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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2010-08-13 - Waking Dead - Heart of All Things Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life - Proverbs 4:23 Tin man had once been a real man
After a series of blows, his humanity was reduced to efficiency If we can disable or deaden your heart, then we have effectively foiled the plan of God |
2010-08-17 - Waking Dead - Thoughts and Courage of the Heart Our deepest thoughts are held in our hearts Our behavior is driven by our heart Scripture judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart - Hebrews 4:12 Not the feelings of the heart but the thoughts It is with your heart you believe and are justified - Romans 10:10 They hear with their ears and understand with their hearts - Matthew 13:!5 The heart is the dwelling place of our true beliefs It takes courage to love and takes courage to follow Jesus Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid - John 14:27 Courage > Old French cuer > Latin cor = heart The battle for the heart is going to take all the courage you can muster |
2010-08-26 - Waking Dead - Glory (part 3) You are going to the need your whole heart - so you will need every ounce of courage and faith as well James and John, sons of Zebedee did hide what they thought
He can see clearly who they really are We many times spend our time hiding through false selfs Like Adam and Eve did with fig leaves We make up a glory because we are convinced we have none of our own Must ask: God, who am I? What do you think of me? What is my real name? The deeper reason we fear our own glory is that once we let others see the truest us - aka nakedness It is awkward when everyone else is veiled Living from your glory is the only way to live You cannot love another person from a false self You can not help others if you are in captivity yourself Our deepest fear of all - we will have to live from our hearts Means we do not know the next thing God will ask of us |
2010-09-01 - Waking Dead - Our Story (part 2) The enemy is after us from the beginning Joseph stands out from his brothers Instead of celebrating his glory, his brothers want to destroy it The worst blows typically come from family David full of faith and courage when he sees that on one will take on Goliath His older cowardly brother is exposed by David's bravery Older brother - "I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is" - 1 Samuel 17:28 The worst blows come from those who know us well Even Jesus' brothers did not believe in him - John 7:5 His family came to bring him home because they think he has lost it - Luke 8:20 Sometimes the very thing that someone loves to do is the thing God has given them as a source of celebration We should check to see this is true before we turn it into shame How long will you turn my glory into shame - Psalms 4:2 What have you believed about your heart over the years? |
2010-09-04 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 1) He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds - Psalms 147:3 Part of you is pulled one direction, part of you the other Don't you sometimes feel a house divided? Take your phobias: Why are you afraid of heights, intimacy, or public speaking? All the discipline in the world will not get you to do these things - Romans 7-8 Part of me knows to pray is essential but other part wants to watch TV We are not wholehearted "Well, part of me does and part of me does not" Anytime we find ourselves doing something we wish we could stop but can not/ "unable" - ought to raise concerns Hebrew for brokenhearted is "leb shabar"
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2010-09-06 - Waking Dead - Deep Restoration (part 3) Chris came not only to pardon us but to heal us Jesus can and wants to heal your heart. What does that rouse in you?
