You've been given the freedom to do what you like. You can choose what you want to eat or what you want to watch. But have you ever thought about the fact that your actions create an influence on others as well? Do you ever wonder if a particular habit of yours glorifies God or not? In today's message, Pastor Ricky tells you how to create guidelines for your life. Instead of doing whatever you like, you can choose to do the things that would glorify God and help others around you to grow in their faith in God.
Gospel Culture - Why is My Heart an Idol Factory and How Do I Turn It Off, Part 2
When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God provided them with water and food along the journey. Similarly, in your life you might require certain necessities, but instead of relying on God, you look to alternative means of sustenance. Today, Pastor Ricky teaches how to strengthen your faith in God. Instead of relying on your own intuition, you can put your trust in Him to guide you in the right direction. Be confident knowing that the Creator of the world loves you and will provide for all of your needs.
Gospel Culture - Why is My Heart an Idol Factory and How Do I Turn It Off, Part 1
There's generally something in our lives that prevents us from developing our relationship with God. It could be a terrible habit or a specific relationship. You might strive to leave your temptations or your idols, but as soon as you do, the enemy may present you with another attraction. The effort to overcome temptations can be never-ending. Today, Pastor Ricky explains how to get rid of your idols. When you seek God with all of your heart, He can help you fight and overcome your weaknesses.
Gospel Culture - How Can I Keep From Wasting My Life, Part 2
We often become sidetracked from God and start wandering down a path that ultimately leads to our own destruction. The path that you're on might appear to be ideal in your own eyes, and it might even produce results for a while before revealing its true colors. Today, Pastor Ricky outlines why God's guidance is essential in all aspects of life. You never know what the future holds for you, but God does. He knows which way is best for you. You can see God's help in finding people that can point you in the right direction.
Gospel Culture - How Can I Keep From Wasting My Life, Part 1
You may believe that after receiving Jesus, you can just continue living your old lifestyle. But have you ever considered the possibility that Jesus has incredible plans for your life? Today, Pastor Ricky explains how to start serving God. Following salvation, God renews your life and gives it a new purpose. Jesus has called you to share the gospel with others instead of continuing to live your life as usual, you can begin to live for Jesus. He's already planned everything out. All you have to do is follow Him.
Gospel Culture - Should My Conscience Be My Guide, Part 2
Have you ever noticed how before you start doing anything bad, you often get that feeling that you shouldn't be doing it? Sometimes you can easily overpower and suppress that emotion before you continue. Well, today Pastor Ricky explains how your inner conscience works when you're going to do anything that opposes and dishonors God. Your conscience convicts you and helps you realize that it's wrong. It's up to you to decide whether you want to do what's right in God's eyes or do things your way.
Gospel Culture - Should My Conscience Be My Guide, Part 1
Our parents might advise us to make friends with intellectuals so that we can learn from them while also still growing personally. But does the same reasoning apply when it comes to being friends with individuals that follow Jesus? Today Pastor Ricky tells you how to look for the ideal friend. People with a lack of faith in God can often lead us astray, no matter how intelligent they might seem. You should constantly look for the folks who have a deep trust in Jesus so they can help you develop your faith.
Gospel Culture - Should I Get Married, When, How, Why, Part 2
When all of the people on a bus start telling the driver whose route they should take, it may sometimes result in complete chaos. Similarly, there are many areas of your life, such as your work and marriage, that can influence you to go on a particular path. But will this take you where God wants you or will it cause you to go off into the weeds? Well today Pastor Ricky shares how Jesus can help you in any situation. Instead of relying on other influences, you can always trust Jesus to guide you in the right direction.
Gospel Culture - Should I Get Married, When, How, Why, Part 1
You may claim to love God and be improving in your relationship with Him. However, your relationship with your spouse is often strained and runs out of steam. Sometimes you might wonder if you're progressing in relationships or regressing. Well today, Pastor Ricky explains why you must first improve your relationship with God. Instead of only striving to keep your marriage, you should focus on developing your connection with your Heavenly Father first and foremost. That way, you can strengthen other relationships too.
Gospel Culture - Should I Get Married, Part 2
Marriage is not like a Hallmark movie. Sure, there's special moments where you'll look at each other's eyes and all is right with the world, but as your love matures, those moments are typically an exception and not the rule. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, that doesn't mean that something's wrong with your relationship. It means that you're real people with real problems. Enjoy the mountaintops but seek God to do the hard work of pushing through together when you're in the valleys.
