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Bloom Church -You Matters- Our desire is for you to bloom into the person God created you to be.
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Mar 10, 2024

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

 

To belong is to be loved and to give love. Your identity is shaped when a community brings you in and validates that you belong and when you validate for others that they belong. However, the greatest validation that brings peace, security, joy, and growth in our lives is when the community we belong to Echoes the Word of God and His design for our lives.

 

“When we live outside of a healthy community, we not only lose others. We lose ourselves...Who we understand ourselves to be is dramatically affected for better or worse by those we hold closest to us. We only truly come to know ourselves in the context of others. The more isolated and disconnected we are, the more shattered and distorted our self-identity. We are not healthy when we are alone. We find ourselves as we connect to others.” Erwin McManus

 

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 NLT

 

You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:36-37 NLT

 

MATURITY SAYS, “I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF MY LIFE AND FOR MY PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING.”

 

4 THINGS THAT DESTROY RELATIONSHIPS

 

1. Selfishness destroys relationships

 

'What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. ' James 4:1-2 NLT

 

'Selfishness only causes trouble. You are much better off to trust the LORD. ' Proverbs 28:25 GNB

 

2. Pride destroys relationships

 

'Pride leads to conflict… Proverbs 13:10 NLT

 

'Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.' Proverbs 16:18 NLT

 

'First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.' Proverbs 16:18 MSG

 

3. Insecurity destroys relationships

 

'The fear of human opinion disables… Proverbs 29:25 MSG

 

4. Resentment destroys relationships

 

'Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.' Psalms 73:21-22 NLT

 

'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 NLT

 

3 BENEFITS OF A LIFE-GIVING COMMUNITY

 

'How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.' Psalms 133:1-3 NLT

 

1. THERE IS AN ANOINTING IN OUR LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIPS

For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Psalms 133:2 NLT

 

The Christian needs another Christian who speaks God's word to him. He needs him again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged, for by himself he cannot help himself without belying the truth. He needs his brother man as a bearer and proclaimer of the Divine word of salvation. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

2. THERE IS A HOPEFUL ANTICIPATION IN OUR LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIPS

Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. Psalms 133:3 NLT

 

3. THERE IS A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN IN OUR LIFE-GIVING RELATIONSHIPS

And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. Psalms 133:3 NLT

 

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26 NLT

 

So let each individual first evaluate his own attitude and only then eat the bread and drink the cup. For continually eating and drinking with a wrong spirit will bring judgment upon yourself by not recognizing the body. This insensitivity is why many of you are weak, chronically ill, and some even dying. 1 Corinthians 11:28-30 TPT

Mar 3, 2024

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

 

Faith is what brings meaning to life. God has a sovereign purpose in all things. That as God’s children we must trust that Jesus is who He says He is, salvation is real, the Word of God is true, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God!

 

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 NLT

 

FEAR IS CONQUERED BY FAITH AND FAITH IS FUELED BY TRUST

 

One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” 2 Kings 4:1 NLT

 

1. GOD CARES ABOUT YOUR SITUATION

 

'The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.' Psalms 34:17-18 NLT

 

“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT

 

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things. Psalms 81:10 NLT

 

But no, my people wouldn’t listen. Israel did not want me around. Psalms 81:11 NLT

 

2. YOUR MINDSET MATTERS

 

“Tell me, what do you have in the house?” 2 Kings 4:2 NLT

 

“Nothing at all...” she replied. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT

 

“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied. 2 Kings 4:2 NLT

 

3. WE DO THE GIVING AND GOD DOES THE MULTIPLYING

 

And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.” 2 Kings 4:3-7 NLT

 

4. WHEN WE STOP GIVING GOD STOPS PROVIDING

 

“Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. 2 Kings 4:6 NLT

 

WHAT ARE THE PROVISIONS OF GOD?

 

1.HE GIVES US UNCONDITIONAL FORGIVENESS AND RESTORATION

 

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. Psalms 103:3 NLT

 

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT

 

2. BY GIVING US AN INHERITANCE

 

He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. Psalms 103:4 NLT

 

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

 

We are Gods children

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 NLT

 

We are heirs to God

Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:7 NLT

 

God says we are royalty!

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. 1 Peter 2:9 NLT

 

We are Chosen, holy, and blameless

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 NLT

 

3. BY GIVING US TRUE FULFILLMENT

 

He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalms 103:5 NLT

 

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. Luke 22:19-20 NLT

 

 

 

 

 

Feb 25, 2024

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. Psalms 1:1-3 NLT

 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

 

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Ephesians 2:16 NLT

 

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10:19 NLT

 

THE QUESTION IS NOT “AM I GOING TO BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY OF FAITH?” BUT “HOW AM I GOING TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY OF FAITH?”

 

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 NLT

 

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Psalms 122:1

 

1. COMMUNAL WORSHIP IS A WORKABLE STRUCTURE FOR OUR LIFE.

 

And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem. Psalms 122:2 NLT

 

Jerusalem is a well-built city; its seamless walls cannot be breached. Psalms 122:3 NLT

 

Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits. Romans 12:16 AMPC

 

All the tribes of Israel—the Lord’s people—make their pilgrimage here. Psalms 122:4 NLT

 

2. COMMUNAL WORSHIP NUTURES OUR NEED TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

 

They come to give thanks to the name of the Lord, as the law requires of Israel. Psalms 122:4 NLT

 

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. James 3:5 NLT

 

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Philippians 4:4 NLT

 

"Feelings are important in many areas but completely unreliable in matters of faith" Eugene Peterson

 

3. COMMUNAL WORSHIP ALLOWS OUR ATTENTION TO BE CENTERED ON GOD’S DIRECTION.

 

Here stand the thrones where judgment is given, the thrones of the dynasty of David. Psalms 122:5 NLT

 

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 NIV

4. COMMUNAL WORSHIP INFLUENCES OUR WEEK

 

Pray for peace in Jerusalem. Psalms 122:6 NLT

 

May all who love this city prosper. Psalms 122:6 NLT

 

O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “May you have peace.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.  Psalms 122:7-9 NLT

Feb 19, 2024

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.” Luke 6:46-49 NLT

 

JESUS CAN’T BE LESS THAN WHO HE IS

 

Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor. Isaiah 26:13 NIV

 

HOW DO WE DISPLAY LOYALTY TO GOD?

