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Searching for "two" in the Quiet Time Archive
Displaying results from "25" to "50". (111 found)

2009-12-10 - Master Plan - Delegation (part 2)
  • Instructions from Jesus
    • Preach the Kingdom of God - Luke 9:1
    • Heal the sick
    • Go to the most susceptive audience (house of Israel) - Matthew 10:5
    • Do not burden yourselves with lots of baggage - Matthew 10:9
    • Find worthy, friendly people - Matthew 10:11
    • If the town resisted, shake off feet as a testament to them (worst than Sodom and Gomorrah)
  • Hardship expected
    • If Jesus received persecution, we will too - Matthew 10:32
    • We remember the Lord – W will be remember before the Father - Matthew 10:24
    • Sheep among wolves - Matthew 10:16
    • Act as wise as serpents and harmless as doves
  • A diving gospel
    • No compromise with sin
    • Jesus came by the sword (Divided good from evil) - Matthew 10:34-35
  • Two by two - Mark 6:7
    • Companionship and helping one another
    • In the spirit of togetherness


2009-12-21 - First the Kingdom - Spiritual Beggars
Two words for "poor" in Greek:
  1. Not owning any property
  2. So poor that you had to beg
Those who will be blessed need to realize they are spiritually bankrupt and understand we are spiritual beggars before God - Matthew 5:3

We are in Sin God is Not
We are in need God has plenty
We are stuck God has the ability to free us

Only through confession and humility - only by owning up to our sin

Spiritual Beggars can have everything in the Kingdom of God


2009-12-26 - First the Kingdom - Mourning Misunderstandings
Two extremes to mourning:

1. Mournful mourning
  • Self-centered - woe-is-me
  • We shield ourselves from God's grace
  • Focused on our own unworthiness
2. Matter-of-fact mourning
  • Qualifies as mourning because the mourner defines it as such
  • Brokenness is missing
  • God is looking for a broken and contrite heart - Psalms 51:17
The cross is the center point within the extremes

We will have to face the mourning someday - it is be now and God's way or it will be later and God's way

Are you postponing?

Are you ignoring?

2010-01-16 - Kingdom First - Above and Beyond (part 2)
If someone forces you to go one mile; go two - Matthew 5:41-42

3. Addressed going to the extra mile

Roman law said you were required to carry a certain amount of baggage to another place
Such a law and its frequent use of it cause great resentment among the Jews
Jesus said we should go beyond what our authorities required
Message condemns any resentment we may feel against a legitimate authority

If reform seems necessary, we should seek it - 1 Corinthians 7:21-23
Should be done with lawful means

God demonstrates his own love for us
He gave up revenge, rights, and his energy for us
While we were sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:6-7

2010-01-20 - Kingdom First - Handle Prayerfully (part 2)
Not like the hypocrites
Jesus wants us to be real - not having our hearts far from him - Matthew 15:8
Are genuinely struggling with God in prayer?
Are you honest with God when you do not want to do his will?
Never let religious word/action define your prayer life

In Your Room
Jesus wants us to be isolated so we are without interruption
We should feel freedom to be ourselves and to be deeply honest

No Babbling

Who babbles?
  • Two-year olds
  • nervous people
  • lazy-minded
  • superficial people
  • self-conscious people
Disciples should be this way in prayer:
  • Confidence
  • At peace
  • Clear-minded
  • Alert
  • Deep and Focused


2010-01-28 - Kingdom First - Personal Responsibility (part 2)
When talking about removing the plank from our eye so we can remove the speck from someone else, there are two extremes:
  1. Becoming inwardly focused, see only our problems
  2. Trying to help other straighten out their lives without being open to the same help ourselves
How do I get a sober estimate of myself?

A. Look daily into the mirror of God's word
Foolish to just look at the word of God and not let it transform you - James 1:22-25

B. Pray fervently for God to open your eyes and give you insight into your heart and life
An incredible prayer about searching our heart - Psalms 139:23-24

C. Be open with those in your life
Be quick to confess sin - James 5:16

D. Have a humble attitude toward challenge in your life
Let this be our goal - Psalms 141:5

2010-02-19 - One Another - Spurring One Another (part 1)
Let us consider how we spur one another on toward love and good deeds - Hebrews 10:24

Two unfaithful extremes:
  • We feel uncomfortable which people getting involved with our lives at all
  • We tell people what we think they should do and expect them to do it
Great blessings we have based on our relationship with Jesus - Hebrews 10:19-25
  • We have access to the Father
  • We a great high priest
  • We have full assurance
  • We have a clean conscience
  • We have hope
  • We have a faithful God


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?

