November 13 2016 Creating A Spiritual Legacy

CREATING A SPIRITUAL LEGACY

Matthew 25:21 – Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master’s happiness.

Mark 10:45 – I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.
    
1.  SPEAK with integrity.

Proverbs 17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies.

Proverbs 25:14 - People who promise things they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

Psalm 101:2 -  I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need Your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should.

2.  SERVE with intensity.

Proverbs 14:22 -  You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good.

Colossians 3:23 -  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

John 6:27 -  Don’t work for food that spoils, instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life.

Psalm 37:18 - Day by day the Lord observes the good deeds done by godly men, and gives them eternal rewards.

3.  GIVE with generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:9 -  Godly people give generously. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.

Psalm 112:9 -  He who gives generously to the needy and shows kindness will be powerful and respected.

Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 3:27-28 - Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.  Don’t say “Come back later.  I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

4.  SUCCEED with humility.

Proverbs 29:23 - Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.

Proverbs 27:21 - Praise is the test of character.

Proverbs 13:18 - Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced.  Anyone who listens to correction is respected.

Proverbs 13:7 - A pretentious, showy life is an empty life, a plain and simple life is a full life.

Proverbs 15:33 - Humility and reverence for the Lord will     make you both wise and honored.

September 4 2016 When Only A Miracle Will Do

WHEN ONLY A MIRACLE WILL DO

A Time To Build

1. Admit we have a need.

Mark 6:34-37 - When Jesus saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, so He began teaching them.  By this time it was late in the day, so His disciple came and said, ‘This is a remote place. Send the people away so they can go and buy something to eat.’  But Jesus answered, ‘You give them something to eat!’ They said, ‘That would take eight months of a man’s wages!’

2.  Assess our ability.

Mark 6:38 - How many loaves do you have? Jesus asked, ‘Go and see.’  When thy found out, they said, ‘Five small loaves of bread and two fish.’

John 6:6 - Jesus asked this only to test them, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.

3.  Give God the resources we have.

Mark 6:41 - Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish.  He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.

The boy gave what he had, willingly, cheerfully and immediately.

4.  Expect Him to expand it.

Mark 6:42-43 - Everyone ate and had enough.  Afterwards they collected 12 baskets full of leftovers!

Mark 10:27 - All things are possible with God.

EXPECT FOUR THINGS

1.  Expect us to grow spiritually.

2 Corinthians 8:7 - You are growing in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us.  In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving.

2.  Expect greater fellowship.

1 Peter 3:8 - You should be like one big happy family.

Acts 2:47 – Enjoying the favor of all people.

3. Expect great worship and celebration.

Psalm 95:2 - Let us come before Him with thanksgiving.

4.  Expect a challenge to sell out to God.

2 Corinthians 8:5 - They first gave themselves unreservedly to God.  Then the other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.

June 5 2016 Releasing The Passion Of Love

RELEASING THE PASSION OF LOVE

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give you, Love One Another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:15 – I have given you an example to follow, do as I have done to you.

1. Accept others like Jesus accepts me (acceptance.)

John 6:37 – All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Psalm 27:10 – Even if my Mother and Father forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you.

Romans 12:2 – We must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.

ACTION STEP: This week I will show acceptance to ??????????.

2. Value others like Jesus values me.

Luke 12:6-7 – Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

Value depends on who made it.

1 Timothy 4:4 – Everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Value depends on what people will pay for something.

1 Peter 1:19 – He paid for you with the precious life blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God.

Isaiah 49:15-16 – Can a Mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.  See I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
    
1 Peter 2:17 – Treat everyone you meet with dignity.

Mark 10:21 – Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Action Step: This week I will affirm the value of ??????????.

3. Forgive others like Jesus forgives me.

Isaiah 43:25 – I am the God who forgive your sins and I do this because of who I am.  I will not hold your sins against you.
    
Romans 8:1 – There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:7 – You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives.

ACTION STEP: This week I will offer forgiveness to ??????????.

4. Believe in others like Jesus believes in me.

Mark 9:23 – Everything is possible for him who believes.

1 Corinthians 13:7 – If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.  You will always believe in him, l always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

Romans 1:12 – I want us to help each other with the Faith we have.

Hebrews 10:24 – Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.

ACTION STEP: This week I will demonstrate trust in ???????????.
    
Ephesians 3:18 – May you have the power to understand as all God's people should.  How wide, how long, how deep His love really is.

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 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.