Blog - Page 41 of 52 - New Covenant Baptist Church

September 24, 2017

Daniel and the Lions

Daniel and the Lions

Daniel 6:1-28

If there is any story from the book of Daniel that most people know it is the wonderful story of Daniel in the lions’ den. Many of us first heard this story as children in Sunday School or when our parents taught us Bible stories.

Daniel’s deliverance from the lion’s den is not the first great deliverance in the Book of Daniel, but it is the best loved. Daniel and his three friends are divinely delivered in chapter 1 from a confrontation with the Babylonian government and Nebuchadnezzar its king. God granted these men favor in the eyes of their foreign superiors, and they were allowed to eat vegetables, rather than the food set aside for them by their king. Because of their faithfulness, God gave these men an extra measure of wisdom, greatly impressing king Nebuchadnezzar, who gave them positions of influence and responsibility in his kingdom. More →

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September 17, 2017

The Handwriting on the Wall

The Handwriting on the Wall

Daniel 5

(Sorry there is no audio for this sermon)

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“The handwriting on the wall” is a phrase so familiar it has become a modern day cliché. We use that phrase to refer to something that is obvious, ominous and imminent. There are clear signs that something unpleasant or unwelcome is going to happen. Today in Daniel 5 we will see the origin of that phrase and the message it brings. More →

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September 10, 2017

From Pride to Praise

From Pride to Praise

Daniel 4

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Daniel chapter 4 is the story of a king, with a lesson for kings and presidents just as valid today as it was twenty-five centuries ago. But I hope you will see today that it’s also a story about every one of us. Every proud sinner must learn Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson or perish. John Piper says that “What Daniel describes in this story is the pathway of a man from the pride of self to the praise of God through the valley of humiliation. And that’s a pathway that every person in the world must walk if he wants to get to heaven and have eternal life.”

Ever since Adam’s first sin we have all been born with his disposition. Do you remember what the essence of that first sin was? It was the abandonment of childlike dependence on God in favor of God-like dependence on self. And ever since then, all people everywhere have been born with this sinful nature of pride. More →

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September 3, 2017

Faith in the Fire

Faith in the Fire

Daniel 3:1-30

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Go with me, 2600 years ago, to the plain of Dura near Babylon, where King Nebuchadnezzar had summoned every leader – the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces – from his far-flung empire. Imagine the sight – multitudes of people from various nations, speaking many languages. And they all had gathered for one purpose – to honor King Nebuchadnezzar and his gods!

Ever since Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream for him, the king could not stop thinking of himself as that head of gold. I’m sure it must have bothered him greatly to think that his great kingdom would be left to others inferior to himself. The king was attempting to consolidate his power and test the loyalty of his subjects. Could Nebuchadnezzar reverse the scattering of the nations and the confusion of the languages that happened so long ago in Babel? Surely he could unite all these diverse people, nations and languages and ensure that his kingdom would never fail.

So Nebuchadnezzar had erected a huge, golden image ninety feet tall. And now these leaders, having made their way to the great plain of Dura, were compelled to bow in worship as soon as the royal orchestra began playing. It was that or death!

But three Hebrew men – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – refused to bow. More →

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August 27, 2017

The Kingdoms of the World

The Kingdoms of the World

Daniel 2:31-49

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Daniel 2 is one of the pivotal chapters of the Bible. It contains important truth about world history from God’s point of view. One writer calls Daniel 2 “the Prophetic Alphabet” because in it you find the ABCs of Bible prophecy. Many people are wondering if we are living in the Last Days. Some misguided Bible teachers are even insisting that the rapture of the church will occur in September of this year. In times like these we need to know exactly what God says about the future. More →

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August 20, 2017

Faith in a World of Uncertainty

Faith in a World of Uncertainty

Daniel 2:1-30

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We live in a world of uncertainty. People today look around and see potential disaster at every turn. With layoffs at work, economics slow-downs, climate change and terrorism, our world seems out of control. There is uncertainty in the job market…uncertainty in the housing market…uncertainty in the stock market. In uncertain times people seem to slip into a mode of fear. We fear failing at our jobs, or losing our families, or getting cancer. We fear going broke and getting older. People try to cope with their fears by financial investment plans or sophisticated military defense systems or by escaping into substance abuse. Our generation is addicted to more mood-altering drugs than any generation in the history of the world. (See Max Lucado, Fearless: Faith in Christ Through the Storm).

But I want to make a bold statement, which will serve as kind of the premise of our study today. Faith can thrive in times of uncertainty. More →

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August 13, 2017

An Uncompromised Life

An Uncompromised Life

Daniel 1:8-21

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In the early part of the twentieth century, a ship was wrecked off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England. The sea had been calm and the weather clear, but the vessel was caught in a treacherous current that slowly lured it off its course. Before the captain and the crew realized what had happened, the ship had crashed into the rocks.