2010-04-03 - 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:
  • Revolution or comprise
  • Retaliation or connivance
  • Reaction or corruption
If you ask the man on the street what is the most part of the Bible, what would they say?
Maybe the Ten Commandments? - If so, they would be wrong

  1. Love God wholeheartedly - Deuteronomy 6:5
  2. Love your neighbor as yourself - Leviticus 19:18
Neither are in the Ten Commandments

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

2010-04-10 - Life to the Full - Two Wisdoms (part 4)
There are two sorts of wisdom: earthly and heavenly

Do you have God's wisdom? - James 3:17-18
  • pure - not mixed with anything else - in thought, word or deed?
  • peace-loving - never to be soft on sin and not follow ways of violence
  • considerate - do we really put others first?
  • submissive - "obedient, compliant", open to persuasion
  • full of mercy and good - God is looking for changes and results
  • impartial - not taking the side of the unjust
  • sincere - "unhypocritical"
Wisdom in the Bible is more about moral quality than intellectual quality
Is why the wise may turn out to be fools and the "foolish" may the wisest of all


2010-04-14 - Life to the Full - Got to Pray (part 2)
James 5:7-11 - Addresses patience in peace and in suffering

Two examples of patience in suffering:
  • The prophets - Suffered because they were opposed by the religious
  • Job - Maintained his integrity despite not understanding why he was suffering
James 5:12-13 - what is meant by "do not swear"
Jewish were very fond of oath-taking - Matthew 5:33-37
James may have been referring to rash oath-taking - Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

Rather than swearing (v12), we should pray (v13)
No true disciple should need to take an oath since we must be men and women of our word
Simply let our yes be yes and our no be no

2010-04-15 - Life to the Full - Got to Pray (part 3)
Am I a person of integrity?

Question to ask myself:
  • Do I forget the commitments I made?
  • Do I often arrive late to church meetings?
  • Do people say I am a excuse maker?
  • Any I good bill payer? Am I a good sward of my bank account?
  • When I say I will call you, do I?
  • Am I automotively trustworthy?
  • Do I give first to the Lord?
  • When I set a goal, do I work until I succeed?
  • Am I trusted with responsibility?
What question is the list is most challenging?

2010-04-22 - Life to the Full - In His Steps (part 3)

1 Peter 3:1-7...

Submission, kindness is a two-way street

Wondering God is not using you more?
Why children are slow to become Christians?
Why don't feel more peace and joy in your house?

Look no further than your marriage!

Questions for wives:

  • Do you resort to worldly means to win?
  • Do you fight for your rights more than fighting for others?
  • Do you show respect for your husband and emphasize his strengths?

Questions for husbands:

  • How often you compliment your wife?
  • Are you generous in the amount of housework you do?
  • Do you respect your wife for her spirituality and other strengths of character?

Questions for both:

  • Do you pray together regulary?
  • Do your children have a fear of God?
  • Are your family devotionals consistent?
  • When outsiders visit your home and see your family, are they more likely to want to follow Christ?


2010-05-10 - World Hates Jesus (part 2)

Ephesians 5:1-13

  • Being open pleases God
  • Sin enslaves us.
Hebrews 10:26-31

  • Our sins killed Jesus
  • Not oops...Deliberate!
  • Two ways to look at it
    • Bad Bad = Guilty/No change
    • Good Bad = Repentence/Change
  • Only 72 left to follow Jesus when he ascended
  • Today:
    • God is the same.
    • People change.

John 6:60-71

  • Jesus' message offended people
  • They my have said:
    • You are going to lose some members
    • You are not going to be popular
    • This might start a controversy

Matthew 10:34-38

  • The message is going to cause friction
Matthew 7:13-14
  • The road is narrow:
    • Hard to get on
    • Not easy
    • Few will be on it
  • Are you on the narrow road?


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:
  • Beauty
  • Affliction


2010-05-21 - Desire's Journey - Good News?
The promise of life has been lost in the focus of knowledge and performance

Pharisee knew more about the Bible than we ever will - and it hardened their hearts

There were two trees in the garden of Eden:
  • Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
  • Tree of Life
We go the wrong tree

Each church has its unspoken list of what you should and should not do
We are told this is the good news

We don't need more facts
We don't need more things to do
We need life

You have made know to me the path of life - Psalms 16:11
My soul pants for you - Psalms 42:1-2
My soul thirsts for you - Psalms 63:1

Why did Jesus appeal to desire?
Because it was essential for life
He who has the Son has life - 1 John 5:12



