Spirit Empowered Church

Part 1: What is a Disciple?
Luke 9:21-27
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
August 2, 2026

Theme Verse:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to another exciting Sunday here at the River of Faith! Today we are starting a new series I entitled "Spirit Empowered Church." In this series we are going to re-train ourselves of our Vision, Mission, and Purpose as we enter the month of August as our anniversary month and celebrate our 21st year anniversary. Today I want to speak to you about being a disciple.

Vision Statement:
A Spirit-empowered church committed to give the people of San Diego the best opportunity to come to Christ and be transformed by His amazing Love.

Mission Statement:
We are committed to invite people to COME to Christ.
We are committed to LIVE according to the Word of God.
We are committed to SHARE the Gospel to the whole world.

Purpose:
Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Evangelism, Ministry

A disciple simply means a follower or a student. Someone who willingly submits into learning from another. In Christianity a disciple is someone who accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior and is equipped by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship is the process that required a believer to walk in obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This requires a disciplined life of studying the Word of God, meditating and praying over it, and obeying it. Jesus gives everyone the invitation to come to Him. Discipleship is when we accept that invitation and choose to follow Him for the rest of our lives.

“Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.””
Luke 9:21-27 NLT

Main Pointers:

1. Denying of oneself.

A. Jesus spoke here the true words of the essence of a disciple. He started by self-denial. Jesus knows that the biggest hindrance for anyone to be His true disciple is self- centeredness. We cannot be a disciple of Christ if we cannot put Him first above everything else.

B. “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:26 NLT

2. A call to an ultimate surrender.

A. For many they misunderstood the “cross” as some burden that they must carry in their life as Christian to verify that they are a true disciple of Christ. In the Biblical context of the “cross” we know that it only means one thing– death. To carry one’s “cross” means that we must answer to the call of an ultimate surrender to Christ no matter what the cost.

B. “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Philippians 2:8 NKJV

C. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’”
Luke 14:28-30 NLT

3. Not just a moment but a life of obedience.

A. Obedience is the true test of discipleship. There is no other way to show if we are true disciples of Jesus other than our obedience to Him.
B. “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 NLT

Conclusion:
A changed life. That is the result when someone genuinely surrenders everything to Jesus Christ. This is a non refutable fact that the more we become obedient to Jesus and we learn to follow His ways the more our lives change. A true disciple of Jesus bears much fruit.

“When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
John 15:8 NLT

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 5: The Righteousness God Desires
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
July 26, 2026

Opening Verse:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are in conclusion of our series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mention ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 5 is entitled "The Righteousness God Desires".

Main Pointers:
“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”
James 1:12-18 NLT

1. Our desires can either give birth to sin or be used to seek God.

A. James clearly stated here that temptations do not from God nor god can ever be tempted to do evil. The root of our temptations come from our "own" desires that are not godly which leads to sin. But there is also another way...
B. “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you."
Psalms 37:4-5 NLT

2. Seek to produce the righteousness that God desires.

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”
James 1:19-21 NLT

A. There is something in human anger that is not acceptable to God. Its not that we cannot be angry but to display human anger is not the righteousness that God want us to produce.
B. “Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”
Numbers 20:11-12 NLT

3. God will always bless your obedience.

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face ina mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
James 1:22-25 NLT

A. There is a big breakdown between listening and doing. This is why we must pursue righteousness. To pursue righteousness means to be right with God so we can obey God. Nothing else counts unless we live the righteous life of obedience by faith.
B. “And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Mark 4:20 NLT

Conclusion:
Everyone wants the "blessed life" but, many failed to experienced it because of the wrong pursuit. In this series I hope that we re-calibrate our minds to focus on the right things. Our vertical relationship with God affects everything we do horizontally. So be right with God and pursue His righteousness and everything else shall be added unto you.

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 4: Do You Want to be Blessed?
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
July 19, 2026

Opening Verse:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are in week four of our brand new series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have probably heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mention ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 4 is entitled "Do You Want to be Blessed?"

Main Pointers:
“One day as he saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them. “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the  whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.” Matthew 5:1-12 NLT

1. Real blessedness refers to the good state of our spiritual well-being.

A. The Greek word for blessedness means "to be enlarged, blissful, or happy." Since we know that God wants us to pursue righteousness not just happiness, this happiness is a deep joy to the soul. Jesus spoke of two aspects of beatitudes, earthly and heavenly.
B. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

2. Being blessed on earth is just a foretaste of what is really waiting for us in heaven.

“Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”
Matthew 5:12 NLT

A. What Jesus was really pointing here was the importance of finding the real source of blessedness while we're still here on earth. As supposed to being consumed by all the earthly desires that only brings pain and destruction.
B. “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. Matthew 7:13-14 NLT

3. The beatitudes describes the character of a real disciple.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:13-16 NLT

A. The Bible says that His disciples gathered around Him on the hilltop and Jesus began teaching. He was not saying this to everyone but to those who will truly will follow Him.
B. “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:21-23 NLT

Conclusion:
Everyone wants to be "blessed" Maybe because we have a very shallow meaning of the word "blessing." Often times we accompany this word with material things. No! The blessing is finding the real source of blessedness and its not something we get. It's something that we live by. Pursue righteousness living and results will speak for itself. The real blessings are not here on earth. The real blessing is what awaits for us and only very few find it!

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 3: Pressing Forward!
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
July 12, 2026

Opening Verse:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are in week three of our brand new series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have probably heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mention ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 3 is entitled "Pressing Forward!"

Main Pointers:
“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure- blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” Philippians 3:1-9 NLT

1. Always rely on what Christ has done for you.

A. Paul in this chapter spoke from his own personal testimony. He was still very much upset with the false teaching of circumcision to be saved. This time he used his own example to make the work of Christ truly the centerpiece of everything that happened that changed his life.
B. “This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!" Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT

2. Press on towards the goal.

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” Philippians 3:12-16 NLT

A. Even the apostle Paul admits that perfection was not the goal but finishing the race. To know Christ and become more like Him. Learn to celebrate the small things that you've overcome because of your faith in Christ. Hold on to the progress no matter how small you think they are! Move forward!!!
B. “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”
Romans 8:29-30 NLT

3. We are citizens of heaven pursue heavenly things.

“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”
Philippians 3:17-21 NLT

A. Your conduct will always show who's god you're really serving. Everything you are pursuing tells a lot about what your goal in life really is.
B. “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4 NLT

Conclusion:
Press on forward!!! What a powerful charge by the apostle Paul telling us to forget the past and move towards the goal of knowing Christ and becoming more like Him! There is no greater goal in life than to finish this race with eyes fixed on Jesus longing to hear the words "well done my good and faithful servant!"

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 2: Jesus is my Freedom!
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
July 5, 2026

Opening Verse:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are in week two of our brand new series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have probably heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mentioned ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 2 is entitled "Jesus is my Freedom!"

