February 19 2017 Getting A Grip On Change

GETTING A GRIP ON CHANGE

Genesis 32:22-32

Verses 24-30 – Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face and yet my life was spared.”

Four Steps To Change

1. The crisis phase.

Prov. 18:12 – Pride ends in destruction (discomfort.) Humility ends in honor.

LESSON: We don’t change until our fear of change is exceeded by the pain we’re experiencing.

2. The commitment phase.

Verse 26 – The man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

LESSON: God often allows our problems to continue long enough to see if we really mean business.

Gal. 6:9 – After while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.

3. Confession.

Verse 27 – The man asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, “Jacob.”

LESSON: He will never change us as an individual until we honestly confess our faults and sins.

Prov. 28:13 – He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

4. Cooperation.

Verse 30 – So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face.”

Verse 28 – “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel.”

II Cor. 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come.

October 30 2016 God's Plan For Financial Blessing

GOD’S PLAN FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

TWO STATEMENTS FROM JESUS

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.”

Luke 16:9-13 – “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain eternal friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.  So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?  No one can serve two masters.  You cannot serve both God and money.

Money is a tool and a test.

Managing money is a spiritual discipline.

SEVEN HABITS FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

1. I must trust God as my source and supply.

Romans 11:36 – Everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory.

Deuteronomy 8:18 – Always remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.

2. I must do my work as an act of Worship.

Proverbs 21:5 – Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Proverbs 10:4 – Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 16:11 – The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; He sets the standard.

Proverbs 12:11 – Hard work brings prosperity; only fools waste time chasing fantasies.

Proverbs 13:11 – Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; but wealth from hard work grows.

3. I must keep good records.

Proverbs 27:23-24 – Be sure you know the conditions of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.  For riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. 

Proverbs 23:23 – Get the facts at any price.

Proverbs 24:3-4 – Any enterprise becomes strong, through common sense and profits by keeping abreast of the facts.

Three Things To Know: Know what you own; Know what you earn: Know where it goes.

4. Plan your spending.

Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as hast leads to poverty.

Proverbs 21;20 – The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.

Three things in a good budget: Mutual decision; Matter of prayer; Goals

5. Enjoy what you have.

Proverbs 15:16-17 – Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.  Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

1 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 be content with that.

Hebrews 13:5 – Be content with what you have.

6. Share with others in need.

Proverbs 11:24-25 – One man gives freely, yet gains even more, another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 19:17 – He who is kind to the poor leads to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has one.

Proverbs 22:19 – A generous man will himself be blessed.

Proverbs 28:27 – He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.

7. It’s called tithing.

Proverbs 3:9 – Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first fruits of all your crops.

Three Reasons To Tithe: It shows Our Gratitude; It’s a Reminder for the Present; It’s a Step of Faith for the Future.

Deuteronomy 14:23

Malachi 3:8-11

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

September 18 2016 Telling The Truth

Telling The Truth

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."

Psalm 34:12-13 (GN) "Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies."

I. WHY DO WE LIE?

Type - Motive

The cruel lie - Resentment

The cowardly lie - Fear

The conceited lie - Insecurity

The calculated lie - Greed or selfishness

The convenient lie - Laziness

II. HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH

1. TELL THE TRUTH completely

Proverbs 10:10 (GN) "Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble."

Proverbs 28:23 (LB) ""In the end people appreciate frankness more than flattery."

2. TELL THE TRUTH consistently

Ephesians 4:15 (Amp) "Let our lives lovingly express the truth in all things - speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly."

Proverbs 11:3 (GN)"people who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty."

Proverbs 13:17 (LB)"Reliable communication permits progress."

3. TELL THE TRUTH lovingly

Ephesians 4:15 (GN)"Speak the truth in a spirit of love."

Ephesians 4:29 "(Speak) only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

4. TELL THE TRUTH tactfully

Proverbs 12:18 (GN) "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal."

Proverbs 16:23 (GN) "Intelligent people think before they speak."