 

1. LIVE WITH A FULL SUBMISSION TO HIS AUTHORITY

 

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

 

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 NLT

 

Yet I want your will to be done, not mine. Matthew 26:39 NLT

 

2. WE RECOGNIZE HIS OWNERSHIP

 

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36 NLT

 

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT

 

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17 NLT

 

3. Unquestioning Obedience

 

So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? Luke 6:46 NLT

 

“If you love me, obey my commandments.” John 14:15 NLT

 

GOD CALLS US TO SERVICE TO HIM AND TO OTHERS

 

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45 NLT

 

JESUS NEVER REDUCES HIS STANDARDS TO ATTRACT DISCIPLES

 

QUESTIONS TO EVALUATE OUR SERVANTHOOD

 

1. AM I GENEROUS WITH MY TIME?

 

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Hebrews 13:16 NLT

 

2. AM I GENEROUS WITH MY TALENTS?

 

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:4-5 NLT

 

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 NLT

 

3. AM I GENEROUS WITH MY TREASURE?

 

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,  but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Matthew 23:23 NLT

 

They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 2 Corinthians 8:2-3 NLT

 

4. AM I GENEROUS WITH MY TESTIMONY

 

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Revelation 12:11 NLT

Feb 13, 2024

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” Jeremiah 18:1-6 NLT 1. Jeremiah saw the potter Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. Job 10:9 NKJV In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 NLT In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2 NLT 2. Jeremiah saw the wheel And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT 3. Jeremiah saw the clay Sin is simply when we resist God’s Will. ​​In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 MSG LIFE WILL NEVER MAKE SENSE UNLESS YOU LIVE A LIFE BIGGER THAN YOURSELF For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 5:8-10 NIV 1. ASK YOURSELF “What should I STOP doing” Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them… Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise… Ephesians 5:11;15 NIV Behind your darkness is God’s purpose for your life. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:25-27 NLT 2. ASK YOURSELF “What should I START doing” Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:16-17 NIV Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. James 4:17 NLT “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6:34 MSG 3. ASK YOURSELF “What AM I WAITING FOR” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT People that procrastinate talk about a life of purpose. People who take initiative live a life of purpose. Why do you Matter? 1. You Matter to our Church God is looking for passionate disciples. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the lord.” Psalms 122:1 NLT But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. John 4:23 NLT God is looking for compassionate disciples. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:13-15 NLT 2. You Matter to our Community Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16 NLT Well our Church must become larger and smaller at the same time Small groups create 3 things we all need A place to Connect A place to Protect A place to Grow 3. You Matter to God There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other; But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it… 1 Corinthians 12:4-7;18 When you live beyond yourself the meaning of life comes into focus and life has purpose! But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:24 NLT

Feb 4, 2024

PATHWAYS 2/5/2024 Week 5: The Case for Community LACK OF COMMUNITY CAN LEAD TO: Heart disease High blood pressure Immune disorders Mental health issues (higher stress & anxiety) Cancer Suicide PEOPLE WHO ARE CONNECTED WITH OTHERS HAVE: 50% increase in life longevity Strengthened immune system and fighting diseases Lower levels of anxiety & depression Greater empathy More trust & cooperative Others trust & are open to cooperation Improved physical, social & emotional well-being STUDIES SAY OVER 25% OF AMERICANS HAVE NO ONE TO CONFIDE IN, OR WHO THEY CONSIDER A CLOSE FRIEND 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 NLT Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 NLT 1. THE NEED TO TAKE ___INITIATIVE__________________ 2. THE NEED FOR _____GOOD COMMUNITY________________ Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV 3. THE NEED TO ___CARRY EACH OTHERS BURDENS________________    Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NIV 4. THE NEED FOR ___ACCOUNTABILITY___________ 4. THE NEED TO GO ____DEEPER__________ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39 NLT There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 NLT

Jan 29, 2024

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT

 

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 NLT

 

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” Revelation 3:15-16 NLT

 

 

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matthew 10:37-39 NLT

 

 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

 

“Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the Yoke of Christ and follow Him. It is Grace because Jesus says, My yoke is easy and my burden is light.’” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

1. We Come

 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28 NLT

 

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NLT

 

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:36 NLT

 

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! Isaiah 55:1 NLT

 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28 NLT

 

2. We Take

 

Take my yoke upon you. Matthew 11:29 NLT

 

Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatian 6:8-9 NLT

 

WHAT YOU HOLD ONTO BECOMES YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN, BUT WHAT YOU SURRENDER TO GOD HE BEARS.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33 NLT

 

3. We Learn

 

Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart… Matthew 11:29 NLT

 

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. Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

 

Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Romans 6:15-16 NLT

 

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. John 14:15-17 NLT

 

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1 NLT

 

4. We Receive Rest

 

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

 

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

 

What is a yoke?

 

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 18-20 NLT

 

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 NLT

 

  “When we are called to follow Christ, we are summoned to an exclusive attachment to his person. And Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Jan 22, 2024

To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. —Martin Luther King JR

 

You live fully in me and now I live fully in them so that they will experience perfect unity, and the world will be convinced that you have sent me, for they will see that you love each one of them with the same passionate love that you have for me. John 17:23 TPT

 

The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within us, our spirits join him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to us as he whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!” Romans 8:14-16 TPT

 

PRAYER IS LESS ABOUT THE WORDS THAT YOU SAY, BUT THE MINDSET THAT YOU ATTACH TO YOUR PRAYERS!

