Wednesday Night Services

How can I know the genuineness of my faith? I’ve been going through test and trials and I think I have been enduring like James has been speaking to, but I’m still in the trial. How do I know if I am genuinely standing in faith or just stuck in a bad place? Wouldn’t it be great if we could go through a self test to see? Well, James tells us how to do it as we take on the rest of chapter 1 beginning with verse 19 in tonight’s midweek service.

Don’t stop at counting it all joy when you enter into a test or trial, for if we endure in it we are called blessed. The only difference between those that are blessed and those who are not is their endurance. Once we are approved there is a crown or reward waiting for us! So who does the approval and what is the criteria, and can we know when the approval has been reached? So much in these 7 verses and I hope you can be part of our study together, tonight at 7:30 PM in church or on Facebook Live.

What is the purpose of the lowly being exalted and the rich being humbled? Who is doing the humbling and exalting? As with any truth in the Word of God the enemy has corrupted the understanding of these verse. You may have to shed some preconceive ideas on these verses as we endeavor through the context and other scriptures what is meant here.

Why does James go from verse 4 "complete lacking nothing" to verse 5 "If any of you lacks wisdom..."? There is a progression here and in the verses to come after that teach a great principle to cause our Christian walk to soar!

We've heard it said before "Attitude is everything!" Certainly our attitude in a situation changes not only how we view it, but also how we handle it. That is the subject of James opening to his church scattered about. No matter what they face in life because of their faith in Jesus the attitude they have can make or break them. The same is true for us and as we look at these verses we will see what that attitude is that is so needed, how to develop it in us if it's missing, and what end we are working toward.

All around us there are events that are good, bad, or indifferent occurring all around us and believers ask “where is God in this?” Did He bring it about, allow it to happen, or was there something we were to do to keep it away? Some of these events were national like the fate of Jerusalem or the death of an evil ruler like Herod. Others were more widespread like a terrible Caesar Nero coming to power, or a famine that the prophets announced. Still others were changes to individuals like a new baby, death of a provider, or sudden move away from Judea. Events both good or bad can bring great times of testing! We all love babies and watching them grow up is an exciting part of life, but they bring changes and test our physical and spiritual abilities. James is a letter from a pastor to his church that has scattered about the Roman empire. He no longer has a Sunday morning connection with them to encourage them in their tests and trials, so he wrote them a letter to make it’s way around to

Finishing the epistle of Jude with the last two verses (24 and 25) we are looking at how Jesus is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless! What a way to finish out this great letter! It looks like the last time we covered Jude in 2006 I didn't spend much time on these verses, but we will make up for that tonight as they receive our full focus. How does Jesus keep us from stumbling (and the Greek sheds a lot of light here) and then present us faultless? We will finish up with something in verse 25 that is real easy to read past as just a sign off, but it is much more.

Jude has exhorted the reader to contend for the faith, but so far he has only instructed in what we are contending against. Now he finishes the letter showing how we are to contend, and this is broken down into four aspects. The first two we take on in this midweek service. Are you prepared to contend for the faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

In this midweek service, we see another pattern of three, as three attributes demonstrate the heart and intent of these false teachers and there is an interaction with the three. A phrase used here "great swelling words" may surprise you in its history.

How could a prophecy given over 5,000 years ago, have application in the days of Jude when it's target is still future? Since we were looking at prophets and their prophecies on Sunday, it may be good to look more in depth about this particular prophecy. We may only get as far as verses 14-15, but I have also prepared for up to verse 19. There is a difference between speaking the words God gave and speaking their interpretation. Jude uses this prophecy of Enoch's as to speaking against those who had crept into the church to cause harm. Is this a right application of a prophecy given so long ago? Is the word given by Enoch speaking against the ungodly of his day, the days of the early church (Jude's day) or the end times?

Jude has been describing these false teachers and making comparisons of them to some very deplorable examples, so why now call them “spots” as it would seem that he sees them as something much more harmful and even dangerous? We also get another list to compare these to; waterless clouds, fruitless trees, raging waves, and wondering stars. We will look at what Jude is saying about these false teachers in these comparisons.

After speaking about an incident between the devil and the Archangel Michael (last Wednesday) we get to the heart of the comparison in these verses. Why would people be drawn to the evil speaking, contentions, rejection of authority and such that Jude refers to here? Have you ever been pulled in by it or know someone who has? We look into this, it's dangers, how to spot it, and stay out or get away from it.

In tonight's midweek service, we are covering Jude 1:8-9 and Michael the Archangel's battle with the devil is discussed, we will look at questions about these two. Was the devil an archangel? Did Michael replace some of his duties after the fall? Why was this battle over the body of Moses important?

Jude refers us to three cases in the past (Israel in the wilderness, fallen angels, and gentiles in sinful cities) and though they are completely different groups, they all had some things in common and were judged for it. Jude wants us to know these things they had in common to make sure that we stay away from such things and that we can recognize those that follow in their ways. Though they may be among believers, these things will tell you they are not what they seem.

Jude describes the entrance of those who do not wish to help the body of Christ, but desire to bring it harm. In tonight's second lesson from Jude we will look at the overall flow of the book and an in depth look at how these people take aim to destroy the church from within. Jude exhorts us to contend earnestly for the faith, not just compromise to get along for the sake of Christian unity as many today claim.

What do we expect God to preserve us from? As we begin our series on Jude tonight verse one tells us we are preserved, so what are we preserved from? We will look at a number of situations and weather they fit in the context of what is in mind here so we can get our expectations lined up with what we are promised.

In this service we will be looking at the big picture in Ezekiel. As we have spent almost 50 weeks looking at the picture from each chapter, tonight we will see how those chapters fit together, as well as reminding us of the applications from these prophetic messages. This is the first part (chapters 18-24)

In this service we will be looking at the big picture in Ezekiel. As we have spent almost 50 weeks looking at the picture from each chapter, tonight we will see how those chapters fit together, as well as reminding us of the applications from these prophetic messages. This is the first part (chapters 11-17)

In this service we will be looking at the big picture in Ezekiel. As we have spent almost 50 weeks looking at the picture from each chapter, tonight we will see how those chapters fit together, as well as reminding us of the applications from these prophetic messages. This is the first part (chapters 1-9)

n Genesis God said to Abraham "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates." In Joshua we read that the promise was fulfilled, yet they didn't go as far as the River Euphrates. Is the Promised Land different from the land given? This just might be a more interesting question than it seems on the surface!