December 13 2015 Christmas Is Time To Seize The Moment

Christmas Is...Time to Seize the Moment!

Luke 10:38-42 “As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him And asked, ‘Don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!’   ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.’”

THE BATTLE FOR THIS MOMENT: A FILTER

1. REPLACE THE URGENT WITH THE SIGNIFICANT

verse 39 “She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”  

Matthew 6:34 (Msg) “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up 

2. REPLACE PHYSICAL PREPARATION WITH SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

Verse 40 “But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made.” 

Colossians 3:2 (Msg) “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you.  Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is.  See things from 

3. REPLACE SELF-ABSORPTION WITH PERSONAL REFLECTION

verse 40 “Don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”  

verses 41-42 “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset by so many things but only 

4. REPLACE THE SUPERFICIAL WITH THE SUPERNATURAL

verse 42 “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” 

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.”  

HOW NOT TO MISS GOD’S PRESENCE AND PURPOSE THIS CHRISTMAS

1. “SIT” = slow down

Pray
Connect
Serve

2. “LISTEN” = open up.  

Inspect
Correct
Direct

3. “CHOOSE WHAT IS BETTER” = Don’t miss the moment

Relationships
Spiritual Renewal
Transformation

March 22 2015 Thirty Days To A No Regrets Life (part 5)

Thirty Days To A No-Regrets Life - Leave Boldly

1 Corinthians 3:12-14 (NIV)"If Any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, And the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward."

THREE ETERNAL MATERIALS THAT BUILD A LEGACY

1. CONVICTIONS

Isaiah 40:8 (NIV) “The grass withers And the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."

Matthew 7:26 (The Msg) "But if you just use My words in Bible studies And don't work them into your life, you Are like A stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. "

2. CHARACTER

"God knew what He WAS doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love Him Along the same lines as the life of His Son... " - Romans 8:29 (The Msg)

God's Character Building Tools

• Problems
• Pressures
• People

3. COMMUNITY

Luke 10:40-42 (NRSV)"Martha was distracted by her many tasks: So she came to Him and asked, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things: but there is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part...'"

March 30 2014 Don't Waste Your Life

Don't Waste Your Life

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NLT)“Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

THREE BASIC QUESTIONS

1. WHAT DOES GOD WANT? MY WHOLE LIFE.

Romans 6:13 (NLT) “Give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.”

Deuteronomy 10:12 (NCV) “This is what the Lord your God wants you to do: Respect the Lord and do what he has told you to do. Love him. Serve the Lord your God with your whole being.”

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Proverbs 3:6 (LB) “In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” 

2. WHAT DOES IT TAKE? DISCIPLINE.

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB) “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”

1 Timothy 4:7b (LB)“Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit.”

Hebrews 12:1b (NLT) “Let us strip off every weigh ts tihna tth salto swos e uas idlyo whnin, deesrpse ociuarl lpyr tohger ess.”

Luke 10:40-42 (NRSV) “Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but there is need of only one thing and Mary has chosen the better part...”

Philippians 2:13 (TEV) “God is always at work in you to make you willing and able to obey his own purpose.”

3. WHY SHOULD I DO IT? THE CROSS.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV) “He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Ephesians 1:7 (GW) “Through the blood of his Son, we are set free from our sins. God forgives our failures because of his overflowing kindness.”

Romans 12:1 (GW) “Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him.”

2 Corinthians 6:1 (Msg) “We beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us!”

Habakkuk 3:2 (NCV) “Lord, I have heard the news about you; I am amazed at what you have done. Lord, do great things once again in our time; make those things happen again in our own days.”

March 9 2014 How To Increase Your Patience

How To Increase Your Patience 

Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the spirit is patience.

Proverbs 16:32 – Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper, than one who takes a city.

Four Ways To Test Your Patience

1. Interruption

Matthew 19:13-14 – Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.

2. Inconvenience

Luke 10:40 – Lord don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

3. Irritations

Some Irritations

• Long lines.
• Misplaced items.
• Cold food at a restaurant.

Numbers 20:10-11 – Moses was irritated.

The Oyster: Turn irritations into pearls.

4. Inactivity

Job 14:14 – All the days of my hard service, I will wait for my reward to come.

Proverbs 19:2 – It is not good to be hasty and miss the way.

The cause of impatience is a lack of peace.

Four Steps To Increase Your Patience

Step one Develop a new perspective.

Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s wisdom gives him patience. It is his glory to over-look an offence.

Proverbs 20:24 – A man’s steps are directed by the Lord.

Proverbs 14:29 – A patient man has great understanding, but a quick tempered man displays folly.

Step two Develop a sense of humor.

Proverbs 14:3 – A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.

Psalm 2:4 – The one enthroned in heaven laughs.

Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart does good like medicine.

Step three deepen your love.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient.

Ephesians 2:4 – Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Step four depend on God.

Bible Characters of Patience:

• Noah waited 120 years.
• Moses waited 80 years.
• Abraham waited 100 years.
• God’s Old Testament folks waited for Jesus.
• Disciples waited in the upper room.

Psalm 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

2 Peter 3:15 – Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.

December 8 2013 Experiencing The Christmas Moment

THE BATTLE FOR THIS MOMENT

Replace The Urgent With The significances.
Verse 39 – She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.
Matthew 6:34 – Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Replace Physical Preparation With Spiritual preparation.
Verse 40 – But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made.
Colossians 3:2 – Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ, that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.

Replace The External Side Of Things with the internal. 
Verse 40: - Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!
Verse 41 & 42 – Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, You are worried and upset by so many things but only one thing is needed.
Lamentations 3:40 – Let’s take a good look at the way we are living and re-order our lives under God.

Replace The Superficial With The super natural.
Verse 42 – Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 – Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.

Sit – slow down.

Listen to Jesus.

Choose what’s better.