Excellent Behavior Part 1

Ben Foust

1 Peter 2:11-17

What does the way you live your life communicate to the "watching world?" Do your actions refute negative misconceptions about Christians or do they confirm them? Peter gives concrete examples of how to show the world the truth by what you do. By honoring all people, loving the brotherhood, fearing God and honoring the king, we can show Christ to the world.

Worship

Danny Walker

John 4:23

The Father created us to be in relationship with Him and to worship Him. It is not to be a burdensome chore but an acknowledgment of the amazing glory of God. To truly worship God, we must have our eyes opened to see His unsearchable attributes, His power and sovereignty. "When we magnify His name and celebrate His glory, our own souls partake of greatness."

Power Through Weakness

Mike Sullivan

2 Corinthians 11:21-12:10

God says His power works best in weakness. When we depend on our own strength, we are rejecting God's superior strength. Sometimes God sends a "thorn in the flesh" to bring us to a point where we will accept His strength over our own. If we can see our weakness, we can receive salvation.

The Downward Call of God

Mike Woods

Luke 14:7-11

Since God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble, He will lower those who lift themselves up and He will raise up those who lower themselves. God calls us to make a clear choice to not seek honor, recognition or top position. If we humble ourselves, in the right time, God will exalts us.

The God Who Uses Human Agency

James Rochford

Exodus 17:8-18:27

Even though God is all-powerful, He chooses to accomplish His work through human agency. He works through our weaknesses and through training others. Moses learned to delegate the less weighty problems to other worthy men. He did not over delegate and walk away from his responsibilities. He learned leadership requires humility to receive input from others to ask for help.

The God Who Stands on Trial

James Rochford

Exodus 15:22-17:6

As God leads the Israelites through the desert, they they become thirsty, so God tests them. They fail! They put God on trial and brings accusations against Him. Yet, He responds by pouring out water from a rock to quench their thirst.

The Divine Justice of the Plagues

Conrad Hilario

Exodus 7-10

The ten plagues of Egypt were not just God's judgment against Pharaoh but also against Egypt's many gods. Each plague revealed the impotence of each of their gods and the power of the one true God. God was very patient with Pharaoh and gave him many chances to humble himself but Pharaoh remained prideful even to the very end when he lost his firstborn son. Although he allowed the Jews to leave, he then pursued them to the Red Seas and perished there with his whole army.

The God Who Is Just

James Rochford

Exodus 7:1-10:29

The plagues God inflicts upon Egypt were designed to demonstrate the reality that Egypt's gods were no gods at all. Pharaoh's main problem was absence of humility. Pharaoh refused to humble himself before God in spite of the numerous demonstrations of God's superiority. God is a just god. He will not tolerate sin forever, but He is merciful and gives numerous opportunities to repent.

The God Who Chooses Failures

James Rochford

Exodus 2:11-4:20

The story of God calling Moses from the burning bush teaches us that God doesn't choose people based on their abilities and in fact He chooses people who are failures by the world's standards. In spite of all of Moses' doubts, fears, past failures and present shortcomings, God had a plan for Moses that was not hindered by his issues. At eighty years of age, Moses' story wasn't over yet, and neither is yours!