Today Pastor Ricky will be exhorting the men in the church to live up to the call on their lives. The Lord calls them to be godly leaders that guide their families in the way of holiness. If you are a man that is discouraged and feels as though this calling is too great for you, purpose to lean on the grace of God. God's grace forgives your past and gives you hope for the future. By God's grace, you can become the man God wants you to be. Get up and receive God's promises and walk in victory.
The Gospel and the Home - Women, Part 2
Pastor Ricky will be encouraging women today to live up to the amazing call that God has placed on their lives and encouraging men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. When men love their wives and give them encouragement, it's easy for women to respect them and when women respect their husbands, it's easy for men to love and show affection. Purpose to be a builder and encourager. Don't be someone who tears down and constantly criticizes.
Th Gospel and the Home - Women, Part 1
In this letter to the church, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the believers to live out what they learn from God's Word in the home. When you come to church and receive a word from God it's to be lived out in your household and taught to your family. Don't allow yourself to sit in service and think, “Oh, what a great sermon” and then neglect the application to your everyday life. When you obey God's Word, it brings a blessing upon your home and family. Purpose to be a Godly example to those in your household.
Carry the Fire - Let's Go, Part 2
If Jesus were in the room today, what would your stance be? Generally, people held one of four. Some begged for healing. Some watched and studied. Some stood offensively in opposition. But then some, like the disciples, stood ready for orders. In today's message, Pastor Ricky teaches that when you're filled with the Holy Spirit you have no choice but to want to go. Today will you stand in opposition? Will you beg for healing? Will you stand passively and watch, or will you go?
Carry the Fire - Let's Go, Part 1
When you think of the Champions of the Faith, who do you think of? Probably Paul or Moses. Maybe David. When you think of somebody that's filled with the Holy Spirit, who comes to mind? Maybe you imagine the disciples at Pentecost or John the Baptist inside Elizabeth's womb. Well Christian, today Pastor Ricky challenges you to look in the mirror. He'll teach you that if you're a believer, the same Holy Spirit that lived in all of those people lives inside of you. He's making you new from the inside out.
Carry the Fire - What About Spiritual Gifts, Part 3
Satan has this little game that he likes to play in people's minds. It's a really old game. In fact, it's quite literally one of the oldest tricks in the book, found in the earliest chapters of Genesis. It's a little game called comparison. Have you heard of it? Today, Pastor Ricky teaches that this game of comparison is especially rampant in the age of social media but we can't let it win. Your spiritual gifts might look different from somebody else’s, but the Holy Spirit has blessed you with a beautiful gift that is unique to you.
Carry the Fire - What About Spiritual Gifts, Part 2
Often when we think about spiritual gifts, we think about the big flashy ones. We think of speaking in tongues or speaking prophecy over somebody. Those are wonderful gifts to receive, but there are so many other beautiful gifts to receive that fly under the radar. Today Pastor Ricky teaches that you've been uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit. Your gift might be in administration or in serving others but whatever your spiritual gift might be use it to spread the good news of Jesus.
Carry the Fire - What About Spiritual Gifts, Part 1
Have you ever seen someone with an incredible gift or talent, but they know it too? Have you ever seen them strut in pride or have a false sense of humility? The Holy Spirit blesses believers with wonderful gifts but teaches that we should not flaunt our gifts in the ways we might see celebrities flaunt their talents. Today Pastor Ricky teaches that you've been given a gift and it's your responsibility to use that gift, whether it's the gift you prefer or not, to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus Christ, not yourself.
Carry the Fire - What Does It Look Like to Carry the Fire of the Spirit, Part 2
For many of us, that might ring true, right? I think many of us have been there, longing for the Holy Spirit to move in a miraculous and undeniable way. You know, like how He used to. But we're unwilling to move ourselves. As Pastor Ricky will challenge us in today's message, if we fail to live in obedience to the clear instructions that we can find in Scripture, going out and sharing the gospel both with our words and actions, how can we expect God to move? He's not going to force His will on us.
Carry the Fire - What Does It Look Like to Carry the Fire of the Spirit, Part 1
Have you experienced that change? You'll know it if you have. If you've ever gotten too close to a flame, then you know it. It's probably even left a mark. In a similar way, if you've ever jumped into a pool or a pond, there's no questioning that it happened afterwards. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, both of those illustrations are frequent in Scripture when it comes to describing the effect of the Holy Spirit on our souls. When He fills our heart, it's going to be apparent and undeniable.
