2009-12-20 - Master Plan - The Plan (part 3)
| ||||||||||||||||||
2009-12-24 - First the Kingdom - Key to everything else The first beatitude is the key to whole sermon on the mount By ourselves we can not live out the sermon - we need help from God
Does this describe you? Would God describe you this way? | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-01-17 - Kingdom First - Not Kidding His challenge to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors His message totally defies world standards Consider the alternative: responding like the world We become enslaved by how other treat us Regardless how much we love the brotherhood of believers, if we hold any bitterness or resentment - we are simply reduced to the level of the world No matter how unjust or painful the treatment, God's grace is sufficient - 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 He expects us to have Because he call to a life of righteousness which will produce enemies Are we willing to go all the way and suffer for him - Philippians 1:29 He expects us to love and actively pray for the people who oppose us How much do we persevere with people? Do we answer back kindly when spoken to unjustly? | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-04-12 - Life to the Full - Macho Mist (part 2) Spiritual adultery - How easy it is to flirt with the world if we fail to guard our hearts - Proverbs 4:23 In Jewish law, adultery is grounds for divorce The Spirit cause to live within us envies intensely - James 3:5 The nature of God: He will tolerate no rivals for his love God is a jealous God - Exodus 34:14 One of the quoted OT verse in the the NT is about pride - Proverbs 3:34 Much of the pride mention in the NT is bad: Pride goes before the fall - Proverbs 16:18 Pride mentioned in the NT is usually good: I take great pride in you - 2 Corinthians 7:4 It depends on where the pride is rooted and the attitude behind it If you feel ineffective, frustrated, unproductive, opposed - it might be because God is opposing you because of your pride He is trying to get your attention so you will turn back to him | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-05-03 - Renewing Your Spiritual Passion for God (part 2) 1 Kings 19:1
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 2 Corinthians 7:2-13
Mark 5:6-11
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-05-18 - Desire's Journey - Dare We Desire? Although the voice was kind, the question felt harsh How long can we sustain desire against continual disappointment? By asking him what he wanted, Jesus took him back into desire
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-05-19 - Desire's Journey - An Invitation to Desire Christianity is not an invitation to become a moral person or a program to get us into a reforming society Christianity begins with an invitation to desire What does Jesus choose to talk about with the women at the well? All you who are thirsty, come to the waters - Isaiah 55:1-2 No wonder Jesus was feared. He came along and started appealing to desire To the lost - Jesus spoke of finding your way Again and again Jesus took them back to their desires What is it that you want? - Would have fallen on deaf ear if his message was unrelateable | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-05-22 - Desire's Journey - Goodness Does Christianity condemn desire? Like the Puritans It is not a matter of desire is good or not - it is what we do with it Something has gone wrong Faith on its way to maturity moves from duty to delight Prodigal son | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-06-04 - Desire's Journey - Misplaced Hope In this world, you will have trouble Why aren't we encouraged by this? Desire can not live without hope. Hope in what? We try to create heaven here | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-06-21 - Building the temple (part 2)Consencate yourself1 Chronicles 29:5
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-07-03 - Desire's Journey - Great Restoration (part 4) Too many of us have placed eternity somewhere out there I will create new heavens and a new earth - Revelation 21:1 Won't the whole earth be destroyed? Noah's day of the Lord | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-08-07 - Waking Dead - At War (part 2) The theme of does not end with the Old Testament The birth of Christ was an act of war
Not just a theme of the Bible but the backdrop for the whole story What is he fighting for? Our freedom and restoration | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-08-08 - Waking Dead - At War (part 3) Until we come to terms with war, we will not understand life We will misinterpret most of what is happening around us:
We have to realize we are part of a story and the situation we are in right now will change We won't understand our life until we see it as a battle - warring against your heart The issue is: we can not see things as clearly as we ought to - but we need to The attack on our hearts weighs down our lives and glory is being held back We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-08-14 - Waking Dead - Heart is Central The heart is central The heart is addressed in the Bible more than any other topic Love the Lord your God with all your heart - Deuteronomy 6:5 Trust in the Lord with all of your heart - Proverbs 3:5 The heart can be:
The heart can be unpredictable but it is central to our being The heart answers a lot of questions:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-08-25 - Waking Dead - Glory (part 2) Your story does not begin with sin but with glory Bible does not start in Genesis 3 but Genesis 1 God is glorious You are his offspring, his child You bear his image When he made all His creation before man he said "it was good" Only after did he make humans did he say "it is very good" - Genesis 1:31 Your glory is greater than everything else made - oceans, mountains, stars, the universe Saints in the land are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight - Psalms 16:3 Those he justified, he also glorified - Romans 8:30 The fact that you don't see your good heart and glory is proof has effective the assault has been Lion King example It is time for the true king to come back and take over But Simba does not believe who he is His father was murdered and the enemy blamed it on him After years of loosing heart, Simba's father appears to him in a vision: you are more than what you have become The one who is in you is greater than the one in the world - 1 John 4:4 | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-08-28 - Waking Dead - Wisdom and Heart Our heart has been made good by work of Christ but we haven't learned how to live from it Launching out with an untrained heart can bring disaster We can easily be shamed into sin management and think our heart is bad The church choose those who had both wisdom and the Spirit - Acts 6:3 We need both Wisdom is crying out
Solomon was so sharp because he had a wise and discerning heart - 1 Kings 3:9 But wisdom is not enough
The common sense life can be the enemy of the supernatural life | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-06 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 3) Chris came not only to pardon us but to heal us Jesus can and wants to heal your heart. What does that rouse in you?
