Quiet Times Search

Righteousness for the Pharisee had became having the correct facts and outward performance
Not about memorizing more scriptures or fasting three times a day
Righteousness was all about attitude
When scriptures is not exact, we should on these attitudes in situations in our lives – to please God

The pursuit of God’s will should be the overriding passion of our lives
No can serve two masters – Matthew 6:24

Compassion

Mark 1:40-45

• He did not minister from a safe distance.
• We can have a powerful and lasting impact on someone else if we willing to go deep.
• There was no room left in Jesus for fear, disgust, or apprehension.
• His emotional state was righteous because he did not hesitate to reachout and touch the diseased man.
• How many of us reach out and pull back abruptly because of fear of personal rejection?

Humility

• Jesus foresaw His popular curtailing His ability to spread His word.
• People interested in personal glory don’t usually get very far in enlisting others in their cause.

Disclosure

Mark 4:21-23

• They were to let their beliefs shine brightly around them
• Widening its exposure does not diminish its value (proclaimer does not suffer loss but increase riches)
• Dead Sea – lowest point on earth, nothing flows out of it, smelly and lifeless

Challenge to listen

Mark 4:24-25

• If we are casual about what we hear and do not apply ourselves, we will even lose what understanding we have
• Practice of taking notes shows our heart to understand
• The arrogant sit and smugly, confident of their ability to retain oral information

Shepherding

Mark 6:30-44

• Employees must have a reason to look forward to a completion of a project.
• Must pause to experience the thrill of victory otherwise we will squeeze the joy right our of lives
• We will get burned if we do not remind ourselves to rest
• When we are exhausted our performance in all areas of our lives suffer. (point of diminishing returns)

Work Ethic

• Important causes are worthy of extreme levels of effort
• We are to go the extra mile - Matthew 5:41

Crowd Appeal

• Jesus displayed urgency and charisma when he spoke.
• People did not want to miss out on anything he might say or do.

Visible Sincerity

• Meet the crowd’s need for physical and spiritual food - needs of the whole person
• Meet other’s need without asking anything in return
• Concerned with how people fared after this life and not just in this life
• If we are concern more with what we will get ourselves we probably won’t have much of an impact

Mark 7:14-23 - He had no stomach for the misdirection spread by the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law

High Expectations

• He let them know that they were spiritually stupid.
• How many of us are willing to rebuke when asked a stupid question by people who should know better?
• Jesus was determined that these men would rise above the rank and file.
• He got upset and urged them to change
• The dreamer never gives up the dream.

Blame

• The responsibility for our actions resides with us, the decision makers, and not with our environment.
• We are not simply a product of our environment; environment is determined by our choices.
• We cannot rightly blame others or fate or circumstances for our behavior
• We must take responsibility for the consequences of our decisions
• Changes in people occur from the inside out. · Involves helping people to acknowledge what they are really like deep down and then to deal with their inner self
• We cannot on our own change our own or someone else’s heart.
• We must realize how desperately we need God’s intervention in out lives.
• The Bible exposes, in a unbiased way, the true qualities of our hearts.
• Deep character changes in our lives fuels our faith.

Firmness and Flexibility

Mark 7:24-30

• Are you able to say “no” to people? Jesus was.
• Some of us are unable to deny anybody anything.
• Others are too inflexible and become unwilling to make any exceptions.
• Jesus was not afraid to change his mind.
• We need to think for ourselves and make the right decisions.
• If we want to make a difference, we must be willing to disappoint some people.

Scout

Mark 8:14-21

• 'Christian' denominations may offer the greatest opposition to a radical adherence to the teachings of Jesus
• He protects his followers: warning them about the strength of their opponent and the types of activities to expect.
• We cannot afford to neglect scouting the opposition and warning people who they are up against.

Rebuke

• We need to be aware what others are saying to each other.
• He asked embarrassingly simple questions to remind them and to help to see how stupid they had been to soon forget.
• A willingness to be strong and forthright is a required characteristic of one who would have lasting influence.
• Wounds from a friend can be trusted.

• He was furious about the fruitfulness of another “tree” that he had planted, watered, weeded, fertilized.
• Jesus cleared the temple at the beginning of His ministry and also here at the end of His of His ministry
• There was no fear of God.
  

• Jesus knew the right place and the right time the do the things needed.
• He was disciplined and self-controlled for just the right time.
  

