Trinity Missionary Church Podcast

At the beginning of the book of Acts, Saul of Tarsus is most definitely public enemy #1 to the followers of Christ.  Acts 8:1 even tells us that "Saul approved of his [Stephen's] execution."  Saul's purpose for his life-changing trip to Damascus was to arrest those who followed "The Way" and bring them back to Jerusalem to be thrown in jail and for some, to be killed.  Saul planned murder, but God planned transformation for Saul.  Imagine being Ananias and having a vision from God telling you to approach this murderer named Saul of Tarsus- the very man whose sole purpose in coming to your hometown of Damascus was to murder you and your friends!  Here is how the conversation between Ananias and God might have gone.  "You mean to tell me, God, that You have a plan for Saul of Tarsus?  The very same Saul of Tarsus who hates us and wants us, Your followers, dead- that guy?  Are You sure?"  "Yes, Ananias, that Saul of Tarsus.  He is going to be my man who will take

Have you ever been caught off guard?  Like one day you are going through your normal routine, taking each moment as it comes, when suddenly out of the blue- WHAM! something hits you that you never expected?  Welcome to the life of Saul of Tarsus.  One day he is cleaning up the Jewish religion by arresting people of "The Way" and working diligently to restore order to thousands of years of religious piety.  Later that same day, as Saul is traveling to Damascus, he is stopped in his tracks and asked a simple question.  The Voice from Heaven said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4-5).  From that moment, Saul's life was NEVER the same!  It is one thing to be visited by God when we are seeking and asking Him to change our lives.  But, it is a very different thing when God approaches us and confronts our lives.  Saul was not a seeker, nor was he questioning his faith.  God knew it was time for Saul to change- and what a transformation in Saul's lif

As we begin a new message series, let's get one thing straight: Saul of Tarsus was a terrorist.  In this day of security and surveillance, this phrase may seem a bit shocking to you.  Maybe you think that label for Saul is too extreme, but according to Acts 6, Saul was exactly that: a terrorist.  But, thanks be to God that He is in the business of overcoming evil, terror and fear.  After a face-to-face encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus became the Apostle Paul- apologist, philosopher, pastor and author of two-thirds of the New Testament.  If God can change Saul of Tarsus, He can transform anyone!  That is incredible news for us today.  Every one of us has a past, but nobody is beyond hope!  God's amazing grace provides the opportunity for a new beginning.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone- the new his here!"  Join us as we journey through the life of the Apo

In Hebrews 12:1-2, the author of this letter to Jewish Christians eludes to running a race.  The passage says, " . . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . ."  Who marked out this race for us?  Would you live any differently if you knew how much "race" you have left?  What does the Fruit of the Spirit have to do with "running our race?"  Does the Fruit of the Spirit really lead to freedom in Christ?  In our final message in this series on the Fruit of the Spirit, we explore faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and the impact these characteristics have on our lives.  To experience true freedom, we must allow the Holy Spirit to help us grow in these nine areas (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control).  The road to freedom in the Spirit is not easy, but so worth the journey.  Will you allow the Holy Spirit to help you grow?  Join us for our final message on The Fruit of the Spirit.

All throughout Scripture, human life is likened to a journey where we are challenged to walk the right path daily.  Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."  In his writings, Paul often refers to the race that we are running, and in 1 Corinthians 9:24 he writes, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."  Are you running to win the race, or are you just trying not to be the last runner?  Whether or not we like it, we all run the race.  Are you on the right course?  The Fruit of the Spirit are the evidences of the Holy Spirit in you, and will help "run the race."  This week, we study the next three of the Fruit of the Spirit (found in Galatians 5:22-23): Patience, Kindness and Goodness.  Join us as we continue to "get equipped" to run the race we call "life.

We begin 2019 with a new message series entitled- "The Fruit of the Spirit."  This message is called "Stay on Course," but to stay on course we must first get on course.  A truth many Christians forget is that, through Christ, we have incredible freedom.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to practice the Fruit of the Spirit.  As the Fruit of the Spirit become a natural part of daily life, we will begin to experience true freedom.  Twice in Galatians 5 (verses 16 and 25), the Apostle Paul challenges us to "walk in the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit."  The Fruit of the Spirit is how we keep in step with God.  This week we take a look at the first three Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy and Peace.  Join us as we keep in step with the Spirit and live in true freedom.

