April 16 2017 Easter - The Foundation For Happiness

EASTER, THE FOUNDATION FOR HAPPINESS

Col. 1:14 – Christ bought our freedom with His blood.

John 10:10 – Jesus said, “I come to give you life to the full.”

Matt. 28:5 - He is not here, He has risen.

Psalm 146:5 – Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord.

Happiness is Possible:

1. Because Christ can free you from guilt.

Eph. 1:7 – By the death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.

Col.2.14 – He has cancelled every record of the debt

we owed. Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.

Rom 8:1 – There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ.

2. Because Christ can free you from worry.

I Peter 1:2 – God’s Spirit has been at work in you heart through Jesus Christ. May God grant you increasing freedom from all anxiety and fear.

Ph. 4:13 – I am ready for anything through the strength of Christ who lives in me.

3. Because Christ can give you purpose.

Eph. 2:10 – We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as He meant for us to live it.

Acts 20:24 – Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus.

4. Because Christ can give you a home in heaven.

Col. 2:20 – Christ has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved by doing good and obeying various rules.

Rom 4:4 – You don’t earn the right to heaven, no, for being saved is a free gift. If a person could earn it by being good, then it wouldn’t be free, but it is.

Rom. 6:23 – The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

A Prayer That Leads to Happiness: Dear God, I believe Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be, Your Son, and that He proved it by rising from death. Jesus Christ, thank You for dying for me on the cross. I want You to forgive my sins and I want to know You personally and experience the freedom You offer. As much as I know how, I ask You to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Amen.

January 15 2017 Getting A Grip On Hope

GETTING A GRIP ON HOPE

Romans 15:13 - May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in Him. Then you’ll overflow with hope.

Psalm 52:9 - In Your name I will hope, for Your name is good.

Jehovah Shammah=God is always there!

Three anchors of the soul

1. His presence is watching over me.

Isaiah 41:10 - Don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you. I will support you.

Psalm 32:8 - I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Lamentations 3:21-23 - I have hope when I think of this: The Lord’s love never ends; His mercies never stop. They are new every morning.

2. His purpose is working in me.

Romans 8:28 - We know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 - (God) I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.

Philippians 1:6 - God began doing a good work in you and I am sure He will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again

3. His place is waiting for me.

John 14:1-2 - Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in Me, I am going to prepare a place for you.

Revelations 21:4 - He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. All of that has gone forever.

Isaiah 46:3-5 - Listen! I have upheld you since you were conceived and I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you. Can you compare Me to anyone? No one is equal to Me or like Me!

1 Peter 1:3 - In God’s great mercy He has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Isaiah 40:31 - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

November 13 2016 Give Thanks

Give Thanks

Memory Verse: 1 Chronicles 29:16 (NCV) "Everything has come from You and everything belongs to you."

I'M GRATEFUL TO GOD ...

1. FOR THE GRACE HE'S SHOWN TO ME.

Ephesians 2:8 (NCV) "You have been saved by grace through believing. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God."

Psalm 103:2-11 (LB) "I will... not forget the glorious things God does for me. He forgives all my sins. He heals me. He ransoms me from hell. He surrounds me with love ... He fills my life with good things ... He is merciful and tender toward those who don't deserve it; He is slow to get angry ... He never bears a grudge ... He has not punished us as we deserve for our sins."

2. FOR THE PLAN  HE HAS FOR ME.

Jeremiah 29:11 (ICB) "`I have good plans for you,' says the Lord, `I don't plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future.'"

3. FOR THE HOME HE'S PREPARED FOR ME.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NCV) "We know that our body...will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever."

1 Peter 1:4-6 (NLT)...and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power Circle that phrase God is protecting you by his power....until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad.There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while."

4. FOR CHANGES HE'S MAKING IN ME.

Philippians. 2:13 (NLT) "For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases him."

2 Corinthians 3:18 (LB) "And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him."

HOW TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD

1. BY SINGING

Psalm 147:7 (LB) "Sing out your thanks to Him; sing praises to our God ..."

2. BY SERVING

Hebrews 12:28 (LB) "Since we have a Kingdom that nothing can destroy, let us please God by serving Him with thankful hearts."

3. BY GIVING 

Psalm 50:14 (NCV)"Give an offering to show thanks to God. Give him what you promised."

Deuteronomy 16:10 (GN)"Celebrate the Harvest Festival, to honor the Lord your God by bringing Him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing He has given you."

4. BY TELLING
Isaiah 12:4 (LB) "Thank the Lord! Praise His name! Tell the world about His wondrous love and how mighty He is!"

July 24 2016 Prevailing Through A Vision

PREVAILING THROUGH A VISION

Acts 26:19

Verse 19 – So then King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.

Five Facts About A Vision:

I. Gods vision will stop you.

Ver. 12-15 – We all fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

A vision caused Paul to:

1. See himself.

2. See your possibilities.

II. God’s vision will send us.

Ver. 16-18 – Now get up and stand on your feet.

A vision helps us to see others.

III. God’s vision will strengthen us.

Ver. 20-23 – But I have had God’s help to this very day.

When you focus on God’s vision, it produces: power and strength.

IV. God’s vision will stretch us.

Ver. 24-29

This vision gave Paul:

1. Conviction to stand. (verse 26)

2. Conviction to speak. (verse 27)

3. Compassion to show. (verse 29)

V. God’s vision will satisfy us.

Ver. 19 – I was not disobedient to the vision from Heaven.

Who is the happiest person in the world?

People who have a vision.

Remember, when there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.

March 13 2016 The Word Of Victory

THE WORD OF VICTORY

John 19:30-37

Verse 30 – It is finished.

1. The Work of Christ as Prophet ended.

John 6:38 – I came down from Heaven, not to do my Own will but the will of Him who sent Me.

John 3:34 – My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me.

John 14:9 – He that hath seen Me has seen the Father.

Romans 5:8 – While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

2. The Work of redemption was completed.

John 1:29 – Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

Several Things To Remember

• The suffering of Christ had ended.
• Separation was ended.
• The power of sin was broken.

Hebrews 10:24 – By one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

• His death satisfied the law.

Colossians 2:14 – He canceled the record that contained the charges against us.  He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross.

Romans 10:4 – Christ ended the law so that everyone who believes in Him may be right with God.

3. The Way to God was opened up.

Matthew 27:51 – At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

1 Timothy 2:5 – For there is one God, one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 – I am confident of this one thing, He that hath begun a good work in you will bring it on to completion in the day of Christ.