October 9 2016 Getting Where We Want To Be - Focused On God's People

GETTING WHERE WE WANT TO BE, FOCUSED ON GOD’S PURPOSE

Romans 12:1 - Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is your true Worship that you should offer.

1 Peter 4:2 - From now on, live the rest of your lives controlled by God’s Will, not by human desires.

Romans 6:13 - Give yourselves completely to God, every part of you, you want to be tools in the hands of God to be used for His good purposes.

1.  Why Get Focused?

He shaped us for a specific reason.

Galatians 1:15 - For even before I was born, God had chosen me to be His and He called me, what kindness and grace.

God Knows what’s best for me.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for evil to give you a future and a hope.

I Am grateful for my salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9 - Christ saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.

God Promises to reward our focus.

Proverbs 7:6 - In everything you do put God first and He will direct you and brown your efforts with success.

WHAT KEEPS US FROM GETTING FOCUSED

1.  Short term values.

Mark 4:19 - The attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and love of nice things came in and crowded out God.

1 John 2:17 - The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear, but anyone who does the Will of God will live forever.

2.  Past failure.

Philippians 3:13-14 - Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.

3. To self-motivate.

Proverbs 14:14 - The back slider is bored with himself, but the Godly man’s life is exciting.

Mark 8:35 - If you insist on saving your life you will lose it.  Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

4.  Fear keeps us from focus.

Psalm 37:5 - Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him to help you do it and He will.

HOW DO WE GET FOCUSED

1.  Consider the cost.

Luke 14:27-28 - No one can be My disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow Me, but don’t begin until you count the cost.

2. Come just as you are.

3. He wants you to do it now.

Hosea 10:12 - Sow for yourselves righteousness, break up the follow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord.

4.  God wants 100%.

Romans 12:1-2 - Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is true Worship, then you will be able to know the Will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

C.S. LEWIS “THE ONLY THING CHRISTIANITY CANNOT BE IS MODERATELY IMPORTANT.”

September 13 2015 Game On

Game on

Memory Verse: “Jesus prayed to the Father: ‘In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.’” - John 17:18

BEFORE I ASK GOD TO USE ME, I MUST:

1. PURIFY MY Heart.
“Joshua told the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.’” - Joshua 3:5

2. DEDICATE MY Body.
“Athletes practice discipline and self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25

3. SIMPLIFY MY Schedule.
“As Christ’s soldier, don’t let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army.” - 2 Timothy 2:4

4. FORTIFY MY Faith.
“Strengthen yourselves so that you will live here on earth doing what God wants, not evil things people want.” - 1 Peter 4:1-2

HOW DOES GOD WANT TO USE ME?

• IN MY Family.

“But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve...But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” - Joshua 24:15

• IN MY Church.

“Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” - Ephesians 4:16

• IN MY Work.

“In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people.” - Colossians 3:23

• IN MY Entire World.

(Jesus) ““But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”” - Acts 1:8

• FOR HIS Glory.

“So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus.” - Romans 6:11

MY PRAYER FOR GOD TO USE ME: “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send…? Who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’” - Isaiah 6:8

March 22 2015 Overcoming Temptation Under Pressure

OVERCOMING TEMPTATION UNDER PRESSURE

1 Peter 4:1-11

TEMPTATION IS: The process that attempts to draw us away from God.

EIGHT WAYS TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION

1. Propose to what’s right.

Verse 1 – Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourself with the same attitude (or purpose).

Lesson:  The battle can be won before the battle has begun.

Three Hebrew children.

Hebrews 11: 36 – 38

2. Stop doing what’s wrong.

Verse 1 – Because He who suffered in His body is done with sin.

3. Stop running with the wrong crowd.

Verses 3 & 4 – For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it is strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation and they heap abuse on you. What the world expects: They expect us to change and be different, the reject us when we live for Christ.

4. Live for the Will of God.

Verses 2 & 6 – Live for the Will of God, but live according 

Verse 5 – But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

5. Live in the light of accountability.

Verse 5 – But they will have to give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.

6. Be serious and watchful in your prayers.

Verse 7 – Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Peter’s experience: Went to sleep on the job.

7. Minister to one another.

Verses 8, 9, 10 – Above all, love each other deeply, offer hospitality to one another, use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

THREE WAYS WE MINISTER TO ONE ANOTHER

1. Love.
2. Offer hospitality.
3. Use your God given gift.

8. Rely on God’s power.

Verse 11 – Do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised.

SAMSON’S FOUR STEPS TO FAILURE

1. He was fascinated with sin.
2. He flirted with sin.
3. He forgot his source of power.
4. Then he failed.

March 17 2013 Learning To Love Christ Back

LEARNING TO LOVE CHRIST BACK

Rev. 4:116 - You (God) created everything and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.
Romans 12:1 - Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him. This is your true Worship that you should offer.
I Peter 4:2 - From now on, live the rest of your lives controlled by God’s Will, not by human desires.
Romans 6:13 - Give yourselves completely to God, every part of you, you want to be tools in the hands of God to be used for His good purposes.

1. Why Love Christ Back?

He shaped us for a specific reason.

Gal. 1:15 - For even before I was born, God had chosen me to be His and He called me, what kindness and grace.
God Knows what’s best for me.
Jer. 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil to give you a future and a hope.
I Am grateful for our salvation.
II Timothy 1:9 - Christ saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.

God Promises to reward our commitment.

Proverbs 7:6 - In everything you do put God first and He will direct you and brown your efforts with success.

WHAT KEEPS US FROM LOVING CHRIST BACK

1. Short term values.
Mark 4:19 - The attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and love of nice things came in and crowded out God.
I John 2:17 - The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear, but anyone who does the Will of God will live forever.

2. Past failure.
Phil 3:13-14 - Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.

3. We are self motivated.
Prov. 14:14 - The back slider is bored with himself, but the Godly man’s life is exciting.
Mark 8:35 - If you insist on saving your life you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

4. Fear.
Psalm 37:5 - Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him to help you do it and He will.

HOW DO WE LOVE CHRIST BACK

1. Consider the cost.
Luke 14:27-28 - No one can be My disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow Me, but don’t begin until you count the cost.

2. Come just as you are.

3. Do it now.
Hosea 10:12 - Sow for yourselves righteousness, break up the follow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord.

4. Give all we have.
Romans 12:1-2 - Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him. This is true Worship, then you will be able to know the Will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

C.S. LEWIS “THE ONLY THING CHRISTIANITY CANNOT BE IS MODERATELY IMPORTANT.”