VIDEO: WHEN THINGS DON'T GO MY WAY

Mike Rainey

8/20/17

Description:God does not respond to what we do. We respond to what God does. So what does God do? He loves!

When Things Don't Go My Way...

Mike Rainey

8/20/17

Description:God does not respond to what we do. We respond to what God does. So what does God do? He loves!

VIDEO: WISDOM FROM THE RICH AND YOUNG

Steven Hill

8/13/17

Description:Steven Hill is the Younng Adults Pastor at Austin Ridge Bible Church."May we be like the rich young man who falls on his feet before Jesus and didn't care what other other people think. But may we not be like the rich young man who got the right answer from Jesus but did not obey".

Wisdom from the Rich and Young

Steven Hill

8/13/17

Description:Steven Hill is the Younng Adults Pastor at Austin Ridge Bible Church."May we be like the rich young man who falls on his feet before Jesus and didn't care what other other people think. But may we not be like the rich young man who got the right answer from Jesus but did not obey".

VIDEO: LEGACY OF RELATIONSHIPS

Dave Roberts

8/6/17

Description:There is no greater legacy any of us could leave than to say that we have finished the mission God had given us. It could be a mission of kindness, of love, of truth. God may use you to completely alter your family tree that’s been filled with alcoholism, divorce, abuse, and it goes back generations. But not anymore because of you. From now on, children will be brought up in the faith. There will be blessing instead of curses because you have become the pivot point in your family tree because of Jesus.

Legacy of Truth

Dave Roberts

7/30/17

Description:As Christians, we look at the world through a different lens. We see the struggle of humanity, the lostness of the world. We don’t look to the world for our sense of peace or fulfillment or even happiness. We are different. Yet, I ask myself sometimes – do we slip back into worldly thinking. Do we sometimes let expectations dictate our level of perseverance.

VIDEO: LEGACY OF TRUTH

Dave Roberts

7/30/17

Description:As Christians, we look at the world through a different lens. We see the struggle of humanity, the lostness of the world. We don’t look to the world for our sense of peace or fulfillment or even happiness. We are different. Yet, I ask myself sometimes – do we slip back into worldly thinking. Do we sometimes let expectations dictate our level of perseverance.

Legacy of Diligence

Dave Roberts

7/23/17

Description:Does my life match up with my words? God’s Spirit living in us will always be moving us towards spiritual transparency. He wants us to deal with our temptations, our prideful selfishness so that we invite others in. We’re real people working through our issues, seeing the truth in Scripture, so that the beauty of Christ is fully seen in us.

VIDEO: LEGACY OF DILIGENCE

Dave Roberts

7/23/17

Description:Does my life match up with my words? God’s Spirit living in us will always be moving us towards spiritual transparency. He wants us to deal with our temptations, our prideful selfishness so that we invite others in. We’re real people working through our issues, seeing the truth in Scripture, so that the beauty of Christ is fully seen in us.

Legacy of Discipleship

Dave Roberts

7/16/17

Description:Many would say we have a crisis of discipleship. Do our kids, our teenagers understand the depth of their faith? Do they experience authentic community across generational lines so they know they are part of a team, a platoon of God’s chosen people on a mission to change the world? How successful is the church today in this passing on, this discipleship chain that streams through the generations?

VIDEO: LEGACY OF DISCIPLESHIP

Dave Roberts

7/16/17

Description:Many would say we have a crisis of discipleship. Do our kids, our teenagers understand the depth of their faith? Do they experience authentic community across generational lines so they know they are part of a team, a platoon of God’s chosen people on a mission to change the world? How successful is the church today in this passing on, this discipleship chain that streams through the generations?

Legacy of Faith

Dave Roberts

7/9/17

Description:The idea is to receive the sound words of the gospel, this treasure, given to us through the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit and pass them on from generation to generation because they are the very words of life.

Legacy of Courage

Dave Roberts

7/2/17

Description:God has not given us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear or shrinking back from challenge. If that’s the way you’re living, that’s not God’s leading in your life.

Healing the Wounded Heart

Bill Loveless

6/25/17

Description:Bill is the director of Christ is Life Ministries. a non profit, non-denominational ministry that focuses on discipleship.Here he talks about some key truths concerning woundedness, the negative impact it has on our lives and the lives of those around us, and what it looks like to engage God to begin the healing process.

This is War

Chris Graves

6/18/17

Description:Spiritual warfare is real. Realize that we have no power to defeat the enemy on our own. But God has already won the war.

Who's The Boss?

Brian Mullaney

6/11/17

Description:The word authority is something that leaves a sour taste in the mouth; it is important to recognize that Jesus rules much differently than every other ruler. Unlike high ranking government officials he doesn't rule from an ivory tower ordering everyone under him to all the fighting and grunt work. Jesus goes into the trenches. Even though Jesus is our KIng and Judge, He didn't come to shame and condemn. He didn't come to add more burdens or to oppress. And he has the authority to forgive our sins.

Are You Resting In His Rest?

Rick MacIver

6/7/17

Description:God's heart for each of us is to find his rest for our souls. His heart for each of us is to be more aware of his presence, to set our mind at ease. His heart for us is to woo us into his soulful rest. He’s wooing us to his power, his love, to his mercies which are new every morning.God doesn't need anything from us but He has everything we need. We have nothing and bring nothing to the table. But his banqueting table is always spread with his best for us to enjoy. The question is, are we sitting, are we resting at his banqueting table where everything we need has already been provided. Because everything we need is found in him.

God's Relentless Pursuit - Series Conclusion

Dave Roberts

5/28/17

Description:As we close the story of Jonah, there is an unwritten epilogue to the story. It is most widely agreed upon that Jonah himself is the writer of the book. Just think about that for a moment. Throughout the book, the prophet Jonah is portrayed as someone who runs from God, is angry with God, who refuses to relent from His stubbornness to God and it never gets resolved. If that were your past would you want to write it down so that generation upon generation would live trying not to be like you? But that’s Jonah. Something happened in his life to where he wanted to tell his story. He wants us to know what God is like, even to those who like Jonah, have a hard time giving in.

God Pursues You Even When You Don't Understand Him

Dave Roberts

5/21/17

Description:Jonah has been running from God throughout this book and he is still running. He is emotional, unhappy, angry, blinded to the truth, selfish. He is in bondage because of his refusal to give in to God and His ways. Yet, God continues to work with him, continues to pursue Him. Even as Christians, we can run from God. Are you running? If so, today’s the day you stop. Receive His grace. Follow his call. Give in. No more regrets. No more wasted days.

God Pursues You Even When You're Mad

Dave Roberts

5/14/17

Description:The story of Jonah is the story of God’s relentless pursuit of fugitives even when they’re mad. God keeps after Jonah and perhaps we can understand that because he was a Jew and a prophet. Yet, God also goes after Nineveh, as sinful a city as ever was. Jonah was pathetic in many ways, but Nineveh was perverse and sadistic. This story just shows us that God’s ability to clean up things is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up. God’s grace is so relentless that it tracks down both kinds of runners from Him – rule breakers and rule keepers. He just keeps coming.Does the church proclaim this kind of relentless grace that reaches the lost prodigals of the world and exposes the rule keeping religious so that all may know how really good God is, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness?

God Pursues You Even When You Can't Imagine Why

Dave Roberts

5/7/17

Description:One of the glaring messages from the book of Jonah is the power of repentance and the prison of refusing to do so. In chapter 2, we read Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the whale and what is missing – repentance for his rebellion. Maybe your broken, wounded, desperate, empty, guilty today. Yet, you know you’ve been avoiding Him in some way. You know you’ve been more like unrepentant Jonah than the honest Ninevites in the story. Will today be the day you just come to Him?

God Pursues You Even When You've Lost All Hope

Dave Roberts

4/30/17

Description:How do you feel when you’re at the end of your rope; when all hope is gone? Without a miracle of some kind, this is disastrous.Imagine Jonah out there on the sea facing death. He is there because of his sin and rebellion, yet all he wants is God to save him. He has no merit on which to make his claim to the work of God in his situation. He is not telling God about his past accomplishments to try and justify God’s obligation to rescue him. It is just total distress and crying out for help – in the midst of his sin.Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you are there. Maybe you’re like Jonah and your sin has wrecked your life, your family, your finances, your future and you are in a desperate situation. You have no merit before God that in some way obligates him to answer your prayer. But just cry out to him. He loves to show mercy.

God Pursues You Even When You're Running From Him

Dave Roberts

4/23/17

Description:We’ve titled the series “God’s Relentless Pursuit” because God doesn’t give up on Jonah. He goes after him. Even though the word “grace” doesn’t appear in Jonah, that’s what the whole book is about. God’s relentless pursing grace. Jonah is the character in the story that represents mankind and our relentless pursuit for self-preservation, self-justification, justice and fairness – for others that is. God is playing Himself in the drama and his relentless pursuit of rebellious people.

Jesus Is Resurrecting My Life

Dave Roberts

4/16/17

Description:You may be listening to this today and feel that somehow you’ve disqualified yourself from being acceptable to God. You haven’t. No one has ever met the standard for God’s approval. We’re all like Peter and Jesus is saying to you today that He still loves you, believes in you, and has a future for you. Trust Him.Peter is the one who claimed he would come through for Jesus. He was the one that could be counted on.Jesus had not given up on Peter and He has not given up on you. He is able to resurrect your life. The resurrected King is able to resurrect your JOY, your FAITH, your LIFE!