The heart is God's dwelling place If you ignore your heart, it is like looking for him everywhere but at home It might be a surprise to you that Christ ask our permission to come in and heal Behold, I stand at the door and knock - Revelation 3:20 He does not force his way in There are sometimes rooms we have kept locked up We must give him permission to come in there - ask Jesus for your whole heart back |
2010-09-08 - 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 |
2010-09-25 - Waking Dead - Fight For Each Other True community is something you'll have to fight for Fight to get one and fight to keep it afloat You want this to work and you''ll need this thing to work This is the church - this all you have Without it, you'll go down Small house fellowships thrive in other countries - they need each other Suddenly one another scriptures make sense Knowing full well that we all are facing battles of our own Check regularly with one another, not out of paranoia but out of a desire to watch over one another's heart If you bring your every need to it, it will collapse Community is no substitute for God Community can not live without solitude Even monasteries have remote cells for alone time with God We first go to God, alone, so that we have something to bring back to the community |
2010-09-26 - Waking Dead - Heart of Treasure Above all else, guard your heart - Proverbs 4:23 Having so long believed our hearts are evil, we assume the warning is to keep us out of trouble So we lock up our hearts and throw away the key and try to get on with our living It does say guard your heart because it is criminal but because it is the wellspring of of life It is treasure - everything else depends on it Above all else? We don't even do it once in a while - we careless with our hearts What if we were careful? Faith would be must deeper Relationships so much better We live completely backwards "All else" is above our hearts What do you do on a monthly basis to take care of your heart? God intends that we treat our hearts as treasures They were ransomed at a tremendous cost |
2010-09-27 - Waking Dead - Storing Up The good man brings good things out of the good stored in his heart Out of the overflow of the heart, his mouth speaks - Luke 6:45 Jesus from the fullness of grace we have all received one blessing after another - John 1:16 Paul: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you - Ephesians 3:16 Caring for our hearts isn't selfish - it is how we begin love We care for our hearts for the sake of others What will you bring to others to others if your heart is empty? You can not love without your heart, you can not love well unless your heart is well How you handle your heart is how you will handles theirs Love others as you love yourself - Mark 12:31 If you dismiss your heart, you will end up dismissing others Perfection of your heart will raise that same standard for them Caring for your heart is also how you protect your relationship with God Your heart is where that life flows into you - John 7:37-38 We love ourselves for God's sake - he considers our hearts the treasures of the kingdom |
2010-09-29 - Contagious Christian - People Matter (part 1) We might like the idea of having a spiritual impact on others, we won't take decisive action unless we raise our motivation level The best way to do this is to have God's perspective on the matter 1. The way things are - Science Anthropic principle - when we look at the world around us, the universe was somehow designed to support and nourish human life
We matter to God 2. The way things ought to be - Business Business is turning to the "upside-down" approached They refocus on they are there - to server their customers Focus must be outside the church as well It is easy to get entangled and ensnared in internal issues in our church that it is hard to remember the primary reason we remain on this planet - to reach out to other people If we matter to God, then they'd better matter to us too |
2010-11-02 - Contagious Christian - Throwing a Matthew Party Throwing your own Matthew party fulfills a modest purposes
Good examples of Matthew parties:
Another misconception is that we have add a lot of new activities to our schedules Examples of everyday activities to get people involved in:
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2010-11-10 - Contagious Christian - Dorcas' Service Approach Dorcas was "always doing good and helping the poor" - Acts 9:36 She well-known for her loving acts of service She made robes and articles of clothing for widows and other needy people in her town It was very difficult to see her activity without seeing the love of Christ that inspired Her work was so important that when she died a premature death, God sent Peter to raise her from the dead People who take on this approach find it relatively easy to servers others Often those who are quite and enjoy expressing compassion through action No one fits perfectly into just one approach and you probably use all of them one way or another God has designed diversity on His team and each member is stronger in some styles than others A team of Christians who are made up of different styles will strong because they can reach virtually every type of seeker |
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 |
2010-12-22 - Sin (part II) Galatians 5:19-21
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2011-01-04 - Holy Spirit (part I) Acts 2:36-38 - At baptism, we are not only forgiven by Jesus’ death to begin a new life, we are also filled John 3:1-8 - Jesus taught that we must be born again via water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. John 7:37-39 - After Jesus’ glorification (crucifixion, resurrection and ascension), God sent his Spirit to John 16:5-15 - One of the primary roles of the Spirit is to convict us (and the world) with regard to sin, |
2011-01-05 - Holy Spirit (part II) Ephesians 1:13-14 - The Spirit is God’s mark of ownership on his children and a “deposit” of the Ephesians 3:14-21 - We are strengthened with real power through the Spirit who dwells within us. We Ephesians 4:29-32 - How do we “grieve” the Holy Spirit? Why is anger and anger-related sin so |
2011-01-12 - Followup - Bible Study Rewards What benefits do we get from God’s Word?
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2011-01-19 - Followup - Balanced Rewards Rewards What benefits do we get from God’s Word?
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2011-01-29 - Followup - Relationships Demonstrated 1. Actions
1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
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2011-01-31 - Followup - Servant (part II) Humble Servant - Luke 17:7-10 Question: What should our attitude be while serving?
