April 3 2016 Why Do I Do What I Don't Want To Do

WHY DO I DO WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO?

What do you have a hard time controlling?

• My temper
• Spending
• Eating
• My moods
• Drinking
• Sexual desires
• Procrastinating
• Bad habits

1. THE PROBLEM:

Romans 7:15-16, 18 (LB) "My own behavior baffles me. For I find myself doing what I really hate and not doing what I really want to do! I often find that I have the desire to do good, but not the power. I don't accomplish the good I set out to do, and the evil I don't really want to do I find I am always doing!"

Mark 14:37"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. "

Results: 

• Confusion.
• Frustration.
• Defeat and discouragement

Romans 7:24 It is an agonizing situation. Who can set me free from the prison of this mortal body?

II GOD'S PROMISE:

John 8:22"Jesus said '.., When you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free. 

FACT: Behind every self-defeating behavior is: A LIE THAT I’M BELIEVING

III. THE PRESCRIPTION:

Acknowledge THE ROOT OF MY PROBLEM

“Sin”: "I'M IN CHARGE AND I DON'T NEED GOD."

1 John 1: 8 (LB)"If we say we have no sin we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth."

To stop defeating myself, I must stop DECEIVING myself.

John 8:34 (Phillips) Jesus: "Everyone who commits sin is its slave " 

Believe that Christ can change me.

Romans 7:24-25"Who can free me from this prison... " I thank God there is a way out through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Romans 8:2 (Ph)"For the new spiritual principle of life in Jesus Christ lifts me out of the old vicious circle of sin... "

John 14:6"Jesus said, 'I AM" the Truth!"

Commit ALL I AM TO CHRIST

2 Corinthians 5:17 (LB)"When anyone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!"

2 Timothy 1: 7"The Spirit God gives us doesn't make us timid,- instead his Spirit fills us with power, love, and SELF CONTROL. "

Stop Trying! Start TRUSTING

2 Corinthians 3:17"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. '

March 6 2016 Daring To Wait On God

DARING TO WAIT ON GOD

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 9

“God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is

WHAT TO REMEMBER WHILE WAITING ON GOD

1. REMEMBER THERE’S A NATURAL DELAY BETWEEN PLANTING & HARVESTING!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven . . . A time to plant and a time to harvest . . . a time to scatter and a time to gather . . .” 

2. REMEMBER THERE’S AN UNSEEN BATTLE GOING ON.

“We are not struggling and fighting against human beings but against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm—the rulers, authorities, and powers of darkness.” 

3. REMEMBER GOD IS PREPARING ME FOR HIS BLESSING

“There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These troubles test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure, just as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold.” 

“Waiting does not diminish us any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We don’t see what is enlarging us, but the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, when we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He prays in us and for us . . .He knows us far better than we know ourselves, and knows our pregnant condition . . . That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” Romans 8:24-28

4. REMEMBER I’M IN GOOD COMPANY WHEN WAITING ON GOD

 “People who lived in the past became famous because of their faith.”

5. REMEMBER GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES!

God says, “At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting—it will happen!” Habakkuk 2:3 (CEV) 

WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING ON God

1. WRITE DOWN THE LESSONS I’M LEARNING

“At the Lord’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress.” Numbers 33:2a (NLT)

“Remember what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him.” Deuteronomy 11:2a (TEV) 

2. ACT AS THOUGH I ALREADY HAVE IT

Jesus said, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NIV) 

3. IMITATE THE HABITS THAT GROW STRONG FAITH

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to IMITATE those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12 (NIV) 

Paul: “KEEP ON putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing.”  Philippians 4:9a (NLT) 

DON’T put my life on hold.

• KEEP ON  PRAYING

“Keep on asking, and you WILL be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you WILL find. Keep on knocking, and the door WILL be opened!” Matthew 7:7 (NLT) 

• KEEP ON SERVING

“Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.”  Romans 12:11 (NLT)

• KEEP ON GOING TO CHURCH

“Don’t give up your habit of meeting with other believers. Instead keep on encouraging each other!” Hebrews 10:25 

• KEEP ON SOWING

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which ones will grow—perhaps they all will!” Ecclesiastes 11:6 (LB)

• KEEP ON BELIEVING

“You must keep on believing the things you have been taught. You know they are true . . .” 2 Timothy 3:14 (LB)

TRUST GOD INSTEAD OF PANICKING

“Even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you.” Psalm 56:3 (CEV)

July 19 2015 The Person God Uses

The Person God Uses

2 Chronicles 7:14

THE PROCESS OF RENEWAL

Christians pray, God cares
Christians repent, God shows us ourselves
Christians minister, God empowers and equips

THE PERSON GOD USES

1. That person has one great purpose.

Philippians 3:7-14

To “know God” there must be:

Evaluation How well do I know God?

