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Searching for "corinthians" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "25" to "50". (243 found)

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
Your weaknesses are not an accident
Being "poor in spirit" is the #1 attitude he blesses - Matthew 5:3
God is never limited by our limitations

Admit your weaknesses

Might be a good idea to list them

Two great confessions:

  1. You are the Chrst (Matthew 16:16) - we need a savior
  2. We are only human (Acts 14:15) - we are not God

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:

  1. Causes us to depend on God - the less I have, the more I depend on him - 2 Corinthians 12:10
  2. Prevents arrogance - So I wouldn't get a big head - 2 Corinthians 12:7
  3. Encourages fellowship
  4. Increases sympathy

 



2008-07-07 - Purpose Driven Life - Gods Power in My Weakness (part 3)

Honestly share your weaknesses

Paul modeled vulnerability:

  • His failures: "When I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway" - Romans 7:19
  • His feelings: "I have told you all my feelings" - 2 Corinthians 6:11
  • His frustrations: "We were crushed" - 2 Corinthians 1:8
  • His fears: "I was weak and fearful and trembling" - 1 Corinthians 2:3

 



2008-07-08 - Purpose Driven Life - Gods Power in My Weakness (part 4)

We are naturally drawn to humble people

If people see your strengths but not your weakness, they can not relate

  • Strengths: Nice that he can do that but I can not
  • Weaknesses: I am not sure how he can do that but if he can then I can with God's power

Decide wheather you want to impress people or influence people

Glory in your weakness

When Satan points out your weakness, agree with him and praise Jesus - 2 Corinthians 12:5
Jesus understans our weakness - Hebrews 4:1
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness - Romans 8:26

"If you want to be blessed by God and use you greatly, you must learn to walk with a limp" - Joacb



2008-07-09 - Purpose Driven Life - Made for a Mission (part 1)
Your mission is both shared and specific

Mission = Latin word for "sending"
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you - John 20:21

Jesus understood he was on a mission:
  • As a teenager - I must be about my Father's business - Luke 2:49
  • On the cross - It is finished - Luke 19:30
God wants to redeem human being from Satan
We have been sent to speak for Christ - 2 Corinthians 5:20

Your mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission on earth
He call us not only to come to him but go for him


2008-07-10 - Purpose Driven Life - Made for a Mission (part 2)
Your mission is a wonderful privilege
  • You are working with God
  • You are representing God
We're Christ representatives and become friends with God - 2 Corinthians 5:20

Telling others how they can have eternal is the best thing you can do

If have the cure for AIDs, you would share it
You just have to remember the hopeless you felt without Christ

Your mission has eternal significance

Impact the eternal destiny of other people
Consequences will last for ever; consequences of your job will not

All of us must quickly carry our tasks; all work comes to an end - John 9:4


2008-07-16 - Purpose Driven Life - Becoming a World-Class Christian (part 2)
Shift from self-centered thinking to other-centered thinking

Stop thinking like children (thinking like only of self), and like like mature people (grown ups) - 1 Corinthians 14:20
Most advertising encourages selfish thinking

To make the paradigm switch to mature thinking - need to dependence of God
God has given us his Spirit so we don't think like the world thinks - 1 Corinthians 2:12


Shift from local thinking to global thinking

God so loved the world... - John 3:16
God made all the nations and where they would be, so we would look for him - Acts 17:26-27

The world already thinks globally: business, competition, and news
If you ask me, I will give you the nations - Psalms 2:8

What should we pray for?
  1. Opportunities to witness - Colossians 4:3
  2. Courage to speak up - Ephesians 6:19
  3. Rapid spread of the gospel - John 17:20
  4. More workers - 2 Thessalonians 3:1


2008-07-17 - Purpose Driven Life - Becoming a World-Class Christian (part 3)
Shift from "here and now" thinking to eternal thinking

Eternal thinking will keep us from majoring on minor issues
We fix our eyes on what is unseen - 2 Corinthians 4:18
Deal sparingly on things the world trusts on you - 1 Corinthians 7:31
Let's strip off anything that holds us back - Hebrews 12:1

