Chris Wall • Nehemiah 6-7
In our personal lives and our church, we need to recognize that we will never "Arrive". On this side of eternity, there will be more to learn about the Lord. There will be more prayers to pray. There will be more people to reach, more work to do, needs to meet, and individuals to love. We see in Nehemiah 6–7 that though they finished the wall, there was more work to do. As we embrace the call to be God's people, recognizing the clear tactics of the enemy while leaning into the life of Nehemiah will help us take our "Next Steps" as the people of God planted here in Owasso, Tulsa, and beyond.
If your life was a parable, a small story with a big meaning, what lesson would we learn? Jesus often taught in parables, simple stories that open the eyes of the foolish, profound tales that confound the wise. This fall, discover the kingdom of God. Deepen the strength of your faith. Draw close to the One who saves. PARABLES We’re all stories in the end. ...
Chris Wall • Chris Wall • James 2:1-13Though there are many relevant examples to use when articulating the impact of the fall, the sin of partiality is a pertinent focus for today. Of course, it is normal to question whether man can be like God after the fall, but Scripture confirms that even though man is sinful, there is still enough likeness to God that we are naturally moved to honor every life. In fact, the New Testament confirms this in James 3:9 where it says that men generally, not just believers are made in the likeness of God. However, since man sinned, moral purity has been lost and sinful character remains a struggle. Man struggles to reflect God’s holiness and begins to allow corruption to run rampant. Sin corrupts intellect, speech, worldview and relationships. Sin causes selfishness to replace love, pride to reject humility, and partiality to diminish generosity. Sin causes the Imago Dei in humanity to become distorted. When God created man, His creation was very good (Genesis 1:31). However, the fall distorted the true nature of man causing a battle with partiality. Thankfully, the fall was transformed by Christ but still James 2 reveals continuous battles with our old nature and our tendency to look down on oneanother ignoring the “royal law” of God. ...
Chris Wall • 1 Peter 3:13-22 NIV A meme is a picture, video, or piece of text shared over and over again that communicates an idea or feeling that people have together. Memes illustrate moments for people when words just aren’t enough. They can be funny, serious, or pointed. In Scripture, some principles are so rich in meaning that God paints multiple pictures to help us understand the significance of His desire for us. Submissiveness is a quality of character that God celebrates and invites every believer to practice. Through a series of pictures in Scripture, God helps us understand the strength and confidence that comes when we submit to Him. Is it possible that submission helps marriage last a lifetime as we magnify the gospel story together? ...