When we serve, we’ve done nothing special except our duty Excellent Servant - Mark 7:37 Jesus did all things well When we serve, we must do so with excellence Ephesians 6:7-8 - When we serve, we must serve as though Jesus himself had asked us to do it! |
2011-02-20 - Cross of Christ - Kansas City (part IV) Pain of Bearing our Sin 1 Peter 2:19-25
2 Corinthians 7:8-13
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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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2011-06-23 - Mind of Christ - Obedience (part III) The motivation for Jesus’ obedience was in his relationship with God He obeyed God because he loved God
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2011-06-24 - Mind of Christ - Obedience (part IV) He obeyed God because he wanted to please God more than he wanted to please himself (continued)
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2011-07-14 - Mind of Christ - Heavenly Mission (part IX) We must employ at least five elements to accomplish this mission (continued): 3. We must keep our minds fixed on this objective:
As with Jesus, so with us. “Christ’s mission is the only reason for our being on earth; were it not for that, He would take us away” ~ Andrew Murray “A Like Christ” |
2011-07-30 - Fearing God - Control of Rulers Kings and emperors are reduced to nothing before God and are completely subject to His sovereign power - Isaiah 40:23 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; directs it where ever he please - Proverbs 21:1 He controls the destinies of rulers as well as their actions:
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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 |
2011-09-07 - Followup: Grace (part II) Grace is almost too good to be true, but it is. The goal of this study is to help you to see the real God who loves you and how valuable you are to him. He valued you at the cost of his only Son, whom he gave up so that thee could be grace to forgive your sins and restore your relationship with him. Psalms 103:8-10
Matthew 18:21-35
As you continue your walk with God picture yourself in a world of God’s grace. And remember every time you stumble or fall down your landing in God’s grace. Just get back up and continue on in God’s grace. Not once, not twice, not seven times but continue on in God’s grace for eternity. |
2011-09-08 - Followup: Humility I (part I) Humility is essential in beginning and maintaining a relationship with God. Pride, the opposite of humility, is often difficult to see in yourself and difficult to define in one’s character. It can be described as stubbornness toward God and his Word as well as others, or as independence from God and/or others. Let’s look at a few examples of what humility is NOT.
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2011-09-17 - Proverbs on Purity (part II) #3. Cling to what is Good Proverbs 7:1-5 - God's word will lead us to purity of mind There’s a saying, “Garbage in Garbage out”
#4. Avoid the temptation Proverbs 4:14-15 - Don't take the path of evil people. Don't live the way sinners do. Proverbs 4:25-27 - Don't turn to the right or left. One way to not give in to lust is to avoid it or flee from it. James 4:7 - Resist the devil, and he will flee from you Avoid the places that are tempting to you (wild parties, lustful parts of the city, TV shows)
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2011-09-19 - Proverbs on Integrity (part II) Examples of great integrity.
#1. Integrity last forever Proverbs 12:19 - Truthful lips endure forever Integrity last forever (people lie to escape something) but no one can run from the truth
Whenever we lie we ruin a part of our character.
Men and take many things away from us but no one can take our integrity (its our choice). |
2011-09-28 - Proverbs on Advice - Without Instruction 4. Without instruction, you hurt others Proverbs 10:17 - He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray John Donne wrote, “No man is an island entirely to himself, every man is a piece of the Continent, a part of the main” When (in our independence) we disregard godly advice, we hurt others as well as ourselves. We set an example which by action and attitude say that we do not need others in our lives 5. Without instruction we are stupid Proverbs 12:1 - Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid The Bible uses the word “stupid”. It’s found only four times in the NIV (Job 18:3, Proverbs 12:1, Ecclesiastes 10:3, 2 Timothy 2:23)
Challenge: How do you respond when someone challenges you?
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2011-09-30 - Proverbs on Laziness (part II) How do I overcome being lazy (How do I become disciplined)? 1. Carpe Diem = Seize the Day We are only given a certain amount of time in a day (and on earth)
Being disciplined is about the little things in life.
