AUDIO Messages at Sonrise Church

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The Harmony of God's Plan

What does praise have to do with harmony?   It is remarkable to think of the church full of believers and that this is all part of God's plan. Ask many non-Christians why they do not attend church and one of the top reasons would be someone they know who attends a local church. To understand the harmony of God's plan we will look at three distinct and important elements. Praise or our relationship to God, Parts or how we all fit together and Purpose or why we are still here.  NOTES IN PDF HERE

The Christmas PROBLEM

How hard is it to live a victorious Christian life?   We can learn more from Joseph about living in the presence of God than almost any other Bible person. He was tasks with the protection and care of the baby Jesus and his mother. When we look at the short section of scripture about him we often overlook the depth and the commitment it took to life his life in the presence of God. Joseph knew what the greatest promise of God to daily living was and he never ever doubted what God had called him to do. Not often thought of as a man of faith Joseph shows us the power of the promise of IMMAUEL.    NOTES IN PDF HERE

HEREAFTER

What really happens when you die? Should you try to talk to the dead?  These are two strongly related questions that every believer should be able to answer. Pastor Bob reviews the theology from the movie 'Hereafter' and then sets the record straight using the Bible as the foundation for the believers understanding of the future life. Many of the common held beliefs are dealt with and in the end you will only be left with the question, ARE YOU READY TO DIE?   NOTES IN PDF HERE

Money and the Believer

What does it mean "The root of all Evil?"  People seem to get upset whenever the subject of money comes up in church, but why? Jesus dealt with money over and over. Paul wrote about it in several of his books, and James took it on directly in his short book. Money and how it is used by the believer is one of the key 5 disciplines we need to understand. How should the believer approach money in their lives and in the church?    NOTES IN PDF HERE

Vital Signs

How can you benefit from a Spiritual Check-up? This is the time of year when people get flu shots, picks up some extra vitamin C and stray away from people who are coughing. It is also a good time to check your spiritual health and see if there are some changes you could make that will help keep you healthy (spiritually).    NOTES IN PDF HERE

DTR with Jesus

How did Jesus DTR? "How Committed are you to Jesus?" This may seem like a strange question but it is one that Jesus ask of his disciples and a question that you need to be able to answer.  Jesus was not looking for a flexible relationship but one that was clearly defined. Find out about and DTR with Jesus.   NOTES IN PDF HERE

How broad are the standards that God uses to include individuals in his family and kingdom? We have all heard the modern mantra that says we cannot be so judgmental when God came to save the whole world. In fact God is said to to so inclusive that no one will be left out. The question is that true? How does God determine how inclusive eternity will be? This message will answer that simple question. NOTES IN PDF HERE

How should the believer respond in a negative world? We have all felt the pressure from those who are not believers when they make us feel uneasy. It is like we are intruding on them because we believe in God. In a world that is constantly telling the believer to keep their faith to themselves, how should you respond. This message will help you.

NOTES IN PDF HERE

How should you pray when life is really tough? The problem in our prayer life is often focus. Too often we are so focused on our problems and tough times that we are not even aware of the presence of God. When this happens we often miss the answers he sends to us. It is vital that we have the right attitude when we pray if we are going to be able to have a successful Christian life. Learn the ABC's of praying in difficult circumstances.   Notes in PDF HERE

What is the right perspective on life for the Christian believer? Life can be divided simply into three parts. There is the NOW. That is where you are currently. It may be full of problems. There is the BEFORE. That is when life was simpler and your remember everthing as better. Then there is the AFTER. That is the future. It is here many people dream they will get to live without all the current problems. How should the Christian approach life and how should they deal with the NOW of life? Dealing with the sand and sun of your life depends on how you deal with the water and the shade God provides for you.  Notes in PDF HERE

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Spiritual Connections
A Nine part study series covering the book of Colossians
the two goals of this series are to 
1. change how we live as believers
2. expand what we know for sure
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How should you pray for other people? Now that may sound like an easy question, but we usually only pray for other people when they are sick, or need a job or are traveling and we want them to have a safe trip. Why is it we only tend to pray for people's physical needs and not their spiritual lives and needs? Learn the seven Power Praying Principles that will help improve your prayer life and better connect you thru prayer. Notes in PDF HERE

Who Is Jesus? What does that have to do with me? When you ask the question about who Jesus is to the average person on the street the answers could surprise you. How little the is know about him is remarkable. He is seen as a dead historical figure who taught some good ideas. Paul wrote to the Colossians to help them know who he was. We need to know how this connection effects us and why it is so important. Notes in PDF HERE

Have you seen the REAL church? That may sound like a strange question, but what is the church. Ask most people and they will describe a building with a cross on top. That is how most people see the church, but that is not the church. Paul clearly reveals who the church is. He goes on to show the responsibilities of the church and how it is built on relationships. This message clearly answers the question, Have you seen the REAL Church? Notes in PDF HERE

Why did God Choose the Cross? Much of the church has no contact with the cross. It is almost as if some of the believers were ashamed of the cross. We live in a world where the vast majority recognize the symbol of the cross as representing Christianity, but were most of them have no idea why. Learn why God chose the cross and why it is so important to you personally. Notes in PDF HERE

