July 31 2016 Prevailing Through Opposition

The Tactics of Opposition

First Tactic: ridicule. (Vs. 1-3)

He ridiculed the Jews.

Second Tactic: organized resistance. (Vs. 6-8)

They all plotted together.

Third Tactic: rumor. (Vs. 11-12)

Two Characteristics of Rumors:

1. They are always spread by those closest to the enemy.

2. They are exaggerated the more they are repeated.

Effective Christians don’t swallow rumors.

The Effect of Opposition

Verses 10-11 – Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, the strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall. Also, our enemies will attack.

The Effect is discouragement.

When does this usually occur in a project?

When the wall half done.(Vs. 6)

Four Causes of Discouragement:

1. “Strength, giving out” Fatigue

2. “So much rubble” Frustration

3. “We cannot rebuild” Failure

4. “Enemies will attack us” Fear

The Right Response to Opposition

What do you do when you’re under attack?

• Rely on God. (Vs. 4-5)

Proverbs 26:4 – Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

The Effective Christian says, when you’re ridiculed, don’t take it out on people, talk it out with God.

• Respect the opposition. (Vs. 9)

Petition without precaution is presumption.

“Watch and Pray”

Matthew 26:41; Colossians. 4:2; 1 Peter 5:8

• Reinforce your weak points. (Vs. 13)

Effective Christians know: where they are the weakest and they post a guard. (Vs. 16-18)

Effective Christians must build and battle at the same time.

• Reassure your position. (Vs. 14)

“Remember the Lord.”

• Refuse to quit. (Vs. 15)

(Vs. 21-23)

Effective Christians are persistent.

A fundamental principle of the Christian Life - Never Give Up

April 10 2016 The Cure For Your "I" Problem

THE CURE FOR YOUR "I" PROBLEM

James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Good pride = Self-respect, dignity, satisfaction with a job well done. Joy in seeing others succeed. (Gal. 6:4, 2 Cor.7:4)

Bad pride = Conceit, egotism, selfishness. Attitude of superiority, (Prov. 16:5, 18, 29-33)

I. HOW PRIDE CAUSES PROBLEMS

1. IT PREVENTS ME FROM GROWING.

Proverbs 26:12"There is more hope for a fool than for a man who is wise in his own eyes, "

Proverbs 10:17 (LB)"Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life. Anyone refusing has lost his chance.

2. IT POISONS MY RELATIONSHIPS

Proverbs 13: 10"Pride only breeds quarrels."

Matthew 7:5"Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will be able to see and take the speck out of your brother's eye. "

3. IT PRODUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY

Proverbs 29:25 (GN)"It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you

Proverbs 20:27 (GN) The Lord gave us a mind and conscience. We cannot hide from ourselves."

Matthew 5:5 (GN)"Happy are the humble! "

II HOW TO BE HUMBLE AND HAPPY

1. ADMIT MY WEAKNESSES HONESTLY

Proverbs 28: 1 3 (LB)"A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance. "

2. EVALUATE MY STRENGTHS REALISTICALLY

Romans 12:3 (Ph)"Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance, but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities. - - "

Galatians 6:4"Each man should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to somebody else."

3. ENJOY MY SUCCESSES GRATEFULLY

1 Corinthians 4:7 (LB)"What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you, have is from God, why act as though you have accomplished something on your own?"

4. SERVE OTHERS UNSELFISHLY.

Philippians 2:3-5"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves... Look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ."

5. HUMBLE MYSELF VOLUNTARILY

James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift -you up.

June 22 2014 Taming My Dragon Of Anger

God On Film: Taming My Dragon Of Anger

FIVE DRAGONS OF ANGER

Ž1. The Raging Dragon (Proverbs 29:11)
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2. The Silent Dragon (Psalm 55:21)
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3. The Passive-Aggressive Dragon (Proverbs 26:18-19)
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4. The Pouty Dragon (Proverbs 29:22)
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5. The Sarcastic Dragon (Matthew 5:22)

Matthew 5:21-22 (Jesus) “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”

Ecclesiastes 7:9“Don’t be quick-tempered, for anger is the friend of fools.”

