Life-relevant Bible-based teachings from Rev. Paul Miller, Pastor of Bushkill Community Church and St. John’s E.C. Church.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – November 4, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Requires”
Today’s Title: “With what shall I come before the Lord?”
Today’s Text: Micah 6:1-8
Micah: A storm is coming named Assyria
Micah’s Storm Warning to Israel - Micah 1:3-7
- How King Hoshea Responded - 2 Kings 17:1-13
- He turned to another nation and to their gods, ending the 200 year history of the northern kingdom, Israel.
Micah’s Storm Warning to Judah - Micah 3:1-12
- How King Ahaz Responded - 2 Chronicles 28:16-25
- He rejected God and turned to idols
- How King Hezekiah Responded - 2 Kings 19:14-19
- He prayed to the only true God
Micah’s Teaching - What do I bring to God? - Micah 6:6-7
- Burnt offerings?
- Thousands of rams?
- Rivers of olive oil?
- My first born? (2 Kings 16:1-4)
What do YOU bring to God and why do you bring it?
- “sacrifices”
- Time?
- Money?
- Obedience?
- Dedication?
If not sacrifice, then what DOES God require?
- To act justly
- To love mercy
- To walk humbly with your God
Friday Nov 02, 2018
Friday Nov 02, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 28, 2018
Series: Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Forgives”
Today’s Text: Genesis 45:1-15
Joseph
Set free from prison and exalted to the highest place on earth, he used his power and authority to save his brothers, and to set them free.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS – Genesis 45
- TERRIFYING - (45:3)
- COME CLOSE - (45:4)
- SALVATION (45:4-7)
- GOD’S PLAN (45:8)
- PERMANENT (50:15-21)
JOSEPH & JESUS
- Both were rejected by their own people
- Both were dead to their father
- Both were raised to the highest place of honor
- Being in their presence can be terrifying
- Invited us to “come close” (Matthew 11:28-30)
- Sent ahead, into “death”, to save others
- Both were part of God’s plan
- Neither changes their mind about forgiveness
Jesus
Set free from death and exalted to the highest place in heaven, He used His power and authority to save mankind and to set us free.
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Monday Oct 22, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 21, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Comforts”
Today’s Text: Genesis 39:1-6 & 20-23
“We are all defined by suffering. If you do not seek to know God inside of your suffering, you’ll recreate “god” in the image of your desired outcome”
A few things about Joseph…
PRESENCE + ATTITUDE = SUCCESS - Genesis 39:2-5
JOSEPH HONORS GOD’S THRU OBEDIENCE - Genesis 39:8-9
GOD’S PRESENCE & KINDNESS - Genesis 39:20-23
SUBMISSIVE CONFIDENCE - Genesis 40:8
HE IS NOT AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP - Genesis 40:14-15
GOD IS WITH US!
- Matthew 1:23 (quoting Isaiah 7:14)
- Matthew 28:20
- Romans 8:31-39
Because God is with me, I can…..
Because God is with me, I can ________________________
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Monday Oct 15, 2018
Monday Oct 15, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 14, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Blesses”
Today’s Text: Genesis 32:22-32
Jacob’s Story…
- God sent Jacob back “home” (Genesis 31:3)
- Jacob had reason to fear meeting Esau (Genesis 32:6-7)
- Jacob’s prayer (Genesis 32:9-12)
- Jacob wrestles with God (Genesis 32:22-32)
- Jacob meets Esau (Genesis 33:1-10)
This story produces more questions than answers…
How is your life blessed?
What do you have to lose?
Have you ever wrestled with God?
Who are you?
Can you accept struggle a necessary part of knowing God?
Are you trying to name God?
Who is the face of God to you?
Thursday Oct 11, 2018
Thursday Oct 11, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – October 7, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Blesses”
Today’s Text: Genesis 28:10-17
Jacob’s family was filled with jealousy, rivalry, deception, violence, disappointment, and pain.
But there was also love and blessing from God.
Jacob’s Story – Part 1 (Genesis 25:19-34 & Genesis 27-30)
- Rivalry at birth and beyond (25:19-34)
- Deceptively takes his father’s blessing (27:1-40)
- Esau threatened his life, so he fled to Laban (27:41-28:9)
- Jacob’s vision of security & blessing form God (28:10-22)
- Jacob falls in love with Rachel (29:1-21)
- Jacob is deceived into marrying Leah before Rachel (29:22-30)
- Jacob is blessed with many children (29:31-30:43)
Jacob’s Sons
NAME & TEXT MOTHER MEANING MOTHER’S WORDS
Reuben 29:32 Leah my misery “the Lord has seen my misery”
Simeon 29:33 Leah one who hears “the Lord heard that I am not loved”
Levi 29:34 Leah attached “my husband will become attached to me”
Judah 29:35 Leah praise “this time I will praise the Lord”
Dan 30:6 Bilhah he has vindicated me “God has vindicated me”
Naphtali 30:8 Bilhah my struggle “I have had a great struggle with my sister”
Gad 30:11 Zilpah good fortune “What good fortune”
Asher 30:13 Zilpah happy “How happy I am”
Issachar 30:18 Leah reward “God has rewarded me”
Zebulun 30:20 Leah honor “This time my husband will treat me with honor”
Joseph 30:24 Rachel may He add “God has taken away my disgrace”
Benjamin 35:18 Rachel son of my right hand (Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin)
Thursday Oct 04, 2018
Thursday Oct 04, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 30, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Provides”
Today’s Text: Genesis 22:1-12
Provision in Birth (Genesis 21:1-5)
Provision in Death (Genesis 22)
- Isaac’s first recorded words (22:6-8)
- The place of sacrifice named “The Lord Will Provide” (22:12-14)
Provision for Marriage - Isaac’s wife, Rebekah (Genesis 24)
- Abraham’s servant sent to find a wife for Isaac (24:1-9)
- The servant prays, & Rebekah shows up (24:12-16)
- Rebekah willingly leaves her home (24:57-58)
- Isaac is in prayer when he meets Rebekah (24:62-65)
Provision for Parenthood (Genesis 25:19-34)
- Isaac prayed for children, “on behalf of his wife” (25:21-26)
Provision for Water (Genesis 26)
- God appears to and assures Isaac during a famine (26:1-6)
- Isaac succumbs to fear & repeats his father’s mistake (26:7-16)
- God appears & assures Isaac after a well dispute (26:19-25)
Provision to Deal with Children’s Poor Choices
- Esau had bad marriages (Genesis 26:34-35)
- Jacob was a deceiver from birth (Genesis 27:5-29)
- Deep strife between siblings (Genesis 27:41)
- They came together to bury their father (Genesis 35:27-29)
Conclusion:
- Isaac was a very prayerful man. When God answered those prayers, he was careful with what God provided for him.
