When God Says "No" by Andre Amirato

I would like to consider with you one response we might receive from the Lord when we pray and what impact our reaction can have on our lives. It can be a real struggle to even open up to the Lord, but even greater change can occur when we listen to his voice and act accordingly. 

Read Jeremiah 42:9-19

In this passage in the book of Jeremiah, the Hebrew people had pleaded for mercy and sought direction from the Lord. They looked to the prophet Jeremiah for direction. They were currently residing in a dangerous situation in Babylon. They had been planning on relocating to Egypt, which seemed like a logical and safe place at the time. They went to the Lord having analyzed their situation, which is appropriate, and then seeking God’s final approval. They were then completely devastated when the Lord responded with a clear and resounding “no.” 

It is not incorrect to analyze, think and make decisions—the Lord has called us to do so. However, it is inappropriate to come before the Lord, assuming that our analysis should be what convinces or guides His answer. There may be times when the Lord does direct us to make choices by guiding this process, but we must be open, not only to ask, but to obey His answers to us. 

In this passage, the Lord gave a response that was contrary to that which had been most logical in the eyes of the Hebrews. Oftentimes, the biggest struggle that we face in our day to day is giving up our own ways which seem logical, the schemas we have constructed, and the processes we’ve established. Instead, we must, by faith, choose to accept that our God has every authority in our lives to speak, even when it feels out of turn.

As human beings, we have been educated to understand our environments and draw conclusions based on our findings, and that decisions that are unsubstantiated by some form of evidence should be discarded. When coming before the Lord, we must recognize that though this process is good, it is also insufficient. We do not have the means, nor the capacity to gather the full extent of information needed to draw conclusions that could challenge the direction of the Lord. Accepting a word contrary to that which makes most sense, when guided by the Lord, is an act of obedience and, in turn, adoration to the Lord. 

The Hebrews in this passage were given an opportunity to demonstrate their faithfulness and obedience by accepting God’s answer. The Lord blessed them by giving them direction, as well as explaining what would happen should they choose obey or disobey his word. Their disobedience led to their demise. 

The Lord may not always explain why he is guiding us away from what seems to be the most sensible. Let me encourage you to remember that obeying, even when His answer is no, protects us and provides us with an opportunity to testify the Lord’s greatness.

4 Resources To Help You Grow by Travis Sinks

Jesus warned the crowds that followed Him in Luke 14:25-33, that they should count the cost of following Him. He compares it to building a tower and making sure you have enough resources and man power to build it fully, so that you do not get halfway and realize that you can’t complete it.

To follow Jesus requires all of our life, for the rest of our life.

As you are on your journey of following Jesus, there’s so much to learn, and apply from Jesus, but as a pastor, I want to give you as many resources as I can to help you in that process.

This list isn’t meant to be exhaustive, but to help you realize how many resources are accessible to us today. There are endless podcasts and books - but sometimes that can be overwhelming. So, rather than giving you endless options, here are four resources to help you learn and apply as you follow Jesus.

NOTE: These are meant to compliment your time in community with others Christians (discipleship) and time gathering together on Sunday services or other gatherings. Nothing can replace your time with other believers, just like nothing can replace your prayer life and Bible reading.

Podcast/Audio Sermons

At Redemption Church, we have all of our past sermons online for you to listen to. We currently have 9 full books of the Bible that we’ve studied through and multiple topical sermons series through sections of scripture.

You can find all of these on our teaching page, or you can subscribe to the Sunday sermons on iTunes or Google Play.

3 Minute Messages

In addition to full sermons, we’ve also started our “3 Minute Message” series last summer. This allows for briefer overviews of scripture as we talk about the overall message of each chapter in a book of the Bible in under 3 minutes. Currently we’ve gone through 4 books of the Bible and we’ll continue to add to that list. You can find all the past 3 Minute Message on our website, or subscribe to them on iTunes or Google Play.

Blog Posts

For the last few years, Redemption Church has kept up an ongoing blog in order to be a resource on a variety of topics. On our blog page you can find the most recent posts, look at the most recent few by specific authors, and search through the blog archive for a specific subject. You can even subscribe to our blog via email so that you never miss a post.

Additional Resources Page

As a general addition to the options above, Redemption Church has also included an Additional Resources Page with a variety of helpful links and downloadable content.

The things you can find on these pages are:

• Topical Bible study worksheets
• Baptism information sheet
• Start to follow PDF workbook
• Links to free Bible study websites
• Links to free Bible apps
• Through The Bible reading plan and study guide
• Spiritual gifts PDF book
• Spiritual gifts online test
• Suggested church podcasts to listen to
• Recommended books to purchase

As mentioned above, there are so many resources available to us that we can easily quit before we’ve even begun, but there’s nothing to replace the time invested in learning more of God’s Word and desiring to see Jesus more clearly and follow Him more diligently.

