When Following Him is Painful
It is important that we anticipate the costs of following Christ in this world knowing that any sacrifice we make is not worth comparing to the benefits of salvation and eternal life in God’s kingdom.
It is important that we anticipate the costs of following Christ in this world knowing that any sacrifice we make is not worth comparing to the benefits of salvation and eternal life in God’s kingdom.
Pastor Mike answers questions on the Bible, God and Christianity Questions in this service: What is the reason behind the Compass Bible Church theme verse Psalm 43:3? What is the meaning of Selah in the Psalms? In the OT and the NT people were raised from the dead, did these people go to the presence …
Christ is the Giver and Sustainer of all life and truth, and he promises to grant us all we need for eternal life and daily godliness if we genuinely and sincerely follow him.
A saving encounter with Christ changes one’s heart from “evil” to “good” and the evidence of a changed life will necessarily flow from that miraculous work of God.
Bible Answers with Pastor Mike – “Backsliding and Salvation”
Jesus, our Immanuel, came to earth to reconcile us to God so that we could truly have “God with us.”
God’s choice of Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah should stir up in our biblical memories a number of remarkable reasons why God graciously sent Christ in the first place.
Pastor Mike discusses a popular Christian phrase: You are a Legalist, with Pastor Elliott and Pastor Lucas.
The Bible tells us that no one will come to the Father except through repentance and trust in Jesus (John 14:6). But what about babies who don’t have a chance to place their trust in Christ, what happens to them? Pastor Mike takes a biblical look at babies and salvation.
Is there such thing as a “carnal” Christian? Pastor Mike takes a look at what the Bible has to say about this cultural title.
We cannot afford to miss the eternally significant distinction between being simply being interested in Christ versus being truly converted to follow Christ.
Christ’s compassionate acts of supernatural healing proved that he was God’s credentialed Deliverer sent to free us from our ultimate problem with sin.
Instead of wasting any more time trying to find meaningful life in our sinful pursuits, we must repent and trust in Christ to reconcile us to the God for whom we were made.
We should gratefully celebrate the incarnation, knowing something of the cost to Christ in taking on the humanity of Adam to save sinful humans.
Though Christianity is called narrow-minded, exclusive, and intolerant, Christ as the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant shows God’s plan as big, broad, and diverse.
God’s plan of salvation leaves no room for pride, self-promotion, or independence – the person and work of Christ should lead to profound humility and reliance on him.
We should not presume we are reconciled to God if our belief in a ‘good creed’ has not also produced ‘good deeds’ which will flow daily from biblical repentance.
Christ came the first time to provide what was needed for us to have relational peace with God, he is coming a second time to establish a kingdom of peace for his people.
We must learn to revel in the eternal and transcendent blessings that are ours as God’s kids, even when we lack the comforts and conveniences this world has to offer.
We should gladly submit ourselves to God’s only sanctioned Savior and King, mindful of the grave consequences of opposing or rejecting his loving leadership.
Like Nicodemus we need to realize our efforts are inadequate to prepare us for the afterlife, instead we must trust exclusively in the substitutionary work of Christ.
We should be greatly encouraged that God has chosen to graciously include us in his indomitable plan to forgive and eternally bless a remnant of people for his own glory.
Christ took on the attribute of humanity in order to provide his life as a substitute for ours, freeing us from the dreadful prospect of meeting God with our sins unresolved.
We should joyfully anticipate the faithful fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel by gratefully worshipping the all-wise Architect of salvation history.
We must humbly respect the Jews for their place in salvation-history while we cling to grace, eschewing any self-confidence, as we consider God’s dealings with Israel
Knowing that God is using his relationship with us to provoke jealousy in Israel should be one of the many biblical motivations to pursue a vibrant spiritual life