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2008-03-06 - Power of Gratitude - Here I Raise My Ebenezer
Miraculous storm, allowing the Israelites to rout the Philistines (erecting the monument - Ebenezer) - 1 Samuel 4:1
Crossing the Jordan and God had them setup a memorial of twelve stones - Joshua 4:21-22

We all need those landmarks etched in our memories to remind us of what God has done in our lives
Disciples need reminders:
  • Albums of pictures - when God poured out his love
  • Printed memorabilia
  • Special events - birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms
Good idea to keep a calendar of past events - for more details thanksgiving to God

Job's understood life was short:
  • My days are swifter that a weaver's shuttle - Job 7:6
  • My days are swifter than a runner - Job 9:25
  • Man born of woman is of few days - Job 14:1
Life is too short to not make memories and then to regularly reflect on them with thankful hearts

2008-03-13 - Be Still My Soul - Times of Fasting

What is fasting? - voluntary abstinence from food in order to draw near to God

Fasting - frequently practiced by those who have walked closely with God:

  • Moses - fasted for 40 days as he received the law (Exodus 34:28)
  • David - fasted for the life of his newborn (2 Samuel 12:15-22)
  • King Jehoshaphat - declared a national fast under a miltary emerency (2 Chronicles 20)
  • Esther - called for God's people to fast during a extermination attempt (Esther 4)
  • Daniel - fasted to confess his and God's people sin (Daniel 9)
  • Nehemaih - fasted for the condition of Jerusalem to improve (Nehemiah 1)
  • Jesus - fasted for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry (Matthew 4:2)
  • Antioch church leaders - fasted for to bless their ministry efforts (Acts 13:1-3)
  • Paul and Barnabas - dedicating newly appointed elders (Acts 14:23-24)

 Jesus warned about the mere appearance of fasting - Matthew 6:16-18

Advice

  • Decide how long before hand
  • Begin  with shorter fasts
  • Be care with those taking medication or those with a background of anorexia or bulimia
  • Do not indulge in a large meal immediately after a fast

A "world fast" is an idea to remove yourself from movies, sports, television, newpaper, other outside info

 Reason to fast:

  • Humble ourselves
  • Show our dependance on him
  • To devote time and focus to our spiritual lives
  • To ask for God' guidance
  • To ask for God's help
  • To overcome spiritual lukewarmness
  • To pray for a particular need
  • To express gratitude and thanksgiving
  • Breakthrough in our faith


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


2008-03-30 - Be Still My Soul - Psalms You Sing
Nothing is quite as effective as music in improving our moods and softening our hearts
  • I will sing and make music - Psalms 57:7
  • I will sing and make music to the Lord - Psalms 27:6
  • Make music to your name - Psalms 92:1
  • Extol him with music and song - Psalms 95:2
  • I will sing and make music with all my soul - Psalms 108:1
  • The Lord is my strength and my song - Psalms 118:14
Use of music in our personal devotions is of utmost importance and is possessed of immense power
Frees us from a mere intellectual approach
Humbles us, especially those of us who are vocally challenged
Get a songbook and start singing during your quiet times

If your relationship with God seems dry and lifeless, music may be the missing element

2008-04-10 - Falling in Love with God - Jesus: Together Forever
No eye has seen,
 No ear has heard
  No mind has conceived
   What God has prepared for those who love him - 1 Corinthians

Our Journey to heaven is like a race:
  • If you start too fast, you can die
  • The most important thing is finishing
  • Cannot compare myself to anyone else or I will get thrown off
  • I think about walking when I think no one is looking
  • Envy people standing on the sidelines
  • Finish line seems to literally pull me along
Heaven is the finishing line that should literally pull me along

Can you imagine what it will be like to see Christ face to face?
He might say something like "I never doubted; I knew you would make it!"

I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far - Philippians 1:21-26

Better than what? Better than all.

2008-04-30 - Falling in Love with God - God Finding Us

When does seeking really start?

