2008-09-08 - Teach Us To Pray - Reasoning with God Reasoning with God in prayer is an expression of great faith Persistent widow reasoned with the unjust judge - Luke 18:1-8 We cannot change the eternal purposes of God but we can change his mind on how his purposes will be accomplished Abraham was a man who reasoned with God - his Son being sacrificed - Genesis 18:23-33 Moses was too - God decided to destroy the disobedient Israelites and start a new nation True humility is the key to the prayer of reason - not telling God what to do |
2008-09-10 - Teach Us To Pray - Alone and in Private Mark 1:35, Matthew 14:13, and Luke 4:42 - shows us that Jesus often went to solitary places to pray Solitude is essential in developing a deep relation ship with God Psalms 5, 38, and 42 are examples of how open and expressive David was with God We get fired up by sermons, fellowship, and music - Jesus went to be alone Prayer times make special memories Ideas for times with God:
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2008-09-17 - Teach Us To Pray - The Harvest Is Plentiful Jesus promises a great harvest but the worker are few (Matthew 9:35-38):
Fruitfulness limited primarily by one thing - God himself Gratitude control the harvest Luke 9 - The charge was to preach the kingdom and heal the sick They gave to everyone who had need - Acts 2:43-47 Salvation wasn't just a doctrine rather a reality in their lives Jesus spent much of his time meeting physical needs, feeding, comforting, healing, serving As a result, people spread the word even more Reflects the power of meeting needs and our heart as a worker To acquire this heart, we need to pray:
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2008-09-28 - Man of Prayer - Strategy In context, the disciples probably spent quite of bit of time and energy in prayer After spending time with Jesus, they felt challenged by Jesus' prayers Jesus was always praying:
One day, the disciples had enough: Teach Us to Prayer - Luke 11:1 |
2008-10-03 - Man of Prayer - Relationship After asking for help from the Holy Spirit, then focus on the relationship with Pater (greek) = father Holy Spirit in our lives is a spirit of adoption by which God give us our spiritual birthright (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6) He delights when we come to Him as our Father, Abaa, Daddy:
The closer you are, the better responce you will get This relationship is critical to a healthy and vitaul prayer life |
2008-10-05 - Man of Prayer - Name In Jesus' day, a person's name reflected one's character God had powerful encounters with an individual, he would change the person's name with the change in them Halllow mean to treat with great reverence Focusing our thoughts helps lead to a response of worship Many focus on telling God their needs, need to focus on God Seek first his kingdom - Matthew 6:33 In interpersonal communication, remember a person's name is very important Moses asked God, "Who shall I say sent me?" God answered, "Tell them I AM has sent you" YHWH (Yahweh) is the proper name of the living God God is the God who is, who causes to be, and who will be who He will be Thinking about God in this way gets my focus on Him |
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" 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 |
2008-10-13 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-shalom Means "the Lord is peace" Gideon had a powerful encounter with the angel of the Lord - Gave the name at the alter - Judges 6:24 Hebrew word shalom = welling being, contentment, harmony, fulfillment, and wholeness. It communicates a total state of well-being which comes from a proper relationship with God The blessing of God brings the peace of God He is the source of your peace - Ephesians 2:14 Peace is the result of God's Spirit working in your life - Galatians 5:22 |
2008-10-31 - Man of Prayer - Forgiveness Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors - Matthew 6:12 Debt = opheilema = owning money to another Colossians 2:13-14 - written charge was canceled charge or code = cheirographon = charges drawn up against a convicted criminal Roman business world - debt had been paid - "tetelsthai" was written across the note - meaning "paid in full" Some word was used to when the punishment was executed on a list of chrages Every failure on our part to do God's will is a charge against us - a long document for most Jesus cried - it is finished (John 19:30) was actually the word "tetelsthai" = PAID IN FULL |
