New Highland Baptist Church Podcast

Ken presently serves as Team Leader for Empowering Leaders at the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Ken has been serving in this leadership position since May 2008. Jesus is coming whether we prepare or not. Don't miss Him. Jesus reminds us to be: 1. People of grace. 2. People of humility. (Give ourselves away.) 3. People who live by the fruit of the Spirit.

BACK STORY Isaiah 53:6-12 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledg

Trey Bearden, Executive Director Richmond Community ToolBank® Tools for Change. 1407 Cummings Drive Richmond, VA. 23220

Trey Bearden, Executive Director Richmond Community ToolBank® Tools for Change. 1407 Cummings Drive Richmond, VA. 23220

Church, we please God when . . . 1. We BELONG to one another. – Romans 12:5 2. ENCOURAGE one another. – 1 Thess. 5:11; Hebrews 3:13 3. FORGIVE one another. – Ephesians 4:32 4. Bear one another’s BURDENS. – Galatians 6:2 5. LOVE one another. – 1 John 3:11, 18, 23; John 13:34-35

Matthew 14:22-33New International Version (NIV) Jesus Walks on the Water 22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out

TODAY’S TAKEAWAYS: FOUR QUALITIES OF A JESUS FOLLOWER . . . 1. Be AVAILABLE. (Mark 1:17) 2. Don’t take yourself too SERIOUSLY. (Micah 6:8, MSG) 3. God will SHAPE you for the assignment. (Jeremiah 18:3) 4. Discipleship is your spiritual act of WORSHIP. (Romans 12:1)

WHAT GOD HATES Proverbs 6:16-19 Our LOVING God HATES some things. He hates HAUGHTY EYES, and a LYING TONGUE. He hates HANDS that shed INNOCENT BLOOD. He hates a HEART that devises WICKED PLANS. He hates FEET that hurry to run to EVIL. He hates a LYING witness who TESTIFIES falsely; and ONE who sows DISCORD in a FAMILY. WHAT GOD PROVIDES Psalm 51:1-19 When our SIN against God is ever BEFORE us (v. 3b), God provides a way to have the JOY of HIS SALVATION restored (v. 12a). God will FORGIVE us if we CONFESS our sin and DECLARE His PRAISE (v. 15a). Additional notes to be posted ASAP

KEY THOUGHT: God has given each of us special gifts and God calls us to use them to serve God in this world. “Here I am; you called me.” (1 Sam. 3:8) TAKEAWAYS FOR THIS WEEK: 1. Don’t underestimate our RESPONSIBILITY in the spiritual formation of children. (1 Samuel 2:27-28) 2. In spite of our INCOMPETENCIES and FAILURES, God still speaks to us and works through us. (1 Samuel 3:8-9) 3. Intergenerational ministry is a BEAUTIFUL thing! Are you listening to God? How will you make a difference in the next generation? (1 Samuel 3:15-18)

KEY QUESTION: Do we care enough to ask tough questions? HELPING OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE WAY OF FOLLOWING JESUS: 1. Take INITIATIVE. Paul cared enough to ask spiritual questions – Acts 19:1-2. While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 2. Take TIME. Paul listened to people’s stories and taught them the truth – Acts 19:2-7. So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 3. Take them WITH YOU. Paul mentored others along the way – Acts 19:9c-10. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived

KEY THOUGHT: “We are most like God when we GIVE.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son . . . (John 3:16) LESSONS FROM THE NATIVITY . . . MEANINGFUL GIFTS WITH MEANINGFUL IMPACT: 1. PERSONAL IMPACT -- 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matt. 2:10-11a, NIV) 2. SPIRITUAL IMPACT – 11Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matt. 2:11b) 3. PRACTICAL IMPACT -- 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Mat

THE WAY TO GO FOR YOUR GOAL: 1. Never THINK you’ve reached PERFECTION. 2. Never LOOK BACK. 3. Never STOP PRESSING. We often scatter ourselves too thin. Learn to downsize. Focus on one goal God wants you to do, and go for that goal. The goal that I will go for in 2015 is: ______________________________________________.

