2009-01-08 - Raising Awesome Kids - Evangelistic Lifestyle Something the whole family should think about constantly Each child has a role in reaching another family Too many of us separate our families from our outreach to others Our families are the brightest light that God can use to illuminate a dark world
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2009-01-27 - Jesus with People - Rich Young Ruler Luke 18:22-24 Sell everything and follow him = It's not what you do but who you are Jesus did challenge him but he also loved him Jesus does not get into a lengthy theological debate Each of us lacks that "one thing" deep down that we must give up and following Jesus |
2009-02-05 - Jesus with People - Realness When it comes to friendship, Jesus again sets the standard Jesus knew John:
Incredible thing about John is that it would seem that he never doubted Jesus' love He refered to himself 5 times as the "disciple that Jesus loved" |
2009-03-07 - Promises of God - Lord of the Unexpected One of our greatest test of faith comes when we face the unexpected We forget Psalms 91 - His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart We often rely on our own understanding of situations and then ask God what we think we need It is important to let God give us the answer since he knows what is best for us This trouble you're in is not punishment, it's training, the normal experience of children - Hebrews 12:17
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2009-03-09 - Promises of God - The Problem is Me Deuteronomy 4:29 - Find God when we seek him with all of our heart Repentance must be proven by our deeds - Acts 26:20 Praise God for his faithful correction - Proverbs 3:11-12 God hates sin, takes sin of idolatry, personally - Deuteronomy 6:15 Sin comes when we lower the standard of commitment in our lives and allow ourselves to become lazy, selfish and self-indulgent Being idolatrous and lukewarm is a serious sin against God - Revelation 3:16 Against God, his church, and the souls that are not saved as a result |
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 |
2009-03-17 - Promises of God - Encouragement From Disciples Jesus overcame temptation by using scripture, prayer, and he called others for encouragement from others He deliberately sought out support and encouragement from his 3 closest friends We desperately need relationships for encouragement EVERY day - Hebrews 3:12-13 There is no excuse in an age of modern technology for getting in touch |
2009-03-20 - Promises of God - Lord Delivers May have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all - Psalms 34:19 Three types of trouble:
Our job is to trust God - John 14:1, 27 He may deliver us from trouble or he may deliver us by using the trouble to teach us important lessons Our eternal glory far out weights our momentary troubles - 2 Corinthians 4:17 |
2009-04-10 - Promises of God - How We Are to Give? Do not give as the world gives - John 14:27 Give to :
Fear may cause questions:
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2009-04-29 - No one like him - Who did he think he was? Christianity built on the identification of Jesus Not like any other prophet, priest, or preacherAdolf Hitler – consider one of the worst tyrant in history There were others that were close to him (Stalin…)Jesus – there are no one comes close Most scholars can not deny that Jesus lived First Century movement that was started by those who saw him first hand How Jesus viewed himself:
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2009-05-09 - No one like him - His Submissiveness Not a characteristic most see in Jesus Mark 1:4-9 – Jesus was submissive to John – standing in line with everyone else Submission comes to tests our hearts Isaiah 53:7 – Jesus submitting to arrogant/self-center religious/non-religious when he was on his way to die |
2009-05-23 - No one like him - Kingdom Attitudes (part 3) Those Who Hunger and Thirst We see our lostness, we see our need to be learners; pursues what comes from God Righteousness less about perfection, and more about the relationship The Merciful First four about relationship with God; Next have to do with our relationship with others in the light of God Matthew 18:23-27 - forgiven will love much |
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 |
2009-07-05 - A Life of Impact - Patience and Challenger Mark 6:1-6 Patience
Challenger
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2009-07-19 - A Life of Impact - Timing Timing Mark 8:31-33
Approachability
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2009-07-23 - A Life of Impact - Ambition Ambition Mark 9:33-35
Win/Lose/Win
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2009-07-25 - A Life of Impact - Friend or Foe? Friend or Foe? Mark 9:38-41
Hell-Fire Speech Mark 9:42-50
Teacher Mark 10:1 – We must good teachers and in teaching mode. |
2009-08-13 - A Life of Impact - Open arms Open arms Mark 14:27-31
Giver of life
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2009-08-23 - Wild at Heart - Wild One whose image we bear Where do we come from? A man must know where he comes from and what he is made of both past and family fathers Most men are trying not to be like their fathers Who will they derive their sense of strength? To men God is: Distant and weak (How they would describe their father) Reminds us that life lived in fear is no life at all – all will die someday |
