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Searching for "care" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "25" to "50". (120 found)

2009-03-13 - Promises of God - Faith vs Doubt
Doubt: God has forgotten about you and does not care

Faith: He knows the way you have served - Hebrews 6:10. He knows notices and cares when a sparrow falls - Matthew 10:29

Doubt: He remembers but he remembers others more than you; Doubt fills in the blanks and customizes to your hopes and desires.

Faith: God shows no favoritism; He moves at different time for different people; He has given everything we need for life and godliness

Doubt calls into question the faithfulness of God
Faith tells us it is impossible for God to lie

When Doubt comes calling, we must turn away

Faith says yes to God's promises

2009-04-09 - Promises of God - What Are We to Give?
We are to give ourselves completely to:
  • the Lord
  • the lost
  • the poor
  • our fellow disciples
Romans 9:3; Romans 10:1; Matthew 19:21; 1 John 3:16

Give whatever we have to whomever asks - our hearts, affections, and desires to the benefit to others

When do I take care of myself? Trust God to give back to you a hundred times as much in the present age - Matthew 19:29


2009-05-07 - No one like him - His servant heart (part 2)
Many ways to set our mind
  • Career
  • Car
  • House
Jesus set his mind on serving – “What can I give?”
Not looking for comfort
Not about the way he looked

Jesus saw himself as a servant, leading others to be servants

How would this thinking change – marriage, family, church, workplace, neighborhood?
Jesus was about meeting needs
  1. Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
  2. Living Bread (John 6:51)
  3. Great Physician (Matthew 9:12)
Most precious thing to Jesus was his relationship with the Father – but did not hold on that either for our sake

2009-05-19 - No one like him - Church the Kingdom?
Luke 17:20-21 - Kingdom does not come through carefully observation

Kingdom is a state of mind/heart

Kingdom forcefully advancing from John the Baptist until now (Matthew 11:11-12)

Preaching the good news of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23)

Mark 9:1 - will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God

Matthew 16:15-20 - only scripture with both kingdom and church

How does this all fit?
Kingdom can not be put in a box, mentioned:
  • Matthew - 50x
  • Mark - 15x
  • Luke - 38x
All the church the kingdom? NO
All in the church PART of the kingdom? YES

2009-06-01 - No one like him - Words from the Cross
1. Forgive them
a. Choose to pray for other first
b. Living what he preached – Pray for your enemies
2. Here is your mother
a. He wanted to make sure other were taken care of before he left
3. Be with me in paradise
a. Show he was generous with the undeserving
b. Similar to the parable about the servants being paid the same with different lengths of service
4. Why have you forsaken me?
a. Felt his need for God and separation from him
5. I am thirsty
a. Jesus was aware of his limitation
b. Hebrews 4:15-16 – Jesus can sympathize with our pain
6. It is finished
a. Foundation of his work was finished
b. Some thought this was the end of his ministry
7. Into your hands I commit my spirit
a. Conforms Jesus unswerving commitment


2009-06-20 - A Life of Impact - Selfless Authority

Abandon

Mark 2:6-12

  • Jesus didn’t walk on eggshells when he was around those who opposed him.
  • We are often so careful not to offend anyone that no frankness and no power is left our speech.
  • We need to be constantly ready to withstand opposition

Selfless Authority

  • People who seem apologetic about authority they have or hesitate to exercise it are not very impressive
  • Reason: they see it as a means of gaining something for themselves for themselves rather than a means of achieving a goal
  • People that abuse power act the same way as those who do not use
  • Pilate failed because he did not understand why he was in power
  • We should not hesitate to make use of this authority and we should be unashamed
  • How can disciples of Jesus not be bold and assertive? We must be forceful people!


2009-06-26 - A Life of Impact - Discipliner

Discipliner

Mark 3:31-35

  • Jesus cared about their souls more than their feelings
  • God is willing that people suffer in order to learn something for their own greater good.
  • Do you allow sentimentality to rule in our relationships?

