Church of the Nazarene

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Oct 03 2023

10/01/23- Harrisonburg campus: Building Blocks Part 1: Prayer – Pastor Olivia Michael

https://www.cotnaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/231001H.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 31:01 | Recorded on October 3, 2023

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Building Blocks

Prayer

Today we begin a new teaching series called “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is a series focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. And it’s not intended just for new believers in our midst, but as an important refresher for even those of you who are veterans of the faith.

Our series begins focusing on prayer- our communication with the Lord.

Prayer is the fundamental and anchoring unit of our relationship with God. It defines and strengthens that relationship.

Prayer is foundational.

Matthew 6:5-13

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

1. The Fatherhood of God

2. The worship of God

3. The coming of the Kingdom of God

4. The will of God

5. Provision for His people

6. Victory over sin and the evil one

7. The “Our”

Mark 14:32-42

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

1. How are your praying?

2. Is your prayer time focused on you?

3. Have you done the work that prayer requires?

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

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Oct 03 2023

10/01/23- East Rock campus: Building Blocks Part 1: Prayer – Pastor Jared Link

https://www.cotnaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/231001ER.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 40:39 | Recorded on October 3, 2023

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn


Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Building Blocks

Prayer

Today we begin a new teaching series called “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is a series focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. And it’s not intended just for new believers in our midst, but as an important refresher for even those of you who are veterans of the faith.

Our series begins focusing on prayer- our communication with the Lord.

Prayer is the fundamental and anchoring unit of our relationship with God. It defines and strengthens that relationship.

As often as prayer is mentioned in the Bible (in the KJV its 547 mentions), you don’t have to study Genesis to Revelation to develop a correct and impactful theology of prayer.

You can simply watch and listen to Jesus in the pages of the gospels- he left us lots of examples. If your thinking about prayer matches his, you got it.

Matthew 6:5-8

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

It could be easy to imagine that anything goes in prayer, just so long as you’re doing it, right? But Jesus begins his teaching on prayer with a warning against bad motives in prayer- there is a wrong way to pray.

Jesus first warns about praying in such a way as to gain the attention of others

Jesus also warns against “babbling like pagans” in your prayers- you could transliterate that as “do not get into a bunch of blah blah blah”

Matthew 6:9-10

“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

We are halfway through the prayer that Jesus taught us- and so far, it’s all about him.

An honest question for you and me today: Do we give half of our prayer time to focusing on the Lord. To worship, adoring, and praising him?

Matthew 6:11-13

Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’

In this very short yet profound prayer- we see what mattered most to Jesus in prayer:

i.The fatherhood of God

ii.The worship of God

iii.The coming of His Kingdom

iv.The desire or will of God

v.The protection of his people.

vi.The eradication of sin

vii.And victory over Satan.

We have called this series “building blocks” because it doesn’t matter if you are new to the faith, or have been following Christ for 60 years, the importance of these foundational practices never fades.

There is never a point in any relationship when you can just give up- when you can stop communicating, when you can stop trying, when you can stop giving 100%. The same is true in our relationship with the Lord.

To be clear, building blocks is not about EARNING our salvation, it’s about learning to live it out. The goal of this series is not to make you feel bad about your walk with the Lord, it’s not to shame you into action.

This series is an invitation to experience the Lord in a powerful way. To know him intimately, to be transformed by his presence, to experience the journey of relationship. And friends, that journey begins in prayer.

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

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Oct 01 2023

10/01/23- WBTX Program – New Creation with Mandy Lawson

https://www.cotnaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/231001-October-1-2023WBTXPodcast.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 30:17 | Recorded on October 1, 2023

We are joined on today’s broadcast of HOPE Talks by Mandy Lawson. Mandy currently serves as the communications and development coordinator at New Creation. Mandy joins us today to share about the ministry and work that New Creation does locally and a broad to help raise awareness and counteract human trafficking. For more information about new creation visit their website https://newcreationva.org

We would also like to invite you to take an anonymous 8 question survey to help give us some feedback on the podcast. You can take the survey by clicking the link below https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HopeTalks

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Sep 25 2023

09/24/23- Harrisonburg campus: Family Values Part 4 – Pastor Adrian Mills

https://www.cotnaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/230924H.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 32:54 | Recorded on September 25, 2023

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn

https://www.bible.com/events/49142092

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Family Values Part 4

In our families, let’s lead with grace. Let’s give grace the first word.

