Cary Cox, from Genesis 2:1-3. God finished his work of creation and rested. There is a spiritual rest in Christ for those who cease working for salvation and trust in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. (The end of the recording was cut off by accident)
Author: carycox
Posts on this blog will mostly be:
Glory of God focused
Christ-exalting
Gospel-centered
What Does the Lord Require of You – Clint Pitman
Clint Pitman, from Micah 6:1-8. Through the Prophet Micah, God called Israel to stop covering up hearts and lives of sin with external worship rituals. God wants the heart! He calls his people to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. Jesus Christ lived this out perfectly for us, and he died for our failure to do it. Risen from the grave, he now empowers his people to increasingly do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God!
Who We Are – Dominion – Genesis Study 6
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:26-28. God made us in his image and gave us dominion over all the earth. We were meant to rule under God, as stewards and managers, imitating his creativity, bringing beauty and blessing and order out of chaos around us. When we fell in sin this dominion was corrupted – we either abuse it or abandon it. But Jesus came as a Man to restore what was lost. Jesus overcame sin, death, and the grave, and has all authority and dominion. In Christ, we will reign!
Who We Are – Gender – Genesis Study 5
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:26-31. God defines who we are on the first pages of the Bible. We are created in his image, as male and female, with a purpose for men and women to unite in marriage and fill the earth with image-bearing children, for the glory of God.
Who We Are Part1 – Genesis Study 4
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:26-31. The very first chapter in the Bible tells us who we are as humans. The Bible is the great “Owners’ Manual” from our Creator, and it defines us, explains us, and records our purpose. God created us in his own image and likeness. What does this mean?
The Power and Purpose of God – Genesis Study 3
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:3-25. As we study the days of creation, we see God’s power on display, as well as his purpose for what he made. Genesis 1 is laying this foundation: God gets to say what is good and what is not good. God gets to define the purpose for everything he made. God gets to set limits and boundaries and parameters around all that exists, because it is his. Sin is when we reject God’s definitions and stated purposes, and when we cast aside his limitations and distinctions to say that we can be and do whatever we want.
The Spirit and the Word – Genesis Study 2
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:1-3. God turns the barren wasteland and emptiness of the land into something beautiful, useful, and good. How? By his Spirit, through his Word! God works by his Spirit through his Word throughout the Bible and in salvation. He can make something beautiful in our lives through Jesus Christ!
Meet God – Genesis Study 1
Cary Cox, from Genesis 1:1. The Bible begins by bringing us into the presence of the Person of God! It is all about him. And through Jesus Christ, we can know and enjoy our Creator and Lord.
Teach the Coming Generations – Psalm 78
Mickey McCall, from Psalm 78:1-8. Mickey unpacks Psalm 78’s call for God’s people to proclaim God’s ways and word to the coming generations, so that they will hope in God. A plea for Family Worship Time in our households!
The Meekness and Gentleness of Christ
Clint Pitman, from Isaiah 42:2-3. Clint focuses our attention on the kindness of Jesus towards believers who are struggling. Jesus’ character, as prophesied in Isaiah, is different from rulers of this age. He does not seek the celebrity and fame of this world. He does not beat his people down, but lifts us up. And he brings justice in the way he treats people, in his punishment of the wicked, and in his atonement of his people! (The audio cuts off the end of the message)
The Hope of the Church – Jude Study 8
Cary Cox, from Jude 24-25. Jude closes his letter with a glorious doxology – an outburst of God-centered praise! Jude knew that the hope of the church is not in our ability to keep his instructions or get rid of false teachers. No, the hope of the church is in HIM, who is able to keep us from stumbling!
Instructions for the Church – Jude Study 7
Cary Cox, from Jude 17-23. Jude turns his attention away from the false teachers to give instructions for the church. What should the church do during times of scandal, attack, or suffering? It’s not a time to give up; it’s a time to grow up! A time to minister, to persevere, to build up the body of Christ!
The Judge is Coming – Jude Study 6
Cary Cox, from Jude 14-16. Jude looks ahead to the day of Judgment: Christ is coming in staggering glory with the host of heaven to pour out justice and wrath on sinners. Jude lists the damning evidence against the rebels in the church; their ungodliness demonstrates the just nature of God’s judgment. Christ rescues his people from the judgment of God!
How Bad is Sin? – Jude Study 5
Cary Cox, from Jude 11-13. Jude doesn’t just list the sins of the imposters who have infiltrated the church. He takes the time to describe how bad sin is, by comparing these men to the worst sinners of the Old Testament. He poetically describes the selfishness, emptiness, and uselessness of these men, the danger they pose to the church, and the certain judgment they will receive from God. Let us see how bad sin is, and let us run to Christ!