It is hard to believe we are on the precipice of a new year- 2019!  Not too long ago, we were preparing for Y2K and worrying about what was going to happen to the world's computer systems when a new millennium began.  Here we are almost 19 years later, wiser more experienced and ready for whatever is next.  That begs the question, what is next?  Are you anticipating a new year with excitement, or are you dreading what this new year might bring?  While we live in an ever-changing world with very little that remains the same, we serve a God Who is constant.  The writer of Hebrews says, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).  Our world may be in constant motion, but we can trust God in the midst of the change- what an incredible truth!  In our text for this morning, James the brother of Jesus wrote, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change"

It is Christmas Sunday for 2018, and we are finishing a historical look at the Christmas story as told by Matthew and Luke.  Over the past several weeks, we have looked at when the Christmas story really began, what God's plan was from the beginning and the hope we have today because of a Baby born in Bethlehem.  This week, we ask the question, "What is Christmas for?"  Now, that may sound like a strange question, but take a moment to really think about what Christmas is for?  Is Christmas a time to gather together with our family and friends?  Is Christmas about giving and receiving gifts?  Is Christmas about worship?  While all of these things are part of our Christmas celebration, Christmas is really about the redemption of mankind by our Creator and Savior.  Jesus came to give us freedom from the penalty of sin, and to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  In addition to giving us freedom from the penalty of sin, Jesus came to give us freedom from the pow

Do we really understand how much God loves us?  We hear it all of the time- Jesus loves you.  We teach our kids songs, read books, and even decorate our homes with messages of God's love, but can we even begin to fathom how much God loves us?  Christmas is the perfect evidence of God's amazing love.  The Apostle Paul addressed God's love and perfect plan of redemption for mankind in Galatians 4:4-5.  He wrote, "4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship."  Christmas is all about God's love for us.  He didn't just say the words "I love you."  To prove His love, Jesus became a man, was born in a manger, lived thirty-three years growing, teaching, blessing others, pointing people to God and then died on a cross for sins He didn't commit.  That is how much God loves us!  Join us as we dive deeply into God's love for us shown through the Chr

Does the Christmas story begin in the New Testament with Matthew or Luke's words regarding the birth of Christ?  Pastor Steve wants us to broaden our view of Christmas beyond Matthew 1 and Luke 2 where we read about a census, some shepherds with their sheep, angels and wise men.  To see where God's plan to redeem mankind begins, you have to go all the way back to Genesis 12 when God made a promise to a man from Ur of the Chaldeans named Abram (or Abraham).  From the beginning of time all the way up to the birth of the Messiah in the New Testament, we see God's Hand at work guiding and directing history to this one pivotal event.  This one starry night would change eternity forever, and it all began with a promise to bless all mankind through Abram.  Because of our sin and disobedience, the world stood condemned, but God provided the Savior to redeem mankind.  Through Abraham's story, we see two character traits about God that still hold true today.  First, we serve a God who

As the song states, "The most wonderful time of the year" is upon us.  The lights, the trees, the colors, the smells, the time with family and friends as well as the Christmas spirit are all things that make this time of year special.  Though these things are great, what is most amazing about this time of the year is that we celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus!  In a dream the angel spoke to Joseph these eternity changing words: "She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."  The purpose of Christmas is Jesus, and His birth began our redemption story.  Christmas begins what Easter celebrates.  Jesus' Name (Jeshua in Hebrew) means "Jehovah will save, deliver or conquer."  Jesus came to save us from our sins, deliver us from bondage and conquer death on our behalf.  Do you know your Savior?  If so, worship Him this Christmas.  If not, take time to invite Jesus to be Lord and Savior o

As we have learned throughout this brief study of Hebrews 11, it is easier to talk about our faith than it is to live our faith.  In this last installment in the SuperHeroes of Faith series, we study several other characters who lived their faith.  The interesting thing is that each of these men were flawed in their character.  In fact, every character we have studied over the past five weeks had flaws, and yet, God still used them in a mighty way.  This week is no different.  Men like Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the Prophets are all commended for their faith.  What is especially incredible is the Hebrew writer's last statement in Hebrews 11:39-40.  He writes, "39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect."  We can read the story of King David and be amazed, or hear about Samson and his abilities.  We can

Do you trust God?  I don't mean simply believing in God, but do you really trust Him?  This week, we continue our study of Hebrews 11 by diving further into Abraham's faith journey. Abraham was put to the ultimate test when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. This was the son God had promised over 25 years earlier, and the one through whom God promised to bless all nations of the earth.  To say Abraham was baffled by this request to sacrifice Isaac would be an understatement, but he believed God nonetheless.  In fact the Hebrew writer says in chapter 11 verse 19, "He [Abraham] considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. "  Once again, I will ask, "Do you trust God?"  Do you trust him enough to sacrifice your Isaac (whatever he represents in your life)?  Abraham had to first sacrifice himself, his will, his plans and his future before he could sacrifice Isaac.  God desires complete

Have you ever looked back on your life and cringed at the wasted time you see?  You sigh at the thought of all those years at a job you hated, or recall feeling discontent at the strained relationship between you and your in-laws or even your spouse or children.  Abram was in a similar situation.  Living in a land of idol worship, Abram is called by the One True God- Yahweh- to take a step of faith and leave his life of comfort, security and familiarity to move to a location that God would not reveal until later.  Imagine going from idol worship (which is all Abram knew) to having The God of Creation ask you to respond to Him in faith!  Not to mention, the response God wanted was of complete obedience.  God did not ask Abram to kill another animal or give more in the form of an offering.  God wanted Abram's EVERYTHING.  And in return, God promised to bless Abram, and be with him always.  Of course, we know Abram obeys and becomes Abraham- the father of the Israelit

