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2008-02-27 - Power of Gratitude - Free at Last

MLK - as bad as slavery was - there a slavery that last for eternity

2 Corinthians 5:21 - Jesus might become sin for us

As existence of righteousness does not ensure we receive it

Satan tries everything to help us miss this opportunity

Jews after saw their failures in the past - created many regulations so they would not sin

  • Not the content of their character
  • Basis of conformity to rules
  • Majored in the minors and minored in the majors

Religion that is performance based is doomed

  • what must we do to please God
  • Condemn others outwardly
  • Condemn ourselves inwardly
  • Everything becomes a matter of right and wrong
  • Hearts focused if we have done enough and have done it right
1 Corinthians 15:10 - I worked harder than all of them - yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me
Romans 7-8 - Focus is not on themselves but on him who died for them; Because they are saved
James 1:23-25 - Law points out their sin clearly / making them feel more indebted to God

Motivation to last a lifetime - Our love responding to his grace

Other motivations:
  • Fear - only for a while
  • Christian fellowship - until other's disappointments and failures
  • Ambition - until our disappointments and failures
NOT: Measure up and I will accept you
YES: I'll accept you, now let's walk together in my strength

2008-02-29 - Power of Gratitude - Bon Appetit
Satan works to both deceive us and accuse us - People tend to have a deceived or an accused conscience

Too many of us seem to think that God turns away from us when we are doing bad and turns back when we repent
Fathers are much more engaged when their kids are not doing well

God ran to the Lost Son - Luke 15
Gave his only Son when we were not doing well - John 3:16-17
Christ died for the ungodly - Romans 5:6-11

At the point the mind changes - our conscience should be cleared
Sin is serious - that is what the cross is all about
Feel the burden of sin long enough to be convicted and move to repentence

2008-03-15 - Be Still My Soul - Exciting Personal Bible Study
What happen to the days when you could not wait to learn more from God's word?
When was the last time you regretted having to close your Bible and go on to other activities?

Excuses:
  • Days of excitement are for young Christians
  • Mature means being dead and lifeless
  • See other older Christians not doing well and assume that is our fate
Paul: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" (Philippians 3:12-16)

The only way to a deep, growing relationship with God - which includes feeding on His word.
Some are not put forth the effort required to dig deeper; have become lazy
Some are satisfied with what they already know and are content being spoon-fed.

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity" (Hebrews 5:11-6:3)
We need to train ourselves (1 Timothy 4:7; Hebrews 5:14)
"This the one I esteem he who ... trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2)

2008-03-22 - Be Still My Soul - The Pattern (Part 2)
Our Father.
  • We are longer slave but sons ans daughters
  • We can approach him with confidence because of Jesus
In heaven.
  • With Jesus as the high priest,  we can confidence to enter the into the throne room of God
  • Can gain a heavenly perspective
  • Praise God that his resources there are limitless
Hallowed be your name.
  • Being holy, set apart, above us
  • Prayer is not just asking for something but for honoring Him
Your kingdom come.
  • Kingdom has not come to every nation and place nor every person
  • Pray for God to open doors, speaking boldly, with wisdom
  • Pray for those who server and in leading roles
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
  • God wants us to pray about surrendering to his will
  • Challenges is our life must not be avoided but have a surrendered life
  • Read some command and ask yourself if you are following them
  • Jesus never asked for strength to go to the cross but only that he might surrender
  • Besides pride and rebellion, unbelief keeps us from doing God's will
Give us today our daily bread.
  • Bring specific needs to God
  • Must depend on God daily for our spiritual and physical needs
  • Pray thorough your todo list and details
  • Jesus said we could do nothing apart from God - John 15:5
Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.
  • Lack of confession results in a hardened heart
  • We will not mature if do not do this soul searching
  • Be specific; ask others for forgiveness if needed
  • Extend forgiveness; can not be forgiven by God otherwise
And lead us not into temptation.
  • What are your weaknesses? Have you faced them?
  • Draw on God's power before Satan strikes
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
  • Return again to praising and glorifying God
  • All power rests in his hand


2008-03-26 - Be Still My Soul - Pointed

We can not be close to God in prayer if we deal only in generalities
God indeed wants to answer our prayers - how will we know what God is doing if we pray in generalities?