2010-05-26 - Desire's Journey - Faith as Desire

First two servant doubled their investment and were rewarded
Most would have agreed with the third servant burying the money saying, "well, at least it was safe" - Matthew 25
The third servant was put into darkness because he did not trust God

When we bury our desires, we saying to God = 'I don't dare desire because I fear you; I think you are hard-hearted"

Is our obedience more out of love or out of carefulness?
Killing desire may look like sanctification but it's really godlessness

Persistent widow - won he case because she refused to let up

When Jesus returns, will he find faith? - Luke 18

To live with desire means:

  • Choosing vulnerability over self-protection
  • Admiting our desire and seeking help beyond ourselves
  • Living by faith and refuse to kill desire

 



2010-05-30 - Desire's Journey - Assault on Desire

Battle of desire is not something that just takes place with us or even between us - but against us

Advirtisers play on our desire of creating an image that everyone who is anyone has the object for sale

The evil one has two ploys:

  • Kill our hearts and bury our desires
  • Seduce our desire into a trap

Our addictions are our own worst enemies

Like the rich, young ruler - we find we can not give up our treasures even though God has something much better



2010-07-04 - Desire's Journey - The Grand Affair (part 1)

To know and to be known. It is our deepest ache.
Our bodies are an outward sign of an inward reality

Love makes us to crazy things for love. No union on earth like the consummation of love between a man and woman
Lovers reach for the stars to find words fitting enough to express what the beloved means to them - to a clue to a deeper reality

Becoming one - this is what God is seeking with us
Gender, sexually and marriage server as a lving metaphor
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother ... and the two will become one flesh... I am talking about Christ and the church - Ephesians 5:31-32
The cross is a great mystery - but in context of sacrifing animal - it became clear what they had been doing and what Christ was doing

Bible is the greatest romance ever written
God has given us the highest freedom of all - the freedom to reject him
Love is possible only when it is freely chosen



2010-07-15 - Desire's Journey - Deeper Desire (part 2)
Life is both a battle and journey

Life in its fullness has yet to come
So we must take serious care of our hearts now

How awful to reach the end of life and we find we haven't bought our hearts along with us

Two extremes:
Life is full of striving and indulgence
A long march of duty and obligation

When considering the promises of God and nature of the rewards, we see that the Lord finds our desires much too weak
We are far too easily pleased

We believe that life is not going to offer what we truly want so we have reduced our desire to a more manageable size.

Lets be honest and all it what it is: sin


2010-07-28 - Desire's Journey - Letting Go (part 5)

Grief is the antidote to the incessant possessive demand within

Sow in tear = song of joy - Psalms 126:5

Two spiritual discipline we need

  1. Worship - must adore God deliberately and regularly
  2. Grief - must allow a time for sorrow to do own personal sowing

Making time to grieve may sound strange
Just because we do not feel it does not mean it is not there
There are thousands of distractions these days
Sometimes it comes out in a song or movie
Sometimes small disappointments can be a door into the room of grief

Beauty and affliction are the only two things that can pierce our hearts
We must have a measure of beauty in our lives proportionate to our afflication

 



2010-07-29 - Desire's Journey - Letting Go (part 6)

With beauty, we need not fear indulging here
There is not a possessive quality to it
You can love the landscape without acquiring the real estate

Beauty is the closest thing we have to fullness without possessing on this side of eternity

Two kinds of losses in life:

  1. Shared by all mankind - accidents,  fate, acts of God
  2. Only know by the pilgrim - losses that we choose. We give up something that wasn't ours to begin with

Spiritual surrender is not resignation
Not choosing to care longer
Not an attempt to get beyond the suffering

It is surrender with desire



2010-08-10 - Waking Dead - Myths (part 1)

Myth - sometimes thought of as not factual true
But a myth is a story which confront us with something transcendent and eternal; a way of seeing and knowing
A kind of story that wakes you up and you suddenly say - this is what my life is really about

Myth tell us three truths, this first one is:

1. Things are not what they seem

Examples of movies that show us this include: Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, the Matrix

Jacob saw earth in a whole new way in his dream - Genesis 28:12
He awakes more awake then ever, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it" - Genesis 28:16

Two followers of Christ did not even recongized Jesus as he talked with him after his resurrection - Luke 24:17-21
They were slow in heart to believe



2010-08-23 - Waking Dead - Life to the Full
Christ died for us but he also raised for us
His resurrection was as much for us as his death was

Count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus - Romans 6:11

God made us alive with Christ - Ephesians 2:5

We received our sinful nature from Adam - now we receive a good and holy nature from Christ