Invest in the future (in heaven)
Store up treasure in heaven - Matthew 6:20-21
Real treasure in God in heaven and the friends we can bring with us - 1 Timothy 6:19

2008-07-18 - Purpose Driven Life - Balancing Your Life (part 1)
God 5 purposes for your life:
  1. Love God with all your heart
  2. Love your neighbor as yourself
  3. Go and make disciples
  4. Baptize them
  5. Teach them to do all things
We tend to overemphasize the purposes we feel most passionate about
Churches do the same thing

Habits to stay on track:

Talk it through in a spiritual group

Helps you to internalize information
Helps with accountability - Iron sharpens iron - Proverbs 27:17
Helps you put in the practice what you learned - Philippians 4:9
Helps encourage each other - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Give yourself a regular checkup

Test yourself -  2 Corinthians 13:5
Take a look at the way you are living - Lamentations 3:40

2008-07-20 - Purpose Driven Life - Lifes 5 Greatest Questions
  1. What will be the center of my life? - Center our lives should be God - 2 Chronicles 14:4
  2. What will be the character of my life? - Keep a firm grasp of your character; keep at it - 1 Timothy 4:16
  3. What will be the contribution of my life? - Meet the needs of God's people produces gratitude - 2 Corinthians 9:12
  4. What will be the communication of my life? - Bring honor to the good news - Philippians 1:27
  5. What will be the community of my life? - Christ loved the church and gave his life for it - Ephesians 5:25


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



2008-07-26 - 30 Days at the Cross - Wisdom and Power of God

Will the cross ever make sense to the world?

Will all the wisdom of the world, no one has found God
Man destined to frustration by God himself to show themselves helpless without God

Jews sought a miracle worker general ignoring scriptures like Isaiah 53
Greeks described god as apatheia - total inability to feel; looked don on uncultered Christians

God's plan was never to impress prideful scholars or to find acceptance among the rulers of the ages

Some things never change:

  • Graduate student in the laborary for 100 hours - OK
  • Athlete who trains 6-8 hours a day - OK
  • Executive working 60 hours a week - OK
  • Someone passionate about Christ - Bad

Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing
Man without the Spirit does not accpet spiritual things - 1 Corinthians 2:14
God has blinded the minds of unbelievers - 2 Corinthians 4:4

God didn't come to impress the world. Are you?



2008-07-27 - 30 Days at the Cross - Who Gets the Credit?

How quick human nature is to accept credit for certain accomplishments
God made us and enables us to do everything
What do you have that you did not receive? - 1 Corinthians 4:7

I will not boast about myself, except my weaknesses (Paul) - 2 Corinthians 12:5

Why boast about our weaknesses?

  • The cross affrirms our worth
  • Frees us from performing
  • So that Christ's power may rest on us - 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Who would want the power of God?

A person that truly boasts in the cross does not:

  • Pull away when not feeling appreciate enough
  • Rely on recongnition of other to stay faithful
  • Takes correction without prove their ways
  • Prove thry already know something
  • Project an image of self-worth
  • Have a competive spirit

Jesus could keep a full record of your credits and debts - but do you want that? sin and all?
All credit should go to Jesus

Are you trying to earn your salvation
Boast in your weaknesses. Live in the power of God.



2008-08-07 - 30 Days at the Cross - Spectators or Sacrifices

Sacrifice - we think of pain, suffering, loss, and the uncomfortable concept of denying self
We hear: "Do what feels good"

Sacrifice is a voluntary presentation of ourselves to God to be used for his purposes
Jesus sacrificed his comfortable position with God to serve, heal, love, preach the good news

 We can respond in serveral ways to the sacrifice of Jesus:

  • Pretend it never happened
  • Can decide to hide from the challenge
  • Immerse ourselves in other thoughts
  • Stand back with our arms folded
  • Understand the facts but no personal acceptance or responsibility

Christ love needs to compel us - 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Hiding is dishonest. Spectating is hypocritical. Committing is powerful.

