My Sermons from ONE28's Youth Retreat

I had the privilege to speak at ONE28 Ministry's recent summer retreat. (ONE28 is the youth ministry of Foothill Bible Church.) We had the chance to look at the theme "Nothing Compares" from 3 passages in Philippians. I have the audio of each message below, for your and my mom's enjoyment.

Audio (Click on the link to listen! CTRL + click to open in new tab)
Nothing Compares with Joyful Service- Philippians 1:19-26
Nothing Compares with Humble Community- Philippians 2:1-11
Nothing Compares with Knowing Jesus- Philippians 3:1-11

Scripture Passages
Philippians 1:19-26
Philippians 2:1-11
Philippians 3:1-11

Enjoy!

The Bible is a Big Deal

Notes from Sunday's Refuel study...

THE WORD OF GOD is SPOKEN by God.

Many times, we want God to “speak to us” and tell us something new and amazing about how to live our lives, or what purposes He has for us. We need to realize that he speaks to us daily through his Word, the Bible- as long as we open it.

- 2 Peter 1:20-21- “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

- 2 Timothy 3:16- “All Scripture is breathed out by God…”

THE WORD OF GOD gives INSTRUCTION to live a new life.

Through his Word, God instructs us on truth about himself, the world, and ourselves. Through his word, God gives us power to live a new life that pleases Him.

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17- “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

- Hebrews 4:12-13- “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

“Dusty Bibles lead to dirty lives.” (Howard Hendricks)

“This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.” (John Owen)

There are ETERNAL REWARDS for following God’s Word.

Psalm 19:7-11- “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

God's Notifications

If you're anything like me, you have a love/hate relationship with notifications. You know what I'm talking about. The red number in the corner of your Facebook page; the blinking LED light on your phone; the bold number in your email inbox. When I see these notifications, I have to click on them. I hate seeing unread emails or unchecked social media notifications, and I therefore compulsively check these things to make sure I receive all the notifications.


My (somewhat pathetic) eagerness in this area led me to question my heart recently. How eager am I to check the invitations, alerts, and notifications that God is giving me? When I see the blinking LED light indicating a new tweet or text message, I immediately check it. Yet, how often does God reach out to my heart through his Spirit or his Word with an alert, a notification, a conviction or message? And how often do I delay in responding to his message? Do I check God's communication with me as eagerly and passionately as I check my smartphone? Or do I ignore God and pay him little attention?


Read the verses below. They (along with the rest of Scripture) clearly show that God reaches out to us, to get our attention and call us into relationship with himself. Be honest with yourself. Like those who rejected God in the verses below, do we "resist the Holy Spirit" and pay God "no attention" because we are "not willing"? Or do we eagerly wait for God's alerts and notifications in our lives?


Acts 7:51- “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you."


Luke 13:34- "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!"


Matthew 22:4-6- "Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them."