April 16 2017 Easter - The Foundation For Happiness

EASTER, THE FOUNDATION FOR HAPPINESS

Col. 1:14 – Christ bought our freedom with His blood.

John 10:10 – Jesus said, “I come to give you life to the full.”

Matt. 28:5 - He is not here, He has risen.

Psalm 146:5 – Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord.

Happiness is Possible:

1. Because Christ can free you from guilt.

Eph. 1:7 – By the death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.

Col.2.14 – He has cancelled every record of the debt

we owed. Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.

Rom 8:1 – There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ.

2. Because Christ can free you from worry.

I Peter 1:2 – God’s Spirit has been at work in you heart through Jesus Christ. May God grant you increasing freedom from all anxiety and fear.

Ph. 4:13 – I am ready for anything through the strength of Christ who lives in me.

3. Because Christ can give you purpose.

Eph. 2:10 – We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as He meant for us to live it.

Acts 20:24 – Life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus.

4. Because Christ can give you a home in heaven.

Col. 2:20 – Christ has set you free from following the world’s ideas of how to be saved by doing good and obeying various rules.

Rom 4:4 – You don’t earn the right to heaven, no, for being saved is a free gift. If a person could earn it by being good, then it wouldn’t be free, but it is.

Rom. 6:23 – The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.

A Prayer That Leads to Happiness: Dear God, I believe Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be, Your Son, and that He proved it by rising from death. Jesus Christ, thank You for dying for me on the cross. I want You to forgive my sins and I want to know You personally and experience the freedom You offer. As much as I know how, I ask You to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Amen.

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.

October 18 2015 The Prayer Of Cleansing

THE PRAYER OF CLEANSING

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Matthew 6:12 – This is how you should pray, forgive us our debts.

How To Experience Cleansing

I. First receive his forgiveness.

Apply God’s Cleansing

A) Remember God’s character.

Nehemiah 9:17 – You are a God of forgiveness always ready to pardon.

B) Trust God’s promises.

Isaiah 55:7 – God is merciful and quick to forgive.

II. Cleansing is strengthened by understanding He covers all

A) “Forgive us our debts,” are four very important words.

1. Example – The Prodigal son.

B) How to know forgiveness covers all.

1. He has paid the debt for every sin.

Colossians 2:13-14 – He has forgiven all your sins, He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross.

2. Remember that God forgets.

Jeremiah 31:34 – I, the Lord, will forgive and forget their sins.

III. Cleansing can be kept by repeating the process as needed.

HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

A) God does not get tired of our coming to Him.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right.  He will forgive our sins and make us clean from our wrongdoing.

B) Keep short accounts with God.

Hebrews 7:25 – (Christ) is always interceding on our behalf.

IV. Cleansing is given freely.

Romans 3:23-24 – All of us have sinned, yet now God declares us not guilty of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ who freely takes away our sins.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not your own doing, but God’s gift.  There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts.

HOW TO BE FORGIVEN

• Admit
• Believe
• Commit
• Gratitude

Romans 8:1 – There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.

July 12 & 19 2015 Getting Rid Of Guilt

GETTING RID OF GUILT

God's Answer to Your Needs - Part 5 of 8

Matthew 6:9-13 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

HOW DOES GOD FORGIVE?

1. God forgives INSTANTLY

Nehemiah 9:17 (LB) "You are a God of forgiveness, always ready to pardon, gracious and merciful...full of love

Isaiah 55:7 (GN)". . . God is merciful and quick for forgive. "

2. God forgives COMPLETELY

Colossians 2:13-14 (Ph) "He has forgiven all your sins; He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross.”

Jeremiah 31:34 (LB)"I the Lord will forgive and forget their sins."

3. God forgives REPEATEDLY

1 John 1:9"If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right; he will forgive our sins and make us clean from all our wrongdoing."

Hebrews 7:25 (Ph)"(Christ) ... is always interceding on our behalf "

4. God forgives FREELY

Romans 3:23-24 (LB)"All of us have sinned ... yet now God declares us “not guilty of offending him IF we trust in Jesus Christ, who freely takes away our sins."

Ephesians 2:8-9 (GN)"For it is by God's grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not your own doing, but God's gift, There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own effort.”

HOW TO BE FORGIVEN

• Admit
• Believe
• Commit

Romans 8:1 (GN) "There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus."

May 24 2015 Freedom From Guilt

FREEDOM FROM GUILT

Psalm 25:18 – Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins.

HOW DO WE GET RID OF GUILT?

I. First remember God forgives instantly.

HOW TO APPLY FORGIVENESS INSTANTLY

A. Remember God’s position.

Nehemiah 9:17 –You are a God of forgiveness always ready to pardon.

B. Trust God’s promise.

Isaiah 55:7 – God is merciful and quick to forgive.

II. Remember God forgives completely. 

A.    

1. An example: The father of the prodigal son.

B. How to know forgiveness is complete.

1. Christ paid the debt for every sin.

Colossians 2:13-14 – He has forgiven all your sins, He has utterly wiped out the evidence of broken commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it to the cross.

2. Remember, God forgets.

Jeremiah 31:34 – I, the Lord, will forgive and forget their sins.

III. Remember that God forgives more than once.

HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

A. God does not get tired of our coming to Him.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right.  He will forgive our sins and make us learn from our wrong doing.

B. Learn to keep short accounts.

Hebrews 7:25 – (Christ) Is always interceding on our behalf.

IV. Finally notice that God forgives freely.

Romans 3:23-24 – All of us have sinned, yet now God declares us not guilty of offending Him IF we trust in Jesus Christ who freely takes away our sins.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith.  It is not your own doing, but God’s gift.  There is nothing to boast of, since it is not the result of your own efforts.

HOW TO BE FORGIVEN

• Admit the wrong.
• Believe what Christ did on the cross.
• Commit your life to following Jesus.
• Gratitude must be expressed.

Romans 8:1 – There is no condemnation for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.