Jan 6, 2019
2019-01-06 Faith for A Million Problems
Series: A Festival of Faith
(2Chronicles 14:8-15)
It isn't always the BIG problem that overwhelms us and challenges our Faith in God - its the constant, nagging presence of a million little problems that do! Together, these problems add up to a problem that is beyond our natural resources and abilities - it is at these times that we need to discover Faith for A Million Problems!
Vineyard Assembly of God is a growing church - so much so that we've outgrown our current facilities. We have an architect's plan for a modest expansion, but with costs here on the island of Martha's Vineyard, the total plan is budgeted at one-million dollars. Vineyard Assembly of God is believing God for a Million-Dollar Miracle!
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- Jan 6, 20192019-01-06 Faith for A Million Problems
Jan 6, 20192019-01-06 Faith for A Million ProblemsSeries: A Festival of Faith(2Chronicles 14:8-15)It isn't always the BIG problem that overwhelms us and challenges our Faith in God - its the constant, nagging presence of a million little problems that do! Together, these problems add up to a problem that is beyond our natural resources and abilities - it is at these times that we need to discover Faith for A Million Problems!Vineyard Assembly of God is a growing church - so much so that we've outgrown our current facilities. We have an architect's plan for a modest expansion, but with costs here on the island of Martha's Vineyard, the total plan is budgeted at one-million dollars. Vineyard Assembly of God is believing God for a Million-Dollar Miracle!
- Dec 30, 20182018-12-30 How to Pray for Faith
Dec 30, 20182018-12-30 How to Pray for FaithSeries: A Festival of Faith(Luke 17:1-6)We all want to know "How To" do or obtain something. Most Christians want to know "How To" pray for faith - but it is important to realize that when the Apostles prayed and said to Jesus, "Increase our faith!" they were doing so after hearing Jesus' teaching on the high morality and heart-change he expects of all His followers. In this message, we learn what to expect and how to pray for the faith we need to live life the way Jesus expects us to.
- Dec 16, 20182018-12-16 Real Faith
Dec 16, 20182018-12-16 Real FaithSeries: A Festival of Faith(1Peter 1:3-9)Sometimes its easy to detect the counterfeit, the fake - other times, it isn't so easy to detect the difference between the Real and the Fake, the Genuine and the Counterfeit. As Christians, our faith in God is often diluted by faith in faith, faith in self, faith in other people or other things other than in Jesus Christ. This is why God uses the difficulties of our life to refine our faith in Him.
- Dec 9, 20182018-12-09 When Faith Grows Up
Dec 9, 20182018-12-09 When Faith Grows UpSeries: A Festival of Faith(Hebrews 11:24-27)We begin our life with God through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. This is our "mustard-seed" of faith that is meant to grow-up. As Moses grew in faith in God, he successfully passed through three major stages of spiritual growth - each stage leading him ever closer to God! We are called as faith-followers of Jesus to allow our faith in God to grow-up in the same way.
- Dec 2, 20182018-12-02 The Birthplace of Faith
Dec 2, 20182018-12-02 The Birthplace of FaithSeries: A Festival of Faith(Romans 10:9-17)Often, Christians are needlessly stressed by the thought that they lack the faith they need for a miracle, a healing, a breakthrough, a deliverance, etc. Since faith is not a force, but a strong persuasion about who Jesus Christ is, then every believer in Jesus Christ already has a "mustard-seed" of faith birthed in their hearts. Faith doesn't need to be obtained - faith needs to be grown!
- Nov 25, 20182018-11-25 The Answer of Faith
Nov 25, 20182018-11-25 The Answer of FaithSeries: A Festival of Faith(Hebrews 11:1)God did not leave us in ignorance about what faith is - He gave us the answer in Hebrews 11:1. Since faith is absolutely essential to living the Christian life, in this message, Pastor Matt begins this series on Faith by exploring how the Bible defines faith - not as a Force or Power to be tapped into, but as a Persuasion to be believed and lived.
Nov 11, 2018
2018-11-11 A Challenging Word About Prayer
Series: A Harvest of Prayer
(Ephesians 6:18-20)
In this passage there are a total of FOUR encouragements to prayer. THREE of them are about praying for others (intercessory prayer) instead of praying for ourselves all the time. Prayer is the greatest tool Christians have for effecting change because God involves Himself in our prayers. Through intercessory prayer, we're able to challenge and defeat the hindrances, oppositions, and weaknesses that work against the Good News of Jesus Christ.
