Religious Freedom / "Drinking of Christ's Cup"
Core Truth: The late Dietrick Bonhoeffer once wrote that when Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die; but much like the disciples of old, our naivety and pre-occupation with the things of this life often cause us to misunderstand and miss completly what it really means to answer that call.
| Date | Title | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 9/28/2014 | Learning God's Ways in the WildernessExodus 13:17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/5/2014 | How Long? How Far? How Hot?John 13: 7 (NIV) Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Luke 18:34 New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/12/2014 | Sowing & Reaping - Challenge & PromiseGalatians 6:7-10 (NIV) Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. New International Version (NIV) |
Dr. Charles Nunn, Jr |
| 11/2/2014 | What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do2 Chronicles 20:1-13 ...Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you ... Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah... Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: “Lord the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, “If calamity comes upon us ... we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us... New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/16/2014 | I Will Build My ChurchMatthew 16:13-19 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/23/2014 | The Steps to Effective and Enduring Church GrowthMatthew 16:13-18 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/30/2014 | Was the Grinch Who Stole Christmas Really Right?James 1:7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/7/2014 | Giving Shaped by Gratitude2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/14/2014 | God's Agenda at AdventMatthew 12:18-21 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.” Isaiah 42:1-4 New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/28/2014 | In His Hope We BecomePhilippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. New International Version (NIV) |
Dr. Charles Nunn, Jr |
| 2/1/2015 | As Grasshoppers in Their SightNumbers 13:33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/1/2015 | How to Know the Will of GodColossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/8/2015 | Why Is There Trouble In My Life and What Can I Do About ItJohn 16: 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. I this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/8/2015 | Why Is There Trouble In My Life and What Can I Do About ItJohn 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. I this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/15/2015 | Resting in the Reality of God's FaithfulnessHebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/22/2015 | Who Is this Man Jesus Christ and What Does It Have to Do with Me?John 1: 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/5/2015 | An Empty Tomb - Does What We Believe About It Matter?John 20:1-9<>Early on the first day of the week, ... Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/3/2015 | Fishing All Night, But Catching Nothing!Luke 5:1-11 ...When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/10/2015 | Mary: A Model for MotherhoodLuke 1: 26-38 The Birth of Jesus Foretold In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”... “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/24/2015 | The High Price of FreedomGalatians 5: 1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/7/2015 | The Wisdom of Waiting for GodIsaiah 30: 15-18 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ A thousand will flee Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/14/2015 | Discovering Our Destiny in ChristColossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives; Proverbs 3: 5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/21/2015 | The Power of a Father's AffirmationMatthew 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/28/2015 | We Have Come This Far By Faith, But Where to From Here? Hebrews 11:1-2 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/5/2015 | The Greatest FreedomJohn 8: 28-35 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/12/2015 | Are We Really Ready for New Wine?Luke 5: 36-39 He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/19/2015 | To What Are We Going Up? Deuteronomy 1:28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/9/2015 | Ready For Battle: Being a Person of Influence For Christ in the WorldHebrews 12: 1-2a Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/23/2015 | The Church's FINAL hour will be her FINEST hour! John 16:18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.” Ephesians 5: 25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/11/2015 | The Blessing of Saying ‘Yes’ to God’s Will1 Samuel 15:23 "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/18/2015 | The Value of Christian Influence on the MediaRomans 12:2 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." New International Version (NIV) |
Dr. Ted Baehr |
| 10/25/2015 | Bringing Us Out to Bring Us InDeuteronomy 6:23 "And He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in to give us the land which He swore to give our fathers.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/8/2015 | Knowing the Times of Our VisitationLuke 19:41-44 "As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/22/2015 | Developing a Spirit of Thanksgiving1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Thank God in everything. No matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God for you who are in Christ Jesus.” (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/27/2015 | The Call to Live the Spirit-Led LifeGal. 5:25-26 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Ephesians 5:1-2 Ephesians 5:15-16 New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 1/3/2016 | Entering the New Year with a Fixed HeartPsalm 108:1 O God, my heart is fixed (steadfast, in the confidence of faith); I will sing, yes, I will sing praises, even with my glory [all the faculties and powers of one created in Your image]! Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/20/2016 | Talking Rocks and a Weeping KingLuke 19:28-30, 35-44: ... They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen ... Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” ... New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/27/2016 | If There Is No Resurrection…1 Corinthians 15:12-19 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/3/2016 | Since There Is a Resurrection…1 Corinthians 15:19-20 If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep in death. