2010-06-05 - Desire's Journey - Ultimate Blow How are we to bet our arranging a good life in the face of death? Even after the fall, the wickedness of the human heart seems out of control So God set our years shorter - Genesis 6:3 Those left behind experience such pain
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2010-06-30 - Desire's Journey - Great Restoration (part 1) Spring reminds us that life can return to the dead Our ideas of heaven are sometimes not very desirable We sigh and feel guilty that is we are not more "spritual" Scripture tells us that God has set eternity in our hearts - Ecclesiastes 3:11 | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-10 - Contagious Christian - Pull of Compassion Caring for the tangible needs of others is at the core of Christianity Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless - look at orphans and widows in their distress - James 1:27 Compassion is echoed throughout the Bible:
Clear and consistent demonstration of Christ-like love is a powerful magnet that pulls people toward Him Not about who you are or what you did It is about how you care, being a neighbor - Luke 10:36-37 In Luke 10 - when the wounded man awoke, he must have wondered, "Who did this? Why would they do help me in such a great way?" It is when people start asking, "Why didn't he not turn away like everyone else?" As I have loved you, so you must love one another - John 13:34-35 All men will know that you are my disciples | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-23 - Decisions
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2010-10-26 - Contagious Christian - Strength of Sacrifice (part I) Sacrifices move people and are rarely forgotten Three major ways of sacrifice Time It is a rare commodity that we never have enough of Jesus was busy but stopped for the important things Zacchaeus tried to the get Jesus' attention Jesus stopped the procession to go talked with Zacchaeus With disbelief that Jesus would do such a thing, he experienced a rebirth because his repentant heart and Jesus making time His attention on him altered Zacchaeus' life forever People out there are seeking someone who is willing to take the time and effort required to help them come to an understanding of the truth Most of us grossly underestimate the effect we could have on people's eternities if we would just take the time The sacrifice of time combined with the clear communication of the truth can result in salvation | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-10-31 - Contagious Christian - Barriers to Relationships (part II) 1 Corinthians 15:33 - Bad company corrupts good character
Jesus not only risked his reputation but ruined it He was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard - Luke 7:34 Tells you want kind of people He was around Jesus said that He associated with sinners because they are sick people that need a doctor - Matthew 9:12-13 The danger was that the doctor may be mistaken as one of His patients The religious people mutter how inappropriate it was for Him to associate with such disreputable people Jesus cared much about the lost than his reputation | ||||||||||||||||||
2010-12-25 - Saved by Grace through Faith (part I) Psalms 103:1-18
Luke 18:9-14
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2011-01-07 - Church (part I) Acts 2:40-47
Romans 12:1-8
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
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2011-06-05 - Fearing God - Peter feared Peter and his partners had been up all night fishing - Luke 5:1-11
Instead he was fearful: "Go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man! - v8 He saw Jesus' power over the fish in the lake - special because it was from his own trade He recognized that he somehow was in the presence of God Jesus said nothing about Peter's sin - Peter now saw who Jesus really was Peter fell down before Jesus not because his sin but Jesus' deity | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-06-28 - Mind of Christ - Helping People (part III) Attitude differences between a compassionate heart and one that is uncompassionate.
Which side of the table do I tend to say more of? | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-07-05 - Mind of Christ - Relationship with God (part VI) For oneness with the Father, we must be of the same kind of person:
What it does NOT mean:
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2011-07-28 - Fearing God - Infinitely Greater Than Nature Isaiah 40:12 v40:12a - God measures the water in the hallow of his hand We can probably hold about a tablespoon and not for very long 2/3 of the earth is covered in water and in places 6 miles deep Yet God says He holds all that water in his hand v40:12b - God marked off heaven with his breadth of his hand Breadth = the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your little finger, spread apart Ours is somewhere eight inches We can not even calculate the distance across the universe Nearest star beside the sun is 26 trillion miles away v40:12c - Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket? Weighted the mountains and hills? Baskets measurement is around 1/4 of a gallon He holds the dust in such a container and weighs the mountains on a set of scales As we think about these truths we will more and more appreciate God's greatness | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-08-08 - Daughter Needs - All-Male Dad (part I) The All-Male Dad believes he raises only boy and the girls are raised by the mother Perhaps he wanted her to be a boy and never got over the disappointment He prefers to go to his son's baseball game rather than his daughter's ballet There is no male vs female in Christ - Galatians 3:28 God created man and woman differently but there is not any difference in his love or attention toward them Lot (Genesis 19) was the worst All-Male dad In Sodom, when homosexuals mob appeared at Lot's door, he offered his tow daughters Priority should have been on his daughters If he had sons, there is a lot of doubt he would have made such an offer | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-09-14 - Followup: Relationships in the Body (part I) Ephesians 2:19-22 We are the family of Christ In God’s eyes there is no such thing as sibling rivalry. You must treat all your spiritual brothers and sisters with so much love that this love is only surpassed by your love for God and your parents. Many times we bring (into God’s family) the mentality we have from our (physical family). Our spiritual family is different from our physical family. How does God want his family to be? Romans 12:4-8
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2011-09-26 - Proverbs on Advice - Seek Help Proverbs 15:22 - Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Gettysburg was the turning point of the Civil War.
