STL

Moving On

2011-07-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to all of you who have read this blog over the last 4 years. I have lost touch with it recently due to high activity. I want you to know I am resuming the blog but have decided to move it to another location.

The blog will now be located at http://stonebridgesa.wordpress.com/

Thanks.
Jason

Preachers I Listen Too and Learn From

2011-02-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

It seems like I have been asked this a lot recently so I decided to put it out here. These are the preachers I listen too on a pretty regular basis. I don't agree with all of them on everything. But, here is my list in no particular order: (You can find most of these guys in iTunes or at oneplace.com)

James MacDonald
Chip Ingram
John MacArthur
John Piper
Kevin Carson
Andy Stanley
C.J. Mahaney
Stephen Furtick
Perry Noble
Robert Welch
Charles Stanley
Jack Graham
Darrin Patrick
Mark Driscoll
Albert Mohler

Those are the favorites anyways.

Keep Going!

2011-01-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. This is true of a person individually and the church collectively. At StoneBridge, we will never let our memories exceed our dreams. We have seen God do the supernatural for us over the last few months. Let's not take that for granted church.

I remember when I was in my teens, I wanted to buy an expensive pair of tennis shoes, so I spent all summer working a fireworks stand. I have come to be very casual and unimpressed about fireworks. Day after day people would come up to me and ask, "What does that one do?" And I would say, "That goes way up in the air and explodes into lots of colors." They would think for a minute, then point to another and say, "What does that one do?" And, I would say, "That goes way way up in the air and explodes into lots of colors." I was around it for so long I didn't have the excitement for anymore.

Church, right now, we are seeing things that churches across the land would love to see! We are in the middle of a move of God! When a person gets saved, or when families join the church, or when we add on rooms for people - not everybody is seeing that! Those are God moments when we need to be aware of the fact that we are on "holy ground!"

I remember a man in the Bible name Noah that built an ark for God. An incredible even seeing how it had never rained. The Bible says he spent 120 years building this ark and telling people it was going to rain and he was laughed at. Not one convert in a 120 years! But he kept going. He built this big ark and then God showed up and the rain came down and amazing things happened! Noah got to see this big HUGE move of God. And then the Bible says at the end of Genesis 9:28 - "And after the flood, Noah lived another 350 years." Nothing. Nothing else recorded about his life for 350 years?!?! I wonder something. I wonder if Noah lived on that ark, and took the grandkids out to see the ark, and told people about the ark - and you know what, he spent all that time living on past victories.

Our memories will never exceed our dreams! Every victory God gives us we will celebrate but they will only bolster our confidence to ask God for more victories. Every accomplishment we will celebrate the power and plan of our God but it will only bolster our courage to attempt bigger things for God! Let's keep going!

Biblical Productivity #1 - The Principle of One Thing

2011-01-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

I like lists. I like to make lists. As a matter of fact, I can put my whole day on a post-it note most of the time. I take great joy in crossing things of my list. However, the list never ends! This is true for me as a pastor and I'm sure true of everyone else too. So I want to go over some principles of what I call "biblical productivity". The first principle: You can't fill someone else's cup if yours' is empty.

If we ourselves are empty, we have nothing to offer those around us. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you (cause you to become) fishers of men." We are called to follow Jesus. Jesus then causes us to do from what we have become.

Luke 10:41-42: "But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,⁴²but one thing is necessary". The one thing is worship. Time with God precedes everything we do for people. There are many things that are urgent; there is one thing that is necessary.

More coming later.

Jason

Decision Making in the New Year

2010-12-30T09:25:00.001-08:00

I got this from John MacArthur. Some great questions as you ponder life in 2011.

Did you know 90% of the choices you make as a Christian involve areas where Scripture says surprisingly little? What you wear, where you go, how you spend your free time—you won’t find many explicit instructions in the Bible. But you can find plenty of rules and strictures in the various spheres of evangelicalism, many of them unhelpful and even harmful (and not only in the fundamentalist camp).

Of course Scripture forbids all clear-cut sins such as lying, cheating, stealing, murdering, or committing adultery. The Bible also clearly calls us to pursue Christ and grow in our faith. No Christian seriously questions whether he should read the Bible, pray, or tell others about Christ. Scripture is unambiguous about those things.

There is, however, one class of questions that seems to fall somewhere in the middle. These are the issues dealing with Christian freedom—things that fall between what God prohibits and what He commands. What entertainment is acceptable? What kind of music is okay? What can a Christian do or not do on Sunday? What about what you wear, what you eat and drink, or how you spend your free time—does the Bible address those things?

Some would say, "No, the Bible doesn't address those things. Those are gray areas, so do what you want to do—you're free in Christ!" While it is true that the Bible doesn't specifically list every possible decision you'll face in life, it does address all choices with principles that govern Christian freedom. When you run your choices through the following grid of principles from God's Word, you'll find both clarity and true freedom to live your life to God's glory.

Will it benefit me spiritually?

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify (1 Cor. 10:23).

A "profitable" thing is useful, helpful, or to your advantage to do; and the idea behind "edify" is to build up spiritually. So based on this verse, ask yourself, "Will doing this enhance my spiritual life? Will it cultivate godliness? Will it build me up spiritually?" If not, you should seriously question whether that behavior is the best choice.

Will it bring bondage?

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Cor. 6:12).

In the second part of this verse, Paul is saying, "I will not be brought under the power of anything." If what you are considering can be habit-forming, why pursue it? Don't allow yourself to be in bondage to anything or anyone. You are a bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

Will it defile God's temple?

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Don't do anything that you know will harm your body or bring shame—it is the only instrument you have to glorify God. Romans 6:13 says, "Present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." How you choose to use your body should always reflect your concern to honor Jesus Christ.

Will it cause anyone to stumble?

Food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak (1 Cor. 8:8-9).

This is the principle of love. As Romans 13:10 says: "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law." If you know that your choice—what you consider "in bounds" and approved—causes another Christian to stumble and sin, love that brother or sister enough to restrict your own freedom. That is not very popular in our self-absorbed society, but it is biblical. To continue to indulge in a legitimate freedom that causes problems for another Christian is a sin. For "by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore," Paul said, "if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble" (1 Cor. 8:12-13).

Will it further the cause of evangelism?

Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved (1 Cor. 10:32-33).

Whether you are aware of it, what you allow or disallow in your behavior affects your witness for Christ, and the world is watching. It's an issue of testimony—what your life says about God. Your testimony either tells the truth about God, or it tells a lie. The choices you make in areas where Scripture speaks principally rather than specifically should reflect your concern not to bring offense to God's reputation but to bring Him praise instead.

Will it violate my conscience?

He who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23).

First Corinthians 10:25-29 contains three references to abstaining from a certain practice "for conscience sake." Never train yourself to violate your conscience. If your conscience is troubled by what you consider, don't do it. If you aren't sure about it, don't do it. It is hard to overstate the value of a clean conscience, but it is worth keeping your conscience clear so that your relationship to God will not be hindered. If you'll keep yourself in prayer and the study of God's Word, you will inform your conscience so you can "walk as children of light...finding out what is acceptable to the Lord" (Eph. 5:8, 10).

Will it bring glory to God?

Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

That verse is clearly both the summary and the goal of all the principles listed above. Isn't our heart's cry to glorify our Lord and Savior with our lives? Think about your decision—Will He be glorified, honored, and praised through it? May we say along with Jesus, "I glorified You on the earth" (John 17:4).

So the next time you face a decision where Scripture is less than specific or overt, run it through the principles above and enjoy your freedom in Christ. Happy New Year from Grace to You!

Value Statements

2010-10-14T09:36:00.001-07:00

We are all in. We have given everything we have to God and are totally dependent upon Him to work for us. God takes full responsibility for the welfare of the life fully devoted to Him.

We will think simplicity. We don’t spread ourselves too thin. Every program and ministry idea will be ruthlessly evaluated by our core values. By focusing on simplicity, we find efficiency.

We will not be known by our protests. We will not be known for what we are against, but for what we are for

We will be Church together, Church apart. Churches are on the same team. We value Kingdom work. Other churches exist for fellowship not competition.

We will not seek “volunteers,” we will empower leaders. We want to inspire confidence in our leaders by providing insight and improvement opportunities. Every member is a minister and takes ownership in their areas of service.

We want excellence, not perfection. Perfection will drive you crazy and end up making you feel devalued. On the other hand, excellence is achievable. By focusing on excellence, we make sure we are always giving God our best.

We know our future is brighter than our past. Our memories will never exceed our dreams. Our audacity to ask will never exceed God's capacity to answer.

We can’t out-give God, but we try. God has always been generous to mankind. By being a generous people we will only reflect God to our community.

We are about quantity AND quality. Quantity because every number, every statistic, represents a life that was changed, and we are all about life change. Quality because we value life-change has our highest core value and believe God wants fully equipped Christians who can do the work of the ministry.

We are bringing the honor back. A sense of honor has been lost among our generation, we want it back. We will honor God by honoring those He has placed in authority over us and honoring His creation.

We desire accountability through community. This only works if we can count on each other. We err on the side of “Can Do,” and focus on making it happen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

2010-10-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

“Greatness of His Power: Power of Prayer”

Introductory Thoughts

* This is Paul’s second prayer in Ephesians. His first prayer (1:15-23) was for the Ephesians to know what is the hope of his calling (past), the riches of his inheritance in the saints (future), and the surpassing greatness of his power (present). Paul’s desire is for the Ephesians believers to deepen their relationship with God who has enriched them with every spiritual benefit.

*In this present context, the focus of Paul’s prayer is that the Ephesians might know Christ’s strengthened love, so that this “one new body” that has just been discussed can function properly.

THE PETITION (vs.14-17)

NOTE: “For this reason” - This marks the resumption of the sentence begun in verse 1 which was interrupted by Paul’s digression.

NOTE: The petitions of Paul’s prayer are based on “God’s glory.” The basis for which Paul prays and expects God to answer is for His Glory. Paul makes these requests not according to our ability to receive, but according to God’s ability to give. In other words, Paul does not want us to experience a portion of God, but to experience the limitless supply of God Himself. Out of God’s “glorious riches,” He will give and give and give. There is more in God’s endowment fund than we can ever use and we are beneficiaries of His riches.

Petition 1: To be strengthened with power through the Spirit in your inner being - v.16

God gives us the strength we need to serve Him. It does not and cannot come from us.

It is only by the Holy Spirit working on us, in us, through us, and for us that we can be successful for Christ!

This is why Paul gives them the command not to “quench the Spirit” but to be “filled with the Spirit” (5:18).

X-Ray Q: Does the Holy Spirit have the freedom to work in your life today? Is the Spirit in absolute and total control of you? Or are there certain parts that you still control?

This strength is not physical but spiritual; It is not focused on our outer man but our inner man

The inner person is the heart or mind of the believer whereas the outer person is the physical body

God is interested in our hearts and minds – he wants our thoughts, passions, ambitions, and affections for this is the key to Lordship

X-Ray Q: Who/What do you think about most?

X-Ray Q: Who/What do you want most?

X-Ray Q: What drives you? What “flips your switch?”

The Christian life is not about outward conformity; The Christian life is about inward change!

Petition #2 - So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith

This is not talking about Christ coming into your heart at salvation. This is a very intimate phrase showing the close relationship which we are to have with Christ and the control he is to have over us. We are to let Christ become the dominating factor in our attitudes and conduct.

“ Dwell” here means to literally “make one’s abode, reside in, to settle down

Christ doesn’t want to be just an invited guest; he wants to be “at home”, the ruler of us

Illustration: Robert Munger wrote a fascinating booklet entitled “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” in which he pictures the Christian life as a house. Jesus comes into the house and goes from room to room. He goes into the library of the mind and begins to clean up the trash found there. He replaces it with His Word. He enters the dining room of the appetite and finds many sinful desires listed on a worldly menu. He replaces things like materialism, pride, envy and lust with humility, love, and purity. When he finally comes to the closet, the owner of the house hesitates to open the door to all his dark and secret sins. He can’t bear to have Jesus look inside. But Jesus does come inside only after He’s invited and cleans it up. Jesus then settles down and feels at home.

Do you have some rooms in your life that you haven’t allowed Jesus into? Let Him to come into every area of your life and do some cleaning with his penetrating holiness and matchless grace. Jesus dwells in our hearts through faith. Our faith in Him means that we invite Him to do some housecleaning. We put our faith in Him so that He can do the needed renovations in our life.

