December 27 2015 Missions Is Giving

MISSIONS IS GIVING

John 3:16 – For God so love the world that He gave His one and only Son.

• Missions requires giving yourself in Christian living.

Matthew 5:16 – Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13 – You are the salt of the earth.

Ephesians 5:18 – Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery, instead be filled with the Holy Spirit.

• Missions is giving a personal witness.

Mark 1:17 – Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.

• Missions is giving our life.

Matthew 16:24 – If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

Luke 10:41 – Mary has chosen what is better.

Matthew 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.

The Benefit Of Giving

Luke 6:38 – Jesus said, give and it will be given to you, for with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

• Giving makes us more like God.
• Giving draws us closer to God.

Matthew 6:21 – For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

• Giving gives me victory over materialism.
• Giving strengthens my faith.

Proverbs 3:5-9 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income and He will fill your barns to over-flowing.

• Giving is an investment for eternity.

Jesus said, store up your treasures in heaven.

2 Corinthians 8:5 – They first gave themselves to the Lord.

August 23 2015 Helping Others Like Jesus

HELPING OTHERS LIKE JESUS

The Jesus Model – Part 1

Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV) “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me To preach good news to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim freedom for the prisoners, To recover the sight of the blind, To release the oppressed and proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

THE FOCUS OF A CHRIST-LIKE MINISTRY

Who Jesus came to help:

“THE POOR” The Have Nots

Types of poverty:

• material poverty
• moral poverty
• spiritual poverty

“THE BROKENHEARTED”The Let Down.

“THE IMPRISONED” the Locked Up.

Types of prisons:

• addictions
• secrets
• ignorance
• fear.

“THE BLIND” the Shut Out.

Types of blindness:

• night blindness
• relational blindness
• spiritual blindness.

“THE OPPRESSED” the Kicked Around

Types:

• political oppression.
• Cultural oppression
• Spiritual oppression

“The year of JUBILEE”

John 13:15 (NLT) “I have given you an example to follow. Now do as I have done to you.”

THE FEATURES OF A CHRISTLIKE MINISTRY

What Jesus came to do

• “Preach good news” 
• “Heal the brokenhearted” 
• “Proclaim freedom”
• “Provide recovery of sight” 
• “Release the oppressed”

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NLT) “… I have become a servant of everyone so that I can bring them to Christ… When I am with those who follow Jewish laws, I do the same, even though I am not subject to the law, so that I can bring them to Christ. When I am with Gentiles… I fit in with them as much as I can… so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this for the sake of the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings.” 

July 27 2014 Finding My Significance Through Service

Finding My Significance Through Service 

God on Film Part 5

Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)“We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Job 10:8 (NIV) “Your hands shaped me and made me.”

Spiritual Gifts

• Heart
• Abilities
• Personality
• Experiences

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) “Each one should use whatever gift he’s received to serve others.”

Matthew 20:28 (LB) Jesus: “Your attitude must be like My Own, for I did not come to be served, but to serve...”

LEARNING TO SERVE LIKE JESUS

1. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING AVAILABLE.

Matthew 20:30-32 (NIV) “Two blind men... shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us!’ ... Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ He asked.”

Proverbs 3:28 (TEV) “Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.”

1st Barrier: SELF-CENTEREDNESS

Philippians 2:4 (MSG)“Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

2nd Barrier: PERFECTIONISM

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)“If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done.”

3rd Barrier: MATERIALISM

Luke 16:13 (NIV)“No servant can serve two masters... You cannot serve both God and money."

2. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING THANKFUL

John 11:41-42 (NIV) “Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me. I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here...’"

Psalms 100:2 (KJV) “Serve the Lord with gladness.”

2 Timothy 1:9 (LB) “It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work not because we deserved it but because that was His plan...”

1st Barrier: COMPARING & CRITICIZING

Romans 14:4 (GW)“Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? The Lord will determine whether His servant has been successful.”

2nd Barrier: WRONG MOTIVATIONS

Matthew 6:1 (CEV) “When you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in heaven.”

March 3 2013 The Way To Lasting Contentment

THE WAY TO LASTING CONTENTMENT

Exodus 20:17
Verse 17 - You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Definition:

• Excessive desire for what I dont have.
• Envious desire for what others have.

I. How materialism hurts us.

• Causes us worry.

Matthew 6:25 - Do not worry, is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?

• Creates fatigue.

Proverbs 23:4 - Do not wear yourself out to be rich, have the wisdom to show restraint.

• Can create depression.

I Timothy 6:10 - some men, in the struggle to be rich, have lost their faith and caused themselves untold agonies of the mind.

• Can cause problems.

I Timothy 6:10 - The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

II. How to learn lasting contentment.
Philippians 4:11

1. Be grateful and enjoy what you have.
I Timothy 6:6-8 - But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

2. Stop comparing yourself with others.
I Corinthians 10:12 - We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who compare themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare, they are not wise.

3. Recognize the limitation of wealth.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 - He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness! The more you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income.
Proverbs 18:11 - The rich man thinks of his wealth as an impregnable defense, a high wall of safety. What a dreamer.

4. Focus on relationships, not things.
Proverbs 15:16-17 - Better to be poor and reverence the Lord than to be rich and in trouble. Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate.

5. Look beyond what is temporary.
II Corinthians 4:18 - So we fix our eyes, not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

6. Become a regular giver.
I Corinthians 16:2 - On each Sunday, each of you should put aside some of what you’ve earned during the week, and give it as an offering. The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn.

7. Evaluate your priorities.
Luke 12:15 - Jesus said watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed. A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.
Matthew 6:33

8. Find your satisfaction in Christ.
Hebrews 13:5 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.

January 30 2011 How To Live Generously

How To Live Generously

(Acts 20:35 - In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'")

Key Bible Words: Believe, Pray, Love, Give

Luke 6:38 - "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

I. How giving benefits your life

1. Giving makes us more like God

(John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.")

2. Giving draws me closer to God

(Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.")

3. Giving is a victory over materialism

(1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.")

(Deuteronomy 14:23 - Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.)

4. Giving strengthens my faith

(Malachi 3:10 - "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.")

(Proverbs 3:5&9 - Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding - Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops)

5. Giving is an investment for eternity

(1 Timothy 6:18-19 - Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.)

6. Giving it blesses me in return

(Proverbs 22:9 - A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.)

(Psalm 112:5 - Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.)

7. Giving makes me happy

(1 Chronicles 29:9 - The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.)

II. How to get the most out of giving

1. Learn to give willingly

(2 Corinthians 9:12 - This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.)

2. Give generously

(2 Corinthians 8:3-4 - For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.)

3. Give joyfully

(2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)

4. Give thankfully

(1 Chronicles 29:13-14 - Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.")

5. Give expectantly

(2 Corinthians 9:6 - Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.)

(2 Corinthians 8:5 - And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.)