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At CEFC, we want to live all of life for Christ whether we are at home or work, with our neighbors, or in our community. Our podcast is taken directly from our sermons where we help you to apply the scriptures to your life as you grow in your relationship with Christ, build one another up, and go out to serve. Visit us here to learn more: www.cefc.church.
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Revelation 2:12-17 contains a message from Jesus Christ for Christians finding it tough to follow him. He assures his people that he sees it when our commitment to His Lordship is tested, and we come under pressure to compromise. He encourages us to stay faithful under pressure and reminds us that we will be eternally glad that we did. Although it …
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Revelation 2:8-11 contains a message from Jesus Christ to people who are suffering. Jesus acknowledges the suffering, poverty, and persecution the church faces but reassures them that they are spiritually rich. Jesus gives us two instructions: 1. Do Not Fear and 2. Be Faithful. Then Jesus gives us two reasons to have hope in the midst of suffering:…
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Revelation 2:1-7 is Christ’s letter to the church in Ephesus. This letter covers the good and the bad. The good is that the church is patiently enduring and keeping their doctrine pure. The bad is that the church has abandoned its first love for Christ. Christ’s prescription to cure a cold heart is clear: 1. Remember, 2. Repent, 3. Return. In this …
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We all face moments of discouragement, whether it's societal issues, economic frustrations, personal disappointments, or disillusionment with the church. In these times, we need the renewed vision of Jesus as we find in Revelation 1:9-20. In this message, we explore how the apostle John, exiled and persecuted, found comfort and strength through a p…
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The book of Revelation is a beautiful book of prophecy, symbols, and truth about who Jesus is, and what’s to come. It paints for us a picture of the unseen realities that will be made visible in the days to come as we anticipate the return of Jesus. Revelation 1:1-8 unveils Jesus as the divine author, creator, redeemer, and restorer of life, and he…
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Numbers 25 presents us with a troubling passage: A priest kills two people with a spear and is commended by God! How do we reconcile a good and loving God with this Old Testament picture of God who rewards killing? And what do we learn from Phinehas the priest who carries out this execution? In this sermon, we'll explore the difficult themes in Num…
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How do we fight a temptation to sin? Every person is susceptible to temptation, even those who have enjoyed a close relationship with God. This passage in Numbers 25 teaches us: 1. You are never so blessed you can’t be tempted. 2. The tactics of the enemy are tricky. 3. Fear the Lord: God takes sin seriously. 4. Love the Lord: God loves you jealous…
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In this passage, we see God's sovereignty over everyone, everything, everywhere. King Balak of Moab wants his hired prophet, Balaam, to curse the people of Israel. Instead of cursing them, Balaam questions how he can curse those whom God has not cursed and sees the Israelites as a unique and blessed people, set apart from other nations. When Balak …
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Imagine if you were headed in a direction you thought was right but you kept encountering unexpected interruptions and obstacles. Would you get mad or curious? Would you turn to God or would you lash out in frustration? Our response to interruptions reveals our heart and makes it obvious whether we are intent on our own plans or whether we are open…
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Have you ever wanted something so badly you asked God for it again and again? What if you wanted something so badly you were willing to defy God's clear instructions? Numbers 22 introduces us to a very spiritual man who does something very foolish: he pursues his will instead of God’s will. Balaam stubbornly chases his own desires instead of follow…
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Serving God and others is part of a healthy Christian life. Peter writes to Christians about their God-given gift and he encourages us to use our gifts in service to others. God grows the church through the service of people who love him and want to demonstrate that love by using the gifts they are blessed with to bless others. We are blessed to be…
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How do we build godly and loving relationships? 1 Peter 4:8,9 says, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” In this message, we will discover how to love deeply and sincerely. We will learn how to love in a way that covers over the sins of others, and …
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This Easter we consider the greatest event in human history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But what does this resurrection of Christ mean for our lives today? The apostle Paul applies the death and resurrection of Christ to his life in Galatians 2:20 and this passage gives us three questions to ask ourselves: 1. Have you been cruc…
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In Mark 7:31-37, Jesus reveals his compassion and empathy for a man who was deaf and was unable to communicate with others. Jesus displays both his humanity and divinity by privately healing this man, not treating him as a spectacle for the crowd. The gentleness and power that Jesus shows us in this passage, reminds us that we worship a personal an…
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In this passage, Jesus sent Peter fishing to avoid offending temple tax collectors. Jesus often offended religious people, but at other times he was careful to cause no offense. How do we know when it is okay to offend and when we should sacrifice our rights and privileges to avoid offending someone? Jesus paid a temple tax that he was not required…
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Ten lepers asked for mercy and ten lepers received mercy; however, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus. Why is gratitude so rare? What would it look like to have an attitude of gratitude and a practice of gratitude? Luke 17:11-19 provides a lesson in gratitude. Learn why God requires us to give thanks and learn how gratitude brings us blessin…
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How do you get a miracle? What type of prayer does God answer? The Bible records at least one prayer that Jesus always answers: “Have mercy on me.” Or as this passage says, “Have mercy on us”. Notice how the ten lepers prayed in Luke 17:11-19: The lepers prayed humbly; they prayed expectantly; and they were ready to obey. When we pray like the lepe…
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Matthew 9:18-26 records two healing touches. The first is Jesus touching a 12-year-old girl and raising her from the dead. The second is a woman who touches the fringe of Jesus' garment and is healed of bleeding that has plagued her for 12 years. Jesus responds by rewarding the faith of any person who comes to him. Be encouraged to come to Jesus to…
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Matthew 9 teaches us about faith, friends and Jesus. Friends with faith brought a man to Jesus for forgiveness and healing. These friends teach us that faith is not a feeling; faith is belief in action. We also learn that Jesus has the power to forgive because Jesus is God. Do you have friends who have faith? Are you finding forgiveness and healing…
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When Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law and ministered to the crowds, addressing both physical and spiritual sickness, He was fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah: "He took our illnesses and bore our diseases." These miraculous healings serve as a testament to Jesus' ability to shoulder every burden we bring to Him. Jesus can do more than symp…
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The Christmas story illustrates God’s strong love for the lowly. God chose an unknown teenage girl to give birth to the Savior of the world (Luke 1:26-38). And God chose poor shepherds to be the first to come and see the newborn king (Luke 2:8-20). Since God has chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith, we should come to God with a humble …
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Jesus says he is gentle and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29). When Jesus came to earth he came in the gentle and lowly form of a baby, born to poor parents, and placed in a lowly manger. Because Jesus came in such an approachable form, we can come to him and find rest for our souls. Christmas is the celebration of Christ coming gentle and lowly to br…
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