Abraham - Genesis 18 - prayed to save the city if there were 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, even 10 righteous people

Our lack of specific praying reveals a distance in our relationship with God

  • More specific in your gratitude - become more grateful
  • More specific in confession - understand the sin you are commiting
  • More specific in your requests for friends and family - see how God will work


2008-03-28 - Be Still My Soul - Postures
Prayer is not only for our minds and hearts, but our bodies

Types of prayer postures:

Kneeling
  • Elijah - with his face between his knees (1 Kings 18:42)
  • Daniel - knelt in prayer three times a day (Daniel 6:10)
  • Peter - knelt in prayer for the life of Tabitha (Acts 9:40)
Standing - Jesus gave instructions and standing in prayer (Mark 11:25)

Prostrate
  • Moses - for 40 days (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25)
  • Daniel - fell prostrate before the angel Gabriel (Daniel 8:17)
  • Jesus - fell on his face in prayer at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36)
Lifting and spreading out hands
  • David - Psalms 28:2, 63:4, 88:9, 119:48, 143:6
  • Ezra - Ezra 9:5
  • Moses - Exodus 9:29
  • Solomon - 1 Kings 8:22
Gazing upward - Jesus looking up to heaven (Matthew 14:19, Mark 6:41, 7:34)

Out loud and silently - Esther 4:1, Hebrews 5:7, James 4:7-9 / 1 Samuel 1:13

If prayers are not offered from a variety of postures then we are not praying as we ought

We can not separate our bodies from our hearts

Author has developed the ability to pray with great concentration and intimacy while running

2008-04-11 - Falling in Love with God - Remembering The Father

It is good to be reminded of who God the Father is:

1. God's love is unconitional

  • Thomas, the douber, was forgiven
  • Peter, who deied the Lord, was forgiven
  • Paul, killer of Christians, was forgiven

The only ones who dail to receive forgiveness are the ones who fail  to ask for it

2. God always comes through

God is faithful, he can not disown himself (2 Timothy 2:13)

3. Nothing is impossible for God

God's power is absolute
He can change anyone and anything
It is never an issue of whether or not God has power, it is if we believe

4. God never makes a mistake

He knows what we can bear - he is always right



2008-04-13 - Falling in Love with God - Our Perception

We must wafe through our fog of experience and except the truth about God

We can not love a God who is created in our own image

God's timing doesn't always make sense to us:

  • Sarah - 25 years before blessing her with a son
  • Moses - was 80 years old before God
  • Joshua - 40 years of preaching outside of Jersalem
  • Jesus - 40 days of tempation in the dessert for about 1000 days of ministry

Some of us have bad days, maybe years. How do we return to God?

Our only hope is to believe in his promises more than we believe in our own perceptions



2008-04-16 - Falling in Love with God - Holy Spirit in our lives
Jesus was intimately connected to the Holy Spirit

If we are to fall in love with God, it is only be through the Holy Spirit

Examples of God's spirit involved with restoration of David:
  • David knew he could go nowhere to escape God Spirit - Psalms 139:7
  • Spirit lead David to "level ground" - Psalms 143:10
  • David pleaded for God's Spirit to remain with him - Psalms 51:11
With the Spirit the road becomes impossible to navigate

2008-04-17 - Falling in Love with God - Experiencing the Spirit
What does it mean to NOT experience the Spirit?

