Plymouth Haven Baptist Church

Core Truth: “Present suffering is not enjoyable, but life would be worth little without it. The difference between iron and steel is fire, but steel is worth all it costs. Iron ore may think itself senselessly tortured in the furnace, but when the watch-spring looks back, it knows better. David enjoyed pain and trouble no more than we do, but the time came when he admitted that they had been good for him. Though the aspect of suffering is hard, the prospect is hopeful, and the retrospect will start a song, if we are ‘the called according to His purpose,’ in suffering.” (M.D. Babcock)

Core Truth: While we may never in this life come to full understanding or agreement on such great doctrines as those of Predestination versus Free Will, the more important practical reality is that whether we ever grasp it or not, for His own gracious reasons our loving Heavenly Father was quite intentional in choosing us to be His own, and wisdom would seem to dictate that we focus more on the ‘why’ than on the ‘what’.

Core Truth: “Unconditional election means that our election is decided by God according to His purpose, according to His sovereign will. It is not based upon some foreseen condition that some of us meet and others fail to meet. It is not based on our willing or our running, but upon the sovereign purpose of God.” (R.C. Sproul)

Core Truth: “With our initial salvation, God has equipped us – by the indwelling Spirit – with an introductory packet that includes everything we need. We have access to resources which, when utilized, will result in usefulness and fruitfulness both horizontally – in our relationships with others – and vertically – in our relationship with God. But having the right equipment is no guarantee that we’ll benefit from it. We must use that equipment properly.” (Chuck Swindoll).

Core Truth is: A wise person once said “The Devil doesn’t care how much theology you know… just as long as you don’t use any of it.” There is a great difference between appreciating Truth and appropriating it, and perhaps nowhere is this more true than when it comes to learning how to truly access what we have been given – the actual mind of Christ – the powerful resource with which to live godly and effective lives for Him while here on earth.

Core Truth: While at the very moment of our New Birth we are given the mind of Christ, it is only through the lifelong process of ‘renewing our minds’ that we can begin to understand what that means and how it alone is the key to living a truly God-pleasing and God-honoring life.

Core Truth: The things that are on our personal lists of priorities are probably not in the same order as God’s list for us. And while upon receiving Christ we are indeed given a new mind, even the very mind of Christ, it is only by the constant process of ‘renewing our minds’ that our priorities begin to come into line with what God really has planned for us, and the more we do that the more we will be amazed at the power of a prioritized life!

Core Truth: A Biblically engaged church is a church that seeks to understand and live out the God-intended role in the culture in which it has been providentially placed, ever vigilant lest it be co-opted by that culture and thus rendered largely ineffective by the very environment it seeks to serve and redeem for the glory of God.

Core Truth: A compromised church quickly becomes a voiceless church whose presence and witness in the culture is largely ignored and effectively neutralized, whereas, an engaged church empowered by courage and commitment to the Truth, has been known to even alter the course of human history.

Core Truth: If we could ever actually grasp what God is really seeking to do in us as His children and what the amazing consequences of that are actually going to be, everything would be different – from how we see our problems and adversities, to how we spend our time and money, to how in general we live our daily lives.

Core Truth: Every new year is filled with 365 days of the unknown, unexpected, and at times – if we only knew – the unwanted. However, we do well to remind ourselves that if we are truly followers of Christ we really do have nothing to fear since God has already promised to walk with us, work in and through us, and help us make each of those days useful and productive, both to our best interests and to His eternal glory, and to that end He has already given us rich gifts for facing a new year.

Core Truth: In a world that is rapidly becoming darker and more ominous – even to the point that as our Lord predicted “men’s hearts are failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Lk. 21:26), God’s message of hope for a hopeless world is that in the midst of it all, He offers a glorious new and eternal future for all who put their trust in Him, and He has secured that promise through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Core Truth: In a world increasingly wracked by wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and natural disasters; plagues and pandemics now costing millions of lives, and the raw face of evil becoming rapidly more open and unrestrained, I would argue that the need to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas is greater than it has ever been!

Of the increase of His government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from the [latter] time forth, even forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Core Truth: As wonderful as the sights and sounds of Christmas are that bring us such joy and elation at this time of the year, we forget or perhaps have never even really thought about the fact that the wonder and joy of Christmas was born in a matrix of danger and death, suffering and adversity, anguish and loss at depths of levels that can hardly be imagined.

Core Truth: In last Sunday’s sermon we talked about What Shall We Name the Baby? as we emphasized the fact that names really do mean something. Today, we will consider just a few of the over 200 names or titles given to Christ in Scripture and how those names have relevance for us as Christians.