 

Why do we have trouble praying?

 

1. Prayer can feel unnatural at first

 

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT

 

2. Prayer is an admission of weakness

 

Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me. Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. Psalms 31:14-15 MSG

 

3. Prayer doesn't always lead to the results we pictured.

 

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

 

“Prayer is a radical conversion of all our mental processes because in prayer we move away from ourselves, our worries, preoccupation, and self-gratification - and direct all that we recognize as ours to God in the simple trust that through his love all will be made new.” Henri Nouwen

 

How should a Disciple pray?

 

1. A Disciple Prays that God’s interest comes first

 

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10 NLT

 

you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

 

We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! Ephesians 2:10 TPT

 

2. A Disciple can pray with Authority

 

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NLT

 

For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. Matthew 12:29 NLT

 

3. The Disciple should pray Audaciously

 

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. Matthew 17:20-21 NLT

 

4. The Disciple should pray with persistence

 

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,  but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.  Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? Luke 18:1-7 NLT

 

“Got love an importunate prayer so much that He will not give us much blessings without it. He knows that it is a necessary preparation for our receiving the richest blessing He is Longing To bestow.” Adoniram Judson

 

ACTION STEPS

 

TIME

 

CONTENT

 

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Jan 14, 2024

This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns” Jeremiah 4:3 NLT

 

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Psalms 51:17 NLT

 

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 NLT

 

Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:24 NLT

 

When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. John15:8 NLT

 

Fruit-bearing in character is a prerequisite to fruit-bearing in spiritual influence upon others.

 

When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. Hebrews 6:7-8 NLT

 

Fallow Ground has a hard surface.

 

Fallow Ground has overgrowth

 

Fallow Ground invites the Trampling of Traffic

 

Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 NKJV

 

Two things we must do to break up our fallow hearts.

 

1. Humble ourselves before God and confess our Sins

 

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:5-6 NLT

 

let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT

 

“Holiness is not human life brought up to the highest possible development, but is Divine Life brought down to the lowest possible level of condescension.” Stuart Holden

 

Pride must be broken or it will break you!

 

Pride tells you that you can quit doing what you've always done even though it got you to success.

 

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. Create in me a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence,  and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalms 51:1-4;10-11 NLT

 

2. There must be an abhorrence of the sin in your life.

 

Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. Genesis 28:20-21 NLT

 

When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Genesis 32:25 NLT

 

“ The experiences of men who walked with God in olden times agreed to teach that the Lord cannot fully bless a man until he has first conquered him. the degree of blessing enjoyed by any man will correspond exactly with the completeness of God's victory over him.”  A W Tozer

Jan 7, 2024

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

 

“While true Grace is the full justification of the sinner, cheap Grace is the justification of continued sin. The Christian continues too often to model himself on the world standards in nearly every possible sphere of life, counting it presumption to aspire to a life under grace different from that which life has been under sin.”  Dwight Small

 

“Costly Grace is costly because it cost a man his life, and it is Grace because it gives a man the only true life. it is costly because it condemns sin, and Grace because it justifies the sinner.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT

 

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.  But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” John 6:26-27 NLT

 

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.  We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:66-69 NLT

 

Where do you reside in your commitment to Jesus?

 

Three things that progress you towards the core.

 

1. Experience (Food, Blessings, Miracles)

 

2. Revelation (He is more than a man)

 

3. Conviction (Not a guilty feeling, but moved inwardly, “where else would I go”)

 

If you only live in experience you will never have a deep relationship with God. Experience causes you to live for yourself and self sooner or later becomes the only god you need.

 

The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above. Proverbs 14:14

 

🚩 THAT CAUSE A BACKSLIDDEN HEART

 

The backslidden in heart masks sins with religious works

The backslidden in heart is filled with their own feelings and emotions

The backslidden in heart is filled with their own intelligence

The backslidden in heart is filled with their own quarrels

The backslidden in heart is filled with compromises and temptations

The backslidden in heart is filled with their own cares and worries

The backslidden in heart is filled with condemnation and shame

 

 

 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 NLT

 

 

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. Luke 9:24 NLT

 

Dec 10, 2023

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” Matthew 1:23 NLT

 

 

Jesus had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Philippians 2:6-8 MSG

 

THE GIFT OF JESUS IS…

 

1. THE GIFT OF PEACE

 

You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:12-14 NLT

 

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT

 

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

 

2. THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING

 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Hebrews 4:14-16 TPT

 

3. THE GIFT OF LOVE

 

This is how we have discovered love’s reality: Jesus sacrificed his life for us. Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds.  1 John 3:16;18 TPT

 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:18-19 NLT

  • How wide is the love of God

 

“Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18 NLT

 

He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12 NLT

  • How long is the love of God

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me John 10:28 NLT

  • How deep is the love of God

 

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:38-39 NLT

 

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds, you have been healed.”  1 Peter 2:24 NLT

  • How high is the love of God

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

Dec 3, 2023

“What do you Expect – Power of Expectations”

 

EXPECTATION

 

“…My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10 NLT

 

EXPECTATION

 

Expectations, with the right heart, are the breeding ground of miracles

 

FRUSTRATION

DISAPPOINTMENT

ANGER

 

If we aren’t careful, we could begin to project our frustration, disappointment, and anger towards God when He doesn't meet our expectations

 

JOHN THE BAPTIST, WHO WAS IN PRISON, HEARD ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THE MESSIAH WAS DOING. SO HE (JOHN) SENT HIS DISCIPLES TO ASK JESUS, ARE YOU THE MESSIAH WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING, OR SHOULD WE KEEP LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE?” – Matthew 11:2-3 NLT

 

“…are you the messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” Matthew 11:3 NLT

 

What happens when you go one way but God goes another?

