Quiet Times Search

• Family name, likeness, privileges,
• Inheritance - since yo are his child, everything he has belongs to you (Galatians 4:7)
• Will be with God forever - 1 Thesslonians 5:10
• Be like Christ - 1 John 3:2
• Freed from all pain, death, and suffering - Revelation 21:4
• Rewarded and reassigned positions of service
• Share in Christ's glory - Romans 8:17

All God's great people in the Bible were weak but did not stay that way:

• Moses: Weakness was his temper BECAME "the humblest man on earth" - Numbers 12:3
• Gideon: Weakness was his low self-esteem BECAME a "mighty man of valor" - Judges 6:12
• Abraham: Weakness was fear BECAME "the father of those who have faith" - Romans 4:11
• Peter: Weakness was weak willed BECAME "a rock" - Matthew 16:18
• David: Weakness as a adulterous BECAME "a man after my own heart" - Acts 13:22
• John: Weakness was arrogance BECAME "apostle of love"

World often assumes humily with being quite, soft, weak, a loner, apathetic and without convictions

Does this sound like Jesus to you?
Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on the cross - Philippians 2:8
Death on the cross was considered a curse - Deuteronomy 21:22-23
He allowed himself to be cursed
He put his trust in him who judges justly - 1 Peter 2:23

With humility, you give up yourself, but in the process you find God and yourself

Questions and answers about humility:

1. Where does God dwell? with the humble and concrite - Isaiah 57:15
2. Who does God esteem? he who is humble, concrite, and trembles at his word - Isaiah 66:2-3
3. Who receives God's grace? not the proud but the humble - James 4:6
4. Who does God lift up? those who humble themselves under God's mighty hand - 1 Peter 5:5-6

• sleeping less
• take on more responsibility
• look less toward my own needs and interests
• more humble toward others

• Lacked confidence - 2 Timothy 1:8
  
• Could lose motivation - 2 Timothy 1:6-7
• Got ill frequently - 1 Timothy 5:23
• Tended to be lazy - 1 Timothy 4:13-15
• Need someone to believe in him

Love each one

We cannot play favorites with suffering the consequences
Fatal error of Isaac (Genesis 37:4) and Rebekah - Genesis 25:28

Love with your time

It takes time - kids look at time we give them as the most direct expression of our love
Find ourselves always saying, "Not now, I am busy" - then we are too busy
When disciple fought the "Intrusion" of the little ones, Jesus became indignant - Mark 10:13-14
Exclusive time with mom and dad is needed

• Children who learn to admire and encourage other will be confident
• They will be strong enough to give credit where credit is due
• Teach your kids to give their best and never blame anyone when they lose
• Teach them to be like Jonathan - could have been jealous of David but became his best friend - 1 Samuel 18
• John the Baptist became lesser so Jesus could become greater - John 3:30

Luke 18:22-24
Wouldn't all Christians love to meet someone who comes across as this man does initially?

Most of us would say, "can we study the Bible?"
Jesus had a very different responce because he knew his heart

Sell everything and follow him = It's not what you do but who you are
For him to have a heart set fully on following Jesus - it meant a willingness to seel all
Following the exchange, it became clear - the man was out of touch with himself and God

Jesus did challenge him but he also loved him
He pointed the man to the narrow way
At the same time he drew him close want to give him strength, faith, and hope

Jesus does not get into a lengthy theological debate
He saw weaknesses the man had to deal with if he was going to enter the kingdom of God

Each of us lacks that "one thing" deep down that we must give up and following Jesus
Something we don't know what it is but God will reveal it - Hebrews 4:12-13

• Abraham
• Moses
• Esther
• Daniel
• Joesph - 13 years of set backs and suffering but became second in command to Pharaoh

Righteousness for the Pharisee had became having the correct facts and outward performance
Not about memorizing more scriptures or fasting three times a day
Righteousness was all about attitude
When scriptures is not exact, we should on these attitudes in situations in our lives – to please God

