Sunday Morning Series - Enduring Change - Do Good Things Just Happen?

Text:  Genesis 37 and 39

We're looking at Joseph's life today. Joseph had strong administrative gifts and a heart for God. His father gave him a coat of many colors. Back in those days, such a coat indicated authority. He was given leadership over his brothers because he knew how to make the family business productive.

In Potiphar's house his first duties were probably menial tasks, which he did well. The scripture says the Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man. Imagine calling a slave, "a successful man." He was promoted until he was over Potiphar's entire household. From that time forward, blessings came to Potiphar's house.

Even though Joseph did what was right, evil people came against him and were successful. His brothers sold him into slavery, while Potiphar's wife falsely accused him. If you were Joseph, would you be wondering where God was when all this occurred? How come the people he managed in the household didn't come to his defense? They were probably scared to contradict the wife's story.

Joseph was cast into Potiphar's prison. He was soon running the whole prison. Joseph worked in a certain manner. He was a hard worker and no doubt looked for better ways to do things.While in prison, he interpreted the dreams of the butler and the baker. Eventually, this led to an audience with Pharoah when he had a troubling dream.

How can you find favor with those around you? To hear the entire message, please visit our website and click on the Listen Tab. You can listen online, download it to your MP3 player, or podcast.

If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service, at 10:00 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Road (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We'd love to meet you!

Quotable Quotes

"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it." - John Ruskin

This Week at Zoe

MIDWEEK SERVICE - WEDNESDAY, 7/26/17, 7:30 PM - Pastor Steve continues teaching on John the Baptist.

WORSHIP TEAM PRACTICE - Thursday, 7/27/17, at 7:00 PM.

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE - Sunday, 7/30/17, at 10:00 AM. Children's Church also begins at 10:00 AM.
End Times Class - 1:00 PM

Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We cordially invite you to visit on Sunday Morning at 10:00 AM. If you're looking for a multi-cultural, Word centered, and family church, we think you'll find Zoe a natural fit.

Sunday Morning Series - Enduring Change - Binding and Loosing (Part 2)

Text:  1 & 2 Samuel and Various

Why is it that sometimes we sow but don't reap? You sow mercy, forgiveness, love, finances, etc., but you don't see it come back to you.

In Matthew 16 and 18, Jesus taught on binding and loosing. What we often fail to see, is that what  we bind on earth is bound in heaven. What we loose on earth is loosed in heaven.

David's appearance and experience did not give one the impression of a great warrior. (I Samuel 17) Goliath mocked him and commented on his youth and lack of appropriate weapons. Even after Samuel anointed him as king, his parents sent him back to tending the sheep. The only thing mentioned that set David apart was his behavior (Samuel 18:5, 14-16 & 28-30). He used wisdom.

Compare David's behavior to Saul's. Saul did his own thing rather than obey God. He was chasing David all over the countryside instead of protecting his nation from the Philistines.

David and his men risked their lives to save the people of Keilah. He sought the Lord for guidance and discovered Saul would come after him in Keilah, and the people would turn him over to his enemy. (I Samuel 23) He shows mercy on Saul twice, but the man continues to hunt him. On another occasion, he and his men protect the herders and flocks of Nabal. Instead of being grateful, Nabal refuses to give them provisions. Here he was being kind, generous, protective, and nothing was going right for him.

Should I expect others to do for me the things I have done for others? Our motivation is not to get anything back. What comes from God is not inhibited by men. If God extends mercy, forgiveness, can man stop it? What comes from men is inhibited by their yieldedness to God's direction.

To hear the entire message, we invite you to visit our website and  click on the Listen Tab. You can  listen online, download it to your MP3 player, or podcast.

If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to Zoe Christian Fellowship. We're  located  at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. A hallmark of our fellowship is solid, Biblical teaching, and a loving, multi-cultural atmosphere. We look forward to meeting you!

Quotable Quote

"A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits." - Hannah More

This Week at Zoe

 MIDWEEK SERVICE - Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at 7:30 PM. Pastor Steve is doing a study on John the Baptist.

WORSHIP TEAM PRACTICE - Thursday, July 20, 2017, at 7:00 PM.

 

SUNDAY SERVICE - Sunday, July 23, 2017, at 10:00 AM. Children's Church also begins at 10:00 AM.

Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. If you're looking for a great family church with solid Bible teaching, we hope you'll visit us.

Sunday Morning Series - Enduring Change - Binding and Loosing

Text:  I and 2 Samuel and Various

When a lawnmower or a blender won't work, does kicking or hitting them fix the problem? Does the manual tell us to take that action? No, but many of us will resort to that action. Christians will bind the devil or loose blessings even when no one in Scripture has ever done that.

In Matthew 16:13-19, when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, Peter replied that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus informed him that flesh and blood had not revealed this to him but His father in heaven. Peter spoke out what he had already come to know and believe. Jesus talked about binding and loosing right after that incident.

Peter's declaration loosed Jesus to teach them about His death and resurrection. We never see Peter binding and loosing the way some Christians do it today.

