Christian Sermons from Calvary Chapel Greenmeadow, North Kingstown, RI

Patience is a fruit of the spirit and the first characteristic of love. We are called to be patient not just for a time but until the coming of the Lord. The rains will come in His timing. The harvest will come if we continue doing good and living in Him.

Is it wrong to be rich? God gave Solomon riches, so no. The problem is with the heart, not the coin. Being excessive or frivolous flaunts wealth and shows where our hearts are. Earthly riches do not last. Put your faith in God and seek His kingdom first.

Do you ask God to show you His plan or just ask Him to bless yours? Seeking profit rather than His righteousness is not His plan. To know God’s will, you have to desire and seek it. If we know the good we are supposed to do today and don’t do it, we sin.

Before judging others, we should first consider how we have committed the same offenses as those who have offended us. A person who is quick to judge another is not humble and pushes God aside. Superficial, harsh or unforgiving judgement is always wrong.

Drawing near to God is good, but how do you do it? Spend time with Him daily and all day. Listen to His word and humble yourself. Come to God by Jesus. Ask to be cleansed through the blood of Jesus. Purify your heart. Mourn and walk in the light.

Worrying about things you cannot control is neither helpful nor reasonable. It is unhealthy and unfaithful. Recognize that God provides for, protects, guides, and corrects us. Pray and decide not to worry because when God is in control, we can rest.

Our enemy is prone to slander and false accusations but Christ is in us and he is greater than our enemy. We must resist the enemy in the strength of God, not on our own strength. If we truly know Him and fight in His power, the devil will flee from us.

God only gives grace to the humble. It is a free gift and we can take no pride in having received it. Being prideful means putting yourself above others but being humble means being not far from the ground Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord.

We make decisions daily and hourly such as whom we befriend and to which influences we conform. As believers, we are called to be in this world but not to be a friend of the world's system. Choosing the world makes us enemies of God. God longs for us.

Instead of loving and praying for those with whom we disagree, we are often tempted to draw up battle plans. Selfishness, envy, and strife lead to quarreling. We also fight when we don’t get what we want, but many things we want are not God’s desire.

Don’t be afraid to be a peace maker. In any conflict, be humble--it is probably at least partially your fault. To achieve peace, you must seek purity and work hard to pursue harmony with others.

Join us for an Easter message of life and of hope focusing on the last words of Jesus. We do not know how much time we have so we must be ready to tell people what Jesus has done in our lives. He is coming soon and Jesus will have the last word.

Wisdom from above starts with the fear of the Lord. This kind of wisdom is not natural; if we lack it, we need to pray to receive it. This requires a humble spirit. God's wisdom is pure, peaceful, reasonable, merciful, and sincere.

Do jealousies find fertile ground in your heart? No Christian should envy even the most successful unbeliever. Actively thank God for the blessings He has provided and repent of covetousness. Satan tempts us with these things but they lead to disorder.

Norm brings a collection of wise sayings from contemporary Christians to help us with our daily walk. For example, "Progress beats perfection" and "A day without prayer is like telling God we don’t need him that day." This message will give you insight.

The tongue does not act on its own. If we have a problem speaking wrongly, we need to pray for wisdom on how to correct it. No man can tame his own tongue. We need to be yielded to the Holy Spirit so that something good can come from the words speak.

What comes out of the mouth is important. Our hurtful words can be like a fire, causing pain to those we offended. An encouraging word can change the outlook of someone who is having a bad day. Most of all, our tongues should be used to confess Jesus.

When we speak concerning the word of God, we must do it carefully. Teachers of the word will be held to a higher account than others. Before teaching, we need to take it in ourselves and let it transform us. All believers share this responsibility.

Abraham repeatedly demonstrated his faith in deeds. Rahab is another example of showing faith through action but from a very different person. No matter who we are or what our background, God demonstrates that he is with us when we exercise our faith.

Satan wants to distract you from worshiping God. He wants to deceive you into thinking that God does not accept you. He has studied you and knows your weaknesses and wants to destroy you. The good news is that Satan is defeated because Christ rose.

Others can only see your faith by your works and by your fruit. You can know who Jesus is in fact but not know him in spirit. It is a living faith that saves us, not saying a prayer. Let there be enough evidence of your faith to convict you in court.

We are saved by grace through faith but belief alone is not faith. True faith is accompanied by action. If our actions are not right, then maybe our faith is not real. It is not our words, but a life truly surrendered to God that that shows living faith.

Even when we are self-critical we are focusing on ourselves, and this is a form of love. We are called to have that level of awareness, concern, and love for our neighbor. This fundamental commandment includes everyone, not just those we admire.

Whether rich or poor, we are all broken and need Jesus. Therefore, we should not judge people by their outward appearance or status. If we have wealth or beauty, be humble and know these are not the things that god values.

God cares for the poor, the orphans, and the widows. We are to look after them too, and this means more than just giving money. We are to offer our time including to our own families. In order to care for others, we need to not be polluted by the world.