November 27 2016 Preparing For The Christ Of Christmas

PREPARING FOR THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS

Luke 2:1-7 – In these days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was Governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. So, Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her first born, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the Inn.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS

Replace The Urgent With The Significant.

Matthew 6:34 – Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Matt. 6:33 – But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Replace Physical Preparation With Spiritual Preparation.

Colossians 3:2 – Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ, that’s where the action is. See things from His perspective.

Replace The External Side Of Things With Internal sides.

Verse 7 – No room in the Inn.

Lamentations 3:40 – Let’s take a good look at the way we are living and re-order our lives under God.

Replace The Superficial With The Super-Natural.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 – Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.

1. Sit.

2. Listen.

3. Chose the best.

November 20 2016 The Kind Of Work God Blesses

THE KIND OF WORK GOD BLESSES

Proverbs 27:29 – When you see people skilled in their work, you know that they will end up standing before Kings, not working for ordinary people.

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and it will succeed.

FIVE WAYS GOD BLESSES OUR WORK

1. Seek God’s direction.

Proverbs 15:8 – The Lord is pleased when good men pray.

Proverbs 16:20 – He who plans a thing will be successful.

Proverbs 13:16 – A wise man thinks ahead, a fool doesn’t and even brags about it.

2. Sharpen our skills.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 – If your axe is dull, and it’s edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but still will bring success.

Proverbs 15:22 – Get all the advice you can, and you will succeed, without it you will fail.

3. Share the profit.

Proverbs 3:9-10 – Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income, and He will fill your barns to overflow.

4. Stay with it.

Proverbs 12:24 – Diligence brings a man to power.

Proverbs 21:5 – Steady plodding brings prosperity.

Colossians 3:24 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.  Remember that the Lord will reward you.  For Christ is the real master you serve.

Isaiah 40:31 – Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

5. Always be thankful.

Ephesians 5:20 – Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

November 13 2016 Creating A Spiritual Legacy

CREATING A SPIRITUAL LEGACY

Matthew 25:21 – Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master’s happiness.

Mark 10:45 – I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many.
    
1.  SPEAK with integrity.

Proverbs 17:7 - Respected people do not tell lies.

Proverbs 25:14 - People who promise things they never give are like clouds and wind that bring no rain.

Psalm 101:2 -  I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need Your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should.

2.  SERVE with intensity.

Proverbs 14:22 -  You will earn the trust and respect of others if you work for good.

Colossians 3:23 -  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

John 6:27 -  Don’t work for food that spoils, instead, work for the food that lasts for eternal life.

Psalm 37:18 - Day by day the Lord observes the good deeds done by godly men, and gives them eternal rewards.

3.  GIVE with generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:9 -  Godly people give generously. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.

Psalm 112:9 -  He who gives generously to the needy and shows kindness will be powerful and respected.

Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 3:27-28 - Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.  Don’t say “Come back later.  I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”

4.  SUCCEED with humility.

Proverbs 29:23 - Arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.

Proverbs 27:21 - Praise is the test of character.

Proverbs 13:18 - Someone who will not learn will be poor and disgraced.  Anyone who listens to correction is respected.

Proverbs 13:7 - A pretentious, showy life is an empty life, a plain and simple life is a full life.

Proverbs 15:33 - Humility and reverence for the Lord will     make you both wise and honored.

November 6 2016 God's Prescription For Health

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTH

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT MY BODY

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

1. God expects me to manage my body.

1 Corinthians 6:12-13a – Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.  Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, but God will destroy both.

2. My body is God’s property.

I Corinthians 6:13b – The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

3. My body will be resurrected when I die.

1 Corinthians 6:14 – By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also.

MISTAKES WE MAKE
Ѳ We rely on will power alone.
Ѳ We have a wrong motivation.
Ѳ We try to do it all on our own.

4. Our body is connected to Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:15a & 18 – Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ Himself?  Flee from sexual immorality.  All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

5. The Holy Spirit lives in our body.

1 Corinthians 6:19 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?

6. Jesus bought my body on the cross.

1 Corinthians 6:20 – You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore, honor God with your body.

Romans 12:1 – I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to god, this is your spiritual act of worship.

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR HEALTH

Psalm 119:73 – You made my body, Lord; now give me sense to heed your laws.

Deuteronomy 32:47 – These instructions are not mere words; they are your life!  By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land.

Proverbs 3:1-10 – Keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the Lord with the first part of your wealth, the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing.

1. Trusting God is good for my health.

Psalm 116:7 – I said to myself, ‘Relax, because the Lord takes care of you.’

Proverbs 14:30 – A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

2. Confessing my sin is good for my health.

Psalm 32:3-5 – When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.  My strength evaporated. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them and you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

3. Giving generously is good for my health. 

Proverbs 11:25 – A generous man will prosper; he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

4. Having fun is good for my health.

Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

October 30 2016 God's Plan For Financial Blessing

GOD’S PLAN FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

TWO STATEMENTS FROM JESUS

Luke 12:15 – Jesus said, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Luke 16:9-13 – “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain eternal friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.  So, if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?  No one can serve two masters.  You cannot serve both God and money.

Money is a tool and a test.

Managing money is a spiritual discipline.

SEVEN HABITS FOR FINANCIAL BLESSING

1. I must trust God as my source and supply.

Romans 11:36 – Everything comes from God; everything exists by His power; and everything is intended for His glory.

Deuteronomy 8:18 – Always remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.

2. I must do my work as an act of Worship.

Proverbs 21:5 – Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Proverbs 10:4 – Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 16:11 – The Lord demands fairness in every business deal; He sets the standard.

Proverbs 12:11 – Hard work brings prosperity; only fools waste time chasing fantasies.

Proverbs 13:11 – Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; but wealth from hard work grows.

3. I must keep good records.

Proverbs 27:23-24 – Be sure you know the conditions of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.  For riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. 

Proverbs 23:23 – Get the facts at any price.

Proverbs 24:3-4 – Any enterprise becomes strong, through common sense and profits by keeping abreast of the facts.

Three Things To Know: Know what you own; Know what you earn: Know where it goes.

4. Plan your spending.

Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as hast leads to poverty.

Proverbs 21;20 – The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.

Three things in a good budget: Mutual decision; Matter of prayer; Goals

5. Enjoy what you have.

Proverbs 15:16-17 – Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil.  Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

1 Timothy 6:6-8-But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and be content with that.

Hebrews 13:5 – Be content with what you have.

6. Share with others in need.

Proverbs 11:24-25 – One man gives freely, yet gains even more, another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.  A generous man will prosper, he who refreshed others will himself be refreshed.

Proverbs 19:17 – He who is kind to the poor leads to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has one.

Proverbs 22:19 – A generous man will himself be blessed.

Proverbs 28:27 – He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.

7. It’s called tithing.

Proverbs 3:9 – Honor the Lord with your wealth, and with the first fruits of all your crops.

Three Reasons To Tithe: It shows Our Gratitude; It’s a Reminder for the Present; It’s a Step of Faith for the Future.

Deuteronomy 14:23

Malachi 3:8-11

Matthew 6:33 – Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.