June 26 2016 Receiving Help For Our Problems

/ Great Plains Community Church/

RECEIVING HELP FOR OUR PROBLEMS

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Verse 1 – After this, the Moabites, and the Ammonites, with some of the Meunites, came to make war on Jehoshaphat.

Seven Ways to Handle Your Problem

STEP ONE Identify the problem.

Verse 2-  “Some men came to Jehoshaphat and said, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom.”

Verse 3 – He was alarmed.

STEP TWO Take your problems to the Lord.

Verse 3-4 -  “Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord. He proclaimed a fast and had all the people come together to seek help from the Lord.

  • Remind yourself who God is. (vs. 6)

Are you not......?

  • Remind yourself what God has done. (vs. 7)

Did you not......?

  • Now ask God to do it. (vs. 12)

Will you not....?

STEP THREE Admit your inadequacy.

Verse 12 – We have no power to face this vast army.

Zechariah 4:6 – It's not y might, nor by power, but by (God's) Spirit.

STEP FOUR Learn to rely on God’s resources.

Verse 12 – But our eyes are upon you.
    
STEP FIVE You must relax in faith.

Verse 15 – Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast army for the battle is not yours, but God's.

Colossians 2:6– As you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him.

1 Corinthians 15:57 – Thanks be to God He gives us the victory.

2 Chronicles 20:17 – You will not have to fight this battle. Take your positions and stand firm.

HOW TO STAND FIRM

  • Stand on God’s character.
  • Stand on God’s truth.

STEP SIX Get some support.

Verse 13 – All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones stood before the Lord.

STEP SEVEN Thank God in advance.

Verse 21 – Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him as they went out at the head of the army.

THE RESULTS

Verse 22 God gave the victory.

Verses 25-26 They lived in the valley of blessing.

Verses 29-30 It was a great testimony.

July 12 & 19 2015 Getting Rid Of Guilt

/ Great Plains Community Church/

GETTING RID OF GUILT

God's Answer to Your Needs - Part 5 of 8

Matthew 6:9-13 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

HOW DOES GOD FORGIVE?

1. God forgives INSTANTLY

Nehemiah 9:17 (LB) "You are a God of forgiveness, always ready to pardon, gracious and merciful...full of love

Isaiah 55:7 (GN)". . . God is merciful and quick for forgive. "

2. God forgives COMPLETELY

Colossians 2:13-14 (Ph) "He has forgiven all your sins; He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross.”

Jeremiah 31:34 (LB)"I the Lord will forgive and forget their sins."

3. God forgives REPEATEDLY

1 John 1:9"If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right; he will forgive our sins and make us clean from all our wrongdoing."

Hebrews 7:25 (Ph)"(Christ) ... is always interceding on our behalf "

4. God forgives FREELY

Romans 3:23-24 (LB)"All of us have sinned ... yet now God declares us “not guilty of offending him IF we trust in Jesus Christ, who freely takes away our sins."

Ephesians 2:8-9 (GN)"For it is by God's grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing, but God's gift, There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own effort.”

HOW TO BE FORGIVEN

  • Admit
  • Believe
  • Commit

Romans 8:1 (GN) "There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus."

June 21 2015 Freedom From Anger

/ Great Plains Community Church/

FREEDOM FROM ANGER

Proverbs 11:29: The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing left.

Three Phases Of Argument:

  1. Recognition
  2. Reaction
  3. Resolution

Four Ways To Manage Anger From The Bible:

1. You need to admit your anger.

Ephesians 4:25-26 – Stop lying to each other, tell the truth.  When we lie to each other, we are hurting ourselves.  If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge.

Anger means that you care very deeply about some things.

2. I need to understand my anger.

Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience.
    
Four Root Causes Of Anger:

  • I feel unaccepted.
  • I feel unappreciated.
  • I feel unsupported.
  • I feel uncertain.

3. You need to deal immediately with anger.

Ephesians 4: 26-27 – Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry, get over it quickly.  For when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the devil.

Job 18:4 – You are only hurting yourself.

4. You need to control your anger.

Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Three Suggestions On Controlling Anger:

  • Be quick to listen.

James 1:19 – Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

  • Give a gentle answer.

Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

  1. Be brief.
  2. Be humble.

Proverbs 13:10 – Pride only breeds quarrels.

  • Don’t use bad language.

Ephesians 4:29 – Don’t use bad language.  Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to and what will give them a blessing.

Seven Rules:

  1. Never compare.
  2. Never condemn.
  3. Never command.
  4. Don’t challenge.
  5. Never condescend.
  6. Never contradict.
  7. Never confuse.

May 24 2015 Freedom From Guilt

/ Great Plains Community Church/

FREEDOM FROM GUILT

Psalm 25:18 – Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.

HOW DO WE GET RID OF GUILT?

I. First remember God forgives instantly.

HOW TO APPLY FORGIVENESS INSTANTLY

A. Remember God’s position.

Nehemiah 9:17 –You are a God of forgiveness always ready to pardon.

B. Trust God’s promise.

Isaiah 55:7 – God is merciful and quick to forgive.

II. Remember God forgives completely. 

A.    

1. An example: The father of the prodigal son.

B. How to know forgiveness is complete.

1. Christ paid the debt for every sin.

Colossians 2:13-14 – He has forgiven all your sins, He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross.

2. Remember, God forgets.

Jeremiah 31:34 – I, the Lord, will forgive and forget their sins.

III. Remember that God forgives more than once.

HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

A. God does not get tired of our coming to Him.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right.  He will forgive our sins and make us learn from our wrong doing.

B. Learn to keep short accounts.

Hebrews 7:25 – (Christ) Is always interceding on our behalf.

IV. Finally notice that God forgives freely.

Romans 3:23-24 – All of us have sinned, yet now God declares us not guilty of offending Him IF we trust in Jesus Christ who freely takes away our sins.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not your own doing, but God’s gift.  There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts.

HOW TO BE FORGIVEN

  • Admit the wrong.
  • Believe what Christ did on the cross.
  • Commit your life to following Jesus.
  • Gratitude must be expressed.

Romans 8:1 – There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.