The heart is God's dwelling place If you ignore your heart, it is like looking for him everywhere but at home It might be a surprise to you that Christ ask our permission to come in and heal Behold, I stand at the door and knock - Revelation 3:20 He does not force his way in There are sometimes rooms we have kept locked up We must give him permission to come in there - ask Jesus for your whole heart back | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-07 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 4) We need time in the presence of the Lord - Pslam 86:11-12
We declare the authority of Jesus over our hearts - he made our hearts - Psalms 33:15 He has redeemed our hearts - Romans 2:29 Sometimes he will take us back to a memory, a time and place where a shattering blow was given Anytime someone says, "I feel like there's this part of me..." we need to listen - somewhere in the heart Hidden many times because of a false comfort | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-20 - Waking Dead - Christ's Great Works Son's three great works on our behalf 1. Cross accomplished many thing Forgiveness and the power to overcomes the constant attacks from the enemy 2. Resurrection Having put off the old self, we are to put on the new - Ephesians 4:24 It is life we were promised and it is life we need 3. Ascension All authority was given to Christ By the grace of God, we share that with him It was Adam who gave it away and it was Christ who won it back Lord of the Rings, Two Towers - Theoden (a king) who is reluctant to go to war Open war is upon you whether you would risk it or not - Aragorn The primary reason most people do not know the freedom and life Christ promised is that they won't fight for it | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-21 - Waking Dead - Fellowship of the Heart The first Christians were called "followers of the Way" - Acts 9:2 They found the Way of Life and had given themselves over to it:
A fellowship must protect you:
A family bound together in a single fate Each one has a role | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-22 - Waking Dead - It Must Be Small Jesus did not march around backed by hundreds of followers He had a band of brothers - the Twelve Through we are part of a great company, we are meant to live a little platoons Groups small enough for each of the members to know one another as friends and allies Who's heart will you fight for? Who will fight for your heart? He spoke to the masses but lived with his closest twelve His followers took his example and lived this way too
Anytime an army goes to war or expedition, they break down into platoons and squads You can not be devoted to a mass of people Devotion takes place in small units like a family | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-25 - Waking Dead - Fight For Each Other True community is something you'll have to fight for Fight to get one and fight to keep it afloat You want this to work and you''ll need this thing to work This is the church - this all you have Without it, you'll go down Small house fellowships thrive in other countries - they need each other Suddenly one another scriptures make sense Knowing full well that we all are facing battles of our own Check regularly with one another, not out of paranoia but out of a desire to watch over one another's heart If you bring your every need to it, it will collapse Community is no substitute for God Community can not live without solitude Even monasteries have remote cells for alone time with God We first go to God, alone, so that we have something to bring back to the community | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-09-26 - Waking Dead - Heart of Treasure Above all else, guard your heart - Proverbs 4:23 Having so long believed our hearts are evil, we assume the warning is to keep us out of trouble So we lock up our hearts and throw away the key and try to get on with our living It does say guard your heart because it is criminal but because it is the wellspring of of life It is treasure - everything else depends on it Above all else? We don't even do it once in a while - we careless with our hearts What if we were careful? Faith would be must deeper Relationships so much better We live completely backwards "All else" is above our hearts What do you do on a monthly basis to take care of your heart? God intends that we treat our hearts as treasures They were ransomed at a tremendous cost | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-01 - Contagious Christian - Benefits (part 1) Ever had an idea only to find your enthusiasm fading when you realize the effort it would take? The goal may be noble, the intentions sincere, the plan in place but we still do not take action What is holding us back? We must be convinced that it is worth the effort and expense Business managers understand this and have developed process called cost/benefit analysis to help them see the whole picture In Christianity, this is called counting the cost - Luke 14 While reaching out to irreligious people may sound great, it is the actual effort that will entail significant personal expense Personal Benefits