 

GOD MAY NOT ALWAYS LIVE UP TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS, BUT HE WILL ALWAYS LIVE UP TO HIS WORD

 

1.     Inspect Your Perspective

 

PERSPECTIVE INFLUENCES EXPECTATION

 

“Now while John the Baptizer was in prison…” Matthew 11:2 TPT

 

THEN JESUS WENT FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN RIVER TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN. BUT JOHN TRIED TO TALK HIM OUT OF IT ‘I AM THE ONE WHO NEEDS TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU,’ HE SAID, ‘SO WHY ARE YOU COMING TO ME?” Matthew 3:13-14 NLT

Is this the guy?!

 

“Lord if its you,” peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28 NLT

 

“…Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “lord jesus save me!” Matthew 14: 29-30 NLT

 

AN UNHEALTHY PERSPECTIVE WILL ALWAYS CAUSE YOU TO DOUBT WHERE YOU’RE GOING

 

2.     Remember what God has done

 

STORMS CAN BE SCARY, BUT JESUS IS WITH US

 

IF GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO YOU IN THE PAST, HE IS GOING TO BE FAITHFUL IN THE PRESENT AND IN THE FUTURE.

 

3.     Trust That God Will Do It

 

IF GOD HAS BEEN FAITHFUL TO YOU IN THE PAST, HE IS GOING TO BE FAITHFUL IN THE PRESENT AND IN THE FUTURE.

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

 

“God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

 

GOD CAN OVERCOME YOUR FAILURE IF YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE FAITH

 

Nov 27, 2023

Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.” But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there. Luke 9:12-14 NLT

About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! Matthew 14:21 NLT

Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers! Luke 9:14-17

When the day began to wear away. Luke 9:12 NKJV

But Jesus said, “You feed them.” Luke 9:13 NLT

Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces. Luke 9:16 NLT

he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. Luke 9:16 NLT

1. IT HAS TO BE BLESSED BEFORE IT CAN MULTIPLY

Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.  But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.  And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed. Hebrews 7:5-7 NLT

2. IT HAS TO BE GIVEN AWAY TO MULTIPLY

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Psalms 106:3 NIV

I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you… Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 NLT

Nov 20, 2023

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:1-6 NKJV

1. THE ENEMY OF GENEROSITY

This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. John 12:6 NKJV

Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him. John 6:70-71

SUCCESS IS CONFRONTING OUR WEAKNESSES AND OVERCOMING THEM!

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

2. THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF GENEROSITY

And now, because of my devotion to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction 1 Chronicles 29:3 NLT

Solomon loved the Lord and followed all the decrees of his father, David, so the king went there and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings. 1 Kings 3:3-4 NLT

While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.” Luke 21:1-4 NLT

EXTRAVAGANCE IS NOT THE AMOUNT, BUT THE ATTITUDE BEHIND IT!

She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. Mark 14:8 NLT

they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord 2 Corinthians 8:5 NIV

THE MOST EXTRAVAGANT YOU CAN GIVE GOD IS YOUR HEART

3. THE REWARD OF GENEROSITY

I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed. Mark 14:9 NLT

When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”; “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?”;  Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”  And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” John 11:32;39-40;43-44 NLT

GENEROSITY IS A REFLECTION OF GRATITUDE

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT

Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. Genesis 12:2 NIV

The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. Genesis 12:7 NLT

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

Nov 12, 2023

Blessed Life – Week 4

The Principal of the First

What is up family? We are in week four of our series the blessed life based on a book with the same title written by pastor Robert Morris and this book radically changed my life! At the beginning of this series Pastor Mike made a challenge for you to not miss a week of this series because I truly believe these principles will radically transform your life, but if you miss any weeks so far you can go online and catch up because I really layout some foundational truth about our heart and the purpose behind why we do what we do in regards to these principles.

 

Today is probably one of the most difficult messages to speak and teach on as we are going to be tackling some meaty teachings today, but I believe it is probably the most important message out of the series as we are going to be talking about

 

The Principal of the Firsts

If God is 1st in your life, then everything comes into order. Now I’m not saying that you won't go through trials or tough times because even Jesus said we're going to go through trials; what I'm saying is despite the trials we go through, we have the proper alignment in life. If we routinely seek Him first and make God 1st, He will reveal solutions to our problems and struggles through the light of His presence and the power of His voice. His peace guards our hearts against chaotic thoughts and emotions. Wouldn't you rather go through life with your life in order instead of out of order?

This principle of the 1st is a theme throughout the entire Bible because it is laying out the placement of God in our lives. Watch what it says in Exodus:

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” Exodus 13:1-2 NKJV

Consecrate means to set apart! Notice he says it is mine. These are very strong words God using in the original text very powerful statement where he's making a claim and leaving a very clear description to the people of Israel of what is of importance to him. The first.

“Every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. Exodus 13:12-13 NKJV

Notice it says that every donkey you must break its neck if you don't redeem it which means you will lose it anyway. Think about that with your tithe and finances: if you don't redeem them they would become lost

Now to understand this principle of 1st there are several things we need to grasp about this principle.

1. THE FIRSTBORN MUST BE SACRIFICED OR REDEEMED

Now the question comes up how do you know which to do. How do you know if you're supposed to sacrifice it or redeem it? If it's clean it is to be sacrificed and if it's unclean he needs to be redeemed and what exodus says here is that it is redeemed with a clean animal. So to redeem the unclean donkey you needed a clean lamb to redeem it.

Now how does that apply today because that seems like some ancient stuff that we can't always comprehend in 2023? Think about it this way: how are you born do you think you were born clean or unclean?

For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. Psalms 51:5

Romans says because of the sin of Adam that sin has spread to everyone. So we are born into sin with a sinful nature. However, Jesus was born into this world clean. The Bible says he was pure and never sinned and he was sacrificed so that we could be redeemed and clean. Now, why am I saying this?

