January 29 2017 Getting A Grip On Prayer

GETTING A GRIP ON PRAYER

Luke 11 and John 15

Luke 11:1 – And they said, Lord, teach us to pray.

Misconceptions About Prayer:

• Magic wand.
• Make God into a genie.
• First aid kit.
• Tug of war.
• Religious duty.

Four Purposes Of Prayer:

1. It’s an act of dedication.

John 15:5 – I am the Vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, but apart from Me, you can do nothing.

John 15:5 – If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

John 15:7 – But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

2. Prayer is an act of communication.

John 15:15 – I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

3. Prayer is an act of supplication.

Phil. 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer present your request to God.

Phil. 4:7 – And the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

John 16:23 – I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.

John 16:24 – Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.

James says – You have not because you ask not.

Psalm 145:16 – You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desire of your heart.

Psalm 84:11 – No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

4. Prayer is an act of cooperation.

John 14:12 – I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things, because I am going to My Father.

John 14:13 – And I will do whatever you ask Me, for anything you ask in My Name, I will do it.

November 13 2016 Creating A Spiritual Legacy

CREATING A SPIRITUAL LEGACY

Matthew 25:21 – Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master’s happiness.

Mark 10:45 – I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.
    
1.  SPEAK with integrity.

Proverbs 17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies.

Proverbs 25:14 - People who promise things they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

Psalm 101:2 -  I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need Your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should.

2.  SERVE with intensity.

Proverbs 14:22 -  You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good.

Colossians 3:23 -  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

John 6:27 -  Don’t work for food that spoils, instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life.

Psalm 37:18 - Day by day the Lord observes the good deeds done by godly men, and gives them eternal rewards.

3.  GIVE with generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:9 -  Godly people give generously. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.

Psalm 112:9 -  He who gives generously to the needy and shows kindness will be powerful and respected.

Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 3:27-28 - Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.  Don’t say “Come back later.  I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

4.  SUCCEED with humility.

Proverbs 29:23 - Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.

Proverbs 27:21 - Praise is the test of character.

Proverbs 13:18 - Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced.  Anyone who listens to correction is respected.

Proverbs 13:7 - A pretentious, showy life is an empty life, a plain and simple life is a full life.

Proverbs 15:33 - Humility and reverence for the Lord will     make you both wise and honored.

October 9 2016 Getting Where We Want To Be - Focused On God's People

GETTING WHERE WE WANT TO BE, FOCUSED ON GOD’S PURPOSE

Romans 12:1 - Because of God’s great mercy to us, offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is your true Worship that you should offer.

1 Peter 4:2 - From now on, live the rest of your lives controlled by God’s Will, not by human desires.

Romans 6:13 - Give yourselves completely to God, every part of you, you want to be tools in the hands of God to be used for His good purposes.

1.  Why Get Focused?

He shaped us for a specific reason.

Galatians 1:15 - For even before I was born, God had chosen me to be His and He called me, what kindness and grace.

God Knows what’s best for me.

Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for evil to give you a future and a hope.

I Am grateful for my salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9 - Christ saved us and called us with a Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace.

God Promises to reward our focus.

Proverbs 7:6 - In everything you do put God first and He will direct you and brown your efforts with success.

WHAT KEEPS US FROM GETTING FOCUSED

1.  Short term values.

Mark 4:19 - The attractions of this world and the delights of wealth, and the search for success and love of nice things came in and crowded out God.

1 John 2:17 - The world and all its passionate desires will one day disappear, but anyone who does the Will of God will live forever.

2.  Past failure.

Philippians 3:13-14 - Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.

3. To self-motivate.

Proverbs 14:14 - The back slider is bored with himself, but the Godly man’s life is exciting.

Mark 8:35 - If you insist on saving your life you will lose it.  Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

4.  Fear keeps us from focus.

Psalm 37:5 - Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him to help you do it and He will.

HOW DO WE GET FOCUSED

1.  Consider the cost.

Luke 14:27-28 - No one can be My disciple who does not carry his own cross and follow Me, but don’t begin until you count the cost.

2. Come just as you are.

3. He wants you to do it now.

Hosea 10:12 - Sow for yourselves righteousness, break up the follow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord.

4.  God wants 100%.

Romans 12:1-2 - Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His Service and pleasing to Him.  This is true Worship, then you will be able to know the Will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

C.S. LEWIS “THE ONLY THING CHRISTIANITY CANNOT BE IS MODERATELY IMPORTANT.”

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..."

July 31 2016 Accept No Substitutes

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES

Ten Values That Build Strong Families - Part 2

"You shall not make any idols ... you must never bow to an image or worship it in any way." Exodus 20:4-5 (LB)            

TWO PRINCIPLES

I.  DON'T `IDOLIZE' ANYTHING!

"Idolize" - to look to something more than God.

"For your own good ... don't sin by making an idol in any form at all."  Deuteronomy 4:15-16 (GN)
    
Why?

1.  Idols will disappoint me.

"...those who make idols are disillusioned because the gods they make are false and lifeless."    Jeremiah 10:14 (GN)

"What's the use of an idol?  It's only something a man has made.  What good does it do ... to trust it?  Habakkuk 2:18(GN)
    
2.  Idols will dominate me

"... (before you knew Christ) you were controlled by dead idols, who always led you astray."  1 Corinthians 12:2 (GN)

3.  Idols will deform me

"Those who make idols will become like them, and so will those who trust in them." Psalms 115:8 (GN)

"They worshiped worthless things and became worthless themselves." Jeremiah 2:5 (GN)

II.  WORSHIP ONLY GOD!

"Worship" -- to give my highestlove and devotion

"(Many) exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself!" Romans 1:25 (GN)

The Benefits of Worshiping Only God

1.  IT WILL DELIGHT ME

"Seek your happiness in the Lord and He will give you your heart's desire.” Psalm 37:4 (GN)

"Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed." Romans 10:11 (GN)
    
2.  IT WILL DELIVERME

Jesus said, "If you obey my teaching ... you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

"If the Son sets you free, you will be really free." John 8:36

3.  IT WILLDEVELOP ME.

"As the Spirit of the Lord works with us, we become more and more like Him."      2 Corinthians 3:18b (LB)

"We arrive at maturity -- that measure of development which is meant by `the fullness of Christ.'" Ephesians 4:13-15 (Ph)

"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God." Colossians 1:5

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES