Rev. Paul J. Miller

We spend time. We try to save both time and money. Some say that time is money. The tie-ins and crossovers between these two most valuable of all commodities are endless. In the end of James chapter 4 into the first part of chapter 5, we are given advice, cautions, and warnings about how best to manage time and money. We can't stop time, and if we don't don't control money it can take over our heart.

Rev. Paul J. Miller- Sermon Outline – November 10, 2024 “Building Unity with Wisdom and Humility” James 3:13-18 & 4:1-12 ____________________________________________________________________ HOW CAN “I” HELP THE CHURCH HEAL FROM DIVISION? SEE THE DANGERS OF SELFISH AMBITION – 3:13-16 LOVE PEACE – 3:17-18 DEAL WITH YOUR INNER BATTLES – 4:1-3 DON’T USE THE WORLD’S TOOLS FOR GOD’S WORK – 4:4-5 FOLLOW GRACE TOWARD HUMILITY – 4:6 UNDERSTAND THAT GETTING CLOSE TO GOD INVOLVES PAIN - 4:7-10 STOP JUDGING – 4:11-12

Words Burn - James 3:1-12

Faith is more than an intellectual position or a heart-felt emotion. In James 2:20-24, Abraham is identified as a person of active faith. Look with me at the highs and lows of Abraham's life. He faced numerous challenges, but his faith was a constant. It produced what God promised: a blessing that still lingers today in Christ.

In your relationships with your neighbor, do you extend mercy or cast judgment?

Listening to "the word" (James 1:22) is more than a matter of reading the scriptures. It's about who we listen to; that is, Jesus the Christ. In other words, the writings in the Bible reveal the Word of God, who is Jesus, the Son of God. (John 1:1) When we learn from Him we need then to act upon what we have learned.

Trusting God is a learned behavior. The teacher is faith in Christ and the text book is the trials of life. What has your pain taught you? (James 1:12-18)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – 9/22/24 “Consider How to Face Trials” – James 1:1-11 “consider” “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,…” – James 1:2 CONSIDER YOUR FAITH – James 1:3 CONSIDER HOW MUCH HANGING-IN-THERE CAN HELP YOU – James 1:4 Hebrews 12:1-3 CONSIDER THAT THE PATH TO WISDOM IS ONLY A PRAYER AWAY – James 1:5 Matthew 7:7-8 CONSIDER WHERE DOUBT WILL TAKE YOU - James 1:6-8 Luke 24:36-38 CONSIDER THE SUPERIORITY OF HUMILITY-James 1:9-10 1 Peter 5:6-7 CONSIDER HOW SHORT & FRAGILE LIFE IS - James 1:11 Isaiah 40:8 Consider – Matthew 6:26-27

Though James, the "Lord's brother", is never mentioned as following Jesus before the crucifixion, he became a very important leader of the early church and wrote the epistle that bore his name. What changed after the resurrection?

Running away from God was not Jonah's biggest problem. Even after surviving the belly of the beast and a very long journey, God still had to work on his heart. If we know that God is loving, merciful, and forgiving, why should we be surprised (let alone angry) when He extends it to people?

When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, Peter spoke up to the crowd to explain what was happening. He quoted the prophet Joel's words that the Spirit of God was now poured out upon ALL people. That game changing moment is still in play to this day. We don't need to go to a temple, or go through a priest, or obey a list of rules to know God. In Christ, He is with us, for us, and in us right now! Just believe it!

"What does God require of us?" How we respond to this question is most important during difficult days. The prophet Micah lived during very troubling times for Judah and Israel. What did God reveal to him that drove him to ask this question? It's easy to be attracted to the words of Micah 6:8 and frame it on poster. But if acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly does not result in actions it's just empty words.

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – 8/4/24 “Habakkuk: Complaints & Compliance” Habakkuk 1:12-2:1 Habakkuk’s COMPLAINT (1:2) God’s Answer: BABYLON? (1:6) Habakkuk’s CONFUSION (1:13) God’s Reminder: FAITHFULNESS (2:4) The Gospel is Accessed by FAITH Romans 1:17 God’s Presence: KNOW His GLORY (2:14) Isaiah 11:9 Romans 1:20 Colossians 1:23 Habakkuk REMEMBERS (3:2) Habakkuk REJOICES (3:18) Habakkuk is STRENGTHENED by JOY (3:18) Nehemiah 8:10 Philippians 4:4

