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.

June 19 2016 Restoring Harmony In The Home

RESTORING HARMONY IN THE HOME

Mark 3:25 & James 4: 1-2

Mark 3:25 – A home filled with strife and division destroys itself.

James 4: 1-2 – What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

Five ways to manage conflict:

1.  There is my way

2.  There is no way

3.  There is your way

4.  There is half way

5.  There is our way

Six Steps to Resolving Conflict:

1.  You need to become a believer in Christ.

Ephesians 2:16 – As parts of the same body our anger against each other has disappeared for both of us have been reconciled to God and so the feud ended at the cross.

2.  You talked to God about the problem.

James 4:2 – Your quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God.

3.  You analyze the problem.

Matthew 7: 3-4 – Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

1 John 1:8 – If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

4.  You need to schedule a peace conference.

Matthew 5:23-24 – If you remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the alter and go at once to make peace, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

1 Peter 3:7

Ways to Communicate                     Ground Rules    
                
1.    Pick the right time                     *No divorce threats         

2.    Choose the right place              * No bad temper

3.    Pray before you meet                * No hatred                  

4.    Come with a positive attitude   *No abusive language                      
    
5.    Establish some ground rules     *No foul mouth                       
                                                            
                                                           *No lies      

Colossians 3:8

5.  Switch your focus.

Philippians 2:3-5 -Don't be selfish, don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too. Your attitude should be like Christ who though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God.

6.  You need to ask for advice.

Proverbs 15:32 – Conceited people don't like to be corrected. They never ask advise from those who are wiser.

Closing thought: It's more rewarding to resolve a conflict that it is to dissolve a relationship.

June 21 2015 Freedom From Anger

FREEDOM FROM ANGER

Proverbs 11:29: The fool who provokes his family to anger and resentment will finally have nothing left.

Three Phases Of Argument:

1. Recognition
2. Reaction
3. Resolution

Four Ways To Manage Anger From The Bible:

1. You need to admit your anger.

Ephesians 4:25-26 – Stop lying to each other, tell the truth.  When we lie to each other, we are hurting ourselves.  If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge.

Anger means that you care very deeply about some things.

2. I need to understand my anger.

Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience.
    
Four Root Causes Of Anger:

• I feel unaccepted.
• I feel unappreciated.
• I feel unsupported.
• I feel uncertain.

3. You need to deal immediately with anger.

Ephesians 4: 26-27 – Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry, get over it quickly.  For when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the devil.

Job 18:4 – You are only hurting yourself.

4. You need to control your anger.

Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Three Suggestions On Controlling Anger:

• Be quick to listen.

James 1:19 – Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

• Give a gentle answer.

Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

1. Be brief.
2. Be humble.

Proverbs 13:10 – Pride only breeds quarrels.

• Don’t use bad language.

Ephesians 4:29 – Don’t use bad language.  Say only what is good and helpful to those you are talking to and what will give them a blessing.

Seven Rules:

1. Never compare.
2. Never condemn.
3. Never command.
4. Don’t challenge.
5. Never condescend.
6. Never contradict.
7. Never confuse.

September 15 2013 The Art Of Cursing

The Art Of Cursing

“The Tongue has the power of life and death.” – Proverbs 18:21

UNDERSTANDING ‘THE CURSE’ BEHIND CURSE WORDS

Hebrew: herem - Greek: anathema

- The serpent was cursed (Genesis 3:14 – 15)
- Cain is cursed (Genesis 4:11)
- Curses are completely under God’s control (1 Kings 8:31 – 32)
- A curse cannot be placed on an innocent person (1 Samuel 14:24; Proverbs 26:2)
- Unfaithfulness is the source of all curses
- Faithfulness to God removes the curse (Deuteronomy 33:8-10)
- The greatest curse is the curse of sin (Romans 9:3; Galatians 3:10,13; Galatians 21:23)
- The cure for the curse of sin is the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:10,13)

HOW TO TURN CURSING INTO BLESSING

1. BE AWARE OF THE TRUTH ABOUT CURSING 

James 3:8-10 “[The tongue] is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth...this is not right!”

2. LEARN TO THINK BEFORE I SPEAK

Proverbs 15:23 ““What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!”

Memory Verse: Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

3. ENCOURAGE OTHERS WITH MY WORDS

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “So speak encouraging words to one another”

Proverbs 18:8 “The words of a gossiper are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.”

4. SURRENDER MY LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST

Galatians 3:10 - 13 “But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse...Consequently, it is clear that no one can ever be right with God by trying to keepthe law. ...But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."