THE LOVE OF GOD - Unshakeable, Part 6

April 7, 2020

God doesn’t love us because of who we are. He loves us because of who He is.

We wrapped up our Unshakeable series on Sunday and for the finale, we talked about the one characteristic that defines God more than any other. God is LOVE.

But while we all have an idea in our minds about what “love” is and what it looks like, we must be careful not to define God’s love as simply a higher version of human love. The two might be similar, but they are not the same.

Check out the video above to see for yourself and you can also enjoy a little entertainment at the start of the video, thanks to James, our guest host for the week.

GOODNESS OF GOD - Unshakeable, Part 3

March 16, 2020

“Trust in the goodness of the Giver, despite what you see in the gift.”

That’s easier said than done, but that’s what God’s goodness is all about. It’s about trusting His definition of good more than my own. And that was our topic in Part 3 of Unshakeable.

Enjoy the message!

CAN I TRUST GOD? - Unshakeable, Part 1

March 2, 2020

"Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever."
Psalm 125:1

UNSHAKEABLE. That’s the name of our latest series and in it, we’re talking about the key to a life of invincibility: trusting in God. When we trust God, we can withstand the inevitable trials of life. When we don’t, the smallest challenges may cause us to stumble and fall. The one who trusts in God cannot be shaken.

But is trust simply a “yes or no” thing? Or are there degrees? Is it possible that all of us – no matter how much or how little faith we have – can grow in our trust of God?

The Devil's Strongest Weapon

February 6, 2020

"The only way to DEFEAT your enemy is to first KNOW your enemy."

We may not always realize it, but every day we wake up to a war – one that’s been going since the day we were born and will continue until the day we die. It’s not a war fought with guns and other physical weapons; this war is much more deadly and there’s much more at stake…your soul!

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary THE DEVIL walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

Adversary… devil… roaring lion… DEVOUR! YIKES!!!

Trying to Earn God's Grace

December 18, 2019

“Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Galatians 3:3

Every now and then, I come across a passage in the Bible and it’s as if I’m reading it for the very first time. Those are the moments I live for… when the Word of God comes alive in a very real and personal way.

This morning was one of those moments. I read St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians and even though I’ve probably read those words hundreds of times, today was something special. It finally clicked!

Which is harder: PRAYER or WORK?

November 20, 2019

“The great people of the earth today are people who pray. I do not mean people who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray. They have not the time. It must be taken from something else. This something else is important. Very important, pressing, but still less important and less pressing than prayer.” -- S.D. Gordon

Which is harder – to pray or to work? Be honest. Which comes more natural when you have a problem that you can’t solve: to get up and try to fix it? Or to kneel down and spend some time praying about it?

For me, it’s a no-brainer. The harder task is prayer...by far! I know it seems counterintuitive, but it's true.

Starting Small, Part 4 - MAKING IT STICK

August 26, 2019

How do you short term changes into long term habits? You need two things: the FAITH to believe and a PLAN to achieve.

That ‘s our topic in the final installment of Starting Small. We turn our attention to how to make those short term changes “stick” and last into the long term. To do that, you’ll need more than willpower. You’ll need some faith as well.

And don’t forget our key thought throughout this entire series: successful people do CONSISTENTLY what others do OCCASIONALLY.

What’s the Most Boring Book in the Bible?

August 14, 2019

Forgive me for what I’m about to say. I know it sounds bad – especially coming from a priest – but it’s honest. We all know that there are books/sections in the Bible that are really difficult to understand – rule after rule, painful detail after painful detail…the very thought discourages us from even opening our Bible.

I know it’s not right, but it’s true.

So what one book in the Bible exemplifies this? The one book that we avoid the most?

The Necessity of Waiting

June 12, 2019

Waiting, waiting, waiting. No one likes to wait. I certainly don’t and I’ll bet you don’t either. Waiting at the doctor’s office, waiting for the cable guy, waiting for a job, waiting in traffic…WAITING WAITING WAITING. Sometimes it seems like we spend more time waiting than actually doing what we were trying to do in the first place!

It’s because of my disdain for waiting (aka, my impatience) that I don’t really enjoy going out to eat. If there’s one thing that my wife would change about me if she could, it’s this. I’d always prefer to stay home and eat leftovers out of the fridge as opposed to going out to eat – especially at a sit down restaurant!

Why? BECAUSE I HATE WAITING.

God's Promises: INHERITANCE VS POSSESSION

June 5, 2019

Inheritance comes from promise. Possession comes from obedience.

Have you ever heard a sermon about God’s promises and felt a little discouraged? Have you ever read a book or an article about God’s faithfulness and felt just a little bit cheated? Have you ever heard someone else tell the story of how God fulfilled a promise to them and had a little gnawing voice inside you say “why not me too?”

We all have. It’s not easy to appreciate the beauty and splendor of God’s faithfulness when you feel like God promised you something (healing, success, victory over a certain temptation, etc.) and He hasn’t yet provided it.

