This is from our study Wednesday Night on 1st Peter... recorded 7/24/24 @ 7PM

1st Peter

Wednesday Night 1st Peter

This Sunday, July 28th @ 10 AM...
God has finally rejected the generation that He delivered from Egypt. After ten occasions where they tempted and tested Him, He finally said, “I've had enough.” Now, everyone 20 years of age and older will wander for the next 38 years and die in a barren wilderness. You might think that after such an occasion the people would be more introspective and repentant, but nothing could be farther from the truth! Instead of taking responsibility for their actions and taking productive steps to repair their relationship with the Lord, they harden their hearts, and the situation goes from bad to worse. This week we will explore the topic, “How To Make a Bad Situation Worse”

The WIlderness

The Wilderness "Making a Bad Situation Worse"

Israel has begun the 38-year journey to nowhere. Having tempted and tested God ten times, God has had enough. Sadly, you might have thought that this would have softened people’s hearts but on the contrary, their hearts are becoming harder. A job Moses found almost impossible has worsened leading us to this week's sermon. Moses will snap! This week we will look at a predictable but tragic moment in the life of one of God’s most trusted servants. Join us this week for “When Life Gets the Best of You.”

The Wilderness

The Wilderness "When Life Gets the Best of You"

The generation that left Egypt has been rejected and Moses and Aaron have blown it! Now not even Moses or Aaron will enter the Promised Land. Last week we saw how easy it is to let the difficult people around you change who you are, sometimes with devasting consequences. Moses and Aaron had become bitter and began resenting serving an ungrateful and stubborn people. What God had wanted to be a sacred moment between Him and His people Moses and Aaron turned into a display of anger and disrespect, and God would punish them both. We also saw that even though Moses approached God many times concerning the event, God would not relent, for He was no respecter of persons. Now Moses must walk with the same hopelessness the Israelites felt for the next 38 years! The next major event is the story of the fiery serpents, a story that many miss the significance of. This week we will address the occasion of the fiery serpents in a message entitled “Do you see it.”

The Wilderness "Do You See It?"

The Wilderness "Balak, Balaam, and Baal Peor"

Last week, we discussed the story of Balak, Balaam, and Baal Peor. It's a lengthy story, but the main takeaway is simple. It illustrates how our greed and earthly desires can lead us to sin against God. Balaam's greed and love of money led him to advise Balak on using sexual immorality to provoke a confrontation between the Israelites and their God. We see that it's not God who curses His people, but rather they bring curses upon themselves through their actions. Additionally, we see how easily Satan can manipulate and ensnare God's people, as the New Testament emphasizes. Ultimately, the consequences of these actions include the hanging of the elders and a severe plague in the camp. This leads us to reevaluate our understanding of God through the actions of a young man. If God remains unchanged throughout time, it may be that we don't truly comprehend God at all. This will be the subject of this week's sermon: "Maybe We Really Don’t Know God at All."

The Wilderness "Maybe We Dont Know God at All"

This week will mark the conclusion of our series on the Wilderness Wanderings. It's hard to believe that 40 years have passed. A lot has happened, and unfortunately, not much of it has been good. After the incident at Baal Peor, most of the following text provides instructions to the generation that will cross over the Jordan River with Joshua. Moses will speak at length to the generation poised to inherit the land. His advice is timeless and relevant to all who identify as God's chosen. This week, we will focus on Moses' final words before his death. Join us for the last installment of our series on the Wilderness, titled "Back Where We Started."

The Wilderness "Back Where We Started"

This Sunday's sermon on Sept 8th at 10 AM:
As we prepare to start a new series, I'd like to take a moment to focus on an intriguing mystery in Scripture. We all know about Jesus' inner circle: Peter, James, and John. However, it becomes even more fascinating when we realize that Jesus invited these three to witness things that were kept hidden from the others. On three separate occasions, Jesus asked these three to witness something extraordinary. This raises the question: Why were these three men chosen, why were these three events significant, and why are they recorded for us to learn from? These will be the topics of this week's sermon  "By Invitation Only."

By Invitation Only

It's important to reflect on our health regularly, but it's equally crucial to consider our spiritual well-being. While we may visit the doctor for annual checkups, we often overlook examining our salvation. It's been said that if you've never questioned your salvation, you may never have truly experienced it. As a pastor, I'm concerned when someone asserts they are saved without evident sincerity. The Apostle Paul faced a similar situation in the Corinthian church and urged believers to assess their faith. This week's sermon will focus on the theme of "Examining Yourself."

Examining Yourself

As a pastor for over forty years and a married individual with grown children and grandchildren, I have gained much insight into parenting. I have also studied what Scripture says about parenting, and from my own experiences and the Scriptures, I have found that parenting is not as difficult as it is made out to be by many. However, Scripture is filled with stories of failed families and children who stray from God. Even the first family in the Bible faced significant challenges. This week, I will discuss the advice provided to parents for raising their children, which is the simplest way to ensure success, depending on your goals as a parent. This week, I will discuss "The Simple Solution to Successful Parenting."

The Wilderness "Maybe We Dont Know God at All"

Rev. Joel McDuffie

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