2008-11-17 - Raising Awesome Kids - First Things First (part 2) When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment is: Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength - Mark 12:30 Committed to God vs committed to a person Deeply loves God vs being religious
Were we one time zealous - before we got married and had kids? Where am I today? Have I allowed "life's worries, riches, and pleasures" to choke my relationship with God? - Mark 4:19 |
2008-12-18 - Raising Awesome Kids - Dreary Disobedience (part 2) Israelites - if only we had meat; we never see anything but manna - Numbers 11:4-10 God met the needs of the Israelites but he punished them for their attitude - Numbers 11:33 Must teach our kids to be grateful |
2009-01-23 - Jesus with People - Touching the Untouchable Jesus had compassion and healed the man with leprosy - Luke 5:12-18 Jesus was different:
What Jesus did we can also do (beside healing):
Society shrinks back - hospitals are not our favorite place Somehow, we think that the person is responsible for his or her condition Job "friends" did not understand what God was doing How can I imitate Jesus by "reaching out" in compassion to the sick? |
2009-01-24 - Jesus with People - Feeling the Pain Luke 7:11-17 - He said, "Don't cry", Jesus chose to be vulnerable to everyone's pain:
Jesus compassion knows no bounds Are you praying to stretch the capacity of your heart to feel deeply with many others? Is your lack of openness (rooted in fear of the sin of pride) blocking your passion and compassion? |
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 |
2009-02-01 - Jesus with People - The Bleeding Woman The crowds followed him to point of his exhaustion Why did Jesus' life draw a crowd? Jesus was willing Jesus was not just a servant but was a selfless servant We get caught up with the duties of Christianity - serving the weak and the lost With more responsibility we have, the easier it is to administer rather than minister. Consistent delegation cause our hearts to harden - just organizing and managing If you are not seeing the crowds, develop the heart of selflessness After she touched his cloak, he could have let the woman leave anonymously, but her called attention to her so he could lift he up He was concerned not only for her sickness, but her emotions as well Jesus had forceful faith and expected it of others |
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? |
2009-02-03 - Jesus with People - Give or Take? World seem to be divided into givers and takers Usually we feel as though we are the givers and everyone else is a taker We can draw back and become cynical - before long we cling to possessions, our rights or our feelings At that point we have become takers We would never admit it - and many of us do not see it Jesus meet a man that was a taker - Matthew Matthew was no different than us - he probably had a family with mouths to feed As he left the office and crept closer toward the crowd surrounding Jesus He heard the words - You must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me Jesus then walked up to Matthew and said "Follow me" His life changed forever - became a disciple of Jesus How did Jesus know? do it? Jesus knew that he was sick and need to get well - Mark 2:17 We need to see people as they ready are and what they can become Is there some in your life you can share with but haven't because you don't think they are open? |
2009-02-11 - Jesus with People - Heart Determined to Love Jesus' strongest and clearest denunciation of the Pharisees came in Matthew 23
His last and strongest words were spoken to wake them up He was trying to open their hearts and win them over to God |
2009-02-14 - Jesus with People - Jesus Won When Jesus first heard the news about Lazarus, Jesus declared that his illness was not going to be fatal - John 11:4 When Lazarus died, the disciples probably thought that he really blew it this time Good thing Jesus called lazarus by nameotherwise every corpse in cemetery may have come out The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead foreshadows Jesus' own resurrection after three days in the tomb Jesus is a victor over death While some could not pay taxes for a while; no one but Jesus can conquer death Do you fear death? How does your relationship with Jesus change the way you once thought? |