Proverbs 11:14 - For lack of guidance a nation falls but many advisers make victory sure. In the life of a disciple we need eyes all around us (we are in a spiritual battle, not against flesh and blood but against the dark forces of this world).
Five lessons to learn about advice... 1. Seek Advice Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death Proverbs 18:15 - The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, the ears of the wise seek it out If we were going to buy a car for the 1st time, most of us would seek a lot of advice.
If we need help in other areas (that’s good) surely our spiritual life is more important because it has an eternal destination (good or bad)
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2011-10-14 - Genesis 14 - The Kidnapping of LotSummaryThe kings went to war and took Lot captive. Abram rescued Lot. Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram gave him a tenth of everything. ObservationsGenesis 14:18 - Melchizedek ... He was priest of God Most High
Personal ApplicationDo I have a good sense of my relationships? Do I tend to be a part of group to just belong or a higher reason? I find it much easier to take then to give and I do not think I have conviction on doing the reverse. There is no such thing as a free lunch (maybe from God because he gives freely) - are some offers of others giving really a trap? In some some situations, I should be giving instead of taking. | ||||||||||||||||||
2011-11-28 - Gratitude (part I) The topic of gratitude is extremely important and one that we probably don’t stress enough. As a new disciple you want to get into some good habits of gratitude. Being thankful to God for your salvation is really just the beginning. Being grateful for every situation you find yourself in is the goal. In the study, we will look at God’s call be thankful. Gratitude is a commandment of God
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2012-02-02 - Ministry - The Wild Man Mark 5:1-20 So often in our lives as disciples we can unfortunately relate to the wild demon-possessed man we see in the scriptures. In my own life there are times when I long to be able to meet and connect with Jesus and to go deeper in my relationship with God but have it cut short by anger, anxiety and frustration. It's at these times that I must examine the sin and the areas of my life that are out of control. Areas to examine:
V17- The people begged Jesus to leave, even after he performed such an amazing miracle. Why? Jesus represented the light! John 3:19-21 teaches us that the light has come into the world to expose darkness. You will not want Jesus around if you do not welcome exposure. Questions for thought:
Focus on the relationship, not on the sin. Learn how to love people in spite of the sin in their lives. | ||||||||||||||||||
2013-04-16 - The Strength of Jesus (part I) Four instances of Jesus' first impressions:
Jesus draws men to him because of his power
Only a man of strength draws to him great masses of men
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2015-02-06 - Racing for the Bottom What do you think you are doing, building a beautiful tomb for yourself - Isaiah 22:16 Some have a "do what ever it takes" attitude toward raising up the ranks Shebna discovered the quickest way to the bottom by using his high position to promote himself God gave him everything he needed to become a great servant but he used it for himself God wants to be the center of all your plans, God gave us gifts to exalt him not ourselves | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-02-16 - Right Man for the Job He reprimand them strenly to make them strong in the faith - Titus 1:12-13 God often calls men of character and commitment to handle more difficult assignments Among this group was a young man name Titus Paul send him to Crete, known for its:
Only a man of strong character who came solve problems, confront, and love God and His word can qualify for such a charge How would you respond in Crete? How can you be God's man in a tough situation? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-03-06 - Earnest Prayer Epaphras always prays earnestly for you - Colossians 4:12 Early African converts were known for their commitment to prayer So much so their prayer spots were marked with worn paths to them If prayer was negligneted, it could be easily spotted - "Brother, the grass grows on your path" Epaphras demonstrated such genuine love for the Colossians and played a big role in establishing the church there - Colossians 1:17 He practiced three important elements of prayer
Can you make room for regular time of prayer on the behalf of those you love? Nothing makes more of a difference in your walk with Christ than regular times of prayer | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-03-24 - Opposition Sanballat was very angery when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they're doing?" - Nehemiah 4:1-2 Spiritual opposition often confirm that you are headed in the right direction in your life of faith Nehemiah endured this kind of opposition as he worked to rebuild the ruined city walls around Jerusalem Sanballat did everything he could to thwart Nehemiah's work
