Messages

A message from the series “In God We Trust.” Sermon Manuscript: In God We Trust Message 3- Not In It To Win ItSermon preached by Dr. Rick Mandl, Eagle Rock Baptist Church, January 16 & 17, 2021Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
Hey church family. Great to be with you. If you’ve been with us over the last couple of weeks, you know we’ve been in a series called “In God We Trust”Today I want to talk about trusting God when it comes to “Winning.” Or maybe more to the point, trusting God when it comes to the way we win.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but nobody likes losers. The saying used to be “It’s not about whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”  For many that’s no longer true – How you play the game doesn’t matter. Winning or losing does. Knute Rockne, the great football coach of Notre Dame, is known for saying, ”Show me a good and gracious loser, and I’ll show you a loser.” Again, nobody like losers. And you can add to that, the fact that nobody likes to lose.
One of the most unique presidents we ever had was Calvin Coolidge. In fact he was so tight-lipped and said so few words that he was nicknamed ”Silent Cal.” Well, one time a very well-to-do lady was invited to the White House for dinner. And she bet a friend of hers, a large sum of money that she could get the President to engage in conversation. She was seated next to President Coolidge at the White House dinner and she said to him, ”Mr. President, I have made a very large bet that I could engage you in conversation.Specifically, she told him, “The bet was that I could get you to say more than two words.” The president looked at her. He thought about what she said, and he responded by saying. . . ”You lose.” Again, nobody likes to lose.
Another famous saying from the world of sports is. . . ”WINNING isn’t the IMPORTANT thing, it’s the ONLY thing.” Whether or not that is true in the world of sports, or business, or finance, it’s definitely not true with God.When Jesus left heaven and came to earth it’s as though he switched the price tags, he told us that with God “THE WAY TO WIN IS TO LOSE.” And I believe that that is a message that we need to be reminded of today because we’re living in what some modern cultural anthropologists have called a “Power Culture.” Where the solution to everything is just take what you want by force. . . We idolize CEOs who throw their weight around. . . And there’s a phrase that kind of characterizes that attitude. If you watch one of the reality t.v. shows like “Survivor,” where they are doing their contestant interviews and it’s not unusual to hear one of the contestants say . . . “I’m not here to make friends . . . “I am in it to win it.” That phrase describes a huge part of American culture. And the problem is . . . This attitude has almost taken over American Christianity.
We feel like – as Christians – as Christ’s church we’re in a battle – – – and our objective is to WIN at all costs. Now make no mistake, the Bible does tell us that as followers of J.C. we ARE engaged in a battle . . . A SPIRITUAL BATTLE with a very real, albeit invisible spiritual enemy. But that’s not what I’m talking about here. What I’m talking about is that battle that a lot of Christians are fighting with culture. And in that regard, not a lot has changed in 2,000 years since the time that Jesus walked this earth At the time the New Testament was written. . . The dominant culture was The Roman Empire. And the Roman Empire valued POWER and AUTHORITY and DOMINATION above all else. In the Roman culture they were IN IT TO WIN IT. And that attitude then, as I think it has today, had rubbed off on some of those who follow Jesus. And that’s a problem.
In Mark chapter10 and verse 32, we’re told about something that happened as Jesus was traveling with his disciples to Jerusalem. . . Jerusalem was the place where Jesus would be arrested, and put on trial, and crucified.Mark 10 and verse 32 tells us . . . “They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him.” By the way, if you have one of those Bibles with heading over the different sections of scripture like mine has… You’ll see that this is section is titled “Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time.” From that you’d learn that this was not the first time that he was telling his disciples, what we see him telling them here. It was the third time.
What did he tell them? He told them in verse 33 “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” How did they respond, when they heard this? Well, we’re told how at least two of them responded.
The next verse tells us . . . “Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we want you to do for us whatever we ask.’”Kind of a bold request when you think about it. They’re asking Jesus for a blank check. I’m not sure I would have the boldness that they did, to say to Jesus. . . “Before we give you our request . . . It would be great if you could tell us, that regardless of what we’re asking, the answer is going to be yes.Jesus didn’t give them an unqualified yes. Instead he said. . . “What do you want me to do for you?” And they told him. They said . . . ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’” They had been following Jesus long enough to know that he was a king. And that there would be a coming kingdom, that he would one day usher in. They figured that maybe they could jump the line and get their seating requests in, when it came to positions of honor in that coming kingdom.
