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2008-02-25 - Power of Gratitude - Solitary Places
When gratitude cause us to rise early to spend time with God - seeing one of the greatest fruits
No one says that QT must happen in the morning - it always goes better than the days when trying to work out another time during the day

I learned to pray when I sensed that I would come apart at the seams emotionally unless I didn't

Three things helped with prayer life:
  • Solitary place - no bothered for a curtain amount of time
  • Can walk and pray
  • Can pray out loud
writing can help - proven by therapists -  helps with negative thoughts

There is  no gratitude without prayer

2008-03-08 - Power of Gratitude - Is This All There Is?
Most of the physical pursuits of life (Ecclesiastes) are substitutes for what we really need - a relationship with God

"Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ" - Philippians 3:7-11

The answer - to be totally immersed in my relationship with God through Christ
To know God in such a way and at such a level that all else pales into comparision
When this level is reached, nothing else will matter:
  • Not position
  • Not recognition
  • Not performance
  • Not respect
Fear of death will lose its hold

"For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain" - Philippians 1:21

Thankful books

Do it just before going to bed every night
God is too good for us not express gratitude
Ideas: come up with 7 areas of gratitude and incorporate one area into your prayers each day
  • Physical blessings
  • Family blessings
  • Spiritual blessings


2008-03-31 - Falling in Love with God - Intro

Loving God is a journey

Father draws us to himself - John 6:44

Father does not change - James 1:17
Hard to understand God when we are so inconsistent

It is OK for a journey to have highs and lows

Why love God?
Why not just obey him?
Why not just "gut out" our journey with God? Because we are commanded to

What touches you most about God?

  • He never quits
  • Always a refuge
  • Always will take you back
  • He will make sure you know where you are
  • Champion of the truth and the underdog
  • Tender with the weak and brokenhearted
  • Hammer the arrogant and pround
  • Never makes a mistake

Despite all the good qualities of God - our relationship with God still takes work



2008-05-13 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Power of Negative Thinking
They are stronger than we are; we seem like grasshoppers - Numbers 13:31-33
  • Negativity oftn excites stronger emotions
    • Easily swayed by the negative report
    • Forgot God's amazing miracles and victories
  • Negative thinking is a pervasive tendency
  • Majority of people inevitably practice negative thinking
    • No wonder so many people reacted negatively to Jesus
    • How many were confident that the resurrection would follow? Next to nil
  • Negativism is deceptive to observers - seems normal
  • Negatives are often mixed with positives to sound better
  • Leaders have a responsibility to determine the thinking of the group
  • Negativity is tragic in its results - destroys faith and unity of the group
No one remembers the names of the spies, we do know the name of those who avoided or overcame negativeness

2008-05-22 - Purpose Driven Life - It All Starts with God
It's not about you
You were born by HIS purpose and for HIS purpose

Our search for purpose usually starts at the wrong place - ourselves

Self Help Books = Consider your dreams > Clarify your values > Set some goals

Being successful <> (not equal) Fulfilling your life's purpose

Easiest way to fine out the purpose of an invention is to ask its owner

Ephesians 1:11
  • Discover your identity and purpose through Jesus
  • God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him
  • Purpose of your life fits into a much larger purpose


2008-06-07 - Purpose Driven Life - Formed for Gods Family
You were formed for God's family
God desired to have a family but didn't need a family
God became our Father

Benefits of being part of God's family:
  • Family name, likeness, privileges,
  • Inheritance - since yo are his child, everything he has belongs to you (Galatians 4:7)
  • Will be with God forever - 1 Thesslonians 5:10
  • Be like Christ - 1 John 3:2
  • Freed from all pain, death, and suffering - Revelation 21:4
  • Rewarded and reassigned positions of service
  • Share in Christ's glory - Romans 8:17
We all need a family to identify with - the Church - Satan is always on the prawl


2008-06-15 - Purpose Driven Life - Created to Become Like Christ
You are created to become like Christ

Jesus' mission is restore the full image that we have lost
God's ultimate goal for your life on earth in not comfort but character development
If we forget this, you will become frustrated by your circumstances

You exist for God's purpose, not vice versa

Only the Holy Spirit has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives - Philippians 2:13

We must cooperate with the Holy Spirit's work

Obedience unlocks God's power
God waits for you to act first
Make every effort - Luke 13:24; Romans 14:19; Ephesians 4:3; 2 Timothy 2:15

Ephesians 4:22-24 - Responsibilities in belonging like Christ:
  • Choose to let go of old ways
  • Must change the way we think
  • Must put on the "character of Christ by developing new, godly habits

God uses his Word, people, and circumstances to mold us
  • Truth we need to grow
  • Support when we need guidance or when we fail
  • Environment we need to practice Christ-likeness
In many religions, the mature isolate themselves, not those who are being like Christ

Being like Christ is a long, slow process of growth - You are a work in progress

2008-06-17 - Purpose Driven Life - Transformed by Truth

The truth transforms us

Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth

Everything around you exists because "God said so"
Job - I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread (Job 23:12)

