September 4 2016 Affair-Proofing Your Marriage

Affair Proofing Your Marriage

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:14 "You shall not commit adultery."

How to Affair Proof Your Marriage

1. MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GOD'S STANDARDS

Psalm 119:9 "How can a (person) keep his way pure? By living according to your Word."

Proverbs 5:15 (GN) "Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone."

2. MAGNIFY THE CONSEQUENCES

Proverbs 6:32 (GN)"The one who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys his own soul."

3. MAINTAIN MY MARRIAGE

1 Corinthians 7:3 (GN)" A man should fulfill his duty as a husband and a woman should fulfill her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the other's needs."

The top five needs of most men are:

1. Sexual fulfillment
2. Recreational companionship
3. An attractive spouse
4. Domestic support
5. Admiration

The top five needs of most women are:

1. Affection
2. Conversation
3. Honesty and openness
4. Financial support
5. Family commitment

1 Corinthians 7:5 (Ph)"Do not cheat each other of normal sexual intercourse ... or you will expose yourselves to the obvious temptation of Satan."

4. MANAGE MY MIND

How Affairs Develop

1. Accepting sinful thoughts in my mind
2. Emotional, non-physical involvement
3. Physical involvement
4. Rationalizing the affair

James 1:14-15 (LB) "Temptation is the pull of a person's own evil thoughts and wishes. These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to death."

2 Timothy 2:22 (Ph)"Turn your back on lustful desires and give your positive attention to goodness, integrity, love, and peace..."

Romans 16:19 "I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about evil."

5. MAINTAIN PROPER RELATIONSHIPS

Ephesians 5:3 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality."

6. MINIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY

1 Corinthians 10:12 (LB)"So be careful! If you are thinking, `Oh, I would never behave like that - let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin."

1 Corinthians 15:33 "Bad company corrupts good character."

Malachi 2:15 "Guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with your wife."

THE PATHWAY BACK TO PURITY

1. Acknowledge the sin (Psalm 51:1-4)
2. End the relationship immediately
3. Avoid ALL contact with the person from now on. Do whatever it takes to do this!

August 21 2016 Honoring My Parents

Honoring My Parents

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land..."

I. WHY DID GOD GIVE THIS COMMANDMENT?

Because...

There are no perfect parents!

Respect for authority begins at home.

How I relate to my parents will affect every other relationship.

II. HOW TO HONOR MY PARENTS

1. As a child, I honor my parents by obeying and respecting them

Ephesians 6:1(LB) "Children, obey your parents; this is the right thing to do because God has placed them in authority over you."

Proverbs 19:26 (LB) "A son who mistreats his father or mother is a public disgrace."

2. As a young person. I honor my parents by accepting and appreciatingthem

Proverbs 23:22" Listen to your father who gave you your life and do not despise your mother.."

Proverbs 20:20 (GN)"If you curse your parents, your life will end like a lamp that goes out in the dark."

Acceptance includes:

Dueteronomy 26:11 (GN)"Be grateful for the good things that the Lord has given you and your family..."

Proverbs 23:32 (GN)"when your mother is old, show her your appreciation."

3. As an adult, I honor my parents by affirming and not abandoning them.

Proverbs 3:27" Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power go act."

1 Timothy 5:8 (LB)"Anyone who won't care for his own relatives when they need help, especially his own family, has no right to say he is a Christian. Such a person is worse than the heathen."

1 Timothy 5:4 "They should ... put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God."

A word to parents: Be `honorable'!

Ephesians 6:4 (LB)"And now a word to you parents; Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with loving discipline..."

Matthew 18:6 (Ph) "Anybody that offends one of these little ones, it's better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and thrown in the bottom of the ocean.

A word to those without parents

Psalm 27:10 (GN)"My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me."

August 7 2016 Prevailing In Personal Relationships

Prevailing In Personal Relationships

Romans 12:14-21

Six Ways to Win in Personal Relationships

1. Return good for evil.

Romans 12:14 – Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse.

Matthew 5:44 – Jesus said, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Two Examples:

• Jesus
• Stephen

2. Identify with others.

Romans 12:15 – Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

3. Be open minded to others.

Romans 12:16 – Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited.

4. Treat others with respect.

Romans 12:17 – Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

5. Do all you can to keep the peace.

Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Two Qualifications

• If it is possible
• As far

6. Remove revenge from our life.

Romans 12:19-21 – Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: It is Mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord.  On the contrary if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Three Reasons

• It’s the Lord’s task.
• May move that person to Christ.
• Vengeance means we are conquered by evil.

July 24 2016 Strong Families (Part One)

Ten Values That Build Strong Families - Part 1

"Never forget these commands that I am giving you. Teach these to your children..." Deut. 6:6-7a (GN)

I. THE FOUNDATION FOR A STRONG FAMILY

"You shall have no other gods before me" Ex 20:2

The Principle: PUT GOD FIRST

The Promise: SUCCESS IN LIFE

"In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success." Prov. 3:6 (LB)

II. HOW DO I PUT GOD FIRST?

Give God priority in 5 areas

F - Finances

"Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns... to

overflow..." Prov 3:9-10 (LB)

"The purpose of tithing is to teach you to put God first in your lives." Deut. 14:23 (LB)

I - Interest

"Whatever you do, do it all for God's glory." I Cor. 10:31 (GN)

"Talk with each other much about the Lord." Eph. 5:19 (LB)

R - Relationships

"...what a man is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." Prov. 27:19 (LB)

S - Schedule

"Make the best use of your time ... grasp firmly what you know to be the will of the Lord."Eph. 5:16-17 (Ph)

"Very early in the morning ... Jesus got up and went off to a solitary place where he prayed." Mark 1:35

T - Trouble

"Call upon Me in your day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will honor Me." Ps. 50:15

Joshua's Commitment: "As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord." Jos. 24:15 (LB)

May 29 2016 Leaving A Legacy Of Love

LEAVING A LEGACY OF LOVE

1 Corinthians. 14:1 - “Let love be your greatest aim.”

Mark 12:30-31 - “Love your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength, love your     neighbor as yourself.  There are no commands moreimportant than these.”

THE BASICS OF LOVE

• WE LOVE BECAUSE God loves us.

1 John 4:7-8 - “Love comes from God, for God is love.

1 John 4:19 - “We love because God first loved us.”

1 John 4:16a - “We know and rely on the love God has for us.

• LOVE IS A choice AND A commitment.

Deuteronomy 30:20 -   “Choose to love the Lord your God, andcommit yourself to Him.

• LOVE IS an action, not an emotion.

1 John 3:18 - “Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”

• LOVE IS a skill.

1 John 4:7 - “Dear friends, let us practice loving each other, for love comes from God and those who are loving     and kind show that they are the children of God, and that they are getting to know Him better.”

1 Timothy 4:15 - “Practice these things and devote yourself to them, in order that your progress may be seen by all.”

• LOVE IS a habit.

Hebrews 13:1 – Continue to love each other with true Christian love.”

Luke 6:32 -  “If you only love those who love you, what credit is that to you?”
    
Jesus said: “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.”  John 13:35

HOW TO BECOME GREAT AT RELATIONSHIPS

1.  I must commit to growing.

2.  I must learn how Jesus did it.

3.  I'm going to practice my skills.

4.  I'm going to develop the habit.

5. I'm going to trust God to help me.

Philippians 1:9 - “This is my prayer for you:  that your love willgrow more and more; that you will have knowledge andunderstanding with your love.”