Pastor Ricky Powell

A Sermon Outline For The Olympics

 How To Run The Race of Faith

 Hebrews 12:1-3 (Run your race with…)

1. A. Strong Encouragement (Hebrews 12:1). 

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses..." 

2. A Strategic Efficiency (Hebrews 12:1b).  

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us...” 

3. A Steadfast Endurance (Hebrews 12:1c).

“and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” 

4. A Supreme Example (Hebrews 12:2-3). 

"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." 

Jesus must be our ultimate example and encouragement! Keep your eyes on Him! 

Everyone's A Theologian

 I am studying systematic theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and enjoying every minute of it. OK, not every minute...our textbook is 1312 pages long, after all! But it is exciting to search the Scriptures to learn more about our God. I am also working on a series of messages that will help believers grasp the basic doctrines we hold dear (or should hold dear). When I mention this to some people they get this glazed over look on their faces. Some have actually told me that we should not discuss doctrine because doctrine divides. Other say it is too boring of a subject. (How could anything about God ever be boring???) Someone recently told me that he hated theology lessons because it is impossible to "put God in a box." Maybe some of what these folks say is true. I have endured, and even joined, too many arguments over the fine points of theology. I have also sat through boring theological sermons and lectures. I have even been guilty of delivering a few myself. (The problem was not with God or His Word, but with the preacher delivering it!) And I would never claim to have God all figured out, neatly organized in my systematic theology. To ignore theology, however, is not an option. We are all theologians, either for the good or bad. We either hold correct theology or incorrect theology. (Or a mixture of both.) As a friend once said, "Good theology helps people, but bad theology hurts people." The person who developed the video below is spot on when it comes to studying God through His Word. Check it out and pray for me as I prepare these messages. You can also visit the bookstore in the sidebar and find some recommended resources for digging deeper into God's Word.

DugDownDeep_Carnahan.mov from Covenant Life Church on Vimeo.

Through Every Door

We had a great night last Sunday for our first, "Through Every Door" campaign! About 45 people went out that night to visit our first time guests and others who have been attending our church. Was your Life Group represented? Plan on joining us this week at 5:00 p.m. for "Through Every Door."

We Had A Great Night At Ellaville Baptist Church

I am preaching revival services at Ellaville Baptist Church in Ellaville, Georgia. Ben Foxworth, a former member of Fort Caroline Baptist Church, is the pastor of this wonderful congregation. He is doing a great job. The church was packed again tonight. They even brough in extra chairs. There is a sweet spirit in this church. I am enjoying good 'ole Southern hospitality, which means I am being fed well!!! Please be in prayer for us this week that God will move in our hearts in a mighty way.

How Do You Measure Up To God's Standard of Love?

 1 Corinthians 13 

    ¹If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.  3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud  5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!  9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!  10 But when full understanding comes, these partial things will become useless.

 11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.  12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (New Living Translation)

The Missional Church

The Death of A Conscience (audio)

 

Death of a conscience 20100207am

 

I Was Ordained Into The Ministry 21 Years Ago Tomorrow

On February 12, 1989 I was ordained into the Gospel ministry by the Corinth Baptist Church of Lake Park, Georgia at the request of my new pastorate, Elam Baptist Church in Quitman, Georgia. I am so humbled that the Lord would call me into His service in this way. I could never repay my family and friends who mentored me and encouraged me in those early days. I think of them often. Much of who I am can be traced back to their love and support. Since my ordination I have been honored to serve three congregations as pastor. Of course, my deepest gratitude goes to my loving wife. Donna has faithfully stood by me, always supportive and understanding. I could not be the pastor I am without her. Please pray for me to be faithful to the finish!

Hebrews 12:1-3(NKJV)
¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  
² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  
³ For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Tebow Ad Ran During The Super Bowl And The World Did Not Come To An End

The Church Has Left The Building!

We had a great day in God's House this morning! Now I am praying for your Life Group to have fun tonight at your Super Bowl party. We intentionally encouraged each group to invite family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers to a party so you can build relationships with people who need Jesus or who need a church home. Many of our groups, all over East Jacksonville, are meeting for this purpose. Instead of "having" church tonight, we are "being" the church in our community! There are people in our church now, not because they first came to a worship service, but because they enjoyed themselves outside of a church service with some of our members. It was not until later that they decided to attend a service to see what all the excitement was about. This is not a new approach to reaching people with the Gospel. It is exactly what Matthew Levi did when Jesus saved and called him. He threw a party in Jesus' honor and invited his friends over to meet Jesus! 

Luke 5:27-31

27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. 29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum? 31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”