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Displaying results from "50" to "75". (110 found)
| 2010-08-10 - Waking Dead - Myths (part 1) Myth - sometimes thought of as not factual true Jacob saw earth in a whole new way in his dream - Genesis 28:12 |
| 2010-09-10 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 2) The question is not are we oppressed but where and how we are Why does every story have an enemy?
Satan lost the battle against Michael and his angels - was hurled to earth - Revelation 12:9 Satan's mood? He is filled with fury because he knows his time is short - Revelation 12:12 He is trying to steal your freedom, kill your heart, destroy your life We can go throughout our day and not even once wonder how the enemy might be attacking us All we know is that we aren't enjoying that abundant life Christ talked about Ignorance of spiritual warfare is the most native and dangerous thing a person can do You don't escape spiritual warfare by choosing not to believe it exists or refuse to fight The thief is trying to steal the life God wants to give - John 10:10 |
| 2010-10-03 - Contagious Christian - Benefits (part 3) 4. Spiritual Growth If holding onto our faith and not advancing it much - it will become a chore and prayer a dry routine
5. Spiritual Confidence It is ironic that the act of preparing to show others the gospel is often the cause for us to understand it better ourselves In the face of opposition, we gain heightened sense of spiritual confidence Imagine what happens when one of these people becomes a Christian 6. Enduring Investments Jesus warned his followers to not store up treasures on earth - Matthew 6:19-20 Everything will be destroyed eventually - 2 Peter 3:10-11 It is a mistake to invest so much time and energy into things that won't last 7. Honor of Being God's Agent This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit - John 15:8 |
| 2010-10-04 - Contagious Christian - The Costs of Outreach 1. Time and Energy 2. Reading and Study 3. Money 4. Risk of Embarrassment, Rejection or Persecution 5. Complication of Life |
| 2010-10-26 - Contagious Christian - Strength of Sacrifice (part I) Sacrifices move people and are rarely forgotten Three major ways of sacrifice Time It is a rare commodity that we never have enough of Jesus was busy but stopped for the important things Zacchaeus tried to the get Jesus' attention Jesus stopped the procession to go talked with Zacchaeus With disbelief that Jesus would do such a thing, he experienced a rebirth because his repentant heart and Jesus making time His attention on him altered Zacchaeus' life forever People out there are seeking someone who is willing to take the time and effort required to help them come to an understanding of the truth Most of us grossly underestimate the effect we could have on people's eternities if we would just take the time The sacrifice of time combined with the clear communication of the truth can result in salvation |
| 2010-11-03 - Contagious Christian - Finding the Approach Besides talking to people you are ready know try contacting people you used to know The curiosity factor comes into play
In the process, prayerfully watch for opportunities to share the way God has changed your life There are also many opportunities where there people you would like to know We all go to gas stations, stores, restaurants With a little forethought, these errands can be turned into evangelistic opportunities Change your thinking about the way you look at the employee who are serving you These are people who matter to God and put in your path for you to meet When we approach people with this attitude, with concern and respect - it is easy to get on a first name basis with them |
| 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 |
| 2010-11-11 - Contagious Christian - Starting Spiritual Conversations It is not enough to merely have high impact (HI) and close proximity (CP) We have got to talk about our faith and put the spiritual concepts of the gospel into everyday words People won't figure out the gospel out on their own - Romans 10 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways - Isaiah 55:8 Watching the life of a Christian (even a contagious one) won't be enough Someone has to articulate the gospel Must take the initiative and steer the the conversation toward spiritual topics This book contains a limited number of examples - meant to spur our thinking Must start with the heart-felt assurance that the gospel is good new my life and for others If you need a firmer foundation:
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| 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:
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| 2010-11-13 - Contagious Christian - Indirect Method This method involves taking some element of conversation and utilizes it to turn the conversation to faith Business How is your year going? Financial, OK; family-wise, pretty well; spiritually, going great. Which one are you talking about? Relocations Moving to a new neighborhood Have you found: places to shop, dining out locations, get your car repaired, a good church? Hobbies and Spare Time Talk to someone about your hobbies and roles in relating to church If you work with the sound system, website, children programs, etc - share about that Nature Talk about what God may have been thinking when creating plants and animals Goal is to raise the topic, not to envoke an affirming response - this may spur a discussions Shared Struggles Difficulty in a common with someone can be an opportunity to share how God has helped you Holidays They are an excellent opportunity to turn conversations toward the spiritual side
