July 10 2011 Living The Effective Life

Living The Effective Life

Four Keys to Effective Living:

1. Be yourself.

Hebrews 11:24 – By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter.

2. Accept responsibility for your life.

Verse 25 – He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

PRINCIPLE: The negative is followed by the positive

Verse 23 – By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the King's edict. 
Verse 24 – When he had grown up.

3. Establish a value system for your life.

Verse 26 – He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.

THREE COMMON VALUES
* Pleasure
* Possessions
* Power

Matthew 6:24 – 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.

THREE THINGS MOSES DECIDED:

God's purpose is more valuable than popularity.

Verse 24 – refused to be known as Pharaoh's daughter.

People are more valuable than pleasure.

Verse 25 – chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

God's peace is more valuable than possessions.

Verse 26 – regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt.

Your character is determined by your choices, your choices are determined by your values and your values are determined by your vision.

4. Never take your eyes off the goal.

Verse 27 – By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the King's anger, he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

II Corinthians 4:16-17 – Therefore, we do not lose heart though outwardly, we're wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory, that far outweighs them all.

Verse 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.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

October 18 2015 Wise Up

Wise Up!

Proverbs 4:7-8 (GN) "Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do. Whatever else you get, get insight! Love wisdom and she will make you great!

1. What is it?
Wisdom: Seeing and responding to life from GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death. 

2. What will it do for me?
 
Proverbs 3:14-18 (NCV) Wisdom is worth more than silver; it brings more profit than gold.  Wisdom is more precious than rubies;  nothing you could want is equal to it. With her right hand wisdom offers you a long life,  and with her left hand she gives you riches and honor.  Wisdom will make your life pleasant and will bring you peace. As a tree produces fruit, wisdom gives life to those who use it,  and everyone who uses it will be happy.

Six Benefits

1. LONGER LIFE
2. WEALTH
3. HONOR
4. PLEASURE
5. SECURITY
6. HAPPINESS

3. How can I get it?

• READ GOD’S WORD

Proverbs 1:2 (LB) "(Solomon) wrote these Proverbs to teach his people how to live - how to act in every circumstance. "

Proverbs 1:3 (GN) "They can teach you how to live intelligently  

• DO WHAT IT SAYS

Proverbs 7:1-2 (GN)  Never forget what I tell you to do. Do what I say  and you will live.  Be careful to follow it. . . "

• GET TO KNOW GOD

Proverbs 1:7 (LB)"How does a person become wise? Ae first step is to trust and revere the Lord "

Proverbs 9:10 (LB)"For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom.  Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding.  

Make Wisdom a Life Goal!

October 21 2012 The Choice Of Satisfaction

THE CHOICE OF SATISFACTION

Matthew 5:6 - Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for true goodness, for they will be fully satisfied.

Why Are So Many So Unsatisfied?

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Pleasure

Ecclesiastes 1:8 - No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied; no matter how much we hear, we are never content.

Hebrews 11:25 - The pleasures of sin last a short time.

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Performance

Ecclesiastes - What does a man get for all his hard work?  Days full of sorrow and grief and restless nights.

Ecclesiastes - (Man) is always working, never satisfied.

•  You don’t find lasting satisfaction in
Possessions

EcclesiastesHe who loves money will never have enough.  The foolishness of thinking wealth brings happiness.

Psalm 37:4 - Seek your happiness in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desire.

How To Experience Satisfaction In Life

1.  Recognize my real hunger.
Deutoronomy 8:3 - God humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna.  He did this to help you realize that real life comes by obeying every command of God.

2.  Stop eating junk food.
Isaiah 55:2 - Why spend your money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?

3.  Start looking to Christ.
John 8:35, 51 - Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life.  Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.  If anyone eats of the bread, he will live forever.

John 4:13-14 - Jesus said, whoever drinks water will get thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again.  I will be in him a spring of living water.