Patterns, Population, and the Patience of God

Judge Not???

Matthew 7:1 may be the most misquoted verse in the Bible, but Jesus is not forbidding all judgment. Pastor Andrew walks through the opening verses of Matthew 7 to show that the real issue is not whether we judge, but how and why we do it. Before pointing out the speck in someone else's eye, Scripture calls us to honestly examine the beam in our own. Self-righteous criticism and spiritual discernment are not the same thing, and God alone knows the heart.

Scripture Snapshots: Amos

The book of Amos carries a warning that cuts across centuries: privilege does not remove accountability. Jay Nickels walks through this often-overlooked minor prophet, showing how God called an ordinary herdsman to confront a prosperous nation that had grown complacent, corrupt, and hollow in its worship. Israel looked the part on the outside while drifting far from God on the inside. The parallels to the church today are hard to miss. Judgment is certain, but so is the mercy God extends to those who will seek Him.

Patterns, Population, and the Patience of God

From Cain's descendants to Noah's generation, the same pattern repeats: people fill their lives with things and leave no room for God. Dr. Bryan Stensaas traces the lines of Cain and Seth through Genesis 4 and 5, showing how God never abandoned His plan even as wickedness multiplied. With the flood approaching and a world of roughly 7 billion people turning away, God still sent preachers and still called men to repent. The parallels to today are hard to miss.

Christian Conduct That Glorifies God: Conduct Through Unjust Treatment

When authority is unfair, how do you respond? Pastor Andrew walks through 1 Peter 2:18-20, showing that submission to difficult authority is not the same as approving of it. Through the examples of the Hebrew midwives, Daniel, Joseph, and ultimately Christ Himself, the call is clear: your conduct under unjust treatment is a testimony before God. Whether it costs you a job, your comfort, or your freedom, God sees it all, and He is honored when you respond with patience and faithfulness rather than bitterness and retaliation.

The Answer to Worry

Can you really serve God and money at the same time? Jesus says "no". From Matthew 6:24-34, Pastor Andrew walks through one of the most searching questions in the Sermon on the Mount: who is your master? Worry, anxiety, and the constant chase for more all point to a trust problem. The answer is not more money or more security. It is seeking God first, trusting that your heavenly Father already knows exactly what you need.