HOW TO TAME MY DRAGON OF ANGER

1. IDENTIFY WHAT Triggers MY ANGER.

2. Pause AND Pray WHEN MY TEMPER IS RISING.

James 1:19-20“Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.”

Proverbs 19:11“People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.”

Proverbs 13:16 “Wise people think before they act; fools don’t and even brag about it!”

Proverbs 14:29 “Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.”

3. Repair the damage CAUSED BY MY ANGER.

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.”

Matthew 5:23-26 (Jesus) “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail. I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.”

4. RESPOND WITH Love INSTEAD OF ANGER.

Memory Verse: (Jesus) “God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.” - Matthew 5:9

Romans 12:18-20 “Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible. Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, ‘I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord. Instead, do what the Scriptures say: ‘If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.’”

September 15 2013 The Art Of Cursing

The Art Of Cursing

“The Tongue has the power of life and death.” – Proverbs 18:21

UNDERSTANDING ‘THE CURSE’ BEHIND CURSE WORDS

Hebrew: herem - Greek: anathema

- The serpent was cursed (Genesis 3:14 – 15)
- Cain is cursed (Genesis 4:11)
- Curses are completely under God’s control (1 Kings 8:31 – 32)
- A curse cannot be placed on an innocent person (1 Samuel 14:24; Proverbs 26:2)
- Unfaithfulness is the source of all curses
- Faithfulness to God removes the curse (Deuteronomy 33:8-10)
- The greatest curse is the curse of sin (Romans 9:3; Galatians 3:10,13; Galatians 21:23)
- The cure for the curse of sin is the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:10,13)

HOW TO TURN CURSING INTO BLESSING

1. BE AWARE OF THE TRUTH ABOUT CURSING 

James 3:8-10 “[The tongue] is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth...this is not right!”

2. LEARN TO THINK BEFORE I SPEAK

Proverbs 15:23 ““What a joy it is to find just the right word for the right occasion!”

Memory Verse: Psalm 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

3. ENCOURAGE OTHERS WITH MY WORDS

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “So speak encouraging words to one another”

Proverbs 18:8 “The words of a gossiper are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart.”

4. SURRENDER MY LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST

Galatians 3:10 - 13 “But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse...Consequently, it is clear that no one can ever be right with God by trying to keepthe law. ...But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

March 17 2013 Relationship Rescue: Dealing With Divorce

Dealing With Divorce

Mark 10:2-12 “Some Pharisees came and tried to trap [Jesus] with this question: ‘Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife?’ ‘What did Moses say about divorce?’ Jesus asked them. ‘Well, he permitted it,’ they replied. ‘He said a man merely has to write his wife an official letter of divorce and send her away.’ But Jesus responded, ‘He wrote those instructions only as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness. But God's plan was seen from the beginning of creation, for 'He made them male and female.' 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.’ Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. He told them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and remarries, she commits adultery.’”

Jesus On Divorce:

• Divorce Breaks the heart of God
• Divorce is allowed in cases of adultery, abandonment, and abuse but not necessitated
• Do whatever is possible to avoid divorce

5 Decisions For Dealing With Divorce

Psalm 144:7 “Reach down from heaven and rescue me; deliver me from deep waters.” 

1. Commit to a Forever view on marriage. Mark 10:6-9

2. Deal with problems Proactively

Matthew 5:27-28 "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.'But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

• Date/Marry A Believer
• Date My Spouse (Keep the Romance Alive)
• Defend My Marriage From Temptation
• Marital Counseling

3. Do whatever I can to reconcile.

Mark 10:8-9(Jesus) “Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.”

Romans 12:18 “Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.” 

4. Break my destructive patterns

Jeremiah 8:5 “Then why do these people keep going along their self-destructive path, refusing to turn back, even though I have warned them?”

Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”

5. Trust God to bring healing & Hope

Psalm 147:3-4 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.”