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.

December 4 2016 When Life Gets Messy

THE STORY OF JOSEPH - When Life Gets Messy

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”...When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. - Matthew 1:18-21, 24-25

HOW DO I THRIVE WHEN LIFE GETS MESSY?

1. ADMIT MY Fear.

“As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.’” - Matthew 1:20

God doesn’t want me to fear the opinions of others.

“The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” - Psalms 118:6

God doesn’t want me to fear circumstances.

“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.” - Romans 8:28

God doesn’t want me to fear the future.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” - Jeremiah 29:11

2. TRUST GOD EVEN WHEN I I don't understand.

“When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.” - Matthew 1:24

Memory Verse: “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.’” - Isaiah 55:8

3. TRUST GOD EVEN WHEN IT’S  it's costly.

“After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,’ the angel said. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death.’” - Matthew 2:13-15

(Jesus) “And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.” - Matthew 19:29

4. ALLOW GOD TO DEVELOP MY patience DURING THE MESS.

“When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. ‘Get up!’ the angel said. ‘Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.’” - Matthew 2:19-20

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!"

October 9 2016 Getting Where We Want To Be - Focused On God's People

GETTING WHERE WE WANT TO BE, FOCUSED ON GOD’S PURPOSE

Romans 12:1 - Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is your true Worship that you should offer.

1 Peter 4:2 - From now on, live the rest of your lives controlled by God’s Will, not by human desires.

Romans 6:13 - Give yourselves completely to God, every part of you, you want to be tools in the hands of God to be used for His good purposes.

1.  Why Get Focused?

He shaped us for a specific reason.

Galatians 1:15 - For even before I was born, God had chosen me to be His and He called me, what kindness and grace.

God Knows what’s best for me.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for evil to give you a future and a hope.

I Am grateful for my salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9 - Christ saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.

God Promises to reward our focus.

Proverbs 7:6 - In everything you do put God first and He will direct you and brown your efforts with success.

WHAT KEEPS US FROM GETTING FOCUSED

1.  Short term values.

Mark 4:19 - The attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and love of nice things came in and crowded out God.

1 John 2:17 - The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear, but anyone who does the Will of God will live forever.

2.  Past failure.

Philippians 3:13-14 - Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.

3. To self-motivate.

Proverbs 14:14 - The back slider is bored with himself, but the Godly man’s life is exciting.

Mark 8:35 - If you insist on saving your life you will lose it.  Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

4.  Fear keeps us from focus.

Psalm 37:5 - Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him to help you do it and He will.

HOW DO WE GET FOCUSED

1.  Consider the cost.

Luke 14:27-28 - No one can be My disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow Me, but don’t begin until you count the cost.

2. Come just as you are.

3. He wants you to do it now.

Hosea 10:12 - Sow for yourselves righteousness, break up the follow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord.

4.  God wants 100%.

Romans 12:1-2 - Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is true Worship, then you will be able to know the Will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

C.S. LEWIS “THE ONLY THING CHRISTIANITY CANNOT BE IS MODERATELY IMPORTANT.”

May 15 2016 Managing Life's Rejections

MANAGING LIFE’S REJECTIONS

Proverbs 18:14 - A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a broken spirit, who can bear?

SIX SYMPTOMS OF REJECTION
1. Easily hurt.
2. Have a fear of failure.
3. Often suspicious of others.
4. Often isolate themselves from others.
5. Feel they have to prove themselves all the time.
6. Difficulty trusting God.

HOW TO RESPOND TO LIFE’S REJECTIONS

1. Release my pain.

Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Psalm 62:8 – Pour out your heart to God, for He is our refuge.

Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

2. Receive from others.

Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens.  By helping each other with your troubles, you obey the law of Christ.

Hebrews 12:15 – Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God’s best blessing.

3. Refuse to be bitter.

Job 21:25 – Some people have no happiness at all; they live and die with a bitter heart.

Hebrews 12:15 – Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, it causes deep trouble hurting many in their spiritual lives.

The Antidote: 

-Accept what cannot be changed.

Job 11:13, 16 – Reach out to God, then face the world again, firm and courageous.

-Focus on what’s left not what’s lost.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – No matter what happens always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you.

4. Remember what’s important.

Luke 12:15 – Jesus said life is not measured by how much one owns.

1 Timothy 6:7 – We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it.

5. Rely on Christ.

Philippians 4:13 – I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens.  I can do all things through Christ, because He gives me strength.

HOW?

-Lean on Christ for stability!

Psalm 125:1 – Those who trust in the Lord are steady as Mount Zion, unmoved by any circumstance.

Psalm 112:6-7 – Such a person will not be overthrown by evil circumstances.  God’s constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it.  He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen.  For he is settled in his mind that God will take care of him.

-Listen to Christ for direction!

Jeremiah 29:11 – I know what I am planning for you, says the Lord.  I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you.  I will give you hope and a good future.

-Look to Christ for salvation.

Job 2:7 – When I have lost all hope, I once again turn my thoughts to the Lord.