Quiet Times Search

• Noah was commissioned by God to build a large ship in the middle of a dessert
• Only his family would be persuaded to follow him into the ark
• He did it for one reason: obedience to God

1. Does he have a proven record? Yes, Joshua 21:45; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 6:13-20
   
2. Does he have a genuine concern for my life? Yes, Exodus 2:25; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22
   
3. Does he understand me and my current crisis? Yes, Job 31:4; Psalms 139:1-18; Matthew 6:7-8; Hebrews 4:13
   
4. Do he have the power to bring change in my life? Yes, Romans 4:18-21; 1 Corinthians 1:25; Ephesians 1:18-22; Ephesians 3:20; 2 Peter 1:3-4

1. A sound concept of repentance - God's kindness leads to repentance - Romans 2:4
   
2. Understanding of the purposes of God's gifts - point of the blessing is the blessing themselves but the ultimate outcome of our lives
   
3. Understanding of God's timetable - God's goal is always our repentance - 2 Peter 3:9

• To please him
• To change
• To serve him better

1. God's promises and faithfulness should inspire repentance
2. We need to rely on the promises even as we commit to repentance
3. Truly become repentant
4. We refrain from taking personal credit because we understand we are being recused

1. A more abundant life - John 10:10
2. Peace that surpasses understanding - John 14:27; 16:23; Phillipians 4:6-7
3. Love that passes knowledge - John 15:9; Ephesians 3:19
4. Joy that is inexpressible - John 15:11; 1 Peter 1:8
5. Hope that sustains in the face of death - John 11:25; Revelation 14:13

• “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength..” (Jeremiah 17:5
• “…lean no on your own understanding.: (Proverbs 3:5)

• “All that the Father gives me will come to me…” (John 6:37)
• “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…” (John 6:44)

• “I pass judgment on no one … I am not alone.” (John 8:15-16)
• “[God] has given him authority to judge…” (John 5:27)

“…God, is the one who glorifies me.” (John 8:54)

a. Jesus taught with truth and compassion
b. Backup his teachings with his life

i. No man can come to except through me
ii. Do good to those who hate you
iii. Find your life by loosing it

c. Gives us a place to stand – embolden the disciples

a. Jesus was the foundation
b. Story did not end in Palestine

a. Died with Christ, now we can live a new life with him – Romans 6:4,5,8

Abandon

Mark 2:6-12

• Jesus didn’t walk on eggshells when he was around those who opposed him.
• We are often so careful not to offend anyone that no frankness and no power is left our speech.
• We need to be constantly ready to withstand opposition

Selfless Authority

• People who seem apologetic about authority they have or hesitate to exercise it are not very impressive
• Reason: they see it as a means of gaining something for themselves for themselves rather than a means of achieving a goal
• People that abuse power act the same way as those who do not use
• Pilate failed because he did not understand why he was in power
• We should not hesitate to make use of this authority and we should be unashamed
• How can disciples of Jesus not be bold and assertive? We must be forceful people!

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

Sounding the Alarm

Mark 7:1-13

• Living by traditions = living in vain, a waste of time.
• Jesus was not afraid to rebuke people, to “lay it out” when it was necessary.
• When stirring up things, some people wake up to discover a true relationship with God or they will become furious
• People of impact do not hesitate to raise their voices in order to shake people out of their slumber.
• They are not afraid on how people react when they are disturbed from their sleep.
• It is wrong to be silent and leave people comfortable in their false sense of security

Protectiveness

• He stood up for his followers.
• Jesus took responsibility for his disciple’s actions
• When a leader stands up for and protects his followers, a strong loyalty is forged

Communicator

Mark 7:31-37

• Jesus did not use slang word that his audience could not understand.
• Jesus found a way to get to all types of people’s heart.
• His method was an overwhelming love for all people – communication that fit the individual

A standard of excellence

• Jesus never did a shoddy job.
• He never quiet halfway.