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-05 - Contagious Christian - Impacting Your World (part 1) There are expectations everywhere, to have:
Many times the "ought to" comes through louder than the "how to" We need to focus on the important steps to have maximum impact We are the salt of the world - Matthew 5:13
Which did Jesus have in mind? We don't know | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-16 - Giving (Part II)
QUESTIONS
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-20 - Dealing With Debt (Part I)
PRACTICAL:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-11-09 - Contagious Christian - Samaritan Woman Invitational Approach Samaritan woman was living an immoral lifestyle Jesus ignored all conventional wisdom - John 4 It didn't take long to realize she wasn't talking to any ordinary teacher but the Messiah She immediately went to town and brought people back to hear Jesus Now we have seen and heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world - John 4:42 Many would make great strides if they just make strategic inviting to a church service or event Primary question you will need to answer is which event will be appropriate to bring them to Invitation are great way for all of us but some just have the knack for getting people to go places with them Many of these Christians tend to stay out of the limelight but they make a big impact to their world | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-11-12 - Contagious Christian - Direct Method The method does not wait for opportunities to come about but creates them Basic it is you raising a spiritual topic and then see if the person is interested in talking about it Not forcing a person but opening wide a door for a person to walk through Example - If you would ever like to know the difference believe religion and Christianity and religion. Just let me know. I would be happy to talk about it with you It is a modern day way Jesus approached a woman in John 4. Not pressuring or forcing it on them but merely checking to see if they are interested Other way to approach people using the direct method of creating spiritual conversations:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-11-18 - Contagious Christian - Making the Message Clear (part III) The Bridge Illustration
Other times God has prepared their hearts through someone else We need to give them this freedom | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-11-28 - Mission - Baptizing Them Heaven is a place of continual celebration God original place for us was to with him in a state of perfection
God had a radical plan to bring back into a relationship with him and to destroy the power that Satan had over us To this point, most Bible-believing world would agree What about baptism? Marginal matters are not in the Great Commission Paul included in his list of "seven ones" - Ephesians 4:4-6 We are united in baptism with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus - Romans 6 The master deceiver and father of lies has changed the road signs and send many to spiritual dead ends | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-12-04 - Mission - Peter, From a Reed Peter was a reed blowing in the wind who became a rock whom God could build great things Jesus looked at Peter and saw what he could become Perhaps for the first time in Peter's life someone believed in him and had a vision that he could be someone great When we feel believed in, we feel loved The only thing that counts if faith expressing itself through love - Galatians 5:6 God looks at us for what we will become - Jeremiah 29:11 Viewing our day to day struggles and failures as their growth process on the way to becoming what God wants Peter was convinced of this It kept Peter coming back after his failures When Peter was asked if he wanted to leave, he said 'Lord, to whom shall we go?" - John 6:68-69 Think of all of Peter's heartbreaking failures....
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-12-21 - Sin (part I) 1 Peter 2:9-10
| ||||||||||||||||||
2010-12-25 - Saved by Grace through Faith (part I) Psalms 103:1-18
Luke 18:9-14
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-06-11 - Mind of Christ - Intro (part IV) The heart source of our spirituality
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-06-17 - Mind of Christ - Discipleship (part II) Three stages in discipleship (continued): 2. The convinced disciple
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-06-28 - Mind of Christ - Helping People (part III) Attitude differences between a compassionate heart and one that is uncompassionate.
