Fear

The sermon encourages the congregation to remain attentive to the Word of God, referencing the memory verse John 3:34, which states that whoever God sends speaks the words of God. The speaker draws a parallel to the rebellion of the sons of Korah, urging the listeners to guard against drifting from the truth and to allow their faith to grow through life's trials.

The speaker emphasizes that a core message often overlooked by preachers is understanding God as a loving Father. He draws heavily from Jesus' teachings, noting that Jesus frequently spoke about the Father to his disciples. The talk stresses that believers should pray directly to their Father for the Holy Spirit, rather than treating it like an application to a distant authority. Ultimately, the speaker urges listeners to study the Gospels to learn how Jesus taught about the Father and to focus on revealing God's nature as a loving Father to others.

The speaker warns against the subtle decay of spiritual fervor, comparing it to a dying fire that can creep in slowly through comfort or distraction. He encourages believers to maintain faithfulness to God throughout life, citing Daniel's unwavering devotion from youth to old age. The core message is to remain vigilant, listening for the Holy Spirit's prompting to prevent spiritual complacency and to live in a state of constant readiness for Christ's return.

The speaker emphasizes that while the Old Testament covenant was established and later superseded by the New Covenant at Pentecost, the Old Testament remains a vital, inspired part of Scripture. He uses examples from Matthew (like Jesus contrasting the privileges of his generation with those of the Old Testament cities) to challenge the audience to recognize the greater spiritual privileges available today through the Holy Spirit. He cautions that when studying Old Testament figures, one must remember they operated without the full reality of grace available in Christ.

The central message emphasizes that the goal of Christians is to reflect Jesus by growing in personal purity and functioning corporately within the local church. The speakers repeatedly draw on the concept of 'the secret of the Lord,' which is reserved for those who fear God. Practically, fearing the Lord means hating evil, treating small sins with the same urgency as discarding dirty diapers, and ultimately finding intimacy with God through Christ.

The speaker uses the analogy of a toenail to emphasize that every member of the body in Christ is valuable, regardless of perceived gifts or outward appearance. He draws parallels from the stories of Hezekiah and Abraham, illustrating that times when God seems to leave us alone are often periods of testing. The central message is that if our goal is to honor God, He will honor us, even when the process is difficult or silent.

The message emphasizes the necessity of actively keeping oneself in God's love, as failure to do so can lead to chaos in all areas of life. Drawing from Peter's experience, the speaker explains that trials are designed by God to act as a 'sifting' process, separating the eternal 'gold' from the worthless 'dross.' This process is ultimately purifying, and even the devil must seek God's permission to test us.

The speaker argues that while the Old Testament is foundational scripture, the New Covenant established at Pentecost provides believers with far greater spiritual privileges than those available to Old Testament saints. He cautions against viewing Old Testament figures as having the same level of grace and reality available to Christians today, emphasizing that true reality and grace are only possible through Christ. The message encourages believers to compare their current understanding to the Old Testament examples to recognize their blessings.

The sermon uses John Bunyan's *Pilgrim's Progress* to illustrate the seriousness of sin and the necessity of salvation through Christ. It emphasizes that true conviction about sin leads one to follow the narrow path to salvation, even when mocked by family and friends. The message warns against those who approach salvation lightly, comparing them to 'Compromiser,' who lacks the deep burden of sin.

The central message is that true spiritual maturity and hearing from God require 'Godly fear' and the learning of obedience through suffering. The speaker draws heavily from Hebrews 5, emphasizing that Jesus's prayers were heard because of His godly fear, and He learned obedience by submitting to the limitations of humanity. Therefore, Christians must seek to learn obedience in the difficult areas of life—those that require self-denial and suffering—to achieve spiritual growth.

The central message is the necessity of maintaining humility by constantly guarding against self-exaltation, whether through achievements, knowledge, or possessions. The speaker emphasizes casting down 'high thoughts' and imaginations that oppose God's knowledge, ensuring that every thought is brought into captivity to Christ's obedience. Ultimately, all glory must be given to the Lord, exemplified by cultivating a gentle and quiet spirit.

A Sunday church service featuring worship songs and hymns celebrating God's majesty, grace, and redemption. The service emphasizes adoration of Jesus Christ through contemporary and traditional worship music, focusing on themes of salvation, God's glory, and eternal praise.

