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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2010-05-10 - World Hates Jesus (part 2) Ephesians 5:1-13
John 6:60-71
Matthew 10:34-38
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2010-05-15 - Desire's Journey - The Dilemma of Desire We can not live without yearning, yet the yearning sets us up for disappointment Because of its vulnerable nature, desire begins to feel like our worst enemy Despair is the fate of the desiring soul - Sam Houston Hope deferred make the heart sick - Proverbs 13:12 How awful it feels to open our hearts to joy, only to have grief come in How do we live in a world with desire so deep in us and disappointment lurking behind every corner? Are a few arrows, dare we even desire? Do we refuse to love because we may hurt? possibility of pain? Shutting down our hearts is to die altogether Hope deferred make the heart sick... but when dreams come true, there is life and joy Most of us have chosen to reduce our desire to a more manageable size We allow it only in small doses:
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2010-05-16 - Desire's Journey - Battle Between Us What causes fights? Isn't it the evil desires within you? - James 4:1-2 The life we want is so far from the life we truly want. For longing to be filled - we need the cooperation of others We need others, it is part of our design Very few of our desire are self-fulfilling The world is indifferent to our desire We weren't made to be ignored We pretend it does not matter - it is doing damage to our souls Resentment - simmering anger at our blocked desires We pretend we have rise above it |
2010-06-24 - God does not change (part 2) Genesis v1:1 - Not much of the world v2:1 - What a change in a few weeks v2:20-25 - God created companionship - Adam's life changed v3:23-24 - Punished, banished, and moved out of the garden v6:11
v37:17-28
Genesis 45:4-8
God will never change |
2010-07-09 - Desire's Journey - The Adventure Begins (part 1) The fear of being bored is an unspoken fear of many about the life coming Parable of the talents, what do the faithful get when they are rewarded? More work! Wouldn't a vacation be better?
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2010-08-16 - Waking Dead - Motives Those who live from the mind shed few tears There are the stated reasons for what we do and then there is the real reasons = motives On the day of judgment, the Lord will expose the motive of men's hearts - 1 Corinthians 4:5 The Pharisees prayed to impress men with their spirituality and gave to impress with their generosity God looks at the heart The law is written on our hearts and consciences - Romans 2:15 It is why it is so important to not to harden our hearts The heart is where we do our deepest thinking Jesus knows what the we are thinking in our hearts Solomon asked for a wise and discerning heart - 1 Kings 3:9 The modern mistake is to think that the mind equals reason and the heart equals emotion |
2010-08-27 - Waking Dead - Guided Narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few will find it - Matthew 7:14 Each day: do you wake to tackle a to do list or wake in the midst of a dangerous story? If you are not pursuing a dangerous quest, then you do not need a guide If you want the life Jesus offers, then you are going to need more than a handful of principles Can not possibly prepare yourself for ever situation We need God intimately and we need him desperately You have made know the path of life - Psalms 16:11 There is a narrow path to life and we need help finding it Example path from a church:
All religions has principles to follow but only Christianity can teach you to walk with God The most important thing of all is intimacy with God Those who only do good things - Jesus will say I never knew you - Matthew 7:23 Teach a man to fish? Teach a man to walk with God and you help him solve the rest of his life |
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:
A fellowship must protect you:
A family bound together in a single fate Each one has a role |
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 |
2010-10-30 - Contagious Christian - Barriers to Relationships (part I) Biblical Issues with understanding what friendships are in the Bible can be barriers to relationships Some feel that befriending people who are irreligious is questionable and maybe unbiblical A look at a few examples of some verses misunderstood James 4:4 - says not to be friends with the world 1 John 2:15-17 - world is referring to sin and evil that people commit, not to the people themselves We need to keep ourselves from being polluted by the world John 17:14 - we are not of this world is sometimes interpreted that we should not associate with people outside of God's family My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one - John 17:15-18 Jesus' purpose was to seek and save what is lost, he had to have relationships in the world to accomplish this - Luke 19:10 2 Corinthians 6:17 - Come out from them and be separate; avoid being yoked with unbelievers Not referring to everyday friendships but more formal alliances Paul in an earlier letter said that ordinary interactions with non-Christians is right and necessary - 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 Jesus was a friend of tax collectors and sinners - Luke 7:34 |
2010-12-09 - Mission - Cannot Fail The harvest is plentiful; ask the Lord of the harvest - Luke 10:2 Those who have taken up the work must devote themselves to prayer What they get from him is something they can not find in themselves Prayer is not the only important thing needed, it is just the most important thing to the harvest Obstacles are many for those working in the harvest There is not one that cannot be overcome with prayer Efforts to bring the harvest often stop because the workers run into problems or frustration Problem begin to look larger than the mission They lose their fire and joy Jesus says there is a problem (workers are few) but there is not despair The problem is an opportunity for perseverance and faith Frustrations and challenges differ but two things remain the same
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2010-12-11 - Seeking God (part I) What are you looking for in life? Acts 17:16-28
Jeremiah 29:11-14
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2011-06-07 - Fearing God - Beyond Compare (part I) Imagine the Red Sea waters divided - Exodus 14 Only a few hours you've experienced the highest degrees of fear, excitement, and relief. To fear him is to trust him God worked on their behave - power without love is terrifying, love without power is pitiable The events of Exodus was not only to gain to glory Himself but to stimulate and increase the faith of the Israelites |
2011-06-15 - Mind of Christ - Intro (part VIII) Following Christ is more than merely adding a few new habits and activities to our lives. It is changing our total person from what we have been into what He is! Thus, to follow Christ I must be a student of His life.
