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Samson :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 2/13/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Pastor Steve takes us through the story of Samson, and show us that God had a plan for Samson.

Samson was born in hard times. He was given a specific role and a specific identity. God blessed Samson.

When we look at the life of Samson we see he pursues a Philistine wife, kills a lion, makes a wager, uses the jawbone of a donkey to kill a thousand Philistines, and falls in love with Delilah.

What important life lessons can we learn from the life of Samson?

We should hold onto hope. When Samson was blind from the Philistines gouging out his eyes, he held onto hope.

We should turn our heart to God. When Samson was held captive by the Philistines, he turned his heart back to God.

We should find honor in our redemption and live for God.

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Elijah on Mount Carmel :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 2/6/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

We live in a world of two kingdoms. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. The same was true in the days of Elijah.

Listen as Pastor Steve speaks of living in the kingdom and how faithfulness may look different for different situations in life.

There will be times for hidden faithfulness, times for clear confrontation and times for intentional perseverance.

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Preparing For The Next Thing :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 1/30/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Since life is always changing, how can we be prepared for the next thing in life?

We can choose to belong to God.

When we are in the midst of change, we can remember God’s work in our past. He is always faithful.

We can choose to trust God.

We can choose to worship God. This means God in enthroned in all we do, not just part of our lives on Sunday.

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The Ten Commandments Conclusion :: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS – BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 1/16/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

The Ten Commandments were given by God as a guidebook on life to the Israelites. As we look back at the Ten Commandments that we discussed in detail, we see that God wants us to make Him the priority in our life.

No other gods before Me – your Father knows what you need before you even ask!
Put away idols – destroy them (if you can). Reprioritize your life!
Honor God’s Name – watch how you live as you bear His name.
Remember the Sabbath – make “sabbathing” a verb.
Honor your father and mother – show them their value.
Do not murder – choose love!
Honoring marriage commitments – marriage is designed to show the love, the purity, the faithfulness, and the holiness of God – of Christ and His church.
You shall not steal – it is a matter of trusting God and setting aside greed.
No false testimony – no worthless words. Be a person who values truth.
You shall not covet – be joyful when others are blessed.

God gives us these commandments because He loves us. You can live without these commandments, but you can’t live your best life without them.

The Ten Commandments point to the cross. We cannot keep these commands without Him. They show us we have a need for God.

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All Of Jesus For All The World

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 01/02/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

You and I need ALL of Jesus. We are either all in or we are not. Jesus expects followers who follow.

All the world needs Jesus. We all share a struggle to “be good”. We share a Creator who gave Himself for us.

Jesus gave us all we need to give all of Him to all the world! Jesus has all authority, and He shares it with us. Jesus loves all nations. Jesus wants them to have the message. He promises to always be present.

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Choices on the Journey

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 12/26/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Choices in life direct our journey. In Joshua 24 we see how choices effected the journey of the Israelites.

You cannot journey without making choice. Your journey influences the choices you make, and your choices will effect your journey.

As you make choices you need to think about how they will effect your journey and act sensibly, honorably and respectfully.

Make your choices with an intentional reverence. Only you can choose to look back at the journey and determine in your heart to reverence the God who brought you this far.

Make your choices with a heart of gratitude and with a commitment to journey well. Commitment to walking the journey well isn’t about being perfect, but a matter of consistently getting back on the horse when you have fallen off.

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Walking In The Light :: ADVENT

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 12/19/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Jesus is the light! He is light for everyone. He is a powerful light, but some do not recognize Him. He is a rewarding light as well as the glorious light.

Walking in the light with Christ is beautiful! It brings self awareness. Walking in the light helps us avoid danger as well as brings creativity and productivity. Light brings us life. Christ brings us eternal life.

Walking with Jesus is walking in the light. When we humble ourselves and follow Him, we expose the darkness in our life. When we read the Bible and learn His word, we can see the path ahead of us. When we interact with His people, we sharpen each other.

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God’s Deliverance :: ADVENT

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 12/12/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

The passage in Luke 2:25-35 uses different words to describe deliverance including the consolation of Israel, the Lord’s Messiah, your salvation, a light of revelation and a sign.

What does Christ deliver us from? The darkness of others that we all have experienced through abuse, neglect, injustice, poor examples, disappointments, and everyday darkness.

Christ also delivers us from the darkness in our hearts as well as the darkness of the world.

God delivers us to the glory of His presence. He delivers us to wholeness as a new creation. God delivers us to our inheritance through restoration.

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God’s Wisdom Moves Us From Darkness to Light :: ADVENT

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 12/05/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Who are the Wise Men?

They are curious. They scanned the heavens looking for anything unusual, and God gave them a sign.

They are from the East, and they are wise as they pursued wisdom.

What does it look like to pursue wisdom? It is a journey of trust, worship and transformation.

Questions to ask yourself as you pursue God’s wisdom. Am I trusting God’s mercy? Am I worshiping in a sacrificial way? Am I cooperating with changes He is bringing to my heart?

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God’s Promises Move Us From Darkness To Light :: ADVENT

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/28/21 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Advent Season is upon us. Listen as Pastor Steve details how God’s promises move us from darkness to light.

Sometimes God’s promises are misrepresented by others which can injure your soul. But you can trust God’s promises.

God’s promises bring light to our souls. There is no more gloom because Christ is the Great Light. With Him there is relief from oppression. The Peace He brings ends conflict.

The essence of the promise is the Christ child. Christ is for us, He will lead us in peace, and He will act with zeal.

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