River of Hope Media

Love Study – Part 2

Message by Pastors Jason on Wednesday evening, January 16, 2019 Synopsis: In the Greek language, there are four words describing different types of love: Eros Love – Physical, sensual intimacy between a husband and wife. Expresses sexual, romantic attraction. Storge Love – Family affectionate love (familial love). A natural or instinctual affection, like love of a parent towards offspring and vice versa. (The opposite of storge love is astorge – without natural love) Phileo Love – Having tender affectionate love. A strong liking or strong friendship. Agape Love – A universal, unconditional, sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. In “Love Study – Part 2” we’ll study the greatest of these, Agape love (God’s Love) Agape Love A God kind of love, unconditional, sacrificial, not based on response and/or getting it (love) back. Its not controlled by emotions, or led by feelings or affections. A love that hold no regard to the unlovableness of another. Scriptures: Agape Love(God’s Unconditional Love) 1st John 4:7-11(KJV):(4:7) Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (4:8) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (4:9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (4:10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (4:11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. John 3:16 (KJV):(3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 (NASB):(13:4) Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, (13:5) does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, (13:6) does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; (13:7) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (13:8) Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. Mark 12:30 (KJV):(12:30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. The Fruits of the Spirits Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV):(5:22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (5:23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. These fruits express all the assets of love: Joy – Is love rejoicing in all things Peace – Is love trusting in all things Longsuffering – Is love enduring patiently in all things Gentleness – Is love acting kindly at all times, in all things Goodness – Is love acting in the best interest of all Faith – Is love always acting in truth. Meekness – Is love serving in lowliness of mind without selfish ambitions Temperance – Is love restraining, having control of your desires and appetites Also, these are the attributes of love: Love is the standard of discipleship Love gives Love serves Love Cares Love energizes Love is the evidence of faith Love motivates Love hold us together

Love Study – Part 1

Message by Pastors Jason on Wednesday evening, January 9, 2019 Synopsis: In the Greek language, there are four words describing different types of love: Eros Love – Physical, sensual intimacy between a husband and wife. Expresses sexual, romantic attraction. Storge Love – Family affectionate love (familial love). A natural or instinctual affection, like love of a parent towards offspring and vice versa. (The opposite of storge love is astorge – without natural love) Phileo Love – Having tender affectionate love. A strong liking or strong friendship. Agape Love – A universal, unconditional, sacrificial love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstance. In “Love Study – Part 1” we’ll study the first three types of love, Eros, Storge and Phileo love. Scriptures: Eros Love: (not found in the bible) Storge Love: Romans 12:10 (KJV):12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. Astorge Love:(opposite of storge love) Romans 1:31 (KJV): (The opposite of storge love, Astorge)(1:31) Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful 2nd Timothy 3:3 (KJV):(3:3) Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Romans 1:24-31 (KJV):(1:24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (1:25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (1:26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (1:27) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (1:28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (1:29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (1:30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (1:31) Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Phileo Love: John 21:15-17 (KJV):(21:15) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.  He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. (21:16) He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (21:17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

First Communion

Message by Pastors Jason & Angie Berry on Sunday morning, January 6, 2019 Synopsis: As Christians, the taking of bread (Jesus’ Flesh) and the cup (Jesus’ Blood) is a sacred covenant with our Lord and should be done with reverence and in remembrance (but not as a routine). There is also a warning to those who take the “communion” unworthily; that they bring damnation upon themselves. Scriptures: 1st Corinthians 11:23-30 (KJV):(11:23) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: (11:24)  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (11:25) After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. (11:26) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. (11:27) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. (11:28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (11:29)  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (11:30) For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. John 6:48-63 (KJV):(6:48) I am that bread of life. (6:49)  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. (6:50) This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. (6:51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (6:52) The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? (6:53) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (6:54) Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (6:55) For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. (6:56) He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. (6:57) As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. (6:58) This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (6:59) These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. (6:60) Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? (6:61) When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? (6:62) What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? (6:63)  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Pressing Toward the Mark

Synopsis: As Christians, we are all called not to “Give Up”, or “Give In”, and to “Press Toward the Mark” of the high calling of our Lord, Christ Jesus. Spreading God love (like a 4-year-old spreads peanut butter) unto all the nations. Scriptures: Philippians 3:10-14 (KJV)(3:10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (3:11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (3:12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (3:13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (3:14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Put That Down

In this world that we are living in today, and sin running riot in the world it would be easy for us as believers to look at others and their life and quickly judge them for what they are doing. Listen as Pastor Jason teaches us from the word of God that we are none qualified to judge anyone. Enjoy!!!