Main Pointers:
“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”
Galatians 5:1 NLT

“But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.”
Galatians 5:5-10 NLT

1. Be careful not to get tied up again.

A. Paul in this chapter addresses the false teachings that were spreading around that says circumcision is still needed for salvation. Paul was very heartbroken for those who listened to this false doctrine and reminded them of the real freedom they have received from Christ.
B. “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self- denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.”
Colossians 2:20-23 NLT

2. The freedom we received in Christ is for the benefit of serving others.

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.”
Galatians 5:13-15 NLT

A. Legalism focuses on outward looks and shallow expressions of faith but not necessarily genuine or filled with much substance. Real freedom in Christ should empower us to love one another and serve each other in love. That is the true manifestation of our freedom in Christ not self gratification.
B. “But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.”
1 Corinthians 8:9 NLT

3. Pursue the Spirit-led life.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”
Galatians 5:16-26 NLT

A. What is the solution to this legalistic and a very critical behavior? Let the Holy Spirit lead your life. To apostle Paul it cannot be any simpler than that. A person who is led by the Spirit does things that only the Spirit of God can do but those who do not live by Spirit it is obvious through their actions.
B. “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.”
1 John 3:7-10 NLT

Conclusion:
As we start the middle of the year, it is good to re-calibrate our minds and ask if we are truly pursuing the right things in life? Are we pursuing Righteousness? Are we letting the Spirit lead our lives? We should always focus on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith! It's time to re- calibrate! It's time to pursue righteousness!!

Pursuit of Righteousness

Part 1: Are You a Man/Woman of God?
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
June 28, 2026

Opening Verse:
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
1 John 2:16-17 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we starting a brand new series I entitled "The Pursuit of Righteousness." You have probably heard the phrase that says "The Pursuit of Happiness?" There is no mentioned ever in the Scriptures that we should pursue "happiness". As a matter of fact everything that makes us happy is temporary and easily replaced and forgotten. The Bible actually commanded us to pursue "righteousness" instead because it is what really leads us closer to God! Part 1 is entitled "Are You a Man/Woman of God?"

Main Pointers:
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NLT

1. What does being a man/woman of God mean to you?

A. Paul in this chapter charges Timothy with a very strong and firm command. "You Are a Man of God!" This means you are not just like anyone else in this world! You have a purpose and a calling! The things that you are pursuing should be very different from what others are pursuing!
B. “Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.”
Psalms 112:1-10 NLT

2. Righteousness is being right with God so we can do right by others.

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with Godthrough Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

A. Are we capable of doing right things? Absolutely but because of our sinful nature we can never be right with God on our own. This is the reason why Jesus overcame sin for us so that through Him we can become the righteousness of God.
B. “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: in my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”
Romans 7:24-25 NLT

3. Righteousness is focused on being rich in good works not in the things of this world.

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge. Some people have wandered from the faith by following such foolishness. May God’s grace be with you all.”
1 Timothy 6:17-21 NLT

A. Paul's contrast about the world's riches and eternal riches were very clear. One is very unreliable and it brings no eternal purpose. Paul wanted Timothy to focus on the things that lasts. Things that really make a difference and bring fulfillment in life. This is what a true man or woman of God should be pursuing.
B. “But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42 AMP

Conclusion:
As we end the middle of the year, it is good to re-calibrate ourselves and ask if we are truly pursuing the right things in life? What are we Pursuing? Is it something God really wants us to pursue? There is only one thing we should be focusing on. We should always focus on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith! It's time to re-caibrate!

The Exodus

Part 8: ”Can’t Go on Without You”
Exodus 33
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
May 17, 2026
 
Opening Verse:
“The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.” 
Exodus 34:6 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week eight and conclusion of our series in the Book of Exodus. In this series we learned about the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories ever written in the Old Testament.
"Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God in full display.

Main Pointers:
“The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a terrible sin, but I will go back up to the Lord on the mountain. Perhaps I will be able to obtain forgiveness for your sin.” So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a terrible sin these people have committed. They have made gods of gold for themselves. But now, if you will only forgive their sin —but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!” But the Lord replied to Moses, “No, I will erase the name of everyone who has sinned against me. Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about. Look! My angel will lead the way before you. And when I come to call the people to account, I will certainly hold them responsible for their sins.” Then the Lord sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped the calf Aaron had made.”
Exodus 32:30-35 NLT

1. The Lord is the god of accountability.

A. Moses with his humility and genuine concern for his people tried to take the fall for the their actions but God wasn’t having it!
B. God knows each person individually and our faith with Him is individually as well. No one else will be hold responsible for our one’s actions other than themselves.
C. “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.”
Romans 14:12-13 NLT
D. “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.” 
Galatians 6:7 NLT

2. What is the point of journey if the Lord is not with you?

“The Lord said to Moses, “Get going, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Go up to the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I told them, ‘I will give this land to your descendants.’ And I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey. But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I did, I would surely destroy you along the way.” When the people heard these stern words, they went into mourning and stopped wearing their jewelry and fine clothes. For the Lord had told Moses to tell them, “You are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I were to travel with you for even a moment, I would destroy you. Remove your jewelry and fine clothes while I decide what to do with you.” So from the time they left Mount Sinai, the Israelites wore no more jewelry or fine clothes.”
Exodus 33:1-6 NLT

A. This could had been a clear test of God to see if there were any humble hearts left among the people. Telling them that He would not go with them would certainly mean death and defeat. There is no point of moving forward if God is not with you.
B. “One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest— everything will be fine for you.” Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me— on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”
Exodus 33:12-17 NLT

3. The Lord is faithful and full of compassion.

“Then the Lord told Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. I will write on them the same words that were on the tablets you smashed. Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to me on the top of the mountain. No one else may come with you. In fact, no one is to appear anywhere on the mountain. Do not even let the flocks or herds graze near the mountain.” So Moses chiseled out two tablets of stone like the first ones. Early in the morning he climbed Mount Sinai as the Lord had commanded him, and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.” Moses immediately threw himself to the ground and worshiped. And he said, “O Lord, if it is true that I have found favor with you, then please travel with us. Yes, this is a stubborn and rebellious people, but please forgive our iniquity and our sins. Claim us as your own special possession.” The Lord replied, “Listen, I am making a covenant with you in the presence of all your people. I will perform miracles that have never been performed anywhere in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people around you will see the power of the Lord— the awesome power I will display for you. But listen carefully to everything I command you today. Then I will go ahead of you and drive out the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.”
Exodus 34:1-11 NLT

A. At the end the faithfulness of God remained unmatched. His love and compassion rise above the rebellion and stubbornness of the people. God is faithful even in times of our biggest failures.
B. “This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with him, we will also live with him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”
2 Timothy 2:11-13 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises something we can trust that He will do it. Just like in any other journey that we have in life, one thing is for certain there is no point of moving forward in the journey if God is not with us. Like Moses said His presence is what made them set apart from any other nation in the world. Without God there is no Exodus!

