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"

September 8 2013 The Art Of Confrontation

Memory Verse: “Wounds made by a friend are intended to help, but an enemy’s kisses are too much to bear.” – Proverbs 27:6

Confrontation: A meeting between two friends for the purpose of restoring godliness.

THE ART OF CONFRONTATION: NATHAN AND DAVID - 2 Samuel 12:1-14

1. FOLLOW GOD’S LEADERSHIP CAREFULLY

Verse 1 “So the LORD sent Nathan….”

2. REQUEST A PRIVATE MEETING

Verse 1, “So the Lord sent Nathan, the prophet, to tell David.” Matthew 18:15-23.

3. PREPARE TO TACTFULLY  SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

Verse 1-4 “So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story. There were two men in a certain town. One was rich and one was poor. The rich man owned many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but the little lamb that he had worked hard to buy. This poor man, he raised this little lamb and it grew up with his children, ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. But one day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing a lamb from his own flock for food, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and served it to his guests.”

4. STATE THE TRUTH COMPASSIONATELY AND  TRUST THE SPIRIT.

Verse 5-13a David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives, he vowed, any many man who would do such a thing deserves to die. He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole, and for having no pity.” “Then Nathan said to David, you are that man. The Lord, the God of Israel said, ‘I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you his house and his wives and the kingdom of Israel and Judah. If that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why then have you despised the Word of the Lord and done this horrible deed. For you have murdered Uriah and stolen his wife. From this time on, the sword will be a constant threat to your family because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own. Because of what you have done, I, the Lord, will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will do this to you openly in the sight of allIsrael.” “Then David confessed to Nathan. I have sinned against the Lord,”

5. OFFER  GRACE AND SUPPORT

Verse 13b “Nathan replied, ‘Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you and you won’t die for this sin. But you have given the enemies of the Lord great opportunity to despise and blaspheme Him, so your child will die.’ God’s preferred way of restoring Godliness in your life is to do it one on one, you and God.

Hebrews 12:5-6. “My dear children, don’t shrug of God’s discipline. But don’t be crushed by it either. It is the child that He loves that He disciplines. The child He embraces, He also corrects.”

November 6 2011 Love As A Lifestyle

Love As A Lifestyle

Gal. 5:22 – The Fruit of the Spirit is Love.
Without love, nothing else matters. (I Cor. 13:1-2)
Love shows we really know God. (I John 4:7-21)
To love is our #1 responsibility. (Matthew 22:36-40)
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not rude, love does not demand it’s own way, love is not irritable and love keeps no record of when it has be wronged. 

I. How to develop a loving lifestyle or mindset.

1. Accept others unconditionally.
Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Romans 12:18 – If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

2. Commit yourself personally.
Romans 12:10 – Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Romans 12:5 – In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

3. Encourage others continually.
I Thess. 5:11 – Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact, you are doing.
I Cor. 13:7 – If you love someone, you always believe in him and always expect the best of him.

4. Serve people cheerfully.
I Peter 4:10 – Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.
Romans 12:13 – Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

5. Forgive others freely.
Col 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

6. Decide to expand the Kingdom.
Matthew 28:19 - Go and make disciples of all nations.
II Cor. 5:14 - For Christ’s love compels us.

II. The practical application for dealing with draining people.

1. Difficult people: I must be tactful, not just truthful.
I Cor. 13:5 - Love is not rude.
Prov. 16:21 A wise mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words the more persuasive he is.

2. Demanding people: I must be understand and not be demanding.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love does not demand it’s own way.
Titus 3:2 -Believers shouldn’t curse anyone or be quarrelsome, but they should be gentle and show courtesy to everyone.

3. Disappointing people: I must be gentle not judgmental.
I Cor. 13:5 -Love is not irritable.
Prov. 15:4 - Gentle words bring life and health.

4. Destructive people: Don’t repeat it, just delete it.
I Cor. 13:5 - And love keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
Prov. 19:11 - When someone wrongs you it is a great virtue to ignore it.

CONCLUSION: Eph. 3:17-18 – I pray that Christ will be more at home in your heart, living within you as you trust Him. May your roots go deep into the soil of God's Marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand how long, wide, deep and high His love really is, and experience this love for yourselves.