F.A.I.T.H.

Well we've finished the FAITH series.
I thought I'd recap, of course you could just scroll down and get it all week by week but here it is.
F is for FORGIVENESS
     We've all sinned and need God's forgiveness
A is for AVAILABLE but it's not AUTOMATIC so you have to ACCEPT God's gift
     God's forgiveness is available to everyone
I is for IMPOSSIBLE
     It is impossible to get to Heaven on your own
T is for TURN
    We must turn from our sinful way of living and start a new life in Christ Jesus.
H is for HEAVEN
John 3:16  For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Our challenge is that we will not hold this gift that was given freely to us. Scripture tells us to go forth and make disciples. I challenge anyone to share this message with someone, with everyone. Will it be easy? Maybe, Maybe Not.

But the Bible tells us that we can do all thing through Christ that gives us strength.
Be Bold and remember to love others like Christ loves you.

A simple question that you could ask someone.

What do you think it takes to get to Heaven?

Wednesday Night Notes 03/23/11

What happens if a person is willing to repent of their sins and confess Christ?

Lets check one of the most know scriptures.

John 3:16

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Did you catch that last part? "will not perish but have eternal life."

Eternal life in Heaven.

So the H in FAITH stands for Heaven but it also stands for How.

How can a person have God's forgiveness, eternal life, and heaven?

By trusting Jesus as you Savior and Lord.

Here's a few scripture refering to our Reward in Heaven

Ephesians 2:4-10

 ⁴ But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, ⁵ 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!) ⁶ 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.

1 Peter 1:3-9

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

 6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 7 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.

 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

Revelation 21:1-6

 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.

Heaven is a place where we will live with God forever.

John 14:3

When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

While jesus was painfully enduring the cross. He declared to the crucified thief who repented and believed.

Luke 23:43

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Heaven is the place where you will spend eternal life if you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

But reality is H also stands for Hell. And Hell is a real place where the ones that don't accept Christ will spend eternity.

The Reality of Hell

Luke 16:19-24

 19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

 22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.

 24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’

Hell is an eternity in constant flames and worms gnaw on what they find

Isaiah 66:24

 24 And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me.  For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out.   All who pass by will view them with utter horror.”

We can be grateful that God has made forgiveness available so that those who accept His offer will never experience the ugliness and horror of hell.

Enjoy A Bit Of Heaven Now

You were created to live in complete fellowship with God and to enjoy being His most prized creation.

John 10:10

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Galatians 2:20

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

You've been cleaned up and have a new life in Christ

Galatians 3:26-27

 26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.    (REFRESHED)

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Ephesians 1:9-14

 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

 12 God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Wednesday Night Notes 3/16/11

Isaiah 45:20-22 “Gather together and come,  you fugitives from surrounding nations.
What fools they are who carry around their wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save! Consult together, argue your case. Get together and decide what to say.
Who made these things known so long ago? What idol ever told you they would happen?
Was it not I, the Lord? For there is no other God but me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none but me. Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other.

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

TURN – Have you ever arrived at spot in life where you’d have to change direction?
Sometimes we’re faced with sign similar to this one.

Confusing right?
But what if it was just one sign that told us to turn around and go the other way. Maybe the path we were headed down was leading to destruction and the opposite way was towards life.

See the bible tells us that sin separates us from God and that sin leads to death.  So the word TURN is a choice we are given and an action we must complete in to have our sins forgiven.

It’s called Repent  
: to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one's life
: to feel regret or contrition 
: to change one's mind

Check out this scripture….
Luke 13:3  
Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

Acts 3:19 
Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

When we repent we begin by turning from a life of sin and self.
We realize that our own effort will not be enough to make us acceptable to God therefore self cannot be trusted.
Have you ever tried to get rid of a sin yourself?
Usually we fall back into it, we try to justify it, “maybe just a little sin won’t hurt.”

