New Work Fellowship Podcast

Take the Trust Test

Matthew 6:24, “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.”

Psalms 26:2, “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”

Galatians 6:4 (NIV), “Each one should test his own actions.”

 

TAKE a Personal Inventory

Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; TEST me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”.

 

REMOVE the growth-stunting barriers

Jeremiah 17:6, “They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.”

 

UNDERSTAND God’s growth principles

Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.”

 

SURRENDER your whole heart to God

Jeremiah 17:9-10, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” 

 

TEST God’s Promises 

Malachi 3:10, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”

The Trust Test

Can God Trust Me?

Luke 16:1-13

 

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2

 

Context:

·       Luke 15 is all about correcting our wrong attitudes about People.

·       Luke 16 is all about our wrong attitudes about Possessions.

 

Point of Luke 15 and 16: When we have a wrong attitude toward possessions it will negatively affect people.

 

1.   The ACCOUNTABILITY of the Trustee          

God is the Owner; I am a Trustee.          

See v2

I am accountable for:

• My LIFE  see Hebrews 9:27

• My TIME  see Ephesians 5:15

• My POSSESSIONS see Luke 14:33

 

2.    The ACTION of the Trustee      See v 4-7 The shrewd steward is not praised for his dishonesty, but for Immediate Resourcefulness. 

 

Three Lessons:

#1: My trust is Proven in the PRESENT Matthew 6:19-20, “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.”              

 

#2: My trust is EARNED, gradually

v10a; “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.

 

#3: Trust can be MEASURED v13, “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 both God and money.”

 

Final Thought: God longs to trust us 100%, He requires us to trust Him 100%.

The Trust Test

You Can Trust Him!

Proverbs 3:1-12

 

We exist, so that every man woman and child

would have the opportunity

to KNOW Christ,

GROW in Christ

and GO as the body of Christ.

 

 How do you trust in an anxious world?

 

#1 Believe God is TRUSTWORTHY

Psalm 22:5, “In You they trusted and were not disappointed.”

 His Commands are Trustworthy v1-2. His Course is Trustworthy v5-6. His Care is Trustworthy v7-10. His Correction is Trustworthy v11-12.

 

#2: Grasp, that God ENTRUSTED us with all things James 1:16-17, “So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father…”                                                               

Luke 12:48, When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

 

#3: Therefore, behave as if you are His TRUSTEE

Trustee: a person or agent who holds title on behalf of another and administers according to established directives.

 

1 Timothy 6:7, “We brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.”

Central Truth: When you really TRUST God, you’ll prove worthy of the trust.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV), “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

Trust Him in Adversity

Trust Him in Plenty

Trust Him with Your ALL

 

Final Thought: To really know Him, is to fully trust Him.

Schemes: Expose the Enemy

The Final Scheme of Satan: Accusation

John 8:1-11

 

Purpose: Jesus’s Grace gives us hope in the face of our Accusers.

•     This morning we’re going to see three works that the Accuser does and then we’re going to contrast them with three counting works that our Advocate does.  

 

Works of the Accuser

The Accuser speaks against you

The Accuser humiliates the guilty

The Accuser's purpose is condemnation that leads to death

 

Works of the Advocate

The Advocate speaks for you

The Advocate humbled Himself to become the guilty

The Advocates purpose is confession that leads to life

 

Closing Thought: Jesus’s GRACE gives us HOPE in the face of our Accusers

Schemes: Expose the Enemy

Scheme 4: Isolation

2 Samuel 11-12, Psalm 51

  “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” - 1 Peter 5:8

 

How does isolation work against you?

1)  Isolation DISTRACTS you from your PURPOSE

v1a, “…when kings normally go out to war...” The King’s job:  lead them out and bring them in.

Ezekiel 34:11-13, (ESV) “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land…”

 2)   Isolation DIVIDES you from your PEOPLE 2 Samuel 11:2-3 2 Samuel 23:39, “Uriah the Hittite.”