Mother’s Day 2026

This is Why We Follow You!
Titus 2
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
May 10, 2026

Opening Verse:
“She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”
Proverbs 31:25-29 NLT


Introduction:
Welcome to an amazing Sunday here at River of Faith! Today we are honoring our awesome Moms! We want to recognize your special calling and the hard work in raising your families while setting an example to honor God first. Thank you.
Why do we follow our moms? That’s a very good question to ask. The Bible tells us to honor our parents but why do we follow them? Is it because of the example they set? Let’s see what the Bible says about promoting the righteous living that matched our wholesome teaching.

Main Pointers:
“As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good.”
Titus 2:1-3 NLT

1. We must promote the kind of living that matches what we believe.

A. Paul in this chapter talks about the importance of promoting righteous living to all believers in every generation of the family.
B. Failure to promote righteous living is counterproductive to our faith. Wholesome teaching without the right living is hypothetical. Which means information with no application.
C. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

2. A good example is hard not to obey.

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.”
Titus 2:4-7 NLT

A. Personal mentorship has been a long lost art of this generation. With the rise of the internet and the information highway. Its easier now to say “google it” or “watch youtube” than say, “let me show you!”
B. “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.”
2 Timothy 2:2 NLT

3. Teach and obey and they will follow.

“Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.”
Titus 2:8 NLT

“You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.” 
Titus 2:15 NLT

A. Paul charged Titus with a very important task. Teach and be a good example. That is your life testimony! Real authority is rooted in obedience and living a life that is according to what we believe in.
B. “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands.”
1 Peter 3:3-5 NLT

Conclusion:
To all our mothers here today, we follow you! Not just because you gave life to us but because of the example that you set before us. To all our Mothers here today, don’t ever get tired of teaching, showing, and training us! Don’t ever give up that task to anything else other than your own hands showing us the way and how it’s supposed to be done!

The Exodus

Part 7: ”You Shall Have no other gods”
Exodus 32
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
May 3, 2026
 
Opening Verse:
“God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.”” 
Exodus 3:12 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week seven of our series in the Book of Exodus.
In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories ever written in the Old Testament. "Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God in full display.

Main Pointers:
“When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!” The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” Exodus 32:1-6 NLT

1. Disobedience does not happen overnight.

A. Moses went up to the Mountain of God in mount Sinai to meet with God and receive the Lord’s commandments. God had already told Moses that he would be back in that mountain to worship but the its the opposite that happened again.
B. The people have grown very impatient and being left with their own evil desires they began to go back to what they were slaves from. Having a weak leader as Aaron did not help. Aaron saw that they were excited and started pleasing the people instead of God.
C. “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God —truly righteous and holy.” 
Ephesians 4:22-24 NLT

2. We must not bow down to any idol.

“The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation."
Exodus 32:7-10 NLT

A. God had already told the people not to create any idols. God is a jealous god he would not tolerate any rebellious ways and leave it unpunished.
B. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols.” Isaiah 42:8 NLT
C. “Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a
lamb, but he spoke with the voice of a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and its people to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was watching. And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world. He ordered the people to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life. He was then permitted to give life to this statue so that it could speak. Then the statue of the beast commanded that anyone refusing to worship it must die.” Revelation 13:11-15 NLT

3. A pure heart can move the heart of God.

“But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people! Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’” So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people. Then Moses turned and went down the mountain. He held in his hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. These tablets were God’s work; the words on them were written by God himself.” 
Exodus 32:11-16 NLT

A. It is true that there is no changing the Lord’s mind once its complete and final but that’s not what Moses did. Moses simply reasoned with the Lord and because his heart was pure and sincere for the people God changed His actions. He brought judgment to the people but kept His promise to lead them to the Land.
B. “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises something we can trust that He will do it. But are we like the Israelites who constantly doubted God? Do smash down our idols and put God above all? Remember that God is a jealous god and we will not share His glory to any other. We must worship and bow down to God alone!

The Exodus

Part 6: "The Covenant- Making God”
Exodus 20
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
April 26, 2026
 
Opening Verse:
“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.”
Jeremiah 31:31-32 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week six of our series in the Book of Exodus. In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories ever written in the Old Testament.
"Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God in full display.

Main Pointers:
“Exactly two months after the Israelites left Egypt, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the wilderness of Sinai and set up camp there at the base of Mount Sinai. Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the Lord.”
Exodus 19:1-8 NLT

1. Only God of the Bible is a covenant-making god.

A. The word “testament” is another word for “covenant”. A covenant is like an agreement or a contract but with very specific difference. A contract can be breached without any moral responsibilities. A covenant once failed is considered immoral or failure of trust.
B. God alone can make covenant with His people. Some are conditional and some are unconditional. God is not only a covenant- making God He is also a covenant-Keeping God.
C. “if they do not obey my decrees and fail to keep my commands, then I will punish their sin with the rod, and their disobedience with beating. But I will never stop loving him nor fail to keep my promise to him. No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said. I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie:”
Psalms 89:31-35 NLT

2. The purpose of the commandments was to make them holy.

“Then God gave the people all these instructions: “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. “You must not murder. “You must not commit adultery. “You must not steal. “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!” As the people stood in the distance, Moses approached the dark cloud where God was.”
Exodus 20:1-21 NLT

A. God gave the commandments to people with His own voice so that they will have a holy fear for the Lord. But as usual they did exactly the opposite of that.
B. “Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.”
Romans 7:7-12 NLT

3. Holiness is what matters to God.

“And the Lord said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: You saw for yourselves that I spoke to you from heaven. Remember, you must not make any idols of silver or gold to rival me. “Build for me an altar made of earth, and offer your sacrifices to me—your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle. Build my altar wherever I cause my name to be remembered, and I will come to you and bless you. If you use stones to build my altar, use only natural, uncut stones. Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use. And do not approach my altar by going up steps. If you do, someone might look up under your clothing and see your nakedness.” 
Exodus 20:22-26 NLT

A. God already had warned them about making idols made of silver and gold and still they did the exact opposite of what God told them not to do.
B. God specifically instructed them not to use any gold and silver for the altar but only raw materials uncut and organically from the earth. God wants to clearly distinguish holy things from unholy.
C. “You and your descendants must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink before going into the Tabernacle. If you do, you will die. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation. You must distinguish between what is sacred and what is common, between what is ceremonially unclean and what is clean. And you must teach the Israelites all the decrees that the Lord has given them through Moses.” 
Leviticus 10:9-11 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises us something we can trust that He will do it. But are we like the Israelites who constantly doubted God? Do we know the difference between things that are sacred and things that are not in this world?
Be holy for the God that you serve is holy.

