First International Christian Fellowship— (FICFRENO)

Everyone might already be looking towards the promise of 2019, but are we missing God's point for the past year? __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE.

Sometimes we think there is a sign that we need to see before we can truly surrender to God.      But as we see there is no greater sign than God sending His one and only Son to be born on this earth to live and die for us. The Christmas season is much more than a happy holiday, but a day of remembrance. Don’t just do it as lip service but truly repent and believe. __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

'Tis the season and as we kick off this Christmas season we look at the reactions of different people in hearing about the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.     We hear this message each year, but has our reaction changed? Have we tried to fit the world in with the church instead of the church going into the world? Listen in as we tackle this and much more! __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

We’ve all thought that, "It’s my way or the highway!" Sometimes we just think it’s best to do it my way, but there is far greater purpose when you let God guide your footsteps. The world tells you “my way” but God shows you “His way.” __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

We're all searching for a family that will accept us wholly for who we are, no questions asked. But what if we're unwittingly already part of a far-greater one? __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Attending church can get us real acquainted with blindly keeping up with a certain set of rules. Why do we somehow equate this with a functioning relationship with God? Pastor Joe muddies our cozy familiarity with mere law-abiding in this week’s continuation of our series. You cannot afford to mess up the order: It is by grace you receive, through faith in the living God, that produces a need inside you to inevitably abide in His ways. __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

When a trusted loved one goes back on their word and the pain of abandonment hasn’t really left you yet, you have a someone else you can turn to whose promise will never waver. Points from the sermon: JESUS SAID: - Matt. 5:37 THE LAW AND GOD’S PROMISE - Gal. 3:15-16 GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM - Gen. 12:1-3 ; 7 - Gen. 13:14-15 - Gen. 22:18 - Gen. 24:7 / 26:4 GOD’S PROMISE IS JESUS CHRIST - Gal. 3:16 GENEALOGY OF JESUS - Matt. 1:1-16 - Luke 3:23-38 JESUS CHRIST = GOD’S PROMISE - Acts 3:25 - Gen. 3:15 BLOOD = LIFE = PAYMENT FOR SIN - Gen. 3:7 - Gen. 3:21 JESUS’ BLOOD = PAYMENT FOR THE SIN FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE - Matt. 26:28 IN GOD’S TIME! - Gen. 37:7 ; 39:1 ; 41:40 ; 42:6-7 ; 45 - Micah 5:2 HOW MUCH DOES HE MEAN TO YOU? - Matt. 26:14 COST OF FOLLOWING CHRIST - Luke 14:25-27 (TPT) __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Reading it off the pages of the Bible, Jesus’ off-the-cuff problem-solving savvy surely inspires us all to live more like Him daily. But how often, if at all, do you actually allow His moving of you to manifest and reproduce identical results? Points from the sermon: WHAT DID JESUS DO? [a] - Matt 5:17 - Gal 2:21 I. SAVED BY WORKS OR GRACE? - Gal 3:1-3 - Eph 2:8-9 IA. BELIEVER = TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Gal 3:4-5 - Rom 8:9 EXAMPLE THROUGH ABRAHAM - Gal 3:6 - Gen 15:6 - Jam 2:23 GOD FOREKNEW! - Gal 3:7 II. RELIANCE ON THE LAW = CURSED BY GOD - Gal 3:10-12 WHAT DID JESUS DO? [b] - Gal 3:13-14 III. SAVED BY GRACE, NOT BY WORKS... - What Are We To Do? - Titus 3:1-8 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Imagine how silly it would’ve been if we started accusing a widower adultery if they ever, however long after, choose to remarry? Yet seemingly, that‘s how we tend to portray our testimony before others—glorifying our past sins far more than what we have gained in Christ. This week, Pastor Joe implores the Church to forego the former trespasses Christ has permanently put to death and jumpstart the vital mission He‘s entrusted us with—to spread this good news far and wide. Points from the sermon: Intro: GO & SIN NO MORE - Jn 8:10-11 WHAT DOES IT MEAN? - Gal 19-20[a] I. OLD NATURE IS DEAD - Rom 6:6-7 IA. OLD/SINFUL NATURE - Col 3:5-9 II. TEMPTED BY OUR OWN DESIRE - Jam 1:14-16 DON’T BE DECEIVED… - 1 Cor 15:33 IIA. GOD KNOWS & HE IS FAITHFUL! - 1 Cor 10:13 III. ARE WE LIVING FOR CHRIST? - Gal 2:20[b] - Rom 6:8-13 IS JESUS YOUR LORD? - Rom 6:14 YOU ARE A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST! - 2 Cor 5:17 NEW CREATION, NEW LIFE - Jn 20:11-13 - Jn 20:16,18 __ FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

