Sermon: The blazing furnace

Dan 3 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
-They would not bow. Dan 3:12,15-16
We have compromised long before we get to the point of the threat of life and death. "It's no big deal. Everybody's doing it." "I'll do it in secret." Dan 1:8-9, 17-19; 6:19-20 They had been serving their God day by day, continually making sacrifices for Him, keeping their eyes on Him. If I'm failing I'm the small things, I will fail in the big things.
-They would not bend. Dan 3:16-18
They knew that God could save them. They had heard the stories of old, of miracles, of God's great power. They trusted God completely. Do I have an unbending Faith in God? They didn't know if God would save them, but they still stayed strong. Even if He didn't save them, He's still God.
Even though things in my life haven't gone the way I want, God is still God, the one true God, and I need to trust Him and love Him completely. They didn't make their obedience contingent upon God doing what they wanted.
-They would not burn. Dan 3:25-27 They reached out to God and praised Him. Just as miraculous as the fourth man in the fire is Jesus showing up to live a perfect life and die for us, so that we may have life eternal with our wonderful God.

Sermon: Esther

Esther 4:12-14
God used Esther to bring deliverance to his people.
- God is in control of all things!! Even in the midst of craziness. God's plans will always prevail no matter what. Take comfort in that. Prov 16:33, Dan 2:21, Col 1:15-20
- God is always at work, even when you don't see or feel him.
- God used everyday ordinary people and circumstances to accomplish his purposes. God wants to use us, and it last not be in a spectacular way
- Maybe God has put us together for such a time as this.

Sermon: 2 Sam 11, 12 Troy Merceal

David and Bathsheba
2 Sam 11, 12
The man after God's own heart was out of relationship with God.
He tried to sweep things under the rug, but God knew and confronted him. He repented but still paid the consequences for his sin, then he went back to praising God.

Sermon: Moses

Ex 13, 14, 15
-God's plans are always better than my plans Ex 13:17-20. Sometimes God leads us on a path that is not always the shortest or easiest route
-God allows tough circumstances in our lives for our good and his glory Ex 13:20-14:4; Rom 8:28-30
-when things get tough our first response is often to question God.  Why??  Ex 14:5-12
-Sometimes we stand still when ought to be moving on. Ex 14:13-15
-Faith is stretching out what you have, even though you don't know that what you have is going to do what you need it to do Ex 14:16-18
-never forget in the darkness what God has shown you in the light Ex 14:18-20
-God is able Ex14:21-22
-sing!! Ex 15:1-6

Amazing Stories: Noah

Genesis 6, 7, 8
The story of Noah and the ark is a picture of the beauty of God's salvation
-the world was full of wickedness then and now. Gen 6:5, 11; Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12; Gen 9:29-21
-God judges sin. Gen 6:7, 13, 17; 7:21; there is another judgement day coming Rom 3:19-20
-Jesus is coming back someday soon (just like a flood)!  Mt 24:36-44; 2 Pet 3
-just like Noah, we need to be ready. Heb 11:12. We need to live as if this is true in our own lives.

Peace in the storm

Phil 4:4-9; Mt 8:23-27
- The fact that Jesus is in your boat does not exempt you from storms. You can not avoid storms. Mt 7:24-27; Jas 1:2-4
- Often, when you are in the midst of a storm, it seems as if Jesus is asleep. Jn 11:4-6, 14-15 Jesus delayed intentionally so that they may believe.
- Jesus is ordering the circumstances of your life to lead you to the place of crying out: LORD SAVE.
- He's in control of everything. We are in control of nothing. The question is: Are we going to trust the one who is in control of everything or the one who is in control of nothing? Mt 8:27, 6:25-34 The greatest times of stress come when we forget that someone who lives us is in control of everything
- On this side of eternity, there will never be a day when you don't need to trust the God who loves you.
- We must not be anxious, but cast all your cares on him 1 Pet 5:6-11

Peace of mind

-It is impossible to have the peace of God, without being at peace with God.  Rom 5:1
-Don't be anxious about anything. Peace is the calm assurance that what God is doing is best. Anxiousness is being focused on our circumstances and our feelings.
3 things for peace:
-right praying Phil. 4:6 prayer, supplication (specific things in our world), and thanksgiving- the more we pray, the lower our anxiety will be
-right thinking Phil 4:7; 2:3; 3:8. It is far better to pray and experience the peace of God. Work on what thoughts we allow in our minds. Be more disciplined about what thoughts we allow to stay in our minds. Fight for the right thoughts. 2Cor 10:5; Isa 26:3; Phil 4:8; true - Jn 17:17, Jn 8:44, Ps 19:7-9, 119:165; noble -take the high road, think the best and don't run your mouth; just- righteous; pure- sexual connotations; lovely-pleasing; admirable,  excellence (human), praiseworthy (God)
- right living