I hope those resources encourage and enhance your walk with Jesus.

Press on and continue to follow Him!

Serve Sunday | An Interview with Rosy

We are so grateful for all of you who serve at Redemption Church and the way God is using you to be a part of the Body and use your gifts for His glory! On Sunday, we interviewed Rosy about her experience serving as a volunteer at Redemption Church and how God has used that in her walk with Jesus.  Thank you so much, Rosy, for all you do to serve Jesus here at Redemption Church!

A Surprising Family by Alesha Sinks

I remember having some friends growing up who always felt more like family. You couldn’t enter their home without being drawn in and made to feel like you were a part of them, a part of their family.

And I think that is how the church is supposed to be.

When we come together as the body of Christ, when we come open and willing to see what God will do, when we come accepting and praying and seeking instead of judging and comparing, there is a special thing that happens. We become family.
We become the body of Christ.

When we commit to following Jesus and commit to being a part of His church, to walking out the days of our lives with the members of His church that He has called us to be with, we will see ourselves knit together in love. One of the most profoundly supernatural things I have witnessed is a group of very different people who are knit together in love through Jesus.

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ….For the body does not consist of one member but of many.”
1 Corinthians 12:12;14

We are the body of Christ. The church, knit together by love, is the body of Christ. We are the body of Christ.

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:27

This is the great mystery of the church. God builds His church and bonds it together with a love that is surprising and cannot be explained any other way than through Him. Sometimes I look around at my church family, and find myself in awe. Who could ever script this combination of lives lived together and call it beautiful? And I know that the answer is, “Only Jesus. And He has made it is beautiful."

Without Jesus, we can form groups and societies and programs that are unique and interesting, but we will never become the family of love that Jesus can make us. He can take people with almost nothing in common but Him and bind them together with love so strong that it is astounding. He can take our unique gifts and personalities and talents and perspectives and knit them together into a body that can function and serve each other and the world for His glory.

Only Jesus can take people so different, so varied, so incompatible and make them a family that is characterized first and foremost by love.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35

I look around our little church some Sundays to see so many faces I feircly love, and yet if I step back just half an inch from my own inside perspective it looks so strange. Nothing about my background or personality or birthplace on the planet points to these people being the ones I call family. But as I’ve showed up week after week, year after year, pouring my heart and time into these people, Jesus has knit my heart so tightly to their’s in love. His love.

He builds His church through a million impossible combinations and binds us together through the bond of love. It is His gift to His church if we allow Him to work it in us.

If we allow Him to knit us together, He will. He will take the most diverse combinations of people and bind our hearts together, creating us into His church. Creating us into an imperfect bride through which He can display His love for the world.

He takes our unique backgrounds and beliefs and talents and gifts and turns them into a body, functioning as one, for one purpose. That purpose is His glory and praise.

Because of that purpose, this beautiful family is intended to constantly welcome and grow, to pull in and envelop anyone who will come close, just like that family I knew as a child. We the church are intended to become a tight knit family who will embrace as family every new member whom God brings.

But for every joy of love and bond of family, there will be equal pain and hurt and sorrow. But it will be worth it. It will be worth it in the moments you get to raise your eyes and see your family, all broken and mismatched and messy, worshiping together and loving each other in a way that can only be explained by pointing to Jesus.

God builds His church and bonds it together with a love that is surprising and cannot be explained any other way than through Him.

We are the Church of Jesus.
We are family.
We are the body of Christ.
We are the bride in preparation for her Groom.
We are gifted love and unity by Him; let’s seek Him and press into the family He has given us.

Thank You From Jason Sanchez (HOB)

An Honest Ask From A Pastor's Wife by Laura Williams

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” -Hebrews 13:7

It has been 5 years next month since we had our first gathering as Redemption Church on Easter Sunday, 2012. Daniel and I had moved our family down only months before from Washington State to this unknown (to us) south Florida beach town, and here we were introducing a new church and ourselves to the community! 

It. Was. Unreal.

Some of the feelings I remember vividly from that first-ever church service were excitement…for what God wanted to do, fear…that no one would come, joy…in seeing the first few strangers find their seats, insecurity that people wouldn’t connect with us, humor…knowing that only a week earlier, we didn’t even have a church, and desperation…for the Holy Spirit to come and bring power and life to our efforts in a way that only He can do.

None of those things has changed. Not one. As we have seen God come through and work in so many lives over the past several years, we remain excited knowing His ways are so much higher than ours! I still have to fight the temptation to feel afraid and insecure. We laughtogether sometimes, knowing that it is truly only the grace of God that has allowed us to be a part of this beautiful, difficult, and rewarding ministry of pastoring a church.

