Quiet Times Search
Search Quiet Times via a keyword or stringSearching for "try" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "50" to "75". (209 found)
| 2009-08-01 - A Life of Impact - Anger Anger Mark 11:11-19
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| 2009-08-23 - Wild at Heart - Wild One whose image we bear Where do we come from? A man must know where he comes from and what he is made of both past and family fathers Most men are trying not to be like their fathers Who will they derive their sense of strength? To men God is: Distant and weak (How they would describe their father) Reminds us that life lived in fear is no life at all – all will die someday |
| 2009-08-25 - Wild at Heart - God loves wilderness (part 1) Most of the earth is not safe, but it is good. God called it good in the beginning He prefers adventure, danger, risk, and the element of surprise Most of us try to reduce the element of surprise God took a risk with Adam and Eve – they had the chance to disobey him Example of no-perfect situations:
He loves to show that he has what it takes It is not God’s nature to limit risks or cover all the bases Let the odds stack up against him! He starts with most unlikely:
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| 2009-08-26 - Wild at Heart - God loves wilderness (part 2) God’s relationship with us is risky We are unpredictable; there is the likelihood to get hurt (ultimate risk anyone ever takes is to love) God give love all the time (and gets hurt all the time) Music, wine, poetry, sunset – all his inventions God is romantic at heart Heart of man is drawn from God – strong and courageous love Have you noticed the most often word used with boys is 'don’t' –God’s design 'Yes' Sexes show different sides of God’s heart Heart of a woman – deep hearted, seductive more than fierce Wants to be loved Why don’t you choose Me? 'Seek and you will find me…with all of your heart' – Jeremiah 29:13 God wants to be wanted Why does God does not answer prayer right away? – he wants us to talk to him God has beauty to be unveiled Each stage of creation is better than before All Adam can say is “WOW” Women wants he beauty unveiled Do you delight in me? God wants to be worshiped |
| 2009-09-01 - Wild at Heart - The wound (part 1) There comes a time when we simply have to face the challenges in our lives and stop backing down Men rarely praise each other directly - by way of accomplishments (“you are a wild man”, “what is up stud” The question – Do I have what it takes? Am I powerful? Until a man knows he’s a man he will forever be trying to prove he is one, while at the same time shrink from anything that might reveal he is not Boy learns who is he and what he’s got from a man
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| 2009-09-02 - Wild at Heart - The wound (part 2) Adam receives his name from God Abraham names Issac Jesus needed to hear those words God renames Jacob and Paul Racheal names son “son of my sorrow”. Jacob renames him “son of my right hand” It took intervention by the man, it always does A boy is brought into the world by his mother There comes a time for the shift when he begins to seek out his father’s affection – Hard for a mother Dad coming home is biggest event in a boy’s day Women try to fill void that an absent father has left Father calls his son “tiger” Turns to mom for comfort and dad for adventure If a mother will not allow her son to become dangerous, if she does not let the father take him away, she will emasculate him. |
| 2009-09-08 - Wild at Heart - The fathers voice (part 1) A man needs to know his name - He needs to know he has got what It takes Can not know who we are until we know God Adam knew Eve intimately - this how we need to know God. Deep knowledge comes from a process of initiation. You have to know where you come from. Some try to get their identity from others – girlfriend/wife, friends, job, and hobbies Who can we turn to for this need? God could take him on that journey, provide what is missing Who will give your name and mean something? God! There is a terrible assault Adam was created for adventure and battles; he created us for a unique place in his history Abram becomes Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel, and Saul becomes Paul |
