Refinery Church

Who should receive honor? 3 groups of people are indentified in scriptures. But above all, God deserve all our honor and praise. In Romans 13:7 we are told to give honor to whom honor is due. So the question is WHO and HOW do we honor? The Bible lists various people and ways to honor that can be assembled together in 3 groupings. But above all else, God deserves all of honor. And when we honor Him, there is a reward that He promises: 1 Sam. 2:30 “Those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” Honor is an essential key to receiving from heaven. Those who honor God will be honored and honor from God is better than honor from anyone else. Jesus demonstrates this in Mark 14 when He rewards a women for showing his extravagant honor.

Why does Honor matter? 1. Jesus models it and tells us to do the same. 2. There are practical benefits when we honor: - A Good Life - A Long Life - A Blessed Life God doesn’t want us carrying around guilt and unresolved feelings towards others. He wants us to know a full life, free from shame and regret. When we heed the Word of God and decided to live out God’s Way of “Honor,” it frees us to live a life of no regrets. Giving honor releases the power and life of God into our situations. Jesus models to us how to live a life of honor even to those who mistreat us. His example is not only inspiring, but He goes on in the Gospel of John chapter 13, to challenge all of his follower to “do the same.”. This message explores why we should be people living a lifestyle of honor.

Honor is a Biblical principle that seems irrelevant and outdate in today’s society. Honor is more that an admired quality found in “heroes”. It is a value, that if practiced daily will result in huge benefits that affect personal relationships and reputation. There is a matter of the heart that affects our daily life. It’s a principle, that if genuinely applied will result in greater influence, stronger relationships, healthier family life, promotions at work, and success at school. But if this “matter of the heart”…this principle… is ignored, it will result in broken relationships, frustrated family life, struggles at work, and a bad reputation. It’s the Biblical principle of HONOR. In this message, and the next few, Pastor Kelly explores the Bible to find out WHAT is honor? WHY does it matter and HOW we can live a lifestyle of honor? In addition, he reveals the benefits and rewards that come when we live as a person of honor.

The heart is your center of your being—it speaks about who you really are as a person. It is more than a muscle in your chest. It is called “the wellspring of life” and out of “the heart” flows “all the issues of life” (KJV), and it “affects everything you do” (NLT).. According to the Bible, your heart is more than the fist size muscle in the center of your chest. The “heart”, as the Bible defines it, is the totality of your MIND (intellect), your EMOTIONS (feelings), and your WILL (choices). And the matters of the heart are what really matters. In this message, Pastor Kelly introduces us to a new series of teachings that will look at the “Matters of The Heart” and how the condition of the “heart” not only affects us physically, but also emotionally, relationally and spiritually.

God has given us principles set as “boundary lines” that enrich, guide, protect, and give rest to those who acknowledge and adhere to them. God set up the importance of land and its boundaries in Scripture. In digging deeper, we see His heart for us to be good neighbors, loving God well and our neighbors well, learning to own what is ours and take responsibility and to reflect on and evaluate our heart’s motives. In doing these things, we are walking out our relationship with God according to His ways.

Wisdom can seem elusive. But God clearly tell us that wisdom can be found in a multitude of council. But it requires the right type of council. Every day we make decisions that require wisdom. Some of those decision can be life altering. It’s important to have the confidence needed to make the right decisions. We are promised wisdom when we ask God. But how does He give us wisdom? The answers are primarily found in His Word, The Bible. But He also gives us a way to discover wisdom from literal flesh and blood…people. In this message Pastor Kelly outline 3 types of people who can give you advice and wisdom that leads to right decisions.

When walking through seasons where hope seems lost, prayer and praise hold great power in providing us with the hope that God desires for us to have. Everyone goes through seasons where hope seems distant; how we move forward will greatly influence our lives and the lives around. Hannah felt hopeless in her desire have child, but God rewarded her patterns and praise and gave her Samuel. Your praise goes further than you think.

Honesty, Integrity, Faithfulness, Selflessness are character traits that are celebrated and encouraged throughout the book of Proverbs. A person can seem to have it all together - successful in business - physically fit - etc. But if their heart is polluted (they lack good character) then it will lead this person to ultimately fail. In this message we explore the story of Joseph found in Genesis chapters 37-47. We are encouraged to look at life’s challenges as opportunities to test and strengthen the qualities that define a person’s character.

There is a life principle that builds positive reputations, forms successful leaders, and creates champion athletes; “The Disciplined Life.” There are two types of “disciplines” listed in the Bible; one relates to correction, and the second is about self-sacrifice. God teaches us throughout Proverbs, the benefits of “Disciplined Living”. It is evident in champion athletes such as Michael Phelps and other Gold Medal Olympians. In 1 Corinthians chapter 9, the Apostle Paul illustrates the importance of Disciplined Living by comparing our daily lives to an olympic race. The winner is the one who lives “The Disciplined Life.”

