June 5 2016 Living What You Believe

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."

• Wasn't written by the apostles
• Is not Scripture
• Was used to distinguish orthodoxy from heresy

FOUR QUESTIONS OF BELIEF

1. ASK: WHAT DO I BELIEVE?

"Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups." — 2 Corinthians 13:5

2. ASK: ON WHAT ARE MY BELIEFS BASED ?

"An intelligent person is always eager to take in more truth; fools feed on fast-food fads and fancies." - Proverbs 15:14

"Truth stands the test of time; lies are here today, gone tomorrow." - Proverbs 12:19

3. ASK: DOES MY BEHAVIOR MATCH MY BELIEFS?

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. - James 2:17

4. ASK: HOW WILL I LIVE OUT WHAT I BELIEVE ?

"Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

"Fool! When will you ever learn that 'believing' is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith." - James 2:20

My Beliefs Determine:

• MY BEHAVIOR

(James 4:17; Psalm 119:59)_

• MY SIGNIFICANCE

(Genesis 1:27; John 10:10; John 8:31-32; Mark 6:34)

• MY ETERNITY

(John 5:24; John 3:16-17)

"For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9

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 26 2014 The Truth About Change

The Truth About Change 

MYTH: "I should be able to change overnight. "

I. THE PROCESS GOD USES TO CHANGE US

Phase 1: CONCERN

Job 30:27 (LB)"My heart is troubled and restless. "

Deuteronomy 32:11 "like an eagle that stirs up its nest .... "

How you feel: UNCOMFORTABLE

Phase 2: CRISIS

2 Corinthians 7:10 (LB)"God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin .... "

How you feel: INTENSE PAIN

Phase 3: CHOICE

Job 34:3-4 (LB)"We choose the sounds we want to listen to; we choose the taste we want in food, and we should choose to follow what is right. "

How you feel: SCARED

Phase 4: COMPREHENSION

Romans 12:2 (NCV)"... be changed within by a new way of thinking .... "

John 8:32 (LB)". . . the truth will set you free. "

How you feel: CAUTIOUSLY HOPEFUL

Phase 5: CONDUCT

James 2:17 "Faith, if it is not accompanied by ACTION, is dead."

How you feel: FRUSTRATED

Phase 6: COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE.

How you feel: DISCOURAGEMENT

II. HOW TO COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PROCESS

Phase 1: Be Alert To God's Voice

Job 33:13-19"For God does speak -- now one way, now another -- though man may not perceive it. In a dream . . . as they slumber . . . (or) he may speak in their ears . . . with warnings . . . Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress .... "

Phase 2: Accept God’s Comfort

Isaiah 42:3 "God will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair. "

Psalm 31:7 (LB) "You (God) have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis in my soul. "

Jonah 2:7 (LB) " When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord. "

Phase 3: Ask God For Courage

Isaiah 43:2" When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown! When you walk through the fi re of oppression, you will not be burned up .... "

Phase 4: Apply God’s Word

2 Timothy 3:16 (LB)"The whole Bible . . . is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. "

James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Phase 5: Anticipate God's Help

Psalm 37:5 (LB)"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it. and he will. "

Phase 6: Adhere To God’s Plan

Galatians 6:9 (LB)"Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don 't get discouraged and give up. "

Philippians 1:6 "Be confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. "

December 8 2013 Showing I Care For My Neighbors

Showing I Care For My Neighbors

(Open Before Christmas: Part 2)

(Jesus) “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” Matthew 25:40

“‘Teacher, of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’” Matthew 22:36-40

“And who is my neighbor?” — Luke 10:29b

My Neighbor: SOMEONE WHO IS ON MY WAY.

FOUR STEPS TO LOVING MY NEIGHBOR

1. Ask GOD FOR A COMPASSIONATE HEART

“You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.” — Luke 6:36

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.” — Psalm 139:23

2. Show GENUINE INTEREST.

“Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” — Romans 12:10

3. Be ALERT TO NEEDS.

“Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others - ignoring God - harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” — Galatians 6:7-8

“Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6

4. Respond WITH COMPASSIONATE ACTION.

“Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, ‘Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless.” James 2:14-17

"Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12

Memory Verse: “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." — John 13:35

August 12 2012 How To Have Real Christian Faith

How To Have Real Christian Faith

Vs. 17 - Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead.

Who is right, James or Paul? They both are.

Paul (Gal. 2:16)    &   James (James 2:24)
Problem    Legalism                     Laxity
Works       Jewish Laws               Christian Lifestlye
Focus        Root of Salvation       Fruit of Salvation
(internal/unseen)        (external/seen)
Purpose    How to Know             How to show
I’m a Christian            I’m a Christian


Ephesians 2:8-10 - For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, for a life of good works which God has already prepared for us to do.

What Is Real Faith?
1. Real faith is not just something you say.
Vs. 14 - What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

2. Real faith is not just something you feel.
Vs. 15-16 - Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
1 John 3:17 - If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
Vs. 17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.

3.  Real faith is not just something you think.
Vs. 18 - But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.”  Show me your faith without your deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

4.  Real faith is not just something you believe.
Vs. 19 - You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.

5.  Real faith is something you do.

Illustrations: Two Very Different People

• Abraham (Vs. 20-24)

• Rahab (Vs. 25)

II Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves.