New Work Fellowship Podcast

Extraordinary God - Ordinary People: When Your Plans Fail

Extraordinary God – Ordinary People

When Your Plans Fail

Ruth 1

 

“You were made from dust and to dust you will return.”

                                                                           Genesis 3:19

“…the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives.”

                                                                           2 Corinthians 4:7 (The Message)

 

Finding the Hope Take Away in Ruth:

#1 Trouble is always closer than you may think.

"How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!” - Job 14:1

 

“Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.” - 2 Timothy 3:1 

 

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

“So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” - 1 Peter 4:12, 19

 

#2 God is never as far away as you may think.

“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” - Hebrews 13:5

 

“Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” - Hebrews 12:15

 

#3 What seems like the end of a story can be the just the beginning.

 

“Behind the dim unknown,

standeth God within the shadow,

keeping watch above his own.”

 

Final question: Will your inevitable suffering embitter you or empower you?  

 

“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”- Philippians 1:6

 

“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”- Romans 12:1(The Message)

STEP UP! The Challenge is On- GIVE 09/30/2018

Step Up: The Challenge is on
Give
Luke 6:38 and Luke 8:1-3

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38

Kingdom Legacy giving …

     1) Begin with the heart

     2) Inventory your blessings
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.”

Sacrifice is giving up something you love for something you love more.

     3) Partner in legacy work
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!”

See Luke 24:1-2, 10

     4) Give by faith
Matthew 6:19-20, “Don’t store up treasure here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven…”

2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

One last one, 2 Corinthians 9:10, “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.”

Final Challenge: When you give by faith—trusting God’s Word, giving God’s way and partnering in His Work—there is no telling the returns you’ll experience.

STEP Up! The Challenge is On: LEAD 09/23/18

Step Up! The Challenge is On

LEAD

Matthew 5:16 and Matthew 9:9-13

 

“Leadership is Influence. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

John Maxwell

 

“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”Matthew 5:16

 

 “This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.”1 Timothy 3:1

 

1. Know Who you ARE

         v9a, “a man named Matthew…”

         v13b, “…those who know they are sinners.”

 

         Leadership Key: HUMILITY is the beginning of leadership.

 

2. Know where you are HEADED

         v9b, “So Matthew got up…”

 

Matthew 16:26, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”

 

                   Leadership Key: You cannot LEAD if you cannot FOLLOW.

 

3. Start NOW/HERE

         v9c, “…and followed.”

 

Leadership Key: In order to intentionally leverage your influence for Kingdom legacy; you have to start now and start here.

 

 

Final Challenge:

Intentionally leverage your influence for Kingdom Legacy.

One last thing: God’s Vision is so much bigger—step into it!

STEP UP! The Challenge is On: SHARE 09/16/2018

Step Up!  The Challenge is On!

Share:  1 Peter 3:15 & John 4

 

Sharing your faith is one of the natural results of being connected to and living your life in Christ.  (1 Peter 3:15)

 

Do you have what it takes to share your faith?

 

• Do you have anything to share? (John 4:1-15)

 

- We can only share what we have been given.

 

• Do you have anyone to share your faith with? (John 4:16-26)

 

Acts 1:8

1. Family.
2. Friend group.
3. Close by context.
4. Far away context.

 

- We share our faith in Christ out of our love for God, not our perception of others. (Acts 1:8)

 

• Are you alone in sharing your faith? (John 4:39-42)

 

- We join God in the work He is already doing.

 

 

Final Challenge:  KNOW Christ so you can GROW in Christ and share your faith as you GO in the name of Christ.

STEP Up! The Challenge is On: SERVE 09/09/18

SERIES:Step up! The Challenge is On! 

Sermon: Serve

Text:  1 Peter 4:10-11, John 10:11-18, John 21:15-17

 

What do we have to offer?(1 Peter 4:10a)

God has given each of us spiritual gifts.