Discernment

  • Jesus saw people either for him or against him.
  • They were either movers for God or still needed to be moved by God.


2009-06-30 - A Life of Impact - Dream Shared

Dream Shared

Mark 4:26-32

  • He did not hesitate to express his vision to those around him.
  • Jesus confidence that the Father would keep his promises fostered faith in his followers

Choice words

Mark 4:33-34

  • Did not teach over the listeners’ heads nor did he overwhelm them with information
  • Those that were already committed to follow him – he explained everything
  • The way we speak has almost as much impact as what we say.

Actions speak louder

  • They assumed that he could not help and they wondered if he even cared
  • Natural reaction would to rebuke the disciples than help – not Jesus


2009-07-26 - A Life of Impact - Taking the Offensive

Taking the Offensive

Mark 10:2-12

  • Jesus was tested the hostile audience.
  • Instead of backing down or becoming apologetic, he answered questions with questions.
  • Jesus told them that their hearts were hard. He always backed his answers with scripture (clear and definitive).
  • He didn’t care if his answer offended some people.

Judgment

  • God is more concerned with the spirit of the law than the letter of the law.
  • God searches the heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.
  • What people say and do is secondary importance to the condition of their hearts.


2009-08-27 - Wild at Heart - Question that haunts every man (part 1)
Men look in their hearts but they don’t discover something valiant and dangerous
Find fear, lust, and anger
"All men die, few men really ever live"
Women - Many have given up hope for a true man.

Real life of the average man seems a universe away from the desire of his heart
  1. No battle to fight
  2. No swords and castles
  3. Without a great battle in which a man live and die - fierce part goes underground
Men are angry – and we don’t know why
Why are men addicted to sports? - biggest adventure many will ever taste
Careers? Same reason
Trading stock – taste of excitement and risk

Guys have been told to be responsible

2009-09-07 - Wild at Heart - The enemy fears you
If you ever really got your heart back, lived from it with courage, you would be a huge problem to him
Many men have not been shown how to fight from the heart.
Failure of fathers and left men without direction
If you want the wound healed and your strength restored and to find your true name, you re going to have to fight for it.

Notice your reaction at these words.
Does another come in and caution you to stop
We need to know who we are and if we have what it takes

A man’s core question does not go away
We search for the answer of validation
  • Career
  • Belonging
  • How well he plays sports
  • Yes, even women


2009-10-03 - One Another - Responsibility for one another
Two extremes:
  1. Mind your own business - can gravitate to this view because of our own conform
  • Can become busybodies instead - 2 Thessalonians 3:11
  • Can become lazy - 1 Timothy 5:13
  • Offering guidance, instructions, cautions, warnings, or sometimes stronger - all part of being faithful in our relationships
  1. Judge not and you will not be judged
  • Jesus is condemning self-righteous judging
  • For those unwilling to examine the issue in their own lives
  • Must care enough about each other to help each other to grow


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

2009-10-22 - Repentance - What Happened (part 1)
What ever happened to repentance?
Millions claim Jesus as their Savior, but neglect to make him Lord – want forgiveness without repentance

Most spend a considerable amount of time of pondering change
While we pursue change, we demand change on our own terms
Examples – self-help, self-improvement
Today’s seekers of Christianity – “shopping” for a church

Do we truly love if we neglect to call the unrepentant to repentance?
In an effort to “accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative” we have treated sin and repentance as the embarrassing uncle
Why am I an uncommitted believer?
  • Sermons are boring
  • Members are unfriendly to visitors
  • Wonder about the quality of the nursery care
  • Church seems to more concerned about my wallet
  • Music isn’t very upbeat


2009-11-05 - Repentance - Jesus Opens Our Eyes (part 3)
The Purpose of Parables
  • Parables offers an opportunity to slip a message past the defenses and filters
  • Kingdom parables
    • Parable of the Sower
      • watch out for Satan, he will try to rob you of the true and understanding of the kingdom
      • church needs to honest with how worldly cares (wealth, etc)
    • Parable of the Weeds
  • Repentance parables
    • Parable of the Lost Sheep
    • Parable of the Lost Coin
    • Prodical Son
      • Vivid picture of meanoia (when he came to his senses)
      • Data did not change, his thinking did
      • Younger son objectivity saw where he was with his father
      • Reoriented heart returns a reoriented life
      • Proves his repentance by his deeds


2009-11-13 - Repentance - Godly Sorrow (part 1)
Are you content with four out of seven, even five out of seven?

