Resources

What should you do when tyrants are in control? In this encouraging message, Scott Brown examines Jeremiah 29:1-14, encouraging those living in exile to “Build, Dwell, Plant.” In other words, don’t waste your exile pining away. Don’t waste your exile getting caught up in distractions, move forward, be productive, do the powerful things, and don’t be frustrated. Don’t let the bad guys get you down. Get your wife at the table and design your home. Settle down. Stay put. Plant crops. Be self-sufficient. Plan weddings. Have babies. Make your house a house of prayer. Be a force of peace in your community.

While the Bible is not intended to be a book on economic theory, there are many principles and concepts, and even direct laws, which should be used to inform how Christians understand economics. Today the economic debate often primarily focuses on differences between capitalism and socialism. The theories of Marx are seeing a comeback in our day, but what does the Bible teach us about this theory? While the Bible never uses the terms capitalism or socialism, concepts like the private ownership of property, laws against stealing, and warnings against coercive taxation build a biblical case against socialism.

‘Tis the season for voting guides… the season we greet one another with “Who are you voting for?” With the air wafting with political cheer and punditry and our churches buzzing with candidate conversations, let’s not forget the weighty significance of our role as individuals and as a church in this matter. In November, the American people are called upon once again to elect one of the most powerful political leaders in the free world. The next President of the United States will help shape the economic, foreign, domestic, and military policy of our nation for the next four years. He will command the United States military as commander in chief, he will execute the laws passed by Congress, and he will appoint judges to maintain liberty and uphold justice. The decisions that he makes may have far-reaching implications, not only for our nation but also for the entire world. Thus, it is no small matter for us to think biblically in casting our vote And our duty is to seek, first and foremost, to honor God with our act of voting. As Christians, the most important question to ask during election season is: “Does God, in the Bible give His people direction for how to identify worthy civil leaders?” We know there are requirements for pastors but what about civil leaders? Are there commands? Are there examples? Are there principles that would guide us? The answer is, yes! God in His kindness, has not left us alone and without revealing His thoughts and giving us His principles for the selection of civil leaders. In fact, God explicitly declares in Scripture the kinds of civil leaders you ought to vote for.  As a Good Shepherd, God gives guidance to His people for what kinds of leaders to select. It is a great gift to His people that He would show us how to identify good leaders. While there are many places in the Bible to go for answers, there are four key texts which give us clarity on the subject: Exo. 18:21, Deut 1:9-17, Deut.17:14-20 and Rom. 13:1-10. Just for a moment let’s put aside our political affiliations and try to close our ears to the opinions of man and the political hysteria that surrounds us. Take a fresh look - unobstructed by emotion and party loyalty - at the clear checklist of requirements the Bible gives us to select leaders. A brief survey of these Scriptures provide what, a civil leader must be:   Wise (Deuteronom

Malachi - Fathers Hearts Turning Towards Home by Jason Young. Have you felt like you didn't fit in growing up? Have you wondered how to grow deep, meaningful relationships? Do you not understand where you stand or where you fit? 1. What does the book of Malachi teach us? There was a people that forgot God's love. What way has God loved me? 2. Do you think we have a problem with leadership in this day? Leaders are devaluing Christ and His authority. Are we offering defective sacrifices? Worship that is "good enough" is not good enough for God. 3. We are losing our children because we have offered the refuse of the sacrifices. God brings judgment. (2:7) You picked and chose what you would teach your family and you are judged for this with the cutting off of the seed. 4. Are we robbing God of tithes and offerings? Do we sit in the pews every Sunday and worship stuff over the things of God?

Exodus displays the primary biblical imagery for deliverance from bondage. Someone once said that when God wants to change history, he does not start with a battle, he starts with a baby. The book of Exodus opens with a people in bondage and the birth of a baby - Moses.  Exodus declares the doctrines of enslavement, deliverance, judgment, revelation, law, worship, Sabbath, and covenant. The Exodus is the premier symbol of redemption in the Old Testament as the cross is the symbol in the New Testament. Exodus presents the gospel before the law and the Passover tells of the efficacy of the shedding of blood. The book of Exodus centers around three main events and locations: the Passover in Egypt, the crossing through the Red Sea in the wilderness, and the giving of the law on Mount Sinai.

For mothers of children, the fields are ripe unto harvest - everyday. However, pastors sometimes make moms feel overwhelmed, guilty and even angry when they make broad appeals for more evangelistic fervor. The mothers of young children may be thinking, “Does he know what my life is like? Does he know how many diapers I change, tears I dry, runny noses I wipe, altercations I pacify and meals I serve everyday? Does he know that I can’t even close my eyes for one second during the day?” These moms wonder how they can participate in the newly launched evangelistic program... They feel guilty and overwhelmed! How do we help mothers to process these appeals for evangelization of the lost? Following are eight ways that mothers need to grasp in order to consider their role in fulfilling the Great Commission. First, she must be satisfied with her God given realm of responsibility.  In the Lord’s sovereign organization of society, communicated in the Bible, He has established various roles, jurisdictions and responsibilities. In terms of her primary realm of service, it is clear from Scripture that mothers are directed by God to focus their energies homeward. She is a “Keeper at home,” (Titus 2:5). “[She] builds her house,” (Prov. 14:1). She is a home despot, who oversees what goes on in the home, (1 Tim. 5:14). This is her realm.  Therefore, a mother’s chief evangelistic field is, the home. She need not feel guilty about her focus. Here is Jeremy Walker on exhausted mothers and their callings, writing in his book, “”: > “Let no exhausted mother, with her hands full of home and children, bruise her soul with the conviction either that she has no way of serving Christ in this way or that she is somehow prevented by her children and her home from doing something worthwhile. Rather, that is the very sphere of her labor. Her mission field is at her feet (and quite possibly under them and in her arms and on her back and currently drawing something indelible on something irreplaceable). Indeed, for her to feel falsely guilty about what she is not doing or to transfer that guilt to her children in resentment and bitterness will only

