Beliefs

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The Everlasting Covenant (Genesis 17)

What does it take to have a spiritual relationship with God the Father and the Son? What is the yoke that Christ asks us to be willing to bear in order to be in step with Him? How is it possible for physical people to have a relationship with the Eternal – an Everlasting Covenant? The scriptures make this understanding clear for those who have been called by God to have their hearts and minds open to see the truth. Follow Jeff Patton and open your Bible as he examines the Everlasting Covenant through a series of sermons on the nature of our covenantal relationship with the Creator of the universe.

The Nature of God (Romans 1:20)

Can we know God? The apostle Paul makes it clear that through a knowledge of the scriptures and the revelation of God’s spirit we can know those things about God that have been revealed for our learning.
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
the things which God has prepared for those who love him
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit 1Corinthians 2:9-10

Vision and Mission (Matthew 28:17-20)

What is the work, the mission of a Judeo Christian? What is the vision that keeps us going from day to day and empowers us with a clear view of the future? These sermons explore the scriptures and provide insight into the work and witness God has called us to perform.

The Gospel (Luke 21:31)

The gospel was central to the message preserved for us by the gospel writers; it was the good news of the Kingdom of God, that Christ and the disciples preached. What was that gospel and what were the false gospels that were extant in the time of Paul that he warned believers to avoid? And how important is the gospel in the life of Judeo Christians?

Salvation – The Path to Eternal Life (Revelation 22:12-14)

Our walk with Christ as our guide is like a mountain hike from trailhead to summit. There are many steps along the way and challenges to be overcome, yet we are assured of success if we stay on the path and follow our guide, our elder brother who sets the pace for us. Salvation is not an event but a process, that begins when we commit to walking in covenant with our Creator and our heavenly Father. These sermons explore the many facets of this exciting spiritual journey.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17)

The Ten Commandments are central to Judeo Christian beliefs. This page briefly examines Jesus’ Teaching on the subject and provides links to a series of video sermons by Jeff Patton examining the commandments and the wide reaching implications in a Christian’s life.

God’s Holy Days – His Annual Sabbaths (Leviticus 23)

The annual Sabbaths provide the Judeo Christian believer with yearly reminders of God’s plan for humankind and the hope that we have of spiritual rest in the Kingdom of God. Each Holy Day is like a signpost along the journey to the Kingdom, teaching us about our relationship with the Father and the Son and encouraging us to worship God with thankfulness for His enduring faithfulness and loving kindness.

God’s Sabbath Day (Genesis 2:2-3)

The Sabbath was made for man. It is a weekly reminder, initiated at Creation, of God’s work through history in all places and across all time. He has preserved a holy time for all people who worship Him as the Creator and Life-giver. His people willingly put their personal pursuits aside in order to focus their whole being on their relationship with the Lord of the Sabbath, on His holy day.

Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Prophecy and History (2 Peter 1:19-21)

“And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.”

Christian Growth (Ephesians 4:12-16)

Avoiding the Pitfalls (Galatians 6:1-9)

Living life in covenant with God and according to Christian ideals can be difficult in a world that rejects the Creator and His teachings. We need to be aware of the spiritual dangers or pitfalls that we face each day, so we can avoid them. The sermons in this section help us to be prepared to face these challenges.

Want to know more about Judeo-Christianity and how you can get involved? Visit the Judeo Christian Foundation website.

Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day

The final harvest festivals of God picture the peace and prosperity of the world that will be transformed under the reign of the Messiah, after the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings. It is a time of spiritual renewal for the people of God, a time to rejoice before our Maker and praise Him for his wonderful promises and the hope we have in the coming of the Kingdom of God to rule all nations. It is a time for children and families to be encouraged by God’s word and praise God with song. It is a time for rehearsing the biblical stories of our fathers in the faith who observed these days, and to garner the lessons of scripture to apply to our lives today.

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Tags: Christian festivals, Fall feasts of the Lord, Fall festivals, Feast of Tabernacles, God's fall festivals, God's fall harvest festival, Holy Days, Jeff Patton, Judeo Christian, Judeo Christianity, kingdom of God, sermons online, spiritual foundation, spiritual growth, Succoth

Day of Atonement — Yom Kippur

The fast on the Day of Atonement is rich with meaning for the Christian, as it points us to the sacrifice of Christ as a propitiation for our sins, and the sins of all people. As we afflict our souls through fasting we gain a deeper understanding of our need for God, and his plan to forgive our sins so we might live in covenant with Him. We also anticipate that time of peace when the adversary will no longer influence humanity and a jubilee will sound announcing the restoration of the inheritance to the people of God. More

Tags: annual sabbath day of atonement, cogwebcast, day of atonement, Holy Days, Judeo Christianity, repentance and redemption on the day of atonement, should Christians fast on yom kippur, spiritual foundation, the fast day, the two goats on the day of atonement, yom kippur, yom kippur and azazel

Avoiding the Pitfalls

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Mark 14:38
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:8

Walking the Judeo Christian path we become aware of many obstacles and potholes that we must navigate around. There are deep ditches on either side of this straight path to eternal life, and God cautions us about avoiding pitfalls that could waylay us and keep us from reaching our destination.

Tags: archived sermons, avoiding pitfalls, Church of God, cogwebcast, Judeo Christian, Judeo Christianity, spiritual foundation, spiritual growth, webcast

Christian Growth

Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.2 Corinthians 13:11
We will no longer be immature like children…Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. Ephesians 4:14-16

Scriptures use the analogy of human growth from child to adult to explain spiritual growth. As Christian’s we must grow into the spiritual likeness of our Father, and become spiritually mature in heart and mind. This is a process that takes a lifetime, but begins at baptism when our past life is buried and we begin life anew.
The reality of Christian growth is that it begins after we repent and reject the ways of this world in favour of God’s ways. Then, the gift of the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life, in a similar way that physical conception imparts physical life. The spirit of God works with our human spirit and makes it possible for us to begin to grow towards the goal of spiritual rebirth as spirit beings in the Kingdom of God. But there are many lessons to be learned and much spiritual fruit to be borne before that glorious moment when we inherit the Kingdom. We hope some of these sermons will help you in your life’s walk towards spiritual maturity.