What happens when you offer your body as a living sacrifice?

  • It produces many seeds - John 12:24-25
  • Life truly becomes life
  • Our joy is multiplied
  • It effects us and other for enternity

What types of sacrifices is God asking of you right now?
Is there is anyone, anything, any place, or any position you are holding on to?



2008-08-18 - 30 Days at the Cross - Turning the Tables

Jesus came to turn the tables on Satan
He came to deal with the greatest of all questions and fears - death

  • He spoke about it in great length - John 5:21-30
  • He claimed to be the only solution for death - John 6:53-57
  • He raised the dead - John 11
  • He believed his death would bring others life - John 12:23-25

When he died, almost everyone thought evil won

Satan pulled out all the stops.
Jesus was in his deadly sights at all times - waiting for a bad day

7 moves to turn the tables:

  1. Pray - he is listening - Hebrews 5:7
  2. Read - he is speaking - Luke 4:1-13
  3. Believe - he is able - Hebrews 2:18
  4. Trust - he is willing - Hebrews 4:15
  5. Fight - he knows what you can bear - 1 Corinthians 10:13
  6. Seek - he has provided a way out - 1 Corinthians 10:13
  7. Find - he gives grace in time of need - Hebrews 4:16
Jesus death turned the tables on Satan

2008-08-30 - Teach Us To Pray - God Enjoys Talking to Us

To truely know him, we must absorb his Word
We must enjoy his talking to us

God's Word was written with one purpose in mind - to communicate God's love:

  • He promised to carry our burdens - Matthew 11:28
  • We will have all we need - 2 Corinthians 9:8
  • He will give us more than we can ask or imagine - Ephesians 3:20
  • He will meet all our our needs - Philippians 4:19
  • All disciples have angels to server them - Hebrews 1:14


2008-09-15 - Teach Us To Pray - Changes in Character
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place - Psalms 51:6
Character can grow if we take a sober gut-level check look at who we are

Too often we pray:
  • Help me be a better person
  • Help me to change
  • Help me to love you more
We don;t know specifically what we need to change
When we aim at nothing, that is what we hit

The word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of our heart - Hebrews 4:12-13
Like a mirror reflecting how we look spiritually - James 1:23-25
We also learn the truth about ourselves from other people in our lives - Proverbs 20:5

Ask God to help you see what you need to change
Ask others what things they see in your sinful nature

How badly do you want to change?
It will show by the way you pray
My power is made perfect in weakness - 2 Corinthians 12:9

2008-09-18 - Teach Us To Pray - Courage and Boldness
Prayer reminds us God is in control
It is his battle, I belong to God, and God will make me successful
God will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear - 1 Corinthians 10:13

To pray for boldness and courage:
  1. Trust - We are exactly the way God wants us to be; he will make up what we are not - 2 Timothy 1:7
  2. Righteousness - Righteous are as bold as a lion; god can not hear us if we cherish sin - Psalms 66:18
  3. Action - do what the word says; Keep praying until you act
Does our faith come from our results or our results come from our faith

God's work cannot be done in this world without courage

2008-09-20 - Teach Us To Pray - Power for our weakness
Weakness include:
  • Physical sickness - Philippians 2:26
  • Weak faith - Romans 14:1-2
  • Weak conscience - 1 Corinthians 8:11-12
If you are not aware of your weaknesses, then God can not make you strong

Prayer is simply the key that unlocks the door to God's free reign in our lives
He reigns whether we like it or not, but he will not take away our free will - we have to surrender it
Getting rid of weakness is not the point - it to humbly submit yourself to God, depend on his power, and to rely on his strength

2008-09-23 - Teach Us To Pray - Going Through the Open Door

Luke 11:9-10 - Asking, Seeking, and Knocking as three separate commands to be obeyed
Three steps toward a single goal

The idea of the door being opened is associated with God-given opportunity - 1 Corinthians 2:12

The rest of the chapter is about how God worked in the author's life, opening doors.