Accusing the Imposters – Jude Study 4
Cary Cox, from Jude 8-10. Jude brings his formal indictment of the imposters to the church, listing their sins to show the church who these men really are. They rely on their dreams instead of the word of God, the faith delivered to the saints, and these dreams propel them into sexual sin, rebellion, and arrogant spiritualism. The church must see who these men are and separate from them.
Remember God Judges Sin – Jude Study 3
Cary Cox, from Jude 5-7. The church in every generation will face some form of the lie that you can live in sin and not be judged by God. Jude reminds the church that God will absolutely judge unrepentant sin, fiercely. He gives us 3 examples from Scripture to show that when we step outside the boundaries God has set over our lives and our bodies, God will judge this rebellion. Christ saves us from the wrath of God!
Fight for the Faith – Jude Study 2
Cary Cox, from Jude 3-4. Jude writes to the church, charging us to fight for the faith, which is the set of teachings handed down from Jesus to the church, through the apostles in the Scriptures. The faith does not change, though wicked men creep into the church and attempt to do so, twisting God’s word to allow for sin. But God will judge the wicked.
A Letter for the Church – Jude Study 1
Cary Cox, from Jude 1:1-2. Jude writes a letter to the church – those who are effectively called by God, beloved by the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ! What a privilege to be a part of the Lord’s church!
Gospel Healing for the Church – 2Cor Study 47
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 13:11-14. Paul closes his letter by calling the church to live out the gospel together, pursuing healing in the church. The presence of God himself among them is the answer.
Examine Yourselves – 2Cor Study 46
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 13:5-10. Paul calls the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith. What is “the faith?” What evidence should we look for when examining ourselves?
A Warning of Judgment – 2Cor Study 45
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 12:19-13:4. Paul begins to close the letter by dealing with some unfinished business – the minority in the church who are still in sin. Paul warns the church that he is coming and bringing the powerful judgment of Christ against their sin, unless they repent. What is church discipline?
Christlike Relationships in the Church – 2Cor Study 44
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 12:11-18. Paul gives a gentle rebuke to the Corinthians, and we see what healthy relationships should look like in the church between church leaders and church members. We owe each other loyalty and love!
Christ’s Power in Our Weakness – 2Cor Study 43
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Paul’s vision and his thorn. The great lesson of 2 Corinthians, the true nature of the gospel – Christ’s power is made perfect through our weakness!
Boasting in Weakness – 2Cor Study 42
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 11:16-35. Paul lists his ‘greatest hits,’ his big accomplishments, and they amount to his sufferings and weaknesses! This is true Christianity, the path of the cross. Not our strengths and abilities, but our embracing of the cross to follow God’s will.
What’s the Difference? – 2Cor Study 41
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 11:5-15. Paul boldly exposes the false apostles in Corinth as servants of Satan, who look at outward appearances, boast in abilities, and selfishly take advantage of the church. We are not consumers, we are servants! We embrace weakness, we give, we love, we serve, for the glory of Christ!
The Danger of False Teachers – 2Cor Study 40
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 11:1-4. We are bombarded with dangerous false teaching all the time, whether we realize it or not. The enemy attacks us in the realm of thoughts, ideas, arguments, beliefs. Paul warns us about false Jesuses being presented, false spirits, and false gospels. We must know the truth and cling to Christ!
God Sets Boundaries – 2Cor Study 39
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 10:12-18. Paul explains how the false apostles have rejected the boundaries and assignments set by God. They have invaded the area of Paul’s ministry authority by coming into the Corinthian church he planted, and turning them away from the gospel and from Paul. God sets limits and boundaries in our lives, for our good and his glory. Sin is when we step out of these bounds, not satisfied in what we have been assigned. But our responsibility is to gladly accept these loving limitations from God.
Paul Goes to War – 2Cor Study 38
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 10:1-11. Paul shows us what real spiritual warfare is all about. He is tearing down the strongholds of bad ideas, which produce bad behavior, using the weapon of truth! Our battlefield is in the realm of ideas. God’s people must oppose demonic teachings by clinging to the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Basics of Christian Giving – 2Cor Study 37
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. Paul teaches us what Christian giving looks like.
Handling the Money – 2Cor Study 36
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 8:16-24 and 9:1-5. Paul gives instructions about the collection for the Jewish saints, and, in the process, shows us the importance of handling money with wisdom and integrity. The way we live before a watching world, specifically how we handle money, can bring honor to the Lord or shame to his name. The gospel changes how we live!
Thinking Right on the Money – 2Cor Study 35
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 8:10-15. Paul helps us think rightly concerning our financial giving.
The Grace of Generosity – 2Cor Study 34
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. Paul encourages the Corinthians to faithful giving in light of the extravagant grace and generosity of Christ in the gospel!
The Fruit of Repentance – 2Cor Study 33
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 7:9-16. Paul points out the Corinthians’ visible fruits of repentance. Repentance is a change of mind and change of heart that results in a change of lifestyle. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance!
