April 12 2015 Determining My Life's Work

Determining My Life's Work

“If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.” — James 1:5

Four Questions To Determine My Life’s Work

WHAT does God want?

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. . . Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’” — James 4:13-15

WHAT am I good at?

“I (God) have given him the skill, ability, and knowledge to do all kinds of work.”— Exodus 31:3

“For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10

WHAT is in front of me?

“Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with all your might.” — Ecclesiastes 9:10

“In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people.” — Colossians. 3:23

“His master replied, ‘Good job! You're a good and faithful servant! You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount. I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master's happiness.’” — Matthew 25:23

WHAT is my life’s ministry?

Memory Verse: ““Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” — Matthew 22:37-39

“You are the salt of the earth. . .You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.” — Matthew 5:13-14

“It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God.” — 2 Corinthians 3:5

February 22 2015 Thirty Days To A No Regrets Life

Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life

Memory Verse: Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”
        
FOUR PRINCIPLES FOR LIVING FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS

1.  LIVE PASSIONATELY

John 10:10b (Msg)“… I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

Luke 7:31,32 (NIV)"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'”                

2.  LOVE COMPLETELY

John 13:1 (NIV)“Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love.”         

Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)“Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'”             

1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)  “Love never fails….”         

3.  LEARN HUMBLY

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”           

4. LEAVE BOLDLY

Luke 9:51 (NIV)“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”         

Matthew 25:23 (NIV)"His master replied, '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!'”

January 25 2015 Getting Stuck In My Career - Parts 1 and 2

GETTING UNSTUCK IN MY CAREER

So I decided there is nothing better than to... find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that this pleasure is from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24    

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

THE STORY OF MARK
(Acts 13:4-5; 13-14; 15:36-40)

So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit.  They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.  There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God.  John Mark went with them as their assistant. Acts 13:4-5

Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem.  But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia. Acts 13:13-14

THE STORY OF MARK (contd)
(Acts 13:4-5; 13-14; 15:36-40)

After some time Paul said to Barnabas, >Let's go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing. Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark.  But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted
them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work.  Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated.  Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus.  Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord's gracious care.  Then he traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches there. Acts 15:36-40
    
4 CHOICES TO GETTING UNSTUCK IN MY CAREER:

1)  CHOOSE TO MAKE GOD MY BOSS.

In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. Colossians 3:23

• Love God & Others (see Matthew 22:37-39)
• serve my co-workers. (see Matthew 23:11-12)
• find a Godly mentor.  

(Paul) Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10

2)  CHOOSE TO SEPARATE who I am FROM what I do.

For we are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

• Daily Quiet Time
• A Weekly Sabbath

(Jesus) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Mark 8:36

3) CHOOSE TO BE FAITHFUL IN THE SMALL THINGS

His master replied, >Good job!  You=re a good and faithful servant!  You proved that you could be trusted with a small amount.  I will put you in charge of a large amount. Come and share your master=s happiness. Matthew 25:23

Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it with all your might. Ecclesiastes 9:10

4) CHOOSE TO PERSEVERE EVEN WHEN I FEEL STUCK

We were under great pressure; far beyond our ability to endure As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened.  Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally B not a bad idea since He=s the God who raises the dead! 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Timothy, please come as soon as you can.  Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica.  Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.  Only Luke is with me.  Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry. 2 Timothy 4:9-11 (see also Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24)
                     
Memory Verse: It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5

October 5 2014 Today's Kids Need Today's Parents (parts 1 & 2)

Today's Kids Need Today's Parents

Memory Verse: “God is the one who made all things, and all things are for his glory. He wanted to have many children share his glory.” Hebrews. 2:10a (NCV)

Malachi 2:15-16 (NCV)“GOD made husbands and wives—to become one body and one spirit for his purpose—so they would have children who are true to God. So be careful, and do not break your promise to the wife you married when you were young. God says, ‘I hate divorce.’”

I AM RESPONSIBLE TO MY KIDS

BUT I’M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY KIDS

Five TRUTHS you must help kids understand & believe

Five QUESTIONS you must help kids ask & answer

1. TRUTH: I was planned for God’s pleasure.

Revelation 4:11b (NLT)“You (God) created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.”

Isaiah 44:2 (CEV)“I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born!”

QUESTION: What will be the center of my life?

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Jeremiah 32:39 (TEV) “I will give them a single minded purpose in life: to honor me for all time, for their own good and for the good of their own children.”

2. TRUTH: I was formed for God’s family.

“Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.”

QUESTION: Who will be my companions in life?

1 Corinthians 15:33 (TEV)“Do not be fooled. Bad companions ruin good character.”

Romans 12:5 (NLT)“Since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others.”

3. TRUTH: I was created to become like Christ.

Ephesians 1:11 (MSG)“It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for...part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”

Romans 8:29 (LB)“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him... should become like his Son.”

QUESTION: What will be my character?

Philippians 2:5 (NCV)“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.”

4. TRUTH: I was shaped to serve God

Ephesians 2:10 (LB)“It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.”

QUESTION: What will be my contribution?

1 Peter 4:10 (LB)“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.”

5. TRUTH:  I was made for a mission.

John 17:18 (MSG) Jesus: “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.”

QUESTION: What does God want to say to the world through me?

2 Corinthians 5:18, 20 (NCV)“Through Christ, God has made peace between us and himself, and He gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him.... So we have been sent to speak for Christ!”

August 10 2014 Love - The Highest Quality Of The Church And Life

Love: The Highest Quality Of The Church And Life 

Matthew 22:36-39 - “Which is the most important command?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 'This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: 'Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.”

THREE QUALITIES OF LOVE

I. THE BEST USE OF LIFE IS LOVE.

FOUR REASONS WHY

1 John 4:8 - “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1. Love validates my faith.

1 John 4:20 - “If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.”

2. Love integrates my life.

Colossians 3:14 - “Love is more important than anything else, it is what ties everything completely together.”

3. Love shows the set of our heart.

1 Peter 4:8 - “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

4. Love reverberates forever.

1 Corinthians 13:13 - “And now these three remain, faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.”

2 Corinthians 13:3 - “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.”

II. THE BEST EXPRESSION OF LOVE IS TIME.

1 John 3:18 - “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”

Galatians 5:6 - “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Ephesians 5:2 - “Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins.”

III. THE BEST TIME TO LOVE IS NOW.

Galatians 6:10 – “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Ephesians 5:16 - “Making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.”

Proverbs 3:27 -28 - “Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell you neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.”

1 Corinthians 14:1 - “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire love. Make it your aim, your great quest.”