Part 4 of Advent Series "Preparing the Way" Discover that Jesus is glorified in all things -- from the highest place to the lowest place.

PART 3 OF ADVENT SERIES “PREPARING THE WAY” WHAT IS FAVOR? Favor is God’s GRACE poured out on us for the sake of others. • Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. (Luke 1:30, NIV) • But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Luke 1:43, NIV) WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S GRACE? • To give God glory – Luke 1:46 • To reach the generations – Luke 1:50 WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO? 1. Be intentional: Each day for the next ten days, REFLECT on God’s blessings in your life. 2. THANK others who have shown you favor. 3. Find three intentional ways to be a CHANNEL of grace to others.

Part 2 of Advent series "Preparing The Way" 1. THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL IS THE INCARNATION. Mystery = that which can be made known by Divine revelation . . . according to [God’s timing] . . . to those who are illumined by the Holy Spirit. 1 2. THE MISSION BEHIND THE MYSTERY IS REDEMPTION. “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will great and will be called the Son of the Most High . . .” (Luke 1:31-32a) 3. THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE MISSION IS GOD’S UNTHINKABLE LOVE. 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one anoth

Part 1 of Advent series "Preparing The Way" The difficult discipline of waiting, worship and answers to prayer.

Worship: Our RESPONSE to God’s faithfulness. Psalm 100 provides us a PATHWAY for worship: 1. Give the Lord a “shout out.” – v. 1 2. Serve with a glad heart. – v. 2 3. Draw near to God with songs. – v. 2b 4. Acknowledge God as our Creator and Shepherd. – v. 3 5. Open the door to God. – v. 4a 6. Give thanks. – v. 4b 7. Bless his name. – v. 4b Why Worship? Because God is good! His love endures forever; and his faithfulness continues from generation to generation. – v. 5

QUESTION: How Would You Measure Your Spiritual Vitality? COLD “JUST RIGHT” HOT 1. Don’t miss the moment of what God puts in FRONT of you. 2. Don’t miss the moment to sit at the FEET of Jesus. – Luke 10:39 3. Don’t miss the moment to live a VICTORIOUS life! – Rev. 3:21

PART SIX OF “I AM A CHURCH MEMBER SERIES” A STORY OF INTENTIONAL GRATITUDE: Luke 17:11-19 KEYSTONE HABIT: A PATTERN that has the power to start a chain reaction, changing other habits as it moves through an organization or life of an individual. MAKING GRATITUDE A KEYSTONE HABIT: THE PSALMS 1. Reflect on God’s PAST activity. (Psalm 107, 136) 2. Be thankful MORNING and EVENING (Psalm 92:1) 3. Remember that God is our SOURCE. (Psalm 104) 4. Move from “I have to” to “I get to” as a church member. ================================================== THE SIXTH PLEDGE: I am a church member. This membership is a gift. When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized. And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so mu

PART FIVE OF “I AM A CHURCH MEMBER SERIES” QUESTION: HOW ARE CHRISTIANS TO LEAD THEIR FAMILIES TO BE HEALTHY CHURCH MEMBERS? 1. Model Christ’s UNCONDITIONAL love in the home and to the church. Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Matthew 7:3-5 2. Make a great COMMITMENT to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission… THE GREAT COMMANDMENT: Matthew 22:36-40 • Love GOD (worship) • Love Your NEIGHBOR (ministry) • Love YOURSELF THE GREAT COMMISSION: Matthew 28:19-20 • Go (evangelism) • Baptize (fellowship) • Teach (discipleship) ================================================== THE FIFTH PLEDGE: I am a church member. I will lead my family to be good members of this church as well. We will pray together for our church. We will worship together in our church. We will serve together in our church. And we will ask Christ to help us fall deeper in love with this church because He gave His life for her.