Seneca Community Church Messages

Are you familiar with the classic movie, "The Princess Bride"? If you are, you can probably complete Mandy Patinkin's famous line, "My name is Inigo Montoya..." At the end of the movie, he says this: "I have been in the revenge business so long, now that it’s over, I don’t know what to do with the rest of my life." While most of us probably haven't shaped our lives around payback as much as Inigo, it is still easy to let revenge (or even the desire to make things right) quietly control our lives. In our society, it's normal to hit back when we are wronged. We may even justify it by remembering this verse: But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. Exodus 21:23–25 NIV Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, with Part 11: An Eye for an Eye, and look at what God wants us to do when we are wronged. The Program and Message Listening Guide (printabl

When have you seen the wrong tool used for the right job? What was the result? Join us for the next installment of our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted. We will look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, a verse that can be used with good intentions but the wrong way.

"You can do anything if you just believe." That statement may sound like a cat poster when you first read or hear it. However, you may have heard a Bible verse that promises almost the same thing: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) or page 804 in an SCC chair rack Bible Is it true that all you have to do is believe enough in Jesus and you can do anything? Join us for the next installment of Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted - Part 9: I Can Do All Things. We will look at a verse that is on coffee mugs in kitchens everywhere and talk about what it really means for the life of a Christ follower.

Often Dave uses concepts and ideas from a variety of resources when writing a message. If you have any questions regarding these sources, pleases don't hesitate to contact Dave at daves@senecacommunitychurch.com.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20 KJV Have you heard this verse before? If not, what is your first impression? If you have, what has your understanding been of it? Join us as we take a look at what this verse (and chapter) tells us, not just about God's presence, but about friendship and restoration. You won't want to miss the next installment of Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted!

If you knew you could ask God for anything and He would do it, what would you ask for? Do you think that's what Jesus is saying in this verse: You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.   John 14:14 NIV (page 737 in an SCC chair rack Bible) Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, with Part 6: Anything! Where some may twist this verse in a way that can bring destruction, we will see how this promise from God really works.

When you hear the word "prosperity," what do you think of? Some of us may think of this verse from Jeremiah: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV (page 538 in a SCC chair rack Bible) Do you think that idea is (or should be) connected to "The American Dream"? In his book, The Epic of America (1931), James Truslow Adams coined the term when he stated, "The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement." In short, "The American Dream" is the belief that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at what God actually promised in that verse (and who he promised it to).

"Money, money, money, money, money!" Where you recognize that song from may be an indicator of your age. Do you remember it from The Apprentice or from the ABBA song? (Maybe you don't recognize it at all!) Here are some of the lyrics: Money, money, money, money, money Some people got to have it Do things, Do things, do bad things with it Dollar bills, y'all For that lean, mean, mean green Almighty dollar Talkin about money Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime Money can drive some people out of their minds Money, money, money, money, money If you haven’t figured it out yet, the next installment of Twisters: When God’s Words Get Twisted is about money! Join us as we look at one of the most famous verses in Scripture about money, 1 Timothy 6:10, and find out if money really is the root of all evil.

Do you, or someone you know, always seem to have "bad luck"? How can this be true if "all things work together for our good"?  Join us as we continue our series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at Romans 8:28. Together, we'll find out what God really promised us in that verse.

Who is your favorite reality TV judge? Watching those shows can be a guilty pleasure - it's fun to join in and pass judgment on the people along with the judge. But put us in the hot seat and we might not feel the same way! What is one of the first times you remember being judged? How did it make you feel? Join us as we explore Matthew 7:1-6, in our new series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at how these verses are often twisted when we consider judging others and ourselves.

Kids are a blessing, but kids can be difficult. Teaching kids can be difficult! But teaching kids about the love of Jesus is one of the most important things we can do. Ask yourself this important question, "How am I teaching kids about the love of Jesus?" Everyone does it; even if you’re not a parent or a teacher, you teach by example. Join us as we explore Proverbs 22:6, the first verse in our new series, Twisters: When God's Words Get Twisted, and look at how it is often twisted in our application of training up children. We'll discover how every person in God’s kingdom has influence in the lives of His kids.

Being alone can be a good thing or a bad thing. How does being alone affect you? Join us for the next installment of The Seeking King - Part 17, as we see what happened to Saul when he isolated himself from God. If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 28:3-25 NIV, page 204 in an SCC chair rack Bible.

How long do you have to go before you ask for directions? Said another way, how lost do you have to get before you ask for directions? What would a close friend say (or if you’re married what would your spouse say)? In 1 Samuel 27:1-28:3 (page 202 in an SCC chair rack Bible), David gets lost as he moves towards getting trapped between a rock and a hard place.  Join us for the next installment of The Seeking King - Part 16, as we see how David responded to being trapped.

Have you ever experienced déjà vu? If you have, how does it make you feel? What does it mean to you? Within the framework of the movie “The Matrix,” déjà vu is a warning. What should it mean to a Christ follower? Join us as we find out how David responded to yet another risky opportunity and what it means for us when we have "spiritual déjà vu." If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 26:1-25 (page 203 in an SCC chair rack Bible).

Who is the wisest person you know? Not to be harsh, but do you know any fools (or people who have acted foolishly)? Last week, we saw that David took a risk and it turned out to be a God-given faith-building opportunity. This week, we'll see how Nabal, David, and Abigail reacted to the situation they were in. One of them acted like a fool, one acted rashly, and one acted with wisdom and was the hero of the story. Join us as we find out how having a rich relationship with God can help us be wise. If you get a chance, read 1 Samuel 25:1-44 (page 201 in an SCC chair rack Bible).

We have all come across opportunities in life that seemed risky. Sometimes we take them and they go south. Sometimes they turn out great! Sometimes we hesitate and miss out.  Join us as we look at 1 Samuel 24:1-22 (page 201 in an SCC chair rack Bible) and find out if David rushed, missed, or took a God-given faith-building opportunity.

God is faithful to make me faithful to Him. How do I respond to His faithfulness? Join us as we look at the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) to see what a faithful response to God looks like.

Faithfulness is a word we say a lot in Christian circles but it’s not just a Christian word. People use it in the context of relationships, work commitments, and more. But what does it mean? How does it change the way we see ourselves and how does it change the way we see God? Come find out as we explore Hebrews 10:19-25. Join us as Josh DePasacreta, our new Associate Pastor, explores the theme of faithfulness in scripture, which shows us (sneak peak) that we need a new heart and that God's heart is always faithful.

Congratulations, you've made it to the end of June! For many of us, this is an extremely busy time of year and we can wind up feeling depleted. When you feel “all used up,” where is the place you look to be refreshed? Back in the day, we were told to "Take the Nestea plunge!" (Look up "Nestea Plunge" on Youtube to find the old commercials.) While there is nothing wrong with a refreshing glass of iced tea when you are thirsty, we can look to the Bible for where to find real refreshment for our lives. Join us as we wrap up our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 10: Refreshed and hear about the ultimate life hack God has laid out for us. If you have the chance, prepare by reading Proverbs 11:25 and Matthew 16:25.

Maintaining sexual purity can be a significant challenge, especially in our sexually charged culture. It would be easy for us to think sexual purity is impossible or no big deal but fortunately God hasn’t left us as prisoners to ourselves or our environment. Look up and read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. What motivation and steps do these verses give us to combat this challenge? Join us Sunday as we continue our message series, Life Hacks: When You Just Need a Better Way, with Part 9: Set Apart and look at God's plan for sexual intimacy. Parents, this Sunday's message will contain some PG-13 content. This does not necessarily mean your child shouldn't listen to the message, but that this will be a good opportunity for discussion in your household.