March 19 2017 Responding To The Deeper Life

RESPONDING TO THE DEEPER LIFE

Luke 6:46-49

1. The deeper life can’t be lived without adversity.

Ver. 48 – When the torrent struck that house.

• Temporal affliction
• Temptation

Eph. 6:12 – For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against the power of this dark world.

2. The deeper life has a point of assurance.

Ver. 48 – The torrent struck that house, but could not shake it.

I Cor. 3:11 – For no one else can lay any foundation other that the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

II Tim. 2:19 – Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm.

Hebrews 13:8 – Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

I Peter 2:6 – A precious cornerstone, and the one who trust in Him, will never be put to shame.

3. The deeper life must have action.

Ver. 47 – I will show you what He is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice.

Hebrews 7:25 – He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him.

4. The deeper life is aware of accountability.

Ver. 47 – I will show you what He is like that comes to Me and builds a house.

BAPTISM AND THE DEEPER LIFE

1. It follows the example set by Christ.

Mark 1:9

2. It’s an act of obedience.

Matt. 28:19-20

3. It speaks of a new life in Christ.

II Cor. 5:17 –

4. It promotes fellowship and involvement in the Church.

I Cor. 12:13

February 14 2016 The Word Of Assurance

THE WORD OF ASSURANCE

“One of the criminals hanging beside Jesus hurled insults at Him, ‘So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself, and us, too while you’re at it!’ But the other criminal rebuked him, ‘Don’t you fear God even when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this Man has not done anything wrong!’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.’ And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43

Five Facts The Dying Man Knew

1. He knew he would face God after death.

Luke 23:40 – Don’t you fear God even when you are dying?

Hebrews 9:27 – Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.

2. He knew Jesus was more than a man.

Verse 41 – This Man has done nothing wrong.

Verse 42 – Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.

John 1:29 – Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Paul – He became sin for us on the cross.

3. He knew Jesus would forgive him.

Verse 43 – Today you will be with Me in Paradise.

Isaiah 53:12 – He bore the sin of many.

4. He knew Jesus could change his life.

Verse 42 – Remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.

Acts 26:17 & 18 – I am sending you to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God.

5. He knew Jesus could give him a home in heaven.

Verse 43 – You will be with Me in Paradise.

John 14:1-3 – Let not your heart be troubled, if you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions, and I go to prepare a place for you , and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also.

Four Important Truths

1. It is immediate.

2. It is certain.

3. It is a relationship.

4. It is a place.

Romans 10:13 – Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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.

October 4 2015 The Prayer Of Surrender

THE PRAYER OF SURRENDER

Matthew 6:10 – Thy Kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

SOURCES OF STRESS:

• Uncontrollable circumstances.
• Uncooperative people.
• Unexplainable pain.

God’s Kingdom is Wherever Jesus is King.

Surrendering to Jesus means:

1. Letting go of control.

Psalm 46:10 –Be still and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time accepting hardship as a pathway to peace taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to your will so that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with You forever in the next.  Amen. (Reinhold Niebuhr)

Romans 8:6 – The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.

2. Learning to be content.

Philippians 4:11-13 – I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens.  I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens.  I can do all things through Christ because he gives me strength.

Psalm 37:7a – Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

3. Laying down my plans.

1 John 3:16 – This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Romans 6:13 – Give yourselves to God.  Surrender your whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes.

Matthew 6:33 – God will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

4. Leave the future to God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.

Psalm 37:18-19 – The Lord takes care of those who obey Him, and gives them eternal rewards that last forever.  They will survive through hard times and will have more than enough even in a time of famine.

Luke 14:33 – Jesus said, “You must give up everything you have to be My follower”.

Mark 10:29-30 – But let Me assure you that no one has ever given up anything for love of Me and to tell others the Good News, who won’t be given back, a hundred times over, and in the world to come he shall have eternal life.

June 9 2013 How To Have Your Prayers Answered

How to Have Your Prayers Answered

FOUR ATTITUDES WE NEED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER FROM GOD.
Luke 1:5-23

1.  You must be willing to let God answer in His own TIME

v. 18 "How can I be sure of this?"  

v. 13 "The angel said to him, `Don't be afraid Zacharias, your prayer had been heard'"

You spell faith -- P A T I E N C E
 
You Keep On Praying Until One Of Three Things Happens:

   1.  You get the ANSWER

   2.  You get the ASSURANCE that you're going to get it.          

    Mark 11:24  "When you pray believe that you've receive it, and you'll get it."

   3.  You keep praying until God reveals to you that It Is Not His Will

2.  We must be willing to let God answer IN HIS OWN WAY. 

Memory Verse: "But God is able to do even exceedingly above what you are able to think or imagine." Ephesians 3:20

3.  You must be willing to let God answer in His own  ________________________________________
 
Zacharias and Elizabeth

Sarah and Abraham 

Mary,  Martha & Lazarus 

4.  Be willing to let God answer for His own   _______________________________________

Romans 1:7 "To all who are in Rome who are called by God called to be saints."  

Romans 1:10 "In my prayers at all times and I pray now that at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you."  

Romans 1:15 "That is why I'm so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome."  

Romans 15:20 "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation."  

Romans 15:24 "I plan to do so when I go to Spain.  I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there and I have enjoyed your company for a while.""Pray that I'm going to have a prosperous journey."

Acts 28:16 "When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him."