Recent Sermon Links

Friends,

Several of you have asked if any of my more recent sermons are posted online.  A month ago, the answer was no.  However, thanks to my dear friend Daniel Shanks (who asked if he could help and then worked hard to make it happen), we now have a Hilltop Christian Fellowship podcast, featuring some recent sermon series!

Go to iTunes, and search for "Hilltop Christian Fellowship" or "Paul Matthies."  You should see a Hilltop Christian Fellowship podcast.  Click on it, and then choose to "subscribe."  There are 16 messages available now, with more likely coming in the future.  If it doesn't download them all, just click on "free" to the right of each, and you can listen via iTunes!  Or, click on the blue links below…

Link to the iTunes page to download/subscribe to podcast

http://goo.gl/dxUOpx

The main series I want to highlight (of my own) is the "Church Revealed" series.  This series speaks about the 7 churches of Revelation.  I learned about the temptations and challenges the Church will face until Christ's return.  And I am excited to share it with you:

5/4/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 1) - The Manifold Church	http://goo.gl/FO4q25
5/11/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 2) - The External Church	http://goo.gl/jbsDyr
5/18/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 3) - The Tested Church	http://goo.gl/b86wWx
5/25/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 4) - The Compromising Church	http://goo.gl/vTKVOH
6/1/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 5) - The Tolerant Church	http://goo.gl/Xkq5N3
6/8/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 6) - The Dying Church	http://goo.gl/Xhcw6v
6/15/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 7) - The Weary Church	http://goo.gl/PhQ5Hl
6/22/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 8) - The Comfortable Church	http://goo.gl/zRqoCD
6/29/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 9) - The Church on the Hilltop	http://goo.gl/46vBu5

I also did a recent series on Haggai.  It is two parts.  It's about how life works best when we live to glorify God and walk by His Spirit.  Between these parts, we lost a dear member, Roxie.  She is the godly woman I mention several times in the 2nd sermon.  Her memorial page can be viewed here.

7/6/2014	Haggai: Consider Your Ways (Part 1) - Living for the Glory of God	http://goo.gl/uCRk6r
7/13/2014	Haggai: Consider Your Ways (Part 2) - Walking by the Spirit of God	http://goo.gl/pv4MVm

Also, there are several messages from our now-Interim Pastor, Chris McLain.  He is a very good preacher and in-depth teacher--challenging me to love God with all my heart AND mind!  His series The Way (Part 1 is one of the best messages I've heard on the call to discipleship) and a stand-alone sermon are currently available as well.  We pray these messages serve and bless you!

2/9/2014	There is Grace Enough for You	http://goo.gl/xSDZaa
4/6/2014	The Way (Part 1) - Journey to Jerusalem	http://goo.gl/mqrqua
4/13/2014	The Way (Part 2) - An Ignoble Steed	http://goo.gl/jcQixv
4/20/2014	The Way (Part 3) - Traveling Mercies	http://goo.gl/lLAZQx
4/27/2014	The Way (Part 4) - We are The Way	http://goo.gl/3N8b1D

A Prayer for the Single & Lonely

I've been thinking about this season of singleness and the throes of loneliness again, and I was reminded of two thoughtful, encouraging, and challenging quotes—from two of Elisabeth Elliot’s works, where she speaks of interactions with friends.  Friends who are aware of the struggles of the single, and who know this path of loneliness.  Friends like you and me.

Here are those quotes, and a closing prayer for us:

A dear friend in Hungary has chosen the simple way over the complex.  She writes, “My longing for a husband is there, but I offered it up to the Lord.  Often I imagine a single future for myself. In fact, the presence of a man in my life would an unexpected gift. Thank you for praying for me. I wouldn’t like to put my own imagined happiness before God’s greater glory."

Another who is earnestly trying to learn that abandonment wrote, “I long for marriage and motherhood, but I also want to please God.  Are these desires diametrically opposed?”  I could not tell her that God would fulfill both, but I assured her there was nothing sinful in the desire for marriage and motherhood.  It was perfectly human and normal, but like all our dreams of human happiness must be surrendered as the Hungarian girl’s were, to the one supreme aim: the glory of God, which always leads in the end to more than happiness—to fullness of joy, pleasures forevermore.  If she could best glorify God by being married, she could be sure He would, in His time, give her a husband. 

A Path Through Suffering: Discovering the Relationship Between God’s Mercy and Our Pain by Elisabeth Elliot  (pgs. 159-160)

 A bright young woman and I were eating lamb sandwiches.  I asked her if she is lonely.

“Lonely?  Why should I be?”

“You’re single.  Most of the single people I know talk about being lonely.”

With a look of surprise and then a laugh she said, “Oh no. You see, I have a sense of expectancy every day.  What does the Lord want to do with me today?  I have no agenda of my own.” 

No agenda of my own.  There is the key to Linda’s freedom.  I continued to question her.  Yes, she said, she knows what loneliness feels like—it’s isolation, when you think you can’t reach anybody, nobody reaches you, you’re cut off.  You have your own agenda.

