April 3 2016 Your Future And God's Faithfulness

YOUR FUTURE AND GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

Psalm 34:4 – I sought the Lord and He answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 145:13 – The Lord is faithful to all His promises.

GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

1.  Helps me keep standing when I’m tempted.

1 Peter 5:8 - Watch out for attacks from the devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.  Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.

1 Corinthians 10:13 - The temptations that you have are the same ones that all people have.  But you can trust God.  He will not let you be tempted more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape.  Then you will be able to stand it.

2.  Helps me keep standing when I’m overwhelmed.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 - It is God who gives us the ability to stand firm for Christ.  He has commissioned us, and He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Philippians 2:13 - For God is at work within you, giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose.

3.  Helps me keep standing in the storm.

Isaiah 41:10 - So don’t worry, because I am with you.  Don’t be afraid, because I am your God.  I will make you strong and will help you.  I will support you with my right hand that saves you.

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.

HOW TO RECEIVE GOD’S STRENGTH

1.  Call out to God.

James 4:6-8 - God gives grace to the humble.  So give yourselves completely to God.  Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.

2.  Fill your mind with God’s Word.

Psalm 119:25 - I am completely discouraged; revive me by your Word.

3.  Accept support from God’s people.

Galatians 6:2 - By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ.

4.  Hold on to God’s promises.

Isaiah 40:29-31 - He gives strength to the wary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

2 Corinthians 4:18 - So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen.  For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

Philippians 4:13 – I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me.  I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me.

March 1 2015 Spiritual Maturity Under Pressure

SPIRITUAL MATURITY UNDER PRESSURE

1 Peter 2:1-10

Three Things That Help Us Mature

1. Seek after God’s Word.

Verse 1 – Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind.

GET RID OF:

• Malice
• Envy
• Deceit
• Slander
• Hypocrisy

Verse 2 – Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it, you may grow up in your salvation.

Verse 3 – Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

2. Stand on the firm foundation.

Verse 4 – As you come to Him, the Living Stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him.

Verses 5 -6 – You also, like living stones are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  For in the scripture it says, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.

Moses said Jehovah is the rock of our salvation.

David said He is my rock and fortress, my God in whom I take refuge.

Isaiah said for in the Lord we have an everlasting rock.

Verse 8 – A stone that causes men to stumble and rock that makes them fall.

3. Speaking out a message of hope.

Verse 9-10 – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belong to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into this wonderful light, once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.

SIX LESSONS:

1. We are a family.
2. We have direct access to God.
3. We are also different from the world.
4. We are a people belonging to God.
5. We’re not what we used to be.
6. We’re blessed to be a blessing.

June 19 2011 Discovering God's Purpose For Your Home

Discovering God's Purpose For Your Home

Genesis 2:18 & 24: The Lord God said, it is not good for man to be
alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. Therefore, a man will
leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.

GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE FAMILY

I. A family is a shelter in the storm.
Proverbs 14:26 - reverence for the Lord gives a man deep strength,
his children have a place of refuge and security.

TYPES OF STORMS

1. change
2. failure
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 -Two are better than one, if one of them falls
down the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls,
it’s just too bad because there’s no one to help him.
3. rejection
Ecclesiastes 4:12 - One standing alone can be attacked and
defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.
My Response:

II. A family is a learning center for life.
Psalm 144:12 - May our sons in their youth be like plants that grow
up strong.
Ephesians 6:4 - Fathers, don’t exasperate your children, instead
bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Luke 2:52 - Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with
God and with man.

Things you always leave home with:
1. Relationships
2. Character
3. Values
Isaiah 38:10 - One generation makes known your faithfulness to
the next.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7- These commandments, impress them upon
your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.

III. A family is a place to play.
Ecclesiastes 9:9 - Enjoy life with your wife whom you love.
Proverbs 5:18 - Be happy with your wife and find your joy with the
girl you married.
Psalm 127:3 - Children are a gift from God, they are his reward.
My Response:

IV. A family is a launching pad for ministry.
I Corinthians 16:15 - Stephanas and his family were the first to
become Christians in Greece and they are spending their lives
helping and serving Christians everywhere.
Acts 16:33 - The whole family was filled with joy because they had
come to believe in God.
Romans 12:13 - When God’s children are in need, help them out!
Get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner, or if they
need lodging for the night.
My Response:

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

August 22 2010 Practicing God's Kindness Under Pressure

PRACTICING GOD’S KINDNESS UNDER PRESSURE

I Peter 1: 22 – 2:10
I Peter 2:10 – Once you knew very little about God’s
kindness, now your very lives have been changed by it.
LB

Facts about God’s Kindness

1. God’s kindness must be personalized
(Eph. 2:8 – Because of His kindness you have been saved through His kindness.)
(Romans 12:1 – Dear brothers I urge you, in view of God’s mercy, offer yourselves as living sacrifices to God.)
• The Good Samaritan

2. God’s kindness develops the love principle
(I Peter 1:22 – Now you can have real love for everyone because your should have been cleansed from selfishness and hatred, so see to it that you really love each other warmly with all your heart.)
(I Peter 2:1-3 – Get rid of the feeling of hatred. Don’t just pretend to be good, be done with dishonesty and jealousy and talking about others behind their backs, put away evil, deception, envy and fraud. Long to grow up into the fullness of your salvation.)

3. God’s kindness will persevere
( I Peter 2:6 – See I am sending Christ to be the carefully chosen corner stone, and I will never disappoint those who trust in Him. David said – He is my Rock and my fortress my God in Him I take refuge and He only is my salvation. He’s my stronghold and on that Rock I’ll not be greatly shaken.)
(Psalm 62 – When my heart is faint, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, for You have been my refuge.)
(Isaiah – Trust in the Lord forever for in the Lord we have an everlasting Rock.)

4. God’s kindness must be put into practice
•Find someone to forgive
(Eph 4:32 – Be kind to each other forgiving one
another.)
•Be understanding
(Eph. 4:32 – Be tenderhearted.)
•Supply someone's needs
(Matthew 25:35 – For I was hungry and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.)
•Be a peacemaker
(Eph. 4:3 – Try always to be at peace with one another.)
(Gal. 6:2 – Share each other’s troubles and problems.)