Must accept the Bible's authority

  • Compass to be relyed on
  • Counsel to listen to
  • Benchmark for evaluating

Unrealiable authorities (at the Garden of Eden as well):

  • Culture - "everyone is doing it"
  • Tradition - "we' ve always done it"
  • Reason - "it seems logical"
  • Emotion - "it just feels right"

Must assimilate its truth

Allow yourself to be transformed by the truth

  1. Receive God's Word - Consider carefully how you listen - Luke 8:18
  2. Read God's Word - Read it as long as we live - Deuteronomy 17:19
  3. Research God's Word  - Write down insights, ask questions
  4. Remebering God's Word - Remember what is important to you; memorize; resist tempation
  5. Reflect on God's Word  - Meditate, focused thinking

Must apply it principles

  • We can fool ourselves that studying is doing
  • Applying the Word is hard work
  • Alway good to write down an action step from the result of your studying
    • Personal (involves you)
    • Practical (can be done)
    • Provable (deadline)

 



2008-06-21 - Purpose Driven Life - Overcoming Temptation
Refuse to be intimidated

You will never outgrow temptation
Temptation is a sign that Satan hates you
Paul says, "WHEN you are tempted..." - 1 Corinthians 10:13
Jesus was tempted, but never sinned - Hebrews 4:15
The closer you grown to God, the more Satan will try to tempt you

Recognize your pattern of temptation

Know what exactly what trips you up - Stay alert, Satan waits til you are napping - Matthew 26:41
  • When am I most tempted?
  • Where am I most tempted?
  • Who is with me went I am tempted?
Don't give the Devil a chance - Ephesians 4:27
Plan carefully what you do... - Proverbs 4:26-27

Request God's Help

Call on God in times of trouble - Psalms 50:15
Jesus is sympathetic; he understands our weakness - Hebrews 4:15
We can be embarrassed to ask God for help after failing over and over again, but let us have confidence when approaching - Hebrews 4:16

2008-06-22 - Purpose Driven Life - It Takes Time
There are no shortcuts to maturity - it takes us years to mature physically
While we worry about fast we, God is concern how strong

We arrive to spiritual maturity when have gained the fullness of Christ - Ephesians 4:13

Why does it take so long to learn?

  1. We are slow learners - Israelites are a great example of this
  2. We have a lot to unlearn (bad habits) - Taking off the old self and putting on the new self - Romans 13:12 
  • We can not grow without a humble, teachable attitude
  1. Growth is often painful and scary
  • There is no growth without change
  • There is no change without fear or loss
  • There is no loss without pain
  • Must let go of old ways in order to experience the new way
  1. Habits take time to develop - Practice and devote yourself to growth - 1 Timothy 4:15


2008-06-25 - Purpose Driven Life - The Call and Commands to Serve
You are called to serve God

It is full-time position
A "non-serving Christian" is a contradiction in terms

You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God - 1 Peter 2:9

You are commanded to serve God

For Christians, service is not an option
Spiritual maturity is never an end in itself
Maturity is for service, we grow up in order to give out
Impression with expression cause depression
Study without service leas to spiritual stagnation

Galilee lake full of life - takes in water but also gives out
Dead sea - takes in but the is no outflow

Not who is going to meet my needs -> Whose needs should I meet?

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

2008-07-27 - 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.



2008-09-12 - Teach Us To Pray - In Marriage and Family

Unless the Lord builds, its builder labor in vain - Psalms 127:1-2
Solomon probably knew the truth of this passage as much as anyone
He saw incrediable tragedy in his own family from the result of his father's unspiritual leadership
His family stands as a warning to all married disciples of how Satan can destroy the most precious of all human relationships

Powerful benefits of daily prayer with one another:

  1. Prayer keeps your relationship spiritual focused
  2. Prayer keeps us going to bed united - Ephesians 4:26-27
  3. Prayer makes us more grateful
  4. Prayer gives us focus and direction

Prayer in family life:

  1. Nightly prayer with children from infancy
  2. Daily devotionals with younger school children - 15min in the morning
  3. Taking pray walks with teenage children
  4. Quiet Times with one another
  5. Praying as a family about major decisions and challenges
  6. Praying with children after they are disciplined adds powerfullly to the impact of such training


2008-10-21 - Man of Prayer - Praying for the church body

Should pray for:

  • maturity
  • commitment
  • spiritual health
  • impact on our city

Pray for dreams for the church that will stretch our vision for the church and city
God can do more than we can imagine - Ephesians 3:20

How are you praying for your church? - Its your church
What do you want see God do? Where do you want to see His kingdom advance?

