"The Unchecked Ego" - A Message from Daniel 4

As we have just endured another political season, what more relevant topic is there than the Unchecked Ego.

Many, especially those in power, believe theirs is a right to do as they please without regard to the wishes and will of God.  But God will not be mocked!

In this message I note the Pitfalls of the Unchecked Ego's Life, using Nebuchadnezzar as an example. Then I attempt to encourage the listener to live a selfless life...one in which the driving force is reliant on and motivated by the Lord Himself.

Let me know what you think as you listen. I would love to hear your feedback.  God bless, Kirk McCormick

The Challenge of Selfless Living

Daniel 4:1-37

  

Pitfall 1 – “I am impressed with my accomplishments.”

Daniel 4:20-22 – “The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching

"Maintaining a Pure Conscience" - A Message from Acts 22 and 23

Hello Friends,

Have you ever had that "guilty feeling" wherein you know you've broken God's moral code?  Some call it a gut feeling while others describe an inner voice that speaks to them.  God has installed a conscience in each of us. Through this conscience he speaks, directs and corrects us so we might live the purest life possible.

In Acts 22 we see a model for how we can Maintain a Pure Conscience.  Of course, Satan would like to convince you that you are forever guilty, but God, in his marvelous grace, not only forgives but also restores us to purity.

So I hope this message will be helpful to you as you strive to live a life that honors our Heavenly Father. Let me know what you think.

God bless, Kirk McCormick

“Maintaining a Pure Conscience”

Acts 22:30-23:11

“Conscience” = “to know with” or “know together”…

            …inner judge to which God speaks

            …does not set standards, but affirms them

Acts 24:16 - Paul said, “So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”

Titus 1:15 - “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not

A Message about "True Inclusivity"

Hello friends,

If you are like me, I grow weary about the elevation of "diversity" and "inclusivity", as if they are the highest virtues and values of our culture.  Since diversity just "is"...meaning, we don't have to work on it since it is simply a part of God's natural order... we really do not need to elevate it so highly since it does not take any effort to achieve "diversity."  Yet, given this elevation of diversity, the world loves to tell us that embracing our diversity is more important than our unity.

In this message I try to dispel the notion that Inclusivity, as defined and manipulated by the world, is the rule of heaven.  I hope you will listen to this word and let me know what you think.  I would appreciate the input.

May God bless you as you listen and respond to His Word.  Again...let me know what you think.

- Kirk McCormick

The 7 "C's" of Sharing the Jesus Story - A Message from Acts 22:1-21

Evangelism...the very word brings terror to the average Christian's heart. Yet does Sharing the Jesus story  need to be so imposing?

Paul has arrived back in Jerusalem, and his visit did not go unnoticed. Many radical Jews, especially from the Sanhedrin, are angry he is there and want to kill him. However, the Roman commander puts Paul under his custody. On the way to the jail Paul asks to speak to his fellow Jews.

This message reviews Paul's tactic in sharing the Gospel and how his words are a model for the average Disciple to share the Jesus Story.

As the Lord speaks, you will be blessed as you respond.  Let me know what you think.

And if this message is helpful to you, share it with others. God bless you! - Kirk McCormick

The 7 “C’s” of Sharing your “Jesus” Story

1. “C”ourage -

Paul stood his ground for Jesus

Acts 22:1 - “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”

Recap: Sharing the Jesus Story starts with just a little bit of Courage…

Interview with Jason McCormick at the US Olympic Swimming Trials

Here is an interview from the Florida Swim Network that Jason did right after swimming in the Olympic Trials. He finished 44th making him one of the fastest swimmers in the country.  Pretty neat to think of being in the top 50 of anything in the country.  Awesome job, Jason!

"And the Crowd Goes Wild!" - a Message from Acts 19:21-41

Hello Friends!

How is the church suppose to react to the dialog about moral issues when the world bases its arguments primarily on emotion, not facts?

I love Acts 19.  Paul spends two years in Ephesus ministering in one of the most pagan cities of his day.  The Gospel is being heard. People's lives are changing, and this sets the scene for a riot rooted in greed, lies, and defensiveness.  How was Paul and his teammates suppose to effectively dialog when the majority have no intellectual integrity, reverting to name calling, emotionalism, and lies.

