July 19 2015 The Person God Uses

The Person God Uses

2 Chronicles 7:14

THE PROCESS OF RENEWAL

Christians pray, God cares
Christians repent, God shows us ourselves
Christians minister, God empowers and equips

THE PERSON GOD USES

1. That person has one great purpose.

Philippians 3:7-14

To “know God” there must be:

Evaluation How well do I know God?

Exchange What must I do to know Him better?

Trade off What price will I pay to know Him better?

2. That person has, by God’s grace, removed every known hindrance.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Observations:

1. We can have victory over all sin.

2. If God’s Word says lay it aside, it can be done.

God didn’t say these things to frustrate us, but help us by God’s Grace.

“Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing for us is sin.” (Susanna Wesley)

3. That person has placed themselves at God’s disposal.

Romans 12:1-2

Observations:

1. For those who have been saved.

2. Sign my name to a blank sheet of paper.

3. Give Him control of your life.

4. That person who has learned to prevail in prayer.

James 5:13-18

Observations:
1. Things beyond my control.

2. Things that are bigger than myself.

3. Things that seem impossible.

5. That person is a student of the Word.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

6. That person has a giving Spirit.

John 3:16

7. That person expects results.

Romans 4:16-21

8. That person lives under the anointing of God the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-20

“The renewal we need is simply a return to normal New Testament Christianity, where the Churches are full of prayer, full of power, full of people, full of praise full of divine happenings all the time.  We want something normal, not just ‘special.’  God’s normal, that is.  God’s normal is greater than most of our specials put together. (Dr. Armin Desswein)

May 31 2015 Freedom To Change

FREEDOM TO CHANGE

Romans 12:1-2
 
Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask him to remove my character defects. 

Romans 12:1-2 – Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him, and let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.

I. Where Do My Character Defects Come From?

• My biological inheritance.

Genetics explain predisposition but don’t excuse sin.

• My circumstances, or how I was raised.

Character defects are often attempts to fill unmet needs.

• My choices in life.

Character defects are often positive qualities being misused.

II. Why Is It So Hard To Change Them?

1. Because I’ve had them a long time.

2. Because I confuse my identity with them.

3. Because they have a payoff.

4. Because satan discourages me.

III. How Do I Cooperate With God’s Change Process?

Romans 12:2 – Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

1. Focus on changing one defect at a time.

Proverbs 17:24 – An intelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in many directions.

2. Focus on Victory one day at a time.

Matthew 6:11 – Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:34 – Don’t worry about tomorrow, each day has enough troubles of its own.

3. Focus on God’s power not willpower.

Jeremiah 12:23 – Can a leopard take away his spots?  Nor can you who are used to doing evil now start being good.

BUT…..

Philippians 4:13 – I can master anything with the help of Christ who gives me strength.

4. Focus on what I want, not what I don’t want.

Philippians 4:8 – Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.  Think about things that are pure.  Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. 

5. Focus on doing good, not feeling good.

Galatians 5:16 – If you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence.   

6. Focus on people who help me, not hinder me. 

Proverbs 27:1 – As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.

7. Focus on progress not perfect performance.

Philippians 1:6 – God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His Grace until His task with you is finally finished.

March 29 2015 Victory Under Pressure

VICTORY UNDER PRESSURE

Mark 14:32-36

1 Peter 5:10 – And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.

Hebrews 5:8 - Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

1. We must realize that all must go through the press.

Mark 14:32 - Then Jesus went to His Disciples to a place called Gethsemane.

Luke 22:44 - His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

1 Peter 1:6 - Though now for a little while you may have suffered grief in all kinds of trials.

2. We must reserve time with God.

Mark 14:38 - Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

3. We must release our all to Christ.

Mark 14:35 - Not what I will, but what You will.

Hebrews 4:9 - There remains than a rest for the people of God.

4. We must remember the results.
    
Mark 14:42 - Jesus said, “Rise let us go.”

Lesson - Every time we come through the press of life victoriously we have a new inner quality to give away to those around us.

2 Corinthians 1:5 - For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort over flows.

5. We must rejoice for we’re never forgotten.

Luke 22:43 - An Angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

Isaiah 40:31 - They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

November 17 2013 God's Challenge - Our Choice

GOD’S CHALLENGE – OUR CHOICE

Nehemiah 2:17-19-4:1-9

Nehemiah 2:18 – Let us rise up and build, then they set their hands to this good work.

1. We must build the wall of solution.
II Cor. 12:15 – I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls.

Math. 28:20 – Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

2. We must build the wall of Worship.
John 4:24 – Those who Worship Him must Worship in Spirit and truth.

3. We must build the wall of victorious Christian living.
Acts 15:8-9 – So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us and made no distinction between them and us, purifying their hearts by Faith.

4. We must build the wall of generosity.
II Cor. 8:9 – For you know the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor.

II Cor. 8:8 – I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.

5. We must build the wall of determination.
Nehemiah 4:6 – For the people worked with all their heart.

Nehemiah 4:15 – Each returned to his own work on the wall.

Nehemiah 2:20 – The God of heaven Himself will prosper us. Therefore we, His servants will rise and build.

6. We must build the wall of prayer.
Nehemiah 4:9 – But we prayed to our God.

7. We must build the wall of watchfulness.
Nehemiah 4:9 – They posted a guard day and night.

March 25 2012 Pressure In The Life Without Limits

Pressure In The Life Without Limits

Mark 14:32-36

Hebrews 5:8 - Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

1. All must go through the press.

Mark 14:32 - Then Jesus went to His Disciples to a place called Gethsemane.

Luke 22:44 - His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

1 Peter 1:6 - Though now for a little while you may have suffered grief in all kinds of trials.

2. We must reserve time with God.

Mark 14:38 - Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

3. We must release our all to Christ.

Mark 14:35 - Not what I will, but what You will.

Hebrews 4:9 - There remains than a rest for the people of God.

4. We see the results.

Mark 14:42 - Jesus said, “Rise let us go.”

Lesson - Every time we come through the press of life victoriously we have a new inner quality to give away to those around us.

2 Corinthians 1:5 - For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort over flows.

5. We are never forgotten.

Luke 22:43 - An Angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.

Isaiah 40:31 - They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.