| 2009-09-09 - Wild at Heart - The fathers voice (part 2) When we see Jesus, Joseph is out of the picture – true father God – he had to learn who he really was and made of. Initiation involves a journey and a series of tests. We try to make our lives easier. What are you trying to teach me here? What issues in my heart are you trying to rise through this? What is it you want me to see? What are you asking me to let go of? Men are taught that a wound that stops you from playing is a girlish wound. No wonder we walk with our guts hanging out Most men minimize their wound David did not act like this at all - openly - “my heart is wounded within me” - Psalms 109:22 Suck it up, as the saying goes God is fiercely committed to you Wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal You’ve embraced and deserve is a would that cannot heal Whatever is denied cannot heal Certainly denial that it’s shaping the way they live today. |
| 2009-09-13 - Wild at Heart - False self (part 4) A masculine journey always takes a man away from the women, come back to with his question answered A man does not go to a woman to get his strength; he goes to her to offer it. Addiction comes when we have taken our soul to her for validation. What else are we looking for? God Adam had God God gave Adam Eve out of His humility Eve eventually took the place of God Adam was not deceived Time where Eve had fallen but Adam had not Adam choose Eve over God Men without his true love, God, will try to find another Why do you remain thirsty after you have had a drink… it is the wrong well In God will only find the true healing of the wound |
| 2009-09-15 - Wild at Heart - Healing the wound (part 1) Source of real strength comes from the one that truly possess it. It was meant from the beginning that we have a desperately dependence on God “Apart from me you can do nothing” – We are made to depend on God God designed the human machine to run by itself Sin and our culture came together – prevent the wound from being healed – to be independent We believe deep in our hearts that if we need anything from anyone is a sort of weakness The Son could do nothing by himself – the Father and I are one Like trying to finish the marathon with a broken leg |
| 2009-09-20 - Wild at Heart - The Enemy (part 1) Any castles? Any great battles? Are there any great dragons? A man needs a battle to fight Early death of a man’s warriors keeps the boy in him from growing up If we can reawaken that fierce quality in a man – higher purpose, release the warrior within, then the boy can grow up and become truly masculine Every man is a warrior inside but the choice to fight is his own A man must have a battle to fight, a great mission to his life that involves and yet transcends even home and family. He must have a cause to which he is devoted even unto death – in the fabric of our being That is why God created you. Your whole life is in preparation for The lie from the enemy is that your role is insignificant No other man can replace you You are the hero in your own story - the main man A warrior has a vision Root of all our woes and false self was this: We are seeking to save our life and we lost it “Who ever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” – Mark 8:35 For years all my daily energy was spent trying to beat the trails in my life and arrange for a little pleasure. Mercenary fights for pay, for his own benefit, his life is devoted to himself |
| 2009-10-10 - Wild at Heart - The Strategy (part 3) 2. Intimidation Our condition may become normal to use after a while - depression If you pray and fight against – It will get worse. Once the Enemy is discovered, he usually does not just roll over and die. Jesus says get tough and resist the onslaught Next level Satan tries intimidation and fear He wants you to agree with intimidation because he fears you Fighting back, he will lose – Resist the devil and he will flee – James 4:7 Why do so many pastor’s kids go off the deep end? Evil One is trying to an old tactic – strike first and maybe the opposition will run He can’t win, you know God is with us “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” – Joshua 1:5 The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name – Exodus 15:3 How did Jesus win the battle against Satan? God was with him Doesn’t simply mean that he’ll be around - he will fight for us Satan is trying to appeal to the traitor’s commitment to self-preservation when he uses fear and intimidation. So as long as we are back in the old story of saving our skin, looking out for Number One, those tactics will work. Become a warrior The most dangerous man on earth is the man who has reckoned with his own death. All men die, few men ever really live. |