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- Nov 11, 20182018-11-11 A Challenging Word About Prayer
Nov 11, 20182018-11-11 A Challenging Word About PrayerSeries: A Harvest of Prayer(Ephesians 6:18-20)In this passage there are a total of FOUR encouragements to prayer. THREE of them are about praying for others (intercessory prayer) instead of praying for ourselves all the time. Prayer is the greatest tool Christians have for effecting change because God involves Himself in our prayers. Through intercessory prayer, we're able to challenge and defeat the hindrances, oppositions, and weaknesses that work against the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Nov 4, 20182018-11-04 A Comforting Word About Prayer
Nov 4, 20182018-11-04 A Comforting Word About PrayerSeries: A Harvest of Prayer(Psalm 34)This Psalm celebrating God's faithfulness in answering prayer was written about a very embarrassing situation in King David's life. The good news is that God doesn't look at the glory of our performance - God looks at the sincerity of our hearts when we pray! All of us have made mistakes and poor choices that we're ashamed of - but we can't let those mistakes and poor choices negatively impact our prayer-relationship with God.
- Oct 28, 20182018-10-28 A Motivating Word About Prayer
Oct 28, 20182018-10-28 A Motivating Word About PrayerSeries: A Harvest of PrayerToo often, prayer is regarded as a "spiritual discipline" - something that "good Christians" must do. Instead, prayer shouldn't be thought of as a discipline, but as a lifeline. Our human weaknesses combined with the temptations to sin we face everyday make the practice of prayer a necessity - as Christians, we can survive without prayer, but we will never thrive without prayer.
- Oct 21, 20182018-10-21 An Encouraging Word About Prayer
Oct 21, 20182018-10-21 An Encouraging Word About PrayerSeries: A Harvest of PrayerIsaiah 65:24 "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear."Nowhere does the Bible ever tell us to "Have faith in prayer," yet, we often approach prayer with that belief in our hearts. We think that if we can learn to pray a certain way, then we'll be guaranteed the answer we want when we want it. Jesus told us to "Have faith in God." Prayer isn't about getting an answer - Prayer is about experiencing a relationship with the one true God who loves you more than you can possibly imagine!
Oct 14, 2018
2018-10-14 Graduated, But Not Educated
Series: Back to School!
The real tests come not when you're in school, but after you graduate. Nevertheless, just as there are many people who have graduated various schools but are unable to apply the lessons they learned to real life, there are many Christians who have graduated from years of Sunday School and Sermons but who are unable to live and teach the lessons they have learned from the Bible.
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- Oct 14, 20182018-10-14 Graduated, But Not Educated
Oct 14, 20182018-10-14 Graduated, But Not EducatedSeries: Back to School!The real tests come not when you're in school, but after you graduate. Nevertheless, just as there are many people who have graduated various schools but are unable to apply the lessons they learned to real life, there are many Christians who have graduated from years of Sunday School and Sermons but who are unable to live and teach the lessons they have learned from the Bible.
- Sep 23, 20182018-09-23 More Important Matters
Sep 23, 20182018-09-23 More Important MattersSeries: Back to School!In (Matthew 23:23) Jesus identifies what he calls the "More Important Matters" - Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness. In a Christianity often afflicted by cause/effect legalistic teachings Christians need to understand the necessity of living lives of Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness in order to adequately reflect Jesus.
- Sep 16, 20182018.09.16 Transformational Tithing
Sep 16, 20182018.09.16 Transformational TithingSeries: Back to School!The practice of tithing has been subjected to a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation. In this message; Pastor Matt explains what tithing is, answers the key objections to tithing, and shows that when tithing is practiced (out of love for God by faith) it is transformational to both the local church and yourself.
Sep 2, 2018
2018-09-02 Encouraging Church
The best way to encourage Christians and non-Christians to come to church is to be an Encouraging Church! Not a church that relies on platitudes, clichés, catch-phrases, and gimmicks - but a church, an assembly of people who sincerely believe and live out their faith in Jesus Christ together.
That is Christianity!
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- Sep 2, 20182018-09-02 Encouraging Church
Sep 2, 20182018-09-02 Encouraging ChurchThe best way to encourage Christians and non-Christians to come to church is to be an Encouraging Church! Not a church that relies on platitudes, clichés, catch-phrases, and gimmicks - but a church, an assembly of people who sincerely believe and live out their faith in Jesus Christ together.That is Christianity!