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2011-08-21 - In Rememberence of Me Jesus called the disciples to the Passover fest before would head to the cross to reflect and remember their time together Luke 22:19-20 - Do this in remembrance of me Why? because we forget both little things and big things 1. Disciples forgot while they were at the table - v24 - Conversations they have had at the passover table:
2. Peter forgot the very same day the very same day and denied Jesus v54 - He forgot that Jesus said and he had the power to raise the dead I can relate:
Our forgetfulness is not a reflection of its importance but a reflection our weakness in remembering |
2011-09-05 - Fearing God - Great Thoughts About God If you want to fear God - every aspect of your day-to-day must dominated by thoughts of God Takes work to do this, you won't grow other wise - 1 Timothy 4:7 It is not enough to just stand in awe of God as we read about Him It should be part of out thinking The sophisticated discoveries comes from when man thinks using God's thoughts
Great thoughts about God will lead us to a realistic thoughts about ourselves
The Lord delights in those who fear Him and does not trust in man - Psalms 147:10-11 |
2011-09-08 - Followup: Humility I (part I) Humility is essential in beginning and maintaining a relationship with God. Pride, the opposite of humility, is often difficult to see in yourself and difficult to define in one’s character. It can be described as stubbornness toward God and his Word as well as others, or as independence from God and/or others. Let’s look at a few examples of what humility is NOT.
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2011-11-19 - Getting Started (part I) The first few weeks of your new life as a disciple are crucial. Satan is angry because of his loss and God’s gain and he will make an effort to get you off-track as soon as possible. (Revelation 12:7-12) This study will help you get off to a fast start and help you have the right focus to stay close to God and keep the devil at a distance. Remember what has just happened
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2011-11-20 - Getting Started (part II) Remember the battle you entered
Remember what you promised
The key to successful first few weeks as a disciple is relationships. Make some specific decisions about how you will stay close to God and the other disciples in your life. Decide as well to get to know some other disciples and start sharing your new-found love for God with those you know and love. You will find that you will have good days, but remember – you’re just getting started. |
2011-11-23 - God (part I) Though it sounds so simple, understanding the true nature of God can be very challenging. Many of us were raised with false perceptions of God – inappropriate and incomplete. Unfortunately, those views caused us to act in certain ways, most of which were ungodly. In this study we will learn a few of the problems connected with false views about God and how to make sure we know the real God. God has been misrepresented
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2011-11-24 - God (part II) God is a powerful God
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2011-12-01 - Growing (part II) Take it upon yourself; don’t only rely on others
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2014-05-02 - The Miracle of John's birth Luke 1:13 - Your prayer has been heard A priest’s intercession for the nation undoubtedly included a petition for the Messiah, Israel’s promised Deliverer and King. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe was ready to answer a prayer that had been prayed for hundreds of years, but He purposely chose a man who could pray an old prayer with a fresh heart. The prayer at that exact moment may not have been for a son. Zechariah could not possibly have known was how intimately connected would be his corporate prayer for the Messiah and his personal prayer for a son. Not becoming hopeless over a repetitious request can be terribly challenging. We need to continue to walk faithfully with God even though you are disappointed. Zechariah waited a long time for God’s answer, but when it came, it exceeded everything the priest could have thought or asked. Can you even imagine being told in advance of your child’s conception that he or she would bring joy and delight to you and be great in the sight of the Lord?
