Pleasant Hill Community Church - Podcast

Faith Under Pressure James 1:1-8

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0600

Some people claim they work better under pressure. In athletics we admire the individual who can sink a free-throw, make a putt or hit a receiver under pressure. The soldier or first responder who keeps their cool under pressure is often regarded as a hero. One commercial reminds us that “life comes at you fast.” That is so true for each of us. God knew that would be the case and so he reminded us that when we face pressured situations in our journey of faith that we need to be aware that God uses the pressure to help us to develop and grow. As you reflect on 2008 how did you do at handling the pressure? As we embark on 2009 may we learn from God’s Word and the example of others around us how to hold on to our faith under the seemingly unrelenting pressure of our life circumstances. Hint: The key will be to learn to ask God for help and believe that he will give it at the exact moment we need it most.

Remembering the Hand of God Joshua 4:4-7

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0600

We had the entire family together for some time this past week. One of the things that happens in our family when we all get together is that eventually we begin to tell stories and remember events and we laugh, and we laugh, and we laugh some more. It is good to remember. God wants us to remember. He wants us to remember the price he paid for our salvation. He wants us to remember special times and unique ways that he has worked in our lives. The value of remembering is that it helps us to keep things in perspective. It helps us to see that we are in an eternal relationship with a personal Lord and Savior who has our best interests in mind. This Sermon followed testimonies of specific ways our congregation saw God at work in their lives during the past 60 days.

Jesus the Light of the Word Guides us John 8:12

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Life is sometimes like a maze, we get surprised at every turn, and sometimes we get turned around. We can turn to friends, our own wits and other means to guide us and they may help for a while but then it seems we hit a dead end. What we need is a light, that will guide us one step at a time as we live our lives. God in his grace and wisdom has provided that light. It is Jesus Christ. Jesus said of himself, “I am the light of the world…” When we have a relationship with Jesus it does not mean all our problems disappear. What it does mean is that we have a constant traveling companion as we go through the journey of life and when we follow him, he will guide us successfully one step at a time. This Christmas as you look at the lights on the many displays let them be a reminder that Jesus the light of the world desires a personal relationship with you.

Jesus, The Light of the World dispels Fear

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Consistently in the Scriptures God says to you and me “Fear not.” As our Creator, God is fully aware that one of our most core emotions is fear. So repeatedly he speaks to our fear and reminds us of his presence, his care, his provision and his awareness of our life and circumstances. Today we will examine some fear based questions that many of us have at different times in our lives and we will discover God’s answer to our fears. Hint: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love casts out fear” 1 John 4:18 May the reality of God’s love shown at Christmas fill you and dispel any fear that you may be facing.

Jesus the Light of the World bring Hope for the Oppressed Matthew 1:18-25

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Oppression is not a word one tends to hear at Christmas time. And yet many in our world both here at home and abroad are feeling oppressed, weighed down this holiday season. Uncertain times tend to weigh us down. God is not unaware of our struggles. God chose to enter the world as a baby during a time in which his own people were under great oppression. He entered our world and understands injustice, unfairness and oppression. He however, offers us not just relief from our circumstances, but relief from sin in the core of our hearts. He gives us a hope for eternity that enables us to have strength for the journey today. That is the kind of hope that will enable us to endure the oppression of our world. When we know that God is with us, we have a unique strength to make it through today.

There is a Morning After 1 Corinthians 15

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0600

We are on the threshold of Thanksgiving Week 2008. If one focuses on the headlines and the news briefs things seem grim. But if we turn our focus to the hand of God there is so much to be thankful for. Life is more than the economy. Historically when the church has faced difficult times it has flourished. This reality is largely due to the fact that God’s people understand that no matter how bleak their circumstances may be, they serve a living, active God. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key point of our faith that reminds us that God is in control; He has a grand plan and He has the power to see to it that His plan comes flawlessly to fruition. Nothing surprises God. Nothing catches him off-guard. So no matter what your circumstances this Thanksgiving, you can praise God and thank Him for who he is in your life day by day.

What's Love Got to do with It? Everything! 1 Corinthians 13

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Love is one of those terms that is over used and yet so often misunderstood. We talk about loving things, loving teams, loving clothes and loving food. We love music and art and the theatre and movies. We love cities and cars and vacation spots. It is no wonder that the term tends to lose its impact. And yet, this term and all that it really means can and should be our key motivating factor in life. Real love is not an emotion, but a choice. It is a choice to put others ahead of myself. It is a choice to give up something for a greater good. Real love is best lived out in relationship when individually we choose to put someone else and their needs ahead of our own. Any relationship characterized by selfless love is a strong relationship. Any person characterized by selfless love is uniquely attractive. Our God who is the embodiment of selfless love is worthy of all our attention, devotion and service.