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| 2010-11-14 - Contagious Christian - Overriding Principles Pray Hard
So they will not be embarrassed or concerned about the opinions of others Pique Curiosity Drop hints and create curiosity the way Jesus did with the woman at the well Rely on Reciprocal Reflexes Want to tell someone about your interests or beliefs, just start asking them about theirs Seize Split-Second Opportunities People provide us with the chance to raise topics of faith, but most are not prepared for them It is one thing to see the opportunity but it is quite another to seize it - takes courage Don't Underestimate their Degree of Interest We can assume many are not interested but the truth is people today are getting tired of living without purpose |
| 2010-11-16 - Contagious Christian - Making the Message Clear (part I) Before you can bring the message to others, need to make sure we clearly understand we understand the message ourselves Making the message clear will need us to be able to illustrate it for those we talk to God Three aspects of God we need to look at:
God made us without sin but we abused our freedom and became evil Sin requires God to pronounce upon us the death penalty - both physical and spiritual This is separation from God via hell We are helpless to change this Christ God had the power and authority to devise a plan for our salvation Christ died and suffered the death penalty debt for us and
You don't deserve it, we didn't pay for it, we can not earn it He paid a debt He did not owe I owned a debt I could not pay |
| 2010-11-27 - Mission - All Nations The only event in history where all mankind gathers together is Judgment Day An expert in the law asked "What I do to inherit eternal life?" and "Who is my neighbor?" This expert had given his life to study of the scriptures Jesus illustrates the greatest commandment - one man helping another Does not talk about:
James 2:14-16 - Do you claim to have faith? It is never alone Food, clothing, a blanket shows that you have saving faith Christian who "share their faith" don't always "share their food" Sometimes we resemble the expert in the law who did not love their neighbor By focusing on helping the poor, many people seem to become more evangelistic Physical and spiritual needs are inseparable Jesus said, I was hungry, of need of clothes, sick. Did you help him? - Matthew 25:35-36 He takes it personally - Jesus grew up poor Doves were the sacrifice of the poor - Luke 2:24 |
| 2010-12-05 - Mission - Peter, To a Rock Peter's talk with Jesus by the coals burned an incredible mark in the heart of Peter - John 21:9 At Pentecost, Peter is recorded by Luke to have
Paul was very angry with on an occasion - Galatians 2:11 But Peter grew to become a stronger disciple While the world stagnates in, the Christian list is an exciting adventure in change Peter was not only a hero because he changed but because he also persevered |
| 2010-12-14 - Knowing Jesus (part I) Who is Jesus? John 1:1, 14
~Mark 1:21-45
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| 2010-12-21 - Sin (part I) 1 Peter 2:9-10
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| 2010-12-25 - Saved by Grace through Faith (part I) Psalms 103:1-18
Luke 18:9-14
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| 2011-02-02 - Word of God - Kansas City (part I) Purpose: To gain conviction on the Bible being inspired by God, how and why we should apply the Bible to our lives Question: How do you define a relationship with someone? Keep that in mind as we have this study about God's Word. 2 Timothy 3:12-4:4
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| 2011-02-15 - Sin and Repentance - Kansas City (part II) Definition of Sin
Sins of Omission
Sin of Commission
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| 2011-02-24 - The Church - Kansas City (part IV) Correction in the Body Matthew 18:15-18
Matthew 13:44-46
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| 2011-02-25 - Counting the Cost (part I) Purpose: We want to review things with you to answer any questions or help with situations that could occur. Luke 14:25-27
1 John 1:5-10
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| 2011-07-22 - Fearing God - Beyond Compare (part II) Another relationship between the fear of the Lord and trusting in him: Psalms 33:19 - The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him and hope in his unfailing love Verse starts out talking about the vanity of trusting in the army, own strength, or even of a horse Why should we trust in him? Proceeding verse tell us His mighty power in creation; His absolute sovereignty over nations As we become convicted of His greatness, we will fear him - stand in awe of him - trust in him We can not separate trust in God from the fear of God We will trust Him only to the extent that we genuinely stand in awe of Him The history of the Hebrews - how poorly they learned to fear Him Psalms 78:32 - Through all the things God did; they did not trust him God works everyday - one way we remind ourselves of his mighty acts is reading the historical sections of the Old Testament |
