First International Christian Fellowship (ficfreno)

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

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

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

As he wraps up the finale of our journey through 2nd Corinthians, Pastor Joe sends us off with a message that hopefully emboldens people to make a stand in God's Name. Bulletpoints from the sermon: INTRO: To Whom are You Living For? - Phil. 1:21 I. LIVE FOR GOD’S WILL! 2 Cor. 13:8 IA. DENYING GOD’S WILL = SIN = TROUBLE - Gen. 16:2 - Rom. 1:18 ; 24-25 II. PRAY FOR EACH OTHER - 2 Cor. 13:9-10 - Eph. 6:18 III. MATURITY = UNITY = HIS PEACE & HIS LOVE - 2 Cor. 13:11-14 - Psalm 133:1 - John 13:35 - Rom. 16:17 IN CONCLUSION: Rom. 15:23 __ ficfreno.com/give

This week, Pastor Joe reinforces the imperative role of thoroughly examining oneself; whether our actions fundamentally embody Christ or we merely allow the enemy’s lies to disarm the Holy Spirit’s fruits—inadvertently disqualifying us from finishing the race strong. Think about it. Points from the sermon: INTRO: No Longer I, But Christ! - Galatians 2:20 I. NOT BY OUR STRENGTH 2 Cor. 13:3-4 Phil. 2:13 Phil. 4:13 II. EXAMINE YOURSELVES - 2 Cor. 13:5-6 - JESUS SAID: Matt. 7:20 - TO REMAIN OR CHANGE? Eph. 2:8-10 - Jam. 2:14 ; 18 - Jam. 2:19-20 ; 26 III: THE WORLD IS WATCHING! 2 Cor. 13:7 Heb. 12:1 __ ficfreno.com/give

Have you ever been accused of being a fake fan before? It’s not a very fun experience for all parties involved. As we approach the end of our series, Pastor Joe asks that we conduct an honest examination of what motivates our every endeavor. Do we come from a place of authentic love that overflows from our flourishing walk with Christ or from an all-time faith-it-‘til-you-make-it kind of attitude? Is the quality of our relationships solely dependent on the rewards that we reap afterwards? Bullet points from the sermon: INTRODUCTION A. JESUS SAID - Mark 12:29-31 B. DO YOU LOVE ME? - John 14:15 ; 23 - 2 John 1:6 I: GENUINE LOVE FOR CHRIST RESULTS TO LOVING OTHER BELIEVERS - 2 Cor. 12:13-15 - Gal. 6:10 II: GENUINE LOVE IS UNSELFISH - 2 Cor. 12:16-19 III: GENUINE LOVE DISCIPLINES - 2 Cor. 12:20-21 - 2 Cor. 13:1-2 - 1 Cor. 5:1-5 - Proverbs 13:24 - Proverbs 29:17 - Proverbs 3:11-12 - 1 John 4:19-21 __ ficfreno.com/give

Everyone knows of this exclusive realm you wound up on with a sibling or a friend where you both understand exactly how the other one operates at any given point in time without even uttering a single word. Pastor Joe envisions the church striving to breach this level of intimacy with Christ not only derivative of, but especially outside receiving the Lord's Supper. INTRO: IN REMEMBRANCE OF JESUS [5:49] 1 Cor. 11:24-25 I: DISPUTE OVER POSITION [8:58] Luke 22:24-27 (CSB) IA: THINK LIKE CHRIST [13:54] Phil. 2:5-7 (NIV) II: JESUS WAS BETRAYED [18:51] Luke 22:1-6 IIA: GOD OR MONEY? Matt. 26:15 Jn. 12:4-6 Matt. 6:24 (NLT) IIB: RICHES WILL NOT SATISFY Matt. 27:3-5 III: JESUS DENIED BY PETER Luke 22:31-34 (ESV) Luke 22:61-62 Luke 12:8-9 IIIA: QUESTION BY JESUS Jn. 21:15 IIIB: TAKE IT FROM PETER 1 Pet. 5:5-8 __ If you are impacted by this ministry and would like to support us in our mission of reaching others for Christ, visit the link: ficfreno.com/give

Live in this broken world long enough, you will soon learn that having a weakness leaves you vulnerable to other people's exploitation. If Psalm 139 makes a magnanimous declaration of God's fearfully and wonderfully making of us, what purpose do our weak points serve then? Closely following Christ entails a series of unprecedented events that take you to uncharted territories in your life you never even knew existed in the first place. If you want to test your life for even more weak spots, definitely follow Christ closely. Continuing our series, Richard Fennimore reveals exactly what our Achilles heel converts to in God's kingdom. VERSE: 2 Cor. 11:16-12:10 PAUL BOASTS ABOUT HIS SUFFERINGS 2 Cor. 11:16-33 Acts 14:19-20 Acts 9:19-25 Phil. 3:8 PAUL'S VISION AND HIS THORN 2 Cor. 12:1-10 Daniel 12:4 __ ficfreno.com/give

