April 23 2017 God Can Use Anybody

GOD CAN USE ANYBODY!

The Miracle of Mercy – Part 2

Romans 6:13 (LB/TEV)“. . . Give yourselves completely to God – every part of you – because you’ve been brought from death to life, and now you want to be used by God for good, and for his righteous purposes.”

PAUL’S SECRETS OF STAYING USABLE

2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-18

1. Never forget it’s all because of God’s mercy!

2 Corinthians 4:1 “God IN HIS MERCY has given us this ministry and work to do. That’s why we do not become discouraged and never give up!”

MERCY: undeserved forgiveness & unearned kindness

Galatians 1:13+15 (NLT)“You know what I was like . . . how I violently persecuted Christians. I did my best to get rid of them! . . . But then something happened! For it pleased God in his kindness to choose me and all me, even before I was born! What UNDESERVED MERCY!”

Every saint has a past and very sinner has a future!

Ephesians 2:10 (LB) “It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

2. Be real.

2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT/NCV) “We don’t try to trick anyone, and we don’t twist the word of God. Instead we teach the truth plainly, showing everyone WHO WE REALLY ARE. Then they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are in God’s sight.”

Romans 8:15 (NCV) “The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God!”

3. Remember it’s not about me!

2 Corinthians 4:5 (GW) “Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are merely your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

2 Corinthians 4:7 (CEV) “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.”

4. Use my pain to help others.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (CEV) “We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.”

2 Corinthians 4:15 (LB) “All of these sufferings of ours are for your benefit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank Him for his great mercy, and the more God gets glory!”

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT) “This is why we never give up! Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!”

5. Stay focused on eternity.

Memory Verse: 2 Corinthians 4:17 (CEV) “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.”

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT) “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.”

The Key to Staying Focused: Small Groups

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. And three people are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Matthew 18:20 (NIV) Jesus: “For wherever two or three come together in my name, I will be there with them.” Do you want your life to be used by God? Are you ready to experience the Miracle of Mercy?

September 25 2016 Winning Through Persistence

WINNING THROUGH PERSISTENCE

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

One of the most essential qualities for success is persistence.  Paul was a man of incredible endurance.  In this passage, Paul shares his …….

Seven Secrets For Persistence

1. Remember that God loves you.

Verse 1 – Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

1 Corinthians 15:10 – Talks about God’s grace.

Grace says:

• I don’t have to prove my worth.
• Gives energy to start over when we fail.

2. Maintain a clear conscience.

Verse 2 – Rather we have renounced secret and shameful ways, we do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience.

1 Timothy 1:19 – Holding on to faith and a good conscience, some have rejected those and so have shipwrecked their faith.

Proverbs 10:9 – The man of integrity walks securely.

3. Have the right motivation.

Verse 5 – For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Verse 11 – For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake.

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man.

4. I must accept my limitations.

Verse 7 – But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Exodus 23:29-30 – Drove enemy out little by little.

Hebrews 12:1 – Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

5. Love other people.

Verse 15 – All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

6. Take time to recharge.

Verse 16 – Therefore, we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

List The Things That Can Renew You:

• A place to dump your worries.
• A time to play with family.
• Physical exercise.
• Bible reading and prayer.
• A strategy for daily renewal.

Psalm 119:50 – Your promise renews my life.

7. Keep your eye on the goal.

Verses 17-18 – For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

July 10 2011 Living The Effective Life

Living The Effective Life

Four Keys to Effective Living:

1. Be yourself.

Hebrews 11:24 – By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

2. Accept responsibility for your life.

Verse 25 – He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

PRINCIPLE: The negative is followed by the positive

Verse 23 – By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the King's edict. 
Verse 24 – When he had grown up.

3. Establish a value system for your life.

Verse 26 – He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.

THREE COMMON VALUES
* Pleasure
* Possessions
* Power

Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both.

THREE THINGS MOSES DECIDED:

God's purpose is more valuable than popularity.

Verse 24 – refused to be known as Pharaoh's daughter.

People are more valuable than pleasure.

Verse 25 – chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

God's peace is more valuable than possessions.

Verse 26 – regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt.

Your character is determined by your choices, your choices are determined by your values and your values are determined by your vision.

4. Never take your eyes off the goal.

Verse 27 – By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the King's anger, he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

II Corinthians 4:16-17 – Therefore, we do not lose heart though outwardly, we're wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory, that far outweighs them all.

Verse 18 – So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

January 4, 2015 Becoming a Person of Influence

Becoming a person of influence

Four Keys To Living A Life Of Influence

1. Be yourself.

Hebrews 11:24 – By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

2. Accept responsibility for your own life.

Verse 25 – He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

PRINCIPLE: The negative is followed by the positive.

Verse 23 – By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the King’s edict.

Verse 26 – When he had grown up.

3. Establish a value system for your life.

Verse 26 – He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.

THREE COMMON VALUES

1. Pleasure.
2. Possessions.
3. Power.

Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both.

THREE THINGS MOSES DECIDED

1. God’s purpose is more valuable than popularity.

Verse 24 – Refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

2. People are more valuable than pleasure.

Verse 25 – Chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

3. God’s peace is more valuable than possessions.

Verse 26 – Regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt.

Your character is determined by your choices, you choices are determined by your values and your values are determined by your vision.

4. Never take your eyes off the goal.

Verse 27 – By faith he left Egypt, not rearing the King’s anger, he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

II Corinthians 4:16-17 – Therefore, we do not lose heart though outwardly we’re wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Verse 18 – So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

May 19 2013 The Giant Of Illness

FIVE KEYS TO CONQUERING THE GIANT OF ILLNESS

1. L ______________ GOD'S ____________ WHEN I AM WEAK.

Psalm 69:29“I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power  works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast  about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can  work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my  weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2. L _____________ GOD’S ___________________ IN MY ILLNESS

James 1:2-4“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

3. L ____________ TO GOD FOR ______________.

James 5:14-15 “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”

3 Ways God Heals:

__________________________

ANSWERED PRAYERS

__________________________

1 Timothy 5:23“Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often.”

Memory Verse: “The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.”- Psalm 41:3

4. L _____________ FOR MY __________________.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”