Northwest Christian Church

Jesus’ Hands: God’s Love Touching Our Lives

nwchristianchurch — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:05:27 +0000

How Will Others View My Success?

nwchristianchurch — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:44:27 +0000

Some people will really love you and admire you when they see your success. Maybe they recognize and acknowledge where that success comes from, but still they will hold you in high esteem. What are you to do when that kind of thing happens? Well, don’t do what David was tempted to do, don’t do, what even ole Joseph was tempted to do, remember? When Joseph’s brother came down to Egypt and didn’t realize who he was.

God was with David, God had His hand of blessing on Joseph’s life, both of them, in their prosperity had opportunities to use that success as ‘upper-hand leverage’ to get even with the ones who had done them wrong, King Saul, Joseph’s brothers. But both of them, instead of using their positions of prominence and prosperity to hurt, what did they do? They used them to help! David spared Saul’s life – twice – David had the chance to put the spear point through Saul’s belly, but he didn’t! Instead, he honored God, he overcame evil with good!

An excerpt from David‘s latest sermon, his last in his series on success in the New Year, entitled, “How Will Others View My Success?“

nwchristianchurch — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:27:25 +0000

Can you see it, my friends? The meandering path of Joseph’s life, put in a pit in Canaan by brothers who wanted to kill him, drug out of the pit and sold to slave traders who took him down to Egypt, auctioned off to Potiphar, lied about by Mrs. Potiphar, sent to the dungeon, though innocent, forgotten by Pharaoh’s butler. Then raised, just like that, to second in Pharaoh’s administration. This wasn’t just a meandering set of steps – no! This was a part of that sovereignly directed stream of redemption that becomes a mighty, rushing river of salvation at the cross, at the tomb, and at the throne of grace!

Success, prosperity, whether as a menial laborer, or as a magistrate, this Book, this man’s Christ-like example, sets forth two abiding principles:

- God-with-us, the Emmanuel Principle

- Honor-God, make God large and very, very near in all you do and say!

Two questions: are you desirous of success and prosperity in 2012? Are you living in accordance with these principles?

Here’s an excerpt from David’s latest sermon in his current series on Success in the New Year.

What Motivates us To Please God?

nwchristianchurch — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:15:44 +0000

One of the most joyous things I get to participate in as a minister, with the families of this congregation, is the birth of little ones into your families. What a special occasion that is! But, you know something? Equally as special, but infinitely more painful for those very same families, is when I go with them to the cemetery to bury their children! The paradox between joyful birth and sorrowful death is almost too painful to bear. Except for two overarching realities. Look again at the text. Flesh and blood, we know this fact don’t we? Flesh and blood, apart from, outside of, Jesus Christ’s gift, flesh and blood was born to die! The Delivery Room is the first step toward the Embalming Room! Oh, but listen. In Jesus Christ, the gift, because of our holy, faithful, gracious Father, the Giver, guess what? There is a second overarching reality, and that is this: in Jesus Christ, the dying, the dead, who have been born AGAIN, through the living, abiding, eternal Word of God, shall live again!

The reason I am inspired, propelled to bring God pleasure, it’s the Gift. Look at what the Giver has done for me! Redeemed me with His Son’s precious blood. Given new life, eternal life to me, through His living and abiding Word! Why wouldn’t I want to bring Him joy?! But, listen – quickly, because we must close. Why wouldn’t I want to please God? I am motivated, driven to bring joy to His heart, not only because of what he Has done for me, what He has given in Christ, but also, because of what He has made of me.

David’s latest sermon in his series, “Bringing Joy to Our Heavenly Father’s Heart“, entitled What Motivates Us To Please God?

What Is It About Our Father…

nwchristianchurch — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:16:53 +0000

Verse 17 – How many of you know what it means to have a favorite, what it means to say about someone, ‘He is my favorite’, ‘She is my favorite’? All the parenting experts tell us that parents, when they play favorites with their children, can do some real damage to their children, both to the ones who are favored, and to the ones who are not favored. Some of you, when I mention this subject, could tell us graphic stories of how favoritism on the part of your parents has affected you. But, listen: if that is what is holding you back from seeking to bring joy to your HEAVENLY Father, take a look – verse 17 – what does it tell us about the nature of our God? He is a “Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work…” He doesn’t play favorites. He doesn’t judge by outward appearances. Rather, as 1 Samuel 16 indicates, He examines men’s hearts.

What a blessing, wouldn’t you say? To be able to call upon a Father who doesn’t use superficial standards to make decisions about people. But, listen, not only is that a blessing, especially if you’ve been one of the many who have not been ‘Daddy’s Girl’ or “Momma’s Boy’; it also is a fearful thing, a sobering thing, to realize that my Father in heaven knows me from the inside out, and, it is based on what He sees inhere that determines His evaluation of me!

“What Is It About Our Father…” David’s latest sermon in his series “Bringing Joy to Our Heavenly Father’s Heart“.

How To Bring Joy to Our Heavenly Father’s Heart

nwchristianchurch — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:45:12 +0000

While you are mulling that over, allow me to point out two or three things to you from the larger context of this passage. First of all, please notice with me that – well – a lot of people pray! Verses 5 and 6 – hypocrites pray. Standing in the synagogues, stationed out on the street corners, long and loud; hypocrites pray. But, does that mean that God hears them, pays attention to them, is DELIGHTED to respond to them, is pleased with their prayers? A lot of people pray. Pagans pray. Yes, Jesus says, in verses 7 and 8, even pagans, when their car’s broke down, when they get the pink slip at work, when the doctor informs them that they only have a few weeks to live, even the pagans pray. Babbling on and on, thinking that with a multitude of words, surely they’re bound to say something right, somewhere along the way. Yes, even pagans pray. But, does that mean that God hears them? That His heart is overjoyed at their prayers?

Listen, my Loved Ones. A lot of people pray. RELIGIOUS people, CHURCH people pray. Many of them using these very words, in kind of a rote memory recitation. Sunday after Sunday, year after year, at the designated time in the service, and in perfect unison. But, does that mean that God hears that prayer? Does that mean that He rejoices in those who are praying it?

David continues a new series, “Bringing Joy to Our Heavenly Father’s Heart”, with How To Bring Joy to Our Heavenly Father’s Heart.

Any More Lofty Goal

nwchristianchurch — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:28:38 +0000

The Needs of a Godly Church Leader – part 2

nwchristianchurch — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:06:23 +0000

What does a godly church and family leader need? He needs good food, good exercise, a good courage, a good reputation. Then, next, he also needs, or maybe I should say, “has been given,” a good assignment. 1 Timothy 4:13 – Paul lays out that assignment for his young colleague, Timothy, like this: “Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” As you can see, Paul sets forth three major tasks for Timothy to pursue as a godly leader. What are they? Reading… Reading, what? Solomon had this interesting observation to make about reading: “Of the making of books there is no end,” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) and “much study is a weariness of the flesh.” I think if Solomon was writing that verse for 21^st century, American men, he would put it like this: “Of the making of magazine, Sports Illustrated, Popular Mechanics, Field and Stream, Hot Rod, etc. there is no end, and too much time in them is a waste of time..” Men, we are called to LEAD our wives, our children, and this flock, in the way God wants us to lead them. How much help in doing so will you gain from that pile of magazines lying beside your LazyBoy?

David’s series on Church Leadership continues with his latest sermon, “The Needs of a Godly Church Leader – Part 2.”

The Needs of a Godly Church Leader

nwchristianchurch — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:05:20 +0000

Before we move on to what we must take in from this passage of Scripture, allow me to point out, to suggest something to all of you, for your consideration. Chew on this one with me, will you? EVERY MAN, every boy, who, the Lord-willing, will one day be a man, is what? He is a potential church leader! Every man, every man-in-the-making, is a potential church leader. Fathers, mothers, spouses, sisters, brothers, what are youdoing to assist those men and future men in your life, in becoming what God intends for them to be? What are you doing to help them become fit, equipped, qualified, to lead in marriage, in family and then, in the church?

As we think again about church leadership, godly church leadership, and, in particular, as we look today at the subject of the priorities of church leadership; allow me to open up the subject this way: 3 little quips, each with a blank for you to fill in. Number one: “As the husband goes, so goes the ______.” Number two, “As the father goes, so go the _________.” And, then, number three, “As the shepherd goes, so go the ______.”

David’s series on Church Leadership continues with his latest sermon, “The Needs of a Godly Church Leader“.

Church Leadership Requirements – part 2

nwchristianchurch — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:59:24 +0000

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To lead in God’s church is more than to wear a title, to win a popularity contest, to come out on top of a straw poll. To lead in God’s church, one must be BORN AGAIN. Secondly, to lead in God’s church, to lead in God’s way, a man must be acutely aware of the needs of others. Priests and Levites may pass right on by the half-dead who lay helplessly beside life’s road. But not good samaritans. Hirelings, self-centered hirelings may be blind to their predicaments and deaf to their cries of distress, but not good shepherds! They see the flock the way Jesus sees it, helpless and harassed, scattered and vulnerable and they realize that what they need, who they need is not a hireling, but a shepherd. Men, do you see the need, the needs of God’s flock, the crying needs of the countless LOST sheep outside these four walls? To lead in God’s church, what does it mean, what is required? Vision, listening ears, why? So that you might come to be aware, ACUTELY aware that people are in need, in need of what the GOOD Shepherd can bring to them, through you!

The nature of church ministry, the nature of church leadership is not a second, third or fourth tier issue. No! Rather, every year, every day it ought to be on the front burner for God’s people.

David‘s newest sermon in the Church Leadership series, “Church Leadership Requirements – part 2“.