Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the "here and now" of our daily lives, that we lose sight of the fact that the day will come when our lives will pass away like mist, and God will crown us with everlasting life. While it is important to reflect our love for God in the day-to-day details of our lives, do we take time to imagine an eternity where we see His face clearly? Pastor Scott urges us to cultivate a deeper awareness of an eternity in Heaven with God, and explores the scriptures in Revelation 21-22 to envision what it will be like to have an eternity beholding His radiance.
Lavished: Wisdom
God longs to give us an increase in knowledge and insight, and to open our spiritual eyes, but sometimes we suffer from a dullness of heart -- not really moved or captivated by God, with only a small grasp of Him. Our shallow thoughts about God impact our worship, and nothing hurts our witness more than a dullness of faith, without conviction or passion. Pastor Scott encourages us to seek an expanded vision of the Almighty God, and an awakening of the heart that surpasses any human understanding or knowledge.
Lavished: Nearness
God is eager to pour out more of His Spirit and power to see lives dramatically changed and transformed in Him, but too often we quench the movement of the Spirit because we aren't living in a state of heightened awareness of His nearness. We need to be listening to the Spirit daily, in expectation that God is speaking to us and will move through us. Every major move of the Spirit throughout history has started with persistent, ongoing prayer; there are no shortcuts to developing a close relationship with God. Pastor Scott exhorts us to experience the nearness of God, and offers practical, scriptural tips about different facets of our faith-life so that we can intentionally cultivate greater awareness of God's nearness and His longing for a deep, close relationship with us, and the new eyes and heart for others that only He can give us.
Lavished: Spirit
Pastor Scott exhorts us about the supernatural, insatiable hunger and thirst for God. More than a disciplined prayer life, we need to be lit by the fire of the Spirit that comes from a life fully surrendered, completely desperate for God. We can't be content to take the easy way out when we understand that we have been bought with a price.
Lavished: All Things
In the second message in the Lavished series, Pastor Scott preaches about how God is eager to equip us with all things we need for life and godliness. The standard of God is so high that it is impossible for us to reach in our own strength. But the good news is that if we hunger and thirst for righteousness, and ask God for help, He will lavish us with everything we need through His divine power.
Lavished: Pardon
In this first message in the Lavished sermon series, Pastor Scott preaches about how God's grace comes to us through the pardon of our sins. We were lost in our sin and under judgment, but God did not leave us there but showed us grace by paying for our sins and taking the death we deserved so that we could receive life, love and an abundance of grace. We are no longer enemies of God, but sons and daughters of God. God does not just tolerate us but he has poured out grace because He loves us so deeply and truly and wants us to run to Him.
Colossians: Treating Church Like Family
In this final message in the Colossians series, Pastor Scott preaches from Colossians 4:7-18. In these verses we learn about faithful people who were serving and loving the church in Colossae. Through this passage we are reminded that in churches there are Faithful Servants who serve and love well their brothers and sisters in Christ. Also, when it comes to pastors there is a calling and burden in ministry that calls pastors to pray, to love and to act like a shepherd. Finally, for all of us there is the call to endurance to stick with the local church in all seasons of life.
Standalone Sermons: Fighting the Enemy
In this message, Renaissance Elder John Michaelson preaches about the enemy that stands in opposition to us. As the Bible says, our enemy is not flesh and blood but it is the spiritual forces of darkness, we are opposed by Satan. We need to be awakened to this reality and be sober minded about this opposition. John ends the sermon by chronicling what are defense against Satan is as we have been given spiritual weapons through our identity and empowerment by God.
Colossians: Open Doors
One of the things we've realized throughout the history of Ren is that when we step out into places, conversations, or neighborhoods God always opens doors for us to share who we are and what Jesus is doing in our lives and our community. In this message from Colossians 4:3-6 Pastor Scott preaches about the open doors God provides to share the Gospel. It is important for us to realize that people around us are lost and far from God and we've been put in our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our families for a reason and a purpose.
Colossians: Beauty of Prayer
Prayer is an essential practice of the Christian faith. Although there are different denominations and Christian groups, we all agree that prayer is important. But when we really look at the lives of Christians we find that many struggle to pray, finding it unenjoyable, finding it uneventful. In this message from Colossians 4:2 Pastor Scott implores us to see the beauty and value of prayer. Prayer is the development of a deep, intimate relationship with God. Prayer is where we realize that God really is our Father and we can come to him to ask, to listen, to just be with Him.