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2008-03-14 - Be Still My Soul - All the Time To be real, a relationship with God must be all-the-time
If not, you are compartmentalizing your walk with God
"I am with you always" - Matthew 28:20
""Pray continually" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Nehemiah prayed, wept,and fasted for days before talking wit King Artaxerxes then he prayed again right before talking to him just before opening his mouth - Nehemiah 2:4b
- Your relationship with God does not depend how you have a quiet time
- We should learn to pray short prayers throughout the day
- If we don't remember God throughout the day, can become legalistic about our quiet times
Both are needed - a quiet time can never replace all-the-time
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2008-03-21 - Be Still My Soul - The Pattern (Part 1) What are we to pray about and in what order?
God has not left such crucial issues to guesswork
Matthew 6:9-13 - Above all other scripture on prayer - understand this one
Things to remember:
- Pattern, not a formula - not meant to be recited, rebuked by Jesus
- May seem awkward at first - stick with it
- Be prepared to spend more time in prayer when you use this prayer - wider range of subjects
- The structure reveals the genius of God - Begin looking to God; then deal with ourselves; once again focus on God
- Notice the use of "us" - personal, but not self-centered
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2008-03-22 - Be Still My Soul - The Pattern (Part 2) Our Father.
- We are longer slave but sons ans daughters
- We can approach him with confidence because of Jesus
In heaven.
- With Jesus as the high priest, we can confidence to enter the into the throne room of God
- Can gain a heavenly perspective
- Praise God that his resources there are limitless
Hallowed be your name.
- Being holy, set apart, above us
- Prayer is not just asking for something but for honoring Him
Your kingdom come.
- Kingdom has not come to every nation and place nor every person
- Pray for God to open doors, speaking boldly, with wisdom
- Pray for those who server and in leading roles
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
- God wants us to pray about surrendering to his will
- Challenges is our life must not be avoided but have a surrendered life
- Read some command and ask yourself if you are following them
- Jesus never asked for strength to go to the cross but only that he might surrender
- Besides pride and rebellion, unbelief keeps us from doing God's will
Give us today our daily bread.
- Bring specific needs to God
- Must depend on God daily for our spiritual and physical needs
- Pray thorough your todo list and details
- Jesus said we could do nothing apart from God - John 15:5
Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.
- Lack of confession results in a hardened heart
- We will not mature if do not do this soul searching
- Be specific; ask others for forgiveness if needed
- Extend forgiveness; can not be forgiven by God otherwise
And lead us not into temptation.
- What are your weaknesses? Have you faced them?
- Draw on God's power before Satan strikes
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
- Return again to praising and glorifying God
- All power rests in his hand
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2008-04-06 - Falling in Love with God - Rediscovering each other Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him - Luke 24:13-32
They did not see Jesus because they lost hope and did not see him in a new light
There is no joy like rediscovery - ex. rediscovering your spouse
Some today:
- "We are not compatible anymore"
- "We have both changed"
- Think about an old boyfriend or girlfriend
We need to "rediscover" our spouse if we have lost hope
We need to "rediscover" Jesus if we have lost hope of connecting with him again
- Because of Jesus we can be one with Him
- He has not changed
- He is thinking of me, I am I thinking of him?
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2008-04-07 - Falling in Love with God - Dashed Hopes We had hoped to become leaders
We had hoped not to move again
We had hoped that people would understand our needs
We had hoped overcome sins
We had hoped husband or wife would make changes
On the road to Emmaus - they did not see Jesus in their walk until Jesus' lit a fire under them
It is not until lost it all - that we will listen to God
David (1 Samuel 18-22)
- Lost a position
- Lost his wife
- Lost a wise counselor
- Lost a friend
- Lost self-respect
The purpose is rediscover him
- Lost hope in your relationships - God may want you to rediscover how He can meet all your needs
- Lost hope in financial stability - God may want you to rediscover how to totally depend on him
- Lost hope in someone changing - God may want you to rediscover his expectations for you
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2008-04-09 - Falling in Love with God - Jesus: Anointed One Jesus is the Christ, Messiah - meaning the "Anointed One"
The book of Acts - Christ was lifted high
- The good news that Jesus is the Christ - Acts 5:42
- Proclaimed the Christ there - Acts 8:5
- Jesus is the Christ - Acts 9:22
- "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ" - Acts 17:3
- Testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ - Acts 18:1-5
God's Christ was not confined to mere 33 years
By him all things were created - 1 Colossians 1:16-20
Sometimes we forgot - The Christ still lives today
Romans 8:28
- Who can be against us? No one
- Who will bring any charge against us? No one
- Who is he that condemns? No One
Christ is "begging God for us" Hebrews 7:25 (Dios Habla Hoy Bible)
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2008-04-27 - Falling in Love with God - Practical Inspiration
Get Out of Here
Sometimes the first step in restoring our hearts is simply to get out of the house
Why go outside?
