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James, the brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to help believers love God with an undivided heart. The heart is the seat of our loves but sin causes a disordering of our loves. When our loves pull us in different directions we become fragmented, or, as James puts it, double-minded and unstable. True joy comes from loving One Being - God, Who is love.  1. Simply see that in everything God is doing...

"Jesus said this." is a series of talks exploring famous one-liners from Jesus. In each talk we unpack what Jesus means and how Jesus' words are exactly what our empty souls need. The love and truth of God shines out of everything Jesus says. Luke 4:31-37 1. Jesus' words show that He is the Holy One of God 2. Jesus' words destroy the evil that destroys people 3. Jesus&apos...

1. is God worthy of love by Himself?  2. is Job's love/faith genuine? 3. what about suffering? God: 1. I create and control all of inanimate creation 2. I create and control all of animate creation 3. I create and control life and death and the one who HAD power over death 4. I gave my Son to suffer and die to destroy death and give life, because I love you. Intellectual arguments for God are...

"Jesus said this." is a series of talks exploring famous one-liners from Jesus. In each talk we unpack what Jesus means and how Jesus' words are exactly what our empty souls need. The love and truth of God shines out of everything Jesus says. John 8:12 - 20 1. We are in the dark when it comes to judging Jesus 2. We are in the dark when it comes to knowing the Father 3. We will remai...

"Jesus said this." is a series of talks exploring famous one-liners from Jesus. In each talk we unpack what Jesus means and how Jesus' words are exactly what our empty souls need. The love and truth of God shines out of everything Jesus says. Matthew 11:25-30 1. The Father and the Son share the same knowledge 2. The Father and the Son both rule over everything 3. The Father and the...

1. inanimate creation shows us we are out of our depth 2. animate creation shows us we are out of our depth 3.  death and destruction show us we are out of our depth        THEREFORE let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:19) Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God c...

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 10 Genesis 32:22-32 When triggered by danger or unknown, do we flight, fight, freeze, flop or... make friends? Jacob spent half his life in flight. Now he will fight with God... 1. Jacob lost his idols 2. Jacob lost his self-reliance 3. Jacob wins God's friendship 4. Jacob wins God's blessing   Call His name Jesus, Imman...

1. Job, you're wrong, God does speak 2. Job, you're wrong, God is just wicked people are happy, wicked people are rarely punished, innocent people suffering call out to God who does nothing, THEREFORE... there is no advantage in serving God. 3.  Job, you're wrong, God doesn't owe anything to anyone        But, Jesus was treated more unfairly than anyone, ever... for our sakes!...

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 9 Genesis 32 and 33 excluding 32:22-32 Guilty Jacob seeks for grace... 1. ... from his brother relying on payment of a sacrifice of atonement 2. ... from God relying on His promises to do him good God lavishes grace on guilty sinners by giving His Son as a sacrifice of atonement Send us Fan Mail

This is what Job says: 1. I had everything (ch 29) 2. I have lost everything (ch 30) 3. But I am innocent (ch 31)        Exactly what happened to Jesus, in order to make us innocent. Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God caused by unjust suffering. In the face of screaming pain, soft spoken philosophical answers are drowned out. The book of Job...

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 8 Genesis 31-32:1 1. God provided for His beloved according to His promises 2. God protected His beloved according to His promises 3. God called His beloved home according to His promises Romans 8:31, 37-39 ... if God be for us, who can be against us.  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. F...

1. I'm innocent but God is against me! (1-12) 2. I'm innocent but God isolates me! (13-20)         1 + 2 = Hell. 3. the Innocent Jesus suffered Hell instead of guilty sinners Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God caused by unjust suffering. In the face of screaming pain, soft spoken philosophical answers are drowned out. The book of Jo...

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 7 Genesis 30:25 - 31:3 1. Jacob decided to go to the promised land 2. Laban tempted Jacob to stay 3. God called Jacob to go to the promised land Hebrews 11:13-16:   These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and...

1. Why do you oppress me knowing that I'm just a man (3-7) 2. Why did you make me knowing you were going to destroy me (8-17) 3. Why can't you let me just die in peace (18-22) " For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) Send us Fan Mail

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 6 Genesis 29:30 - 30:24 1. Jacob craved Rachel's beauty 2. Leah craved Jacob's love 3. Rachel craved Jacob's children God gave Another Son! Send us Fan Mail

1. No one has any claim on God 2. Nothing can go against God 3. No one can see or examine God So... do we a) grin and bear it?    b) try and be very good?  or... c) find Jesus Christ the Mediator Send us Fan Mail

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob in the book of Genesis part 5 Genesis 29:1-32 1. Jacob's desire for Rachel led to servitude 2. Laban's desire for gain led him to exploit others 3. Rachel's desirableness led her to be exploited 4. Leah's undesirableness led the Lord to have mercy on her Send us Fan Mail

The life of Jacob in Genesis part 4. Genesis 28:10-22 1. God can only be found in one place - a place where God can be found - a place where heaven and earth meet - a place where God comes down - a place where God promises us the whole world - a place where God says 'I am with you always even to the end of the age' = John 1:43-51 Jesus is that One Place; the Cross is that ladder 2. God i...

Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God caused by unjust suffering. In the face of screaming pain, soft spoken philosophical answers are drowned out. The book of Job rages against God and yet through it all, the deepest most intense comfort is offered. The answer to suffering can only ever be found in Infinite Love - anything else is a like a supe...

Genesis 27 - 28:8 After watching how Jacob 'squeezes' the blessing out of his father Isaac, we learn that: 1. We won't get blessed by our Father unless the Blessor dies - thank God, Hebrews 9:16 tells us that without the death of Jesus, the new covenant would not come into effect. 2. We won't get blessed by our Father unless we are the Firstborn - thank God, Jesus is the Firstb...

Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God caused by unjust suffering. In the face of screaming pain, soft spoken philosophical answers are drowned out. The book of Job rages against God and yet through it all, the deepest most intense comfort is offered. The answer to suffering can only ever be found in Infinite Love - anything else is a like a supe...

Intellectual arguments for God are a feeble response to the passionate questions about God caused by unjust suffering. In the face of screaming pain, soft spoken philosophical answers are drowned out. The book of Job rages against God and yet through it all, the deepest most intense comfort is offered. The answer to suffering can only ever be found in Infinite Love - anything else is a like a supe...

Genesis 26:1-35 Struggling with God, the life of Jacob part 2 1. God's promises make us a distinct people (1-5) 2. God's promises make us immigrants in this world (6-33) THEREFORE... Choose your family! (34-35) Send us Fan Mail

Struggling with God - the life of Jacob from Genesis Part 1 Genesis 25:19-34 1. God's promises overcome impossibilities (19-21) 2. God's word divides people (22-28) 3. Esau despised God's promises (29-34) Send us Fan Mail