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – July 28, 2024 “Elijah: Getting Quiet So You Can Hear God” – 1 Kings 19:1-9 Elijah’s Story – 1 Kings 16:29-18:40 Elijah’s Gets Blindsided – 1 Kings 19:1-2 Elijah’s Reaction – 1 Kings 19:3-5 RUN! (v3) ISOLATE (v3) COMPLAIN (v4) SELF-PITY (v4) SLEEP (v5) God’s Response to Elijah’s Trauma – 1 Kings 19:5-18 HE DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING (not at first) HE SENDS A HELPER (v5) HE PROVIDES FOOD & REST (v6-8) HE LETS ELIJAH WANDER WHERE HIS “ANCESTORS” WANDERED (v4 & v8) HE MEETS ELIJAH WHERE HE MET MOSES (v8) HE FINALLY SPEAKS TO ELIJAH (v9) HE PROMPTS ELIJAH TO PUT WORDS TO HIS PAIN (v10) HE REVEALS HIMSELF AS TRINITY? (v11) HE SHOWS ELIJAH HIS TRUE NATURE (v11-13) AGAIN, HE PROMPTS ELIJAH TO VOICE HIS PAIN (v13-14) HE HEARS ELIJAH AND RESPONDS (v15-18) GO BACK & GET TO WORK AHAB’S DAYS AND YOUR DAYS ENDING YOU ARE NOT ALONE GETTING QUIET SO YOU CAN HEAR GOD BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR PAIN LET AN “ANGEL” HELP YOU WANDER WITH A PURPOSE TAKE THE TIME YOU NEED LOOK GOD IN THE DRAMATIC (hint: you won’t find Him there) LISTEN FOR GOD IN THE QUIET

Our connection with the Creator has to be more than just head knowledge. It begins with the cross of Christ, a starting point that is neither wise nor intelligent according to human reasoning.

Many people have difficulty understanding why Jesus has to die such a brutal death. Humanity gave Christ the worst of ourselves and not even that could stop His love. He became one of us in life so that He could set us free in death.

The Word of Truth is Christ. He has enabled us to overcome evil where it matters most, within. There's only so much we can do to effect the overwhelming presence of evil on the global scale. But if we look within first, we can listen for the voice of truth to direct us toward a better path, one person at a time.

Psalm 77 is an honest and powerful expression of the pain of suffering in the form of a prayer. Every human being knows what it is to suffer. How do we approach God when nothing makes sense and there seems to be no hope in sight? Asaph felt that too. The prayer he wrote gives us permission to speak directly to God what we are really feeling deep within.

Doubt works against faith, but questions can deepen it. There's infinitely more that we don't know about God than what we do. It's a quest that every human being needs embark on. Questions will keep you on that quest!

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 19, 2024 Trinity & Relationality The impossible “ity’s” Nativity Deity Eternity Trinity Who is God and what is Trinity? “Relationality”? Trinity in the Scriptures Genesis 1:1-3 & 26a John 1:1-5 1 John 1:1-4 & 5-7 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 & 13:14 Relationality & The Impossible “ity’s” Nativity – Mother & Child Deity – Father & Son Eternity – The desire to see loved ones Trinity – The eternal dance with Father, Son, & Spirit 1 John 4:7 Resources about the Trinity: “The Divine Dance” – by Richard Rohr “The Shack” – by William Paul Young (also a motion picture) https://perichoresis.org/

The Holy Spirit is not that mysterious or complicated. The goal of the Spirit is for our lives to produce what is joyful, peaceful, patient, and kind. If God is love, then so is the Spirit...

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 5, 2024 Found in the Bible…(well, sort of…) Isaiah 40:31-41 “God said it, I believe it, that settles it” It’s just not that simple…. Mark 9:40 & Matthew 12:30 John 1:12-13 & 1 John 4:7 “The Lord works in mysterious ways” Creation is mysterious, but knowable. So too is Christ. “mystery” in the NT is about who Jesus is and what He has done for us 1 Timothy 3:16 Ephesians 3:2-12 “God is in control” “control” in the NT has to do with our lack of it Philippians 3:20-21 “Let Go and Let God” Letting go doesn’t mean that I have nothing left to do Proverbs 3:5-6 Matthew 11:28-30 Ephesians 4:23-24 & 6:11-13 Colossians 3:9-10 & 3:14 “Everything happens for a reason” The happenings in our lives are not always the will of God Romans 12:2 Are you being transformed………by the renewing of your mind?

"God helps those who help themselves." Did that come from the Bible? This sermon looks at four commonly used phrases that might sound like they come from the scriptures, but don't. Are they still true though?