One thing that can hurt your discipline is if you over commit
Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything
Tips
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2011-10-04 - Genesis 4 - Cain Murders AbelSummaryEve's sons made offerings to God. Only Abel's was acceptable, so Cain killed him. Abel's blood cried out and God sent Cain away. ObservationsGenesis 4:7 - if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door Personal ApplicationI wonder sometimes if I have my "ringer" loud enough for me to hear when God calls. A lot of times I look back on important events in my life and realize that I missed another lesson God was trying to teach me but I was not listening. I feel embarrassed that I was so selfish during that times. I want to listen voice from God more intensely. |
2011-10-09 - Genesis 9 - The Rainbow & Capital Punishment SummaryGod blessed Noah and set the rainbow as a sign that he would never flood the earth again. Noah got drunk and cursed Ham's son Canaan. ObservationsGenesis 9:3 - Everything ... will be food for you; I now give you everything Personal ApplicationI don't grow very well in the good times. It is the times of trials and difficulty when I forced by God's discipline to change. I want to change and grow while not under all circumstances. What does it show God when I move toward him only when pushed? |
2011-10-12 - Genesis 12 - The Call of AbrahamSummaryGod told Abram, "Go. I will make you a great nation. You will be a blessing." In Egypt Abram lied about Sarai and Pharaoh was cursed. ObservationsGenesis 12:1 - Leave your country, your people Personal ApplicationI value comfort but it is not the same comfort that comes from God. When I look at my heart, I am slower to change then I used to be as a younger Christian. This should not be. What is stopping me from changing? Would I being willing to move again for God? |
2011-10-13 - Genesis 13 - The Cowboy Conflict SummaryAbram journeyed with his nephew Lot. Their servants argued, so Lot went to Sodom, Abram to Canaan. The LORD promised Abram the land. ObservationsGenesis 13:7 - So there were quarrels Personal ApplicationI have been very quarrelsome at work recently - there is a lot that frustrates me right now. I need to relax and count my blessings. It is not worth broken relationships or loss of life. |
2011-10-17 - Genesis 17 - Abram becomes Abraham SummaryGod made a covenant with Abram and renamed him Abraham. He renamed Sarai Sarah and promised them a son. The men were circumcised. ObservationsGenesis 17:9 - As for you, you must keep my covenant Personal ApplicationI know I can one-sided and stubborn in my thoughts and sometimes in my relationships. When I get my mind set to do something, that is the way it is. This can be a strength in some situations but a very big weakness if I am contrary to God's thinking. I need to be humble and allow God to change my thoughts and my ways. |
2011-11-04 - Mind Change - Challenge Decide to enjoy the challenge. If it is going to be there, you might as well enjoy it. God is allowing it for some good purpose. Like Jacob, don’t let go it until it blesses you. James 1:2-4 - Consider trials a pure joy |
2011-11-20 - Getting Started (part II) Remember the battle you entered
Remember what you promised
The key to successful first few weeks as a disciple is relationships. Make some specific decisions about how you will stay close to God and the other disciples in your life. Decide as well to get to know some other disciples and start sharing your new-found love for God with those you know and love. You will find that you will have good days, but remember – you’re just getting started. |
2011-12-02 - Guarding Your Heart (part I) Keeping your heart in good condition is not just an important physical principle, but a spiritual one as well. A bad spiritual heart will cause spiritual sickness and ultimately spiritual death – separate from God. The Bible gives us some great information on how to keep our hearts in good spiritual shape and keep them beating strong and healthy for God until the day we die. We guard our hearts to keep the good and keep away the bad we’re tempted to do
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2011-12-17 - Day 14 - A New Creation 2 Corinthians 5:17
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2012-01-17 - Ministry - The Heart of Gratitude Luke 17:11-19, Psalms 100:4, 1 Thessalonians. 5:18 Jesus believed that if the heart of a man was healed and doing well, then that individual could really experience a complete healing from God. In Mark 2 the paralytic who was lowered through the roof by his friends in the middle of a crowded house for Jesus to heal did not hear the first words from the lips of Jesus, 'you are healed.' The first thing he heard was, "Your sins are forgiven." The obvious problem to everyone was his physical condition, yet Jesus saw the spiritual issues of the man's life and healed them first! The ten lepers came to Jesus and when he cleansed them only one came back, throwing himself at the feet of Jesus, overwhelmed with gratitude! Jesus wondered where the other nine were, but proclaimed to the man, "Your faith has made you well." Even though the other nine were cleansed of their leprosy, did they really 'get well?' The one who returned was made well-he was filled with gratitude! Many of us have been baptized, yet how many of us are filled with gratitude? Questions:
