Rev. Paul J. Miller

Complaints or Compliance - God Can Handle Both

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – 8/4/24

“Habakkuk: Complaints & Compliance”

Habakkuk 1:12-2:1

 

Habakkuk’s COMPLAINT (1:2)

 

God’s Answer: BABYLON? (1:6)

 

Habakkuk’s CONFUSION (1:13)

 

God’s Reminder: FAITHFULNESS (2:4)

        The Gospel is Accessed by FAITH

        Romans 1:17

 

God’s Presence: KNOW His GLORY (2:14)

          Isaiah 11:9

          Romans 1:20

          Colossians 1:23

 

Habakkuk REMEMBERS (3:2)

 

Habakkuk REJOICES (3:18)

 

Habakkuk is STRENGTHENED by JOY (3:18)

          Nehemiah 8:10

          Philippians 4:4

The Noise of Trials & The Still Small Voice

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – July 28, 2024

“Elijah: Getting Quiet So You Can Hear God” – 1 Kings 19:1-9

Elijah’s Story – 1 Kings 16:29-18:40

Elijah’s Gets Blindsided – 1 Kings 19:1-2

Elijah’s Reaction – 1 Kings 19:3-5

• RUN! (v3)
• ISOLATE (v3)
• COMPLAIN (v4)
• SELF-PITY (v4)
• SLEEP (v5)

God’s Response to Elijah’s Trauma – 1 Kings 19:5-18

• HE DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING (not at first)
• HE SENDS A HELPER (v5)
• HE PROVIDES FOOD & REST (v6-8)
• HE LETS ELIJAH WANDER WHERE HIS “ANCESTORS” WANDERED (v4 & v8)
• HE MEETS ELIJAH WHERE HE MET MOSES (v8)
• HE FINALLY SPEAKS TO ELIJAH (v9)
• HE PROMPTS ELIJAH TO PUT WORDS TO HIS PAIN (v10)
• HE REVEALS HIMSELF AS TRINITY? (v11)
• HE SHOWS ELIJAH HIS TRUE NATURE (v11-13)
• AGAIN, HE PROMPTS ELIJAH TO VOICE HIS PAIN (v13-14)
• HE HEARS ELIJAH AND RESPONDS (v15-18)
  • GO BACK & GET TO WORK
  • AHAB’S DAYS AND YOUR DAYS ENDING
  • YOU ARE NOT ALONE

GETTING QUIET SO YOU CAN HEAR GOD

• BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PAIN
• LET AN “ANGEL” HELP YOU
• WANDER WITH A PURPOSE
• TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED
• LOOK GOD IN THE DRAMATIC (hint: you won’t find Him there)
• LISTEN FOR GOD IN THE QUIET

Knowing God?

Our connection with the Creator has to be more than just head knowledge. It begins with the cross of Christ, a starting point that is neither wise nor intelligent according to human reasoning.

How Far Does God's Love Go?

Many people have difficulty understanding why Jesus has to die such a brutal death. Humanity gave Christ the worst of ourselves and not even that could stop His love. He became one of us in life so that He could set us free in death. 

Evil & The Word of Truth

The Word of Truth is Christ. He has enabled us to overcome evil where it matters most, within. There's only so much we can do to effect the overwhelming presence of evil on the global scale. But if we look within first, we can listen for the voice of truth to direct us toward a better path, one person at a time.

You Don't Have to Suffer Alone

Psalm 77 is an honest and powerful expression of the pain of suffering in the form of a prayer. Every human being knows what it is to suffer. How do we approach God when nothing makes sense and there seems to be no hope in sight? Asaph felt that too. The prayer he wrote gives us permission to speak directly to God what we are really feeling deep within.

Questions, Not Doubts

Doubt works against faith, but questions can deepen it. There's infinitely more that we don't know about God than what we do. It's a quest that every human being needs embark on. Questions will keep you on that quest!

Trinity & Relationality

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 19, 2024

Trinity & Relationality

The impossible “ity’s”

Nativity

Deity

Eternity

Trinity

Who is God and what is Trinity?

“Relationality”?

Trinity in the Scriptures

• Genesis 1:1-3 & 26a

• John 1:1-5

• 1 John 1:1-4 & 5-7

• 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 & 13:14

Relationality & The Impossible “ity’s”

Nativity – Mother & Child

Deity – Father & Son

Eternity – The desire to see loved ones

Trinity – The eternal dance with Father, Son, & Spirit

1 John 4:7

Resources about the Trinity:

“The Divine Dance” – by Richard Rohr

“The Shack” – by William Paul Young (also a motion picture)

https://perichoresis.org/

Evidence of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not that mysterious or complicated. The goal of the Spirit is for our lives to produce what is joyful, peaceful, patient, and kind. If God is love, then so is the Spirit...

Found in the Bible.....(well, sort of)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 5, 2024

Found in the Bible…(well, sort of…)

Isaiah 40:31-41

“God said it, I believe it, that settles it”

It’s just not that simple….

• Mark 9:40 & Matthew 12:30
• John 1:12-13 & 1 John 4:7

“The Lord works in mysterious ways”

Creation is mysterious, but knowable. So too is Christ. “mystery” in the NT is about who Jesus is and what He has done for us

• 1 Timothy 3:16
• Ephesians 3:2-12

“God is in control”

                “control” in the NT has to do with our lack of it

• Philippians 3:20-21

“Let Go and Let God”

                Letting go doesn’t mean that I have nothing left to do

• Proverbs 3:5-6
• Matthew 11:28-30
• Ephesians 4:23-24 & 6:11-13
• Colossians 3:9-10 & 3:14

“Everything happens for a reason”

                The happenings in our lives are not always the will of God

• Romans 12:2

Are you being transformed………by the renewing of your mind?