Paul had six questions (Galatians 3:15)
  • Who has bewitched you?
  • Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or believing what you have heard?
  • Are you so foolish?
  • Trying to attain your goal by human effort?
  • Suffered so much for nothing?
  • Does God give you his Spirit because you observing the law or because you believe?
Paul's point: You are falling out of love with God

Our works will never validate our relationship with God
Only relying on the Spirit, can we feel free to have deepening relationship with God

Spirit helps with:
Help not have a heart of stone - Ezekiel 36:24-27
Speak to us not to fear - Haggai 2:1-5
Encourage one to return to God - Isaiah 44:22

No phone calls, sermon, nor spiritual book can move my heart live the Spirit

Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing - John 6:63

We are never alone on this journey - constant source of strength, wisdom, truth, and refreshment

2008-04-19 - Falling in Love with God - Intimacy
Dictionary definition of Intimacy:
  1. Marked by close acquaintance
  2. Relating to one's deepest nature
  3. Innermost
  4. Marked by informality
  5. Very personal
Respectful, but must not be formal - personal

"Quiet Times" OR "our time with God" assumes there is formal meeting / impersonal only
Do we treat friends or co-workers this way?

God desires to know who we are at the deepest level

2008-04-26 - Falling in Love with God - Suffering
Not content to wait for heaven - groaning is never spiritual

Expectations on earth - we are frequently disappointed
Only expectations that exceed our imagination - are satisfied from heaven

Revelation 1:9 - John was a champion in the suffering; patient endurance that are ours in Jesus

We can lose our love for God because we are surprised by suffering


Only place for comfort in our relationship with god

Paul was in conflict between the Earth and being in heaven - 1 Philippians 1:23-25

Since we have not reached the resting place (heaven for us), we don't 'as we see fit' - Deuteronomy 12:8-10

2008-05-15 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Disappointed
Mathew 23:37 - Talks about how Jerusalem killed the prophets and those God has sent to them

Disappointed people are not happy people

Disappointed = depressed or discouraged by the failures of one's hopes
Disappointment in others exposes a basic selfishness; by definition is rather self-focused

Most assume that God often views us with a disappointed heart
Luke 19:41-42 (parallel verse to Matthew 23:37) - If you only had known on this day what would bring you peace

Are you often disappointed in yourself or others?
Humility is needed - Selfishness and pride is the opposite
  • Disappointed often? Selfish often!
  • Frustrated at others often? Selfish often!
  • Angry when others have things against you? Selfish once more!
Look not to your own interest, but the interest of others - Philippians 2:3-4

Disappointment is un-Godlike; Concern is the godly quality which comes from self-denial and agape love

2008-05-16 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Color-Appreciative Unity
Church with one only one race stand in stark contrast to the early church

Rich and poor
Educated and uneducated
Young and old
Black, Asian, Hispanics and white

Only God could bring such a group together in love and harmony
Our unity is a demonstration of true disciples - John 13:34-35; 17:20-23

Being Color-blinded is an absence of prejudice
Color-appreciative is making us a family

2008-05-23 - Purpose Driven Life - You Are Not an Accident

God planned:

  • Where you would be born
  • When you would be born (waiting patiently for Juniper)
  • How long you will live
  • Who your parents would need to be for you to come the way you came

God was thinking of you even before he made the world, that is why he created the world

God's purpose even took in account sin and human error.

If there was no god, we would all be accidents

The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us - Romans 12:3



2008-05-25 - Purpose Driven Life - Made to Last Forever

This life is preparation for the next - realizing this will help you live differently

  • Place a higher premium on relationships
  • Use your time and money more wisely
  • Your priorities will become reordered

God has planted eternity in the human heart - Ecclesiastes 3:11

The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears

The most damging aspect of contemporary living is short-term thinking
Only time most people think about eternity is at a funeral

This world is not our home - Hebrews 13:14
Every moment in this body is time spent away from our eternal home - 2 Corinthians 5:6



2008-05-27 - Purpose Driven Life - Life is a Temporary Assignment

Life is a temporary assignment

It is descriped as a mist, a fast runner, a breath, a wisp of smoke

Compared to eternity, life is extremely brief
Earth is only a temporary residence
Christians should carry spiritual green cards

With this understanding. worries lost their grip on our lives

In order to keep us from getting too attached God allows us to feel much discontentment and dissatisfaction in life
It is a fatal mistake to assume God's goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success

  • Paul was faithful - ended up in prison
  • John the Baptist was faithful - was beheaded

Some would consider them foolish and lost everything but they gained everything - God and heaven

In heaven we will ask ourselves:

  • Why did I place so much importance things so temporary?
  • What was I thinking?
  • Why did I waste so much time on thing that will not last?


