Riverbluff Church Sermons

I imagine many of you have already begun your INDEPENDENCE DAY celebration. Over on our side of town, folks began shooting fireworks at the beginning of this week! Over these last 250 years, GOD has richly blessed these United States of America. When it comes to this nation, “GOD shed His grace on thee,” as boldly proclaimed in the song AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, is an understatement! One of the ways...

What a truly wonderful week the LORD gave us at VBS! GOD’S protection over technology and our facilities, (especially HVAC), has been seen by all of us who are “VBS Veterans” here at Riverbluff. More importantly GOD is doing a great work in the lives of so many kids, (and some of their parents). It is so beautiful to see! This Sunday we’ll celebrate that work of GOD and our children will be leadin...

Freedom has been an illusive longing in the hearts and minds of humanity since we were created and placed in the Garden of GOD, where we quickly chose enslavement to sin! (see Genesis 3) I write this on a national holiday commemorating the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of the Civil War and ensure that all remaining enslaved people were freed. It is a celebrati...

If someone only did a shallow, superficial reading of the first four books of the New Testament, (the Gospels), they would certainly walk away knowing that Jesus did not come to earth looking for perfect people.  The lives of those closest to Jesus during His earthly ministry, were pretty much all “hot messes”! When the Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to Christians in the city of Corinth, he r...

How to Let God Fight for You - part 2 In John 5:17, JESUS said, “My Father never stops working, and so I keep working, too.” In HIS great grace, our GOD has invited us to join HIM where HE is working in our city and in places around the world. We are going to take some moments this Sunday to celebrate just a few of the places HE is moving and the joy we receive when we join HIM! I sure hope you’re...

This Sunday when we gather, we have the great privilege to celebrate with a special group of people in our River-family, they are our recent Graduates. Some earned their high school diplomas, several earned a bachelor’s degree, one earned their Ph. D.! While all these Grads have completed a great challenge, each of them will now step into a new arena where they will face new opponents and battles....

This weekend is designated by our nation as Memorial Day Weekend.  For many it marks the beginning of Summer and is often celebrated with camping, cookouts, and beach trips.  It’s origin is much more somber and serious in nature. While established as a federal holiday in 1971, Americans began to recognize Memorial Day in 1868. Originally known as “Decoration Day” the holiday started with communiti...

On May 14, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Benin, Indonesia, Madagascar, Namibia, Vanuatu, and a few other countries celebrated a National Holiday, complete with the closing of schools, banks, and government offices. In Germany, the holiday is called “Christi Himmelfahrt”, which like...

The book of Proverbs is not a “prophetic” book, but a book of Wisdom.  It’s a collection of wise observations, assembled by the man the Bible describes as the wisest man to live, King Solomon. (see 1 Kings 3 & 4) Proverbs 31:28 tells us something incredible about Godly Mothers.  It says, “Her children stand and bless her.”  The verses just before, tell us why that would happen: “She is clothed wit...

 "Why pray? In this message, Pastor Dean Infinger looks at the true purpose of prayer: a tool not for getting what we want, but for wanting what God wants. Join us as we discuss how a posture of 'Thy Will Be Done' transforms our anxiety into peace and our efforts into impact. Don't miss this opportunity to strengthen your connection with the Father!"

Years ago, while attending a Celebrate Recovery Training, I remember hearing the speaker say: “The JESUS of the Bible is in the RECLAIMING, RECOVERING, REDEEMING, REPOSSESSING, RESTORING, business!”  And to that I remember saying, “AMEN”! I don’t know of a personal encounter in the Bible that better demonstrates this truth about JESUS, than John 21:15-25.  JESUS takes a brief walk with the Apostle...

Most of us are familiar with the idea of giving someone the “Benefit Of The Doubt”. Like choosing to trust that someone’s intentions are good despite uncertainty or evidence suggesting otherwise. It is a choice to assume innocence rather than assuming guilt or malice when faced with mysterious circumstances. This week, as we continue our Easter Teaching Series: FOREVER CHANGED, I think we should a...

In this message, Dr. Curt Bradford continues our series on lives that were forever changed by their encounter with Jesus. This week, we will look at the disciples who encountered the risen Savior on the road to Emmaus. This story beautifully illustrates the importance of biblical community and discipleship; just as those disciples walked and processed the scriptures together, we are called to grow...