Hardline

Mark 8:34-9:1

• Attitudes generally do not float in isolation – whistling teapot principle
• Jesus chose the most challenging words spoken by any leader.
• Words used:
• "If anyone…"
  • "…he must…"
  • "…deny himself…"
  • "…take up his cross…"
  • "…whoever wants to save his life will lose it…"
• His primary concern was for their immortal souls. No wonder he had such impact!!

Affirmation

Mark 9:2-13

• People are encouraged when they realize that we are indeed in line with the expectations of our superiors.
• They will also be inspired when they understand that their support for us is essential for the overall success.

Taking the Offensive

Mark 10:2-12

• Jesus was tested the hostile audience.
• Instead of backing down or becoming apologetic, he answered questions with questions.
• Jesus told them that their hearts were hard. He always backed his answers with scripture (clear and definitive).
• He didn’t care if his answer offended some people.

Judgment

• God is more concerned with the spirit of the law than the letter of the law.
• God searches the heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.
• What people say and do is secondary importance to the condition of their hearts.

Tough love

Mark 10:17-31

• This young man was secure in his own material goods.
• Are we willing to lay such tough, “make or break” challenges before people? Even when it puts your relationship on the line?
• Are you willing to let people walk away? · Allow people to make their own decisions?
• If we compromise our standards, our standards are meaningless.

Reassurance - Leaders need to first overcome his own negative thoughts and feelings in order to help his followers avoid becoming discouraged.

A Powerful Presence

Mark 14:43-52

• Fearsome spectacle - all the disciples fled
• John 18:4-6 – He was forceful and in control of his decision

Self-Control

Mark 14:53-65

• Remember, for these men to act this way must have seemed completely out of character.
• What is your standard of self-control? – They lost control of their anger (built up over several month and years)

• Where does your sense of power come from?
• Is it your position?

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

• Brother not engaging in fellowship
• Someone being insensitive or self-focused
• Sister seem dominated by negative and critical attitudes
• Someone overindulges in food or drink or something else
• Someone too serious and unrelatable

1. Badger him - Why don’t you stand up and be a man?
2. Whine about it - Hurry up and marry me!!
3. Emasculate him - I thought you were a real man
4. Inspire and energize him

• a complete change of attitude, spiritual and moral, toward God
• a change of mind
• to change one’s way of life
• to change one’s mind or purpose

• How did both John and Jesus begin their public ministry of preaching?
• What does the prefix meta- (from metanoia) mean? What other English words do you know that have meta- as a prefix?
• What does the root nous (from metanoia) mean? What other English words do you know that contain –noia?
• Have you ever considered your worldview? How has the Bible shaped it?
• Why is metanoia necessary for us to grasp the kingdom of God?
• How has the Latin idea of paenitentia influenced your understanding of repentance?
• Why is the author concerned with “repentance” as our English translation for metanoia?

1. Must admit to being sinful
2. Must admit to being selfish
3. Must admit to being wrong

1. How does Scrooge illustrate metanoia?
2. Have you ever experienced a gestalt switch while studying in school? How would your life change if you experienced this phenomenon in a way that helped you better understand your relationship with God?
3. What are the rules by which you play the “game of life” within an egocentric paradigm …and a deocentric paradigm?
4. How does changing the rules of a game change the strategy by which you play the game? What can learn from applying that principle to your life with God?

• The great love for surveys and polls
• We can not repent if we do not know that we have drifted – It takes a prophet of God
• See how different the prophets in your life live.

• Metanoia happens internally, fruit happens externally
• Sometimes we say, “You need to repent” – which may have meant “get it together” (a heart bypass)
• Becomes “need to” instead of “want to”
• It is easier to disciple the behavior than it is to address the mind and heart
• Consider things above – instead of considering behavior, consider the kingdom of God
• Metanoia is no technique; it’s an inside-out transformation

1. How have you broken your covenant with God?
2. Are scriptures sufficient for your repentance?
3. Do you agree with the author’s assertions that repentance isn’t something we do in order to return to God, it is our return to Him? Why or Why not?
4. How does fear play a positive role in our repentance?
5. Do your standards for morality reflect a biblical standard or simply a modern one?
6. Why do prophets go after the leaders of a society?
7. How does metanoia differ from the fruit of metanoia? How does this distinction help you repent?