What is a Christian believer allowed to do? If I were speaking to the church in the first century I would use the illustration about eating meat offered to idols. That was a real hot button question for the church back them, but now not so much. I will use the illustration about Christian believers and the drinking of alcohol beverages. Is there a difference between the absolutes in scripture and the areas of personal choice. How do I as a Christian make the right choice. This message will help answer that question and challenge you to abandon some of the 21st century teachings of man that have replaced the truth of God.  Notes in PDF HERE

What is so important about HEAVEN anyway? It is the final stop for all Christian believers and where Jesus said we would get to spend eternity with him. Yet, what does that have to do with today? You will understand why heaven is important and why you need to make it part of your plans now. We are traveling thru the darkness of this world toward our final goal. We need to make the proper preparations and find out what we can take on the flight with us, and what is on the list of banned items. Definitely not your typical message about heaven. Notes in PDF HERE.

How is Christian UNITY really possible? Christian unity is not where we start at it is a goal that we go toward in our relationships with each other. Before we are one we are all individuals who have to be connected to Jesus. This message sets the four ways that Paul outlines that show how we are living as one as Christian believers. Message Notes in PDF HERE.

What are the responsibilities of a Husband and a Wife to each other? The Biblical directions given to a husband and wife are there to help keep a marriage strong. There are 15 Biblical points of contact that are given for a husband and a wife. This message helps clearly define what a marriage is; what the responsibilities of both the husband and wife are and why the secular approach to marriage leads to a 50% divorce rate. Notes in PDF HERE.

How do I stay connected in such a busy World? Paul knew how difficult it was to be a Christian in a non-believing world. He wanted to help the churches and the believers know how to stay connected to each other and to God. They had to be more than believers they had to be committed believers. Understanding how we each fit into the ministry plays of the church is vital to our growth and salvation. Why does being different make us so strong. This is the final series in the staying connected thru Colossians and bring everything together in one final message.  Notes in PDF HERE.

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A Soldier's Faith
Memorial Day Message - Matthew 8
May 30, 2010

Jesus was asked by a Roman soldier to heal his servant. Jesus was willing to go to his house to heal the servant when the soldier astonished Jesus. Jesus said the Roman soldier had the greatest faith he had ever seen in all of Israel. The setting allowed Jesus to confront those around him who lacked faith. This message looks at faith and answers the question, WAS JESUS A PACIFIST or NOT?  PDF NOTES HERE

Extraordinary Ordinary Believers
Mark 14.3-9
May 16, 2010

What is the difference between an ordinary person and an EXTRAORDINARY believer? The average believer may not see themselves as an EXTRAORDINARY believer, but the truth is they should. The Bible is full of ordinary people, some of them very flawed, who became EXTRAORDINARY believers. If you want to know what it takes to step up to the next level in your faith journey you will want to hear this message. PDF NOTES HERE

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The Journey Sermon Series

Hebrews 6.1-2 speaks about the foundational teachings every Christian is suppose to know. These six cover the entire life of a believer from their beginning as a new Christian until they stand before God at the end of their life.

This sermon series is based upon Hebrews 6.1-2. Pastor Highlands has written a book covering the six basic truths every Christian believer needs to know as they mature. You can ORDER the BOOK HERE or go to BobHighlands.com for more information. The book is written in simple everyday language and will help the new believer or the experienced believer better understand these basic Christian/Biblical teachings.

The Mature Christian
MESSAGE ONE
March 7, 2010
 

What is your spiritual age? Christians come in three basic age groups. There is the baby Christian who is a brand new believer. They need all sorts of help. There is the infant or child Christian who is learning and hopefully growing, and there is the mature Christian who is able to tell good from evil. Christians are born, grow and with all hopes mature into dedicated believers. What does it take for a believer to grow into a mature Christian?  This message will help you understand the outline of the learning process that the Christian needs to go through as they grow toward maturity.  PDF notes here.

Identity Theft
MESSAGE TWO
March14, 2010

The first step of the Christian life is the step that starts back toward a relationship with God. That step is called repentance. Repentance means to change direction. It is an Old Testament concept taught by Ezekiel and preached by John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, and Paul. From the Story of the Prodigal son we can see the process that every person can go through in their relationship with God . We all go through IDENTITY REJECTION and IDENTITY REMORSE but only those who want to find God go through IDENTITY REPENTANCE and IDENTITY RESTORED. This message will help you learn how you recover your Lost Identity?  PDF NOTES HERE.

Faith in God
MESSAGE THREE - What Can I Give God
March 21, 2010

What is faith in God? Faith is NOT what God gives me, faith is what I give God. To understand how faith applies to our lives we must know that there are three type of faith in the life of a believer. By taking a look at Hebrews the eleventh chapter we can learn about faith. A key to understanding faith is to understand what the hope of our faith is. Take a look at the life a woman who discovered faith in God that changed her life forever. PDF NOTES HERE

WHY Washings
MESSAGE FOUR- What are the Four Christian Washings/Baptisms
March 28, 2010

The New Testament writer of Hebrews wrote that the third foundational teaching every Christian needed to know about was washings or baptisms. This is plural because there are four New Testament Christian washings. Each of these has a separate meaning, but they all share one purpose for the Christian believer. What are these four washings? What do they mean? Why could not participating in them hinder or even stop the spiritual growth of the believer. Discover the answers to all these questions in this message. PDF NOTES HERE.

