April 9 2017 How Can We Partner To Share The Good News With Others

How Can We Partner To Share The Good News With Others

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT: Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.... A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Memory Verse: Ph. 1:27b (LB)“... you are standing together side by side with one strong purpose – to tell the Good News.”

Ph. 1:5 (NLT)“You’ve been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.”

HOW CAN WE “PARTNER” TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH OTHERS?

Pray Together

Col. 4:3 (NCV)“Pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people His message.”

-Make a prayer list.

Appeal to a common interests

1 Cor. 9:22-23 (LB) “Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him. I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.”

-Discover the common interests in your group.

Reach out in love

1 Th. 2:8 (NCV) “Because we loved you, we were happy to share not only God's Good News with you, but even our own lives.”

1 Cor. 5:12 (NCV) “It is not my business to judge those who are not part of the church.”

2 Cor. 5:14 (LB) “Whatever we do, it is certainly not for our own profit but because Christ's love controls us now.”

-Ask God to give you a deeper love for others.

Tell your stories

1 Peter 2:9 (Mes) “You are... God's instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you.”

Ps. 66:16 (NCV) “Listen, and I’ll tell you what God has done for me.”

-Write out your story & share it with your group

Nurture friendships

Rom. 12:16 (CEV)“Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others.

-Make friends with ordinary people.”

Luke 5:29 (CEV) “In his home Levi (Matthew) gave a big dinner party for Jesus. Many fellow tax collectors and other guests were also there.”

2 Tim. 1:7 (LB) “The Holy Spirit does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.”

-Bring a friend to church. Plan a party

Expect God to Act

Heb. 11:1 (NIV) “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Luke 5:20 (NIV) “When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’”

-Never give up on anyone.

Represent Christ with your life.

Col. 3:17 (NLT) “Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus.”

1 Thes. 4:11-12a (NCV) “Do all you can to live a peaceful life. Take care of your own business, and do your own work. If you do, people who are not believers will respect you.”

April 26 2014 When Life Doesn't Meet Your Expectations

WHEN LIFE DOESN’T MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS

Luke 5:1-11

Luke 5:1-3 - One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the Word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.  Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

Luke 5:4-5 – When he had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Now put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.’

WHAT TO DO IN A DISCOURAGING SITUATION

1. Give Jesus complete access to your life.

Luke 5:3 – Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.  Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

2. Admit that my efforts aren’t working.

Luke 5:4-5a – When Jesus had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Now put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’  Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.’

3. Obey whatever Jesus tells us to do.

Luke 5:5 – Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. BUT BECAUSE YOU SAY SO, I will let down the nets.

WHEN: “Now launch out”

WHAT: “Let down your nets”

WHERE: “Into deep water”

4. I expect Jesus to turn things around.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – The One who calls you is completely dependable.  If He said it, He’ll do it!

Luke 5:6-7 – When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break!  So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink!

PETER’S REACTION

Luke 5:8-9 –When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said ‘Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’  For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

THE REAL LESSON

Luke 5:10-11 – Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’  So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.

March 1 2015 Thirty Days To A No Regrets Life part 2

Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life (Part 2)

Mark 12:30 (Msg)"So love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy."

Romans 12:11 (NIV)"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

1. DO SOMETHING DRASTIC

Luke 5:18-20; 24-26 (NIV)"Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven... But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins... He said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home. 'Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, 'We have seen remarkable things today.'"

The Clarifying Question: "If you knew you had one month to live, how would you live your life?"

Realize what's important

Remove the obstacles

2. EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Luke 5:20 (NIV)"When Jesus saw their faith, He said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.

3. CREATE GOD SPACE

Luke 5:19b (NIV)"... into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus."

Mark 1 :35-38a (NIV)"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they exclaimed: 'Everyone is looking for You!' Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else.

Proverbs 10:27 (LB)"Reverence for God adds hours to each day”

4. KEEP A CONSTANT REMINDER

Luke 5:24b (NIV)"... He said to the paralyzed man, 'I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.'''

Luke 5:25 (NIV)"Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

December 28 2014 Building Confidence In Prayer

Building Confidence in Prayer

Luke 5:16 – But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Seven Principles Towards Confidence In Prayer:

1. Make sure all known sin is confessed.

Psalm 68:18 – If I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear me.

Isaiah 59:1-2 – Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Principle to live by: Before I pray for change in my circumstances, I should pray for a change in character.

James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

2. Keep a forgiving spirit towards others.

Principle: A forgiving spirit is not an act, it’s an attitude.

Matthew 5:23-24 – First go and be reconciled to your brother.

3. Keep a surrendered will at all times.

James 4:3 – You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly.

Principle to live by: If God lays a burden on our heart, He also purposes to grant it.

Psalm 33:13 – From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind.

Principle: When God sees me He also sees the crowd and does what’s best for the whole group.

4. Understand God’s Sovereignty.

Principle to live by: I must accept the Sovereignty of God in my life of prayer.

5. I must have faith.

James 1:5 – But let him ask in faith, with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 9:29 – According to your faith it will be done unto you.

Matthew 17:20 – If your faith is as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will.

Principle: To make prayer a force, I must look for question marks in my life.

6. I must have persistence.

Jacob
Ask, Seek, Knock

Principle: Persistence in prayer does not change God, it changes me.

7. Put action with your prayers.

James 2:14 – Faith without action is dead.

Principle: My great need is not faith and works, but faith that works.

October 19 2014 Establishing Stability

Establishing Stability

Psalm 127:2 – It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning ‘til late at night, God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest.

1. BUILD MY LIFE AROUND CHRIST.

Matthew 6:33 – God will give you all you need from day to day IF you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

2. ACCEPT MY HUMANITY.

Ecclesiates 10:15 – Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.

Psalm 119:73 – You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws.

3. LIMIT MY LABOR.

Exodus 20:9 – You have six days in which to do your work, but the 7th day is to be a day of rest dedicated to Me.

Sabbath means: day of rest,

4. ADJUST MY VALUES.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 – I’ve learned why people work so hard to succeed; it’s because they envy the things their neighbors have.

Mark 8:36 – What good is it for man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

Ecclesiastes 4:6 – It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time.

5. NOURISH MY INNER LIFE.

Song of Solomon 1:6 – I had no time for myself.

Psalm 119:16 – I will not neglect your Word.

Luke 5:15 & 16 – Jesus often slipped away to be alone so He could pray.

6. COMMIT MY SCHEDULE TO GOD.

Psalm 31:15b – My times are in your hands.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 – There is a time and a season for everything under Heaven.

7. ENJOY EACH MOMENT.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 – All of us should enjoy what we have worked for. It’s God’s gift.

Proverbs 14:30 – A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.

Matthew 11:28 & 29 – Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest, the load I give you to carry is light.