| 2011-08-09 - Daughter Needs - All-Male Dad (part II) Lots priority:
There is a high cost to be paid when dad treats his daughter as 3rd rate They are prime targets for a smooth talking guy who offers some sense of male love Our daughters deserve 1st rate love Don't leave them to figure out what it will cost to be loved by a man Give them lots and lots of love, attention and time |
| 2011-08-14 - Daughter Needs - Learning Deuteronomy 6:6-7 - Moses told the parents of Israel, "talk about God all the time through their daily lives" Spiritual teaching/learning is with a doubt the highest priority for all dads Show your daughter the rules of society or let it come from somewhere else (friends, TV, schools) Show how to properly respond to authority - they are watching how you respond Drive with your daughter the way you expect her to drive when she gets her license Teach her to respect those in leadership Speaking well of leadership can encourage her to catch a vision for her life's calling |
| 2011-08-15 - Daughter Needs - Listening Typical men communicate to transmit information Typical women communicate to further a relationship A daughter needs to be able to fully express herself before you start dispensing information Listen fully and be like a good customer service rep, "Is there anything else?" Or be a good detective or talk show host Girls from 3-11 will come to you with a series of questions Patiently answer each one - you are fulfilling her desire to build a relationship Giving short answers will frustrate her If you hear your daughter talk about her feeling, do so as well If you do - what a dividend a father will reap |
| 2011-08-21 - In Rememberence of Me Jesus called the disciples to the Passover fest before would head to the cross to reflect and remember their time together Luke 22:19-20 - Do this in remembrance of me Why? because we forget both little things and big things 1. Disciples forgot while they were at the table - v24 - Conversations they have had at the passover table:
2. Peter forgot the very same day the very same day and denied Jesus v54 - He forgot that Jesus said and he had the power to raise the dead I can relate:
Our forgetfulness is not a reflection of its importance but a reflection our weakness in remembering |
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? |
| 2011-12-03 - Guarding Your Heart (part II) Being open and vulnerable will help keep your heart healthy
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| 2011-12-05 - Day 2 - Tested and Tempted Matthew 3:16-4:11
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| 2011-12-12 - Day 9 - Trials of Many Kinds James 1:2-8
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| 2011-12-13 - Day 10 - Praying Like Jesus Mark 1:32-39
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| 2011-12-14 - Day 11 - Holding to the Truth 2 Timothy 2:14-19
1 Timothy 1:18-20
1 Timothy 4:15-16
Application: Discuss with your partner any questions about doctrine or the church that you do not understand. |
| 2011-12-15 - Day 12 - Doing Good Things Ephesians 2:10
If you don't know how you can help, ASK. REMEMBER: We need each other. We are family. |
| 2011-12-23 - Day 20 - Tempted by the World ~Psalms 73:1-14
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| 2011-12-26 - Day 23 - Confessing Sin Psalms 32:1-7
Psalms 66:18-19 - What else happens if we conceal or cherish sin? Application: Take some time to think about any sins - attitudes, action, thoughts - that are troubling you because you haven't shared them. Write them down and make sure you talk about them even today! |
| 2011-12-30 - Day 27 - Learning to be Loyal What does loyalty mean to you? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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| 2012-01-24 - Ministry -The Miracle of Training Luke 6:39-40 Have you ever felt stuck in the mud in your Christian life? Feeling like you can't change? God's way to help us to change and grow spiritually is through discipleship. In Mark 1:17, Jesus said, "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." The beauty of God's plan is that whatever we lack in our character, He makes up the difference as long as we have the heart to imitate Jesus. God blesses us with spiritual people who we can imitate and be trained by. Remember as a child when you wanted to be "grown up" and would copy mom or dad. You tried to talk like them and dress up like them because you wanted to be just like them. What happened to our childlike heart to imitate? You don't have to have all the answers, or be smart or talented to be just like Jesus---all you need is the heart to imitate and want to be trained. Would people say that you remind them of your discipleship partner? Why or why not? Today tell your discipleship partner one characteristic that you admire about them and ask them how you can be more like that. |
