The Bible and Our Culture

Pastor Jay shares his testimony

Everyone should be ready to share their testimony in 1, 2, 5, 10 or 30 minutes.  

Paul's ministry in Ephesus shows the devil's plans backfire.

Demons have no power over a believer other than what we allow.
Don't sin.
Demons and Satan often shoot themselves in the foot; that is, their plans will backfire if we stand against them in faith and truth.
Time with the Lord alone and time with Lord collectively are important to your health.
Time with God is an epic fight but keep fighting!

Replication is God's method of growth

Paul's ministry in Ephesus was successful!  The Ephesus Church reached all of Asia.  How?  Because they were able to replicate themselves starting with Paul.
Even if you find yourself within tyranny, keep sharing your testimony.  The kingdom of God cannot be oppressed.  
A daily grind and routine of regular Bible Study is what led to success!

How should we view the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Apollos was an amazing minister even though he didn't know about this second baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2, 8, 9 and 19 explain a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit different than conversion.  
If you haven’t experienced the subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit, please leave your heart open to it.
If you have experienced this subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit, please receive from today’s Apollos-type believers.
This subsequent baptism is biblical, but it is not the central thrust of the New Testament.
Please be open to what the Holy Spirit may be doing.
 

A Believer's life provokes unbelievers to jealousy

Live an adventurous life for Jesus!  It will bring persecution.  Riots today are like riots in the book of Acts. 
Make unbelievers jealous of the life you have in Christ.
Why did Paul go to the Jews first?  He didn't have a racial bias.  He had companions of all sorts of different ethnic backgrounds.  He wanted to take advantage of the Jewish people's background and worldview.
Our civil duties are important, but not as important as converting people to Jesus.

There is value in trash-talking demonic forces

"Make Known the wisdom of God to principalities and powers."
Demonstrate the wisdom of God by your actions.
Like a professional athlete, when you struggle, go back to the fundamentals.
Perspective is everything!

Beware of the intimidation of the Secularists

While the New Testament was written, Judaism was the main intimidating spirit, but today in Western Culture the main intimidating spirit is secularism.  
Because of intimidation; there is a tragic decline in the percentage of people who call themselves Christians today compared to a few years ago.  
"Christians' don't want to show lost people they are lost; they want to be popular with them. 

Divine Relationships

Acts 18 - Divine Appointments and Divine Relationships.
Pastors have a right to earn a Salary as the serve in the Church, but it doesn't mean those who don't earn a salary are not as "spiritual" or impactful.  
Be a minister wherever your "secular" career might take you. 
Aquila and Priscilla have an amazing story the Bible hints at multiple times but never really fills us in on the details.
Have a marriage like Aquila and Priscilla!
Have a career and ministry like Aquila and Priscilla!
 

Should the Church act like a church?

Acts 19 shows the true meaning of the biblical word "church".  
A sense of community is great, but community-ism is often a trojan horse to surrender liberty.
Rioting is a tactic of the Left not the Right.  

Keep a perspective of looking down

God seated us in the heavenly places with Jesus.
There is nothing but vanity under the sun.
Keep your perspective, keep looking down from the heavenly places!