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/10/2016 | The Purpose and Usefulness of Suffering2 Corinthians 4:17 - 18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. New King James Version (NKJV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/17/2016 | On Following the Crowd or the CloudExodus 13:17-18, 20-22 When Pharaoh let the people go, God led them not by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God said, Lest the people change their purpose when they see war and return to Egypt. But God led the people around by way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites went up marshaled [in ranks] out of the land of Egypt. ... They journeyed from Succoth and encamped at Etham on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/24/2016 | Understanding Life’s JourneyJob 23:10 But He knows the way that I take [He has concern for it, appreciates, and pays attention to it]. When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold [pure and luminous]. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/1/2016 | Things That Happen When People PrayJames 5:16-18 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/8/2016 | The Power of a Mother’s Prayer1 Samuel 2:1 This was Hannah’s prayer: "How I rejoice in the Lord! How He has blessed me! Now I have an answer for my enemies, for the Lord has solved my problem. How I rejoice!” Living Bible (TLB) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/22/2016 | If Life Allowed Do-Overs...Psalm 90:9-10, 12 ... we spend our years as a tale that is told ... Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away ... Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/19/2016 | The Parable of the Prodigal's FatherLuke 15:11-32 "... But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him ..." New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/26/2016 | She Has Done What She Could: A Lesson in Giving that Truly Honors Our LordMark 14:1-9; John 12:1-8 "... But Jesus said, 'Let her alone; why are you troubling her? She has done a good and beautiful thing to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she came beforehand to anoint My body for the burial. And surely I tell you, wherever the good news (the Gospel) is proclaimed in the entire world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.' " Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/3/2016 | The Blessing of Waiting and the Sin of ImpatiencePsalm 106:12-15 Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/10/2016 | The Gift of Pain1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange (unusual and alien to you and your position) were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, rejoice, so that when His glory [full of radiance and splendor] is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph [exultantly]. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/17/2016 | When God Decides to ActDaniel 4:35 All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’ New Living Translation (NLT) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/24/2016 | Making Our Calling and Election Sure2 Peter 1:10-11 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/14/2016 | When the Master Says "Well Done!"Matthew 25:14-29 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’... New International Version |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/28/2016 | The Perfectness of GodJames 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all light, in Whom there can be no variation or shadow cast by His turning. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/4/2016 | I Don't Want to Wait - I Want It NowJames 1:4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/20/2016 | On Being Thankful1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be happy in your faith and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually. Be unceasing in prayer. Thank God in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you who are in Christ Jesus. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 1/29/2017 | On Becoming All God Intends Me to Be ... (The Serious Business of Living as a Real Christian)Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him Who, by the action of His power that is at work within us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams — to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 2/5/2017 | The Meaning & Purposes of the Table of Communion1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ... whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 2/12/2017 | Has God Given Up on America? (Or Is He Up to Something Big?)Joel 2:12-14 “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 2/19/2017 | Running Our Race Well1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run their very best to win, but only one receives the prize? Run your race in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours! Now every athlete who goes into training and competes in the games is disciplined and exercises self-control in all things. They do it to win a crown that withers, but we do it to receive an imperishable crown that cannot wither. Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 2/26/2017 | A First Lady's PrayerMatthew 6:9-13 Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.' Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/5/2017 | Aslan Is On the MoveNahum 1:3 The Lord has His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/12/2017 | Resting in the Grace Wherein We StandRomans 5:1-2a; Hebrews 4:9 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand ... there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest remaining for the people of God. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/19/2017 | Living in the Sabbath-Rest of ChristHebrews 4:9-11 [T]here remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their work, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/16/2017 | The Most Powerful Force in the World!John 11:23-26 Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again. Martha replied, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am [Myself] the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, although he may die, yet he shall live; And whoever continues to live and believes in Me shall never [actually] die at all. Do you believe this? Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/23/2017 | When Life Brings Us Things We Weren’t Expecting… And Certainly Didn’t Want!2 Corinthians 12:7-9 [I]n order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/14/2017 | The Wonderful Gift of Mothers2 Timothy 1:5 I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith ... a faith that first lived permanently in the heart of your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am fully persuaded, dwells in you also. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/21/2017 | God’s Purposes in Our PainRomans 8:17-18 ... if we are His children, then we are His heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory. For I consider that the sufferings of this present life are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/28/2017 | Living Peacefully in a Troubled WorldIsaiah 26:3-4 You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. So trust in the Lord forever; for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/30/2017 | The Character and Work of Our GodEphesians 2:4-10 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Tim |