2008-10-06 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-tsidkenu

YHWH-tsidkenu means "the Lord our righteousness"

Remembering Jesus' name in Hebrew Ya'shua which means  "God is salvation"
He was the fulfillment of the name YHWH-tsidkenu - 1 Corinthians 1:30

Thank God that I had no righteous of my own, Jesus died for me - source of my righteousness

Pause to think about what Christ has done for me
His atoning death and resurrection gives life meaning and significance



2008-10-08 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-shamma

God is "the Lord who is present"
Shekinah is the Hebrew word meaning 'residence'

He has a great desire to dwell in the lives of believers:

  • Bodies have become the temple of the living God - 1 Corinthians 3:16
  • Jesus is our Immanuel - God with us
  • He promises that He is always with us - Matthew 28:20
  • He will never forsake us - Hebrews 13:5

 



2008-11-20 - Raising Awesome Kids - Father as Leader
Husband is the head - Ephesians 5:23
You, as the father, are in charge - it is wrong not to lead

Men and women are equal but have different roles

Christ is head of the husband who is head of his wife - 1 Corinthians 11:3

We hurt ourselves and those close to us when we ignore or distort God's plan


2008-11-28 - Raising Awesome Kids - Encouragement and Inspiration
Fathers deals with his children with encouragement, comforting, and urgency of lives worthy of God - 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Life is hard, especially for kids - easy to lose heart
There is a immense power in a father's encouragement

Young Timothy -
  • 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
Paul became his "father in the faith" - 1 Corinthians 4:17
By his encouragement, Timothy became the dynamic leader of the huge and powerful Ephesus church

It is our jobs as fathers to assess our children's talents and gift and help them to excel in them
Be a great inspirer and encourager of your children
Let it be you who thinks they are great and who picks them up when they fall

2008-11-30 - Raising Awesome Kids - Have Fun, Be Hip
What is wrong with having fun? Nothing!

Jesus was a fun person:
  • He went to parties
  • He told jokes
  • He nicknamed his guys
  • He loved children and they loved him
  • Pharisees even rebuked Jesus for letting his disciples get too happy
Children love fun people
If we are fun people, our kids will have fun
If we let them have fun they will love our leadership

You need to be hip to what is happening
We show love when we are interested in someone else's world
Be coming all things to all men - 1 Corinthians 9:22
Take a look at the current youth scene and not ridicule it
Confront the sin but accept the style

2008-12-01 - Raising Awesome Kids - Love
Love is of first importance. All else is secondary.
Above all we should have love - 1 Peter 4:8

Lack of love, we are nothing - 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
We may lavish upon our children the finest things but if we do not make them feel loved, it is all to no avail

If there is closeness and love between us and our kids, we have a place to stand and start for the battle of their hearts
Build our families on love and our kids will be strong

Kids are born with the capacity to love, but not all learn how

2009-01-11 - Raising Awesome Kids - Repect: Eliminate Critical, Harsh Talk
Reckless words pierce like a sword - Proverbs 12:18
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor - Proverbs 11:12
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your months - Ephesians 4:29-32

So thing we just plain need to get rid of:

Harsh words
Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken - Matthew 12:36-37

Name calling
Would you use the same words if Jesus was in the room? Let that be the test.

Rudeness
Love is not rude - 1 Corinthians 13:5

Get rid of all actions, looks, and expression related
God hate haughty eyes - Proverbs 6:16-17
These are signs of disrespect

Recognize > Confront > Eliminate from their behavior

2009-02-02 - Jesus with People - Seeing and Not Seeing
Luke 7:36-50 - Simon, I have something to tell you
Jesus is able to cut through the muck - right to the heart
He had outspoken clarity - Luke 7:40

In truth Simon saw neither the woman or himself for how they really were

Jesus did see the woman - Her sin was obvious as her brokenness
He actions came from her new sense of reality
Once she saw Jesus, she responded the only way she could have - compelled by love - 2 Corinthians 5:14

Jesus' words should have cut Simon deeply - But he who has been forgiven little lives little

He wants to have a relationship with us
Think of trying to have a relationship with ant - talking with it, caring for it and especially dying for it - it is unfathomable!