| 2009-10-12 - Wild at Heart - The Strategy (part 5) We don’t need accountability groups we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alone side, someone to watch our back We don’t need a meeting of the Really Nice Guys Never a more devoted group of men than those who have fought alongside one another You will be wounded To lose a leg is nothing compared to losing heart Enemy knows the wounds of your past and he will try to wound you again in the same place It is an honor to be wounded in the service of the Lord Boys are proud of their scars, they are badges of honor Kingdom forcefully advances and forceful men take hold of it - Matthew 11:12 Jesus says it is going to take every ounce of passion and forcefulness you’ve got |
| 2009-10-19 - Wild at Heart - An adventure to live (part 2) Most spend the energy of their lives trying to eliminate risk Their children hear “no” far more than they hear “yes” If a man succeeds in securing his life against all risk, he will wind up in a cocoon of self-protection and wonder why he is suffocating Seizing upon some sort of competence and rejecting anything that cannot be controlled This a refusal to trust God and reach out for control – runs deep in every man False self’s desire is to have power over experience – to control events and consequences - Mark 8:36 Too may men forsake their dreams because they aren’t willing to risk or fear they aren’t up to the challenge or are never told that those desire of the heart are good Soul of a man isn’t made for controlling things His job is charter to explore, build, conquer, and care for all creation If you had permission to do what you really wanted to do, what would you do? "How" is a faithless question – How is God’s department… Ask "what" What is written on your heart? What make you come alive? Don’t ask yourself what does the world need. Ask yourself what make you come alive and go do that because what the world needs is people who have come alive I’ve met men who’ve used advice like it was permission They are deceived about what they really want Goal of Christian discipleship is the transformed heart We move from boy who needs the Law to the man who is able to live by the Spirit of the Law Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit then you won’t feed on compulsion or selfishness |
| 2009-10-26 - Repentance - What It Is (part 3) Dictionaries of Biblical Greek - Repentance
Questions:
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| 2009-11-05 - Repentance - Jesus Opens Our Eyes (part 3) The Purpose of Parables
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| 2009-11-08 - Repentance - Transfigure Our Minds (part 1) We each have a worldview or mindset that functions as a life lens World has been squeezing us into its mold – more than we realize Peter’s mind
Prepare your minds for action – 1 Peter 1:13-14 Space shuttle takes 2,250,000 pounds of fuel to escape the earth’s gravity Only few pounds to remain in orbit – Christians are called more than just to orbit Most trials produce greater faith – hospitalized child, illness, death, ministry turmoil, financial pressures Ways to fight – devote time to prayer, read scripture, explore ways to encourage wife, get advice from elders, spend special time with the kids Ways to not to – laziness, frustrate wife, neglect kids, feeling overwhelmed and under underappreciated, escape to the TV |
| 2009-11-13 - Repentance - Godly Sorrow (part 1) Are you content with four out of seven, even five out of seven? Spoude – Dispatched Diligence
Literally means “same” – “homo” = word; “logos” = reasoning |
| 2009-11-20 - Repentance - Its Time To Go Home (part 2) Where are you on this path? Are you part of “all people, everywhere”? Good, you quality for the command to repent – Acts 17:26-27; 30-31 Ignorance of Jesus perpetuates a self-focused paradigm Jesus is Lord – changes our heart, mind-set, allegiances, purpose, and agenda Subsequent repentance has lesser fan fare (like 2nd to the moon or Mt. Everest Satan doesn’t want you to know that he created your dilemma His scheme:
Shame is the greatest obstacle to post-baptismal repentance How to escape? You already have – Trust god’s grace Light is not a place of condemnation |
| 2009-11-21 - Repentance - Its Time To Go Home (part 3) There is no perfect repentance, but wholehearted repentance David – search me (Psalms 139) Spirit’s conviction Good – overcome blinding pride Bad – Satan will try to stop you Sometimes easier to see our sin than think about loved ones salvation (passed away) What would they want you to do? Questions
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2009-11-23 - Master Plan - Selection (part 2)
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| 2009-11-24 - Master Plan - Selection (part 3) Few were converted in His lifetime.
