Hyde Park Baptist Church

The Portrait of a Winner: 3 common characteristics of people who always make things happen in life.

Scripture: Luke 15:11-31, Everyone loves Hallmark movies with the wonderful, feel good endings. And most people have heard about the Greatest Story Ever Told. But have you heard the story about The Rebellious, The Religious, and The Remarkable?

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7, Why do we give Christmas gifts? Did you know that Americans will give $465 Billion dollars in gifts this Christmas! The great news is that we aren't the only ones who like to give gifts. God gave the greatest gift of Christmas, a gift like no other when He gave His only Son, the Lord Jesus so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.

Scripture: Micah 5:2-4, Can you think of anything big that didn't start out small? In the 1970's, two young men starting building computers in their parents garage. Today that company, Apple, is worth $1 trillion. Nearly everything big starts small.You may be thinking that nothing big has ever happened in your life. Well God wants to use you, wants to bless you and make big things happen in your life.

Scripture: Numbers 24:17-19, Are you a stargazer, someone who enjoys going outside at night just to stare at the stars? It's a great reminder that there is so much more going on than what we are aware of. 3400 years ago, God gave a man a vision about a star and from that star, we learned that God keeps His promises.

Scripture: Isaiah 7:10-14, Do you ever worry that our culture is losing the real meaning of Christmas? If you do, you may be right. Sadly, not everyone believes in the real meaning of Christmas which requires people to believe in a miracle named Jesus.

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, Do you believe in the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ? If you do, you're not alone. A recent survey showed that 47% of Americans believe that Jesus will return sometime in the next 40 years. If we are living in the end times, what should you be doing?

Scripture: Luke 6:38, Does it touch your heart when you see other people being generous? Generosity is a highly desirable trait and it blesses not just the receivers but many others as well. Do you want generosity to be a value or trait in your own life?

Scripture: Phiippians 3:8-14, What are you pursuing in life? One of the things we should not be chasing after is happiness. Happiness as a goal is simply too elusive. The main goal for a believer's life must be knowing Jesus Christ. That is a goal worth pursuing.

What comes to your mind when you hear the term "spiritual warfare"? it could be the intense persecution of Christians around the world, or it could be an internal battle in your own life. Every time you decide to do something for Christ, whether witnessing, reading your Bible, or kneeling to pray, you can expect an attack from the enemy. How can you win?

Scripture: Galatians 2:20, Have you ever had one of those sudden moments of spiritual clarity that changes the way you think, act or respond to the world around you? As a believer, there will be a moment in your life when you have to decide is self or Christ what matters to you.

Scripture: Romans 5:6-8, When you see the cross, you cannot help but think of Jesus. Why is the cross the symbol of our faith?

Scripture: Romans 1:16-17, Some may tell you to believe in something even if it means sacrificing everything. Not all beliefs are equal and you may end of throwing everything away for believing the wrong thing. However, as a Christian, faith in Jesus IS worth everything.

Scripture: Luke 18:9-10, Do you sometimes feel the harder you try the more you mess up? The more you try to fix something, the worse it gets? As a Christian, this is the time we should stop being stubborn and surrender to God

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11-14, Why do you attend church? In a recent survey, the number one reason people attend church is to feel closer to God. The good news is that you don't have to wait until Sunday to feel close to God.

Scripture: Matthew 7:24-27, Do you believe that people are as personally accountable today as they used to be? The truth is we all get away with a little bit now and then. But there is coming a day that none of us will be able to avoid. It will be a day of accountability unlike anything the world has ever seen. It is called the day of judgement.

Scripture: Matthew 7:21-23, How many times this week did you need access to a restricted area? What about your phone's passcode or your online banking password? Or an apartment or neighborhood gate code? The reality is that everyday we rely upon some form of verification to gain access to a restricted area. One of these days, every single person will want access into heaven. Do you have access?

Scripture: Matthew 7:15-20, By now, we've all heard the term "fake news". But what you may not know is that fake news is nothing new. Jesus warned us 2000 years ago to be aware of false prophets who come to distort His pure message. Be careful about who you follow and what trends you adopt. Do they line up with God's word... His plan for your life?

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33, What are you worried about? Worry will never help you, it will always hurt you.You can tremble or you can trust. You can panic or you can pray. You can worry or you can worship. Learn how to turn your anxiety into prayer... how to live life without worry.

Scripture: Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus warns us not to place our trust in the vulnerability of this life. . Certainly, the spell of money and materialism is hard to break. Do you trust in earthly things? Or do you trust in the invisible Kingdom of God? We have a choice, trust in this world or trust in God. Which will you choose?