2008-08-29 - Teach Us To Pray - The God who Enjoys Hearing and Watching Us We enjoy accomplishment: meeting a deadline, A on a test Imagine the incredible feeling God must have experienced when he first viewed his own creation:
How would iy affect your prayer life if you had a deep conviction that God enjoys his relationship with you? God Enjoys Hearing Us Talking to Him God Enjoys Watching Us | ||||||
2008-09-07 - Teach Us To Pray - Honesty and Openness Honest communication is crucial element to any great relationship: God, spouse, children. Consider how ludicrous it is to not be real with God:
Moses:
It is in our openness that we hear our faithlessness and can turn away from it. God wants a relationship with you He wants to know our longings, aspirations, problems, anxieties, doubts, and even our sin | ||||||
2008-09-09 - Teach Us To Pray - Fasting and Focusing "When you fast" - not if you fast God commanded the Jews to fast on the day of Atonement - Leviticus 23:27-29 Getting practical
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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:
God's work cannot be done in this world without courage | ||||||
2008-10-12 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-nissi Means "the Lord is my banner" Given when Moses built an alter after Israel defeated the Amaleties - Exodus 17:15 Recognize God as the source of victory and success in our lives We no longer need to fear, he has broken the curse of the law - source of our fear of failure He has shown us how to live a life of spiritual prosperity and success - Joshua 1:8 | ||||||
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 | ||||||
2008-11-13 - Man of Prayer - Beyond the Basics Nothing we experience in the physical world will ever give us the the joy of our experience in the presence if God David - "In your presence is the fulness of joy" - Psalms 16:11 Fullness of joy is what all men long for Some men have been created with personalities that are very logical and others are oriented to feeling and intuition As our prayer lives develop, we each need to discover what dimensions of prayer are most effective for us | ||||||
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 | ||||||
2008-12-02 - Raising Awesome Kids - Teach Them About God's Love They should be taught from infancy that:
It shapes their whole view of life and reality Continue teaching, do not foist your past (if bad) on your child: They have been assigned a personal angel to look after them - Matthew 18:10 | ||||||
2008-12-28 - Raising Awesome Kids - Nurturing Confidence (part 1) Early life is a long struggle for self-esteem Kids can be viciously cruel to one another If not watchful, we will be completely oblivious to difficulties our children are facing Wrong Foundations of Confidence Physical Appearance If we make it a big deal, we are setting u our children for problems They will gauge their self-worth on appearance and judge others that same way
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2009-01-01 - Raising Awesome Kids - How to Nuture Confidence (part 2) Help them improve in areas of weakness Encourage your children to be well-rounded Academics are too important to neglect just because it does not come easy Examples:
Help them form upbuilding friendships All young people need to belong to a group If they are generally outsiders:
If you can't help someone be better or if either one of you makes the other a worse person, then you can not be friends | ||||||
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? | ||||||
2009-01-26 - Jesus with People - Nic at Night Some people's needs could be quickly dealt with: "Heal my blindness" or "Let me just touch your garment" But not Nicodemus, Jesus knew it would be a long night - John 3:1-3 Nicodemus, was a man looking for something:
Could this be right? Could Jesus be the Messiah? Jesus was straight to the point: I tell you the truth, you must be born again - John 3:3 Nicodemus knew he could get time with Jesus and he did Who was intrumental in answering your questions and healping you see the truth? | ||||||
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? | ||||||
2009-02-24 - Jesus with People - Walking with Jesus We must respond to Jesus' pursuit of us with our pursuit of him Even with the testimony of woman, the disciples doubted When Jesus stood in front of them, they thought he was a ghost - What hid their understanding? Jesus was dead, yet lived afain How long was your Emmaus road? | ||||||
2009-03-08 - Promises of God - Lord of Physical Challenges Psalms 91:9-11 - God will protect us and guard you in all your ways We do not see the refuge that God is or the trouble from which he has saved us - we can become bitter He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us In what areas of your life are you most thankful for this promise? | ||||||
2009-05-04 - No one like him - His dependence on God (part 3) 4. I cannot draw people to myself on my own – I can not save anyone
“…God, is the one who glorifies me.” (John 8:54) Challenging to Jesus to be humble - tempted with being the preexisting Son of God Jesus understood he belonged to God – we should have this same understanding | ||||||
2009-05-10 - No one like him - His Courage Submissive yes, Timid and fearful, no. Submissiveness, not cowardly or silence – gave up self for others Wanted loyalty over their families and friends (Luke 14:25-27) They must give up everything for salvation (Luke 14:28-33) Who can accept it? (John 6:60) Many no longer followed him (John 6:66) 1. Rich young ruler found that Jesus’ message would not change for anyone (Luke 18:18-30) 2. Jesus never held back – Jesus and turning over tables of thieves