The Exodus

Part 5: "God of the Impossible”
Exodus 14
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
April 19, 2026

Memory Verse:
“When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.”
Exodus 13:17-18 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week five of our series in the Book of Exodus. In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories ever written in the Old Testament.
"Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God in full display.

Main Pointers:
“Then the Lord gave these instructions to Moses: “Order the Israelites to turn back and camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, across from Baal-zephon. Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!’ And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” So the Israelites camped there as they were told. When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. “What have we done, letting all those Israelite slaves get away?” they asked. So Pharaoh harnessed his chariot and called up his troops. He took with him 600 of Egypt’s best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with its commander. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, so he chased after the people of Israel, who had left with fists raised in defiance.”
Exodus 14:1-8 NLT

1. God is always ahead of us.

A. The instructions to Moses was very clear even when the people are confused God had already planned what He was going to do and it’s for the purpose that His glory will be in full display for everyone to see.
B. When you are faced with tremendous challenges and fear. You should always ask yourself where is God is all of this? The answer is He is already ahead!
C. “He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light.”
Daniel 2:20-22 NLT

2. In your panic, don’t ever question God.

“As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”
Exodus 14:10-14 NLT

A. As usual the people did what God told them not to do. They panicked and started acting as if they knew what to do and they did not need help. This is the sin of arrogance and lack of Faith.
B. “And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I will disown them and destroy them with a plague. Then I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are!” But Moses objected. “What will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?” he asked the Lord. “They know full well the power you displayed in rescuing your people from Egypt. Now if you destroy them, the Egyptians will send a report to the inhabitants of this land, who have already heard that you live among your people. They know, Lord, that you have appeared to your people face to face and that your pillar of cloud hovers over them. They know that you go before them in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Now if you slaughter all these people with a single blow, the nations that have heard of your fame will say, ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he swore to give them, so he killed them in the wilderness.’”
Numbers 14:11-16 NLT

3. There are times we must stop talking and do what we’re told.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night. Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the Lord opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side!”
Exodus 14:15-22 NLT

A. Moses may have had a moment of panic himself but as a leader chosen by God he had to learn that sometimes you have to stop talking and just do exactly what God told you to do.
B. No matter what happens the glory of God will be displayed. God did exactly what He said He would do. He was and is the God of the impossible!
C. “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!”
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises us something we can trust that He will do it. But are we like the Israelites who constantly doubted God? Do we question Him when things get intense and we don’t know what to do? He is the God of the impossible. He makes a way where there seems to be no way.

The Exodus

Part 4: "The Passover”
Exodus 12
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
April 12, 2026
 
Memory Verse:
“When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”
Luke 22:14-16 NLT

 Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week four of our series in the Book of Exodus.In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories ever told in the Old Testament.
"Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God in full display.

Main Pointers:
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave. Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.) Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All the officials of Egypt will run to me and fall to the ground before me. ‘Please leave!’ they will beg. ‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” Then, burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh. Now the Lord had told Moses earlier, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, but then I will do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed these miracles in Pharaoh’s presence, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let the Israelites leave the country.”
Exodus 11:1-10 NLT

1. The Passover was a foreshadow of God’s ultimate plan of saving His people.

A. Passover became the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday. It is one of the three “pilgrimage” holiday that Jews all over the world would travel back to Israel to celebrate.
B. The Passover was the tenth and final plague that God brought to Egypt. It was only on this plague that was directly applied to a specific individual which was the “first- born.”
C. “Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.”
Exodus 23:14-15 NLT

2. The very first Passover points us to Jesus.

“While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: “From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. The animal you select must be a one-year- old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects. “Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal.”
Exodus 12:1-7 NLT

A. The details on the very first Passover was undeniably pointing to something that was going to happen is the future. God was intentional with the details because it was a foreshadow of what was to come.
B. “Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.”
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 NLT
C. “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7 NLT

3. Jesus is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for us.

“Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go, pick out a lamb or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. Drain the blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may go out through the door until morning. For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down. “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped. So the people of Israel did just as the Lord had commanded through Moses and Aaron. And that night at midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.”
Exodus 12:21-30 NLT

A. The imagery in the Passover was just undeniable. An innocent lamb must be slaughtered and it’s innocent blood must be applied to the doorposts of the Israelites and the angel of death will Passover them.
B. No wonder Jesus kept saying “let those who have ears let them hear.” All the signs points to Him and still up to this day millions of Jews celebrate Passover and still miss the point.
C. ““The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘A man is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’ I did not recognize him as the Messiah, but I have been baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John 1:29-31 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises us something we can trust that He will do it. But are we like the Israelites who constantly doubted God? Do we miss the sign that points every thing back to Jesus? God is the master story teller. We must pay careful attention to every detail because they are there for a reason.

Easter 2026

The Biggest Losers
1 Corinthians 15
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
April 5, 2026

Memory Verse:
“If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else.”
1 Corinthians 15:19 CEV

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today is Easter Sunday and we are so glad that you are here with us!
When was the last time you've experienced winning? It could be as simple as a game you joined for fun, or something that felt like winning that happened to you recently. How did that make you feel? Now when was the last time you lost? It could be the same as something that felt like losing?

Main Pointers:
“And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.”
1 Corinthians 15:17-20 NLT

1. You can either be a winner or a loser in faith that you choose.

A. Yes the argument is that everyone is claiming that their religion is the right one. But if you examine closely and compare the claims of the Christian faith nothing will even come close.
B. The Bible dares us to think how important the claims of Christianity are. If Christ is not risen then we are the biggest losers on the planet period! It's win or go home. There's nothing in between or to be safe. It's either it's true or everything is a lie. Think about it? What religion in the world would dare you think that way?
C. “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-26 NLT

2. Only Jesus defeated the unbeatable.

“But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NLT

A. The greatest mystery of resurrection is in its promise of eternity. Death is nothing but separation. It's a separation of body to the spirit and soul. In Christ there is a promise of transformation where the physical will be replaced by the immortal.
B. The reason for death is sin and because all of us have sinned we will all experience death but Jesus did what no other man have ever done. He defeated sin and death once and for all!
C. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 NLT

3. In Christ we are more than winners, we are conquerors.

“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 6-7 NLT

A. We can talk about evidence and first- hand witnesses but some will still question and doubt, but the result of the resurrection remains undeniable.We become conquerors in Christ.
B. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Romans 8:35-37 ESV

Conclusion:
Easter is about Jesus winning so we don’t live in defeat anymore. It's the story that changed history forever. Jesus defeated what no man can ever defeat. Sin & Death! All of us can never defeat sin and death but we don't have to. Jesus did and God rose Him again to prove it! It's either we're the biggest losers or are we? No! Overwhelming victory is ours through Jesus Christ!