Being sympathetic to these two, it kind of reminds me of what’s going on with the Coronavirus Vaccine. We were amazed out how quickly a vaccine – or multiple vaccines have been developed that are reported to be more than 90% effective in fighting this virus. We were told that there would be millions of doses coming our way soon. We still believe that there will be, but they’ve been slow in getting here. In fact earlier this week we learned that there are significantly more doses of the vaccine in our state, than they have been able to distribute. If you’ve been following the news you know that the distribution has been done according to a tiered system, with our front-line health care workers being at the top. I have yet to meet anyone who disagrees with that prioritization. Clearly, our doctors and nurses.
Those attending to the sickest of the sick should be the very first ones to receive this vaccine. But for whatever reason – even with that priority – it sounds like there are more doses of the vaccine sitting in refrigerators, or freezers in our state, than they are able to administer. And so understandably, some people who were not in that first tier, are saying, “Hey if you’ve got a shortage of people who are willing to take this vaccine – – – well I’m willing to take the shot that they refused.” “My intent is not to bump anybody out of line, but if those doses are just sitting there, unwanted… Well, count me in as someone who wants one.”
In a similar way. . . These two brothers, James and John are figuring “If no one else has called ‘Shotgun’ when it comes to the seats in your kingdom, well we got dibs.” Again, by way of context, the seats to the right and the left of the king, were at that time regarded as the positions of highest honor. And to the credit of these two brothers, they weren’t particular as to which one of them was assigned which seat. As long as between the two brothers they were given the two best seats. How did Jesus respond to their request?
Verse 38 – he says . . . “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” Just to be clear, when he says “Drink the cup” he wasn’t talking about consuming a beverage And when he talks about “baptism” – he wasn’t talking about water. It was a “cup of suffering.” It was a “baptism of suffering.” He was on his way to a cross to be crucified, and so he asks them . . . You want to share in the glory that is at the end of the road that I’m travelling??? Do you think you’re ready to share in the suffering that is required to lead to that glory? They told him. . . . “We can.” He told them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared” (Mark 10:39b-40).
The follow up to that is the reaction on that part of the other disciples. . . .Verse 41 tells us . . . “When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John” (Mark 10:41). And most believe that the reason that the rest of the disciples became indignant, was because they didn’t think of this idea first. After all, all 12 of them had been walking with Jesus for the same amount of time. Who did these two think they were to try and jump the line like this, and go to Jesus and ask for the best seats in his coming kingdom.
Jesus used this encounter to teach them all something about winning. . . He called them together and he said to them . . . You know how things work in this culture where power, and authority and domination are the things that people value. “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over themAnd here is the key phrase. . . . Jesus says . . . Not so with you. In those words, Jesus was calling those who follow Him. . . He was calling you and me to influence the world in a different way. He said . . . Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Jesus said that, as his followers, this is the way that you and I will change the world. Not through winning, but through serving. And this is an important message for all of us to be reminded of right now. Because to so many – – – even so many Christians – – it seems as though “Winning” is way more important than “Serving.”
It seems like they way that they believe we will change the world, or at least our part of it, is through winning. Think about it – everything today has become politicized. It’s as if there are no neutral topics right now. Whether or not to open schools has been politicized, wearing a mask has been politicized. Even the existence of the COVID virus, or at least the seriousness of it has been politicized. People choose their sides. They dig in their heels. And they’re ready to do battle. Because for them it’s all about winning.
In the midst of all of this choosing up sides, and fighting to win…. What should our attitude as followers of Jesus be? We don’t have to guess. God’s Word tells us . . . It says .. . . In Philippians 2:5-8 it tells us that as followers of Jesus Christ you and I must . . . “In our relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”
What mindset, or what attitude did Jesus have? The Apostle Paul who wrote these words tells us. Writing about Jesus, Paul tells us . . . “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;” He didn’t think of that equality with God as something the he could leverage and use for His own benefit.
In other words, and this is key. . . Jesus did not play to win. At least he didn’t play to win the way that first century, or even 21st century people defined winning. Jesus played to lose. And that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. It doesn’t seem very American, because we like to win. We are wired to win.
Now please understand as it turns out, Jesus, was not against winning. It’s just that He was playing a completely different game, that had completely different rules, WITH a completely different win. Jesus played to lose so that the other team. . . That would be me, and that would be you, Jesus played to lose so that the other team could win.
