We seek to bless the greater Carlisle area.

Tag Archives: love

//God Loves You

April 3, 2011 – 6:51 am

Disconnect: God Loves You
You Believe in God but aren’t sure He loves you?
April 3, 2011
Dr. Terry Brensinger
John 3:16

Podcast Listen to Sermon: God Loves You

1. What happens within you when you hear the words, “God loves you?”
2. What people, events and experiences, if any, have helped you to believe that God loves you? Which have made it more difficult?
3. If you struggle to believe that God loves you–as many of us do–how do you pray about it? What might God do to help you genuinely live in the confidence that you are loved?

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , | Comments (0)

//We Crave Love

November 8, 2009 – 6:41 pm

We Crave Love
November 8, 2009
Pastor Jon Hand
Philippians 1:27 - 2:11

Podcast Listen to Sermon: We Crave Love

Go Deeper: Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters - Tim Keller

This book is all about what we as humans crave deep down. We crave security, peace, approval, our time, productivity, or success. You name it. We crave it. These cravings are mostly good. What’s bad is when we make these desires the ultimate reason for why we do what we do. The bible calls this idolatry. Idolatry is when we make a good thing the ultimate thing in our lives that gives us meaning, happiness, security, peace, joy, or happiness. Keller calls these counterfeit gods. Keller says, “The counterfeit gods always leave you frustrated and empty.” This book is a call to identify our human cravings, reflect on what we are doing to satisfy those desires, and replace our counterfeit gods by trusting in a God whose love and beauty exposes our most precious idols as the fake substitutes they are.

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

//Love and Security

October 4, 2009 – 10:53 am

Stuck: Love and Security
October 4, 2009
Pastor Jon Hand
1 John 4

Podcast Listen to Sermon: Stuck: Love and Security

Books: What’s So Amazing About Grace - Phillip Yancey. Look, if you grew up in a cold harsh judgmental religion, you need to read this book. It will be a breath of fresh air to your religiously worn out soul.

Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace - Miroslav Volf. This is one of the best books on love, grace, and forgiveness that I’ve ever read. This book is thought provoking and deep while still very digestible and challenging. Volf’s whole life and story is based on risking security for love. Volf thoughtfully and intellectually anchors the concept of God’s love for us into every day Monday through Friday life. If you’ve been a Christian for 30 years or find yourself skeptical of faith or if you are brand new to the whole conversation, this book is a great way to go deeper.

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

//Judgment

August 2, 2009 – 11:39 am

It Matters: A Jesus Vision of Life - Judgment
August 2, 2009
Pastor Jon Hand
Romans 2:5-11

Podcast Listen to Sermon: Judgment

Podcast Listen to Music: Justice and Love by Stephen Santos

It seems capricious that God would judge all of us and some go to hell unless we believe that God is both 1. Good and 2. Relational.

Can you trust the goodness of God’s ability to judge others? Can you give up trying to judge others and leave that to a good God?

C. S. Lewis said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ ” Lewis continues, “The doors to hell are locked from the inside.” Problem of Pain page 126. Lewis is saying that God gives us freedom to go in the direction we want to go…he does not force us to spend forever with him. He gives us space to live far away if that is what we choose.

Digging Deeper:
How do you feel about a God who judges people for what they have done or not done?

How do you feel about a God who forgives those who want forgiveness?

What difference does this understanding of God make in your life?

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

//Does a loving God send people to hell?

February 22, 2009 – 10:00 am

Does a loving God send people to hell?
February 22, 2009
Pastor Jon Hand

Podcast Listen to Sermon: Does a loving God send people to hell?

Digging Deeper

Books on why the afterlife matters to daily living:

Surprised by Hope - N.T. Wright
Rumors of Another World - Philip Yancy
The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis
Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism - Timothy Keller

Movies

Lord of the Rings: Two Towers - Smeagol finds the ring and can’t let go. Transforms into Gollum.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - At the end when the ring is finally returned to Mt. Doom the whole world is made right and renewed.

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

//Jesus said that??

January 4, 2009 – 4:24 pm

Jesus said that? //Dealing with pain-in-the butt people.
January 4, 2009
Pastor Jon Hand

During the month of January we will be exploring some of the teachings of Jesus that leave us scratching our heads and saying, “Jesus said that?!?!”  We will explore themes like Conflict, Religiosity, Family, and more.

Podcast Listen to Sermon: Jesus said that? //Dealing with pain-in-the butt people.

By admin | Posted in Podcast | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)