JESUS IS GOD’S TITHE

God gave his 1st born son 1st watch what Roman says,

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8

Did you see that? God sent his son as a sacrifice before we got our act together. While we were still in sin he sent his tithe. He sent Jesus while we were still mocking him, beating him, spitting on him, and nailing him to a cross. While we were still consumed with the sin he hoped and desired that we would receive the free gift of Jesus’ sacrifice and receive the forgiveness that would redeem our unclean sin. I'm glad he didn't wait for me to get my act together to redeem me.

So he gave his son in faith!

We tithe 10% in faith… We put God 1st in trust! The first fruit means that the tithe comes 1st and for that to happen we need faith! God says give me the first lamb, the firstborn I want the 1st. Don't wait till you have 10 lambs and then hand over the scrawny one that you don't really want. No, give me the first before you even have 9 more that follows because that takes faith.

Many people think that the tithe the 10% is what causes the blessing but that's not the truth it's

Your faith and obedience cause the blessing

Now I really want you to see this principle in the eyes of faith. Think back all the way to the book of Joshua the people of Israel 40 years before were delivered from the powerful Egyptian army out of slavery and the people still did not have faith to trust God to be their provider and sustainer. When he brought them to the promised land their response was we cannot defeat the nations that live in this land and they were filled with doubt, not faith. So for 40 years, the people of Israel wandered in the desert until all the doubters became old and died away.

Now Joshua is in command and the people of Israel are ready to inherit the promised land that was theirs from the beginning. And they're stepping into their first battle to take down the mighty city of Jericho and watch what God instructs the people of Israel to do.

Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury.” Joshua 6:17-19

Now the logical thinking would be that after you win your first battle you would take the spoils of war to fund the mission of conquering the rest of the land. But God said everything from the first battle would be given to him as an offering. Why? Because it was the first city conquered in the promised land and that would make it the first fruit. He didn't say conquered 10 cities and give me the spoils from the 10th one he says give me the 1st and you can have the rest and that's going to take faith and of course, tithing takes faith to give the 1st.

2. FIRSTFRUITS MUST BE OFFERED

Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase Proverbs 3:9 NKJV

All your increase which means bonuses and all the God brings into your home. Honor God with it. Now I want you to notice something this isn't the law in proverbs where God is kind of writing out the guidebook for the people of Israel. This is actually hundreds of years after the law was written we're Solomon is reinforcing that this is a principle, not just a rule.

The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God. Exodus 23:19 NKJV

Notice God says to bring the firstfruits not give first fruit Why is that? Because:

You can’t give what’s not yours

And we've already associated that the tithe is set apart for God so it is already his that's why we just bring it to the House of the Lord. So, you can either bring it or you steal it as we talked about 2 weeks ago in Malachi chapter 3.

Now, remember when we talked about how in the book of Joshua God commanded the people of Israel to take all the spoils they received from the battle of Jericho and offer 1it to God as an offering because it was the first fruits and that was their tithe? Well not everybody has faith and there was a dude Achan just didn't want to trust God and took matters into his own hands.

But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Joshua 7:1-2

So Achan takes some the first fruit offering and keeps it for himself. Took what was set apart for himself and God becomes angry and now their mission which was redeemed is now cursed and the people of Israel go to battle and when they just came out and a victory that was amazing and miraculous they get beat handily by the men of Ai.   

And Joshua goes and he's weeping on his face before God and God goes dude get up why you laying on your face like that because there's only one logical explanation as to why you were defeated you didn't obey the covenant and my commands by giving me the 1st. People stole from me and my blessings could not be there because there was sin in its place. And God says until you deal with this you'll never defeat your enemies until you get those things that were set apart and give him to me you won't have victory and so Joshua dealt with it and God blessed their mission.

Listen to me: when we don't tithe we are not setting apart what God called to be holy and we're not seeing our finances be redeemed but now we are cursing them.

Why would you want curses in your bank account because the Lord knows you already got enough problems in that bank account already. Wouldn't you want it blessed? Heres what I know:

IT TAKES FAITH TO TITHE AND IT TAKES FAITH TO BELIEVE THAT 90% BLESSED IS FAR BETTER THAN 100% CURSED.

Listen to what it says in Genesis 4:

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Genesis 4:3 NKJV

I want you to notice this it says in the process of time Cain brought an offering. It didn't say he brought the first fruit it just says an offering over the course of time.

Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. Genesis 4:4-5 NKJV

The Lord respected and accepted Abel's offering but did not accept Cain's offering and it's not that God wouldn't accept it that he couldn't accept it because God has to be 1st and can never be 2nd. God is above all and he is 1st and just because you don't make him 1st Doesn't change who he is and that means he could never be second. He is God!

Tithing represents who is 1st in your life. You can tell me all day long who's 1st in your life but your lifestyle and your choices are the real answer. The first belongs to God we can give God the first of our time. We can give him the first of our finances. What the tithe is really is giving our first to God. It is saying, God, I'm gonna give you the 1st and trust you redeem the rest.

So when we understand the principle of tithing we can look at our bank accounts and say God you come first And I trust now when I tithe 1st you're going to redeem the rest and provide for me. You can also say God I understand the principle a first because you come first in my schedule I give you the first portion of my week by attending church and believe you will redeem the rest of my week because I will honor you and model to my family God comes 1st.

Sadly some people view Monday as the beginning of the week other people think Friday is when their week begins because they think I'm going to party and have a good time but very few people view attending church as the tithe of their time by giving God the first of their week as they worship God and they serve in the body to see people that are far from Jesus have a welcoming loving experience in our church community. Even in business, this is why chick fila, hobby lobby and others, are BLESSED and still at the top of the lists for revenues minus 1 day of the week against their competition…bc they give the first part of their week. Number 3:

3. THE TITHE MUST BE FIRST

One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. Leviticus 27:30

OK now let me use a little illustration here say I hire a contractor to remodel my kitchen and the contractor gives me a bid and says this is how much it's going to cost for materials, this is how much is going to cost to pay my workers, and this is the profit I'm going to make which will just say is $1000. Now the contractor doesn’t tithe on the material cost or on what he pays his workers he tithes on his profit which is his increase.  So let's say I give him 10 $100 bills for his $1000 profit. What's his tithe? $100.