• Parables offers an opportunity to slip a message past the defenses and filters
• Kingdom parables
  • Parable of the Sower
    • watch out for Satan, he will try to rob you of the true and understanding of the kingdom
    • church needs to honest with how worldly cares (wealth, etc)
  • Parable of the Weeds
• Repentance parables
  • Parable of the Lost Sheep
  • Parable of the Lost Coin
  • Prodical Son
    • Vivid picture of meanoia (when he came to his senses)
    • Data did not change, his thinking did
    • Younger son objectivity saw where he was with his father
    • Reoriented heart returns a reoriented life
    • Proves his repentance by his deeds

• Old Way: “Treat … younger women as sister, with absolute purity”
• New Way: “…strength to comprehend with all the saint what is the breadth and length and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge”

• Understands that he a citizen of the kingdom of heaven
• Jesus is Lord of the kingdom
• Jesus delivered him into the kingdom through his blood
• His sins placed him in Satan’s domain
• Live gratefully for Jesus rather than self
• Should anticipates the King’s glorious return
• Want no one to perish
• Should no fear man
• Only agenda is God’s agenda

1. What influences have shaped your worldview?
2. How has the world tried to squeeze your mind into its mold?
3. How can you resist – even reverse – this persistent pressure from the world?
4. Why should you “gird the loins of your mind”?
5. When and how did Saul/Paul repent?
6. What is the difference between a fleshly mind and a spiritual mind?
7. At a popular level, what is the difference between WWJD and WWJT?
8. Why are spiritual disciplines more effective after one has experienced the paradigm shift of metanoia?

Conducts a search-and-destroy mission for every potential excuse for sin
Jesus drove out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts
Much easier to express indignation at some else’s sin or some points out our sin versus our own

Although God hates sin and not the sinner – still it is the sinner that goes to hell
Nothing focuses the mind like real fear

Through fear, we recognize that sin alienates us from God
We long to restore our fellowship with God
Without the acknowledgement of separation, there is no cause for longing
Fear sounds the alarm, but longing sets the course
No sin can stand against a soul who longs to return to God

1. How does the church represent the “destination of repentance”?
2. How did the early church help sinners to repent? How did it safeguard true repentance from compromise?
3. How did the walls of the early church stand steadfast against the assaults of the world?
4. What does it mean to be of “one mind” with your brothers and sisters?
5. How were early Christians both non-conformists and conformists?
6. Why has church discipline gotten a “bad rap”? Is it warranted?
7. Why do so few churches practice the Biblical mandates to discipline its members?
8. How can a church best practice church discipline?
9. Have you ever been disciplined by your church? Did God’s plan lead you to repentance – why or why not?
10. Over 85% of the Biblical references to repentance address groups rather than individuals. Thus, how can you help your fellowship - at various levels – repent?
11. How can you spark repentance – even revival – in your church and in your community? Are you willing to walk its path of selfless commitment?

1. Try this
2. You are damaged goods
3. Doing it again will not make you more unclean
4. They don’t/won’t understand
5. Never tell them about this

• Not the kind of group you would expect to win the world for the Christ.
• Represented an average cross section of the society of their day
• Some already had joined the revival movement of John the Baptist
• Jesus can use anyone who wants to be used.
• Kept the group small enough to be able to work effectively with them.
  • More special than the twelve was the three – Peter, James, John
    • Jairus’ daughter (mark 5:37, Luke 8:51)
    • Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2, Matthew 17:1)
    • Waited Near the Lord when He prayed. (Mark 14:33, Matthew 26:37)
  • Choose twelve – Luke 6:13-17, Mark 3:13-19
  • Others – the 70 (Luke 10:1), Mark and Luke (gospel writers), James, His own brother (1 Cor 15:7)
• Rapidly diminishing priority given to those outside the twelve.
• Staked His whole ministry on them. Everything depended upon their faithfulness.
• Some believe that focusing on a few is favoritism
• Jesus however did not neglect the crowds.
  • Taught them
  • Healed the sick
  • Blessed the children
  • Wept for them
  • He died for them.