Spoude – Dispatched Diligence
  • Earnestness, carefulness, diligence, make every effort, haste
  • Real Estate – earnest money – intent to buy
  • Accounting – due diligence
  • We good intentions but are they marked with diligence?
Apologia – A Drive to Clear Yourself
  • Literally mean defense – not excuses or defensiveness
  • Prodigal Son – “I have sinned against heaven and against you”
Homologia – Confession
Literally means “same” – “homo” = word; “logos” = reasoning
Satan –
  • “Go ahead and try…”
  • “Now that you’ve sinned, you’re different.”
  • “Now that you are in the darkness, you might as well…”


2010-02-15 - One Another - Bearing With Another (part 2)
When helping each other likely not going to happen:
  • When relationships are superficial - deeper and consistent basis
  • When we feel our own burdens are quite enough - not hard for anyone to feel this
When will bearing with each other happen?

1. When relationships are real, open, and deep
When we know people, walk with them, feel with them, and pray with them - we will know when they are leaving the path
We need to care for them

2. When we feel our burdens, but live with a servant heart
Should look to the interest of others - Philippians 2:4-5

3. When we understand that we are responsible for one another and accept it

2010-03-02 - To Live is Christ - Partners in the Gospel
Philippians 1:16

Philippi was named for Philip of Macedon
It was a roman colony - not actually a place one would expect the message of Jesus to take hold
A roman jail is where you would expect Paul and Silas to be

Paul made a career of being with other and influencing their lives - reduced to visits from the guards
Through many hard times he had learned to overcome the most challenging of circumstances

Five lines into the letter, Paul remembers his relationship with God and other disciples:
  • First converts - Lydia and her household
  • The jailer and his house hold
  • God using an earthquake to bring unlikely people into the kingdom of God - Acts 16:22
Christianity is a personal experience but not a private one

Only when we have been in the trenches with others will we have relationships that are full of life

2010-03-16 - To Live is Christ - Profit to Loss
If anyone want to talk about 'confidence in the flesh', Paul was ready to take them on - Philippians 3:4-7
Paul used the events in his life to show just how empty all human achievements in before God

Heredity reasons (how Paul was more than others but counted them a loss)
  • He was circumcised the first day it was possible (eighth day)
  • He was an Israelite
  • He was from the tribe of Benjamin (most honored tribe of all)
  • He was a Hebrew of Hebrews - carefully passed on Hebrew language to children
Hard work reasons (how Paul was more than others but counted them a loss)
  • He was extremely zealous - Galatians 1:14
  • He vigorously opposed the church
  • He was faultless in the eyes of others
He considered it all a loss = Greek: "the thinks that were gains to me, I counted loss"
If anyone had a right to glory in the flesh, Paul did, but he clearly saw that no one has that right

2010-03-25 - To Live is Christ - Learned to be Content
The secret of being content in any situations is to remember - I can do everything through him who gives me strength - Philippians 4:10-13

Content = Greek word autarkeia = self-sufficiency or not needing a thing

Secret he learned was not because he choose not to care

He learned it by:
  • Listening to Christ everyday
  • Holding on to his faith in the fiery trails
  • Slowly and painfully
Paul did not raise from baptism knowing this, he came out of the waters ready to learn it
At one point - bad circumstances led him to despair of life itself - 2 Corinthians 1:8

What circumstances are in your life right now that could lead to a lack of contentment?


