Sermons Ordinary Faith

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/mistakes-were-made/ It is not enough to simply acknowledging that a mistake was made.  We must surrender our wounds and hurts to God and allow Him to turn our mistakes into miracles, turn our impossible into the possible.  God did not lead us to make these mistakes, but He does offer us a way to break the chains that bind us to them.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/the-unbreakable-love-of-god/ With every word picture available in his arsenal, the Apostle Paul wants it known that God’s love for us is untouchable. Nothing above, below, physical or spiritual, demonic or deadly, even hell itself cannot separate God from loving those who love Jesus. God is for us, therefore nothing can stand against us. Christ died for us, and therefore we will not be condemned. God will not allow anything or anyone to separate us from His love.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/gods-will-for-your-life/ When hard times come, don’t lose confidence in God. Don’t give up hope in His work. Hardship does not mean God has abandoned us. It only means God is working something greater in our character. No matter what happens, never stop trusting in God’s great plan.

Despite the grave nature of sin and its consequences on creation, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins have the promise of great hope and future glory. As Christians, we only have a taste of what is to come through the Holy Spirit. What we sense, taste, and know now is only a glimpse of what is to come. This taste makes us yearn and groan for more. http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/why-later-is-better-than-now/

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/the-inheritance/ No one is born into God’s family. We only become His children by adoption. When we place our faith in Jesus and His saving work, we receive the Holy Spirit, who confirms our standing as children of God. As sons and daughters of God, the door is now open to a close, intimate relationship with our Father in heaven. We can approach God on familiar, affectionate terms, as our “Abba” (an ancient word for “Daddy”). We can share everything with Him – our thoughts, needs, desires, and more –  with no shame. And we can get to know Him deeply as well.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/live-differently/ Christians don’t have to suffer constant defeat with their sin but can find real victory.  As a person learns the truth that God declares about them and leans into that truth by faith, they demonstrate the work and victory of the Spirit in their lives.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/does-it-really-matter-what-you-believe/ There is a common cultural belief that is doesn’t matter what we believe as long as we are sincere; as long as we mean well, our path will ultimately lead to God.  This “works based” belief is fundamental to many world religions and faiths. These religions emphasize a reliance on inner strength, a strong moral compass or completion of good deeds for ultimate approval.  

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/does-it-really-matter-what-you-do/ In today’s world of tolerance, people are offended when anyone says their behavior is wrong or sinful. The idea of sin has been watered down and sanitized. People have misconceptions about sin, not realizing that sin is real and has serious consequences.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/will-god-give-you-more-than-you-can-handle/ If you have ever felt overwhelmed with life, at least you are in good company. In the Bible, people like Gideon, Moses, Esther, and David all felt overwhelmed and inadequate for the task that God had given them. Actually, Jesus was overwhelmed too.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/does-god-want-you-to-be-happy/ God calls us to holiness, not to happiness. He wants us to honor Him with our daily choices and overall lifestyle. According to the Bible, there is right and wrong. And when something is wrong (or simply stupid), God says “don’t do it” – even if it was making us happy.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-fear/ They headed out into the masses just like Jesus said they would. When they prayed, they did not ask for ease. Instead, they asked for courage to make Jesus known. This is our heritage. The wild, untamed reality of Discipleship. The day we start asking ourselves why our faith doesn’t look like it once did is the day we start to turn things around. May God bless us with a passion that reveals that our “good enough” is just NOT good enough!

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-ordinary/ Don’t live life trapped in the mundane. We often hear statements like, "If it's good it won't last." And, "Things will never change."  These kinds of hopeless statements put us in a survival mode. The more we believe them, the more likely we are to live life as though we are merely surviving until we die.  Today, let's upgrade our expectations for ORDINARY. All that we need to do is embrace the disciple's worldview that God is LIFE, we can be alive or stay dead. So choose to live!

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-sin/ Jesus bore the penalty of sin and dying in our place. God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins having canceled the charge of our indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  God will never see believers in Christ as deserving the death penalty because our crimes have already been punished in the physical body of Jesus. In order for us to be saved, Jesus had to take our place and die for sin. He had to lay down His life as a sacrifice, because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. His sacrifice was perfect in holiness, in worth and in power to save.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-limits/ God is Bigger than Your Limits.  Certainly, our place in the larger story may seem small, but God really wants us in the story.  He often pulls us into the larger narrative. He WANTS to share His Glory with us.

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-our-government/ Daniel chapter three tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men withstand unbearable pressure to go along with the status quo when their government was very much in the wrong. The stand they took ended in their intended execution by burning, but the fire they were thrown into revealed their true protector instead.

God is the Commander. We are the Warriors. It doesn’t take very much research in the Bible to discover that God is AWESOME at winning battles. It never seems to matter how strong or skilled the warriors, only that God is the commander. http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-enemies/

http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-your-past/ The Joshua generation entered the Promised Land in the same way the nation of Israel exited Egypt, through a miraculous parting of the waters. Once In The Promised Land, they affirmed their Covenant with God through circumcision and then celebrated the Passover. In Joshua 5:9, the Lord told them that the shame of Egypt was finally rolled away. Their parents’ generation were born in slavery but they had never been slaves. They were ready to be Warriors. The story of the Joshua generation teaches us that it is not enough to leave something behind but we must also enter into God's promise. This is a key change of thinking in our Biblical Christian worldview.

www.ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-our-unbelief/ Have you ever doubted or questioned that the moral guidelines given by God are still relevant today?  Many people believe that there are many codes and morals to live by, but as Christians, we accept and believe the morals given by God through the scriptures. All Christians should agree that the Bible is the standard of truth for Christians. Since it is, then obviously, the way to see if something is true is to see if it lines up with the Word of God. Each Christian has the responsibility to prove everything they hear by the Word and by the witness of the Holy Spirit to its truth. We believe and understand intellectually these rules, but following those rules are challenging because of our fallen and sinful nature. Unless we recognize, understand and strive to follow the morals handed to us by God, we are destined to follow the sinful desires of our own sinful nature.

Part 1 of 9 - Bigger Than...Series What Is A WorldView?  Have you ever considered the lens through which you view the world? Have you ever wondered why you interpret the happenings of your life in the way that you do? A Worldview is very powerful and life-determining. It often decides our conclusions before we even process the information. In this series, we will use six questions to construct a Biblical Christian Worldview. What can be known? Who is God? Who am I? What is good? What is wrong? And, What is next? These questions will help us determine who is our source and what is our purpose. In a Biblical Christian Worldview, we embrace the idea that God is the Source, first and foremost. http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/god-is-bigger-than-you-know/

So, count the cost because freedom does have a price. In most cases, we will find better relationships with our friends, spouse, boss, or children BUT there is a risk.  Not everyone chooses to grow when given the opportunity. We may lose friends.  Our marriage could go through some difficult times. Our children may not like us, and may not respond as we thought they would.  And, we may have to learn to deal with some aloneness, find a new job, and even make new friends. When walking toward Jesus, we often walk away from other things. http://ordinaryfaith.net/sermons/it-s-hard-to-hold-the-lines/