January 18, 2015 Becoming an Authentic Christian

Becoming an authentic Christian

James 2:19 – You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder.

James 2:26 – Faith without works is dead.

FOUR TESTS OF AN AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN

1. The test of a major change.

Verse 8 – By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went even though he did not know where he was going.

Lesson Number One – An authentic Christian will follow God's leading without knowing where.

2. The test of a delayed promise.

Verse 9 – By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country, he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Lesson Number Two – An authentic Christian will wait for God's timing.

3. The test of an impossible problem.

Verses 11 & 12 – By faith, Abraham, even though he was past age, and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise and so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Genesis 18:10, 12, 14 – The  Lord said, I will     surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son, so Sarah laughed to herself, then the Lord said, is anything too hard for the Lord?

Lesson Number Three – An authentic Christian will expect a miracle without knowing how.

4. The test of why.

Verses 17-19 – By faith, Abraham, when God tested him offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Lesson Number Four – An authentic Christian will trust God's purpose without knowing why.

Mark 9:24 – I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.

January 11, 2015 Becoming God's Usable Person

BECOMING GOD’S USABLE PERSON

Genesis 6:1-22

Hebrews 11:7 – By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear, built an ark to save his family.  By his faith, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

Four Characteristics Of Noah

1. Noah was available.

Genesis 6:5, 7, 9 – The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, so the Lord said, I will wipe mankind from the face of the earth.  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

2. Noah dared to be different.

Verse 9 – Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time and he walked with God.

Proverbs 29:25 – Fear of man will prove to be a snare.

Verse 9 – He walked with God.

3. Noah followed God completely.

Verse 22 – Noah did everything, just as God commanded.

Genesis 7:5 – And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.

4. Noah never gave up.

Genesis 6:3 – Then the Lord said, My Spirit will not contend with man forever.

Three Things That Tempt Us To Quit:

• Problems
• Pressures
• People

January 4, 2015 Becoming a Person of Influence

Becoming a person of influence

Four Keys To Living A Life Of Influence

1. Be yourself.

Hebrews 11:24 – By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

2. Accept responsibility for your own life.

Verse 25 – He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.

PRINCIPLE: The negative is followed by the positive.

Verse 23 – By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the King’s edict.

Verse 26 – When he had grown up.

3. Establish a value system for your life.

Verse 26 – He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.

THREE COMMON VALUES

1. Pleasure.
2. Possessions.
3. Power.

Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both.

THREE THINGS MOSES DECIDED

1. God’s purpose is more valuable than popularity.

Verse 24 – Refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.

2. People are more valuable than pleasure.

Verse 25 – Chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin.

3. God’s peace is more valuable than possessions.

Verse 26 – Regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt.

Your character is determined by your choices, you choices are determined by your values and your values are determined by your vision.

4. Never take your eyes off the goal.

Verse 27 – By faith he left Egypt, not rearing the King’s anger, he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.

II Corinthians 4:16-17 – Therefore, we do not lose heart though outwardly we’re wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Verse 18 – So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

December 28 2014 Building Confidence In Prayer

Building Confidence in Prayer

Luke 5:16 – But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Seven Principles Towards Confidence In Prayer:

1. Make sure all known sin is confessed.

Psalm 68:18 – If I regard sin in my heart the Lord will not hear me.

Isaiah 59:1-2 – Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

Principle to live by: Before I pray for change in my circumstances, I should pray for a change in character.

James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

2. Keep a forgiving spirit towards others.

Principle: A forgiving spirit is not an act, it’s an attitude.

Matthew 5:23-24 – First go and be reconciled to your brother.

3. Keep a surrendered will at all times.

James 4:3 – You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly.

Principle to live by: If God lays a burden on our heart, He also purposes to grant it.

Psalm 33:13 – From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind.

Principle: When God sees me He also sees the crowd and does what’s best for the whole group.

4. Understand God’s Sovereignty.

Principle to live by: I must accept the Sovereignty of God in my life of prayer.

5. I must have faith.

James 1:5 – But let him ask in faith, with no doubting for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Matthew 9:29 – According to your faith it will be done unto you.

Matthew 17:20 – If your faith is as small as a mustard seed you can say to this mountain move from here to there and it will.

Principle: To make prayer a force, I must look for question marks in my life.

6. I must have persistence.

Jacob
Ask, Seek, Knock

Principle: Persistence in prayer does not change God, it changes me.

7. Put action with your prayers.

James 2:14 – Faith without action is dead.

Principle: My great need is not faith and works, but faith that works.

December 21 2014 How To Make Christmas Last

How To Make Christmas Last

1. Remember Mary’s song of Amazing Grace.

Luke 1:46 -50 – Oh, how I praise the Lord, how I rejoice in God my Savior!  For he took notice of His lowly servant girl and now generation after generation forever shall call me blest of God.  For He the mighty holy One has done great things for me.  His mercy goes on from generation to generation to all who reverence Him.

Four Pillars Of Grace

• He took notice of his lowly servant
• Has done great things for me
• I rejoice in God my Savior
• Lowly servant

2. Receive an amazing gift.

Luke 1:68-69 – Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, for He has come to visit His people and has redeemed them.  He is sending us a mighty Savior from the royal line of His servant David.

3. Refocus on God’s mercy.

Luke 1:72 – He has done this to show mercy to our fathers.

Psalm 103:13 – As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.

4. Reflect God’s glory.

Luke 2:13-14 – Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others, the armies of heaven, praising God.  Glory to God in the highest heaven, they sang, and peace on earth for all those pleasing Him.

Four Steps:

• Remember God’s Grace.
• Receive God’s Gift.
• Refocus God’s Mercy.
• Reflect God’s Glory.