Core Truth: Throughout human history names have always carried their own meanings and significance… sometimes easily understood, and at other times rather puzzling and even humorous. However, as we once again celebrate the wonderful season of Christmas, we need to remind ourselves that “it’s ALL about HIM! And that long after every other name has faded into history – there is one Name that will stand forever and before which every knee shall bow… in heaven… and on earth… and under the earth… and every tongue will confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Hope of a Coming King

Core Truth: If we could ever begin to really understand God’s eternal purposes for every one of us who has been born again by the Holy Spirit and been made part of His Bride, the Church, it would radically affect every aspect of how we are living our lives right now… from how we spend our time, our money, and our energy, to how we use our gifts and talents in our day-to-day living here on earth as we come to understand ever more fully the apostle Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:18, ‘whatever the sufferings of this present life may be, they are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!’

Are you willing to be a witness for Jesus?

We should defend the persecuted because:
1. Because we want to be where Jesus is working
2. Because the Bible commands us
3. Because defending religious freedom is essential to our mission strategy
4. Because the persecuted deserve our help
5. Because we can make a difference.

Core Truth: God simply wants us to trust Him and believe that whether it comes to our salvation, our sanctification, or our service for Him, He is quite ready and willing to do for us, in us, and through us what we cannot possibly do for ourselves.

Core Truth: The scriptural truth about the Rapture or “catching away” of all believers in Christ is not meant to create fear or apprehension. Rather, it is intended to motivate us to do the work He has for us to do while there is still time, and to live our personal lives in a constant state of readiness and expectation as we seek to persuade others to also be ready for the Lord’s return.

Core Truth: A common understanding of these prophetic words is that just when Israel has finally been able to negotiate a peace with her neighbors – a peace that many scholars believe will be brokered between the Antichrist and his forces – this “Man of Sin” (2 Thess. 2:3) and his armies will invade Israel in an attempt to establish his own seat of world government in Jerusalem, even proclaiming that he himself is God (2 Thess. 2:4), which will trigger Christ’s Second Coming with His Church and the armies of heaven to destroy him “with the breath of His mouth, and with the brightness of His coming.” (2 Thess. 2:8).

Core Truth: God’s plans and purposes for mankind – made before the foundation of the world – are well underway and are not meant to be secretive or cryptic. However, to understand those plans and how we as His church fit into them, we need to understand the unique role He has given to the nation of Israel, an understanding that, unfortunately, many Christians today don’t have.

Core Truth: Our Scripture today is “a celebration of the unquestionable supremacy of God and His Messiah over all the rebellious forces of humanity, making the dramatic point that to attempt rebellion against God is absurd, because God has already decided the matter and has invested His power and authority into a human king, His Messiah. There is no question as to who would win in a confrontation between God and His Messiah on the one hand and rebellious humanity on the other: God wins. It cannot be any other way. Moreover, God wins through His Messiah. As far as humanity is concerned, there ends up being no substantial distinction between God and His Messiah. You serve God by serving His Messiah. If you rebel against the Messiah, you rebel against God Himself. To trust in the Messiah is to trust in God. (BiteSizeExegisis.com)

Core Truth: There are a number of rapidly increasing signs that our Lord’s return to earth is very close at hand and that we, as His church and bride, are not to be taken by surprise, but rather are to be found wide awake and fully engaged in preparing for that incredible event. And among those signs are what is now unfolding in world events in general, and with the nation of Israel in particular.

Core Truth: How long have we "lived in the Father's house and failed to understand His heart?" The more we recognize how much we ourselves have been given by sheer grace the more patient, generous and forgiving we will find ourselves able to be toward others.

Core Truth:While we are often prone to blame the weaknesses of our flesh as the reason for our failure to live better lives as Christians, the truth of the matter is really not that we are too weak, but that we are too strong…too strong in self-will and self-sufficiency as we struggle to live the Christian life our way and in our own strength, instead of learning to allow the all-sufficient Christ to simply live His own victorious life in and through us – something He is patiently longing to do.

Core Truth: If what we say about our faith is true – that like Abraham of old, we really do “look for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” then why should we stop singing the songs of Zion, hang up our harps in despair, and wistfully long for the more peaceful and predictable days now gone by? It is certainly not what Paul and Silas did while languishing in the inner dungeon of a Philippian jail!

