Pastor John Lovell

True love rejoices in what is morally good and the scriptures are loaded with the biblical standards of this love. While Hollywood and the secular culture distort real love with their worship of feelings and self-gratification, God reminds us that the very vehicle He used for salvation was His Love for us, His own son Jesus. In Romans, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of sincere love and unity among other believers. Listen this week as Pastor John implores us to consider allowing the genuine author of love to set the moral standard for us and to guide our actions in love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

How has God gifted you and why did He choose you for these unique gifts? The church is THE PLAN of God for a lost and dying world, and the spiritual gifts that you bring to the table are imperative in the growth of the body of Christ. Listen this week as Pastor John throws a curveball into the worldview of special gifts that we may possess. In Paul's letters to the Romans we learn that your God-given gifts are for other people, not necessarily just for us. Full spiritual development requires being a member of a church body, where each of our unique gifts will bless the kingdom of God.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

Spiritual growth for Christian believers can be dangerously sabotaged by gnosticism, an infusion of ancient ideas and religions that help create a delusional dualistic worldview. The true Word of God openly challenges today's worldly standards and its wildly out-of-touch culture, whose default position is clearly viewed as hostility toward God. The Apostle Paul provides his Roman audience some practical methods for walking out the previous deep theological passages by transforming and renewing their minds and by not conforming to a lost and broken world. Listen now as Pastor John challenges us to live radically counter-culture and to respond in grateful obedience to God by becoming living sacrifices for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

How does our sovereign, all-powerful God handle the Jewish nation of Israel's rejection of Jesus Christ? He allows their stumbling, sinful decisions to extend the gift of salvation to the Gentiles, fulfilling a biblical plan to provoke them to jealousy, so that some Jews may ultimately be saved. The Apostle Paul in Romans 11 reveals the mystery of this divine plan that emphasizes God's faithfulness to His chosen people, as He preserves a remnant of Israel by grace. Listen this week as Pastor John shows us the depths of God's mercy, encouraging us to live by the truth of the Gospel. All things that exist and happen in creation are FROM Him, THROUGH Him, and TO Him, which in turn, serve to bring glory to our sovereign God. Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

The Apostle Paul opens up a bold indictment against the Jewish nation in Romans this week, as he speaks to the hard-nosed, stiff-necked elites of the religious sector. When your moral structure is built on the belief that man is basically good, you will completely miss opportunities to reconcile with God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Contrary to worldly opinions, your fancy suits, your luxury sports cars, and fat wallets do not impress the Creator of our universe. Pastor John's sermon takes us through the gospel message and the intimate accessibility that we procured when we chose to believe in Jesus, the ONLY One who has the power to dramatically change our lives. When this fiery passion is ignited, believers are more compelled to share the truth of the gospel, leading more people to Jesus through His free plan of salvation!Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

Stumbling blocks are an ever present reality in this broken earth we all inhabit. God's Holy Word and the attributes of Jesus also have the potential to create a stumbling block for unbelievers, as they align their worldly logic with the ancient Pharisee mindset. In the Book of Romans this week, Pastor John unpacks incredibly rich theology, illuminating some new light onto the old stories of sovereign choices and standards set for loving your enemies. Listen as he introduces Jesus as the rock of offense, with power to crush or build, the true Living Stone with supernatural providence to conquer all.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

The conquering heroes of our ancient past continue to intrigue mankind and their stories of world-changing commands live on through the ages. For generations, their military prowess, strategic genius, and sheer determination have left a lasting impact on all of history. The most unstoppable force of nature is our hero, the Commander of the Lord's Army, King Jesus. He rose in power and might and is the conqueror of sin and death. The Lion of Judah is so much more than a humble babe in a manger. Listen this week as Pastor John reminds us from Romans that in Christ Jesus, we are more than conquerors. Through the gifts of mercy and grace, believers now have the ability to conquer even the vilest of human hearts. Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

All Christians can agree that God's ways are ultimately beyond human comprehension, especially on the subject of predestination and election. In Romans 8-9, the Apostle Paul reminds us that God's choice for our lives is a sovereign one and totally independent of any human's work or merit. While these doctrines have profound and practical implications for our Christian faith, they can also influence how believers view their salvation.  Listen as Pastor John encourages us to study the paradox of free will and God's sovereignty, while always allowing God's Holy Word to speak to us. Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

Believers in Jesus Christ, though redeemed spiritually, are still awaiting the full redemption of their earthly bodies along with the promise of eternal life. Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8 that all of creation and all of mankind are groaning as God longs to be united with His children, longing to return us to an edenic state of the garden. As citizens of heaven, we are free from the weight of demonic slavery on this earth and can confidently set our hearts on our future glory. Pastor John reminds us today that we are free to have hope when we look at our life through heavenly eyes.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/

The law of the spirit of life in Christ has set believers free from the law of sin and death. The Apostle Paul contrasts these two mindsets ~flesh and spirit~ and highlights the hope and power of the Holy Spirit. Pastor John preaches an encouraging message this week of freedom from sin, starting with the biblical promise of "no condemnation" in Romans 8. He implores us to live according to God's will, sharing in the glorious inheritance of Christ through our adoption as royal heirs to His Kingdom. All believers who are called out of darkness into glorious light can revel in this hopeful commitment of God's Word.Thanks for listening!Visit our website for more info:https://www.gracecityrome.com/