| 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. |
| 2012-02-08 - Ministry - One Thing Mark 10:17-22 Can you imagine having a little one on one time with Jesus? What do you think you would ask? What would he say? If Jesus was to challenge you on something in your life, what do you think it would be? He did have a similar conversation with a rich man in Mark 10:17-22 and the rich man asked a pretty important question, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus responds with emphasizing obedience to the commands, and the rich man insists that he has been obedient to those Jesus spoke of. Then Jesus tells him, "one thing you still lack," he said, "go sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." So, what was the rich man missing? What did he still lack? Was it a love for the poor? Was he not sacrificial enough? Was it that he loved money too much? I think he was simply ungrateful. Study out the following passages and see for yourself if it something that Jesus might have to talk with you about in your one on one time today!
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| 2012-03-16 - Instilling Faith in Children (part II) They need to see Jesus - Deuteronomy 6:1-9 God did not want his people to forget him What did he want them to remember?
All these things he still wants us to remember In what ways can we show our kids, Jesus?
v 20-24 - The questions will come; opportunities to share more With a Watchful Eye - 1 Timothy 4:15-16 They will not be a Christian and stay a Christian by chance |
| 2013-03-21 - Prayer of the Righeous - Knowing God through His Word (part II) Bible Study Disciplines Mark up your Bible in to different themes: Example subjects:
Might circle references to God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit Read the whole Bible every year Foucused study on indivdual books and passages are good but it also important to have the broad picture of God's revelation ingrained in our hearts Read the Bible everyday Jesus lived on every word that came from the mouth of God - Matthew 4:4 Memorize key verses Memorizing scripture helps us to talk to God using quoted scripture (God's language) and keeps us pursuing righteousness
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| 2013-10-21 - Resolve to Lead Your Family The greater responsibility to raise your children is yours. When the dad leads, kids are up to twenty times more likely to stay in church long-term than when moms are the spiritual leaders at home
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| 2014-01-25 - Bless Your Children We need to boldly redefined success for them = “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” - Deuteronomy 6:5 1. God’s Word must “be on your heart.” Must always tell them how God is moving:
Every day gives you fresh, new material for making your life with Christ a front-row experience 2. Training your children to love God must occur within the context of close relationships. Talk about God is informal time:
Making disciples of all nations begins with your own children - it all starts with their hearts.
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| 2014-03-04 - Heart to Heart time with our kids Fathers, start spending more “heart to heart” time ATTENTION Get their attention, ask important questions like:
Make a little one-on-one time with Dad AFFIRMATION Kids, as well as adults, want the approval and praise from their dads They want their father’s "blessing” in their lives. God: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” - Mark 1:11 It is important that you communicate to them, “You are my son (daughter) and I dearly love you. I am very pleased with you.” Anytime you greet them or talk to them, your countenance, the look in your eyes, and your tone of voice either says, “You are a delight to me” or “You are an irritation to me.” You should praise them privately, one-on-one, and publicly in front of others. “That is awesome! You are really good at that,” needs to come from your lips as their biggest cheerleader. Regardless of your past, step up to do this now! AFFECTION Father pours out His unconditional love on us (Romans 5:5), and so should we to our sons and daughters. Interact with them in ways that make them fully see, hear, and feel your love. not only the discipline of a father but also his warm affection and tender love. Boys who feel loved by their dads are bolder, stronger, kinder to others, and more secure Girls who feel valued by their dads are more radiant, less desperate for a boyfriend, and more careful whom they marry. So invest in them, take them places, flood them with tender affection, leaving no question in their minds about your genuine love for them. |
| 2014-03-22 - Train Them to Honor Authority (part II) You should actually want your leaders to succeed. You should be eager to help them fulfill their roles. This is how we should treat those over us - with a clear conscience, in respectful ways - not only from a fear of God but as a witness and an example to our children. Our kids will most likely adopt our views on authority in their own lives as well. We are accountable to Him - both to love Him and to fear Him. When you teach your children to honor authority, you are teaching them to better honor God.