2010-03-30 - Life to the Full - Crown not Frown (part 4)
True freedom is not political freedom but spiritual freedom - James 1:25
Remember how the Jew sought political freedom?

Religion without self-control is useless - James 1:26
Worldly speech includes gossip, slander, cursing, swearing, deceit, etc

Lack of social concern is a sure sign that a person is a false Christian
Worldly values and social apathy go hand in hand
Do we really care about the widows and orphans and widows - James 1:27


2010-04-27 - 7 Habits of Highly Effective Children

Preached by Dan Rice (2005-06-26)

Mark 10:13 - We must have a child like heart to make it to heaven

Children Love Life
John 10:9 - Jesus says we can live life to the full

Children Want to Grow
2 Peter 3:18 - They were eager to learn

Children Change Fast - 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

Children Take Risk - Care less about what people think about them. John 12:42-43

Children are quick to trust
John 14:1-4 - Jesus has our best interest at heart
Numbers 20:12 - Moses and Aaron did not trust
Deuteronomy 1:29-35 - Israel did not trust
Psalms 20:7-8 Psalms 22:4-5 Psalms 44:16-17 Psalms 49:13-14 Proverbs 3:5

Children are Idealist - they dream; it is better than synical

Children are faithful - John 3:16 - They did not many reasons like we do.



2010-05-26 - Desire's Journey - Faith as Desire

First two servant doubled their investment and were rewarded
Most would have agreed with the third servant burying the money saying, "well, at least it was safe" - Matthew 25
The third servant was put into darkness because he did not trust God

When we bury our desires, we saying to God = 'I don't dare desire because I fear you; I think you are hard-hearted"

Is our obedience more out of love or out of carefulness?
Killing desire may look like sanctification but it's really godlessness

Persistent widow - won he case because she refused to let up

When Jesus returns, will he find faith? - Luke 18

To live with desire means:

  • Choosing vulnerability over self-protection
  • Admiting our desire and seeking help beyond ourselves
  • Living by faith and refuse to kill desire

 



2010-06-12 - Why Jesus Came (part 1)

Preached 1998-07-05
    Most of us have lost something:
    • Losing wallet - not a good thing
      • Feels good to find it.
    God's desire is to "find" what is lost - YOU!
     
    • Problem: We are separated from God by sin

    Jesus came to...

    Save the lost

    Luke 19:10

    • Uses people to save others
    • Many people to save some:
      • Do not know they are lost
      • Are confused
      • Misguided
      • Are not interested
      • Are looking
    • Despite the what phase we are in we are still lost.
    • No excuses 
      • Those who have issues are not really searching
        • "What about those hypocrites?"
        • "I am too busy"
        • "I will but...."

    Acknowledge the Father

     John 14:9

    • To relate
    • Some think God doesn't care
      • How can God allow all these shootings?
        • Isrealites were saying the same thing in the dessert
    • Jesus = God with us
    • If Jesus was standing next to you how would you act differently?


2010-07-15 - Desire's Journey - Deeper Desire (part 2)
Life is both a battle and journey

Life in its fullness has yet to come
So we must take serious care of our hearts now

How awful to reach the end of life and we find we haven't bought our hearts along with us

Two extremes:
Life is full of striving and indulgence
A long march of duty and obligation

When considering the promises of God and nature of the rewards, we see that the Lord finds our desires much too weak
We are far too easily pleased

We believe that life is not going to offer what we truly want so we have reduced our desire to a more manageable size.