THE PURPOSE (vs.17-19)

Purpose #1 - To Know The Love Of Christ

Being rooted and grounded in love

The present tense refers to an action or event that occurred in the past but that still has continuing results today

We were rooted and grounded in the love of Christ at salvation and we are to become more rooted and grounded in this love in our sanctification or Christian walk

“Rooted” is from the plant world - Just as a tree must have roots down deep into the soil if it is to have both nourishment and stability, so too we as believers must have our spiritual roots deep in the love and truth of God. (Psalm 1:3)

“Grounded” is an architectural term referring to the strong foundation of a building (Matthew 7:24-27)

Four dimensions of Christ’s love

Breadth - It reaches to all people, nations, sins, needs, cares, and situations.

Length - It never had a beginning; It will never have an end

Depth - It can’t be measured

Height - High enough to take you all the way to heaven

Song: The Love of God

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made, Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin

“With all the saints” - Growth in the individual believer cannot occur in isolation but must be accomplished in context with other believers. Furthermore, true growth cannot occur by association with only certain believers but with all believers

Purpose #2 - Be Filled With All The Fulness Of God (v.19)

“Filled” comes from a word that means, “to be overflowing, like a cup that is running over.” It means total dominance, to come to the place in your life where you are totally overwhelmed by God’s presence. It means giving everything to God and leaving nothing for your self.

We are filled with the fullness of God by knowing Christ’s love experientially

Experiencing God’s moral excellence, perfection, and power would result in love between Jewish and Gentile believers.

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is that God would strengthen them in the inner person, resulting in Christ effectively dwelling in them for the purpose that they, having been rooted and grounded in love, might be able to comprehend with all the saints the wonders of Christ’s love, so that they might demonstrate this love to one another

X-Ray Q: Do you experience the fullness of God on a regular basis? That’s what Paul prays for believers. If you don’t live with this kind of fullness, try praying this prayer for yourself and for others. Are you willing to say to the Lord, “Lord, fill me up so that my life is all you and none of me?” I often want some of the Lord and some of me

THE POWER (v.20)

NOTE: These petitions and purposes can be quite challenging. To be strengthened in our inner man so that we might live in the holiness of Christ and know the love of Christ? To be filled with all the fullness of God so that we are living in his power and loving others with his love?

The power to answer this prayer and make this prayer a living reality comes from God

He is able. There is nothing that God cannot do.

He is able to do. God is not idle or asleep, but active in our lives.

He is able to do immeasurably more. His expectations are higher than our requests.

He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask. He listens to our prayers.

He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. God reads our thoughts.

The power of God that is needed to make this prayer a living reality in our lives is already at work in us, therefore we just need to release it and let it work

The word power is dynamin, meaning dynamite – It is incredibly powerful

The word for “is at work” is energoumenen, meaning energy

The power of God is willing to energize our lives in order to give us the ability to live life in Christ’s holiness and love

X-Ray Q: What is keeping us from experiencing this kind of power? Why do we have so many power outages?

3 Action Steps To Releasing God’s Power

Pray this prayer for yourself on regular basis. Take this text, insert your name and pray it every day for a week. Ask God to change your inner person, and pray less for your physical needs.

Pray this prayer for other people. Put their names in the prayer and ask God to grant them strength, depth, comprehension, and fullness.

Think of an impossible situation right now. Is there something you are facing that seems way beyond hope? Make a decision to trust God to do immeasurably more than all you can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within you.

THE PRAISE (v.21)

Paul gave God the glory because it would have to be a work of God to make this prayer a living reality

The Glory and Power of God is seen in the church for the church is the place were the miracle of God’s saving grace is seen as we communicate God’s love tangibly to one another

This is a fitting conclusion to the message that Paul has given them in the first three chapters. God has purchased us and placed us in Christ. He has reconciled us to himself and to each other. He has placed us in his church and given us the ability to come before him in prayer. He has given us all the resources and power needed to live the Christian life – to live a life of holiness, to experience Christ’s love in an intimate manner and then demonstrate this love in a tangible manner to others. So, are you strengthened today in your inner man? Or are you tired, worn down trying to live in the power of your own will and not that of the Spirit? Is Christ at home in your heart as the Lord of your life? Is he making the decisions? Is he pleased with your thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions? You may look like a Christian outwardly but are you truly a Christian inwardly? Are you experiencing the love of Christ daily in your life? Are you showing this love tangibly to other people in the community? You may think this is impossible. That is because you are leaning to your own understanding and living in your own strength. God’s power can make these petitions living realities in your life. God can do exceedingly abundantly above what you are asking. He can enable you to overcome sin. He can enable you to forgive people that have sinned against you. He can enable you to bring him glory with your life. He can soften your heart and flood your life with righteousness so that you are filled and overflowing with his nature and character. He can enable you to love others with his love – a love that is expressed with actions and not just words. A love that is free and sincere. A love that produces authentic relationships whereby we make everyone around us better. This only happens as we allow God to fill us and use us – thus making His church truly a place where He is glorified!

Ephesians 3:1-13

2010-10-12T12:58:00.001-07:00

“Greatness of His Power: Parenthetical Expansion of the Mystery”

Introductory Thoughts

* In 2:11-22 Paul has explained the union of Jewish and Gentile believers into one new person in Christ. He now proceeds to offer a prayer on behalf of these believers. However, just as he begins, he digresses to the subject of the mystery of Christ. Notice that verse 1 and verse 14 begin with the same phrase, “for this reason.” He describes the mystery and his responsibility to make it known. After this digression, Paul resumes his prayer in verse 14. (Hoehner, p.417)

*This is another long sentence in Ephesians. Verses 2-13 are one running sentence containing 189 words. Paul wants them to know what is the purpose of this new body, the church.

THE MYSTERY (vs.1-6)

Introduction (v.1)

“For this reason” - Points specifically to 2:11-22, which dealt with the Jewish and Gentile believers being raised to a new plane.

Paul wants to emphasize the existence of this “one new body” and now he wants to show them this new body’s purpose

“The Prisoner” - Paul was about to pray, as he has already done in chapter 1. It would seem, as though Paul may have moved his hand in writing, and that the chains by which he was bound may have somehow caught his attention. Perhaps they were clinking as Paul’s hands moved from his ink supply to his parchment. Perhaps the links of his chain became tangled, keeping his hands from moving freely. Nevertheless, Paul was somehow reminded of his status as a prisoner, not only a prisoner for Christ, but also a prisoner for his Gentile readers. Paul’s words concerning his imprisonment in verses 2-13 are prompted by his concern for the impact his incarceration might have on his readers. They know, of course, that he is writing from prison. We know from the first chapter of Philippians that there were some who sought to capitalize on Paul’s imprisonment by implying that his suffering was divine discipline. They wanted it to appear that Paul was wrong, and that God was chastening him. They, of course, were right and would be more than happy to give the saints the “truth.”

X-Ray Q: Paul was willing to be thrown into jail for the cause of Christ. What are you willing to suffer for your faith?

The Administration of God’s Grace (v.2)

“Administration” or “stewardship” here means to be entrusted with, to manage a household or office.

“God’s Grace” - Paul had been entrusted with a “special” grace from God. This special grace is the revelation of the mystery regarding the church, which is composed of believing Jews and Gentiles in one body. This clearly shows God is operating in a different way. Before the cross, Gentiles would have had to become Jews, whereas now Gentiles do not become Jews nor do Jews become Gentiles but both become “one new person,” the church. The idea of the church is not exclusively Paul’s, as is seen in verse 5. It had already been revealed. However, Paul was the one to whom God graciously gave the ministry of dispensing this mystery in connection with his role as an apostle to the Gentiles.

This gives further support to the fact that the church has not and will never replace Israel in God’s program. They are two distinct entities.

Revelation of the Mystery (vs.3-5)

The Biblical Idea of Mystery - The word for “mystery” here carries the idea of of unveiling or disclosing something that had been previously hidden. In the NT, it has the theological significance of unveiling that which was hidden in God and unknown to humans. It is not the acquisition of knowledge by diligent searching but the unveiling of facts intrinsically hidden. (Hoehner, p.426)

This idea is enhanced by the grammar of the passage. The aorist tense here views the action has completed. The passive voice reinforces the fact that the mystery was made known “by revelation” rather than discovered by human ingenuity. Furthermore, the dative pronoun moi shows that Paul was the recipient rather than the originator of the knowledge of the mystery.

Finally, the mystery is not for an elite few to know but rather it is a revealed secret intended for all believing people.

Verse 5 - The institution of the church program was not something understood by OT believers. The reason why the disciples had such a hard time understanding and accepting the cross was they were expecting Jesus the Messiah to set up his kingdom. The church program was a mystery that God revealed to the apostles to show people that God’s program now includes all people.

The idea here is that now Jews and Gentile should unite in this new body the church and Paul tells them why in the next few verses.

THE MINISTRY (vs.7-13)

Paul’s placement in the ministry. (vs.7-8)

According to God’s Grace

It was God’s gift of grace that put Paul into the ministry.

Grace here is a reference not to God’s saving work but to God’s power

According to God’s Power

Paul is only able to minister by God’s Power

“Working” - this is the word that we get our word energy from. It means that God gives us the energy or strength to serve Him. Serving God in our own physical strength leads to exhaustion; Serving God through the Spirit leads to exhilaration.

“Power” - this is the word we get our word dynamite from. It is a reference to God’s explosive ability to do anything. It means that God is so powerful that there is nothing that even makes Him strain; He does everything with ease.

“The least of all the saints” - Paul was never lifted up with pride. Paul never stopped and said, “Look at all I’ve done. God sure has used me!” Paul never took the credit; He always realized that God choice of Him and God’s power on his life was not earned. Also, Paul never saw himself as a leader. He saw himself as a servant. Many people want to say to others, “I’m a leader for God.” God wants us to be known as His servants.

Paul’s performance in the ministry (vs.8-9)

“To Preach To The Gentiles” - Paul was designated the Apostle to the Gentiles. The idea here is that Paul wanted everyone to know that they have been included in God’s plan of salvation.

“To Bring To Light For Everyone The Plan Of The Mystery” - Paul felt indebted to the whole world. He felt a burden for every person to know who God is and what God had done for them.

Paul’s purpose in the ministry (vs.10-12)

“To declare the manifold wisdom of God” (v.10) - Equality between Jews and Gentiles was beyond the comprehension of any human or angelic being. The church was a revolutionary new concept. Through the church, the angelic leaders gain knowledge of the wisdom of God. The formation of the church is tangible evidence of God’s power and wisdom.

“According to the eternal purpose accomplished in Christ” (v.11) - This shows that the church was not God’s “Plan B” when Israel rejected the Messiah. The church was God’s plan all along. This shows God’s sovereignty in creating the church in that nothing can thwart or frustrate God’s overall plan for the ages.

Therefore, the Ephesian believers should not become discouraged or lose heart over Paul’s imprisonment (v.13). Paul’s suffering was for the glory of God and included in the plan of God. Also, God was giving Paul the power needed to live godly and serve God even in the midst of suffering and persecution.

APPLICATION

Why do you serve God? Is it for your glory or God’s glory? In what way do you serve God? Do you serve God by your own human talent or by God’s power? Why do you suppose there is more talent and technology in the church than ever before but fewer results?

Life is never out of control. God’s plan includes our times of suffering and adversity. Things that are impossible for us are not even hard for God.

God’s wisdom is higher than our wisdom. God accomplishes purposes in ways that we will never be able to understand until we get to heaven. For now, it is not for us to always know why, but to take comfort in knowing God has a “why.”

The plan for the church is to show the wisdom of God by believers living as one body together. Are we one body? Do people look at our church and say, “I wonder how they get along so well?” Does our manner of living show that we are of God?

Ephesians 2:11-22

2010-09-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Riches of His Inheritance: Aliens to Fellow-Citizens

Introductory Thoughts

* In v.1-10, Paul presents the idea that we have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. But we have also been reconciled to each other and again, this reconciliation is based on Jesus Christ. This point is supported in that Paul opens this section with the word “therefore,” relating these verses back to the first ten. (“Therefore” - dio, is the strongest inferential participle. Paul uses it to signal to them to stop and think about what has been said.) The common condition of depravity and the common salvation shared in Jesus Christ lead to the common ground that both the Jew and the Gentile now exist on, and therefore unity should exist in inside the context of the local church. The fact that we have been united with God through Christ should produce unity with each other in Christ. It is through Christ that we relate to God; It is through Christ that we relate to each other.

*Ephesians 2:11-22 is what is called is a chiastic structure in greek (See Figure 2.1). A chiastic structure places ideas in a special symmetric order or pattern to emphasize them. For example, suppose that the first topic in a text is labeled by A, the second topic is labeled by B and the third topic is labeled by C. If the topics in the text appear in the order ABC…CBA so that the first concept that comes up is also the last, the second is the second to last, and so on, the text is said to have a chiastic structure. Paul used a chiastic structure when he had something very important to say and he didn’t want the audience to miss the central idea. The central idea here is that we have been reconciled to God AND each other through the cross.