- Aug 26, 20182018-08-26 Decide!
Aug 26, 20182018-08-26 Decide!Whenever we Christians try to live our lives apart from Jesus (or treating Jesus as an accessory to our lives) eventually we spiritually stagnate. Instead, we need to decide to live the Jesus-Life of devotion and action to keep ourselves from stagnating spiritually.
- Aug 19, 20182018-08-19 Our Core Relationships
Aug 19, 20182018-08-19 Our Core RelationshipsA primary source of discouragement in people's lives are their "core relationships" - marriage, family, and work. This sermon looks at a controversial selection of the Bible and discovers that it really isn't controversial at all as it tells us how to approach whatever relationship we're in in a way that is personally empowering and ultimately glorifying to Jesus Christ!
- Aug 5, 20182018.08.05 Be Free & Be Filled
Aug 5, 20182018.08.05 Be Free & Be FilledOne of the heaviest discouragements Christians sometimes impose on themselves and on others is the burden of man-made rules and expectations which are used as tools for measuring a person's spiritual maturity as a Christian. This is nothing more than legalism! In this message, Pastor Matt shares God's desire for us to Be Free from legalism and Be Filled with the freedom of experiencing the presence and power of Jesus.
- Jul 22, 20182018-07-22 Resiliency and Christ-Centered Christianity
Jul 22, 20182018-07-22 Resiliency and Christ-Centered ChristianityIn practice, Christians tend to build a performance-centered, personality-centered, product-centered, or problem-centered faith rather than a faith that is completely centered on Jesus Christ. Because we're naturally not resilient when it comes to the tragedies, difficulties, and crises of life any faith that isn't centered on Jesus Christ will lead to discouragement. Only Christ-centered Christianity is resilient Christianity.
- Jul 15, 20182018-07-15 The Choices of Pain
Jul 15, 20182018-07-15 The Choices of PainAnyone who has experienced physical, psychological, and spiritual pain knows that pain can lead us into discouragement - about life, about ourselves, about people, and about God. However, the Bible teaches that through faith in Jesus Christ we have the option, the choice to not be discouraged when we experience pain in this life.
- Jun 24, 20182018-06-24 Blurry Christ – Blurry Christianity
Jun 24, 20182018-06-24 Blurry Christ – Blurry ChristianityIt is a fact that Christians can and do become discouraged about their Christianity. In this message we see how this discouragement isn't caused by God's performance but by our perception of Jesus. If we have a blurry, unclear view of who Jesus is then we will have a blurry, unclear view of what our Christianity is.
- Jun 17, 20182018-06-17 Undiscovered Possibilities
Jun 17, 20182018-06-17 Undiscovered PossibilitiesMany Christians live with chronic discouragement. Like a bad knee or a bad back, chronic discouragement hinders our ability to respond fully to Jesus Christ. When we're chronically discouraged we tend to settle for second-best. It is important to realize that overcoming chronic discouragement doesn't require more prayer - it requires a different perspective.
- Jun 10, 20182018-06-10 What I Wish I Knew
Jun 10, 20182018-06-10 What I Wish I KnewPeople are longing for Christians to give them real hope and real encouragement and not just another empty spiritual platitude or pep-talk. In this message from (Colossians 1:1-2) Pastor Matt takes a look at Who we are and What we have in Jesus Christ that Christians to offer real hope and real encouragement to everyone who needs it.
Apr 1, 2018
2018-04-01 The Empty Gifts of Jesus
Series: Lent, An Invitation to Repent
!!! RESURRECTION SUNDAY !!!
Usually, we think of emptiness as something bad - but sometimes, empty is very good! In this message, Pastor Matt shares about what Jesus left for us - an Empty Cross and an Empty Tomb - and what these Empty Gifts of Jesus mean for us today.
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- Apr 1, 20182018-04-01 The Empty Gifts of Jesus
Apr 1, 20182018-04-01 The Empty Gifts of JesusSeries: Lent, An Invitation to Repent!!! RESURRECTION SUNDAY !!!Usually, we think of emptiness as something bad - but sometimes, empty is very good! In this message, Pastor Matt shares about what Jesus left for us - an Empty Cross and an Empty Tomb - and what these Empty Gifts of Jesus mean for us today.