The pursuit of God’s will should be the overriding passion of our lives
No can serve two masters – Matthew 6:24

There were a lot of relationship issues that needed to be corrected in first book of Corinthians:

1. They were divided into cliquish groups - Chapter 1-3
2. Became arrogant in their relationship with Paul - 1 Corinthians 4:18-19
3. Lawsuits with each other - Chapter 6
4. Left their spouses just because they were not Christians - Chapter 7
5. Offending other's conscience - Chapter 8
6. Acted insensitively toward the poorer members - Chapter 11
7. Who had the greatest gift (selfish competition) - Chapter 12-14

Conciseness

Mark 2:27-28 - Direct statement, only a few words.

Boldness

Mark 3:1-6 - Exposed the evil intentions of their hearts

Anger

• Gave His would–be accusers every opportunity to see for themselves their error
• When they did not respond, Jesus became angry and deeply distressed.
• He expressed anger on the spot
• Some tried to stuff anger

• Leaving behind words that stir people’s hearts from generation to generation is one mark of a man or woman of impact
• Examples JFK, MLK, Abraham Lincoln

• He was completely composed and did not react to the false accusations of his accusers.
• He did not retaliate.
• He was ready to die
• One angel was reported to kill 185,000
• Jesus refused to summon them.
  

• A life of impact is the ability to make good come from a bad situation.
• Roman soldier – few hours of watching Jesus on the cross became a believer.

• One on who be independent choose not to / he emptied himself and became a slave - Philippians 2
• We are do be devoted to one another - philostorgos = like family - Romans 12:10

• who brings into his circle of friends - John 15:13-15
• who adopts us into his family - Hebrews 2:11
• who vows he will never leave or forsake us - Hebrews 13:5

1. Ignore the problem
2. Gossip about it to other
3. Blast a person with the truth

• We can not change what we can not see
• When was the last time you said the words, “I am wrong”?
• Ask someone close, “Am I blinded in any way by pride?”
• It was through pride, that the devil became the devil
• It is the complete anti-God state of mind.
• Why is Jesus so tough on Spiritual Blindness? It prevents us from seeing the good news.

• Survey of modern sermons would be salvation
• Jesus’ preaching was about the kingdom of God

• Many call press conferences to get there side of the story our first
• Once guilt is found, party than give a “heart-felt” apology – sorrow for getting caught
• Sin is destructive. It ruins relationships, reputation, peace of mind and personal integrity

• Some believe the abundance of tears is repentance
  • Forgiven women (forgiven)
  • Peter, Paul vs Cain (became angry)
  • Esau (wailed loudly)
  • Judas (deeply regretted)
• All three shed tear but not one repented
• Claiming to be a victim doesn’t make one a victim
• Tears can be self-affirming to one with self-pity (can become more sinful)
• Ones mostly likely to enable and least likely to help you

Means to show someone his sin and to summon him to repentance; bring light, expose set forth
More than just showing faults (easy)
Sets out to prove the offense to the blinded offender
Laodicean – I know your deeds, church became blinded
Exposing the church resented a gate to enter repentance

• To give repentance – Acts 5:30-31
• God granted repentance – Acts 11:11-18
• God will grant the repentance – 2 Timothy 2:24-26

1. What is the value of the gift of elegcho (pronounced “elencho”)?
2. What methods has the Holy Spirit used to convict you? Which has been most effective at producing repentance? Which methods have you most tried to avoid?
3. How have you tried to avoid reproof from fellow Christians?
4. According to Revelation 3:19, why does Jesus reprove us? What response does He desire from us?
5. How can a person dead in sin repent and believe?
6. How does God grant repentance?
7. Look back over the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus (see chapters 4 and 5); list examples of how they reproved their hearers in order to bring them to repentance.
8. Why is repentance impossible without God?