Christian Faith (Series)

Tags: archived sermons, Christian growth, Church of God, cogwebcast, Judeo Christian, Judeo Christianity, Judeo-Christian scriptures, spiritual foundation, spiritual growth

Prophecy and History

These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. Message 1 Corinthians 1o:11-12

The bible is historically accurate, not mere myth and legend, and much can be learned from the events and personalities of past ages. Bible history is also a forerunner of events that are yet to transpire – prophetic events – that the God who knows all things and made all things has preserved for our understanding. Judeo Christians value the lessons of history and the word of prophecy that gives us wisdom to live our lives today. Bible prophecy and history also provide hope for the future, for us, for our children and for all people.

Tags: archived sermons, biblical history, Church of God, cogwebcast, Judeo Christian, Judeo Christianity, Judeo-Christian scriptures, prophecy, spiritual foundation

God’s Sabbath Day

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. ¹⁰ For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. Hebrews 4:8-11

From the beginning, God created man to have a relationship with Him. The Sabbath was that weekly opportunity to commune with God, that God established at the foundation of the world and preserved through the millennia. It looks back to creation and deliverance from Egypt, and it looks forward to the ultimate rest of God and His people in the New Heavens and New Earth. It is a weekly reminder to all who worship the Creator of His majesty, loyalty, loving kindness, and life-giving power. We can find rest and peace in God, on God’s Sabbath day.

Tags: archived sermons, Christ, Church of God, gospel of Christ, Judeo Christian, Judeo Christianity, Judeo-Christian scriptures, Sabbath, spiritual foundation, spiritual growth

Nature of God

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…

Then God said, “Let there be light and there was light.”

Nature of God

Can we know the nature of God? The scriptures give the believer awesome insight into the mind and heart of the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. We can know much about their nature, their relationship, their vision, their character, and their action in history through an in-depth examination of the Bible – their Word preserved for our understanding. God has revealed, but it is our task to study to come to know and be known by our Lord, Jesus our Messiah, and the Father, our covenant partner.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

What God Loves
The truth often comes in simple words. Our love grows as we walk with God. Why? Because that is his nature. “God is love” was John’s emphatic statement after having experienced a close personal relationship with the Creator. But can we discern what God loves?

God Loves Justice
We must love justice as God does. His instructions to his people Israel were clear — no bribes, no partiality, no perverting justice! There can be no hypocrisy in the lives of those who represent God and his rule of law. But there is a great reward for those who love justice as God loves justice. Do you know what it is?

What God Hates
Most Christians know that ‘God is love.” God’s character is one of loving loyalty. But do we know what God hates? We need this knowledge so we can avoid undermining our relationship with our Father. From the time of Adam, through the experience of Israel in the wilderness, to the time of Paul’s writings the message is consistent. God does not change. His standards are eternal.

God of Truth
We worship God because he is the God of truth. Truth is firm, steadfast, stable. Truth is the reality; from the marvellous miniature design of our DNA to the vast expanses of the universe our God created and controls everything that is real. So do you have the hope and confidence that comes from a love of the truth and the God whose nature is true.

God is Great
We are living in a dangerous time: 60 million people worldwide are refugees seeking asylum elsewhere, economists are waiting for the next round of the European/world financial chaos, and the Middle-East is in turmoil. So how can we sleep at night? Jeff reminds us that God is great, and we can take comfort that he can deliver those who love Him.

God is Good
Why do we worship God? Why do we want to have a personal relationship with the God of the bible? Learning lessons from Solomon and Paul, we can appreciate God’s nature in dealing with his people, and even those who do not acknowledge Him. God is good, always and for all time, and for this reason we can walk with Him in confidence and with gratitude. So how is God good? Can you count the ways?

God is Just
The US Supreme court decision to support “gay” marriage divided the nation. Those who supported the ruling were saying that they were “On the right side of history” But is that where a Christian wants to be? Or should we rather be concerned about being, “on the right side of the future?”

God of Mercy: Remember All His Benefits
It would seem that many people in North America have forgotten the source of their blessings.
They are the “nones,” atheists, agnostics, and those with “no particular religion” who see no role for a God of mercy in their lives. On the other hand, David, the psalmist, reminds us to, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits.” So what are those benefits, and how does God extend his mercy to all those who worship and serve Him?

Christ, Prophet, Priest, and King
God’s plan is a matter of public record in the scriptures. However, it has been ‘sealed’ and its message hidden. In vision the apostle John saw the sealed scroll that God the Father was holding. He cried when he realized no man was worthy to open the scroll and reveal its meaning. And yet there is someone who can open it. Do you know who is worthy to reveal and bring to fruition the Father’s plan?

Christ the Prophet
Who was that prophet that would come and fulfill Moses’ prophecy? It was no mystery to the disciples of Christ. Unlike the religious leaders of the day, Jesus did not listen to the “Father of Lies.” Rather, Christ came from the Father of Light, to bring the truth that would set people free.

Christ our High Priest
The role of high priest has been usurped, misappropriated, and maligned over the centuries. yet it still has vital significance in God’s plan. There have been faithful high priests. And, the people of ancient Israel would have had a basic understanding of this important responsibility when it was established. Do you know your high priest?