Pastor Ray teaches how the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch reminds us that salvation is solely the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit initiated in God's unconditional grace. Philip is a wonderful example of the part that we play in salavation as co-workers together with God, but it doesn't depend on our ability. Jesus said, "No one comes to me unless the Father draws him." 38:42 minutes (6.65 MB)
Pastor Ray teaches in today's text as we continue the story of Saul of Tarsus who was captured by the amazing grace of God on the road to Damascus. The grace of God now compels him to proclaim the message that Jesus is the Son of God. That same grace compels us today. 35:53 minutes (6.16 MB)
Pastor Ray teaches from Acts 10, where the text confronts us with Christ's deeper mission to which the healing miracles point: the healing of mind and soul and attitudes that break down the walls of suspicion, fear, prejudice and hatred that separate people from each other. This is the message of reconciliation that defines Christ's mission, and ours. 26:06 minutes (4.48 MB)
Pastor Ray teaches that one of the greatest threats to the wholeness, effectiveness and authenticity of the church doesn't come from the outside--from skeptics, critics or secular culture--but from within--from the burden of "religious legalism" we impose on ourselves and others. We are called to be people of grace. 36:22 minutes (6.25 MB)
Pastor Ray teaches how prayer in its many forms is a wonderful gift from a loving Heavenly Father. Sometimes our prayers are "why prayers"; like the psalmist, we give voice to our "Why?" questions in prayer. 29:25 minutes (5.06 MB)
God's overarching purpose in history is to reconcile "the world to himself in Christ." And that's the message and ministry of every Christian. 30:07 minutes (5.17 MB)
Pastor Ray teaches how our faith deals with the emotionally painful experience of rejection. We need to come to the cross and affirm who we are in Christ. Our worth is found in God alone through Christ alone. 30:34 minutes (5.25 MB)
In the prologue of John's Gospel, John gives us the theological explanation of the historial accounts of Jesus' brith recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. He introduces us to a God who is both "big enough" and near enough, a God who "speaks our language," One that we can relate to at a personal level. This is the heart of the Christian faith: "The [eternal] Word became flesh and lived among us. We have seen his glory...full of grace and truth...Jesus Christ. 32:49 minutes (5.64 MB)
In Acts 18:18-28 we
see an aspect of God's providence over and over again as God "opens"
and "closes" doors to get the good news of Jesus out from Jerusalem to
"the ends of the earth." Don't underestimate the "doors" that God can
open in your spiritual journey.
Acts 21:17-26. The Apostle Paul experiences a terrible misunderstanding in the church at Jerusalem that threatened to destroy the unity of the Church and undermine his ministry and leadership. Because of Paul's passion for his people and for the unity of the Church he bent over backwards to maintain the Spirit of unity. We can learn much from his example.
Acts 24
The apostle Paul confronted the Roman governor, Felix, with a message about "righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come" (v. 25). It brought fear into Felix's soul. And it reminds us that the gospel also includes some hard-hitting truth we don't like to talk about--a message that calls for courage, humility and respect in our presentation.
Acts 27:1-8
Life is a "journey" that has a "destination"--both in an earthly and eternal sense. For the Christian, Jesus Christ is the center--the source, guide and goal of the journey. And in serving Him, our life's vocation/destination will become clear.
Hospitality, humility and "healing" are among the hallmark virtues of the Christian faith. Often our fervent prayers for healing aren't anwered in the way we had hoped. By God's sufficient grace we persevere in faith, find comfort in his hope, come alongside those who are suffering and continue to "pray without ceasing."
In Part I of Pastor Ray's message on our relationship with the Holy Spirit he summarizes seven vital teachings given by our Lord Jesus and emphasizes that a right understanding and experience of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to carrying on the life and mission of Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-21
Pastor Ray continues his exhortation on the Holy Spirit, exhorting the church to grow deeper in relationship with God by yielding ourselves to the control of the Spirit. It is God's will for us to "keep on being filled with the Spirit" that we might glorify Him in all things. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (for a deeper relationship with God), they will be filled."
