The Wonder of Fulfilled Prophecy - Nathan Rages

According to Scriptures like Jer. 30:2-3, Isaiah 41:21-24, 44:7-8, 46:9-11, Daniel 2:27-28, Hab. 2:2-3, and John 13:19,14:29, the fulfilled prophecies of the Bible are meant to showcase the unique glory of the God and encourage the faith of believers.

One striking example of fulfilled Bible prophecy involves the great ancient city of Tyre as recorded in Ezekiel 26:1-14: 

1. King Nebuchadnezzar would lay seize to Tyre (v7-9) and break down her walls, towers and houses (v4,12).

2. Tyre’s stones and timbers would be scraped-up and thrown into the sea (v4,12,19).

3. Tyre would be made into “a bare rock” (v4).

4. Tyre would become “a place for the spreading of nets” (v5,14).

5. Tyre would be attacked by “many nations” (v3).

6. Tyre would not be re-built (v14,v21).

Applications:

#1 Be confident that God will do everything that He says.

#2 Be patient until the *remaining* prophecies are fulfilled.

Being a Disciple in God's Service - Richard Hamilton

Ananias of Damascus appears in Acts 9:10-19 and 22:12 as the brother who was sent to minister to the Apostle Paul at the time of Paul's conversion. Ananias was a faithful disciple who had:

1. An ear listening for God's call.

2. A will obedient to God's command.

3. A life ready to be used for God's service.

Each of these qualities can be applied to ourselves as believers.

Worthless Religion - Nathan Rages

One of the themes emphasized by the OT prophets was that religious practices were worthless without two things:

1. An obedient life (Jer 6:19-20, 7:9-10, 14:10-12, Isaiah 1:11-16, Micah 6:7-8, 1Sam 15:22).

2. A devout heart (Jer 9:25-26, 12:2-3, Isaiah 29:13, 1Sam 16:7).

Jesus gave similar warnings about religious hypocrisy in Matt. 9:13, 15:7-9, 23:3-28, and Luke 12:1.

God's Sovereignty Over the Nations - Nathan Rages

The OT prophets repeatedly taught that God is sovereign over the actions of rulers and the affairs of nations.  This message explores five areas in which God exercises this authority and control over them: 

1.  God plans all events everywhere (Isaiah 14:27, 37:26-29, 40:15-17, 46:9-10).

2.  God puts rulers into (and out of) power (Daniel 2:21, 4:17,29-32).

3.  God controls rulers’ decisions (Proverbs 21:1, Isaiah 10:5-15, Ezekiel 21:21-22, 2Samuel 17:14, 1Kings 12:15).

4.  God determines military outcomes (Proverbs 21:31, Judges 7:2, Psalm 44:5-7).

5.  God punishes nations for their sins. (Jeremiah 18:6-10, 46-51, Isaiah 13-27, and Ezekiel 25-32).

By way of application to ourselves as believers, these truths should:

1.  Comfort us.

2.  Prompt our worship.

3.  Make us pray.

4.  Encourage us about (global) evangelism.

Fall Fellowship Camp 2022 Registration is OPEN NOW

Registration for the Fall Fellowship Camp, October 12-15, 2023 is now OPEN.  See this page for all the details and registration form. 

Who Do You (Really) Trust? - Nathan Rages

Cursed is the man

   who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, 

   and whose heart turns away from the LORD. 

      For he will be like a bush in the desert And will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. 

Blessed is the man 

   who trusts in the LORD 

   and whose trust is the LORD. 

      For he will be like a tree planted by the water,  That extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

God's People: Always a Remnant - Nathan Rages

Throughout the Bible, God's true people are described as a "remnant", few in number and despised by the world.  We review Scriptures in Jer. 23:1-4, 31:7, 50:18-20, Rom. 9:27-32, 11:1-6, and then proceed to make personal applications.  This Biblical teaching about the Remnant is:

1. An alarming truth.

2. A misused truth.

3. A grace-exalting truth.

4. A comforting truth.

5. An action-motivating truth.