BuildingUp from Agape Church

Remaining in relationship with other believers is hard and we often find ourselves up against all types of opposition when we try it. Why is being in a discipling community so important for a Christian? And how is it different from other types of relationships we may find ourselves in?

One of this year's 7 prayers for Agape is asking the LORD to help us become a Lighthouse to our community. What characteristics of a Christian's life will cause them to shine brightly to the world? Likewise, what characteristics will darken that light?

One of this year's 7 prayers for Agape is asking the LORD for Zeal in the Church. How does the Bible define zealousness? What will zeal in the church look like? What kind of good works should we be zealous for?

One of this year's 7 prayers for Agape is asking the LORD for Power in the Church. What is the means by which God does mighty works of power in our lives, our families, and in our church? What are some examples of mighty works that we long for God to do?

In the fall of 2017 we began what has become a yearly prayer initiative called "7 prayers for Agape". What were the origins of this call to prayer? Why do we keep doing it each year? And why do we think it has made all the difference for our church?

Psalm 121 is A Sojourner’s Psalm as They Travelled to Jerusalem. As we walk through this Psalm, we get a clear pictures of the characters of the God who shepherds us and we see how the psalmist says in Psalm 23 that “I fear no evil, for He is with me.”

In culture, being open to reason means you are willing to listen and be persuaded by a fair argument. But Christians are supposed to hold steady and firm in our faith and not be moved from it by persuasive speech. So what is the Bible instructing us to do when it tells us to be reasonable people? What is the difference in being open to reason culturally vs biblically?

In Acts 5 we find one of the most mysterious, even frightening passages in all of the New Testament. A story about members of the early church who lie to God and the LORD immediately deals with them and they perish. While the Bible does not give us a definitive answer as to why God chose to do this, there are some clues in the text that will help us understand this passage and how we can apply it...

1 John 4:17-18 (ESV) | "17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

2 Timothy 1:7 | ... for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV) | 1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear G...

1 Corinthians 13

Hebrews 12:7-11 | "7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the...

Romans 5:6-11 | "6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from th...

Ephesians 2:1-10

Philippians 2:12-13 - "12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Colossians 1:3-5 - "3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel..."

1 Corinthians 9:22

Colossians 3:16 - 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

2 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 15

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

In this episode, we look at the secret to finding contentment whether we are in a season of plenty or a season of need.

Psalm 84:11-12

John 16:8-11, John 6:37-40