Teach Us To Pray

Here is an additional resource to go with the message given by Todd Jefferson on May 15 and 16.

Enjoy

http://www.worldinvisible.com/library/murray/5bm.10353/5bm.10353.c.htm

Also, here's the free audio book:
http://www.archive.org/download/with_christ_in_prayer_0902_librivox/with_christ_in_prayer_0902_librivox_64kb_mp3.zip

I was wondering series

Hello all

Here are some links to sermons that discuss the topics we were unable to cover in our "I was wondering..." series at NHCC. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments section and we will deal with them as soon as possible.

God Bless

I Was Wondering…

Is OT tithing relevant today?

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-TheSermonOnTheAmount-Kjn

What about the authority of the Bible?

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-OurExampleInTemptation-Kjn

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-TheBiblesAuthority-Psn

Aren’t all religions the same?

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-ArentAllReligionsTheSame-Kjkn

How about a sermon from the book of Job?

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-WhenLifeSeemsLikeOneBigDisappointment-Kjn

How about a sermon from the book of Revelation or a sermon about heaven?

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-KingOfKingsAndLordOfLords-Svn

http://www.archive.org/details/Nhcc-HeavenIsAWonderfulPlace-Ssn

Living Grace and Heaven

Last week in Ken's message he brought up the question of eternity and if our lives would look any different were heaven or hell removed as motivating factors for our response to God.  Would we still choose to love and honor God by living graciously if the threat of hell were removed and, maybe more importantly, would we live out the implications of grace if heaven were no longer a reward?  

Though this question gets at the heart of our motivation, the second part of this question reveals a misconception we have about what heaven is all about.  When we see God as the means to an end and not the end Himself,  we run the risk of putting the proverbial cart before the horse.  If this happens we miss out on what it truly means to be a Christian.  Christianity is more than just knowing that I get to go to heaven when I die.  It means that I get to be with God and see all that he intends heaven to be.  In that respect, living graciously allows us to live out eternity, and extend the real everlasting life, both now and when its fullest realization occurs at Christ's return.

This doesn't mean that we strip away heaven from the equation and seek a heaven on earth through social justice alone, but rather it means we live a new life in God's kingdom, now, that should make a difference in the world, all the while pointing to the ultimate reality that is yet to come.  When this is done, both salvation and world changing ethics exist together to make a lasting difference that not only reveals who God is and how He wants to save humankind but how he calls his church to do something that combats the evil in the world--Grace accepted and then reflected.

My challenge to you is to think about how you view BEING a Christian and what real difference that should be making in the world.  How does your view of this world, heaven, and God shape the way you live out your faith?  Is God a means to an end, or are you delighted that as the end Himself, he is able to extend all the other aspects of "heaven" to us that we might delight and continually serve him-- regardless of whether this means in this present reality or the real reality to come?

Posted by Todd Jefferson