Even though we come to church every week, we often have the wrong motives when we come to worship.  Our heart isn't in the right place.  In fact, our attitude hinders our ability to worship.  In Psalm 98, the people are being called to worship.  And, in this, we can see the proper motive and attitude for the worship of God.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/WhyWeWorship

Yesterday was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  This was our focus at Ebenezer.  We looked at the call given us in Hebrews 13:3, that we're to remember those who are imprisoned or suffering for their faith.  And we considered how we might do just that.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/DoNotForget

Yesterday, on Reformation Sunday, we remembered how Martin Luther returned the gospel to the people.  And, even though our circumstances are different, we need the gospel today as much as ever.  We focused on Romans 3 and we saw how we can, and how we can't, attain righteousness.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/FaithAlone_201310

What do you do when your faith is a struggle?  How do you respond when you feel like you're outside of God's blessing?  We find a wonderful answer to this question by looking at the life of Jacob.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/ClingingToJesus

We know that Jesus has called us to lead people to himself.  But, quite often, we do the exact opposite.  Instead of leading people to Christ, we lead them away from him; instead of leading people to the forgiveness of sin, we lead them into sin itself.  This is something that the Lord takes very seriously.  So, where are you leading?  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/WhereAreYouLeading

Whether we admit to it or not, we all have a desire for greatness within us.  But how do we become great?  This is a question that Jesus answers for us in this message.  It can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/ThePathToGreatness

We constantly receive financial advice from the world, about how to prepare for our future.  And much of this advice is good.  However, how does God want us to use the wealth he's entrusted to us?  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/BiblicalStewardship

Most people in this nation profess to be followers of Jesus.  They say that they love the Lord more than anything.  But is this true?  Jesus tells us that, if we're to follow him, we must renounce all things, even those that are dearest to us.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/FollowingJesus_201309

Yesterday we heard part 3 of our series on the parable of the prodigal son.  We looked at it, this time, through the eyes of the older brother.  We saw how he neither welcomed nor celebrated the prodigal's return.  And we saw that, in the same way, we're not always welcoming to the sinner who repents; we don't always celebrate their return to the Lord.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TheProdigal3

Yesterday, we heard part 2 of our series on the parable of the Prodigal Son.  We looked at it, this week, through the eyes of the father.  And we learned something about the nature of God.  We learned that, although it pains him, he will allow us to leave him, if we so desire.  We also learned that he will receive us back with open arms when we come in a spirit of repentance.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TheProdigal2

Yesterday, we began a short series of messages on the parable of the prodigal son.  We looked at it from the perspective of the prodigal himself.  And we saw the effect sin has on our relationship with God, as well as how that relationship might be restored.  This message can be heard and downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TheProdigal1

On July 14, Pastor Nate Nash delivered the message in my absence.  He talked about Gospel-centered sanctification, how we are made holy through the gospel.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/GospelCenteredSanctification

We receive many blessings through Scripture, through the Word of God.  Yet, even though this is true, most of us neglect it.  We get so busy in our day to day lives, we get so busy in our service of God, that we often fail to listen to the Lord speak to us through his Word.  However, as believers, his Word must be our highest priority.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/OurHighestPriority

Sunday, July 7, 2013

So often, as believers, we begin to rejoice in the things we do for God; we begin to rejoice in the things he does through us.  However, as we hear in this message, this is not a valid reason for our joy.  Instead, we're to rejoice that we're saved.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/OurReasonToRejoice

The first few minutes of this week's message were lost.  However, you can pick up just fine.  We talked about evangelism, and our attitude toward those who reject Christ and his gospel.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/SharingGodsHeartForTheLost

Also, here is the link to Pastor Nate's message while I was on vacation on May 26th: https://archive.org/details/May26_201307

Yesterday, we talked about the forces of evil.  We often make the mistake of thinking that the forces of good and evil, that the forces of God and the devil, are equal.  We think of them as fighting it out with an undetermined outcome.  However, as we see, this is far from the case.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/PowerOverEvil

Also, here is the link to Pastor Nate's message from June 2nd, while I was on vacation: https://archive.org/details/June2_201306

Yesterday, we heard the last part of our series, "Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense." We looked at trusting God in the face of the miraculous.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod8

This morning, we heard part 7 of our series, Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense.  We heard about trusting God when a loved one dies.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod7

