Some people are just good at giving gifts. They always seem to know the perfect thing to make your day. Well today, Pastor Ricky shares that God loves giving you gifts that will change your life. You’ll discover that not only has God made a way for you to have a relationship with Him through Jesus but He's also made it possible for you to live at peace with other people. This gift of reconciliation has paved the way for you to break through barriers so that you can experience true community with others.
Behold - Perspective, Part 2
Parents typically know when their kids are trying to butter them up and sadly, the sweet words and unusual helpfulness, they lose their meaning when a child uses them to try and get what they want. Today, Pastor Ricky shares that God feels the same way about how you interact with Him. As you’ll hear, God doesn't like it when people only do things, even if they're good, because they want something from Him. Pastor Ricky reminds you that God wants you to walk closely with Him and love the people around you.
Behold - Perspective, Part 1
If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you’ve had the privilege of seeing the earth from a whole new vantage point. This shift in perspective allows you to understand the world around you in an entirely new way. As Pastor Ricky begins a new series in Isaiah today, he challenges us to let the truth in this study shift our perspective. Just like looking out of an airplane window, the Book of Isaiah can help you live your everyday life with a new outlook, making a difference where the rubber meets the road.
Wisdom for Life - The Lies of Temptation, Part 2
There's always forgiveness available for those that have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us that even though God will forgive us when we sin against Him, it doesn't necessarily mean we won’t suffer the consequences of that sin. There is a reason God has given us boundaries and commands us in His Word. It’s to keep us safe, to keep us on the straight and narrow path. When we decide to venture off the path that God wants us on we will eventually suffer the consequences.
Wisdom for Life - The Lies of Temptation, Part 1
It's been said that sin will always take you farther than you want to go and keep you there longer than you want to stay. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he’ll be exhorting us to confess our sins to God as well as to confess our sins to one another. The temptation to sin always comes along with the temptation to keep it in the dark and a secret. Just like Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned, we too have this same tendency.
Wisdom for Life - Wisdom and Sexuality, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be reminding us that although sexual attraction is important, there's much more to marriage than sex. We were created to glorify God and to be well-pleasing to Him first and foremost. In our culture, sex is everything. We see it in commercials, we glorify it in conversation. And although sex certainly is a gift from God, sometimes we tend to elevate it to be even more important than pleasing God.
Wisdom for Life - Wisdom and Sexuality, Part 1
Contrary to popular belief, you were created by design and we're not some cosmic accident that evolved from a primordial soup into an intelligent being. Today Pastor Ricky will be encouraging us to live for the Lord and to glorify Him with our bodies because we were created in His image. We are held to a high moral standard of holiness because we are to imitate God as His dear children. If the devil can convince people that they evolved from animals, people will start acting like that.
Wisdom for Life - The Heart and the Springs of Life, Part 2
Just because you don't suffer the consequences of your sinful activities or behaviors right away doesn't make it any less sinful and detestable to God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through Proverbs, he'll be encouraging us to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, and with all our strength. We need to be careful not to allow certain images into our minds. We need to be cautious against playing with sin because sooner or later it will destroy us.
Wisdom for Life - The Heart and the Springs of Life, Part 1
Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting us to guard our hearts with all diligence. Now, clearly, this command within Proverbs isn't talking about guarding our literal, physical hearts. This is talking about guarding the seat of our emotions and thoughts. The Apostle Paul challenged the church to take every thought captive that is contrary to Christ. Some of the ways we guard our hearts is by obeying the commands of Jesus and not allowing ourselves to be deceived by false teachings.
Wisdom for Life - Wounded, But Willing Fathers, Part 2
As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be challenging fathers to properly reflect the image of God the Father. It's a great privilege to be a father but so often many fathers have low standards of what being a good father looks like. The standard is properly reflecting God, the Father, to their children. Satan is busy at work trying to humiliate the position of the father of the home. If the enemy can bring down the father, he can begin to bring down the rest of the household.
