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Overcoming the Leaven of Fear

Sermonette by David F. Maas

God's people should not allow their hearts to be troubled, thereby permitting a cringing cowardice to destroy them. Leaven is an apt metaphor to describe fear.

The Sin of Fear (Part Two)

'Ready Answer' by Pat Higgins

There are two seemingly-contradictory types of fear, the good fears and the bad ones. We must begin and remain in the proper fear of God to cast off other fears.

What Do You Fear? (Part Three)

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

If we fear things other than God, we stunt our spiritual growth. We stop overcoming because any non-godly fear will involve self-centeredness, the opposite of God.

Facing Times of Stress: Fear of the Future

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Paul's admonition to Timothy to stir up God's Holy Spirit applies just as much today when we sometimes become blindsided by fears about the future.

Love's Emotional Dimension

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Love doesn't become 'love' until we act. If we don't do what is right, the right feeling will never be formed; emotions are largely developed by our experiences.

No Real Love Without God

Sermon by John O. Reid

Loving God is the greatest calling we have been given, a command that surpasses all others in importance. We are to love the Lord with all our heart, with every faculty and power, holding Him supreme above all beings or things with tremendous ardor and zeal. This means devoting our lives to Him in service, submitting our intellect to His will, and loving His law and gospel more than our own thoughts and decisions. We must be willing to surrender all our faculties to His teaching and guidance, dedicating our intellectual abilities to Him. With all our physical and mental strength, we are to labor to please and glorify Him by becoming like Him in all that we do. The first four commandments reveal how we show direct love toward God. We must have no other gods besides Him, allowing nothing to take precedence over our commitment to Him. We are to avoid making idols, whether physical or in the form of lifestyles, intellect, beauty, strength, wealth, or escapes we turn to in weakness. Loving God requires us to fight against these distractions and rid ourselves of them. We must honor His name in all aspects of our lives—our marriages, childrearing, business practices, and what we allow into our minds—representing Him with integrity. Keeping the Sabbath as holy time, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, is a sign of our love and obedience to Him. It is a time to rest from ordinary duties, to engage in meaningful Bible study, to visit the sick, to encourage one another, and to be refreshed spiritually while attending services. God's love toward us is the foundation of our ability to love Him. He first loved us, even when we were ignorant of His way and did not desire it, wanting the best for us when we did not know what was good for ourselves. His love is shown in the world He has given us, in the rain that falls on the just and unjust, in His patience toward us, and most profoundly in sending His Son as a sacrifice so we might be reconciled to Him. We perceive His love because He laid down His life for us, and in like manner, we are to lay down our lives for others. As we actively love others, both within and outside the church, in the same manner that God loves us, His love is perfected in us, and we grow in His nature, going on to perfection. Loving God produces a desire to live His way, and His commandments are essential to that life. Obedience to His Word trains us to become just like Him, reflecting His nature. For those who conscientiously observe and work to obey His doctrine, the love of God is perfected, establishing an intimate relationship with Him and His Son. True love in the heart will be reflected in our way of living, showing that we belong to Him. If we harbor hatred or grudges toward others, we do not have His love within us. Perfect love casts out fear, and as we grow in love and trust in Him, we can stand boldly before Him, taking on His nature. We are to love Him because He first loved us, and this love is not our own but His love working in us, shaping us to love others as He does.

Love's Greatest Challenges

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

An irrational fear of loss prevents the development of agape love — we fear that keeping God's commandments will cause us to lose something valuable.

Faith Over Fear

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

When it looks like things are out of control, God is busily at work behind the scenes. If we replace anxiety with faith, God will grant us divine peace.

The Love of Christ

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

Only with the help of God's Holy Spirit are we able to fathom the dimensions of width, breadth, length, and depth of Jesus Christ's and the Father's love.

The Agape Evolution

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

In one context, evolution is absolutely real:the transition of one of God's called-out ones from a state of fear to a state of transcendental agape love.

Overcoming Troubled Hearts (Part Two)

CGG Weekly by Clyde Finklea

We cannot allow our troubled hearts to lead us away from God and His purpose for us. Two vital elements will deliver us from destructive fear and unbelief.

Standing Up for God

Article by Staff

Standing up against the majority is never easy, but as Christians, we have been called to do just that. We need to grow in courage until we are bold as a lion.

No Failsafe Needed

Sermon by Mark Schindler

The free-will God has allowed mankind has led to some tragic consequences or disruptions, but none of these are outside of His control.

Faith—What Is It?

'Ready Answer' by Pat Higgins

Faith is simple in concept; it is believing what God says. Yet it is difficult to display in our lives, and it is often tested. Here is some evidence of faith.

The Spirit of Bondage

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

God did not give us a spirit of fear or bondage. Faith is the antidote to a spirit of slavish cowardice and timidity, the opposite of boldness from the Holy Spirit.

Faith to Face Our Trials

'Ready Answer' by Pat Higgins

Life seems to be one trial after another. However, God has revealed an astounding facet of God's love that should give us the faith to soldier on.

Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part Four)

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Even with Christ's sacrifice, God does not owe us salvation. We are called to walk, actively putting to death our carnal natures, resisting the complacency.

Sharing Our Lives at the Feast

Article by Mark Schindler

The Feast of Tabernacles is a wonderful gift God has given us to spend time with each other, really sharing of ourselves. Here is how this can be done.

John (Part Eighteen)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Trust in God's ability to resurrect can neutralize the most basic debilitating fear—the fear of death. Christ assures us that death is not the end.

Church Unity Despite the Spirit of the World

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

The unity of God's church does not derive from organizational expertise, the conformity of ecumenism, or the tolerance for evil, but from the family model.

Are We Ready To Enter The Promised Land?

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We may not be troubled by giants or enemy nations, but we have trials of similar magnitude. We dare not behave as the timid spies, but live with boldness.