in the Words We Live by series, a sermon by Joseph Barkley. It seems like I missed the even numbered sermons in this series, so you'll have to check #4 out for yourself. http://www.churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 This sermon is all about church discipline and fighting against legalism. I have to be honest -- legalism seems to happen so naturally in Christianity. I've been there and said some things I shouldn't have, and still do. In the sermon, though, Joseph apologizes to non-Christians for those of us who have expected them to act like Christians. That's key, and I didn't really begin to learn that lesson until I heard this song by Emery: Why should we expect people to adhere to Christian rules if they are not Christians? Maybe, instead of worrying about enforcing rules for living, we focus on loving people and let God change hearts and behavior, in His time? There's some good notes below. Here's the scripture: Matthew 18:

Words We Live By - Philippians 4:13

Image
I missed sermon #2...so you're gonna have to go look that one up yourself. http://churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 Sermon #3 in this series is about contentment...which seems to be one of the most difficult things for me to get a handle on. In it, he talks about the lottery campaign "believe in something bigger." These are plastered all over Los Angeles: The moment I saw this, I was disgusted. If your "something bigger" in life is winning the lottery, then what kind of hope is that? And will it ever be realized? Probably not. But as I reflect on it, is it so different than most of our "something bigger?" Most of us dream of the day we may have tons of money, and imagine what we would do with that money. It's a fun dream to indulge in, and really that's a lot of what we work for...the day we have more. Joseph points out that this isn't actually a dream for "something bigger," but rather "something more.&quo

Ask, Answer, Act

Here is the first sermon in the "Words We Live By" series, by Joseph Barkley. It's an effort to get the church to actually read the bible and know what it means. Just after I became a Christian, I was given a little booklet on how to get started strong in your Christian walk. It read that, every time you read the bible, you should ask for the Holy Spirit to show you things through what you're reading. I have to say that this concept and those prayers have helped a lot over the years. The Spirit of God is crucial to understanding the bible, and to neglect this Gift is like trying to dig to China with your bare hands. I'm not saying that everything suddenly makes sense because you prayed, but it makes a lot more sense than if you were trying to read it without God's help. The sermon is based off of these scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - " All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so

Fulfillment at Work

I found this website in a work email, and here is the first talk I listened to, by Simon Sinek about fulfillment in the workplace (a topic I struggle with regularly).  http://creativemornings.com/talks/simon-sinek/1 I usually post stuff from churches or Christian organizations, and I'm not sure if this guy is a Christian or not, but I love the principles he sets out. Basically, Simon is spreading the message that selfless giving is the way to transform your work life. Check it out and see what you think: (the talk is actually only about 25 minutes long, the rest is Q&A, where he still says really good stuff) Notes:  If we knew that our companies would go to great lengths for us, maybe we would do the same for our companies Fulfillment comes from doing something for someone else Requires time and energy Doing good for others inspires others to do good for others Vulnerability and risk: the people you help might not reciprocate You have to have self-confidence

Jesus is Alive

Here is the fourth and final sermon in the "Jesus Is ______." series by Judah Smith. Ephesians 2:1-7 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Genesis 4:1-7 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnan

Jesus is with you Always.

Here is the third sermon in the "Jesus Is _____." series by Judah Smith. Usually I write some comment on the sermon, but nothing's hitting me with this one at the moment, so maybe take the time you may otherwise spend reading the nonsense I write, and check out these scriptures! Matthew 28   1 John 4:15 - "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God." Notes: Having someone else with you somehow subsides fears We tend to believe that we don't get God's presence if we aren't "good" Christians and go to church, etc. But what does 1 John 4:15 say? A missionary life has struggles It's because we are a target Hunters don't shoot at dead animals; the enemy knows that John 16:33 - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” This is spoken just after Jesus' discipl

Jesus is a Friend of Sinners

Here is the second sermon by Judah Smith in the "Jesus Is _____." series. It's based on Luke 19:1-10. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.   He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd.   So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.   When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”   So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.   All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”   But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”   Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man

Jesus is Grace.