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2009-07-03 - A Life of Impact - Assertiveness Assertiveness Mark 5:35-43
Fear Sensitivity
A Simple charge
Privileging
Consideration
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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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2009-08-15 - A Life of Impact - Emotional Transformation (part 2) Openness
Deliberation
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2009-08-19 - Wild at Heart - Intro (part 1) Eve was created with the lush beauty of Eden’s garden Adam was created outside the garden – wild from the beginning Men have an insatiable longing to explore When most men come alive Discover it when they first cross the street or when they first ride their bikes to the store Adventure – all the danger and wildness (longing into the soul of men) Man needs a place where it is not prefabricated Moses – in the desert of Sinai Jacob – wrestling with God (somewhere east of Jabbok) Elijah recovered his strength in the wild So did John the Baptist and Jesus | ||||||
2009-08-30 - Wild at Heart - Question that haunts every man (part 4) Eve (helper or lifesaver)– fails her design too Eve is deceived Eve was convicted that God was withholding something from her Now every daughter of Eve wants control her surroundings
We are hiding - not what we are meant to be - afraid of exposure | ||||||
2009-09-07 - Wild at Heart - The enemy fears you If you ever really got your heart back, lived from it with courage, you would be a huge problem to him Many men have not been shown how to fight from the heart. Failure of fathers and left men without direction If you want the wound healed and your strength restored and to find your true name, you re going to have to fight for it. Notice your reaction at these words. Does another come in and caution you to stop We need to know who we are and if we have what it takes A man’s core question does not go away We search for the answer of validation
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2009-09-10 - Wild at Heart - False self (part 1) Place of our woundedness we construct a false self People can shutdown their heart and focus on what they are good at - Spock like Can become a perfectionist An impostor - don’t ever be your real self anymore because nobody likes you as you are As a defense against pain It becomes OUR plan for salvation - will fail time and time again until we give up God must take it away Those plans to protect and save us will actually destroy us - leads to death - Proverbs 16:25 Seems right to shield ourselves from pain and to save a little love There is a critical point in every man’s life True test of a man is when he starts to longer rely on what he’s used all his life Not women want a man that just exists | ||||||
2009-09-19 - Wild at Heart - Healing the wound (part 5) Until we are broken, our life will be self-centered, self-reliant, our strength will be our own. So long as you think you are really something in and of yourself, what will you need God for? Think of the poser you know – are they the kind of man you would call 2am, when life is collapsing around you? Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be. Because the wound was given in the place of your true strength Out of your brokenness that you discover what you have to offer the community When we begin to offer not merely our gifts but our true selves, that is when we become powerful That is when we are ready for battle | ||||||
2009-09-21 - Wild at Heart - The Enemy (part 2) A warrior is cunning. When to fight and when to run Three enemies:
We want the easy way out Your flesh is a weasel, a poser, and a selfish pig. And your flesh is not you. Paul knew the struggle within – my sin is not me – this not my true heart - Romans 7 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you - Ezekiel 36:26 There is a war within us, but it is a civil war. There is a traitor within who wars against our true heart fighting alongside the Spirit of God The real you is on the side of God against the false self. The man who wants to live valiantly will lose heart quickly if he believes that his heart is nothing but sin We are never told to crucify our heart We are never told to kill the true man with in us Never told to get rid of those deep desires for battle and adventure and beauty | ||||||
2009-09-25 - One Another - Making it Clear
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
If living with worldly wisdom then we will:
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2009-10-01 - One Another - Members of one another We belong to each other Romans 12:4-5 - many members but just one body Each member belongs to all the others Role in the body is determined:
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2009-10-09 - Wild at Heart - The Strategy (part 2) Satan uses propaganda He is the “accuser” - Revelation 12:10 Christ was attacked - “If you are the son of God” - prove it - Luke 4:1-13 So long as a man remains no real treat to the Enemy – You are fine After you take sides - Your heart is bad and you know it He looks for weaknesses Throws a thought or temptation that he hopes we will swallow If I thought this was just me, my heart, I’d be very discouraged. Knowing that my heart is good allowed me to block it, right then and there Think of how lust starts .. “I am not here it is all you.” Any hand to hand combat, there are blows, dodges, blocks, and counterattacks How did Christ handle Satan? - he did not get into an argument with him He simply stood on the truth Satan doesn’t just throw a thought but feelings as well Guard your heart | ||||||