Lets be honest and all it what it is: sin


2010-07-19 - Desire's Journey - Deeper Desire (part 6)
From the section about Jesus' trial in the dessert

2. Trail comes after we determine not to take matters into our own hands

By refusing to turn stones into bread, Jesus choose to trust God
Satan tries to attack our sense of God's heart toward us
If our thoughts are: "Do I really have to wait that long? Do you care me, God?" - Satan will jump all over this

Jesus came to answer once and for all our question: "Do you love me?"
We can stand firm on the ground of the cross against the doubt
We don't need for God to prove his love for us - he has at the cross

2010-07-29 - Desire's Journey - Letting Go (part 6)

With beauty, we need not fear indulging here
There is not a possessive quality to it
You can love the landscape without acquiring the real estate

Beauty is the closest thing we have to fullness without possessing on this side of eternity

Two kinds of losses in life:

  1. Shared by all mankind - accidents,  fate, acts of God
  2. Only know by the pilgrim - losses that we choose. We give up something that wasn't ours to begin with

Spiritual surrender is not resignation
Not choosing to care longer
Not an attempt to get beyond the suffering

It is surrender with desire



2010-07-30 - Desire's Journey - Letting Go (part 7)
Christ is weeping freely
His prayers are marked by loud cries and tears
He make it very clear what he desires

"Yet not my will, your will be done"
He surrenders with desire
Making himself poor, he opens up to us the treasures of heaven

Buddha abandons his desire
Christ surrenders his will
It is no small difference

True surrender is not an easy way out
Surrender comes only after the night of wrestling
Only after we open our hearts to care deeply and give over our deepest desires to God

Freedom and beauty and rest that follow are among the greatest surprises


2010-07-31 - Desire's Journey - Keeping Heart (part 1)
We have similar path we follow
  1. God shows up
  2. The lights turn on for those who respond
  3. Their heart is lifted; grateful tears flow
  4. Faith, hope, and love seem like the only way to live
  5. The next week, it is though nothing happened
Forgetting is not a small problem
Forgetfulness does not come against us like an enemy in battle formation
It comes unnoticed

We are warned about forgetfulness in the scriptures

The pattern so predictable, we have come to expect it:
  1. God delivers his people from the Egyptians by his display of power - plagues, passover, red sea
  2. Israelites celebrate with singing and dancing
  3. Israelites complain about the water supply
  4. God provides sweet water
  5. They complain about the food
  6. God drops breakfast from the sky
  7. They complain about the water again
  8. God provides water from a rock
And on and on for 40 years

Be careful and watch yourself closely so that you don't forget the things your eyes have seen - Deuteronomy 4:9


2010-08-04 - Waking Dead - Arm Yourselves (part 1)
What are God's intentions toward me? What is it I've come to believe?

Heard that God cares and has some glowing promises given to us in Scripture

The glory of God is man fully alive

Jesus says he came to give life
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full - John 10:10

Whoever believes in me - streams of living water will flow from within him - John 7:38

Life is all over the scriptures:
You have made known to me the path of life - Psalms 16:11
In him was life and that life was the light of men - John 1:4
Come to me to have life - John 5:40
Tell the people the full message of this new life - Acts 5:20


2010-08-08 - Waking Dead - At War (part 3)
Until we come to terms with war, we will not understand life
We will misinterpret most of what is happening around us:
  • Difficult to believe God's intentions are eternal life
  • Hard to not feel that we are blowing it
  • We will accept some awful things as God's will
  • God is ignoring our problem or just does not care
Most people get stuck at some point because God appears to have abandoned them
We have to realize we are part of a story and the situation we are in right now will change

We won't understand our life until we see it as a battle - warring against your heart

The issue is: we can not see things as clearly as we ought to - but we need to
The attack on our hearts weighs down our lives and glory is being held back
We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart

2010-08-19 - Waking Dead - Restored
The deepest and most wonderful of all mythic truths reveiled in the Beauty and the Beast
The transformation: a creature that no one could bear the sight of is transformed into a handsome prince
  • Cinderella rises from from supression to become queen
  • The ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan
  • Pinocchio becomes a real boy
  • Frog becomes a prince
  • Scrooge becomes a good friend to all
  • Cowardly lion, Scarecrow, Tinman all get what they are missing
They all transformed into the very thing they never thought they could be

It is the secret of Christianity
You must be born again - John 3:7

Not about keeping laws or rules
Counts whether we have really have been changed into new and different people - Galatians 6:15

