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The Letter to Smyrna

Patrik Matthews

Revelation 2:8-11

Jesus writes to the church in Smyrna that they are going to undergo suffering due to slander, poverty, and affliction. The ultimate cause of this suffering is Satan. Jesus tells them to not give into their fear - that they can be faithful when they go through suffering because: he has experienced suffering too, he knows what is going to happen to them, and he is able to give them what is truly valuable. We too can look to Jesus' call to faithfulness and pursue what's valuable.

Keywords

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Complete in Christ

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 13:9-14

Becoming complete in Christ is an ongoing process where who we are in Christ becomes more and more evident in all aspects of our lives. Living out of our new identity in Christ necessitates believing what God says about who we are, including that we are forgiven, acceptable, and redeemed. Our responsibility in this process is to take steps of faith to live out God's Word of who we are. God's love and grace are motivating factors in this process to love others and help others reach spiritual maturity. When we do this, we are strengthened to be effective in the work God has for us.

Keywords

{"passage": "2 Corinthians 13:9-14","passageabreviated": "2 Cor 13:9-14","passagetiny": "2Cor 13:9-14","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingD...

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Genuine Faith

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 13:5-8

Paul challenges the Corinthians to examine the genuineness of their faith. Biblical faith is rooted in objective reality based on God's revealed truth and is also deeply personal. Faith is also a position of held belief to what is actually true, based on evidence and reason. As people invite God into their lives through Jesus Christ and begin to walk by faith, they can experience a deep sense of connection and a transformed view of others. Biblical faith is the catalyst for real character transformation and for vibrant Christian community.

Keywords

{"passage": "2 Corinthians 13:5-8","passageabreviated": "2 Cor 13:5-8","passagetiny": "2Cor 13:5-8","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingDate...

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Two Essential Convictions

Jim Leffel

2 Corinthians 11:7-29

Paul demonstrates to the Corinthians the importance of living to serve others and having a mind to suffer for Christ. As we live our Christian lives looking to meet others need, we can experience great peace and seeing God work through us in others lives. Christians who develop Paul's attitude toward the suffering in their lives are capable of experiencing deep spiritual transformation as their faith is increased as God works. As we suffer, we are able to see who God really is at a more profound level.

Keywords

{"passage": "2 Corinthians 11:7-29","passageabreviated": "2 Cor 11:7-29","passagetiny": "2Cor 11:7-29","teacher": "Jim Leffel","teachingD...

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Fanning the Flames

Dennis McCallum

2 Timothy 1:1-6

A zealous, excited response is normal for those who have encountered Christ. The un-energized Christian is a living contradiction. If our zeal for using our gifts dies down we can "fan the flames" using God-given means through practice, diligence, and urgency. We look at several keys to earnestness and how developing this trait has less to do with feelings and more to do with determination and urgency.

Keywords

{"passage": "2 Timothy 1:1-6","passageabreviated": "2 Tim 1:1-6","passagetiny": "2Tim 1:1-6","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teachingDate":...

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What To Do When We Sin

Dennis McCallum

Mark 14:10-72

n the last night of Jesus' life, we get insight into two people very close to him: Judas Iscariot and Peter. Both men experienced immense failure, but the outcomes were entirely different. The difference in outcome was based on the response to failure. Judas encountered worldly remorse, also known as metamelomai. This type of regret is depicted by self-pity, shame that leads to moving away from God, and ultimately led to Judas' death. Peter's response was known as metanoia, or godly repentance. This type of response is a change of perspective, where you accept God's forgiveness which leaves no regret. Godly repentance leads us ultimately into closer relationship with God and allowed Peter to be used in incredible ways by God in the early church. These two kinds of sorrow are important to consider for Christians when they encounter failure.

Keywords

{"passage": "Mark 14:10-72","passageabreviated": "Mark 14:10-72","passagetiny": "Mark 14:10-72","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teachingDat...

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God's Spiritual "Pattern"

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Kings 17:1-16

As God trains and prepares Elijah to fulfill a crucial role, He works through a specific, four-part pattern: 1) command, 2) promise, 3) faith, and 4) fulfillment. As we see this pattern play out in Elijah's life, we will learn that God uses the same pattern when relating to us in the modern era. We can look to God's Word to see His commands and promises, and as we act in faith on the things He says to be true, we come to see that He is worthy of our trust. By this pattern, God pursues His purpose for us, just as He did with Elijah, and by this pattern, we will recognize God's unique involvement in each of our lives.

Keywords

Faith
Trust

{"passage": "1 Kings 17:1-16","passageabreviated": "1 Kgs 17:1-16","passagetiny": "1King 17:1-16","teacher": "Gary DeLashmutt","teachingD...

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Why this waste?

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 26:6-13

Mary's sacrifice of her expensive perfume at the expense of Jesus infuriates Jesus' disciples. Jesus highlights Mary's sacrifice isn't a waste, as they might think, but will be richly rewarded before God and remembered. The contrast between the disciples' and Jesus' viewpoint highlights the difference when we think about the temporary things to indulge rather than living for the eternal impacts that come from pursuing what God desires. Mary's faith and eternal perspective made her sacrifice not a sacrifice at all because of who she was looking to serve. This teaching also includes a testimony of a man in a law firm that realized God's eternal impact and how to live for that rather than temporary things.

Keywords

{"passage": "Mark 14:1-9","passageabreviated": "Mark 14:1-9","passagetiny": "Mark 14:1-9","teacher": "Dennis McCallum","teachingDate": "0...

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Parable of the Sower & Soils

Gary DeLashmutt

Luke 8:1-15

During the time between the Messiah's first coming and second coming, spreading Jesus' message is top priority. Only those who respond properly to his message reap the benefit, as Jesus explains through his parable of the sower and soils; those who respond through compromise do not bear fruit.

Keywords

{"passage": "Luke 8:1-15","passageabreviated": "Luke 8:1-15","passagetiny": "Luke 8:1-15","teacher": "Gary DeLashmutt","teachingDate": "0...

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