God plan is not to just forgive you but restore you
Make a good tree and its fruit will be good - Matthew 12:33
The covenant has two parts: I will give you a new heart and spirit, remove the heart of stone and flesh - Ezekiel 36:26

I have come that they may have life and it to the full - John 10:10


2010-09-15 - God is love

Preached by Richard Dixion on 1999-05-04

Psalms 25:10

  • Gratefulness: no arguments, no frustration, no complaining
Unconditional Love

Psalms 145:13

  • All he made - Did God make you?
  • We live in an unloving world
    • God is not like use
  • We make limits to our love
    • God does not stop
  • We all need unconditional love
Tough Love

Hebrews 12:4-10

  • God love is tough
  • Two kinds of discipline
    • Action - stops for the short-term
    • Heart - God way, deals with sin
  • Discipline - creates - discipline and gratefulness
  • Running away or running toward discipline?
  • He wants us to be holy, righteousness
  • Wrong thinking: I won't because I might get disciplined
  • Right thinking: I will, and I will be molded


His love is Transforming

Romans 12:1-2

  • What transforms you?
  • How are different than a year ago?
  • Living sacrifices?

2 Corinthians 5:3

  • How would you look if God transformed your life?
  • Do you know who are?
  • What would Jesus do different in your life?
  • God loves us the way we are
    • He refuses to leave us that way


2010-09-20 - Waking Dead - Christ's Great Works
Son's three great works on our behalf

1. Cross accomplished many thing
Forgiveness and the power to overcomes the constant attacks from the enemy

2. Resurrection
Having put off the old self, we are to put on the new - Ephesians 4:24
It is life we were promised and it is life we need

3. Ascension
All authority was given to Christ
By the grace of God, we share that with him
It was Adam who gave it away and it was Christ who won it back

Lord of the Rings, Two Towers - Theoden (a king) who is reluctant to go to war
Open war is upon you whether you would risk it or not - Aragorn

The primary reason most people do not know the freedom and life Christ promised is that they won't fight for it



2010-09-23 - Waking Dead - It Must Be Intimate
Most churches offer small group activities but they are usually short lived for two reasons:

1. Can't just throw a random group together and then it instantly become allies
Closeness takes time - playing, working, helping, living together develops relationships
All the believers were one in heart - Acts 4:32
  • They all love the same thing
  • They all wanted the same thing
  • They were bound together to find it come hell or high water
2. Small groups are anything but redemptive powerhouses

You can study til you are blue in the face but it will not heal a broken heart
A small fellowship needs to be a redemptive community and one that protects

Idea: In a group - write down 5 words or phrases that captures your life right now
Then find what stories or scenes or characters help you interpret those words

2010-09-24 - Waking Dead - It Will Be Messy
Going to a church service with hundreds of people will never expose you
That is what most prefer - because community will

It will bring you close and you will be seen and you will be known
Therein lies the power and the danger

The enemy hates this: he knows it can be powerful and God and his kingdom
Remember divide and conquer? This is his way

Most have settled for safety in numbers - a comfortable, anonymous distance
An army that keeps meeting for briefings, but never breaks into platoons and goes to war

Community is like camping together
Stuff is scattered out there for everyone to see

During fellowship there are two important things to remember

1. Know the heart is good - so much easier to trust and to forgive
We are for one another

2. Know that we are at war
The enemy is always trying to pull everyone away

2010-10-08 - Contagious Christian - Attractiveness of Authenticity (part 2)
Authentic Emotional life
Expressing sadness or hurt or grief are not signs of low faith or shallow character

There are two negative consequences when a person outlaws certain feelings
  • He loses the ability to experience feeling altogether and is left with apathy and disorientation
  • Have emotional inauthenticity because they have been lying to themselves for so long
Seeker just shake their heads
Remember what Jesus did when His friend Lazarus died? He wept

Authentic Confession
How Christian deal with their foul-ups and failures
The thinking here is that our moral missteps will drive people away

But actually, It is a powerful witness to the transforming power of Christ
Zacchaeus' household was converted because he was very open with what he did wrong

Today authentic confession cause a seeker in today's non-fault society to realize that only the living God would prompt a person to say "it is my fault and I am sorry"


2010-10-11 - God and Your Money
  1. Parable of the Shrewd Manager - Luke 16:1-15
    1. God expects us to be honest yet shrewd in the use of money (v. 1-8)
    2. Money is a tool to be used to gain friends (souls) (v. 9)
    3. If we are not trustworthy in handling money, God will not entrust us with true riches (people's souls) (v. 10-11). God will keep us from leadership if we are not trustworthy with finances (v. 10-11).
  2. Whose Money Is It? Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 16:1; Luke 14:33
    1. We are managers (stewards), not owners. An owner does what he pleases with his money/possessions, while a manager submits to the will of the owner.
    2. As disciples, our attitude must reflect a willingness to "give up everything" to advance God's kingdom.