How many times did Jesus change people's view if God?

Who am I most like: Simon or the sinful woman?

2009-02-17 - Jesus with People - Widows Physical Sacrifice
Physical sacrifice is central to our commitment to Jesus

Physically, priorities must be set, reexamined and set again

God will help us discern what we can give physically
God is capable of giving his strength when ours is failing

Paul learned to rely on the Lord through physical suffering - 2 Corinthians 1:3-9
God grace is sufficient

Each of us, with the help of God must live physically sacrificial lives daily - Philippians 2:12
Sacrifice is our act of worship - Romans 12:1



2009-02-27 - Promises of God - Standing on Promises
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are all "Yes" in Christ - 2 Corinthians 1:20-22

Promises from others and one we have made > can make us highly skeptical about promises
They represent efforts to pacify us at the moment; the promiser does not usually have to fulfill the promise immediately

Does he promise and not fulfill? - Numbers 23:19

God fulfills his promises - every last one of them

God is:
  • Trustworthy
  • Reliable
  • Absolutely faithful to every promise he makes
He has the power to do what he says
A promise from God is as good as fact

2009-03-14 - Promises of God - Not tempted Beyond What You Can Bear
He will not let be tempted beyond what yo can bear - 1 Corinthians 10:13

God has not promised that we will not be tempted - James 1:13-15

No situation will ever be too difficult. God simply will not allow it.
There is never an excuse for sin.

Jesus is our ultimate example
He himself suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted - Hebrews 2:18


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:

  1. Caused by our own bad behavior - the wicked have their fill - Proverbs 12:21
  2. Comes from doing what is right - Persecution because of the Word - Matthew 13:21
  3. Trouble that we all face because we live in this world
    • Each day will be trouble - Matthew 6:34
    • In this world you will have trouble - John 16:33
It is not about taking trouble away but overcoming 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


2009-03-21 - Promises of God - Formidable Foe
We have a common enemy that must be overcome

Described as:
  • the accuser
  • the adversary
  • the enemy
  • an evil spirit
  • the father of lies
  • a murderer
  • the power of darkness
  • the prince of this world
  • the ruler of darkness
  • the spirit that in the children of disobedience
  • the temper
  • the god of this work
  • the wicked one
He snatches away the planted Word from people's hearts - Matthew 13:19
He blinds the minds of individuals - 2 Corinthians 4:4
Satan takes people captive - 2 Timothy 2:26

But there is one greater...

2009-03-28 - Promises of God - Heal Your Broken Heart
Servants of God will face various types of injustice:
  • Rejection
  • Persecution from someone we have helped to know God
  • Loss of a relationship to follow God
  • Injustice of living in an imperfect world
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted - Psalms 34:18

His is "the God of all comfort" - 2 Corinthians 1:3


2009-04-01 - Promises of God - No Disappointment
No one will be disappointed in heaven
No mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Not even the most creative can envision
No analogy can really do it justice
No metaphor for it will ever be good enough

Boredom will be as absent in heaven as sorrow, pain, and tears

Jesus said he came to give us life to the full - John 10:10
Started hear on earth in his kingdom on earth

It will be a blast, a feast
It will never end

Our new birth brings us into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven - 1 Peter 1:4

2009-04-02 - Promises of God - Work That Is Worth It
An old criticism of Christians: Too heavenly minded that they are no good on earth
Seem to spend so much dreaming of heaven and not working on solving the earth's problems
This was never God's idea

Prepare your minds for action - 1 Peter 1:13

Setting our minds on the amazing blessings is a powerful encouragement for us to work hard and give our best effort now

Is it worth saying "No" to sin? Just consider heaven!
Worth it to giving to the poor? Just consider heaven!
Worth staying in the race when it gets difficult? Just consider heaven!