2009-09-01 - Wild at Heart - The wound (part 1) There comes a time when we simply have to face the challenges in our lives and stop backing down Men rarely praise each other directly - by way of accomplishments (“you are a wild man”, “what is up stud” The question – Do I have what it takes? Am I powerful? Until a man knows he’s a man he will forever be trying to prove he is one, while at the same time shrink from anything that might reveal he is not Boy learns who is he and what he’s got from a man
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2009-09-02 - Wild at Heart - The wound (part 2) Adam receives his name from God Abraham names Issac Jesus needed to hear those words God renames Jacob and Paul Racheal names son “son of my sorrow”. Jacob renames him “son of my right hand” It took intervention by the man, it always does A boy is brought into the world by his mother There comes a time for the shift when he begins to seek out his father’s affection – Hard for a mother Dad coming home is biggest event in a boy’s day Women try to fill void that an absent father has left Father calls his son “tiger” Turns to mom for comfort and dad for adventure If a mother will not allow her son to become dangerous, if she does not let the father take him away, she will emasculate him. |
2009-09-08 - Wild at Heart - The fathers voice (part 1) A man needs to know his name - He needs to know he has got what It takes Can not know who we are until we know God Adam knew Eve intimately - this how we need to know God. Deep knowledge comes from a process of initiation. You have to know where you come from. Some try to get their identity from others – girlfriend/wife, friends, job, and hobbies Who can we turn to for this need? God could take him on that journey, provide what is missing Who will give your name and mean something? God! There is a terrible assault Adam was created for adventure and battles; he created us for a unique place in his history Abram becomes Abraham, Jacob becomes Israel, and Saul becomes Paul |
2009-09-10 - Wild at Heart - False self (part 1) Place of our woundedness we construct a false self People can shutdown their heart and focus on what they are good at - Spock like Can become a perfectionist An impostor - don’t ever be your real self anymore because nobody likes you as you are As a defense against pain It becomes OUR plan for salvation - will fail time and time again until we give up God must take it away Those plans to protect and save us will actually destroy us - leads to death - Proverbs 16:25 Seems right to shield ourselves from pain and to save a little love There is a critical point in every man’s life True test of a man is when he starts to longer rely on what he’s used all his life Not women want a man that just exists |
2009-09-13 - Wild at Heart - False self (part 4) A masculine journey always takes a man away from the women, come back to with his question answered A man does not go to a woman to get his strength; he goes to her to offer it. Addiction comes when we have taken our soul to her for validation. What else are we looking for? God Adam had God God gave Adam Eve out of His humility Eve eventually took the place of God Adam was not deceived Time where Eve had fallen but Adam had not Adam choose Eve over God Men without his true love, God, will try to find another Why do you remain thirsty after you have had a drink… it is the wrong well In God will only find the true healing of the wound |
2009-09-15 - Wild at Heart - Healing the wound (part 1) Source of real strength comes from the one that truly possess it. It was meant from the beginning that we have a desperately dependence on God “Apart from me you can do nothing” – We are made to depend on God God designed the human machine to run by itself Sin and our culture came together – prevent the wound from being healed – to be independent We believe deep in our hearts that if we need anything from anyone is a sort of weakness The Son could do nothing by himself – the Father and I are one Like trying to finish the marathon with a broken leg |
2009-09-24 - Wild at Heart - The Enemy (part 5) Not every thought that crosses your mind comes from you
Who caused the Chaldeans to steal Job’s herds – Satan Job 12,17 Anaias and Sapphira – Satan Heartache keeps us from praying Satan is behind that brutal assault on your on strength There is a whole lot more going on behind the scenes of our lives than most of us have been led to believe Behind the world and the flesh is an event more deadly enemy, one we rarely speak of and are even less ready to resist |
2009-10-14 - Wild at Heart - Eve's Wound Question for her is: Am I lovely? She needs to know that she is exquisite and exotic and chosen. This is core to her identity, the way she bears the image of God Will you purse me? Do you delight in me? Will you fight for me? Wound says - No, you are not beautiful and no one will really fight for you Wound usually always comes from the hand of her father He has the power to cripple or to bless is just as powerful to her as to the son Her heart is violated and the message is driven father in – you are not desired, you will not be protected, no one will fight for you. If the father is passive, a little girl will suffer a silent abandonment – not noticed or pursued Like so many unloved young women, they will to turn to boys to hear what she never heard from her father When a woman never hears she’s worth fighting for, she comes to believe that is the sort of treatment she deserves A hesitant man is the last thing in the world a woman needs. She needs a lover and a warrior, not a nice guy Number one problem between men and women is that we men, when asked to truly fight for her, hesitate We are still seeking to save ourselves, we have forgotten the deep pleasure of spilling our life for another |