- Mar 25, 20182018-03-25 Warm Hands, Cold Hearts
Mar 25, 20182018-03-25 Warm Hands, Cold HeartsSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentSometimes, as Christians, our hands grow warm through the work for God that we're doing - but our hearts grow cold through a lack of love for the Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit being active in and through the work God has asked us to do.
- Mar 18, 20182018-03-18 Let the Little Children Come
Mar 18, 20182018-03-18 Let the Little Children ComeSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentWith a death-toll far higher than that of modern wars, the AIDS pandemic, drug overdoses, gun violence, and terrorism - the abortion of millions of voiceless, defenseless children is the great sin and tragedy of our society. Abortions even occur among Christians! Yet Christians need to rise above the politics to realize that every abortion also represents a woman in intense need.
- Mar 11, 20182018-03-11 A High Tolerance for Pain
Mar 11, 20182018-03-11 A High Tolerance for PainSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentA high tolerance for pain can lead you to disregard caring for sickness and injuries - thereby causing greater problems later on. Today's Christian Church (called the Body of Christ in the Bible) has a high tolerance for the pain of false-teachings, a problem and a pain that Jesus Christ himself had three specific words for.
- Mar 4, 20182018-03-04 To Break Every Chain
Mar 4, 20182018-03-04 To Break Every ChainSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentAs humans, we're capable of becoming addicted to anything. Jesus died on the cross for us so that we could be free from every chain of sin and addiction. In this message we learn about the practices that keep people, even sincere Christians, captive to addictions and how to break free through the power of Jesus Christ.
- Feb 25, 20182018-02-25 Beyond Racism
Feb 25, 20182018-02-25 Beyond RacismSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentRacism is a universal human problem that is rooted in the sin of pride, the self-flattering lie that says, "I am better than you and you are worse than me." Racism is more than a social problem, it is a heart problem that the Bible not only identifies but also has the answer for.
- Feb 18, 20182018-02-18 Preparing for the Flood
Feb 18, 20182018-02-18 Preparing for the FloodSeries: Lent, An Invitation to RepentOur society has seen an increase in violence - not only in America but also around the world. Why? The Bible makes it clear that it is our tolerance of sin in ourselves and in our society that has unleashed a flood of violence, and human government and education doesn't have the answer. The only answer is found in a changed heart through a true faith in Jesus Christ.Apologies: Due to a technical problem there is audio only for this Service & Message, there is no video.
Jan 28, 2018
2018-01-28 Ruth, From Loving to Loved
In this message about Ruth, we learn how people who can't love (because of trauma, pain, resentment, or bitterness) need love - and how people who make a choice to love those who believe themselves to be unlovely or unloveable will themselves be greatly loved.
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- Jan 28, 20182018-01-28 Ruth, From Loving to Loved
Jan 28, 20182018-01-28 Ruth, From Loving to LovedIn this message about Ruth, we learn how people who can't love (because of trauma, pain, resentment, or bitterness) need love - and how people who make a choice to love those who believe themselves to be unlovely or unloveable will themselves be greatly loved.
- Jan 21, 20182018-01-21 Boaz, From Faithful to Fruitful
Jan 21, 20182018-01-21 Boaz, From Faithful to FruitfulBoaz was an admirable man; a solid, dependable, moral, faithful follower of God. Today, we would call Boaz a model-citizen and an ideal-Christian. However, with Boaz we learn that being faithful is only half of the story - God also wants us to be fruitful.
- Jan 7, 20182018-01-07 Naomi, From Bitter to Blessed
Jan 7, 20182018-01-07 Naomi, From Bitter to BlessedNaomi was a woman embittered by a cascade of difficulties in life - the deaths of her husband and both of her sons, and a sudden drop into abject poverty. Despite her extreme bitterness against God, God in his extreme love worked in the circumstances of her life to help her move from bitter to blessed in her heart, mind, and life.
- Dec 31, 20172017-12-31 Rahab, From Ruined to Redeemed
Dec 31, 20172017-12-31 Rahab, From Ruined to RedeemedIn the family of Jesus, there was a woman named Rahab. She was a woman who (although outwardly prosperous) was inwardly ruined - yet, God didn't reject her but instead completely redeemed her! No human life is too ruined for God to love, no human heart is too damaged for God to heal.