• Crowd aroused
  • Wanted to make him King by force - John 6:15
  • All men were clamoring for His attention - John 3:26
  • Pharisees admitted that the world has gone after Him - John 12:19
  • Frequently asked those that recipients of His healing to say nothing to prevent mass demonstrations
  • Own brothers and sisters did not understand him - John 7:2-9

• Disciples were slow to learn the deeper truths of Jesus’ life.
  • What the kingdom of God was all about
  • The fact that Jesus was going to die on the cross
  • Serving others above their own needs
  • Who was greatest in the kingdom of God
  • Harsh judgment on those how disagreed with them
• Jesus was patient with their failings
  • Disciples went back to their old fishing business – did not seem to be an act of disobedience
  • Jesus come follow him but they did not realize what that meant until later
  • Their capacity to receive truth would if they continued to practice with what truth they did understand
  • They were not asked to commit to doctrine but to the Person who was the doctrine.

• Disciples realized that they were responding to Jesus who was willing to give of Himself for them
• Examples of Jesus giving himself away
  • Gave away what the Father gave to Him - John 15:15
  • He gave them peace - John 16:33
  • He gave them despite pain and suffering - John 15:11
• Love is not love until it is given away
• Jesus – God gave away His most precious possession
• No greater love than to lay down our live for others
• Jesus impressed the deep compulsion of His eternal purpose
• It was clear that the Master considered no service too small or sacrifice too great.
• Jesus denied Himself many of the comforts and pleasure of the world and became a servant
• He continually gave His life “for their sakes”
• Disciples learned not in theory but in practice (painful and hard to accept)
• Jesus life was the measure by which they were to regard their own service.
  • To give freely as they had received – Matthew 10:8
  • Love one another as He loved them - John 13:34
  • Calvary love was the standard

• There were many situations and many types of people
  • Rich and poor
  • Healthy and sick
  • Friend and Foe
• No chalk board outline or “Do It Yourself” Manual
• Jesus made sure they didn’t miss in understanding
  • Ask what the parables meant – Luke 8:9
  • Seem to spend more time explaining than the initial interaction lesson
  • Applied lesson to their lives – Mark 10:24-31
• Jesus did not ask anything that He was not doing Himself
• Class was always in session – every waking moment of everyday
  • People are looking for demonstration not explanation
  • Only way to train men is to live by example
  • Not shrinking back or evading our personal responsibility
  • Mere knowledge is not enough
  • Knowledge unapplied to living can become a stumbling stone for further truth
  • Jesus saw to it that they applied the truth in their life
    

• Are those who have followed us to Christ now leading others to Him?
• Not enough to rescue the perishing but to build them in the faith of Christ.
• Converts go out and make leaders out of the converts not just simply more followers.
• Church should be measured on how many Christians are actively winning souls.
• Lord added to the Church, those who were being saved
• Within a few centuries, the world would have known the hand of the Master
• Shortcuts have failed
  • Adaptations of the principle are always necessary in the light of changing circumstances.
  • Costly principles of leadership development can not undercut
  • We try ceremonies, programs, organizations, and crusades of human ingenuity.
  • We must understand that evangelism is not done by something but by someone
  • God's nature is to get personal. Men reaching other men for Christ.
• Need men who:
  • See His vision
  • Feel His passion
  • Willing to be nothing so that He may be everything

1. Not owning any property
2. So poor that you had to beg

• Understand that Jesus wants us to be perfectly pure
• Be desperate enough to do anything to overcome the sin
• Examine yourself and the sin
• Need to be open about the sin

• Prayed for the power to heal and to change others - Mark 9:29
• In prayer in order to be at peace with God's will - Matthew 26:36-46
• Struggled in prayer to be wholehearted submissive to his Father - Hebrews 5:7-8
• Prayed by himself - Matthew 14:23
• Prayed before others - John 11:41-43
• Prayed with his face to the ground - Matthew 26:39
• Prayed looking up to heaven - John 17:1
• Prayed standing up - Mark 11:25
• Prayed kneeling down - Luke 22:41
• Prayed in early in the morning - Mark 1:35
• Prayed throughout the night - Luke 6:12