Romans 3:11 - there is no one that seeks God
John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father draws him

Studying the Bible is simply allowing ourselves to be sought by God

If it was our own effort - baptism may seem like the end of the quest

We need to active learners

When we were young, we understood obligation  - "I gotta go to school"
After high school, we may go to college and narrow our focus of learning and become passive learners

  • We listen to the voice of our experience as the final authority
  • We learn mostly from our mistakes
  • We learn when we are forced to out of control - crisis, illness, death

Treasures are for those who will continue to seek forever; not for those who want tips and tricks for being "effective"

If there were ever a moment to be a passive learner, it would be when you walk with Jesus

Luke 11:1-13 - where would we be if the disciples had not asked about praying to the Father? - not know how to address the Father

We need to take responsibilty to get deep and ask questions



2008-05-02 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Forgiveness, part 2

1 Peter 2:18

  • Our first response to others must having nothing to do with how they treat us; love is unconditional
  • Our response to those who mistreat us must be based on the example of Jesus
  • Our response when we are hurt is to think how to extend an opportunity of repentance and forgiveness
  • The more we suffer with grace and mercy toward our offender, the more they are drawn to God

1 Peter 3:8-9

  • Taking up our cross means we suffer at the hands of others without retaliation and with repect
  • Offenders will be melted by our gentleness and hopefully
  • Even if no repetance, they at least have an opportunity to repent

Taking the way of the cross accomplishes:

  • Refines our character, making us more like Jesus
  • Works on those who sin against us by bringing them to repentance
  • The greater the hurt forgiven, the greater the impact of the one forgiven


2008-05-06 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Emotions and Spirituality
Emotions are God-given and a blessing

Some refuse to get open and honest with their true feeling - from pride and fear

In times of crisis, we usually get past our emotional blockage and express ourselves much better

Negative emotions are not to be trusted
Unless you allow others to break into your closed system of reasoning, the illogical will continue to seem perfectly logical
Satan can use emotions in a damaging way - need to allow others to gain perspective

Emotions are needed and seen in Jesus:
  • Cried regularly - Hebrews 5:7
  • Open about disappointments - Luke 19:41-44
  • Open about struggles - Matthew 26:36-46
Thank God for those who are both emotionally based and spiritually strong at the same time

2008-05-10 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Money - Root of All Evil?, part 2
There are spiritual challenges for both those who have money and those who don't

God promises to give us what we need, but not what we may want

1 Timothy - need for contentment with the basic of life

Examine:
  • How much have we accumulated?
  • Why have we accumulated it?
  • How much are we using?
  • How are we using it?
  • How attached are we to it?
Colossians 3:23 - work for the Lord
Seeking advancement or seeking to please God?

How content are you with what you have? - Philippians 4:12

1 Timothy 6:9-12 - not just avoid but flee from the love of money
 - Some use people, and love money
 - God uses money and loves people

Who is master in your life? God OR Money - Luke 16:13

Avoid the extremes of loving it and envying those who have more than you

Use money to the fullest extend to serve him and bless others

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

2008-05-15 - 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

2008-05-20 - Power of Spiritual Thinking - Heaven Can Wait
2 Corinthians 12:2-7 - Paul longed for heaven but was willing to wait in order to fulfill his purpose
Death held no fear for him because heaven was so real

Life goes by so quickly - Psalms 90:10
All are destined to become distance memories for those we leave behind

2 Corinthians 4:16 - we are wasting away outwardly but being renewed day by day

It is far too easy to become attached to this life - hardship changes this.

As beautiful as all of God's creation is, God made it as throwaway
It is destined to be burned up and to pass away - 2 Peter 3:10


2008-05-24 - Purpose Driven Life - What Drives Your Life?