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2012-01-23 - Ministry - Unless You Change Matthew 18:2-4 Deeply rooted in the mature of adults is a strong sense of resistance to change. Even when we feel deeply discontent with our lives, we are more willing to stay in the familiarity of our misery than to venture into the untested waters of change. Fortunately, Jesus, in his desire to put us out of our misery, makes it clear that for a Christian to make it to heaven we must keep on changing. We must choose to grow even if it is challenging, difficult, tiring, confusing or scary. Why this strong direction? Because there is just so much about our hearts, character, habits, lives that the Lord wants to change! Too many souls will be lost if we stop growing. Jesus gives us the secret to change in the same verse - humble yourself. Thank God we live in a kingdom where the Lord rushes to help the humble. He will send the word, wise advice from a disciple, a protecting angel, and a physical blessing, all to the humble. It seems that we have two choices: Be humbled or get humbled. Questions:
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2012-02-02 - Ministry - The Wild Man Mark 5:1-20 So often in our lives as disciples we can unfortunately relate to the wild demon-possessed man we see in the scriptures. In my own life there are times when I long to be able to meet and connect with Jesus and to go deeper in my relationship with God but have it cut short by anger, anxiety and frustration. It's at these times that I must examine the sin and the areas of my life that are out of control. Areas to examine:
V17- The people begged Jesus to leave, even after he performed such an amazing miracle. Why? Jesus represented the light! John 3:19-21 teaches us that the light has come into the world to expose darkness. You will not want Jesus around if you do not welcome exposure. Questions for thought:
Focus on the relationship, not on the sin. Learn how to love people in spite of the sin in their lives. |
2012-10-30 - Losing Heart (part I) Life of the heart is a place of great mystery:
Without the heart, life is not worth living - it is the wellspring of life To lose heart is to lose everything We need to return to a child-like heart where not everything can be explained |
2013-09-07 - Man of Resposibility When did you become a man? Men are often unsure. Learning this can not only help us understand ourselves better but also help our sons become secure men as well. When Jesus was twelve years old and His parents accidentally left Him After this event, the Scriptures say that He “kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” - Luke 2:52 In the Jewish community today, when a boy reaches puberty (around the age of thirteen)
He may have become a responsible adult earlier than twenty, but by then he had no excuse. God calls us to an appropriate and excellent standard: His. To be a man is to fully own your roles as an adult, husband, father, employee, neighbor, and any other role you choose to undertake. |
2013-09-24 - A Man Recognizes His Accountability Having no accountability always leads to irresponsibility One day we will stand before God one day and be held accountable for how we lived Our actions not only have immediate consequences but eternal ones as well:
This is wired into our consciences and confirmed throughout His Word Everything in a man’s thinking changes when he realizes that he is only one heartbeat from standing before the Lord Do you know for certain where you will spend eternity after you die? Preparing for that day is why we should become accountable to one another Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man - Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 Accountability dynamically helps make us into men - humble, wise, responsible, faithful men. |
2013-10-10 - Resolve to Lead Your Marriage Do you realize that as the leader of your home? We must take courage and always be willing to make the first move, God has put something into men that longs to be courageous. The idea of 50/50 leadership is a farce that creates two heads and two directions. History is littered with self-centered men who have dominated, belittled, ignored, and abused their wives in the name of male leadership. Jesus, God’s Son was the most powerful leader of all time Lead your wife by serving her well. |
2013-10-23 - Protect Them Fathers are the primary protectors - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed - Luke 11:21 You should not only guard your own heart but your wife’s as well Teaches your children to love wisdom instead of developing a greater appetite for the world. The older your kids get, the more they will need to understand the rationale behind your rules. |
2014-03-04 - 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. |