Figure 2.1 - Chiastic Structure of Ephesians 2:11-22

A: (11) Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— (12) remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world

B: (13) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (14) For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility (15a) by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances

C: (15b) that he might create in himself

D: (15c) one new man, so making peace

D: (16a) and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross

C: (16b) thereby killing the hostility in himself

B: (17) And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. (18) For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father

A: (19) So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, (21) in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (22) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

*Icebreaker: On the count of 3, I want everyone to answer the following questions out loud. 1,2,3 - What is your first name?; 1,2,3 - What is your favorite food?; 1,2,3 - What is the first name of your Savior? The first two questions should produce a jumbled response of different answers; The last question should be a unified Jesus. The Point: The connective of Jesus Christ makes us all more alike than we are different. What we have in common is more important than where we are different.

NEW UNION DECLARD (vs.11-13)

Past Disunion (vs.11-12)

Paul wants the Gentiles to “remember” where they came from.

Paul tells them to “remember” their past, before they accepted Christ. Remembering our past is not about boasting of our wickedness; Remembering our past serves to humble us because of what Christ saved us out of and from

The Gentile’s Past - One of Shame and Separation

Uncircumcised - v.11

The term “Uncircumcised” here is a derogatory term in this context.

It carries the idea of contempt and shows the Jews hatred of them.

Unprivileged - v.12

Alienated From the Commonwealth of Israel - They were not initially part of God’s chosen people

Strangers To The Covenants - They were deprived of participation in God’s covenants and spiritual blessings.

Without Hope - They had no expectation of a Messiah

Without God - They had no relationship with God and no idea of the true God

The Jew’s Past - One of Arrogance and Egotism

The Jews considered themselves better than the Gentiles because of their external righteousness.

They had forgotten the grace that God had shown them in choosing them to be His people

Present Union - v.13

The “But Now” here parallels nicely with the “But God” in verse 4.

Those who were “far off” are now brought “near.”

Paul wants both the Gentiles and the Jews to know that God has brought them into a special relationship with Him and each other. This is the love theme of the book. Instead of fighting with each other over which group God loves more, Paul wants them to know that being in Christ defines them now rather than being a Jew or Gentile.

Jesus Christ eliminates all of the differences in status - race, background, education, financial status, etc - to create one group of people whose defining characteristic is that they have been saved by the blood of Jesus.

NEW UNION DESCRIBED (vs.14-18)

*This is the centerpiece of Paul’s argument and the most important section of this discourse. Remember, in the chiastic structure, it is in this section that Paul emphasizes his central point: we are now one body reconciled to God and each other through the cross.

In vs. 13-16, they key thought is enmity and abolishment.

Paul uses a literary tool here called the “far-near schema.”

v.13 (once far off, brought near), v.17 (far off and near), v.19 (strangers to fellow-citizens)

Christ made peace (vs.14-15)

Christ made peace between God and Sinners and between Jews and Gentiles in Christ

“Made Both One” - v.14.

This is not a reference to the church and Israel as though God sees them as one and the same. The church has not and never will replace Israel in God’s program. God has a special program for Israel that will be resumed and accomplished when the Tribulation period starts.

This is a reference to Jewish and Gentile believers being made one in Christ. There is a unity between them now in God’s eyes.

“Broken Down the Middle Wall” - v.14.

This was a carefully chosen phrase by Paul, referring to the 4 ½ foot wall in the temple that kept the Gentiles from proceeding into the Jewish portions in the temple. Paul says that Christ has destroyed this wall of separation and has made “one new man” – v.15

In vs.15-18, the key concept is the word “one.”

One New Man - v.15

One Body - v.16

One Spirit - v.18

NEW UNION DEMONSTRATED (vs.19-22)

Spiritual Family - v.19

We are no longer “strangers” but members of God’s family. Paul uses this term to show the intimacy of relationship believers share with each other.

Growing Temple (vs.20-22)

Built on right doctrine - “apostles and prophets”

Built on Jesus Christ - “the chief cornerstone”

The cornerstone was the most important stone in the whole building. All other stones were to be in line with it. Christ himself is the living cornerstone and the apostles and the prophets who make up the rest of the foundation needed to be correctly aligned with Christ. All succeeding believers are built on that foundation, causing their lives to be measured with Christ.

APPLICATION

Because of our common salvation, the church should dwell together in unity. Nothing screams carnality within a church like division and gossip. Unity means that we have the same passion, focus, and goal. In your mind, what are some things that all Christians have in common? (Salvation, Bible, Heaven,etc.)

There is no place for racism in the Body of Christ. God’s program today includes people of all tribes, tongues, and nationalities. The church should be a place where all people are accepted and included.

We can only have true fellowship with other believers. When we became members of God’s household we became strangers to this world and it’s way of life. We have been saved and we should live like it. There should be a comfort level with the people of God. There should be excitement when we meet for worship. We should enjoy coming to church.

Ephesians 2:1-10

2010-09-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

“Hope of His Calling: Death to Life”

Introductory Thoughts

*Paul now begins to explain the basis of the book which he stated in his prayer (1:18-19). This section is centers around the hope of his calling, that God has called us out of death and into life eternal.

*Before launching in to this section, ask yourself this question: “What is your view of people?” Society tells us that people are getting better and better. We are smarter, healthier, happier, more talented, more successful than ever before. Is this right?

*X-Ray Q: What is the nature of man? Are we inherently good people that are ruined by environment? Are we good people who occasionally make mistakes? Or, are we bad people that occasionally get it right? When we stand before God, what is our hope that we will get into heaven? (Brainstorm the different answers people often say)

*Story: James Cantelon recounts this moving and insightful remembrance of his conversion:

“First impressions are lasting impressions.” So goes the old saying, and I suspect in most cases it is true. My first impression of God is with me to this day. It happened at a musty old church camp in Central Saskatchewan, Canada. I was five years old.

Back in those days we were into tabernacles. Not only were most of our churches called tabernacles, but our camp meeting buildings were also given this Old Testament name for tent. On one especially hot day my parents were in the adult tabernacle and I, with my fellow junior campers, was in the children’s tabernacle. The teacher was taking us through Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. As she taught, something sparked within me. After the lesson the children exploded into the sunshine to play. I lingered. Miss Brown seemed to know why.

“Can I help you, Jimmy?” she asked gently. I nodded dumbly, biting my suddenly trembling lower lip, tears welling in my eyes. “Let’s go into the back room and pray,” she said. I can’t explain what happened….But I will say this: at age five I suddenly felt as though I were the worst sinner who had ever lived. My sense of sin nearly crushed my little heart. The prayer, however, had not ended. It began with remorse, it grew into joy. I felt this newly discovered burden lift from my fragile soul. The presence of God overwhelmed me. Without my looking for him, or asking for him—indeed, without any knowledge of my need of him—God came looking for me, asking for me…a five-year-old kid

*X-Ray Question: Think with me today about your salvation. When you think about it, is your focus on you and your decision or on God’s amazing, overwhelming grace?

If we don’t understand the true measure of our sinfulness, we will never truly understand the scope and spectacular display of God’s grace in saving us. Without this, we will fail to respond with the proper attitude of thankfulness and life of service.

The Indictment of Man (vs.1-3)

*This is a parenthetical section describing the believer’s condition before they experienced God’s power in saving them. The subject and verbs do not occur until vs.4-6.

We were dead - v.1

This describes their spiritual condition not their physical condition

The idea behind dead here is separation. In Luke 15, the prodigal son was considered dead when he was separated from his father and considered alive when he returned home.

Dead people cannot communicate and have no ability to bring life to themselves.

We were not weakened. We were not injured. We were not sickly or languishing. In relation to God and salvation we were dead. Flatlined. Gone. A bunch of corpses. At the same time, we were very much alive with respect to sin and self. We loved darkness, and that love made us enemies of God, and hostile to him. We hated him. Please, don’t flatter yourself by thinking otherwise. Let the plain teaching of Scripture enlighten your understanding. You were not seeking God. You did not discover God. You did not find God. (He was not hiding.) Nor were you neutral toward God. You were actively and arrogantly hostile and opposed—you hated God as your enemy.

It is only when we understand how desperate our condition is will we appreciate how divine our salvation is.

We were disobedient - v.2

“Walked” - means lived or had our lifestyle in

Our entire way of life was direct disobedience to God

We are not good people that occasionally mess up; We are sinful people that occasionally get it right by God’s grace

X-Ray Q: These words are all past tense. This should be past tense in our lives. If we are still living in blatant disobedience, if our lives look just like everybody else’s, we are living like we are not saved! Where has God’s grace changed you?

We were destined for wrath

“Children of Wrath” is a genitive of direction or purpose, meaning that we were children destined for wrath

“God owes sinners no mercy of any kind, only condemnation; so it is a wonder, and matter for endless praise, that he should choose to save any of us; and doubly so when his choice involved the giving of his own Son" - J.I. Packer

The Intervention of God (vs.4-10)

NOTE: “But God” – v.4 is the hinge that this entire passage turns on. The condition of men in sin is not hopeless or terminal because God has come to the rescue of all men through His provision in Jesus Christ.

Motivation of God - v.4

God was motivated by his mercy not our merits.

Illustration: (If a plastic surgeon called you, offering you free cosmetic surgery, so he that he could use you for advertising,you should feel grateful not proud. He did not choose you because you were so attractive, but because you were so ugly, and could demonstrate the marvelous skills he has as a plastic surgeon. So it is w/God’s grace.)

The motivation of God should promote humility, not raise our self-esteem!

God was motivated by his love and not by our need

God’s love is not a response but a cause. God’s love is not prompted by our potential or by any qualities we think we possess, but by our own condition. Divine grace was not given to us because we are so worthy or because God found anything good in us but because God is good himself.

God’s blessings come to us not because we are good but because He is good!

We we are now in Christ (vs.5-7)

We are delivered

From Death to Life – “quickened us together with Christ”

From a place of Bondage to a place of Freedom - v.6

Although we were formerly enslaved to our own passions, to the world, and to Satan, in Christ we are seated in heavenly places, now free from all heavenly and earthly powers that oppose God, and have become enslaved to him who by love delivered us from our bondage to sin and death

From wrath to kindness - v.7

The purpose of God (vs.8-10)

To show His Greatness and Glory in our Salvation (v.8-9)

We are saved by Grace - favor that God gives us that we did not deserve

Salvation is the gif of God and not the work of man - v.8

Question: What is the “it” or “gift of God” in v.8?

3 Options:

Grace

Faith

Salvation

“It” is neuter in greek while grace and faith are both feminine in gender, making it unlikely and incorrect that “it” would apply to either grace or faith individually.

Therefore it is best understood that “it” or the “gift of God” refers to the all of salvation.

From wrath to kindness - v.7

To show His Greatness and Glory in our Good Works (v.10)

Our good works are simply the outworking of God working in us

Salvation is the gif of God and not the work of man - v.8

“Workmanship” means masterpiece - The genius of God’s grace is brilliantly displayed in a changed life

Ephesians 1:15-23

2010-09-17T06:38:00.001-07:00

Introductory Thoughts

*Having completed his anthem of praise to God, Paul now prays for the Ephesian believers. Paul’s desire is for the Ephesian believers to deepen their relationship with the God who has enriched them with every spiritual blessing and to experience those blessings in a deeper way.

*X-Ray Question: As you look at this prayer think of your own prayer life. How do the prayers we pray compare to this prayer of Paul’s?

3 Purposes of Ephesians

*In this prayer, Paul reveals the 3 purposes for which the rest of the book revolve around:

1. The Hope of His Calling

2. The Riches of His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints

3. The Immeasurable Greatness of His Power

*Paul will explain these three purposes throughout Ch’s 2-3 and apply them in Ch’s 4-6 (See Figure 1). Understanding this structure gives cohesion and unity to the Book of Ephesians.

Figure 1: Explanation and Application of Paul’s Purposes in Ephesians

2:1-10 Hope of His Calling: Death to Life

2:11-22 Riches of His Inheritance in the Saints: aliens to fellow citizens

3:1-21 Greatness of His Power

4:1-6:22 Application of God’s eternal plan and purpose

4:1-24 Hope of His Calling: Walk Worthy

4:25-5:16 Riches of His Inheritance: Walk as Dear Children

5:17-6:22 Greatness of His Power: Submitting to the Spirit in life’s daily activities and using this power against the devil

The Reason for Paul’s Prayer: “For this reason” - v.15

The foundation for Paul’s prayer is vs.3-14

Paul thanks God for the blessings in the believer’s lives

“Apart from God’s transforming work, these people would have never been converted. Without God, they would have never begun to display the trust, faithfulness, and love now richly displayed in their lives. Therefore, whatever Christian virtues characterize them become the occasion for heartfelt praise to God.” - D.A. Carson

Look at what excites Paul about the church - people’s lives changing, people loving one another, spiritual growth

X-Ray Q: Do we pray like Paul did?