Jesus Is Resurrecting My Faith

Dave Roberts

4/9/17

Description:Sometimes we withdraw faith because we don’t want to be disappointed. Do we ever do that with God? Are we growing in our faith? Are there milestones of significant spiritual advancement in our lives? Where are the breakthroughs that lurch us forward in knowing Christ? How long as it been? Do you need a resurrection of faith today?Here is the good news ... He can resurrect your faith right where you are. Jesus Resurrects Faith from Doubt Jesus Resurrects Faith from NegativityJesus Resurrects Faith from Unbelief

Jesus Is Resurrecting My Joy

Dave Roberts

4/2/17

Description:There are times in each of our lives when something just dies. It could be a dream, a relationship, a job, or maybe peace is gone or there’s no joy. This series is to give us some real-life examples of how God takes our losses and resurrects them into the vision He has for us.Will you let God resurrect His joy in you today?

The Gospel Is Jesus

Dave Roberts

3/26/17

Description: In the book of Romans, Paul has given us the greatest treatise, explanation of the gospel ever written. It has been comprehensive in not only telling us the need for the gospel, the reality of the gospel and the personal benefit of the gospel. He spends the last third of the book showing how the gospel lives in us and effects our relationships with people. Paul closes the letter by saying “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.” When we think of the people that God has brought through our lives that have taught us, loved us, and been there for us; when we think of the people on our “I thank my God for all my remembrance of you” list, we say all glory to God through Jesus Christ. Only He has made all this possible. Life is always about the gospel of Jesus Christ

The Gospel Is Missions

Dave Roberts

3/19/17

Description:One of the words used a lot today in the church world is the word “Missional.” It means to live life in such a way that you are constantly oriented towards living out the gospel so that others will believe. You serve the needs of others so they see Christ. You understand the Christian worldview so you can engage people in meaningful and thoughtful discussion about important things. You are grieved by the lostness in the world today. Are you missional as a Christian? Are we a missional church?

The Gospel Is Power

Dave Roberts

3/12/17

Description:Do you sometimes underestimate what God may be able to do through you? Is there a lack of Holy Spirit power in your life? How do you answer this very basic question – is my life about me or about Him?

The Gospel Is Unity

Dave Roberts

3/5/17

Description:It is the heart of God that His church exist in unity. Not only the local church, but the entire Christian church. We are all one in Christ. No matter our race, our heritage, our nationality, our age, our denomination, or our non-denomination. Seeking Christ and His kingdom together removes the barriers of division. He gives us the power to persevere together through painful experiences. He gives us encouragement to stay the course, to not lose hope.

The Naked Gospel (3) - Session 3

Andrew Farley

2/26/17

Description:Session 3: Freedom to Live

The Naked Gospel (4)- Session 4

Andrew Farley

2/26/17

Description:Session 4: Question and Answer

The One-Foot Journey

Andrew Farley

2/26/17

Description:The one-foot journey is a very simple journey and yet it takes a lifetime to master. This 12-inch journey includes moving from head to heart.And to begin the journey, we need to ask the question - Can we really trust our hearts?

The Naked Gospel (1)- Session 1

Andrew Farley

2/25/17

Description:Session 1: Freedom from Guilt

The Naked Gospel (2)- Session 2

Andrew Farley

2/25/17

Description:Session 2: Freedom From the Law

The Gospel Is Not Worldly

Dave Roberts

2/19/17

Description:The unity between believers has everything riding on it. It is the living demonstration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not of this world. It can only be produced by the living Christ Himself. He is humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance in us. He is the love we share one with another. He is the unifying Spirit that lives in us to produce a bond of peace between us. The world sees Jesus through the unity of believers.

The Gospel Is Not Judgmental

Dave Roberts

2/12/17

Description:There is no joy in life when you are constantly seeing how deficient everyone around you seems to be. In many ways, this whole chapter 14 of Romans is simply encouraging us to see people the way God sees them. He loves them; puts up with them; works with them; accepts them; sees the potential of His Spirit in them. He knows that real change happens in people’s lives when they are loved, accepted, listened to, and not when they are given a standard or made to feel inferior. The beautiful thing about all this is the privilege He gives us to represent Him in each other’s lives. We can know His unconditional love and acceptance through the way we are loved by other believers. We can grow in our relationship with Him because of the time other believers invest in us.

The Gospel Is Not Legalistic

Dave Roberts

2/5/17

Description:Judging others repels them. Accepting them attracts them. Whatever Christ is saying to you about matters of conscience, live that way. But when it comes to the community of believers, it’s all about Him. As Francis Schaeffer has said: “Love is the final apologetic for Christianity.” The way we love each other and love our neighbor is the final argument for Christianity. When the world sees it, they cannot deny that Jesus is real.