| 8/6/2017 | Walk Empowered by the Spirit of GodEphesians 5:15-21 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. New American Standard Bible (NASB) |
Pastor Tim |
| 8/13/2017 | When God Stops Speaking … and Begins to ActGenesis 6:3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive and remain with man forever, because he is indeed flesh; nevertheless his days shall yet be a hundred and twenty years.” Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/20/2017 | (Counter)factual History1 Corinthians 15:12-34 . . . But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. . . . New International Version (NIV) |
Matthew Del Valle |
| 8/27/2017 | Called to Live A Holy Life1 Peter 1:15-16 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/3/2017 | The Awesomeness of God!Psalm 8:1-9 O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens . . . When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? . . . O Lord, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/24/2017 | The High Price of SkepticismEzekiel 12:21-23 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, The days drag on and every vision comes to nothing and is not fulfilled? Tell them therefore, Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall use it no more as a proverb in Israel. But say to them, The days are at hand and the fulfillment of every vision. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/1/2017 | The Key to Living the Good Life!Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/15/2017 | Dying to LiveLuke 9:23-24 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 1 John 4:9-10 New Living Translation (NLT) |
Don Foster |
| 11/5/2017 | Religious PersecutionHebrews 13:3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. |
Frank Wolf |
| 11/12/2017 | Living Fearlessly in a Fear-Filled WorldJohn 14:1-3 ”Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe in God and trust in Him, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also." Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/24/2017 | Mary and Elizabeth: The Amazing Story of Two CousinsLuke 1:36-37 And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing is impossible. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/31/2017 | Just One More YearLuke 13:6-9 Then He began telling them this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any; so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight?’ But he replied to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, just one more year until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit after this, fine; but if not, cut it down.’” Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 1/7/2018 | Things I Love About PHBC!Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God in every remembrance of you, always offering every prayer of mine with joy for all of you, thanking God for your participation and partnership in advancing the good news of the Gospel from the first day you heard it until now. I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will continue to perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus - the time of His return. Amplified Bible (AMP) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 1/14/2018 | Excuses: Heard Any Good Ones Lately?“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses.” Luke 14:16-18 | Pastor Don Kroah |
| 2/18/2018 | It’s Four Months Until Harvest – What’s the Rush?John 4:35-38 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest?” I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying “One sows and another reaps” is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/25/2018 | Let This Mind Be in YouPhilippians 2:5-11 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
Don Riley |
| 5/13/2018 | Jochebed - One of History’s Greatest Mothers!Exodus 2:1-2; Hebrews 11:23 Now a man of the house of Levi [the priestly tribe] went and took as his wife a daughter of Levi. The woman conceived and gave birth to a son; and when she saw that he was especially beautiful and healthy, she hid him for three months to protect him from the Egyptians… By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/20/2018 | Mission Possible: What’s the Holdup?Mark 16:14-16, 19-20 Still later He appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their unbelief – their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him alive from the dead. And then He told them, “you are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. But those who refuse to believe will be condemned…” And when He finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at God’s right hand. And the disciples went everywhere preaching, and the Lord was with them and confirmed what they said by the miracles that followed their messages. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/27/2018 | The Importance of RememberingPsalm 105:5 Remember [with awe and gratitude] the wonderful things which He has done, His amazing deeds and the judgments uttered by His mouth. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/17/2018 | The Power of Fatherhood!1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/22/2018 | What to do When Trouble Comes Our WayJohn 16:33 In the world you have trouble; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world – I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/29/2018 | It’s a Matter of Life and Death1 John 3:11-18 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. New International Version (NIV) |
Rev. Dennis Williams |
| 8/5/2018 | Jesus Will Lift You Out of Your Troubles1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. |
Don Foster |
| 8/12/2018 | The Certainty of Death and the Hope of Eternal Life in Christ1 Corinthians 15:51-58 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/19/2018 | A Certain Word in an Uncertain World2 Peter 1:19 And we have the prophetic word made firmer still. You will do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, until the day breaks through the gloom and the Morning Star rises in your hearts. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/26/2018 | How’s Your Foundation?Luke 6:46-49 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” New International Version (NIV) |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/2/2018 | God’s Hunger Games!Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/9/2018 | Service in the Kingdom!Deuteronomy 1:12-13 - How can I bear by myself the weight and burden of you and your strife? Choose for your tribes wise, understanding, and experienced men, and I will appoint them as our heads. John 12:26 – If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. |
Rev. Isah Abraham |
| 10/28/2018 | Dumb Idols or the God Who Speaks - Which Will It Be?1 Kings 18:26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/20/2018 | Where Are the Other Nine?Luke 17:17-18 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the nine? Does only this foreigner return to give glory to God?” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/25/2018 | Living WaterJohn 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” |