Are you in prayer about what you need?
Do you trust God to provide?
When God does provide, are you careful with His provision?
Monday Sep 24, 2018
Monday Sep 24, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 23, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Calls”
Today’s Text: Genesis 12:1-8
ABRAHAM’S CALLING
- Finishing what his father started (11:31-32 & Joshua 24:2-3)
- God said to Abram …” (12:1)
- first person since Noah that God spoke to (9:17)
- Go – Leaving behind…
- Country – culture, gods, security
- People – friends, connections, community life
- Father’s household – family, parents, support system
- Abram is letting go of his identity
- He has no son, but Lot is like a son
- God promises Greatness to Abraham
- A Great Nation
- A Great Name
- A Great Blessing
ABRAHAM’S ACTIONS
- In Egypt during a famine (12:10-20)
- In conflict with Lot (13:1-18)
- In war to rescue Lot (14:1-24)
- In faith that God would give him a son (15)
- Impatience with God and fathering Ishmael (16)
- In covenant with God through circumcision (17)
- In hosting God at his home (18)
- In seeing God’s patience come to an end (18-19)
- the sin of Sodom & Gomorrah? Ezekiel 16:49-50
- In battling lingering weakness (20)
- In seeing the fulfillment of what God promised (21)
- In offering up to God the very thing he waited to possess (22)
WHAT DO WE SEE IN ABRAHAM’S CALLING AND LIFE?
- FAITH, FAILURE, FULFILLMENT, FATHER, FUTURE
Monday Sep 17, 2018
Monday Sep 17, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 16, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does” (Exploring the Themes of Genesis)
Today’s Title: “God Saves”
Today’s Text: Genesis 7:1-12
WWW - Symbols of Salvation
- Water (life-giving, destructive, shaping, cleansing, refreshing)
- The Spirit hovering over the waters before light came to the earth – Genesis 1:2
- River in the Garden of Eden – Genesis 2:10-14
- The flood – Genesis 6-9
- Crossing the Red Sea – Exodus 14:21-31
- Naaman’s healing in the Jordan – 2 Kings 5
- Jesus baptized in the Jordan – Matthew 3:13-17
- Jesus walks on water – John 6:16-24
- Baptism in the Great Commission – Matthew 28:19-20
- Baptism as a sign of salvation – 1 Peter 3:18-22
- River in Heaven – Revelation 22:1-2
- Wood (fruitful, cursed, energy-filled, carried & carries)
- The Tree of Life in the Garden – Genesis 2:9 & Revelation 22:1-2
- The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil – Genesis 2:9
- The Ark – Genesis 6-9
- Isaac carries the wood – Genesis 22:6-8
- The Cross of Christ – John 19:16-18
- The Tree of Life in Heaven – Revelation 22:1-2
- Will – (Jesus was willingly baptized and crucified for us)
- He Saved Us - Titus 3:3-7
Thursday Sep 06, 2018
Thursday Sep 06, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – September 2, 2018
Series Title: “This is What God Does”
Today’s Title: “God Creates”
Today’s Text: Colossians 1:15-23
God’s Creation is…
- Good
- Genesis 1
- Ecclesiastes 7:29
- 1 Timothy 4:3-4
- All Inclusive
- Isaiah 45:7-8
- Isaiah 54:16
- Colossians 1:16
- Romans 8:38-39
- Waiting for Salvation
- Mark 16:15
- Romans 8:19-22
God’s Creation Provides You With…
- Being
- Psalm 139:13
- Revelation 4:11
- Possibility
- A New You – 2 Corinthians 5:17
- A Pure Heart – Psalm 51:10
- Good Works – Ephesians 2:10
- God-likeness – Ephesians 4:24
Tuesday Aug 28, 2018
Tuesday Aug 28, 2018
Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – August 26, 2018
Series Title: “What in your world is God doing?
Today’s Title: “Are you ready for battle?”
Today’s Text: Ephesians 6:10-17
Battle Plans
- Be Strong (v10)
- Joshua 1:9
- Put on (v11 & 13)
- Romans 13:12
- Our Struggle (v12)
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
- Stand (3x – v13-14)
- 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Defensive Weapons
- Truth – Belt (v14)
- John 1:14
- Righteousness – Breastplate (v14)
- Titus 3:4-5
- Romans 3:22-24
- Gospel of Peace – Boots (v15)
- John 4:27
- Faith – Shield (v16)
- 1 Peter 1:3-5
- “shield” in the Bible
- appears 93x in OT
- 2x in NT, both in the context of “faith”
- Salvation – Helmet (v17)
- Luke 1:76-79
Offensive Weapon
- The Word of God – Sword (v17)
- Hebrews 4:12