• What made Jesus angry was the stubborn refusal of most to change.
• A willingness to change is a precious and seemingly rare behavioral characteristic.
• Become exceedingly insecure and defensive when we are awakened to the existence of personal deficiencies.
• We must also get angry about obstinacy in our own lives and other people’s lives.

• Why didn’t anyone try to stop Jesus as he was taking over the temple? (Only one person and many of them)
• They knew that they were in the wrong.
• Teachers of the law and chief priests feared Jesus
  
• If people consider you a “nice guy” and are not in awe of you, you probably won’t have much impact.

Expertise

Mark 12:28-34

• He was prepared to give an answer on any topic that anyone might choose to challenge him.
• We need to know our stuff.
• Good students make the best teachers.
• Good listeners are worth listening to.
• Some of us what to skip over the student phase and jump right into the teacher phase.

• We do not know how to initiate boys into men
• We are not sure we really want to

• slavery stopped
• Nazis were stopped
• Who gave up their seats on the Titanic?

Conviction and Acceptance

How we blend conviction with an equally deep level of acceptance?

We need to understand that some convictions can be disputable matters
Paul does not get into a discussion what is right and wrong

Accept those whose faith is weak - Romans 14:1

Accept one another in order to bring praise to God - Romans 15:7

Example: It is OK to treat one day more special to worship God than another day - Romans 14:5-6

Even if the conviction is misguided - we sin if go against it

Great questions in these verses:

• Who are you to judge some else's servant? - Romans 14:4
  
• Why do you judge your brother? - Romans 14:10
• Why do you look down on your brother? - Romans 14:10

• No "I'm right" or "Your wrong" on that day
• Rightness will be perfectly obvious to all

1. Mind your own business - can gravitate to this view because of our own conform

• Can become busybodies instead - 2 Thessalonians 3:11
• Can become lazy - 1 Timothy 5:13
• Offering guidance, instructions, cautions, warnings, or sometimes stronger - all part of being faithful in our relationships

2. Judge not and you will not be judged

• Jesus is condemning self-righteous judging
• For those unwilling to examine the issue in their own lives
• Must care enough about each other to help each other to grow

• Should we expect a man so deep in repentance to spend a better part of the morning grieving for his transgressions?
• Scrooge facing in the right direction, forward

• German word for “the big picture”, seeing something differently even though all it parts remain the same
• Like repentance – don’t repent of a list of sins, we repent of the whole rather than the parts
• Tends to happen all at once, not in a series of small steps

• Thought of Jesus as a Messianic Champion
• Thought Jesus would reveal himself in a fierce battle
• “You are the Christ!”
• All the right data
  • Witness the transfiguration – built shelters for Moses, Jesus, and Elijah – Jesus said Peter didn’t know what he was saying
  • Night of the betrayal – Peter said bring it on, he held on hope that 12 leagues of angels would come; drawn his sword to the guard
  • Peter joined the other disciples in Jerusalem – with “one mind” in prayer and purpose

• flirtation to a pure friendship
• gossip to a righteous conversation
• alcohol to a friendly gathering
• pornography to a web search
• shoplifting to a normal shopping trip

• Must set mind on things above
• Not - Just read and pray more
• Not - Accountability partners
• Not - making it a habit

• Comes up with creative targets – upbringing, genetic makeup, society
• Excuses are the clearest indicators of worldly sorrow
• Excuses come right after the apology – I am sorry for forgetting our anniversary, it has been crazy at work
• Where there is an excuse, there is persistent sin
• Excuses rob us of the indignation that energizes our turn from self to Jesus

A repentant Christian embraces absolutions, even moral absolutes

Repentance is no fragile state of mind that we barely notice entering and exiting

1. What is wrong with defining repentance as “being sorry for your sins, so sorry that you stop them”?
2. What is the root cause of worldly sorrow?
3. In what ways have you exercised “damage control” rather than true repentance?
4. What damage has your sin caused?
5. Have you ever confused the tears of self pity for true repentance? What is the danger of this confusion?
6. Why does the author assert that “excuses are the clearest indicators of worldly sorrow?” Would you rather have your excuses accepted or your sins forgiven?
7. What’s the difference between cognitive dissonance and repentance? Why doesn’t cognitive dissonance prompt us to preach the good news to others?
8. Have you been selective in your repentance? What does that indicate about your repentance?
9. Why doesn’t metanoia accommodate the repetition of sin?

• We can not be convicted enough
• Can not be committed enough
• Can not be determined enough

• You will fail to have a pure heart and not forgive
  
• Struggle to love your enemy
• You will lash back because you can not turn the other cheek
• You will be self-righteous and judge others
• You will get anxious

• Strict observers of the law
• Walked around in flowing robes
• Offered prayers in unnatural holy voices
• Advertised their benevolence
• Majored in the minors yet forgetting the heart

• Boring clergy in odd clothes
• Preaching burdensome dos and donts
• Unrelatable sermons
• Unrelatable lives

• Have you created your own system of salvation?
• Do people say you are a people pleaser (Galatians 1:10)?
• Are we steeped in our own traditions or preconceived notions about the truth?
• What if no one was watching, would you still: give, sing, pray, study the same?

• To seek the person out
• Speak frankly
• Make every effort to build unity - Ephesians 4:3
  

• Everything must be re-examined
• Everything must be reconsidered
• Every desire, dream, use of money and time
• Now everything must have a kingdom-first focus

1. When you don't have daily times with God in the Bible and prayer
2. Responsibilities to the church are a burden
3. Not happy or consistent in giving
4. Personal comfort, desires direct life's decisions
5. Can't find the time to share your faith
6. Gain greater feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction serving another "kingdom"
7. You have greater regard and protection of your schedule
8. Discipleship times, family devotionals not deep or consistent
9. Gaining one more than is greater than gaining one more soul
10. Dreams center more in this world than in the kingdom

• What can I learn from this problem?
• What is your will for my life?
• What can I change that will make his/her life and our marriage better?

• We think we are not worthy
• Our faith is weak
• We don't know what we want - we need to dream

• Race
• Money
• Gender
• Culture
• Distance
• Too busy

• Past hurts
• Bitterness
• Sin - yours, mine or others

In the midst of the discussion about unity, Paul continues by talking about having the mind of Jesus - Philippians 2:5-8

The only way to have unity is to be like Jesus

We were called to follow in his steps - 1 Peter 2:21

Jesus willingly because a servant
Greek literally says, "he emptied himself"'

• He poured out his diviniy for us
• He gave up his rights
• Jesus was not just playing a role, he was showing us the depths of this heart

Jesus came not to be served but to serve - Matthew 20:28

• He was circumcised the first day it was possible (eighth day)
• He was an Israelite
• He was from the tribe of Benjamin (most honored tribe of all)
• He was a Hebrew of Hebrews - carefully passed on Hebrew language to children

• He was extremely zealous - Galatians 1:14
• He vigorously opposed the church
• He was faultless in the eyes of others

• Three days of fasting and prayer? - Acts 9:9
• After 3 years of personal training? - Galatians 1:11-24
• After a visit to the 3 heaven? - 2 Corinthians 12:1-6

• Give when you are tired
• Pray when you do not want to
• Stand your ground against emotions and thoughts
• Overcome fear and to love in practical, unselfish way

Although is righteousness that is not our own becomes laziness, we show we have the grace of God - Philippians 3:12-16

Despite all that Paul went through and has done - he pressed on
Greek word, dicoko = used in both hunting and foot racing

There is certainly a time to remember what we have done - 2 Thessalonians 2:5
But there is also a time to forget

Paul did not cling to the fact that he planted a lot of churches
He purposely "forgot", so he would not see himself as arriving

Paul was looking forward to the next thing God had in store for him
All who are mature, should think this way

The way to take it higher is to hold on to what you have already grasped and then reach for more

• Who God is
• What God can do
• The changes he can make
  
• The victory he will most certainly achieve

• Listening to Christ everyday
• Holding on to his faith in the fiery trails
• Slowly and painfully

• Feminist movement - made some good points - fueled by resentment
• Environmental movement - humans are responsible for our "dominion" - Genesis 1:26; but it is there are more important causes
• Gay rights movement - all humans should not desciminated against - primary a defensive , negative movement ; finding self-justification instead of justification that comes from Jesus
• Political movements - good to voice opinions; but when political allegiances eclipes our Christian allegiance, we are in sin
• Anti-abortion movement - fight to save babies is a great fight - but killing others to do so? does not that make you a murder too?

• Sarcasm
• Negativity
• Bitterness
• Cursing
• Worldly reactions

Paraphasing: Since salvation is so awesome, get you heart right! - 1 Peter 2:1-2

Are you craving pure spiritual milk?

• Daily time in Bible study and prayer
• Read the entire Bible?
• How quickly can you shake off the grogginess when you think about God and your mission?
• Do you take notes during sermons?
• Does your enthusiasm rub off on others? Non-Christians take your walk with God seriously?

Disciples are priests and ministers in function - using the righteousness of Jesus - 1 Peter 2:4-6

Preist, by definition, is holier than the common man

The clergy-laity system is flawed because of there reasons:

• It is elitiest
• Fosters a double-standard
• It is unbiblical

Consider today's denominational titles:

• Father - Jesus said to avoid this title - Matthew 23:9
• Pope - means father; Peter was suppose to the first one but he never claimed that he was
• Paster - Latin for shepard; refered only in - Ephesians 4:11
• Bishop - Greek for overseer
• Priest - corruption of the Greek presbyteros, meaning elder
• Female pasters - Roundly rejected by the NT; See 1 Timothy 3 and 1 Corinthians 14
• Monks and Nuns - created in the 2nd and 3rd centuries; Jesus said we are in the world but not of the world

1 Corinthians 1:20-23 - Jesus came to bring salvation; to some he became a stumbling block

Romans 14:10-24...

• We are free to do many things with our faith
• Personal freedom must be balanced with personal responsibilty for others
• Questions to ask: Will my personal freedom be a stumbling block to others?
• v15 - brothers were distrussed by other's freedom - that is where is know we have gone too far with our freedom
• Areas we say it is our right to control
  • Music
  • Dating
  • Contribution
  • Evangelism
  • Commitment to church

Which is better to have?

• Win the battle of your rights or win the war of salvation for someone?
• Your opinon or unity of Jesus' church?

1 Peter 3:1-7...

Submission, kindness is a two-way street

Wondering God is not using you more?
Why children are slow to become Christians?
Why don't feel more peace and joy in your house?

Look no further than your marriage!

Questions for wives:

• Do you resort to worldly means to win?
• Do you fight for your rights more than fighting for others?
• Do you show respect for your husband and emphasize his strengths?

Questions for husbands:

• How often you compliment your wife?
• Are you generous in the amount of housework you do?
• Do you respect your wife for her spirituality and other strengths of character?

Questions for both:

• Do you pray together regulary?
• Do your children have a fear of God?
• Are your family devotionals consistent?
• When outsiders visit your home and see your family, are they more likely to want to follow Christ?

• Christ-centered - we preach Jesus Christ as Lord - 2 Corinthians 4:5
• Well-prepared - must know what we are talking about - 2 Timothy 2:15
• Be yourself / Be real - eloquence is not a requirement - 1 Corinthians 2:12
• Be gentle and respectful - No place for self-righteousness
• Non-retaliating - We will be opposed; If we retaliate, we lose; Turn the other cheek - Matthew 5:39
• Unhypocritical - People will be eager to change when they see the good news supported by your life

Preached by John Lusk (2005-01-30)

How passionate are you about maturing?

• Being a new Christian, it was easiler because everything was new. Now what?
• We must have the correct motivation if we are to continue maturing in the long run.

Motivation of Maturing

1. To regain your identify

Genesis 1:26-27

• We need to realize who we are suppose to be
• Duck example
  • First thing it sees when it is born it assumes is its mother and will follow it around
  • If the baby duck follows something other than another duck, it will get frustrated because it can only do what duck do
• Human example
  • We were made to be like God
  • We see other things and try to follow the world
  • We also get frustrated because worldly persuits are not what were designed for

2. To remian in Jesus

1 John 2:3-4 - This is a expectation from God

3. To be effective and productive

2 Peter 1:4-8

• Must make every effort
• It would be sad to find out in the end we were ineffective and unproductive
• Others need you to grow!
• Your growth rate will determine how much you are effective, not where you are right now

4. Secure salvation

2 Peter 1:8-11 - We have been given a new start

Wrong motivation - Pleasing people, selfish ambition

Preached by Richard Dixion - 1999-07-18

Understanding the bad news

Romans 1:18-32

• To understand the good news - we must be convicted about the bad news
  • Conviction in US law - proven
  • We need to be shown where we are wrong
• Spirit convicts us about sin - John 16:7-8
• Questions we could ask:
  • Wrong: Why would a loving God send anyone to hell?
  • Right: Why would a just God save anyone?

John 3:19-21

2 Timothy 3:1-5

• Having a form of godliness...is ungodly
• Describes people:
  • People then and now
    • "Church-goers" - who do you know who is like this?
    • Are you like this?