- Quiet - able to meditate
- Parents - able to get up before the kids do
- Nature is full of inpsiration
- Much more freedom outside
Turning back the clock
Rewrite the sins and people I sin against; what I was forgiven of (not an exercise in guilt but gratefulness
Secret Scriptural Weapon
You have to work at understanding the cross
Insights of yesterday about the cross need to be consistently refreshed
God never spoke louder than he did on Calvary
Memorizing scriptures and writing them on index cards
Ephesians 3:20 - When each word is accented, the scripture can have new meanings
Best for Last
Create a treasure chest:
- Baptism photos
- Special note from friends
- Wedding Vows
- Memorabilia from children being born
Scrapbook of the heart of God - testament to God
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2008-05-02 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Forgiveness, part 2
1 Peter 2:18
- Our first response to others must having nothing to do with how they treat us; love is unconditional
- Our response to those who mistreat us must be based on the example of Jesus
- Our response when we are hurt is to think how to extend an opportunity of repentance and forgiveness
- The more we suffer with grace and mercy toward our offender, the more they are drawn to God
1 Peter 3:8-9
- Taking up our cross means we suffer at the hands of others without retaliation and with repect
- Offenders will be melted by our gentleness and hopefully
- Even if no repetance, they at least have an opportunity to repent
Taking the way of the cross accomplishes:
- Refines our character, making us more like Jesus
- Works on those who sin against us by bringing them to repentance
- The greater the hurt forgiven, the greater the impact of the one forgiven
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2008-05-03 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Rest of the Story The first person who presents a case - seems right - Proverbs 18:17
- Marriage counseling - one view, then a different view
- Forming opinion without all the background information
- Good leader - realizing he does not know everything about every subject
- Been hurt by others - assume others are the same way
Good thing to say: "I have seen something which concerns me, but I haven't heard your side yet"
Involving everyone on a decision will help others to feel valued and for you to consistently have good decisions
We have trouble listening to other opinions besides our own
Can you get hurt by other that love you? Yes
- Double indemnity insurance policy against unresolved issues (Matthew 18:15-17 and Matthew 5:23-24)
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2008-05-12 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Don't cry over split milk
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead - Philippians 3:12-14
Much of our challenge is in accepting failures without feeling like failures
Peter and Judas were both betrayers
Peter was forgiven and Judas would have too if he had not killed himself
Mistakes are part of the growing process
- Performance mind-set - try to minimize our failures (no risks)
- Terminal thinkers - avoid calling them mistakes
Gospel allows us to start over and over again
Failure to achieve dreams is one our greatest challenges from our past
Shock > denial > anger > depression, apathy, or peace (grace of God)
BIG PICTURE - being right with God, growing in our relationship with him, and helping others
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2008-05-15 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Disappointed Mathew 23:37 - Talks about how Jerusalem killed the prophets and those God has sent to them
Disappointed people are not happy people
Disappointed = depressed or discouraged by the failures of one's hopes
Disappointment in others exposes a basic selfishness; by definition is rather self-focused
Most assume that God often views us with a disappointed heart
Luke 19:41-42 (parallel verse to Matthew 23:37) - If you only had known on this day what would bring you peace
Are you often disappointed in yourself or others?
Humility is needed - Selfishness and pride is the opposite
- Disappointed often? Selfish often!
- Frustrated at others often? Selfish often!
- Angry when others have things against you? Selfish once more!
Look not to your own interest, but the interest of others - Philippians 2:3-4
Disappointment is un-Godlike; Concern is the godly quality which comes from self-denial and agape love
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2008-05-17 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Spiritual vs Doctrinal Thinking, part 1
Can major in the minors and minor in the majors
Tendency to be doctrinal focused - 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:14-19; Titus 1:5-11; Titus 3:3-11
Can come from a desire to be leaders, takes focus off our personal lives
Numbers 12:1-15
- v1 - Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses
- v2 - Hasn't God also spoken through us?
- Had a personality conflict but did not want admit it - fought over doctrine
- v9 - Lord anger burned against them and left them
Unity of believers is the acid test of whether we are really his disciples - John 17:20
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2008-05-21 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Even though Hebrews 11:8,11,17:20
- Even though he did not know where he was going
- Even though he was pass age to have kids
- Even though he God said to sacrifice his son
- Abraham reasoned... spiritually
Romans 4:18 - Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed
He was not a blind idealist, he faced the facts: God creates the laws but he not bound by them
We will not be victorious if we sacrifice our faith on the alter of reason, logic or cynicism
It is time to get back to idealism that belongs to faith in God:
- We can change
- Our children can change
- Our marriages can change
- Our hearts can change
- We just can't give up
We have the same God who was with Abraham
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2008-06-02 - Purpose Driven Life - The Heart of Worship (Part 2) What it means to surrender
Surrendering is not for cowards
It is not repressing your personality
Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience.