2008-06-11 - Purpose Driven Life - Experiencing Life Together
Life is meant to be shared
 
Fellowship - now refers to casual conversation, socializing, food, and fun
Jesus knew that 12 was the maximum size for a group for everyone to participate
 
In real fellowship people experience...
 
... Authenticity
  • Honest with who you are - otherwise we are just fooling ourselves - 1 John 1:7-8
  • Requires courage and humility
  • We only grow by taking risks - being honest is a major risk
 
... Mutuality (Romans 1:12)
  • Depending on each other
  • Sharing responsibility
  • Mutual accountability
 
... Sympathy
  • Sharing pain of others (Colossians 3:12)
  • Meet needs of being understood and the validation of our feelings
  • Self-Pity dries up sympathy for others
  • Times of crisis, grief, doubt when we need each other the most
 
... Mercy
  • Can't have fellowship without forgiveness
  • Bitterness and resentment always destroys fellowship
  • Never be asked to forgive someone more than God has forgiven you
  • Energy for retaliation or resolution?
  • Forgiveness immediate; Trust takes time


2008-06-12 - Purpose Driven Life - Cultivating Community
Community requires commitment
Only the Holy Spirit can create real fellowship between believers
 
Cultivating community takes...
 
...Honesty
 
Silent when someone sins - not loving thing to do
Means caring enough to lovingly confront - Proverbs 24:26
A group will remain superficial because they are afraid to conflict
It is where gossip thrives
Corinth church was allowing sexual immorality because no one had the courage to say anything.
 
...Humility
 
Pride builds walls between; humility builds bridges
Being prideful is living in opposition to God - 1 Peter 5:5
Develop humility by: admitting weakness, being patient with other's weakness, being open to correction, pointing the spotlight on others
 
...Courtesy
 
Nothing to do with compatibility
Basis of our fellowship is our relationship to God - We are family
 
...Confidentiality
 
Does not mean keeping silent about sin
Means - stays within the group - Proverbs 16:28
 
...Frequency
 
You need to spend time - make it a habit - Hebrew 10:25
Community is not built on convenience - "Let's get together sometime"

2008-06-13 - Purpose Driven Life - Restoring Broken Fellowship
Relationships are always worth restoring
God has given us the ministry of restoring
God gave everything (his son) for restoring relationships
Does not mean avoiding conflict or appeasement
 
Talk to God before talking to the person
 
God may change your heart or their hear - James 4:1-2
Tell God your frustrations
Most conflict is rooted in unmet needs; some needs can only be meet by God
 
Always take the initiative
 
God expects you to make the first move - Matthew 5:23-24
Abandon your offering at the alter and go make things right first
Acting quickly reduces the spiritual damage
Bitterness is only hurting yourself
 
Sympathize with their feelings
 
Use your ears more than your mouth - Philippians 2:4
Focus on feelings and not facts
Start with sympathy, not solutions
 
Confess your part of the conflict
 
Ask "Am I the problem?" - Matthew 7:5
The way you handle a conflict creates a bigger hurt
 
Attack the problem, not the person
 
How you say it is important as what you say
Cold War - country decided on weapons that should never be used
 
Cooperate as much as possible - Romans 12:18
 
Sometime it cost our pride, self-centerness
 
Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution
 
Reconciliation focuses on the relationship
Takes a lot of effort to restore a relationship