Which side of the table do I tend to say more of? | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-08-26 - Fearing God - Mystery Too High God work contrary to how we would God wisdom is infinite; ours in finite We tend to assume we would understand if God would just explain We don't believe that "his understanding no one can fathom - Isiah 40:28 On the road to Emmaus, they said "they hoped Jesus was the one going to redeem Israel - Luke 24:21 They did not understand what God was doing even doing even as it was unfolding Unexplained setback may never be understood Paul planned to sail to Rome and Spain but ended up in jail for 2 years - Acts 24:27 Humility should be a hallmark those who fear God I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me - Psalms 131:1 | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-08-31 - Fearing God - Growing in Fear There is no point to a spiritual retreat if it does not affect our lives back home We need to be consistly in awe,reverence, honor, and worship on a high level How do we grow in fearing God? Jeremiah 32:38-41
We need to fan it into flames - 2 Timoty 1:6 The Holy Spirit helps - it is our responsiblity to grow
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-09-07 - Followup: Grace (part II) Grace is almost too good to be true, but it is. The goal of this study is to help you to see the real God who loves you and how valuable you are to him. He valued you at the cost of his only Son, whom he gave up so that thee could be grace to forgive your sins and restore your relationship with him. Psalms 103:8-10
Matthew 18:21-35
As you continue your walk with God picture yourself in a world of God’s grace. And remember every time you stumble or fall down your landing in God’s grace. Just get back up and continue on in God’s grace. Not once, not twice, not seven times but continue on in God’s grace for eternity. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-09-23 - Proverbs on Pride (part III) Proverbs 13:10 - wise men and women listen to each other's counsel Proverbs 18:11 - The rich think their wealth protects them Illustration:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-09-29 - Proverbs on Laziness (part I) Proverbs 18:9 - One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys
The sluggard is the spiritual three (3) toed sloth. The Bible has nothing good to say about the sloth.
Proverbs 26:14 - As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed
| ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-04 - Genesis 4 - Cain Murders AbelSummaryEve's sons made offerings to God. Only Abel's was acceptable, so Cain killed him. Abel's blood cried out and God sent Cain away. ObservationsGenesis 4:7 - if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door Personal ApplicationI wonder sometimes if I have my "ringer" loud enough for me to hear when God calls. A lot of times I look back on important events in my life and realize that I missed another lesson God was trying to teach me but I was not listening. I feel embarrassed that I was so selfish during that times. I want to listen voice from God more intensely. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-05 - Genesis 5 - Genealogies (part I)SummaryAdam's line was: Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. Noah's sons were Shem, Ham and Japheth. ObservationsGenesis 5:2 - He created them male and female and blessed them Personal ApplicationThe challenge for me is simple: To finish the race [Acts 20:24] with great faith and perseverance. But not just to get by but to have a relationship with God that shines before others. When people talk about me, do they stop and mention my relationship with God like the Bible does with Enoch? What does God say about my faith? | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-07 - Genesis 7 - The Flood (part II)SummaryNoah and his family went into the ark with two of each creature. It rained for forty days and forty nights and the earth was covered. ObservationsGenesis 7:1 - I have found you righteous in this generation Personal ApplicationI need to look for what I see as gray areas in my life. When I am neither hot nor cold [Revelation 3:16], I am not aware of where I am. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-16 - Genesis 16 - Ishmael is BornSummarySarai told Abram to have children with Hagar. Hagar conceived, then ran away, but an angel sent her back. Hagar's son was Ishmael. ObservationsGenesis 16:5 - You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering Personal ApplicationI know I have experience times where I think I am doing what God wants but it really comes from my impatience or my selfish desires to see things happens the way I want them and when I want them. I need to just be patient and ask "is this the Lord will?". | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-18 - Genesis 18 - Abraham prays for SodomSummaryThree visitors came and said that Sarah would have a son next year. Sodom was very evil; Abraham pleaded with the LORD for the city. ObservationsGenesis 18:14 - Is anything too hard for the LORD? Personal ApplicationI doubt God way too much (once is too much )and I do probably everyday - I am doing it right now. God is god, he can do anything. Yes, even that. I have got to stop making God smaller in my mind. Every time that I think I have an understanding how big and strong he is - God is beyond that. He greater than I can imagine. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-10-19 - Genesis 19 - Sodom is destroyedSummaryAngels took Lot out of Sodom. The city was destroyed by fire and Lot's wife was turned to salt. His daughters had children for him. ObservationsGenesis 19:14 - But his sons-in-law thought he was joking Personal ApplicationBy nature, I am a jokester. I have love to laugh - there is a time for everything. I need to learn how to take the important things seriously. When I hear a call from God to repent, not sure my immediate reaction is to change. I make excuses about doing things in the near future or lie to myself that I am doing OK. The costs are too great not to hear and obey the call. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-11-14 - Mind Change - God can handle it With God, there is no straw that breaks the camel's back. You may think, “I can’t take one more thing.” But with God you always can. You can take whatever he allows life to bring. He will always be enough. Psalms 34:17-19 - LORD delivers him from them all 1 Peter 5:10-11 - He will himself restore you and make you strong | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-01-01 - Day 29 - Jesus is Coming Soon 2 Peter 3:3-14
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-01-04 - Day 32 - Walking as Jesus did 1 John 2:5-6 - Think back over the past several days. Are you walking like Jesus? Mark 1:21-28
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-01-14 - Ministry - Driven By Zeal for God John 2:12-17; Romans 12:11; Numbers 25:6-13 Jesus faced many challenging situations in the ministry. He faced the overwhelming needs of the sick, the poor, the faithless and the empty but antagonizing religious leaders. He also faced an overwhelming sinful scene at the temple one day. Seeing that the temple worship had become simply a place to make money from others as they were sacrificing animals, Jesus decided to take action! After making a whip, he drove everyone from the temple area, overturning tables and scattering money everywhere! With many rebukes and challenges laid out to the religious crowd, the disciples thought of one word, "zeal." God blesses us when we take action against sin with our hearts full of zeal! Jesus was not afraid to be driven by zeal! Jesus was not holding back when challenged by sinful situations! He did not ignore, forget, and walk away thinking "tomorrow" or cowardly crumble with fear! Questions
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-01-17 - Ministry - The Heart of Gratitude Luke 17:11-19, Psalms 100:4, 1 Thessalonians. 5:18 Jesus believed that if the heart of a man was healed and doing well, then that individual could really experience a complete healing from God. In Mark 2 the paralytic who was lowered through the roof by his friends in the middle of a crowded house for Jesus to heal did not hear the first words from the lips of Jesus, 'you are healed.' The first thing he heard was, "Your sins are forgiven." The obvious problem to everyone was his physical condition, yet Jesus saw the spiritual issues of the man's life and healed them first! The ten lepers came to Jesus and when he cleansed them only one came back, throwing himself at the feet of Jesus, overwhelmed with gratitude! Jesus wondered where the other nine were, but proclaimed to the man, "Your faith has made you well." Even though the other nine were cleansed of their leprosy, did they really 'get well?' The one who returned was made well-he was filled with gratitude! Many of us have been baptized, yet how many of us are filled with gratitude? Questions:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-01-21 - Ministry - Faith in God Moves Mountains Mark 11:22-24 Jesus makes a very simple short powerful statement; "Have faith in God." Believe in ME and you will be able to move mountains. Jesus had the faith to move mountains. Jesus calls each of us to have a faith that can move mountains.Each of us has mountains or obstacles in our lives. These obstacles take on many different forms. They may be character sins that never seem to change, family situations that seem to continue month after month, and financial debt that never seems to go away. These obstacles sometimes seem as large and permanent as mountains. But Jesus tells us to "Have faith in God", to believe in our hearts, and the mountains can be thrown into the sea. It is a very simple, but powerful statement, "Have faith in God." What mountain is secretly holding back your faith? How much have you put it before God? Decide today to lay it out before God and really believe that He can change it. Fight against cynicism and unbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-02-04 - Ministry - Pick Up Your Sword Matthew 4:1-11 As Christians we constantly live under spiritual warfare. The battle between Satan and God constantly rages. In this passage we see just a glimpse of one skirmish. Satan attacks with his weapon-temptation, and Jesus responds with his skillfully sharpened sword: the Word of God. In this clash Jesus is able to defeat Satan first because he sees the battle,and second because of his passion to fight it with the scriptures. Question: Do you see the battle? Do you know when you are being tempted, or do the devil's enticements escape you and you easily fall into sin? In these scriptures Jesus teaches us how to fight back. (V.4) When daily temptation and sin come we have to have deep convictions that we need the Bible. (Satan's first temptation was doubt. "If you are the Son of