 Alex Hardt November 27, 2022
The Altitude of Gratitude, A Valley of Thanks The portion of scripture Pastor Alex chose for this message was 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18. This section is titled Final Instructions in my Bible. The letter to the Thessalonian believers had been newsy and instructive from the Apostle Paul, but as he closed, he wanted to give them some fine points for living that would help with their continued walk with Christ. His points will do the same for us today. So that they would clearly understand he lists the dos and don’ts that they need to be aware of, as do we.
Pastor Alex wanted us to see the actions that make for a life lived in the Valley of Gratitude. If you wonder, how do I become grateful, why am I grateful, what does gratitude look like today- this is a very specific passage that tells us exactly how. A grateful heart pays attention to the needs of others, seeks to serve them and live in peace with those you live and work with. Unity in the body of Christ in a sign that we love one another! Helping someone who is not as well off- be it spiritually, mentally or physically creates love and thankfulness within yourself. Encouraging a discouraged person with a smile, email, card or kind word is being about the Lord’s work right where you are. Putting aside vengeful thoughts or actions and concentrating on doing what is good for everyone is the productive Christ like way of living. In verses 16-18, Paul comes to the big three that are especially what Christ desires. Rejoice always- live with a sense of Christ like joy in your life. You can do this if you remember you are redeemed and loved by Christ. Remember Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Without Christ you were dead in your sins and now you are destined for eternity with Him. Pray Continually- live with a sense of connectedness to Christ. He is ready and willing to hear your cries and help. Remember Hebrews 4:16 “ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Give thanks in all circumstances- live with an attitude of gratitude about all things in your life- physically and spiritually. If it is hard to be grateful for certain circumstances you do not understand, claim Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” As a believer and child of God, you can claim this over your life. We do not need to totally understand all things because God does! Our job is to trust Him to use them for good in our lives, for our good and His glory, just as He promises! The end of verse 18 says, “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. All the things Paul had listed in verses 12-18 are good for us, good for the body of Christ, good for His work among us BECAUSE it is Christ’s will for us. He desires that we live in this manner so that we will glorify Him in what we say and do. May your day be filled with the Do’s of Christ. May you see an increase in your heart’s gratitude towards Him who provides you each day with opportunities to love Him and serve other in His name. Linda SERMON LINK The Altitude of Gratitude | A Valley of Thanks Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "The Altitude of Gratitude" Today Alex teaches from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.  Alex Hardt The Altitude of Gratitude, Clicked Into Others on November 20, 2022
Pastor Alex and Pastor Damon gave us a sober reminder this Sunday from Ezekiel 33:2-7. Did you identify with the watchman? Do you see yourself as one who is a herald for Jesus? The passage was clear that if we know there is trouble coming and don’t take heed ourselves then the destruction is ours to bear. If however, we see trouble coming and do not shout a warning to others of the coming destruction then their deaths are on us and God will hold us accountable. As a culture we like to think of ourselves as independent and the masters of our own destiny. The truth for every believer is that we are inter-related to one another in love because of Christ’s love for us. He loved us first as Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ specifically commissioned us to tell others and love them. John 13:34-35 ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” You many ask, what does love have to do with it? If you know something is going to happen to a love one, then you act and try to prevent it, right? God tells us that each and every believer is a loved one of His and we are to act in love towards them. He also includes non-believers. We are to act differently from the world and love them, show them grace and give them the message of salvation. Romans 10:16-17 remind us, “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” We have to tell them about Jesus and His love and sacrifice for all. Pastor Alex reminded us that refusing to open your mouth and tell others is considered by God an Act of Rebellion. It sounds like the child that whines, why me Lord? Why do I have to tell them? Why do I have to warn them that “the wages of sin is death” Romans 3:23 and that “ Jesus is the way and no one comes to God except through Him” John 14:6. Can’t someone else tell them, I’m busy, I don’t like them, they are mean to me, they aren’t worth it….. Jesus’ answer, is NO! It is your privilege to tell them about me because you LOVE ME and I LOVE You and I Dwell within you! Jesus empowers us to tell others and gives us the words and love for them. This Thanksgiving be bold and speak of the love of Jesus to those around your table. Tell them of what Jesus has done for you and continues