2009-02-15 - Jesus with People - Widows Financial Sacrifice Mark 12:41-44 Without ever speaking to her, he made her gift he biblical standard for financial sacrifice She gave all she had to live on - Luke 21:4 Being a widow at that time, she likely had no income Probably hungry and surely without financial hope He faith in God was evident in her action Bible does not tell us what happened to her - we can know that GOd took care of her needs - Matthew 6:25-26 |
2009-02-18 - Jesus with People - Doing What We Ought 1 Timothy 6:13-14 Compared to previous struggles, the "Jesus dilemma" made the governor's worries look minuscule Jesus was accused of
Masses that had given homage were the same crowds asking for his death Jesus always did what was right Pontius Pilate knew what he ought to do and what he wanted to do but did not do it |
2009-02-20 - Jesus with People - People Pleasing Pilate After having found Jesus innocent of the charges, three times Pilate "appealed to them" In the end surrender Jesus to the will of the crowd - Luke 23:13-24 Jesus still let Pilate know that he was guilty of sin - John 19:11 Instead of seeking an escape, Jesus testified to the truth about God He was still preaching and reaching out the lost - even his executor Jesus had an impact - from then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free - john 19:12 Pilate lived and kept his job - for a little while, but his name was written in infamy How do you fare under negative chatter about your Christian conviction? |
2009-02-26 - Jesus with People - Doubtful Thomas Jesus was not going to stop until Thomas was back, until he had been given an opportunity to put his doubts to death Jesus was all what he said earlier, leave the 99 to look for that 1 - Luke 15:1-7 John 20:24-29 - not necessarily a rebuke, but a reminder When do you find yourself doubting God's love for you? Do you believe God still wants to purse a relationship with us even when we;re not that strong? |
2009-02-28 - Promises of God - Being Fully Persuaded Abraham shows us that faith is all about having confidence in the promises of God Yet he did not weaver through unbelief, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised - Romans 4:20-21 Abraham was justified by faith - Romans 4:13 We must learn God's promises and never waver in unbelief in trusting them. |
2009-03-16 - Promises of God - Strength From Prayer Jesus had to overcome unfathomable temptation - Matthew 26:36-36 If he chose to follow through with his Father's will: humiliting insults, excruciating beatings, and agoninzing crucifixion would follow Jesus: If it's possible, may this cup be taken from me We should ask ourselves: How many hours have I wrestled with it in prayer? We must turn to God at the moment we are tempted - it may take hours but we will have great power to resist sin |
2009-05-05 - No one like him - Dependence In Prayer Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:15-16) Gave up a night - All night praying (Luke 6:12-13) Lord teach us to pray (Luke 11) – some disciples were taught to pray from infancy Prayer was more important than eating or sleeping – Jesus could no go without it Jesus called God, Father, what perceptions of a father-son relationship are correct and incorrect? We have a perception that Jesus had a great advantage over of us but Jesus needed the Father like we do. |
2009-05-13 - No one like him - Jesus and the Scriptures How did Jesus view the scriptures?
Didn’t accept views about: Samaritans, Gentiles, women, leapers, tax collectors Jesus hung around the wrong people, wrong parties, and wrong trainees Jesus had great confidence found in the scriptures 11x in gospels (20x mores by gospel writers) in where Jesus said he was the fulfilling what had been written |
2009-05-17 - No one like him - Jesus responds with scriptures Satan attempted Jesus in the dessert - Matthew 4:3,7,10 Scriptures were he turned for strength, guidance, and direction Scriptures were on Jesus' in the end
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2009-05-18 - No one like him - The Kingdom of God First time God said the time has come Something had come upon us Something within us Kingdom is like:
Kingdom is so different that it requires us to change What does new kingdom person look like?