We all recognize the name of our third Super Hero of Faith, Noah.  His name is synonymous with the ark he built in obedience to God's command.  According to Genesis 6:5, "The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."  The world had gotten so bad that God regretted that He had made men on earth.  These two verses provide the backdrop to Noah's story of faith.  Things on earth were not good, and God intended to "clean house."  Noah had found favor in God's eyes, and the Lord's redemption plan for mankind hinged on this righteous man from the desert.  We all understand obedience.  If put in the same place as Noah, we would all want to respond to God's commands the same as Noah.  Let's not underestimate Noah's life of faith.  God asked Noah to build a boat in the desert, over 100 miles away from the ocean.  God promised rain, which was something completely forei

The "business" of super heroes is vast and seemingly endless.  People worldwide, spend billions of dollars every year to watch their favorite super heroes fight injustice and save the day.  What is it about their stories that so captivates us?  This week, Pastor Steve brings us another obscure Super Hero of Faith found in Hebrews 11:5-6 named Enoch.  Not much is known about Enoch outside of Genesis 5 and Hebrews 11, but his life was a true testimony of faith.  Enoch was a man who walked with God for over 300 years.  What is especially amazing about this statement is that Enoch walked with God when the majority of the world walked the opposite direction.  In fact, the world was so wicked that one chapter later in Genesis (chapter six) God decided to destroy mankind (except for Noah and his family) and start again.  How do we walk with God in such difficult circumstances?  How can we please God in our lives every day?  Join us this week as Pastor Steve unpacks o

It seems like everywhere you turn, you see super heroes.  In the movie theater, on kids pajamas, in advertisements, on fast food cups, on cereal boxes and on the television we find super heroes.  What is it about super heroes that causes us to be captivated by them?  Is it their stories?  Their powers and abilities?  Their struggle to fight evil with good?  Maybe all of the above, but one thing is for sure, we do love our super heroes!  Much like our culture today, the Hebrew people had super heroes, too.  Instead of Superman, the Hebrews had Samson.  Instead of Captain America, the Hebrews had Joshua.  Instead of Mr. Fantastic, the Hebrews had Abraham.  In the next several weeks, we are embarking on a study of "Super Heroes of Faith" found in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11.  This week, we study a very unlikely person to be deemed a "super hero of faith"- Able.  Yes, the first person in history to be murdered is the first super hero we find in

If the Apostle Paul was asked to give us a picture of his ministry, what type of picture would he provide?  Would it be a candid snapshot?  How about a panorama of Europe or Asia Minor?  Would he give us a portrait of him in a jail cell or sailing on the open seas?  While we will never know the answer to this question (at least this side of heaven), we can be quite confident what he would NOT give us.  Paul would NOT give us a selfie.  If ever there was a "rockstar Christian,"  the Apostle Paul would provide a very convincing case of why he deserves this title.  He came from the "right" family, born in the "right" country claiming the "right" citizenship, schooled under the "right" teachers, and part of the "right" social organizations.  Though the Apostle Paul could have claimed sole credit for the success of his ministry, he never minimized the impact of those around him who supported the ministry.  This week, as we conclude our series on the book of Colossi

Here is a thought for you to ponder: "Your choice of words reflects who you are."  As we have been studying our way through the book of Colossians, we have addressed many different topics like the "spiritual clothing" we choose to put on, the things about which we choose to think, and even our "old life" versus our "new life" in Christ.  This week the Apostle Paul gets about as practical as possible addressing our choice of words.  Have you ever made a mistake with your words? It is likely we have all chosen to insult, malign or tear another down at some point in our lives.  Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  The Apostle Paul writes about the importance of our words in Colossians 4:2-6.  Specifically in verse six, Paul says, "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."  Join us as we learn how to put a guard over our mouths and speak words of life.

What do you do when the "Promised Land" feels like "exile?" Why does "exile" hurt so much? We have all been in exile, and maybe you are in exile right now. In our text for this message- Jeremiah 42-43, the Tribe of Judah was living in the Promised Land, but felt as though they were in exile. Things had gotten so bad that Judah's leadership was considering leaving the Promised Land for the perceived comforts of Egypt, effectively heading back into exile. It is easy to point fingers and ask how the Tribe of Judah could make such a foolish mistake, but how many times have we been tempted to leave the temporary pain of the Promised Land for the perceived promise of relief in Egypt? God has promised us an amazing future, but we must first practice patience, persistently pray, and pursue His promise as we hope in Him (Jeremiah 29). Join us this week as we discuss what to do when the Promised Land feels like the Promise(less) Land.