July 10 2016 Living With Eternity In Mind

Living with Eternity In Mind

The Apostle’s Creed: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, He descended into hell; On the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; "And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; from where He shall come to judge the living and the dead. "I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”"

1 John 5:11. (NLT) And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

Psalm 136 (NIV) “His love endures forever.”

Jude 1:21, (NLT) “Live in such a way that God’s love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ and His mercy is going to give you.”

THREE WAYS TO LIVE WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.

1. Recognize that everyone is created for eternity.

Genesis 1:26 (NIV) Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness

Ecclesiastes 3:11. (NLT) “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.” He planted eternity into human hearts. But even so, people cannot see the scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

2. Participate in the Sacraments.

Sacrament = an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual divine grace.

Memory Verse: John 3:16. (NLT) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

John 10:28 (NLT) “I give them eternal life and they will never perish.” No one can snatch them away from me.

3. Invest my life in eternal pursuits.

• Invest my time in something that is going to last forever.
• Invest your treasure in a way that will last forever.
• Invest your testimony in a way that is going to last forever.

1 John 1:2 (NLT) This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us.

1 Corinthians 9:25 (NLT) All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

April 12 2015 When We Need 20-20 Vision

WHEN WE NEED 20-20 VISION

Matthew 6:22-23 – The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

Mark 8:17-29

AN EMBARRASSING MISUNDERSTANDING

Mark 8:13-21 – Then Jesus got into the boat and crossed to the other side.  The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had in the boat. Be careful, Jesus warned. Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod. The disciples discussed why Jesus had said this and they decided it was because they hadn’t brought bread with them. Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your minds closed? You have eyes, but now don’t really see! You have ears, but you don’t really listen. Remember when I divided five loaves of bread for the five thousand? How many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food? They said, twelve. And when I divided seven loaves of bread for the four thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces of food? They said, seven. Then Jesus said, and you still don’t understand yet?

WHAT KEEPS ME FROM 20-20 VISION?

1. Pride.

“Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees.”

2. Short term thinking.

“The disciples discussed why Jesus had said this and they decided it was because they hadn’t brought bread with them!”

3. Short term memory.

“Remember the two miracles?”

A PROGRESSIVE MIRACLE

Mark 8:22 – They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

THREE CONDITIONS FOR A MIRACLE

1. When some body cares.

2. When we get close to Jesus.

3. When we trust Jesus to lead us.

Mark 8:23-26 – Then Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him, and then asked, do you see anything? The man looked up and said, I see people but they look like trees walking around. So Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes a second time. Then his eyes were opened fully, his sight was restored completely, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, don’t go back into town.

THREE LESSONS ABOUT 20-20 VISION

1. My spiritual vision grows in stages.

2. The test of my vision is how I see other people.

3. Jesus heals my sight three ways:

• My focus gets sharper.
• My perspective gets larger.
• Makes my vision clearer.

Job 34:32 – Teach me what I cannot see; and if I’ve done wrong, I won’t do it again!

A CLARIFYING QUESTION

Mark 8:27-29 – Then Jesus asked them, who do people say I am? They replied, some say you are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others you’re one of the other prophets. But what about you, Jesus asked, who do you say I am? Peter said, You are the Christ, the Messiah!

How I see Jesus determines how clearly I see everything else.

November 16 2014 Fully Engaged In My City

Fully Engaged in My City

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” - 2 Chronicles 16:9

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.” – Luke 13:34

“As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.” – Luke 19:41

TO BE FULLY ENGAGED IN MY CITY I MUST

1. SEE  that God has a purpose for me in this place.    

“For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”  - Ephesians 2:10

““For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep.” - Acts 13:36

2. SEE  the city as the people.

“A vast crowd was there as Jesus stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.”  - Mark 6:34

““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. second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.” - Matthew 22:37-39

3. SEE God-given opportunities to act.     

“Live wisely among those who are not yet Christians, making the most of every opportunity.” – Colossians 4:5
            
Memory Verse: “But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love.” – Acts 20:24

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.

July 21 2013 Trusting God When It's Hard To Hear Him

Trusting God When It's Hard To Hear Him

Ver. 9 - But they did not listen to Him.

INTRODUCTION:

What I know about discouragement:
1. Everyone gets discouraged.
2. Is contagious.
3. Keeps us from being effective.
“Neither God nor man can use a discouraged person.”
Mary McLeod Bethune
4. It comes from a loss of perspective.
5. Often comes before God’s blessings.

Why did the Israelites feel so bad?
1. Their situation seemed hopeless.
Ver. 1 - For with a strong hand He will let them go.
2. They hadn’t experienced God’s deliverance personally.
Ver. 3 - May name Lord.
3. Their problem had lasted many years.
Ver. 5 - Egyptians keep in bondage.
4. They were exhausted.
Ver. 9 - They did not heed Moses because of anguish of Spirit.

Un-listened to Lessons of Exodus 6
1. God hears us when we’re hurting.
Ver. 5 - Moreover I have heard the groaning of the Israelites.

Four Reasons We Often Fail To Sense God’s Help:
(1.) We may have a pain problem.
(2.) We may have a timing problem.
(3.) We may have a attitude problem.
God chooses what we go through.
We choose how we go through it.
(4.) We may have a faith problem.
Unbelief puts our circumstances between us and God.
Faith puts God between us and our circumstances.

2. Helps us to respond to God in a greater way.
Ver. 3 - I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob as God
almighty, but my name , The Lord, I did not make myself known to
them.

God is God, but at different places in our journey, He reveals
Himself to us in new ways. Most of these revelations come a
difficult times in our lives.

We off God our problems and He offers us Himself.

Closing Comments:
1. Look and listen for what God is teaching you.
2. Choose to make this difficult time in your life a time for
growth.
3. Focus on God, not your problems.
4. Take action now!