2014-03-17 - Teach Them to Fear the Lord (part I) If you and your wife had two children and trained them to faithfully live for Christ, and both of them raised two more children to faithfully live for Christ as well, then those same ten generations could produce 1,024 faithful believers. Teach the Word “diligently” to your children “when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” - Deuteronomy 6:7 Instruct “to fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments” - Deuteronomy 6:2 Love, truth, and respectful fear go hand in hand. Fearing the Lord transforms our thinking. |
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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2014-05-30 - Genesis 24 - Search for the Bride of Isaac (part I)SummaryAbraham's servant went to Nahor to find a wife for Isaac. ObservationsGenesis 24:1 - The Lord blessed him every way Genesis 24:8 - But under no circumstances are you to take my son there ApplicationI am convicted by the way Abraham chose to approach challenging situations. He did not chose the easy way or the first way that sounded right. He chose to be faithful and had a conviction to allow God's promises to fulfilled in his life. I did not mediate and pray through the challenges set before very often. Many times I just say or do the first things that comes to my mind. Those are often thoughts of the easy way or only way to go about things. I need to think about the bigger picture when making decisions. PrayerPraying for heart of disernment and faithfulness in life's challenging situations. |
2014-05-31 - Genesis 24 - Search for the Bride of Isaac (part II)SummaryEliezer met Rebekah by the well exactly as he had prayed. ObservationsGenesis 24:12 - Please give me success today ApplicationI do not have the dependant prayer I need to have. I have many failures because I depend on myself and do not ask God. |
2015-02-13 - Tap into Your Power Source Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray - Mark 1:35 Jesus understood better than anyone else the importantce of tapping into the heavenly power source Jesus didn't allow anything to get in the way of his prayer times Busy men often complain of burnout, Jesus never did Jesus had a packed schedule without losing his focus or his energy He considered regular prayer time virtal to his personal well-being and effectiveness How much more should we spend time daily with the One who empowers us? |
2015-03-17 - Object Lesson You are his successor, yet you have not humble yourself - Daniel 5:22 Belshazzar, refused to learn from his grandfather's mistake Nebuchadnezzar long refused to bow before the Lord God humbled him by cause him to live like a wild animal Belshazzar dishonored God when he brought out gold cups from the temple for a drunken, idol-worshiping party Daniel explained to him, hos days as king had come to an end - Daniel 25:30 It does not help to dwell in the past, but it is a good biblical idea to learn from it. What lessons from the past jump out at you? |
2015-03-22 - Show Compassion Jesus: He sent them out to tell everyone about the kigdom of God and to heal the sick - Luke 9:1-2 He didn't just want them to just show people the good news of salvation but also to tell them about it as well Jesus was the example of the One who struck a perfect balance between good works and effective words He spoke the message that fueled his acts of compassion That same message - people need today to both see and hear! What compassion or help do people around you need the most? What good news do they need to hear? |
2015-03-26 - Bucking the System Officals to Mordecai: "why are you disobeying the king's command?" - Esther 3:3-4 Bible teaches believers to obey those in authority Mordecai was tested when KIng Ahasuerus ordered his officals to bow before Haman - Esther 3:2 He had repeatedly proved his loyalty to the king but he would not bow down before any human God turned the crisis to actually advance the well-being of the entire Hebrew people When you take a stand, you demonstrate the ultimate value of your commitment to God and you encourage secret believers to declare their allegiance to the Lord |
2015-03-30 - Women in Jesus' Life But go find my brothers and tell them, "I am ascending to my Father" - John 20:17 Jesus treated women with a tehn unheard-of respect:
Jesus swam strongly against the tide of popular culture of the day and treated woman with respect
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2015-05-29 - Opportunity Knocks Jesus sat wearily beside the well; soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water - John 4:6-7 Jesus understood the importance of making the best use of every opportunity to preach and teach his message He was ready for the opportunity to share his message with the people of Samaria via the woman he jusr meet Jesus' words made a lasting impression on the woman, her neighbors - John 4:39 They were stunned that she meet the Messiah Life will present you with opportunities to serve God through serving others |
