Published November 30th, 2008
in Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Psalm 25:1-10.
“Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.” -Psalm 25:8-10
The season of Advent - the four Sundays before Christmas - is a time of competing priorities and conflicting values. What is God’s call for us in this season? We’ll explore the question today.
The Season… of Gratification? [22:22m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published November 23rd, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Joshua 24:14-23.
“…choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” -Joshua 24:15
Joshua is nearing the end of his life, and it’s time to pass his wisdom on to the people of Israel. Instead of a pep talk, he gives them a choice. And the choice is a difficult one - a choice that must be made very carefully or there will be dire consequences. We are presented with the same choice today. How can we decide? What will our choice be? And what should we expect?
Joshua: The Big Decision [22:21m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published November 16th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Joshua 1:1-9.
“Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them… I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:6, 9
The great leader Moses is dead. Joshua is alone at the helm. He has a dangerous mission - to lead the people of God in taking possession of the Promised Land. How must Joshua have felt? God is gracious and gives him the keys to overcoming fear and being successful at the task. What does God tell him to do? What does God tell us to do so that we can live with no fear?
Joshua: No Fear! [17:05m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published November 9th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s word for us today is Joshua 6:1-7,11-16,20.
Now Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days. -Joshua 6:1-3
After a generation in the wilderness, God’s people are about to get their first shot at entering the Promised Land. But why does it have to be the walled city of Jericho? God has led them into what seems to be an impossible situation. How will God get them out? Is God still in the business of getting people through impossible challenges? How can we know what to do?
Joshua: The Walls Come Down [21:42m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published November 4th, 2008
in Joshua.
Read Joshua 13:1, 6b-8, 14
“When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over… Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you… But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the offerings made by fire to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.” Joshua 4:1,6b,14
The tribe of Levi was the tribe responsible for helping the people to stay connected with God. They were the priests, handled the burnt offerings, and arranged for the people to worship God. So why did God cut them out when the land was divided up? Why make them dependent on the rest of the people’s generosity?
Joshua: Using What God Has Given [23:39m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published November 4th, 2008
in Stewardship.
Carole Dunsmore presents her take on giving cheerfully.
Cheerful Giver: Part 4 [5:10m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published October 29th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Joshua 3:9-4:9.
When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua: “Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.’” -Joshua 4:1-3
God gave the people of Israel an amazing demonstration of providence - God’s ability to provide for their needs. Then to help them remember God’s love and power, they built a monument. How can we remember the ways that God has been good to us so that we can be faithful rather than fearful as we face the future?
Joshua: A Dry River, a Pile of Rocks, and a Promise [25:39m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published October 19th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Numbers 27:12-14.
“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me. You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters.”
Moses’ mistake cost him the right to enter the Promised Land. Instead, God passed the mantle of leadership on to his protege’, Joshua. This should get our attention. If the great Prophet Moses wasn’t righteous enough to lead God’s people into Canaan, how can 21st century Christians dare serve such a holy God today?
Joshua: Taking Up the Mantle of Moses [15:25m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published October 12th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Numbers 13:1-2, 13:17-33, 14:1-9.
“Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” -Numbers 14:1-3
The spies had gone out to see what the “Promised Land” was like and had found a rich land, but they had also found strong inhabitants. Would they trust God to bring them through successfully? Or would they turn back to the “lesser of two evils”?
Joshua: A Defining Momen [24:16m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published October 10th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
Read Exodus 24:12-18
“So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, ‘Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.’ Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ” Exodus 24:13-15
Joshua got to watch Moses stepping into the cloud of the presence of God. But Joshua was still outside the cloud. And he was stuck there on the mountain for 40 days… Are there people around us who seem to have a special relationship with God? Or maybe there’s a Joshua waiting on you? How does God’s plan for spiritual growth involve other people? We’ll take a look!
Joshua: Halfway up the Mountain [22:45m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published October 7th, 2008
in Guest Speakers.
Pablo Feliciano Cruz speaks about the history and ministry of the Presbyterian Church in Mexico, particularly the southernmost state of Chiapas.
Ministry in Mexico [65:16m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published September 28th, 2008
in Joshua and Podcast.
Read Exodus 17:8-16. Here’s an experpt…
“So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.” Exodus 17:10-11
When the Amalekites attacked the people of Israel out in the wilderness, Moses had a plan. It looked like magic – when he raised his arms, the people of Israel were winning. When Moses put his arms down, they would lose! Why did it happen that way? Does God still do that kind of thing today?
Joshua: Where Does the Power Come From? [23:14m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published September 25th, 2008
in Radio Ads.
Trinity has never used radio advertising before, but we’re trying it for the launch of Last Call. Here’s a sneak peek at the ad that people will hear on 103.9 FM, “The Fish.” Join us for Last Call, Sunday evenings at 5PM, starting September 28th! Real people. Real worship. Real late in the day. www.TrinityLastCall.com
And stay tuned for our upcoming message series on Joshua and how he met the huge challenges he faced!
Last Call Radio Spot [1:03m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published September 22nd, 2008
in Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Matthew 1:18-25, James 1:19-22
“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” James 1:19-22
The word holiness makes us think of people who are kind of out of touch with the real world, and expressions like “holier than thou” suggest something negative. What does God’s call to holiness really mean and how does it play out in our daily lives?
Streams of Holiness [33:06m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Read Acts 8:9-25
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ (Acts 8:18-19)
Many of us would like to relate to God and be empowered by God’s Spirit on our own terms. Simon tried to buy God’s power. We’d never do that, but do we do something similar? We’ll see!
Called Out: You Can’t Force the Spirit [24:48m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Published September 7th, 2008
in Podcast.
God’s Word for us today is Deuteronomy 11:18-21 & Mark 10:13-16.
“You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.” -Deuteronomy 11:18-19
God has called us to teach the word to our children - as individuals and as a church. How can that work in a world that seems to be too busy to take a breath? We’ll explore that today.
Teach Them to Your Children [29:12m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
God’s Word for us today is Acts 6:8-15, 7:51-60.
While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. -Acts 7:59-60
Stephen was a servant of Jesus Christ and a victim of trumped up charges. But instead of telling people what they wanted to hear, he stayed true to the end - even praying for forgiveness for those who were about to execute him. How did he do it? Is that kind of strength accessible to Christians today?
Called Out: Sticking with God When It Gets Tough [25:28m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
God’s Word for us today is Acts 6:1-7.
“And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’” -Acts 6:2-4
The apostles seemed to believe that feeding the hungry and ministry of prayer and the word were both necessary. What is our 21st century equivalent to the decision they made. What can we do in our lives as Christians?
Called Out: Called to Serve – In Balance [21:34m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
God’s Word for us today is Acts 5: 1-10.
Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!” -Acts 5:3-4
What was so bad about what Ananias did that Peter called it “Satan filling his heart”? Then he died on the spot! Why is this particular sin so bad? What effect does lying to each other and to God have on us today?
Called Out: What Is Real Commitment? [21:27m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Today’s Bible Scripture is Mark 4:35-41.
(This is the same passage Pastor Steve preached
in his candidate sermon at Trinity 5 years ago.)
“And leaving the crowd behind, they took Jesus with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion…” -Mark 4:36-38a
Jesus asked his disciples to take him across the sea, a journey that would prove quite dangerous. And even though he was there in the boat, the storm was serious enough to threaten to sink the boat. What does it mean to have faith in the middle of the storm? Does it even make sense?
Going through the Storm with Jesus [24:17m]:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