Is this not the message of the gospel?
  • Zacchaeus the trickster becomes Zaccheaus the honest
  • Mary the sinful becomes Mary the faithful
  • Paul the self-righteous murder becomes Paul the humble apostle


2010-09-12 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 4)
Heads up. Satan can give us actions and words to say:
  • Satan incited David to take a census of Israel - 1 Chronicles 21:1
  • To Peter: "Get behind me Satan" - Matthew 16:21-23

Some trying to "work through" things are simply have agreements with the Enemy
Do you really think the source of that is just you? or God?

Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry - Ephesians 4:26-27
Not just anger  - it happens through all sorts of issues

Satan uses your wounds and unresolved emotional issues to pin your heart down under a spiritual stronghold
Wounds we take are not accidential

We must be careful not to make agreements with Satan to increase his dominion



2010-09-18 - Waking Dead - Spiritual Warfare (part 6)
We must be careful that the religious does not turn discipleship into a soul-killing exercise
Counseling "medicine" for the sick patients can cause an endless cycle of always relying on the meds instead of focusing on a solution
Hope deferred makes the heart sick - Proverbs 13:12
So the wounds of the heart are never healed

A religious spirit makes it next to impossible foe a person to break free by spreading the belief there is no war
  • What group did Jesus tangle with the most?
  • Who start the rumors about Jesus to discredit him?
  • Where did the open opposition to Christ come from?
  • Who paid the 30 pieces of silver for Jesus' capture
  • Who got the crowd to start yelling Barabbas when Pilot was ready to let Jesus go?
If it does not bring freedom and life, then it is not Christianity
If it does not restore the image of God and rejoice in the heart, it is not Christianity

2010-09-21 - Waking Dead - Fellowship of the Heart
The first Christians were called "followers of the Way" - Acts 9:2

They found the Way of Life and had given themselves over to it:
  • They lived together
  • Ate together
  • Fought together
  • Celebrated together
How wonderful it would be if we found the same

A fellowship must protect you:
  • Frodo hasn't a chance without Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli
  • Neo is set free from the Matrix and joins the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar
  • Dorthy, the Scarecrow, Tin man, and the Lion
  • Band of Brothers - enough said
  • Prince Caspian with a faithful few Narnians
  • Maximus rallies his little band
  • Captain John Miller and is squad of eight to save Private Ryan
  • Jesus had his Tweleve
Fellowship functions as  a team to watch each other's back
A family bound together in a single fate
Each one has a role

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

2010-09-28 - Waking Dead - Devotion and War
Caring for your heart is also how you protect your relationship with God

Your heart is where life flows
Whoever believes in me - streams of living water will flow from within him - John 7:27-38

God's friends care for their heart because they matter to Him
What does your heart need?

Some needs are common to all hearts like silence and solitude
Very early Jesus went away to a solitary place - Mark 1:35
We need to make time to get away - our entire lives are ruled by the expectation of others and the heart is the first to go

The enemy will tell you this is foolish
"You have many more important things to do with your time"
Caring for your heart is an act of obedience, faith and an act of war

The first wave of any strike against us is to rob us of the heart to fight it
Hyenas cannot bring down a lion in its prime - they run it, taunt it, and wear it down to the point of exhaustion

The strategy of our Enemy in the age we live is busyness and drivenness
Most will say when asked how they are doing is "really busy"
That we way we are going to get burned out and lose touch with our hearts
The empty heart is more vulnerable to temptation

2010-09-30 - Contagious Christian - People Matter (part 2)

Jesus focused on a search for the Lost and so they could be Found

The Lost Coin - vital to the woman's survival
The Lost Sheep - represented a significant part of his livelihood
The Lost Son - wayward son who mattered greatly to his father

Each one - Something of great value was missing, something that really mattered

It also make Jesus so upset the religious leaders were discussing who matters to God who does not