• If you pray
• Please, I beg you to pray
• I command you to pray

Jesus is not interested in our obedience outwardly without having our hearts set on heaven
All the ancient were longing for a better country

Living a Christian life is more than living up to a standard of behavior
Meant to ask deeper questions of motivation and heart with an understanding a heart properly movtivated - actions will follow

We should develop a heart that does not store treasures in heaven
Jesus makes a case that does not make sense to store up treasures here because they will not even last here - Matthew 6:19-21

No moth, no rust, no thief, not even Satan himself can diminish our treasure in heaven
It is an incredible freeing feeling to let go of the "treasure" here on earth

Will you miss services to get overtime in?
Do your children see a joyful parent excited about the kingdom of God?

Invest all you have and all you are - Romans 12:1

• Touched the leper - Matthew 8:3
• Healed many - Matthew 8:14-17
• Broke social and racial barriers - John 4
• Compassion for a woman caught in adultery - John 8:3-11
• Noticed a woman's suffering in a crowd - Luke 8:47
• Called little children to him - Luke 18:16

• Decision to stay humble - Luke 18:17
• Decision against materialism - Luke 18:24-25
• Decision to persevere through hardships - Acts 14:22
• Decision to stand firm in our convictions - Luke 21:12-19
• Decision to believe and obey God whatever the circumstances - Hebrews 3:5-19

1. Action should be done with prayer
2. Listen and understand as fully as possible - Proverbs 18:13
3. Relate to them, gently - described as a surgeon realigning a broken bone
4. Point to scripture, scripture needs to train, not you - 2 Timothy 3:17
5. Help them evaluate their heart with Godly sorrow - 2 Corinthians 7:8-11
6. Ask them what they see in needed to demonstrate repentance
7. Take them all the way to the cross - to the place where sin dies, only way to be free
8. Assure them of your support then give it to them

• When relationships are superficial - deeper and consistent basis
• When we feel our own burdens are quite enough - not hard for anyone to feel this

Paul set an example for them by facing frustration with faith - lesson for us as well
Whatever happens...in a manner worthy of the gospel

It is not just a good moral life; is is united with each other - standing firm in one spirit

Jesus died to bring us together
1st century - no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own - Acts 4:32
An autonomous Christian was unknown to the biblical writters

Staying in the fellowship means:

• Suffering
• Extra work
• Carrying each other's burdens

The world needs to see men, women, singles, marrieds, teens, all races, rich and poor brought together as "one man".

Jesus Christ is Lord
Everyone who lived will say these four words - Philippians 2:9-11

Whoever disowns Jesus before men, he will disown him - Matthew 10:32-33

No one comes to the Father except through Jesus - John 14:6

Give up for God = Gain
Lose for God = FInd
Bow before God now = stand

Bow when:

• You naturally want to be selfish
• You want your needs meet
• You doubt his love

Each disciple must decide that he or she lives among other "for their sake" - 1 Thessalonians 1:5

• 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

• The prophets - Suffered because they were opposed by the religious
• Job - Maintained his integrity despite not understanding why he was suffering
  

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

Preached by John Lusk (2005-01-23)

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

• We need each other
• Many books written about relationships - None seem to completely work

Christ is the key to having true friendships

Friendship with Christ

John 15:14-15

• Amazing - God of the universe calls us a "friend"
• Much like a maturing parent/child relationship - we grow from master/slave relationship to a friendship with the almighty God
• Jesus meet many of our needs - Belonging and Security

Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus yoke is easy and he will give you rest

Hebrews 4:15-16 - Jesus understands and have been in your situation

2 Peter 1:3 - He given everything we need in life

• Paul had an encounter with Jesus
  • Encounters with Jesus are significant
  • Paul understood he was living in opposition to Jesus - killing Christians (people following Christ)
    
