Posts

Posted on

The Temptation Of Jesus :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 5/8/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Pastor Steve will walk us through the temptation of Jesus and show us how His response to temptation can help us resist temptation.

Temptation can be God ordained as was the case with Jesus. God does not tempt as it states in James 1:13. However, God does allow temptation, and He has not set us up for failure.

Temptation is not a sin. What you do with the temptation can be a sin or not.

Desires are not temptations. How you manage those temptations can be a sin or not.

Temptation is satisfying physical desires without regard for spiritual health. Temptation is also taking a shortcut that doesn’t really fulfill the call. Temptation is making a swap and cheating the system.

Jesus responds to temptation with relationship with the Father. He responds without compromise, and He responds with Scripture.

When temptation knocks at the door it falls into three categories. Lust of the flesh, which is a physical desire that are improperly prioritized. Lust of the eyes, which is a desire to have something that doesn’t belong to you. Pride of life, which is making the satisfaction of your desires your ultimate objective.

When faced with temptation, we need to respond as Jesus did. We need to walk closely with the Father. We need allow no compromise. We need to develop a working knowledge of the Scripture.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

The Baptism of Jesus :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 5/01/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

John the Baptist is on a mission to tell others that Jesus is coming and to be ready.

When Jesus comes for baptism He is in the wrong line, and is the least expected person to need baptism. However, Jesus’ baptism has an important purpose.

Why is Jesus in this line? Jesus identifies with us. He is initiating His ministry. The Godhead proclaims the work of the Son.

Jesus fulfills all righteousness in His obedience. As we identify with Him, His obedience becomes our own.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

So What Is About You?

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/24/22 by Reverend Bernie Knefley.

Listen to Reverend Bernie Knefley as he goes through what is about you.

God made us in His image. We are to reflect His image.

We are to obey the Ten Commandments. They are not merely suggestions.

The cross is what we take up.

Our witness is what we portray in our lives.

If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you????

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Faith In The Resurrection

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/17/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Listen as Pastor Steve discusses some reasons to believe in the resurrection.

It’s unnecessary. There are many religions without a resurrection narrative. Since it is so unbelievable, the disciples would have been better off to not include the resurrection, if it were not truth. It is unavoidable. From the beginning to the end, the resurrection is in the Bible!

Belief in the resurrection changes us. The resurrection demonstrates Christ’s power. It gives us hope and confirms Christ’s atoning work.

A belief in the resurrection doesn’t look like an intellectual or mental assent. It isn’t even a faith in the event of the resurrection because even the demons believe there is one God.

Instead, belief in the resurrection looks like faith in Jesus Christ, faith in being with Christ. As well as faith in the journey of walking with Jesus.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Palm Sunday – What The Children Saw

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/10/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

Pastor Steve guides us through what the children saw on Palm Sunday. We need to remember that children notice what we are doing.

What do children notice? They notice their parents worshipping. They notice excitement. Children notice change.

Even if you do not have children, you influence people. What do you want those you influence to see?

Show them a hunger for God. Give them knowledge of God’s Word. Show them a commitment to Christ.

How do you manage your influence? Think about the influence you have on others. Pray about your influence and trust God with it.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Daniel in the Lion’s Den :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 4/03/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

What do we see when we look at Daniel?

Daniel was a good person to have around. He was above reproach. Even though the administrators looked for ways to destroy his reputation, they could not find anything. Daniel was “at risk”. Because of his goodness, Daniel was hated by those who were jealous of him.

Daniel was an agent of hope to those around him, and he was loved, even by King Darius. Daniel was an influencer.

You have Daniel potential. You can be a good person to be around. You can build a good reputation. You can thrive even when life is hard. You can be an agent of hope. You can live securely by trusting God. You can influence others for Christ.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

The Fires of Insecurity :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/27/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

What role does security and insecurity play in our lives?

Insecurity is volatile. It is the kindling for fires of evil. Insecurity can make you turn against others.

Trust extinguishes the burn of insecurity. We are secure when we trust God, and we trust God because of love.

What fire are you facing, and what is the fire doing to you? Are you scheming? Are you burning? Are you fearfully conniving or manipulating perhaps?

You can prepare for the fire by looking to the cross, recalling God’s call in your life and recounting God’s deliverance from the fires of the past.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

It’s Not About Us

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/20/22 by Reverend Bernie Knefley.

Only thinking about ourselves is an old issue. We can look back to Adam and Eve and see that Eve was only thinking about herself, and not the consequences that would still be in effect today.

What you choose to do effects others. Doing the things of God are not necessarily easy to do. We can look to Esther to see that her decision put her in harms way. John the Baptist lost his head for speaking out about God.

Joseph understood that the choices of others were actually fulfilling the plan of God. So rather than enacting judgement against his brothers, he blessed them.

As odd as it may seem, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. Maybe the troubles are happening in your life so you can show Jesus to others.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

It’s Not About You!!

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/13/22 by Reverend Bernie Knefley.

The world tells us that it is all about you, but God says to pursue His kingdom.

The Lord told Abram to leave and go. Was the command about Abraham or God?

When we look at how our life is laid out, we see it is laid out for our purpose, and we fail to see that our life is for God’s purpose.

I called you so often, but you wouldn’t come. I reached out to you, but you paid no attention. Proverbs 1:24

Life can be so busy seeking fame, fortune, significance, worth, and value, but do we seek God’s call? God wants our willingness to serve Him.

What would happen if the church lived the way God called them to live? What is that suppose to look like in daily life?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Jonah :: BIBLE STORIES

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/6/22 by Pastor Steve Shields.

God wants to confront Nineveh’s evil, and He wants to use Jonah to do it. But Jonah wants nothing to do with the mission, and tries to run away. That results in him being swallowed by a great fish, and causes Jonah to change his mind. Jonah delivers the message to Nineveh, and they turn from their wicked ways. This should have pleased Jonah, but instead it made him angry.

Anger is a problem! God pursues us when we are angry just as he pursued Jonah in his anger.

It is hard to let go of our anger, and we look for ways to justify our anger.

God seems to do His best work when we are at our worst! God turned Jonah’s attention toward his own heart.

God lifts Jonah’s head to help him see a world in need.

God directs Jonah to trust Him!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS