In parenting More is caught than taught.
1. Parents are responsible for helping their teen build a solid FOUNDATION.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11 (ESV)
2. With a solid foundation, parents guide teens to discover their IDENTITY in Christ.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 NIV
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked Jeremiah 17:9 KJV
3. Teens need more than just their parents, they need Godly MENTORS
One of the biggest factors to shape your identity is the voices you’re allowing to speak into you life.
TEENAGERS NEED SPIRITUAL MENTORS LIKE:
4. Teens need to explore their identity in Christ and find PURPOSE in the context of spiritual mentors.
5. Teens need to see and experience God’s GRACE through you.
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. 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Romans 5:3-4 NLT
'If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT
If you want to change the culture in your home, you have to change the way you communicate.
For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. Matthew 12:34 NLT
'The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21 NLT
Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. James 3:2 NLT
3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT OUR WORDS/TONGUES
1. THE TONGUE IS SMALL BUT POWERFUL
'We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches….
James 3:3-5 NLT
2. THE TONGUE IS DIRECTIONAL
And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. James 3:4 NLT
3. THE TONGUE HAS A QUICK IMPACT
'In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. James 3:5 NLT
HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE IN A HEALTHY WAY?
You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19 NLT
A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. Proverbs 17:27-28 NLT
T – is it True?
H – is it Helpful?
I – is it Inspiring?
N – is it Necessary?
K – is it Kind?
Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips. Psalms 141:3 NLT
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 NLT
'Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:23-24 NLT
FORGIVENESS IS NOT…
MAKING EXCUSES FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED
SOMETHING THE OTHER PERSON EARNS OR DESERVES
FORGETTING OR AVOIDING
INSTANT RESTORATION OF TRUST.
FORGIVENESS is the conscious choice to give up your right to make the other person pay because you trust God to make things right.
HOW DOES FORGIVENESS WORK IN A GODLY WAY?
1. We recognize forgiveness is a conviction, not a circumstance.
So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” Luke 17:3-4 NLT
2. We understand why forgiveness is so difficult.
REQUIRES EMOTIONAL ENERGY
REQUIRES UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS AND RISKY OUTCOMES
IT FEELS UNNATURAL
TAKES AWAY PERCEPTION OF CONTROL
3. WE FOCUS ONLY ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL
'Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 NLT
SO WHAT CAN I CONTROL?
1. PRAY FOR GODS HELP
So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view…. 2 Corinthians 5:16 NLT
2. PRAY FOR THEM
You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Matthew 5:43-44 NLT
3. DO THE OPPOSITE
Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:17-21 NLT
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 NLT
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 NLT
'For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body. As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:22-33 NLT
CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER
WHAT ARE THE THREE PRACTICAL WAYS TO CONNECT WITH MY HUSBAND
1. HAVE FUN WITH ME
“Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers.” Song of Solomon 7:11 NLT
2. BE INTIMATE WITH ME
“Come, my love, let us go out to the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love.” Song of Solomon 7:11-12 NLT
“Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.” Proverbs 5:18-19 NLT
3. RESPECT ME
…and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:33 NLT
WHAT ARE THE THREE PRACTICAL WAYS TO CONNECT WITH MY WIFE
1. GIVE ME NONSEXUAL ATTENTION
You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19 NLT
To answer before listening— that is folly and shame. Proverbs 18:13 NIV
2. AFFIRM ME
How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O queenly maiden. Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a skilled craftsman. Your navel is perfectly formed like a goblet filled with mixed wine. Between your thighs lies a mound of wheat bordered with lilies. Your breasts are like two fawns, twin fawns of a gazelle. Your neck is as beautiful as an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the sparkling pools in Heshbon. Song of Solomon 7:1-4 NLT
'When a man finds a wife, he has found a treasure! For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure. Proverbs 18:22 TPT
WHAT YOU FOCUS ON YOU BECOME PASSIONATE ABOUT!
