March 27 2016 Daring To Believe - Breaking Free (part 1)

DARING TO BELIEVE

John 3:16 “God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 6:29 (NLT) "This is what God wants you to do: BELIEVE in the one he has sent!"

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “BELIEVE IN JESUS”?

Turn everything over to Jesus.

Romans 10:9 “IF you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is my LORD," and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!”

Relax in his love.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) “Nothing will ever be able to separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and 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’re 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.”

Use my life to serve God by serving others.

Romans 6:13 (LB) “Give yourselves completely to God--every part of you--for you’ve been saved from death and you want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes.”

Ephesians 2:10 (TEV) “God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good works, which he has already prepared for us to do.”

Suffer for doing what’s right.

Philippians 1:29 (NLT) “For you have been given not only the privilege of BELIEVING in Christ but also the privilege of SUFFERING for him.”

1 Peter 3:14 (NLT) “But if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't be afraid and don't worry.”

Trust what He says.

Psalm 33:4 (NLT) “For the word of the Lord always holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust.”

Hebrews 6:18 (Mes) “God can't break his word. So we who have trusted our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go!”

John 1:12 “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, Jesus gave the right to become children of God.”

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.

March 6 2016 Daring To Wait On God

DARING TO WAIT ON GOD

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 9

“God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what he is

WHAT TO REMEMBER WHILE WAITING ON GOD

1. REMEMBER THERE’S A NATURAL DELAY BETWEEN PLANTING & HARVESTING!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven . . . A time to plant and a time to harvest . . . a time to scatter and a time to gather . . .” 

2. REMEMBER THERE’S AN UNSEEN BATTLE GOING ON.

“We are not struggling and fighting against human beings but against evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm—the rulers, authorities, and powers of darkness.” 

3. REMEMBER GOD IS PREPARING ME FOR HIS BLESSING

“There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These troubles test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure, just as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold.” 

“Waiting does not diminish us any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We don’t see what is enlarging us, but the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy. Meanwhile, when we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He prays in us and for us . . .He knows us far better than we know ourselves, and knows our pregnant condition . . . That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” Romans 8:24-28

4. REMEMBER I’M IN GOOD COMPANY WHEN WAITING ON GOD

 “People who lived in the past became famous because of their faith.”

5. REMEMBER GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES!

God says, “At the time I have decided, my words will come true. You can trust what I say about the future. It may take a long time, but keep on waiting—it will happen!” Habakkuk 2:3 (CEV) 

WHAT TO DO WHILE WAITING ON God

1. WRITE DOWN THE LESSONS I’M LEARNING

“At the Lord’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress.” Numbers 33:2a (NLT)

“Remember what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him.” Deuteronomy 11:2a (TEV) 

2. ACT AS THOUGH I ALREADY HAVE IT

Jesus said, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24 (NIV) 

3. IMITATE THE HABITS THAT GROW STRONG FAITH

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to IMITATE those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12 (NIV) 

Paul: “KEEP ON putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing.”  Philippians 4:9a (NLT) 

DON’T put my life on hold.

• KEEP ON  PRAYING

“Keep on asking, and you WILL be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you WILL find. Keep on knocking, and the door WILL be opened!” Matthew 7:7 (NLT) 

• KEEP ON SERVING

“Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.”  Romans 12:11 (NLT)

• KEEP ON GOING TO CHURCH

“Don’t give up your habit of meeting with other believers. Instead keep on encouraging each other!” Hebrews 10:25 

• KEEP ON SOWING

“Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which ones will grow—perhaps they all will!” Ecclesiastes 11:6 (LB)

• KEEP ON BELIEVING

“You must keep on believing the things you have been taught. You know they are true . . .” 2 Timothy 3:14 (LB)

TRUST GOD INSTEAD OF PANICKING

“Even when I am afraid, I keep on trusting you.” Psalm 56:3 (CEV)

October 12 2014 Developing Our Confidence

Developing Our Confidence 

Anything I have confidence in more than God is called an idol.

Deuteronomy 4:15-16 – For your own good don’t sin by making an idol in any form.

I. What happens when I put confidence in anything else more than God?

1. I AM disappointed.

Jeremiah 10:14 – Those who make idols are disillusioned.

Hebrews 2:18 – Of what value is an idol?  For he who makes it trusts in his own creation.

Isaiah 44:20 – The poor, deluded fool is trusting something that can give him no help at all.  Yet he cannot bring himself to ask: is this thing, this idol a lie?

2. I AM dominated.

1 Corinthians 12:2 – You were controlled by dead idols, who led you astray.

Psalm 115:8 – Those who make idols end up like them.  So does everyone who trusts them.

3. I AM embracing false religions.

II. Why don’t I have confidence in God?

Because I Don’t really know God.

Psalm 9:10 – Those who know the Lord trust Him.

III. Why should I put all my confidence in God?

1. BECAUSE He always tells the truth.

Hebrews 6:18 – We can completely count on Him, for it is impossible for God to lie.

Romans 3:4 – God will continue to be true even when every person is false.

2. BECAUSE He loves me.

1 John 4:16, 18 – We know how much God loves us, so we have put our trust in Him, because God’s perfect love drives out fear.

3. BECAUSE He’s in control.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

4. BECAUSE God will help me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding.  Remember the Lord in all you do, and He will give you success.

Mark 5:36 – Jesus says: “Don’t be afraid.  Just trust Me.”

December 29 2013 God The Promise Keeper

God The Promise Keeper

Psalm 33:4 – For the Word of the Lord is right and true, He is faithful in all He does.

God cannot do wrong. (Deut. 32:4) Just

God cannot lie. (Heb. 6:18) Holy

God cannot break promises. (Num.23:19) Faithful

I. The Greatest Example of God’s Faithfulness:

Joshua 21:45 – Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed, everyone was fulfilled!

Deuteronomy 7:9 –He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant to a thousand generations.

Psalm 145:13 – The Lord is faithful to all His promises.

II. God’s Guarantees to you:

1. I can depend on God to forgive your sins.

I John 1:9 –If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find Him reliable and just. He forgives us and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil.

2. I can depend on God to give me guidance.

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.

3. I can depend on God to settle the score.

Romans 12:19 – Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for He has said He will repay those who deserve it.

1 Peter 2:23 – Jesus never answered back when insulted. When He suffered, He did not threaten to get even. He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.

4. I can depend on God to reward my generosity.

Luke 6:38 – Give, and it will be given to you, for with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.

5. I can depend on God to give me a home in Heaven.

1Corinthians 1:8-9 – God guarantees right up to the end that you’ll be counted free from all guilt on that day when He returns. God will surely do this for you.

2 Timothy 1:12 – I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day.

6. I can depend on God to remember my service.

Hebrews 6:10 – God is not unfair. He will not forget all that you have done, nor the loving labor which you have shown for His sake in looking after fellow Christians.

Romans 10:11 – Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.

Romans 10:13 – Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.