Gospel Culture - Should I Get Married, Part 1
Contentment isn't dependent on our circumstances. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in 1 Corinthians today, he'll encourage us to be content in whatever place we find ourselves in life. If you're single, it can be a gift. You might long for a companion, but marriage isn't going to solve your problems. Only God can provide the fulfillment that you actually long for. If you're married don't romanticize singleness. Your marriage is an opportunity for growth for both you and your spouse, whether it's easy or hard.
Gospel Culture - How Can I Be Content with What I Have and Who I Am, Part 2
Marriage, and really all kinds of relationships, can be as challenging as they are a blessing. God designed us to need community and the help of our fellow humans, but because of sin, we're cursed to be let down, and we'll let others down as well. As Pastor Ricky warns us in today's message, if you're single and longing for a spouse, it's okay and natural, but you also have an opportunity in that station. You have a great resource of time and energy to invest in His work in this world. So don't waste it now.
Gospel Culture - How Can I Be Content with What I Have and Who I Am, Part 1
What drives your day-to-day decisions? For many of us, we're driven by what other people think of us. From the house we live in, to the cars we drive, to the clothes we wear, and how we talk. We tend to be preoccupied with how other people see us. As Pastor Ricky challenges us in today's message, our primary concern and focus should be on how God sees us. And the good news is in Jesus, He sees you as holy and complete. You don't need all of that stuff or good works to earn His approval.
Gospel Culture - The Gift of Sex, Singleness, and Difficult Marriage, Part 2
We're all given the gift of a platform for service. This can come in many different forms. Many of us have multiple opportunities to serve God and others in our lives. Some may be blessings like our family, careers, or friendships, while others might feel like curses, like diseases, financial challenges, or even strained relationships. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message, we need to open our hearts to see how to turn every circumstance into an opportunity to honor God.
Gospel Culture - The Gift of Sex, Singleness, and Difficult Marriage, Part 1
Love and marriage are not about you. Our world has fostered a popular mindset that all of life revolves around us and how we feel. It's a very animalistic approach. God calls us to a higher form of living. In a God-honoring life, love isn't about what you get out of it but what you put into it and how it glorifies God. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in 1 Corinthians, he'll examine what it looks like to honor God with our sexuality, whether you're single or in the context of marriage.
Gospel Culture - Are Christians Really Anit-Sex, Part 2
The sin of sexual immorality is deeply personal, and it often ties itself closely to our sense of identity. Instead of seeking freedom from the chains that enslave us, many have decided to dress up those chains as a part of who they are. This is a grand deception that's effectively taken hold of much of modern culture and has even been embedded in many churches. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message. God wants to free us from those chains, and He's made the way through His Son Jesus.
Gospel Culture - Are Christians Really Anit-Sex, Part 1
God created male and female and designed sex as a means of intimacy and reproduction for a husband and wife. He's not anti-sex. In fact, He's very pro-sex, but He designed it and set up the parameters for this healthy and beautiful expression of love between a married couple. It's more than just a physical experience, it's much deeper than that. In today's message, Pastor Ricky will examine God's design for sex and how the church should approach deviations from His design.
Gospel Culture - When Can Christians Judge Others, Part 2
Judgment does have a place in the church, but it requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a heart that is motivated by love. All too often we see the bad behaviors of others as an opportunity to reinforce our own self-righteousness. You might think something like this, “Sure, I struggle with this sin, but it's not nearly as bad as what they're doing.” Well as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, sin does need to be confronted but only with the heart of compassion and grace for the one that's being confronted.
Gospel Culture - When Can Christians Judge Others, Part 1
Many churches are engaged in nearly identical scenarios, as we find in today's passage from 1 Corinthians. The church of Corinth was allowing and even embracing the sexual immorality that one of their members was actively living in. As Pastor Ricky will remind us in today's message, God did have grace to forgive and free this individual but the church needed to help them confront and overcome their sin, not accept or celebrate it.
Gospel Culture - What Does a Successful Christian Leader Look Like, Part 2
Our culture promotes the go-getter, type A personalities. We tend to look down on people who inherit their wealth or position and admire and tell stories about the people who have attained it because of their ambition and hard work. Now don't get me wrong, those stories are impressive, and hard work is admirable. But as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, in the kingdom of God, the focus shifts to the glory of God and the good of others and away from independence and self-promotion.