X-Ray Q: Do we get excited about the same things Paul did when it comes to church?

“Your Love To All The Saints” - v.15

All - not some. Some people are easy to love because they are nice to us or we have a common interest. Paul

However, as Christians, we are called to love all the members of the body of Christ.

This means loving those people that are not easy to love. Loving people that are different from us. Loving people that have sinned against us. It’s easy to say, “Our church loves people” in a general sense. But do we love people specifically? Do we love people tangibly?

X-Ray Q: Is there someone here at church you’re harboring grudges against?

X-Ray Q: What are some ways we can show love to people as a church?

“A spirit of wisdom and revelation” - v.17

Is this a reference to the Holy Spirit or our Human Spirit? - It is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Wisdom and Revelation here are attributive genitives (it could be translated “a wise and revealing Spirit). Only the Holy Spirit can reveal God to man.

“Know” - The word for “know” here means to know experientially. The apostle is praying in light of his desire to help people understand how much God loves them that God would give them discernment so that they could know God by way of personal experience. Not as fact, not know about God, but know Him

The Priority: We need to know God better than we know anything

“Clearly a lot of things are important. I would not want to say anything negative of evangelism and worship, to diminish the importance of purity and integrity, a carelessness about Bible Study. ... The one thing we need in Western Christendom is a deeper knowledge of God. We need to know God better.” D.A. Carson

X-Ray Q: How well do we know God? Do we know as much about God as we do our golf swing or car? Do we spend time with God on a regular basis? Is God a distant entity or a real person in your life?

X-Ray Q: How can we know God better?

The Requests of Paul’s Prayer - The 3 What’s

Hope of His Calling

This is NOT a reference to some specialized calling or vocational calling to ministry.

This is a reference to the call of salvation that every Christian has received

Hope - not a wishful thinking, “I hope that happens,” but a sure belief that what God has promised will happen

A sure hope in God that has saved us and planned out our lives is what we will need to live the Christian life. Otherwise, we would just give up.

X-Ray Q: What is your hope in? Is it in money and power? Is it in your own abilities? Is it in a spouse? All of these things, though valuable, will fail you at some point. Only a hope in God is never disappointed.

Riches of His Inheritance in the Saints

2 interpretive options here: the believer’s inheritance from God at the end of life or that we are God’s inheritance.

It is my belief that this means that we are God’s inheritance. Because of his choosing, redeeming, adopting, we are his possession. He will fully gain his inheritance when the saints are removed from this earth and come into his presence.

This speaks of our value to God. We are his purchased treasure! And, what a price He paid for us!

Paul wanted them to know God more intimately so that they would know that they are valued by God.

X-Ray Q: What do you base your worth on? Does net worth equal self-worth? Knowing that we are God’s inheritance, does this fact motivate us to serve Him more? How should we live in response to being God’s inheritance?

Immeasurable Greatness of His Power Toward Us Who Believe

Hope of his calling dealt with the past; Inheritance among the saints deals with the future; Greatness of His power deals with what we need right now

4 different words for power in this verse:

“Greatness of His power” - We get our word dynamite from this word. It is a reference to God’s explosive ability to do anything. It means that God is so powerful that there is nothing that even makes Him strain; He does everything with ease.

“Working” - We get our word energy from this word. It is a reference to how God’s power energizes us so that we can live godly lives in this present world. We can only live the Christian life by God’s power. We could not save ourselves; We cannot change ourselves.

“Mighty Power” - Both words here mean might or strength. These carry a military or ruling connotation and show that nothing /no one can oppose God and win.

In case we didn’t get it, Paul gives us the greatest example he can think of: Raising Jesus from the dead. If God could raise Jesus from the dead, He can do anything! By application, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now available to us and active in us so that we can overcome everything that opposes us in this life!

X-Ray Q: Where do you feel defeated? Are there sins in your life that you feel you cannot quit? Do you say, “This is just how I am?” You can quit. You can have victory over sin through God’s power!

X-Ray Q: Are you serving in God in His power or by your strength? There is a lot that goes on in church by human talent, human wisdom, and human creativity. But it is only when we serve and worship in the power of God can we see victory and growth.

Ephesians 1:3-14

2010-09-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

EPHESIANS 1: IN CHRIST

Introductory Thoughts

*Ephesians 1:3-14 is one long sentence in Greek. It is a passionate hymn of praise where the Apostle’s hand can barely keep up with his thoughts. This is a beautiful section of Scripture.

*This section of Ephesians reveals the Trinitarian structure of Paul’s thinking perhaps more than any other passage.

1. God the Father arranging our salvation (vs.3-6)

2. God the Son achieving our salvation (vs.7-12)

3. God the Spirit applying our salvation to individuals (vs.13-14)

It is important to note the Paul is not implying that the divine members of the Trinity are working in isolation to one another. Quite the contrary, Paul views the Trinity working together in unison to accomplish the redemption of man.

Identity Statement 1: Blessed with all spiritual blessings – v.3

God is the source of our blessings.

The blessings are spiritual, not material. This does not cheapen or trivialize what God has given us. We have real spiritual blessings that cannot be taken away from us or ruined.

X-Ray Q: Where do you see yourself as deprived?

X-Ray Q: Do these blessings keep satisfy your heart enough to keep you from loving the world?

X-Ray Q: Where do you see God as unfair or stingy?

The key to praise and gratitude: Seeing myself as blessed and not as needy

Identity Statement 2: Chosen – v.3

Chosen (Eklegomai) - to choose for oneself, to choose out of all known options

God is the subject and active in choosing. God chose you to belong to himself. God chose you as a first option, not a last resort.

Chosen is the middle voice, meaning God chose you with love or personal interest. Not a casual or reluctant choice.

Illustration: Do you remember when you were a kid on the playground and they were picking up sides? And for some of you, it was great and you were real athletic and real outgoing and you got picked 1 or 2? I’m not talking to you. I’m talking about if you, when you were a little kid, were a little overweight or a little bit slow or you weren’t in the “in group” and they were choosing sides, and you could feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, and you knew at the end, you were gonna be one of the last person picked or you weren’t even gonna get to play. Do you remember that feeling? You know what God is saying here? Totally apart from your performance, “Before the foundation of the earth, I chose you to be on My side. I love you. I chose you”

Chosen in Christ - God chose you at the sacrifice of His Son.

Chosen to be holy & blameless - God sees you as forgiven!

X-Ray Q: Why do you feel as though God has forgotten about you or rejected you?

Identity Statement 3: Accepted - vs.5-6

We are only accepted before God in Christ

The Gospel is better than unconditional love

God does not just accept us “as we are”

As we are – we are the enemies of God

As we are - we are unclean, undone, unworthy

God accepts us as we are in Christ

Christ’s holiness outweighs our sinfulness

Christ’s perfection overcomes our mistakes

X-Ray Q: Where in your life do you try to earn God’s approval?

Identity Statement 4: Redeemed – v.7

Redeem - to buy back or purchase

“It presupposes some kind of bondage or captivity, circumstances that afflict us but from which we were not able to free ourselves. In ancient warfare, when someone of great wealth was captured, he was not enslaved but redeemed, that is, set free after a ransom was paid. Redemption takes us from slavery to freedom, from affliction to salvation” (Chosen In Christ, Richard Phillips, p.86)

Price of our Redemption - The Blood of Jesus

Purpose of our Redemption - Forgiveness of Sins

X-Ray Q: What sins have control over you? Who is your master? If you are saved, we now have a choice to obey or disobey.

Identity Statement 5: Sealed – v.13

Sealed by the Spirit - means we belong to God

Our lives are testaments of His grace and power

Being sealed gives us the assurance of our salvation. That if God has given us His Spirit, He will also follow through with the rest of the promised inheritance

X-Ray Q: Where are you trying to serve God in your own strength rather than through His Spirit?

Ephesians: The Introduction

2010-09-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

EPHESIANS – IN CHRIST

AUTHOR OF THE BOOK: Paul

THEME OF THE BOOK: Christian Unity based on being “In Christ”. This phrase or

thought appears 39 times in the book.

PURPOSE OF THE BOOK: The converted Jews in the early churches were inclined to

be exclusive, and to separate themselves from their Gentile

brethren. This condition of affairs in the church at Ephesus

may have led to the writing of the epistle. However, this

letter is a circular letter, not just meant for the church at

Ephesus but all the churches in Asia also.

KEY VERSE: 4:1 – I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you

that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye

are called,

DIVISION OF THE BOOK: CH 1 – 3: Unity of the Church Positionally

CH 4 – 6: Unity of the Church Practically

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK:

I. Salutation (1:1-2)

II. The Unity of the Church Positionally (1:3–3:21)

A. Theological Preface: Why God is Blessed and Should be Praised (1:3-14)

1. The Father Elected Believers in Eternity Past (1:3-6)

2. The Son Redeemed Believers in the Historical Past (1:7-12)

3. The Spirit Sealed Believers in their Personal Past (1:13-14)

B. Prayer for Wisdom and Revelation: To Understand the Church’s Positional Unity (1:15-23)

1. The Content of the Prayer (1:15-19)

2. The Immensity of God’s Resources (1:20-23)

C. Vertical (Man to God) and Individual Reconciliation (2:1-10)

1. The Individual Believer’s Past State (2:1-3)

2. The Individual Believer’s Present State (2:4-10)

D. Horizontal (Jew to Gentile) and Corporate Reconciliation (2:11-22)

1. The Gentiles’ Past State: Isolation (2:11-13)

2. The Gentile Believers’ Present State: Incorporation into a New Spiritual Community (2:14-22)

a. The Peace which Christ Accomplished in His Death (2:14-18)

b. The Foundation which Christ Laid through His Apostles (2:19-22)

E. Paul’s Relation to the Mystery of this New Spiritual Community (3:1-13)

1. The Content of the Mystery Revealed to Paul (3:1-7)

2. The Wisdom of the Mystery Revealed to Angelic Beings (3:8-13)

F. Prayer for Love: To Maintain the Church’s Practical Unity (3:14-21)

1. The Content of the Prayer (3:14-19)

2. The Immensity of God’s Resources (3:20-21)

III. The Unity of the Church Practically (4:1–6:20)

A. Maintaining Unity through Diversity (4:1-16)

1. Maintaining the Unity (4:1-6)

2. The Diversity of Spiritual Gifts in Contributing toward Unity (4:7-16)

B. Morality and Members of Each Other (4:17-32)

1. Morality and the Former Lifestyle (4:17-24)

a. Negative Example: Pagans (4:17-19)

b. Positive Basis: Death of the “Old Man” (4:20-24)

2. Morality and the Present Life in Christ (4:25-32)

C. The Believer’s Relation to Unbelievers (5:1-14)

1. Do Not Conform to their Sinfulness (5:1-7)

2. Confront them with the Gospel (5:8-14)

D. The Believer’s Relation to the Spirit (5:15-6:9)

1. The Admonition for Spirit-Filling (5:15-21)

2. The Test of Spirit-Filling: The Believer’s Relation to the Extended Family (5:22–6:9)

a. Wives and Husbands (5:22-33)

b. Children and Parents (6:1-4)

c. Slaves and Masters (6:5-9)

F. The Believer’s Present Relation to Satan: Spiritual Warfare (6:10-20)

IV. Final Greetings (6:21-24)

A. The Commendation of Tychicus (6:21-22)

B. The Benediction (6:23-24)

10 Ways To Sink Your Sermon Series

2010-08-31T11:21:00.000-07:00

I’m always looking for ways to improve my preaching, be it in preparation, content, or presentation. Tony Morgan recently wrote an article about effective sermon series’ and considering that most of my sermons are presented in a “series” format the article peaked my interest, and so I thought that I would share it, and along the way I’ve added some of my own comments. (in italics)
Scoping out what other churches across the country are doing to help people meet Jesus and take steps in their faith is one of my favorite things to do. By doing this over the past several years, I’ve learned that many churches use sermon series to both hone a teaching’s focus, and encourage people to invite their friends, not just for one week but perhaps four or six. I’ve also noticed, however, that some churches implement sermon series much more effectively than others. And, some series inherently engage the unchurched better than others.
Ironically, I’ve learned how to do it right from the churches who are doing it wrong. To present an effective evangelistic sermon series at your church, avoid making 10 crucial mistakes I’ve seen repeatedly at churches across the country.

Address questions that no one is asking. Typically, we have people’s attention for just 30 to 45 minutes each week. Weigh what you really want people to know, and respond to the questions people are asking. But this requires first knowing the questions they’re asking. For example, How do I raise my kids? How can I save my marriage? What am I supposed to do with my life?