To say "no, Lord"- can not call Jesus your Lord
To trust God means doing without knowing where, when, how, or why
Most difficult area to surrender is money
Retirement is not a goal of a surrendered life
Surrender is hard work - Warfare against our self-centered nature
The blessing of surrender
Blessings of surrender
- Peace
- Freedom
- Experience God's power
Surrendered people are the ones God uses
Everyone surrenders to someone or something
You are free to choose but not free from the consequences
Nothing else works - All other approaches lead to frustration
Must make it a daily habit (maybe more than 50 times a day)
May be inconvenient, unpopular, costly, or seem impossible
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2008-06-20 - Purpose Driven Life - Defeating Temptation
There is always a way out
He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome - 1 Corinthians 10:13
Refocus attention on something else
By resisting, you actually reinforce it
Don't fight the though, change the channel
Power of suggestion - the more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you
Temptation begins by capturing your attention - Satan can't get your attention when you are focused on something else
Reveal your struggle to a gold friend or support group
If you fall, a friend can help you up - Eccelesiastes 4:9-10
Hiding your hurt intensifies it
Satan wants you to think that your temptation is unique - We all fight the same temptations - 1 Corinthians 10:13
The reason we hide our faults is pride - everything is under control
Resist the Devil
He will flee when you resist - James 4:7
Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil
Satan can not make you do anything, he can only suggest
Use the Word of God as your weapon against Satan - Jesus simply answered Satan with scriptures
Don't ever try to argue with Satan - he better at it
Realize your vulnerabilities
The heart is deceitful above all things- Jeremiah 17:9
Don't carelessly place yourself in tempting situations, avoid them - Proverbs 14:16
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2008-06-21 - Purpose Driven Life - Overcoming Temptation Refuse to be intimidated
You will never outgrow temptation
Temptation is a sign that Satan hates you
Paul says, "WHEN you are tempted..." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
Jesus was tempted, but never sinned - Hebrews 4:15
The closer you grown to God, the more Satan will try to tempt you
Recognize your pattern of temptation
Know what exactly what trips you up - Stay alert, Satan waits til you are napping - Matthew 26:41
- When am I most tempted?
- Where am I most tempted?
- Who is with me went I am tempted?
Don't give the Devil a chance - Ephesians 4:27
Plan carefully what you do... - Proverbs 4:26-27
Request God's Help
Call on God in times of trouble - Psalms 50:15
Jesus is sympathetic; he understands our weakness - Hebrews 4:15
We can be embarrassed to ask God for help after failing over and over again, but let us have confidence when approaching - Hebrews 4:16
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2008-06-26 - Purpose Driven Life - No Excuse for Not Serving The Bible warns against living only for ourselves - Romans 2:8
Trying to save our life; we will lose it - Mark 8:35
What excuse have you been using to not serve?
- Abraham was old
- Jacob was insecure
- Leah was unattractive
- Joseph was abused
- Moses stuttered
- Gideon was poor
- Samson was codependent
- Rahab was immoral
- David has an affair and many family problems
- Elijah was suicidal
- Jeremiah was depressed
- Jonah was reluctant
- Nomi was a widow
- John the Baptist was eccentric
- Martha worried a lot
- Samaritan women had several failed marriages
- Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered
- Zacchaeus was unpopular
- Thomas had doubt
- Paul had poor heath
- Timothy was timid
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2008-06-29 - Purpose Driven Life - Using Personality and Experiences
Personality
You are very unique 102,400,000,000 in DNA terms
All the particles in the universe is less than 1076
It is obvious that God loves variety
God works through different people in different ways; achieves his purpose through all - 1 Corinthians 12:6
So many personality conflicts between just the 12 disciples
It is easier to work with the grain than against it
Mimicking someone else exactly does not work
Experiences
- Family experiences
- Education experiences
- Vocational experiences
- Spiritual experiences
- Ministry experiences
- Painful experiences
Greatest ministry comes from our most likely come from your greatest pain
God allows you to go through painful experiences for ministry of others
When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the comfort God has given us - 2 Corinthians 1:4
Paual was honest with his bouts of depression
He eventually put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us - 2 Corinthians 1:8-10
If Paul kept his experience to himslef, millions of people would have never benefitted from it
Don't waste your pain, us it to help others
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2008-07-25 - 30 Days at the Cross - Always Remembering
Passover - it meant freedom for the Jews (from Egypt)
Jesus choose Passover to bring freedom to all through his death
It was a new relationship with God and man
God loved mankind but man hurt God with his sin
Jesus: with my life and death, you have a new relationship, now remember this
It will be forgotten in our lives if we don't make plans to remember
In the midst of our activities and pressure of life, we forget:
- How much he went through for us
- That we can be forgiven and start over again and again
- Why we are doing things we are doing
He took bread and gave thanks for this very reason - Luke 22:19
Give thanks and examine yourself - 1 Corinthians 11:28
Don't forget that in Christ there is no condemnation - Romans 8:1
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2008-08-21 - 30 Days at the Cross - Never Forget Remembering is not easy
God foresaw our tendency to forget:
- Reminded the Israelties not to be afraid
- Memorials and Feasts that were setup by God
- Jesus reminded the disciples time and time again to have faith
- Paul's letters remind Christians about the cross and resurrection
- Communion for us to remember the cross and resurrection
Remember what?
