Grace Chapel Church Podcast | Franklin, TN

In Part 12, Pastor Steve speaks on three ingredients that may challenge our natural sensibilities, yet must be practiced if we are going to live a thriving, powerful, Christian life: rejoicing always + praying without ceasing + giving thanks in everything. Pastor Steve also dissects a prayer from Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles where we see 5 powerful keys to prayer – possession, power, promise, problem, and pursuit – that produce a new promise, a new worship experience, and a miraculous victory.

How many of you would rather be known for how you live than what you think? How many of you would rather be known for your deeds than your words? In Part 11 of Taking New Territory in Troubling Times, Pastor Rob speaks on the leaders above us, the struggling among us, and the enemies against us. The entirety of 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15 is a reminder that our responsibility as followers of Christ toward those within and outside the Church is to love.

In Part 10, Pastor Steve is in chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians and speaks on the importance of faith, love, and hope in our lives! Faith, love, and hope are spiritual weapons available for the spiritual battle Believers find themselves in and can be used both offensively and defensively. For many during this difficult time, these things have decreased. It's time to put on our breastplate of faith and love, and our helmet of hope in God’s salvation, and comfort and edify one another with these truths!

In Part 9, Pastor Steve returns to the pulpit to speak on the "times and seasons" in which we live, the reaction from unbelievers about believers watching for the end times, and the response from the Church. Our watching and understanding need to be deeper than an occasional headline and beyond our bubble; it needs to be community-wide, state-wide, national, and global. We need to pay attention to what’s going on and see it in the scriptures!

In Part 8, Pastor Rob brings some good news out of 1 Thessalonians 4 – The Christian's Hope in Eternity. He talks about the rage against death, the hope for Life, and being "people of the day." We're called to be good news people in a bad news world. Christians ought to be people who are not overcome by evil but overwhelmed with Joy – people who keep our eyes on what awaits us.

In Part 7, Pastor Rob deals with the issue of idleness, something all of us have experienced in the last 3 months while in quarantine. Paul addressed this very issue in the 1st century and the Holy Spirit gives the antidote in 1 Thessalonians 4 – live quietly, mind your business, and get to work (positive effort put toward the common good of the community). What powerful concepts to put into practice as we navigate the difficult, constant-news-cycle days in which we live.

In light of all the turmoil happening in the United States, particularly with regards to George Floyd's murder and resulting protests and riots, Pastor Steve brings a message with Biblical solutions that can save us. He first identifies six sins that are killing us: ignorance, unrighteous anger, exaggeration, lies, extremism, and violence. The solutions are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God and others. Regardless of side, we need to commit to Righteousness over Race, Truth over Tribes, and Piety over Party.

In Part 5, Pastor Steve returns to the pulpit to talk about Satan’s work to disrupt and divide relationships in the body of Christ. He knows a house divided will not stand, so He tries to disrupt and divide us, knowing we’ll be unable to stand in the fullness of God’s will for the church. Relational problems in the family will prevent us from taking new territory in troubling times! Let’s not forfeit the power, favor, testimony, blessing, and glory by falling prey to Satan’s hindering, tempting schemes.

In Part 4, Pastor Rob talks about receiving the Word, believing the Word, and obeying the Word – three profound truths out of the 2nd chapter of 1 Thessalonians that are all necessary for us to mature in our walk. We must be a people who read the Word regularly, relationally, and expectantly, believing that God will meet us right at that place. It is not enough to just read and believe the Word, we must be a people who are "doers" of the Word.

In Part 3, Pastor Rob dives into chapter two of 1 Thessalonians and speaks on Paul's message, Paul's motive, and Paul's method. Paul's message was built on helping people follow Christ, not himself. May we walk worthy of God who calls us into His own Kingdom and glory.

Covering the first 10 verses of 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Steve breaks down and explains each verse. Three principles are bookends for this chapter: we start by turning to God from idols, we continue through life by serving the true and living God with a labor of love, and we patiently wait, with a hopeful expectation, of the glorious return of Jesus who delivers us from wrath and gives us Heaven's glory!

In Part 1, Pastor Steve lays a foundation for our new study and provides some key historical information regarding the Church during the time of Paul's writing of 1 Thessalonians. Paul realized that you can't take new territory in troubling times if you are satisfied with how far you have come, what you have accomplished, or where you're currently at (no matter how impressive it might be or sound). It is time to take new territory!

In 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter writes that we should not be surprised when fiery trials come upon us as though something strange is happening to us. In his message, This Means War, Pastor Rob says that if you are battling, it is evidence that you are growing. How do we combat the very real spiritual war we're in? We put on the full armor of God. Let's not waste the weapons He's given us.

On Resurrection Sunday, with the backdrop of everything that has been going on in the world, Pastor Steve takes us through the scriptures where Jesus warns us beforehand that these types of things would happen. While all else is shaking, and on the verge of being totally removed, there is unshakeable hope to be found in God’s unshakeable Kingdom. This hope is available to you today! If you received Jesus today, we want to celebrate with you! Email us at hello@gracechapel.net and we'd love to send you a free gift and congratulate you!

On this Palm Sunday, Pastor Rob brings a timely word to us that while we may not understand exactly what God is doing, or why God is doing it, we have an incredible assurance that whatever God is up to is leading to something far bigger and far greater than we can fathom. During this difficult global pandemic, we pray that you know Jesus is our concrete, confident assurance, that He’ll never forsake us, and that even in the silence He working all things together for our good.