Wisdom for Life - Wounded, But Willing Fathers, Part 1
There are so many avenues that a child could receive information and perspectives on life. The most important place a child should be taught about life is their Godly counsel from their parents. Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining how important it is for fathers to step up and impart Godly wisdom to their children. If fathers aren't raising their children up in the ways of the Lord the world will teach them the ways of evil and in this evil age, fathers need to be even more diligent than ever before.
Wisdom for Life - God's Path, The Path to Peace, Part 2
Jesus is called the Prince of Peace and for good reason. Jesus is the only person who can bring peace and joy into our lives. Today Pastor Ricky will be reminding us of all those things we tried filling up our souls with in order to obtain a sense of peace and rest and how Jesus satisfied our longing by His presence. The Holy Spirit brings love, joy, and peace to the children of God. As we abide in Jesus, The Vine, we will bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Wisdom for Life - God's Path, The Path to Peace, Part 1
The biggest lie that Satan tells us is that it's easier to give in to the world system and that satisfaction and peace can be achieved apart from God. As Pastor Ricky continues his teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, we’ll learn how peace can only be obtained by receiving salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. The only way we can have peace with God is if we receive the grace of God by faith. Sin is a temporary fix. It doesn't provide peace. Living for the Lord and obeying his commandments brings true peace.
Wisdom for Life - Wisdom is Calling, Part 2
Imagine you're in the mall and a voice comes over the loudspeaker warning everyone to evacuate immediately because of a fire in the building. If you truly hear what the voice is saying, you will make your way to the closest exit. And if you don't, if you don't believe what's being said, you'll keep shopping. Wisdom is much the same way. She's calling out to us all the time. The question Pastor Ricky will ask is this, are you listening?
Wisdom for Life - Wisdom is Calling, Part 1
A quick perusal at your local bookstore will reveal a large market for obtaining wisdom. Gurus and the like, make claims about secret sources of wisdom that can only be unveiled by them. Today Pastor Ricky will demystify the source of wisdom. Friends, it isn't complicated. Wisdom is found in the word of God and the author of the word of God is God Himself. While God certainly can use wise people around us to impart wisdom, getting it from the source is truly the best option.
Wisdom for Life - Radical Womanhood, Part 2
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Wisdom for Life - Radical Womanhood, Part 1
Today Pastor Ricky will be challenging Christian women to be God-fearing so that they can be praiseworthy. The Book of Proverbs has many pearls of wisdom for parents, children, husbands, and wives. The reason God has a lot to say about the family structure and the individual roles of men and women play is because He loves family. The enemy will try to break down the family structure by tempting men and women to focus on the temporal instead of eternal qualities like godliness and selflessness.
Wisdom for Life - The Beginning of Wisdom, Part 2
Do you desire wisdom? Today Pastor Ricky will be explaining that in order to become wise we need to have the fear of the Lord. The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Having fear of the Lord is having an honor of God and a reverential awe of who He is and how He's sovereign. Having a healthy fear of God is understanding that all life is being held together by His hand and that He is almighty. We need to have respect for God the Father. And He’ll bestow His wisdom upon us.
Wisdom for Life - The Beginning of Wisdom, Part 1
As Pastor Ricky begins his new teaching series through the Book of Proverbs, he'll be encouraging us to obey the wisdom of God that was penned through Solomon. Solomon was known to be the most wise man that has ever lived. Solomon asked God for one thing and he asked for wisdom. One of the things that is greatly lacking in today's culture is Godly wisdom. The best way to be wise is by reading the word of God and applying it to our everyday lives.
Live Forever - Forever is Soon, Part 2
The brokenness of this world is becoming more and more obvious. Sin is increasing all around us. We can see the effects of it daily. Pastor Ricky will encourage each of us to wake up and realize that this world is not worth living for. We must live for an eternal higher prize, eternity with Jesus.