You got it; use it 1 Corinthians 12:1-27

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Want to see someone get a bit nervous? Ask them what their spiritual gift or gifts are. Some can rattle them off as if it were a pin number to their ATM. Others will sort of stammer something out and others will look at you with a blank stare. The Bible says that when we come into relationship with Jesus Christ that we are given at least one spiritual gift. But how do we discover it? It seems so mysterious. Today we want to remove some of the mystery as we learn that “being the church” means using our abilities to make the church more effective. So here is a tip for discovering your gift: Do what you have the ability and temperament to do for God and let him take care of the rest.

Have's and Have Not's 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Have you ever felt left out? Have you ever been the one who did not have? Then you know the feeling. It is an empty hollow feeling of not belonging, not measuring up, not being enough. One place where that feeling should not crop up is in the church. Unfortunately that is not always the case. Today we will see that one event in the history of Christianity and our commemoration of that event is the key to each of us re-thinking how we view others and how we treat others. The fact is that within the Body of Christ there should never be any sense of “have’s and have not’s.” We each need to do our part in accepting and treating each person as an equal as we all strive to follow Christ.

Hangin' out with real people 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0600

He was the executive director of an international mission organization. He had traveled the world. And yet on that Friday morning he was at our local park playing tennis with me and a couple of guys from our church. He was just a real person enjoying a real game. I was 16 at the time. That evening when he spoke, I listened more intently because this was not just some talking head, he was a real guy who had played tennis with me. In a sense there was a connection that had been established. I took a lesson from that event in my life. When we take the time to connect with people in areas where we find common ground we build credibility. God’s deep desire is that all should come into relationship with him through Christ. God has chosen you and me as the agents to carry out that purpose. It therefore stands to reason that you and I need to be actively living our lives in contact with those who don’t yet know Christ so we can build the credibility to share with them our story and how Jesus makes a difference. There is great value in hangin’ out with real people.

Walking the Line 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10:31

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0600

“Waking the line” speaks of balance or equilibrium, if you will. Striking a balance in life is hard. We have so many demands that tug at us that it is hard to find our equilibrium. That is not only true in our schedules, but also in our daily decisions. What are the standards by which you make decisions? What guides that process? What about those areas that are what one could label “neutral” or “gray areas?” How do we navigate them? Today we will discover that in God’s economy he desires that we learn to live a life characterized by loving others. God is all about healthy relationships. When I love someone as God has loved me, then I am willing to put my rights aside when it will be beneficial for the other person. In willingly making a sacrifice for another person, I live out my relationship with Jesus Christ in a more vibrant way. Then I will find the balance I am looking for in life.

Real Change is Possible 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:00:00 -0600

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” “A leopard can’t change its spots” Statements like the clichés above are often used to justify one’s refusal to change a habit. We can each get so comfortable in our routines and we can be blind to the fact that we may be moving in the wrong direction. We tend to fight against change. Yet the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about change. And it is not a one time change it is a life time of change. Today we will see how God through the truth of the Gospel and the ministry of the Holy Spirit brought about significant change in the lives of the people in Corinth. Their lives were totally immoral and corrupt. They lived for their own gratification. They were caught up in the idolatry of the culture. Has God changed you? Today celebrate the reality that because of the work of Jesus Christ you and I can change and be the people God wants us to be.

The Best Result: Faithfulness 1 Corinthians 4:1-7

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:39:00 -0600

Our culture wants results. We want profits to increase, teams to win, students to perform and churches to grow. We have developed means to track our results and ways to report to the rest of the world how good we are because of our results. Never forget that God’s ways are not our ways. God measures success with a completely different standard. God’s measure of success is summed up in the concept faithfulness. Faithfulness is the standard God calls each of us to meet. How appropriate as we begin our Missions Emphasis month that we are reminded today that in God’s eyes faithfulness is better than results. Many missionaries serve God in places where they may not see someone come to Christ for years. They try a variety of means and methodologies and still to no avail. The culture would call them failures, but if they are being faithfully obedient to God, then they are successful. The best result in God’s eyes is our faithfulness to his commands.