First in Faith, Part 6 - THE FINAL TEST

April 15, 2019

We wrapped up our series on the life of Abraham this week, First in Faith, and this week our hero faces his toughest challenge yet: the offering of his son Isaac. But as we’ve seen throughout the series, Abraham faces his challenge with faith and trust and because of that, he ends up reminding us of our key lesson in this series:

The reward of faith will always OUTWEIGH the cost, but it will never PRECEDE it.

First in Faith, Part 5 - ISAAC AND ISHMAEL

April 8, 2019

“You’ll never reach new heights, without letting go of familiar places.”

That’s our key thought from Part 5 of our series, First in Faith: The Life of Abraham. Abraham finally gets the gift he’s been waiting for (Isaac), but in order to get there, he’s got to let go of something dear to him (Ishmael). Why? Check out the video above and see for yourself.

First in Faith, Part 2 - EVEN GIANTS FALL

March 18, 2019

It’s part 2 in the series First in Faith: The Life of Abraham and this week we see a different side of our hero - one that struggles and makes mistakes. But it’s through those mistakes that we learn an important lesson about God’s promises and the life of faith: God’s promises are based more on who HE IS vs what I DO.

Confessions of a Bible Powercouple, Part 3 - Abraham and Sarah

February 11, 2019

It’s Part 3 of our series Confessions of a Bible Powercouple and this week we’re looking at one of the most famous and well-known powercouples ever: Abraham and Sarah.

Abraham and Sarah are two GIANTS when it comes to faith. They’re known for their incredible trust in God. But was their faith always strong? Or did they ever falter? Did they ever have any moments of weakness?

YOU BET! And through their story, we learn some critical lessons about what it means to “trust in God.”

The Road Ahead (sermon video)

January 23, 2019

THE WELL IS BACK!

I apologize for the loooong layoff, but what was supposed to be just a 3-week hiatus for the holidays turned out to be much longer due to several factors outside of our control. But thanks be to God, we finally got back to work this past weekend and the video is above.

That’s the good news.

The bad news however is that we – once again unfortunately – had technical difficulties and the recording is both INCOMPLETE (first 5-6 minutes didn’t record) and well BELOW THE QUALITY that you’re used to and deserve. For that I apologize but it was really out of our control.

Does Faith Really Have to Be Blind?

November 7, 2018

I have to start with a confession, something that could get me in trouble. What I’m about to confess could cause some of you to look at me different and judge me as being not very “spiritual” but I’m gonna do it anyway. Here goes…

I confess that I like to understand things. I like to know what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. I know it sounds unspiritual but I like to ask questions and dig for answers in areas we’re often told to just accept on “faith.”

Yes, I confess: MY NAME IS FR ANTHONY AND I'M A LOGICAL PERSON.

FORWARD BY FAITH - The Promised Land, Part 2

July 24, 2018

Special thanks to Steve Messeh (yes, we're brothers) for delivering a fantasticly inspiring message this past Sunday: FORWARD BY FAITH.

In this message, we continue our study of the book of Joshua and the land God promised to His children in the Old Testament. But remember, we're not chasing a promised LAND the way they were; we're chasing a promised LIFE - a life that fulfills the myriad of promises God has given to us in His Word.

In Part 1, we set the stage for the Promised Life; this week, we move FORWARD BY FAITH!

THE PROMISED LAND, Part 1 (audio only)

July 15, 2018

"What happened to last week's message? Where is the sermon?"

That's the question that I've heard a thousand times over the past week and unfortunately, even though I have an answer, it probably isn't what you want to hear.

Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties outside of our control, last week's message was NOT captured on video. The room we rent went haywire and we almost had to abandon ship midway through the message.

But the good news is that we were able to capture an AUDIO version - albeit a somewhat below average recording - including the moment when things went haywire (go to minute 32 and listen for yourself).

Understanding God's Will: MAN'S CATCH-22

January 26, 2018

Why? The three letter question that is seemingly impossible to answer. Many times in life, whether in good, but usually in bad, circumstances, we just stop and ask— Why God? Why did you let this happen or why didn’t you let that happen?

You can spend hours, days, years, even a lifetime driving yourself crazy to find a complex answer to such a simple question. And it isn’t a new question— it goes back thousands of years to the story of Job. But at the conclusion of your quest for an answer, no definitive answer can be found. And typically when we can’t find an answer to a question, we feel angry, sad, hopeless, unmotivated and/or belittled.

So why can’t we find an answer? Because we, as humans, are LIMITED.

Is It Possible to Grow Without Being Challenged?

November 1, 2017

Is it possible to grow if you’re never challenged?

Think before you answer. Is it possible to become stronger if your muscles are never challenged? Is it possible to become smarter if your mind is never challenged? Is it possible to run farther if your physical conditioning is never challenged?

Is it possible to grow if you’re never challenged? The undeniable answer is NO.

Whether it’s physical strength or intellectual prowess or long distance running, I will never grow unless I challenge myself and push myself beyond my current capability – aka, “what I can handle.”

All agree so far? (Here comes the part you probably won’t like.)