to do each and every day. Let them know and see your love for Jesus. I spoke at the memorial for my best friend earlier this year. The line that God gave me to repeat was, “My friend Joan loved Jesus”. It was evident in how she spoke and acted. Words of praise and encouragement were on her lips and she loved to talk about her Savior. She loved Jesus. What about you? What is on your lips- words of praise and thanksgiving or words of discouragement and selfishness? If you love Jesus, it will be easy to speak about Him and what He’s done for you. Damon exemplified this in the story he shared about the job he miraculously got at Safeway that allowed him to share his new faith and new found love for Jesus with others. Remember Psalm 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble” SERMON LINK The Altitude of Gratitude | Climbing the Relationship Mountain Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "The Altitude of Gratitude" Today Alex and Damon teaches from Ezekiel 33:2-7 If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.  Alex Hardt The Altitude of Gratitude, Climbing the Relationship Mountain on November 13, 2022 Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: - Philippians 2:1-5 Have you ever climbed to the top of a mountain? I mean a really tall mountain. Not those rolling hills or those casual hikes that you go to get your Instagram post, but those mountains that take some sweat equity. One of my favorite places is Yosemite and one of my favorite places to hike is Yosemite falls. The main trail is about 7.4 miles round trip, but the is a bit grueling. You will climb around 3000 feet in 3 miles. The trail begins with a gradual incline then turns quickly into a steep grade. Your steps are uncertain, the rocks are slippery, you are enduring switchback after switchback, the elevation is taking your breath away, and midway through the idea of turning back is extremely tempting. You begin to wonder “Are We There Yet?” But when you get to top, your breathe is taken away. Hiking is a lot how relationships happen. When you first meet someone, you are excited…wahoo! My name is and it’s so great to meet you. Initially things go pretty smooth, perhaps you grab coffee together or watch the game or go shopping or just hang out. But as life carries on, relationships get harder Life gets harder, things get complicated. The things about that person that we use to love, now begin to annoy us. We can sometimes feel like we are going through switch backs. One day things are good, you’re the best in the world, then the next moment some drama breaks out, arrgh I can’t stand this person, then the next day things are good again, besties for life. It’s like we are on unstable ground, not sure where to plant our foot. At some point You may start thinking when CAN I GET A BREAK? …. instead of WHEN DO YOU WANT TO HANG OUT NEXT? In our minds we have this perfect, ideal friendship or relationship… If only the person did this or if they didn’t say that or if they actually listened. We imagine how our lives would be different if the other person lived out this picture-perfect scenario. If we could just get to the mountain top, life would be so much better. In the Book of Philippians, Paul is witnessing a community that used to be united through there relationship in Christ, is now divided because of personal preferences, judgments, or pride. Paul calls out their hypocrisy and their foolish behavior. He calls them to recenter their lives upon Christ. In Christ we find encouragement and love, we find comfort and commonality, we find tenderness and compassion. In Christ we find Unity. Paul also acknowledges that we live in a fragmented world that seeks to divide us, hurt us, and cause us disappointment. It is not easy living in this world and maintaining a mentality of unity, but in Christ we are not alone in this pursuit. Unity comes from centering ourselves around a central idea, surrendering our pride as we engage one another in humility, and being in a mindset of serving. Essentially what Paul is saying is that it’s not about me. We are behaving in a way that sacrifices our love for oneself and that edifies the other above me. That a life unified with Christ is one that does nothing out of selfish ambition but rather in humility value others above yourself. When I treat you well and you treat me well, then we both get our needs met in a context of love and unity. When I treat you poorly and you treat me poorly, then we experience division, pain, and disappointment. What Gods wants and Christ Models is to give you and I deep, satisfying relationships with others. God is trying to prevent us from harm and the barrenness of loneliness. Philippians 2 teaches us that the people who love humbly and unselfishly spread joy and promote unity. I don’t know about you, but for me there is enough division in the world, and I would rather be drawing people in than pushing people away. Christ was so Good at climbing the relationship mountain that even his enemies were drawn to him. A Roman Centurion and a Pharisee, who were supposed to be enemies of Jesus, were drawn to him. The Roman Centurion asks Jesus for help and the Pharisee helps to bury Jesus after his death. If you are looking to climb the relationship mountain, mirror the one who has done it better than anyone else. Like Jesus, center yourself on the Heavenly Father, live in humility and serve in love and even your enemies won’t be able to deny you. Let’s get real practical for a moment and what does this mean for you?