In Genesis, God tells Abraham that he will be the father of many nations. Instead of receiving God's Word, Abraham talks about being childless and that his servant would be his heir. Over and over, God reiterates the promise. What didn't change Abraham's condition:

1.  What he desired
2.  What he heard
3.  What he needed
4.  The fact that God wanted him to have his own child by Sarah.

What did change Abraham's condition?

1.  God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. Every time he said his name, he was calling himself the father of many. Sarai's name was changed to Sarah. Therefore, Abraham's conversation changed.

2.  The promise became a reality when he immediately obeyed God and circumcised every male born in his house or bought with his money. He was entering into covenant with God.

Never do we see Abraham loosing the blessing or binding the devil.

To hear the entire message, please visit our website and click on the Listen Tab. You can listen online, download it to your MP3 player, or podcast.

If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to Zoe Christian Fellowship. Our Sunday morning service begins at 10:00 AM. We also have Children's Church starting at 10:00 AM. We're located at 1111 Easton Rd., (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We'd love to meet you!

Quotable Quote

"He who cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven." - Lord Herbert

This Week at Zoe

NO MIDWEEK SERVICE.

WORSHIP TEAM PRACTICE - Thursday, 7/13/17, 7:00 PM.

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SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE - Sunday, 7/16/17, 10:00 AM.
Children's Church - 10:00 AM.
End Times Class - 1:00 PM

If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), Warrington, PA. We look forward to meeting you!

Sunday Morning Series - Enduring Change - We Need More Children!

Text:  Matthew 18:1-20 & Various

Who Is The Greatest?

Jesus learns the disciples are arguing among themselves about who is the greatest. He didn't reproach them for wanting that position but told them how. "Unless you are converted and become as little children..."

The word, "converted," is Strepho in the Greek and means to turn, to return, or to change. It's used in the Gospels most times as "Jesus turned to the crowd," etc.

The little children come when Jesus says, "come." They don't need an explanation but simply obey.

Offenses

This passage is followed by teaching on offenses. Jesus says not to despise these little ones because their angels do always behold the face of my Father.

Jesus went on to teach about binding and loosing. This is often taught in the sense binding is bad and loosing is good. Yet we don't see examples of this in Scripture. Some indications a teaching is incorrect:

1.  No passage directly teaches the principles being taught. Rather, there are veiled references.

2.  The context of the passage is ignored.

3.  No one acted that way in the Word of God. It should be plain - repeated and consistent.

4.  There's no inner witness of the Spirit on the inside of you. It doesn't ring true.

To hear the entire message, please visit our website and click on the Listen Tab. You can listen online, download it to your MP3 player, or podcast.

Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. Why not visit us? Our Sunday Service begins at 10:00 AM with Children's Church beginning at the same time. We'd love to meet you and enjoy the uncompromised Word of God together.

Quotable Quote

"I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him." - C.S. Lewis

This Week at Zoe

MIDWEEK SERVICE - ??? - We'll be texting people to see whether or not we'll have our Midweek Service or not. Some folks are on vacation.

WORSHIP TEAM PRACTICE - Thursday, 7/6/17, at 7:00 PM

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE - Sunday, 7/9/17, at 10:00 AM

Super Church for Kids - Sunday, 7/9/17, at 10:00 AM

If you're visiting the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to Zoe Christian Fellowship. We're located at 1111 Easton Road (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY! 

Sunday Morning Series - Enduring Change - Judging, Forgiving, and Giving

Text:  Luke 6:37-49 and various

When people do things to you, how do you respond?

Luke 6:37-38 - Do's and Don'ts

1.  Judge not - krino - to separate, select, choose, to determine, to pronounce judgment. Does this mean we're never to judge?

     A.  John 7:24 - "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."           I'm thinking of a story about a man on a train. He's annoyed because a father is allowing his children
to run amok and disturb everyone. The father is not doing a good job. He talks to the dad and discovers his wife and the children's mother just died. By all appearances, the father was doing a bad job parenting. Yet, the circumstances provided an explanation that could not be seen.

           If you go up to someone and ask them why they did something and they tell you, they're evealing their motivation. Since the words of their mouth have located them, they can be judged.

    B.   John 12:46-50 - If the Word says something is wrong, it's wrong. Period.

    C.   You can get into a habit of judgment. Judgment is the first step. It's followed by condemnation.
         
2.  Condemn not - katadikaza -

    A.  To give judgment against (one), to pronounce guilty -  Thayer's

    B.  To exercise right or law against anyone, to pronounce judgment, condemn. - Vine's

3. Forgive - apoluo - To release, set free, let go, or dismiss

    A.  Luke 13:12 - "But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."

         Joseph thought about putting Mary away quietly (actually a certificate of divorce/release) when he discovered she was with child.

To hear the entire message, please visit our website and click on the Listen Tab. You can listen online, download it to your MP3 player, or podcast.

If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 AM.  Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We look forward to meeting you!