It's about the Team 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Recently I had coffee with a friend who in my opinion is the best little league baseball coach around. At the beginning of the season this man had all the team meet at his house for pizza and games and helped the boys bond as friends and teammates. During the season he always talked about the team encouraging one another. At the end of the season he gathered all the boys around and had the team tell each of their teammates what their best moment was during the season. These boys learned the value of the team. That is a lesson we need to keep in mind as we strive to be the church. It is not about any one individual effort. It is about all of our efforts, combining together to do our best for Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel. When we slip into individualism and factionalism the church suffers. Today we will discover the value of teamwork in the body of Christ.

Keeping it Simple 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0600

It is interesting how that which is simple can be so difficult for people to accept. That is so often the case with the basic message that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. For some people it is difficult to accept the free gift of salvation. “I don’t accept charity” is the age old excuse. Still others struggle with the fact that the message is so basic. They seem to want some sort of philosophical mystery to solve. But God in his wisdom has made the message and the means to personal relationship with him so simple that a child can understand and yet it is so deep that it has stumped the greatest minds. Embracing the simple message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the beginning of the greatest journey of one’s life.

You Have What it Takes 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Somewhere along the way some of us have gotten the idea that if one is to do something for God they have to be some sort of spiritual superstar. The fact is not everyone can preach, teach or sing. Not everyone is good at telling someone else how to know Christ. But we will learn today and through the next few weeks that when we learn to be the church instead of just going to church that we each have what it takes. God has given every one of us an ability of some kind that can be used to strengthen the church. Being the church is about serving and caring. Being the church is about doing your best for God. Being the church is about encouraging others to do their best for God. Being the church is a team sport in which participation is mandatory. When you and I choose to be the church, God’s message to us is that as we rely on him, we have what it takes to be successful for Him.

The Main Thing Colossians 2:13 -15

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0600

The stated purpose of the Olympic “spirit” is “friendship, solidarity and fair play. ” How many of us thought it was winning medals? The stated purposes of our major political parties’ national conventions are to adopt a platform; to promote party unity and present themselves to the public in the best possible light. How many of us thought their purpose was to nominate a presidential candidate while at the same time boring most of us to tears? In such a complicated world, isn’t it wonderful to know that God makes things so simple for us? He has consistently pointed us to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The message of the Bible is simply this: God loves you more than you can fully comprehend and he wants to enjoy relationship with you as you believe in the work of Jesus Christ. That’s the main thing.

Caring for Our Most Precious Resource

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0600

The school year has begun and that always comes with the reminder of how important children are. We must never forget that children are very important to our God. As adults we each have an obligation before God to be faithful in pointing each child to Him. While this begins at home, we will see to day that God expects all of us to be active in caring for our most precious resource and making sure that the next generations has a foundation and multiple examples of Godly living.

Can God Help Me To Not Feel So Lonely? Psalm 142

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Sometimes we wrestle with applying what we say we know. We know that God is all present and we therefore believe that He is always with us. However, sometimes it seems difficult to really believe that when we feel that no human is on our side. Loneliness is a difficult emotion to manage. Today we will see how one person dealt with the sense of being completely alone. His example should help us the next time that we feel no one really cares for our soul.

Can God Really Give me Contentment?

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0600

We live in culture of discontent. Advertisements try to stir discontent in us so that we will buy a product. As the Olympics begin we will hear of athletes who were “not content” to settle for second place but who go for the gold. In fact we will often view silver and bronze medalists as “losers.” Discontent touches every area of our lives. But God calls us to be content. The Apostle Paul talks about the secret of contentment. In our survey of this congregation there were several who expressed a deep desire for contentment. Today we will see that contentment is not to be confused with complacency. Contentment is an attitude of the heart that begins with one’s relationship with Jesus Christ. Once we learn contentment, we will understand what it means to travel this journey of life with a light load and we will discover a profound freedom.

Can God Really Give Me Peace? - Philippians 4:6-9

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0600

Pastor Joel reveals three viewpoints of peace in God's Word. May this message and the words of this poem guide you to the source and giver of Peace. "My peace I give in times of deepest grief, imparting calm and trust and My relief. My peace I give when prayer seems lost; know that my promises are ever in My Word. "My peace I give when thou art left alone -- the nightingale at last has sweetest tone. My peace I give in time of utter loss, the way of glory leads right to the cross. "My peace I give when enemies will blame. Thy fellowship is sweet through cruel shame. My peace I give in agony and sweat, for Mine own brow with Bloody drops was wet! "My peace I give when nearest friend betrays -- peace that is merged in love, and for them prays. My peace I give when there's but death for thee -- the Gateway is the Cross to get to Me!" --L.S.P.