Everything that is done with the few is for the salvation of the multitudes. Modern Practicals
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| 2009-11-25 - Master Plan - Association (part 1) He stayed with them
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2009-11-27 - Master Plan - Foundation of Follow-up
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2009-11-28 - Master Plan - Church is the continuing fellowship (part 1)
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2009-12-01 - Master Plan - Count the Costs
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2009-12-06 - Master Plan - Jesus gave himself away (part 2)
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2009-12-15 - Master Plan - Reproduction (part 2)
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2009-12-17 - Master Plan - Reproduction (part 4)
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| 2009-12-18 - Master Plan - The Plan (part 1) Life has a plan
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| 2010-01-09 - Kingdom First - Light Drives Satan Away God is light; in him there is no darkness at all - 1 John 1:5 Satan can not be where there is light When the light comes, sin is exposed The light will bring a reaction:
The light takes away Satan's power The more we open ourselves to God's light, the more his light shines through us |
| 2010-01-24 - Kingdom First - Wise Investing Jesus is not interested in our obedience outwardly without having our hearts set on heaven
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| 2010-01-25 - Kingdom First - Only One Master What occupies my mind? If we are eager and driven to gain more we will stray from the faith and be pierced with many griefs - 1 Timothy 6:10 Secret to being content, I can do everything through him that gives me strength - Philippians 4:12-13 Judas: example of someone trying to live with 2 masters:
Elders gave large sums of money to have them lie about the disciples stealing the body of Jesus - Matthew 28:12 What is our selling point? Do not put our hope in wealth, which is so uncertain - 1 Timothy 6:17 Keep your lives free from the love of money - Hebrews 13:5 |
| 2010-01-28 - Kingdom First - Personal Responsibility (part 2) When talking about removing the plank from our eye so we can remove the speck from someone else, there are two extremes:
A. Look daily into the mirror of God's word Foolish to just look at the word of God and not let it transform you - James 1:22-25 B. Pray fervently for God to open your eyes and give you insight into your heart and life An incredible prayer about searching our heart - Psalms 139:23-24 C. Be open with those in your life Be quick to confess sin - James 5:16 D. Have a humble attitude toward challenge in your life Let this be our goal - Psalms 141:5 |
| 2010-02-13 - First the Kingdom - Deceision Time There are fundamentally three responses one can have to Jesus' message: 1. No way! Tho could possibly do this? Too hard, No one can do it Just trying to make me feel guilty 2. It's wonderful. We should think more about it. Many want to hear it - but few live it Same problem in Ezekiel's day - Ezekiel 33:31-32 3. It's a great challenge, but it's God's will and I want it No one can live it without error, but all those who put their hearts into it and go for it will start changing their part of the world |
| 2010-02-27 - One Another - One Another In Groups (part 1) Small groups were in the center of Jesus' ministry - spent much of his time with the 12 Principles of small groups Focus on belonging and being devoted - Romans 12:5 All belong to one another - members of one another These who have been united with Christ - this is your spiritual family Be a giver, not just a taker Always need great listeners (not just being quite) - ask questions, draw people out Do your part to make the group warm, loving, supportive, open, etc "I'm not getting much out from this group" - check your heart and actions Appreciate, affirm, and encourage the different gifts - 1 Corinthians 12 God has given our brothers and sisters for our enjoyment Give special focus to those who may feel marginalized by illness/disability |
| 2010-03-20 - To Live is Christ - Enemies of the Cross The acceptance of Jesus leads to joy and not to be naive - Philippians 3:17-21 Be thankful but still have our eyes wide open The cross stands as a constant reminder of the battle between good and evil Jesus did not just hang out at the cross - HE DIED there because of his enemies And the war goes on To act as though we do could do enough to earn salvation - undermines Jesus' sacrifice To act as though grace is a license for sin - undermines the purpose of the cross - Romans 6:17 Enemies of the cross = people with minds on earthly things Philippians had a unique blessing of having Roman citizenship outside of Rome Our real home country is heaven and our loyalty is to the King of Kings |
| 2010-03-21 - To Live is Christ - Joy and Crown Paul: My joy and crown is you standing firm in the Lord - Philippians 4:1 For the Greeks, the crown was a symbol of victory or a token of honor Paul's crown was changed lives The legacy was lasting and the reward was eternal Paul to Corinthians: Result of the ministry not written on tablets but on human hearts - 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 If other people's spiritual growth is not our concern, it will never be our joy If others are not our joy in this life, they will never be our crown after this life What brought Jesus joy, brought Paul joy Where do we get our joy in life? Self-centeredness is the greatest roadblock of joy We can not be concerned about the things of God if our own things get in the way The Philippians were Paul's concern, his focus, his joy and his crown |
| 2010-03-23 - To Live is Christ - Anxious About Nothing Paul urges them to be anxious and worried about nothing and to pray about everything because God is in control - Philippians 4:6-7 Peace never comes without surrender Something instead of dealing with our emotions, we try an avoidance pattern We must be in touch with happens to others and ourselves Guard (a garrison of angel are available to help) our hearts - Satan wants us to trust ourselves and to doubt our God How challenging to turn everything over to God. Yet, how foolish not to!
