Gerald Stiles

ID 63719Nov 25, 1990

ID 62056Nov 23, 1990

ID 54482Mar 14, 1997

King Asa of Judah is presented as a hero who initially led Judah with great faithfulness, removing idolatry and seeking God, even leading his people to victory against a vastly superior Ethiopian army through prayer and reliance on God. He then united Judah and Benjamin in covenant to seek the Lord, demonstrating strong leadership in both tearing down false worship and building up God's people. However, in his later years, after a period of peace, Asa compromised his faith by relying on an alliance with Syria instead of God to defend against an invasion, leading to a loss of divine favor and subsequent wars, and ultimately ending his reign in a state of spiritual decline and conflict.

ID 54216Mar 13, 1997

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is presented as a model of a godly woman chosen by God despite her ordinary background in Nazareth. The sermon highlights her humility and willingness to be God's handmaiden, as described in Luke's Gospel, emphasizing that God chooses the weak and despised to confound the wise. Like Mary, believers are called to be vessels for Christ to dwell within, allowing His light to shine through them, even amidst trials and societal disapproval. The message concludes by urging listeners to follow Mary's example of faith and obedience, trusting God's plan and magnifying Him in their lives.

ID 54215Mar 9, 1997

The Lord is presented as the Good Shepherd who actively seeks, finds, and restores lost sheep, contrasting with a hireling who abandons them. Drawing from John 10, Luke 15, and Psalm 23, the sermon illustrates the shepherd's personal knowledge of his sheep and his willingness to lay down his life for them. The process of restoration involves bringing the lost sheep into the Word of God, prayer, and correcting 'stinky thinking' with biblical truth. The sermon emphasizes that the Good Shepherd leads his restored sheep through difficult valleys, providing comfort and guidance, ultimately leading them to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

ID 52507Mar 10, 1992

Christians are called to lay aside malice, deceit, and other fleshly weapons to wield the powerful, living Word of God as their primary spiritual weapon. Peter's first epistle, addressed to war-weary saints, emphasizes that believers are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, equipped by God's provision to fight battles in the heart, the world, and the flesh. By embracing the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword and alive and operative, believers can overcome temptations and live lives pleasing to God, glorifying Him through their conduct and proclamation of His marvelous light. The sermon concludes by urging believers to treasure and actively use God's Word as the ultimate provision for spiritual warfare.