September 4 2016 When Only A Miracle Will Do

WHEN ONLY A MIRACLE WILL DO

A Time To Build

1. Admit we have a need.

Mark 6:34-37 - When Jesus saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, so He began teaching them.  By this time it was late in the day, so His disciple came and said, ‘This is a remote place. Send the people away so they can go and buy something to eat.’  But Jesus answered, ‘You give them something to eat!’ They said, ‘That would take eight months of a man’s wages!’

2.  Assess our ability.

Mark 6:38 - How many loaves do you have? Jesus asked, ‘Go and see.’  When thy found out, they said, ‘Five small loaves of bread and two fish.’

John 6:6 - Jesus asked this only to test them, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.

3.  Give God the resources we have.

Mark 6:41 - Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish.  He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.

The boy gave what he had, willingly, cheerfully and immediately.

4.  Expect Him to expand it.

Mark 6:42-43 - Everyone ate and had enough.  Afterwards they collected 12 baskets full of leftovers!

Mark 10:27 - All things are possible with God.

EXPECT FOUR THINGS

1.  Expect us to grow spiritually.

2 Corinthians 8:7 - You are growing in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us.  In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving.

2.  Expect greater fellowship.

1 Peter 3:8 - You should be like one big happy family.

Acts 2:47 – Enjoying the favor of all people.

3. Expect great worship and celebration.

Psalm 95:2 - Let us come before Him with thanksgiving.

4.  Expect a challenge to sell out to God.

2 Corinthians 8:5 - They first gave themselves unreservedly to God.  Then the other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.

January 31 2016 Let's Get Going

LET’S GET GOING

Matthew 28:16-20

Five observations about ministry:

1. They needed to let God in before going.

Acts 1:4-14 – Ver. 5 – In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

2. Their ministry was beyond their abilities.

Zechariah 4:6-9

How we live beyond our means:
(a) Great works are always done by God’s Spirit.
(b) Through us.
(c) To glorify God.

3.  Ministry strengthened by unity and commitment.

Acts 2:42-47

Coming together is the beginning of Ministry.

Learning together is the progress of Ministry.

Ministering together is true success.

4. Their Ministry was not problem free.

Problems:

• They had chosen the wrong leader. Acts 1:23-26
• Accused of drunkenness. Acts 2:13-15
• Some credited the miracles to leaders. Acts 3:11-12
• Some hated the Gospel. Acts 4:1-4
• Some in the Church were deceitful. Acts 5:1-5
• Some were jealous of the Church’s success. Acts 5:17
• Some people felt neglected. Acts 6:1

5.Their Ministries expanded until others were needed.

LAY MINISTRY COMMISSION

Congregation unison:
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4)

Pastor Galen:

Realizing our responsibility to equip you for the ministry, I, as pastor of Great Plains Community Church commit myself to this task by standing:
    Before you as a Model of Ministry;
    Among you as a Teacher of Ministry;
    Behind you on Encouragement in Ministry.

Congregation unison:
Understanding our responsibility to use our gifts for the glory of God, we commit ourselves to this task by standing:
    Before God in consecration of these gifts;
    Among each other in the using of these gifts;
    Behind our Pastor in his oversight of these gifts.

Congregation unison:
Together Pastor and People, we commit ourselves to Great Plains Community Church proclaiming the Word of God and we purpose to make Disciples of Christ by:
    Exalting God
    Encouraging Christians
    Equipping Christians for Ministry
    Evangelizing the World for Christ

I Thessalonians 5:24 - “Faithful is He who calls you, He also will bring it to pass.”

January 3 2016 What Happens When You Have Faith

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE FAITH

Daring Faith: Key To Miracles - Part 1

Romans 1:17 “The Gospel shows us how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with FAITH. The Scripture says those who are right with God will live by trusting in Him.”

Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

FAITH IS seeing from God's point of view. 

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen and to be certain of things we do not yet see.”

Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart will be flooded with light so that you can see the wonderful future God has promised to those he called . . .” 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SEE

(Numbers 13-14 - Spying out the Promised Land)

WITH EYES OF FEAR?

1. WE EXAGGERATE our difficulties

Numbers 13:27b “It’s a magnificent land BUT the people living there are powerful, and their cities are fortified and large! What’s more, we saw Anakim giants there!” -28

Numbers 13:31-32 “. . . other spies said, “They’d crush us!” So the majority report of the spies was negative.”