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| 2010-03-31 - Life to the Full - Crown not Frown (part 5) In the spirit of James 1:27 and the heart of helping others, here are some ideas on helping others:
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| 2010-04-12 - Life to the Full - Macho Mist (part 2) Spiritual adultery - How easy it is to flirt with the world if we fail to guard our hearts - Proverbs 4:23 In Jewish law, adultery is grounds for divorce The Spirit cause to live within us envies intensely - James 3:5 The nature of God: He will tolerate no rivals for his love God is a jealous God - Exodus 34:14 One of the quoted OT verse in the the NT is about pride - Proverbs 3:34 Much of the pride mention in the NT is bad: Pride goes before the fall - Proverbs 16:18 Pride mentioned in the NT is usually good: I take great pride in you - 2 Corinthians 7:4 It depends on where the pride is rooted and the attitude behind it If you feel ineffective, frustrated, unproductive, opposed - it might be because God is opposing you because of your pride He is trying to get your attention so you will turn back to him |
| 2010-04-28 - Heart of Maturity (Motivation of Maturing) Preached by John Lusk (2005-01-30) How passionate are you about maturing?
Motivation of Maturing 1. To regain your identify Genesis 1:26-27
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
4. Secure salvation 2 Peter 1:8-11 - We have been given a new start Wrong motivation - Pleasing people, selfish ambition |
| 2010-05-17 - Desire's Journey - The Beast Within Years of living in an indifferent hostile world creates a deep sense of unsettledness with in us Battle of good and evil within us - Romans 7:20-23 Sinful desires are contrary to the Spirit They conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want - Galatians 5:17 There is a nagging awareness warning us not to feel our hunger too deeply or it will undo us We wouldn't want to do anything crazy or desperate We want what our unmet desire wants but our sinful nature wants what is contrary We try everything - TV, sex, relationships, drugs, etc - going one to another We don't know what we want because we're so unacquaninted with our desire We try to keep a safe distance between our daily lives and our heart's desire - because it causes us too much trouble Do we really want to open Pandora's box? Dare we awaken our hears to their true desires? Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? Our dilemma is this: we can't seem to live with desire, and we can't live without it |
| 2010-06-03 - Desire's Journey - Hardest Lesson to Learn God promises evern man futility and failure We spend much of our time attempting to end these curses It can not be done Will life ever be what I so deeply want it to be? We must have life - we can not arrange for it People avoid the lesson:
...rather than facing the truth - Isaiah 57:10 Some have seen that this will not work, yet they have faded into resignation, bitterness or dispair How do we accept that it can't be done with an open heart? |
| 2010-06-04 - Desire's Journey - Misplaced Hope In this world, you will have trouble Why aren't we encouraged by this? Desire can not live without hope. Hope in what? We try to create heaven here |
| 2010-06-10 - Jesus - the Zealot (part 1) By Richard Dixon in 1999-09-26
Jesus mission was to overthrow Satan's ruling government over the earth1 John 3:7-8 Cause worth living forLuke 9:25
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| 2010-06-30 - Desire's Journey - Great Restoration (part 1) Spring reminds us that life can return to the dead Our ideas of heaven are sometimes not very desirable We sigh and feel guilty that is we are not more "spritual" Scripture tells us that God has set eternity in our hearts - Ecclesiastes 3:11 |
| 2010-07-07 - Desire's Journey - The Grand Affair (part 4) Sexual intimacy is the closest parallel we have to real worship The best impostors succeed because they are nearly indistinguishable from what they are trying to imitate Our hearts live for "an experience of worship that fills our being with a joy that is so deeply in awe that we are barely aware of ourselves Men have a hard time relating to the bridal imagery used in Scripture |
| 2010-07-18 - Desire's Journey - Deeper Desire (part 5) We can learn many things about the journey of desire in the story of Jesus' wilderness trial 1. He was hungry - Matthew 4:1-4
Satan: You don't have to stay hungry, you have options The lie is that the options will bring us what we most deeply want and need Evey idol is an impostor - not true life When on a marathon - and are given a beer It is cold (we desire cold) but we know we really need cold water for our thirst Junk food does not have the nutrition we need When we have been working out, working hard in the field, we know what we want Knowing full well what our heart's real thirst is, we will have looked the imposer in the face and laughed as Jesus did |
| 2010-07-25 - Desire's Journey - Letting Go (part 2) Paul learned the secret of being content - Philippians 4:12 Many Christians assume he no longer experienced the thirst of his soul Earlier Paul said he had not obtained his soul's desire nor already made perfect (complete) He was straining toward what was ahead - Philippians 3:12-14 Contentment is not freedom from desire but freedom of desire It is no longer being ruled by your desires We have 3 options:
Most of the church has chosen deadness Christians are called to live the life of holy longing but we don't like to stay there To live in thirst is to live with an ache Every addiction comes from the attempt to get rid of the ache Merely trying sets us on an unending chase that leads us farther and farther from home |
