Vincennes First Church of God

 “Battle Against Mediocrity” February 11, 2024   Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:11-12 (ESV)   What keeps us mediocre? What barriers keep us from reach...

Ascend Part IV; February 4, 2024 “Seeking Generation”   Psalm 24:3-6, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?   He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.   He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.  Such is the generation of those who see...

Ascend Part III; January 28, 2024 “Loyal Soul ”   Psalm 24:3-6, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?   He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who  does not lift up his soul to what is false  and does not swear deceitfully.   He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.   Such is the generation of those who seek h...

Ascend Part II; January 21, 2024 “Pure Hearts ”   Psalm 24:3-6, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?   He who has clean hands and a  pure heart , who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.   He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.   Such is the generation of those who seek h...

Ascend Part I; January 14, 2024 “Clean Hands ”   Psalm 24:3-6, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?   He who has  clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.   He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.   Such is the generation of those who seek him...

People of Christmas Part VI; December 31, 2023 “The Three Wisemen”   God Cares About the People Far from Him   Luke 19:10, For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” (NLT)   Luke 15:7, There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (NLT)   Jesus is Lord; You Can Either Worsh...

People of Christmas Part V; December 24, 2023 “Baby Jesus”     Jesus Came to Create a Model For us to Follow   John 3:16-17, For God expressed His love for the world in this way: He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not face everlasting destruction, but will have everlasting life. Here’s the point. God didn’t send His Son into the world to judge it; instead, He is here to resc...

People of Christmas Part III; December 10, 2023 “Joseph”   Matthew 1:18-21, Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.   But as he considered these th...

People of Christmas Part II; December 3, 2023 “Shepherds”   Luke 2:8-11, And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be...

People of Christmas  Part I; November 26, 2023 “John The Baptist”   Luke 1:15-17, He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make r...

Steps to forgiveness

Preparing the Next Generation

Jonah Part V; November 5, 2023 “Big Picture”   What do we do when God doesn’t do what we expect him to?   Three Questions We Should Ask When Confused:     Is My Current Struggle a Symptom of Spiritual Drift?   Jonah 4:8, When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for...

Jonah  Part IV; October 29, 2023 “Prejudice”   Jonah 4:2, And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.    Receiving Mercy Should Generate Mercy   Summary -> parable of...

Jonah  October 22, 2023 “Repentance”   Jonah 3:8, People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence.   Repentance Begins with Acceptance and Godly Sorrow   2 Corinthians 7:8-11, I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful t...

Jonah  Part II; October 15, 2023 “Redemption”    Jonah 3:7-9, And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the viole...

Jonah  Part I; October 8, 2023 “Uncomfortable”   Jonah 1:1-2, The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:   “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” (CSB)   Trusting God Can Help You Avoid Being Eaten   Matthew 5:39-45, If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.   And if anyone would sue you and take y...

Outlook Determines Outcome

September 24, 2023 “Are You Hungry?” We feed ourselves with the wrong things. John 4:7-14 NIV “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. ) Jesus an...

Professional Christian  September 17, 2023 “Human Tradition”   Matthew 15:2-3, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? (ESV)   God’s Word Exposes Tradition and Reveals Purpose   Acts 15:19, And so my judgment is that we should not make it...

Professional Christian September 10, 2023 “Inside Out”   Matthew 23:27-28, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So, you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (ESV)   Be Righteous When No One i...

Professional Christian September 3, 2023 “Hurdles”   Matthew 23:4,   They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. (ESV)   Accountability is Both Correction and Investment   Matthew 11:28-30, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn...

Professional Christian August 27, 2023 “What Matters Most”   Luke 11:42, “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (ESV)   What causes us to neglect the things that matter most?   Busyness                                            Exhaustion Vanity                     ...

Evan Brings the Word!

Summer in the Psalms Part IX; August 13, 2023     They return at evening, snarling like dogs and prowling around the city. They scavenge for food; they growl if they are not satisfied. But I will sing of your strength and will joyfully proclaim your faithful love in the morning. For you have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble. Psalm 59:14-16 (CSB)   Your Diet will Determine Yo...