February 12 2012 Letting Go Of Destructive Lifestyles

Letting Go Of Destructive Lifestyles

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
I 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.
II 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.
Phil 4:13 - I can do everything God asks me with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.

Rev. 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.

November 6 2011 Love As A Lifestyle

Love As A Lifestyle

Gal. 5:22 – The Fruit of the Spirit is Love.
Without love, nothing else matters. (I Cor. 13:1-2)
Love shows we really know God. (I John 4:7-21)
To love is our #1 responsibility. (Matthew 22:36-40)
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not rude, love does not demand it’s own way, love is not irritable and love keeps no record of when it has be wronged. 

I. How to develop a loving lifestyle or mindset.

1. Accept others unconditionally.
Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

2. Commit yourself personally.
Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Romans 12:5 – In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

3. Encourage others continually.
I Thess. 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact, you are doing.
I Cor. 13:7 – If you love someone, you always believe in him and always expect the best of him.

4. Serve people cheerfully.
I Peter 4:10 – Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
Romans 12:13 – Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

5. Forgive others freely.
Col 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

6. Decide to expand the Kingdom.
Matthew 28:19 - Go and make disciples of all nations.
II Cor. 5:14 - For Christ’s love compels us.

II. The practical application for dealing with draining people.

1. Difficult people: I must be tactful, not just truthful.
I Cor. 13:5 - Love is not rude.
Prov. 16:21 A wise mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words the more persuasive he is.

2. Demanding people: I must be understand and not be demanding.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love does not demand it’s own way.
Titus 3:2 -Believers shouldn’t curse anyone or be quarrelsome, but they should be gentle and show courtesy to everyone.

3. Disappointing people: I must be gentle not judgmental.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not irritable.
Prov. 15:4 - Gentle words bring life and health.

4. Destructive people: Don’t repeat it, just delete it.
I Cor. 13:5 - And love keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
Prov. 19:11 - When someone wrongs you it is a great virtue to ignore it.

CONCLUSION: Eph. 3:17-18 – I pray that Christ will be more at home in your heart, living within you as you trust Him. May your roots go deep into the soil of God's Marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep and high His love really is, and experience this love for yourselves.