Episodes
Monday Dec 16, 2019
Why So Angry? (12/15/19)
Monday Dec 16, 2019
Monday Dec 16, 2019
With
Why So Angry
Matthew 2:13-23
“Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry…" - Ephesians 4:26
Three Questions:
What is Anger?
God’s Anger:
“The Lord’s anger burned…[Israel] wandered for 40 years” Numbers 32:13
“At the breath of God they perish; at the blast of his anger they are no more.” Job 4:9
Anger Warnings:
“…anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9
“In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” Ephesians 4:26
Why are we so Angry?
v16, “Herod was furious…”
- We live Relationally Isolated
Romans 12:18 “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” - We carry Excess Baggage
- We believe the stories we tell ourselves
- We fail to Trust God
Romans 12:19, “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.”
What to do with Anger?
The key: When angry we must deliberately move from thoughtless reaction to thoughtful response.
Matthew 18:15, “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.”
- Move Toward People Not Away
- Choose Forgiveness
Final thought: The cross is where anger and love met.
Monday Dec 02, 2019
Something Is Missing (12/01/19)
Monday Dec 02, 2019
Monday Dec 02, 2019
With
Something is Missing
Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 1:5-17
“The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is WITH us’).” - Isaiah 7:14
With—see Genesis 1-4, Exodus 33, Joshua 3, John 1, Matthew 28, Revelation 21
Is Something Missing?
#1—CREATED FOR Relationship
v13, “But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.”
“Loneliness may mean glory. Loneliness is a wilderness but through receiving it as a gift, accepting it from the hand of God and offering it back to Him with thanksgiving, it may become the pathway to God Himself.” - Elisabeth Elliot
#2—FLOURISH IN Relationship
v14, “You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth”
Luke 5:16, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
“Whenever you feel lonely, you must try to find the source of this feeling. You are inclined to either run away from your loneliness or to dwell in it. When you run away from it, your loneliness does not really diminish; you simply force it out of your mind temporarily. The spiritual task is not to escape your loneliness, nor to let your drown in it, but to find its source.” - Henri Nouwen
#3—JESUS OFFERS Relationship
v16-17, “…he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord…”
John 14:1-3, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
Final Thought: You can’t live for Jesus unless you live with Jesus.
Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”
Monday Nov 25, 2019
Count Your Blessings (11/24/19)
Monday Nov 25, 2019
Monday Nov 25, 2019
More Thankful
Count Your Blessings
Ephesians 4:1
Accumulation—living for more
Abundance—living in more
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing…” - Ephesians 1:3
“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—” - Psalm 103:2 (NIV)
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling…” - Ephesians 4:1
worthy— Let God be reflected in all you do.
“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Ephesians 5:20
How do you Count Your Blessings?
1. Note It
Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.”
Homework: Thanksgiving Inventory
2. Say It
Homework: Say Thank You
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3. Live it
Instead of merely counting the blessing that come your way, instead count the many ways your life is blessing others.
Homework: Step into the Tithe
Be Generous with your Time
Be Wise in Treasure management
Try the God-stash Test
Final Thought: The more you live all of life according to God’s economy; the more thankful you will be.
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Get Your Life (11/17/19)
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
“More” thankful
Get Your Life
Ephesians 2 & 3
Additional Resource: The Money Challenge by Art Rainer
There is a direct relationship between thankfulness and generosity.
To grow in thankfulness as a believer:
1) Know who you are. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
a. You are a masterpiece in Christ.
b. Your life is a treasure.
2) Know God’s plan. (Ephesians 3:6-9)
a. God’s plan is to bring all things under the authority of Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-11)
3) Be the visible representation of God’s plan. (Ephesians 3:10-11)
a. How generous does God want you to be?
i.The biblical framework: Give generously, save wisely, and live appropriately.
b. How generous are you now?
i. Three barriers: Debt, keeping up with the Joneses, the absence of a plan.
c. What steps do you need to take to grow more in God’s plan?
Final thought: You will grow in Christ, become more thankful, and more generous when you bring your life under the authority of Christ.