Why is it essential to fellowship with other broken people who can potentially disappoint us more than anyone else in this world? In an attempt to reconcile this oxymoron, Pastor Joe takes the church on a nature trip in the beautiful campgrounds of Lake Francis. Take a hike with us across a trail of various verses. Gain some expert backpacker wisdom on navigating the glaring importance of coming together in Jesus' Name. VERSE: Acts 2:42 INTRO John 3:16 1 Jn. 3:16 Luke 10:27 Hebrews 12:1 I. FELLOWSHIP GIVES US A PICTURE OF GOD Romans 12:4-6 II. FELLOWSHIP MAKES US STRONGER Matt. 18:19-20 III. FELLOWSHIP PROVIDES ENCOURAGEMENT Hebrews 10:24-25 IV. FELLOWSHIP REMINDS US WE'RE NOT ALONE 1 Cor. 12:21 Ecc. 4:9-12 V. FELLOWSHIP HELPS US GROW 1 Cor. 14:26 __ 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

It goes without saying that it takes a village to raise your children. But miles beneath that perfectly curated hook is a nonstarter truth that gets lost in all the shuffle: Our fathers shape who we eventually become. Child-rearing is no easy task by any measure. While our moms stress over shielding us from the world, it is up to our dads to launch us to higher vistas. And they must perform such duty with equivalent grace and wit—or else it doesn’t really make any impact. Even our Heavenly Father has set a standard bar specifically catered for them, just so no one misses out. Exactly how, though? Pastor Joe’s input on the matter starts after the jump. LOVE, LIVE, LEAD BY EXAMPLE LOVE BY EXAMPLE 1 John 4:19 1 John 3:16 GOD CALLS US CHILDREN 1 John 3:1 INSTRUCTIONS TO PARENTS Eph. 6:4 TRAINING & INSTRUCTION OF THE LORD Proverbs 22:6 LIVE BY EXAMPLE 1 John 3:2-3 1 John 3:4-6 LOVE, LEAD BY EXAMPLE Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Deut. 6:4-5
 TESTING COMES Genesis 22:1-8 ___ ficfreno.com/give

Did you know that selective hearing is a legitimate psychological filtering our brain is physiologically capable of? Yes, our brain can't process all stimuli constantly bombarding us. But far from being an impairment, this voluntary choice of where we focus attention on ultimately falls on us. The church of Corinth wasn't resistant to this type of malingering when it comes to Paul's warning of false prophets—described by Pastor Joe for the next chapter of our series. Oddly enough, their habitual vices leave Paul greatly insecure. Wouldn’t you want to know how it feels to have someone care for you so much they hurt to see you pine after something…fake? THOU SHALL NOT PRACTICE ‘SELECTIVE HEARING’ 2 COR. 11:1-15 DO YOU BELONG TO GOD John 8:47 I. GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD 2 Cor. 11:1-2 Exo. 34:14 II. GREAT NEED FOR DISCERNMENT 2 Cor. 11:3-8 III. WARNING AGAINST FALSE PROPHETS Matt. 7:15 2 Cor. 11:9-15 2 Tim. 4:3 __ ficfreno.com fb.com/ficfreno instagram.com/ficfreno youtube.com/ficfreno

As imperfect people, we can be deceived by the appearance of a man, and we often measure how successful he is by what we see on the outside. This week's message tackles on how we can live a holy life by accepting one another instead of judging them first. This is the first step before we can start maturing in our walk with Jesus. Pastor Joe invites us to trust God and let His will be done in our lives. Press play for more DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER 2 COR. 10:7-17 I. EYES CAN BE DECEIVING 1 Samuel 16:6-7 IA. OUR EYES ARE BIASED TO WHAT WE HAVE BEEN USED TO/PREFER 1 Samuel 10:23 (CSB) II. SELF-CONFIDENCE VS GOD-CONFIDENCE 1 Samuel 17:37-40 III. CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD = FAITH IN ACTION 1 Sam. 17:45-47 Ephesians 4:23-24 Romans 12:2 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 Matthew 28:19 Phil. 1:21-22 IV. MATURITY LEADS TO SPREADING GOSPEL 2 Cor. 10:15-16 TRACK US DOWN! Website: ficfreno.com Facebook: facebook.com/ficfreno Instagram: instagram.com/ficfreno YouTube: youtube.com/ficfreno