The main question is not whether such opposition will appear but how you will respnd when it arrives Will you choose discouragement or strengthen your sense of resolve? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-04-13 - True Friend Jonathan loved David as he loved himself - 1 Samuel 20:17 God appointed David as Saul's successor This made King Saul jealous and he made serveral attempts on David's life Jonathon stood up for his friend David - warning and encourging him whenever his father sought to harm David Jonathan would normally had ascended to the throne after his father's death How was it possible that Jonathan, who should have been the most mad about the appointment of David, was the one who helped his replacement? Jonathan loved David as he loved himself - he sacrificed himself for his friend Do you have a friend like Jonathan? Are you a friend like Jonathan? Who is a good candidate for a Jonathan-David friendship? What would it take for you to develop such a relationship? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-05-07 - Burden Becomes a Calling Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? - Judges 6:13 Gideon wondered aloud where all of GOd's miraculous works God had a specific plan in mind for Gideon but before he divulged it God a task before him At first Gideon questioned his ability to take on such a huge task but in the end he led his people to throw off the Midianites yoke of oppression What happens when someone's burden becomes their calling? God often puts burdens within you so that you will feel moved to step out and speak up | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-05-13 - Wise and Humble Leadership He had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall - 2 Chronicles 26:16 It takes a man of true humility to keep his feet on the ground over the long haul when he is given power and authority over others Uzziah, Judah's tenth king, was not such a man His long and sometimes distinguished reign came to an unfortunate end because of his arrogant thirst for power Uzziah expressed his arrogance by entering the sactuary though this job was reserved for his priest Had Uzziah remained humble, he might have become one of the nation's greatest kings - instead, he spent his later years shut away from people in a leper colony Do you understand your place in the big picture? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-05-21 - Opportunities to Speak You have abandoned me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak - 2 Chronicles 12:5 The Bible includes many examples of God sending men to free his people from their sin and rebellion Shemaiah to a message of freedom to his people - All that was required was for them to turn to God It was difficult message for Shemaiah to give such a message to his home country of Judah Shemaiah's willingness to speak God's message made a difference:
When you have the courage to give a difficult message to hear, you can make a difference in your world | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-05-24 - Defend Whats Right Listen carefully to these decrees and regulations, obey them so that you may live - Deuteronomy 4:1 Each of us naturally tends to think we have the right to adopt our our set of morals, standards, and spirituality Beleivers in Christ must reject such a belief Moses delivered an uncompromising message of strict obedience of God with no tolerance for sin He understood the importance of setting righteous standards for the people Moses faithfully walked this (not sinless) despite being labeled as:
Do you have the courage to risk anger, resentment, oppositon, or insults to follow God? God does not ask for perfection but a spirit-empowered obedience | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-07-01 - Passionate Intercession Surely you wouldn't do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked - Genesis 18:25 Abraham's heart sank when God announced he would destroy Sodom:
He couldn't just stand there without trying to intercede on their behalf Abramham trusted God's assessment of Sodom and he to be just and righteous God said he would not destory the city if there were 50, 30, 20, 10 righteous left - Genesis 18:32 Are you a man of persistent, passionate prayer? | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-07-08 - Anticipation Rewarded Holy Spirit reveal to him that he woul not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah - Luke 2:26 Humans are creatures of anticipation. Serveral studies show expectation of something good benefits our health and sense of well-being Simon had lived a long life of such close fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit told him he would see the Messiah A voice told him to go to the Temple, this was his day When Simon saw baby Jesus, he knew immediately that this was the One he had been waiting for Simon: Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people - Luke 2:29-31 | ||||||||||||||||||
