Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 5/01/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.
John the Baptist is on a mission to tell others that Jesus is coming and to be ready.
When Jesus comes for baptism He is in the wrong line, and is the least expected person to need baptism. However, Jesus’ baptism has an important purpose.
Why is Jesus in this line? Jesus identifies with us. He is initiating His ministry. The Godhead proclaims the work of the Son.
Jesus fulfills all righteousness in His obedience. As we identify with Him, His obedience becomes our own.
Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/17/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.
Listen as Pastor Steve discusses some reasons to believe in the resurrection.
It’s unnecessary. There are many religions without a resurrection narrative. Since it is so unbelievable, the disciples would have been better off to not include the resurrection, if it were not truth. It is unavoidable. From the beginning to the end, the resurrection is in theBible!
Belief in the resurrection changes us. The resurrection demonstrates Christ’s power. It gives us hope and confirms Christ’s atoning work.
A belief in the resurrection doesn’t look like an intellectual or mental assent. It isn’t even a faith in the event of the resurrection because even the demons believe there is one God.
Instead, belief in the resurrection looks like faith in Jesus Christ,faith in being with Christ. As well as faith in the journey of walking with Jesus.
Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/03/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.
What do we see when we look at Daniel?
Daniel was a good person to have around. He was above reproach. Even though the administrators looked for ways to destroy his reputation, they could not find anything. Daniel was “at risk”. Because of his goodness, Daniel was hated by those who were jealous of him.
Daniel was an agent of hope to those around him, and he was loved, even by King Darius. Daniel was an influencer.
You have Daniel potential. You can be a good person to be around. You can build a good reputation. You can thrive even when life is hard. You can be an agent of hope. You can livesecurely by trusting God. You can influence others for Christ.
Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/20/22 by Reverend Bernie Knefley.
Only thinking about ourselves is an old issue. We can look back to Adam and Eve and see that Eve was only thinking about herself, and not the consequences that would still be in effect today.
What you choose to do effects others. Doing the things of God are not necessarily easy to do. We can look to Esther to see that her decision put her in harms way. John the Baptist lost his head for speaking out about God.
Joseph understood that the choices of others were actually fulfilling the plan of God. So rather than enacting judgement against his brothers, he blessed them.
As odd as it may seem, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Maybe the troubles are happening in your life so you can show Jesus to others.
Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/6/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.
God wants to confront Nineveh’s evil, and He wants to use Jonah to do it. But Jonah wants nothing to do with the mission, and tries to run away. That results in him being swallowed by a great fish, and causes Jonah to change his mind. Jonah delivers the message to Nineveh, and they turn from their wicked ways. This should have pleased Jonah, but instead it made him angry.
Anger is a problem! God pursues us when we are angry just as he pursued Jonah in his anger.
It is hard to let go of our anger, and we look for ways to justify our anger.
God seems to do His best work when we are at our worst! God turned Jonah’s attention toward his own heart.
God lifts Jonah’s head to help him see a world in need.
Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 2/27/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.
The story of David and Bathsheba is not primarily about lust. Although we do need to guard our eyes, that isn’t the point of this Bible story.
The story of David and Bathsheba is not primarily about modesty. Although the Bible does speak of covering yourself, that isn’t the point of this Bible story. It isn’t Bathsheba’s fault.
The story of David and Bathsheba is about arrogance.
Arrogance takes whatever it wants, just as David took what he wanted. Arrogance seldom looks at its own heart, just as David didn’t look at his own heart.
Arrogance can become so natural that sometimes you need to be shocked out of it. Just as Nathan shocked David. Arrogance doesn’t appreciate blessings, just as David didn’t appreciate all he had. He had to have what wasn’t his.
Arrogance makes itself the authority, just as David made himself the authority. Arrogance behaves shamefully, just as David behaved shamefully. Arrogance has consequences. We see the consequences David paid for his arrogance.
How can you remove the arrogance from your own heart? You can look to the cross. You can adjust the way you view yourself. You can adjust the way you view God. You can adjust the way you view others.
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