Here's part 6 of our series, Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense.  In it, we look at trusting God when we face impossible odds.  https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod6

Yesterday, we heard part 5 of our series: Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense.  We looked at trusting God when his call seems illogical.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod5

Yesterday we heard part 4 of our series, "Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense." We talked about trusting God when there's no way out.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod4

Yesterday, we heard part 3 of our series, "Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense." We talked about those times when it seems that God has changed his mind, and how we can trust God in the midst of them.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod3

Yesterday, we heard part 2 of our series: Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense.  We looked at trusting God when his commands don't make sense to us.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod2

Last week, Pastor Tomasz Chmiel, missionary to Ukraine, was with us.  He gave the message, which can be found here: https://archive.org/details/Chmiel

Yesterday, we began a new series of messages titled, "Trusting God When It Doesn't Make Sense." Part 1 deals with faith itself.  It's the foundation for the rest of the series, answering the question: What is faith?  It can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/TrustingGod1_201304

In John's account of the first Easter, he tells us that, upon seeing the empty tomb, he believed.  Prior to that, they didn't understand the Scriptures, that Jesus had to rise.  This is what we looked at on Easter Sunday, why Jesus had to rise.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/HeHadToRise

Today, we heard part 5 of our series on the Passion history.  We looked at Jesus' trial before Caiaphas.  The first couple minutes of the intro were not recorded.  But, you should be able to jump in just fine.  this message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/Passion5

Yesterday, we heard part 4 of our series on the Passion History.  We looked at the exchange between Annas and Jesus, following  his arrest.  This message can be  heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/Passion4

This past Wednesday, Pastor Nate Nash brought the message for our Lenten worship.  He continued our look at the contrasts of the cross, talking about sorrow and joy.  This message can be heard at https://archive.org/details/SorrowAndJoy

Yesterday, we heard part 3 of our Sunday morning Lenten Series, "The Passion History." We looked at Jesus' arrest and found that, even though it seems that the chief priests and Pharisees are in control of this situation, Jesus was really in control.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/JesusTakenCaptive

Pastor Tom Olson of Newark, Ohio was the main speaker for our men's conference last week.  The theme of the conference was "Embracing Your Life." Mr. Scott England also shared with us.  Some of our recording was a bit off.  The first couple minutes of the first session was missed, as was the ending minutes of session 2.  But we pray the messages bless you.

Session 1: https://archive.org/details/EmbracingYourLife1

Session 2: https://archive.org/details/EmbracingYourLife2

Session 3: https://archive.org/details/EmbracingYourLife3

This week, we heard part 2 of our Lenten series on The Passion.  We looked at the agony of Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and what this means for us.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/Passion2_201302

Part 2 of our mid-week series, "The Contrasts of the Cross" was brought by Pastor Nate Nash.  He talked about hatred and love, which are both seen in the cross of Christ.  This can be heard at https://archive.org/details/HatredAndLove

Yesterday, we began a series of messages to carry us through the Sunday mornings of Lent on the Passion History.  In our first message, we looked at some disturbing news that Jesus delivered to his disciples after the Last Supper.  He told them that they'd all fall away.  This message can be heard or downloaded at https://archive.org/details/Passion1_201302

In the American church, it's easy for us to become focused on ourselves and to lose sight of the heart of God.  We seek to build our own kingdom instead of God's.  But if we're to get on track, we must recapture that vision.  We must understand God's heart, and we must share that heart.  This message can be heard or downloaded at http://archive.org/details/Radical5

Parts 3 and 4 of our Radical series were lost due to computer problems in our sound booth.  We're sorry for what you missed.  But we hope this message will bless you.

Last week, we began a series of messages that goes along with the book Radical by David Platt.  In the first message of this series, we see that, in order to follow Jesus, we must be willing to leave everything to follow Jesus.  Nothing in life, not even that which we hold most dear, can hold us back.  This message can be heard or downloaded at http://archive.org/details/Radical1

In part 2 of this series we see that, in the Christian life, we do not focus on possessions or material wealth.  We cling loosely to them, realizing that we're to use them to serve the Lord and to bless other people.  We focus first and foremost on the Lord and on the things of the Lord.  We have some wierd audio overlap for the first minute of this recording.  Believe it or not, we had it at the church as well.  But it clears up quickly.  This message can be heard or downloaded at http://archive.org/details/Radical2