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Pastor Dan Wolf frequently says if it's in scripture, he'll preach it, and backs that up with a message from The Song of Solomon. Grab your spouse and settle in for a little sanctified spice from God's plan for couples.

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Dan Wolf recently visited Tristate Community Church and delivered a sermon on Apologetics - a logical defense of Christianity. The church there was kind enough to record the sermon and share it with us to share with you.

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Pastor Dan Wolf continues his series from The Story with Chapter 7 about Joshua and the children of Israel as they finally enter God's Promised Land.

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Pastor Dan Wolf continues with Chapter 2 from his series, The Story. We have a yearning for a place of complete justice, for a place where things fit together and make sense. That doesn't describe our current reality. We feel we have lost paradise. We have the feeling something is not right with our world, something is not right with me. We all want paradise. But our fellowship with God has been derailed by Satan and our own disobedience. What is God's plan for us in this current state of division?

Sin is a problem. Sin is a nasty, vile thing. Sin destroys relationships. Sin ruins our oneness with God.

But God doesn't give up... If God doesn't write people off, neither should we.

Why did God choose Abraham? The Promised Land is the center of three continents. It also has had a central role throughout history.

Abraham and his family were not the obvious first choice to be used by God for His purpose. But God delights in using weak things to accomplish His purpose.

If God can use Abraham, God can use you and me. God graciously accepts the faith of imperfect people. This is very good news for everyone.

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Pastor Dan Wolf starts a 31 week series entitled The Story, which presents scripture in a new way, in sequential order.

Controversy: We begin with Genesis. In the beginning, God created.... This is the foundation of the entire story. But some Christians use the first two chapters of Genesis as a test; did Adam walk with the dinosaurs, how old is the Earth on the basis of Genesis. Genesis doesn't have to be stumbling. Our stumbling block is Jesus Christ, before whom we must each kneel before we may be saved. We should approach the beginning of the story as we approach the rest, in context. Jesus Christ died to bring unity to the church. Division is against the will of God.

We should ask God, 'What do you use to see from Genesis?' The word of God is a religion, the word of God is counter-intuitive, 'love your enemies.' It is filled with amazing prophecy, it is from stem to stern the story of Jesus, a love letter from God to us. It is musical. It is creative. It is authoritative.

God made everything in an ordered, purposeful manner. On days 1, 3, and 5, God created places - on days 2, 4, and 6, He filled those places.

What are the appropriate questions to ask of Genesis? * Who is God? * Who are we? Genesis introduces us to God's vision for us, to the devil's vision for us. God wants relationship, oneness, goodness. The devil wants us to think we are just animals, to forget the reign of God. All sin makes us more bestial, less divine, more like the animals. God has a bigger, better story set aside for each of us.

Genesis introduces us to the main characters of the story: * The lover * The adversary * The wicked children

We were made for paradise. We were made for a better place. We have a God who really cares for us. God's ways are better than our ways. The biggest story ever is a love story between you and I. We become part of the story by opening our hearts to God.

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Pastor Dan Wolf preaches an introduction to a 31 week series based on The Story, the entire Bible presented in sequential order.

In Matthew 7, Jesus related the story about building one's house on the rock versus the sand, having a firm foundation for one's life. Life is hard and we all face its storms. Everyone who hears the Good News but doesn't put faith in God into practice will be like the house built on sand, swept away by the flood of calamity bigger than any of us can imagine. The good news is it still isn't too late to accept God's free gift of salvation. Repent and confess your sin. Accept Jesus' death on the cross for those sins. Ask Him into your heart, and then tell somebody about your decision.

Jesus changes people from the inside out. The Bible gives us hope and purpose, and God gives us peace and joy. The world cannot offer you any of these things. The Bible is a love letter to us from God.

Why are we sharing The Story? Here's a partial list: * Biblical literacy is important * We receive blessing for studying the Word of God * Outreach - we want to help other people to know Jesus * To understand our world better * To make your own life better * Because God wants us to know Him better

God is not a loner. He /wants/ communion, oneness, with each of us. He is a friend of sinners. He came and died for the sick, not the well. (And we are all sick before we know Jesus.)

The Bible explains us to ourselves like no other. Our hearts are deceitful. This book tells us the truth about ourselves. God's heart is true.

Hebrews 4:12 - The word of God is living and active like a two-edged sword...

Faith: Believe what God says about you, about what He says about Himself. I know I need a savior and that He will save me.

Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

2 Tim. 2:17 Be a good workman. 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17 All scripture is inspired by God Psalms 110:11 I treasure your word up in my heart so I won't sin against you.

Join us next week as we kick off The Story at Foundation Bible Church!

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Pastor Dan Wolf finishes a long series on the Old Testament with a look at the pivotal book of Malachi, the last thing God told his people for the 400 year span until John The Baptist proclaimed the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, Jesus the son of God.