Have you seen this post lately? 'FEAR NOT' WAS MENTIONED 365 TIMES IN THE BIBLE It serves as preface to a life lived impenetrable to fear. While it is an encouraging, well-meaning thought—it's also a false statement. At best, King James' translation only offers at least 100 verses or so of this glamorized Christian fearlessness narrative. Nevertheless, hopefully our faith in Jesus can stand by itself without made-up stats on His true and unwavering identity and promise to us. This week, Pastor Kevin White shares a message about Christ's authenticity, so tangible it almost jumps right out of the pages and takes you away with it. We all manifest doubts despite a greater need to step out in faith. Yet you can't afford to miss out on this great challenge posed upon all of us. ONE GREAT NEED, ONE GREAT FEAR, ONE GREAT CHALLENGE Hebrews 12:1-2 ; 9-14 ________ Track us down! Web: ficfreno.com Facebook: facebook.com/ficfreno Instagram: instagram.com/ficfreno Youtube: youtube.com/ficfreno

Don’t you just wish on some days following Christ is like the film Yes Man (2008)? The movie’s premise is hinged on this cult ideology that there’s zero need for a complex formula to better your conditions or an excruciating ordeal to go through to succeed in life—you only ever need to say ‘Yes’ to everything, no matter how ludicrous it may sound at first. Pastor Joe takes us further in with this next installment of our series as he breaks out a back-to-back message on obedience. It's terrifying not knowing what’s around the corner or difficult, even, waiting for the going to stop being so tough. Be that as it may, could it be possible that, by proactively deciding to put yourself in full submission, you place yourself in the most liberating position in this world? It’s not that hard. You can live your most rewarding life today if you engage in this week’s sermon. CALL FOR OBEDIENCE 2 COR 10:1-6 NLT, NIV, NKJV I: OBEDIENCE =PROOF OF OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST JOHN 14:15 ; JOHN 14:21 [...]

Has this ever happened to you? Mother’s Day is fast approaching and somehow you just can’t come up with the perfect special gift to give your beloved mom. Unless you have an immaculate track record you maintain, you might have missed the mark on several years here and there. But what if we tell you the best Mother’s Day gift out there has zero calories, is gluten-free, and unbelievably dirt-cheap? Pastor Joe offers a scam-free, 100% money-back guaranteed present everyone can get today for absolutely $0 cost-shipping. Press that play button for more info. MOTHER’S DAY 2018: The Best Mother’s Day Gift… 2 TIMOTHY 1:5 (NIV, NLT, NKJV) I.THE BEST MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IS: AN OBEDIENT CHILD Ephesians 6:1-3 - WHY? OBEDIENCE = BLESSINGS/SUCCESS Proverbs 13:13 - EXAMPLE OF A DISOBEDIENT CHILD Numbers 6:1-8 Judges 14:1-3 Judges 14:8-9 ; 15:15 Judges 16:17-19 II.EXAMPLE OF AN OBEDIENT CHILD: TIMOTHY 2 Timothy 1:5 * MIND YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH YOUR LIFE Hebrews 12:1 Romans 6:13[...]

Unbeknownst to many, the last book of the Harry Potter franchise befuddled critics and fans alike when it featured Matthew 6:21 in its plot line. Like the Bible verse: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,“ Pastor Joe urges us, this week, to ruminate on things we give value to. Do our offerings reflect whom we place our reliance on? Are we able to genuinely say “It’s my pleasure,” when God asks of our participation in matters of His Kingdom? IT'S MY PLEASURE 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-15 NLT, NKJV, NIV INTRO: A) IF, WHAT, WHY, HOW: 1 JOHN 3:16-18 B) THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM: MATTHEW 6:21 / MATTHEW 19:21 I: GRACE GIVING: 2 COR 8:1-5 IA: SACRIFICIAL GIVING: MARK 12:41-44 II: PART OF GROWTH / MATURITY: 2 COR 8:6-7 IIA: FOLLOW CHRIST' EXAMPLE: 2 COR 8:8-9 IIB: BE TRUE TO YOUR PROMISES: 2 COR 8:10-11 III: GIVE AS YOU ARE BLESSED: 2 COR 8:11-13 IV: O.T. GIVING VS GRACE GIVING V: SHARE YOUR BLESSINGS TO OTHER BELIEVERS: 2 COR 8:14-15 VA: IN GOD WE TRUST: 1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19