Exchange What must I do to know Him better?

Trade off What price will I pay to know Him better?

2. That person has, by God’s grace, removed every known hindrance.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Observations:

1. We can have victory over all sin.

2. If God’s Word says lay it aside, it can be done.

God didn’t say these things to frustrate us, but help us by God’s Grace.

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing for us is sin.” (Susanna Wesley)

3. That person has placed themselves at God’s disposal.

Romans 12:1-2

Observations:

1. For those who have been saved.

2. Sign my name to a blank sheet of paper.

3. Give Him control of your life.

4. That person who has learned to prevail in prayer.

James 5:13-18

Observations:
1. Things beyond my control.

2. Things that are bigger than myself.

3. Things that seem impossible.

5. That person is a student of the Word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

6. That person has a giving Spirit.

John 3:16

7. That person expects results.

Romans 4:16-21

8. That person lives under the anointing of God the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-20

“The renewal we need is simply a return to normal New Testament Christianity, where the Churches are full of prayer, full of power, full of people, full of praise full of divine happenings all the time.  We want something normal, not just ‘special.’  God’s normal, that is.  God’s normal is greater than most of our specials put together. (Dr. Armin Desswein)

May 17 2015 Freedom From The Past

FREEDOM FROM THE PAST

Matthew 11:28-29

What keeps us from committing our all to Christ?

1. Pride.

Proverbs 18:12 - Arrogant people are on the way to ruin because they won’t admit it when they need help.

Proverbs 10:8 -  The self-sufficient fool falls flat on his face.

2. Guilt.

Psalm 40:13 - Problems far too big for me to solve are piled higher than my head. Meanwhile my sins too many to count have caught up with me and I’m ashamed to look up.

3. Fear.

Mark 8:36 - How does a man benefit if he gains the whole word and loses his soul in the process? Is anything worth more that his soul? No!

4. Worry.
    
1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.
    
Philippians 1:6 - God, who began a good work in you, will keep right on helping you grow in His Grace until His task is finally finished.

5. Doubt.

Matthew 17:20 - If you have Faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing will be impossible to you.

How To Make The Decision For Christ

1. Accept God’s Son as my Savior.

Acts 16:31 - Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

2. Accept God’s Word as my standard for living.

2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching the Faith and correcting error, for resetting the direction of a man’s life, training him in good living.

3. Accept God’s Will as my goal for life.

David said: I desire to do Your Will O my God.

4. Accept God’s power as my strength.
    
Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything God asks me with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.

Revelation 3:20 - Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will go in and eat with him and he with Me

September 28 2014 Understanding My World

Understanding My World

Where Have All the Values Gone?

• Politics
• Business
• Entertainment
• Education
• Religion

I.  THE REASON:

THREE DESTRUCTIVE PHILOSOPHIES:

1. Individualism.

Judges 21:25 - “In those days Israel had no (authority) so the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

2. Secularism.

Romans 1:25 - “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped created things rather than the Creator.”

3. Relativism.

“It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere.”

“There are no absolute truths.”

Ephesians 4:17-19 - “They are hopelessly confused.  Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God.  They don’t care anymore about     right and wrong.”

II. THE RESULT: Our culture is collapsing.

Proverbs 29:18 - “Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs wild.”

Isaiah 5:20 - Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark.”

Proverbs 29:18 - “A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order.”

Psalm 11:3 - “When the foundations of life are     undermined, what can good people do?”

III. THE REMEDY: We must start with God.

Proverbs 2:9 - God shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time.”

2 Timothy 3:16 - “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It straightens us out and     teaches us to do what is right.”

Psalm 119:105 - “God’s Word is a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling.”

Proverbs 16:20 - “Those who listen to God’s instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be happy.”