Love for the world is always incompatible with love for God.  Chris Brannon speaks on resisting the seduction of a fallen world as we look into 1 John 2:15-17 a little deeper.  The world competes for the love of Christians, but we know that we cannot love both the world and the Father at the same time.  Listen as Chris tells us what it means to not love the world and gives us two extreme views of worldliness.  He also talks about four steps of digression to worldliness and gives us a test that we can give ourselves to see where we are.  Are you following God or the world?  Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do your goals drive you forward – to financial security, more friends, successful kids, a certain position at work? Or do they drive you upward – to obeying and glorifying God above all else?
• What gets you out of bed in the morning?
• What dominates your mind and stirs your heart:
  • Discontentment with your life?
  • Longings for earthly pleasures?
• Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness?
• Is your prayer life characterized by heartfelt supplications for God’s will to be done and His Kingdom to come?
• Do you relate to God as if He exists to further your selfish ambitions or are you convinced that you exist to glorify Him?
• Are you essentially trying to live without God?
• Do you covet the esteem and crave the approval of those around you?
• Do you go to great lengths to avoid looking foolish or being rejected for your Christian faith?
• Do you consider present and material results more important than your eternal reward?
• Have you departed from God and adopted idols instead?

Justin Henderson teaches from 1 John 2:12-14.  We are called to build one another up.  John took the initiative to write a letter of love to encourage the body of believers.  Our words have so much power and we need to use them to encourage, not tear down. John refers to little children, fathers and young men in this passage.  He is not referring to physical little children, fathers and young men, but children in the faith, fathers in the faith and young men in the faith.  Listen to Justin as he addresses each stage of faith.  He wraps up with two questions to think about:  1. What are some instances in your life that remind you of God’s faithfulness?  2. How long has it been since you have truly experienced and heard from God? What steps can you take to improve your time with God?  Join us Sundays at 10am as we continue our God Is Love preaching series.

The commandment of “love one another” becomes new in 1 John 2:7.  Chris Brannon tells how this command is new in emphasis, by example and through first hand experience.  Because of Jesus Christ, the old commandment to love one another has taken on new meaning and emphasis.  Parents take care of their kids because they love them, this is the same reason Christ took care of our sins.  We are to look at Christ as an example because  He shows love to all those He met, those He was closest to and those who were His enemies.  It is easier to say we love one another than it is to live it out.  Christian love is a practical thing and it applies to everyday life.  One vital reason that God established the church is for the fellowship of the believers.  Chris also shares with us the effects of living out the love of Jesus.  Here are some questions to reflect and think on while you listen:

How do we deal with a brother or sister in Christ that has wounded or offended us?

Are we quick to forgive?

Do we place judgments on people – choices they make, lifestyle they live, attitudes we project onto them, etc.?

Are we purposefully serving others?

Do we intentionally build others up?

Are you quick to abandon one who is in need or do you step alongside to help bear their burdens?

Is there anyone you are close enough to share your struggles and confess your sin?

How often are you inviting people to share a meal or spend time together for the purpose of building a friendship?

Are you good at rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep?

Chris Brannon speaks on knowing and obeying God.  The proof that we know God, is how we obey His commandments.  Chris shows us what obedience is, and what it is not.  It is the manifestation, or evidence, of the knowledge of God.  Obedience to God’s Word is the natural outflow of out love for Him.  There are three primary motives for obedience and one of them is: because we want to.  This is the motive that we need to strive for as mature Christians.  Listen as Chris gives us some practical applications of this truth to our daily lives.  Our ultimate goal is to know Him!  Join us Sundays at 10am in Graham, WA!

Justin Henderson continues our God Is Love series with the study of 1 John 2:1-2.  In this passage, John embraces the church as his very own children, wanting the best for them.  He talks about sin and how we all live in it, but how we have an advocate in Jesus Christ so we don’t have to bear the burden of that sin.  Join us this Sunday, as we continue our series in the Epistles of John, at 10am!

Chris Brannon continues to speak on walking in the light as we continue our God Is Love Series.  As we study 1 John, our goal is to become “real deal” followers of Christ.  In a world of pretenders, we want to be genuine.  Chris goes a little deeper to show us what it means to walk in darkness and what the alternative is.  He also talks about the tactics that we sometimes use to escape the responsibility for our own sin.  John tells us, in 1 John 1:8-9, that even our most horrible sins can be forgiven and we can start new!    As he wraps up today’s sermon, Chris give us three different conclusions that we can draw from this text.  Join us this Sunday at 10am as we continue our God Is Love Series!

God is 100% light and there is absolutely no darkness in Him at all!  John could have focused on God’s power, His knowledge, His mercy or His love.  Instead he told us that God is Light.  Chris Brannon explains how God is pure light with no darkness.  He also shows us why God’s holiness is so important.  Are you walking in the light?

We are beginning a new sermon series on 1, 2 and 3 John.  The letters of John deal with Christian assurance and Christian identity.  Listen as Chris Brannon starts us out in 1 John and gives us five purposes of why John wrote this book.  John shows us that who God is, was made evident in Jesus.  He didn’t come to just be known about, but to be truly known.  Join us Sunday mornings at 10am as we go through these books and find out more about what it means to be a Christian.