• Started with only a few men.
• He was not concerned with programs to reach the multitudes but with men whom the multitudes would follow.
• Initial objective was to enlist men who could bear witness to His life and carry on His work.
• Early effort at soul winning had little to no effect on the religious.
• Turned out that the early convert became great leaders of His church.
• Who were they?
  • Common labors
  • No academic degrees
  • From the poor side of Galilee (Judas only exception)

• Bad character traits of His disciples:
  • Impulsive
  • “Unlearned and Ignorant”
  • Their abilities were limited
  • Temperamental
  • Easily offended
  • Often mistaken in their judgment
  • Slow to comprehend spiritual things
  • Had many prejudices.
• Good characteristics traits of His disciples:
  • Teachable
  • Willing to confess their need
  • Hearts were big
  • Sincere yearning for God
  • They were fed up with the hypocrisy of their leaders

• Disciples realized that they were responding to Jesus who was willing to give of Himself for them
• Examples of Jesus giving himself away
  • Gave away what the Father gave to Him - John 15:15
  • He gave them peace - John 16:33
  • He gave them despite pain and suffering - John 15:11
• Love is not love until it is given away
• Jesus – God gave away His most precious possession
• No greater love than to lay down our live for others
• Jesus impressed the deep compulsion of His eternal purpose
• It was clear that the Master considered no service too small or sacrifice too great.
• Jesus denied Himself many of the comforts and pleasure of the world and became a servant
• He continually gave His life “for their sakes”
• Disciples learned not in theory but in practice (painful and hard to accept)
• Jesus life was the measure by which they were to regard their own service.
  • To give freely as they had received – Matthew 10:8
  • Love one another as He loved them - John 13:34
  • Calvary love was the standard

A successful life is not life from difficulty, trial, or tragedy - Philippians 1:12-14
While Paul was imprisoned, he learned how to live

He saw God the same - no matter what happened in his life

In an earlier letter he saw illness as an opportunity bring the gospel to the them - Galatians 4:13

He saw imprisonment for a chance to convert Romans
There became disciples is Caesar's household - Philippians 4:22
Something "not good" can be turned into the complete opposite when in God's larger pattern

Paul not giving up deepen their convictions - he emboldened them to share the message

Whatever happens in life can serve to advance the gospel when we are living by faith

1 Corinthians 1:20-23 - Jesus came to bring salvation; to some he became a stumbling block

Romans 14:10-24...

• We are free to do many things with our faith
• Personal freedom must be balanced with personal responsibilty for others
• Questions to ask: Will my personal freedom be a stumbling block to others?
• v15 - brothers were distrussed by other's freedom - that is where is know we have gone too far with our freedom
• Areas we say it is our right to control
  • Music
  • Dating
  • Contribution
  • Evangelism
  • Commitment to church

Which is better to have?

• Win the battle of your rights or win the war of salvation for someone?
• Your opinon or unity of Jesus' church?

Preached by unknown - 2004-03-21

1. Gave his one and only - John 3:16
Giving defined by God
What is your one and only?

2. He became poor for us - 2 Corinthians 8:9
Who and how are we becoming poor for others?

3. Many thanks to God - 2 Corinthians 9:11

4. God loves a cheerful giver- 2 Corinthians 9:7
Is our giving cheerfully?

5. More than enough - Exodus 35:1-36:7
Do I ever shoot to give more?
What if you changed one thing per day?
Extended yourself all the time

6. Burnt offering worth nothing - 2 Samuel 24:18

7. Rich generosity - 2 Corinthians 8:1-4
Grace is an undeserved gift Give in poor areas?

8. All she had to live on - Mark 12:41-44

9. It is more blessed to give than receive - Acts 20:35

10. Test me in this - Malachi 3:6-12

Examples of desires used for bad then good

King David - passions got him in trouble, then gave us our book of worship

Peter - was hotheaded disciple always quick with a reply
First to acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah and became a key apostle

Paul - extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers, killed Christians
Jesus captured his zeal for good - he worked harder than all the other apostles - 1 Corinthians 15:10

Those who killed their passion altogether would murder the very essence that makes heros of the faith
Killing our desire is like the thinking of curing our sickness by bleeding out the bad