2008-03-02 - Power of Gratitude - Making Peace with the Past Putting the past behind us is very important to maintaining the attitude of gratitude God is the God of new beginnings Also also need to put past sucesses behind us - if glory days are in the past, so is our gratitude Sins in the past - either what someone did to you or what you did to other/God Dealing with past - goal to find how the past is messing up the present not to live in it David psalms - he struggled at the beginning of many of the psalms and figured it out at the end during most Writing feeling to help resolve the past - not new, David did it centuries ago Forgetting the past was never to be inclusive of past blessings What were you worry about a year ago? Don't know? God brought us through it! |
2008-04-02 - Falling in Love with God - Bitterness An emotional response (along with fear) that succeed at undermining our love for God A result of an uncard-for emotional wound Matthew 18:15-17 - can resolve most issues Examples
Bitterness will actively oppose any attempt to restore our love for God Bitter or better - a channel of curses or blessings Disciples need Jesus' example to overcome the pain of the cross Jesus wants us to have his attitude toward suffering
Bible command us to get rid of all bitterness
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2008-04-12 - Falling in Love with God - Our False 'Gods' Here are some false 'Gods' we can create in our mind:
All of these ideas are false, contridict the Bible, and are from Satan If this is my "Father", I will have a turbulent relationship with "him" |
2008-06-03 - Purpose Driven Life - Best Friends with God God wants to be your friend God's ideal relationship - Adam and Eve (no rituals, ceremonies, or religion) Moses, Abraham, David, Job, Enoch, and Noah had intimate relationships with God Most in the OT had just the fear of God You are not longer servants but friends - John 15:15 Through constant conversations Make it a habit to have daily devotion time but it more than just that God wants to be included in every activity in your life (Some think you have to get away) Key to the friendship is not changing what you do but your attitude toward what you do Pray all the time - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray as often as possible Help me trust you You are here with me I'm depending on you You are my God How awesome you are! Pray as often as possible Your goal is not a feeling but an awareness of the reality that God is always present Through continual meditation Thing about His Word throughout your day - who God is, What he has done, and what he has said Meditation is simply focused thinking - Worry is a form of meditation Friends share secrets God told his secrets to Abraham, Daniel, Paul, his disciples, and others friends When you read your Bible or hear a sermon - develop a practice of review the truth in your mind |
2008-06-05 - Purpose Driven Life - Worship That Pleases God God wants all of you All of your soul, mind, heart, strength God is pleased when... ...our worship is accurate
...our worship is thoughtful
... our worship is practical
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2008-06-22 - Purpose Driven Life - It Takes Time There are no shortcuts to maturity - it takes us years to mature physically While we worry about fast we, God is concern how strong We arrive to spiritual maturity when have gained the fullness of Christ - Ephesians 4:13 Why does it take so long to learn?
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2008-07-05 - Purpose Driven Life - Gods Power in My Weakness (part 1) God loves weak people and everyone has weaknesses We usually deny, defend, excuse, hide and resent weaknesses God wants to use our strengths and weaknesses - 1 Corinthians 1:27 Admit your weaknesses Might be a good idea to list them Two great confessions:
Be content with your weaknesses I am glad about my weaknesses, so the power of Christ may work - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Reasons to be content:
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2008-08-09 - 30 Days at the Cross - If the King is a Servant What Jesus rightly deserved and what he received while here on earth were quite different Jesus didn't resent or resist his role He had a desire and compassion to help others Greatest of humility and suffering for him to subject himself to the cruelest of deaths - Philippians 2:8 People who have a major impact are the ones who serve Nothing moves the human heart more than someone who puts the needs of another above his own need It is a rare and precious expression of love Jesus has called you and me to be like him and take on his attitude toward serving others Jesus' serving was not limited to his friends (but also his enemies) His people will do the simple acts of service for the "least" among us Easier to serve someone on a schedule; more difficult if unexpected or interrupting my schedule |
2008-08-19 - 30 Days at the Cross - Prayer and Purpose Because of the cross we are able to pray Looking at Christ's humble submission to the cross that we can learn we can learn how to pray Thank God for the incredible opportunity that we have to talk to him because of his grace He shows us the attitude we must have as we follow Christ in prayer - right perspective on suffering After praying, he was able to face the mock trial, jeering, and the beatings Disciples, who failed to pray, fled and desperation - they were powerless Jesus purpose of praying was to make sure that we could be saved Our main purpose to pray is not complaining but for others |
2008-12-07 - Raising Awesome Kids - Respect (part 1) Honor you father and mother so it may go well with you - Ephesians 6:2-3 The issue of respecting authority is critical - opposite is arrogant, haughty, cocky attitudes How can we tell if our chidlren are disrepectful?