Now, which of the $100 bills is his tithe? Now what we do is we set some aside for a mortgage, set some aside for our car payment, set some aside for our utilities, set some aside for our food, and then we set some aside for our tithe.  However, when we do that our tithe is not our first fruit which means Gods not first because our mortgage is getting our first fruit.

For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Romans 11:16 NKJV

I want you to see this is we made the first fruit holy it redeems the rest and makes the rest holy. In the root is only all the branches and its fruit becomes holy. If the tithe is 1st and God is 1st then the rest is holy. So your tithe is the first that leaves your hand. 

Because if we're honest and we don't make the first fruit the first fruit which causes the rest to be holy what happens is we send some aside for a mortgage, we set some aside for our car payment, we set some aside for our utilities, we set some aside for our food, and oops we don't have quite enough to set aside for our tithe and God cannot accept and redeem that because he was not first. Remember in Malachai when God said you are robbing me.  He also says you are not bringing me your first or your best offering when you do bring offerings and it is so dishonoring I wish you wouldn’t bring me any offering at all! God has to be 1st in our life and we have to trust that he has our best interests at heart. That's faith! 

Now how does this work for me? I get paid every other Friday and my check is direct deposited so it just magically appears in my bank account and So what I've done is I set up recurring giving that the very first thing that comes out of my bank account on payday is my tithes and offerings. Now some people write checks and when they get paid the very first thing they do is write a tithe check or some people physically go online on their payday and give their tithe. But what they're doing and what I'm trying to do is to always make the first fruit the first fruit because I always want God to be 1st.

Now what if you get paid and go to pay your tithe and maybe you write a check or pay online on your payday but you get so busy one day that you get home that night and you're like I forgot to write my tithe check where I forgot to pay my tithe online and you jump online to pay your tithe and you realize your wife bought groceries already and you're like great my check already cursed for this pay period. No! That's not the way it works because God is not legalistic.

Tithing isn't about following rules it's about your heart and your intentions

2nd corinthians 9 says:

Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious duty…” 2 Corinthians 9:7 TPT

We do it just because we want God to be 1st in our lives and he knows your heart.

{PERSONAL STORY} – MY FIRST YEAR TITHING – BLESSED AND REDEEMED FINANCES

That's why I tell you only you can keep yourself accountable to this and as one of your pastors I will teach you the truth but I'll not be looking at your paycheck and your donation and see if you're giving 10% that's between you and God. it's also why I say if you don't feel called to Bloom go to a church that you feel called to be a part of an apply these principles too because I care more about you being blessed and I don't want you to walk in the curse any longer. God has great things in store for you but he has to be 1st in your life.

And in the future, your children will ask you, ‘What does all this mean?’ Then you will tell them, ‘With the power of his mighty hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, the place of our slavery. Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, so the Lord killed all the firstborn males throughout the land of Egypt, both people and animals. That is why I now sacrifice all the firstborn males to the Lord… Exodus 13:14-15

One day your children will come and ask you why do you sacrifice the first fruits to the Lord and you'll tell him we weren't always blessed like we are now. We didn't use to be farmers or ranchers we used to be slaves, but God redeemed us and out of a grateful heart we remember that and we understand that we never want to walk in this life without God being 1st. Because I don't want to take one step without God’s direction. because only a surrendered disciple can walk in the thriving will of God. That is still true for us today thousands of years later parents we model to our children what redemption and surrender looks like and if God is not first in your life and he is 2nd and 3rd in your life he will be 4th 5th and 6th in your children's lives. We explain to them the redemption we explain to them the goodness of God and we show them what freedom looks like and we explain why God is 1st in our lives.

So the question I want to end with

is God really first in your life?

Nov 5, 2023

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Psalms 119:1-5 NLT

And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. Luke 16:9 NKJV

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16:10-12 NKJV

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 16:13 NKJV

1. WHAT IS MAMMON?

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves… Genesis 11:4 NKJV

'“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:12-14 NLT

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24 NKJV

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26 NKJV

MAMMON PROMISES US THINGS ONLY GOD CAN PROVIDE

Cause my heart to bow before your words of wisdom and not to the wealth of this world. Psalms 119:36 NLT

2. IS MONEY EVIL?

MONEY IS NOT EVIL IT IS NEUTRAL

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10 NLT

And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. Luke 16:9 NKJV

ONLY GOD CAN TURN UNRIGHTEOUS MAMMON INTO SOULS

3. WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY MONEY?

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10 NLT

SATISFACTION IS ROOTED IN LIVING YOUR PURPOSE!

And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? Luke 16:11 NLT

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV

Decide:

“When you have plans that are diligent, it leads to plenty.” Proverbs 21:5.

 

Discover:

“God will supply all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.

 

Dream:

“God can do exceedingly abundantly more than all we can ask for or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20

 

'They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Psalms 126:6 NLT

 

None of us can do everything but everybody can do something and together, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR HEART IS?

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

 

Oct 29, 2023

Life is good for the one who is generous and charitable, conducting affairs with honesty and truth. Psalms 112:5 TPT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ Malachi 3:6-7 NIV

“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ Malachi 3:8 NIV

“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Malachi 3:8-9 NIV

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:10-12 NIV

3 UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT TITHING

1. TITHING IS A TEST

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10 NIV

2. TITHING IS BIBLICAL

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:18-20 NIV

this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me. Genesis 28:22 NLT

One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. Leviticus 27:30 NLT

And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. Deuteronomy 26:1-2 NKJV

then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them. I have not eaten any of it when in mourning, nor have I removed any of it for an unclean use, nor given any of it for the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that You have commanded me. Deuteronomy 26:13-14 NKJV

Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel and the land which You have given us… Deuteronomy 26:15 NKJV

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Mathew 23:23

3. TITHING IS A BLESSING

Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 31:4 NKJV

As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in heaps. In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 2 Chronicles 31:5-7 NKJV

And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, “Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance. 2 Chronicles 31:8-10 NKJV

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

Level 1: Initial Giver… What do I do with my stuff?