God") Are you tempted to ignore your desperation for God? Are you desperate to be right with God? Are you tempted to skip your quiet times? (V.6-7) Are you tempted to test God? Do you think, "If he doesn't answer this prayer, then I won't pray anymore," or "He didn't do that, so I am leaving." Does bitterness or persecution tempt you? Tempted to doubt the kingdom or the scriptures? Tempted to doubt the only church in the Bible, the salvation of family members, or tempted to ignore certain passages Cling to the truths in the scriptures, they are your most powerful weapons. (V. 8-10) Q: Are you tempted by the world? Tempted by their ease? Their power? Their leisure? Tempted to worship what they do-money, attention, praise, desire? (Ps 73) Write down the temptations you are most susceptible to. Find a scripture passage in your QT that will help you fight back. | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-02-05 - Ministry - Touching Faith Mark 5:24b-34 This woman had been subject to a chronic disorder for 12 years of her life. Imagine for a minute the discouragement, doubt, devastation, and frustration of not being able to see this condition get better. In fact, it just got worse. Have you ever felt defeated about something in your life? Have you ever been discouraged for months about your marriage? Personal fruitfulness? Relationships? Then you can relate to this woman. One of the Satan's deadliest tactics is to keep people from being open about their lives. Sadly, many of us fall into this trap Satan has laid for us and we begin to live "double lives" in the Kingdom. We live a certain way in the world and a certain way at church. For a brief moment in her misery, she decided to have faith and touch him Jesus felt power leave him so he asked "Who touched me?" People stop, some get nervous, some put their heads down, some look at others. Everything is silent. The woman's conscience perhaps was pricked and she had a decision to make. She knew what she did and she knew what the right thing to do was. So she fell to her feet, trembling with fear, she told him the whole truth. But what she thought Jesus would do, he didn't do because he is not like you or me. She learned Jesus wanted to her to be open and tell the truth not because he wanted to scold her, admonish her, or even take the miracle back. He actually wanted to honor her. Question: What doubt or discouragement in your life is holding you back from being 100% sold out to God? Talk to your discipleship partner today about it. Getting "in touch" with it is the first step to change. | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-02-15 - Fear of Failure - That Our Faith Should Not Fail by Rosalind Lam, San Francisco Church of Christ Luke 22:31-62 Jesus recognized the spiritual battle both he and his disciples would undergo before his arrest and therefore prayed that Simon's faith would not fail him and that he would "repent and turn to [Jesus] again, strengthen and build up [his] brothers" (NLT). Peter was blinded by his pride and did not have a sober view of his own ability to resist temptation, even after Jesus warned him that he would deny him. Peter's overconfidence was evident when he chose to sleep instead of pray and Peter's reliance on his flesh led to him being overpowered by fear and failing to have conviction during the time of pressure. Though Peter got bitter at his failure initially, he did not let it destroy his faith but went on to do amazing things for God, including preaching the opening sermon for the church. What I learn from this passage about my own failures as a Christian is that Satan's ultimate goal is that my faith will fail me. Jesus' prayer helped me to make a decision that as long as I fight hard in prayer to repent and turn back to God, use my failures to build the faith of other Christians, and never give up, I can always make a comeback as Peter did and see God use me to fulfill his dreams for my life. Decisions:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-02-23 - Fear of Failure - God Always Sees the Humble Heart by Gene Kim - Ministry Intern: San Francisco Church of Christ 1 Kings 21 Ahab really wanted Naboth's vineyard, and so he was willing to do anything to get it. He kept on sinning until he got the vineyard - discouragement, self-pity, anger, and eventually murder. There are "vineyards" in everyone's lives nowadays, jobs, relationships, or successes. Ahab was so consumed with what he wanted that his marriage was ungodly. I see how I don't lead my wife because I get consumed with my job and success, and my relationship with God goes the same way as my marriage. I get so guilty that I lose confidence in how God can use my life. What encourages me about this scripture is how God uses people to confront others with the truth and how He is hoping for people to humble themselves and turn back to Him. Ahab was described as a man who "sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord" (v. 25). Elijah warned Ahab of the impending disaster because of his sin. Ahab took God's warning seriously and humbled himself before God, and the Lord noticed and blessed him! I can feel at times that I have messed up so much that God would never believe in me again, and yet God is merely looking for a heart that is humble, broken, and grateful. He hopes that I would have the courage to see my sin. God notices and moves on behalf of a humble heart! | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-03-04 - Fear of Failure - God Sticks By Us When We Fail by Rhys Kiaaina - Region Leader: San Francisco Church of Christ Isaiah 49:15 Whenever I fail, I feel like I am being left behind. That somehow God has left me. But Scripture says God remembers. He will not forget me. If we are separated, the reality is that I have left Him. Whenever I fail, I doubt God's motives. I think He is angry with me and disappointed in me. But God has you and I engraved on the palm of His hand. Isn't that incredible? He's got a tattoo of you and me on the palm of His hand! God made a decision a long time ago that He would stick by us for life! Whenever I experience failure, I get the 3-D's: Depressed, Distracted, and Discouraged. I focus on what I have failed to do, rather than what God is able to accomplish. God's love is deeper than a mother's for a child. There is no reason for me to get discouraged because God has always "got my back". Decisions:
| ||||||||||||||||||
2012-03-18 - Renewing of your Mind (part I) Romans 12:1-2 - renewing of your mind Satan is the Father of lies - John 8 Love the checklist - but it is a matter of belief Don't follow because we don't believe We learn from the past how we did not follow, but it is much better to learn in the present with His Word A lie may contain some truth or can by applied in some - Satan can use scripture too Looking back my actions make no sense / or why i struggled? 3 failures and a struggle 1. Hiding the cookies - Matthew 6:25-27 | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-08-03 - Genesis 22 - The Offering of IsaacSummaryGod told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. As Abraham obeyed, an angel stopped him. The LORD provided a ram instead and blessed Abraham. ObservationsGenesis 22:2 - Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering Personal ApplicationI know for me I give until it starts to physically hurt, brings up bad memories, or I don't see the need to. It does not depend on me; I need to sacrifice in relation to the need. As I grow close to go God I will see God's heart in this. | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-10-20 - Prayer of the Righeous - Singing to Me Zephaniah 3:17
Nature rejoices in God's presence - Psalms 98:7-8 God promises that nature will rejoice in our presence - Isaiah 55:12 Faithful servants are invited to come share in the master's happiness - Matthew 25:23 The very nature of heaven is to share the happiness of God for all of eternity Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22 Our prayer needs to be an outpouring of joy and thanksgiving before a joyful, singing God He loves to hear us being happy My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song - Psalms 28:7 | ||||||||||||||||||
2012-11-02 - Centrality of the Heart (part II) The Christian life is a love affair of the heart It can not be lived primarily as a set of principles What must we do? Love the Lord your God with all of your heart - Luke 10:26 The truth of the gospel is intended to free us to love God If we ignore our heart and only try to live out our religion solely as correct doctrine or ethics, our passion is crippled What God cares about is the inner life, the life of the heart - Matthew 23:25-28 Our heart is the key to the Christian life - Isaiah 29:13 Paul - the hardness of the heart is behind all the addictions and evils of the human race - Romans 1:21-25 Above all we are to guard our heart It was from the longing of our hearts that most of us first responded to Jesus What changed? It is possible to recover from the lost life of the heart - we must leave what is familiar and comfortable Change our heart and go back to when we lived with our heart, a heart of a child - Mark 10:15 | ||||||||||||||||||
2013-04-16 - The Strength of Jesus (part I) Four instances of Jesus' first impressions:
Jesus draws men to him because of his power
Only a man of strength draws to him great masses of men
| ||||||||||||||||||
2013-06-19 - Why we need men of resolution (part I) A story about a man falling asleep at the wheel while his family is in the car - illustrates where countless men are today We have been lulled into a dream by our own passivity and laziness Women are stressed out and longing for the man in their lives to wake up, rescue them. God’s Word commands husbands and fathers to lovingly lead. Men are being told they don’t have the permission or responsibility to lead. No man and no family is a lost cause when God gets involved. Because you are the one in the driver’s seat, you can become the one He uses to steer your family back onto the path that will lead them to a place of safety, strength, and health. Leadership determines direction. | ||||||||||||||||||
2013-07-01 - Becoming a Chain Breaker (part I) Men need to realize how much is at stake We need to ask God to break the chains in our lives and from our past Children are not punished for the sins of their parents, they are definitely affected and negatively influenced by them. You matter the circumstances of your birth, you were not an accident - Acts 17:24-27 Chains present in all of our lives:
God is the ultimate Chain Breaker
| ||||||||||||||||||
2013-09-07 - Man of Resposibility When did you become a man? Men are often unsure. Learning this can not only help us understand ourselves better but also help our sons become secure men as well. When Jesus was twelve years old and His parents accidentally left Him After this event, the Scriptures say that He “kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” - Luke 2:52 In the Jewish community today, when a boy reaches puberty (around the age of thirteen)