| 2010-08-09 - Waking Dead - The Heart's Eyes Do not lose heart, fix our eyes on what is unseen - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 We are losing heart, all of us, daily Someone was trying to shutdown Paul during his ministry - 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 Life is an illustion - there is a way of looking at life and be able to live from the heart no matter what Jesus spoke in parables to our hearts:
Jesus spoke in a way that will get past all intellectual defenses When you tell a story, you speak to the heart |
| 2010-08-11 - Waking Dead - Myths (part 2) Myth tell us three truths, the second is: 2. There is a great struggle or quest or battle that is well under way Christianity isn't about:
As good as those things might be, this is a world at war Reason we love these is because it is telling us that this is our most desperate hour
Without this buring in our hearts, we lose the meaning of our days Notice that those who have tried to wake up to this reality were ususally killed
Has it occured to you that someone is trying to shut them up?
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| 2010-08-18 - Waking Dead - Point of all Living Everything you love is what makes a life worth living Action: Set down the book and make a list of all the things you love
Jesus was asked what was most important He boiled it down to loving God and loving others - everything else will fall into place The heart is the connecting point; can not love without it If we can truly love, be loved, and never lose love - we would be finally truly happy If we worship efficiency, we can not grow in our love Some try to master all sort of principles and and never know God intimately, heart to heart. If do all sorts of Christian things without knowing God, he will say "I never knew you" - Matthew 7:22-23 The point is not the activity but intimacy with God Taking a course on anatomy won't help you love you spouse Taking a religion class will not help you love God You will find God when you seek him with all of your heart - Jeremiah 29:13 |
| 2010-08-20 - Waking Dead - Our Desperate Need Something has gone wrong within the human race Most of the misery we suffer on this planet is the fruit of the human heart gone bad God created us to reflect his glory Barely three chapters into the Bible, we have missed up the whole project - Sin enters the picture By chapter 6, God can not bear it anymore and has to start over - Genesis 6:5-6 This is the first mention of God's heart and it is broken We know we are not what we were meant to be Most of the religions concur on this point Usual remedies involve some sort of shaping up
Out of the heart comes all sorts of evil - Matthew 15:19 We don't need an upgrade, we need transformation |
| 2010-08-27 - Waking Dead - Guided Narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few will find it - Matthew 7:14 Each day: do you wake to tackle a to do list or wake in the midst of a dangerous story? If you are not pursuing a dangerous quest, then you do not need a guide If you want the life Jesus offers, then you are going to need more than a handful of principles Can not possibly prepare yourself for ever situation We need God intimately and we need him desperately You have made know the path of life - Psalms 16:11 There is a narrow path to life and we need help finding it Example path from a church:
All religions has principles to follow but only Christianity can teach you to walk with God The most important thing of all is intimacy with God Those who only do good things - Jesus will say I never knew you - Matthew 7:23 Teach a man to fish? Teach a man to walk with God and you help him solve the rest of his life |
| 2010-08-30 - Waking Dead - Pay Attention to our Heart Most of us have not been trained to pay attention to our heart It will take a little practice to tune in to it Many understand how to play the beautiful instrument of the heart
The enemy to distress you by throwing all sorts of thoughts your way and blaming you for it We must proceed with the assumption that your heart is good - Romans 7 Over time you will grow familiar with the movements of your heart Just like if any counsel or word that presents itself as being from God - must be checked against his word The flesh will try to use your freedom to get you to do things you shouldn't do Any discouragement, condemnation (Romans 8:1), accusation, confusion is not from God His conviction brings desire for repentance - 2 Corinthians 7:10 |
2010-09-02 - Waking Dead - Ask God
When Christ arose, he did not let Peter sweep the whole matter under the rug - John 21:15-17 It would have haunted the old fisherman for the rest of his life Most of us try to "put things behind us"
Jesus was asked would he feed his sheep times - for each betrayal Lessons that have been laid down in pain can be accessed only by pain Christ must open the wound not just bandage it over Instead of burying the pain, ask God what he is wanting to speak to you |
| 2010-09-05 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 2) Everything Jesus did was to illustrate what he was trying to say He offered healing for the body but more importantly for the soul The Lord is my shepherd, he restores my soul - Psalms 23:1-3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds - Psalms 147:3 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed - Jeremiah 17:14 Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings - Malachi 4:2 He welcomes them and healed those who needed healing - Luke 9:11 |
| 2010-09-08 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 5) Our sin give the enemy a certain claim to our lives - Romans 6:16 As we renounce any sin, we also renounce any claim we've given to Satan in our lives This often comes in the form of "agreements" - Satan has suggested something to us and we have said yes.