The psalmist assures us that God is an "ever-present help in troubhle." In light of the horrific suffering in Haiti, Pastor Ray helps us to reflect on some difficult questions around the "mystery of suffering," God's presence and the Church's (our) practical and personal response through Christ's ministry of compassion.
Pastor Ray presents ten principles that form the framework of a biblical foundation for marriage as "designed" by God. Marriage is a life-long covenant relationship in the context of the gospel of grace. It requires the willingness and desire of wife and husband to submit to each other and to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the One who binds them into the unity of "one flesh" and empowers them to sustain the relationship.
After our relationship with the Triune God, the relationship we have with our parents is of primary importance. While recognizing that this is a complex, tender and, for some, a painful issue, Pastor Ray addresses the Fifth Commandment (Honor Your Parents) in the biblical context of grace.
Pastor Ray talks about the importance of maintaining a "spiritual rhythm" for a strong and vibrant faith that reflects our calling to be a people "set apart" by God for His glory.
Pastor Ray talks about the importance of obedience as a necessary characteristic for a strong, vibrant and effective Christian life and witness. He addresses the biblical basis for the call to obedience, the motivation, the context of faith and what obedience "looks like.
In spite of Paul's difficult circumstances under "house arrest" in Rome, his letter to the church in Philippi is marked by an unusually upbeat, joyful attitude. What was the source of Paul's joy in the midst of difficulty? --the gospel. He looked at everything that happened to him through the lens of the gospel, and the passion and purpose of his life was that the gospel of Christ might advance.
The imitation of Christ is our faith response to the Christmas event--the incarnation and image of God in Jesus the Christ. Paul invites us to "work out" the salvation that God has worked in, to imitate Christ's attitude and servant example. God is working in and with us to "fulfill his good purpose."
Pastor Ray focuses on Philippians 2:13b-14 and reminds us that in our relationship with Christ it's important to remember the basics, but it's also important to "forget" certain things. "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on....."" To "know" and press on with Christ we need to let go of the things that hold us back.
Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday was a "tearful entry." He wept over Jerusalem (Lk 19:41-42; 13:34ff). Why? Luke tells us: He wept because the people rejected God's coming to them in Christ. Jesus still weeps today for the same reasons. His tears help us to understand our own. He invites us to share in the "ministry of tears" (Ro 12:15) for others as well as ourselves. Tears are pure and precious prayers rising to the heart of God.
Even though most of us live in a world of plenty, in term of possessions, prosperity and pleasure, the feeling of contentment seems to elude us. Paul tells us that he has "learned the secret of being content in any and every situation." Is that really possible? Absolutely. But it's a contentment that's born out of our faith in Christ and learn as we walk with Christ.
We mourn all kinds of conditions in our lives, and the second beatitude certainly promises the comforting presence and peace of the Holy Spirit to God's children in the depth of our sorrows. But Jesus is particularly calling us to mourn our sins--to express a "godly sorrow" that leads to repentance. And he is calling us to mourn over the things that are terribly wrong in our world. Those who mourn are promised the comfort of God's unfailing love, forgiveness and restoration; the comfort that comes from comforting others; the comfort of knowing that we are agents of God's hope; and the comfort that comes from God's promise of a future when all creation will be made new and there will be no more mourning.
Pastor Ray helps us to reflect on three important questions related to the seventh beatitude: "Blessed are the peacemakers..." What kind of peace is Jesus talking about? Who are the peacemakers and why are they called "sons (children) of God"? And how do we go about making that kind of peace?
Pastor Ray emphasizes the importance of prayer in the life of Nehemiah. The broken walls of Jerusalem evoked a passionate response in Nehemiah that we can apply as principles to bring positive change in our own lives: It begins with a burden, compels us to seek God in prayer, and further compels us to action. Our challenge is to establish a spiritual rhythm that will strengthen our love of God and neighbor.