He may have become a responsible adult earlier than twenty, but by then he had no excuse. God calls us to an appropriate and excellent standard: His. To be a man is to fully own your roles as an adult, husband, father, employee, neighbor, and any other role you choose to undertake. | ||||||||||||||||||
2013-10-23 - Protect Them Fathers are the primary protectors - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed - Luke 11:21 You should not only guard your own heart but your wife’s as well Teaches your children to love wisdom instead of developing a greater appetite for the world. The older your kids get, the more they will need to understand the rationale behind your rules. | ||||||||||||||||||
2014-12-11 - Genesis 24 - Search for the Bride of Isaac (part III)SummaryRebebekah went back with Eliezer and she married Isaac. ObservationsGenesis 24:49 - Tell me yes or no, then I know what to do next ApplicationThe God should be obvious in our lives. Do people see God in us and if so is it obvious or is there doubt in their mind? In order for me to reach out to others, my life needs to show Jesus. When I speak and invite others to church/Bible study does it come as a surpise or an invitation or extention of what I am already doing? PrayerPray to be real with people and to share my faith without reservation. | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-02-18 - A Difference Maker Hezekiah did what was pleasing in God's sight - 2 Chronicles 29:1-2 A strong sense of conviction motivates many men to dream of making a difference in their world This was displayed in Hezekiah's life as king He stood out as a real difference maker at a time of rampant idolatry. Hezekiah guided the nation in eliminating idol worship, repairing the temple, and reinstating the Passover feast He was one of the few righteous kings to rule over Israel or Judah during his 29 years Hezekiah lived God deeply and remained commited to turing his people back to the Lord Consider the people God has put in your life, what difference can you make in their lives? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-03-18 - Overcoming Inadequacy ISAIAH It's over, I am doomed - Isaiah 6:4-5 Isaiah looked into the mirror of God's perfection and saw his own inadequacy starting back at him He knew he wasn't fit to serve God, much less stand in his presence God sent an angel and tocuhed his lips with coal and pronounced his guilt removed and sins forgiven - Isaiah 6:6-7 Isaiah changed and boldly called out, "Here I am. Send me" - Isaiah 6:8 | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-04-16 - Godly Enthusiasm It is not by force nor strength but by my Spirit, says the Lord - Zechariah 4:6 Zerubbabel oversaw the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple Over a period of 16 years, the people's enthusiasm for the project waned, leaving it unfinished Zerubbabel felt a deep sense of discouragement over the stalled work Zechariah came with a vital message - Don't depend on your own strength. depend on God and his ability to empower you for the task Zerubbabel's faith was renewed - He had a renewed sense of enthusiasm, united the people, and got back to work No worthy project is about human force or strength, it must be about his mighty Spirit Do you think that you or someone else has the key to success? Do you genuinely believe that God's Spirit holds the key to your success? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-04-20 - Gratitude Go back to your family and tell them everything God has done for you - Luke 8:39 People who express daily gratitude reported higer levels of:
Jesus and his disciples encountered a violent demon-possessed man - naked, out of his mind, completely alone He calmly and purposefully took control of the situation and delivered the man from his life of torment Jesus told the man to go home and tell everyone what had happened The man gratefully followed Jesus' instructions When you think of everything that God has done for you, what other response is there but to follow him? A greateful heart is the best, infectious witness to the goodness and power of God
| ||||||||||||||||||
2015-05-23 - Influence from Within Never before had there been a king like Josiah who turned to the Lord will all his heart and soul and strength - 2 Kings 23:25 Josiah did what was pleasing to the Lord's sight - 2 Kings 22:2 His background did not set him up for greatness - his father was a wicked king that drug Judah into idolity For Josiah, it wasn't a matter of where he had come from but where he was headed:
Making a difference in the lives of people around you begins with changes within yourself | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-06-12 - It's about love Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath or is it a day for doing evil? - Mark 3:4 Nothing gets the attention of a religous old guard faster than trying something new and different Example: Jesus on earth with the Jewish leaders with so many rules and regulations No one could keep all the rules and certainly not while joyfully serving God Jesus' wisdom steered people back toward the spirit of the law - root in the love for God and neighbor He healed a man in need and the leaders called it working therefore wrong Are you legalist or do you enjoy the freedom Jesus came to give you? |