January 18 2015 Getting Unstuck In My Family

GETTING UNSTUCK IN MY FAMILY

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person  by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.”” – Romans 12:1-2
                
The Key to Getting Unstuck in My Family:

Give God first place In My Family!

Definition of UnStuck: Moving forward in my life because I am willing to give God complete control.

HOW TO GIVE GOD FIRST PLACE IN MY FAMILY

1.  FOCUS MY FAMILY DAILY with prayer and Bible study.

“Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” – 1 Chronicles 16:11

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” – Matthew 7:24-25

2.  INVOLVE MY FAMILY IN my church.

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”   – Proverbs 22:6

Two Elements: worship and service

“Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.”– Psalm 127:1

3.  READILY FORGIVE MY FAMILY WHEN NECESSARY.

“Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.” – Ephesians 4:32

“Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”” – Proverbs 17:9

“Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.”– Romans 12:18

4.  SCHEDULE FAMILY CELEBRATIONS TOGETHER.

“We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has stayed with me wherever I have gone.”” – Genesis 35:3

“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God will give you.” – Exodus 20:12

5.  Trust God with my family.
 
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Memory Verse: ““Choose today whom you will serve… but as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” – JOSHUA 24:15

June 30 2013 How To Be Effective Christians

HOW TO BE EFFECTIVE CHRISTIANS
Philippians 2:19-30

Paul uses two men as examples of the kind of person who will make a difference in the world.
(Timothy) Verse 20 - I have no one else like him.
(Epaphroditus) Verse 29 - Hold me like him in highest honor.

FIVE VALUES

1.  Compassion.
a) Verse 20-21 - He is the only one who really cares about you.  Everyone else is concerned only with his own affairs, not about the cause of Christ.
b)  They are all wrapped up in their own affairs.
c)  The Samaritan.

2.  Consistency.
People who put character before conformity.
a) Verse 22 - Timothy has proved himself, he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
b) Proverbs 10:9 - The man of integrity walked securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
c) Proverbs 20:7 - It is a wonderful heritage to have an honest father (mother).

3.  Cooperation.
People who put cooperation before competition.
a) Verse 25 - I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier.
b) Judges 20:11 - So all the men of Israel got together and united as one man against the city.

4.  Commitment.
People who put the cause of Christ before comfort.
a) Verses 25-27 - (Epaphroditus) is your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.  He was ill and almost died.  But God had mercy on him.
b) James 2:17 - Faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.

5.  Courage.
People who put service before security.
a) Verses 29-30 - Welcome him in the Lord with great joy and honor men like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
b) Romans 12:1-2 - Because of God’s mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service.
c) Mark 8:35 - Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the good news will ever know what it means to really live.

RENEW THESE NEEDED VALUES

February 24 2013 Dating Dilemmas

Dating Dilemmas

Psalm 144:11 “Reach down from Heaven and rescue me. Deliver me from deep waters.”

2 Corinthians 6:14. “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong. That’s not partnership, that’s war.”

Proverbs 4:23.“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.”

Six Questions To Avoid Dating Dilemmas

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects. It always trusts. Always hopes, always preservers. Love never vents.”

1. Is this relationship progressing To Quickly ?

Verse 4: Love is patient

1 Corinthians 6:18. “Run away from sexual sin. No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality, it’s a sin against your own body.”

2. Is this person Kind ?

Verse 4: “Love is kind.”

The “out in public test”.

verse 7 “Love always protects”.

3. Is this person a Team mate ?

Verses 4-5 “Love does not envy, does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self seeking. It is not easily angered. Love keeps no record of wrong.”

The “pronoun test”

4. Is this a person of Integrity ?

Verse 6: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth”

The “refund test”

5. Is this person a Quitter ?

Verse 7:“Love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Does this person have a Forever view of marriage?

6. Is God the First Love of my life?

Verse 8 “Love never fails.”

Memory Verse: “We love because He first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19

My next step today is to: 

• Memorize I John 4:19
• Pray about and evaluate my relationship with_________.
• Make God the first love of my life.
• Pray that God will double our church’s attendance at Easter

Join us next Sunday as we continue our New teaching series “Relationship Rescue” with “Marriage Maintenance”

February 24 2013 How To Win The Respect Of Others

HOW TO WIN THE RESPECT OF OTHERS
Exodus 20:16

Verse 16 - You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Prov. 17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies.

I.  First you win respect by not giving false testimony

TYPES OF FALSE TESTIMONY

1.  By gossip.
Definition:
Prov. 26:20 & 22 - Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies.  The words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to a man’s inmost parts.
Varieties:

2.  By slander.
Definition:
James 4:11 - Brothers do not slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge.

3. By flattery.
Definition:
Prov. 26:28 - Flattery is a form of hatred and wounds cruelly.
Prov. 29:5 - Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

II.  The way to win the respect of others:

1.  Examine your heart.
Jer. 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things.

MOTIVES FOR DISHONESTY
* Fear                
* Anger
* Pride
* Selfishness

2.  Think about honest things.
Phil. 4:8 - Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. 

3.  Refuse to give or receive gossip.
Prov. 11:13 - A gossip goes around spreading rumors, while a trustworthy man tries to quiet them.

4.  Keep your promises.
Psalm 15:4-5 - He who keeps his oath even when it hurts, shall never be shaken.

5.  Be an encourager.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

T Is it True
H Is it Helpful
I Is it Inspiring
N Is it Necessary
K Is it Kind

Psalm 34:11 & 12 - If you love life and desire to see many good days, then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.