April 24 2016 Your Inadequacy And God's Advice

YOUR INADEQUACY AND GOD’S ADVICE

1 Corinthians 2:3 - I came to you in weakness, timid and trembling.

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

1.  Decide to be a good example.

1 Timothy 4:12 - Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, in purity.

Your words: The way you talk.

Your life: The way you act.

Your love: The way you run your relationships.

Your faith: You keep believing.

Your example: You lead a pure life.

2 Corinthians 11:1 - And you should follow my example, just as I follow Christ’s.

2.  Depend on God.

2 Corinthians 3:5 - Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ, because He gives me strength.

3.  Use God’s gifts.

2 Timothy 1:6 - I remind you to keep using the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you, now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire.

1 Timothy 4:14 - Do not neglect your gift.

1 Peter 4:10 - Each one would use whatever gift he has received to serve others.

4.  Decide to grow.

2 Peter 3:18 - Grow in spiritual strength and become better acquainted with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 4:15 - Cultivate these things.  Immerse yourself in them.  The people will see you mature right before their eyes.

Ephesians 3:20 - With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.

February 14 2016 Daring To Commit

DARING TO COMMIT

Romans 6:13 (LB) "Give yourselves completely to God—every part of you—for you have been brought back to life, and you want to be tools in the hands of God, used for his good purposes."

FIVE COMMITMENTS

1. TO STRENGTHEN MY FAITH . . .

I MUST unite with others in worship

Isaiah 40:31 "Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."

Psalm 100:2 (NLT) "Worship the Lord with gladness! Come before him, singing with joy!"

2. TO DISCOVER MY IDENTITY & PURPOSE . . .

I MUST connect with others in fellowship

Romans 12:4­5 (Mes)"We are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from Christ’s Body as a whole, not the other way around. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped­off finger or cut­off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we?"

Ephesians 2:16 (Mes) "Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility."

2 Corinthians 5:18­-19 (NIV) "Now God had reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation...and the message of reconciliation."

3. TO DEVELOP MY POTENTIAL . . .

I MUST learn from others to grow

Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)"Christ’s Body is fitted TOGETHER perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow . . ."

4. TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANCE . . .

I MUST serve with others in ministry

1 Peter 4:10 (NCV) "Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good Servants of God’s various gifts of grace."

Mark 8:35 (NLT) "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life."

Ecclesiastes 4:9­-12 (NCV & LB) "Two people are always better than one, because they get more done by working TOGETHER. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down TOGETHER, they can share the same blanket and stay warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people TOGETHER can defend themselves. And a rope that is woven of three braids is hard to break."

WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER . . .

• WE maximize our impact (vs 9)
• WE minimize our failure (vs 10)
• WE mobilize our resources (vs 11)

Memory Verse: Matthew 25:40 (NIV) "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me."

5. TO MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE . . .

I MUST join with others on mission

Matthew 28:19­-20 (NIV)"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything I have commanded you. And surely I will be with you . . ."

April 19 2015 When You Feel Like You're Stuck

WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE STUCK

Psalm 145:14 – God gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.

Mark 10:46 – Sitting beside the road.

Mark 10:52 – Following Jesus on the road.

HOW DO I GET UNSTUCK

SEIZE the moment when it comes.

Mark 10:46 – As Jesus and His disciples left town, a great crowd was following.  A blind beggar named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road as Jesus was going by.  When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus from Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout out, “Jesus Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luke 9:62 – Jesus said, “No procrastination.  No backward looks.  You can’t put God’s Kingdom off till tomorrow.  Seize the day.”

TAME your fears.

Mark 10:48 – Many of the people scolded him and told him to be quiet.  But he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

John 6:37 – I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me.

Proverbs 29:25 – The rear of human opinion disables you, trusting in God protects you from that.

ANNOUNCE your faith.

Mark 10:51 – Jesus asked him “What do you want me to do for you?”  The blind man answered, “Teacher, I want to see.”

Galatians 3:27 – Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start.  It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe, Christ’s life, the fulfillment of God’s original promise.

RECEIVE God’s grace.

Mark 10:52a – Jesus said to him, “Go your way, your faith has made you well.”  And immediately he gained his sight.

Ephesians 2:8 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

TAKE the next step.

Mark 10 52b – He regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

James 2:14 – If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing.

1 Corinthians 1:30 – Everything that we have, right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start, comes from God by way of Jesus Christ

April 12 2015 When We Need 20-20 Vision

WHEN WE NEED 20-20 VISION

Matthew 6:22-23 – The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

Mark 8:17-29

AN EMBARRASSING MISUNDERSTANDING

Mark 8:13-21 – Then Jesus got into the boat and crossed to the other side.  The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had in the boat. Be careful, Jesus warned. Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod. The disciples discussed why Jesus had said this and they decided it was because they hadn’t brought bread with them. Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your minds closed? You have eyes, but now don’t really see! You have ears, but you don’t really listen. Remember when I divided five loaves of bread for the five thousand? How many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food? They said, twelve. And when I divided seven loaves of bread for the four thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food? They said, seven. Then Jesus said, and you still don’t understand yet?

WHAT KEEPS ME FROM 20-20 VISION?

1. Pride.

“Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees.”

2. Short term thinking.

“The disciples discussed why Jesus had said this and they decided it was because they hadn’t brought bread with them!”

3. Short term memory.

“Remember the two miracles?”

A PROGRESSIVE MIRACLE

Mark 8:22 – They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

THREE CONDITIONS FOR A MIRACLE

1. When some body cares.

2. When we get close to Jesus.

3. When we trust Jesus to lead us.

Mark 8:23-26 – Then Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him, and then asked, do you see anything? The man looked up and said, I see people but they look like trees walking around. So Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes a second time. Then his eyes were opened fully, his sight was restored completely, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, don’t go back into town.

THREE LESSONS ABOUT 20-20 VISION

1. My spiritual vision grows in stages.

2. The test of my vision is how I see other people.

3. Jesus heals my sight three ways:

• My focus gets sharper.
• My perspective gets larger.
• Makes my vision clearer.

Job 34:32 – Teach me what I cannot see; and if I’ve done wrong, I won’t do it again!

A CLARIFYING QUESTION

Mark 8:27-29 – Then Jesus asked them, who do people say I am? They replied, some say you are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others you’re one of the other prophets. But what about you, Jesus asked, who do you say I am? Peter said, You are the Christ, the Messiah!

How I see Jesus determines how clearly I see everything else.

March 23 2014 How To Integrate God's Word Into My Life

How To Integrate God's Word Into My Life 

1. I must build on it

“Everyone who hears these words of mine, and puts them into practice, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

Unreliable Foundations

• Popular culture
• Tradition
• Only Reason
• Emotion

2. I have to feed on it

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Colossians 3:16

a. Receive with my ears (listen)

b. Read with my eyes

c. Research with my hands & mouth (study)

d. Reflect with my mind

3. I have to live by it

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:114.

4. I have to grow through it.

“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Psalm 119:18

PARABLE OF THE FOUR SOILS (Luke 8:4-15)

1). The hardened soil = a closed mind

Action: Cultivate an open mind

2). The shallow soil = the superficial mind

Action: Make time for God’s Word.

3). The soil with weeds = a preoccupied mind

Action: I must eliminate the distractions

4). The good soil = A willing mind.

Action: Cooperate with what God says

5. I’ve got to act on it.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

Picture it! Visualize the scene in your mind

Pronounce it! Emphasize each word aloud

Paraphrase it! Write it down in your own words

Personalize it! Put your name in the verse

Probe it! Ask the S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S. questions

Pray it! Pray the verse back to God

6. I must trust in it.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105