We need to recognize and exercise our spiritual gifts. (Romans 12:6-8)

 

How should we use our spiritual gifts?(1 Peter 4:10b)

We should use our spiritual gifts to serve one another.

“use your freedom to serve one another in love.”(Galatians 5:13)

 

Why should we serve?(1 Peter 4:11)

Serving brings glory to God.

“Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies.” (v.11)

 

We can do more together when we serve together. (Luke 10:2)

Pareto Principle- roughly 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes.

 

Owner vs Renter Mentality (John 10:11-18)

Investing vs Consuming

Permanent vs Temporary

Commitment vs Short- sighted

“Our” vs “Your”

Accepts responsibility vs Reject responsibility

Focuses on shared purpos vs Inwardly focused 

 

Christ left us an example to follow(1 Peter 2:21).

 

NEXT Meeting – will help you serve in your area of giftedness.

 

Jesus sets the model of sacrificial serviceto the church. (John 21:15-17)

 

The Challenge is this if you are saved, are you willing to take care of the Lord’s sheep by using your spiritual gifts to serve the church well?

 

Step Up! The Challenge is On: HONOR- 09/02/2018

Step up!  The Challenge is On!

Honor: Romans 12:10 & John 13:1-17

 

 

The Biblical pattern of honor: (Romans 12:1-13)

 

• Sacrifice– Romans 12:1-2
  1. Honor requires a price to be paid.

 

• Humility– Romans 12:3-5
  1. Honor is only poured into empty

 

• Action– Romans 12:6-13
  1. Honor happens as the need is met.

 

The Biblical example of honor: (John 13:1-17)

 

• “I have given you an example to follow.” (vs. 15a)

 

• “Do as I have done to you.” (vs. 15b)

 

 

The Challenge:  Honor the things of highest value.

           

• God. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
• Gift of Life. (Lev 19:18)
• Family. (Joshua 24:15)
• Ministry. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20)
• Friends. (Proverbs 27:9-10)

 

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10)

First "called" Christians: Authentic Difference- 08/26/18

Authentic Difference

1 Corinthians 15:10

 

 

1. A) What is an authentic Christian?

 

• Judas– betrayed Christ– no repentance– impostor (John 13:21-30)

 

• Peter– denied Christ– repented– authentic (John 13:31-38)

 

 

Key truth: An authentic Christian is not a perfect Christian.  An authentic Christian is one who is obedient to the Gospel. (Philippians 1:27)

 

 

1. B) You can be an authentic Christian:

 

• You need someone to follow: Follow Christ. (Rom 10:9-10)

 

• You need someone to follow with: Join the church. (1 Corinthians 12:27-28)

 

• You need someone to listen to: Listen to God through His Word. (Philippians 2:14-18)

 

• You need to turn from and kills inin your life: Repent daily. (Matthew 4:17)

 

 

  Your call as a Christian: Be an authentic Christian by growing, changing, and maturing in your faith. 

First "Called" Christian: A Good Difference 08/19/18

The First “called” Christians

A Good Difference

Leviticus 18:1-5

 

How should I read Leviticus?

 

• As a radically, counter-cultural
• As a model for choosing life over death.
• As a different book calling the people of God to a different

 

Did the first Christians see Leviticus as relevant to their faith? (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

 

• Leviticus is quoted 20 times in the New Testament.

 

God calls you to live a life that is different in a good way. (Leviticus 18:1-5)

 

• As a believer, you get your instructions from God through His word. (Lev 18:1-2)
• As you follow God’s word, you are transformed from your past and prepared for your future. (Lev 18:3)
  1. You are in a place of preparation. (Romans 12:2)
• As you grow carefully in obedience, you grow bolder in your faith. (Lev 18:4 & 2 Timothy 1:7)

 

The Big Question:  Do you want to see and experience true life?  Accept Christ as your Lord and Savior and live within Biblical boundaries. (Lev 18:5 & John 14:6)

 

 

First “called” Christians: They were Called Christians 8-12-18

Who is my Neighbor 8-5-18