Schedule your series to last more than six weeks. A series will probably lose momentum after six weeks. People consider a new series as an opportunity to invite their friends, but the longer the series drags on, the less likely those they invite will come.

Pack your church calendar so full that inviting friends to worship isn’t a priority. The more activities and ministries you provide, not to mention meetings you schedule, the less you’ll focus on your weekend services. Ask yourself: What is our primary way for reaching people who don’t attend church? If the answer is your weekend service, focus on making that effective by doing less of something else.

Teach too much in each message. Too many points can confuse not only your listeners, but you as well. Pick one point and stick to it. And remember … brevity is your friend.

Teach the truth without life application. For the most part, people don’t need more knowledge, but rather to learn how to put their existing knowledge into action. They know Jesus died for them, but what does this mean for them when their alarm goes off on Monday morning

Assume the message stands alone. The artistic and worship elements that surround the message need to prepare people’s hearts and minds for God’s Word. People must hear the message, but they also need to experience it with their emotions.

Don’t tease the coming series with appropriate promotions. Launching a series without letting people know its coming does no good. How will your members invite people ahead of time? Promote what you’ll be talking about and why they should care enough to attend.

Don’t creatively connect biblical truth with the spiritual conversations in our culture. The Bible has a lot to say on hot topics in today’s culture. And when culture lobs us a softball and opens up a spiritual dialogue, we should be ready to swing the bat. A recent example is The Da Vinci Code movie. Whether or not people saw the film, the authenticity of the Bible was publicly called into question. Were you there to help answer these questions?

Make sure your series only connects with people who already attend your church. Want to ignore the unchurched in your community? A sure-fire way to do this is to preach a series that assumes your listeners are already Christians. Eventually, churches will die when they stop focusing on people outside the congregation.
(Churches should always have an outward focus, driven by “personal evangelism,” and the Sunday message should be applicable to non-believers as well as believers, with an appropriate invitation to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. That being said, we must never forget the fact that Sunday morning isn’t the time to focus on evangelism, it’s the time specifically set aside for the edification of the believer. Should we be “seeker sensitive” in our Sunday morning service? “Yes.” Should our service be “seeker focused?” NO!)

Don’t sweat the details. A good series involves more than just developing a message. When a team of experts comes together to plan out the messages—the art elements, the promotions and the rest of the service experience—there’s a much better chance the series will succeed in both offering biblical truth and reaching more people for Christ.

Ethan is here!!!

2010-06-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Full pics and video can be found at gallery.me.com/jsmith2308

Profile of an Onfire Christian

2010-06-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

The first step to keep my faith white hot is to take personal responsibility for my spiritual journey. Over the years, I’ve found myself giving excuses as to why I am not fired up spiritually. I’ve blamed churches, other people, my circumstances and even God for my lack of spiritual growth. I say things like “If ______ would happen or if this person would do ________, then I would be fired up!” But I was wrong. Change doesn’t come from the outside in, but from the inside out. Personally, I have found I need to do what David did in 1 Samuel 30:6 ” David strengthened himself with trust in his God.” He went to God and took responsibility for his spiritual life.

Here’s four categories and questions I weekly ask myself:

1. QUIET: When did you hang out with Jesus this week?

2. NOISE: What did I specifically praise Jesus for this week?

3. JOURNEY: Who in Christian community was I authentic with this week?

4. SERVE: Who did I love and reach out to this week?

Why We Fight - James 4

2010-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

WHY WE FIGHT WITH THOSE WE LOVE

JAMES 4:1-6

Why do we fight with those we love? Ever tried to answer that question? Every relationship is filled with the best of intentions.

How did the person of my affection turn so quickly into the object of my anger? What set in motion this vicious cycle of accusation, guilt manipulation, and self-righteousness? The problem here is not just a communication technique. I have no trouble making myself heard or advancing my point! Why do we fight with those we love?

ROOT AND FRUIT

A. Luke 6:43-45 - No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

B. There is an organic connection between the root and the fruit it produces. The same is true with our actions/words. Jesus’ brilliant metaphor reveal that my actions/words are controlled by the thoughts and motives of my heart.

C. It is very tempting to just blame others

1. “He pushes my buttons”; “She makes me so angry”

2. “With 2 kids both talking at once, a soft answer just doesn’t work!”

3. People/circumstances don’t cause our actions/words; they are just occasions for our hearts to express itself

D. Illustration: Sue & Jim

* They glared at angry at each other in my office. Once again a simple recap of the week had turned into verbal combat with a full volley of accusations. Did they have serious communication problems? - Yes! But their inability to have a sane, loving, controlled conversation vividly revealed the root of their problem. I vividly recall the day when Sue said to Jim, “For years I’ve blamed you for your inability to talk. I’ve complained to my friends how hard you are. But God has shown me this week that I have been bitter against you for years. I have kept a record of wrongs. It hit me today that as long as I continue to hate you in my heart, I will not love you with my mouth. This God-given insight lead Jim to confess similar sins of his own. They laid a foundation for lasting change in their communication. Paul Tripp

RULING DESIRES

*The root cause of interpersonal conflict is self-gratification. The philosophers call it hedonism: one who lives for personal pleasure. It's the me-first mindset.

*According to James, what I speak/do is directly related to what I want. Fights are caused by desires battling within our hearts.

DESIRE - “I WANT”

*Notice that James does not say that these desires are evil. They are desires that are perfectly good, until they take control! My desire to spend time with my wife was perfectly good, until it took control of my heart!

*Our desires control how we respond to others around us: If you help me get it, I will enjoy and appreciate you! If you stand in my way, you will suffer my wrath, and I will fight you for it!

DEMAND - “I MUST”

*Our desires deceive us because they present themselves to us as plausible. The things we desire are great as blessings from God, but terrible as rulers.

*As the desire becomes a demand, it replaces God as the Lord of our lives. The Bible now calls this an idol.

*The demand is normally expressed as a need - “I need sex. I need love. I need ...”

EXPECTATION - “YOU SHOULD”

I expect _________ to happen and I expect you to give it to me

It is at this point that we feel deprived, slighted, unappreciated

DISAPPOINTMENT - “YOU DIDN’T”

*No one person will always be able to satisfy us at all times. Every person falls short. What will you do with your disappointment?

*We must examine our expectations here. Are they realistic? Are they godly?

*We must examine where we are seeking happiness and pleasure? People or God?

PUNISHMENT - “BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T, I WILL ...”

*We retaliate and respond, we lash out

*Who/What was once the focus of our affection now becomes the object of our anger

“YOU ADULTEROUS PEOPLE”

*James is not changing the subject

*Adultery takes place when I give the love I have promised one person to someone else. Spiritual adultery is what happens when I give the love I have promised God to something/someone else

*Human conflict is rooted in spiritual adultery!

“SUBMIT YOURSELVES TO GOD”

*This is the hope of the gospel. God gives us a new heart that is no longer enslaved to the passions and desires of the sinful nature.

*We must renounce the idols that have ruled our hearts

“CLEANSE YOUR HANDS”

*This deals with our behavior

*What we say, how we say it, and why we say things must change

“PURIFY YOUR HEARTS”

*We must deal with our motives and thoughts.

*2 drawers: “Love for God” and “Love for others”

*If we do not deal with what we really love, with what really rules our hearts, we will never be able to speak to one another in the way God has called us too

*Have hope: As God reveals sin, he also gives grace

APPLICATION:

If I want my way and the other person wants their way, then it leads to conflict. And like toddlers grabbing at a cookie, rarely does anyone yield. Take a moment to see if there are any areas you need to shore up.

*What are the hidden agendas you haven't surrendered to God?

*Are you fighting against Satan or letting him win the temptation battle? Have you drawn near to God lately?

*Is there a need to repent?

Profile of a Lukewarm Christian

2010-06-11T21:44:00.000-07:00

LKWM People attend church regularly. It is expected of them. It’s what “good Christians” do.

LKWM People choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They want to fit in both at church and outside the church. They live more for the opinion of others than God.

LKWM People don’t really want to be saved from their sins; they want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t truly sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them. They don’t really believe that this life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

LKWM People are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ; yet they do not act.

LKWM People love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to say they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion is for radicals.

LKWM People think about life one earth much more often than eternity in heaven.

PainKiller - Overcoming the Pain of Shattered Dreams

2010-03-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 1:15-23

What do you dream of? Close your eyes and picture it. Maybe it is a dream of having a perfect family. Maybe it is the dream of going off to college. Maybe it is the dream of marrying “Ms. Perfrect” or “Mr. Right” having candlelight dinners and long walks and romance. Maybe its the dream of the perfect family with kids and a house. Picture your dream. See yourself living it. Now ... what if it doesn’t happen? What if God doesn’t give it to you? Would you still worship and follow God?

Most people go through life thinking that eventually God is going to give them everything that they want. However, just because God can, doesn’t mean that God will. That God is this magic genie in a bottle that will ultimately deliver happiness. But what if instead of God giving you your dream for your life, God asks you to dream His dream for your life?

Life isn’t fair, we know that, but it doesn’t always make us feel different. How do we move through and overcome the pain of shattered dreams?

Responding to Shattered Dreams:

*We need to face our shattered dreams

*We need to understand our shattered dreams

- Dreams are built upon expectations

- Dreams come from 3 universal longs:

.To be intimately known and loved - “I’ll be happy when I meet so-so”, “Good things happen to good people”

.For a better tomorrow

.To leave a legacy

I’m gonna give you three things out of Ephesians 1:15-23 that God promises and what He’s gonna promise is – you know, those deep longings? The core to fulfill dreams is getting those deep, God-given longings fulfilled. You’re gonna learn that God wants you to be accepted. He’s already accepted you in Christ.

He wants to have an intimate relationship with you. You’re gonna learn that he wants to give you – if you don’t have it – a hope that will never disappoint you, and he wants you to know that he will give you supernatural power available to you, to every person who’s ever trusted Christ that gives you the power to leave a legacy. You can mark your world ‘cause you don’t have to depend on your resources. You’ve got more than you can imagine. Let’s walk through the text.

Shattered Dreams Lead To Transformed Lives Because ...

God wants to fulfill your dream of being intimately known and loved just for who you are (v.15-17)

A. He’s asking, “God, will You give them a spirit to be able to discern and will You give them a spirit that will uncover the truth? Will You help them understand with spiritual eyes what they already have in Christ?”

B. “I ask God” – get this – “to help you in your mind’s eye and in your heart and in your spirit to uncover those rich truths that are theologically true and already accurate in space, time about you.” He prays, “Father, will You make true in them what is already true of them?” That’s what he’s really praying. He says, “It’s true. I’m praying they could really have discernment and an uncovering of the truth so that you may know Him.”

C. The word for “know” here means to know experientially. The apostle is praying in light of his desire to help people understand how much God loves them that God would give this discernment and uncovering of the truth in your spiritual life with Christ so that you could know God by way of personal experience. Not as fact, not know about God, but know Him.

D. How? - Ask God to reveal himself to you! (Word, Church, Counsel)

God wants to fulfill your dream of having a better tomorrow (v. 18)

A. He says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart” – It’s what’s in grammar called the perfect tense. Literally what he’s saying is, “I also pray having the eyes of your heart enlightened” – it’s already happened. Perfect tense happened in the past, but this is an interesting tense that means and continues on into the present continuously. “I’ll pray for you,” Paul says, “before God that since your – the eyes of your heart have been enlightened, the Spirit of God has come in.” You now can see not just through natural eyes but through spiritual eyes. You’ve been sealed with the spirit.

B. Know the hope of your calling

The word calling was used in Verse 4. He wants you to know the hope and the certainty that came when God chose you. Now when we say hope in English we use it in an interesting way. “I hope it doesn’t rain.”“I hope she likes me. I hope I get a new job.” You know what that’s called? A wish The Bible never uses the word that way. A hope in the Bible is God has promised something on the basis of his character and his word and you believe it and so you hope it knowing it’s a certainty. God wants you to know – you want a bright tomorrow for sure? Got wants you to know the hope of your calling. He chose you. He’s accepted you. You belong to Him.

C. Riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints

He wants you to know your wealth. He’s literally taking that list of spiritual blessings and He’s praying over and over that what is already true in you will be true of you. It means you’re free. You don’t have to respond to everybody’s little rejection. It means that no boss, no employer, no wayward child, no disgruntled mate, no personal friend or business partner who’s betrayed you has the power to say, “I say this is your value and if you don’t measure up, you’re a bad person.” And it also means you can get out of all the games of trying to dress, look, appear, and perform to get their approval ‘cause you got it. He’s saying you’re wealthy Those 18 inches from the head to the heart can be a long journey. You have to intentionally choose to see yourself as God sees you and think about yourself as God thinks! How? - Ask God to give you an eternal perspective!

God wants to fulfill your dream of “leaving a legacy” in this world (vs.19-23)

God wants you to have an impact. You were saved to serve not sit!

