CCW Podcast

This Sunday we start our short series, titled Lessons from the School of Faith. In this School of Faith, Abraham will be the Dean. When we first believed in Jesus , at that initial point of salvation, we were enrolled in the School of Faith. Life itself is the class-room, and the Bible is our textbook. God has lessons for every season of life. In this four weeks together, we will learn from the li...

Difficult situations in life cause immediate and emotional responses, to which we often react impulsively without thinking. If we would but remember who God is and rehearse what he has done for us in the past, we would find ourselves rejoicing in spite of trials. Psalm 16 reminds us that God’s blessings are deeper than our difficulties. This Sunday we will see The Best Is Yet To Come.

Whoever said that ”God plus anyone equals a majority” had their math right. You can be completely alone, totally surrounded by negative circumstances, but still find protection and refuge in God. Retreating into God means victory, not surrender. This Sunday we will see King David’s prescription for triumphing in the midst of trouble. Prepare your heart for this message by reading and meditating on...

Because we never know where any day’s journey will lead, we don’t know where we’ll end up. Often the end of our road is that undesirable abode know as “Wits End” a place of frustration and confusion. Fortunately, we discover God has arrived ahead of us. If we could ever get the perspective in our spiritual life, that God can protect us from giant falls, we would have much more confidence in trusti...

Many people struggle throughout their lives because they cannot master their emotions. Unquestionably, feelings are a powerful things, and all of us struggle with them to one degree or another. Loneliness is one of the most powerful emotions we can experience. Devastating life events like the death of a love one, loss of employment, failure of business, a debilitating or terminal illness, being sl...

Sometimes we can’t make sense out of life. Things happen that we don’t understand, or we don’t plan on, and we respond at times in ways we wish we hadn’t. Yesterday we were on the peak, today we are in the valley, and tomorrow we be on the plain. Some people can’t handle the changes, but David, in Psalm 31, helps us to make sense out of life’s roller coaster. Join us this Sunday as we take a close...

On the map of every person’s life there is a wilderness place or maybe even several such places. Survival is what we think of first when we think of desert places. Not prospering, not rejoicing, just surviving. David took a different approach and blossomed spiritually in his desert places. This Sunday we will look at How to Prosper in Desert Places from Psalm 63.

Often our desire for worshiping the Lord is tied to how we feel about life. If life is good, we worship readily; if life is hard, we don’t. But worship should not be tied to circumstances. Worship should be a constant for the Christian regardless of the direction life takes. This Sunday we will look at Psalm 138 at how we worship the Lord in times of trouble.

Most of us have been in a place like David was at some time in our life. Perhaps there is a long-standing health problem or financial situation that appears to have no solution. Maybe there is a personal relationship that places a constant source of strain on your life, or difficult work-related situation. Or maybe you have a wayward child for whom you have been praying for years. Whatever the cau...

If you have not already discovered it, you will find that the path of your life is rarely straight, smooth, and level. Instead, it tends to be bumpy with tall hills and deep valleys. We live in the twilight zone of up or down, in or out, faith or doubt, fear or courage, strong or weak, bursting or broke, happy or sad, healthy or sick, smart or not so smart, generous or selfish. We flow up and down...

It has been well said, ”Never doubt in darkness what God has revealed in the light.” When Christians go through difficult times in life, they often forget who they are and who God is. The secret to surviving dark days is focusing on the light of God’s truth. This Sunday we will be looking at Psalm 71 about life’s dark times and how to respond to them.

This Sunday we will be looking at how life’s troubles can make us stronger. Most people go through life trying to avoid pain. We use money, medicine, and any other method to protect ourselves. Scripture teaches the opposite. While we aren’t to seek trouble or trials, when they find us, we should look for the hidden lessons and blessings.

If you've lived any amount of time, you have come to know that life is full of tests and in the test of faith our allegiance is shown through ultimate surrender. This Sunday Pastor Rick's message is from Genesis 22 entitled "The Isaac Test."

It is significant that in Jesus’ parable of the sower, two of the three soils that failed to produce a crop represent people who did not know how to handle suffering. The rocky soil, pictures those who receive the word joyfully at first, but do not sink down roots, so that when affliction or persecution comes, they fall away. The thorny ground reflects those who seem to grow for a while, but then...

Good churches are hard to find! I often hear people. who were in a good church, share how they moved to a another town or community and seemed to have a great deal of trouble finding a healthy church. Sometimes. the church lacks vital worship. It's also possible that the fellowship could not find a pastor who faithfully preaches the Word. Sometimes the church is racked with dissension over pe...

How can we know if a trial is from the Lord, from Satan, or from our own making? How can we rejoice in trials when, honestly, we feel angry toward God? Is the anger natural or sinful? Is trusting God an impractical cliche or the most practical thing you can do in a trial? A person who has gone through a horrible trial angrily asks, “How can you trust a God who allows this to happen?" This Sun...

We are living in an extremely perverted age. Moral purity is fighting for its life. This world is steeped in its wicked debauchery as it seeks to serve and satisfy the desires of depravity. This could be expected from the world, but even many professing Christians have given in, surrendered to the moral contamination of the day. In chapter four of first Peter, we are reminded that if we are going...

1 Peter 3:18-22 shows us that the heart of the gospel is the fact that Jesus Christ who knew no sin, died for sinners. Peter closes this section on the unjust suffering of believers with the example of how Christ suffered unjustly to redeem the lost. Jesus’ atoning death forever eliminated the need for further sacrifices. When He died, the price for sin was fully paid, once and for all, by His she...

How do we honor God’s name? By doing His will on earth. Saint Francis once took a young monk with him to preach in town. But when they arrived they just chatted with vendors and talked to people on the street. Returning home, the novice asked Saint Francis why they hadn’t preached. He replied, “People listened; they observed our attitude and behavior. That was our message.” Paul writes “Take care...

One of the crucial factors involved in the maturing process of the Christian is the issue of the believer’s relationship with others Christians. If we can learn to get along with other Christians, and be patient when other believers are a pain, then he or she will grow and go forward for Christ and live The Good Life, which is the title of the message Sunday morning. If a Christian can’t deal with...