Paul goes on, talking about Jesus, and he says . . . “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” “A servant” Do you know what a servant is? A servant is someone who wakes up every single day thinking about how to better serve someone else. A servant is someone who wakes up every single day committed to leveraging themselves, their resources for the benefit of someone else. And this is how the Apostle Paul is describing Jesus. And if, we as His followers, if we are His body, if we are His hands and feet, this should describe us. And this is why the church always looks more Christ-like when we are defending other people’s rights rather than our own. The church always looks more Christ-like when we are giving away rather than demanding our way. And if that scares you, if that makes you feel like you might lose something, then you know what?
Now you understand why Jesus’ disciples refused to accept the fact that He would be arrested, tried and crucified. I mean, He told them over and over and over and they just didn’t get it. Why? Because if you’re arrested and tried and crucified – – – well, that’s what losers do. That means you’ve lost. He told them over and over what was gonna happen and they just didn’t have a category for it.
Do you remember the story in Luke chapter 9, of the time that Jesus and his disciples were travelling and it was getting late, and they needed a place to spend the night? And so he sends a couple of guys on ahead to a Samaritan village to find them a place to stay. And the guys that he sent out to find lodging come back and say. . . We couldn’t find a place to stay. They say, “Jesus, these folks don’t want us in their village. When they found out that we are Jews on our way to Jerusalem, they don’t want us spending the night in their village.” Now upon hearing that, how did these disciples respond?
If you’ve read the story you know. They said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven and destroy them”? “Jesus, these people are not respecting us” “These people are not our friends, they are our enemies.” “Would you like for us to call fire down from heaven and destroy them?” “Would you like for us to leverage our power in such a way that we win?” “It’s obvious that these people don’t know who you are, so let’s show them.” “Let’s use our power to win.” And if you’ve read this passage before, you’ll remember what Jesus did. The text in Luke says, that Jesus rebuked them. He uses the same term that he uses to describe Jesus when He rebuked demons.
This was Jesus way of saying to his disciples. “Guys, this is not how things work in my kingdom. “This is not how it works.” “That’s how everybody else does it.” “But if you aren’t willing to lose, if you aren’t willing to go to the back of the line, then don’t even bother getting in my line. We’re going to Jerusalem where I’ll be arrested.” And they’re thinking. But Jesus, wait, wait, wait, wait. “Jesus, if you’re arrested and killed, how are we going to win”? To which Jesus would have smiled and said, “Fellas, that is how we are going to win.” I’m going there to lose their game. “And in doing so, we will win the game that I have been inviting you to play for three years.” And so they go to Jerusalem. And the best possible person would suffer the worst possible death to illustrate that even the best possible person, even the son of man had not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. And understanding that. . . Understanding that that was why he was born . ..  That he was born to die . .
We trust God, because we know the rest of the story. We know how the story ends. . . We know that Jesus . . . Even though he had that equality with God, didn’t consider it something to be used to his own advantage. Instead, he made himself nothing, by taking the very nature of a servant “Being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:7-8). But we know that’s not the end of the story. We know that . . . “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
Some of you hearing that are thinking . . . I believe that. . . I believe that, that is ULTIMATELY the end of the story that God is writing. And that, when it’s all over Jesus wins! But…. But, but, but, but, but…. what do I do in the meantime? What do I do in the in-betweentime? Between the then and the now.? The answer is, you do what Jesus did. YOU SERVE. You look for opportunities not to be served, but to serve. And you TRUST GOD. You trust God that even though it SEEMS UPSIDE-DOWN. Even though it seems counter-intuitive and opposite to the way that everyone else says you go about winning. . . This is Jesus way to win. And you trust God, that as a follower of Jesus who is called to be like Him, that you will never be more like Jesus than when you give or when you serve. That’s God’s way of winning. And if you’re on His team it will be yours as well.
This weekend is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. A weekend when I hope some of us will take some time to pause and reflect on the life and legacy of Dr. King. Dr. King, was I believe one who got it right, when it came to winning. He was successful in resisting the pressures placed on him by those around him to try and utilize the world’s ways of winning. He knew that winning, and greatness, came through serving. I love what he said about greatness and serving He said . . . “Everybody can be great because anybody can serve” He said . . . “You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” Look around you, right where you are today, this weekend, this coming week. There are opportunities all around you to serve. And in the process opportunities to be like Jesus and show Him to others. Would you pray with me.
 