  • Don't want to be on the opposite side of the battle from God
  • Where are you at today? Do you know?
  • Share
    • Grow up religious - Every Sunday - through High School
      
    • Ask to come to church, study the Bible
    • Saw life and heart wasn't matching; my sin was in opposition to God
    • Tried to make it personal - mean and angry (Hoping the standard would changed)
    • They were there to help
• Paul had the humility to ask "What shall I do?" - v10
  • Paul had a heart of humility to be taught - Bible
    
  • Could have brought up his religiousness or accomplishments
  • Opened himself up to anything, Not "I'm sorry, won't do that again"
    
• Paul was religious all this life and had the heart to immediately obey and be baptized - v16
  • Perhaps, God uses the life of Paul to prepare our hearts for surrender
    
  • What have you been holding on to instead of Jesus? What is stopping you?

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?

Sometimes God seems cruel:

• Unemployed
• Search for spouse

Isn't this the reason we fear to desire in the first place?

Unless we understand our desperate hearts and our tenacity to arrange life as we want it - these events seem cruel

Eden - we had it all but we threw it away by mistrusting God's heart and taking control of what we wanted
Adam and Eve set into motion what we now call addiction

Addiction exists whenever persons are internally compelled to give energy to things that are not their true desires

Addition becomes our idol - we must give it up
Anything can become an idol, even "good" things: work, hobbies, etc

Most of us have lost something:
• Losing wallet - not a good thing
  • Feels good to find it.
God's desire is to "find" what is lost - YOU!
 
• Problem: We are separated from God by sin

Jesus came to...

Save the lost

Luke 19:10

• Uses people to save others
• Many people to save some:
  • Do not know they are lost
  • Are confused
  • Misguided
  • Are not interested
  • Are looking
• Despite the what phase we are in we are still lost.
• No excuses 
  • Those who have issues are not really searching
    • "What about those hypocrites?"
    • "I am too busy"
    • "I will but...."

Acknowledge the Father

 John 14:9

• To relate
• Some think God doesn't care
  • How can God allow all these shootings?
    • Isrealites were saying the same thing in the dessert
• Jesus = God with us
• If Jesus was standing next to you how would you act differently?

Preached by Curt Simmons on 2002-08-28

Old Testament

1 Samuel 15:1-35

• Rebellion = not obeying = pride (arrogance)
• We can take "being choosen" as pride

• What lead to this?
• They started practicing what other around them were doing
• They had become stiff-necked

• No remedy
• Didn't go all the way
• Worldly and got distracted

• How can we say "God will understand." ?
• Leaders can lead people astray by the live they lead

• House of God being neglected
• How has you offerings to God been?

• Jesus spoke the truth without concern for opposition
•  What do you need to say to who?

• Jesus stood up for people
• Who do you need to stand up for?

• Jesus felt other's pain
•  People have more pain their lives than you think
•  Who needs your help?

• Throughout all our trials, Jesus kept going
• What could stop you?

Preached on 2003-03-16

Bad day? Being at your worse, need someone at their best

What is your reaction to these people?

Romans 5:6-8
Ephesians 2:1-5

God was at His best

John 13:1-38- Apostles betraying

Matthew 26:36-46- Apostles sleeping

Luke 22:47-53 - His own turned against him

Mark 14:53-65 - False witnesses, no answer

Luke 22:54-62 - Peter not standing up for Jesus

Luke 23:26-43 - Killing him, our savation

1 Peter 2:18-25 - Are you have been hurt more than Jesus?

• 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

Those who live only from the minds are detacted from life
They conclude others are emotional and unstable

Those who live from the heart find those who live from the mind, unavailable.

The heart is the source of emotion but we have equated heart with emotion - like saying love is a feeling

If Christ had followed his emotions, we would nave not gone to the cross for us - Mark 14:32-35

Emotion are the voice of the heart
The mind stands detacted, it is with the heart we experience and respond to life's fullness

• Advertisers work on you to get you to buy their product
• Your boss knows how to keep you moving
• Devil is the master at manipulating the heart