- A new life - we too may live a new life - Romans 6:4
- Eternal life - we will not perish and nothing compares to it - 1 Peter 1:3-5
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2008-08-24 - 30 Days at the Cross - United Hearts
Unity has an immense impact on our lives
Tower of Babel - God said nothing they planned would be impossible for them - Genesis 11:6
House divided against impossible for them - Mark 3:25
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit - Ephesians 4:3
What are the obstacles to unity?
- Misunderstanding and wrong assumptions (Israelite tribes) - Joshua 22
- Selfish ambition (James and John) - Matthew 20:20-28
- Inferiority and insecurity
- Jealousy and selfishness (brothers of Joesph) - Genesis 37
- Ingratitude and unforgiveness (older brother of the prodical son) - Luke 15
Sin is the ultimate cause of all disunity. Forgiveness is the ultimate cure.
It defies our nature
Reflects a surrender that trusts God's justice
Demonstrates a humility that cares less for one's own rights than for the good of others
Who do you need to totally forgive?
Forgiveness is the key to bing reunited
We need a daily "state of our unions"
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2008-09-02 - Teach Us To Pray - Full Of Faith
Reading from 2 Kings 6:15-17
We can relate to Elisha's servant, he lacked faith
When we lack faith, we only see the world around us and the challenges that life is throwing at us
When you wallow in faithlessness, your Bible study lack power and your eyes skim the pages without absorbing the words
As Elisha's servant looked down at the Arameans, he turned in despair to Elisha
He admitted that he needed help
Because of his humility, he found the help that he needed
Do you collapse in a heap of self-pity or discouragement?
Do you go out and get the help you need?
Do you babble like a Pharisee or have you gotten gut-level honest with God about how you are feeling?
Elisha's servant got humble and trusted his leader
As he looked out again, he saw the Arameans surrounded by the army of heaven
Problems always look less daunting when you get God in the picture and decide to be full of faith
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2008-09-16 - Teach Us To Pray - The Church of Jesus Disciples must have a deep commitment to pray for the needs of the church:
- Church "universal" - all congregations
- Church "militant" - war against evil
- Church "triumphant" - the mission God has given us
Praying is hard work. Let's get practical:
- Pray with variety, creativity, and perseverance - Ephesians 6
- Pray for all the saints - Philippians 1:4
- Pray for upcoming meetings
- Intercede for world leaders - 1 Timothy 2:1-2
- Tour your city - Get a map; drive around pray for the different parts
- Incorporate biblical themes
- Tour the world
- Pray for your elders
- Pray for the church's work among the needy of your city
- Pray for the special ministries within your church
- Pray for new church plantings
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2008-09-21 - Teach Us To Pray - Friends and Loved Ones To intercede or pray on someone else's behalf is a privilege
Our prayers are sacrifices which are pleasing to him - Hebrews 13:15
Paul: I want you to know how much I am struggling for you - Colossians 2:1
Who do you struggle for? How about people you have never meet?
Far be it that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray to you - Samuel to King Saul - 1 Samuel 12:23
Jesus intercedes for us - Romans 8:34
Like a good friend, he adds or subtracts from what you are missing or need
Jesus makes us complete in God's sight
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2008-09-29 - Man of Prayer - Pattern
Lord's prayer in Matthew 6 and Luke 11
- Our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9) - Getting Started
- Hallowed be your name (Matthew 6:9) - Getting Focused
- Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10) - Experiencing Divine Intervention
- Give us today our daily bread (Matthew 6:11) - Praying for Provisions
- Forgive our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us (Matthew 6:13) - Experiencing Forgiveness
- And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13) - Developing Spiritual Protection
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glry forever. Amen. (later manuscripts of Matthew) - Final Issues
Each will be addressed in detail in later chapters
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