Helping them not “forget his deeds” but to “keep his commands” - Psalms 78:7 Honoring authority will help them obey you. Honoring authority is a hallmark of godly men and their children.
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| 2015-03-02 - From the Mountaintop I am no better than my ancestors who have already died - 1 Kings 19:4 At times, God takes us to a emotional mountaintip and then drops us into a darker time in the valley Elijah had just successfully
Just days after, Jezebel vowed to kill him for killing the prophets of Baal Elijah could have stayed and trusted God to protect him but instead headed to the woods and poured out his heart to God He had gone from the mountaintop of faith to the valley of depression Elijah confessed the he had enough and wanted to die but God wanted to talk it though God will give you just what you need to continue your life of faith |
| 2015-05-10 - Cure for Disappointment Didn't our hearts burns within us as he talked with us - Luke 24:32 If I look at myself, I am depressed When Jesus died, as the disciples saw it, all hope for a better life was gone At just the right moment, Jesus reveal himself to them When he disappeared from their sight, he took with him the pain, despair, and disappointment When you face situations that leave you feeling despressed, disappointed, and discouraged, look to Jesus |
| 2015-05-11 - Shining Lamp Full of the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God - Acts 7:55 Nothing prompts change likea man's courage in the face of potential personal loss. Stephen had that kind of courage. Religous leaders hoped persecuting Christians would put a stop to this new religious movement, exactly the opposite happened Stephen willingly died for what he believed in and he contributed greatly to the spread of the gospel message At the scene of Stephen's murder stood a young Pharisee named Saul - the same Saul God miraculously converted Stephen's courage and faith in the face of death apparently made a lasting impression Pauls bold preaching would change the world forever - Acts 22:19-20 Lamps do not talk, but they do shine. Is your lamp shining today? |
| 2015-06-13 - Second Chances Naaman became angry and stalked away - 2 Kinds 5:11 Naaman had a serious infectious skin disease He went to Eliasha for healing and he said to go the Jordan and wash 7 times Naaman was disappointed and angry with this but his servants encouraged him to do as Elisha said He obeyed and was healed - God of Israel is a God of second changes Because of Naaman's eventual humble obedience, he was healed and later found salvation - 2 Kings 5:15-18 |
| 2015-06-30 - Risk Assessment Many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers - Acts 9:13-14 God had geiven Ananias an assignmen that mad him very uncomfortable Saul's sole purpose in coming to Damascus had been to persecute him and the other believers Ananias remined God of the terrible things Saul had done but God did not relent He intended for Saul to take his message of salvation to both Gentiles and Jews - Acts 9:15 Ananias weighed the risks and knew that the benefits of obedience far outwieghted anything he feared Because he obeyed, he was able to play a supporting role in God's plan to spread the gospel throughout the world |
| 2015-07-09 - Lead by Doing From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin - Ezra 9:7 People usually follow an example than any amount of talking If you want people to do what is good and right, do those things yourself Ezra led the second wave of Jewish exiles to their homeland after 70 years of capivity They started living like pagans they had married - Ezra 9:1 Ezra was innocent of any wrongdoing and could have let God deal with them as they deserved Instead, Ezra prayed in repentance on behalf of all the people and included himself His repentance by example move his people to change their ways |
| 2015-07-27 - Intimacy with God He wasn't aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord - Exodus 34:29 You can not hide a personal encounter with God Moses had spent 40 days and nights in God's presence, like talking with his best freind Spending hours of quality time with someone is bound to change you Parts of the other person's character, convictions, and even appearance rub off on you The people would never again see Moses in the same light How much intimate time you regularly spend with God? When personal encounters with are your priority, those around you can't help but see its positive effects on you |