It's worth noting value of the Old Testament. In his ministry, had no New Testament to quote, He quoted the Old Testament. And the idea that a different God exists between the Old and New Testaments is misguided and God addresses that in Malachi 3:1 when He says, "I the LORD do not change."

The Savior was always intended to come twice, once meek as a child, and again in power and triumph as a conquering king. Ours is an apocalyptic faith - we believe Jesus will return at the end of this age. God's fatherhood is good - God sees, and God cares for you.

Let your love startle people. Joy is a command in scripture. God wants us to be joy-filled.

The book of Malachi was God's last message before the 400 year gap between the Old and New Testament periods. This book explains God's will for us.

Malachi 1: 6 - 14 Give to God from your firstfruits and He will bless you. Giving is only obligation if you don't already know how to love. You don't /have/ to spend time with your beloved, you /get/ to. It is the same mindset here.

Malachi 2:10 - 17 God hates divorce. We don't want to weary God with our words, with our insincerity and disobedience.

Malachi 3:1 Malachi predicts both John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ in the same verse.

Malachi 4 Ours is a God of action. Luke 1:11 - John the Baptist is a type of Elijah. God's will is that everyone share in the celebration!

A warning at the end - if families don't come together as God requires, the land will be judged and cursed. The good news is we can repent and God has promised to forgive and welcome us back to Him.

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Pastor Dan Wolf continues his series from the book of Zechariah. He pulled some Apologetics discussion from chapter four, including the questions of the existence of God and the meaning of life.

If there is no God, there is no meaning to life. (Existential vs. Tactile discussion.) If there was no God, the human race would go extinct. Scientists tell us that in a few billion years, all will become energy-less and dead (if there is no God). If there is no God, nothing matters or has meaning. Nobody would be there to care about what you have done with your life. Everything is meaningless if there is no God.

God says "I see your suffering. Your suffering counts. It matters to me."

Christmas means 'God cares.' "I came, and I I am doing something about life and what comes after life." Emmanuel means "God with us!" The purpose of Jesus' existence here was to live a perfect life and to give us a perfect life in Him. The cross is the real Christmas tree. You have significance and your life matters. We were made to love God and to be loved by God.

What we celebrate at Christmas, the birth of Jesus, the son of God, is one of the few seminal moments in world history.

Is Jesus your king? Is He your Lord? Life is a series of choices. Christmas is a time for beginnings, a chance to break out of our destructive routines and start fresh and right.

Zechariah 4:6 Religion need not be sedate. The people shouted, "God bless it!" Who dares despise the days of small beginnings? Don't despair and fear a new start.

Take that first step! Start something new and good and right! Even the smallest start can change a habit, a life, a world.God rejoices in small beginnings.

When He begins a new work, God will never give up - He has promised to complete what He starts! We will have the rightousness of God forever and ever. (And the party in heaven will not be boring nor sedate. It is worth looking forward to.)

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Pastor Dan Wolf starts a short series on the book of Zechariah, another of the minor prophets.

Zechariah was both a priest /and/ a prophet about 500 BC, a contemporary of Haggai. He followed Ezekiel and Daniel. In his writing, he is like a mini Isaiah, and writes a lot about a pre-incarnate Christ. Like Haggai, he strove to try to help encourage the people to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. His writings also dealt with prophecy and the end times.

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Pastor Dan Wolf continues with the Minor Prophets with a study in the book of Haggai. He discovers a fascinating principle about the mysterious correlation giving and joy.

The book is very short and takes place during the reign of King Darius, the Babylonian. God has a serious message for His people, and He repeats Himself: "Give careful thought to your ways." God takes pleasure in the building of His house. Out of His grace, He sees our service to Him.

Here's a thought - you may live in the bottom 99% of the US right now, but you still live in the top 1% of people all-time.

Our life is a performance for an audience of one, the living God. When God stirs a heart, good things happen.

Matthew 10:39 Whoever loses his life for God's sake will find it.

Acts 20:35 There is more happiness in giving than in receiving. Don't be a happiness thief. Give.

1 Peter 4:10-11 Be a good steward so that in all things God may be glorified in Christ Jesus.

Deuteronomy 16:10 - 17 Give and you will rejoice.

The keys to joy and giving: * Faith - you must trust that God's word means what it says. If you don't trust God, you won't give liberally, joyfully. * Love - if we don't love God, won't give in great measure. You must love God to give to God. * Purpose - what makes you leap out of bed in the morning? Make me a blessing today.

2 Corinthians 9: 6 - 8 If you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully. Give our life away, you receive blessing.

Here's a paradox: you can't have joy without a giving heart, and you can't give properly without giving joyfully. (It doesn't make sense in our thinking, but makes perfect sense in God's economy.)

There is a further epiphany in the message that I won't share here. It has to do with God blessing us even if we continue to give to a corrupt organization. (This is an amazing insight.)

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