Don Riley |
| 12/30/2018 | Dangerous Grace1 Corinthians 15:10: But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Ephesians 3:8: Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ. 1 Timothy 1:15: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. |
Dr. Joel Freeman |
| 1/27/2019 | Warriors, Runners, Pugilists and Slaves1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/7/2019 | By Grace You Have Been Saved. It is the Gift of GodEphesians 2:1-9 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. |
Don Riley |
| 4/14/2019 | Push the Envelope: Live the Sent LifeVarious | Tim Pewett |
| 4/21/2019 | When Great Sorrow Was Turned to JoyJohn 16:20,22 The world will greatly rejoice over what is going to happen to Me, and you will weep. But your weeping shall suddenly be turned to wonderful joy when you see Me again … You have sorrow now, but I will see you again and then you will rejoice; and no one can rob you of that joy. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/12/2019 | Things Our Mothers Taught Us2 Timothy 1:5 I remember your sincere and unqualified faith, which first lived in the heart of your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am confident that it is in you as well. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/23/2019 | In Service to Christ, the KingLuke 22:69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God. |
Don Foster |
| 7/21/2019 | Fan or FollowerJohn 6:60-71 …Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that You are the Holy One of God … |
Rev. Dennis Williams |
| 8/4/2019 | Did You Ever Have One of Those Days?Luke 8:22-13 One of those days He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let us go to the other side of the lake”. So they put out to sea. But as they were sailing, He fell off to sleep. And a whirlwind revolving from below upwards swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/8/2019 | Rejoicing in the Lord (and other essential spiritual disciplines)Philippians 3:1, 20-21, 4:1 For the rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him … (for) we are citizens of the homeland which is in heaven, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, Who will transform and fashion anew the body of our humiliation to conform to and be like the body of His glory and majesty, by exerting that power which enables Him even to subject everything to Himself. Therefore, my fellow believers … stand firm in the Lord … |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/20/2019 | Whose Business Am I About? – A Call to Follow Christ’s ExampleLuke 2:49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/3/2019 | We Are All in This Together - A call to recognize our solidarity with the suffering Church2 Timothy 3:1,12 But realize this, that in the last days difficult days will come … Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 11/10/2019 | What Kind of Man is This?Matthew 8:23-27 And when He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but He was asleep. And they went and woke Him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And He said to them “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and seas obey Him?” |
Don Foster |
| 11/17/2019 | We All Bleed the SameEphesians 4:1-6 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. |
Rev. Dennis Williams |
| 11/24/2019 | Two Men on a Serious SearchMatthew 13:44-46 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which the man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, when on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/1/2019 | The Benefits of Having a Thankful HeartPsalm 92:1-2; 107:31 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Your name, O Most High: To show forth Your lovingkindness in the morning and your faithfulness every night… Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/8/2019 | What Really Happened that First Christmas?Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, He shall rule on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time forward and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/15/2019 | What’s In a Name?Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; And the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, He shall rule on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time forward and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/22/2019 | Why Bethlehem?Matthew 2:1-6 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So, he called together all the chief priest and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ was to be born. They replied to him “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not in any way least among the leaders of Judah; For from you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 12/29/2019 | Joy to the World! The Lord Has Come! | Don Foster |
| 2/9/2020 | A Budding Almond TreeJeremiah 1:11-12 The word of the LORD came to me saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “I see a rod of an almond tree.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/8/2020 | Psalm 91 – God’s Answer to the CoronavirusPsalm 91 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” … |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/15/2020 | When God Checks the Books: A Look at God’s Personal Reading List1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we will never stop thanking God for this: that when we preached to you, you did not think of the words we spoke as being just our own, but you accepted what we said as the very Word of God – which, of course, it was – and it changed your lives when you believed it. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/22/2020 | What to Do When Trouble Comes Our WayJohn 16:33 In the world you have trouble; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world – I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 3/29/2020 | The God Who Cares (Even When It Doesn’t Seem Like It)Mark 4:35-41 On that [same] day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee].” So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat. And other boats were with Him. And a fierce (hurricane force) windstorm began to blow, and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?” And He got up and [sternly] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still (muzzled)!” And the wind died down [as if it had grown weary] and there was [at once] a great calm [a perfect peacefulness]. Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence [in Me]?” They were filled with great fear, and said to each other, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him? |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/5/2020 | The Gift of Christian CommunityPsalm 133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for God’s people to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil poured upon the head, running down the beard, even the beard of Aaron (the nation’s first high priest), coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]. It is like the dew of Hermon falling on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord has appointed the blessing – even life forevermore (even eternal life). |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/10/2020 | The Darkest Day in History (The Day the Sun Refused to Shine)Luke 22 and 23 | Pastor Don Kroah |