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 | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-09-01 - Real Life Knowledge Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance? - Job 42:3 You really find out what he or she is made of when you're not at your best After suffering through the loss of his property, wealth, health, and family, Job came to better understand God - Job 1:8 God had called Job a man of complete integrity - Job 1:8 When he suffered, he began to question God, complaining to God and accusing God of treating him unjustly When God revealed himself, Job had to retrack the foolish things he said. I take back everything I said and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance - Job 42:6 Job began to understand his smallest: I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes - Job 42:5 | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-09-09 - Pride's Angry Partner Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage - Daniel 3:13 Anger can erupt from a lot of things but most commonly from pride The proud man tends to believe that he is owed something such as respect and admiration Nebuchadnezzar's arrogance knew no bounds and it show showed up when three men refused to bow down to his idol Like his anger, Nebuchadnezzar had Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrown into blazing-hot Uncontrolled pride turns into uncontrolable anger God used the situation to save his faithful and humble the proud If you want to keep anger from being a problem in your life, put a check on your pride | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-09-15 - Redemption Ruth told her mother-in-law about the man in whose field she had worked - Ruth 2:19 Ruth must have wondered why the wealthy influential Boaz would show her such kindness Boaz was what Old Testament called a family redeemer - Leviticus 25:25-28 When Ruth's husband died, she traveled with Naomi to Bethlehem where she met Boaz They eventually married and brought her into the lineage of King David When Boaz extented his kindness, at first it was not from romantic love, but from obedience to God | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-09-23 - Change in Plans God changed his mind and did not carry out the destructionhe had threatened - Jonah 3:10 Jonah disliked God's command to warn Nineveh of its coming destruction and became angry with God for sparing the city after the Ninevites heard Jonah's preaching and repented I knew you were a merciful and compassionate God; you are eager to turn back from destroying people - Jonah 4:2 Jonah hated the Ninevties and wanted them killed because he saw them as a treat to his people God's deviated from Jonah's perfect plan Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city? - Jonah 4:11 Jonah was God's servant, not his advisor You will be more happy and peaceful when you simply do what God tells you to do and leave the results to him | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-10-03 - When a Brother Sins I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you - 1 Samuel 12:23 Sometimes we feel thempted to write off a brother in Christ who made a mess of their faith Bible teach us to pray for such a man and do everthing we can to restore him Israel made a foolish and ungodly choice - insisted on an earthly king Samuel felt disappointed but he did not write off the people Instead Samuel took these steps:
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2015-10-09 - Common Sense Let a curse fall on ayone who eats before evening - 1 Samuel 14:24 King Saul had many gifts and talents but he often lacked common sense As his soliders prepared for battle, Saul gave them the orders to not eat anything during the daylight King Saul reasoned that daylight was for fighting He made the order simplete to save time but God provide no such direction King Saul's rashness and impatience led to poor decisions and outright disobedience The Israelites defeated the Philistines but it was not decisive thanks to Saul's foolish burden on the soliders | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-11-01 - Secure in Love I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love - Romans 8:38 Through difficult times we are tempted to think God must really hate me Some have the misguided idea of the relationship between difficulties and God's love Paul opposed such thinking through his suffering that most of us can not imagine He never saw his suffering as an occasion to doubt God's love for him Can anything ever separate us?
No! Despite these things overwhelming victory is ours through Christ - Romans 8:37 | ||||||||||||||||||
2015-11-16 - Self-Discipline These are the sins of David... Amnin whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel - 1 Chronicles 3:1 Many gifted people fail to achieve all they could because they lack self-discipline like Amnon, King David's first son Amnon sealed his fate when he looked lustfully at his beautiful half-sister Tamar The Law of God specifically forbade such behavior Amnon forced himself on Tamar which led to Amnon's murder by his outraged brother Absalom All this happened within the family of Israel's greatest king His life was cut shore before he could do anything of note for God or his people | ||||||||||||||||||
2018-02-07 - The Strength of Jesus John the Baptist was a mighty man but he said there was one coming who is mighter than he He baptized great and small but when Jesus arrives, John falters and draws back at thought of baptizing Jesus Fisherman left all and followed him - such was the impression he made upon them Jesus goes into the synagogue and begins to teach, they are amazed how he teaches with such authority He heals and the people are surprised because God given such power to a man Jesus drew men to him:
In each place Jesus arrived, he turned it upside down by his presence Only a man of strength draws to him great masses of men |