Power - means dynamite, same unstoppable force that raised Jesus from the dead

Working - energy, operational power

Might - it means the use of bodily strength and muscular force that is vital and alive

Strength - power to overcome resistance

How? - Ask God to help you use the supernatural power available to you today

PainKiller - Overcoming the Pain of Rejection

2010-03-04T12:21:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 1:7-14

ME: I remember when a buddy of mine, Michael, liked this girl name Kelly Ratcliff. We went to sooooo many basketball games that our school wasn't even playing in just so he, I mean we, could see her. And the funny thing is, he would never even talk to her. So finally he decided to talk to her, AFTER we told him that we weren't going to anymore Bellevue basketball games. Let' s just say it didn't go so well. Rejection: we have all felt it at some point.

YOU: So, how about you? Remember – remember a time growing up when you didn’t measure up? Remember how you felt?

Maybe it was when a boy/girl you really liked broke up with you and started dating someone else - “What do they have that I don’t?”

Maybe it was when your “best friends” told everyone in school your personal secrets

Maybe it was when a parents got divorced and now they never come around - “Why don’t they want me?”

Defining Rejection:

Websters - To throw out as worthless, useless, substandard; it’s to pass over or skip

To rebuff, especially to deny acceptance, care or love to someone

TWO TYPES OF REJECTION

Overt - willful, intentional rejection

*Examples:

“I wish I never had you”

“Go away, I”m busy”

“I don’t like you”

Covert - unintentional rejection that is emotionally perceived but not intellectually comprehended

*Examples:

Overprotection - by doing so much they communicate you can’t do anything

Spoiling - making all the decisions for them by giving them everything they want, communicating you’re hopeless

Performance-Based love - constantly raising the bar

GOD’S SOLUTION FOR OUR REJECTION

No Matter How Rejected You Have Been ...

JESUS WILL PUT YOUR PAST BEHIND YOU (v.7-8a)

A. You have been Redeemed

B. Meaning: Delivered, To buy back

C. Price of Our Forgiveness: Through His Blood

How do you determine the worth of something? - The price somebody is willing to pay for it

God paid the highest price for us

Salvation is free to us but it cost God everything He had

D. Purpose of Our Forgiveness: Forgiveness of Sins

Forgiveness: to loose or release from slavery

We have been forgiven of ALL sin

If God has forgiven us, who are we to hold sin against ourselves?

Where do you see yourself as guilty and not forgiven?

E. New Message: You Are Free!

JESUS HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE (v.8b-10)

A. Rejection teaches us that, “God can’t use me”; “I don’t really have any purpose in being here”. That’s a lie

B. “Wisdom & Insight” - God knows everything about life and everything about you

C. “A Plan For The Fullness of Time” - God has a plan that includes you and your life.

D. New Message: You Are Needed!

JESUS PROMISES YOU A POSITIVE FUTURE (v.11-14)

A. “Obtained an Inheritance” - More accurately rendered means, “We are God’s inheritance.” God has marked you as valuable.

B. “Works ALL THINGS After the Counsel of His Own Will” - There are no accidents in God’s plan. There is nothing that puts you on Plan B, C, D, Z.

C. Guarantee - God is not going to take it back; Some aren’t going to get it while others don’t. God has given His Spirit to live inside of you as a down payment that everything He has promised you is going to happen!

D. New Message: You Are Valuable!

PainKiller - Overcoming the Pain of a Warped Self-Image

2010-02-28T20:47:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 1:1-6

The Power of Mirrors:

Mirrors are powerful tools. It’s through mirrors that we see what we’re like, but not just physical mirrors, but the mirrors that we pick up from other people. The mirrors that, when we’re little kids, an expression on a mom or dad’s face; the way a coach talks to us when we come in or out of a game; something that a friend says when we come to school wearing something we think is really cool. . . only to find out it’s really not.

Margaret’s Story:

A young woman named Margaret spent decades battling depression and anxiety that were traced back to a horrible day in school when a teacher, frustrated with her tardiness, made her stand in front of the room and invited all the students to come up to the board and write something bad about her on the chalkboard. The kids were ruthless. They wrote things like “Margaret is ugly!” “Margaret smells,” and “Margaret is stupid.” All twenty-five students went up to the board and wrote these hurtful things. This event inflicted wounds that Margaret found difficult to heal. She battled depression, discouragement, and constant anger. Finally she went to a psychologist for help. She spent two years meeting weekly with the counselor, but finally they reached the end of their sessions.

The counselor said, “Margaret, I know this will be difficult, but just to make sure you’re ready to move on, I am going to ask you to do something. I want to go back to your schoolroom and detail the events of that day. Take your time. Describe each of the children as they approach the blackboard, remember what they wrote and how you felt–do this for all twenty-five students.

In a way, this would be easy for Margaret. For forty years she had remembered every detail. And yet, to go through the nightmare one more time would take every bit of strength she had. After a long silence, she began the painful description. One by one, she described each of the students vividly, as though she had just seen them, stopping periodically to regain her composure, forcing herself to face each of those students one more time.

Finally she was done, and the tears would not stop, could not stop. Margaret cried a long time before she realized someone was whispering her name. “Margaret, Margaret, Margaret.” She looked up to see her counselor staring into her eyes, saying her name over and over again. Margaret stopped crying for moment.
“Margaret, you left out one person.”
“I certainly did not! I have lived with this story for forty years. I know every student by heart.”
“No, Margaret, you did forget someone. See, he’s sitting in the back of the classroom. He’s standing up, walking toward your teacher, Ms. Garner. She is handing him a piece of chalk and he’s taking it. Margaret, he’s taking it! Now he’s walking over to the blackboard and picking up an eraser. He is erasing every one of the sentences the students wrote. They are gone! Margaret, they are gone! Do you recognize him yet? Yes, his name is Jesus. Look, he’s writing new sentences on the board. ‘Margaret is loved. Margaret is beautiful. Margaret is gentle and kind. Margaret is strong. Margaret has great courage.’” She allowed Jesus to rewrite her story.

HOW IS OUR SELF-IMAGE DEVELOPED?

Early Influences: Parents, Friends, Conscience - First and early is the mirrors of your parents; and then, as you get a little bit older, you have the mirrors of your peers; and then, as you grow up and even now, there are authority figures and role models that they tell you, “This is accurate or this is true and this is who you are in comparison to them”; and then we have the overwhelming mirror of the media that bombards you with, “You need to look a certain way, you need to act a certain way. You have value if you have this; you don’t have value if you don’t have this.” There’s your conscience, which constantly is being trained and developed to say, “This is right, this is wrong” and depending on how it’s trained and your behavior, it constantly sends you messages, “You’re a bad person. You’re a bad person. Oh, no, you’re a good person. You’re a bad person and then you think ‘What am I’?

Culture & Media influences us to believe that are self-image revolves around 3 things: That your value as a person first, is based on your appearance; it’s everywhere. How you look really matters and it’s a multi, multi, multi-billion dollar industry. When you think of makeup to clothes to surgery to all the rest, how you look, we’re fixated on it. Second, we learn we’re okay or not okay by what we do - your performance. If you’re good at music, if you’re good at sports, if you’re good at something, you better be good at something or you’re not worth anything. And third is your status. You need to know someone and you need to come from some circle or be in some group that has prestige and power. And your self image and my self image has largely been developed by either believing or not believing that my appearance is okay, my performance is okay and my status is okay.

*Everyone tells us that we should live and look like the 1 % of the population that lives in Southern California. They are so rich, so good looking, so famous, that the most productive thing a great majority of them can do is stick white powder up their nose. The suicide rate among movie stars, the divorce rate, the abuse rate, is – they’re not happy. In fact, the impact of this preoccupation with performance, appearance, and status – it produces in people like us insecurity and inferiority. It produces a performance orientation where you say, “I’m gonna try and be like them or for others, they pick up a Forbes and see zeros and numbers and say, “I’m gonna be like them.” Or, if you’re not the driven type personality, it produces withdrawal and so, instead of trying to compete, you just withdraw. You know there’s not a lot of pain. “I’m just not gonna do life. I’ll just go into a shell.” For others, it’s denial. I – it just – it’s too painful and so you begin to compensate or you develop addictive behaviors. “I can’t handle that. There’s too much pain, but when I drink something or when I take a drug or when I get unhealthily attached to certain people, it just feels better for a while”, and then it produces unbelievable dysfunction in relationships. And so, we’re left with unfulfilled longings for significance and this deep, deep desire for unconditional acceptance. As you move through your teen years into early adulthood, this longing, this “I wanna be a somebody significant, I wanna belong, I wanna be loved, I wanna be cared for”, it pulsates in your heart and you have all these warped mirrors and so from your early adulthood to about mid-life, depending on your personality, you will work and you will work and you will try and you will seek multiple means, whether it’s money, fame, looks, working out, you name it. You know, you’ll wear the kind of shirt that has the right logo, you’ll drive the kind of car that has the right appeal, you’ll do this, you’ll do that, you’ll try and find some person that’ll do that for you. And then, what happens? They all let you down, don’t they?

LOOKING INTO GOD’S MIRROR

In Ephesians 1, the first 6 verses, God is going to say something that is true of every believer in Jesus Christ. It was a circular letter that was written, primarily for the Ephesians, but then to be spread around and He’s gonna give them their identity in Christ. They lived in a pagan world. They had all the same struggles we do and He’s gonna say, “I want you to know that I give blessing and praise and honor to God”, kind of an introduction, the first 2 verses; and then He’s gonna give us 3 specific things that are true about you. I wanna read the passage in it’s entirety, then I wanna make some observations with you and help you understand what’s actually true; and then I’m gonna give you some real practical ways to begin the journey of developing a Biblical self image instead of a warped self image.

Now, the thesis is in verse 3. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Literally, blessed means to speak well of, to eulogize as we get our word. “Honor, praise, glory, belong to Him. . .” Why? “. . .who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ.” That’s the thesis statement. There are blessings; there’s a way that God thinks about you; there’s a way that God feels about you; there’s a way that God has provided for you; and these are spiritual blessings and He tells us the scope of them, that they’re all these blessings. He gives us the sphere of ‘em. They are in Heaven. When a person comes to know Christ personally, you are linked with Him, you die to your old life, you are co-resurrected with Him, the Spirit of God comes into your life and then you are positionally seated at the right hand of Christ. All the blessing, all the infinite resources of an infinite God who loves you, you now possess; and see the great, great lie that’s taught about the Christian life is that you need to work and try and work and try and work and try to get God to love you. And what he’s saying here, “You are already loved, already blessed, already chose, already accepted.”

ID STATEMENT: “BLESSED” - v.3

A. Speaks of God’s Generosity to us

B. Tells us that God has given us everything we need to live a life that is pleasing to Him

C. They are spiritual blessings that last forever

D. X-Ray Q: Of what do you feel deprived? Where do you think God has been “holding out” on you?

ID STATEMENT: “CHOSEN” - v.4

A. Chose (Eklegomai) - to choose for oneself, to choose out of all known options

B. God is the subject and active in choosing. God chose you to belong to himself. God chose you as a first option, not a last resort.

C. Chosen is the middle voice, meaning God chose you with love or personal interest. Not a casual or reluctant choice.

D. Illustration: Do you remember when you were a kid on the playground and they were picking up sides? And for some of you, it was great and you were real athletic and real outgoing and you got picked 1 or 2? I’m not talking to you. I’m talking about if you, when you were a little kid, were a little overweight or a little bit slow or you weren’t in the in group and they were choosing sides, and you could feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it, and you knew at the end, you were gonna be one of the last person picked or you weren’t even gonna get to play. Do you remember that feeling? You know what God is saying here? Totally apart from your performance, “Before the foundation of the earth, I chose you to be on My side. I love you. I chose you”

E. Chosen in Christ - God chose you at the sacrifice of His Son.

F. Chosen to be holy & blameless - God sees you as forgiven!

G. X-Ray Q: Why do you feel as though God has forgotten about you or rejected you?

ID STATEMENT: “ADOPTED” - v.5

A. God adopted you eternally into His family with all the rights, privileges, and blessings given His children

B. God’s relationship with you is permanent; He is always there!

ID STATEMENT: “ACCEPTED” - v.6

A. Accepted - literally “wrapped us up in arms of grace”

B. We say that God loves us uncondintionally but the gospel is better than that. God doesn’t love us as we are; He loves us as Christ is. Christ’s perfection outshines my sinfulness!