When we weaponize the Mosaic Law to gauge each other’s right standing with God, it becomes drastically problematic. Pastor Joe’s continuation of our series lands on the irony: Religion we observe that doesn’t deliver us to an in-depth encounter with Christ merely render us even less righteous in God’s sight. Points from the sermon: Intro: JOB’S ASKED - Job 9:2 MAN’S PROBLEM IS: - Rom. 3:9-12 PAUL REBUKES PETER: - Gal. 2:15-16 SAUL / PAUL OBEYED THE THE LAW: - Phil. 3:5-6 PROBLEM IS: - Gal. 2:16 IS THE LAW THE PROBLEM? - Rom. 7:12 COMMIT ONE, GUILTY OF ALL! - Jam. 2:8-11 JESUS IS THE ANSWER! - Gal. 2:16 NEVER FORGET! - Phil. 3:7-9 SAVED BY FAITH = LICENSE TO SIN? - Gal. 2:17-18 DEAD TO SIN, ALIVE IN CHRIST! - Rom. 6:1-4 LIVING FOR GOD OR TO KEEP OR BE SAVED? - Gal. 2:19 TO WHOM DO YOU LIVE/BELONG TO? - Rom. 7:4 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Pastor Joe’s next installation of our series inspects the condition of our humility before God deploys us to confront a conviction. In the midst of all the mayhem, where you hinge your validation on ultimately determines the inner peace you receive for this season in your life. Points from the sermon: Intro: IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY FOR A BELIEVER - 1 Pet. 5:5-6 CONTRAST OF KING SAUL & KING DAVID - 1 Sam. 15:17-30 - 2 Sam. 12:13 I. GOD SHOWS NO FAVORITISM - Gal. 2:6 II. A MUCH NEEDED DIVISION - Gal. 2:7-9 - Acts 9:15-16 III. PLEASE PEOPLE RATHER THAN GOD & HIS TRUTH? - Gal. 2:11-13 IIIA. GOD REVEALED THIS TRUTH TO PETER BEFOREHAND - Acts 10:30-34 IV. JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ALONE - Gal. 2:15-16 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Isn’t it frustrating when God goes off-script and completely disregards the stage cues we’ve set up in our Little Production™? Worse, we hold Him hostage over the things that go awry in this heist we execute. Pastor Joe resumes our series only to find disobedience as the fastest way to delay God’s plan for us. We’re all dancing in circles when we wrestle His will or our brothers in Christ—what’ll happen if we push our preparations aside and make way for His instead? Sermon Points: JESUS’ COMMANDS TO US - Mat. 28:19 - Jn. 13:34-35 - Gal. 2:1-2 THE GOSPEL/THE GOOD NEWS - 1 Cor. 15:3-10 ARE YOU RUNNING THE RIGHT RACE? - Gal. 2:2 - Phil. 2:16 - Psa. 90:12 CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER - Ecc. 12:13 GREATEST COMMANDMENT - Mat. 22:35-40 - Gal. 2:3-4 BELIEVER BEWARE - Acts 20:28-30 JESUS WARNED US OF IT - Mat. 7:15 - Gal. 2:5 DON’T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK - Rom. 14:21 DENY YOURSELF FOR THE LORD - Luke 9:23 _ If would like to support us in reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

It doesn’t sit well with our ego if we’re picked last for anything. Maybe you've been rejected elsewhere, and the memory of that hasn’t really gone away. Continuing our series, Pastor Joe delves into this type of selection event that's happened before the foundation of the world. Points from the sermon: GOD CHOSE PAUL Gal. 1:15 GOD CHOSE JEREMIAH & ISAIAH Jer. 1:5 Isa. 49:1 GOD CHOSE ISRAEL Deu. 7:6 GOD CHOSE US BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD Eph. 1:3-4 JESUS WAS NOT ON PAUL’S MIND PRIOR TO THE CALL Acts 9:1-4 GOD LOVED JACOB & HATED ESAU Rom. 9:10-13 I. GOD IS SOVEREIGN Isa. 46:9-10 Mat. 22:14 Rom. 9:16 IA. IS IT FAIR THEN? Rom. 9:19-24 Isa. 55:8-9 II. IT SHOULD HUMBLE US AND PRAISE GOD 1 Cor. 1:26-31 III. HE CHOSE US FOR HIS PLEASURE Gal. 1:15-16 Eph. 1:5-6 IIIA. CHOSEN TO SHARE TO THE CHOSEN ONES Gal. 1:16 Acts 13:48 2 Thes. 2:13 __ If this ministry has impacted you and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others, visit ficfreno.com/give

All your life, you’ve only been told to be nice, no matter what—bend over backwards, even, just to make everyone happy. We live in a world where getting along is the bedrock of a functioning society. It seems like that's the only way to get by... by trying to appease everyone, at least. What happens, then, when that stops working for you? This week, Pastor Joe flips the industry on its head as he delivers a message that only seeks God's approval. Points from the sermon: INTRO: Who Are You Pleasing? (Gal. 1:10) I. PLEASING MEN OVER GOD LEADS TO SIN - 1 Sam. 15:1-3 ; 7-9 ; 20-21 II. IT HINDERS OUR WITNESS - Jn. 9:18-23 - Jn. 7:12-13 - Jn. 12:42-43 - JESUS SAID (Luke 9:26) - PAUL, PETER, JOHN GOT IT (Acts 4:18 ; 1 Thes. 2:4) III. RENEW YOUR MIND - Rom. 12:2 - Col. 3:1-2 DO YOU WANT TO PLEASE HIM? - Gal. 1:10 - Luke 14:26 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in reaching others for Christ, visit ficfreno.com/give