Carry the Fire - Why Christianity is a Supernatural Spirit-Filled Religion, Part 2
What a powerful reminder that salvation isn't an isolated event in the life of a believer. Yes, there is a distinct moment where you make that decision to trust in Christ and His Holy Spirit comes in and redeems your soul but that's not the end of it. That work of the Holy Spirit is just the beginning. As Pastor Ricky explains in today's message, the Spirit comes in and stays in the heart of a believer. Our hearts will never be the same. He brings transformation and He continues that process until we stand with Him in eternity.
Carry the Fire - Why Christianity is a Supernatural Spirit-Filled Religion, Part 1
In our age of science and reason, we struggle with the idea of the supernatural. Quite often, those who lean into this realm are considered crazy or radical, and in many cases, that description is accurate. But as Pastor Ricky begins his new series, Carry the Fire, in today's message, he'll remind us that the Holy Spirit is essential in the life of every believer. The only way that we can experience the Holy Spirit is supernaturally. His presence can't be physically measured. He connects with us in our spirit.
Gospel Culture - Why Is Gospel Ministry So Costly, Part 2
Our world pushes the message that we need to lookout for number one. If you've got some money or resources leftover, sure, give that away, but only once you get all of your personal needs and desires. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, we see something very different demonstrated in Scripture. The focus is never on self. The focus is on leaning into our Provider in complete faith. When we trust that God will meet all of our needs, we can hold our money and stuff a lot more loosely.
Gospel Culture - Why Is Gospel Ministry So Costly, Part 1
Generosity always stands out in a world that puts itself first. We often see it with a dose of skepticism. We wonder what strings are going to be attached. Well, as Pastor Ricky examines the generosity of the early church in 1 Corinthians, we’ll be challenged to increase this aspect of our Christian lives. We've seen far too many cases of corruption in the church throughout the years and we've built up a distrust in how we give but God calls us to give generously, so we need to lean into it with discernment.
Gospel Culture - How Do We Face Death, Part 2
What an incredible image of what we have to look forward to. Heaven is unimaginable and the bodies we will be given in eternity will be just as amazing. We’ll be fully focused on using those bodies for the glory of the Savior as we see His face and bask in His love for all of eternity. As Pastor Ricky encourages us in today's message, this life with all its pain and decay and struggle will be just like a blip in the scope of the time that we'll spend in the perfect restoration that God has planned for us.
Gospel Culture - How Do We Face Death, Part 1
The older you get, the easier you get hurt. Pain and discomfort just become an accepted part of life for many of us as our bodies age and break down. It can be a depressing thought, but as Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, because of Jesus we have reason for hope. Death may come suddenly, and it could be soon, or it could be decades down the road but ultimately as believers, it's not our end. In Christ, we have the promise that we will rise again with perfect and eternal bodies.
Gospel Culture - Why Should I Believe in the Resurrection, Part 2
The power of the Resurrection isn't just the idea of it. It's not just an inspirational story that can motivate us to be better people. As Pastor Ricky reminds us in today's message, the power of the Resurrection is that Jesus was and is alive and bore the punishment for all the sin of the world by dying on the cross. Then, He rose from the dead, demonstrating His power over sin and death and inviting us to participate and live in that same power. We get to live resurrected lives free from sin because of Him.
Gospel Culture - Why Should I Believe in the Resurrection, Part 1
As you live out the Christian journey in this fallen world, you're going to face pressure from all sides to water down or even abandon the critical elements of your faith. The Bible and everything it teaches will be called into question, and people, even within the church, are going to find ways to make it align with the world's agenda. As Pastor Ricky continues our study in the book of 1 Corinthians, we're going to be challenged to stand fast in what we believe and the truth that we've learned from the Scriptures.
Gospel Culture - Why Can't I Just Do What I Want in Church, Part 3
Is every area of your life submitted fully to the Lord? If you answered yes, you likely need to submit your pride, self-righteousness, and self-awareness to Him. Every single believer has areas of life that aren't fully submitted to God. As Pastor Ricky points out in today's message, we love to point our fingers at other people that have allowed very external and visible sins to remain in their lives and we give ourselves a little pat on the back, but that pride is just as sinful in God's sight.
Th Gospel and the Home - Fathers, Part 2
Paul is exhorting the fathers of the church to urge the young men to live soberly and to live a self-controlled life. There are so many horrible father figures in the world today that are leading the young generation of men astray. Being a man is not drinking beer and vegetating on the couch watching sports all day. Being a man is who you are in Christ. A man works hard and provides for his family. A man of God produces the fruit of the Spirit and is an example to the younger generation. Are you a godly man?