As long as we have unhealed places in our hearts, it is next to impossible to live in freedom and victory No matter how much discipline we apply to it Our enemy knows them well and trying undermine us and uses it against us with a disabling effect |
| 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 |
| 2010-09-11 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 3) Satan is the Father of Lies - John 8:44 His first attack on the human race was to lie to Adam and Eve He lied about God and where life was found He hoping we buy into whatever he is saying The evil one is still lying to us and is seeking our agreement every day Try to hold on to this and see much accusation you live under Your heart is good Your heart matters to God We must make no agreement with him Most of the time we don't recognize the attack because we do not live as though we are at war We assume these impressions are our own Any movement toward freedom, life, God, or others will be opposed Marriage, friendship, beauty, rest - the thief wants it all |
| 2010-09-12 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 4) Heads up. Satan can give us actions and words to say:
Some trying to "work through" things are simply have agreements with the Enemy Satan uses your wounds and unresolved emotional issues to pin your heart down under a spiritual stronghold We must be careful not to make agreements with Satan to increase his dominion |
| 2010-09-19 - Waking Dead - Setting the Heart Free All spiritual warfare follows a simple pattern - James 4:7 Submit and resist Submit ourselves to Christ and resist whatever has come against us or those we love Their needs to "dailyness" to our walk 1. We have to choose to abide in Christ Consecrate our whole body:
Take our place under the headship of Christ The faith of centurion, he understood authority - Matthew 8:10 Most sins fall under:
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| 2010-09-24 - Waking Dead - It Will Be Messy Going to a church service with hundreds of people will never expose you That is what most prefer - because community will It will bring you close and you will be seen and you will be known Therein lies the power and the danger The enemy hates this: he knows it can be powerful and God and his kingdom Remember divide and conquer? This is his way Most have settled for safety in numbers - a comfortable, anonymous distance An army that keeps meeting for briefings, but never breaks into platoons and goes to war Community is like camping together Stuff is scattered out there for everyone to see During fellowship there are two important things to remember 1. Know the heart is good - so much easier to trust and to forgive We are for one another 2. Know that we are at war The enemy is always trying to pull everyone away |
| 2010-09-26 - Waking Dead - Heart of Treasure Above all else, guard your heart - Proverbs 4:23 Having so long believed our hearts are evil, we assume the warning is to keep us out of trouble So we lock up our hearts and throw away the key and try to get on with our living It does say guard your heart because it is criminal but because it is the wellspring of of life It is treasure - everything else depends on it Above all else? We don't even do it once in a while - we careless with our hearts What if we were careful? Faith would be must deeper Relationships so much better We live completely backwards "All else" is above our hearts What do you do on a monthly basis to take care of your heart? God intends that we treat our hearts as treasures They were ransomed at a tremendous cost |
| 2010-10-09 - Contagious Christian - Attractiveness of Authenticity (part 3) Living by Genuine Conviction There is something about someone who stands up for what they believe in People take notice
Seekers are not impressed with spinelessness Seekers are trying to make up their own minds about what to do with the claims of Christ When a believer speaks up, they are forces to deal with the implication for their lives A Roman centurion watched as Jesus
The soldier's heart was eventually moved and said - "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Nothing short of Jesus' laying down his life would have brought this cynical soldier to his knees |
| 2010-10-25 - Contagious Christian - Compassion Busters Where you live May be living in a defeating home or work environment Contempt breeds contempt, anger produces more anger, hatred feeds hatred How you live When we try to maintain an unhealthy pace of life Good Samaritan - priest and Levite were, at heart, kind and compassionate people But they were too busy to have time or energy to tune into people's needs How you give Few reach this problem but some are effected but excessive care-giving They give and give to the point they start to feel resentment toward someone they are caring for Many never learned that caring for others has to be balanced with caring for yourself To prevent burn-out, Jesus often withdrew to recop There is a time for giving and a time to take care of ourself - Ecclesiastes 3 |