2009-10-10 - Wild at Heart - The Strategy (part 3) 2. Intimidation Our condition may become normal to use after a while - depression If you pray and fight against – It will get worse. Once the Enemy is discovered, he usually does not just roll over and die. Jesus says get tough and resist the onslaught Next level Satan tries intimidation and fear He wants you to agree with intimidation because he fears you Fighting back, he will lose – Resist the devil and he will flee – James 4:7 Why do so many pastor’s kids go off the deep end? Evil One is trying to an old tactic – strike first and maybe the opposition will run He can’t win, you know God is with us “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” – Joshua 1:5 The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is his name – Exodus 15:3 How did Jesus win the battle against Satan? God was with him Doesn’t simply mean that he’ll be around - he will fight for us Satan is trying to appeal to the traitor’s commitment to self-preservation when he uses fear and intimidation. So as long as we are back in the old story of saving our skin, looking out for Number One, those tactics will work. Become a warrior The most dangerous man on earth is the man who has reckoned with his own death. All men die, few men ever really live. | ||||||
2009-10-12 - Wild at Heart - The Strategy (part 5) We don’t need accountability groups we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alone side, someone to watch our back We don’t need a meeting of the Really Nice Guys Never a more devoted group of men than those who have fought alongside one another You will be wounded To lose a leg is nothing compared to losing heart Enemy knows the wounds of your past and he will try to wound you again in the same place It is an honor to be wounded in the service of the Lord Boys are proud of their scars, they are badges of honor Kingdom forcefully advances and forceful men take hold of it - Matthew 11:12 Jesus says it is going to take every ounce of passion and forcefulness you’ve got | ||||||
2009-11-04 - Repentance - Jesus Opens Our Eyes (part 2) The Red Pill and the Blue Pill
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2009-11-14 - Repentance - Godly Sorrow (part 2) Aganaktesis – Indignation Conducts a search-and-destroy mission for every potential excuse for sinPhobos – Alarming Fear Although God hates sin and not the sinner – still it is the sinner that goes to hellEpipothesis – Longing Through fear, we recognize that sin alienates us from God | ||||||
2009-11-15 - Repentance - Godly Sorrow (part 3) Zelos - Zeal Zeal reject the “whatever…” attitude as it determines to do “Whatever to takes!”Questions
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2009-11-24 - Master Plan - Selection (part 3) Few were converted in His lifetime.
Everything that is done with the few is for the salvation of the multitudes. Modern Practicals
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2009-11-29 - Master Plan - Church is the continuing fellowship (part 2)
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2009-12-28 - First the Kingdom - At Ease Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth - Matthew 5:5 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace - Psalms 37:11 Meekness is strength under the control of God Being meek is being at ease before God and man One looks outside himself for the power of life Totally open with God, God will work in all things for his good To be meek is not to be afraid... 1. Is at ease with God Someone who worries and has anxiety reduces them to practical atheists A child is at ease with their father/mother (in most cases) I have stilled and quieted my soul; child with mother is my soul within me - Psalms 131:2 2. Is at ease with himself Jesus knew exactly what authority he had been he had been given by God - John 13:3 3. Is at ease with others Neither inferior nor superior No longer deceived by pride, he is free to learn from anyone At ease with God and himself - has nothing to prove and nothing to fear | ||||||
2009-12-30 - First the Kingdom - Starving without Him Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled - Matthew 5:6 Jesus himself was the bread of Life - John 6:35 Gave Living water - John 4:10 He describes a relationship with him to be all-consuming Just like going without food or water fir a prolonged period - there is little else we think about As deer pants for water, my soul pants for you - Psalms 42:1-2 How excited are you about getting time to be with God every day? For deep conviction about loving the Word - Psalms 119 Without the sense of duty, he was overjoyed at the privilege of being able to commune with heart of the Creator Hunger for the Word develops obedience which helps with understanding of God heart to help and server others | ||||||
2010-01-01 - First the Kingdom - Guarding Against Heart Disease Blessed are the pure in hear, for they will see God - Matthew 5:8 What does it mean to keep our hearts pure? To have undivided devotion? Set our hearts are things above - Colossians 3:1 Must learn to battle Satan's attacks on our heart Recent years - we have aware about physical heart conditions We should lower our bad cholesterol and exercise more Since we desire a healthy heart for a longer life we: diet and exercise The heart is the "want to" muscle When we really want something, we go after it with all of our heart | ||||||
