January 8 2017 Your Choice: Blessed Or Stressed

YOUR CHOICE: BLESSED OR STRESSED

Decade of Destiny – Part 1

Deuteronomy 28:2-8 - You will experience all these blessings IF you obey the Lord your God.  You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields.  You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks.  You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread.  You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.  The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you, and the Lord will BLESS EVERYTHING YOU DO and will fill your storehouses with grain.

Job 42:12 – The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the first half of his life.

GOD PROMISES TO BLESS MY LIFE

1. If I meet with Him daily.

Proverbs 8:34 – Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

Psalm 31:19 – You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you.  You do so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

2. If I study and do His Word.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His Word he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.

James 1:25 – The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

3. If I tithe my income.

Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my hours.  Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

4. If I help others in need.

Psalm 41:1-2 – God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless.  He helps them out of their own troubles.  He protects them and keeps them alive; He publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.

Proverbs 22:9 – A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 11:11 – Good people bless and build up their city.

5. If I share the good news.

Philemon 1:6 – I pray you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will fully understand every blessing we have in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:8 – The man who plants and the man who waters have on purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

6. If I participate in fellowship.

Romans 1:12 – I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed If you Do them.

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."

October 2 2016 Your Choice: Blessed Or Stressed

YOUR CHOICE: BLESSED OR STRESSED

Decade of Destiny – Part 1

Deuteronomy 28:2-8 - You will experience all these blessings IF you obey the Lord your God.  You will be blessed in your towns and in the country. You will be blessed with many children and productive fields.  You will be blessed with fertile herds and flocks.  You will be blessed with baskets overflowing with fruit, and with kneading bowls filled with bread.  You will be blessed wherever you go, both in coming and in going.  The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you, and the Lord will BLESS EVERYTHING YOU DO and will fill your storehouses with grain.

Job 42:12 – The Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the first half of his life.

GOD PROMISES TO BLESS MY LIFE

1. If I meet with Him daily.

Proverbs 8:34 – Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

Psalm 31:19 – You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you.  You do so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

2. If I study and do His Word.

Psalm 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His Word he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.

James 1:25 – The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

3. If I tithe my income.

Malachi 3:10 – Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my hours.  Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

4. If I help others in need.

Psalm 41:1-2 – God blesses those who are kind to the poor and helpless.  He helps them out of their own troubles.  He protects them and keeps them alive; He publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies.

Proverbs 22:9 – A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

Proverbs 11:11 – Good people bless and build up their city.

5. If I share the good news.

Philemon 1:6 – I pray you will be active in sharing your faith, so that you will fully understand every blessing we have in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:8 – The man who plants and the man who waters have on purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

6. If I participate in fellowship.

Romans 1:12 – I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed If you Do them.

March 13 2016 Daring To Go In Faith

DARING TO GO IN FAITH

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 9

Two of the words that summarize Jesus’ message are: come & go

Matthew 11:28-30 (CEV) Jesus: “If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, COME TO ME and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.” 

Luke 7:50 Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you. NOW GO!”

Memory Verse: James 2:17 “Any faith that doesn’t lead us to GO INTO ACTON with good deeds is worthless, dead and useless!”

DARING FAITH IS ABOUT A PARTY THAT WILL LAST FOREVER:

Luke 14:16-20"A very powerful and generous man prepared a great banquet and invited many prominent guests. When it was ready he sent his servant to GO AND TELL those invited to ‘COME, for everything is now ready!’ But they all began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I’ve just bought a field, and I must go see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I’ve just acquired five pair of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ When the servant reported this, the Owner of the Estate became angry and told his servant, ‘GO QUICKLY into the streets and alleys of our city and BRING IN the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame as my guests!’ The servant said, ‘Master, we’ve already done this, but there is STILL ROOM FOR MORE in your banquet!’ The Master said, ‘Then now GO OUT OF OUR CITY to the roads and country lane, GO EVERYWHERE and INVITE EVERYONE TO COME so that my house will be full! I promise you this: not one of those people who ignored my invitation will ever get to taste what I had prepared for them!’" 

I must GO. . .to obey GOd. . . to do GOod. . . to live the GOspel. . .to become GOdly. . . to reach my GOals . . . to share the GOod News!

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

1. WE ARE GOING TO  GO TO GOD FOR HELP

1 Chronicles 16:11 (TEV) “GO TO THE LORD for help, and worship him continually.” 

Psalm 34:10 (ICB) “Those who GO TO THE LORD for help will have every good thing.” 

Psalm 37:40 (TEV) “God helps them and rescues them and saves them from the wicked, because they

2. WE ARE GOING TO GO TOGETHER FOR SUPPORT

Acts 14:22“(Paul & Barnabas) strengthened the disciples and encouraged them to remain true to the faith, reminding them that we must GO THROUGH many hardships to enter the kingdom of God." 

Philippians 1:27 - 2:2 (NLT) “ . . . I want to hear that you are working together and that you are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news . . . Don’t be intimidated by those who oppose you . . .You have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this fight TOGETHER . . . (so keep on) loving one another, and working together with one

3. WE ARE GOING TO GO ON TO MATURITY

Hebrews 6:1 (NIV) “Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and GO ON TO MATURITY . . .”

2 Peter 1:8 (LB) “The more you GO ON in this way, the more you will GROW STRONG spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus.”

2 Peter 1:9 (LB) “Anyone who fails to GO AFTER these additions to faith is blind, or very shortsighted and has forgotten that God delivered us from the old life of sin so that now we can live a strong, good life

4. WE ARE GOING TO TO GO TELL THE GOOD NEWS 

Romans 10:13-15 (ICB) "Anyone who asks the Lord for help will be saved. But before people can trust in the Lord, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in him, they must hear about him. And to hear about him someone must GO AND TELL them! And before someone can go and tell them, he must be sent. It is written, ‘How beautiful is the person who comes to bring good news.’ " 

Acts 1:8 “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you’ll be given my power, and you are to GO AND BE MY WITNESSES in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

Luke 9:60 Jesus said, "Let people who are dead bury the dead. Your job is to GO AND TELL OTHERS about God’s kingdom.”

MY DARING FAITH COVENANT

In gratitude for all that Christ has done for me, and out of a deep desire to grow in my faith, and in obedience to Christ’s command that I “store up treasure in Heaven,” I make a covenant today with my brothers and sisters of Great Plains Church to use the next 2 years growing, sowing, and going in daring faith. ...I commit to showing and sharing God’s love with those closest to me and serving God by serving others in our community. Also, because I want someone to be in Heaven because I cared, I am asking God to give me the privilege of bringing ONE person to Jesus in the next 2 years and see them be baptized and become a part of the fellowship of our church family. I know I cannot do this on my own power but I will trust God in daring faith to see it happen.

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.”