| 2010-10-29 - Contagious Christian - Opportunities in Relationships Developing friendships takes time and effort We try to short-circuit the process sometimes by using the reason of there are too many people to reach We are wise to start relationships on a natural, nonthreatening grounds Then later, in the context of the relationship open up conversations to spiritual issues Most of His interactions with the religious establishment involved challenging their attitudes Jesus spent the majority of His time with those outside the religious establishment He rubbed shoulders with tax collectors (thieves in that day), prostitutes, those with low spiritual reprobates Because they mattered to Him and He wanted to lead them to the family of God We love Him because He loved us first Paul - "I have become all things to all men so I might same some" - 1 Corinthians 9:22 |
| 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 |
| 2010-11-04 - Contagious Christian - The Peter Approach Peter was ready-aim-fire kind of guy He was unhesitant and full force When Jesus ask who he way, he gave an an immediate answer - Matthew 16:15-16 And he later even challenged Jesus' stated mission head on - can you imagine try to correct the Son of God? He wanted to be close to Jesus no matter what Tried to walk on water When enemies came Peter was ready to cut off their heads He was direct, bold and right to the point He was a perfect fit for Pentecost in Acts 2 - some one unafraid to take a stand about the crucifixion of Jesus Some people in the world need a Peter in their lives They won't come to Christ otherwise - they need someone who won't beat around the bush and helps them clarify/challenge about the truth of Christ |
| 2010-11-17 - Contagious Christian - Making the Message Clear (part II) Christ - Common questions Why couldn't God just forgive and forget, as we can? Like in car accident, God is willing to forgive but someone still has to pay for the damage What kind of justice is there in having Jesus suffer instead of me? God was not a reluctant bystander The difference is that God is will and he is taking his own punishment for you You Many people are left with the impression that if they go to church or they born into a church they are saved Not everyone that calls Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom - Matthew 7:21-23 We have got to be crystal clear that a personal response is essential Do vs Done The difference between religion and Christianity is Do vs Done Religion spells DO - as in we try to do something for God's salvation It is like a salesman that needs to meet a quota but does not know what it is But we can never do enough and will always fall short - Romans 3:23 Christianity spells DONE Means that what we could never do for ourselves, Christ has already done He lived a perfect life we could never live He willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty we owed |
| 2010-11-24 - Mission - People Beginning of His ministry - Luke 4
He was a man of sorrows, acquainted with suffering - Isaiah 53:3 He was tempted in every way, just as we are - Hebrews 4:15 Jesus' heart went out to people and it moved him to action Their needs drove Jesus' ministry Our charge is to walk as Jesus walked Luke 10 illustrates Jesus' plan as he send out the 72 disciples He challenged them to rejoice because their names were written in heaven The end challenge was to go and do likewise - Luke 10:37 Cannot be done unless it costs us something Seeking and saving the lost is accomplished by preaching the gospel and helping people |
| 2010-12-14 - Knowing Jesus (part I) Who is Jesus? John 1:1, 14
~Mark 1:21-45
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| 2011-01-20 - Followup - Heart Issues The Examination Proverbs 4:23 - Above all else guard your heart. Psalms 139:23 - Open your heart to God. Hebrews 4:13 - God cuts with His sword and sees everything. Types of Heart Disease Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 14:12 - Deceit Deuteronomy 29:26-31 - Idolatry Deuteronomy 8:10-18, Proverbs 18:12 - Pride Hebrews 3:12-19 - Unbelief (hardness, rebellion, disobedience) Hebrews 12:3-12 - Weariness |
| 2011-01-23 - Followup - Laziness (part II) Idleness 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15
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