February 12 2017 Getting A Grip On Respect

GETTING A GRIP ON RESPECT

RESPECT WHO?

Parents (Ex. 20:8-9)

Spouses (Eph. 5:22, I Peter 3:1, 7)

Church Leaders (Heb.13:17)

Anyone in Authority (Rom. 13:1-7)

1 Peter 2:17 – Show proper respect to everyone.

I. WHY TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT?

1. BECAUSE God made everyone.

Ps. 8:5 – You (God) made man inferior only to yourself; you crowned him with glory and honor.

2. BECAUSE Jesus died on the cross for everyone.

1 Pet. 1:18-19 – God paid a ransom to save you. He paid for you with the precious life-blood of Christ.

3. BECAUSE it shows I personally know God.

1 John 4:8 – If a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God, for God is love.

4. BECAUSE I’ll get back what I give out.

Gal. 6:7 – A man’s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows.

II. HOW TO SHOW RESPECT TO OTHERS.

1. Accept others unconditionally.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

2. Commit yourself personally.

Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Romans 12:5 – In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

3. Encourage others continually.

1 Thess. 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Cor. 13:7 – If you love someone you always believe in him and always expect the best of him.

4. Serve people cheerfully.

1 Peter 4:10 – Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Romans 12:13 – Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

5. Forgive others freely.

Col. 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

6. Demonstrate God’s love.

John 13:35 – By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another.

2 Cor. 5:14 – For Christ’s love compels us.

CONCLUSION:

Eph. 3:17 -18 – I pray that Christ will be more at home in your heart, living within you as you trust Him. May your roots go deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep and high His love really is, and experience this love for yourselves.

February 5 2017 How Can I Know My Destiny

HOW CAN I KNOW MY DESTINY?

BOOK OF ESTHER

1. I must recognize the gifts that God has given me to use

Esther 2:8-9 (NIV)"Esther pleased Hegai and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem."

Esther 2:15b "Esther won the favor of everyone Who saw her."

Esther 2:17 (N IV)“...she then won the king's favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen."

I Peter 4:10 (TEV)"Each of us, as a good manager of God's different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift we have received from God."

What has God given me to use for good?

2. I must identify the needs that stir my heart.

Esther 4:4 (TEV)"When Esther's servants told her what Mordecai was doing, she was deeply disturbed."

Isaiah 58:6-11 (TEV)"Remove the chains of oppression and yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives. THEN my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quicklv healed. I will always be with you to save you and my presence will protect you on every side. When you pray, I will answer you. When you call tome, I will respond. Ifyou put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil word; if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon. And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things. I will keep you strong and well."

What needs do I see around me that disturb me?

3. Take the time to hear God's call on my life.

Esther 4:13-14 "Mordecai sent this word to Esther: 'Do not think that because you are in the king house you alone of all Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. Besides who knows but that you have come to this position for such a time as this?"

Esther 4:15-16a (NIV) "Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king... "

4. Make a faith commitment

Memory Verse: Esther 4:16 (NIV)"When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. "

Matt. 9:29 Jesus said, "According to your faith will it be done to you!"

What 3-year faith commitments will I make?

October 23 2016 How Can I Know My Destiny

HOW CAN I KNOW MY DESTINY?

BOOK OF ESTHER

1. I must recognize the gifts God has given to me.

Esther 2:8-9- Esther pleased Hegai and won his favor.  Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.  He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.

Esther 2:15b – Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.

Esther 2:17 – She then won the king’s favor and approval more than any of the other virgins.  So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen.

1 Peter 4:10 – Each of us, as a good manager of God’s different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift we have received from God.

What Has God Given Me To Use For Good?

2. I must identify the needs that stir my heart.

Isaiah 58:6-11 – Remove the chains of oppression and yoke of injustice and let the oppressed go free.  Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor.  Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear, and do not refuse to help your own relatives.  Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun, and your wounds will be quickly healed.  I will always be with you to save you and my presence will protect you on every side.  When you pray, I will answer you.  When you call to me I will respond.  If you put an end to oppression, to every gesture of contempt, and to every evil work; if you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.  And I will always guide you and satisfy you with good things.  I will keep you strong and well.

What Needs Do I See Around Me That Disturb Me?

3. Take time to hear God’s call on your life.

Esther 4:13-14 – Mordecai sent this word to Esther; ‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all Jews will escape.  For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish.  Besides who know but that you have come to this position for such a time as this?

Esther 4:15-16a – Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai; ‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me.  Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.  I and my maids will fast as you do.  When this is done, I will go to the king.’

4. You must make a faith commitment.

Esther 4:16 – When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law.  And if I perish, I perish.

Matthew 9:29 – Jesus said, ‘According to your faith will it be done to you!’

April 24 2016 Your Inadequacy And God's Advice

YOUR INADEQUACY AND GOD’S ADVICE

1 Corinthians 2:3 - I came to you in weakness, timid and trembling.

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

1.  Decide to be a good example.

1 Timothy 4:12 - Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, in purity.

Your words: The way you talk.

Your life: The way you act.

Your love: The way you run your relationships.

Your faith: You keep believing.

Your example: You lead a pure life.

2 Corinthians 11:1 - And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.

2.  Depend on God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 - Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ, because He gives me strength.

3.  Use God’s gifts.

2 Timothy 1:6 - I remind you to keep using the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you, now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire.

1 Timothy 4:14 - Do not neglect your gift.

1 Peter 4:10 - Each one would use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

4.  Decide to grow.

2 Peter 3:18 - Grow in spiritual strength and become better acquainted with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 4:15 - Cultivate these things.  Immerse yourself in them.  The people will see you mature right before their eyes.

Ephesians 3:20 - With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.

February 14 2016 Daring To Commit

DARING TO COMMIT

Romans 6:13 (LB) "Give yourselves completely to God—every part of you—for you have been brought back to life, and you want to be tools in the hands of God, used for his good purposes."

FIVE COMMITMENTS

1. TO STRENGTHEN MY FAITH . . .

I MUST unite with others in worship

Isaiah 40:31 "Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."

Psalm 100:2 (NLT) "Worship the Lord with gladness! Come before him, singing with joy!"

2. TO DISCOVER MY IDENTITY & PURPOSE . . .

I MUST connect with others in fellowship

Romans 12:4­5 (Mes)"We are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from Christ’s Body as a whole, not the other way around. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped­off finger or cut­off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we?"

Ephesians 2:16 (Mes) "Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility."

2 Corinthians 5:18­-19 (NIV) "Now God had reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation...and the message of reconciliation."

3. TO DEVELOP MY POTENTIAL . . .

I MUST learn from others to grow

Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)"Christ’s Body is fitted TOGETHER perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow . . ."

4. TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANCE . . .

I MUST serve with others in ministry

1 Peter 4:10 (NCV) "Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good Servants of God’s various gifts of grace."

Mark 8:35 (NLT) "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."

Ecclesiastes 4:9­-12 (NCV & LB) "Two people are always better than one, because they get more done by working TOGETHER. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down TOGETHER, they can share the same blanket and stay warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people TOGETHER can defend themselves. And a rope that is woven of three braids is hard to break."

WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER . . .

• WE maximize our impact (vs 9)
• WE minimize our failure (vs 10)
• WE mobilize our resources (vs 11)

Memory Verse: Matthew 25:40 (NIV) "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me."

5. TO MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE . . .

I MUST join with others on mission

Matthew 28:19­-20 (NIV)"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you . . ."