SERMON LINK The Altitude of Gratitude | Climbing the Relationship Mountain Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "The Altitude of Gratitude" Today Alex teaches from Philippians 2:1-5 If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.   Damon Hopkins The Altitude of Gratitude, Elevating Your Relationship with God November 6, 2022
It was a privilege to hear Brother Damien preach on how to improve our relationship with God. His enthusiasm and love for Jesus comes through loud and clear in every story he shares. The chosen scripture was John 14:15-21 with 21 being the key verse (our memory verse for the week). “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” Damien asked us, how do you show your appreciation for Jesus and all that He has done, is doing and will do in your life? Are you proud of your Savior and desire to speak about Him? Damien reminded us of Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-20 “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.” Jesus has the authority to tell us to go, to talk about him, talk about his saving power, talk about his transforming love, talk, talk… and I will be with you always is his promise. We are God’s plan A until He returns. He does not command us to go without power. In our passage Jesus assured his disciples that he would send a comforter, an advocate to help us, to indwell and empower us, His Holy Spirit. We are not doing this alone; He is with us. Damien gave multiple examples of how he seeks to follow this command from Jesus. He avails himself of opportunities and trusts God to bring whomever He desires to hear his words of truth from God’s Word. He is not preaching on street corners or in a pulpit but sitting, walking, going about his life waiting and ready for God’s divine appointments to come. When God does bring people across his path, Damien speaks about what God is doing and has done in his life. He is open to answer questions about Jesus and is not intimidated. Why is he not afraid? Because he knows that God is with him and will give him the words to speak. His job is not to save someone but to present Jesus. God does the saving not us. I was reminded of 1 Peter 3:15 while Damien was sharing. “ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” Paul exhorts us to be ready to talk about the hope we have in Jesus and to do it with love and respect. No one is bullied or argued into the kingdom of God. They are brought in with genuine love and gentleness of spirit. Are you ready to share your hope today? What would you say? Why are you hopeful about your future no matter what the circumstances? If you don’t have a ready answer to that question, look into God’s Word. Seek to know Him better and claim His promises in and over your life. Here are a couple verses to claim: John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Jesus is the only way to God. Deuteronomy 31:6 ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Jesus will always be with you. 1 Timothy 2:7 “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Jesus empowers us with His Spirit to witness for Him. My biggest take away from Damien’s message was that I need to speak up and live like I believe that Jesus’ message of love, redemption and salvation is the most important message I have to say or give to anyone at any time! Jesus is the reason for my hope. I have a cross stich plaque that hangs in my office of Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.” Has God redeemed you? Has He shown Himself powerful in your life? THEN SAY SO! Be ready for a God opportunity with an open mouth and open heart of love. Linda SERMON LINK The Altitude of Gratitude | Elevating Your Relationship With God Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "The Altitude of Gratitude" Today Damon Hopkins teaches from John 14:15-21 If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.  Getting to Know the Heart of Your Leadership Team Through Scripture
Recently I asked members of the Leadership Team to give me their favorite scripture. Seeking Assurance? ASK! As we age it seems harder and harder to keep up with those young ones around us. Whether it is little children or teens, their endurance is only a remembrance to us! Today's favorite verse, from my friend Sharon, is Isaiah 40:30-31 which gives us encouragement no matter what our age. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. In these verses, God's Word is acknowledging our humanness and reminds us that even the young do not have unlimited strength and endurance. To survive in the world, we must rely upon the Lord. He promises to renew our strength when we feel we cannot go on. We do not need to wait until we are spent to call upon the Lord for additional strength. As we learn in walking with Jesus, it is better to call upon Him before we reach the end of our strength as He promises He will lift us up, cause us to soar and be renewed. I can see how this verse is a favorite as it stands as a reminder of God's strength in all things and our limited resources. When you combine this with Philippian 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." We can be assured that God does not tire, God has unlimited resources and He wants to provide for us. We just need to ask. John 14:13-15 shows us Jesus' willingness if we ask with the right heart. "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." Where do you need God's help today? Is your need physical, mental, emotional or spiritual? What obstacles are you facing that you are allowing pride to get in your way of asking God for help? Do you see problems ahead and need God's strength to overcome? God has the resources to help you soar and not grow faint. He can give you the wings of eagles to cause you to soar above and be renewed. Thanks Sharon for the reminder of God's strength and constant provision. Call upon Him and be renewed! By Linda Knight  Have you noticed that in the last couple of years people tend to be more agitated and grumpier than before? Stress levels have increased almost every year in the last 30 years. Some studies indicate that stress is up by over 30%. Stress is a major contributor to our mood, our responsiveness, our ability to interact with people, and our emotional intelligence. Stress can also have physical implications too, which can further cause us to be more agitated or grumpy.
The other day I was pulling out of a parking spot and the car behind me was waiting patiently. Another car comes down that row and swerves around both of us, yelling and almost caused an accident. I'll be honest I really wanted to yell back, but I let it go. Later that day, while I was getting coffee, there was a customer behind me who appeared agitated and soon began to make loud comments to the barista. Perhaps these scenes feel familiar to you, or perhaps it's a neighbor or family member who seems to be ticked off at the smallest infraction. Do you know someone who always seems annoyed or negative or angry at the world? Does it seem impossible to change their attitude or perhaps your attitude? John 14:15-16 "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever." The Bible says that God will send me an advocate, The Holy Spirit, to be with us and guide us. I find that when I submit myself, my feelings, and my life to God that He elevates my level of gratitude. The Holy Spirit gives me a change of perspective and allows me to respond more positively. It is kind of like hiking. At the base of the mountain, the trail seems so daunting. How am I ever going to make it pass this obstacle, uggh Why did I choose to do this? But at the peak of the mountain, one's perspective changes and you get to admire the beauty of all that transpired. This month we are talking about raising the Altitude of Gratitude in our relationship with God, Our Friends/Family, and the World. Join us as we learn about how God can help you cultivate a grateful heart. By Pastor Alex Hardt November Sermon Series Week 1 - Elevating Your Relationship With God Main: John 14:15-21 Memory: John 14:21 Week 2 - Climbing the Relationship Mountain Main: Philippians 2:1-5 Memory: Philippians 2:3-4 Week 3 - Clicked Into Others Main: Ezekiel 33:2-7 Memory: Proverbs 14:25 Week 4- A Valley of Thanks Main: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 Memory: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Alex Hardt October 30, 2022 Why? God…Do You Let Bad Things Happen
Pastor Alex approached this heady question by looking to the books of Wisdom in the Bible. He took us to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job. Each book had a different perspective on this question. All agreed that God is Wise, Sovereign and Just and we can rely upon His character. Proverbs leads us to see that God is Wise and His wisdom can be relied upon in all situations. God’s wisdom is given by God and can augment what we learn in and through life. His wisdom shows us how to apply it to our lives. I love James 1:5 as it assures me that God’s wisdom is accessible. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” How can God’s wisdom help me when I am questioning why things are happening? God’s wisdom will point you to Him and His character. God is good, trustworthy, compassionate and faithful. He will do as he says and will take care of you, no matter the circumstances. He has your back! Through Ecclesiastes Alex pointed us to the fact Solomon discovered, that all life is meaningless without God. In God we can find joy and peace, hope and direction. The book concludes with verses 12:13-14 “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. Solomon concluded that God is in control of all things so we need to focus on following Him for our good and His glory. All will be revealed in time so leave the worry to God and focus on living for Him. I love Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul councils us to stop worrying- God has this! Pray and receive His peace for living. Lastly, Alex looked to the book of Job. Many hard things happened to Job as he was tested by Satan. Job would not give up his faith in the justice and righteousness of God. He would not give in to the pressures of his friends to curse God and die. He clung to God in faith, but did question God personally. I love this about Job. Job had questions and went to God. God answered in the storm and laid out His power and might for Job to see. Job realized the right answer and his relationship to the God of the universe, in Job 42:1-3 Then Job replied to the Lord: 2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Job caught a glimpse of God and realized that God is beyond total understanding with our finite minds. God is incomprehensible. We can know God but cannot totally understand all His ways. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” I love the assurance about God we get from 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” We have the power of Christ within us to help us understand the things that are happening around us. Praise God for His mercy and grace to us in Christ Jesus! I would like to add to this subject by turning our focus to our memory verses for this week. They add a different perspective that we also need to remember when questioning why things happen. Ephesians 6:12-13 “ For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” If we lived in a world without sin, all would be in harmony and working to glorify God. However, we do not. Jesus calls us to cling to Him and stand for Him. We are not to dwell on things we do not understand or doubt the circumstances of the world or rail against them, but to put on His armor so we can stand for Him in the midst of all things. He wants us clothed in the belt of Truth, the breastplate of His Righteousness, feet fitted with the shoes of the gospel, taking in hand the shield of faith and putting on the helmet of salvation. Along with these defensive weapons we care to take the Sword of God- His Word and Prayer which are our offensive weapons. Dressed each day for His battle, we can rely upon His eternally good character to sustain us in all things. Lots of things to meditate upon this week as we consider God’s answer to why? Trust in me as I am wise, sovereign and just in all ways. You may not comprehend my ways but walk in trust clothed in your battle armor so you can stand firmly for me! Linda SERMON LINK Why? God... | Do You Let Bad Things Happen? Click Here to View the Sermon Sermon series, "Why? God...." Today Alex Hardt teaches from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass. |
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