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Scriptures – 4/21/24 “Do you love me more than these?” Conflicted – Peter by the fire in the high priest’s courtyard – John 18:15-27 The miracle of the fish catch – Luke 5:1-11 Jesus walks on water – Matthew 14:22-33 Who is Jesus? – Mark 8:22-33 The Transfiguration – Mark 9:2-13 Jesus predicts Peter’s denial – Matthew 26:31-35 Jesus rebukes Peter for using a sword in Gethsemane – John 18:1-14 Jesus makes breakfast along the shore – John 21:15-19 “Come, follow me…” – Mark 1:17 – into life “Follow me.” – John 21:19 – into death Do you love me more than “these”? What are you conflicted by? What are your “these”?

The resurrection of Jesus is more than the rational mind can accept. Even as he stood among his disciples in the evening after He arose, they were "troubled" and had "doubts". The rational mind can only take us so far. Faith is not irrational either; it is "trans-rational". (NOTE: I apologize for the audio quality. I've had trouble in recent weeks with my recording device, which is why I haven't published a sermon since March 23. I'll keep at it. Thanks for listening!)

Jesus began a life-transforming conversation with a simple, everyday kind of question. Having a spiritual conversation doesn't need to be frightening or intimidating. Everyone is thirsty for truth.

What led to Jesus first telling the Good Samaritan parable? It was a law "expert" who needed to be reminded that knowing the rules in the mind is not the same as living them out from the heart. Love for the "other" is not a side point to the law, it is the point.

Do we really "see" people, or just see people as a problem? A Pharisee invited Jesus over for dinner and an unwanted guest showed up. The host saw her as a problem to be avoided, Jesus saw her as a person who was both loved and forgiven.

Our fears can block our faith and hamper our ability to see that God is ready to help quiet the storms in our lives. Two stormy adventures on the Sea of Galilee reveal how the faith of The 12 was growing, though quickly lost when they focused on the storm instead of the One who can calm the storm.

Who is Jesus? Who do you say that He is? Even though Peter boldly answered that very question on behalf of the 12, their idea of what the Messiah's purpose would be was not what Jesus had in mind. It's not about gaining power, but about denying self. It's about winning, but about losing life to find it.

Sometimes we have to clean up from our own failures, and sometimes we have clean up the mess created by others. A young king named Josiah had to lead his nation to reform after the deep damage done by his own father and grandfather, who reigned before him. Like Hezekiah, he acted acted decisively, humbly, prayerfully, and led his people back to their God.

With the very survival of his nation and his people at risk, Hezekiah turned first to God. He restored worship, he welcomed the lost, he put the heart ahead of the rules, he instilled courage, and he prayed for and with others when it mattered most.

Godly leaders believe in educating people, but are also ready to listen & learn more; they pray when trouble comes, but they don't wait for trouble to start praying; they delegate responsibilities, but still personally carry out what's most important in a responsible manner; they use their authority to encourage worship, but humble themselves before the greatest authority. This is all true of a king named Jehoshaphat. (1 Chronicles 17-20)

Keeping the peace is one of the main tasks of a king, a teacher, a boss, a parent, and anyone else who holds a position of leadership. In 2 Chronicles there is a king named Asa who gave us a good example of how to manage and keep the peace.

Contentment can be allusive and hard to maintain. What gets in the way? It could be subtle things like comforts, conveniences, competition, or collections. Do you trust God to provide what you really need?

It takes a lot of strength to find, and to maintain, contentment. Thankfully, this is the promise of Philippians 4:13. The Apostle Paul lived through circumstances and situations that no one wants, but still maintained peace with God. We can too.

When stress builds up, anxiety quickly follows. It doesn't have to. This battle is hard, but choosing joy in the midst of the stressors can lead us to the peace of God.

Everyone's life journey includes mountainous trails and unavoidable trials. You can either wait for the mountain to move or get moving on the mountain. Press on!

Confidence before God is not based on what we do or don't do, it comes from the grace-filled presence of Christ.

Shine! - Philippians 2:12-18 A church should be a NO COMPLAINT ZONE. How we doin' with that?

God took on flesh, the incarnation of Christ: it didn't happen just so we can observe from a distance and applaud Jesus. Philippians 2:5 ties it to our relationships. We are challenged to follow Christ's example and humbly let go of position and privilege for the sake of the other.

Unity in the church is central to church health, church growth, and was a prayer concern of Jesus before the church even began. And that's why Paul writes about it in all of his letters to the churches. It's all about "WE".

In Philippians 1:18-26, Paul seems torn. He has fought long and hard for the gospel. No one would blame him if he said, "Enough! Take me home, Lord." But he was willing to remain and continue leading people toward God, through Christ. Either way, live or die, he knew Christ was with him, and he was with Christ. Thus he say, "To live is Christ, to die is gain."

Philippians 1:12-18 - We don't always do the right things for the right reasons, but somehow good things can still emerge from our lives. Paul understood this and didn't take exception to the questionable motives of other teachers and preachers of the gospel.