QUESTIONS

  1. What ways am I not being shrewd honest, or trustworthy with my money/possessions?
    Examples:
    • Checkbook not balanced
    • Credit card debt - paying high monthly interest rates
    • Interest rates
    • Not paying bills on time
    • Writing bad checks
    • Not living by a budget
    • Borrowing from Christians or others and not repaying
  2. What ways can I use God's money to win souls rather than serve myself?
  3. How do I view my money/possessions? Who owns them? Do I have the attitude of "giving up everything for the kingdom?"


2010-11-29 - Trusting God - Samuel
Preached by Rob Milner

Read 1 Samuel 13

Following God's instruction is the key to our success

1 Samuel 10:8 - Go to Gilgal and wait for 7 days and then we will sacrifice
Samuel was the judge before their were kings

Saul waited for 7 days but did not wait to do the burnt offerings
He did not follow God's instructions exactly
How long before we stop waiting?

Ever wanted to take matters into our own hands?
There is nothing as good as trusting and then God fulfilling his promise

There are two battles:
  • Battle between good and evil
  • Battle between faith and action
James 2:18-24
  • v22 - Faith and works - work together
  • Faith without deeds is dead
  • Where am I not following exactly?
  • What am I not submitting to God's will?

James 4:7-8 - God calls us to submit to him fully

Trust in God and not your situation

1 Samuel 13:11-12 - Saul doubted that Samuel was coming

James 1:5-8 - we should believe and not doubt

Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in God and not on one's own understanding
Depending on one's own understanding creates:

  • Pride
  • Controlling person
  • Self-reliant
  • Unreliable - allows our situations to change us
  • Lose of conviction
Psalms 118:8 - Better to rely on God than man

Protect your blacksmiths or you will be found defenseless

1 Samuel 13:19-21
What are the blacksmiths of our lives?
  • Knowledge of the Bible
  • Daily prayer/walk with God
  • Brotherly fellowship


2010-12-02 - Mission - Taking Up the Cross
Two questions to ask ourselves:
Is the power of the cross producing real changes in my life?
Are lost souls being radically converted as I preach?

The message of the cross will seem foolish to those we are teaching if they do not see the daily demonstration of its power for us who are being saved

Christians described in Romans 6
  • v4 - new life
  • v7 - freed from sin
  • v11 - dead to sin but alive in Christ
Taking up our cross must be each and every day
Our days are composed of countless choices and decisions
Each step that Jesus took towards the cross he took willingly

It takes 1000s of bricks to build a house, it takes 1000s of righteous choices to build a Christ-like character
Our hearts - lost world needs to know how we feel towards our Father
Our conversation - we should never get tired of telling our conversation story
Our example - Our daily temptations and victories should be only shared

2010-12-08 - Mission - Cannot Help Proclaiming (part II)
What else compelled Peter and John?

3. Having a spiritual perspective of the plan of God
God orchestrated situations so people will find him - Acts 17:26-27

Satan can lull us to sleep with his lies
If I miss this opportunity, maybe God will use someone else, they don't look interested
They apostles felt the burden of salvation
They were convicted that they were the only hope of salvation
If they stopped, hope was gone
We must have a heartfelt conviction that we are God's vehicles to reach a lost and desperate world

4. Must understand that Satan's victory/defeat is determined by our faithfulness to proclaim the word of God boldly
We have two God-given weapons:
  • Blood of Jesus
  • Word of our testimony - Revelation 12:11
Satan's goal is to keep people away from God, ours is to bring people to God
He wins every time we do not open our mouth - we must not be silent

2010-12-09 - Mission - Cannot Fail
The harvest is plentiful; ask the Lord of the harvest - Luke 10:2
Those who have taken up the work must devote themselves to prayer
What they get from him is something they can not find in themselves

Prayer is not the only important thing needed, it is just the most important thing to the harvest
Obstacles are many for those working in the harvest
There is not one that cannot be overcome with prayer

Efforts to bring the harvest often stop because the workers run into problems or frustration
Problem begin to look larger than the mission
They lose their fire and joy

Jesus says there is a problem (workers are few) but there is not despair
The problem is an opportunity for perseverance and faith

Frustrations and challenges differ but two things remain the same
  1. In all places, the harvest is plentiful
  2. In all places, God hears and answers us
As we go prayerfully into the harvest, we can not fail

