Peniel Bible Church

We begin our series on R.C. Sproul's book Knowing Scripture.

The measure of church authority has always been a touchy subject, resulting in disagreement and dissension. We must approach this passage honestly and openly if we want to see God's heart on the matter. 

One of the most important questions a person can consider is shrouded with a beautiful landscape. 

Historically, people have not been very satisfied with God and God alone, nor content with what He has provided. People want more, and they want it their way. We must go to lengths to "be on guard" against faithlessness that disguises itself as humble reasoning. 

It seems we've been here before. Jesus feeding people and healing the sick, performing miracles. Why is this story so important that it needs to be included in the testimony of Christ? 

Jesus travels to a Gentile town and is confronted by an insignificant Canaanite woman asking for help. See how Christ's harshness toward her revealed a deep faith that could not be turned away by Christ, the testimony of whom endured for all generations to learn from. 

Tradition is not evil, and can be very helpful. However, some, including the Pharisees of Christ's day, depend on tradition to make up for the lack of a sincere love for God. But we need to move on to a sincere love for God, whether that means keeping or ridding ourselves of various traditions. 

Preached January 26. Superstitious faith has no object or reference point. Real faith is a faith that relies on someone or something. We put our faith in the Christ who has been revealed in scripture. What has been revealed gives our hope confidence.

The miracle of Jesus walking on the water is one of His most memorable. But it's more than just a miracle. It is a faith-rocking experience.

We have a lot of ideas how we can "better ourselves." But how about we start with the goals God has for us.

Sermon preached Sunday Dec. 29. 

Sermon preached Sunday, December 1

Jesus thanked God for food. Why? Where does this practice come from? Saying a prayer of thanks for our food has much deeper theological roots than we realize. And it can transform us more than we know. 

Sermon preached Sunday, 11/17

Preached on 11/10

Jesus enters His hometown and encounters nothing but unbelief, and therefore cannot work there. How does unbelief restrict the power of Christ?

Everyone wants to know about the Gifts of the Spirit. But we first need to know why they exist. Let's step back and see the big picture before diving into the actual gifts.

Jesus details various responses to the gospel. Only one response can result in true salvation.

How can we know that we are disciples of Christ? Because we are doing and believing what the Spirit gives the Father's beloved to do and believe. 1 John gives us great insight into these eternal matters. 

Christ has charged us to take His yoke upon ourselves, and find rest for our souls. Now, Christ starts giving us an example of what His yoke looks like, and therefore, how we should live if we want to know His peace. 

For the next few Wednesdays, we will be discussing what the work of the Holy Spirit is in the modern day. Essentially answering the question, "how does He show up today?"  In this lesson, we discuss that the absolute primary/elementary manifestation of the Spirit is that He causes us to love Christ. If we miss this, nothing else matters. 

Jesus has done more for us than we can possibly imagine, yet we walk around each day like nothing ever happened, and everything is up to us and we are in this in our own strength, with little to no guidance.  But such a burden cannot be born long. And such a burden is not necessary for us to bare as Christ's followers. 

History is laced by generations of people who call themselves God's children, but don't actually listen to Him. We need to be a generation that will watch and listen. Then and then only will we be a light in the darkness. 

We all talk about doubting Thomas, but did you know John the Baptist doubted too? What can we learn from the greatest prophet, according to Jesus?

What is the difference between the Holy Spirit's role in the OT and the NT? Let's talk about it. 

Jesus is the Messiah. He is the savior of the world. He proved Himself through His actions and His words. But even a prophet like John the Baptist, who is the spirit of Elijah, doubted (just like Elijah!). Jesus did not make things easy for John just because he was struggling. But He did point John to the written Word to find his confidence. Let us remember how Jesus counseled John, so we can properly lead ourselves and others when our faith grows weak. 

Preached on 8/11/19 We know we will be rejected. But Jesus has blessed us with beautiful fellowship, truth, and mission that we cannot be silent about. 

Preached on 7/21/19 Previously, we had seen in Matthew 10 what Christ had made available to us. Such knowledge can lead us to romanticize what our Gospel mission should look like. But now Jesus is showing us what the road is going to look like. 

Jesus refused physical food, not because He was too busy, but because He was fully satisfied doing the will of His Father. Can we share in His satisfaction? 

Message preached on 8/4/19.  Jesus said that it was enough for a servant to be like their master, and a disciple to be like their teacher. Are you content to do what Jesus did, and not rely on "extras" or "alternatives?" 

We know about the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, but how much do we know about the Holy Spirit's presence and work in the Old Testament? n these messages, we walk through some crucial texts that help us see Him in the OT. 

We are commanded to do the things Jesus did, and in His strength. How do we do that?

This segment on the Holy Spirit is a bit of a tricky subject. Join us as we discuss the "unpardonable sin."

What does it mean to grieve the Spirit?

There is so much to process in life. How are we to find and focus on God's will?

As duel citizens of Heaven and Earth, it ought to be our deep desire to see "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." With this in mind, how ought we actually pray for our nation, no matter what nation we live in? 

We have a big job to do if we are going to walk as Christ walked. The first thing we ought to focus on is the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, just as Christ did. 

When Christ calls His disciples to do the things He did, it is necessary for Him to also give us the ability to do the things He did. 

Jesus was compassionate. He had authority. He had great power. And He invites us into His ministry. 

We carry a lot of baggage. I'm talking about expectations and assumptions. Sometimes these work behind the scenes in our hearts and minds to deceive us concerning who Jesus really is. We need to strive to see the REAL Jesus - and we can only see Him if we seek Him in the Scriptures. 

When we pray to be different, who actually does the work of making us different? Even when we don't pray for it, the Spirit is actively transforming us into the image of Christ. 

Have you ever felt backed into a corner? You should, on a regular basis. Jesus is there with us...in the corner.

Explore the unique work of the Spirit as He draws our attention to what God expects of His children in His Word. 

We were blessed to have Pastor Jon Hitz with us. Here he helps us explore the responsibilities of each believer. 

What are you really claiming when you claim to be saved? You are believing in something that's impossible. And it's not supposed to just stop there. 

In this episode we explore the Spirit's role in the creation of the Scriptures. 

The meaning behind the Triumphal Entry

Not much is known about Matthew, and the story of Jesus calling him to be His disciple only covers a few short verses. But the implications of those verses could not be more crucial to an understanding of the overall mission of Christ. 

A question that goes back for millennia is "how do faith and works interact?"  In this sermon, we discuss the faith of a man that Jesus "saw," and therefore forgave his sins. 

Mankind thinks one of two ways, and not both. Either man follows natural wisdom that is available to all according to their sensory perception of nature, society, and business, or man follows God's wisdom according to the Spirit and the Word.