2024-03-03: A Journey of Repentance — “Through” Death

Sermon Audio: “Through” Death
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Romans 6:2-14
Duration: 26:55
Size: 18.4 MB

A Journey of Repentance
“Through” Death
Romans 6:2-14

A couple of weeks ago, I invited you to come along on this journey of repentance. I promised you it would not be easy, but that it would lead to life and to freedom.

Do you see? It is not our work, it is God’s work, but we must make the space for God to do the work.

What is the next step? It is death. It is dying to self, dying to sin, being united with Jesus’ in His death, being “crucified with Christ”, and then passing through death into the next step.

Because, you see, the death we are talking about is the death of sin.

This step in the journey of repentance is not an easy step, and that is why I’ve called this step “through” death.

As we walk this Lenten Road of repentance and obedience, let me challenge those of you who have not been baptized to really consider taking that step.

2024-02-25: A Journey of Repentance — Surrender

Sermon Audio: Surrender
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Romans 6:2-14
Duration: 25:32
Size: 17.5 MB

A Journey of Repentance
Surrender
Romans 6:2-14

At the heart of the word “repentance” is the idea of change. Of heading one way, then stopping and heading the other way.

The fact is that you are “dead to sin but alive in God.” The truth is incredible–the battle has already been won!

We have not surrendered those areas of our lives to God, allowed His Holy Spirit into them, and cooperated with God’s desire and effort to change us and make us new.

To choose to say, before God and everyone else, “I am helpless, I am unable, I surrender to You, my Lord God, and I let you be in control.”

Who would concentrate on the outside when the problem is on the inside?

Only God can change the inside. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to enter in and clean out the rot, the stench, the filth.

We can live in our own strength, which leads to death, or we can surrender to God and let Him be our Lord and our Savior, let Him begin to transform us from the inside.

As long as you and I remain in control, our lives will be a mess.

2024-02-18: A Journey of Repentance — The Journey Begins

Sermon Audio: The Journey Begins
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Mark 1:15
Duration: 27:44
Size: 19.0 MB

A Journey of Repentance
The Journey Begins
Mark 1:15

As great as that journey was, however, allow me to suggest that the only journeys of eternal significance are the journeys of our souls.

Repentance is more than merely acknowledging that a wrong has been done, repentance digs much deeper.

    And repentance is the message for us today.

    1. Conviction: where sin is admitted.
    2. Contrition: where sin is abhorred.
    3. Conversion: where sin is abandoned.

In true repentance, there is conviction, contrition, and conversion as one turns from his sin to Christ for salvation.

God’s way is not through self-help, the encouragement to find the good in yourself, or through cheap entertainment.

2024-02-11: Shift — Shift Your Paradigm

Sermon Audio: Shift Your Paradigm
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Isaiah 6:1-8
Duration: 33:53
Size: 23.2 MB

Shift
Shift Your Paradigm
Isaiah 6:1-8

A paradigm is simply a specific way of looking at the world. It is a set of presuppositions, laws, theories, philosophies that shape your understanding of the world.

How would it effect you to have a close encounter with God? A God who isn’t an illusion or a pipe dream, but who is real enough to see?

Our first paradigm shift: When we see the world as it really is, and we realize it’s maybe not so stable and so under control as we thought.

When your paradigm shifts, is your concept of God big enough to handle it?

The Second Paradigm Shift: Seeing God as He Really Is
What the Lord is showing Isaiah is that He is the all-knowing, all-powerful, Almighty God with whom no one can compare!

If we walk out of a worship service the same as when we walked in, I’m not sure we’ve truly worshipped, because true worship will shake your temple!

The Third Paradigm Shift: Seeing Ourselves as we Really Are
This is a sign that you’ve seen God for who He is. Not only have you said, “uh oh,” but your heart grieves for those around you,

The NT equivalent of the coal from the altar is the Cross of Jesus Christ.

A VISION OF GOD LEADS TO MISSION FOR GOD

Here I am. Send me!

2024-02-04: Shift — Shift Your Priorities

Sermon Audio: Shift Your Priorities
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Luke 10:38-42, John 9, Psalm 27, Luke 18:18-23, Philippians 3:10-14
Duration: 25:41
Size: 17.6 MB

Shift
Shift Your Priorities
Luke 10:38-42, John 9, Psalm 27, Luke 18:18-23, Philippians 3:10-14

We are going to look at five different ONE THING passages, and as we do, my prayer is that this is going to help you shift your priorities–from being worried and anxious about “many things” to prioritizing ONE THING.

Notice that Jesus doesn’t explicitly say what the ONE THING is. What exactly did Mary choose?

All we know, and all he knows, is that he once was blind, and now he sees.

If your identity is in Christ, then nothing else matters. If your identity is not in Christ, then nothing else matters.

What’s your ONE desire? At this moment in your life, what is the ONE THING you would ask of the Lord?

The question: What is your purpose? What’s your calling? It’s simple. To be like Jesus in every way.

The question you have to answer is what is distracting you.