Core Truth: If we as Christ’s followers could ever begin to grasp the incredible future that has already been prepared and waiting for us upon Christ’s return to this earth, it would change everything in our lives … from how we spend our time, to how we raise our families, as to what we do with our money, to how we control our behavior and our speech, and even what we tolerate in our daily thought life. Literally everything about us would undergo radical transformation and reorientation, and truth be told, that is what true sanctification of the believer is really all about.

Core Truth: Far from being the impotent, irrelevant, and inconsequential presence that much of the world assumes it to be, when Christ returns His Church will be the ONE thing He considers worth saving and the primary means by which He will one day rule the world, and all who accept His call to join Him in His great work must understand several important things.

Core Truth: Far from being the impotent, irrelevant, and inconsequential presence that much of the world assumes it to be, when Christ returns His Church will be the ONE thing He considers worth saving and the primary means by which He will one day rule the world, and all who accept His call to join Him in His great work must understand several important things.

Core Truth: None of us likes to feel inadequate – whether it’s on our job, in our role as parents, or most any other situation we may have to deal with from day to day. However, the Bible shows us quite clearly that not only did some of God’s greatest servants experience great feelings of inadequacy, but they discovered that those very limitations were what qualified them to be used of God to do great and mighty things for Him and His kingdom here on earth.

The Core Truth: "God promises us in His Word that He hears every word that we pray to Him. Like a good parent, He is waiting, ready, and willing to listen to our worries, concerns, and needs. Whether we are seeking forgiveness, strength, or healing, prayer provides the channel to communicate with God and receive supernatural strength and power!” crosswalk.com

Core Truth: We live in a greatly troubled and increasingly dangerous world. However, for Christians – true followers of Christ – those are the very conditions in which He has called us to win the lost, to love one another devotedly, and to spread the good news of the Gospel in every way we can as we prepare ourselves for His imminent return. Such an assignment demands that we learn the secret of “dwelling in the secret place.”

Core Truth: If ever there was a time when the spiritual acuity of every Christian should be operating at an increasingly sharp level it is now … as events on every front – globally, nationally, regionally and locally – are shouting at us that things cannot go on as they are … that something decisive and dramatic is about to occur and that God expects His people to be “dressed for service and our lamps burning brightly.” (Luke 12:35)

Core Truth: As conditions in our nation and world become ever darker and more dangerous it is time to remind ourselves that God is fully aware of what is happening…that His mercy endures forever…but that His patience has limits…and that He has already prepared the ultimate answer in the Person of His son, who when He returns will “make all things new.” (Rev. 21:5)

Core Truth: Every father leaves a legacy of some sort to his family and since fatherhood is one of the most powerful forces in our children’s lives, it is a sacred trust - a trust that our heavenly Father stands ready to help us fulfill despite our own inadequacies, failures and limitations.

Core Truth:“A spiritual kingdom lies all about us, enclosing us, embracing us, altogether within reach of our inner selves, waiting for us to recognize it. God Himself is here awaiting our response to His presence. This eternal world will come alive to us the moment we begin to reckon upon its reality.” A.W. Tozer

Core Truth: “Waiting for God is not laziness. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort. Waiting for God means, first, activity under command; second, readiness for any new command that may come; third, the ability to do nothing until the command is given.” G. Campbell Morgan

Core Truth: While no rational person likes or welcomes suffering and difficulty; Scripture is quite clear as to what has caused it…when it will ultimately end…and how in the meantime if we are willing, it can transform the lives of those who put their trust in God.

Core Truth: While it is natural for us as people of God to question why God allows evil men to prosper and never seems to judge them or call them to account, the reality is that as ‘scattered exiles’ we are being called to live for Him across the grain of a world headed for judgment on a monumental scale and He wants us to know that in the end, ALL WILL BE WELL for those who put their trust in Hm.

Core Truth: As with the nations of Israel and Judah of old, the danger remains today that the people of God – the very people who should know better – may have become so compromised by the ‘spirit of the age’ – the values and judgements of the culture – that we, too, are in great danger of failing to realize how very near God’s final judgment of the world and the return of Christ may actually be. In light of these imminent realities, what time is it?

Core Truth: Because as God’s “Scattered Elect” we have been providentially sown into the cultural soil of an alien and hostile world, it is an absolute certainty that we will be “temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials and temptations.” In light of that we are called to do certain things which will help to make us strong in our faith, conform us more fully to the likeness of Christ, and prepare us to stand unashamed before the Lord whenever He may choose to call us home.

