5/7/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

Questions I have About God and the Bible

Does God Exist

As we turn our focus to questions we have about God and the Bible, let’s begin at the beginning and ask the question, “Does God Exist”. How can we know God is there, we can’t see Him, feel Him or perceive Him with any of our senses? Many in the world today doubt that God cares about them at all, if He is real, because of tragedy all around the world...

4/30/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 3

1 & 2 Peter

Coming Day of the Lord

Peter finishes his letter to these churches with a promise of a coming cataclysmic return of the Lord. He describes a melting of the very elements of the earth in a fiery judgement. It is not all doom and gloom though as his primary purpose is to encourage the church to remain faithful and to wait for God to fix everything that was broken. He extols the patience of God and pleads with them to always be looking for and ready for Jesus soon return!

4/23/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

A Portrait of Apostasy

Peter addresses clearly the problem with apostasy and its hidden dangers. The 1st Century church and the apostles were especially concerned with apostasy, there was a concerted effort to identify and root out false teaching. Today, false teaching is all around us. With the increase in denominational schisms, it is becoming more difficult to root out and avoid bad teaching. This picture from Peter may help give tools to avoid these deadly teachers.

4/16/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 1

1 & 2 Peter

Resurrection Sunday’s Hope!

Almost 2,000 years ago, in a backwater hamlet in the empire of Rome, a man was arrested, illegally tried and executed. He was not the first, nor would He be the last; but He was unique. Out of the many who have been unjustly killed, He is the only one, in all of history, to be resurrected 3 days later in power and glory. Because He was resurrected, we have hope that we too may be rescued from the cruelty and pain of this life and world. We call this hope the good news, or the gospel. Jesus died for your sins and mine, paying the penalty we owed, standing as our substituted. He is Risen! Fills us with hope, have you experienced it?

4/9/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

Coming Judgment

It is hard to wait, especially when you are waiting for justice. We have all been wronged, we have seen good punished and evil allowed to flourish. It can be frustrating and feel unfair, our flesh may even desire to give up—If you can’t beat them, join them kind of attitude. Peter wanted his friends to know though that God is patient, and His patience should not be confused with apathy towards our predicament…

4/2/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

Beware of False Prophets

One of the important legacies that we can leave is that we did not fall prey to false teaching. Jesus, Paul, Peter and others warned about false teaching rising in end days; and we certainly can see a rise in many falling away from orthodox teaching. It is incumbent upon you and I to hold to biblical teaching and to insist upon following the whole counsel of God, even the parts we may not like…

3/26/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 1

1 & 2 Peter

Leaving a Godly Legacy

What will people say of us when we die? We will in fact all die, and someone will say something about us. Will it be you lived life well and reflected the glory of God? Will it be, a wasted life and reflected the worst of us? Peter as he enters his final days wants to finish the race well and leave a godly legacy…

3/19/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

2Peter 1

1 & 2 Peter

A Passionate Pursuit of Christlikeness

Peter’s 2nd letter is shorter and not as fluid as his first. It indicates a man who is about to die but still has a message for his church. He is not bitter nor regretful, but retrospective. He wants to encourage them to be found faithful and to remember that God is still in control despite outcomes that may cause doubts…

3/12/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 5

1 & 2 Peter

The Sustaining Grace of God in Suffering

As Peter wraps up this letter, the 2nd group is those called to follow the leadership of the church. Did you know God has expectations of you as a church member and it is more than simply showing up? Even when things are difficult, God expects you to act like one of His children and to be busy doing the work He has called us to do, so are you?

3/5/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 5

1 & 2 Peter

Elders and Shepherds

As Peter wraps up this letter, he addresses 2 groups, the first we will look at today is the leadership of the churches. When facing difficulties and trials, God has not left us to figure life out on our own. He has given us leaders who stand as guides and encouragers until He Himself steps in to lead.

2/26/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 4

1 & 2 Peter

Stay True

Peter summarizes and reviews what he wants the church to remember about suffering and trials. Peter of course is a seasoned veteran when it comes to suffering. He also can speak to those who may be wavering on the verge of straying from what is true. He has experienced both ends of the spectrum and comes out as an advocate for staying true. We too are in a place of needing to decide, who will we follow and stay true to…

2/19/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 4

1 & 2 Peter

Serving as Christ did

Peter did not just focus on persecution, he also challenged the church to serve one another. Jesus of course is the ultimate example of what we are to be, after all Christian means to be Like Christ. It is expected of us to pray for, love and serve one another; especially as we all face troubles from without. We are to be each other’s advocate and not adversary…

2/12/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 4

1 & 2 Peter

Choosing Christ

The basis of the troubles and persecution these churches are facing is now address by Peter. As most minorities across the spectrum of history have found; being different is an excuse to berate and belittle until conformity with the majority is attained. They were suffering troubles because they lived with eternity in mind and not the pleasures of sin for a season. Today’s church seems to want to surrender to what is PC or easy, all we are doing is swapping eternity out for what is temporary…

2/5/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 3

1 & 2 Peter

The Provisions of Christ in Our Sufferings

The substitutionary death of Jesus serves as a reminder that God can use tragedy to effect His purposes. What often looks like defeat, God can turn into fulfillment of His plans. Peter uses the trials of Jesus to remind his audience that what seems to them like unfair trials is part of God’s purposeful plan for them…

1/29/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 3

1 & 2 Peter

The Blessing of Suffering Persecution

Peter’s emphasis upon submitting to government, work, home and each other is because we live in a world that is opposed to those who would be followers of Jesus. We are called to make a positive impact, but the truth is that impact will not always be appreciated nor understood. Troubles will come because of our obedience to Christ. It may be organized and sanctioned from above or it may be a friend who doesn’t like our new positions, but troubles will come…

1/22/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 3

1 & 2 Peter

Submission To One Another

If it was not already hard to submit to government authority, work and in the home; now we are expected to generally submit to everyone! The spirit of submission is hard in the best of times, but the expectation to submit when you are facing persecution from every side is hard to imagine. The expectation is put out there though, will we live in a spirit of submission to each other?

1/15/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 3

1 & 2 Peter

Submission and the Home

Submission and the home are touchy subjects and have been abused for the last 100 years and more. Husbands who don’t love their wives properly but want them to obey unquestionably; wives who don’t want to submit to anyone but themselves; all wonder why the state of marriage is in ruins today. The truth is that sin has corrupted every unit of civilization from large (government) through smaller units (work) to the basest and perhaps most important—the family…

1/8/2017

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

Submission and the Workplace

The house rules continue the expectation for believers to submit, this time in the work arena. Submission is an opportunity to make an impact in our world. We chose not to submit, mostly because of pride, arrogance and a haughty spirit. We don’t want anyone to be our boss, we don’t like to do more than we are asked and we would prefer that someone else do it. The subject of work and submission impacts all of us…

12/18/2016

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

Submission to Governing Authorities

Peter includes a section in this little book that are the “house rules” that he expects a believer to live by. These “house rules” lists have been used by the Greeks since Aristotle and are helpful to apply theological truths in a practical way. Broken into everyday relationships—government, work, marriage and friends—they are meant to help us answer the question: I am saved, so what now?

12/11/2016

Pastor Phil Perry

1Peter 2

1 & 2 Peter

Reflecting the Glory of God

 We are called to be more than simply “saved”. He wants more than converts, He wants people who will show His glory and majesty to a world that has sold itself for a cheap imitation. When the world looks at you, what does it see? Does it see a changed life or a hypocrite? It is not to late to change first impressions…