September 18 2016 Telling The Truth

Telling The Truth

Memory Verse: Exodus 20:16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."

Psalm 34:12-13 (GN) "Would you like to enjoy life? Do you want long life and happiness? Then keep from speaking evil and from telling lies."

I. WHY DO WE LIE?

Type - Motive

The cruel lie - Resentment

The cowardly lie - Fear

The conceited lie - Insecurity

The calculated lie - Greed or selfishness

The convenient lie - Laziness

II. HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH

1. TELL THE TRUTH completely

Proverbs 10:10 (GN) "Someone who holds back the truth causes trouble."

Proverbs 28:23 (LB) ""In the end people appreciate frankness more than flattery."

2. TELL THE TRUTH consistently

Ephesians 4:15 (Amp) "Let our lives lovingly express the truth in all things - speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly."

Proverbs 11:3 (GN)"people who can't be trusted are destroyed by their own dishonesty."

Proverbs 13:17 (LB)"Reliable communication permits progress."

3. TELL THE TRUTH lovingly

Ephesians 4:15 (GN)"Speak the truth in a spirit of love."

Ephesians 4:29 "(Speak) only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

4. TELL THE TRUTH tactfully

Proverbs 12:18 (GN) "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal."

Proverbs 16:23 (GN) "Intelligent people think before they speak."

Ecclesiastes 8:6 (GN)"There is a right time and a right way to do everything."

THE REAL PROBLEM....

Matthew 12:34 (GN)"For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of"

February 7 2016 Daring To Plant In Faith

DARING TO PLANT IN FAITH

Daring Faith: The Key To Miracles – Part 5

Genesis 8:22 (NIV) God: “As long as the earth endures, there will be seedtime and harvest. . .”

Galatians 6:7a (Mes)“Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. Whatever a person plants, he WILL harvest."

GOD’S LAWS OF PLANTING AND HARVESTING

1. EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A SEED

Genesis 1:11God said, “Let the land have seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their varieties.”

A “SEED” IS ANYTHING VALUABLE that I give away

2. NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL UNTIL THE SEED IS PLANTED

John 12:24 Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, it cannot reproduce. But if it dies, it will produce much fruit.”

Mark 4:26-27 (NCV) Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who plants seed in the ground. Night and day, whether the person is asleep or awake, the seed still grows, but the person does not know how it grows.”

3. WHEN I HAVE A NEED I SHOULD PLANT A SEED

Ecclesiastes 11:6 (TEV) “Do your planting in the morning and in the evening, too! You never know whether it will all grow well or whether one planting will do better than the other.” 

4. WHATEVER I PLANT IS WHAT I WILL REAP.

Galatians 6:7b (TEV) “You will reap exactly what you plant.”

Galatians 6:7b-8 (Mes)“The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others, and ignoring God, harvests a crop of weeds. That’s all he’ll have to show for his life! BUT the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life!”

5. I’M NOT THE ONLY SOWER.

John 4:38 “I sent you to reap where you didn’t plant; others had already done work before you, and you will gather the harvest.” 

6. I ALWAYS REAP IN A DIFFERENT SEASON THAN I SOW.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. . . A time to plant and a time to harvest. . . a time to scatter and a time to gather. . .” 

7. I MUST BE PATIENT AND NOT GIVE UP

Galatians 6:9 (LB) “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we WILL reap a harvest of blessing IF we don’t get discouraged and give up.” 

8. I ALWAYS REAP MORE THAN I SOW.

Mark 4:8 Some seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, MULTIPLYING thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times.” 

9. I INCREASE MY HARVEST PLANTING MORE SEED.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will reap generously. Each one should give what he’s decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Proverb 11:24 (Mes) “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.” 

10. I PLANT BY FAITH, NOT FEELINGS

Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT) “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, BUT they sing as they return with the harvest.” 

11. THE BEST TIME TO PLANT IS NOW

Ecclesiastes 11:4“Those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds; and those who look at every cloud will never reap a harvest.”

October 4 2015 Game On: Selfishness

Game On: It's Time To Change Our World

“Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.”  - Philippians 2:4

Jesus on Being a Servant: (Jesus) “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant,whoever wants to be first must become your slave.  Even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:26-28 

SIX SIMPLE WAYS TO BREAK FREE OF SELFISHNESS

1.  CONNECT MY FAMILY. 

“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God will give you.” - Exodus 20:12 

2. ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES. 

“Don’t use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” - Ephesians 4:29 

3. PRAY FOR MY FRIENDS. 

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks.” - 1 Timothy 2:1

4. INVITE MY FRIENDS TO CHURCH. 

“Live wisely among those who are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity.” - Colossians 4:5 

5.  HELP SOMEONE IN NEED. 

“If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD –  and he will repay you!” - Proverbs 19:17

6. ADOPT THE HUMILITY JESUS.

“Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his  rights as God. made himself nothing; took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.” - Philippians 2:5-8

Memory Verse: (Jesus) “The greatest among you must be a servant.” - Matthew 23:11

February 24 2013 How To Win The Respect Of Others

HOW TO WIN THE RESPECT OF OTHERS
Exodus 20:16

Verse 16 - You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
Prov. 17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies.

I.  First you win respect by not giving false testimony

TYPES OF FALSE TESTIMONY

1.  By gossip.
Definition:
Prov. 26:20 & 22 - Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies.  The words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to a man’s inmost parts.
Varieties:

2.  By slander.
Definition:
James 4:11 - Brothers do not slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge.

3. By flattery.
Definition:
Prov. 26:28 - Flattery is a form of hatred and wounds cruelly.
Prov. 29:5 - Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.

II.  The way to win the respect of others:

1.  Examine your heart.
Jer. 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things.

MOTIVES FOR DISHONESTY
* Fear                
* Anger
* Pride
* Selfishness

2.  Think about honest things.
Phil. 4:8 - Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. 

3.  Refuse to give or receive gossip.
Prov. 11:13 - A gossip goes around spreading rumors, while a trustworthy man tries to quiet them.

4.  Keep your promises.
Psalm 15:4-5 - He who keeps his oath even when it hurts, shall never be shaken.

5.  Be an encourager.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

T Is it True
H Is it Helpful
I Is it Inspiring
N Is it Necessary
K Is it Kind

Psalm 34:11 & 12 - If you love life and desire to see many good days, then keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.

July 8 2012 The Marks Of A Mature Person

The Marks Of A Mature Person

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOOK OF JAMES

God’s will for every person is personal growth and maturity. The book of James defines what maturity means

What Maturity Isn’t:
• It’s not: Age

• It’s not: Appearance

• It’s not: Achievement

• It’s not: Academics or ability

God says maturity is determined by your attitude.

Five Marks of Maturity

1. A mature person is Positive under pressure.
James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of man kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

2. A mature person is sensitive to people.
James 2:8 - If you really keep the royal law found in the Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

3. A mature person has mastered his mouth
James 3:2 - We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any negative talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs.
James 4:1 - If anyone considers himself religious yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

4. A mature person is a peace maker, not a trouble maker.
James 4:1 - What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?

2 Sources of Conflict
• (vss. 2-3) Selfishness

• (vss. 11-12) Judging

5. A mature person is patient and prayerful.
James 5:7,11 - Be patient then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming as you know we consider blessed those who persevere. 
James 5:16 - The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.