Miami Shores Baptist Church

God calls us to faithfulness because He is faithful.

The Pastoral Epistles - 1 + 2 Timothy & Titus, were not only essential to these aforementioned young pastors and the early church, but they are just as needed today. Listen to this first episode as Pastor Chris walks us through these instructional letters. By the grace of God, it will add greater understanding and health to His church as we press on, "To know God & make Him known".

Many Christians live fatigued emotionally and spiritually. Why is this and what can we do to overcome it? Find out as Pastor Chris teaches.

God is exceedingly generous. When it came to rescuing us, He didn't spare any cost. He allowed Jesus to take the weight of our sin, so we wouldn't have to. That is our God.

Christmas is God showing His goodwill toward people.

Jesus didn't come just to have a part of us. He wants to live within us. Will we make room for Him?

Light dispels darkness by its very nature. Jesus is the Light of the world that entered into our darkness.

The beautiful thing about Christmas is that the Creator stepped into the very dust He created.

Complaining is a big deal. It can lead us to missing out on God working in our lives. Pastor Chris talks about complaining, and the huge consequences of it.

To live honorably requires discipline and sacrifice. This is what our veterans model, day in and day out, as they serve our country.Can we learn a few things from our veterans about how to be a good soldier for Jesus?

Giving and receiving - the two go hand-in-hand. Jesus said receiving is a blessing to the receiver, but it is also a blessing to the giver, as well as God, as long it is done willingly, cheerfully and liberally. Hear Pastor Chris' message this past week and see what the Bible says about giving.

God has called us to encourage one another. God has designed us to help each other grow--that's why it's so important to be around other believers.

Humility is not about putting yourself down. It's about getting a right understanding of who God is, and who you are in measure of Him. When you understand everything you are is because of Him--your abilities, your strengths, your weaknesses, it's nigh impossible to be arrogant: for what do you have that you did not first receive?

Withdrawal can be the beginning step toward hatred. When we stop engaging our spouse, our children, our friends, our family, when we choose to turn away from them, that can be the first step toward bitterness and brokenness. In our church family, it can be easy to turn away. The question is, how do we not do what is so natural. How do we not withdraw? We must have our minds made up to obey the Lord. We must have our minds made up to walk through whatever it is as long as God allows. And we must have our souls resolved to the fact that apart from Him, we can not do it. We must confess what we really want/feel to the Lord. We must confess the ugly, the hurt, even the ill-will to Jesus.Our tendency is to justify ourselves. Our tendency is to give up. But if God encourages us to take another step, we can rest in Him. We can trust Him to lead the way, to show us what we should do, to help us respond, to gently deal with us first, and trust Him to work on others when He sees fit. Even when the situation is hard, we

We know we should be consecrated. How can we become consecrated to Jesus? Pastor Chris gives us four main keys.

Motives are everything. People may see the outside, but God sees what's really going on inside of us. Why should we consecrate ourselves to the Lord? Consider who He is. He is holy. He is entirely sincere, utterly incapable of deceit. He is sees us through and through, and still loves us--wants us! He is humble. He kneels and washes the feet of the very person who would betray Him. He is terrifying. We are held together in His hand, with every act of rebellion open in His eyes. He is gentle. Though He could crush us with one word of His mouth, instead He desires to use His power to bring healing and restoration. Oh that our hearts may know this gentle, holy, yet terrifying Savior.

You cannot have life apart from Christ. Without Christ, there is brokenness in your life, your family's life, and the people around you. But when you turn to Christ, and are willing to acknowledge your failure, your thoughts, etc., He heals you from the inside out. You must be willing to open everything in your heart to Him, Dear One. Be willing to do what He places on your heart, with His power. As you consecrate yourself to Him, He brings true healing and restoration.

God is a God of excellence. Have you ever thought of that? He does things to the best they can be done, always. He is considerate, always. He operates with integrity, always. He is excellent. What better way to honor our God than to become more and more like Him? When we come to Him, do we offer our best out of His abundance? Or are we skimpy? If we knew God, and how purely good He is, how generous He is toward us, why would we withhold anything from Him? Oh, that He would teach us His ways! That He would instruct us in excellence in all things, even giving us the power to give everything we are and have and lay it back at the feet of the giver of all good gifts.

As long as you are serving God for approval, He will never truly be your treasure. When you stop to think that He is fully accepting of you, that He wanted you so badly that He was willing to lay down in His life for you, than you'll be free to serve from a heart of love.