Does God really care about my Fears? 1 Peter 5:6-11

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:00:00 -0600

In the midst of great uncertainty and national unsettlement of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt inspired America in his inaugural address of 1933 with these words, “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” Pastor Joel Sisson reminds us that our fears and anxieties are real and when they are allowed to dominate our thoughts and actions even the simple things of life become difficult. God Cares About You and Your Fears! He is asking us to release our fears and anxieties to Him so that we may advance in our Relationship with Him and advance His Kingdom here on Earth otherwise we will retreat into the depth of paralytic selfishness. To further enhance your worship, listen to or download Jeremy Camp's song "Stay". http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=86451637&id=86452239&s=143441

Does God Really Care about my Relationships? Colossians 3:18-21

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Consider the following that we know about God: He describes himself as a God of love and compassion. (Exodus 34:6-7). God is a providing and protecting God (Psalm 23). God is a forgiving God (Psalm 103). Jesus called his disciples “friends.” (John 15:14). These examples and many, many more all consist of the language of relationship. God is a relational God and so it is natural for him to express himself in relational language. God created relationships and so the fact is that even when it does not feel like it, God cares very much about your personal relationships. He’s even given you some written instructions.

Does God Really Care About Our Nation? Psalm 33

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:52:00 -0600

I Worry About God Caring... In our limited state as human beings, we sometimes project our faults toward God. Since we tend to really care about the plight of a nation or a person until they exit the news cycle, we think it must be the same for God. How can He possibly really care about every need that exists? Pastor Scott explains that God can and does care. On this Holiday weekend we will see that more than caring about nations, God cares deeply about the individuals that make up those nations. No matter what nation we are discussing.

Can God Really Love Me? 2 Samuel 9; Romans 5:6-8

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Sometimes we look at our lives, our errors, our shame or we listen to the lies that we have been told about ourselves and we doubt that God could really love us. From that point we then can drift into the error of trying to hide from God and from ourselves or we work to try and make ourselves worthy. Today we will see from a dramatic story in the Bible that God’s love for us is unconditional and based totally on his character and his grace extended to us. We bring nothing to the negotiating table and he still accepts us. We will conclude our time by remembering his grace as shown on the cross as we celebrate communion. The bottom line is, God loves you!

Can God Really Manage this World? Lessons from the story of Esther

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0600

Cancer is diagnosed. Your friend took her own life. The company is downsizing. Your basement flooded again. They said the other driver was drunk and he was the only one who survived. You read of another shooting or another abuse case, another case of political corruption, and another case of religious persecution. You care about world hunger and poverty and you sometimes wonder “Where is God?” Why doesn’t God just fix this mess? As we explore that question we will go down a path that should cause each of us to take a careful look at our own choices and our own experiences that have brought us back to the reality that in some mysterious way, God has never stopped managing this world. His ways are higher than our ways and his purposes greater than we fully understand.

Can God Guide Me (us)? Nehemiah 1-2

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0600

It seems we each want to get a clear indication from God as to what we should do or where we should go? This is not only true for us as individuals but for us as a church. Today we will explore the question of God’s guidance from the standpoint of where we are as a church. The principles of guidance we will find are applicable to a group and to individuals. Maybe the better question will be: “Am I really willing to let God guide me?”

What if Everyone Prayed?

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 11:51:00 -0600

We are created for Communion and Communication with God. Do you believe that God actually speaks today! We can believe that God not only speaks, but that He is speaking and wants to speak with you and me on a regular basis. Conversations are always two-way communication. This morning we will consider the Power of Everyone in prayer, and discover that we could affect and change the World and our Community through our prayers. Will you allow God to use you through Prayer?

What if Everyone Gave?

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:05:00 -0600

Today we will look with Pastor Joel Sisson at a moment in the history of the nation of Israel found in Exodus 35:20. Moses went to the children of Israel to ask them to give whatever they had for the building of the Tabernacle. They Gave! And They GAVE! So much so that Moses had to stop them from giving any more. Generosity is a matter of the willingness or our hearts, the openness of our hands and the expediency of our tools. Our Community needs us to care deeply, to risk greatly, and to act boldly, but the beginning point of that is to Give Generously!

What if Everyone Mattered?

Sun, 25 May 2008 12:52:00 -0600

Pastor Joel Sisson reminds us that we would like to think that it would be self evident that Everyone Does Matter, but practically speaking our default is selfish…much like Cain in Gen. 4:3 and the Older Son in Luke 15. They both neglected the fact that their brothers Mattered in this world and to the Father. God’s grace marked Cain for all the world to see that he mattered to God. The challenge to the Older Son to embrace compassion and set aside the idea that relationship with the Father is Exclusive is for all of us.