Latest Sermons
Moving Forward
Just as a tennis player must develop mental toughness to put a lost point behind and focus on the next one, Christians must refuse to dwell on past failures, trials, or storms and instead press onward. Jesus demonstrated this calm focus when He slept through the storm on the Sea of Galilee, knowing the destination was the other side and that the storm could not prevent it. Believers are therefore called to fix their eyes on the promises of the Kingdom, persevere through every difficulty, and allow nothing—whether trial, false teaching, or fear—to take away what God has promised them.
What Is the Church of God?
The Church of God is not a building, denomination, or human organization, but the spiritual body of all who have been called by the Father, have repented, been baptized, and received the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ alone is its Head and foundation—the Rock upon which it is built—while every member is a living stone joined together under His direct leadership. Its mission is therefore threefold: to allow Christ to lead in every matter, to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, and to help one another walk according to the Spirit and the Word.
How Do You Know You Worship the One True God
Sincerity of worship is not enough, for history is filled with people who have earnestly served false gods and the traditions of men while remaining outside the will of the true God. Jesus defined acceptable worship as that which is offered in spirit and in truth—aligned with God’s unchanging Word, flowing from His Spirit, and producing real transformation into the likeness of Christ. Believers can be certain they worship the one true God only when their lives, doctrines, and practices conform to the perfect character and commandments revealed in Scripture rather than to cultural trends or human imagination.
Do Unbelievers Have the Holy Spirit
Scripture makes clear that unbelievers do not possess the Holy Spirit, for Jesus stated that only those who believe in Him would receive it, and the Spirit was not given until after His glorification. Faith alone is insufficient; it must be accompanied by baptism and the laying on of hands, after which the Spirit becomes the very mechanism of salvation and the evidence that one belongs to Christ. Without meeting these biblical requirements, no amount of sincerity, good intentions, or outward religiosity grants access to the Holy Spirit or entrance into the Kingdom of God.
Choose for Yourselves Whom You Will Serve
Life continually presents choices, yet the most critical decision is whom one will serve—whether the way of self-determined right and wrong represented by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or the way of trusting obedience represented by the tree of life. God’s own choices consistently reveal His character of love, faithfulness to His promises, and selection of leaders according to the heart rather than outward appearance. Believers are therefore called to choose deliberately and repeatedly the less-traveled road of God’s way, knowing that every decision shapes their character and determines their eternal destination.
Grow in Our Use of God’s Spirit
Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins teaches that both the wise and the foolish possess lamps (the Word of God directing their lives), yet only those who bring extra oil—symbolic of a continually replenished supply of the Holy Spirit—are ready when the Bridegroom appears. Every believer bears personal responsibility to stir up the gift received through the laying on of hands, allowing the Spirit to produce the righteous character that will clothe the Church as the bride of Christ. Growth in the use of God’s Spirit is not optional; it is the essential preparation required so that our light may shine and we may enter the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Creative Power of God
God first reveals Himself through the staggering power displayed in the physical creation—everything from a single paperclip’s potential energy to the vastness of the universe—showing that His word alone brought all things into existence and holds them together. That same creative power is now at work spiritually through the Holy Spirit, regenerating and transforming human beings into the image of Christ as part of God’s far greater plan of salvation. Believers are therefore called to stand in awe of both the physical and spiritual creativity of God and to cooperate fully with the Spirit’s ongoing work in their lives.
Made Bold by God’s Spirit
Peter, once so fearful that he denied Christ three times, was transformed on the Day of Pentecost when he received the Holy Spirit and immediately preached with power, leading three thousand to repentance. The same Spirit that turned a trembling fisherman into a fearless apostle continues to give ordinary believers courage, wisdom, and boldness to speak the truth even in the face of opposition. Those who yield to that Spirit are no longer paralyzed by fear but become effective witnesses for Jesus Christ in a hostile world.
Pentecost: God’s Gift of His Spirit
Pentecost commemorates the day God poured out His Holy Spirit on the first-century Church, founding it as the firstfruits of His spiritual harvest and empowering ordinary disciples to become bold witnesses. That same Spirit remains the indispensable power believers need to understand truth, develop godly character, and carry out the work of teaching and preparing others for the Kingdom. As the Church faces decline and weakness, each member is called to stir up and use this gift daily through prayer, study, obedience, and courageous faith so that the light of God’s truth may shine brightly.
Above Reproach
Believers are commanded to live above reproach by examining themselves daily, removing the beam from their own eye before addressing the speck in a brother’s, and practicing ready forgiveness even when wronged repeatedly. When correction becomes necessary, it must be done privately, in humility, meekness, longsuffering, and love, always seeking to restore rather than to condemn. The goal is to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace so that both the one who rebukes and the one who is rebuked remain in a right spirit before God.