| 2015-08-12 - Access Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord - Exodus 24:2 At one time, only a few select people had direct access to God Moses was the servant God had choosen to lead his people out of Egyptian captivity Only Moses was permitted to:
In granting Moses such close access to him, God gave him a great responsibility and a great privilege Today the Bible promises with our faith in Jesus, we can boldly come to the throne of our gracious God - Hebrews 4:16 |
| 2015-09-08 - Conflict Resolution Let's not allow this conflict to come between us - Genesis 13:8 The ability to resolve conflict is an important people skill for any man to have A conflict arose when Abram's and Lot's herdsmen began to argue among themselves Abram took the first step by recongnizing the problem and talking to Lot about it The second step was to offer Lot the choice of whatever portion of land he wanted Abram gave Lot the first choice of land because he was more concerned with maintaining a good relationship than his wealth Abram knew God would continue to bless him no matter where he settled |
| 2015-10-11 - Strong Foundation For days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to God of heaven - Nehemiah 1:4 Nehemiah learned the dilapidated walls around Jerusalem had left the Jewish residents vulnerable to attack What did he do? Nothing but talk to God about the crisis He offered the kind of prayer that GOd delights in answering:
Nehemiah didn't rush into the task before first pleading for God's favor - Nehemiah 1:5-11 |
| 2015-10-12 - Coming Atteactions Peter, no even knowing what he was saying - Luke 9:33 Peter, James, and John once saw a spectacular preview of a coming attraction and it changed them forever As they awoke, they saw Jesus in an unexpected light - he had changed and looked different Jesus' clothes glowed white and Moses, Elijah appeared and began talking to him Fast forward 40 years, Peter wrote, "we saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from the Father - 2 Peter 1:16-17 Peter saw the divinity of Jesus and could not wait to see more |
| 2015-11-14 - No Middle Man I have always been faithful, single-minded, always doing what pleases you - 2 Kings 20:2-3 Hezehiah had been deathly ill for some time and was setting all his affairs in order because his illness was terminal - 2 Kings 2:1 Isaiah had a special connection to God and it would be tempting to plead his case directly with Isaiah When Isaiah told Hezehiah he was about to die, he went to his private place of prayer and talked directly to the Lord Hezehiah didn't ask to extend his life but reminded God he had been a good and faithful servant God decided to extend Hezehiah's life Hezehiah's willingness to straingth to God saved his his life |
| 2015-12-20 - Speak Up Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this - 2 Samuel 13:22 Absalom showed what happens when the lines of communication between two people break down He had every right to feel angry about Amnon rapping his sister What went wrong is his refusing to talk about it and making no effort to try to resolve the situation - Amnon felt sorry for what he had done Absalom's anger grew deep inside until it became implacable hatred He waited for the right opportunity to order his servants to kill Amnon - 2 Samuel 13:28 Absalom paid a heavy price for his failure to resolve his conflict openly and peacefully
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| 2020-03-06 - Friendliness Common taunt of Scribes and Pharises that Jesus was a friend of sinners He was friendly to the lowest and the best of society, a trait which created great scandal These three statements about Jesus spoke a lot about how Jesus' heart toward others:
They tried to use his friendiness against him Example: Tax collectors - ones who gathered taxes by any means nessary including by extortion or other dishonest measures
Jesus made friends with them despite these truths It was one thing to talk down to a bad man and give good advise, it is another to eat with them Jesus cross the chasm over which no man was willing to do in that day and lost his reputation for the sake of being brotherly/friendly Made himself nothing because he was determined on being firendly to all - Philippians 2:17 Everyone is part of the human race, children of God, despite what they have done
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| 2020-04-24 - Knowing God Means Having Great Energy Those who know God have great energy for God - Daniel 11:32 A contrast from those who don't know God - smoth and falttering talk When God is being fied or disreguarded, the can not rest; they feel they must do something The dishonor to God's name compels them to take action
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