Palm Sunday 2026

"You Are Born to Worship" 
John 12
Pastor Ray-ann Dela Fuente
March 29, 2026

Opening Verse:
“Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt."
Zechariah 9:9 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to The River of Faith Church! Today is Palm Sunday! This marks the official start of the “Holy Week” or what we also call as the “Passion Week of Christ!”.
Palm Sunday marks one week before the Resurrection or Easter. The triumphal entry is very important because it was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 about the coming Messiah. Here we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where His followers gathered palm branches and spread their cloaks on the road as Jesus entered the city riding a donkey.

Main Pointers:
“After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”
Luke 19:28-38 NLT

1. Not all who comes to worship do it with the right purpose.

A. The triumphal entry was the fulfillment of the prophecy about a humble king who enters His kingdom riding a donkey. The garments placed upon the road and palm branches are a sign of praise being lavished on Him.
B. Unfortunately many in the crowds came with a different motive. Many welcomed Him hoping that He was their messianic deliverer who will free them from the Romans. Some came just because of the miracles they've heard.
C. “Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign."
John 12:17-18 NLT

2. Worship without true transformation is just about the experience.

“But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”
Luke 19:41-44 NLT

A. Many of the ones who hailed Him king and shouted "Hosanna's" have quickly turned against him and shouted "Crucify Him" in just a matter of days. The very same city that hailed Him king has abandoned Him.
B. Worship without true transformation will always be inconsistent and weak.
C. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."
James 3:9-12 NIV

3. You are born to worship, so if it's not Jesus, it's something else.

“But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
Luke 19:39-40 NLT

A. The pharisees tried to silence the crowd for they were furious that they were hailing Jesus as king. Jesusspoke the truth by recognizing that if people don't praise Him something else has got to do it because He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
B. “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:14-15 NIV

Conclusion:
As we get ready for “Holy Week” let’s ask ourselves, have I missed the point? Do I come for You? Am I trusting in you alone? Are you Jesus my Lord and Savior? Let’s take advantage of this time to recognize Jesus for who He is.

The Exodus
Part 2: "God's Mighty Hand”
Exodus 7
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
March 15, 2026

Memory Verse:
“So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.”
Exodus 6:9 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week two of our series in the Book of Exodus. In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of Christ foretold in one of the greatest stories in the Old Testament.
"Exodus" is defined as "departure " which marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses with the mighty hand of God!

Main Pointers:
“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pay close attention to this. I will make you seem like God to Pharaoh, and your brother, Aaron, will be your prophet. Tell Aaron everything I command you, and Aaron must command Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country. But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces —my people, the Israelites—from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment. When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.”
Exodus 7:1-5, 7 NLT

1. Even with pharaoh’s stubbornness the mighty hand of God was in full display.

A. After a lengthy conversation with God of how inadequate he was, Moses finally listened and obeyed. He went to Pharaoh and delivered the message. However, the pharaoh treated the Israelites with harsher punishment. The people become more discouraged.
B. God had already established His holiness to Moses in the burning bush and this time He was about to teach Him about His Mighty Hand.
C. “For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.”
Romans 9:17-18 NLT

2. God’s anointing is always superior to the devil’s counterfeit.

“Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Pharaoh will demand, ‘Show me a miracle.’ When he does this, say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.’” So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the Lord had predicted.”
Exodus 7:8-13 NLT

A. Pharaoh was a god to the Egyptians but we all know that there is no one like the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This world will try to imitate what only God can do but it will always fall short.
B. Remember God was also teaching Moses about His power. Moses needed to recognize the difference between God’s anointing and the devil’s counterfeit.
C. “Pharaoh’s magicians tried to do the same thing with their secret arts, but this time they failed. And the gnats covered everyone, people and animals alike. “This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.”
Exodus 8:18-19 NLT

3. When telling pharaoh failed, God had to show him instead.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn, and he still refuses to let the people go. So go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes down to the river. Stand on the bank of the Nile and meet him there. Be sure to take along the staff that turned into a snake. Then announce to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you, “Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness.” Until now, you have refused to listen to him. So this is what the Lord says: “I will show you that I am the Lord.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood. The fish in it will die, and the river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink any water from the Nile.’”
Exodus 7:14-18 NLT

A. There were about twenty references of pharaoh hardening his heart. Half of it was pharaoh doing it to himself and the other half God was hardening his heart.
B. This shows that God is all-knowing. He had already predicted that this will happen. He was only exposing the stubbornness of the heart while matching it with His power and might.
C. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in life is like the exodus of Israelites from Egypt. When God promises us something we can trust that He will do it. But do we recognize the hand of God in our lives? Can we tell the counterfeit from God’s real anointing? Even when we are stubborn and we refuse to believe God will do what He says He will do.

The Exodus

Part 1: Holy Ground
Exodus 3
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
March 8, 2026
 
Memory Verse:
“God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act.”
Exodus 2:24-25 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are starting a brand new series in the Book of Exodus.In this series we will look at the foreshadowings of the coming of Christ foretold in one of the most amazing stories in the the Old Testament. Thousands of years before Jesus came.
"Exodus" is defined as the "departure ". This marks the end of the period of oppression for Israelites in the land of Egypt and their deliverance through the leadership of Moses and the mighty hand of God!

Main Pointers:
“One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.”
Exodus 3:1-6 NLT

1. God’s holiness was displayed in the burning bush.

A. This was the first time the word “holy” appeared the Scriptures. Holiness in its plain meaning means “set-apart.” Holiness involves separation which means there is no one else like God. God is set apart from everything He created.
B. Was it the ground itself that was holy? No, it was the presence of God that made it holy and God was about to teach Moses the major difference between what was divine and what was human.
C. “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

2. God in His glory also showed compassion for His people.

“Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.””
Exodus 3:7-10 NLT

A. Theophany is when God choose to manifest himself to His people in a visible form. God choose fire to reveal His glory to Moses. Fire purifies yet it did not consume shows the power of God matched with His unfailing love for His people.
B. In the burning bush God also showed His love and genuine concern for His people. This was the first time God called Israelites“My own people” and later gave a personal name to them. God is as intimate as He is mighty.
C. “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.”
Psalms 40:1-3 NLT

3. God is eternal, He is unchangeable.

“But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.”
Exodus 3:11-15 NLT

A. The personal name God gave Moses (YAWEH) speaks of His eternal glory and unchangeable character. As we mentioned earlier that God is holy. He was to be set apart from all the gods of Egypt that’s why He gave them a personal name.
B. By saying that He is the “Great I Am” God had established to Moses that He alone is God. He always was, always is, and forever will be.
C. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13 NLT

Conclusion:
Our journey in this life is like the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. When we call God answers but when God answers we must respond with faith and complete trust in Him. Are we going to grumble and complain like the Israelites did or are we going trust Him like Moses trusted in the Lord.

