audio by artist ray bartel

38:42 minutes (6.65 MB)Pastor Ray teaches  how the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch reminds us that salvation is solely the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit initiated in God's unconditional grace. Philip is a wonderful example of the part that we play in salavation as co-workers together with God, but it doesn't depend on our ability.
Jesus said, "No one comes to me unless the Father draws him."

35:53 minutes (6.16 MB)Pastor Ray teaches in today's text as we continue the story of Saul of Tarsus who was captured by the amazing grace of God on the road to Damascus. The grace of God now compels him to proclaim the message that Jesus is the Son of God.
That same grace compels us today.

26:06 minutes (4.48 MB)Pastor Ray teaches from Acts 10, where the text confronts us with Christ's deeper mission to which the healing miracles point: the healing of mind and soul and attitudes that break down the walls of suspicion, fear, prejudice and hatred that separate people from each other. This is the message of reconciliation that defines Christ's mission, and ours.

36:22 minutes (6.25 MB)Pastor Ray teaches that one of the greatest threats to the wholeness, effectiveness and authenticity of the church doesn't come from the outside--from skeptics, critics or secular culture--but from within--from the burden of "religious legalism" we impose on ourselves and others. We are called to be people of grace.

29:25 minutes (5.06 MB)Pastor Ray teaches how prayer in its many forms is a wonderful gift from a loving Heavenly Father. Sometimes our prayers are "why prayers"; like the psalmist, we give voice to our "Why?" questions in prayer.