Level 2: Consistent Giver… What do I do with God’s stuff? .

Level 3: Intentional Giver… What does God want me to do with God’s stuff?

Level 4: Spiritual Giver… What does God want me to GIVE from what GOD has provided?

Level 5: Surrendered Giver… What does God want me to KEEP from what GOD has provided?

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:25-26 NLT

 

Oct 22, 2023

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. Psalms 106:3 NIV

Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise. Psalms 106:4-5 NIV

You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2 NIV

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38 NIV

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:21 NLT

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:37-38 NIV

HOW TO DEVELOP A HEART OF GENEROSITY

But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need. Deuteronomy 15:7-8 NLT

1. DEAL WITH A SELFISH HEART

Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin. Deuteronomy 15:9

WHY DID GOD INVENT GIVING?

GIVING OVER ANY OTHER ACTIVITY WORKS SELFISHNESS AND GREED OUT OF OUR HEARTS

People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Proverbs 16:2 NLT

when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:3 NLT

2. DEAL WITH A GRIEVING HEART

Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. Deuteronomy 15:10 NLT

HOW DO YOU COMBAT GRIEF?

YOU HAVE THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE REGARDING “YOUR” MONEY

3. DEVELOP A GENEROUS HEART

Give him a generous farewell gift from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. Share with him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 15:14 NLT

HOW DO YOU WALK IN GENEROSITY?

BY RENEWING OUR MINDS

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2 NLT

A heart touched by God desires to give

 

“I know that when I take time to talk to God and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit I feel alive and life is joyous and exciting.” Peter Marshall

 

It is time for people to quit wandering, and it is time for people to connect with their God-given purpose.

 

“We are not saved to go to heaven. If so, why didn't we go to heaven right then? Heaven is a by-product. We are saved to tell others and to let Jesus Christ live in us.” -Jimmy Draper

4. DEVELOP A GRATEFUL HEART

Remember that you were once slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you! That is why I am giving you this command. Deuteronomy 15:15 NLT

live each day with holy awe and reverence throughout your time on earth. For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes, but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us. 1 Peter 1:17-19 TPT

Oct 15, 2023

What am I doing?! – Purpose

 

“Why am I here”

 

Purpose

 

Do you feel like you are living in the purpose God designed you to live in?

 

1.     You’re blatantly living in sin

 

“don’t let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to god, for your were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of god.” Romans 6:12-13 NLT

 

2.     You lack joy and excitement

 

3.     You don’t feel much fulfillment in life

 

4.     You feel stuck

5.     You have no direction

 

A life of purpose brings focus

 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 NIV

 

We will find our purpose less in what we do and more in what we are willing to surrender

Surrender leads to obedience and obedience fuels our purpose

 

Its in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for…part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” Ephesians 1:11 MSG

 

“Your will be done” Matthew 6:10

 

Who we are doesn’t flow from what we do…what we do flows from who we are

 

“Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph – a beautiful robe.” Genesis 37:3 NLT

 

“When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:4 NIV

 

“…listen to this dream, he said, “we were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” and they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them.” Genesis 37:6-8 NLT

 

“The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.” Genesis 39:2-4 NLT

 

“…now Joseph was well-built and handsome…” Genesis 39:6 NIV

 

“Come and sleep with me,” she demanded.” Genesis 39:7

 

“Look, he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” Genesis 39:8-9 NLT

 

“she grabbed him by his cloak demanding, “come on sleep with me!” joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said “ my husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.” Genesis 39:12-18 NLT

 

If you ever feel like “Nothing gold can stay” that’s an indicator that you’re living in YOUR will not HIS

 

“but the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the Lord made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.” Genesis 39:21 NLT

 

“Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The Lord was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.” Genesis 39:22-23 NLT

 

God wants to use you in every situation you are in

 

“I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”

 

 

“it is beyond my power to do this,” joseph replied. “but God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” Genesis 41:15-16 NLT

 

“Therefore, pharaoh should find an intelligent and wise man and put him in charge of the entire land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh should appoint supervisors over the land and let them collect one fifth of the crops during the seven good years. Have them gather all the food produced in the good years that are just ahead and bring it to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away , and guard it so there will be food in the cities. That way there will be enough to eat when the seven years of famine come to the land of Egypt. Otherwise this famine will destroy the land.” Genesis 41:33-36 NLT

Our purpose is not found in a thing that we do, but rather in the type of life that we live

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time..” 2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

 

1.     What will be the most important thing in my life?

 

Whatever is at the center of your life…is your God

 

Is Christ TRULY at the center of your life?

2.     What will be the character of my life?

 

We take who we are into eternity…not what we did

 

The Fruits of the Spirit

-        Love

-        Joy

-        Peace

-        Patience

-        Kindness

-        Goodness

-        Faithfulness

-        Gentleness

-        Self Control

 

3.     What will be the contributions of my life?

 

“…I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last…” John 15:16 NIV

4.     What will be the communication of my life?

Oct 8, 2023

YOU WILL ONLY RISE UP TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR IDENTITY

 

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. James 1:2 NLT

 

YOU MUST SWITCH FROM PITY TO POTENTIAL IF YOU ARE GOING TO GROW IN LIFE.

 

'These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7 NLT

 

A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume. And the day you die is better than the day you are born. Ecclesiastes 7:1 NLT

 

GOD IS LESS CONCERNED WITH OUR SHORT-TERM HAPPINESS AS HE IS WITH OUR CHARACTER.