Core Truth: Over the course of biblical history, God has often used “scattering” as His method of choice for kingdom growth, and what may seem like a setback (going to Egypt, being exiled, persecution, or even a pandemic!) may be His catalysts for paradigm shifts and future kingdom growth that will have a lasting impact on the Church’s effectiveness, as well as the individual believer’s personal growth and ultimate triumph.

Core Truths:
1. Christ's call to discipleship is a call to leave the world behind and follow Him and Him alone. And though it will manifest itself in different ways, it will cut across the grain of everything in our lives so as the rich young ruler, we too are called to forsake all to follow Him, for it is then and only then will we be able to realize the freedom, power, and fruitfulness of a fully surrendered life.
2. Every person who would ever decide to fully follow Christ must at some point determine whether he or she is really ready to surrender that “one thing” which has the ultimate hold on their will and their willingness to surrender all to Him.

Core Truth: The certainty of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is THE pivotal point in human history and implication of its not occurring are profound beyond all we can imagine.

Three reasons why this “darkest day in human history” deserves to be called Good Friday.

Core Truth: While as the apostle Paul declared, by one man’s actions sin and all its destructive consequences were released into what had been a perfect world, God the Father chose to offer a way of escape and complete restoration of all who will believe in and receive His perfect Gift, the Perfect Christ.

Jesus is the Son of God, fully God and fully man. He was born and lived a sinless life. He died, was buried, and He rose again from the dead. He will come again, in glory, one day to judge the living and the dead. Who do you say that Jesus is?

Where are you spiritually? You are precious to God. Come out of hiding and let God cover you with His grace.

Core Truth: There are at least 114 times (depending on the Bible translation being used) when the well-known phrase or idiom “in that day” is used in Scripture to mark or pinpoint major changes in the forward flow of human history, some of which will be profoundly cataclysmic and destructive, and some of which will be glorious beyond believing. The danger is not only that the unbelieving world will opt to treat such information as a joke and live their lives accordingly, but that careless believers will be caught in the same trap.

Core Truth: Prayer is the primary means by which we communicate with God, and it is not meant to simply be a way of getting what we may want or need. Rather, the reality is that God wants to be our friend and wants us to get to know Him better. And as we do this through effective prayer – prayer that actually works – we will get to know Him better, and every need will be met and every prayer will be answered, but in the way that glorifies Him and brings about our ultimate good.

Core Truth: It’s been said that a person with a theory is always at the mercy of a person with an experience, and it is fair to say that there are some things in life that we as Christians should know what we’re talking about! It is the Christian who can answer such important questions as: “Why are we here? Where are we going when we die? And, is there really any hope or meaning in this present world?” It is the Christian who can “speak what we do know;” all else is mere theory and conjecture.

Core Truth: Throughout the ages God’s people have often had to live out their faith in times of great adversity and affliction. However, their examples of doing so with such amazing peace and tranquility remains a challenge to anyone today who would also live for Christ the way they did.

Core Truth: The troubles and adversities we may experience in this life – regardless of their source or nature – are always intended by a wise and loving God to not only be beneficial to us in this present life, but also profoundly consequential in the life to come – making them in the end – far more to be treasured than the greatest of earthly pleasures.

Core Truth: Our Lord said “I came so that they may have life and have it to the fullest, until it overflows.” If we really understood how much God wants us to be truly happy – both in this life and in the life to come – everything could be different, including the ways in which we experience and process some of the difficult and painful things that may happen in our lives.

Core Truth: Perhaps the most sacred and inviolate place in all the world to our Creator is the sanctity of a mother’s womb, and nowhere has fallen man manifested a more arrogant rebellion against his Maker than in the relentless destruction of our unborn children – a rebellion for which we shall surely one day give account!

Core Truth: If I try to live the Christian life under the old covenant, I am guaranteeing my continued failure. However, if I choose to live under the new covenant, Christ will be able to live His life through me, resulting in every-increasing victory over sin and fruitfulness in this life that will remain forever.

Core Truth: “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.” Max Lucado

Core Truth: At various points throughout human history God has provided early warning signs of impending doom and judgment mixed with promises of hope and redemption – signs and promises that are meant to warn the wicked, encourage the righteous, and inspire the believer to keep on keeping on.

Core Truth: A “takeaway” from a meeting or an event is the key fact or idea that is to be remembered for future reference or action. Since through our Lord’s grace and mercy we have just been given the gift of another Christmas, what are the “takeaways” that we should carry into the New Year?

Why Shepherds? Because of their lowly status, their strategic place in the redemptive story, and their instant obedience and sheer delight in being privileged like this.