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Judy Mandl looks at Psalm127:1-2 and reminds us of the foolishness of attempting to accomplish things apart from God and the importance of doing all that we can do, while trusting Him for the things that only He can do.

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Devotional Manuscript: Do You Know What Day It Is?
Message by Dr. Rick Mandl, January 15th, 2021, Eagle Rock Baptist Church
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 
Hey church family. Do you know what day it is? Not today, but this Sunday, January 17th is? If you answered that it’s the day that we resume weekly live and in person services here at ERBC, you’d be right. We’ll be meeting in our church parking lot. We’ll be wearing masks. We’ll be practicing safe-distancing. And we’ll be coming together to worship God. So bring your camp chair, and a sweater if it’s cold, or a t-shirt if it’s sunny and plan on joining us. If you’re someone who feels more comfortable worshiping online with us, don’t worry, all of our online services will continue to come to you and their regularly scheduled times.
But do you know what else, this Sunday, January 17th is? It’s “National Quitters Day” Do you remember all those N.Y. Resolutions that were made at the start of the year? Things like . . . Getting in shape, quitting smoking, saving money….
Well according to the people who study this stuff, this Sunday, or specifically the 3rd Sunday in January is the date that most people quit on the resolutions that they made at the start of the year.
So, with that thought in mind, I want to challenge you to make this Sunday: National Re-Committers Day- A day to Re-up on whatever you’d like to see happen this year, but maybe you were late in starting on . . . Let me suggest three spiritual habits that will help you move forward with Christ this year. . .
#1 – Make it a habit to get into God’s Word. I’ve shared it with you before, and I’ll share it again, there’s no shortage of great plans to help you start each day or finish each day in his word. My particular favorite place for you to find a plan that will fit for you, is the YouVersion Bible App. It’s free. It doesn’t have any advertising. You can download it to your phone, or tablet, or PC, and you can find a plan that will help you make getting into God’s Word, a daily habit.
#2 – Make it a habit to Gather With God’s People to worship. Whether that’s online, where most of us are gathering these days, or live in our parking lot on Sunday mornings at 11:00AM. If you were with us when I shared this stat with you last month you’ll remember that … American’s Our Mental Health Ratings Have Sunk To A New Low. All as a result of Covid 19.
Each year since 2001, The Gallup Organization has asked Americans as part of its November Health and Healthcare survey to rate themselves. . . They have asked them to say whether their own mental or emotional wellbeing is EXCELLENT, GOOD, ONLY FAIR or POOR. Not surprisingly, the latest numbers are some of the worst they have ever seen. In an earlier study, Gallup asked respondents whether “they felt as though they could continue following social distancing guidelines, as long as necessary before their physical health and financial situation suffered.” And the majority said “Yes” they could. They could go on as long as necessary and they believed they’d be okay physically and financially. But only a much smaller group was able to say “the same thing” when it came to their mental health.
Clearly, this pandemic has taken a toll on so many people in so many ways. The Gallup Survey, broke down the demographics of their study and they found that the Mental Health of Americans had declined almost universally, across the board. It didn’t matter if you were . . . Male/Female, Republican/Democrat/Independent, Married/Not Married, White/Non-White, Young/Old, Rich/Poor, The numbers were down among almost every single demographic group…
And I say ALMOST every group because – – – there was one group, whose mental health has not declined during this pandemic. Do you know which group that was? It was . . . Weekly Churchgoers. I know it sounds like the kind of thing a pastor might make up. But I would encourage you to check out the data for yourself. Google the terms . . . +“Gallup Poll” +”Mental Health” +”Church Attendance” And what you’ll find is that . . . “The only demographic subgroup who didn’t report a decline [in mental health] were those who attended religious services weekly” And I emphasize “weekly” only because that was what the data revealed. Apparently, the same benefits were not achieved by those who attended “almost weekly,” or “occasionally,” but for those who “attended weekly.” They saw an increase of 4% in mental health as opposed to the year prior.
So while there may NOT be A LOT OF THINGS you can do to protect or improve your mental health during this shut-down . . . There is at least one. So make the commitment to get into God’s Word each day, To get to worship each week, And then number three. . .
#3 Get into a group. A small group… a life group… A place where you can know others and they can know you. A place where you can study God’s Word together and pray for one another. Right now, at ERBC it’s sign-up season for our Life Groups. We have a list of our groups online, and I’m sure you can find one that’s a good fit for you. For the moment they’re all meeting virtually via zoom, but we’re praying that will change as we move forward into 2021
Let me challenge you to make the commitment to . . .