Ecclesiastes 8:6 (GN)"There is a right time and a right way to do everything."

THE REAL PROBLEM....

Matthew 12:34 (GN)"For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of"

September 11 2016 Prospering With Integrity

Prospering With Integrity

Memory Verse: Exodus 20: 15 "You shall not steal."

I. HOW DO WE STEAL?

1 By deceiving customers

Amos 6:5 (GN) "(They) overcharge, use false measures, and fix the scales to cheat the customers."

2. By defrauding employers

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord."

3. By delaying payments

Leviticus 19:13 (GN) "Don't take advantage of anyone... Don't hold back the wages of someone you've hired, not even for one night."

4. By defrauding on loans

Psalm 37:21 (GN) "The wicked man borrows and never pays back..."

5. By deceiving the government

Romans 13:6-7 (GN) "...the authorities are working for God ... Pay what you owe them; pay your personal and property taxes..."

6. By defrauding the Lord

Malachi 3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! but you ask, `How do we rob You, God? By withholding tithes and offerings!"

II. WHY BE HONEST?

1. I am being watched by God

Job 34:21-22 (LB) "God careful watches the goings on of all mankind; he sees them all. No darkness is thick enough to hide evil men from his eyes."

Proverbs 20:7 (LB) "It is a wonderful heritage to have an honest father."

2. I will reap whatever I sow

Galatians 6:7 (LB) "Don't be misled, remember a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows!"

Proverbs 15:27 (GN) "Try to make a profit dishonestly and you'll get your family in trouble."

Proverbs 21:6 (LB) "Dishonest gain will never last, so why take the risk?"

3. Dishonesty damages my character

Proverbs 10:2 (GN) "Wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life."

Proverbs 19:1 (GN) "It is better to be poor but honest, than to be a lying fool!"

4. God will reward my honesty.

Proverbs 28:20 (GN) "Honest people will lead a full, happy life but if you are in a hurry to get rich you are going to be punished."

Matthew 25:21 (JN) "Well done...you've shown you can be faithful in small things. I will trust you with greater ones; come and join in your Master's happiness!"

III. FIRST STEPS TO INTEGRITY

1. Make restitution when possible.

Luke 19:8 (GN) (Zacchaeus) "If I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much."

2. Give God my full tithe

Malachi 3:8,9-10 "Is it right for a person to cheat God? Of course not...Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple ... and I will pour out on you in abundance..."

3. Make a living honestly

Ephesians 4:28 (Ph) "The man who used to be a thief must give up stealing, and do an honest day's work with his own hands..."

June 12 2016 Reviving Prayer That Works

REVIVING PRAYER THAT WORKS

Does God Promise To Answer Everyone’s Prayer?

Five Conditions:

1. You must have an honest relationship with God.

John 15:7 – If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.

Three Evaluation Questions

• Have I refused to admit my wrongs?

Psalm 66:18 – If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Isaiah 59:2 – But your iniquities have separated you from your God.

Proverbs 28:13 – He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

1 John 1:8-9 – If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins.

• Am I ignoring any of God’s principles?

1 John 3:21-23 – Dear Friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him.  And this is His command, to believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and to love one another as He commanded us.

• Do I want God’s will for my life?

1 John 5:14-15 – This is the assurance we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him.

2. You must have a forgiving attitude towards other people. 

Mark 11:24-25 – Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours, and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.

Hebrews 12:15 – See to it, that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

3. You must be willing to share the results.

Proverbs 21:13 – If a man shuts his ear to the cry of the poor, he too will not be answered.

1 John 3:17 – (Giving to those in need.)

James 4:3 – (Asking with right motives.)

4. You must believe that God will answer.

James 5:5-8 – But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt.

Mark 9:29 – According to your faith, it will be done unto you.

5. Pray in Jesus name.

John 14:13-14 – And I will do whatever you ask in my Name, you may ask me for anything in my Name and I will do it.