Island ECC Podcast
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Today is the first of two Baptism Sundays! It’s always a great celebration in our church. While baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith, it is also a snapshot of a bigger story, or testimony, of what God has done in our lives. Today, as we celebrate the stories and baptisms of our brothers and sisters, we are going to look at two of the greatest testimonies ever told and how God changes lives with His graceful gift of salvation.
Many people desire to have mentorship relationships. However the sad reality is that many of us have no idea how to engage in that form of discipleship. We look to the story of Elijah and Elisha to learn about the building blocks of successful discipleship.
The book of Ruth usually – and rightfully so – highlights the relationship between Ruth and Boaz. This story is a powerful tale of redemption that points to our ultimate redemption in Christ. Today, however, we will focus on the journey of Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi and how we can glean some great truth and encouragement from this beautiful relationship.
Work relationships are among the most important ones we have. Unfortunately, these too often are also among the hardest ones. Examination of the hierarchical relationship between Saul and David, as recorded in 1 Samuel, yields applicable principles for making the best of problematic work relationships.
Perhaps the greatest force for change in your life is your friends. You become like those you surround yourself with. So for Christ followers, friendship is more than a collection of good people, but rather a spiritual discipline to bring about the change God desires for you.
From the earliest of times, every human being has learned how to let themselves off the hook. We are adept at providing reasons for our behaviour (or misbehaviour). But instead of making excuses, what would our life be like if we were simply honest with ourselves and those around us?
We all have people we want to evangelise to. Problem is: we don’t know how to. What do we do when the people we love and care about don't want to hear the gospel message? We kick off our “it takes two” relationship-focused sermon series by studying Paul’s unique relationship with his jailer.
The parable of the lost sons gives us great insight into the depths of our own souls, and offers a freedom and understanding that transforms our religion into relationship. The resurrection was never intended to make us religious.
For many people, being righteous is an unattainable goal. As much as we try to live a holy lifestyle, we still make mistakes and sin. But Jesus actually gives us clear instructions on how to live a righteous life, and it’s not how we might expect. In this parable we learn about the devastation of sin and the importance of humility.
One of the most direct parables taught by Jesus, the story of the rich man and Lazarus calls us to love God from the inside out. Even with its tough teaching, the calling of Jesus was magnetic to the sinners of the day because it emphasised a judgement based on what was real instead of religiously superficial, something we all long for.
Is your faith entrepreneurial? Jesus teaches us about the danger of a faith that is stale and predictable.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most well known parables Jesus ever told. It has become ubiquitous in our language and society. But why is this parable so important for us? Today we’re going to look at how shocking the story really is and how powerful it can be for us if we actually put it into practice.
What lies at the heart of our greed? Is it simply a desire for more things, or is there a more sinister problem at the root of it all? We look to Jesus’s parable of the rich fool for answers and seek to find practical ways to combat the problem of greed.
Jonah was rebellious and then he was reluctant. How can we learn from Jonah and simply live in alignment with God’s heart?
Most of us would readily agree with the notion that God loves us. But to take that truth in and be totally changed by it, we need to really let it sink in. We need to stand in awe.
The state of our world demands an urgent response, and Jesus provides the only lasting hope. As Christ followers, our lives are not our own, and we have both the joy and the responsibility, to bring the light of the gospel to the world in which we live.
You were made to be instrumental in the purposes of God. Regardless of your profession, your ultimate calling is to discover how God wants to use you for His greater glory.
While everyone is wishing you great blessings of good health & wealth during CNY, what do you really wish for? Maybe at the end of the day, you just want to be happy – that’s it! “Don’t worry, be happy”? Then again, the Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord always!” It never said, “Be happy in the Lord always!” So, what’s the difference between being happy and being able to always rejoice? Come perk up your ears, this might just be the greatest “Year of the Rabbit” blessing you’ve been searching for!
Lunar New Year brings in a season of renewal. It’s time to leave behind things that hinder us, and pursue good things that God has in store for us in the future. So, how does renewal work?
The great Christian hope is heaven. However, many of us don’t like to think about heaven because it either scares us or seems boring to us. But how much of our conception of heaven has been influenced by Hollywood, and how much is actually Biblical? As we look into the final chapters of the book of Revelation, we will attempt to discover what God teaches us about heaven, and why it can be our great hope.
Hagar’s encounter with an angel provides the framework for a good start-of-the-year inventory of our lives. What should you leave behind? What is your direction? What can you expect from God?
This series offers three personal ways to move beyond resolutions to having consistent resolve in vital matters. This first sermon uses the life of Daniel to delve into how resolve is worked out in our past, present, and future.
Who among us couldn’t use a greater dose of peace? This Christmas Day, allow God to gift to you a greater sense of this peace that surpasses human understanding.
Christmas is almost here and as we celebrate this season once again, we are reminded of the power of Christ’s entrance into our world. His birth was foretold centuries before the first Christmas day and this message will look at how the prophecy of Isaiah describing Jesus being the Everlasting Father impacts our lives today. While it may seem somewhat confusing at first, it is one of the most reassuring characteristics of Jesus that we could ever know.
Isaiah points us once again to a beautiful truth about God, that He is a mighty God. Together we’ll look at how the authors of Scripture came to understand this, and explore if we’ve really allowed such a big God into the small parts of our lives.
In this first of a 4-part series, we look at the arrival of Jesus as our Wonderful Counsellor.
Tithes and offerings. We don’t like to talk about it, and we get uncomfortable when the topic comes up. Yet the Bible has a lot to say about it, and even portrays it as something that will bring joy. How can that be true? In our final week of “Dear Future Me” we discuss how giving is a choice you won’t regret making.
Most of us feel grateful. But if others don’t know we are grateful, we communicate ingratitude, and it damages relationships. An attitude of gratitude isn’t enough. We need to express it.
Anxiety is at an all-time high in most spots in the world. With more convenience and affluence than ever before, we also have higher levels of stress. Our faith really can make a difference.
All of us have blindspots. Areas of our lives that we don’t see that could cause problems for us in the future. In order to do the work on these faults, we need to be open to God’s loving (and convicting) Word.