Worth blood, sweat, tears to help other to know God? Just consider heaven!
Your labor in the Lord is not in vain - 1 Corinthians 15:58

2009-04-07 - Promises of God - Labor that is in Vain
Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord because your labor in the Lord is not in vain - 1 Corinthians 15:58

Labor that is in vain:

  1. Unfinished labor - Quit if results are not produced quickly
  2. Half-hearted labor - Elisha angry with the king of Israel - 2 Kings 13:14-19
  3. Ineffective labor - We are working hard but without God
  4. Tireless labor - Focusing on self
  5. Courageous labor - Letting fear take over your mind



2009-04-12 - Promises of God - God is Still Faithful
You gave into the temptation again, you sinned
It is the same one and you have never been able to completely conquer this one area of your life

What are your options?
  1. Justify your sin and say it's not all that bad
  2. Blame God for not keeping Satan at an appropriate distance
  3. Decide to leave God because this repenting thing is not working out
  4. Decide to be not to be open about your sin
  5. Tell yourself how bad of person you are
  6. Could trust God and his promises
Read the following passage at least 10 times, memorize it, and be ready with it - 1 Corinthians 10:13


2009-04-13 - Promises of God - God Passes the Test
God Passes the Test:
  1. Does he have a proven record? Yes, Joshua 21:45; 1 Kings 8:56; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 6:13-20
  2. Does he have a genuine concern for my life? Yes, Exodus 2:25; 1 Peter 5:7; Psalms 55:22
  3. Does he understand me and my current crisis? Yes, Job 31:4; Psalms 139:1-18; Matthew 6:7-8; Hebrews 4:13
  4. Do he have the power to bring change in my life? Yes, Romans 4:18-21; 1 Corinthians 1:25; Ephesians 1:18-22; Ephesians 3:20; 2 Peter 1:3-4


2009-04-16 - Promises of God - Never Give Up
Never give up - Hebrews 10:35-39

Why?

  • God has pledged to save us for all eternity - Revelation 21:1-7
  • Forgive our sins - 1 John 1:5-2:2
  • Provide us with all we need for life and godliness - 2 Peter 1:3-4
  • Give us great friends and huge spiritual family - Mark 10:29-31
  • Show us a way out when tempted - 1 Corinthians 10:13
  • Comfort us in our troubles - 1 Corinthians 1:3-7
  • Equip us for any challenge, any work, any time - 2 Timothy 2:20-21


2009-04-24 - Why We Need The Bible - Help Keep One Saved
Paul emphasized this value of the Scriptures
  • To the Corinthians - 1 Corinthians 10:11-12
  • To Timothy - 2 Timothy 3:14-17

The saving value of the Word of God is for both young and old
  • The young can keep their ways pure by it - Psalms 119:9
  • Elders were commended to the Word for their salvation - Acts 20:32


2009-04-25 - Why We Need Jesus - He Reconciles Us to God
HE RECONCILES US TO GOD...
  1. There is but one mediator between God and man - 1 Timothy 2:5
  2. God sent Christ to reconcile sinful man back to Him - 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
  3. This God did this by offering Christ as the sacrifice  for our sins - 1 John 4:9-10
  4. We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins - Ephesians 1:7
  5. Jesus is the only way to God - John 14:6


2009-05-22 - No one like him - Kingdom Attitudes (part 2)
Those who mourn

After seeing the impact and the hurt we have caused -
Having godly sorrow - 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
Taking ownership

The Meek

No one wants to be meek
Meekness - horse that has been broken
Gentle, Humble, Teachable
Defensive spirit gone
We must remember we have been cleansed from our past sins - 2 Peter 1:9
"will inherited the earth" - will make the most of our lives on this earth

2009-06-11 - One Another - Correction Needed

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

 



2009-09-24 - Wild at Heart - The Enemy (part 5)
Not every thought that crosses your mind comes from you
  • Where are those ideas coming from?
  • Where are those feelings coming from?
  • We are unaware of his schemes – 2 Corinthians 2:11
  • We look for a psychological or a physical explanation for every trouble we meet

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

2009-09-25 - One Another - Making it Clear
1 Corinthians 1-3 2 Corinthians 1
The world's wisdom The world's wisdom
God's grace God's grace