2015-06-01 - Honesty's Rewards Have I ever... Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong - 1 Samuel 12:3 Samuel earned a reputation for unimoeachable honesty that served him well At Saul's coronation, he asked the people to declare if Samuel was honest and person of integrity Everyone knew the answer and didn't hesitate to give it - YES! Samuel could speak to the people with great authority because he had carefully maintained his reputation as an honest man How can Samuel's example help you to choose honesty? |
2015-06-27 - Path to Greatness We want to sit in places of honor next to you - Mark 10:37 Culture doesn't always value putting others' needs and desires first but that is exactly what is needed to achieve greatness James and John wanted Jesus to give them the two highest seats of honor when Jesus assumed his throne This did not set well with the rest of the disciples - likely wanted this too The path to greatness is found by serving others - this seems backward Your humility will be richly rewarded |
2015-07-08 - Anticipation Rewarded Holy Spirit reveal to him that he woul not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah - Luke 2:26 Humans are creatures of anticipation. Serveral studies show expectation of something good benefits our health and sense of well-being Simon had lived a long life of such close fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit told him he would see the Messiah A voice told him to go to the Temple, this was his day When Simon saw baby Jesus, he knew immediately that this was the One he had been waiting for Simon: Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people - Luke 2:29-31 |
2015-08-19 - Called to Stand You know the evil these people are, "Make us gods who will lead us" - Exodus 32:22-23 Aaron had a opportunity to stand up for God - he failed He had been with Moses long enough to know better God had commanded the Israelies not to make themselves any kind of idol - Exodus 20:4-5 Aaron could not find within himself to stand up to the people and claimed to be an innocent bystander He failed both when he buckled under the pressure of the people as well as taking responsibility for his part of the sin |
2015-08-30 - Show Appreciation They have been providing the help you weren't here to give me - 1 Corinthians 16:17 Paul made a practice of giving and receiveing appreciation He took time to praise Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus - Corinthian believers who traveled out of their way to encourage and assist Paul in his ministry This was important enough to Paul he didn't just suggest that people show their appreciation - he commanded it Paul: You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well Why not thank people who make your life better? You will be blessed when you offer your thanks and so will they |
2015-09-20 - Feeling Alone I had no idea that they were planning to kill me - Jeremiah 11:18 Jeremiah was alone and the only one living a godly life He had an unpleasant message of God's judgement upon their stubborn unfaithfulness - they did not recieve the message well He grieved for their plans to kill him and maybe more so that no one listened to the message Jeremiah had days he wanted to give up - Jeremiah 20:8-9 Every time he felt that way, he place his eyes on the One who promised to never abandon him - Jeremiah 1:8 |
2015-10-14 - Finish Strong Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines - 2 Kings 14:3-4 Amaziah rejected King David's godly example and followed his father example, Joash, instead Joash started out strongly but fell flat later in life He faithfully served God early in his reign but defaulted on his spiritual responsibilites Amaziah led reactively instead of proactively
Follow godly examples rather than ones like Amaziah - they startedout well but finished poorly
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2015-10-22 - Glimpse of Jesus He ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree beside the road where Jesus would pass by - Luke 19:4 Zacchaeus understood his wretched condition well He understood more than anyone how despartely he needed forgiveness Zacchaeus sensed he obtain forgiveness by making contact with Jesus Many of us would have given up and gone home but Zacchaeus found a way Jesus recongnized Zacchaeus' willingness and desparation and his life changed forever How uncomfortable are you willing to be to spend time with Jesus? |
2015-10-25 - Whose Voice? Make us some gods who can lead us - Exodus 32:1 With Moses away, Aaron heard many insistent voices wanting him to do wrong Aaron knew the commandments about idol worship very well, but one moment he caved - Exodus 20:4 He agreed what they demanded Aaron had a golden opportunity to make a bold statement but instead he made a golden idol When leadership get difficult and you feel tempted to cave, can you stand strong?
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2015-11-11 - Visionary Prayer His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful - 1 Chronicles 4:9 When we receive a vision for something specific, we are to pray equally specifically Jabez was an honorable man whose name meant "pain" Only recorded words was a well-known prayer - "Please be with me in all I do and keep me from all trouble and pain" - 1 Chronicles 4:10 God said yes to everything Jebez asked:
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