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:
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) |
2008-04-24 - Falling in Love with God - Heaven in Heaven Earth has nothing I desire besides you - Psalms 73:25 Jesus taught about Heaven and who lives there - GOD Heaven is full of angels: Children and churches have angels We might even entertain angels not even knowing it From heaven:
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2008-04-29 - Falling in Love with God - Seeking Only Him If God's people will humble themselves pray and seek his face, he will hear from heaven and forgive us - 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 Even after the temple was built, God was concerned whether his people will still seek him God himself was often "felt" but not "found" - He has the same concern today Difference: being members / having a deep personal and individual relationship with God In his pride the wicked does not seek him - Psalms 10:1-4 One thing I ask: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, gaze upon the beauty - Psalms 27:1-9 Nothing will satisfy like seeking his face |
2008-05-26 - Purpose Driven Life - Seeing Life from God's View How do you see your life? What images come to mind? Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind Life on earth is a Test Trials, temptations, refining, and testing occurs over 200x in the Bible Success:
Your realize that nothing is insignificant, tested by:
God wants you to pass - James 1:2-3 Life on earth is a Trust God loans you the earth, we never really own anything Want to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant" God uses finances: As a test (in good times) and a trust (hard times) |
2008-06-17 - Purpose Driven Life - Transformed by Truth The truth transforms us Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth Everything around you exists because "God said so" Must accept the Bible's authority
Unrealiable authorities (at the Garden of Eden as well):
Must assimilate its truth Allow yourself to be transformed by the truth
Must apply it principles
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2008-06-28 - Purpose Driven Life - Applying Your Abilities We are all have abilities that God has given us To build the Tabernacle, God engaged all kinds of craftsmanship - Exodus 31:3-5 All of our abilities come from God God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well - Romans 12:6 Can not say, "I don't have any abilities to offer"
Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God - 1 Corinthians 10:31 Remember the Lord your God; he give the ability to produce wealth - Deuteronomy 8:18 What I am able to do, God wants me to do God equips you will you need for doing well - Hebrews 13:21 Seriously examine what you are good at doing and do it God will never ask to something you have no talent for Abilities are not just to make a living, but also for service for him Be sure to use our abilities to help each other - 1 Peter 4:10 |
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
Small taks often show a big heart Real servants are faithful to their ministry Servants finish tasks, fullfill their responsibilities, and complete their commitments Real Servants maintain a low profile Put on the apron of humility, to serve one another - 1 Peter 5:5 Servants are content with quietly serving in the shadows Be confident that nothing you do for God is a waste of time or effort - 1 Corinthians 15:58 |
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? With humility, you give up yourself, but in the process you find God and yourself Questions and answers about humility:
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2008-08-02 - Questions and Answers - Part 3 Answered the following questions in the Q & A section:
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2008-09-13 - Teach Us To Pray - Sin and Transgression God both forbids and forgives Clearly forbids - Genesis 2:16-17 We must understand that sin hurts God deeply - Jeremiah 8:20-9:3 In his infinite wisdom, he found a way to forgive the unforgivable. Forgiveness is an undeserved gift |
2008-10-08 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-shamma God is "the Lord who is present" He has a great desire to dwell in the lives of believers:
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2008-10-13 - Man of Prayer - YHWH-shalom Means "the Lord is peace" Gideon had a powerful encounter with the angel of the Lord - Gave the name at the alter - Judges 6:24 Hebrew word shalom = welling being, contentment, harmony, fulfillment, and wholeness. It communicates a total state of well-being which comes from a proper relationship with God The blessing of God brings the peace of God He is the source of your peace - Ephesians 2:14 Peace is the result of God's Spirit working in your life - Galatians 5:22 |
2008-11-04 - Man of Prayer - The Flesh (part 1) Two enemies we needed to be protected from - Flesh and Satan I know that nothing good dwell in me - Romans 7:18 Almost every internal struggle we face in our spiritual lives is a product of this fallen dimension of our being Activities of the flesh - Galatians 5:19-21
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2008-11-22 - Raising Awesome Kids - Strength and Conviction (part 2) Jesus is strong - we should be too Challenges should not break us down into depression or despair If we fall, who will stand? God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline - 2 Timothy 1:7 Need to strong physically as well Get out and get some exercise - take some fat off Jesus was a carpenter, he walked every went Your child will be proud to bring their friends home to meet you Youthful energy from a older person is very impressive |
2008-12-07 - Raising Awesome Kids - Respect (part 1) Honor you father and mother so it may go well with you - Ephesians 6:2-3 The issue of respecting authority is critical - opposite is arrogant, haughty, cocky attitudes How can we tell if our chidlren are disrepectful?