3)   Isolation DETAINS you from your PRIORITY 2 Samuel 11:4-13 “Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go, keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay, and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay.”

 

How do I defeat Isolation in my life?

1)   Get HELP! 2 Samuel 12:1-4 Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

2)   HEAR!

2 Samuel 12:5-9, 13a Psalm 51

3)   HARMONIZE!

2 Samuel 12:26-29

Harmonize: bring my life into line with God’s Purpose and God’s People.

Schemes: Expose the Enemy

Scheme 3: Temptation

Luke 4:1-13 

Temptation Scheme #1: Lust of the Flesh Luke 4:3-4
Something we want to DO
Doing what we want, when want to is rebellion against God’s plan for us

 

Temptation Scheme #2: Lust of the Eyes Luke 4:5-7
Something we want to HAVE
True contentment comes from godliness 1 Timothy 6:6-10

 

Temptations Scheme #3: Pride of Life Luke 4:9-11
Something you want to BE
God defines who you are, not the world.

 

What should we know about temptation schemes?
1.    They are real – Luke 11:4
2.    They are dangerous – 2 Peter 2:10
3.    Where they come from – James 1:13-15
4.    They are escapable – 1 Corinthians 10:13

 

Final Thought: Temptation is the enemy’s way of saying what God has done for you, is not enough.

Schemes: Expose the Enemy

Scheme 2: Deception

Job 1:6-7, Genesis 4:1-12, & John 8:42-47

 

How do we deal with Satan’s scheme of deception?

 

1)   Start with reality.  (Job 1:6-7) a.    Is the Devil real? Yes! 

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”  Ephesians 6:12

b.   Why is this important to know? 

Because the most dangerous enemy is one that you don’t know is there.

 

2)   Ask yourself, “What does God want me to do?”  (Genesis 4:1-12)

a.    Be aware. (vs. 6)

b.   Make the right choice. (vs. 7a)

c.    Listen, focus, and resist sin! (vs. 7b)

 

3)   Know who and whose you are. (John 8:42-47)

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.  Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. James 4:7-10

 

Final Thought:  Don’t be deceived.  Listen to the Lord, focus on Christ, and be obedient to the Holy Spirit.

Schemes: Expose the Enemy

Scheme 1: Question

Genesis 3

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
Ephesians 6:11 NIV

Question: If the devil can get you to ask the wrong questions, he can ensnare you.

Question #1: Question GOD’S WORD

• Genesis 3:1
• Isaiah 55:3, “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life.”
• Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

Question #2: Question GOD’S GOODNESS

• Genesis 3:5
• Matthew 7:11, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”
• James 1:17, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father…”
• Romans 8:32, “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”

Question #3: Question GOD’S TRUTH

• Genesis 3:6

Question #4: Question GOD’S PRESENCE

• Genesis 3:8
• Isaiah 1:18, “‘Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the LORD. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.’”

 

 Micah 6:8, “The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

 

Start

Growing More

Matthew 4:1-11

 

Because Jesus was tempted by Satan there are three things we can expect in life that will lead to growth.

·     Jesus was STRETCHED… We Will Be STRETCHED. Matthew 4:1-4

·     Jesus was TESTED… We Will Be TESTED. Matthew 4:5-7

·     Jesus was HUMBLE… We Need To Be HUMBLE. Matthew 4:8-11

 

Final Thought: Draw near to God when you are being stretched, tested, or humbled because maybe God doesn’t want you to be comfortable, MAYBE HE WANTS YOU TO GROW MORE!

Start

Giving More

Mark 12:41-44

Purpose: Three things according to Jesus that you and I need to understand about Giving

1.    Our Giving it’s Watched - Mark 12:41a

2.    Our Giving should Honor God - Mark 12:41b-43

3.    Jesus Commends Sacrificial Giving - Mark 12:44 

Final Thought: “Believers should give generously because Christ generously gave His life for us and the Investment of the Kingdom is worth it.”