Relationships that are conducted according to the world's wisdom - have some element of self in mind

Relationships in God's grace have in mind: God's grace to us and our need to pass grace on to others

World teaches to be independent / We belong to one another -  Romans 12:5
  • 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
When we see the grace of God, we see one:
  • 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
We are to admonish one another and speak the truth in love - Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 4:15

If living with worldly wisdom  then we will:
  1. Ignore the problem
  2. Gossip about it to other
  3. Blast a person with the truth
None of these actions show grace

2009-09-30 - One Another - Greet One Another
Greeting seems to be pretty important aspect of relationships in the NT:
  • 27x as a command
  • 68x greetings of different forms in the NT
Four examples:
  1. Greet one another with a holy kiss - Romans 16:16
  2. I send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss - 1 Corinthians 16:20
  3. Greet one another with a holy kiss - 2 Corinthians 13:12
  4. Greet one another with a kiss of love - 1 Peter 5:14
Although somewhat strange to kiss in the US (prefer a hand shake or hug), the emphasis is the heart behind it
Need to show each other they are welcomed, loved and accepted - not just saying "I accept you" roboticly

Challenge for all of us is to really communicate the heart of love and acceptance

Identify 2 or 3 people that you have a hard time "accepting"
Will you be comfortable saying "God judge me just as I judge them"?


2009-11-24 - Master Plan - Selection (part 3)
Few were converted in His lifetime.
  • Little more than 500 after the resurrection - 1 Corinthians 15:6
  • 120 received baptism at the day of Pentecost - Acts 1:15
Strategy
  • Why not an army?
  • He needed leaders to lead the ministry after He left. Not all followers. It takes energy to produce a leader.
  • Not trying to impress the crowd but the usher in a Kingdom
  • Mass are like helpless sheep wandering aimlessly without a shepherds
  • Masses willing to follow anyone that came along with some promise for their welfare
  • Jesus was a realist. He knew he could not meet all the needs on His own.
Some concern themselves with baptisms and numbers more than power and love of God
Everything that is done with the few is for the salvation of the multitudes.

Modern Practicals
  • We are not even keeping with the growing population
  • We in an age where more rapid communication is now being seen than ever before
  • Must not be frantic to try to change the pattern overnight
  • Do like Jesus – start with a few lowly disciples and do as it was done by Jesus
    • Slow, tedious, painful, and probably unnoticed at first
    • Not spiritual “junk-food” revivals
  • Which generation are you living for?


2009-12-23 - First the Kingdom - The Only Door (part 2)
More examples of spiritual beggars:

Mary
  • Why was she picked to give birth to the Savior?
  • She already knew how much she needed God as her savior
  • Already in a humble state before him - Luke 1:46-55
Paul
  • Took a jolt on the way to Damascus
  • He finally came to see his poverty of spirit
    • Nothing good lives in me - Romans 7:18
    • I am the least of the apostles - 1 Corinthians 15:9-10
    • Confessed his poverty to the very end - 1 Timothy 1:12-15


2009-12-25 - First the Kingdom - A Choice
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted - Matthew 5:4

Jesus speaks primarily of a spiritual morning by choice

Other options, could choose to:
  • ignore it
  • postpone it
Why would we choose mourning?
  • Choose God over self
  • Realize we have broken his heart
  • Our response is to be broken, vulnerable, contrite, and humble
  • No other response makes sense or brings healing
Spiritual mourning is an element of true repentance

Godly sorrow brings repentance, leading to salvation - 2 Corinthians 7:10


2009-12-27 - First the Kingdom - Ease of Meekness
Generally, being meek is not appealing
Meek is equated with weak - but this is not true

Greek word for "meek" - used to describe a stallion once it had been broken and had become teachable
We can be become meek if we confront our sin and experience godly sorrow

In the Bible, meekness is associated with humility and gentleness
This meekness has no relation to a timid or retiring character
It is: I need God and am totally open to whatever

Moses was said to be very meek - Numbers 12:3

Jesus himself was said to be meek - 2 Corinthians 10:1

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