When Mourning Comes

When we suffer the loss of a loved one sometimes we can’t figure out how to get over it. The Bible teaches us how we can grieve and how to have a perspective on life, death, and resurrection. God wants us to grieve, but he also wants us to heal. And he promises eternal life!

When Morning Comes a sermon presented by Ben Mulford

Facing an Unknown Future

We all face timew when we don’t know what will happen next…to be honest, no one really knows the future. But there are “wilderness” times where we don’t know our way. Like David being chased by Saul. We know that something is eminent, we just don’t know what. We especially worry when we don’t know where the money is going to come from in order to provide for our lives and our families. But God promises to provide and he has proved it every time.

Facing an Unknown Future by Ben Mulford

From Barrenness to Birth

Intimacy with God…do you have it? Sometimes we worry too much about what we look like on the outside instead of sharing our heart/life with God. We worry about wearing the “right” clothes to church, saying the “right” words when we pray…what would it look like to simply offer our lives to God. Hannah gives us an example of how to pray–true and from the heart. Read 1 Samuel chapters 1, 2, & 3 and see how God blesses Hannah. When we have intimacy with God, we know God is near (God is here). As Paul says “who can be against us?” we have nothing to fear. God is here! Listen to the sermon:

From Barrenness to Birth presented by Ben Mulford

One True Friend

David and Jonathon were best friends. 1 Samuel 18 tells us Jonathon loved David “as his own soul.” It says they were bound to one another. They made a pact that even their families would be friends…forever. They were loyal to one another, even though Jonathon’s dad, Saul, sought to kill David, still Jonathon stood up to his father because of his friendship with David.

We have a true friend who put his life on the line for us…Jesus Christ. He is the closest best friend you could ever have. Have you talked with him like that? Like a best friend? Often, we think that “prayer” is a special dialect that we speak. In prayer we think we have to use words that we don’t normally use, but Jesus is a friend. You can be more intimate with him than anyone else. He is more trustworthy and faithful than anyone could ever be. He’s here now to talk with you.

Having such a true friend in Christ, gives us the example to be a friend for some one else. How can you befriend someone new? How can you be a better friend? I grew up with this saying, “Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ.” Knowing Christ’s love, be a friend.

One True Friend presented by Ben Mulford, based on a sermon by Max Lucado in 2005

Staying Small

So, due to technical (computer) difficulties, this one is posted a bit late, but for your enjoyment, here it is…

King Saul, the king prior to David, began from humble (small) beginnings, but it didn’t take long for his new-found power as king to go to his head. Listen how we can learn to stay small, stay in touch with God, which means we can face our giants.

Staying Small presented by Ben Mulford (based on a sermon by Max Lucado (c) 2005)

Seeing God When Others Don’t

A big part of facing and overcoming the trials we face is seeing God instead of focusing on how impossible the problem may be. We can learn from David how to focus on God. In particular, we can realize how much God wants us to succeed at overcoming evil. He desires the end of evil more than we do. When we tap into that power, amazing things happen. It all starts when we learn to recognize God’s presence as David does in Psalm 139, “you [God] hem me in behind and before…”

Seeing God When Others Don’t presented by Ben Mulford

God’s Choice

In 1 Samuel 16, God anoints young David as king of Israel. David is not the biggest or strongest, but the story tells us, “God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” What’s going on in your heart? How is your heart with God? Do you ever ask him what he sees there? Do you know what God has anointed you for?

Listen to God’s Choice presented by Ben Mulford

based on a sermon, “The One God Picks” by Max Lucado

Undivided Attention

Max Lucado states, “Focus on giants, you stumble. Focus on God, your giants tumble.” The life of David helps us understand how to focus on God. This week we learn what was going on in the world that David was born into. The people, especially their leaders, had a hard time focusing on God. We’ll look at chapters 4, 5 & 6 of 1 Samuel. Take a listen:

Undivided Attention by Ben Mulford, based on a sermon by Max Lucado “God of Favors or God of Wonders”

streaming audio

Giant Slaying

We have a lesson to learn from young David. It is a lesson in not letting enemies of God get the better of us. We all face things we can’t handle: disease, debt, distress, death. Focusing on God gets us through. Learn from David. (This sermon is inspired by Max Lucado’s book “Facing Your Giants”)

Giant Slaying by Ben Mulford