The State of the Church

Dave Roberts

1/29/17

Description:Pastor Dave Roberts gives his annual report on the state of the church.Copies of statistics cited here and the 2017 budget are available upon request at the church office.Don't miss the end of the presentation when he talked about the vision of the churchWORSHIP, CONNECT, SERVE.How will we live these out in 2017 here at Grace?

Living The Gospel Alertly

Dave Roberts

1/22/17

Description:We don’t need instruction as to the coming of Jesus, because we see the signs of the times all around us. 1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thiefThe thief in the night idea is not for the expectant Christian but for the person who thinks he has all the time in world and is living as if life will always go on as it is. He feels like he has all the time in the world to get his act together. We, on the other hand are alert and sober.

Living The Gospel of Love

Dave Roberts

1/15/17

Description:If we approach the Christian life in a mechanical way, trying to imitate the actions of Jesus in the gospels, we’ll inevitably fail.The “What would Jesus do?” philosophy is not the same as the “Christ in you” approach. We’re called to look within, to discover the life that is instinctive to us as new creations, and to live from that life. Imitating the actions of others, even the Jesus of the gospels, is nothing but a shallow, mechanical act that is not reliable under pressure. (A quote from Andrew Farley,author of the book, The Naked Gospel)

Living The Gospel Under Government's Authority

Dave Roberts

1/8/17

Description:So as a Christian, what does the bible teach us about being a good, Godly citizen within a human society.1. Submit to the Government and its laws2. Do What is Good3. Pay Taxes4. Honor those in authorityWhy do you think Paul has inserted this passage on government in this treatise on the gospel of Jesus Christ? He wants us to know that Jesus changes everything in our lives. He is actively working in us and through us in every role we find ourselves in. When Jesus is our complete focus, we will be good citizens. Living Jesus is living Jesus in every area of our lives. We are about Him and His work. We see Him as the answer to our problems, not government.

One Thing That Matters

Dave Roberts

1/1/17

Description:Only one thing matters - Jesus!When every person gets to the end of their life, they will realize the truth of this. When they see Jesus face to face to give account of their life, they will know for sure that only Jesus Christ matters. He is what gives meaning to life. For many they will look back with regret and wish they had lived life differently. There will be many Christians who had made so many things important that really had nothing to do with this one thing and they will look back with some regret. Paul summarizes his life at the end of that first chapter of Philippians. Here is what he says:Philippians 1:21–24 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. What are you going to do with the rest of your life? As you stand at the starting line of 2017, how do you want this year to begin? Is Christ everything to you?

Looking for the Enemy (Herod)

Dave Roberts

12/18/16

Description:The title of this message is Looking for the enemy and it centers on Herod. What comes to mind when you think of Herod? He’s a tyrant or he is evil perhaps. Those are true but as you look into how he reacts to the birth of Jesus; you may find that he acts like most people who think their most priceless possession is about to be lost. For Herod that would have been his power.Sometimes when we are faced with losing something dear to us, we come to realize that that there may be a little Herod in us. Hard to believe. Let’s look at the story of Herod.

Looking for a King (The Magi)

Dave Roberts

12/11/16

Description:This is the story of the wise men, wealthy men who are probably kings of some sort bowing to the King of kings. This is pure and true worship. How about you? Have you bowed down before Jesus acknowledging and recognizing who He really is and your great need for Him. It may be that you recognize today that you have lost that sense of awe that these Magi Kings had. You have made Jesus much too ordinary. You’ve stripped Him of His kingship and made him common. Come to the King. Bow before Him. Bring God the gift that he most desires from you. That gift is you.

Looking for a Way Out (Joseph)

Dave Roberts

12/4/16

Description:Have you ever been in a situation that you thought was a real problem and after it all played out you realize that God had incredible purpose for what you went through. He never saw it as a problem. In fact, He saw it as necessary to accomplish His will.Scripture has example after example where man’s problems were God’s divine will. That is the story of Joseph.

Living The Gospel In A Hostile World

Dave Roberts

11/27/16

Description:When a person experiences the grace of God in their lives, things change. There is a righteousness, a goodness that becomes our new identity which is the very presence of holiness, the life of Jesus in us. Now, we don’t obey the law because we’re forced to but because our nature has changed and we would obey society’s law whether it was there or not. The opposite of evil is the very holiness of God.If we, as Christians truly want to change the world we will have to bring God’s holiness into direct confrontation with evil. If we want a healthy society, a healthy community, a healthy church, a healthy family, we will confront evil with the holiness of God. You may be asking – how do we do that? Glad you asked. Listen to Romans 12:14-21.

Living The Gospel As Community (Part 3)

Dave Roberts

11/20/16

Description:A house divided against itself cannot stand. So much rides on it. Let your Love be authentic, genuine – the real thing.