Higher Aim With Dr. Curt Dodd

Living a life fully committed to Christ requires that you know what you believe. Last week, we began a series talking about what we believe as Christians and why we believe it. Today, we’re going to continue that discussion, so let’s dive in.

If you’re going to live a life committed to Jesus, you need to know what you believe. While there is such a thing as blind faith, there is no such thing as blind belief. It is absolutely vital that you know what Scripture says and what Jesus teaches so that you can have a strongly rooted belief in your relationship with the Lord.

As we continue our discussion on the names of God, we’re going to look at two more names that reveal more of God’s goodness and character to us. Let’s dive in together.

There are many things that matter in life. Some of these are: Friendships. Family. Time. Memories. But more than anything else, the resurrection matters! In this message, I will share several reasons why the resurrection really matters so that together we can gain a better understanding of why Easter is such a powerful day for us to celebrate.

Nothing is more important for believers than understanding the power of the wonderful cross. Think about those two words, “wonderful” and “cross.” Those two words don't really fit together because the cross was an instrument of death. That is what the Romans used to crucify criminals along a major road, as a warning to those who would resist the Roman government. It was an object of death. But for us as believers, what Jesus did on the cross was very powerful. In fact, if the Gospel is really to be preached, the cross of Christ must be lifted up. You cannot have the Gospel without the cross. In today’s message, we’re going to look at why the cross is so wonderful to those of us who follow Jesus, even though that was never the Roman government’s intent.

In today’s message, we are going to continue our study of the names of God. Specifically, we’re going to talk about how God is our shepherd and how He takes care of us no matter what we’re walking through. Let’s dive in.

In this series called, “What's In a Name?” we are looking at the different names of God. We have already looked at 6 of the 12 names. Today, we will take another step and look at some more names that will help us gain a better understanding of God. If there was ever a time when we need to understand who God is, it is now. Our world is so unstable with all kinds of thoughts, ideas, and philosophies around who God is. So as His followers, we need to be rooted in the character of God and what God reveals aboutHimself through His names.

In today’s message, we are going to continue our discussion on the names of God and learn more about the character of the God we serve the names He is given in Scripture. Let’s dive in.

In the midst of whatever you are going through today, you need to remember who God is. I know many people are going through difficult seasons in their lives. Although you might want God to immediately remedy that situation, you need to look to Him first. The reason you need to look to Him is that He is in charge. When we are oppressed, disappointed, and brokenhearted, healing begins when we understand who God is. When things come unraveled in our lives, and when fear seems to be the entree we are supposed to eat, we can find great peace in God. So with this in mind, let’s continue in our series as we discuss the names of God and learn more about who He says He is.

As we begin this new series, we’re going to study the different names of God. God wants us to see who He is and has allowed His character to be revealed specifically in 12 different names. Names are very, very important. God reveals Himself through His names. He reveals Himself through what He calls Himself. So we’re going to get to learn a lot about God throughout this study as we break down each of His different names.

In today’s message, we are going to be focusing on the words of the Great Commission. These verses are the walking orders of the church. In the last several decades, the church has embraced the community of business leaders who have bought into the need for a vision statement. We need to have a mission statement. We need to have a purpose and a direction. And while I understand the value of that, we already have a mission and a purpose, and that is the Great Commission. It was the very thing that set the first generation of believers on course, therefore it should also place the last generation on course.

Today’s message is without a doubt one of the most important sermons I’ve ever delivered. This is not a political sermon; rather, this is Biblical instruction. As believers, we need to be linked with the nation of Israel. We need to support them. We need to pray for them because God’s Word instructs us to do so. But why is that the case? That’s the exact question we’re going to be answering today.

My job as a pastor is to make sure that God's people are equipped to do the work of ministry. One of the things that I am charged with doing is teaching people how to pray. With many of us, we wonder why our prayers don't get answered. Today, I hope that our focus on being aligned to pray will challenge you and encourage you. I pray for the light to go on in your hearts and in your lives so that you can align your prayers with God’s will and, as a result, see your prayers answered.

We must understand that God wants His children to be praying. Today’s key Scripture verse is very clear, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” This is not because of how we have lived, but because God has declared us righteous in Christ. Jesus is powerful. Our prayer life is powerful and effective. Is there anything happening in your life that is keeping you from getting through to God in your prayer life? I believe there are three things that can hinder you from getting through to God when it comes to prayer, and we’re going to look at those threethings in today’s message.

Today’s key passage from Acts is a great commentary on what every believer needs to continue to follow Jesus. Last week, we talked about how we need to be strengthened, we need to be encouraged, and we need to be organized. But that is only half of the list. In this message, we’re going to discuss three more things that every believer needs in order to live a life that is worthy of the calling given to each of us by God.

In today’s key passage in the book of Acts, we learn that Paul and Barnabas had been on a missionary journey, and God used them to plant many churches. It was an exciting journey and a very successful journey for these two men. They had two different kinds of ministry. One ministry was to the lost, winning people to faith in Christ. The other ministry was developing those who were brand-new believers. In this particular section of Scripture, we find some important things about what every believer needs, and we’re going to break down each of those needs into more detail.

As we unpack today’s key passage of Scripture, we are going to learn what the main thing is in life that we’re supposed to do as followers of Jesus. This message is going to help us understand the three basic principles that help us do the main thing. The main thing will not occur in your life so that you can be the representative that God wants you to be unless you do these three things.

In today’s message, we are going to look at the definition of faith. And one of the greatest examples of faith in Scripture is the story of the Centurion in Luke chapter 7. The problem in this story was that the Centurion’s servant was sick and was about to die. Undoubtedly, he had sought out physicians, with no remedy or recourse. He heard that Jesus was in the area, and he knew what Jesus could do. Although he had never met Him personally face- to-face, he knew of His fame and power. Therefore, he sent another servant to ask Jesus for help. There is so much we can learn about faith from the Centurion, so let’s dive in.

Regardless of how old you are, God wants you to accomplish the dream that He placed within your heart. Otherwise, you will just sit and be seated, and get sour. That is not God's plan for your life! We need to understand how He has created us and what He wants to do in our lives. God has more for you than you could ever imagine. Don't go to sleep at the wheel. Instead, choose to boldly and confidently pursue the plan He has for your life!

From the moment you give your life to Christ, I wish that everything would come up roses, and everything would be better. Many people say that everything will be great as soon as you accept Christ. That is not what the New Testament teaches. Instead, it teaches a sobering concept of how to live this life regardless of what happens to you, even if it is suffering. As we wrap up this series, we’re going to use this message to talk about the different realities surrounding suffering in the life of the believer so that we can know how to honor God when we face seasons of suffering.