Confide Part II | Pastor Chris Searcy | 4.28.24

 Confide:

With Faith

Part II

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name,

he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said

unto you.

John 1:1–3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He [this

Word is a person] was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without

him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh [Jesus Christ] and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,

glory as of the only [KJV:begotten] Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Con - Fide = With faith

"We say we have faith but live without confidence”

We live as if we don’t know the God we serve.

2 Chronicles 20

The Story of the people of Judah under King Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon

1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war

against Jehoshaphat.

2 Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from

Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). 

3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all

Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came

from every town in Judah to seek him.

5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of

the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the

kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand

you. 7 Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and

give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built

in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of

judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your

Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’

10 “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not

allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not

destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the

possession you gave us as an inheritance. 

12 Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that

is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before

the Lord.

14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the

son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the

assembly.

15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is

what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army.

For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 

16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and

you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.

 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the

deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be

discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”

18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and

Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites

and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

20 Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood

and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God

and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 

21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to

praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army,

saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,

    for his love endures forever.”

22 As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon

and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 

23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and

annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy

one another.

24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked

toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had

escaped. 

25 So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a

great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take

away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 

26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord.

This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.

27 Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to

Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 

28 They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and

trumpets.

29 The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had

fought against the enemies of Israel. 

30 And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every

side.

Revelation 5:1-5 ESV

”Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on

the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice,

"Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" And no one in heaven or on earth or

under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because

no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me,

"Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so

that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."“

Confide | Pastor Chris | 4.21.24

Confide:

Living with confidence in God

“Rather than believing in confidence without faith……. We say we have faith but live without

confidence”

Definition of confidence:

The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something.

The state of feeling certain about the truth of something.

But the word says his about trusting in the lord

Jeremiah 17:5-8

5 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his

strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.

6 He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the

parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear

when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it

does not cease to bear fruit."

God says through Jeremiah

Don't trust in man….. Trust in God!!!!

In other words act like you know who he is!!!!!!

Did you forget all he’s done for you!!!!!?!?!?!?

Psalm 103:1-5

1Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and all that is within me,

    bless his holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity,

    who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit,

    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 who satisfies you with good

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

But even if you don’t have a history with God!!! If you’re a brand new believer……..

The word gives us Biblical examples of God coming through

Noah

Abraham

Moses

Exodus 10:3-11

The Macro:

Justification; resurrection; return

The Micro:

Promises and prophecies

Philippians 4:19 (ESV): "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches

in glory in Christ Jesus."

James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all

without reproach, and it will be given him."

1 John 5:14-15 (ESV): "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask

anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask,

we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

James 4:7-8 (ESV): "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee

from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners,

and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

True Darkness | Pastor Chris Searcy | 4.14.24

Darkness

Woe to those who call good evil and evil good.

Isaiah 5:20. (NIV):

"Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,

who put darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV):

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

THEY WILL LOOK GODLY!

!!!!The sin will be sanitized!!!!

THE WORLD AND ITS FOLLOWERS PREACH:

not lover of self… just…self lovers…

not lovers of money… just… bag chasers…

not proud… just… bosses…

not arrogant… just… unapologetic…

not ungrateful… just… deserving….

not unholy… just… in my hoe phase….

not lacking self control… just… Turning up…

not being a lover of pleasure… just… having fun…

John 3:19-21

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Jesus came into the world to expose the sinfulness of man and provide a way of escape!

But men refused his way of escape because they love the dark!

Romans 1 says: 

they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”

Timothy 2 3:13

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Deuteronomy 11:16

Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

Corinthians 1 6:9

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

Matthew 24:36-41

36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. 39 And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

They will deceive themselves to the grave.

Proverbs 16:25 (ESV):

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."

What is our way out!

1 John 1:6-10

6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

We must walk in the light which is understanding the darkness of our sins confessing sins and turning from them!

Luke 8:9-14

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Acts 2:40 (ESV):

"And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’”

Is Anyone Worthy? Part III : What Now? | 4.7.24 | Pastor Chris Searcy

Is Anyone Worthy 

pt 3

What Now?!

Recap:

Matthew 28:5

5 “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.

Intro:

Jesus meets the 11 disciples after resurrecting:

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Rising from the grave did a few instantaneous things for us:

Justification -  Romans 4:25 (ESV): "Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

Newness of life - Romans 6:4 (ESV): "We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Victory over death and sin - 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (ESV): "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1. Go and make disciples of all nations.
2. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
3. Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

What are we to share?:

John 3:16

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Acts 13:38-39

Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the Law of Moses 

Romans. 4:25

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Titus 3:4-7

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Who are we to share it to?:

All nations all peoples all ethnicities all races.

Why should we share it?:

Romans 10:14-15 (ESV):

"How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'"

And because he is worthy!

Two hinderances:

Fear of man and Hypocrisy

If you are new in your walk you you can say come meet the man who told me everything about myself. 

End with the beauty of the man that we are talking about….. It is because He is WORTHY!!!!!!