Today we continue our teaching series called “Family Values” where we are taking a deep dive into strengthening our family relationships.

Family is so important. Though often challenging, family can be some of our deepest and closest relationships- and those matter!

We believe your family matters, and perhaps most importantly, your family matters to God.

Family Values is about walking out faithfulness to God within our families. Over the next few weeks we will consider what it takes to build strong family relationships.

Whether you are a son or daughter, husband or wife, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, your family relationships matter to God.

Throughout this series, we are clinging to two truths that we believe can change everything for our family relationships.

There is hope and there is help.

Today as we conclude our series, we are looking at the importance of extending grace within our families.

Hebrews 12:14-15

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

The New Living translation says it this way: “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. “

This idea of grace is so important that we are to look after one another to ensure that everyone gets to receive this gift. Everyone is included, and no one has to miss out.

Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

So how does the grace of God impact how we live in relationship with one another?

How does this gift of grace show up in our families?

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

-That word ‘bear’ is so important (verse 13). Extending patience is a good way to define it, but even more this word implies “suffering”.

-You are to extend patience to the point of suffering. That is grace!

God’s Word isn’t arguing that extending grace to one another is easy or simple.

-Just as providing grace took sacrifice on the part of our Lord, extending grace in our families is a sacrificial act for the good of the other person and for the good of the family.

Because families are full of flawed people, the extension of grace is a mandatory family value.

-You can’t talk about healthy, God-honoring families with talking about grace

-Not only are your family members flawed, but they are different from you – with different personal styles and perspectives.

-If you expect everyone in your family to think and act like you do, both of you will be frustrated. Grace is the antidote.

Verses for further study/reflection:

Ephesians 4:29

Colossians 4:6

1 Peter 4:10

James 2:13

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

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Sep 25 2023

09/24/23- East Rock campus: Family Values Part 4 – Pastor Jared Link

https://www.cotnaz.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/230924ER.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 29:05 | Recorded on September 25, 2023

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | TuneIn

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Family Values Part 4

Grace

Today we conclude our teaching series “Family Values” where we are taking a deep dive into strengthening our family relationships.

Family is so important. Though often challenging, family can be some of our deepest and closest relationships- and those matter!

We believe your family matters, and perhaps most importantly, your family matters to God.

Family Values is about walking out faithfulness to God within our families. Over the next few weeks we will consider what it takes to build strong family relationships.

Throughout this series, we are clinging to two truths that we believe can change everything for our family relationships.

There is hope and there is help.

Today as we conclude with Part 4 of our teaching series Family Values, we are looking at the value of grace in our family relationships

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

No one is proposing that extending grace to one another is easy or simple and that’s not what this passage says either.

Grace means that we are to bear with one other – extending patience, withholding anger, not insisting on our own way. Extending grace requires something of us and sometimes, it requires A LOT of us.

When a family holds grace as a family value, words that might describe that family could be: peaceful, loving, patient, understanding, growing, nurturing, authentic, safe

But a family that withholds grace from each other, you might describe as: Tense, anxious, fearful, hesitant, bitter, and certainly un-healthy

How will you define your family?

By peace, understanding, and compassion

Or by bitterness and tension?

Will you be one that holds grace as a value in your family?

Colossians 3:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Paul is reminding his readers that we have a new life to live in Christ. We have new values and a new focus. These values apply to our lives, our friendships and certainly our families.

Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

It’s interesting, all these terms are relational in nature, meaning that our faith and trust in Christ as our savior, must show up in how we relate to one another.

To bear with each other is to make allowance for imperfections in others. In other words, you could say “Put up with each other”

To bear with is to withhold retaliation. To endure patiently with anther.

I think we would say- be gracious to one another.

Paul separates this act of being gracious and forgiveness

Forgiveness is largely reactive. It’s a response to an offense, intentional or not.

Grace is proactive- it’s an ongoing forbearance or allowance of daily human shortcomings.

Grace is relational flexibility that is required of us daily in family.

Grace is the proactive choice to love our family despite their flaws, just like we have been loved by our heavenly father.

G- God’s gift to you

R- Resist emotional responses

A- Adjust your thinking

C- Communicate with kindness

E- Express gratitude

If you have been a part of family for more than a minute, you can guess, this won’t always be easy.

Family is messy, but it’s worth it.

Will you be the one to lead the change with grace?

Will you proactively love others as you have been loved?

That’s grace. That’s family values. And you can be the one to bring it to your family.

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

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