If you were to ask the average person today the question, “Are you a Christian?” you may get a variety of answers. Some may say, “Yes, I am. I try to be good to others; I pay my debts; I am faithful in my marriage; I am a good husband (or wife)” - and on and on it may go. But what is it that determines if a person is truly a Christian or not? That’s what we’re asking in today’s sermon: “How can I be sure I am a Christian?” Can one be sure at all? It’s a good question, and not only our peace of mind on this earth is based on our answer, but also this has a bearing on our eternal destiny.

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Do you know what a parable is? Perhaps you learned long ago that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. There is a parable that Jesus told which is only one sentence long, although in Matthew’s account in chapter 13, it takes up two verses. 45 and 46. This is a story about something which was quite expensive. If you are where you can take your Bible, get it and let’s look together at this parable. It is quite a fascinating story, and it has a message for us all today.

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Several years ago, a popular Bible translator made the statement, “The trouble with many people today is that they have not found a God big enough for modern needs.” Most people have a god of some kind that they worship, but what kind of god is sufficient for our needs today? This morning we will try to answer that question with another question which is the title of the sermon today: “How Big Is Your God?”

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

One of the most painful experiences anyone can endure is that of being rejected by someone who is special in your life. Maybe a spouse, a child, a parent, a close friend or anyone whose approval we desire. In our Bible passage for today, the apostle Peter wrote to some people who has been utterly rejected. The reference for our text in the Scripture today is First Peter Chapter Two. Let's look at this together for the next few minutes. Maybe God has a message for YOU today!

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Have you ever seen the cartoon which pictures a little devil sitting on a person’s shoulder, whispering in one ear, and on the other shoulder a little angel whispering in the other ear? This pictures what we all experience when we have a debate going on inside our hearts, having to decide if we will obey God’s will or not. This is what the sermon is about today: “The Cross Pull.” Romans, chapter 7, verse 19 is our key Bible verse.

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Today our worship service is quite different from the normal. We are celebrating today “Christmas in July.” Perhaps you have heard it said that the Christmas carols are so beautiful, it is sad that we sing them only once a year. Well, today we are having a Christmas celebration, with music and the sermon all on a Christmas theme. The title of today’s sermon is “In Defense of An Innkeeper."

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Even though Independence Day is now past, we are continuing to celebrate today with another patriotic service. I want to use our time together this morning to reflect on some aspects of what America celebrated two days ago. Many who are sharing this service by podcast are not Americans, nor do you live in America. However, we pray that the thoughts you hear today may be applied to any nation, as we remember what the scripture says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.”

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.

Since Independence Day, July 4th, falls on a Friday this year, we here at Ocean Lakes are going to be celebrating America’s freedom on TWO Sundays this year - the Sunday before and the Sunday after. Our gathered congregation will sing “God Bless America” on both of these Sundays. But the question for us today is, “When Can God Bless America?”

For more information on the Campground, insider tips and FAQ's, listen to our General Ocean Lakes Podcast, Campground Conversations.