Pastors are real people. Hopefully you know this. And as God calls men and their families to set aside their own ambitions to pursue this unique calling, we need prayer. And not only those just starting out! Your pastor who has been serving faithfully in his church for 40 years needs your prayers too! 

Pastors get to experience what I think is one of the most exhilarating and exciting lifestyles that there is. We are privileged to give God’s Word to the lost and hungry, equip disciples of Jesus to do His ministry, and see the behind-the-scenes miracle of lives being changed supernaturally by a very real and present God who lets US see Him work! 

Why us? 

I have no idea. I do know, though, that it is an unusual life. And people sometimes regard us differently because of the place God has chosen for us. And that’s okay. I have always had a special respect and honor for my pastors. And this is good and right because God has placed them in a position of authority over His (Jesus’s) Church! But as you regard your pastor, please remember that he needs your support! There was a time he was not a pastor and probably had no ambitions of being one, then God spoke to him and changed the course of his life. Can you think for a moment if God were to call you to do the same?

So here is what I really want you to know about your pastor (and his family). We stumble. We lack faith at times. We try to hold up our shield of faith and not rely on our own strength. We KNOW that we need the Spirit of God to not only work through us to accomplish anything worthwhile, but to sustain our faith! We are where we are because God has placed us here—and that is all. We want to please our Heavenly Father and love and shepherd HIS flock well. And we NEED HIS SPIRIT to be at work constantly in us, around us, through us, and upon us. 

As the verse in Hebrews chapter 13 (see above) exhorts you to look to your pastor and imitate his faith, PRAY for his faith to be strengthened! It is perhaps the most humbling part of our life knowing that God Himself has chosen our lives to be showcased as an example to follow. And we do not take this lightly. 

But we do have a huge ASK for you. 

Would you pray for your pastor? And his wife? And their children? Pray as you would want to be prayed for! I have joked about the golden rule of prayer: “Pray for others as you would have them pray for you!” Remember, again, that they don’t need fancy, extra-spiritual prayers just because it’s your pastor! Pray for patience and tenderness in their marriage, for growth in their own quiet times with Jesus, pray for health and protection for their children! 

And THANK YOU. Because without the prayers of so many, I know that my husband and I would not be the same. We have asked for prayer from people near and far in the time since we launched that first Easter service, and God has heard and answered! THANK YOU! Keep praying!

My Story | Kim Travaglino

When God Says "Yes" by Andre Amirato

I would like to consider with you one response we might receive from the Lord when we pray and what impact our reaction can have on our lives. It can be a real struggle to even open up to the Lord, but even greater change can occur when we listen to his voice and act accordingly. 

Read 2nd Samuel 5:17-25 and 1 Chronicles 14:10-16

Soon after David was anointed king, the Philistines came to attack him. He asked the Lord if he would grant him victory and the Lord blessed him. He received a “yes” from the Lord and was victorious. The story could end right there, and everyone would be satisfied. You ask about something, the Lord says yes, end of story. But there are two key behaviors that we should learn from King David in order to delight in the full capacity of the Lord.

In verse 21, Samuel states “and the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.” (ESV) The enemy attacked unsuccessfully, as they retreated, they left behind their relics, false gods, images and identifiable paraphernalia. The Lord gave David the victory that he needed, and before celebrating, before thanking his men, David goes to work for the Lord. He glorified the Lord by purging the land of all that came from the enemy. Verse 21 shows us the importance of honoring the Lord, regardless of how unfulfilling the action may be. Purging this land of these items also prevented that the enemy find something familiar when returning for another attack. We can never be sure that the enemy has run for good; there may be times when he may dare to attack once again, which is precisely what David experienced.

David also demonstrated humility in recognizing that his job was not done until he took care of the cleanup, the boring administrative work that easily gets pushed off to the side. He put God in first place, and, though he had victory, he knew that he must always be ready. The enemy would no longer find something familiar upon returning, and when they came back, David was ready for them. He was ready, he had already defeated them, and he knew exactly what to do. He already had a word from the Lord, a clear mandate and direction and so he went, and paused. Before carrying out with the direction that the Lord had already given him, he recognized that he must be continuously searching for the Lord’s direction, which is what he did.

David knew how to respond to the Philistines, but revered and feared the Lord. He stopped and sought the Lord’s direction once more. He did not rely on his own experience to tell him what to do, but continued in prayer. The Lord gave him another yes, but this time, David was given a unique set of instructions. He would not attack the Philistines as he had done so beforehand, rather the Lord guided him on an alternative path. He found victory once more in this alternative path. 

It is important for us to consider that he may have still found victory if he had done what had worked last time, but such victory would have been victory alone and not a victory that is coupled with honoring the Lord and submitting to his ways and means. The Lord equips us, he teaches us and he raises us up in such a way that we will learn how to advance, but if we open up to the Lord, even in the areas where we are already proficient and trained, we will then gain the opportunity to conquer and obey, to win and to glorify the Lord. As much as we may come to know and understand through the knowledge that the Lord affords us, confirmation can only come from the Lord. 