When we realize how much God cares about people, we helps us to care for them too

It is worth the effort - what is missing was important enough to warrant an all-out search

Retrievals results in rejoicing

The woman found the coin and threw a party
The shepherd retrieved the sheep and threw a party
The son came home and the father threw the biggest party of all

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents - Luke 15:10

 

 



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
  • Tienanmen square
  • East Germans slamming their picks axes into the Berlin Wall
It strikes a cord deep inside us even if you don't agree with the cause they represent
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
  • Continued to claim to be God's Son
  • Take care of his mother's needs
  • Extend grace to the repentant thief

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



2010-10-10 - Contagious Christian - Pull of Compassion
Caring for the tangible needs of others is at the core of Christianity
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless - look at orphans and widows in their distress - James 1:27

Compassion is echoed throughout the Bible:
  • Be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor - Deuteronomy 15:11
  • Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me - Matthew 25:40
  • All I ask is that you remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do - Galatians 2:10
Uncaring Christianity does not attract inquirers
Clear and consistent demonstration of Christ-like love is a powerful magnet that pulls people toward Him

Not about who you are or what you did
It is about how you care, being a neighbor - Luke 10:36-37
In Luke 10 - when the wounded man awoke, he must have wondered, "Who did this? Why would they do help me in such a great way?"
It is when people start asking, "Why didn't he not turn away like everyone else?"

As I have loved you, so you must love one another - John 13:34-35
All men will know that you are my disciples

2010-10-24 - Christian Responsibilities
  1. Yourself - 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
    1. We need to be financially independent in the sense that we take care of our own. As adults we should not be dependent on parents, family, friends, or the church except in rare instances.
    2. Non-Christians do not respect people who do not carry their weight financially. We hinder the spread of the Gospel if we are irresponsible with our finances.
  2. Family - 1 Timothy 5:4-8
    1. Taking care of our family is one of the most basic responsibilities we have. If we fail, we deny the faith.
    2. Responsibility includes at least parents, grandparents, spouse, children, 7 brothers and sisters.
    3. It is right for us to repay our parents and grandparents.
  3. Government - Romans 13:1-7
    1. We need to support the government through the payment of taxes.
    2. We pay not according to what we can get away with but what is right to pay.
  4. The Church - 1 Cor 16:1-2
    1. Each one has the responsibility to take care of the church financially.
    2. Set aside on the first day of every week.
    3. Plan and save for special contributions.
  5. The Poor - Luke 12:33; James 1:27

QUESTIONS

  1. In which of the above areas am I not fulfilling my responsibilities?


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



2010-10-31 - Contagious Christian - Barriers to Relationships (part II)
1 Corinthians 15:33 - Bad company corrupts good character
  • In context, Paul was specifically warning against those who deny the resurrection of Jesus
  • In other situations, we need to make sure we are the one whose influence is prevailing
  • Should be on the offense rather than defense
  • Take captive of every thought and make it obedient to Christ - 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
If I spend time with non-Christians in public places, will my reputation be at risk?

Jesus not only risked his reputation but ruined it
He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard - Luke 7:34
Tells you want kind of people He was around

Jesus said that He associated with sinners because they are sick people that need a doctor - Matthew 9:12-13
The danger was that the doctor may be mistaken as one of His patients

The religious people mutter how inappropriate it was for Him to associate with such disreputable people
Jesus cared much about the lost than his reputation

2010-11-08 - Contagious Christian - Matthew's Interpersonal Approach
After accepting Jesus' call, Matthew did whatever he could to bring along as many of his friends as possible
He put on big banquet for his tax collector buddies in our for them to meet Jesus - Luke 5:29
He did not confront, debate, or tell them what happened to him
He relied on the relationships he'd built with them and he sought to further develop their friendship

He genuinely cared about them and wanted to influence them toward considering Christ

People who specialize in this approach, tend to be warm and people-centered
Some people will never be reached until someone takes the time to build that kind of intimacy with them