2010-12-19 - Worlds Wisdom vs Gods Wisdom (part I)
1 Corinthians 1:18-20
  • Everyone wants to know “How can I really live?”
  • This passage spells out two fundamental ways to answer this question. The world’s wisdom or God’s wisdom.
  • How does man in his wisdom view God’s wisdom (the cross)?
  • How does God view man’s wisdom? Can we have it both ways?
  • If you think I am a fool and I think you are a fool, what will our relationship be like?
  • Establish the wide gulf in the two ways of viewing and living life.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20
  • Why does Paul say “Do not deceive yourselves?”
  • There is something about the world’s wisdom that is deceiving.
  • It is easy to convince ourselves that what we want to believe, what is comfortable, what is familiar, is right.
Matthew 16:13-17
  • What kind of man was Peter? Was he religious?
  • He certainly gets a right answer here.
  • According to Jesus, where does this answer come from?
Matthew 16:21-23
  • What does “Peter rebuked him” mean?
  • Peter thought he was seeing things God’s way, but in reality he was still on the side of the world’s wisdom.
  • We can know the right answers and still be living according to the wisdom of the world. What was Jesus’ response?
  • Where does the world’s wisdom really come from? From Satan. No wonder it is the opposite of God’s wisdom.


2010-12-25 - Saved by Grace through Faith (part I)
Psalms 103:1-18
  • David talks about the heart of the Lord toward weak and sinful people: he is a compassionate, gracious, loving father.
  • How deeply does God love those who fear him?
  • What is he willing to do with their sins (transgressions)?
  • Is this the way you see God?
Luke 15:11-31
  • Jesus taught many things in parables, short stories created to teach spiritual truths.
  • What does this story tell you about God’s attitude toward us when we repent and turn back to Him?
  • Why did the older brother have such a hard time with his father’s attitude?
  • In what way did he fail to understand the father and his grace?

Luke 18:9-14
  • In this story, we see two very different ways of viewing ourselves and God.
  • How did the Pharisee approach God? How did he view himself?
  • On what basis did he presume to be righteous? (His goodness, religious activities, his own efforts).
  • By contrast, how did the tax collector see himself?
  • What was his appeal to God based on? (God’s mercy).
  • Who went home justified (pronounced and considered “not guilty”)?
  • Jesus taught that a person can never be good enough to be saved through his own efforts.
  • The only basis of our salvation is the mercy and grace of God.


2011-02-08 - Fearing God - Glorious Truth (part I)
Christianity means a relationship with God
How can you have a relationship with someone you fear?

There was a time when committed Christians were known as God-fearing people
God delights in those who fear him
What is the fear of God?

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge - Proverbs 1:7

Wisdom and knowledge are not the same
Knowledge is the accumulation of information

Two people can have the same knowledge and but do different times with them
  • Doctor that performs abortions
  • Doctor that helps saves babies
Knowledge can puff up - 1 Corinthians 8:1

Knowledge can lead to righteousness - Titus 1:1


2011-03-21 - God Is (part II)
Day two of studying who God is:
  • Everywhere - Psalms 139:7-12
  • Forgiving - Psalms 86:5; Daniel 9:9; Ephesians 1:7
  • Good - 1 Peter 2:3
  • Gracious - Exodus 33:19; Psalms 111:4; 1 Peter 5:10
  • Hates Sin - Psalms 5:5-6; Habakkuk 1:13


2011-05-26 - Fearing God - Slave or Son
Two types of fear:
  • Servile fear - latin meaning slave
  • Filial fear - meaning son
Servile fear is illustrated by the third servant in Christ's parable of the talents
He went out and hid his talent in the ground - Matthew 25:24-25
The devil is the author of servile fear - he uses it to haunt and disturb Christians to make our lives uncomfortable

Filial fear is loving fear of a child toward his father
A mixture of reference, pleasure, joy, and awe which fills our hearts when we realize who God is and what He has done for us

There are 150 references to the fear of God, most in the Old Testament
Ones in the New Testament convince us that fearing God is an attitude of the heart

2011-06-26 - Mind of Christ - Helping People (part I)
We must gain the mind of Christ in regard to helping people

Romans 15:1-3 - We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves

His baptism and temptation prepared the way for helping people.
  • Luke 3:21-23 - When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too
  • ~Luke 4:1-13 - We was tempted with the same sin we are tempted with
Two primary factors motivated Jesus to help people:

1. He possessed a great desire to work for and please God.
  • John 9:4 - While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
  • John 5:30 - I seek not to please myself but him who sent me
2. He possessed a great compassion and love for people:

Compassion: Sympathetic conscious of another’s distress, together with desire to alleviate it, pity coupled with an urgent desire to aid or to spare.