God is not some supernatural being that is looking to destroy our world? He is love and deserves our utmost respect. He want’s us to have wisdom and that begins with “The Fear of The Lord”. What is “The Fear of The Lord? Am I suppose to be afraid of God like some mythical character that is looking to squish me like a bug? From Genesis to Revelation, this topic is repeated over and over. The Old Testament book of Proverbs lists the phase “The Fear of The Lord” 15 times. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” In other words, the fear of the Lord is the starting point, the launching pad for knowledge & wisdom. We are not talking about the FEAR that we feel when we see a mouse, lizard or spider. We are talking about FEAR that could be described as: RESPECT, REVERENCE and RECOGNITION. “Healthy Fear of God” is based in a love relationship.

Introduction to the series of teachings on the “Book of Wisdom” from the Bible called; Proverbs. It contains timeless wisdom for our modern age. Today a simple news app on your phone has more information than the average 19th-century citizen accessed in his entire life. But there are negative effects to the constant stream of information; in the past 10 years the reports of clinical depression has quadrupled. The problem is that the information superhighway doesn't have rest stops. The "how" & "what" questions are quickly answered by Siri - but the "why" questions seem more elusive. In this series we will explore the “Book of Wisdom” called Proverbs. We will uncover timeless wisdom for our instant world.

God is in the business of taking the worst and most unlikely circumstances and changing them for good. In this message, James Younger unpacks the unlikely story of a man named Mephibosheth. In this story we see how King David keeps his promises and brings a broken man of shame to place of honor. In the same light we understand how Jesus takes us from our place of brokenness and elevates us to a place of honor as sons and daughters.

When we consider all that God has done, it should cause us to give thanks in appropriate ways such as offerings of TIME, TALENTS and TREASURES. In this message, Pastor Kelly examines what God has done for us. He briefly explores the beauty of life here on earth, to the miracle of eternal salvation that Jesus Christ provides. When considering ALL that God has done, words don’t seem enough. He states; “I want to do more that simply say, Thank you. I want to give appropriate offerings of thanks through my TIME - TALENTS - TREASURES.”

If thankfulness opens us up to experiencing God’s power in life situations, then “Ingratitude” can hinderance us from experiencing God’s blessings. Thankfulness is a key that unlocks PEACE – JOY – CONFIDENCE. The opposite - “Ingratitude” - is like quicksand that blocks the path to experiencing God’s abundant life. Throughout scripture we see examples of God’s people filled with fear, expressing their INGRATITUDE by complaining. God’s desire is that we would be faith-filled and verbally express that faith through thankfulness.

God’s expectation is that we live a Thank-FULL lifestyle. Not simply once a year, or even once a day. We are told to give thanks CONTINUALLY. A lifestyle can be defined as how we live, CONTINUALLY. Those practices, routines and patterns that we conduct on a daily basis are what define our lifestyle. In this message we hear that the Bible shows us that there is a place for religious ritual that serves as reminders of our commitment to God. But God is not really after our religiosity, He is looking for a thank-FULL heart. In Hebrews 13:15 we read, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”

The way to become Thank-FULL is to create a habit of giving thanks daily. To experience the daily joy that God promises requires building a daily habit of Thankfulness. Most habits can be broken or built in just 40 days. In this message, Pastor Kelly Fellows gives four ways to start building a Thank-FULL habit. The first 2 have to do with the way we relate to God: - Give thanks obediently - Give thanks repeatedly The last 2 are are how we relate to others: - Expect less - Appreciate more

A thank-FULL heart is the prelude to experiencing God’s supernatural power in our all of life situations. At time our minds are held captive to fear and our hearts are bound with chains of insecurity. God give us a key to help guard and protect our mind & heart. He doesn’t want you bound up with worry & fear. Jesus said in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” A Thank-FULL heart is one of the ways God’s power is released to help us combat depression, quiet the voice of fear, experience real joy and raise confidence.

A thank-FULL heart is the prelude to experiencing God’s supernatural power in our all of life situations. This is more than a simple series of messages - more than a sermon – This is revelation truth. God gives us a key to unlocking peace and joy that is available. He has given us keys to unlock what is rightfully ours but we either haven’t gotten a-hold of them or we don’t know how to use them. A thank-FULL heart is the prelude to experiencing God’s supernatural power, providing joy, peace and confidence.

What and why do we do this practice of Water Baptism? Water Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward transformation. It is the first step of obedience a person make after confessing Jesus Christ as Lord. This message gives the scriptural background and practical explanation of Water Baptism. The symbolic practice is a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. Each element represents the identification that Christians makes with the death and life of Jesus Christ. Like a wedding ring symbolizes the unending commitment of a husband and wife, baptism symbolizes the external commitment believers make to Jesus Christ.

Sharing your TIME with a person may be the most valuable thing you can give. We are instructed in scripture to be “doers” of faith. That includes practical giving & sharing of our TIME. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2:8; “We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.” Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica was very caring and it was obvious that his demonstration of love was TIME. Later in Ephesians chapter 5 he challenges us to make the most of every opportunity. Time matters. So, when we give time to others, we practically show God’s Love.