Interpersonal evangelist enjoy:
  • Having people in their homes
  • Sharing a meal
  • Spending time in conversation


2010-12-01 - Mission - Forgiveness
The message to Preach

2. Forgiveness of sins

Without this, there would be nothing else
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8
We first need to clearly teach people why forgiveness is possible
Happens only in the name of Jesus
It is only because God loves us and not because of anything we have done or will do
We must also make it clear that is when one is baptized in the name of Jesus that one is saved - Acts 2:38

As we preach, we must be careful, but not cautious
Be sensitive but not sentimental

We must preach the cross so powerfully that it cuts
No one will ever repent until they are brought to Godly sorrow - 2 Corinthians 7

2010-12-16 - Word of God (part I)
2 Timothy 3:16-17
  • All Scripture is inspired by God, God-breathed
  • Should be applied to our lives so that we can be ready for every spiritual challenge
    • Word used to learn what God says by teaching
    • Word used to correct things we are not doing
    • Word used to warn us by rebuking us
    • Word used to put things into practice through training
  • Why should we go through this type of learning? Be thoroughly equipped for all good works
Hebrews 4:12-13
  • The word of God is relevant and can expose and convict us of sin in our lives - not collecting dust somewhere
  • It exposes us for what or who we are - Not everything in the Bible feels good at the time
  • Sharper than any double edged sword - It can cut us, but its purpose is to cut out the bad, so that we can be healed - just like a surgeon’s scalpel.
1 Timothy 4:16
  • We need to watch how we live and what we teach - both essential to salvation
  • Illustration: Which wing of an airplane is most important? So it is with what you teach and how you live out those beliefs.
  • What is the result of careful attention to our life and doctrine?


2011-02-11 - Fearing God - Parable of Awe

Marine Corp example

Solider learned to respect autority promptly and correctly by carrying out commands / seeing pure fear and humilation as punishment
Some actually learn to enjoy the challenge of the tough, disciplined life

Solider grows a personal relationship with the general but always conscious of the vast difference in rank between them
It was a different kind of awe - a greater sense of respect and admiration

Later he realizes how much the general cares for him by putting his life on the line for the solider

Jesus often spoke in parables, fictional stories that as if they really happened
Helps express more abstract spiritual concepts

Awe is defined as:

  • An emotion in which dread, veneration, and wonder are vairously mingled
  • Submissive and admiring fear inspired by authority
  • A fearful reverence inspired by deity

 



2011-02-25 - Counting the Cost (part I)
Purpose: We want to review things with you to answer any questions or help with situations that could occur.

Luke 14:25-27
  • Question: What do you understand these scriptures as saying to you?
  • Question: Who would be the most challenging relationship for you to keep God above?
  • Question: What if your (spouse, kids, parent) did not want to be a disciple (or left) what would you do?
  • Satan will use relationships closest to you to try to pull you away.
  • Don't think these things will never happen to you - never underestimate the devil
  • v26 - Even his own life
    • What will you need to overcome?
James 4:7 - Temptations will come but you need to resist them - fighting for your life/salvation.

1 John 1:5-10
  • Even when you sin after you are baptized then the blood of Jesus will continue to purify you from all sin if we stay in the light
  • We should confess our sins and having discipling relationship helps us to take care of one another
  • Question: If someone approaches you and talks about how many changes they have seen in you. What should you tell them (role play)


2011-02-28 - Servant of God (part II)
The last will be first
Mark 9:33-35
  • The first must be last
  • This is not how it is in the work place
    • Go ahead take my promotion
    • Kiss up to the boss
    • Fighting to be the best
    • Spend long hours at work
If we don't see the needs around -> we should pray for Go to show us
What ways should you be serving?

It will take faith:
  • Who will take care of me?
  • They may not thank you
Matthew 23:11
  • The humble will be exalted
  • Servants can not be prideful; humility is the badge the slave
Luke 17:7-10 - Our attitude at the end of the day should be that we are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty

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