Intimacy: The Language of God

Part 4: Breakfast at Galilee
John 21
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
March 1, 2026

Memory Verse:
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”
John 15:9 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week four and in the conclusion of our series called "Intimacy: the language of God." The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed as a description of what our relationship with God should be like. "Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God.

How is God close to us? Can we know certainly that God is close? Today we will dive into one of the most intimate conversations of man with God and it happened during a breakfast in Galilee.

Main Pointers:
“Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter,Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread. “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.” John 21:1-14 NLT

1. Jesus is intimate even in times of weakness and fear.

A. This was the third time that Peter must've seen Jesus since He was resurrected. The first couple of times Jesus appeared to them but did not speak to him directly. The last time Jesus spoke to Peter was when He told him that he would deny Him three times.
B. How strong can a relationship last after a betrayal? This is the weakness of our human capacity. It is hard for us to forgive and to let go of the hurt. Jesus is different. In our weakness and in fear Jesus stays close.
C. “Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” And immediately the rooster crowed. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly."
Matthew 26:74-75 NLT

2. What do we mean when we say that we love God?

“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”
John 21:15-18 NLT

A. This must be one of the most if not, the most intimate conversation recorded in the Scriptures of God speaking to the one who betrayed Him while still serving Him breakfast.
B. Jesus did not have to reaffirm His love for Peter. He loved Peter before He met him, He loved Peter when He met him, He loved Peter even after he betrayed Him.
C. “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 NLT

3. Each time Peter answered, Jesus commanded.

“After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”
John 21:15-17 NLT

A. It is remarkable that after the three denials came the three questions of "Do you love me Peter?" What is most interesting is the use of the word love by Jesus compared to Peter's.
B. Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him unconditionally (agape) and Peter replied by saying yes he loves Jesus (phileo) brotherly or relational love. Jesus wanted to move Peter from phileo love to agape love, that's why He followed up every question with a command.
C. “If you love me, obey my commandments.”
John 14:15 NLT

Conclusion:
The intimacy of God to us was in full display when Jesus came and spent His final years with His disciples. He ate and dined with them. Traveled to different places together and even spent His last night with them. The disciples got to see for themselves the intimacy of God in their lives. No wonder after they have seen the resurrected Jesus they all suffered and died for Him.

Intimacy: The language of God

Part 3: Mold Me!
Jeremiah 18
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
February 8, 2026

Memory Verse:
“When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”
Romans 9:21 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week two of our new series called "Intimacy: the language of God." The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed as a description of what our relationship with God should be like.

"Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God. How is God close to us? Can we know certainly that God is close to us? Today we will learn the different levels of closeness that people have with God and the ultimate goal is to have a relationship with Him as a Potter is to a lump of clay.

Main Pointers:
“The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over.
Jeremiah 18:1-4 NLT

1. The potter always has the full control of the clay.

A. This is one of the most profound illustrations that God used to convey a message to His chosen prophet. A picture so clearly portrayed and was filled with so much wisdom and perspective.
B. What is the relationship of the potter and the clay? The workmanship of the potter is displayed on the lump of clay and when the potter decides that the jar He was working on did not quite turn out as He hoped, He crushed it and started over again.
C. “And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.”
Isaiah 64:8 NLT

2. The potter's hand molds the clay as He chooses to.

“Then the Lord gave me this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. If I announce that a certain nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed, but then that nation renounces its evil ways, I will not destroy it as I had planned. And if I announce that I will plant and build up a certain nation or kingdom, but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless it as I said I would.”
Jeremiah 18:5-10 NLT

A. This is a powerful and very vivid illustration of God's desire to have the same intimacy to Israel as of that of the potter to the clay.
B. God asked "Can I not do this to you?" Implies that it is intimacy that God seeks towards His people and not dominion over them. The illustration of a potter to a clay is an intimate relationship. The potter molds the clay in His own hands to create a masterpiece.
C. “How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?”
Isaiah 29:16 NLT

3. The one intimate relationship with God is when He can correct and mold you.

“Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and do what is right.’” But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.” So this is what the Lord says: “Has anyone ever heard of such a thing, even among the pagan nations? My virgin daughter Israel has done something terrible! Does the snow ever disappear from the mountaintops of Lebanon? Do the cold streams flowing from those distant mountains ever run dry? But my people are not so reliable, for they have deserted me; they burn incense to worthless idols. They have stumbled off the ancient highways and walk in muddy paths. Therefore, their land will become desolate, a monument to their stupidity. All who pass by will be astonished and will shake their heads in amazement. I will scatter my people before their enemies as the east wind scatters dust. And in all their trouble I will turn my back on them and refuse to notice their distress.”
Jeremiah 18:11-17 NLT

A. The purpose of the potter and clay illustration was to show Israel of How God can still mold them despite of their rebellion towards Him. But even that they rejected the Hand that created them.
B. The real measure of an intimate relationship with God is true obedience to HIS Word and humility in times of discipline. God asked "Can I not do this to you?" If we trust Him completely then we allow Him to mold us freely.
C. “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”
Genesis 2:7 NLT

Conclusion:
Who molds you to be the person you are today? All of us are a product of how our parents raised us and how we perceived our surroundings. To have the intimacy (closeness) with God we must have the submission to Him to mold us. Like potter molds the clay with his bare hands God can mold us to be the person that He called us to be. Let Him mold you and create a masterpiece in your life.

Intimacy: The language of God

Part 2: No One Knows You Like He Do!
Psalms 139
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
February 1, 2026

Memory Verse:
“what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” Psalms 8:4 NIV

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in week two of our new series called "Intimacy: the language of God."

The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed as a description of what our relationship with God should be like. "Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God. How is God close to us? Can we know certainly that God is close to us? The Bible tells us that God is not only close but He also knows everything about us.

Main Pointers:
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”
Psalms 139:1-6 NLT

1. God knows you intimately because He is an intimate god.

A. Our thoughts are the most private and intimate part of our human makeup. No one else can know our thoughts other than when we choose to communicate it to others. Yet, David in this Psalm assured us that God alone knows everything about us.
B. God searches the heart and mind of people that's why He knows those whose hearts are turned towards Him.
C. “But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
Jeremiah 17:10 NLT

2. God is more closer than you think.

“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”
Psalms 139:7-12 NLT

A. God is omnipresent, which means that He is everywhere. David here did not only reflect on the omnipresence of God but His desire to be there for us wherever we go.
B. There is no place in God's creation that He is absent. Even in the heavens above or the earth below, all of God's creation declares the greatest of His omnipresence.
C. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39 NLT

3. God is deeply involved in us.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you? Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you? Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
Psalms 139:13-24 NLT

A. Now David turned his meditation to God as his intimate Creator. He expressed how deeply involved and intentional God is in the formation of every single human being conceived in the womb.
B. The image of God "knitting" us in the womb tells of the care, precision, and detail that it takes to create us in the image and likeness of Himself.
C. “No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”
Romans 9:20 NLT

Conclusion:
There may be times where you feel that God is not close to you. There maybe times that  you feel that God is far away. Those are not true! God is a lot more closer to us than we can ever think. The reason why we don't see this is because of the lack of intimacy with Him. Remember "come close to God and He will come close to you!"

