Grace Bible Fellowship

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons discusses the often misunderstood view of the role of works and faith. He uses James 2:14-20 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and shares how there is no conflict in what James and Paul teaches - in fact, both apostles are in agreement. Our works do not have a role in our salvation. Our salvation comes through faith in Jesus alone. When we add or take anything away from salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone, we become a thief and a robber. When we say that our faith in Christ alone excuses us from living a Christ-focused life without any sort of works that makes it evident we are a follower of Christ, he calls our faith dead. No, works do not save but they become evident our faith in Jesus is a living faith that calls us to have compassion as Jesus has had compassion on us.
(This message is from August 6th, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons begins with the warning found in Jeremiah 17:9: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, this is especially true. The Bible is clear that our emotions cannot be what our understanding of salvation means. It's too easy for us to get caught up in the moment. It's too easy to be led astray by our emotions. Bro. Alan explains how Satan understands us better than we do, taking advantage of how easily our emotions can be manipulated. When we begin to doubt our relationship with the Lord, based on how we feel, we become an ineffective witness for Christ - and that's just what Satan wants. Powerless Christians.
(This message is from July 30th, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons shares how our attitude towards the trials we face and towards the Lord can determine how well we handle it. Using Psalm 77 and Psalm 23, Bro. Alan shows how David, knowing the stories of the past and how the Lord had worked in the lives of Moses, Joseph, Joshua, and others helped him to put his faith and confidence in God. As David grew older, he could think back to being delivered from lions, bears, Goliath, Saul, and even from his own sins, each time the Lord reaching down and helping David in his times of trouble. We can have the same confidence when we face our trials as David had once we allow the Lord to be our great Shepard.
(This message is from July 23rd, 2023)

In the last part of a two-part series, Bro. Alan Simmons completes this series by explaining the Lord does not want us to see Him as a grievous taskmaster who is determined to rule our lives by a set of rules that proclaim "you must do this" and "you must not do that." Rather, the Lord wants us to desire a deep, personal relationship with Him. What we miss about the relationship He desires is we try to understand it and compare it to other intimate relationships we are familiar with - parent to child, husband to wife, friend to friend, but we cannot grasp the dynamic of Creator to creation - and that's what our relationship with the Lord is. And because He is holy, He had to provide a way to overcome our sinful nature for that special relationship to be possible.
(This message is from July 16th, 2023)

In the first part of a two-part series, Bro. Alan Simmons introduces the series by explaining how each of us were made for a purpose by a loving and compassionate God. He designed each one of us from the womb with one desire - a personal and deep relationship unlike anything we can imagine. He wants that relationship to be because we, too, desire that intimate relationship with our Creator. And what's fascinating about the entire thing is the Lord didn't create exact copies of anyone - there is something that makes each one of us unique. The invitation He offers to everyone is "come, let us reason together." It is His will that all will be saved.
(This message is from July 9th, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons asks an important question - do you desire a better country? He explains how many Christians are looking at the situation faced by our modern world and are wondering what happened to their country. Sadly, as he explains, the answer is found in John 3:19: men loved darkness rather than light. But the Bible does offer hope, as Bro. Alan explains - the country we desire is a far better country.
(This message is from July 2nd, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons gives a timely warning about the dangers of recreating the God of the Bible into something that fits better into our life rather than us allowing the Lord to conform us to His image. When we take anything away from the God of the Bible, when we add anything or take anything away from the gospel of Christ, we are recreating God in our own image - we are creating a totem. And in a very dangerous and real sense, we are no longer worshiping God. We are worshiping a false god - an idol of our own making.
(This message is from June 25th, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons considers the current American culture's war on men and fatherhood and reminds us that from the beginning, God ordained two important roles for men and women. From the beginning, God's intent were for men and women to be an inseparable team, each other's strengths complementing the other's weaknesses. There's no greater nor higher calling for a man to be a husband and father. In a society that's increasingly hostile and dismissive towards men, the Lord holds men in the highest regards and accountability. He also shows how the Lord's plan for men doesn't stop when the children are out of the home - the Lord still has more for you to do. (Happy belated Father's Day from our fellowship family to all fathers out there!)
(This message is from June 18th, 2023)

In this message, Bro. Alan Simmons focuses on the important message in 1 John 4:9-10 and discusses how much God loves each one of us. Even before He created the world, He already had a plan in place for the redemption of every man and woman willing to seek Him out. He didn't create the opportunity to tempt Adam and Eve to sin, but he gave them the opportunity to exercise their free will. Yes, He loved them that much. And since that time, he continues to demonstrate His love for humankind through the gift of salvation purchased through the death of Jesus Christ and continues to demonstrate that great love through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. And He is crazily in love with you that he knows you better than you know yourself.
(This message is from June 11th, 2023)

This is the final message of a three-part series based on Ephesians 4:29-32 where Bro. Alan Simmons brings focus to the fourth verse of our key passage (verse 32). The apostle Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, wrote the way we avoid grieving the Holy Spirit is to completely change the way we think about and treat those around us - especially other believers. Bro. Simmons reminds us that Paul's letter to the Ephesians, particularly this passage, concerns how we treat each other. How can those outside the church ever expect to believe who Jesus is when they cannot see a difference in how we treat one another inside the church and among the body of believers.
(This message is from June 4th, 2023)