Hands ON
MESSAGE FIVE- Understanding the Laying on of Hands
April 4, 2010

God put all things into the hands of Jesus. His ministry had two distinct purposes. Fist to seek and save the lost. He did his part by paying for the sins of all humanity. Second he was going to build his church. He started this by selecting and training the first leaders of the church. He passed the baton of the new church to these leaders and it has been passed from generation to generation, from Christian to Christian. Learn how you are to be involved in this HANDS ON ministry and why it is such an important part of your life journey with Christ. PDF NOTES HERE

Last Call
MESSAGE SIX- The Resurrection of the Dead
April 11, 2010

What happens to our bodies when we die? Is it alright to cremate our bodies? Do we sleep or do we immediately change at death?  What can we learn from the teachings of Jesus, the teachings of Paul? Can your physical body enter into heaven? Learn all this and more in this message.  PDF NOTES HERE

Left OUT- Right ON
MESSAGE SEVEN- Eternal Judgment
April 18, 2010

We all have an appointment with God called judgment. 2 Corinthians 5.10 says that everyone will stand before God and be judged for either the Good we do or the bad we have committed. It is vital to know and understand why this will happen and what standards that will be applied when this judgment happens. What will be the results of the our individual judgment?  Learn this and more in this message including why it is called ETERNAL judgment. PDF NOTES HERE

EXTREME MAKEOVER
MESSAGE EIGHT- Covering the Whole Christian Journey
April 25, 2010

The Christian life is not a single momentary decision, but it is a lifetime of decisions and commitment. The write of Hebrews called on each believer to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." The race or lifelong journey requires that we be able to answer six simple questions. We are required to allow for an Extreme MAKEOVER in our spiritual lives if we are going to be successful.  PDF NOTES HERE

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Spiritual Healthcare
February 28, 2010
 

Today many are focused on physical healthcare. How much does it cost? Who should be covered? Should there be a public or private option?

What about Spiritual Healthcare? Did you know that God has provided two options, and that some men have some supplemental coverage they have developed. Which policy should you have, and what will it cost. These questions are answered in this message about SPIRITUAL HEALTHCARE options.  Sermon notes in PDF HERE.

Digits in God's Computer
February 14, 2010
 

Numbers in the Bible can be seen two ways. First they can just be numbers used for counting, or second they can have special meaning or be a symbol for something God wants to teach us. Numbers all have some meaning, but some have more or a deeper meaning than others. There are numbers we recognize from scripture like 144,000 or 666. Yet there is a number so large it cannot be written down, and so important that everything that Jesus did was to make it possible.  Sermon notes in PDF HERE.

Marks-A-Lot
February 7, 2010
Part TWO - 666

Now we know that God has marked His followers on the forehead long before Satan got around to it in the book of Revelation. We can look at what the mark of the beast is and how 666 is really the mark of man made religion. This message looks at the Dragon, Beast and the False Prophet from the book of Revelation. Sermon notes in PDF HERE.

Marks-A-Lot
 January 31, 2010
Part one - 666

The number of the beast from the book of Revelation is 666. Everyone knows that. What everyone does not know is what that number means or why Christians don't need to worry about it. The marking on the forehead or hand of this number is greatly speculated about, but few understand it. This message begins to remove the confusion by taking a look at the Old Testament and learning how the marking on the forehead came into being and why the Christians have nothing to fear. Want a hint read Revelation 13.18 & then read the next verse Revelation 14.1.  In this message you will learn about the mark of the beast and the Mark of Christ.  Sermon notes in PDF here.

Check the Foundation
 January 24, 2010

This is the second message in series about the end of time. This message focuses on the Prophetic scripture in Daniel 9.24-27. This is considered the foundational scripture to the understanding of end of time events and the ministry of Jesus Christ. The question that must be answered is, "Can God make a mistake?" That may sound mysterious but many people today do not know they are following a theological system that is based upon the belief that God did not know what was going to happen so he had to make a quick stop gap plan until he could get things back on track.

Sermon Notes in PDF

Last 2 Leave
 January 17, 2010

Pastor Highlands shares what will happen at the end of time. He also shares the two warning signs that Jesus gave his disciples that the end of time was very close and could happen at any time. Finally Pastor Bob will help remove some of the confusion that has been shared about key events at the end of time. You will be surprised to learn about what happens when the angels come forward to harvest the souls of humanity at the end of time. Sermon Notes in PDF.

This is from the work he is doing in preparing his second book titled "Last to Leave" scheduled for publication later in 2010. This book will cover in detail the key events and biblical facts about the end of time.

The Wrong Places
 January 3, 2010

We often make decisions based on our past hurts and experiences. Many times these turn out to be bad decisions because we are Avoiding Rejection. We Build Relationships that are designed to protect us from the outside world. We compound the problem by Catching Religion instead of discovering a relationship with God.  Sermon Notes in PDF