2009-10-21 - Wild at Heart - An adventure to live (part 4) The problem with modern Christianity is it’s obsession with principles Real test of a man comes when all his resources fail Living and loving – jump in with both feet Ask your wife what is wrong? Dangerous – very much a mystery She does not want to be solved; she wants to be known We know how to be nice but we really do not know how to fight Christian life should not be chaotic or be flagrantly irresponsible. Break away from it all and head off into the unknown God Adam - No formula for how he was to handle mess God honored and did not hold his hand Was not left alone to face life The only way to live in this adventure – is in an ongoing relationship with God Control we crave is an illusion – it in exchange for God’s relationship Moses and God knew each other David was after God’s own heart Jesus made God known – John 15:15 What are you teaching me here, God? What are you asking me to do or let of? What in my heart are you speaking to? |
2009-11-02 - Repentance - The Prophets (part 4) Prophets Transcend Public Opinion
Prophets Get to the Root to Produce Real Fruit
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2009-11-03 - Repentance - Jesus Opens Our Eyes (part 1) No one comes to Jesus without a preconceived paradigm about God Our only hope for overcoming our blindness is repentance – only way to see the kingdom Cursed Be The Pride that Blinds
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2009-11-12 - Repentance - Worldly Sorrow (part 2) 3. Excuses
A repentant Christian embraces absolutions, even moral absolutes5. Repetition Repentance is no fragile state of mind that we barely notice entering and exitingQuestions
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2009-11-15 - Repentance - Godly Sorrow (part 3) Zelos - Zeal Zeal reject the “whatever…” attitude as it determines to do “Whatever to takes!”Questions
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2009-12-19 - Master Plan - The Plan (part 2)
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2009-12-31 - First the Kingdom - Mercy Mercy is treating others as God has treated us As Christians, we can become numb to the cries of others Because of increased wickedness the love of most will grow cold but he stands firm to the end will be saved - Matthew 24:12-13 Has our love grown cold? Why do we feel so little mercy? Why don't we feel for others? Feeling what they feel - that is really what mercy is all about Not merciful or forgiving because we get focused on ourselves and how we feel We need to forgive so our sins can be forgiven and we can be healed - Luke 6:37 Mercy also comes in the form of understanding and compassion Jesus had mercy for the blind beggar - "Jesus, have mercy on me" = Luke 18:35-43 |
2010-01-05 - Kingdom First - Helping Others to Make Peace Highest calling as peacemakers is to help other make peace with God We have been fitted with the feet of readiness that comes from the gospel of peace - Ephesians 6:15 Are proclaim peace to others - Isaiah 52:7 Jesus shed his blood so we could have peace He calls to die to ourselves so others can be made right with God Not superficial "world peace" but true peace in the heart of each man and women |
2010-01-07 - Kingdom First - Blessing of Persecution Matthew 5:10-12 - Describes 3 types of blessing that come from persecution: 1. Kingdom of Heaven Testing refines our faith and proves it to be genuine - 1 Peter 1:6-7 Faith, by definition, is all weather 2. Reward in Heaven Because of Christ blood, he keeps no records of wrong He is keeping a record of rights He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him - Hebrews 6:10 3. Prophets before you Persecution and suffering means pain but also means glory Glory - Comes from in realizing we walk in the company of the glorious They endured the exact same things We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses - Hebrews 12 |
2010-01-09 - Kingdom First - Light Drives Satan Away God is light; in him there is no darkness at all - 1 John 1:5 Satan can not be where there is light When the light comes, sin is exposed The light will bring a reaction:
The light takes away Satan's power The more we open ourselves to God's light, the more his light shines through us |
2010-02-08 - First the Kingdom - Trees (part 1) The spiritual walk can be mind field surrounded by trees Testing of Trees By their fruit you will recognize them - Matthew 7:16, 20
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2010-02-24 - One Another - Reconciling with One Another (part 4) Some things that depend on us We can always have a gracious attitude Paul choose to focus on the result - Christ is being proclaimed - Philippians 1:15-19 We can always be humble Consider others better than ourselves - Philippians 2:3-4 We can always be positive - Philippians 2:14-15 We can always listen - James 1:19-20 We can always control our anger - James 1:20 Some things are our of control when to comes to reconciliation but they are many things within our control to build a relationship |