Intimacy: The Language of God

Part 1: Nothing Compares to Knowing You!
Philippians 3
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
January 25, 2026

Memory Verse:
“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”
James 4:8 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are starting a new series called "Intimacy: the Language of God." The word "intimacy" is not explicitly used in the Bible but it is clearly expressed through a description of what our relationship with God should be like. "Intimacy" is defined as "closeness" with God which brings us to this very important question of "are you close with God?" This is a very loaded question that can be answered in a simple way or a very complex way depending on your understanding of who God is.

Main Pointers:
“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!”
Philippians 3:1-4 NLT

1. Religion is focused on human tradition, relationship with God is focused on intimacy.

A. The apostle Paul in the early church had to deal with people called "Judaizers." These are Jewish Christians who insist that circumcision is still necessary for salvation.
B. The problem with this teaching is that it mixes tradition with Biblical teaching that salvation is by grace alone and by faith alone. It still emphasizes the human effort is needed to earn God's forgiveness.
C. “Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?”
Galatians 3:1-3 NLT

2. There is only a right relationship with God not a right religion.

“I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”
Philippians 3:5-8 NLT

A. If the requirements to becoming closer to God is about being religious and practicing the strictest traditions then Paul would be a champion of it. Many people today still think that by practicing "religion" even without intimacy and faith will make them closer to God. That would be their biggest failure.
B. There was a time in Paul's life that he thought having those things have value but now he considered all of it "garbage" compared to having an "intimate" relationship with Christ.
C. “The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”
Isaiah 29:13 NIV

3. The goal of intimacy is to become one in Christ.

“and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”
Philippians 3:9-11 NLT

A. When Paul was a practicing religious jew everything that mattered to him was based on his own works and righteousness but the moment that he became born again he relied on the righteousness of Christ through his faith in Him.
B. This is why "intimacy" with God is so important because you can have all the right things "on paper" but without the relationship or the knowledge to "know" Christ and experience His power, then everything else does not matter.
C. “Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?”
John 14:9 NLT

Conclusion:
Closeness to God will never be attained by relying on our own actions based on our own works. Many religions today is solely based on human efforts. This is why many people do practice some type of religion but do not have the right relationship with God. Do not be deceived. You can worship with your lips while your heart is very far from God. That is not closeness with God. That is man made traditions.

Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year!

Part 4: The Power of Discernment
1 John 4:1-6
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
January 18, 2026

Memory Verse:
“He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit.Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.”
1 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in part four of our series called "Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year" The word "discern" comes from the Greek word "anakrino" which means to examine, to separate, or to distinguish.

What does discernment do to us as followers of Jesus? It gives us the ability to distinguish lies from the truth and the Spirit of God from the spirit of this world. Do you have the discernment coming from the Holy Spirit? How do you know that it is from the Spirit of God?

Main Pointers:
“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many falseprophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
1 John 4:1-3 NLT

1. Deception is everywhere, we must have discernment to know which comes from the Spirit of God.

A. The early church dealt with many false prophets and just like today there are so many. How do we know which spirit is from God? The Bible is very clear how to identify deception. Do not easily believe everyone who claims they are speaking in behalf of the spirit of God.
B. It is our responsibility to test everything! The Bible warns us that there are many deceptive spirits that like to pretend. The only way to spot falsehood is to be a student of the Word of God.
C. “That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open- minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly toPaul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.”
Acts of the Apostles 17:10-12 NLT

2. The most important question to ask, “is it Christ-like?”

“But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.”
1 John 4:3 NLT

A. There are so many pretenders nowadays who uses the name of Jesus for their own agenda but it is really not hard to spot them.
B. Only those who do not have the right discernment fall into believing in them. All you need to do is ask yourself “are they CHRIST-Like?” The Bible says that you will know them by their fruits. Everything is centered around the person of Jesus Christ. Anything that is self-serving, ego-centered, and self-glorifying is not from Christ.
C. “I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.”
2 John 1:7-11 NLT

3. It’s either you have the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us.That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.”
1 John 4:4-6 NLT

A. Look at how John addressed those who are true followers of God. They “belong” to God and victory has already been won! if you read the Gospel of John his main theme in that book is “abiding” in Christ.
B. There is a big distinction. The Spirit who lives in the heart of true followers of Christ is much greater than the spirit of deception. That means true believers of Christ are not deceived. They are victorious over the pretenders because the Spirit of God gives them discernment.
C. “Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This manwill come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived,and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.”
2 Thessalonians 2:8-12 NLT

Conclusion:
As we take on this brand new year and start this another amazing journey that God has in front of us, we must have the wisdom to know that it is not going to be an easy ride. There are going to be bumps and even strong weather along the journey. There will be distractions and obstacles but all of that is part of the journey itself. With wisdom and discernment we can be prepared and ready to take on any challenge that the road ahead might throw at us.

Always remember that greater is the Spirit of truth that lives in us than the spirit of lies that is in the world. Victory belongs to us in Christ Jesus!

“For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.”
James 3:15-17 NLT

Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year!

Part 3: Rebuking Negative Mindsets
Judges 6
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
January 11, 2026

Memory Verse:
“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today we are in part three of our series called "Discernment."
The word "discern" comes from the Greek word "anakrino" which means to examine, to separate, or to distinguish.

To live wisely is to think wisely and to have the godly wisdom that God gives us we must get rid of all the negative mindsets that control our mind. One of the most dangerous mindsets is the victim mentality. This hinders us from seeing what God is doing and impends our growth in Christ. We must rebuke this mindset if we want to live wisely in the new year.

Main Pointers:
“The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.”
Judges 6:1-6 NLT

1. We must be careful how we let the challenges in life define us.

A. Defeat is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome in life. It is no doubt that at this time Israel was so defeated that all they could do is to call on God for help.
B. How do problems and challenges in life define you? Does the problem change your attitude or your attitude change the problem? Victim mentality does not happen overnight. It's the constant lying of the devil trying to convince you that you're a victim!
C. “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us."
Romans 8:35-37 NLT

2. Rebuke the victim mentality before it consumes your life.

“Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
Judges 6:11-16 NLT

A. The Israelites called and once again the Lord answered. Through Gideon the Lord answered them but they were not ready for it. Gideon was so consumed by victim mentality that he could not even hear what God was telling Him.
B. A victim-minded person always finds an excuse not to obey God and justifies it by blaming others for their actions. The problem with victim mentality is we confused our identity based on other people's perception.
C. “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Romans 12:3 NLT

3. Only by the Spirit of God can we ever overcome the spirit of victim mentality.

“Soon afterward the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan, camping in the valley of Jezreel. Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him. He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, summoning their warriors, and all of them responded. Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early he next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.”
Judges 6:33-38 NLT

A. It was the Spirit of the Lord that clothed Gideon with power that he even influenced other men and the rest of Israel to rise up and be courageous.
B. “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT

Conclusion:
As we begin the year of 2026 we must be aware of the negative things that we allow our minds to control. We must identify all the negative thoughts and feelings that we subject ourselves to. Rebuke it in the name of Jesus and remind yourself that you are more than
conquerors in Christ. Our identity is not tied in to what happened in the past and what other people did to us. Our Identity is in Christ and in Christ there are no victims but only Victors!!!

Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year!

Part 2: The Rule of Wisdom
James 1
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
January 4, 2026

Memory Verse:
“but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today is the first Sunday of 2026. Let's give all the glory to God for allowing us to start the year with much blessing and overflowing grace!

How important is it that we ask God for wisdom this year? What are the most important decisions that you will make this year. The Bible tells us that there is only one person that we should ask when it comes to wisdom and that is God. But first, there is a rule when we ask Him. Today we will learn about the rule of wisdom.

Main Pointers:
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, or a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:5-6 NLT

1. There is so much supply of wisdom from the Lord.

A. The word to avoid here is "wavering." How often do you waver when it comes to something that you really want to do? You ask earnestly for something just to change your mind because of what?
B. Many christians today lack wisdom and guidance not because there's not much to go around, but because they are like a wave in the sea who doesn't have a firm solid conviction.
C. “There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT

2. A fickle-mind gets nothing from the Lord.

“Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
James 1:7-8 NLT

A. What James had clearly established was God is the source of all wisdom and He gives it generously to those who seek Him.
B. But the number one reason why people do not get the wisdom from God is their lack of faith and a fickle mind.
C. “When Moses reported the Lord’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief. Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.” But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.” But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant left the camp. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.”
Numbers 14:39-45 NLT

3. To live wisely is to live for God with consistency.

“So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.”
James 1:16-18 NLT

A. God does not change. He is a rewarder of those who truly seek Him and those who trust in Him alone. Here is how you live wisely in 2026. Be consistent! Don't change your mind. Don't make excuses. Stick to what you said you will do and trust that God will be there every step of the way.
B. “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

Conclusion:
As we begin the year of 2026 let us declare that this will be a year of breakthrough's in our lives. But before we speak about breakthrough we must first learn how to be consistent with our faith. A faith that does not waver. A faith that is not tossed here and there. A faith that is anchored on a solid foundation. It is not easily shaken it is not easily broken. A faith that is consistent just as God who we serve is consistent.

Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year!

Part 1: Ending the Year with Discernment
1 Corinthians 2
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
December 28, 2025

Memory Verse:
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today is the last Sunday of 2025. Let's give all the glory to God for allowing us to finish the year with much blessings and overflowing grace!

Some say that it is not about how you start but how you finish. Some may also say that if you start the wrong way that you will also not finish the right way. How are we going to end this year? How are we going to start the brand new one? Today I'd like to start a new series I entitled "Discernment: Living Wisely in the New Year!"

Main Pointers:
“When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:1-9 NLT

1. Trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

A. The word "discern" comes from the Greek word "anakrino" which means to examine, to separate, or to distinguish. Discernment is the work of the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to make proper determinations.
B. Discernment is directly related to the wisdom from the Word of God. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth that the wisdom he brings is nothing like the wisdom of the world. (Stephen Hawking)
C. “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT

2. A discerning mind can distinguish right from wrong beyond what is seen or heard.

“But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.”
1 Corinthians 2:10-14 NLT

A. According to Paul a person who does not have the Spirit of God has no interest whatsoever in the things of God. It is foolishness to them. But it is the Holy Spirit that gives a spiritual person the right discernment.
B. “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ.”
1 Corinthians 3:1 NLT

3. Christians can make wise decisions if they have proper discernment.

"Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 2:15-16 NLT

A. As Christians we are called to make wise decisions in life and moral judgements. This is the evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. He is the one that is giving us proper discernment.
B. “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,"
Philippians 1:9-10 NKJV

Conclusion:
We are ending the year in just a few days. What mistakes did we make this year that we can honestly say I will not make again next year. What bad decisions did we make this year that we can honestly say I will not make anymore next year. We cannot keep making the same mistakes and find an excuse for them. We need wisdom from God. We need the right discernment from the Holy Spirit. Let's end the this year with discernment. Let's start the brand new one with discernment. Happy New Year River of Faith!

River of Faith CHRISTmas Sunday Service

Worthy
Luke 2:8-20
Pastor Ray-Ann Dela Fuente
December 21, 2025

Memory Verse:
“Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.”
Psalms 145:3 NLT

Introduction:
Welcome to the River of Faith! Today is our CHRISTmas Sunday Service and we are celebrating the birth of the Messiah and the Savior Of the world! All glory to God!

What does being worthy mean? The word "worthy" brings an idea of being able to "live up" to a certain standard. In many times and occasions we may feel that we ourselves are "worthy" of a certain degree of honor or recognition. Who alone can "live up" to the standard of God? God's standard is not like ours, His standard is holiness, complete obedience, and surrender.

Main Pointers:
“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior yes, the Messiah, the Lord— has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them."
Luke 2:8-20 NLT

1. All glory of heaven rejoices as God gave His greatest gift on earth.

A. The glory of the heavenly hosts rejoices as the angel delivers the "good news" to shepherds. Humanity's greatest gift was not wrapped in fine linen and cloth. It was not delivered by chariots not announced by trumpets. Jesus was laid in a manger wrapped in strips of linen surrounded by animals.
B. “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:6-8 NLT

2. Jesus is the heaven's standard of worthiness.

“Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe ofJudah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Revelation 5:1-5 NLT

A. Fast forward to when Jesus ascended into the heavens and seated at the right hand of the Father. As the entire heavens look for the one who is "worthy" to open up the seals on the scrolls they could not find anyone "worthy" except for One, the Lamb who has been slain.
B. “And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.”
Revelation 5:12-14 NLT

3. Jesus Christ alone is worthy of all our praise and all of our worship.

“After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:9-11 NLT

A. The wise men intentionally sought out the new born king of the jews under the guidance and direction of God and when they found him they did what they came to do. They bowed down to worship Him and give him offerings as sign of their worship of Him.
B. “Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

Conclusion:
Every year we get to celebrate the most wonderful day of the year. Rightly so, because this day is worthy to be celebrated and remembered not because of the day itself, but because of the person to whom this day is dedicated to. CHRISTmas reminds us of who alone is truly worthy. Worthy of all our praise and worship. To be Him be the glory, honor, and praise now and forever Amen!