Vineyard Richmond Weekly Message

One thing scripture is abundantly clear about is that love seeks the lost. There’s something about God’s furious love that actively seeks out those who need it the most.

Not by works so that no one can boast. You have been saved by God – do you want it?

The Lord’s name literally is, “Abounding in love and FAITHFULNESS” What does that tell us about God himself?

We can all trust the Lord when it is popping up sunshine and roses-- when it is blue skies and big smiles. What about in the storm, the wreck, the loss?

Sometimes we get caught up in the definition of surrender that gets wrongfully associated with weakness or loss. We shout “never surrender!” and continually spend our days looking to prove our strength, worth, and value to those around us. However, just like in the hymn, our full surrender leads to a greater presence of the Holy Spirit.

Why do we sing blood songs? What did the blood represent?

I can tell you all that God has done in my life, but I would much rather tell you what he is doing. The Lord saved me, but he is also saving me.

Peter, the disciple of Jesus, lived a rollercoaster of a life. This man that stood up and rebuked Jesus for saying he would go to Jerusalem and die. This same Peter cut off Malchus’ ear in the garden the night Jesus was arrested. The same man said he would never, ever, deny Jesus— and failed. Why? He didn’t understand the vision.

Grace is the totally unmerited, unearned, unwarranted favor of God. Simply put, it is the forgiveness based upon the love of God to us. We cannot earn it.

Even King David had moments when he couldn’t hear from God even though he was asking, begging God to speak! If you are seeking God and not hearing God, you are in good company. All is not lost.

Have you ever been so sure of God’s plan and yet got it wrong?

When we hear the Lord and then act on it, we tend to get more comfortable; we recognize it a little faster, easier, and more confidently.

How do you know when it’s God talking? How do you hear God speak? Does God still speak to people today?

Have you ever made a little decision that ended up changing everything? Sometimes these moments may not seem big but have a huge impact.

The cross holds back the flood of God’s wrath upon our lives, it won’t reach us. But when that stone was rolled away, the promise of the Holy Spirit flooded the world!

Jesus knew his time was short and spends what’s left trying to build up confidence, character, and understanding in his followers. He is aware that he has a limited amount of time to dispense an immense amount of teaching.

You are not going to experience the resurrection Jesus spoke of if you are dressed in the clothing of the world.

We are quick to shy away from God’s word, the one that brings about redemptive love, because we’re afraid that he’ll change his mind! When we have a view of God as the bully with a magnifying glass and we’re the ants in the anthill then we think the only thing he could be is angry at us, but that’s not what scripture tells us!

If scripture tells us to put to death what is earthly in us, then at the very least we should be wrangling and wrestling with it.

Don’t give up that which the Lord has died to provide for you.

Being a Christian is about living and dying in obedience to the teachings of Jesus.

Paul is telling us that our relationship to God is something that we must continually care for.

Things changed during the 11:15a service this week as the Holy Spirit led Pastor Joe into a different message for the service than the one he had prepared.

I have heard very well-meaning people ask: “Have you been praying the scriptures?” It usually gets said in a manner that suggests that if you pray the scripture, God is more inclined to hear what you are saying, or give you what you ask for. Is that true?

A lot of things that get attributed to God that “sound” right… but does the Bible actually back that up?