Core Truth: No celebration of Christmas would be complete without at least some reference to the Magi, usually as the “three kings.” However, there is no scriptural evidence that they were kings nor that there was just three of them. The larger question is – why they were included in Matthew’s account of Christ’s birth to begin with, and does their being part of the Christmas story have any significance for us today?

Core Truth: The life and ministry of John the Baptist is nothing short of a watershed moment in human history and speaks at once of the faithfulness of God as well as of His absolute sovereignty in all matters pertaining to mankind in general and to God’s people in particular.

Core Truth: Trusting God and continuing to serve Him patiently in the face of prolonged delays is certainly a virtue to be desired all its own. However, continuing that same level of faith and obedience when all the evidence says that all hope is now gone is an even greater measure of our trust in the One who “does all things well” and whose “ways are always perfect.” (Mark 7:37; Psalm 18:30)

God has made Himself known to us, as Trinity, and that has been done in the person of Christ, and none can take that away from us!

Core Truth: “Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic. This is a most searching and true diagnosis. Gratitude can be a vaccine that can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled attitude. As antitoxins prevent the disastrous effects of certain poisons and diseases, thanksgiving destroys the poison of faultfinding and grumbling. When trouble has smitten us, a spirit of thanksgiving is a soothing antiseptic.” (John Henry Jowett; Clinton C. Cox. The Upper Room Pulpit)

Core Truth: A life well-lived is a life being lived in harmony with the will of God, which means waiting when He says “wait” and moving when He say “move.” A Spirit-led Christian and a Spirit-led church know the difference and act accordingly.

Ways to live as leaders who stand with the persecuted: 1. Pray 2. Be informed 3. Advocate for Myanmar Today 4. Give and Partner

Core Truth: “It is fashionable in some academic circles to exercise scholarly criticism of the Bible. In so doing, scholars place themselves above the Bible and seek to correct it. If indeed the Bible is the Word of God, nothing could be more arrogant. It is God who corrects us; we don’t correct Him. We do not stand over God but under Him.” (R.C. Sproul, Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow)

Core Truth: Worship is our response to God, both personal and corporate, for Who He is, whereas praise and thanksgiving are expressions of gratitude for what He has done – all coming from hearts filled with genuine love, childlike submission, and unquestioning obedience to His will.

Core Truth: The wisest man in the world, once said “There is a time to keep silent and a time to speak.” (Ecc. 3:7b). It is a much-needed lesson our beloved Peter had to learn and one that we do well to learn as well.

Core Truth: If the church is to ever have the kind of impact intended by its Founder it must of necessity structure its leadership in accordance with the clear teachings of Scripture. Otherwise, it is simply a humanly produced organization that may make a name for itself in terms of religious activities but will never be able to overcome the gates of hell and fulfill its God-intended mission in the world.

Core Truth: A church’s ability to influence its culture for Christ will always be in direct proportion to its understanding and acceptance of the authority and leadership of its Founder and Great Shepherd Who has also vested that leadership in His under-shepherds, variously described as pastors, elders, overseers and bishops. Today and over the next few weeks we will be examining this important Scriptural doctrine more fully.

Core Truth: Being a Christian is not just a title, it’s a position – a position of responsibility through stewardship, and our stewardship is to be directed not by what we prefer, but by the desires of the Owner Whose instructions are clearly spelled out in the Bible.

Jesus taught that we should Treasure Heavenly Treasures. They are indestructible and eternally secure. And, most importantly, He knows the location of our heart and treasure are linked. He longs that our hearts be centered on the place and things of Heaven.

Core Truth: God does not give us a thing called wisdom, a thing called righteousness, or a thing called sanctification. He gives us a PERSON called Jesus, Who is all of these in Himself. Our faith is not in a creed but in Christ. Therefore, anyone who is truly IN Christ actually lacks nothing, whether they have ever come to understand and enter into that reality or not.

Core Truth: God does not give us a thing called wisdom, a thing called righteousness, or a thing called sanctification. He gives us a PERSON called Jesus, Who is all of these in Himself. Our faith is not in a creed but in Christ. Therefore, anyone who is truly IN Christ actually lacks nothing, whether they have ever come to understand and enter into that reality or not.

Core Truth: God does not give us a thing called wisdom, a thing called righteousness, or a thing called sanctification. He gives us a PERSON called Jesus, Who is all of these in Himself. Our faith is not in a creed but in Christ. Therefore, anyone who is truly IN Christ actually lacks nothing, whether they have ever come to understand and enter into that reality or not.