2 Thessalonians 2:5-12

• If you do not listen to God 
  • He will give you over to a "powerful delusion"
• Scary scripture

• Should parents say "It is OK to disobey me."?
  • Don't run into the street
  • Do not touch the hot pan.
  • Do not stick that fork into 
• Does God say "It is OK to disobey me."?
  • NO!
• We are responsible for our actions:
  • Environment not an excuse
  • Being abused is not an excuse
• Can not blame anyone:
  • Not parents
  • Not friends
  • Not God

What excuses have you been making?

Only the righteous will be saved!
 

The answer is out there

John 5:16-23

• If this is true then there is nothing else
• Religious are looking for answers. Why?
  • Easier
  • More followers
  • Do not want to look bad

You are in the right place

John 6:68-69

• No where else to go
• What are you looking for?

What are you going to do?

• Beauty
• Affliction

Cause with fighting for

John 18:36

• Who have you been fighting?
  • The battle isn't the person in front of you
• If we are not fighting for our faith then something is wrong.

2 Timothy 4:7

• Fight for your faith:
  • Fight for Quiet Times
  • Fight for Reaching Out
  • Fight for Purity
  • Fight for Self Discipline

2 Corinthians 10:4-6

• Not with machine guns or cannons
• Fighting through prayer and studying the Word
  • Destroys arguments

To overthrow Satan in your life...You must first be a Zealot of God.

Validate the Way

John 14:6

• Only one way
• Doing good thing is not enough
• Make every effort

Luke 13:22-25

• Are you making effort?

Matthew 7:13-23

• Not an easy life, but the right one.

Explote the false teachers

Matthew 23:1-38

• Not Rabbit, not Reveron
• Jesus was against self-righteousness:
  • Snakes! hypocrites! blind men! 
• False teachings:
  • Pray Jesus into your heart.
  • Just believe
  • Work for your salvation

Jesus came to S A V E  us from satan, others, and ourselves.

• God moves people around
• Noah's life changed because of his righteousness
• Would start the whole human race over again

•  Joesph life changed
• Often did not know what God was doing but we must have faith to change

• Results of brother's action lead to the coming of Jesus
• God allowed Joesph brother's to throw him into slavery for me
• God is all about change because he wants us to have have faith

• Landlord
• Boss at work
• Teacher

Matthew 9:27-34

• When ever you do something right
  • Some is telling you you are doing it wrong
  • You need to feel good about what you are doing
    • The religous did the taring down
    • They were afraid of losing their members

Do you believe that you will receive everything that you ask for in prayer?
Do you doubt more than you believe?

5 Faith Killers:

1. Hesitation - when accidents happen
2. Doubting syndrome - not expecting anything to happen
3. Pessimistic attitude - everything will go bad (from childhood)
4. Ingraditude - not being grateful
5. Fear - can be overcome by love

• God goes to war to set his people free in Exodus
• War to get to the promise land - Exodus 17:16
• War to get into the promise land - battle of Jericho
• Wars to keep the promise land - battles with Canannites, Philistines, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Midianites
• Deborah, Gideon, David, Elijah goes to war

• Difficult to believe God's intentions are eternal life
• Hard to not feel that we are blowing it
• We will accept some awful things as God's will
  
• God is ignoring our problem or just does not care

The heart is central
The need to even to be remined of this show how far we have fallen from the life we were meant to have

The heart is addressed in the Bible more than any other topic

Love the Lord your God with all your heart - Deuteronomy 6:5
Man looks at the outward appearance, Lord looks at the heart - 1 Samuel 16:7
Where your teasure is, there your heart will be also - Luke 12:34

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart - Proverbs 3:5
These people honor me from their lips but their hearts are far from me - Matthew 15:8
The Lord weighs the heart - Proverbs 21:2

The heart can be:

• Trouble, wounded, pierced, grieved, even broken
• Cheerful, glad, merry, joyful, rejoicing
• Whole or divided
• Wise or foolish
• Steadfast, true, upright, stout, valiant
• Frightened, faint, cowardly
• Wandering, forgetful, dull, stubborn, proud, hardened

The heart can be unpredictable but it is central to our being

The heart answers a lot of questions:

• Why did my relationship fail? One or both don't have to heart to make it work
• Why are some many struggling with depression and discouragement? They have lost heart
• Why can I not break free from our addiction? We gave our heart away and need to get it back

• Cinderella rises from from supression to become queen
• The ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan
• Pinocchio becomes a real boy
• Frog becomes a prince
• Scrooge becomes a good friend to all
• Cowardly lion, Scarecrow, Tinman all get what they are missing