I don't want to give it all away, but this message may be one of the most relevant I've preached in the recent few weeks. I hope you will hear the connection between Paul's context and our experience, today. If you like this, please share it with others.  And let me know what you think.

May God bless you and his church as we stand for Truth in our world of chaos and confusion.  - Kirk McCormick

 “The Crowd Goes Wild”

** I want to speak with you today about Ochlocracy…

…you may know it better as Mob Rule.

Point: The problem with the Mob is that it is usually empowered by emotion, not fact…

…to the point that many in the mob do not even know why they are there.

…such was the situation in Ephesus…

Acts 19:32b - “Most of the people did not even know why they were there.”

General Tactics of Satan to Confuse… 

1. Deceive

Revelation 12:9 - “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil

"Powerful Signs" - A Message from Acts 19:8-20

Hello Friends,

It's nice to share this message with you today as I believe that God has more of himself and his kingdom to give than we often receive.

In Acts 19, God has directed Paul to Ephesus, one of the most "sophisticated" cities of Biblical times.  There were many who dabbled in one form of spirituality or another. There was a thriving Jewish synagogue, too. But God had plans to bless those who would listen and respond to the Gospel.

In order to get their attention, though, God ratcheted up his witness through Paul by increasing His power.  You will hear how God does this and the results...but they are wonderful.

My wish and prayer for the church, today, is that we would believe God for this kind of transformative power. Especially in the mainline denominations, we have lots of "power loss" because we do not believe.

So may God bless you as you respond to Holy Spirit's moving in your heart.  He is able to do so much more than we ask!  God bless, Kirk McCormick

 “Powerful Signs”

Acts 19:8-20

2 Premises about God’s Power:

Premise 1 - Power is a means to the end called evangelism = Sharing the Gospel of Jesus.

Premise 2 - Power is given in proportion to the task at hand.

Acts 1:8 - “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the

"The Mystery of God's Will" - A Message from John 21

Hello all!

A question we all have from time to time is, "Is this God's will for me?"  Sometimes the "this" has to do with a job, sometimes a relationship, sometimes the purchasing of a new car.  Thankfully, God has revealed much of his will to us in the Bible. But what about that which we must deduce?

In this message from John 20, I share three insights into the Mystery of God's Will.  I know it will be helpful to you as Holy Spirit guides your heart into his Word.  Let me know what you think...and may God bless you as you discover and experience his perfect will for your life.

Peace, Kirk McCormick

The Mystery of God’s Will

A Message from John 21

Scene 1 - John 21:4-24

Insight 1 - The Mystery of God’s Will is revealed in my daily endeavors.

John 21:6 - “Jesus said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will

Hello Friends!

I'm back with a word about Doubt.

Following the Resurrection, the disciples were greeted by Jesus for the first time that first Easter Sunday evening...all of the disciples but Thomas, who was absent.  When the others told Thomas that they had seen the Lord, he doubted. In fact, he did not believe them.  Thus, the legend of "Doubting Thomas" began.

All of us have doubted from one degree to another.  And that doubt can either discourage us from seeking the Lord or encourage us to seek him more intently.  I define "doubt" like this:

Doubt is a crisis of Faith precipitated by a wavering belief that God is able or willing to fulfill his promises in our lives.

If you will listen to this message, I am confident that God will bless you.  And if you are blessed, I ask you one favor...tell your Christian friends for they will be blessed, too, with this common challenge in the life of every believer at one time or another.  Below is an outline, for your convenience.

Let me know what you think.  God bless, Kirk McCormick

 “A Bout with Doubt”

John 20:24-31

4 Concepts of “Doubt” in the New Testament

Concept/Word/Cause # 1 - Wavering

Matthew 14:31 - “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and

"Generous Beyond Measure" - Will you Grow? Series (Week 3 of 3) - 2 Corinthians 9:6-12)

Hello Friends,

This is it!...the last installment in this mini-series entitled, "Will you Grow?"  It is inspired by my desire to help the members of our church to grow beyond the infancy stages of faith so that we might live mature lives for Jesus Christ.

Without a doubt, the last aspect of life that is submitted to God, for most of us, is our checkbook.  Finances seem to have a control over the deepest parts of who we are.  Some preaches lay guilt trips to bully parishioners into tithing.  Yet, tithing is not God's goal for stewardship...it is a benchmark to show us where we are on the path.

