Northern Hills Church

“Unless I understand the Cross, I cannot understand why my commitment to what is right must be precedence over what I prefer.” – Ravi Zacharias As a disciple, we cannot make a defence of Jesus Christ unless we understand His character, whether it be in regard to creation or salvation. A good apologist is not the individual who is strictly academic but rather the Christian that has spent time in the Word and prayer. Therefore, the first sermon in our Answering Life's Tough Questions series is focused on how to prepare your heart and mind to make a case for Christ.

“For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach” – Titus 1:7. Biblical leadership, for the benefit of the church, has been clearly defined by Scripture. If you are wanting to know more about what an elder is and why you should care, our panel discussion on the matter should be a step in the right direction. Visual Resource: https://goo.gl/rdB2iG

God created you with great joy. As a matter of fact, He is delighting in you today as His child. The Lord can restore whatever you did not receive while growing up, whether it be: love, discipline, or protection.

For the wealth of knowledge taught by Jesus in Matthew 24, his most profound reminder is this: do not be deceived. As children of God, we do not walk by blind optimism but hope established in truth. Jesus has given us insight into what tomorrow may hold. Anything else is unworthy of our attention. The accompanying visual resource is available by request.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart. Our God is not an idol with eyes that fail to see, nor does he have a mouth incapable of speaking. From the very beginning of time, his voice has permeated throughout creation – even at this very moment. Can you hear it?

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. God does not call the qualified. Rather, He has qualified those whom He has called.

At the final judgment, where will you stand? Eschatology, “the science of last things”, is indeed a science. It is the systematic study of both the natural and supernatural world through the scriptural lense given to us by God. However, the passion of his heart is not simply for your knowledge to increase. Knowledge is of no help to anyone if it is not accompanied by understanding. Therefore, do you understand your role in what is to come? As we conclude our time in Daniel 9, we pray that the Lord would reveal it to you. The accompanying visual resource is available by request.

The end is near. While the Bible has not given us a date, it has illuminated a path. Many see Revelations as the crowning moment for end time prophecy, while ignoring the treasure trove God has interwoven into the fabric of the Old Testament. Join Eric in walking through Daniel 9 and surveying the incredible narrative the Lord has planned for humanity – not merely for the distant future but the chaotic world we live in today. The accompanying visual resource is available by request.

You are in active warfare. Present yourself as a struggle to Satan by taking the supernatural seriously. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” – Ephesians 6:12. What chance do we have against an enemy that does not sleep? Having an understanding of our enemy is helpful, but a belief in the supremacy of God is vital for victory. We apologise if the audio quality is unsatisfactory.

When sin is at the door, do you resist, or have you given your enemy a key? While we may be disheartened to admit it, many of us would answer the latter. However, God has given us the equipment and strength to withstand temptation, regardless of where we may have failed before. We apologise if the audio quality is unsatisfactory.

How can we know if Jesus is trustworthy? “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” – Jesus, John 14:6-7. The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2016 was ‘post-truth’ – an adjective defined as “relating to a situation in which people are more likely to accept an argument based on their emotions and beliefs rather than one based on facts”. Not only has usage of the word increased significantly in the last decade, but it is now associated as a general characteristic of our age. On what basis, then, should we interpret Jesus? Listen to Harvey address the importance of correlating what Jesus said with the reality of the life he lived. We apologise if the audio quality is unsatisfactory.