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

2008-06-20 - Purpose Driven Life - Defeating Temptation

There is always a way out
He will not permit any temptation that you could not overcome - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Refocus attention on something else

By resisting, you actually reinforce it
Don't fight the though, change the channel
Power of suggestion - the more you think about something, the stronger it takes hold of you
Temptation begins by capturing your attention - Satan can't get your attention when you are focused on something else

Reveal your struggle to a gold friend or support group

If you fall, a friend can help you up - Eccelesiastes 4:9-10
Hiding your hurt intensifies it
Satan wants you to think that your temptation is unique - We all fight the same temptations - 1 Corinthians 10:13
The reason we hide our faults is pride - everything is under control

Resist the Devil

He will flee when you resist - James 4:7
Without Christ we are defenseless against the Devil
Satan can not make you do anything, he can only suggest
Use the Word of God as your weapon against Satan - Jesus simply answered Satan with scriptures
Don't ever try to argue with Satan - he better at it

Realize your vulnerabilities

The heart is deceitful above all things- Jeremiah 17:9

Don't carelessly place yourself in tempting situations, avoid them - Proverbs 14:16



2008-06-26 - Purpose Driven Life - No Excuse for Not Serving
The Bible warns against living only for ourselves - Romans 2:8
Trying to save our life; we will lose it - Mark 8:35

What excuse have you been using to not serve?
  • Abraham was old
  • Jacob was insecure
  • Leah was unattractive
  • Joseph was abused
  • Moses stuttered
  • Gideon was poor
  • Samson was codependent
  • Rahab was immoral
  • David has an affair and many family problems
  • Elijah was suicidal
  • Jeremiah was depressed
  • Jonah was reluctant
  • Nomi was a widow
  • John the Baptist was eccentric
  • Martha worried a lot
  • Samaritan women had several failed marriages
  • Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered
  • Zacchaeus was unpopular
  • Thomas had doubt
  • Paul had poor heath
  • Timothy was timid


2008-06-30 - Purpose Driven Life - Using What God Gave You

Begin by assessing your gifts and talents

Take a long honest look at what you are good at
Try to have a sane estimate of your abilities - Romans 12:3
Make a list and ask other people

Experiment with different areas of service
When it doesn't not work out, call it an "experiment", not a failure

Consider your heart and personality
Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given - Galatians 6:4

Examine your experiences and extract lessons you have learned

Remember today what you have learned about the Lord - Deuteronomy 11:2
Forgotten experiences are worthless
Paul - "Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not! - Galatians 3:4

Were rarely see God's good purpose - John 13:7

Run with patience the particular race that God has set before us - Hebrews 12:1

Satan can steal our joy by:

  1. Compare your ministry with others - others doing a better job
  2. Conform your ministry to the expectations of others - you are doing better and you full of pride

Avoid comparisons, resist exaggerations, and seek only God's commendations - 1 Corinthians 10:12-18

 



2008-07-04 - Purpose Driven Life - Thinking Like a Servant (part 2)

Servants think about their work, not what others are doing

They do not compare, criticize, or compete with other servants; same goal and same team
When you are busy serving, you don't have time to be critical
Our job is not to evaluate - Lord will determine the sucessfulness  of his servant - Romans 14:4

If you serve like Jesus, expect to be criticized
The service of the sinful (pouring perfume on Jesus) was though to be a waste but just though of it as significant - Matthew 26:10

Servants base their identity in Christ

They are loved and accepted by grace, servants don't have to prove their worth
Jesus washing feet - Jesus understood his worth and the task did not threathen his self-image - John 13:3-4

Insecure people are always worrying about how they appear; want others to serve them instead
Only God's approval counts - 2 Corinthians 10:18

Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation

Serve the Lord with gladness - Psalms 100:2
The Father rewards anyone who serves him - John 12:26
He will not forget how hard you have worked - Hebrews 6:10

The only really happy people are those who have learned to serve



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