March 30 2014 Don't Waste Your Life

Don't Waste Your Life

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)“Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

THREE BASIC QUESTIONS

1. WHAT DOES GOD WANT? MY WHOLE LIFE.

Romans 6:13 (NLT) “Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”

Deuteronomy 10:12 (NCV) “This is what the Lord your God wants you to do: Respect the Lord and do what he has told you to do. Love him. Serve the Lord your God with your whole being.”

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) "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 God and money.”

Proverbs 3:6 (LB) “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” 

2. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? DISCIPLINE.

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB) “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”

1 Timothy 4:7b (LB)“Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit.”

Hebrews 12:1b (NLT) “Let us strip off every weigh ts tihna tth salto swos e uas idlyo whnin, deesrpse ociuarl lpyr tohger ess.”

Luke 10:40-42 (NRSV) “Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but there is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part...”

Philippians 2:13 (TEV) “God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.”

3. WHY SHOULD I DO IT? THE CROSS.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV) “He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Ephesians 1:7 (GW) “Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness.”

Romans 12:1 (GW) “Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him.”

2 Corinthians 6:1 (Msg) “We beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us!”

Habakkuk 3:2 (NCV) “Lord, I have heard the news about you; I am amazed at what you have done. Lord, do great things once again in our time; make those things happen again in our own days.”

December 29 2013 Mistakes To Avoid In 2014

Mistakes To Avoid In 2014

"Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow." Joshua 7:13 (NIV)

FOOLISH MISTAKES TO AVOID

1. USELESS WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE

Matthew 6:27 (NIV)"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

Matthew 6:30b-33 (NCV)"... Don't have so little faith! Don't worry and say, `What will we eat... or drink...or wear?' The people who don't know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them. The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you."

Matthew 6:3 (LB)"So don't be anxious about tomorrow -- God will take care of your tomorrow, too. Live one day at a time."

THE WISE WAY: TRUST GOD

2. ARROGANT ASSUMING.

Proverbs 27:1 (NIV)"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth."

Isaiah 56:12"’Come,’ each one cries, ‘... Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even better!’"

James 4:14 & 16 (NIV)"Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil."

Proverbs 22:3 (LB) "A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."

THE WISE WAY: PREPARE

3. FAULTY PLANNING.

James 4:13 (NIV)"Now listen, you who say, `Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.’"

Ecclesiastes 8:7 (NIV) "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?"

James 4:15 (NIV) "Instead, you ought to say, IF it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

THE WISE WAY: PRAY AS YOU PLAN

Proverbs 16:1 (GN) "We may make our plans, but God has the last word."

Proverbs 16:9 (LB) "We should make plans – counting on God to direct us."

4. LAZY PROCRASTINATING.

James 4:17 (NIV) "Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins."

Proverbs 3:27-28 (NIV)"Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, `Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow' -- when you now have it with you."

THE WISE WAY: DO IT NOW

1 John 2:3-4 (NIV)"We can be sure we know Christ if we obey His commands. The one who says `I know Him' but doesn't do what He commands is a liar."

2 Corinthians 6:2 (LB)"RIGHT NOW God is ready to welcome you. TODAY He is ready to save you!

June 23 2013 How To Face Your Future

HOW TO FACE YOUR FUTURE

THREE COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

MISTAKE #1:_______________________________

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.  " (James 4:13)

THE SOLUTION:____________________________

"Instead, you ought to say, 'IF it is the Lords will, we will live and do this or that.  " (James 4:15)

"We may make our plans, but God has the last word.  " Prov. 16: 1 (GN)

"We should make plans - counting on God to direct us.  " Prov. 16:9 (LB)

MISTAKE #2:________________________________

Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  As it is, you boast and brag.  All such boasting is evil." (James 4:14,16)

Ps. 39:4-6; Ps. 102:3, 1 1; Job 4:7,9; Ps. 103:15

"Come, " each one cries, "... Let us drink our fill of beer!  And tomorrow will be like today, or even better!" Isaiah 56:12

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.      Prov. 27:1
 
THE SOLUTION:_____________________________

Memory Verse: "So don't be anxious about tomorrow - God will take care of your tomorrow, too.  Live one day at a time.  "     Matt. 6:34 (LB)

MISTAKE #3:_______________________________

"Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it sins.” (James 4:17)

THE SOLUTION:_____________________________

"Do not with hold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.  Do not say to your neighbor, 'Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow'- when you now have it with you.  " Prov. 3:27-29

Luke 12:16-20 -- A foolish man

"RIGHT NOW God is ready to welcome you.  TODAY He is ready to save you!" 2 Cor. 6:2 (LB)

February 24 2013 Dating Dilemmas

Dating Dilemmas

Psalm 144:11 “Reach down from Heaven and rescue me. Deliver me from deep waters.”

2 Corinthians 6:14. “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong. That’s not partnership, that’s war.”

Proverbs 4:23.“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.”

Six Questions To Avoid Dating Dilemmas

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects. It always trusts. Always hopes, always preservers. Love never vents.”

1. Is this relationship progressing To Quickly ?

Verse 4: Love is patient

1 Corinthians 6:18. “Run away from sexual sin. No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality, it’s a sin against your own body.”

2. Is this person Kind ?

Verse 4: “Love is kind.”

The “out in public test”.

verse 7 “Love always protects”.

3. Is this person a Team mate ?

Verses 4-5 “Love does not envy, does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self seeking. It is not easily angered. Love keeps no record of wrong.”

The “pronoun test”

4. Is this a person of Integrity ?

Verse 6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth”

The “refund test”

5. Is this person a Quitter ?

Verse 7:“Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Does this person have a Forever view of marriage?

6. Is God the First Love of my life?

Verse 8 “Love never fails.”

Memory Verse: “We love because He first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19

My next step today is to: 

• Memorize I John 4:19
• Pray about and evaluate my relationship with_________.
• Make God the first love of my life.
• Pray that God will double our church’s attendance at Easter

Join us next Sunday as we continue our New teaching series “Relationship Rescue” with “Marriage Maintenance”