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2008-12-14 - Raising Awesome Kids - Defiant Disobedience It starts with 'No' The key is to break their defiance with crushing their spirit |
2008-12-16 - Raising Awesome Kids - Deaf Disobedience Some kids act as if we do not exist:
This is also disobedience There should be no repetition of commands and expect action If you allow this to go unchecked, it will ultimately destroy a child's character and wear you out as well |
2008-12-27 - Raising Awesome Kids - Work Ethic and responsibility Hard work and a sense of responsibility can be trained into a child Laziness is a flaw Sluggard finds nothing at harvest time - Proverbs 20:4 Sluggard says there is a lion road - Proverbs 26:13 Sluggard is a door on hinges - Proverbs 26:14 Stress loving hard work School work is character issue
Instead, make diligence and excellence the issue It helps immensely if the oldest child is well trained Give appropriate jobs and responsibilities around the house
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2009-01-01 - Raising Awesome Kids - How to Nuture Confidence (part 2) Help them improve in areas of weakness Encourage your children to be well-rounded Academics are too important to neglect just because it does not come easy Examples:
Help them form upbuilding friendships All young people need to belong to a group If they are generally outsiders:
If you can't help someone be better or if either one of you makes the other a worse person, then you can not be friends |
2009-01-04 - Raising Awesome Kids - Prayer We should pray for our children continually To protect them, guide them, save them, and one day take them to heaven Paul - Prayed day and night to Timothy - 2 Timothy 1:3 Most powerful weapon available in their spiritual defense and offense We must pray with our children as well Regular times such as bedtime and mealtime to start Praying while going to place like church are also helpful In times of difficulty and great challenge - we can do nothing without his blessing What if they do not want to pray? Talk about how God wants to be close to them Do not do other activities are bedtime either, too tired for prayer than to tired for _______ |
2009-01-05 - Raising Awesome Kids - Discipling Times These are times set to spend alone time with your child to talk with them, teach them the Bible, and pray with them Can begin as soon as your child can communicate fairly well Never let discipling times become boring and burdensome duty Try to go somewhere out of the house if possible Try to have set hours Select a topic and verse to share Realize that there may be a different topic that need to be discuss depending on the situation Compare notes with your spouse Read verses together > Talk about them > Take action > Share with the rest of the family These are incredible times to draw your children closer to God and you |
2009-01-29 - Jesus with People - God Come Looking John 9:25 - One thing I do know, I was blind and now I see
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2009-02-01 - Jesus with People - The Bleeding Woman The crowds followed him to point of his exhaustion Why did Jesus' life draw a crowd? Jesus was willing Jesus was not just a servant but was a selfless servant We get caught up with the duties of Christianity - serving the weak and the lost With more responsibility we have, the easier it is to administer rather than minister. Consistent delegation cause our hearts to harden - just organizing and managing If you are not seeing the crowds, develop the heart of selflessness After she touched his cloak, he could have let the woman leave anonymously, but her called attention to her so he could lift he up He was concerned not only for her sickness, but her emotions as well Jesus had forceful faith and expected it of others |
2009-02-03 - Jesus with People - Give or Take? World seem to be divided into givers and takers Usually we feel as though we are the givers and everyone else is a taker We can draw back and become cynical - before long we cling to possessions, our rights or our feelings At that point we have become takers We would never admit it - and many of us do not see it Jesus meet a man that was a taker - Matthew Matthew was no different than us - he probably had a family with mouths to feed As he left the office and crept closer toward the crowd surrounding Jesus He heard the words - You must deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me Jesus then walked up to Matthew and said "Follow me" His life changed forever - became a disciple of Jesus How did Jesus know? do it? Jesus knew that he was sick and need to get well - Mark 2:17 We need to see people as they ready are and what they can become Is there some in your life you can share with but haven't because you don't think they are open? |