The Bible tells us at 3PM, on the day of His Crucifixion, JESUS spoke His final words, "'Father into Thy hands I commit My Spirit!’ And having said this He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46). For JESUS that ended a day of torture that began in the early morning hours, first at the hands of the High Priest and Sanhedrin. Then mercilessly scourged by Roman Lictors. All of that before enduring the brut...

Maundy Thursday - This service is a meaningful and sobering prelude to the Easter weekend, commonly called Maundy Thursday. It is solemn and focuses on Jesus’ last supper with His disciples and His subsequent arrest, rejection, and death. It’s a truly different kind of worship experience that allows us to live out the teaching that Jesus gave His followers to “remember”. This service encourages us...

Have you ever participated in, or seen “in-person”, a Donkey Basketball game? When I was in High School, I watched members from that year’s Senior Class compete against some specially selected teachers, in a game of Donkey Basketball.  It is a “real thing”! While the rules of regular Basketball get slightly altered, the biggest difference is, you ride on the back of a donkey, (that is if you can s...

Do you remember a popular fad from the 90’s called Magic Eye. (The technical term is autostereogram.) These are two-dimensional (2D) images that create the optical illusion of a three-dimensional (3D) scene. In the 90’s they were the world’s most famous—and infamously frustrating—optical illusion! Posters bearing the brightly colored pop-art hung everywhere. At first glance they appear to be a cha...

Other than being a bit cooler this morning than most mornings this week, it is obvious that Spring has sprung!  One way I know this for certain is that each morning when I walk outside, what was formerly my black truck, is now my yellow truck!  (Thanks pollen…) All of this also means that the greatest celebration of our faith is only weeks away.  Resurrection Sunday is just around the corner! Spri...

One of the many things I love about GOD’s Word, is that it doesn’t attempt to cleanup or cover up the sin and brokenness of the heroes of our faith. In fact, most often it showcases their human frailty as they made their way through the brokenness of this world. One of the greatest chapters on faith in the Bible is Hebrews chapter 11. Many refer to it as the “Hall of Fame of Our Faith.”  As I read...

The Heart of the Matter: Generosity Generosity is about so much more than what we give; it’s about the heart we cultivate and the promise of a life "running over." In this message, Pastor Dean Infinger explores the beautiful cycle of grace found in Luke 6:38, where we learn that when we open our hands to others, we open our lives to a "good measure, pressed down, and shaken together." Discover how...

Boston Consulting Group, (BCG), renowned for innovative strategic solutions and growth strategies in business, advises that, “revisiting your mission is essential to ensure that an organization's core purpose, strategy, and daily actions remain aligned as it evolves, preventing it from becoming outdated or losing focus. Regularly reviewing the mission keeps stakeholders engaged, ensures relevance...

Many of you reading this will know that I consider myself a decent “DIY-er”.  When I’m at the end of a project and think I’m done, I’ll take a step back to check-out my work.  Then I’ll invite Kathy to share her thoughts.  From time-to-time Kathy helps me see how I could add one more thing that would really finish off the project well, making it even better! Sometimes walking verse-by-verse throug...

Have you ever watched a movie or been devoted to watching a TV series, and it ended with no resolve? Or the ending just made absolutely no sense? You get to the end of it, and you're like, wait, wait, wait, I paid attention all the way through. I watched the entire season. And we get to the end, and it ends like that? You get to the end and still have so many questions. “Did they get back together...

While it’s easy for passing storms to significantly interrupt and even radically change our lives, it is comforting and encouraging to know that JESUS, who the bible calls “the Author of life” (Acts 3:15) and the “Giver of life” (Acts 17:25) loves life! The whole of scripture tells us that our GOD is “Pro-Life” and celebrates every life! This characteristic of our GOD shows up in a powerful way in...

From 2007-2014 the FOX Network ran a reality television series entitled KITCHEN NIGHTMARES.  It starred Chef Gordon Ramsay, who is invited by the owners of a failing restaurant to come and spend a week with them, in an attempt to revive the business. Typically, the owner thinks the problem is something like, “their sign isn't bright enough” or “the people in the community just don't know good food...