New Highland Baptist Church Podcast

I AM JESUS--PART 2 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11, NIV) “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! (John 10:1, NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10, NLT) FOUR CHALLENGES OF BEING SHEEP: 1) Sheep get LOST easily. 2) Sheep are DEFENSELESS. 3) Sheep are very STUBBORN. 4) Sheep are FILTHY. WHAT DOES THE GOOD SHEPHERD DO? • He GUIDES. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3, NIV); The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:3-4, NLT) • He PROVIDES. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pa

BLESS THIS HOME PT.4 • We are not just a CHRISTIAN family • We are a Christ-CENTERED home TODAY’S KEY THOUGHT: • If you are a Christ-centered family, you will be PERSECUTED. KEY PASSAGE: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10) PREPARING YOUR FAMILY FOR PERSECUTION 1. EXPECT it. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted… (2 Timothy 3:12) If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first…you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:18-20) 2. ENDURE it. …When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. (1 Corinthians 4:12) • When family identity is STRONG, peer pressure is weak. • When family identity is WEAK, peer pressure is strong. 3. EMBRACE it. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not

BLESS THIS HOME PT.3Key Verse: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9, NIV)PeaceMAKERS, not PeaceKEEPERS•Peacekeepers often AVOID conflict to keep the peace•Peacemakers EMBRACE conflict to make peaceKEY THOUGHT:•We are not just a CHRISTIAN family•We are a Christ-CENTERED homeDo not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-18, 21)WHAT DO PEACEMAKERS DO?1)Tell the truth in LOVE.Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (Ephesians 4:15, NLT)2)Apologize when you are WRONG.Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a)3)FORGIVE and let go.Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. F

BLESS THIS HOME PT.2Key Verse: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8, NIV)MAIN THOUGHT: Without Christ, there is no such thing as a PURE heart.The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” (Jer. 17:9-10)“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity...” (Eph. 4:18-19)•We are not just a CHRISTIAN family•We are a Christ-CENTERED family“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.” (Psalm 119:9-10)CREATING A CULTURE OF PURITY1.Get your OWN heart right“Above all else, guard your he

BLESS THIS HOME PT.1Key Verse: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6, NIV)IN YOUR HOME, WHAT DO YOU HUNGER FOR?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________WHAT DOESN’T WORK?•LEGALISTIC CHRISTIANITY•LUKEWARM CHRISTIANITYWHAT DOES WORK?•WE ARE NOT JUST A CHRISTIAN FAMILY•WE ARE A CHRIST-CENTERED FAMILYYou, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1, NIV)•HELP YOUR FAMILY SEE GOD AS LOVING, APPROACHABLE, AND INVOLVED.THREE WAYS TO CREATE HUNGER FOR GOD:1)INVOLVE GOD IN YOUR DAILY CONVERSATIONS.2)MAKE CHURCH NON-NEGOTIABLE.3)SHOW HOW SEEKING AND SERVING GOD IS FUN.…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Josh. 24:15, NIV) TALKING POINT: WHAT STEPS MIGHT YOU NEED TO TAKE TO CREATE A STRONGER HUNGER FOR GOD IN YOUR HO

KEY PASSAGE: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26, NIV). DEAD ENDS1. DEAD IN YOUR DOUBTS. 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”2. DEAD IN YOUR DISCOURAGEMENT. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.3. DEAD IN THE DELAY.17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days…21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.AN “EVEN NOW” MOMENT22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even

MAIN THOUGHT: GOD KNOWS HOW TO HELP YOU FIND WHAT YOU DIDN’T MEAN TO LOSE.HOW HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SPIRITUAL EDGE?HOW DO YOU GET YOUR EDGE BACK?1. BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE YOU LOST IT.“The Man of God asked, ‘Where did it fall?’” (2 Kings 6:6).2. GOD CARES ABOUT WHAT YOU LOST.“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7).3. WITH GOD’S HELP, TAKE BACK WHAT YOU LOST.“When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. ‘Lift it out,’ he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it” (2 Kings 6:6-7).“. . . You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” (Rev. 2:4-5a).“God, your God, will restore everything you lost; he’ll have compassion on you; he’ll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattere

Part 3 of “Elisha” Series“The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.’ 2 Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’ ‘Your servant has nothing there at all,’ she said, ‘except a small jar of olive oil’” (2 Kings 4:1-2, NIV).MAIN THOUGHT: WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT, GOD IS WHAT YOU REALLY NEED. •Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” (v. 2a).WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE MUCH?1.STOP WAITING FOR WHAT YOU WANT AND START WORKING WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.•“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil” (v. 2b).2.OFFER GOD WHAT YOU HAVE AND TRUST HIM TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED.•“Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars” . . . (vv. 3-7).•“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surp

Part 2 of “Elisha” SeriesMAIN THOUGHT: YOUR GREATEST NEED BECOMES A BLESSING WHEN IT DRIVES YOU TO DEPEND ON GOD.•2 Kings 3:9-18TWO PRINCIPLES OF FAITH THAT WORKS:1.ONLY GOD CAN SEND THE WATER, BUT SOMETIMES HE WANTS YOU TO DIG A DITCH.•James 2:26 “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also is faith dead without good works” (NLT).2.REAL FAITH BELIEVES BIG BUT IS WILLING TO START SMALL.•Zech. 4:10 “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin . . .” (NLT).•2 Kings 3:20 “The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water” (NIV).QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION:•Think back to a time when a great need drove you to depend on God. How was it a blessing?•What is one big dream for your life that you need God’s help to accomplish?•What ditch might God want you to start digging today to turn your dream into a reality?

Dr. Fred Anderson portrayed Dr. William E. Hatcher for our Senior Sunday at New Highland. Dr. Anderson is the Director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society Museum located at the University of Richmond.

A. God required the ISRAELITES to wear TASSELS on their garments, with a BLUE CORD on each TASSEL. B. The Israelites were to LOOK AT THE TASSELS to REMIND them of the COMMANDS of the Lord, and OBEY them.C. Jesus gave us TWO REMINDERS. The bread reminds us of His LIFE. D. The juice reminds us of His LOVE.

“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words—-they’ll just break our hearts.” Robert Fulgham1. LIES (Proverbs 6:16-19)2. SLANDER (Proverbs 10:18-19a)3. GOSSIP (Proverbs 18:8)4. DEATH AND LIFE (Proverbs 18:21)5. TROUBLES (Proverbs 21:23)Alan Redpath offers victory over the tongue using the word “THINK” to guide us.T–is it TRUE?H–is it HELPFUL?I-is it INSPIRING? N-is it NECESSARY?K-is it KIND?A WORD OF WARNING AND ADMONITION:“But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36, 37)

Four Things God Has Never Seen:1. Someone He cannot love. John 13:12. A sickness He cannot heal. Mark 5:25-34, Mark 7:24-30, 2 Kings 13:143. A sinner He cannot forgive. 1 Timothy 1:12-164. A substitute for His Son. Christ is unique. John 1:1-3

Part 1 of “Elisha” SeriesSo Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. 20 Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” 21 So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. (1 Kings 19:19-21, NIV)TWO PRINCIPLES OF RIDICULOUS COMMITMENT:1.You don’t have to understand FULLY to obey IMMEDIATELY. “Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you” (1 Kings 19:20).2.Those God uses the MOST are the ones who hold on to the LEAST. “So Elisha left him and went back. He too

Dr. Bob Fleming preached for Pastor Bob Lee who was called away.We all need to Go! We need to put our faith in action. We must Know Christ, Grow in Christ and Serve Christ.

Big Idea: Everyone ends up somewhere. Few people end up somewhere on purpose.“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).Four Phases of Stepping into God’s Vision for your life:1. The Spirit’s PROMPTING – Acts 20:22a2.Certain UNCERTAINTY – Acts 20:22b3.Predictable RESISTANCE – Acts 20:234.Uncommon CLARITY – Acts 20:24Question for Application: What small steps can you take now to lead you closer to where God wants you to be?

Rev. Rick Fisher led a conference for area pastors while he was here with NHBC.

Rev. Rick Fisher led a conference for area pastors while he was here with NHBC. This is the first session.

Rev. Rick Fisher continued with his message to our congregation on Monday evening.

1. The Way I View God - Fear God - respect, honor, be in awe of Him, take God seriously2. How I Deal With My Sin - What is sin? Not making a mistake. Sin is living or behaving. - Confess your sin. Name it. Repent. Forsake. - What does God do with our sin? Puts it out of sight, out of reach, out of His mind, out of existence.3. Truth of God's Word Affects My Life- Prayer life is more relationship than ritual.4. The Way I View God- Genuine joy