Reading the Old Testament prophets can often lead us to marvel at the similarity between the times of the prophets and our day today. The prophets are just as relevant to us today as they were then because though times and technology have changed drastically, men have not changed and neither have the sins that they are prone to. The Israel in Nehemiah’s day and the church in our day have remarkable similarities, a cold and lifeless church that goes through the motions with little affection and no fear. But God loves his people, and he loves his own honor and glory, too much to allow them to go on forever like that.

Are you worshiping God with your money? In this video, Jason Dohm explains the correlation between the way we spend our money and the worship of God. Everything that God has given us, He has given to us that we may glorify Him with it. Therefore, As God gives us resources, are using those resources to glorify Him or to satisfy our own desires? Dohm says that you can tell a lot about a person heart towards God by looking the way he uses his resources. 

If you will just stand. Let's pray and I'd like to read some Scripture. If you have a Bible. If you would turn to Second Corinthians chapter 9. I'm going to actually begin in the prior chapter the last verse, Second Corinthians Chapter 8 verse 24.  "Or foreshow ye to them, And before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. For as touching them ministering to the Saints It is superfluous for me to write to you for I know the forwardness of your mind for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia that Achaia was ready a year ago and your zeal has provoked very many yet have I sent the Brethren lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this be half that as I said you may be ready, less happily if they of Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, we that we say not ye, should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the Brethren that they would go before you unto you and make-up beforehand your bounty whereof you had noticed before that the same might be ready as a matter of bounty and not of covetousness.  But this I say 'he which soweth sparingly show reap also sparingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.' Every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace abound toward you that ye always having all sufficiency and all things may abound to every good work as it is written. 'He hath dispersed abroad, He hath given to the poor, His righteousness remaineth forever'. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seeds sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness being enriched in everything to all bountifulness which causes through us thanksgiving to God for the administration of the service not only supplieth the want of the Saints but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God, while by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection under the gospel of Christ and for your liberal distribution unto them and unto all men and by prayer for you which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift".  Would you pray with me? "Father would you open this text to us this morning. I pray that you would come, that you would send your Holy

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." - Matthew 6:24 What does your money say about you? Does it show that you worship God or that you are serving the masters of this world? If we are truly following the Lord Jesus Christ, then our bank account will reflect this priority and show that he is our supreme love and object of worship. God calls his people to use their money and material resources in specific, sacrificial, and worshipful ways.

‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ Exod 20:12. The commandments may be likened to Jacob’s ladder: the first table respects God, and is the top of the ladder that reaches to heaven; the second respects superiors and inferiors, and is the foot of the ladder that rests on the earth. By the first table, we walk religiously towards God; by the second, we walk religiously towards man. He cannot be good in the first table that is bad in the second. ‘Honour thy father and thy mother.’ In this we have a command, ‘honour thy father and thy mother;’ and, second, a reason for it, ‘That thy days may be long in the land.’ The command will chiefly be considered here, ‘Honour thy father.’ I. Father is of different kinds; as the political, the ancient, the spiritual, the domestic, and the natural. [1] The political father, the magistrate. He is the father of his country; he is to be an encourager of virtue, a punisher of vice, and a father to the widow and orphan. Such a father was Job. ‘I was a father to the poor, and the cause which I knew not, I searched out.’ Job 29: 16. As magistrates are fathers, so especially the king, who is the head of magistrates, is a political father; he is placed as the sun among the lesser stars. The Scripture calls kings, ‘fathers.’ ‘Kings shall be thy nursing fathers.’ Isa 49: 23. They are to train up their subjects in piety, by good edicts and examples; and nurse them up in peace and plenty. Such nursing fathers were David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Constantine, and Theodosius. It is well for a people to have such nursing fathers, whose breasts milk comfort to their children. These fathers are to be honoured, for - (1) Their place deserves honour. God has set these political fathers to preserve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent those state convulsions which otherwise might ensue. When ‘there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes.’ Judges 17: 6. It is a wonder that locusts have no king, yet they go forth by bands. (2) God has promoted kings, that they may promote justice. As they have a sword in their hand, to signify their power; so they have a sceptre, an emblem of justice. It is said of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, that he allotted one hour of the day to hear the complaints of those who were oppressed. Kings place judges as cherub

God’s Word describes the Church as the “pillar and ground of the truth,” yet many churches forsake this call.  How can churches prepare members to stand on their biblical convictions and render to Caesar only that which belongs to Caesar?  How can churches be ready and prepare their flocks for persecutions from lawsuits and criminal prosecutions?  Can churches help members conscientiously object to forced vaccinations, mandatory health insurance, women in the military, and other offensive government edicts?  Don Hart addresses these issues and more.