In our spiritual life, too, powerful currents of compromise can catch the soul and carry it to shipwreck. Spiritual drifting is usually a slow and imperceptible process. But our life is a series of choices. You are who you are today because of decisions and choices you made years ago. Most of the time we don’t realize how important small choices can be. How can we steer our way through life without ending up shipwrecked on the rocks of compromise? More →

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August 6, 2017

Daniel, the Triumph of God’s Kingdom

Daniel, the Triumph of God’s Kingdom

Daniel 1:1-7

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This morning we begin a brand-new series called Daniel: The Triumph of God’s Kingdom. Daniel is an amazing book. This book has it all: history … prophecy … politics … prayer … lions … statues … wild animals … a fiery furnace … dreams and visions … a king who thought he was a cow … incredible adventure … amazing escapes … angels … demons … detailed information about ancient history … and amazing prophesies about the end times.

Why study the book of Daniel? More →

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May 17, 2017

Vacation Bible School 2017

Vacation Bible School at New Covenant Baptist Church

VBS — Vacation Bible School 2017

Dates: Monday – Friday, June 19-23

Time: 9:00 am. – 12:00 Noon

Ages: 4 years old through 6th Grade

Place: 3196 F Road (Patterson)
Grand Junction, Colorado, 81504

Cost: No Charge, Free to all

Call: 970-434-7240

Bible
Content: Click here to see what we are learning this week.

Registration Form: Download Here if you would like to fill out the registration form and get it to us at the church.

For more information, or to pre-register your kids, please use our CONTACT US page .

— Vacation Bible School 2017

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February 11, 2017

Putting Valor in St. Valentine’s Day

Join Us for a Valentine’s Dinner, Friday Feb. 17 at 5:30 pm

The Valor of St. Valentine

“My love, for you I would climb the highest mountain, sail the deepest seas, or swim the widest rivers!
p.s. If it’s raining on Saturday I won’t be over.”

Unfortunately this note too often reflects our attitude towards commitment – wouldn’t you agree? It’s easy to pledge and promise most anything, but when the time comes to fulfill our oaths, many people bounce like a rubber ball.

But not St. Valentine…you know, the guy that this whole romantic card/candy/flower/dinner deal on February 14th is named after. The name Valentine comes from the same root word for “valor”: “strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness : personal bravery” (Source: www.dictionary.com)

See if you agree that he lived up to the meaning of his name reading about the valor of St. Valentine.

According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor was imprisoning Christians for not worshipping the Roman gods. During this persecution Valentine was arrested. Some say he was arrested because he was performing Christian marriages, but others say it was for helping Christians escape prison.

During the trial they asked Valentine what he thought of the Roman gods Jupiter and Mercury. Of course Valentine said they were false gods and that the God that Jesus called Father was the only true God. So the Romans threw him in prison for insulting the gods.

While in prison Valentine continued to minister. He shared the Gospel with the guards. One of the guards was a good man who had adopted a blind girl. He asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. When the emperor heard about this, he was furious that Valentine was still making converts even in prison, so he had Valentine clubbed and beheaded.

Valentine and the prisoner’s daughter that had been blind developed a special friendship, and, before he was executed, Valentine wrote her a note of encouragement and signed it “From your Valentine.” From this sad situation we now celebrate Valentine’s Day as a special day for expressing love and friendship.*

Isn’t that amazing? Valentine knew all along that if he refused to go along with the idolatrous Roman culture and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone around him – even in prison, that it might cost him his very life. But rather than being discouraged by his circumstances, he was emboldened by them!

You know what? Valentine knew what true love is. Not the wishy washy namby pamby fickle infatuation that we call love today. Rather his definition comes straight from the Author and Embodiment of love itself:

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:12-13).

Jesus willingly left His home in heaven, took on human flesh and walked on this dusty and depraved planet for 33 years. He lived the life we should have lived, then He died the death we should have died. And when the nails pierced Hands and feet, they also went straight through the heart of the Father.

Love was crucified on that dark Friday 2000 years ago…but on Sunday love resurrected our Savior and opened the gates of heaven to anyone and everyone who trusts in Jesus alone for salvation!

And now He calls us to a life of love…a life characterized by sacrifice and exemplified by surrender to share the gospel no matter what the cost.

So this February 14th, meditate on the valor of St. Valentine. A person who loved both Jesus and his fellow human beings with a reckless passion that will be remembered forever. And when you open up your valentines, remember the one that God the Father sent you 2000 years ago that reads:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Knowing that we are loved that much is the fuel that energizes our heart to pound with gratitude and bestows on us the fervor to lay down our reputations, our social statuses, and even our lives for the sake of the One who laid down His life for us.

May we all have a valor-filled St. Valentine ’s Day!
Jesus, thank you for empowering St. Valentine to be such an amazing witness for Your glory and give His life for THE Cause. May we take advantage of this holiday named in his honor by sharing the gospel with our friends who are lost and in need of a relationship with You. Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and showing your amazing love.

Romans 5:8. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

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