Examples:
  • Mark 1:40-42 - Filled with compassion, Jesus cured the man with Leprosy
  • John 19:25-27 - Make connections for people to be taken care of


2011-06-28 - Mind of Christ - Helping People (part III)
Attitude differences between a compassionate heart and one that is uncompassionate.

Compassion Lack of Compassion
“Tenderhearted, Merciful” “Hardhearted, Unmerciful”
“Gives people the benefit of the doubt” “Believe people are untrustworthy and deceitful”
“People are precious, this person is a creation of God, made in God’s
own image”
“People are less important than what I am doing”
“I also am human; that could be me instead of him,” “I don’t have time; I’ll let someone else less important render assistance”
“Perhaps I can help,” “What’s the use, it will never change,”
“This person is in such need that I must do something now,” “I’d like to help, but it is such an inconvenience”
“People can change” “This person will never change”
“Can I offer assistance?” “Let me think it over and I’ll get back to you”

Which side of the table do I tend to say more of?

2011-07-02 - Mind of Christ - Relationship with God (part III)
The oneness Jesus had with His Father is revealed to us for two reasons:

1. It shows us the pattern for our relationship with God
  • John 17:20-23 - Jesus' prayer to the Father
  • John 14:15, 20-21, 23 - His obedience to the Father
  • John 6:56 - Remain in Jesus; He remains in the Father.
  • ~John 15:1-16 - Jesus is the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2. It shows us the pattern for our relationship with each other
  • John 15:17 - This is my command: Love each other.


2011-08-11 - Daughter Needs - Loving Kindness
A daughter needs a father's gentleness, protective favor to intercede for her against those who would do her wrong

Two tendencies to limit their kindness:
  • Being macho, to prove we are unfailingly strong
    • They think strong is the opposite of gentleness and kindness instead of being the opposite of weak
    • Daughters needs to see your strength and kindness
  • The belief that men/boys needs are the same as woman/girls needs
    • Both need gentleness but woman generally place a higher priority on it
    • If you gentle to your wife and you would want someone to be gentle toward you, it is too little
    • Your daughter is a woman in the making - he needs are going to much closer to your wife than your own
It is important what you say and much as how you say it

Do you give your daughter far more positive comments then negative?
Say something positive, then say "do better" next time?

2011-08-25 - Fearing God - His Unseen Hand
God's wisdom is not apparent to us

None had the intention of caring out God's plan:
  • The cry of a baby saved the Jewish nation from destruction
  • Decree from a Romans emperor about a census being taken fulfilled a promise from God
  • Assyrian army attacking the Jewish nation
    • The Assyrian wanted to conquer nations
    • God used it to punish His people - Isaiah 10:5,7
  • Joesph was sold into slavery
    • His brothers did not out of jealous
    • God intention was to save many lives
Two cows acted contrary to their natural instincts and returned the ark of the covenant - 1 Samuel 6

2011-08-27 - Fearing God - Healthy Tension
In the physical world, there are two opposing forces:
  • Centrifugal - force tends to pull away from a center
  • Centripetal - force pulls toward the center
Take away one and the other immediately disappears

Centrifugal force helps us understand those attributes of God
We are to hold our reverent distance because of his holiness and sovereignty

Centripetal force represents the love of God
His grace and mercy draws us to Him

To exercise a proper fear of God we must understand the opposing forces of His holiness and His love

Both the recognition of our weakness/sinfulness and the love and humble gratitude are displayed in our fear of God

2011-08-28 - Fearing God - Awe and Gratitude
Awe and Gratitude are two expressions of the proper way of fearing God

With you there is forgiveness, therefore you are feared - Psalms 130:4

Neither awe nor gratitude alone can represent adequately show the meaning of the fear of the Lord
At the same time:
  • Unapproachable light - 1 Timothy 1:17
  • Abba, father - Romans 8:15
Three most profound words in the Bible: God is love - 1 John 4:8
More than God is loving, he is love
This is love: He sent his Son as a atoning sacrifice - 1 John 4:9-10

God showed his love by sending His Son.

