soulcoffee

THE BOOK: 2 Corinthians

We who know Christ in the Church today need to guard against the two extremes of CRITICIZING the early church, and also IDEALIZING the early church.  The early church, including the one at Corinth, had lots of problems... but so do we.  Somehow, God used them, and He uses us in spite of us.  Humility... In 2 Corinthians the people of Corinth had repented... most of them.  Paul, and God, pursued them and wouldn't give up.  We need to do the same in our churches.  

EASTER: 1 Corinthians 15 - Live the Difference!

In this message I am your drone!  I will fly way up high to give you the big picture, and then we will come down closer and closer to see the Resurrection from 1 Corinthians 15.  We will be challenged in the end to Live the Difference that Jesus makes in a life in which HE LIVES by His Spirit!  He is Risen!  He is Risen IN ME!

EASTER: 1 Corinthians 13 - The Most Excellent Way!

The famous 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is actually about Spiritual Gifts!  The Corinthians were prioritizing the Spiritual Gifts and exercising them without love.  It is possible to do a lot for Jesus without loving Jesus or even the people you are serving.  It is possible, and common, for people to elevate themselves in Jesus name.  But 'God is love', and when we miss His love, we are missing the main thing.

THE BOOK: 1 Corinthians

When you read a book, you don't just pick it up and begin reading wherever it flops open on the table.  Why do so many Christians read the Bible that way and then wonder why they are confused?  Let's do our homework on this letter of 1 Corinthians so we can understand it and not be so sloppy with something so important!  Here is some background that will help you understand what you are reading!

THE BOOK: Romans - Tensions! pt 2

The church at Rome experienced great anxiety and tensions from the outside and the inside, that prompted Paul to write his letter to them.  We face great anxiety and tensions in our culture that make Paul's letter very relevant to us today!  Are you feeling pressured to conform to the world around you?  Are you experiencing tension even in your own church?  The Romans were too!  

THE BOOK: Romans - Why? pt 1

When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he had never been there.  This church began without his missionary church-planting influence.  How did this church come to be?  And why did Paul write this letter?  The history and background to answer those 2 questions is fascinating, and will leave you with a great understanding and challenge as you read this letter for yourself!

THE BOOK: ACTS 2 "Ripples"

God works in the mess and challenges of life to accomplish His purpose of spreading the Gospel of His Kingdom!  Luke records events around an outline of RIPPLES that went out like when a stone is thrown into a body of water!  Look for the markers in the text and you'll find Luke's mind in the book of Acts, inspired of God, to record just how God's 'ekklesia' (the church) grew and changed the world!  God is still at it in the mess today!  The RIPPLES have gone out through time and space to us!  You and I are God's next RIPPLE!  It's messy, and it is quietly miraculous!

THE BOOK: Galatians

Paul confronts the Galatians over the mess they are making of the Gospel.  What is true of them, is still true of us today!  What matters is not religious trappings and markers, but a NEW CREATION!  When is the gospel so wrong in its presentation and power, that it is no longer the gospel?  

THE BOOK: Acts 1 -- Ripples!

The writing of Acts by Dr Luke, like all Scripture, came out of life.  It is quite possible that Luke wrote Acts as a legal briefing for Paul's attorney, Theophilus.  The Holy Spirit gets down into the nitty-gritty of daily life and inspires something eternal from out faithfulness... even though we don't always realize it at the time!  So remain FAITHFUL!  Acts is about the RIPPLES of the gospel moving outward from Jerusalem to turn the world upside down!  

THE BOOK: John -- "Go On Believing"

Jesus is the logos behind all that is.  We must 'go on believing' in Him, not consider a past proclamation of faith as it's essence.  The perseverent walk of faith with Christ's Spirit is the essence of saving and sanctifying faith!  It's not 'I believed when I was 8'... it's 'Go on believing!'