 Psalm 84:1-4: this author (probably David) has an overwhelming desire to be at the Tabernacle, and in the intimate Presence of God. God dwells inside of us today—we don’t have to go to the Tabernacle/Temple to experience Him—He is always with us. Yet, most of us spend less time with Him now; most of us crave and desire to be with Him less now, than David ever did, when he had to go to the Tabernacle to be in God’s Presence. How many relationships suffer, become stagnant and unfulfilling (even die), because the couple just coexist—never communicating, having intimate moments, connecting? That is how the vast majority of Christians live their lives with Jesus Christ—many for their entire lives. He is with you daily, yet you take His Presence for granted; you never actually spend quality time with Him alone. If you don’t meet with God in conviction, there will be things from Him that you miss.
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Getting Alone with God  Ever feel like God is sooo far away? Wonder why others seem to have a close, intimate relationship with Jesus and you don't? What are you missing?
 Nothing has really changed about man in the last 2000 years, because in the first century, when Jesus Christ Himself appeared on this earth every attempt was made by those around Him to discredit who He was; every attempt was made to villianize what He stood for; every attempt was made to silence the Truth about what He really did and what really happened in those amazing days to no avail. Why? For the same reasons we do it in this generation: because He challenges our whole way of life; because He asks us to love Him and others over self—sacrificially; because He is proof that we are not the smartest, and not the center; because He has the audacity to tell us "no" when our narrow, self-focused ways are not always best; and in our sin-filled, selfish little worlds, we want what we want, no matter who we have to bypass or walk over to get it. Genesis 3:5.
 It's Easter, which for those of us who already know Jesus that means a time to reflect on the tremendous sacrifice Jesus made out of love for us. But what about those who don't already have a relationship with HIm? How can they know and trust that what the Bible says, and in turn that God, is real?
This Easter Pastor Doss invites us to look at only the evidence to determine if Jesus was even a real man; whether the account of His death, and later resurrection, is true; and if so, what does that mean for us today. Further, you are encouraged to go beyond what he says is true and investigate for yourself, see if you come to the same conclusions. And when you discover the truth, act on what you know.  We are going to look at some of the most basic things that marriage is supposed to be, and accomplish in our day-to-day lives because everything God designed marriage to be, and to accomplish is not only, no longer even a priority in many relationships, it is breaking all the rules and expectations of society today. (It's being "Partners in crime!") If you know Scriptures are real, and God is real, then you know where marriage originated; why we have it today. If not for God's plan, marriage would not even make much sense in our culture. So, if marriage is going to work, shouldn't it be for the reasons, and priorities that God ordained? And not us?
 If you only listen to one of the sermons in this series, this is it! Today Pastor Doss gets to the nitty gritty of marriage. Have questions about partner roles in marriage? It's covered! Questions about S-E-X? It's covered! What about raising kids? It's covered! In addition, Pastor Doss discusses serving together, and living for Christ together. Consider this the "quick" guide to marriage. You don't want to miss it!
 If some of these signs are in you regularly, somewhere inside you is the root of bitterness. Do you understand why? We become bitter when we have expectations of how we think we should be treated, how we think things should go, or how we think things should be done. Do you see the key denominator here: we. Bitterness stems from selfishness. Philippians 2:3: to keep from being selfish, Scriptures say we must be humble; therefore the cause of selfishness is lack of humility—pride. We want it our way because we are the important one, the smart one, the talented one, the educated one, the blessed one. So often these feelings can begin with a seemingly justified event (death/illness of loved one, selfish spouse, unfair employer, bad financial situation, etc.). The attitude that event causes you to have during a difficult time in life sticks with you and shades everything in your life with that bitter twinge until it is a way of life about everything.
 This week we take a short break from our marriage series with a reminder from 2011, think happy thoughts. While this sermon is intended for all audiences, it is definitely applicable to married couples as well.
Pastor Doss first asks us to examine ourselves against a list of symptoms for an ailment that commonly affects a large percentage of people today to see if you might suffer as well. If so, he walks us through the Biblical diagnosis and finally reveals the treatment plan.....and guess what. Tink was right in her advice to us all. Listen to find out what it is. |
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March 2023
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