February 5 2017 Getting A Grip On Peace Of Mind

GETTING A GRIP ON PEACE OF MIND

Four principles to develop peace of mind.

I. You need to settle the identity problem.

Verse 24 – By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

Joshua 24:15 – Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.

II. You must accept personal responsibility.

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: You can always replace a negative with a positive.

Verse 24 – When he had grown up.

No one can ruin your life but you.

Romans 8:31-39 – If God is for us, who can be against us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Trouble or hardship or persecution…..NO!

III. You must accept the issue of priorities.

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.

Verse 26 – He regarded this sacrifice for the sake of Christ as of greater value that the treasures of Egypt.

Luke 12:15 - A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.

IV. You must have endurance.

Verse 27 – For he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

The fact of life: No gain without pain.

John 1:12 – All who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.

November 1 2015 Surviving My Schedule

Surviving My Schedule

Wiser- Part 3 

The book of Proverbs gives three keys to reducing the stress of my schedule:

1. Line up MY PRIORITIES

Proverbs 17:24 (GN)"An intelligent person aims at wise actions, but a fool starts off in many 

Proverbs 12:11 (GN) It is stupid to waste time on useless projects."

Proverbs 16:9 (GN) "We should make plans, counting on God to direct its.  "

How clear are my priorities? 

2.  Lighten up MY ATTITUDE

Proverbs 12:25 (Ber) "Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down. 

Proverbs 14:30 (LB)   "A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life. 

Proverbs 17:22 (GN) "Being cheerful keeps you healthy.  It is a slow death to be gloomy all the 

How positive is my attitude? 

3. Lookup TO GOD

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

Proverbs 14:26 (LB) "Reverence for God gives a man deep strength.  "

Proverbs 3:5-6 (LB) "Trust the Lord completely... in everything you do, put God and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.  "

How deep is my relationship to God?

Jesus: "What will a man give in exchange for his soul?"  Mark 8:3 7

April 14 2013 How To Have Joy In Every Circumstance

HOW TO HAVE JOY IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE
Philippians 1:22-26

I rejoice, and I will continue to rejoice.

Four Secrets For Joyful Living

I. I need a perspective to live from.

Paul’s view of his circumstances:
Vs. 12 - Now, I want you to know brothers, that what happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

Face Problems Joyfully

It caused a chain reaction Vs. 13
It has encouraged others Vs. 14
Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.

LESSON: God has a purpose behind everyone of my problems.

II. I need a priority to live by.

Paul’s response to his critics:

Vs. 18 - But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached, and because of this, I rejoice.
Proverbs 3:6 - In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

LESSON: Focus on what really counts and let the rest go.

III. I need a power to live on.

Paul’s source of strength:

Vs. 19 - I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed.
Philippians 4:13 - I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.

LESSON: With God’s power nothing can devastate me.

IV. I need a purpose to live for.

Paul’s reason for living:

Vs. 21 - For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 3:13-14 - Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s concern:
Vs. 22-26

LESSON: 
Jesus first.

Others second.

Yourself third.

For me to live is ____

HOW WOULD YOU FILL IN THE BLANK?

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.

December 20 2012 How To Set Your Priorities

HOW TO SET YOUR PRIORITIES
Exodus 20:1-3

Just as a new mower comes equipped with an owner’s manual, explaining how to get maximum performance with minimum wear and tear, God has given us the Ten Commandments as instructions for life as it’s meant to be.

I. Why God gave us the Ten Commandments.
God’s motive: He Loves Us.

II. Step #1 to the Better life
Verse 3 - You shall have no other gods before me.

1. The principle God must have First place.

Definition of a “god.” Anything that has first place In your life.

Key to freedom: Choosing the best Master.

2. The promise He’ll take care of you.

Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

3. The procedure Give our whole life to God.
How do I make God the #1 priority of my life?

F. First in our Finances.
Proverbs 3:9-10 - Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops, then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your bats will brim over with new wine.
1 Corinthians 16:2 - The purpose of tithing is to teach you to put God first in your lives.

I. First in your Interest.
1 Corinthians 10:31 - So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

R. First in our Relationships.
Proverbs 27:19 - What a man is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.

Joshua 24:15 - As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

S. First in your Schedule.
Psalm 55:17 - I will pray morning, noon, and night and He will hear and answer me.

Mark 1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went off to a solitary place where He prayed.

T. First in your Troubles.
Psalm 50:15 - Call upon me in your day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will honor Me.

Colossians 1:18 - (Christ) was raised from death in order that He alone might have first place in all things.