 

1. GOOD TIMES CAN BE DECEPTIVE

 

Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies— so the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us. Ecclesiastes 7:2-3 NLT

 

'Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalms 90:12 NLT

 

“Life is like a parachute jump; you've got to get it right the first time” Elenor Roosevelt

 

…for sadness has a refining influence on us. Ecclesiastes 7:3 NLT

 

Sorrow is better than laughter… Ecclesiastes 7:3 NLT

 

THE KEY TO RESILIENCE IN LIFE AND EFFECTIVENESS IS BEING NEUTRAL

 

2. HARD TIMES BRING WISDOM

 

'A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool. Ecclesiastes 7:4-5 NLT

 

THE SAD REALITY IS TOO MANY CHRISTIANS WALK AROUND WITH A NARCISSISTIC SPIRITUALITY

 

“God cannot use a man until he has hurt him deeply.”  A. W. Tozer

 

For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” Hebrews 12:6 NLT

 

A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire. This also is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 7:6 NLT

 

Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. Ecclesiastes 7:8 NLT

 

3. WISDOM BRINGS PROTECTION

 

'Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life. Ecclesiastes 7:12 NLT

 

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

 

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 NLT

 

'And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

 

'How wonderful to be wise, to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its harshness. Ecclesiastes 8:1 NLT

 

Are you spending time with God?

Are you diving into the word of God?

Are you selflessly serving?

Are you intentionally doing life with life-giving people?

Are you making church a priority for your family?

Are you walking in the will of God?

Are you living at peace with others to the best of your ability?

 

'At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Matthew 27:46 NLT

 

'Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. Luke 23:46 NLTå

Oct 2, 2023

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD LIES BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS

 

'I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. Romans 7:19 NLT

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS INEQUITY IN THE WORLD?

 

And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. Ecclesiastes 3:16 NIV

 

'I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” Ecclesiastes 3:17 NIV

 

'The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 NLT

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS OPPRESSION IN THE WORLD?

 

'Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. Ecclesiastes 4:1 NIV

 

And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 4:2-3 NIV

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS RIVALRY IN THE WORLD?

 

'And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4 NIV

 

Fools fold their hands and ruin themselves. Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 NIV

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE IT’S THINGS OVER PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD?

 

'Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! Ecclesiastes 4:7-8 NIV

 

'Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE POPULARITY IS SO IMPORTANT IN THE WORLD?

 

'Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning. The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 NIV

 

HOW SHOULD WE RESPOND TO THESE FEELNGS?

 

THERE ARE TWO WAYS WE LEARN IN LIFE

1. WE LEARN THINGS IN RETROSPECT

2. WE LEARN THINGS BY WISDOM

 

YOUR ATTITUDE IS THE RUDDER THAT GUIDES YOUR LIFE

 

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Ecclesiastes 5:1 NIV

 

'Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2 NIV

 

'God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!; “Be still, and know that I am God! Psalms 46:1-3,10 NLT

Sep 25, 2023

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD LIES BEHIND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS

 

And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NIV

 

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

 

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 NIV

 

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 NIV

 

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 NIV

 

'“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”Revelation 4:11 NLT

 

FOUR PILLARS

 

1. GOD IS WISE

 

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT

 

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Genesis 50:20 NLT

 

2. GOD IS ALSO MYSTERIOUS

 

He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

 

Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader? Habakkuk 1:14 NLT

 

Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry.” Jeremiah 15:18 NLT

 

3. WE CANNOT LET WHAT WE CANNOT KNOW DESTROY WHAT WE CAN ENJOY

 

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. Ecclesiastes 3:12 NIV

 

That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:13 NIV

 

 

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Matthew 6:34 NLT

 

4. REST IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

 

'I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and         v nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Ecclesiastes 3:14 NIV

 

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. Job 1:21 CSB

 

'Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account. Ecclesiastes 3:15 NIV

 

'But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. Acts 2:23-24 NLT

Sep 3, 2023

Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:15 NLT

 

“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison yourself and waiting for the other person to die.” -Marianne Williamson

 

'Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14,17-21 NIV

 

TRUE JUSTICE IS PAYING ONLY ONCE FOR EACH MISTAKE. TRUE INJUSTICE IS PAYING MORE THAN ONCE FOR EACH MISTAKE.

 

1. HOW DO YOU RESPOND INWARDLY?

 

…For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45 NIV

 

'Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:5-7 NIV

 

  • DO NOT TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY

 

HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE

 

'A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 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. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT

 

  • DO NOT LET ASSUMPTIONS LEAD YOU

 

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 26:22 NIV

 

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28 NIV

 

'With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:9,13 NIV

 

“Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it, I cannot be used by God for his purpose in the world.” -Oswald Chambers

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV

 

2. HOW DO YOU RESPOND OUTWARDLY?

 

  • TAKE THE INITIATIVE

 

THE REASON WE FEAR CONFRONTATION IS BECAUSE WE FEAR BEING EXPOSED AND BEING VULNERABLE.

He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Genesis 3:10 NLT

 

FEAR WILL MAKE YOU DO AT LEAST 1 OF 3 THINGS…. GET DISTANT, GET DEFENSIVE, AND/OR GET DEMANDING.

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

 

  • GO TO THE PERSON AND SPEAK IN LOVE

“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. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. Matthew 18:15-16 NLT

 

Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Proverbs 12:18 NLT

 

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19 NLT

 

GUIDELINES TO COMMUNICATING

  • REMAIN CALM
  • EXPRESS FEELINGS WITH WORDS NOT ACTIONS
  • BE SPECIFIC WITH WHAT IS BOTHERING YOU
  • DEAL WITH ONLY ONE ISSUE AT A TIME
  • NO “HITTING BELOW THE BELT”
  • AVOID CLAMMING UP

Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. Ephesians 4:29 GNT

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