Get into God’s Word. . .
Get into the Habit of being with us for worship each week
Get into a Life Group

And you can make this Sunday, January 17th, not a Quitters Day, but your own personal Re-committers Day. Amen
  
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 
 

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Has anyone ever told you that “You’re an answer to prayer”? Judy Mandl looks at John 17:17 and reminds us that it’s possible for you and me to become an answer to a prayer that Jesus prayed.

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Devotional Manuscript: Solitary Confinement
Message by Dr. Rick Mandl, January 14th, 2021, Eagle Rock Baptist Church
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 
 
Hey church family. I want to talk to you about a subject that I’m going to guess, most of you don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. . . And that subject is “Solitary Confinement.”
 
But before we get into that I want to extend an invitation for you to join us for Live Worship in our parking lot beginning this coming Sunday morning – – and each Sunday following at 11:00AM. You may think – – – that’s a kind of a strange segue – – to go from Solitary Confinement to Parking Lot Worship. Hopefully the connection will become clearer as I move forward.
 
This worldwide pandemic that we’re going through – – -and the shutdown that goes along with it – – has affected different people in different ways. There is no doubt a tiny subset of people that don’t mind it too much. Now make no mistake, they are very concerned about the affect that it’s having on others. They see the number of deaths, and hospitalizations, and they see what it has done to businesses, and they weep with those who weep, but on a personal level . . . They’re still working . . . . They’re working from home – – – which is something that they would have loved to do, but were not allowed by their bosses to do – – pre-pandemic. And because of this shift they have eliminated a monster commute that they had to do (oftentimes more than an hour each way at the beginning and end of each work day – with a lot of that time spent stuck in traffic). Now they’re working from home, so for them an 8 hour day is truly an 8-hour day, not a 10 or 11 hour day. And although they are stuck at home. They’re not stuck there alone. They’re with their family. So they still have community – – And I know that spending that much time in close quarters, even with those you love can bring challenges.
 
But on the other hand… Think about it this way… For some people their ideal vacation is to be able to travel – – To go and get away from home. For others, when they have time off, their ideal is to do a “Staycation.” Not to go anywhere, but just to stay home with those they love. I know what you’re thinking… You’re thinking “Yes, but there’s something called Too Much Of A Good Thing”
And even for those who enjoy their family, they feel like they passed that point about 10 months ago.
 
Anyhow, back to my subject… Solitary Confinement… Did you know that according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are more than 80,000 men, women, and children in solitary confinement in prisons across the United States? That is more than any other democratic nation. Which is just another example of how when it comes to the U.S. “We’re number one!” But I digress. . .
 
When in solitary, prisoners are typically confined to a 6 x 12 cell… 23 hours a day, with nothing but a small sink and toilet to look at. Solitary confinement was first introduced in America in the late  18th century, and at that time it wasn’t intended to be a punishment. In fact, solitary was first put into practice at U.S. prisons by a pacifist spiritual community called the Quakers, as part of an experiment to improve prison conditions and rehabilitate inmates. Prisoners were placed in solitary confinement so they could contemplate their crimes and perhaps become repentant.
Imagine 23 hours a day, in a bathroom-sized cell, under florescent lights that never go off, under 24-hour video surveillance, not really speaking or hearing from anyone.
 
All that time for you, to just think about your mistakes and missed opportunities…the people you’ve hurt and time you’ve wasted.
Maybe that is why although prisoners in solitary confinement account for just 5 % of the total prison population. . . They account for nearly half of its suicides. No one wants that much time alone.
 
I’ve talked to some people in our church family who’ve told me that for them this whole “Stay At Home” thing feels like prison. They feel like they’ve been sentenced to Solitary Confinement. That’s probably a slight exaggeration.
 
On the cross, Jesus took solitary confinement to a whole new level. Jesus’ death took about six hours. His hands and feet were nailed to wooden beams at 9:00 a.m. He spent the next six hours in excruciating pain. As darkness descended in the middle of the day, the Son of God screamed, “Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?”
In a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic, Jesus cried out the most bone-chilling words in human history. . . That cry translates. . . “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” It is the most unique and mysterious statement that Jesus ever made. From the cross He spoke to His Father in a way He never had before, and never will again. Because of this statement, we know that Jesus was at the peak of His agony.
 
