1755 results for tag: Greg Albrecht
Let the Party Begin
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master ...
Focus on Christ – Not on Fear!
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself— nameless,
unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed
efforts to convert retreat into advance" (Franklin Delano Roosevelt, first inaugural address, March 4, 1933)
Weltschmerz—a German word meaning world-pain or world-weariness is used to describe mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state. Based on the anxiety and concern contained in reports and letters we receive from those we serve, as well as a general condition of weltschmerz in our society, there is no doubt that fear, worry, stress and tension are wreaking havoc in ...
Prayer – The Steering Wheel or a Spare Tire?
Corrie Ten Boom once asked, "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" When she compared prayer to a steering wheel, I'm relatively certain that Corrie Ten Boom didn't know anything about a modern GPS system—the navigational system many people have in their cars today.
As you probably know, GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It's a radio navigation system that allows land, sea and airborne users to determine their exact position. It relies on 24 satellites in orbit above the earth—positioned in such a way that four of them will always be above the horizon, anywhere on the earth.
A GPS receiver, like the ones many ...
The Trouble With Halloween
Q: I appreciate the ministry of PTM, and the great work you do for the Lord, and I very much enjoy your teaching and advice. I have a question about the holiday of Halloween. In your opinion, is it wrong to dress up in costumes, have a party or give out candy to trick-or-treaters?
A:Some Christians see nothing wrong with Halloween as a time for families to take children, who love to dress up in costumes, into their immediate neighborhood, and, with careful supervision, receive goodies and treats as they go from house to house. Some of these parents avoid witch and ghost costumes for their children in favor of cowboys, action heroes, angels, ...
Let the Party Begin – by Greg Albrecht
WHEN JESUS WANTED PEOPLE TO
UNDERSTAND GOD'S KINGDOM PRESENCE,
HE USED PARTIES AS A PICTURE
Key Text: The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11)
The very idea of any kind of party, any kind of laughter, feasting, light-heartedness and yes, even enjoyment of life itself, is suspect in some religious environments. Our keynote passage does more than just record history, it is inviting you and me to a party, a party that is already in progress! There's important teaching in this passage.
You may have heard one of the take-offs on our passage, which goes something like this:
Jesus turned water into wine almost ...
You and Me and Zacchaeus
If Hollywood made a movie about Zacchaeus, Danny DeVito might be asked to play the role of this short man who made a ton of money. The plot? Jesus loved Zacchaeus even though no one else seemed to.
Contentment – by Greg Albrecht
Friend and Partner Letter from October 2022
If you are like me, you have had the experience of seeing an old friend your own age, whom you have not seen in “forever,” and thinking how old they have become since you last saw them!Meanwhile, we fail to remember we have been seeing our own aging reflection in the bathroom mirror every day. No one likes to get older. Surgical procedures, injections, creams, lotions and diets are sold, promising to restore what has long since gone down the river of life.
Sam went to a new dentist, and as he was in the waiting-room he saw a diploma on the wall —it seemed his new dentist had attended the ...
Love – No Fear
Religion is all about shame and honor, but real Christianity is about God’s love and grace. There is no fear — no shame — no guilt, in God’s perfect love.
Grace at Church
Grace can happen “at” church — but grace is seldom offered on religious menus. Join us in celebrating the riches of God’s grace.
When Your Dreams End Up In the Pit
Sometimes our dreams wind up in a pit. If you find yourself in a pit, even if things get worse before they get better, if your hope is in the Lord, he will rescue you.
The Center of the Gospel – Greg Albrecht
Christianity WITHOUT the religion defines Christ-less religion as any systematic method used to either earn or gain favor with God initially, or to improve and maintain one’s ongoing standing with God on the basis of deeds, involvement, attendance, performances, rituals and ceremonies.
One of my favorite authors, Richard Rohr, speaks of the “performance principle” as the absolute foundation of all religion.The “performance principle” is the myth that leads humans to live lives defined by achievement—it is a myth that is rooted in and driven by fear. Fear is the foundational building block of Christ-less religion.
The “perfor...
The Pearl of Great Value
In this parable that helps us understand the kingdom of heaven, who is the pearl of great value? You may be surprised with the answer!
It’s All About Grace – by Greg Albrecht
Keynote Passages:
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. —Romans 3:31
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. —Romans 4:4-5
This is the third message in our three-part series discovering what the introductory chapters of this great book of Romans tell us about God’s amazing grace.
The first sermon, In Need of Grace, discussed the fact that we are spiritually sunk without God’s grace. We reflected on Romans 1:16-17, as well as the ...
Who is God and What is He Like? – Greg Albrecht
BREAKING NEWS: God is who he is, not who we think he is because of what we have been taught. If you have created God in your own image, or wittingly or unwittingly allowed someone to help you do that then God will probably be a member of your church and denomination. He will keep and observe all your religious ceremonies, holidays and holy days, all your rules and regulations and all your rituals.
• God created in your image will hate the people you hate.
• God created in your image will vote for the person you vote for.
• God created in your image will be a member of your race, nationality and perhaps even your gender.
When God ...
Call 911
Just as we call 911 in times of emergency, we can also call God, our ultimate resource, at “91:1.” God is always available to you. He’s never too busy — he will always pick up your call. Always.
Grace Alone – by Greg Albrecht
Keynote Passage:
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just ...
Our Hope Is In the Lord
Happiness in the here and now is not the supreme hope for Christ-followers. Our hope is in the Lord, and the highway to his heaven, which may include suffering, as a necessary and natural part of the journey.
In Need of Grace – by Greg Albrecht
Keynote Passage:
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”—Romans 1:16-17
This week we are beginning a three-part series on God’s amazing grace—based on the first few chapters of the book of Romans.
This week our sermon is titled In Need of Grace, based on Romans 1:16-17, and on the larger passage that follows, Romans 2:1-3:20.
Next week we will discuss Grace ...
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