Hey there, friend! We jump right ahead into a new sermon series tackling the book of Galatians! In this week’s sermon, we look at the life of Paul and how a believer should live after accepting Christ as their Lord. Which side are you on: Are you part of the world, or are you fully devoted and surrendered to what God has in store for you? Bullet points from the sermon: JOURNEY THROUGH THE BOOK OF GALATIANS VERSE: 1:1-24 INTRODUCTION: A. PAUL’S MERIT BEFORE CHRIST - Phil. 3:4-6 B. PAUL’S ZEAL BEFORE CHRIST - Acts 22:3-5 I: APPOINTED BY JESUS Gal. 1:1-2 Acts 9:15 IA: PAUL’S CALL TO APOSTLESHIP Gal. 1:11-20 II: GOD’S RESCUE PLAN Gal. 1:3-5 Col. 1:13 IIA: THE WORLD IS EVIL Rom. 1:28-32 III: ONLY ONE TRUE GOSPEL Gal. 1:6-9 Phil. 3:1-4 Gal. 1:21-24 __ ficfreno.com/give

__ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Who do you turn to for refuge when life becomes overwhelmingly too much to handle? Pastor Doug Vaughan, Crosspoint Community Church’s Lead Pastor, expounds on the fundamental truth Psalm 46 contains. When you’re at the end of yourself, and anxiety begins to wreak havoc in your mind—remember you only need to be still, and know the One who’s a very present help in times of trouble. Verses from the sermon: • Psalm 46 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit FICFRENO.COM/GIVE

Money, albeit a hairy subject no matter where you go, merely exists as an opportunity for God to develop your character. Deacon Richard Fennimore takes over this week and aptly puts matters into perspective: The posture of your heart, and your response to this litmus test makes all the difference. Verses from the sermon: • Gen. 23:9 • Matt. 6:33 • 1 Pet. 2:9 ; 1 Cor. 16:2 • Matt. 6:24 ; Luke 16:10-12 • Mark 8:36-37 ; 10:23-25 • Luke 16:19-31 ; Pro. 11:4 ; 13:11 • Ecc. 5:10, 22, 15, 19 • 1 Tim. 6:6-11 ; 6:17-19 • Acts 5:1-10 ; James 5:1-6 ; Jude 11 • 2 Cor. 8:1-5, 8-9, 24 • Phil. 1:9 ; 3:7-8 ; 2 Pet. 3:18 • Gal. 6:7 ; 2 Cor. 9:7-8 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit ficfreno.com/give

Relationships are hard work, especially with people who were picked for you—in advance and without your permission—and ones you get to keep for the rest of your life. If they say parents are a gift from God, how come some of us only feel like taking the gift receipt back to the store, not only to demand a full return, but also to be compensated for the inconvenience it caused us? The church's very own youth lead, Michael Villanueva, makes his debut this week a dedication to everyone who struggles to preserve a harmonious relationship with their folks. Verses from the sermon: • Ephesians 6:1-3 • Exodus 20:12 • Deuteronomy 27:16 • Colossians 3:20 • Proverbs 6:20-23 • Galatians 3:26 • John 1:12 • Luke 9:23 __ If this ministry has impacted you and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others, visit ficfreno.com/give

On his deathbed, multi-billionaire founder of Apple Steve Jobs’ final words “Oh wow,” depict the collapse of this visionary’s life-long pursuit of wealth and merit. Having accumulated excess fame and fortune, Jobs realized fullness of life is a state of mind. They say a tell you’re living the epitome of your being is having joy. Moreover, as Teilhard de Chardin puts it, joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God. Are you able to roll with life’s Pacquiao-caliber punches and come out still joyful in God’s presence? Pastor Joe yet unpacks this box of chocolate for us. WHO WILL TEACH US Ps. 90:12 FR. SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE IT ALL Ecclesiastes 1:2 VANITY=IDOL Deut. 32:21 JESUS SAID John 16:33 TROUBLE COMES WE FLEX SPIRITUAL MUSCLES Jam. 1:2-4 Luke 12:16-21 Matt. 6:19-20 WHERE’S YOUR FOCUS Col. 3:1-4 CHRIST IS YOUR FOCUS LIVE LIFE FOR HIM Col. 3:3-7 IN GOD'S TIME? Col. 3:8-10 2 Cor. 6:2 YOU ACCEPT JESUS AS LORD YOU’RE A NEW CREATION 2 Cor. 5:17 Gal. 2:20 __ ficfreno.com/give