Throughout His beatings, whether it be the crown of thorns placed on his head, and even the nails piercing His body He had never said a word. But when He felt the separation from God that sin brings – as the sins of the world were piled upon Him – it was more than He could take. In all of His humanity, all He could do was scream, “Why?” In His questioning, His brokenness, we see ourselves…because we have all asked that same question… “Why, God?”
 
A mother who loses a newborn child. A father who has to watch his 10-year-old die of cancer. The single mom trying to raise four children on minimum wage whose husband abandoned her for another woman. A faithful employee of 25 years who gets a pink slip without warning. There are no shortage of “Whys?” Because there is no shortage of pain.
 
But Christ’s punishment brought our peace… His loneliness ensures our fellowship with God forever. Because of the cross, we don’t have to live in the solitary confinement of regret, hurt, or even sin. Because He was willing to have God forsake Him… We never have to worry about God forsaking us. Jesus’ death and resurrection put an end to mankind’s solitary confinement for all time. Through faith, we can be united with Christ forever… Fully accepted, never alone, and always loved.
 
If you’re at all feeling isolated, abandoned, forsaken by others. Take a moment and thank God for his promise. . . Hebrews 13:5 (ESV) tells us. . . . “He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” And if you’re one of those who feels like you’ve been sentenced to solitary during this whole Stay At Home thing. . . Join us in our parking lot this Sunday at 11:00. Bring along your mask and your camp chair and we’ll look forward to seeing you
 
For the rest of you . . . All of our online services will continue uninterrupted at their regular times. Looking forward to seeing you in person or online this weekend. God bless.
 
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
  

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Raquel Blanchard looks at Psalm 40:1-2 and reminds us that everything comes to us at the right moment and that as we wait for that moment we need to be patient.

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Reflecting on Acts 2:46 and Acts 16:3-5 and Matthew 28:19-20, Pastor Andrew reminds us that you and I were saved for a purpose. God has given each of us a mission and it’s not one we were ever intended to complete on our own.

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Do you ever feel inadequate for all of the challenges that life is throwing at you? Do you ever feel as though you don’t have what it takes to handle everything that comes your way? Judy Mandl reflects on a number of passages to remind us of the truth that even if we’re not enough, Jesus is.

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Devotional Manuscript: What Are You Boasting About?Message By: Dr. Rick Mandl, January 12, 2021, Eagle Rock Baptist ChurchRecorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 
Hey church family. Here’s a question for you to ponder. And my question is . . . “What are you boasting about?” Not sure??? Well check your social media feeds, and it might give you some ideas.
 
One person who wouldn’t have had a hard time answering that question was the Apostle Paul. Paul knew what he boasted about, and what makes that even more remarkable is that he lived in a time before social media. When it came to boasting, here’s what Paul said. . . . At the end of 2 Corinthians chapter 11 Paul said, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (v 30).
 
If you take time to read Second Corinthians chapter eleven, you will find the things that the Apostle Paul decided to boast about were things like… The fact that he had been in prison more times… The fact that he had been been beaten more times… The fact that he had been been closer to death from being beaten by his own countrymen and foreign occupiers… The fact that he had been been shipwrecked, spent a day and night floating in the open sea… The fact that he had faced dangers of every kind, and has been thirsty and hungry not knowing where the food and water would come from. These are the things that the Apostle Paul boasted about . . .
 
You read on into 2 Corinthians 12 and you’ll see Paul talking about THIS THING – – – and we don’t know what it was – – but he referred to it as “a thorn in the flesh.” It could have been a physical ailment – – It could have been something else. Whatever it was, he said, he prayed three times that God would remove it – – He writes. . .  (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time GOD said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’”
 
Paul follows that up by saying . . . So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” If you look at your life . . . And you don’t feel like you see much that you can boast about . . . Let me encourage you to look at it through the lens that the Apostle Paul used when he looked at his. . . Every place where you see weakness. . . Realize that, that is a place where God has the opportunity to demonstrate his strength.
 
Not all boasting is necessarily bad. It’s all about what we’re boasting in. 2 Corinthians 10:17 tells us. . . “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” My prayer is that HE would be our reason for boasting – – – AMEN
 
Recorded in Los Angeles, CA.
 
 

A message from the series “Daily Devotional Videos.” Looking at Jesus’ words from a story recorded in Luke 10:25-37, Judy Mandl reminds us that not a lot has changed in terms of human nature in 2,000 years when it comes to how we respond to God’s conviction in our life.