David was seen by others and likely by himself as the last person for God to choose to be something even close to king of the nation, of his people Israel. But what we see in the story is how God chooses differently than we think—God looks for something that all of us can choose to be. The Bible lets us know that what God looks for is openness to him, availability to him,...
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Jeff Jones
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Acts 13:36, 1 Corinthians 1:26-29, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 2 Corinthians 1:15-16
Topic: Family
Elijah triumphs over the prophets of Baal when he calls down fire from heaven and prays for Israel's drought to end. After this victory, the prophet becomes discouraged and depressed, but God meets him in this lonely journey. When we suffer from discouragement, God can refresh, refocus and reassign us as well.
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Jack Schull
Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-13, Psalm 139:1-3, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, Philippians 3:13-14
Topic: Depression
Job knows how to handle suffering -- he mourns it and grieves it. Despair and depression are normal human experiences after times of loss and are not contradictory to our faith. Disappointment, disillusionment and discouragement are God-created emotions. Even the godly can be depressed. Processing pain in a healthy way can deepen our spiritual growth and prepare us to shepherd...
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Roger Barrier
Scripture: Job 3:1-26, Matthew 5:4, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 139
Topic: Grief
Paul teaches us that to discover God's will we must ask for directions, consider God's mission and our priorities, consult other godly people, stay close to God and be decisive.
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Jeff Jones
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:12-14
Topic: Knowing God's Will
Why does God allow a financial recession? He intends for a recession to expose hidden sin and so bring us to repentance and cleansing. He intends to wake us up to the constant and desperate condition of the developing world where there is always and only recession of the worst kind. He intends to relocate the roots of our joy in His grace rather than in our goods, in His mercy...
Type: Sermon
Speaker: John Piper
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Topic: Stewardship
Only by having a proper view of God can we comprehend the reason for suffering. Suffering allows us to comfort others, to learn our own insufficiencies and God's sufficiency. When He gives deliverance, we praise Him.
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Stanley Toussaint
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1 - 2:17, 2 Corinthians 3:8-10
Topic: Suffering
Peace is not found in circumstances, material possessions, status or popularity. Peace finds its source in God alone and we are clothed with His gifts of peace and grace.
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Jack Schull
Scripture: Luke 2:13-14, Romans 1:7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, 2 Corinthians 1:1-2, Galatians 1:3
Topic: Christmas
2 Corinthians 1 deals with the defense of the apostle Paul for his blameless conduct and his confidence. God affirms him in his stability, commission, security and guarantee of salvation.
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Stanley Toussaint
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:12 - 2:4
Topic: Persecution
A friend of mine is watching his daughter die. She’s only eighteen. Last month, they were sitting side-by-side on the bleachers at her volleyball games, cheering her team to victory. And today they sit beside her hospital bed, watching her chest rise and fall slowly, listening to the monitors beep once…and again…and again. He is a writer too, and I’ve been following...
Type: Article
Author: Brianna Barrier Wetherbee
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7