“What do you mean by agenda?” I asked.

“Thinking there’s only one solution and God has to give you that or nothing.  You have a closed mind.  A closed mind is a closed heart and a closed door.”

Now I recognized the reason for the smile which seems always to light Linda’s face.  I think it must come from her wholehearted acceptance of God’s “agenda.”

“I love solitude,’ she said, “As I drove up here this morning [it was a dazzling winter morning of sunshine and blue sky and blue shadows on the snow] I didn’t have the radio on.  I wasn’t listening to tapes.  I was just quiet. I love times like that."

The heart which has no agenda but God’s is the heart at leisure from itself.  Its emptiness is filled with the Love of God.  Its solitude can be turned into prayer. 

The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God by Elisabeth Elliot  (pgs. 158-159) 

A Prayer for Us:

Father God, help me not to put my own imagined happiness before Your greater glory.  I know the desires for marriage and parenthood are good.  Yet, I offer up my longings to You (1 Peter 5:6-7).  Grant me faith in Your timing—and trust in Your hand—that, if I can best glorify You by being married, You will certainly give a spouse.  Your gifts, even the unexpected ones, are good and perfect (James 1:17).  Lord, grant me a sense of expectancy every day.  What would you have me to do today?  Empty me of my agenda.  Open up my closed mind and my closed heart.  May I not believe the lie that there’s only one solution—my solution—and that You must give me “that or nothing.”  May my heart and my soul long for You (Psalm 84:2).  Give me wholehearted acceptance of Your agenda (Psalm 86:11)—and joy in the solitude.  For in Your presence I find fullness, and at your right hand I find pleasure forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – Amen.

The Church Revealed: Revelation 1-3 (Series)

I'm leading a sermon series at my church HilltopChristian Fellowship for May and June called "The Church Revealed." We are studying Revelation, chapters 1-3. Revelation is the last book of the Bible, and is often studied as an "end times" prophecy. It also has a lot to say about our Almighty God "who is and who was and who is to come"--and His plan for the Church past, present, and future.

 I'd appreciate your prayers for us.  If you're in the area, we'd love for you to join us.  We have Sunday School at 9:30am for children, youth, and adults. We have service starting at 10:45am. We're right off Hwy 6 at 380 Compton Rd, Crawford, TX 76638, and have folks coming from Waco, Speegleville, China Spring, Valley Mills, & Crawford.

We kicked off the series this past Sunday, May 4.  We will be studying the church of Ephesus on Sunday, May 11.  And so on, for May thru June.

Here is the outline of the series:

“The Church Revealed” – Series Outline

Week 1 / Intro – 

The Manifold Church:

God’s Plan for the Church Universal, Church Local, & Church Member

(Do we share Jesus’ love and vision for the Church?)

Passage: Revelation 1 – Cf. Ephesians 3:7-13; 1 Peter 1:10-12

Week 2 

The External Church: God’s Care for our Passions

(Are we doing all things out of love for God?)

Passage: Revelation 2:1-7 – Ephesus

Week 3 

The Tested Church: God’s Care for our Preparation

(Are we ready for the coming tribulations?)

Passage: Revelation 2:8-11 – Smyrna

Week 4 

The Compromising Church: God’s Care for our Purity

(Are we in the world, yet not of the world?)

Passage: Revelation 2:12-17 – Pergamum

Week 5 

The Tolerant Church: God’s Care for our Proclamation

(Are we resisting false teaching?)

Passage: Revelation 2:18-29 – Thyatira

Week 6 

The Dying Church: God’s Care for our Pulse

(Are we only living in the past?)

Passage: Revelation 3:1-6 – Sardis

Week 7 

The Weary Church: God’s Care for our Perseverance

(Are we tempted to give up?)

Passage: Revelation 3:7-13 – Philadelphia

Week 8 

The Comfortable Church: God’s Care for our Participation

(Are we growing apathetic, indifferent, or lukewarm?)

Passage: Revelation 3:14-22 – Laodicea

Week 9 / Conclusion 

The Church on the Hilltop: God’s Care for our Practices at Hilltop
(Are we the church God is calling us to be?)
Passage: Matthew 5:13-16 – Cf. 2 Timothy 4:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

  ***Update: I am excited to share the links with you:

5/4/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 1) - The Manifold Church	http://goo.gl/FO4q25
5/11/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 2) - The External Church	http://goo.gl/jbsDyr
5/18/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 3) - The Tested Church	http://goo.gl/b86wWx
5/25/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 4) - The Compromising Church	http://goo.gl/vTKVOH
6/1/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 5) - The Tolerant Church	http://goo.gl/Xkq5N3
6/8/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 6) - The Dying Church	http://goo.gl/Xhcw6v
6/15/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 7) - The Weary Church	http://goo.gl/PhQ5Hl
6/22/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 8) - The Comfortable Church	http://goo.gl/zRqoCD
6/29/2014	The Church Revealed (Part 9) - The Church on the Hilltop	http://goo.gl/46vBu5