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2008-12-09 - Raising Awesome Kids - Obedience Must be taught and expected earily Children who are rebellious, defiant, and disobedient to parent later will demonstrate those same attitudes towards all authorities It is easiler to teach children to obey while they are yound than to begin later when the habit of disobedience is deeply established |
2008-12-18 - Raising Awesome Kids - Dreary Disobedience (part 2) Israelites - if only we had meat; we never see anything but manna - Numbers 11:4-10 God met the needs of the Israelites but he punished them for their attitude - Numbers 11:33 Must teach our kids to be grateful |
2008-12-26 - Raising Awesome Kids - Specifics Character
Beliefs and faith in God - Trust God in prayer / stand for the truth Attitudes
Values - good morals - honesty and purity - if learned young - they will not abanon them Personality, demeanor, and mannersTrain them to have a pleasant personality traits
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2008-12-31 - Raising Awesome Kids - How to Nuture Confidence (part 1) Only proper foundation is their relationship with God Develops confidence without cockiness Stress a relationship with God Focus on character - Tell your children over and over again that heart and attitude matter to God Applaud effort than ability Two of three men were successful because of their efforts not their ability - Matthew 25 Enough openness
Search out your kids strengths - everyone has at least some It is your job to help children discover and succeed in those things |
2009-01-07 - Raising Awesome Kids - Devotion to Church Love the brotherhood - 1 Peter 2:17 If you have a positive, loving attitudes about the church, your kids will too If you notice that things were not done excellently - pitch in and help make it better Teach your kids to respect their Bible class teachers If you have problem with someone - don't speak inappropriately in front of your kids
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2009-01-15 - Raising Awesome Kids - Atmosphere (part 1) Overall tone of a home What do we need to do to make the atomsphere great? Basic attitude of being positive and joyful As leaders of the family, parents must set the tine |
2009-03-03 - Promises of God - Remember Your Sins No More Remember Your Sins No More - Hebrews 8:12 God wants to forgive God's nature is to forgive Psalms 103:
God doesn't need forgiveness
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2009-05-21 - No one like him - Kingdom Attitudes (part 1) New Moses, on a different mountain Attitudes God does bless - free us to receive more blessing and generosity Attitude help us more clearly see what God is doing Poor in Spirit Poor or Beggar Luke 18:9-14 - Pharisee prayed to himself vs tax collector - in touch with his failures Our culture: think highly of yourself; never feel bad about yourself; do not think negatively; be nice We have the debt of sin |
2009-05-24 - No one like him - Kingdom Attitudes (part 4) The Pure in Heart About genuineness and sincerity The grace can not from us alone Create in me a pure heart O God - Psalms 51:10 After being forgiving and giving we start seeing ourselves as good - must have pure motives The Peacemakers True peace only comes from God - Isaiah 11:1-9 No without the other attitudes The Persecuted If you live like this, people will not like you Ironically being a peace-maker will get you hated Jesus was the Prince of Peace Attitudes not natural; not to do but to be |
2009-05-25 - No one like him - Kingdom Lifestyle (part 1) Sermon not a code of law but a higher calling NOT what is the law so I do not break it IS was lost but now found; I will seek him with all my heart Call to perfectionism is burden vs imitating our Father; being radically different Different Attitudes – Beatitudes – Matthew 5:1-12 Different Effect – Matthew 5:13-16 Salt – stops decay |
2009-05-26 - No one like him - Kingdom Lifestyle (part 2) Different Righteousness – Matthew 5:17-6:18 Righteousness for the Pharisee had became having the correct facts and outward performanceDifferent priority – Matthew 6:19-34 The pursuit of God’s will should be the overriding passion of our lives |
2009-05-28 - No one like him - Conflict and Controversy (part 1) Established positions were threaten Again and again Jesus said “You have heard it said … but I say to you…” Some say Jesus was the ultimate nice person but he was a prophet (reputation for being offensive) Examples in Matthew 23:
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2009-06-13 - A Life of Impact - Preparation Preparation Mark 1:12-13
The Message Mark 1:14-15
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2009-06-16 - A Life of Impact - Initiative and Authority Initiative Mark 1:21
Authority Mark 1:22-28
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2009-06-28 - A Life of Impact - Discernment and Productivity Discernment Mark 4:14-20
Productivity
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