2010-01-24 - Kingdom First - Wise Investing Jesus is not interested in our obedience outwardly without having our hearts set on heaven
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2010-01-30 - One Another - Confession Lessons Sin is still a reality - even in Christ God uses relationships to transform us Everyone who seek these relationship will find themselves either being the one sinning or the one being sinned against Christ has freed us to be real We no longer have to prove anything No longer have to pretend or conceal Love of Christ compels us and reminds us and reassures us We should not be shocked or disillusioned when someone confesses Will we look down on others like the Pharisee did in Jesus' parable - Luke 18? Or will we see we all are capable of bad things in need of grace? Sooner we can walk in the light, the better Longer something stays concealed, the more demons of darkness have time to work | ||||||
2010-02-27 - One Another - One Another In Groups (part 1) Small groups were in the center of Jesus' ministry - spent much of his time with the 12 Principles of small groups Focus on belonging and being devoted - Romans 12:5 All belong to one another - members of one another These who have been united with Christ - this is your spiritual family Be a giver, not just a taker Always need great listeners (not just being quite) - ask questions, draw people out Do your part to make the group warm, loving, supportive, open, etc "I'm not getting much out from this group" - check your heart and actions Appreciate, affirm, and encourage the different gifts - 1 Corinthians 12 God has given our brothers and sisters for our enjoyment Give special focus to those who may feel marginalized by illness/disability | ||||||
2010-03-03 - To Live is Christ - In My Heart Philippians 1:7-8 During Paul's 3 days of blindness:
Instead of seeing cell walls - he saw the Philippian disciples needs, struggles, and victories Paul had to have come to know them all He did not just start the church there, he began a family He was committed to all of them - he was a true shepherd:
We too can long for people with the affection of Christ but we must have people in our hearts | ||||||
2010-03-27 - Life to the Full - Crown not Frown (part 1) James address Christians under pressure Without pressure, the human body soon slows down and dies Pressure keeps the blood flowing James chooses to call himself servant rather than brother - James 1:1 He was a prominent leader in the early church but he kept a down-to-earth perspective Anyone in a leadership role needs to have the same attitude How are trials to be met? With pure joy - James 1:2-8 There are two options: continue in the process of becoming mature or walk away and do it our own way Maturity is not just spiritual longevity - it is how you react under pressure What do we do it we lack wisdom? Ask for it Not IQ but for knowing what to do in tricky situations It's a promise of God that he will enable you to live more intelligently What is last big trial you faced? How did you react? | ||||||
2010-04-02 - Life to the Full - Dead or Alive? (part 2) While there is certain kinds of judging that is prohibited or discourage, there is also judging that is encouraged
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2010-04-03 - Life to the Full - Dead or Alive? (part 3) God is just, his laws are just - this should give us great confidence God justice - does not guarantee life will be fair - James himself was executed in 62AD There is quite a difference between compassion and softness - James 2:8-13 The struggles to decide what to do, only God's perfect law can guide us:
Maybe the Ten Commandments? - If so, they would be wrong
A mark of true Christianity is adherence to these two laws Total commitment and total involvement As long these are two commands are the top priority, our focus will not be warped or unbiblical | ||||||
2010-04-25 - Heart of Friendship (part 1) Preached by John Lusk (2005-01-23) Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Christ is the key to having true friendships Friendship with Christ John 15:14-15
Matthew 11:28-30 - Jesus yoke is easy and he will give you rest Hebrews 4:15-16 - Jesus understands and have been in your situation 2 Peter 1:3 - He given everything we need in life | ||||||
2010-04-28 - Heart of Maturity (Motivation of Maturing) Preached by John Lusk (2005-01-30) How passionate are you about maturing?
Motivation of Maturing 1. To regain your identify Genesis 1:26-27
2. To remian in Jesus 1 John 2:3-4 - This is a expectation from God 3. To be effective and productive 2 Peter 1:4-8
4. Secure salvation 2 Peter 1:8-11 - We have been given a new start Wrong motivation - Pleasing people, selfish ambition | ||||||
2010-05-12 - Desire's Journey - Our Heart's Deepest Secret But I still haven't found what I am looking for - U2 We have a secret desire for life as it was meant to be Again and again the yearning of our heart cries for this life Life comes to all of us as a mystery We long to live a life we are not sure where to find The greatest human tragedy is to give up the search for life. Nothing is of greater importance than the life of our deep heart To lose heart is to lose everything - Proverbs 4:23 Who we really are and why we are here comes to us through our heart's desire Our heart yearns for things to be right is so strong that it overrides the logic and hopes against hope every time The heart has its reasons which reason knows not of - Proverbs 20:5 There are two things that pierce the human heart:
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