January 2011
What Matters Most? Your Giftedness
Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor | 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 | Posted On 1/30 | More info...
It’s all right to be an average man or woman. But if you want something more than average for your life there are four things you need to know about spiritual gifts:
- Being ignorant of one’s spiritual gifts deprives the Church of a much needed ministry.
- Being ignorant of one’s spiritual gifts deprives the believer of a sense of fulfillment and joy.
- Being ignorant of one’s spiritual gifts creates unnecessary envy and strife among believers.
- Being ignorant of one’s spiritual gifts disappoints God and denies others the opportunity of enjoying God’s blessings with us.
“Everyone has some gift; therefore, all should be encouraged. No one has all the gifts; therefore, all should be humble. All gifts are for the one Body; therefore, all should be harmonious. All gifts are from the Lord; therefore, all should be contented. All gifts are mutually helpful and needful; therefore, all should be studiously faithful. All gifts promote the health and strength of the whole Body; therefore, none can be safely dispensed with. All gifts depend on His fullness for power; therefore, all should be kept in close touch with Him.” ~ A.T. Pierson
What Matters Most? My World
Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor | Proverbs 3:27-28 | Posted On 1/23 | More info...
What matters most? Our world matters most. It is a world created by a good and benevolent God. It is peopled by those made in the image of God - both rich and poor. The Scriptures teach us that we have a benevolent responsibility to our world. What does that benevolent responsibility include and how can I fulfill my part?
What Matters Most? My Money
Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor | Psalm 24:1 | Posted On 1/16 | More info...
WHEN TALKING ABOUT MONEY FROM A SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVE, there are several good and important questions which need to be asked: WHOSE MONEY IS IT? HOW DO WE GET IT? HOW ARE WE TO MANAGE IT?
WHOSE MONEY IS IT? It is God’s money, which we work to get and use as God’s managers by giving, saving, and spending.
What Matters Most? My Soul
Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor | Matthew 16:24-28 | Posted On 1/9 | More info...
In Matthew 16:26, Jesus personalizes the SOUL, by teaching that there is nothing a man can give in exchange for “HIS SOUL”. What is a soul? Does everyone have a soul? How can a man lose his soul? How can a man save his soul?
WHOSE SOUL IS IT? It is your soul and it is my soul. It is the life breathed into us by God Himself. It is the animated part of a human which gives him the ability to relate moment by moment to a living God. It is the most important essence of who we are and there is absolutely nothing we can give in exchange for it - in time or in eternity!
We care for the well-being of our soul by listening to God in Scripture reading and by talking with God in prayer. The Scriptures speak God’s wisdom to the deepest part of what animates us and talking with God expresses the deepest part of what animates us. This nourishes the life of the soul.
What Matters Most? Our Body
Dr. Phil Lineberger, Senior Pastor | 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 | Posted On 1/2 | More info...
Today as we look at our Scripture we need to regard our body and our mind as gifts from God to be managed with dignity. The most important relationship we will ever have is with ourselves. We have to be our own best friend first. We have to love ourselves from the inside out.
Since God has blessed Americans with all these wonderful technologies in health care does He care about what we eat or whether we exercise? Is taking care of ourselves physically a spiritual discipline? What does the Bible teach us about our bodies?
It is clear from Scripture that our bodies are a good gift from God. We should treat them with the respect and dignity due this kind of gift. It is a sin against God to mistreat this wonderful gift. It is a sin that has terrible personal consequences for me and for those around me.
I am the one who is most responsible for taking care of the body God has given me. If my body is going to receive the attention and care it deserves, IT IS UP TO ME! GOOD HABITS AND DISCIPLINE BEGIN WITHIN!
This New Year should begin with a personal prayer for God to exercise His great power in my mind and spirit to help me begin with a personal effort at taking better care of my body by eating correctly, exercising, resting and reading positive spiritual works.