Core Truth: God does not give us a thing called wisdom, a thing called righteousness, or a thing called sanctification. He gives us a PERSON called Jesus, Who is all of these in Himself. Our faith is not in a creed but in Christ. Therefore, anyone who is truly IN Christ actually lacks nothing, whether they have ever come to understand and enter into that reality or not.

Core Truth: Our ability to rest in the refreshing offered us by the Lord will always be in direct proportion to our willingness to trust Him and to obey whatever He commands.

Core Truth: God wants us to know His will – not for His benefit, but for ours, in order that we may maximize the joys and fruitfulness of our lives both here and for all eternity!

Core Truth: While great and often unexpected storms are a part of life even and perhaps especially for Christians, there are certain verities – certain eternal truths – that if we will remember them, can carry us through any storm and see us safely through to the other side.

Core Truth: “For the believer in Jesus, every trial of suffering is an opportunity to grow in the faith, to grow in our relationship with the Lord, and to see Him work in our lives in a uniquely personal way that demonstrates His compassion, His comfort, His tender mercies, His loving kindnesses, His grace, and His endless love. Only God knows what each of us needs to experience and learn in order to be conformed to the image of His son.” (T.A. McMahon)

Core Truth: In a world filled with seemingly endless pain and sorrow, grief and loss, shattered hopes and expectations, whether we come to see life as meaningful and worth living will be determined by the extent to which we understand that God’s plan for us is that our journey here is at best, very brief, and that the trials and afflictions we face are – far from being purposeless and wasted – actually preparing for us eternal joys, satisfactions, and delights beyond our wildest dreams!

Core Truth: Whether it be a church, charitable organization, business, college or university, a nation, or even an individual life, the temptation will always be to give up – to abort the mission as it were. But an even greater hazard may be the deadly danger of “mission drift.”

Core Truth: No person or nation can ever be truly free apart from the freedom, which was secured by the sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago – all other freedoms ultimately flow from that divine fountainhead. And it can further be argued that apart from that freedom, no other freedoms can exist nor long endure.

Core Truth: “Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song. By grace we learn to sing, and in glory we continue to sing. What will some of you do when you get to heaven, if you go on grumbling all the way? Do not hope to get to heaven in that style. But now begin to bless the name of the Lord.” (Spurgeon)

Core Truth: While it is true that a father’s words can either heal or hurt, encourage or discourage, it is the daily life he lives before ever-watching eyes and ever-listening ears that is the most potent force of all.

Core Truth: We find ourselves living in an increasingly disturbing and unpredictable world. As a result, these are times to remind ourselves of some verities that are “sure and certain” – some things that will never ever change and by which, therefore, we can live our lives with true faith, great hope, and genuine love – and do it before a watching world.

Core Truth: Christ set the example for all who would follow Him. It was an example of resolute obedience to the Father’s will, and a refusal to compromise or seek an easier way out, no matter what that cup contained.

1. God infuses His sojourners with a living hope. 1 Peter 1:3-5 2. God infuses His sojourners with a preserving faith. 1 Peter 1:6-9 3. God reveals the Author of our hope and faith. 1 Peter 1:10-12

Core Truth: “Not all of us are called to die a martyr’s death, but all of us are called to have the same spirit of self-sacrifice and love to the very end as these martyrs had.” (Richard Wurmbrand - The Midnight Bride)

remember that those who know and serve the Lord are being cared for moment by moment by an “immutable” God – a God who does not change!

Core Truth: The mother of our Lord is rightly honored as perhaps the consummate example of what it means to be a good and godly mother as even now, over 2000 years later, we celebrate her life and example as a model for all those whom God has called to serve in one of life’s most holy endeavors.

Core Truth: “As we noted in last Sunday’s message, Christ’s call to discipleship is an all-consuming call, leaving absolutely no relationship in our lives unchallenged by Him. However, His call is also a call to learn from Him personally how to live a life of peace, rest, and tranquility, even in the midst of an increasingly troubled world.” (Eugene H. Peterson)

Core Truth: “Christian discipleship is a decision to walk in His ways, steadily and firmly, and then finding that the way integrates all our interests, passions, and gifts, our human needs and eternal aspirations. It is the way of life we were created for.” (Eugene H. Peterson)

Core Truth: “The Bible is God’s chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars…sink the Bible to the bottom of the ocean, and still man’s obligations to God would be unchanged. He would have the same path to tread, only his lamp and guide would be gone; the same voyage to make, but his chart and compass would be overboard!” (Henry Ward Beecher)