This sermon is from Philippians 1:7-11. The Apostle Paul's deep love and passion for the church in Philippi is evident right from the start of this chapter. The prayer he wrote in verses 9-11 is as beautiful as it is powerful. There are many good things a church or an individual believer can become, but they are all rooted in love.

Philippians is very positive letter, even in the opening introduction. Let's learn together how God's positive presence enables us to become our true and full self. Grace and peace.....

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – 6/11/23 “Mercy is the Business of God” – Romans 9:1-18 ____________________________________________ THE MERCY OF GOD IN THE CHILDREN OF GOD Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 18:21-35 - The Unmerciful Servant THE MERCY OF GOD IS NOT AN INHERENT RIGHT Romans 9:6-9 Words that describe how God dispenses His mercy ADOPTION - Romans 8:15, 8:23, 9:4 GRAFTED IN – Romans 11:17-24 ELECTION – Romans 9:11, 11:28 CHOSEN – Romans 8:33 CALLED – Romans 1:6, 8:28, 8:30, 9:24 MERCY IS INITIATED BY GOD’S CHOICE, NOT BY OUR ACTIONS - Romans 9:10-13 “Election” is a more statement about God than about us. He “chose” to bless us with mercy, apart from behavior or inheritance. THE WILL OF GOD IS TO OFFER MERCY TO PEOPLE Romans 9:14-18 GOD WON’T HARDEN YOUR HEART (but you can) Hebrews 3:15 Ephesians 4:18 Mark 8:17 Proverbs 28:14 ________________________________________________________________ GOD’S WILL IS MERCY What is you willful response to His mercy? GOD’S WILL IS COMPASSION Is Godly compassion evident in your life?

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – June 4, 2023 “Nothing Can Separate of from God’s Love: Nothing!” - Romans 8:31-39 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? 4 questions If God is for us, who can be against us? SOVEREIGNTY Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? AUTHORITY Who then is the one who condemns? IDENTITY Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? ANXIETY Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? trouble? hardship? persecution? famine? nakedness? danger? sword? The voices of doubt, anxiety, rejection, abandonment, and shame come from people – never from God. No one, and no thing, can do anything to you that will cause God’s love for you to end. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors… Love is not about gaining conquest over those who hurt us, oppress us, or reject us. God’s love is so much more, and so much better! For I am convinced that … …neither death nor life THE PHYSICAL …neither angels nor demons THE SPIRITUAL …neither the present nor the future TIME …nor any powers GRAVITY …neither height nor depth SPACE …nor anything else in all creation MIND GAMES will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 28, 2023 “Groaning Along with Creation” – Romans 8:18-30 Our purpose is to love, and our destiny is to find love in all things. The lack of love and the rejection of our destiny to love leads to frustration, groaning, bondage, and decay. (Romans 8:18-20) Our spirit groans because something is not right – love is this world is not fulfilled. (Romans 8:22-25) So worn out that there are no words left – just groans.(Rom 8:26-27) Romans 8:28 When our purpose is to love, can find love in “all things”. This is love - 2 John 1:6 & 1 John 4:7-8 Romans 8:29 The response of God to everyone who chooses to love God is… To invite us into ever-deepening love (“called according to his purpose”) To encourage us that we are known by Him (“those God foreknew”) To reveal to us that we have a destiny (“predestined”) To show us how to live into our true image (“conform”) To welcome us into His family (“many brothers and sisters”) Romans 8:30 Living into our true destiny …we are called (hearing and responding to the call of love) …we are justified (no matter how great or how often, we can always choose to love) …we are glorified (In this world we can get a slight taste, a mild scent, a brief glimpse, a quick touch, a still small voice of what is to come)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – May 21, 2023 “Condemned No More!” – Romans 8:1-17 The voice of condemnation and shame is a liar. It lies to you through other people and from within your false self. This voice is never from God. Do you desire that which is truly good, life-giving and transforming? Follow the voice of Truth, the voice of the Father. He calls you away from condemnation and fear. He leads you into your true self, in fulfilled relationship with Him. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST IN YOU… …SETS YOU FREE FROM CONDEMNATION (V1-4) John 3:17 John 8:10-11 …PROVIDES A NEW MINDSET (V5-7) Is your life at peace? …REMINDS YOU THAT YOU BELONG (V9-11) AFFIRMING, REASSURING, “IF’S” THE FACT THAT YOU EVEN CARE IS A SIGN OF HIS SPIRIT! YOU ARE GOD’S CHILD… …FOLLOW HIS LEAD (V12-14) …YOU DON’T NEED TO BE AFRAID (V15) …YOU ARE GOD’S CHILD, DEEP INSIDE YOU KNOW THIS (V16-17)