Category: reconciliation

• What Does the Old Testament Say?

  The Bible is my favorite book. Every time I read something out of the Bible, I see and learn something new. That is the power of the scripture. God’s Holy Spirit will speak to us, in different ways and at different times, a message we need to hear whether we have read that particular passage […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/25/2022

  bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Failure, faith, faithful, faithfulness, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, John Wesley, Life, Love, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, praise, reconciliation, renewal, repentance, transformation, uncategoried, worldview, worship, youth ministry

  Christian life, god is working in the world, God’s chosen people, live differently, power of the Bible, story of the Old Testament, Trust Jesus, what does the Bible say, what has God done, what is in the Old Testament, why should I read the Bible

• The Danger of Riches

  In 1780, John Wesley wrote a sermon called “The Danger of Riches.” This is a message to help us keep our priorities straight when it comes to material goods. Based on the scripture 1 Timothy 6:9, “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful desires which […]

  Ryan Stratton

  04/15/2021

  anxiety, beauty, belief, believe, Bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, control, disciples, eternal life, faith, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, preach, preaching, reconciliation, relationships, repent, repentance, sin, Truth, uncategoried, witness, writing

  advancing the kingdom of God, Christian way of life, gospel of Jesus Christ, materialism, trusting God with money, what does money do to me

• Vitality of the Christian Faith

  On July 2, 1789, John Wesley wrote a sermon called, “Causes Of The Inefficacy Of Christianity”. Click here for the full sermon. This is a powerful, convicting, sermon on how Christianity can be more transformative in our world. Here is a summary and application for this important sermon: Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity Jeremiah […]

  Ryan Stratton

  11/20/2020

  belief, bible, born again, Christian Life, Christianity, church, conversion, disciples, Failure, faith, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, leadership, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, new creation, new life, power, Prayer, priority, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, redeemed, Relationships, renewal, repent, transformation, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, witness, witnessing, worship, writing, youth ministry

  becoming born again, Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity, changing the world, deny yourself, holy spirit led, is Christianity real, Jesus Christ crucified, john Wesley sermon, life change, real Christianity, renewing methodism, take up your cross and follow Jesus, the Christian life, What is a Christian

• Who is YHWH?

  The Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible) begins with a land that is fertile and ready for humanity and ends with the people of Israel on the cusp of moving into the land of promise. Beginning in Genesis 12 through Deuteronomy 34, the promise of land is a key theme for the people of […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/04/2020

  belief, bible, bible study, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, holy life, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Life, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, patience, reconciliation, Relationships, repentance, sin, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, writing, youth ministry

  books of the Bible, Genesis – Deuteronomy, how can I know God, knowing God, what does the Bible say, what does the Bible say about God, what is the point of the Bible, what is the Torah, who am I, Who is God

• God’s Story, Your Story: The Old Testament

  How well do you know the biblical story? If we’re honest, we all should say we don’t know it as well as we want. One of the most beautiful things about scripture is that it continually speaks, even today, the words of God through the presence of the Holy Spirit. If I were to ask […]

  Ryan Stratton

  09/01/2020

  bible, bible study, Christian Life, Christianity, church, Creation, disciples, faith, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, reconciliation, redeemed, Relationships, repentance, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Uncategorized, worship, youth ministry

  old testament introduction, people of God, Who is God

• Invitation to Sabbath Rest (Exodus 20:8-11)

  

  ““Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or […]

  Ryan Stratton

  04/24/2020

  belief, believe, bible, bible study, children, Christian Life, Christianity, church, disciples, faith, good news, gospel, holy, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus Christ, Life, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, Moses, reconciliation, Relationships, religion, renewal, Rest, Sabbath, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  10 commandments, 4th commandment, do I have to rest, God rested on the 7th day, invitation to rest, sabbath rest, trusting in God, Wat does Sabbath mean?, what do the 10 commandments mean, what does God say

• The Problem of Evil

  A perfectly good God exists, and evil exists. This is a challenging enigma to contemplate and understand. After all, a good God would stop all evil and suffering from happening, so we would not have to experience it, right? This is where we need to pause and consider some of the characteristics of God and […]

  Ryan Stratton

  01/24/2020

  beauty, belief, believe, bible, challenge, Christian Life, Christianity, church, devotionals, disciples, Failure, failures, faith, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy living, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, learn, Life, pastor, power, Prayer, preaching, purpose, reconciliation, Relationships, religion, Sin, sin, Sinners, trust, Truth, worldview, Worry, worship, writing, youth ministry

  children of God, Christian life, evil in the world, freedom in Christ, God, God is with us, God with us, Good News of Jesus Christ, Gospel changes us, gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Kingdom of God, live differently, new life, transform the world, Trust God, Trust Jesus

• Discovering God through the Book of Jonah (Part 1)

  

  What can we learn about God through the short Old Testament book of Jonah?

  Ryan Stratton

  10/09/2019

  attitudes, belief, believe, bible, bible stories, bible study, calling, Challenges, character, Christian Life, Christianity, confession, devotionals, disciples, eternal life, faith, glory to God, God, God’s grace, good news, gospel, Identity, Image of God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, plan, power, proclaiming Christ, reconciliation, revival, trust, Truth, worship, writing, youth ministry

  bible study on Jonah, book of Jonah, discovering God, Jonah chapter 1, Jonah the prophet, knowing God, mowing the lawn, running from God, Who is God

• Betrayed, Denied, Tried, Crucified

  

  In the 1924 book by Richard Connell, The Most Dangerous Game is a story of big game hunter Sanger Rainsford and his friend Whitney ending up on an island owned by General Zaroff. The General talks about how he is bored with “traditional” hunting and has moved into hunting the most dangerous, the most cunning […]

  Ryan Stratton

  10/19/2018

  Apostle Peter, belief, belonging, bible, bible stories, character, Christian Life, Christianity, church, comfort, compassion, confession, controversy, disciples, eternal life, example, facing challenges, faithful, Forgiveness, freedom, freedom in Christ, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, healing, heart, holy living, Holy Spirit, humanity, hypocricy, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John Wesley, leadership, Life, Lord, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, mission, pastor, priority, purpose, reconciled, reconciliation, sin, Spirit, transformation, trials, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  betraying Jesus, change your hearts and lives, denying Jesus, depths of humanity, God always has the last word, God offers forgiveness and mercy, Good News of Jesus Christ, gospel of Jesus Christ, Gospel of Luke, Jesus is crucified, Jesus’ mission on earth, Judas betryas Jesus, Luke 23, Luke 23:1-3, Peter betrays Jesus, trials of Jesus

• Why Are You Worrying?

  

  READ SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:25-34 NIV 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away […]

  Ryan Stratton

  08/24/2018

  anxiety, belief, believe, belonging, bible, Christian Life, Christianity, church, community, compassion, control, controversy, eternal life, faith, faithful, gifts, glory to God, God, God’s grace, God’s promises, good news, gospel, grace, holy life, holy living, Holy Spirit, invitation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, leadership, Life, Love, mercy, methodism, methodist, ministry, miracles, mission, poor, possibilities, power, praise, Prayer, prayer life, priority, proclaiming Christ, purpose, reconciliation, redeemed, relationships, religion, repent, revival, Spirit, Spirit led, trust, Truth, uncategoried, Worry, Worship, writing, youth ministry

  earning God’s favor, gospel of Matthew, Jesus says don’t worry, live free in Christ, Matthew 6:25-34, Stewardship, stewardship sermon series, stress in life, worrying about money