When the Lord says yes, we advance, but we must continuously submit ourselves so that we may have victory and be able to testify to the greatness of the Lord’s grace and mercy. King David placed himself and his army in second place when he ordered his men to carry away the idols that had been left behind. He recognized the need to prepare because he alone does not have the strength to fight, but he receives it from the Lord and will honor him at all times. Then, he presented himself to the Lord once more when he was again challenged, even though he had already been given victory in that place. Similarly, our response to God’s yes must be consistently humble and continue in prayer.

Why Technology? by Daniel Williams

Redemption Church Family,

It is my honor to be your pastor. 

One of the roles of being your pastor is to train and equip you to do the ministry God has prepared for you to do. 

Eph 4:11-12a “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry.”

That’s right! God wants to use YOU to bring Him glory and advance His Kingdom. And He wants me to help YOU make disciples.

This is why I have made it a priority to faithfully teach you God’s Word on a continual basisbecause as 2 Tim 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 

Although I can’t meet with all of you daily over coffee to discuss God’s Word, I can equip you through other means. With the power of technology I can help train and teach more people about Jesus than ever…and so can YOU! This is why we are so passionate about proclaiming Jesus through the vehicle of technology and use our website to equip and train people. It is a great way to spread the Word of God and proclaim Jesus.

We, as a church, have many resources to help you grow on our website, and we work hard to keep it updated frequently! These would include our Sunday morning messages, our 3 Minute Messages for you as you read through the Bible, relevant blog posts and much more. Check them out at https://redemptiondb.com/resources and let me know what you think. 

I also want to encourage you to share these resources with others! I want these resources to not only help YOU but to also help others. And when you find yourself encouraged by a video, podcast, or a blog post, take the time to share it with others. It is very easy to share these resources on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and we want as many people hearing about Jesus as possible. So pass these resources on to others!

My prayer is that through all of these resources going out through our website they would help your walk with Jesus and help equip you to pursue and proclaim Jesus. 

Let’s continue to use technology and all that we have to advance God’s Kingdom and bring glory to God. 

Praying for you all!

Pastor Daniel

Pass It On by Laura Williams

Do you ever find yourself struggling to retain what you read in the Bible? Or even to remember what you learned from a Sunday sermon or message? There are so many times that I have been deeply moved by a particular message at church, and months later I’ll find my notes from that message and realize I forgot all about the special thing the Lord spoke to my heart.

It can be embarrassing sometimes to recognize my inability to recall something that sincerely spoke to my heart. It’s not that I didn’t hear God speaking to me and desire to remember and apply what I learned. It just never found solid footing in my life, and I let it sit on the back burner of my heart long enough that it was simply forgotten. Don’t you wish we could find a way to remember and retain all of the beautiful truths we learn and keep them close in our hearts?

Something that has helped me tremendously in this area is the importance of SHARING what God is teaching me with someone else. When you teach the very things you are learning and pass them along to another person, those truths sink deeper into your own heart.

If you can teach it to someone else, your own understanding of that truth grows and becomes easier to remember.

When you read your Bible and God teaches you through it, share that with someone! You will mature in your knowledge and faith when you are able to teach someone else what God has taught you!

“Teaching the Bible” is an intimidating idea for most of us. Most of us would probably never describe ourselves as Bible teachers. You may feel you don’t KNOW enough, or perhaps you might be asked a question you won’t know the answers to! It is true that you cannot teach what you do not know and understand yourself, but what is different about teaching the BIBLE, is that the Holy Spirit Himself is able to speak through you and give you words to say! And also, it is completely normal and okay not to have all the answers!

Our faith grows when we step out and put our trust in God’s ability to speak through us! And once you do this a few times, you will begin to see that it is, in fact God who does the teaching, and you are simply his vessel—his voice—to speak to others.

Don’t be afraid to share what God has been teaching you, no matter how simple you may think it sounds!

Those truths will sink themselves deeper into your own heart, and you will get to see God use you to teach others!

And this can look different for each of us. You may want to find a friend who can be that person you share with on a regular basis—maybe you both can meet up during the week and share what God is teaching you that week. Or maybe you and your spouse can make an effort to share more with each other about your personal walks with Jesus. Another way that can be very helpful in maturing us and expanding our knowledge of the Bible is through teaching children! Teaching kids causes us to study the simple and foundational truths of Scripture in order to pass them along in a clear way. Pray about how God might want to be using you to teach someone else this week!

However you feel that this applies best to you, let me encourage you to start now! Be confident that God will use your willingness to share with others for both your own good and the good of others! Preach His Word, encourage one another, and watch how Jesus uses you!

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” -2 Timothy 4:1-2