February 21 2016 Daring To Grow A Deep Soul

DARING TO GROW A DEEP SOUL

Daring Faith: The Key to Miracles – Part 7

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

Spiritual growth is a process in which GOD AND I EACH HAVE A PART.

1. GOD’S PART: HE INVITES

MY PART: I RESPOND

Ephesians 1:4 (NLT) "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes."

James 1:21b (NJB) "Humbly welcome the Word which has been planted in you and can save your souls."

2. GOD’S PART: HE IS FOUND.

MY PART: I SEEK HIM.

Jeremiah 29:13­14a (NIV) "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord . .

Psalm 27:8 (NIV) "My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek."

3. GOD’S PART: HE TEACHES ME.

MY PART: I LEARN.

John 16:13a (ESV) "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth."

Hebrews 5:11­14 (NLT) There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is dif icult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.[a] You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the dif erence between right and wrong

4. GOD’S PART: HE BRINGS GOOD OUT OF EVIL.

MY PART: TO ENDURE.

Romans 8:28 (NJB) "We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good."

Colossians 1:11 (Msg) "We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory­strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy."

Jeremiah 17:7­8 (NLT) "But blessed are those who trust in the Lord, and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing

Philippians 1:11 (Msg) ". . . bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and

GOD’S GUARANTEE: GOD WILL FINISH WHAT HE HAS STARTED.

Philippians 1:6 (Amp) "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ (right up to the time of His return), developing that good work and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you."

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.

August 26 2012 How To Live A Life That Counts

HOW TO LIVE A LIFE THAT COUNTS
James 4:1-10
Vs. 6 & 10 - He gives us more Grace, and He will lift us up.

Step 1. Remember the loving desire of God.
Vs. 5 - The Holy Spirit whom God has placed within us with tender jealousy.

Step 2. Remove the obstacles to real life.
Vs. 6 - He gives us more grace.
Vs. 10 - He will lift us up.

Step 3. Rely on Christ’s support.
Jude 1:24 - To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.

Step 4. Respond to Christ’s security.
2 Timothy 1:23 - I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him.

Williams Translation: I am absolutely sure that God is able to guard what I have given to Him.

Step 5. Reverse the flow.
Vs. 10 - Humble yourself before the Lord.

4 Steps

• Give in to God.
Vs. 7 - Submit yourself then to God.
Colossians 3:15 - Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart.

• Get wise to satan.
Vs. 7 - Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
2 Corinthians 2:11 - In order that Satan might not outwit us, we are not unaware of his schemes.

• Grow closer to God.
Vs. 8 - Come near to God and He will come near to you.
Isaiah 26:3 - He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord.

• More Grace than forgiving Grace.
Vs. 8 & 9 - Wash your hands, purify your hearts.

March 18 2012 The Effective Lifestyle For The Life Without Limits

The Effective Lifestyle For The Life Without Limits

Mark 13:35 - So you also must keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back.
Luke 21:34-36 - Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. Be always on the watch and pray.

1. Prayer is an act of dedication.

John 15:5 - (Jesus) I am the vine and you (Christians) 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.
Verse 6 - 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.
Verse 7 - But if you remain in Me (if you remain dependent upon Me) and my Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you.

2. Prayer is an act of communication. 

John 1:15-16 - 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 learned from my Father I have make know to you. 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.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer, present your request to God.
Verse 7 - And the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
John 16:23 - I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name.
Verse 24 - Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete.
Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 84:11 - No good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

4. Prayer speaks of an act of cooperation.
John 14:12-13 - I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater thins because I am going to My Father and I will do whatever you ask in My Name.

Two Great Truths To Remember

1. We are to be faithful to God to the end.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.

2. We are to communicate His love and enable other people to know Him.