2011-09-01 - Fearing God - Requirements for growth (part I)

The first requirement of growing in fear is having an undivided heart

Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name - Psalms 86:11

It dentoes singleness of purpose, aim, and affections
No one can have two masters

Second requirement is regular, consistent exposure of our minds and hearts to His Word:

  • Reading it for ourselves
  • Hearing it taught
  • Studying it for ourselves

Saul fell down in fear before Christ
"He asked Who are you, Lord?" and "What shall I do, Lord? - Acts 22:8,10

 



2011-09-16 - Proverbs on Purity (part I)
Proverbs 15:26 - Pure thoughts are pleasing to God

We live in a time where we need Godly teaching about purity. Lets take a journey on the Path To Purity.

#1. Lust leads to destruction

Proverbs 7:21-23
- The Bible is clear that nothing good will come out of giving into lust.
Ox going to slaughter, deer in a noose, bird in a snare, etc

Proverbs 6:28-29 - To overcome lust in your life you must understand and believe that lust is not just sinful but wasteful also.
Both the lustful look and the lustful act are wrong before God.

What are some of the effects (consequences) of living a lustful life?
  • Affairs
  • Divorce
  • Unwanted pregnancies
  • Abortion
  • Sexual disease
  • Guilt
  • Loss of innocence

#2. Flee from Lust

Proverbs 1:10-16
Illustration: In the movie Pinocchio, a wooden boy comes to life.
  • He learns about the world through two hoodlums, who teach him to skip school, smoke and steal.
  • In the end the two boys are turned into donkeys and Pinocchio barely escapes being turned into a donkey (with the help of “Jimmy Cricket”, who was a good conscience/friend for Pinocchio).
 1 Corinthians 15:33 - Bad friends will destroy you
We must pick friends that will encourage us spiritually and not lead us down the path of destruction.


2011-09-18 - Proverbs on Integrity (part I)
Proverbs 19:22 - Poor person is better than a liar

Proverbs 20:17 - Gains by fraud ends up being worthless

The 1996 New York Times had a story on a golfer named Jeff Sluman.
  • Jeff was playing in the Bay Hill Invitational and he hit his ball in the water.
  • He then took a drop (drop your ball near the place it went in the water) and he added a penalty stroke
  • During the night he began to question whether his drop was legal or illegal.
  • He couldn’t sleep that night and the next morning called the golfing officials and told them what happen.
  • Before the officials even made a decision, Jeff disqualified himself.
  • Jeff said, “I’m not sure if what I did was right, and if I’m not sure then I couldn’t live with myself and keep playing. What if I won? It would be a curse.”
Not many people today have the attitude of Jeff Sluman.
  • In most sports today the rule is to see what you can get away with (as long as you don’t get caught then its O.K.)
  • But for the person of integrity cheating/deceit is never okay (its never an option)
We live in a world of deceit
  1. Politicians break campaign promises continually
  2. Parents laugh at little “Billie” when he cheats at pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey)
  3. Businesses lie just to sale a product (on and on)
Dictionary defines integrity as = adherence to a moral or ethical code, soundness of moral character

When someone is a person of integrity he/she is someone that has wholeness about him either.
  • Many people in the world today are two-faced (their life doesn’t match their doctrine)
Why do we lose our integrity?
  1. Peer Pressure - Matthew 27:19-24
    • Pilate lacked integrity, he made decisions based on what other people thought and said.
    • He didn’t want to take responsibility
  2. Pride - Exodus 8:8-15
    • Pharaoh wanted to be in control and not take advice from others
    • In the end Pharaoh’s pride led to his firstborn son dieing (all the 1st born sons of Egypt)


2011-10-05 - Genesis 5 - Genealogies (part I)

Summary

Adam's line was: Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah. Noah's sons were Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Observations

Genesis 5:2 - He created them male and female and blessed them
It has always been God's intention to bless each and every one of us. And we do have many blessings!! But do we see them? We can not be grateful toward God unless we step back and look at all the great things he has done for us.

Genesis 5:22 - Enoch walked with God 300 years
Through the family line which is described here, God stops the pattern of listing the names of children and ages of important events to mention   Enoch's walk with God. Because of the obvious age limitations we have today, It was a walk longer than we will ever see with God on this earth - probably greater than 4 times. Can you imagine the faith and persistence he must have had?

Genesis 5:24 - then he was no more, because God took him away
Enoch did not see death but rather he was taken up to heaven. Along with Elijah [2 Kings 2:11], they were are the only two mentioned in the Bible to have gone directly to see him. How and why this happened, I am not sure but it does show God felt these relationship were very special to Him.

Personal Application

The challenge for me is simple: To finish the race [Acts 20:24] with great faith and perseverance. But not just to get by but to have a relationship with God that shines before others. When people talk about me, do they stop and mention my relationship with God like the Bible does with Enoch? What does God say about my faith?



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