April 2 2017 The Gift Of Love In The Deeper Life

THE GIFT OF LOVE IN THE DEEPER LIFE

Mark 12:41-44

Verse 41-42 - Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the Temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts, but a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Three Lessons on The Deeper Life

1. Her gift was a symbol of her faith.

Verse 42 - The poor widow woman came.

Matt. 6:33 - But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

2. Her gift was sacrificial.

Verse 44 - But she, out of her poverty, put in everything, all she had to live on.

Romans 12:1-2 - I beseech you therefore brethren that you present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God.

3. Her gift was also love.

Matt. 22:36-37 - Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus replied, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.

Three Practical Thoughts on The Deeper Life

1. Only the gift that cost really counts.

II Samuel 24:24 - Neither will I offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.

2. Our privacy is a gift to give.

Paul said - We have been bought with a price.

3. Being personal with someone else.

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.”

June 5 2016 Releasing The Passion Of Love

RELEASING THE PASSION OF LOVE

John 13:34 – A new commandment I give you, Love One Another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:15 – I have given you an example to follow, do as I have done to you.

1. Accept others like Jesus accepts me (acceptance.)

John 6:37 – All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

Psalm 27:10 – Even if my Mother and Father forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

Romans 15:7 – Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you.

Romans 12:2 – We must bear the burden of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others.

ACTION STEP: This week I will show acceptance to ??????????.

2. Value others like Jesus values me.

Luke 12:6-7 – Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.

Value depends on who made it.

1 Timothy 4:4 – Everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Value depends on what people will pay for something.

1 Peter 1:19 – He paid for you with the precious life blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless lamb of God.

Isaiah 49:15-16 – Can a Mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.  See I have engraved you on the palms of my hand.
    
1 Peter 2:17 – Treat everyone you meet with dignity.

Mark 10:21 – Jesus looked at him and loved him.

Action Step: This week I will affirm the value of ??????????.

3. Forgive others like Jesus forgives me.

Isaiah 43:25 – I am the God who forgive your sins and I do this because of who I am.  I will not hold your sins against you.
    
Romans 8:1 – There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 2:7 – You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed with excessive sorrow.

Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgives.

ACTION STEP: This week I will offer forgiveness to ??????????.

4. Believe in others like Jesus believes in me.

Mark 9:23 – Everything is possible for him who believes.

1 Corinthians 13:7 – If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.  You will always believe in him, l always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

Romans 1:12 – I want us to help each other with the Faith we have.

Hebrews 10:24 – Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.

ACTION STEP: This week I will demonstrate trust in ???????????.
    
Ephesians 3:18 – May you have the power to understand as all God's people should.  How wide, how long, how deep His love really is.

April 10 2015 Your Failures And God's Grace

YOUR FAILURES AND GOD’S GRACE

Psalm 80:19 – Restore us O Lord God of Hose, cause your face to shine and we shall be saved.

Four Causes Of Drifting Away.

1. Over-Confidence.

1 Corinthians 10:12 – Let him who standeth take heed lest he fall.

Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

2. Laziness.

Mark 14:37 – Could you not keep watch for one hour.

Matthew 26:41 – Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

3. Fear of disapproval.

Mark 15:54 - Peter followed Him at a distance.

Proverbs 29:25 – Fearing people is a dangerous trap.

Mark 8:28 – (Jesus) If anyone is ashamed of Me and My Words, I will be ashamed of him before the Holy angels and My Father in heaven.

4. Convenience.

Verse 54 – There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

Steps To God’s Restoration

Jeremiah 15:19 – If you will return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve Me.

Isaiah 1:18 – No matter how deep the stains of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow.

1. Confession of my movement away.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2. Cooperation with God’s presence.

John 15:5 – I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.

Psalm 37:34 – Wait for the Lord and keep His way.  He will exalt you to possess the land.

3. Consecrate your whole life to God.

Romans 12: 1-2 – I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service.

4. Continue to serve God.

John 21:15 – Feed my sheep.

2 Corinthians 5:18 – God reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

Jeremiah 15:19 – If you return to Me, I will restore you.

October 25 2015 The Prayer Of Release

THE PRAYER OF RELEASE

Matthew 6:12 – Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtor.

How Do We Pray The Prayer Of Release?

1. I must 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. I must release those who 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 12:15 – A bitter spirit is not only bad in itself, but can also poison the life of many others.

3. I must 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 eyes without a single fault we stand before Him covered with His love.

4. We must respond to God’s Grace.

Hebrews 12:15 – Be careful that none of you fails to respond to the grace of God which God gives and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

5. I must remember the cross.

Romans 6:6 – For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with