Perfect Through Suffering
Sermonette by Bill OnisickAs we follow the pattern set by Jesus Christ, we will suffer as God prepares us for roles of great glory as members of His Family.
A Look at Christian Suffering (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeIt offends our sense of justice to see the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer. We may need to adjust our expectations for leading an easy life.
The Unleavened Bread of Perfection
CGG Weekly by Clyde FinkleaKeeping the leaven out is very important in its own right. However, our primary focus should not be on the leavened bread but on the unleavened bread.
Going on to Perfection
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid (1930-2016)John Reid, reflecting on his skin diving experiences several years ago, recalls that the ocean is always unstable. If we do not latch on to our target in the ocean, it will quickly drift away, very much like the congregation in Hebrews 2:1. Today, we are bombarded by fast moving technology, competing for our attention, causing …
Life Doesn't Work on a Balance Sheet (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeOur response to God's call has not removed all of our suffering. However, responding to God changes the reason for suffering and what it can accomplish.
Basic Doctrines: Going On to Perfection
Bible Study by StaffMost of our Christian lives will be spent going on to perfection. But what is it? How do we do it? This Bible Study will help explain this broad, yet vital subject.
Life Doesn't Work on a Balance Sheet (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeAs we saw in Part One, Hebrews 5:7-10 describes a facet of Christ's suffering: "... who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications ..."
Life Doesn't Work on a Balance Sheet (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeAs soon as The Father and Son created man with the ability to choose right or wrong, They exposed Themselves to the certainty that humanity would rebel.
God's Correction of His Children
CGG Weekly by Mike FuhrerTrials provide an opportunity to inspect our attitudes and actions, prompting us to make adjustments, avoiding further, harsher correction from the Almighty.
Running God's Marathon With Christ
Sermon by Mark SchindlerChrist endured many more than three temptations; rather, He was tested continuously, and perhaps the intensity increased as He neared the end of His life.
Trials Are a Gift From God
Sermon by Mark SchindlerMark Schindler shares a publication produced shortly after World War II by the Reader's Digest, titled Getting the Most Out of Life, a collection of articles written by people who were able to transcend their losses by finding alternate ways of attaining goals. The handicap associated with the loss of his leg actually served as …
Assurance (Part Two): Of the Path to Glory
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, realizing that most people, both outside and inside the church, crave assurance , avers that we can have assurance that we are God's heirs and offspring if we are led by the spirit, remaining on the sanctified path of fellowship, growing continually in grace and knowledge. When we receive God's calling, God's …
Ecclesiastes and Christian Living (Part Eleven): Paradox, Continued
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughHard trials are not punishments from God for unrighteousness but tests of faith in which He is intimately involved to prepare us for the world to come.
Are You Worthy of Your Calling?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins discusses the apostle Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians, a group of dispirited, despairing Christians who had been bombarded by false teachings that the Day of the Lord had already come, prompting many to quit their employment, rest on their laurels, and become busy-bodies, as well as leading the leaders to …
Assurance (Part Three): Glory and Hope
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins, reiterating that Romans 8 provides assurance that we are of God, asks us to consider that the sufferings we go through now are miniscule compared to the glory which we will later receive, completely eclipsing the glory of Adam and Eve before their fall. Our suffering is temporal, fleeting, and momentary, as …
Wilderness Wandering (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the analogy or metaphor of wilderness wanderings, focuses on the role of suffering or persecution (pressure) in perfecting the saints. God the Father perfected Jesus Christ (our Elder Brother, High Priest, and Mediator) through suffering. Likewise, God the Father has determined that His called-out …
Trials: Much Needed Experiences
Sermon by John O. Reid (1930-2016)God uses trials to test our hearts, but He never places a trial before us to tempt us. God uses trials we bring on ourselves to draw us closer to Him.
Persecution
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughRichard Ritenbaugh acknowledges that although many in God's church have gone through sore trials and tests of sorts, virtually no one has gone through the nightmarish persecutions suffered by the early Christians in Imperial Rome. Because most of us have lived our lives in modern Israel rather than a Gentile culture, we have …
Facing Times of Stress: When God Is Silent (Part Three)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsActs 27 teaches that we must distinguish among several types of suffering. Regardless of the type of suffering, we must remember that God will deliver us.
Trial by Fire
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughLike a loving parent, God brings just the right pressures to bear to bring about necessary change in His children. Each trial has a place in His purpose.
Philippians (Part 3)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh reiterates that the Apostle Paul, in this prison epistle, conveyed to the Philippians his optimism that the apparent misfortune was actually a blessing, actually enabling Paul to magnify his effectiveness, enabling more fruit to be borne. Paul, looking far beyond his prison experience, would be contented no …
Wilderness Wandering (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh contends that our pilgrimage began with our calling and ends with our destination in the Kingdom of God as members of His Royal Priesthood. It seems to have been God's choice to call foolish, base, and despised individuals to confound the wise and mighty. Fortunately, God did not abandon our forbears in their …
The Fifth Seal (Part Two)
'Prophecy Watch' by Richard T. RitenbaughPersecution and martyrdom are not popular topics among Christians, but they are facts. The fifth seal shows the cry of the martyrs and God's response.
Hebrews: A Message for Today
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe book of Hebrews provides reasons to recapture flagging zeal, focusing on the reason for our hope and faith, establishing Christ's credentials.
The Last Great Day
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John O. Reid (1930-2016)Rehearsing the significance of the Last Great Day, John Reid encourages us to feel encouraged and inspired as we return to our homes and jobs, realizing that our involvement in the Kingdom of God will in no way be passive, but extremely active, serving, caring for, and teaching the billions that will be resurrected within the …
Contentment
Sermon by John O. Reid (1930-2016)John Reid observes that many people live in a state of discontent. Ironically, what they set their hearts upon (wealth, power, influence) often displaces the love for family and a relationship with God. True riches consist of godly character coupled with contentment- a by-product of obedience. Contentment (an inner quality) does …
The More Things Change
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughWe tend to think of the early Church as a 'golden age' of unity and momentum. But early church members experienced problems similar to what we face today.
Living Stones in God's House
Article by StaffSolomon's glorious Temple must have been a sight to behold. God's church, however, is His Temple now—and each of us living stones in it. Several analogies are drawn between the construction of the First Temple and our preparation for God's Kingdom.
Preparing to Rule (1993)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJohn Ritenbaugh, reflecting upon themes covered in previous sermons and sermonettes, including commitment and our ultimate goal of becoming a member of the God family, explores sanctification as both a state and a process - a time period between justification and glorification during which overcoming, purification, and holiness …