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2015-02-12 - Love Means Giving His love for Rachel was so strong that 7 years seemed to him but I few days - Genesis 29:20 True love has the power to transform burdens into almost nothing Jacob fell so deeply in love with Rachel that he would do anything to have her hand in marriage but he had nothing but time That is what real love does When a man genuinely loves his wife, his children, and his God - things become occasions of true joy because they benefit the one he loves How would you describe your love for God? |
2015-02-18 - A Difference Maker Hezekiah did what was pleasing in God's sight - 2 Chronicles 29:1-2 A strong sense of conviction motivates many men to dream of making a difference in their world This was displayed in Hezekiah's life as king He stood out as a real difference maker at a time of rampant idolatry. Hezekiah guided the nation in eliminating idol worship, repairing the temple, and reinstating the Passover feast He was one of the few righteous kings to rule over Israel or Judah during his 29 years Hezekiah lived God deeply and remained commited to turing his people back to the Lord Consider the people God has put in your life, what difference can you make in their lives? |
2015-03-16 - Going Golden Nabal Nabal was a crude and mean in all his dealings; his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beatiful - 1 Samuel 25:3 Life will present you with countless opportunties to extend kindness David sent some men to ask for a few much-needed provisions Nabal: Who is this fellow David? Who does this son of Jesse think he is? - 1 Samuel 25:10 He proceeded to instul David's servants and sent them away. A few days after he refused to assist the Lord's servant David, Nabal died of an apparent heart attack |
2015-07-10 - Man after God's own Heart I have sinned against the Lord - 2 Samuel 12:!3 King David in a space of a few weeks - lusted, commited adultery, lied, and murdered his lyal servant Uriah God called David a man after his own heart, not because he was perfect - 1 Samuel 13:14 God call him this because David humbly and brokenheartedly recongnized his own sin and knew what to do When the prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin, the king acknowledged he had sinned against the Lord |
2015-08-12 - Access Only Moses is allowed to come near to the Lord - Exodus 24:2 At one time, only a few select people had direct access to God Moses was the servant God had choosen to lead his people out of Egyptian captivity Only Moses was permitted to:
In granting Moses such close access to him, God gave him a great responsibility and a great privilege Today the Bible promises with our faith in Jesus, we can boldly come to the throne of our gracious God - Hebrews 4:16 |
2015-08-28 - Basis of Confidence It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord - 2 Chronicles 26:17-18 Nothing keeps you from what God calls like self-doubt and fear Nothing gives you confidence like knowing you have God's full support King Uzziah of Judah was arguably one of the most powerful men in the world - few dared to say "no" to him Azariah, the high priest, knew Uzziah had been out of line by burning incense - a duty reserved for the priests alone He knew confronting the king of Judah entailed a great deal of risk Uzzuiah had the authority, temperament, and the inclination to end Azariah's life Azariah spoke out because he knew he had God's full support Uzziah flew into a rage but it ended up Azariah who continue to stand in the Temple as God's servant |
2015-09-07 - Breaking Barriers We are akk here waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you - Acts 10:33 People tend to honor those who first do something of note Roman military officer Cornelius broke a few barriers of his own when place his faith in Jesus When Peter visited Cornelius, the apostle explained everything to him and he accepted his words They saw that God intended salvation through Jesus for the Jews and Gentiles - Acts 10:44-45 Jesus' death and resurrection broken down the long standing barrier between God and man and between the Jews and Gentiles |
2015-12-01 - Willing to Confront When Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face - Galatians 2:11 Uncorrected errors do multiply, you got to face them some day Few of us enjoy confrontation:
Spiritual health sometimes calls for loving confrontations Petter had erred in refusing to dine with uncircumcised Gentiles Christians Peter was clearly in the wrong and Paul confronted him directly Paul modeled the importance of lving confrontation with regard to crucial issues of faith If he let this error slide, bigger errors would soon bury the young church |
2015-12-15 - Temper As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you'll never be king. Now fo and get him so I can kill him! - 1 Samuel 20:31 Few emotions can harm our hearts and relationships like uncontrolled anger Anger led to:
Saul's anger erupted out of jealousy of David's popularity and treat of becoming king His anger was so fierce and overwhelming that he attempted to kill David at least three times Saul's anger made it to his son Jonathan because he was tried to protect David Saul showed his true colors when he allowed anger to control his every motivation, decision, and action |
2018-04-06 - The Narrowness of Jesus - Focus (part III) We try to give to many causes and the result is we have little joy in our giving Not only was Jesus joyful but he was mighty He stayed in Palestine and kept his heart close to a few chosen hearts - became increasingly influential He made himself mighty by limiting himself The difference between a mighty river and a swap is the river has banks (boundries) What is success? It is to do the thing we were created to do He was only 33 years old - yet he did the greatest piece of work ever accoumplished on the earth The "fine" in fine arts is the because of the limitations which they impose |
2018-04-11 - Jesus: The Range Jesus saturated a little circle of chosen followers with his spirit He made a path so luminous that every eye can see With being faithful in a few things; he won the place of Lordship over many cities Jesus was narrow because his breadth was immeasurable Many political, scienific, social ideas pass away in the passage of time The ideas of Jesus cover the whole world and the all ages |