God's hope for you and me is generosity...that we would emulate him in dealing with the needs of others.  God has richly blessed us beyond what we deserve or need, then we hoard God's "stuff" for that rainy day that we might need that 15th pair of shoes we have in our closets.

What if we were generous beyond measure?  What if we gave to help others meet their needs?  What if the material world didn't control us but we controlled it?

I hope you'll listen to the Lord as Holy Spirit speaks in this message.  By the way, we are starting an Endowment Legacy program at our church, which is part of the impetus for this message.

Be well!... be generous! - Kirk McCormick

Developing a Life of Generosity

Principle 1 - Generosity does not happen magically.

2 Corinthians 9:6 - “Remember this - a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a

"Doing is Believing" - Part 2 of our "Will You Grow" Series (Joshua 24:14-24)

Hello friends,

Here is the second installment in a three-part series entitled, "Will you Grow?"

Growth is a proactive, exciting adventure with Holy Spirit.  In this message I challenge the listener to choose to grow in service.  The mature believer lives not just for himself or herself, but to help others to be all that God wants them to be.

I hope you'll be blessed by this message as we echo Joshua's sentiments, "Choose this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

May God bless you as you respond to his guidance in his Word. - Kirk McCormick

“Doing is Believing”

Joshua 24:14-24

Bumper Sticker: If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving is not for you.

Observations about Growth and Choice

Observation 1 – Life is full of choices.

Joshua 24:15a - “If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose

New Fellowship Hall Moving Ahead

Hello friends,

We are excited that our new fellowship hall and office building is moving ahead. Take a look at the pictures of the new flooring just installed by Roy Wickersham.  They are beautiful!  More information to go.

Let's pray for a quick completion.  God bless, Kirk McCormick

"Will You Grow?" - A Message from Ephesians 4:7-16

Hello  Friends!

I serve a congregation that is full of vibrant, seasoned believers who truly love the Lord.  Worship each week is terrific. The sanctuary is full.  We are trying new ministries - some successfully, some...we'll see.  I imagine how pleased God must be.

Yet, we, like every congregation, are tempted to rest in our church's accomplishments.  Our leadership wants to do what we can do to avoid this. So I am leading a brief, three-week worship series entitled, "Will You Grow?"

Will you grow?  It's a fair question that leads us to introspection and prayer.  In this initial offering/message, we set the tone and challenge the listener to be intentional about the topic by adding 15 minutes of prayer each day to explore with God what His response might be to our question, "Dear God...how might you want me to grow?"

As you listen, I trust that Holy Spirit will speak to you.  May God bless you as you respond to Him!

Peace, Pastor Kirk McCormick

 “Will you Grow?”

Ephesians 4:7-16

Aim 1 – Growth protects us from the trickery of the world.

Ephesians 4:14 – “Then [when we have grown to maturity in Jesus] we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their

"Tactical Evangelism" - a Message from Acts 17:1-9

It is good to be back on the blogosphere after a short time away.  It is even better to be back to what I love so much - opening God's Word with you so we might gain insight into living for Jesus in a  world that needs him.

Today we open Acts 17 as Paul and his entourage ministry in Macedonia.  Though Paul was well-versed in the Greek culture - and, therefore, could have ministered effectively in the Acropolis or Marketplace - he chose to minister to the Jews, first.

From this passage we see a good model for Christians to follow as it yields a Tactical approach to Evangelism. As you listen, may the Lord inspire you to ask Him for the courage to share the Gospel.

Let me know what you think or how the Lord spoke to you. I'd appreciate the feedback.  God bless you as you respond to His Word. - Pastor Kirk McCormick

Acts 17:1-9

Focus Verses for the Four Tactics

(key words are underlined)

As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’” he said.  

(Acts 17:2-3)

Tactic 1 -  “Reasoned”

= to talk through or dissect/pick apart an idea

** There are some people who like to debate spiritual things…they learn by ASKING questions and TALKING TRHOUGH ideas…

Join me in Israel

It's true...I'm leading my 8th trip to Israel this October 30-November 10 (2016).  Below is an information flyer.  Feel free to contact me (contact info on flyer) if you have an interest or question.

This trip will change your life!  I hope you can make it.  God bless, Kirk McCormick