Here is the first in the "Jesus is _____" series by Judah Smith of The City Church. It is based on Luke 15 , which is three parables Jesus tells in response to the Pharisee's chide that He was eating with sinners. There is some powerful stuff here about how we should receive our worth and grace from God. Jesus says in Mark 10:15, " Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Judah reads this and points out that kids don't try to repay gifts...until they get older.  I remember being in high school and making a CD for our awesome punk band, Minus the Standard . We printed off a bunch of CD booklets on my parent's printer and then sold the CD's at one of our shows. I then tried to pay my dad back from our proceeds for the ink and paper I used. I remember trying to hand him money, and him refusing, and then my friend's dad saying abruptly, "just keep the money," emphasizing

Jesus the Jewish Rabbi

I wanted something light today and ended up listening to this really in-depth stuff by Ray Vander Laan...a lot of notes, but it's really good stuff. I really encourage listening to the sermon because the notes below will make a lot more sense. http://www.followtherabbi.com/uploads/assets/audio/jesusthejewishrabbi.mp3 I'm a huge fan of Ray Vander Laan because he examines the culture of Jesus' day and applies it to our Christian walk. Everything should be taken in context, and when it comes to Jesus, we miss a lot if we don't understand the culture. There is a ton of information here that has taught me so much about what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. I'm not going to write too much here since there are a lot of notes below. The first part has a lot of numbers and Hebrew words that I almost definitely misspelled, but there is some more practical stuff below. Of course I encourage listening to the whole sermon though, otherwise I wouldn't share i

In God We Trust

Here is the fourth and final sermon in the Elephant in the Room series by Chip Judd, at Seacoast Church. My faith has felt a little dry lately, and I know it's because a lot of what I do (reading the bible, going to church, listening to sermons) is missing the heart involved in the act. As a friend told me, "God is most concerned with your heart." This sermon, though about money, speaks on that a lot. And I think getting back to heart of God starts with faith. Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. " My aunt is changing careers for the 4th or 5th time, and she said she received the direction for where to go by seeking God's face. This was an encouraging word as I feel like I am constantly in transition when it comes to direction in life, but to do this really requires trust that God's plan is something I wi

Freedom to Give

Here is the third sermon in the Elephant in the Room series, by Josh Surratt. It's pretty practical financial advice with biblical backing. I know a lot of people who exist in a state of debt, particularly when it comes to cars. Finance a car, pay it off, finance another one to replace the older car, pay that off...do it again. It's a cycle of constant debt; it's the American way. There are some pretty gnarly statistics here about debt in the US. I fall into it as well -- buying what I want with money I don't have. Why do we do that? Is it a lack of patience? Is it the desire to keep up with our neighbors? I understand things like house loans and student loans -- large amounts we could probably never get around. Or could we? I have a friend who was saving up to buy a house with cash, and at the time I chided him for it. "No one does that," I said, probably with a hint of jealousy in my voice. It's true, no one does that anymore. But as Christians,

Benfits of Generosity

Here's a sermon by Greg Surratt, second in the Elephant in the Room series. This guy is a great speaker and pretty much always has applicable and engaging things to say. Giving has always been a discipline for me - 10% of what I make, before taxes (first fruits). Someone told me to do it this way in high school, and so I did. I think this is great, but then I got married, and giving became a conversation rather than my own decision. I married an incredibly generous woman, and so when I came into giving with my disciplined approach, she asked where my heart was. It was something I haven't thought much about, but since then, it has become a major theme in my life. 2 Corinthians 9:7 - "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. " Jesus was always concerned about the heart of His listeners, and so that should always be our focus for everything, but especially when it come