The speaker emphasizes that knowing God should compel us to change, warning against the danger of maintaining old habits or attitudes after God has revealed Himself. Using Abraham's repeated lies and Elijah's flight from Jezebel as examples, the message stresses that a refusal to change in light of new revelation is dangerous, and we must always be willing to be purged of impurity.

The message emphasizes the importance of knowing God as Father, Jesus as Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit as Helper, especially in the last days. It warns that the Antichrist's influence will lead people away from the New Covenant, which promises deliverance from sin, not just forgiveness. True Christian life means living moment-by-moment by the Word of God, like a branch constantly receiving sap from the tree.

The message centers on being perpetually prepared for Jesus' second coming, drawing from Luke 21:34. The speaker advises guarding the heart against three specific dangers: a life of dissipation (wasting time and talents), spiritual drunkenness (taking sin lightly), and the worries of life (being distracted by worldly desires). True readiness requires focusing on heavenly things, maintaining vigilance, and consistently praying for strength.

The sermon emphasizes that true Christian life requires not only faith but also perseverance, drawing parallels from Abraham, Noah, Joseph, and David. The speaker warns that while it is easy to trust God during times of struggle, the real test of faith and patience comes when life becomes comfortable and successful. He stresses that believers must remain vigilant, constantly praying and remaining humble, even when circumstances are favorable.

The service focused heavily on themes of Christ's return and the believer's hope in Him. Key passages referenced Jesus preparing a place for believers and the assurance that the truth will set them free. The message encouraged the congregation to look forward to seeing the King and to approach God's presence with boldness, recognizing Jesus as the mediator and intercessor.

The service is a celebration of the CFC's 45th anniversary, emphasizing that the church's founding and continued strength are attributed to the Holy Spirit. The message encourages the congregation to praise God for His faithfulness, acknowledging that the church's ministry focuses on making disciples rather than just making converts. The service concludes with reflections on scripture and a commitment to continued spiritual growth.

The message emphasizes that true discipleship requires a 'Shepherd mentality,' meaning one must be willing to lay down one's life and risk personal safety for the benefit of others, much like Jesus. The speaker warns against the 'ravenous wolf' mentality—a self-serving, biting disposition—and contrasts it with the selfless care of the Good Shepherd. Following Jesus must result in a visible desire to lead others to be disciples.

The sermon emphasizes that understanding the full purpose of God requires recognizing that no single individual can manifest all of God's glory; this necessitates deep fellowship with the body of Christ. True knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, which defines eternal life, leads to a profound hatred of sin. The speaker argues that many believers are spiritually illiterate because they do not view sin—such as lust, gossip, or bitterness—with the seriousness they deserve, failing to grasp the gravity of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

The speaker emphasizes that true readiness for Christ's return is not found in knowing the exact details of the end-times, but in maintaining a passionate, devoted relationship with Christ, likened to a bride's devotion to her groom. He warns against adopting a 'fear of being caught' as motivation for holiness, arguing that genuine holiness must stem from the fear of God, not from the anxiety of potential discovery. True devotion means being so focused on Christ that worldly details or temptations do not distract one.

The speaker discusses the coming times, referencing Daniel 11:32, and emphasizes that the New Covenant promises deliverance from sin, not just forgiveness. He stresses that true Christian life means living moment-by-moment by the Word of God, like a branch constantly receiving sap. Furthermore, he urges believers to build their foundation not on their own efforts or good works, but solely on the righteousness provided by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The sermon emphasizes that while we should not fear God's provision, we must actively fear sin, particularly harboring unloving thoughts or bitterness against others. True rest comes from a clear conscience, which means confessing all known sin to the Lord. The ultimate standard for sin is anything that comes short of the glory of God, which is defined by the law of love, meaning anything contrary to God's love.

The central message is that believers should intentionally focus their minds on heavenly things rather than earthly concerns. Drawing from Philippians 4:8 and Colossians 3, the speaker uses the analogy of a rubber band to illustrate how our thoughts naturally revert to what they are attached to—whether it's worldly pursuits or spiritual realities. He encourages listeners to examine where their minds dwell when given free time.