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2009-05-26 - No one like him - Kingdom Lifestyle (part 2) Different Righteousness – Matthew 5:17-6:18 Righteousness for the Pharisee had became having the correct facts and outward performanceDifferent priority – Matthew 6:19-34 The pursuit of God’s will should be the overriding passion of our lives |
2009-05-28 - No one like him - Conflict and Controversy (part 1) Established positions were threaten Again and again Jesus said “You have heard it said … but I say to you…” Some say Jesus was the ultimate nice person but he was a prophet (reputation for being offensive) Examples in Matthew 23:
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2009-05-30 - No one like him - Conflict and Controversy (part 3) Jesus did not just hang around the sick but he had a message and plan for them to get well Today is the opposite problem – association with all kinds of people; but without a message – bring the spirit without the truth Sin must be dealt with at the heart level; not just outwardly like the Pharisees – could not be cured by rules or rituals Living like Jesus (living a totally different life) will cause conflict and controversy Living like Jesus entails:
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2009-06-04 - No one like him - Count Cost (part 1) Not a question of how hard or difficult but if it is true Not all struggling is bad Jesus calls us to:
Jesus was not out of touch – Matthew 9:36 Jesus had a clear view of love and generosity – John 10:33 Kingdom now in the present age Fix our eyes on Jesus We need to deal with OUR heart Jesus did not just come to amaze He came to call people to change their lives He was upfront with commitment level Must deny self |
2009-06-11 - One Another - Correction Needed There were a lot of relationship issues that needed to be corrected in first book of Corinthians:
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2009-06-17 - A Life of Impact - Gentleness and Fueling Gentleness Mark 1:29-34
Fueling Mark 1:35-39
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2009-07-02 - A Life of Impact - Reinvestment of Dividends Reinvestment of Dividends Mark 5:18-20
Tenderness Mark 5:21-34
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2009-07-09 - A Life of Impact - Toughness and Excellence Toughness Mark 6:45-46
Unwavering Excellence Mark 6:47-56
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2009-07-11 - A Life of Impact - A passion for truth Mark 7:14-23 - He had no stomach for the misdirection spread by the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law High Expectations
Blame
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2009-07-14 - A Life of Impact - Caterer and Delegator Caterer Mark 8:1-10
Delegator
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2009-07-16 - A Life of Impact - Scout Scout Mark 8:14-21
Rebuke
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2009-07-20 - A Life of Impact - Hardline and Affirmation Hardline Mark 8:34-9:1
Affirmation Mark 9:2-13
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2009-07-31 - A Life of Impact - Specific Delegation Specific Delegation Mark 11:1-10
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2009-08-01 - A Life of Impact - Anger Anger Mark 11:11-19
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2009-08-07 - A Life of Impact - A Champion A Champion Mark 12:35-37
Reprobation Mark 12:38-44
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2009-08-13 - A Life of Impact - Open arms Open arms Mark 14:27-31
Giver of life
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2009-08-18 - A Life of Impact - Mark 16 Proof Mark 16:1-14
Mark 16:15-20
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2009-08-25 - Wild at Heart - God loves wilderness (part 1) Most of the earth is not safe, but it is good. God called it good in the beginning He prefers adventure, danger, risk, and the element of surprise Most of us try to reduce the element of surprise God took a risk with Adam and Eve – they had the chance to disobey him Example of no-perfect situations:
He loves to show that he has what it takes It is not God’s nature to limit risks or cover all the bases Let the odds stack up against him! He starts with most unlikely:
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2009-09-09 - Wild at Heart - The fathers voice (part 2) When we see Jesus, Joseph is out of the picture – true father God – he had to learn who he really was and made of. Initiation involves a journey and a series of tests. We try to make our lives easier. What are you trying to teach me here? What issues in my heart are you trying to rise through this? What is it you want me to see? What are you asking me to let go of? Men are taught that a wound that stops you from playing is a girlish wound. No wonder we walk with our guts hanging out Most men minimize their wound David did not act like this at all - openly - “my heart is wounded within me” - Psalms 109:22 Suck it up, as the saying goes God is fiercely committed to you Wound that goes unacknowledged and unwept is a wound that cannot heal You’ve embraced and deserve is a would that cannot heal Whatever is denied cannot heal Certainly denial that it’s shaping the way they live today. |
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 |
2009-09-18 - Wild at Heart - Healing the wound (part 4) Forgiveness is a choice Do not wait for the feeling of wanting to forgive because it will not come Not “It didn’t matter” and “I probably reserved it” “It was wrong, it mattered, and I release you” Masculinity is passed from father to son Adam, Abraham, Jacob, David leaned who they were out of their intimacy with God the Father New heart and put a new spirit in you - Romans 8:1 What God sees when he see you is the real you, the true you, the man he had in mind when he made you You must ask God what he thinks of you, and you must stay with the question until you have an answer Last thing the Evil One wants you to |