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Grow Your Heart (11/10/19)
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
“More Thankful”
Grow your Heart
2 Samuel 24:18-25 (see also 1 Chronicles 21)
“Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God…” Psalms 68:5
“She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20
Two Generosity Postures:
- Generosity Posture #1: At the Feet
See v20, (also 1 Chronicles 21:16) - Generosity Posture #2: Outstretched Hand
Two Postures in one Story in the New Testament
Acts 4
- v30, “Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
- v34-35. (ESV), “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”
CENTRAL TRUTH: There’s a relationship between God’s outstretched hand at work in miraculous ways—and our willingness to lay at his feet our lives, our offering, our all.
Generosity Ladder: (begin at the bottom and work your way up)
Eternal Generosity
Sacrifice Generosity
Sacrifice is giving up something you love; for something you love more.
Percent Generosity
Do Good Generosity
Safe Generosity
Self-Sooth Generosity
Self-Focus Generosity
Not So Generous
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21
Final Thought: To climb the generosity ladder, you need to know, the higher you want to go; the lower you have to go into humility and surrender.
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Break It's Grip (11/03/19)
Monday Nov 18, 2019
Monday Nov 18, 2019
More Thankful
Break It’s Grip
Exodus 25-39
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Luke 16:13
Sermon in a word: Break it’s grip: GIVE
How to become MORE Generous:
You need a BIGGER vision…
v2, “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.”
You need a BROADER vision…
v8, “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.”
Exodus 12:38, “Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.”
2 Corinthians 9:10-11, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.”
You need a BETTER vision…
See Exodus 35:21-24, 36:4-7, 39:42-43.
2 Corinthians 8:7, “But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
Final Thought: It is in the act of surrender and giving that we gain.
Monday Oct 28, 2019
The Community (10/27/19)
Monday Oct 28, 2019
Monday Oct 28, 2019
Grow: More and More
The Community
Hebrews 12:1-2; 14-15
The Church is a covenant community of believers committed to Jesus and one another.
1) A covenant community of believers. (Hebrews 12:1)
a. The global (Philippians 2:10-11)
b. The local (Philippians 1:1-2)
2) Committed to Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2)
a. Committed to follow (Matthew 4:18-22)
b. Committed to obey (Matthew 8:18-22)
3) Committed to one another. (Hebrews 12:14-15)
a. The church is a family. (1 Peter 4:8-12)
b. The church is God’s grace and peace made visible. (1 Peter 1:1-2)
Final Thought: To be a part of the church is to be an active part of God’s plan to grow you more and more in Christ and to grow the Kingdom of God more and more.
Monday Oct 21, 2019
The Relationship (10/20/19)
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Grow: More and More
The Relationship
Acts 9 & 22
1) The saving work of Christ is life-giving and life-altering. (Acts 9:1-5)
a.“Who are you Lord?”
b. “I am Jesus… now get up…”
2) A relationship with Christ is a life defined by Christ. (Acts 22:1-10)
a. Christ’s presence changes everything.
3) What does a relationship with Christ look like?
a. Listening for understanding. (Acts 9:5)
b. Living in the presence of Christ. (Matthew 28:20)
c. Pursuing God’s vision for your life. (Acts 9:10-16)
Final Thought: A life that is both biblically serious and spiritually alive is only found in a relationship with Christ.
Monday Oct 21, 2019
The Trinity (10/13/19)
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Monday Oct 21, 2019
Grow: More and More
The Trinity
1 Peter 1:2
1) Who is God? (1 Peter 1:2)
Key Truth: We do not define God. God defines us. We understand who God is through what He reveals to us through scripture.
The Trinity:
- Father: Generous initiator/creator. (Genesis 1:1)
- Son: Obedient Redeemer. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
- Holy Spirit: Indwelling presence. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
2) What has God revealed to us in the Trinity that can lead us to grow more and more?
- Unity in diversity. (John 17:20-23)
- Actions that reveal the heart of God. (1 Peter 1:16)
- Deep connection in community. (1 Peter 1:22)
The change you as a believer will make in this world is a direct result of your growth in Christ.
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Move (10/06/19)
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Monday Oct 07, 2019
Imagine a Church
“Move”
Acts 5:12-42
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
Imagine a church that is more than a location but a movement of God, used by God to breathe fresh movements of God in the greater church all around us.
How to prepare for a movement of God?
(1) Pull Together
v12. “…all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade.”
(2) Ride the Ups and Downs
(see v 18, 19, 33, 41)
(3) Hear the Captain
v29, “We must obey God rather than human authority”
4:19, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than God?” (see John 10:23-27)
Final Prayer Thought: Here we are—together— have your way God in us. Move!