Pleasant Valley Assembly of God

Adam was created in the image of God and was to be the incarnation of God to creation. His failure tainted that incarnation. Jesus, the second Adam, came as the exact representation of God (incarnation). When you saw Jesus, you saw God. When you heard Jesus, you heard God. This message challenges us, as believers, to live out our lives in the same fashion - being a living breathing incarnation of God to the world around us, especially those who we would consider our enemies. Being Christlike in dealing with those whom we deem to be wicked, evil or just on opposite sides of us is one of the surest ways to be incarnational to the world.

What do you think of when you hear the term “gospel?" Many people understand the word means good news, but in the Bible what is the good news about? This message was inspired by our young adult group asking the question: “What is the gospel?” This message seeks to bring to light the incredible fullness of the good news of the Kingdom of God.

The people of God found themselves thirsty but were in land that had no water to quench that thirst. What would they do? Or, better yet, what would God do? He gave them water from, of all places, a rock. The Apostle Paul tells us that Rock was Christ. Are you thirsty today? What are you thirsty for? There is still a flow of life-giving water from the Rock - Christ Jesus.

The people of God ate the bread of Egypt for hundreds of years until God mightily delivered them from their bondage.  Once in the land of freedom they began to crave the bread of Egypt once again, but God gave them fresh bread from heaven to satisfy their hunger.  What God rained down for them was something they had never seen before or experienced but it was the bread of heaven for the sons of God.  It was fresh bread.  Hungry?  God still gives bread from heaven.  

What does the father do when the son shames him, embarrasses him and sins against him yet comes home with a plea of confession and heart of contrition? The Father restores him. When others would dismiss the son, the father embraces him. When others would stone the son, the Father protects him. It’s what fathers do. It’s what God does. This message is about the heart of the Father in dealing with fallen sons.

Moses is one of the most well known heroes of the bible. This message shows the ups and downs of his developmental process. We learn how to overcome life's challenges, all the while living life on purpose with the skills and talents we have already been given.

Paul referenced the nation of Israel when he told the Corinthians their forefathers were “all under the cloud”. The cloud was the manifest presence and shekinah glory of God that led Israel out of Egypt after they had been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. It was an abiding Presence that led them, protected them, and refreshed them on their journey. We too have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and also have been given the abiding presence of God’s spirit to lead, guide, protect and refresh us on our journey to the promises of God.

Paul told the Corinthian church they were a letter of Christ written upon their hearts of flesh through the Holy Spirit. In essence, they were a living letter of Christ that should communicate His message to the world around them. It’s still true today. You are a letter to the world to communicate the One who saved you and transformed you. What kind of letter are you? This message will challenge you to allow Jesus to write upon your heart with the “ink” of the Holy Spirit so you can be His letter to His world.

Acts 17:6 reads: “those who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” This was meant to be the basis for the persecution of the Apostles when in fact it was the truth. They did indeed impact the world with the Gospel. Or, was it they were turning it right side up? The early church impacted the church, but before they could turn their world upside down for the gospel their thinking had to be turned right side up by Jesus. Does your thinking need to be turned on it’s right side by Jesus? Do you want to turn your world upside down? If these answers are yes, then this message is for you.

In Revelation 5 John wept when he saw there was no one worthy to open the scroll that had God’s plan for creation written upon it. The unopened scroll would leave the unlimited potential for God’s creation lying dormant. However, when the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God appeared One who was worthy executed God’s plan. Using this as an allegorical approach to our lives, this message challenges individuals to see their life as a book written by God but only realized through recognition and acceptance of the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God - Jesus Christ. God has a plan for your life - but it can only be realized through recognizing the One who is worthy to reveal it.

The shofar was used throughout history by God’s people to release a distinct sound of God throughout the land. It was used to announce a new king, call people to repentance, announce a new feast, call to war and to worship among other things. The trumpet in the hands of God’s servant was to release the sound of God for the purpose of God. This message takes a look at the process of making a shofar and parallels it with the born again and sanctification process of believers. If we will allow Him, God will take us and transform us to the point that WE are HIS trumpet in His hand to release His sound for His purposes today.

Honoring God gives way to seeing His glory.

Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus while imprisoned for the gospel. Throughout the book of Ephesians a resounding theme of “In Him” is echoed as he sought to impart to the Ephesians everything they were and every blessing that was theirs “in Christ.” This message will remind you of exactly who you, as a believer, are in Christ. It will also encourage you to see every blessing that He has given you through His sacrifice on the cross. Without Him we are nothing - In Him we have everything.

The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians to deal with legalistic false teachings that had infiltrated the churches. Those who once started by receiving the gospel of Jesus Christ, were being led astray by those who wanted them to perform works of the flesh to secure their salvation. Years later this threat still challenges His church. The gift of salvation paid for by Christ on the cross received by faith cannot be enhanced or secured through legalistic works of the flesh. Salvation took us from slaves, to sons and heirs of the promises of God. Don’t allow the trappings of religion or legalism cause you to fall from the grace He gave through His sacrifice.

John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching and cried out: “Behold the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.” In a day when people were divided along religious, racial and political lines John pointed them to one person….the LAMB. Today, our own society is being polarized by those same lines, but just as in John’s day, it is a day to see the Lamb. His church must keep it’s eye on the Lamb but it is a day and hour when His church must reflect the Jesus, the Lamb. This message will help you gain a fresh perspective of the day we live in as well as ask one simple question of you….can others see the Lamb because of me?

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, it was a willful decision to not acknowledge God’s will that brought devastating consequences into their lives. Sin uncovered the innocence they once enjoyed causing them to realize they were naked thereby they tried to cover themselves with a loincloth made by their own hands. After pronouncing judgment for their sin God offered them covering from the life of an innocent victim. They had a choice - lay down THEIR loin cloth and put on HIS covering or reject HIs covering and continue to wear their own covering for sin. We too, have the same decision to make. We can wear our own supposed covering for sin or we can put on the robe of righteousness that came from the the innocent sacrifice of Jesus. Through this message you will be challenged to take a hard look at the possible loin cloths in your life and challenge you to lay them down in exchange for God’s covering for sin.

His church is not buildings of bricks and mortar but rather, a people bought with the blood of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross. That being said, those people gather together in buildings that become houses of worship, prayer, teaching and many other things. These houses must be houses of refreshing. They must be a place where people are able to come to be refreshed by the Word of God, the presence of God, and the presence of God’s people. If the gathering of His church isn’t a refreshing for His people something is missing in the house. This message will inspire you to make your church house a house of refreshing.

As we conclude this 2 week series, we continue to look at the scripture from Philippians 3 as Paul encourages the reader to press on toward the goal in which God has called us heavenward. This message address the common resistance we come up against when pursuing God-given goals as well as the necessary persistence needed to succeed.

In this part 1 of a 2 part series, we look at the familiar scripture where Paul says, “ But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” Often this is used in reference to the negative and sinful acts of our past, but today we look at the full measure of the text with the positive aspects as well as those undesirable times of our past experiences. As you watch or listen, there may be a few things in all of us that we need to release in order to fulfill the purposes of God in our lives.

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, a number of believers have pointed to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to affirm God’s judgment against homosexuality. God does indeed disapprove of homosexuality, but was it the only sin of Sodom? Does the bible suggest more than that sin? Many people, especially believers, want to point to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to point out God’s judgement against homosexuality while God seems to habitually use Sodom to point to the sins of His people. This message will present truth concerning God’s word on homosexuality but will also challenge His church concerning the other sins of Sodom.