May 22 2016 Your Guilt And God's Love

YOUR GUILT AND GOD’S LOVE

Psalm 32:3-5 – When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me, my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

1 John 4:18 – Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.

What To Do About It:

1. Trust God to forgive you.

Romans 3:23-24 – All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, yet now God declares us not guilty.  If we trust in Jesus Christ, Who in kindness freely takes away our sins.

2. Learn to forgive yourself.

Proverbs 4:25 – Look straight ahead with honest confidence, don’t hang your head in shame.

3. Rely on God’s grace.

Psalm 119:96 – Nothing is perfect except (God’s) Word.

Psalm 103:13-14 – As a Father is kind to his children, so the Lord is kind to those who honor Him. He knows what we are made of, He remembers that we are but dust.

Romans 8:31 – There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

4. Stop the negative self talk.

Proverbs 4:23 – Be careful how you think. Your life is shaped by your thoughts.

Job 9:20 – (Job) Everything I say seems to condemn me.

Philippians.4:8 – Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right, think about all you can thank God for and be glad about.

5. Remember you can’t please everybody.

Proverbs 29:25 – It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you.

6. Commit yourself to doing God’s Will.

Matthew 11:29-30 – (Jesus) Come to Me, all you who are tired from carrying your heavy loads, and I will give you res.  The yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.

January 24 2016 Daring To Imagine

DARING TO IMAGINE

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 3

Three Categories in the Bible

Some things we shouldn’t imagine

Some things we can’t imagine

Some things we should imagine

WHY DREAM?

1. My imagination shapes my life.

Proverbs 23:7 (KJV)" . . . For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is."

Proverbs 4:23 (TEV)"Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts."

Genesis 11:6 (Amp) The Lord said, "Now that they are one people speaking one language, this is only the beginning of what they will do. Now nothing they have IMAGINED they can do will be impossible for them!"

2. Imagining is essential to living by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see."

2 Corinthians 4:18 (NCV)"We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever."

3. Great lives are built around great dreams.

Ephesians 1:18 (NJB) "May God enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see the hope that his calling holds for you."

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)"Where there is no vision, the people perish . . ."

4. God’s dream for my life is bigger than my dream.

Ephesians 3:20 (Mes)"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever IMAGINE or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by his Spirit working deeply and gently within us." 

Let the size of my God, determine the size of my goals

5. Doubt is the enemy of imagination.

James 1:5­7 "If you need wisdom, just ask God for it, because He is generous and enjoys giving to everyone. But when you ask God, you must believe in faith and not doubt. For a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven back and forth, and tossed about by the wind. Such doubters cannot decide about anything they do, so they should not imagine receiving anything from the Lord."

Mark 9:22­24 (NLT) "The man said, ‘Please heal my son if you can.’ Jesus replied, ‘What do you mean, "If I can?" Anything is possible IF a person believes.’ The father replied, ‘I do believe, but help me not to doubt!’"

6. Growing my character will clarify my vision.

2 Peter 1:5­9 (NCV) "To your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self­control; and to your self­control, add patience; and to your patience, add service for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love for everyone. IF all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you to BE USEFUL AND PRODUCTIVE in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But anyone who does not have these things CANNOT SEE CLEARLY."

7. If a dream is from God, it will be connected somehow to to His Church & Plan for the World

"If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will find true life." Mark 8:35 (NLT)

September 27 2015 Game On: It's Time To Change Our World

Game On: It's Time To Change Our World

“Jesus prayed to the Father: ‘In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.’” - John 17:18 

The Story of the Good Samaritan:

“Jesus replied with a story: ‘A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a  priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?' Jesus asked. The man replied, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Yes, now go and do the same.’” - Luke 10:30-37 

HOW DO I OPEN MY HEART TO THOSE IN NEED?

• ENCOURAGE WHEN SOMEONE IS  HURTING. 

    
“With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’’” - Isaiah 35:3-4

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” - Hebrews 3:13 

• GUIDE WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS WISDOM. 

“Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!” - Proverbs 4:7

“Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.” -  Proverbs 3:13

“The purpose of these proverbs is to teach people wisdom and discipline, and to help them understand wise sayings.” - Proverbs 1:2 

(Jesus) “Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him…” - Luke 17:3

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” - 1 Peter 3:15
 

• GIVE WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS HELP.

“It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need…” - Proverbs 14:21

“The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” - Proverbs 11:25

“Never abandon a friend, either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance.  It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.”  - Proverbs 27:10

Memory Verse: (Jesus) “Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.” - 1 John 3:18

August 2 2015 How To Overcome Temptation

HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION

Matthew 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil One.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (GN) "Every temptation that comes your way is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise. and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist; at the time you are tempted, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out." 

FIVE STEPS TO OVERCOMING TEMPTATION

1. Refuse TO BE INTIMIDATED

Ephesians 6:10-11 (GN) "Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.   Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand aaisnt the devil’s schemes.” "

2. Request HELP FROM GOD

Psalm 50:15 (GN) "Call to me when trouble comes;  I will save you, and you will praise me."

Hebrews 4:15-16 (LB) "(Jesus) ... had the same temptations we do, though he never once gave way to them and sinned So let us come boldly ... to God... and find grace to help us in our times of need "

3. Refocus YOUR ATTENTION

James 1:14-15 (LB) "Temptation is the pull of your own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts is lead to evil actions. . . "

Proverbs 4:23 (GN) "Be careful how you think;  your life is shaped by your thoughts.” 

4. Reveal YOUR STRUGGLE TO A FRIEND

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (GN) "Two are better than one, because together ... if one falls down, the other can help him up.  But if someone is alone and falls ... there's no one to help him.  "

James 5:16 "Admit your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." 

5. Resist THE TEMPTOR

James 4:7 (JB) "Give in to God then resist the devil and he will run away from you.  "

Ephesians 6:17 (JB)... accept salvation from God to be your helmet and receive the word of God... to use as a sword."

November 16 2014 Releasing Inner Hurts

Releasing Inner Hurts

Jehovah Raphe – I Am The God Who Heals

Psalm 147 – God heals the broken hearted and bandages their wounds.

1. Reveal my hurt.

Psalm 39:2-3 – I kept very quiet, but I became even more upset.  I became very angry inside and as I thought about it my anger burned.

Job 18:4 – You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger.

2. Release those who have hurt me.

Romans 12:17-19 – Never pay back evil for evil.  Never avenge yourself, leave that to God.  For He has said that He will repay those that deserve it.

Psalm 56:8 – You God have kept a record of all my tears.

Hebrews 12:5 – A bitter spirit is not only bad in itself, but can also poison the life of many others.

3. Replace old memories with God’s truth.

Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Ephesians 1:4 – Through what Christ would do for us, God decided to make us holy in His eves without a single fault we stand before Him covered with His love.

4. Refocus on the future.

Job 11:13-16 – Yet if you devote your heart to Him and stretch out your hands to Him, then you will lift up your face without shame, you will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.

Proverbs 4:25 – Look straight ahead with honest confidence, don’t hang your head in shame.

5. Reach out to help others.

2 Corinthians 1:4 – God comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble we can comfort them with the same comfort that God has given to us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – When someone becomes a Christian, he is a brand new person inside, he is not the same anymore, a new life has begun.