What shouldn't drive our life (will miss God's purposes for your life):

People are driven by guilt

Allows the past to control their future
God's purpose is not limited to our past

God turned a murder (Moses and Paul) into a leader and a coward into a hero

God specializes in giving people a fresh start

People are driven by resentment and anger - Resentment always hurts you more than it does the other person

People are driven by fear - from unrealistic expectations and high-control situations

People are driven by materialism - Your value is not determined by your valuables

People are driven by the need for approval - those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it

Living a purpose driven life, knowing your purpose:

  1. Gives meaning to your life
    • I have laboed to no purpose - Isaiah 49:4
    • My life drags by - day after hopeless day - Job 7:6
    • My life makes no sense - Job 7:16
  2. Simplies your life
    • You have just enough time to do God's will - too much to do means you doing things you shouldn't be doing
  3. Focuses your life
  4. Motivates your life
  5. Prepares you for eternity


2008-06-10 - Purpose Driven Life - A Place to Belong
You are called to belong
Relationship with Christ is personal but not private
Your organs are connected to other organs to fulfill a purpose
Organ severed from the body will shrivel and die
 
Christ loved the church and gave his life for it - Ephesians 5:25
 
Church is Christ's bride
Can't say to Christ "I love you but I do not love your wife
 
Why you need a Church Family?
 
1. Identifies you as a genuine believer
 
2. Move you out of self-centered isolation
 
Lab for practicing unselfishness
Learn to care about others
If one part suffers, all suffer - 1 Corinthians 12:16
We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers - 1 John 3:16
 
3. Helps develop spiritual muscle
Isolation breeds deceitfulness
 
4. Body Needs you
 
5. Share in Christ's mission - He works through us
 
6. Church family will help you from backsliding
 
"Mind your own business" - not a Christian phrase
It is your responsibility to help those who need help
 
Difference between a church attender and a church member is commitment

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

2008-06-18 - Purpose Driven Life - Transformed by Trouble

God has a purpose behind every problem

God uses problems to draw you closer to himself
Lord is close to the brokenhearted - Psalms 34:18

God had the ability to kept:

  • Joesph out of jail
  • Daniel out the lion's den
  • Paul from being shipwrecked 3 times
  • Young Hebrew from being thrown in a furance

... but he didn't

Problem force us to look to God and depend on him
None of your problem could happen without God's permission

Romans 8:28-29 (NLT)

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters.

  • "God causes everything" - God is behind everything
  • "to work together" - work together as part of God's plan
  • "for the good" - the end result is for our hearts to be more like Jesus
  • "of those who love God" - those who are obedient
  • "according to his purpose"  - the purpose is "become like his Son"


2008-07-02 - Purpose Driven Life - Real Servants (part 2)

Real servants do every task with equal dedication

Whatever you do, do it with all your heart - Colossians 3:23
You are never too [fill in the blank] to be a servant
Jesus specialized in menial tasks:

  • washing feet
  • helping children
  • fixing breakfast
  • servng lepers

Small taks often show a big heart
Little things determine big things
Race to be a leaders is crowded but the field is wide open for those willing to be servants

Real servants are faithful to their ministry

Servants finish tasks, fullfill their responsibilities, and complete their commitments
Can you be counted on by others?
We want to God to say, "Well gone, good and faithful servant" - Matthew 25:23

Real Servants maintain a low profile

Put on the apron of humility, to serve one another - 1 Peter 5:5
Not about show  - If we are trying to please men (including ourselves) we can not be a servant of Christ - Galatians 1:10

Servants are content with quietly serving in the shadows
Wouldn't find many true servants in any Halls of Fame or Who's who books

Be confident that nothing you do for God is a waste of time or effort - 1 Corinthians 15:58



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



2008-07-06 - Purpose Driven Life - Gods Power in My Weakness (part 2)

All God's great people in the Bible were weak but did not stay that way:

  • Moses: Weakness was his temper BECAME "the humblest man on earth" - Numbers 12:3
  • Gideon: Weakness was his low self-esteem BECAME a "mighty man of valor" - Judges 6:12
  • Abraham: Weakness was fear BECAME "the father of those who have faith" - Romans 4:11
  • Peter: Weakness was weak willed BECAME "a rock" - Matthew 16:18
  • David: Weakness as a adulterous BECAME "a man after my own heart" - Acts 13:22
  • John: Weakness was arrogance BECAME "apostle of love"


2008-07-14 - Purpose Driven Life - Sharing Your Message (Godly Passions)
God passionately loves some things and passionately hates things other thing
The closer you are to God - you will share these view

Jesus - Man's heart determines his speech - Matthew 12:34
David - Zeal for God's work burn within him - Psalms 69:9
Jeremiah - Cannot keep silent - Jeremiah 20:9

Are defend the defenseless, those who can not speak for themselves
Should not expect everyone to have the exact same passion as you

It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good - Galatians 4:18

2008-07-26 - 30 Days at the Cross - Wisdom and Power of God

Will the cross ever make sense to the world?

Will all the wisdom of the world, no one has found God
Man destined to frustration by God himself to show themselves helpless without God

Jews sought a miracle worker general ignoring scriptures like Isaiah 53
Greeks described god as apatheia - total inability to feel; looked don on uncultered Christians

God's plan was never to impress prideful scholars or to find acceptance among the rulers of the ages

Some things never change:

  • Graduate student in the laborary for 100 hours - OK
  • Athlete who trains 6-8 hours a day - OK
  • Executive working 60 hours a week - OK
  • Someone passionate about Christ - Bad

Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing
Man without the Spirit does not accpet spiritual things - 1 Corinthians 2:14
God has blinded the minds of unbelievers - 2 Corinthians 4:4

God didn't come to impress the world. Are you?



2008-07-30 - 30 Days at the Cross - Heights of Humility

World often assumes humily with being quite, soft, weak, a loner, apathetic and without convictions

Does this sound like Jesus to you?
Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on the cross - Philippians 2:8
Death on the cross was considered a curse - Deuteronomy 21:22-23
He allowed himself to be cursed
He put his trust in him who judges justly - 1 Peter 2:23

With humility, you give up yourself, but in the process you find God and yourself

Questions and answers about humility:

  1. Where does God dwell? with the humble and concrite - Isaiah 57:15
  2. Who does God esteem? he who is humble, concrite, and trembles at his word - Isaiah 66:2-3
  3. Who receives God's grace? not the proud but the humble - James 4:6
  4. Who does God lift up? those who humble themselves under God's mighty hand - 1 Peter 5:5-6

 



2008-08-01 - Questions and Answers - Part 2

Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:

  1. Can God be found by those who seek them?
  2. Can we call someone a fool or not?
  3. Do miracles prove a divine mission?


2008-09-01 - Teach Us To Pray - Hungry and Thirsty (part 2)
We must Desire God Alone
Many people fail to have satisfying prayer lives because they are double-minded when they pray
Must do our best to rid ourselves of distractions
Unless you passionately fight for time alone with God, it will not happen

God Blesses the Hungry Heart
When we pray righteously, it allows God to work powerfully in our lives
  • Blessed are those who hunger for they will be filled - Matthew 5:6
  • Everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds - Matthew 7:7-8
  • You have not because you ask not - James 4:2
  • Judah sought God, and he was found by them - 2 Chronicles 15:15
  • Sometimes we need to wrestle with God to show how much we want it - Genesis 32:26
Power of prayers are dependent on the hunger in your heart
No hungry heart will ever be turned away

2008-09-22 - Teach Us To Pray - Enemies and Opposition

Whoever the enemies may be, the words of Jesus are still the same: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you - Matthew 5:44

It our enemies who afford us the opportunity to glory God by shining like stars - Philippians 2:15
This behavior is described in the Bible as "perfect" - Matthew 5:48
Only someone who loves God earnestly and has an eternal perspective on life is able to surrender

Must forgive and love our enemies to be permitted to be sons of God - Matthew 5:44

When praying for our enemies, we should focus on:

  1. Their need for forgiveness - Luke 23:34
  2. The power of God to change them - Acts 4:24-28
  3. Our need to continue to preach boldly - Acts 4:29

 



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