| 4/12/2020 | Opened Eyes and Flaming Hearts (The real impact of the Resurrection)Luke 24:31-33 …Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus – and He disappeared from their sight. They asked one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/3/2020 | The Voice of the Lord in the Storm Psalm 29:10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord still sits as King and forever! |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/10/2020 | Three Mothers and a Grandmother: Shapers of Destinies2 Timothy 1:5 I am calling up memories of your sincere and unqualified faith, a faith that first lived permanently in the heart of your grandmother Lois and also in the heart of your mother Eunice, and now, I am fully persuaded, dwells in you also. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/17/2020 | This Too Shall Pass… But What if It Didn’t?Habakkuk 3:17-19 Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]! |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/24/2020 | Walking Safely Upon the High Places of Life Psalm 18:30-33 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God, The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet [able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble]; He sets me securely upon my high places. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 5/31/2020 | The Glorious Reality & Purposes of His Body, The ChurchMatthew 16:17-19 And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of John: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/7/2020 | It’s Time to Pray2 Chronicles 7:12-16 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. If I shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence and plague among My people, and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified and set apart for My purpose this house that My Name may be here forever, and My eyes and My heart will be here perpetually.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/14/2020 | Learning to Pray More Effectively: A Biblical Look at Prayers That WorkPhilippians 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God what you need, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/21/2020 | Fathers: God’s Agents of Healing in a Broken WorldJoshua 24:15 If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 6/28/2020 | Maximizing Our Kingdom Usefulness For Such a Time as This Esther 4:4 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/5/2020 | The Greatest Freedoms Of AllJohn 8:31-32, 36 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… if the Son makes you free, then you are truly free.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/12/2020 | Passing Through the Valley of BakaPsalm 84:5-7 Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/19/2020 | Don’t Wrestle, Just NestlePsalm 37:3,7a Trust in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness, and truly you shall be fed…Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourselves upon Him… |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 7/26/2020 | What Kind of People Ought We to Be?2 Peter 3:11-13 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/2/2020 | Living effectively with the “New Normal” Psalm 91:1-2 Whoever dwells (lives and abides) in the shelter (the secret place) of the Most High will rest (shall remain stable and fixed) under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Whom I lean and rely, and in Whom I confidently trust.’ |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/9/2020 | Trusting A Perfect God in an Imperfect WorldPsalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/16/2020 | Vessels in A Great House2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of clay; and some for honor and some for dishonor. If a person therefore purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and fit for the master’s use, and prepared for every good work. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/23/2020 | The Preeminent ChristColossians 1:17-18 …He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 8/30/2020 | When The Die is Finally CastRevelation 22:10-12 Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy. Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/6/2020 | Perfect Peace In Troubled TimesIsaiah 26:1-4 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; He sets up salvation as walls and ramparts. Open the gates, that the righteous may enter, the one who remains faithful and trustworthy. You will keep in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast (stayed upon) You. Trust in the Lord forever He is your fortress, your shield, your banner, For the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/13/2020 | Abounding in Hope (Even in what seem like hopeless situations)Romans 15:4,13 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope….May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/20/2020 | The Truth About the ChurchMatthew 16:18-19 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 9/27/2020 | Certain Words for Uncertain Times2 Peter 1:19 So we have the prophetic word made more certain (sure). You do well to pay close attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dismal (squalid and dark) place, until the day breaks through [the gloom], and the Morning Star arises (comes into being) in your hearts. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/4/2020 | Getting Ready For the Next Great Event: Investing Wisely in a Very Sure Thing!Revelation 22:10-12 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy. Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/11/2020 | Christ, The Living Stone1 Peter 2:4 So come to Him, that Living Stone which men rejected and threw away, but which is choice and precious in the sight of God. You, like living stones, are being built up into a spiritual house for a holy and dedicated priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen stone, a precious Cornerstone, and he who believes in Him will never be disappointed'. |
Pastor Don Kroah |
| 10/18/2020 | Religious Freedom / "Drinking of Christ's Cup"Mark 10:35-41 "... James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, 'Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.' 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He asked. They answered, "Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand and the other at Your left in Your glory.' 'You do not know what you are asking' Jesus replied. 'Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo?' 'We can,' the brothers answered. 'You will drink the cup that I drink,' Jesus said, 'and you will be baptized with the baptism that I undergo. But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom they have been prepared.' When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John." |
Former Congressman Frank Wolf |