2. WE UNDERESTIMATE our own abilities

“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” Numbers 13:33

3. WE get discouraged

“Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they carried on all night!” Numbers 14:1

4. WE START TO to gripe about our life

Numbers 14:2 “All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron . . . ‘We wish we had died in Egypt!’ they wailed, ‘Or even here in the wilderness!’”

5. WE EVENTUALLY give up and we blame God.

Numbers 14:3 “Why is the Lord bringing us to this land to be killed with swords . . . We’d be better off going back to Egypt!”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE SEE WITH EYES OF FAITH?

1. FAITH shrinks my problem

Genesis 18:14a “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Luke 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God!”

2. FAITH opens the door for a miracle

Mark 11:22-24 Jesus said, “Have faith in God! If you have faith in God and you don’t doubt, you could tell this mountain to get up and jump into the sea, and it would. Whatever you ask for in prayer will be yours, IF you only have the faith.”

3. FAITH moves God to act on my Behalf

Matthew 9:29 Jesus said, “According to your faith it will be done to you.” 

4. FAITH unlocks all the promises of God

2 Corinthians 1:20a “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are all ‘Yes’ in Christ!”

5. FAITH turns God-given dreams into reality

Ephesians 3:20 (LB) “Glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us, is able to do FAR

MORE than we would ever DARE TO ASK or even DREAM of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes!” 

6. FAITH GIVES ME  power to hold on in tough times. 

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT) “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we’re not crushed and broken. We’re perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We’re attacked but God never abandons us.

We get knocked down, but we get up and keep going!”

John 3:16 (CEV) “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life.” 

How To Grow In Your Faith during the DARING FAITH SERIES

1. Listen to all 10 Weekend Messages of the campaign.

2. Carry the weekly Bible verse with you.

3. Set 3 faith goals for growing, giving, and going.

April 12 2015 Determining My Life's Work

Determining My Life's Work

“If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.” — James 1:5

Four Questions To Determine My Life’s Work

WHAT does God want?

“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.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. . . Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’” — James 4:13-15

WHAT am I good at?

“I (God) have given him the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work.”— Exodus 31:3

“For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10

WHAT is in front of me?

“Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with all your might.” — Ecclesiastes 9:10

“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

“His master replied, ‘Good job! You're a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master's happiness.’” — Matthew 25:23

WHAT is my life’s ministry?

Memory Verse: ““Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” — Matthew 22:37-39

“You are the salt of the earth. . .You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” — Matthew 5:13-14

“It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.” — 2 Corinthians 3:5

October 5 2014 Today's Kids Need Today's Parents (parts 1 & 2)

Today's Kids Need Today's Parents

Memory Verse: “God is the one who made all things, and all things are for his glory. He wanted to have many children share his glory.” Hebrews. 2:10a (NCV)

Malachi 2:15-16 (NCV)“GOD made husbands and wives—to become one body and one spirit for his purpose—so they would have children who are true to God. So be careful, and do not break your promise to the wife you married when you were young. God says, ‘I hate divorce.’”

I AM RESPONSIBLE TO MY KIDS

BUT I’M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY KIDS

Five TRUTHS you must help kids understand & believe

Five QUESTIONS you must help kids ask & answer

1. TRUTH: I was planned for God’s pleasure.

Revelation 4:11b (NLT)“You (God) created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.”

Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)“I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born!”

QUESTION: What will be the center of my life?

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Jeremiah 32:39 (TEV) “I will give them a single minded purpose in life: to honor me for all time, for their own good and for the good of their own children.”

2. TRUTH: I was formed for God’s family.

“Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.”

QUESTION: Who will be my companions in life?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (TEV)“Do not be fooled. Bad companions ruin good character.”

Romans 12:5 (NLT)“Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.”

3. TRUTH: I was created to become like Christ.

Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)“It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for...part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”

Romans 8:29 (LB)“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him... should become like his Son.”

QUESTION: What will be my character?

Philippians 2:5 (NCV)“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.”

4. TRUTH: I was shaped to serve God

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 ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

QUESTION: What will be my contribution?

1 Peter 4:10 (LB)“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.”

5. TRUTH:  I was made for a mission.

John 17:18 (MSG) Jesus: “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.”

QUESTION: What does God want to say to the world through me?

2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 (NCV)“Through Christ, God has made peace between us and himself, and He gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him.... So we have been sent to speak for Christ!”