Generosity is a Response

 I love Seacoast church, and the more I've gone there and followed them, the more good things I see. I came across this sermon series about money, The Elephant in the Room. Here's the first sermon in the series by Josh Walters. This one didn't really blow me away, but the rest of the series picks up: If you get the chance, read those verses on the Zacchaeus link and the Rich Guy links below (they're short). Ray Vander Laan has a really great sermon on Zacchaeus that is somewhere here . Unfortunately, I don't know which one (so you'll have to listen to all of them!), but if you scan my old posts you may find it, should you have the time. I highlighted a statement below: "when Jesus is Lord, God is your provider." If you really take hold of that, imagine the ramifications...no matter what happens in your life, you'll be okay because God is taking care of you. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 6:25-34 . In 1 Kings , the first lesson God teaches El

Moving In - Deleted

Image
I was working on some notes for the Moving In sermon by Joseph Barkley, and accidentally deleted all of it...oh well, you can listen here: http://www.churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 It's based on Deuteronomy 6:4-12: 4  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. 10  When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11  houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, we

Technology will be the death of us...

Image
 NOTE: This is an old post, but I have some free time, so I'm catching up. My cell phone split in half this weekend... This is the best phone I ever had. It was simple, durable (this isn't the phone that split in half) and had an excellent reggae version of Silent Night as my ringtone. The only downside to this phone was that it didn't have a camera, but that's what cameras are for I guess. So as I look for a new phone, I find myself wishing I could go back to the simpler days of my little LG pictured above. But these days every phone is "smart," and we are being pushed into buying these smart phones and their expensive data plans. After a year of using my sister's old phone (she's always a step ahead of me with this stuff), I ended up with a Samsung Stratosphere II, and it was actually cheaper to buy a smart phone with all its data than to keep up my old fashioned ways. I often find myself in this predicament -- how much do I let techn

Age and Expectations - Part 2

 As the title suggests, here is the rest of my thoughts on Age and Expectations, established in a prior post and initiated by viewing this video: So, back to the original point about the video: should we be concerned about where we are in life compared to others? Romans 12:2 says, " Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." I wrote a blog post about that verse earlier. God made us to do something. Society didn't make us to do anything, but expects something from us. So who do we please - people or God? Something about all of this doesn't sit well with me though. Maybe it's important to gauge our life's progress by others - isn't that a standard of maturity? If all my friends have awesome jobs and houses and families, and I'm still living with my parents and delivering pizzas, is that

Age and Expectations - Part 1

This is a really powerful video: It really shows the consciousness of our society and what we're most concerned about: being normal, particularly when it comes to milestones we "should have" hit by our age (or with those we may have hit prematurely when it comes to "10-17 and pregnant"). Our society really associates age with milestones, and that's understandable. I often think to my parents who, by my age, had a house and two kids. My dad still works for the same company he did when he was my age and had way more responsibility than I have now. I often compare myself to him and wonder why things are different... To be fair it was the late-80's/ early-90's and things were much better economically, and the culture varied socially. Plus, Home Improvement was on television, which makes everything better. But you can't help but make those comparisons and tests that, by such-and-such age I need to have experienced such-and-such. And accordin

Trusting Why God Moves

Image
Here is " Trusting Why God Moves " by Joseph Barkley. It's been a while since I've done one of these Ecclesia sermons, so this one is a bit old. You'll find it a few rows down here: http://churchinhollywood.com/media.php?pageID=15 This sermon is based off of Exodus 14:31 - 15:18 . It is a song that the nation sings after God has drowned their enemies in the Red Sea. Go ahead and read that or the notes won't make much sense. I love what Joseph says here about the glory of God, and what that means. He says that everyone is hard-wired to have a main-thing in life, and I agree. It seems that we are predisposed towards following or worshiping something in life, no matter what. For me growing up (and maybe now  too) it was bands and skateboarding. My sister obsessed over N' Sync and Harry Potter (teenage girls are really good at obsessing over things). My dad loves cars and motorsports. It's just a tendency in our lives to associate ourselves with some