• Zacchaeus the trickster becomes Zaccheaus the honest
• Mary the sinful becomes Mary the faithful
• Paul the self-righteous murder becomes Paul the humble apostle

• Wanted choice seat to the right and left of Jesus
• Wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy a village

Preached by Richard Dixion on 1999-05-04

Psalms 25:10

• Gratefulness: no arguments, no frustration, no complaining

Psalms 145:13

• All he made - Did God make you?
• We live in an unloving world
  • God is not like use
• We make limits to our love
  • God does not stop
• We all need unconditional love

Hebrews 12:4-10

• God love is tough
• Two kinds of discipline
  • Action - stops for the short-term
  • Heart - God way, deals with sin
• Discipline - creates - discipline and gratefulness
• Running away or running toward discipline?
• He wants us to be holy, righteousness
• Wrong thinking: I won't because I might get disciplined
• Right thinking: I will, and I will be molded

Romans 12:1-2

• What transforms you?
• How are different than a year ago?
• Living sacrifices?

2 Corinthians 5:3

• How would you look if God transformed your life?
• Do you know who are?
• What would Jesus do different in your life?
• God loves us the way we are
  • He refuses to leave us that way

• They all love the same thing
• They all wanted the same thing
• They were bound together to find it come hell or high water

• Raise or lower the universe's rate of expansion by one part in a million, - it rules out the possibility of life
• If the average distance between star was any greater, the planets would not have formed; any smaller, the planets orbits for life would not have occurred
• The ratio of carbon and oxygen was different, we could not breath the air
• Change the tilt of the earth's axis slightly, we would freeze and burn up
• Any change in the distance from the sun or speed of rotation of the earth would result in unlivable temperature changes

1. The Obstacle of Greed - Luke 12:13-21 (Parable of the rich fool); Luke 16:19-31 (Rich man and Lazarus)
   1. Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. The value of a person's life has nothing to do with his financial worth.
   2. The rich fool's goal was financial independence and being independent of God. This is the 'American Dream."
   3. The rich man in Luke 16 went to hell because of his greed and unconcern about the needs of others.
2. The Obstacle of Discontentment - Philippians 4:10-13
   1. Paul rejoiced while he was in prison.
   2. He was grateful and content even in need.
   3. Paul did not focus on what he lacked, but rather on what he had (Christ).
   4. Also note 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

1. How am I storing up treasures for myself but not being rich toward God?
2. How am I showing concern for the poor/needy?
3. Am I grateful and content with what I have right now?
4. What griefs do I have in my life because of greed and discontentment?
   Examples:
   • Debt
   • High monthly payments
   • Bad credit record

1. Yourself - 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
   1. We need to be financially independent in the sense that we take care of our own. As adults we should not be dependent on parents, family, friends, or the church except in rare instances.
   2. Non-Christians do not respect people who do not carry their weight financially. We hinder the spread of the Gospel if we are irresponsible with our finances.
2. Family - 1 Timothy 5:4-8
   1. Taking care of our family is one of the most basic responsibilities we have. If we fail, we deny the faith.
   2. Responsibility includes at least parents, grandparents, spouse, children, 7 brothers and sisters.
   3. It is right for us to repay our parents and grandparents.
3. Government - Romans 13:1-7
   1. We need to support the government through the payment of taxes.
   2. We pay not according to what we can get away with but what is right to pay.
4. The Church - 1 Cor 16:1-2
   1. Each one has the responsibility to take care of the church financially.
   2. Set aside on the first day of every week.
   3. Plan and save for special contributions.
5. The Poor - Luke 12:33; James 1:27

1. In which of the above areas am I not fulfilling my responsibilities?

• Just witnessed 5,000 people being feed
• They were looking for free food but in reality they had to work at it find it
• The bread they needed was to spend time to know about Jesus - the bread of life
• Are you searching for the right kind of bread?
• The search and hunger for God does not end when we are baptized, it only begins
  

• We need to find God like hidden treasure
• God does not change but our viewpoint changes
• Example - Engagement ring to a couple verse the a jewelery store owner

• Money, worries, wasted time choke out our hunger for him
• During the holidays this becomes a bigger issue

• They asked for a miracle but they had already forgotten about the miracle they just saw - feeding the 5,000
• The work is to believe - it takes work to believe
• NOT working to get salvation but we need to work at our salvation

• v4 - new life
• v7 - freed from sin
• v11 - dead to sin but alive in Christ