C. X-Ray Q: Why do you think you must earn God’s approval?

Bill’s Story: Bill Lawrence is that he was passed around in foster homes until he was 5 or 6 and then was in an orphanage until he was about 8. Finally, a family named Lawrence picked him out of an orphanage and took him home. He was in a big room that shared everything, that you could never go to a refrigerator, and he says, “I still remember the first 2 weeks when I was in this new family, they changed my name. Positionally, I had a whole new life, but I was so trained, there were clothes, there were toys, I could go the refrigerator anytime and open it up, but I wouldn’t do it. I wouldn’t put on the new clothes. I almost slept on the floor. Why? ‘Cause I didn’t think I was worthy of sleeping in the bed. I’d never been able to go in and just get something out of the refrigerator”, because he had been trained by the warped mirrors of being tossed around in multiple homes and an orphanage, that he wasn’t worthy; that he was a nobody. It took him years to understand he’s accepted. Many of you, as Christians, are living like paupers and you’re spiritually rich.

Warped mirrors produce inferiority, insecurity, denial, dysfunctional relationships. God’s mirror can redirect your entire life. It will not be easy, but it starts at a point in time – trust Christ, you’re wanted. Enter the journey of the process and learn to accept that you are adopted, that you’re a worthy son or daughter.

A Speech That Could Save Tiger

2010-02-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

Mark DeMoss proposed this speech for Tiger. It is well done and worth the read.

http://www.demossnews.com/news/the_speech_that_could_save_tiger

Prayer

2010-02-17T07:58:00.000-08:00

I posted this a few years ago and thought I would repost it as a gentle reminder that we need God everyday! This is a prayer I pray most days and on the days I don't, I normally wish I had.

Lord, I come to you today, thanking you that I can approach your throne with the confidence and intimacy of a son to a father.

Ephesians 5:18 - Be filled wit the Spirit.

Lord, fill me with your Spirit today. I can't fix yesterday and tomorrow seems a long way off.

Today, Lord: Put to death the old man and purge me of all carnality and love of the world.

Today, Lord: Scrub my thoughts and motives till they shine with singularity - wanting your glory alone.

Today, Lord: Wash me, create within me a clean heart, and I will be whiter than snow, purposed afresh to follow in your footsteps.

Today Lord, by your Spirit, continue your work of grace and sanctification in my heart. Renew me in my inner man and conform me to the image of Christ, so that today, for me to live would be Christ.

Today, Lord: Clothe me in holiness, in authentic faith, in sincere love, clothe me in truth, in moral and sexual purity, clothe me anew in the joy of my salvation, clothe me in peace that passes all understanding, clothe me in the blessed hope of your coming, clothe me in discipline, clothe me in contentment and thankfulness, clothe me in a forgiving and gracious spirit.

Today, Lord, by your Spirit, supernaturally empower to be the person you called me to be, and by your Spirit, supernaturally enable me to do the things you have called me to do. The tasks ahead are too much. If I must go alone, I can't go at all.

Today, Lord: I'm not smart enough to know what is best, and not strong enough to choose what is righteous

Today, Lord: My wife, my family, my friends, my church, the decisions of life .. I am not sufficient for these things and I know it

Today, Lord: saturate me with your power and enabling strength

Today, Lord: let your favor and blessings abound over my life

Today, Lord: lead me in your wisdom so that I will know and do your will, so that I will apply your word in precept and principle to the decisions of life, so that I can serve and lead my family, so that I can serve and lead in the office of ministry to which you have called me, so that I can honor you in all of life.

Today, Lord: May I bring you glory as a godly man, a godly husband, a godly father, a godly pastor.

Today, Lord: Work in me and through me or what unfolds in the hours ahead will be worthless, wasted time

Lord, fill me with your Spirit right now. Come, make these 24 hours all you created them to be.

Lord, I acknowledge you as the "giver of all good gifts" and I am thankful to be called your child

Now, Lord: By faith, I receive the Presence You've promised, and I delight to know your word is true

Now, Lord: Send me forth to live to the praise of your glory. Thank you that you are filling my life with peace and purpose.

I love you father; thank you for loving me first.

Come Home - Restoration

2010-02-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

I. ROBE - The Past Was Forgiven

A. Covered His Shame

B. Identified Him as belonging to the Father

The robe belonged to the father, it was the robe that belonged to the most prominent member of the family to wear in the most prominent setting at the most prominent event. The father is about to call for the greatest celebration that's ever occurred in that family and in that village and he's giving away the garment that he would normally wear. This is a way of saying to the son, "Everything I have is yours." This is a token of saying, "The best that I have is yours. The best of everything I have is yours”

II. RING & SHOES - Restored in Position as a Son

A. Ring was a signet ring

B. Shoes were sign of sonship

A ring was a signet ring and it had on the ring the family crest or seal so that when you stamped your ring into the melted wax on a document, it was an authentication of that document and it had authority. Wherever you stamped that then you were bound by that. And the hired men went barefoot and servants went barefoot and only masters and sons wore shoes, sandals. They understand what he's saying. This is the full honor of sonship. He's giving him honor by putting this robe on him.

III. EVERYTHING HE THOUGHT HE WOULD FIND IN THE WORLD HE GOT FROM HIS FATHER

A. What he wanted to earn, the Father gave him

1. Psalm 51 - The Story of David

2. The life he wanted he finally had from his father

B. The Older Brother - Don’t be curious about sin! Don’t be envious of sinners! When you get home, stay there!

In conclusion, what are the lessons? I don't spell them all out to you because I think you can figure them out as we go. But just a few reminders. God receives the penitent sinner who comes repenting and believing. "Him that comes to Me I'll never cast out." There is mercy with Him. There's a throne of grace where we can go and obtain mercy. God gives forgiving grace that is lavish. God replaces the filthy stinking rags of the sinner with His own robe of righteousness. As the prophet Isaiah said, "He covers us with a robe of righteousness." God gives the child of His love forgiveness, honor, authority, respect, responsibility, full access to all His treasures and the full right to represent Him. We come bringing to the people around us the treasures of God as His ambassadors. God is almost impatient in His desire to give. He runs to embrace. He runs to kiss. Quickly put the robe, quickly give him the ring, quickly get the shoes. He wants all that He has to be given to the repentant sinner and He wants to start the party immediately and call all who live in heaven to come around and celebrate Him as the reconciling Father who welcomes a penitent son. God treats the sinner as if he was royalty, making him an heir and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. And God holds a heavenly celebration for every wretched sinner who comes to Him and it never, ever ends.

Coming Home - Returning

2010-02-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

Luke 15:11-24

Proposition: You CAN come back home!

AP: “My parents are going to kill me!” Ever uttered those words?

OP: I now have the other side of the picture as a parent. Jordan is a very strong-willed kid who is always pushing the edges of his boundaries. Like a lawyer, he can find any loophole in the wording. I remember one day towering over him, just steaming with anger as it seemed all week long he was getting into trouble, pushing those boundaries. I had dished out every punishment I could think of, all to no effect. What could I do to this little boy to get him listen to me and obey? After all, what I really wanted was to protect him from harm and help him to grow up to be a good person. And so I did the only thing I could do for someone who just kept messing up, who continued to fail, to disappoint me at every turn. I held Jordan in my arms and said; “Jordan, Jordan, Jordan; whatever am I going to do with you.” He replied, “I’m sorry daddy, Are you going to spank me again daddy, because I did bad.” “No Jordan, I said; I’m going to give you grace.”

BO: Grace is unmerited favor, it is that love that is poured out to a child that deserves punishment. Grace is the too good to be true come true in our lives. Grace is what restores a relationship when we believe we’ve been written off. Grace releases us from punishment. In Luke 15, it was grace that brought a young man. And it’s grace that can bring us home too.

I. ACCOUNTABLE: LIFE DIDN’T CHANGE; HE DID - v.17

A. Own your sin

B. What God uses to bring you to your senses:

- Conviction through the Spirit

- Correction (Sin-sharers were gone [“No one - v.15]. Listen to the truth speakers in your life

II. ACCELERATE: IF YOU WILL MOVE TOWARD GOD, HE WILL MOVE TOWARD YOU - v. 20

A. You need to take the step of ACKNOWLEDGMENT

- Psalm 32:5 - I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity

B. God will take the step of ACCEPTANCE

- Psalm 32:5 - and you forgave the iniquity of my sin

C. When you take the first step, God will take all the others

III. ARRIVAL: MET WITH COMPASSION, NOT CONDEMNATION - v.20

A. Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

B. Failure is not final

- He expected a lecture; He got a hug

- Sin is serious; Grace is generous

C. It’s not about WHAT you’ve done; It’s about WHO you are

-But dad, I messed up! Response: that’s okay son I still love you.
-But dad, I wasted all you gave me! Response: I will take care of you and provide for you.
-But dad, I don’t deserve to be your son! Response: You could never be anything else.

Story: It has been said, "You can never go home again." I think a lesson we need to learn is that "It is never too late to go home again." How hard must it have been for the son to go home. He had to swallow his pride. He had to face his father and tell him he had lost it all. He had to face his brother, his friends, how difficult it had to be.

There is a story told about a father and his teenage son. They had strained relationship, so much so that the young man finally ran away from home. Immediately the father began a journey across Spain in search of his rebellious young son. Finally after months and months of searching, he arrived in Madrid. In a last desperate effort to find his son, the father went down to the newspaper office and put an ad in the newspaper. It simply said "Dear Paco, meet me in front of the newspaper office at noon. All is forgiven. I love you. Your Father." The next day at noon in front of the newspaper office, 800 Pacos showed up seeking forgiveness.

You CAN come back home!

Coming Home - Why We Leave

2009-12-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

Text: Luke 15:11-24

In a time of such great connection and communication - the internet, txt messaging, cell phones, facebook, twitter, email - there has never been more of a disconnect between people in relationships: between parents and teenagers, between brothers and sisters, between friends, between people and God.

At Christmas time, we see the lights, the wrapping paper and bows. If we are not careful, we make Christmas about that which is hidden in a box and disguised in packaging. Christmas is actually about revealing.

The great message of Christmas is the past can be forgiven. Hurts can be healed. Sin can be atoned for. We worship God today because of what Jesus Christ has done for sinful people . . . like us. No matter where you have been or what you have done or how long you’ve been away, God longs for His children to return to Him

Why the disconnect? Why do we struggle so much relationally with others and ultimately with God?

Maybe that is you. Are you thinking of leaving? If you have, are you wondering how to get back home? What kind of reception will you get when you get there? We are going to look at a family in Luke 15 and hopefully learn somethings about us and about God.

“Father Give Me” - v.11

Relationships with God and others breakdown when we are selfish. He felt he was owed. Thought of only what He wanted

Essentially: “I don’t want you to rule over me anymore”

He didn’t trust his Father’s intentions: Thought he was going to get shorted on his inheritance. He had a wrong view of his father. Sometimes what we want is the last thing we need!

“Far Country” - v.13

Relationships break down when we see boundaries as barriers instead of as being for our safety

Story: Jordan can do anything he wants in the back yard

App: Stay within the boundaries of God’s Word

“Spent Everything He had” - v.14

Sin is pleasing in the moment

Sin always costs us more than we think

Fairweather Friends vs Permanent Family

‘Hired Himself Out” - v.15

Relationships break down when we refuse to ask for help and be honest about where we’ve been.

Looking for love in all the wrong places

Life's Toughest Q's - Does God Leave Sin Unpunished?

2009-10-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

Habakkuk 2:6-20

“If God is a God of perfect justice, and He sees all these things happening in the world, is He going to right the wrongs?” Habakkuk asked this same question—can I trust God to be what He said He is--a God of perfect justice.”

QUESTION: GOD, HOW CAN YOU SEE EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON AND DO NOTHING?

ANSWER: GOD IS A GOD OF PERFECT JUSTICE!

I. GOD’S JUSTICE IS PERFECT IN IT’S TIMING

A. The Chaldeans were seemingly getting away with all their sins. God was not using them and prospering them. Huh? Habakkuk was saying that basically they were taunting God.

B. God has all the time in the world and eternity to judge the wicked

1. When God’s judgment comes though, it moves swiftly - v.7

2. The judgment of God is certain

C. Refuse vigilante justice

1. Don’t take matters into your own hands

2. Romans 12:14-19

II. GOD’S JUSTICE IS PERFECT IN IT’S TECHNIQUE

A. Sometimes God’s justice is carried out through withheld blessing

1. We think we got away with because nothing bad happened to us, when in reality the judgement of God came when nothing good happened to us

2. Galatians 6:7-8 - We are never blessed for the good works we don’t do

B. Sometimes God’s justice is carried out through swift action

1. God will judge all things

2. Revelation 20:11-15

III. GOD’S JUSTICE IS PERFECT IN IT’S TEMPERMENT

A. You cannot talk about the justice of God without talking about the love of God. God’s justice is united with his love

B. Seen in that He loves us too much to let us live anyway we want

1. “Woes” - a passionate plea or warning of judgement

2. STORY: Disciplining Jordan for running into parking lot

C. Seen in that He would rather pardon than punish (vs.18-20)

*The love of God is the most powerful force in all the universe. If we could experience, embrace, and believe in the love of God, if we could get the love of God from our heads to hearts, from off the page in the Book and into our lives, it would radically alter our priorities and our perception (of God, of others, and of ourselves). It would give us the identity and worth that this world offers but cannot deliver - the disappointment of looking for love in substitutes. It would free us from the lie of acceptance based on performance and lead us into the truth of a relationship by position. Oh the relief when the “Ah Ha Moment” occurs that God’s relationship to us and blessings upon us are not because we are good but He is! The truth of the love of God would birth in us a fresh willingness to live lives of service, sacrifice, surrender, and self-denial. We would abandon sin as the glitter of this world is dimmed by the radiance and splendor of an eternity with our God. O How He loves us would not just be words to a song on the radio but the continual anthem of our hearts.

