Topical Sermons
2024-03-29 | I Corinthians 10:1-13 | Lead Me Not Into Temptation
”Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.“. I Corinthians 10:1-13 NKJV
2024-02-09 | Though He Slay Me! | Job 1:1-11 | Manny Fernandez
”There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”“ Job 1:1-11 ESV
2024-02-02 | Habakkuk 1:1-11 | Why Lord? | Manny Fernandez
”The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”“ Habakkuk 1:1-11 ESV
2024-01-12 | Prosperity for the Christian | Manny Fernandez
”Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.“ Proverbs 6:6-11 NKJV
”Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth. If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.“ Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 NKJV
2024-01-05 | Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation | Manny Fernandez
”Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.“ Matthew 18:15-17 NKJV
2023-12-01 | Bitter (Less) | Manny Fernandez
“Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. His brothers said to him, are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So, they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. He dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers. But when he told it to Father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and his brothers were jealous, but the father kept the saying in mind.
His brothers went to pasture their fathers flock near Shechem. Israel said go now see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock and bring me word. They (his brothers) saw him from afar, and before he came near, they conspired to kill him. But Reuben rescued him out of their hands saying, let us not take his life, throw him into the pit here in the wilderness. The pit was empty; there was no water in it. They sat down to eat, looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites with their camels. Judah said to his brothers let us sell him, let not our hand be upon him our own flesh . They drew Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver.
They (Ishmaelites) took him to Egypt and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites. The Lord was with Joseph , and he became a successful man. His master saw that the Lord was with him and put him in charge of all that he had. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. His master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, lie with me! But he refused. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work, she caught him by his garment. But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house. As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, his anger was kindled. And Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison. But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love.
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.” Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Joseph called the name of the first, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.” The seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said.
When Jacob (Israel) learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him, Joseph recognized them, but he treated them like strangers, Joseph remembered the dreams (raise a question about this subject). Then they said to one another, in truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us. Reuben answered them, did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But Joseph said to them, Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”