Plymouth Haven Baptist Church

Core Truth is: Contrary to what we might expect or prefer, being chosen and loved by God does not exempt us from life’s many problems and like David and all of the saints through the ages, trusting God in the hard places of life is always a choice. However, if in our own times of trial and adversity we are willing to trust our wise and loving heavenly Father as David did, then we, too, can join him in saying “You are my God. My times are in Your hands.”

Core Truth: Trying to ‘keep the rules’ and follow Christ in our own strength will – literally – wear us out! It is only as we enter into the sweet reality of knowing that because of the His finished work on our behalf at Calvary we are now and forever ‘accepted in the Beloved’ that we can actually start to understand and enjoy the reality that His yoke truly is easy and His burden really is light.

Core Truth: “The blood stands out in solitary majesty, the only rock of our salvation. This blood is not simply the only thing that can save, but must save alone. Put anything with the blood of Christ, and you are lost; trust to anything else with this and you perish. Morality will keep you out of jail, but only the blood of Jesus will keep you out of hell. Beloved, it is a thought which ought to make our hearts leap within us, that through Jesus’s blood there is not a spot left upon any believer, not a wrinkle nor any such thing.” Charles Spurgeon

Core Truth: We, Christians, have often been accuse of being so ‘heavenly minded that we’re of no earthly good.’ However, I do believe it can be empirically proven that throughout history quite the opposite is true… that the people who have made the most significant impact in this world are those who have been the most preoccupied with the one that is to come… and who would have understood quite clearly what the late Missionary Jim Elliot meant when he said: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Core Truth: “Habakkuk provides us with one of the most remarkable sections in all of Scripture – an extended dialogue between God and one of His prophets. Habakkuk initiated this conversation because of his distress about God’s seeming inaction in the world. He wanted to see God do something more, particularly in the area of bringing justice to evildoers.” (The Swindoll Study Bible)

Core Truth: “It Is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God’s Word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing.” (Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Core Truth: Trusting God is always easy when things are going well in our lives; but the true measure of our faith and confidence that our heavenly father really does know all about us and is closely watching over us comes when an unexpected test, trial, or a temptation appears – suddenly throwing us off our game, as the saying goes. We find ourselves being tempted to doubt in the darkness what we were so sure about in the light. It is especially at those times that He wants to bring us to a new level of faith and trust in Him – ‘The God Who does ALL things well!’ (Mark 7:37)

Core Truth:When we find ourselves in some of the hard places of life it is quite tempting to question whether God has forgotten about us or whether He really cares about what we may be experiencing. However, it is at such times we must come back to His unchanging Word and trust that in the end all will be well, and that as the Psalmist once said, we too “…will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)

Core Truth: Sooner or later we all must come to some sort of conclusion about the fact that pain, troubles, and adversities are part of human life. As one writer put it: “If life is to be meaningful, we need desperately to find a place for suffering in it and to discover how to cope with it,” and nowhere are we given a better means of doing that than with what we learn from the Apostle Peter in our Scripture text for today’s message.

Core Truth: If there has been that moment in time where we genuinely gave our heart to Jesus Christ and are now seeking to walk with Him in our daily lives, then every single one of us is on an “unpredictably divine adventure” – a spiritual journey toward our only true “home” that will be every bit as “unpredictable” as the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the countless others who have found themselves walking the same path, and it is a journey that and only be made by walking “by faith and not by sight.”.

Core Truth: In a world that is facing increasingly difficult and troubled times, it is the wise person who takes the time to learn how to find and enter the secret place of a strong and resilient relationship with God that will enable them to not just endure but triumph victoriously over whatever the Adversary and his forces of darkness will surely seek to bring against them. And those who do so will find themselves actually living in “the safest place in the world,” regardless of circumstances they may face.

The Core Truth is: As important as hearing God speak to us in a way that first brought us to faith and salvation, equally important is our need to hear His voice on a day-by-day and moment-by-moment basis. Only this will enable us to live our lives in ways that maximize our personal peace, help us define our purpose, and determine our kingdom productivity, while bringing the most possible honor and glory to our Lord and the greatest blessing and encouragement to others.

Seeking God as your refuge
Having God’s people as companions in worship
Keeping your eye always on the Lord
Having the hope of resurrection
Having the right perspective of eternal life

Reject Passivity, Accept Responsibility. Lead Courageously, Receive God’s Greater Reward

Are you living the kind of life that pleases the Lord?

Core Truth: “There was the cup; hell was in it; the Savior drank it – not a sip, and then a pause; not a draught, and then a ceasing; but He drained it till there is not a dreg left for any of His people! The great ten-thonged whip of the law was worn out upon His back; there is no lash left with which to smite one for whom Jesus died! The great bombardment of God’s justice has exhausted all its ammunition; there is nothing left to be hurled against a child of God!” (Spurgeon Sermon: “It Is Finished”)

Core Truth: “The work of the Sprit is to impart life, to implant hope, to give liberty, to testify of Christ to guide us into all truth, to teach us all things, to comfort the believer, and to convict the world of sin.” (D.L. Moody) “Without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind. We are useless.” (Spurgeon)

Core Truth: As with Israel and Judah of old, God still puts a very high premium on the attention and obedience we give to His eternal Word – both as found in the sacred pages of the Bible and in His personal words of instruction or correction given to us by the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Core Truth: “Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship; but dream not that she is lost to the work of the church; far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord. Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty…You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God’s fear, minding the house and making your household a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of hosts.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Core Truth: The worst thing that can ever happen to an individual… a church… or a nation… is when God stops speaking!

Core Truth: Someone has wisely said that “It seems like too many people and ministries go right back to business as usual after Easter is over. They celebrated the empty tomb, but they celebrated the empty tomb from their personal vantage point. Most people give very little thought to what the empty tomb requires of us once we accept Him as Lord and Savior, but in a world increasingly filled with hopelessness and despair our witness as to what Christ’s resurrection really means is needed now more than ever.”

King Jesus You are:
omniscient - therefore, I can call upon you for wisdom in every circumstance I face
omnipotent - therefore, I can truly do all things through Christ who strengthens me
omnipresent - therefore, I am never alone no matter the situation
omnibenevolent - therefore, I am constantly receiving your generosity and favor every day and all day.

Trust in the Lord. See His character, His kindness, His goodness, His faithfulness and His unfailing love. Sing His praises.

Core Truth: “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said; if He didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what He said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like His teaching but whether or not He rose from the dead.” Dr. Tim Keller.

Core Truth: As with Israel at a most critical moment of their national life, so today both nations … churches … and even individuals are ever in danger of missing God’s blessings and grace by failing to recognize the time of His divine visitations.

Core Truth: Becoming a Christian is not a matter of signing up for a series of do’s and don’ts that are based on our ability to perform. Rather, becoming a Christian is a matter of freely receiving the incredible gift of a brand new life in Christ – a life filled to overflowing with everything needed to please God, bless and encourage others, and live lives that will be eternal in their consequence.

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.