 



2008-11-05 - Man of Prayer - The Flesh (part 2)

Sinning is easy; it comes naturally
When we turn our lives to Christ, the Holy Spirit creates a new nature - the two battle within us

Fruits of that new nature - Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus fought the battle with scripture - He said "It is written" many times while responding to others
David hid the God's word in his heart so he would not sin - Psalms 119:11

God promises that we will not be tempted more than we can bear - 1 Corinthains 10:13

 



2008-11-16 - Raising Awesome Kids - First Things First (part 1)
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builder labor in vain - Psalms 127:1

We have someone or something we love most in this world

Jesus must be our first love
He must be our life, not just a part of it

Been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me - Galatians 2:20
To live is Christ - Philippians 1:21

This is the key to everything

Your kids must see that Jesus is a real person to you
You walk with him and love him as a brother

You can not fake it - kids can spot a fake

2008-12-08 - Raising Awesome Kids - Respect (part 2)

How can we tell if our oldrer chidlren are disrepectful?

  • Slamming doors
  • Rolling eyes
  • Muttering
  • List is endless

Our children honoring us is to show honor to God and his plan
As our children come to respect our authority, they learn to respect God himself

Claim your authority! Expect to respected!
If you not expect it, you will not get it

Children really want deep down inside - the confidence from knowing their limits
They want to know how far they can go



2008-12-13 - Raising Awesome Kids - Winning Obedience from Children (part 2)

First principle = first time obedience

Second principle = Parents never lose
They want to see their limits
Apologize when warrented but never give up in the battle of wills

Sometimes the whole issues comes down to the "mother of all battles"
Compromise is one the most devastating mistakes parent can make
When we do this, we sow the seeds of rebellion - Ephesians 6:4

If you have failed in this area:

  1. Read about passages about obeying
  2. Talk to them about obeying the first time
  3. Explain this has not been the way but will be now
  4. Pray together
  5. From that time on be different

 



2008-12-26 - Raising Awesome Kids - Specifics

Character

  • Start early to build on good points and strengthen any areas of weakness
  • Even a child is know by his actions

Beliefs and faith in God - Trust God in prayer / stand for the truth

Attitudes

  • Teach them to love life
  • Expect them to do their best
  • Teach them to expect God to move powerfully

Values - good morals - honesty and purity - if learned young - they will not abanon them

Personality, demeanor, and manners

Train them to have a pleasant personality traits
  • Some need to realize that our kids are not likable
  • Don't let your kids be social outcasts, weird, or rude
  • Some kids think they are hilarious when they are not
  • Other act strangle to get a attention
  • Some are are bland wall flowers


2009-01-03 - Raising Awesome Kids - Foundations of a Spiritual Family
Spiritual = to be on the inside what we trying to do one the outside: to be genuine, not to live a pretense of religious performance but to function out of a sincere relationship with God

A spiritual family is where:
  • God is honored
  • God's presence is sought and experienced in daily life
  • Prayer is an ongoing reality
  • The Bible faithfully read and obeyed
  • There is love for God's church and is fully involved in its fellowship and ministry
  • There is times of worship, praise, and study
  • The children have their own times of personal Bible study
  • The parents spend regular times with each child to disciple them to Christ
  • A group that is dedicated to helping other become disciples of Jesus
Much more than being good, nice, or church-going family - be those things and not be spiritual

We can not take our families where we have not gone
Children can spot a fake

We must be:
  • Genuine in our love for God
  • Consistent in our walk with him
  • Wholehearted in our dedication
Six areas to be discussed:
  1. Prayer
  2. Discipling times
  3. Family devotionals
  4. Devotion to Church
  5. Evangelistic lifestyle
  6. Children's Quiet Times


2009-01-17 - Jesus with People - Humility in Action
Jesus and John the Baptizer were very different - ie one preached in the desert and one in the cities and villages

John called the people not to focus on him but the one who was coming
Jesus came to be baptized by John - Matthew 3:11
John responds - I need to be baptized by you
John submits to Jesus' submission and baptizes Jesus

Satan hated it - they kept humbling themselves before one another - the bond of unity grew tighter and tighter
This humility continued through out their lives  - John: He must become greater; I must become less - John 3:27-30
Jesus did not grasp his equality with God - Philippians 2:6

Humility kept them bonded together, even when Satan was working to divide
Pride: Keeps people from being united
Humility: Bring people together


When unity does not exist among believers: People are not willing to pay the price
Pride means too much to them

What relationship do you have that would be greatly changed if you show humility and not pride?

2009-03-23 - Promises of God - Run to God's Word
Like sin, the very nature of weariness is hostile to radical change

Running is the last thing I feel like doing with I lethargic and tired - but it is exactly what I need to do

Our spirits often resist the Word when we need it the most.

There is power in the Word and it can revive us over and over again
I lie prone in the dust; revive me according to your - Psalms 119:25


2009-04-21 - Why We Need God - He is The Provider
GOD IS THE PROVIDER...
  1. Of physical life itself - Acts 17:28; Psalms 66:8-9
  2. Of that which sustains our physical life - Acts 14:17; Matthew 5:45
  3. Of spiritual strength that we need - Ephesians 3:16,20; 6:10


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

 



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