3. BE THE SPIRITUAL LEADER IN OUR HOME.
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. Ephesians 5:25-28 NLT
HOW DO WE GROW CLOSER TO EACH OTHER?
“The most important commandment is this…you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:29-30 NLT
YOU GROW CLOSER TO EACH OTHER WHEN YOU GROW CLOSER TO GOD
PRAY TOGETHER EVERY DAY!
“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”Matthew 6:33 NLT
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. ” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” Luke 4:18-21 NLT
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 NLT
'But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News… Luke 4:18 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
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
…to bring Good News to the poor. Luke 4:18 NLT
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 ESV
HUMAN NATURE IS SELF-RELIANCE, BUT A DISCIPLES NATURE MUST BE SURRENDER
'He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.' John 3:30 NLT
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released… Luke 4:18 NLT
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent. Luke 5:32 NLT
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 ESV
For the wages of sin is death… Romans 6:23 NLT
'For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. ' 2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV
that the blind will see… Luke 4:18 NLT
“We are all under the same mental calamity; we have all forgotten our names. We have all forgotten what we really are.” G.K. Chesterton
Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Ecclesiastes 1:8-9 NLT
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Luke 3:21-22 NIV
the oppressed will be set free… Luke 4:18 NLT
God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 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 4:5-7 NLT
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:36 NLT
and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. Luke 4:19 NLT
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:6 ESV
He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT
GOD IS EAGER TO SATISFY ALL THE SPIRITUAL CRAVING OF HIS CHILDREN BUT ONLY IN JESUS ARE WE FILLED AND SATISFIED!
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
To win the world is to display the greatest love. God loved us so much that He gave! There is no greater love than to lay down your life for the well-being of others. The key to Joy is unconditional kindness to all people which is true compassion. The Great Commission is a command and the second judgment (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) is a reality.
“We are not only going to be judged for what we have done. we are going to be judged by what we could have done.” -AW Tozer
LOVELESSNESS RESULTS FROM SELF-LOVE
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. Matthew 9:36-37 NLT
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace.” Luke 19:41-42 NLT
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!” Luke 15:25-32 NLT
“There are two kinds of Christians, spiritual and carnal. The experience of the two is vastly different. In the life of the spiritual Christian the power of the Lord Jesus is being lived out; sin does not have dominion because the indwelling Holy Spirit continually manifests the life of the Lord Jesus. The carnal Christian is a true believer, yet in him the self-life is dominant and sin still has the upper hand. Such a Christian is defeated and has not yet learned to let the spirit of God take control of his personality. The carnal life is one of continual defeat and struggle. There is neither peace nor power, Joy nor liberty. The spirit is bound and there is little evidence of the fruit of the spirit of God.” -Dwight Hervey Small
1. It is possible for one to assume the place and privileges of a son while refusing to love their brother.
His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. Luke 15:31 NLT
HUMILITY LEADS TO GRATITUDE, BUT PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS LEADS TO BITTERNESS
But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. James 3:14-16 NLT
2. It is possible for one to serve the father Faithfully while not being in fellowship with Him.
but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Luke 15:29 NLT
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE WHY BEHIND THE WHAT IN YOUR SERVICE TO THE FATHER.
3. It is possible for one to be the heir of all his father's possessions yet to have less joy and Liberty than one who possesses nothing.
Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. Luke 15:25-28 NLT
IF YOU DO NOT SHARE IN THE FATHER’S BURDENS YOU CANNOT SHARE IN THE FATHER’S JOY.
So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NLT
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. John 6:38 NLT
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. Romans 8:17 NLT
IF YOU STAY HOLY AND HUMBLE YOU ARE ON A HEAD-ON COLLISION FOR GREATNESS.
YOU CAN’T BE HUMBLE AND SELF-CENTERED AT THE SAME TIME
YOU CAN’T BE HUMBLE AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS AT THE SAME TIME
YOU CAN’T BE HUMBLE AND FULL OF SELF-PITY AT THE SAME TIME
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
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