APPLICATION:

*WAIT ON GOD’S JUSTICE; IT WILL COME

*REFUSE TO TAKE MATTERS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS - FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE WRONGED YOU LIKE GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU

*ACCEPT GOD’S PARDON FOR YOUR OWN SINS IN JESUS CHRIST

Life's Toughest Q's - God... Are You Really Fair?

2009-10-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Habakkuk 1:12-25

Have you ever expected God to do something, to act on your behalf, and He didn’t? Have you ever thought you deserved something and didn’t get it? Have you ever prayed a prayer, forget about the selfish prayers, but a true prayer that you felt lined up with what God would want and He still didn’t answer it? You step back and wonder or yell, “Man, that’s not right. That’s not fair!”

Throughout your life God has ordained you to go through difficult circumstances in regular seasons. Why would He do that? Because He wants not just to save us, He wants to change us. This message is a reminder to you that at the very time when God feels so far away, He may be the closest He’s ever been—training you in ways that could never happen apart from the hard times.

QUESTION: GOD, HOW CAN YOU DO THIS? (v.13)

I. We doubt God’s Fairness when we think God should do something and He doesn’t

II. We doubt God’s Fairness when we think God shouldn’t do something and He does

III. Sometimes God gives us exactly what we do not want

ANSWER: GOD ALWAYS MAKES THE RIGHT DECISION!

I. WHEN THINGS HAPPEN THAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, FOCUS ON THAT WHICH IS PLAIN (v.2)

A. Focus on that which is plain about God

1. God uses Habakkuk’s own words to answer his complaint

2. God says there is a contradiction between your statements and your question

B. That which is plain about God in 1:12

1. God is eternal (“from everlasting”)

2. God is Sovereign (“LORD”)

3. God is Holy (“Holy One”

4. God is faithful (“We shall not die”)

II. EVERYTHING GOD HAS PROMISED WILL HAPPEN (v.3a - “it will not lie”)

A. It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:13-20)

B. The promises of God are an anchor for our souls

1. Promise of His Presence - last week

2. Promise of Welfare - Romans 8:28

3. Promise of Ultimate Comfort - Revelation 21:4

4. Promise of a Home in Heaven - John 14:3

III. WAIT ON GOD (v.3b - “it will not delay”)

A. We wait on or we wait for the Lord. In ordinary secular use waiting sounds like inactivity, but in the psalms waiting on and waiting for the Lord is just the opposite of inactivity; it is a sustained effort of keeping on keeping on in prayer an expectation... asking the Lord to help us hang on until the time for his action comes. "Wait for the Lord/be strong, and let your heart take courage/wait for the Lord! (Ps 27:14) (J.I. Packer)

B. Waiting on God is not easy, but it is often right.

C. When God moves, He will move in a powerful way

IV. TRUST GOD (v.4)

A. Even when all of life seems to be telling you otherwise

B. Story: Abraham (Genesis 15:6)

Life's Toughest Q's - Where is God When I Need Him?

2009-09-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

Habakkuk 1:1-11

Ever wondered where God is? Pray, but it’s like God isn’t listening. Or am I the only one who has ever felt like that? Evil seems to be winning and you are losing.

As a spokesman for a country in crisis, Habakkuk had major issues with God's discipline method. Just where was He when they needed Him most? Why wasn't He doing anything about the injustices that threatened His people? Was He even fair? Or trustworthy?

Perhaps you relate in some way to Habakkuk's questions. That's great! Go ahead and ask God — His Word delivers answers to both Habakkuk's and your genuine search.

QUESTION: GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?

I. Accuses God of being INDIFFERENT (v.1)

II. Accuses God of being INCAPABLE (v.2)

III. Accuses God of being INACTIVE (vs.3-4)

ANSWER: GOD IS ALWAYS THERE!

I. GOD IS THERE EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL HIM (v.5)

A. I AM - God is at work even when we aren’t seeing it

B. WORK - God’s plan is always being accomplished.

C. God says, “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you”

II. GOD IS THERE EVEN WHEN WE FAIL (v.5)

A. The righteous were living just like the wicked

B. God loves us too much to let us live anyway we want

C. The cross guarantees our forgiveness

III. GOD IS THERE EVEN WHEN LIFE HURTS (vs.6-11)

A. God uses a more wicked nation to judge them

B. The discipline was meant to turn the people to God not away from God

APPLICATION

*Trust your God instead of your emotions

*No matter what you have done, realize God is still there for you

*God has a purpose in your pain

Finding God When You're Confused - Psalm 90

2009-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

PROPOSITION: A life with direction will find its purpose and fulfill its potential

In what area of your life are you facing confusion right now?

- Marriage

- Job

- Relationships with Parents

Psalm 90, Moses writes to let us know that God wants us to make the most of our lives. God wants to give us direction so that we find our purpose and fulfill our potential.

Question #1: AM I SEEING GOD IN A RIGHT WAY? (vs.1-2)

* “What we think about God is the most important thing about us”

A. The Greatness of God

1. “LORD” - Adonai (Creator or Sovereign Ruler)

2. “You are God” - El (One superior God, God no equals)

B. Seeing God for who He really is

1. Holy

2. Sovereign - “everlasting to everlasting”

3. A loving protector

4. Approachable

C. A right relationship with God will take you from perplexed to perspective

1. Are you saved? Do you have a relationship with God?

2. Believer - Is your relationship with God the focus of your life? Above all other relationships?

Question #2: AM I READY FOR ETERNITY? (vs.3-6)

A. Life is short

1. 3 Word Pictures

2. We are all terminal

B. Are you ready for eternity?

1. If you knew in exactly 30 days @ 11:00 AM your heart was going to stop, would you live any differently than you do now?

2. Would you watch as much TV? Facebook? Would sports be as important?

Question #3: AM I TAKING SIN SERIOUSLY? (vs.7-11)

A. Sin is serious

1. Separates us from God

2. Makes God angry

B. Sin is not a mistake or error; Sin is an offense to a Holy God

C. Galatians 6:7-8

Question #4: AM I WASTING MY LIFE OR INVESTING MY LIFE? (v.12)

A. Wisdom is essential

B. Are you making your life count?

*Are you living a life intentionality? - It means you watch a lot less TV. You get off the computer. You eat a lot less food. You start living like you’re running out of time

C. One life twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last

Question #5: AM I EXPERIENCING GOD’S JOY? (vs.13-15)

A. God’s will is best; When we obey we should have joy

B. Mercy is available; God is a God of second chances

*Every offense functions as either a stumbling block or a stepping stone...& leads to bitter nights or better days.

C. When the Christian life has become a series of “oughts” and “shoulds”, something has happened in your heart.

Question #6: AM I MAKING A DIFFERENCE? (vs.16-17)

A. Success is possible

B. In the will of God, the mundane can become miraculous

1. the work of a mom at home with a baby

2. the work of someone who pounds nails

3. the work of a SS teacher, YP, or Pastor

4. your work, in your life, done for God

EXPERIENCING GOD AS YOUR WISE COUNSELOR

- Be someone who has received mercy

- Be someone who seeks wisdom

- You can only do what you can but do all that you can

Finding God When You're Afraid - Psalm 46

2009-08-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Proposition: God is with us and for us

Things aren't always as they seem to be. I remember a time when I was growing up. I was spending the night with a friend when one of the neighbor's kids came banging loudly on the door. He was shouting, "Hurry, let me in!" You would have thought he was being chased by rabid dogs. He thought he was being chased by a rabid dog. We could hear the bark echoing down the street. But when the dog emerged from the darkness and stepped into the light, we saw that it was nothing more than a little wiener dog. It can be the same way when we are afraid. Life seems uncertain, danger appears imminent, and we FEEL like things are spinning out of control.

I remember when Jordan was born. It appeared as though everything was fine when all of sudden the doctor said, "Your baby isn't doing good. We are going to do a C-Section." I followed the doctor out the door; she was not going to simply make that announcement and leave. Life sure can change suddenly, huh? Outside I was informed that there were not problems yet, but that they wanted to get Jordan out before danger entered. By God's grace, Jordan was born healthy and is the rambunctious boy we know today. But in that 5 minutes, I was afraid.

Question: What is your greatest fear?

Fear: “a sudden attack, anxiety, agitation caused by the presence of danger or evil.” But most of us don’t need a dictionary to tell us what fear is because we know it well.

- Fear of the future: “What will I do after I graduate?”

- Fear of getting married: “What if it doesn’t work out?”

- Fear of the dark. Maybe you struggle with panic attacks.

- Fear of public places or large crowds

- Financial fears: “How will I pay the bills?”

- Cancer

BO: How differently would you face your fears IF you knew God was with you and for you? David knew what it was to be afraid. David knew what it felt like to have no resources and seemingly no way of escape. In Psalm 46, he gives us this great hope: God is with us & for us!

I. GOD IS OUR STABILITY (vs.1-3)

A. Because God is with us & for us, he gives us stability. Therefore, we will not fear

1. By way of hyperbole, God takes the two most indestructible, stable things imaginable and says, “If all the pillars in your life, if all the things you count on are removed, it doesn’t matter.” The response of the David is the same: He does not fear.

2. God is the only true source of stability

B. God gives us stability in 3 ways:

1. God is a refuge

*A defensive place of protection. A place where you can run and find safety.

2. God will be for you a strength

*An internal provision. This is power to endure. God only gives strength for the moment. He is not strength for tomorrow until tomorrow. We all tend to worry about tomorrow - What about the job interview? What if this relationship goes sour next month? We get fearful when we start projecting into the future because we are getting ahead of life.

3. God is a very-present help

II. GOD IS OUR SUPPLY (vs.4-7)

A. Because God with us and for us, He supplies our needs in times of trouble and crisis.

B. Even in the midst of trouble, God’s presence can be like a river flowing from the heart of God bringing an unlimited supply of God’s resources to God’s people.

C. “God of Jacob” - God is telling us that he is the God of losers/failures too! Jacob was a schemer that often got himself in trouble. Even when the trouble is self-inflicted, God will be with you and for you.

EXPERIENCING GOD AS YOUR REFUGE & FORTRESS

v.8

- Come - Even when life is difficult, move toward God.

- See - the word here is used to refer that of a prophet or seer. It means to look at life and say, “What is God doing

here?”

- Works of the Lord - The victories of the Bible. Victories in your life.

- Come and See God - the same past, present, and future

v.10

- Remember who He is - God!

- Anything God has ever done, he can do now.

- What God has done for others, He can do for you!

- Don’t just tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is!

- Quit scheming and worrying and trust God. Don’t just immediately move to action (often the wrong COA). Wait on God to work out His plan in your life.

ACTION STEPS

SINCE GOD IS FOR YOU, run to Him and not from Him in times of trouble. Whatever is troubling you right now, your greatest fear, take the next 7 days and pray about it.

SINCE GOD IS FOR YOU, be still! Surrender your expectations to God and stop trying to work out all the circumstances in your life with your own power and strength

SINCE GOD IS FOR YOU, trust Him to supply your needs even in the midst of hard times.

Visible - Matthew 5:16

2009-08-27T10:08:00.000-07:00

MATTHEW 5:14-16

There was a group of Christians in the Bible that were being made of fun and persecuted because of their Christianity. They were tempted to just blend in. Jesus gave them this challenge: Being different makes all the difference!

“You are” - Knowing who you are starts with knowing whose you are. It is about living from the inside out

v.15 - When we live just like the world, we are useless to Christ. (Ambassadors vs Traitors). Serving God cannot be optional.

v16 - We have to get visible. The best sermons are preached with our lives not our lips

APPLICATION: WE

What if instead of it being cool to go out and party on the weekend, no one did?

What if when people came into lunch or 1^st period to brag about their weekend “exploits,” everyone looked at them with confusion and no one thought it was funny?

What if it became cool to bring a Bible to school and read it during spare time? What if it became cool to pray before lunch?

What if people in your school started coming to church like they do football games?