The Joy of Repentance – 2Cor Study 32
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 7:2-10. Paul risked offending the Corinthian Christians with his ‘severe letter,’ calling them out for their sin. But God used it to bring them to repentance! God breaks us and humbles us as he awakens us to our sin, but this ‘godly grief’ produces repentance that leads to salvation!
Cleanse the Temple – 2Cor Study 31
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. The church is the temple of the living God! Believers in Christ are blessed and honored to be the house of God, the place where God’s presence and message is manifested! We are the family of God, his sons and daughters, in Christ! All of these blessings call us to be holy – the unique people of God. It is time to cleanse the temple!
The Separating God – 2Cor Study 30
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1. God is a separating God, who separates light from darkness, good from evil, and his people from the unbelieving world. God calls his people to be separate – a unique people, different from the world, and set apart to God.
Commending Our Ministry – 2Cor Study 29
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. How well are you representing Jesus and his church? Paul teaches us the right heart and the way to live it out as we minister in Jesus’ name as his people. A great concern for the glory of God, and a great awareness of his future judgment, will overflow in great attention to personal integrity and faithfulness!
Reconciled to Each Other – 2Cor Study 28
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 6:1-13. When we are reconciled to God through Jesus, we are also reconciled to his church! When we get Jesus, we get his people, too! Following Jesus involves keeping things right between us and the church. Showing that we are genuine Christians means we continue to receive Jesus’ messengers and message – the preachers he gives us who proclaim the gospel. This is what we learn in chapter 6. Paul is defending his ministry as sent from God, and calling the Corinthians to respond by receiving him and his gospel, because now is the day of salvation!
The Basis of Reconciliation – 2Cor Study 27
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:21. One of the most amazing verses in the entire Bible! Paul cuts to the heart of the gospel, showing us what was happening as Jesus was on the cross. Here we see what God accomplished for us to make having a relationship with him possible. Jesus became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him!
Comfort for the Broken and Afflicted – Psalm 34
Mickey McCall, from Psalm 34. David learned that God is near to the brokenhearted, and he saves the crushed in spirit. But how do we know if we have a broken heart or a hard heart?
The Ministry of Reconciliation – 2Cor Study 26
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. Paul shows us what gospel ministry is, which centers around the message of the cross. God has chosen to save people through the preaching of human representatives, who proclaim the message of the gospel! What is the message? Who are the ministers?
Reconciled to God – 2Cor Study 25
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. Paul explains the gospel using the language of reconciliation. Our sins had separated us from enjoying God, but God freely chose to deal with this problem through Christ’s death and resurrection. Believers are now able to enjoy fellowship with God forever in Christ!
The Gospel Changes Everything – 2Cor Study 24
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:14-17. What is the gospel? What does Paul mean by the love of Christ, or the death of Jesus? How does the gospel transform us?
Motivated by the Gospel – 2Cor Study 23
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:11-15. Paul was motivated for ministry by the gospel event itself – the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Jesus died for us so that we would live for him and not ourselves. The gospel changes everything!
Motivated by the Judgment – 2Cor Study 22
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:9-11. Paul is motivated for present ministry by the truth of the future judgment! We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
Motivated by the Resurrection – 2Cor Study 21
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 5:1-8. Paul encourages himself for difficult ministry in the present by looking toward and longing for the future resurrection of the body. What does Christianity teach about what happens to us after we die?
Encouraging Ourselves for the Ministry – 2Cor Study 20
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Paul is concerned about what we are looking at. Though there is visible brokenness in this world and in us, we must lift our eyes up to see the unseen spiritual truths of Christ, by faith. As we look to the Lord, we find encouragement to keep pouring ourselves out for his glory. We do not lose heart!
20 – Encouraging Ourselves for the Ministry – 2Cor4 16-18 – Cary Cox
Why Continue the Ministry? – 2Cor Study 19
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 4:13-15. Paul has explained that the Christian life and ministry involves embracing self-denial and death, so that others can be built up and receive life. Since ministry comes at such a high cost, why continue? Paul explains in this passage why he continues in the ministry.
The Nature of the Ministry – 2 Cor Study 18
Cary Cox, from 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. Paul gets to the very essence of Christian ministry, and the Christian life: selflessness. We embrace daily the death of Christ. We die to self in order to serve others. This is what Jesus both taught and modeled for us. Christ gives us the power as believers to humble ourselves and walk in selfless love!
Psalm 11 – Refuge in the Righteous God
Cary Cox, from Psalm 11. In a time of crisis, David rejects bad advice and turns his eyes on the Lord! David’s theology supports him in the time of trouble; he knows who God is, and that he will judge the wicked and rescue his righteous people. What about our advice? Our theology?
The Church at Meadowlake 