February 12 2017 Getting A Grip On Respect

GETTING A GRIP ON RESPECT

RESPECT WHO?

Parents (Ex. 20:8-9)

Spouses (Eph. 5:22, I Peter 3:1, 7)

Church Leaders (Heb.13:17)

Anyone in Authority (Rom. 13:1-7)

1 Peter 2:17 – Show proper respect to everyone.

I. WHY TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT?

1. BECAUSE God made everyone.

Ps. 8:5 – You (God) made man inferior only to yourself; you crowned him with glory and honor.

2. BECAUSE Jesus died on the cross for everyone.

1 Pet. 1:18-19 – God paid a ransom to save you. He paid for you with the precious life-blood of Christ.

3. BECAUSE it shows I personally know God.

1 John 4:8 – If a person isn’t loving and kind, it shows that he doesn’t know God, for God is love.

4. BECAUSE I’ll get back what I give out.

Gal. 6:7 – A man’s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows.

II. HOW TO SHOW RESPECT TO OTHERS.

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.

1 Thess. 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Cor. 13:7 – If you love someone you always believe in him and always expect the best of him.

4. Serve people cheerfully.

1 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. Demonstrate God’s love.

John 13:35 – By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another.

2 Cor. 5:14 – For Christ’s love compels us.

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.

November 6 2016 I am the Light of the World

I am the Light of the World

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father, except through me.

John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

John 10:14 "I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep, and they know me."

MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand that gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

HOW TO BE LIGHT IN MY WORLD

1. Ask God to use me.

Isaiah 6: 8 "Then, I heard the Lord asking, whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us? And I said, Lord, I'll go. Send me."

Acts 20:24 "Life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus. The work of telling others the good news about God's mighty kindness and love."

2. Boldly speak up about my faith.

Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes, Jew first, and also Gentiles."

1 Peter 3:15, 16. "If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way."

Philippians 1:27 (MSG) "Live in such a way that you are a credit, to the message of Christ."

3) Care enough to invite my friends during the holidays to church

Ephesians 3:8. "Just think! "Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling others about the endless treasures available to them.

Mathew 5:14 (MSG) You're here to be light, bringing out the God colors in the world."

July 10 2016 Discovering Inner Adequacy

DISCOVERING INNER ADEQUACY

John 14:16 – (Jesus) and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another helper, that He may abide forever.

1. Inner adequacy completes inner transformation.

Ephesians 3:17 – I pray the Holy Spirit in fullness will strengthen your inner man.

2. Inner adequacy is given for effective living.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – (Paul said) our Gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power.

3. Inner adequacy is still available.

John 17: - (Jesus) But all who would come to believe on Him.

Acts 1:14 – They all joined together constantly in prayer.

Matthew 17:20 – (Jesus said) If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will move.

4. Inner adequacy enables us to always trust God.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 – Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence.  He’s like a tree planted along a river bank, with roots reaching deep into the water, not bothered by heat, nor worried by long months of drought.  It stays green and goes on producing fruit.

June 12 2016 Living With God As Father

The Apostle's Creed: "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."

Mark 14:36 (NIV) “And Jesus prayed, ‘Abba, Father...’”

Matthew 6:9 (NIV) “This, then, is how your should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven...’”

WITH GOD AS MY HEAVENLY FATHER...

1. I HAVE LOVE THAT IS UNCONDITIONAL .

Romans 8:38-39 (TLB) “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of

God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 4:10 (NLT)“This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

2. I HAVE STRENGTH/POWER THAT IS UNLIMITED .

MEMORY VERSE: Psalm 46:1 (ESV) “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

Ephesians 3:16 (NLT) “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (Msg) “And then he told me, ‘My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’ Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift.”

3. I HAVE DELIGHT THAT IS UNENDING .

Psalm 16:11 (NLT)“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”

Psalm 147:11 (NLT) “The Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

Luke 10:20 (NLT) “Don't rejoice just because spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven.”

Born: CREATION OF GOD

Born Again: CHILD OF GOD

Romans 8:15 (NLT) “So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into his family—calling him ‘Abba, Father.’”

June 5 2016 Releasing The Passion Of Love

RELEASING THE PASSION OF LOVE

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give you, Love One Another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:15 – I have given you an example to follow, do as I have done to you.

1. Accept others like Jesus accepts me (acceptance.)

John 6:37 – All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Psalm 27:10 – Even if my Mother and Father forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you.

Romans 12:2 – We must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.

ACTION STEP: This week I will show acceptance to ??????????.

2. Value others like Jesus values me.

Luke 12:6-7 – Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

Value depends on who made it.

1 Timothy 4:4 – Everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

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

Value depends on what people will pay for something.

1 Peter 1:19 – He paid for you with the precious life blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God.

Isaiah 49:15-16 – Can a Mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.  See I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
    
1 Peter 2:17 – Treat everyone you meet with dignity.

Mark 10:21 – Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Action Step: This week I will affirm the value of ??????????.

3. Forgive others like Jesus forgives me.

Isaiah 43:25 – I am the God who forgive your sins and I do this because of who I am.  I will not hold your sins against you.
    
Romans 8:1 – There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:7 – You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives.

ACTION STEP: This week I will offer forgiveness to ??????????.

4. Believe in others like Jesus believes in me.

Mark 9:23 – Everything is possible for him who believes.

1 Corinthians 13:7 – If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.  You will always believe in him, l always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

Romans 1:12 – I want us to help each other with the Faith we have.

Hebrews 10:24 – Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.

ACTION STEP: This week I will demonstrate trust in ???????????.
    
Ephesians 3:18 – May you have the power to understand as all God's people should.  How wide, how long, how deep His love really is.