Suffering Like A Saint.

An Antidote to the Devil.

Can the Devil use pride and focusing too exclusively on yourself to inflate worry in your life? Yes. He can, he does, he will. Worry loves to make you question the past, fear the future, and doubt God in the present, so that you are forever frantic and mentally somewhere else. However, by focusing on Jesus, and by clothing yourself with humility, you can successfully resist the ways he is prowling around you and trying to sow destruction in your life. This sermon unpacks 1 Peter 5:1-14 and addresses worry and anxiety, humility, and an antidote to the Devil. Instead of giving him an open door, lets be alert, informed, and proactive. A deep heart-rest in the sovereign care of our Good Shepherd is possible.

Why do we say The Apostles' Creed in Church?

It goes back to the early days of the church. Some say it, some don't. What is it, and why? This post and podcast by Pastor Ruttan explains. These statements are hills worthy dying on. And many have.

A hope that will soar unhindered - a prayer

There is a great hunger for prayer. Tim Keller writes: "Prayer is awe, intimacy, struggle--yet the way to reality." Join in with this prayer Pastor Ruttan led at a worship service. "Come, Holy Spirit..."

Suffering Like A Saint.

What do we all have in common? Some people say death and taxes. True! But theres more. Generally speaking, we all like to be happy and dont like to be sad. We want to have lives that matter. And, unfortunately, we all experience suffering. This sermon isnt about why we suffer, but about how we should approach suffering. Our perspective about life changes our experience of life. We unpack 1 Peter 4:1-19, discuss what it says about faithful suffering, and then apply eight insights to our own lives. It was Corrie ten Boom who said: When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you dont throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.

How to avoid the polarizing effect of the internet

We live in a digital culture which can be very polarizing. This has to do with algorithms, echo chambers, profit margins (and more). This post and podcast episode includes one suggestion that should help. A blog (written) version of this episode can be found at MatthewRuttan.com.