Harvest Raleigh Church

In the book of Malachi God points out the heart issues and idolatry of the people but by His grace and mercy He tells them, I love you, I have not forsaken you, I am here and My Promise stands. God does the same for us today. God graciously reminds us of His love, His way and His promise.

Listen to this #tbt sermon from Pastor Mike Willis on Malachi 1:1-2:9 as we look at moving from “going through the motions” to a heart of worship.

Are you on the hunt for pleasure and satisfaction; for something that doesn’t vanish in the wind? Do you believe that Jesus satisfies your deepest desires? Your joy deep down? The hopes you have? 

Listen to this #tbt sermon from Pastor Mike Willis on Ecclesiastes 2 to hear how you can look above the sun and so enjoy this life.

The fruitful church is devoted to personal growth, mutual care, effective evangelism and above all Jesus!

Listen to this #tbt sermon by Pastor Mike Willis on Acts 2:42-47.

Acts 2:42-47

⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe^[a] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Do bad people need to be saved? Easy. Yes. Do good people? For many, this answer is not so easy, at least in the way we typically answer this question in our heads. Many people assume that if we are good enough, better than “that guy/gal over there”, then we have enough merit to enter heaven. 

Enter Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, military leader of 100 men, respecter of God, man of prayer, engaged husband and dad. Acts 10 is clear… Cornelius had character but he didn’t have Christ. How do we know? God sent a messenger to Cornelius so that he could hear about Jesus. Ultimately, upon hearing who Jesus is and being offered forgiveness, Cornelius bowed his life to Jesus.

But forgiven for what? He was a good guy. Cornelius still got that he was a sinner needing God’s grace. He also understood that without a relationship with Jesus, his good-guy-ness just wasn’t enough to be saved.

Do good guys need to be saved? Absolutely. Rather than only knowing the correct answer, live it by relying on Jesus even in your good deeds, upright living before God. Only through God the Son (Jesus) can we come to the God the Father.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Listen to the sermon from Pastor Mike Willis here.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer

Do you believe that God is with you? That the God who is with you is in completely in control? Do you believe that God is a fountain of living waters, that he can fill you where you are dry, that he can give you refreshing where you are idol and weak?

Listen to this #tbt sermon from Pastor Mike Willis.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He grew up and began to prepare for His ministry. Jesus demonstrated from a young age that He understood His role as God’s Son. When Jesus was baptized, God confirmed His sonship. Jesus was subsequently tempted by Satan, but He did not sin.

April 23rd: Mary Praised God, Luke 1:26-56

April 30th: Jesus was Born, Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 2:1-20

May 7th: Jesus at the Temple, Luke 2:40-52

May 14th: Jesus was Baptized, Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:1-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:19-34

May 21st: Jesus was Tempted, Matthew 4:1-11

Unit Bible Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came in to the world to save sinners.

Jesus is Good News in the most significant sense imaginable. He is the Perfect Payer of our penalty; the Grace of God delivered. Jesus Christ came into this world and became a man and willingly went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sins as the Lamb of God for us. That is Good News!

Listen to this #tbt sermon on Luke 23:39-43.

Luke 23:49-43

³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,^[a] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

God’s plan for redemption, which began before creation, culminates with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus was welcomed as King but less than one week later was crucified by the people. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection made it possible for people to have a pure relationship with God.

April 9th: Jesus’ Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19)

April 14th 6pm: Good Friday – Kids will enjoy crafts and games focusing on Easter.

April 16th: Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection (Matthew 26:36–28:10; John 18:1–20:18)

Unit Memory Verse:

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

C.S. Lewis believed that true worship happened at the moment of “self-forgetfulness”. When the worshiper was so caught up in a vision of the Lord, that they were no longer thinking about anything other than being in the presence of God and enjoying Him. I agree.

That’s why for the past several years I’ve been memorizing all the lyrics to our songs. I found that while I was trying to lead in worship, having to focus on reading the words while singing and leading was dividing my attention. So a little at a time, I started memorizing the lyrics to the songs we sing in worship. Harvest, this has bolstered my faith and my ability to worship like nothing else has. Here are two of the amazing things God has done through this process:

He has put a song in my heart during the work-week that encourages my soul. Having lines like “Oh my God, He will not delay, my refuge and strength always” helps me fight for joy when I am faced with trouble. Or lyrics like “Lord I need you, O I need you, my one defense, my righteousness O God how I need you” give a voice to my longings when I need to feel the nearness of the Lord. Or praying the line “When I come to end this race I’ve run and I receive the prize that Christ has won I will be with you in paradise” strengthens my resolve to be bold for the Lord.

Secondly, this has freed me to worship on Sundays in a way I didn’t know possible. When gospel-saturated and grace-filled lyrics make their way from the page, to your mind, down to your heart, it frees you to engage in worship in a truly “self-forgetful” way. If the lyrics become a part of you, like your street address or the names of family members, you are able to focus not merely on the lyrics, but on the God of those lyrics.

So Harvest, I encourage you to memorize the songs we sing. Listen to them in your cars, while you workout, mow the yard, or make dinner. Saturate your life with these God-honoring and Scripture filled lyrics. I promise you God will increase as a treasure in your heart and your ability to engage in worship will increase.

This Sunday’s Worship – 

Do What You Want To – Vertical Church Band

Only Jesus Can – Vertical Church Band

Give Me Faith – Elevation Worship

Open Up Our Eyes – Elevation Worship

CJ is the Worship Leader at Harvest Raleigh.

What is Easter about? What does the Resurrection mean and accomplish? What does it prove about Jesus and what are the implications for us?

Listen to this #tbt sermon from Pastor Mike Willis on 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 and then join us Easter weekend. Good Friday 6pm, Easter Sunday 10am.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope^[a] in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God^[b] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

²⁹ Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? ³⁰ Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! ³² What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³ Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”^[c]34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.