2010-02-26 - One Another - Forgiving One Another (part 2) Other matters related to forgiveness: Forgiveness is the ultimate 'one another' trump card Love, which always forgives, can cover a multitude of sins - 1 Peter 4:8 Forgiveness must come from a grateful heart If forgiveness comes from anything other than a grateful heart, we lack the purity of heart Rid yourself of all bitterness, rage, and anger - forgiving each other as Christ forgave you - Ephesians 4:31-32 We must help one another forgive When a person is not forgiving, they grow bitter The sin of lack of forgiveness of someone may be greater than the actual offense See that no one misses the grace of God and no bitter root grows - Hebrews 12:14-15 Pain and anger are not resolved in a moment, but let us never doubt where we must end up |
2010-03-12 - To Live is Christ - Every Tongue Confess Jesus Christ is Lord Whoever disowns Jesus before men, he will disown him - Matthew 10:32-33 No one comes to the Father except through Jesus - John 14:6 Give up for God = Gain Bow when:
Each disciple must decide that he or she lives among other "for their sake" - 1 Thessalonians 1:5
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2010-03-19 - To Live is Christ - Pressing On Although is righteousness that is not our own becomes laziness, we show we have the grace of God - Philippians 3:12-16 Despite all that Paul went through and has done - he pressed on There is certainly a time to remember what we have done - 2 Thessalonians 2:5 Paul did not cling to the fact that he planted a lot of churches Paul was looking forward to the next thing God had in store for him The way to take it higher is to hold on to what you have already grasped and then reach for more |
2010-03-23 - To Live is Christ - Anxious About Nothing Paul urges them to be anxious and worried about nothing and to pray about everything because God is in control - Philippians 4:6-7 Peace never comes without surrender Something instead of dealing with our emotions, we try an avoidance pattern We must be in touch with happens to others and ourselves Guard (a garrison of angel are available to help) our hearts - Satan wants us to trust ourselves and to doubt our God How challenging to turn everything over to God. Yet, how foolish not to!
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2010-04-04 - Life to the Full - Dead or Alive? (part 4) People are searching for a cause The perfect law forbids us to act out of anger or slander
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2010-04-08 - Life to the Full - Two Wisdoms (part 2) Teaching is one of the few gifts mentioned in both in the lists of Ephesian 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 What exactly is a teacher?
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2010-04-09 - Life to the Full - Two Wisdoms (part 3) When to comes to the tongue, it is the little things that make all the difference James compares the tongue to - James 3:3-7:
James used his experienced practical teaching style to explain that good and evil should not coexist - James 3:9-12 3 of 4 major crops were - figs, olives, and grapes Is there far more positive coming from your mouth than negative? |
2010-04-29 - Heart of Maturity (Methods of Maturing) Methods of Maturing Self-Training with the Word Hebrews 5:11-14 - Constant use of the word - for direction, correction, and guidance With each other Colossians 1:28-29
Imiatating others 1 Corinthians 4:14-17
Perservering in trials James 1:2-4
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2010-04-30 - I am Innocent of the Blood of all Men (part 1) Preached (2007-03-18) Paul - Innocent of the blood of all men Acts 20:17-27
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2010-05-12 - Desire's Journey - Our Heart's Deepest Secret But I still haven't found what I am looking for - U2 We have a secret desire for life as it was meant to be Again and again the yearning of our heart cries for this life Life comes to all of us as a mystery We long to live a life we are not sure where to find The greatest human tragedy is to give up the search for life. Nothing is of greater importance than the life of our deep heart To lose heart is to lose everything - Proverbs 4:23 Who we really are and why we are here comes to us through our heart's desire Our heart yearns for things to be right is so strong that it overrides the logic and hopes against hope every time The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of - Proverbs 20:5 There are two things that pierce the human heart:
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2010-05-14 - Desire's Journey - Taking Up the Quest The only fatal error is to pretend that we have found the life we prize The Shawshank Redemption At first, these walls, you hate them. They make you crazy. After a while you get used to them, don't notice them anymore. Then comes the day you realize you need them. Most tragic day of all - to prefer slavery to freedom, to prefer death to life Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead - Ephesians 5:14 Bringing our heart among in our life's journey - the most important mission of our lives To desire something and not to have it - is not this the source of nearly all our pain and sorrow? |