Mountain Springs Church

Can This Be The Christ?

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing ...

The Bread Of Life

On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. —John 6:22-24, ESV

Feeding The 5,000

After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) —John 6:1-4, NLT

Natures Revealed

After the two days he departed for Galilee. (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. - John 4:43-46, ESV

The Border Crossing

The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”  —John 4:9-10

EASTER

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16, ESV

For God So Loved

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16, ESV

GOOD FRIDAY

What Is The Gospel?

Restoring The Church

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. —John 2:14, ESV

The One He Came For

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.  —John 2:3-7, ESV

Come And See

Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. —John 1:38–39, ESV

Behold The Testimony

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. —John 1:6-7, ESV

Back For The Future

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. | John 1:1-5

We Stay To Win

The ideal we expect, the ordeal we get, the new deal we want.

The Way We Fight

Be careful how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  —Ephesians 5:15b-17, ESV

The Day We Run

When feeling out of control, the harmful response is often to run from reality and slip into a shadow of isolation.

To Love Is To Serve

Transforming lives from neighborhoods to the nations by the power of God's love.

Love As A Response

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ - Philippians 3:8, ESV

Love As A Revolution

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. —1 Corinthians 13:13

Hope As A Target

I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me,  —Habakkuk 2:1, ESV

Faith As A Habit

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  —Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV

The Church Does

And I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. —Matthew 16:18, ESV

Jesus Is

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  —Isaiah 9:6, ESV

God Prepares The Way

A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” —Isaiah 40:3-5, ESV

In The Silence

“It is impossible to read the Bible without being aware of its numerous predictions of the coming of the Messiah found in both Testaments. This prophetic message was first given to Israel, and then subsequently it was shared with the whole world.”

The Restorative Reach of Generosity

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. —Matthew 10:8, ESV

The Healing Results Of Gratitude

Even in hard times, loving, generous people always default not only toward gratitude but happiness. —Randy Alcorn

The Freeing Rhythms of Giving

“The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. —Exodus 23:19, ESV

The Rewards Of Releasing

“Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” —A.W. Tozer

To Give Is To Live

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. —Proverbs 11:25, ESV

Mission Of The Spirit

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19, ESV

Unleashing The Gifting

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. —1 Corinthians 12:10, ESV

Stewarding The Presence

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:10-12, ESV

Ministering In The Spirit

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” —Matthew 11:28-30, MSG

Discerning The Voice

Receiving The Power

The Spirit-filled life is not a special, deluxe edition of Christianity. It is part and parcel of the total plan of God for His people. - A.W. Tozer

Encountering The Spirit

The Holy Spirit’s power and presence in a believer’s life is as critical today as it ever has been!

Building a Culture of Faith

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. - James 5:15-16

Patience In Suffering

True patience can only exist if it is anchored to something firm.

Diagnosis: Divided Heart

Pride is an independent, me-oriented spirit. It makes people arrogant, rude and hard to get along with. When our heart is prideful, we don’t give God the credit and we mistreat people, looking down on them thinking that we deserve what we have. —Joyce Meyer

Faith Without Works Is Dead

Grace is not opposed to effort; it is opposed to earning.

The Power Of Our Words

Our tongue is small but our words are powerful. The words we use can really hurt or bless and encourage the world around us.

How Do I Get Through This

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Love People: Story

“In order to communicate rationally and successfully with anyone, you have to make sure they’re regulated, make sure they feel a relationship with you, and only then try to reason with them.” —Dr. Bruce Perry

Love People: Community

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. —Acts 4:32-35, NLT

Love People: Unity

Loving people requires practice. It takes perseverance, patience and perspective.

Love God: Prayer

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. - John 10:14-15

Love God: Worship

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” —Matthew 22:36-40, ESV

Are We Fully Committed?

Expect opposition. It comes in a voice, a person or temptation.