The thing is we must no longer embrace a sinful way of life but Turn to Jesus alone as your Savior and Lord.

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

We also realize that we cannot let go of our sin on our own and that we need help.
Jesus came to release us from the grip of sin.
Sometimes we feel overpowered by a sin in our life, so much that we think we can’t shake it. We can’t but Christ can and He did.

Revelations 1:5
and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us

The bottom line is that Jesus and only Jesus is the way to God.

But here is the greatest News of all…

Romans 10:9-10 
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Confession is an acknowledgement. It involves both the confession of sin and the confession of faith.

1 John 1:9 
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

It’s more than words. “and believe in your heart” That He is Alive!

Those who confess and believe will be saved.

Saved is Paul's description of a person who commits his or her life to Jesus.

One Word

I've ran across this great book that during the first Chapter it really spoke to me about the focus of our youth ministry.

It started out with this guy wanting to know what ministry is all about? He noticed that outreach wasn't working in their student ministry and he wanted to know what was missing. He didn't want the top 10 tips for a productive ministry, he wanted a straight forward answer in one word.

However the answer he received was not what he expected....

L.O.V.E.

In one word;

How do you sum up students reaching other students?

How do you verbalize youth leaders reaching out to youth?

Jesus was asked basically the same question in the bible.

The conversation went something like this

“Okay, Jesus – then what is the most important thing?

Don’t give me the long answer, just what is the bottom line?”

Jesus answered, “Love God…love others.”

That’s what it comes down to.

LOVE

Matthew 22:37-39

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.’

If we are going to continue to try and reach out to a hurting world then we have to learn how to love like Christ did. Too many times we pick someone apart before we get to know them. We judge them on their appearance and their past, we stick them in a category compared to who they hang with, we decide who to and who not to share the love of Christ with.
We are Wrong!
Love Like Christ and if you haven’t wrapped your mind around that type of Love, then bring yourself to the cross where Jesus sacrificed himself for everyone.

Interesting picture that will make you think about how far your love goes.



Wednesday Night Notes 3/10/11 - F.A.I.T.H.

F. A. I.
Forgiveness, Available, Impossible

On Our Own, Heaven Is Impossible

According to the Bible, it is impossible to get to heaven on our own.

As hard as we may try, some things are impossible for us to do….

Some of the impossible thing we wish we could do.

(here's some answers that I got from last night) : fly, teleport, walk on water, breath under water, and the list goes on.

Sounds like to me it's impossible to really be a superhero.

But with these impossible things, the list shows we have limitations.

So with the letter "I" reminding us of our limitations why do people assume Heaven is possible on their own power?

For example:

                   Some people believe their innocence gets them into Heaven.

                   Some believe the good deeds will get them into Heaven.

                   Some believe that Heaven is automatically the destination of everyone.

However the bible says it’s impossible for someone to go to heaven by their own effort or to stand in God’s presence by their own merit.

Why?

Because God is perfect.  He cannot allow sin or unredeemed sinners in His presence.

Sin is what separates us from God. It goes all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden.

Reality is, because of that sin it is Impossible for us to be with God.

James 4:17

“For the person who knows to do good and doesn’t do it, it is sin.”

The Impossible Made Possible

Ephesians 2:8-9

“By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is nor from yourself; it is God’s gift – not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Because God accomplished salvation for us, we can boast only in Him, giving Him all the honor and praise.

Psalm 34:1-6

 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.

Save A Place For Me

I was listening to K-Love today and heard this song and wanted to share it.

I’ve probably heard it a million times but today it stuck out.

The lyrics caught my attention, especially one of the the last lines.

“And I wanna make my home up in the sky,  Just like you did.”

How great is it to know that a loved one that has passed away is in the presence

of the Almighty God.

But also how great is it to know you have a home waiting for you.

But do all people know their destination? Have some even given it a thought?

We've been studying Faith Evangelism and have arrived at

"On Our Own, Heaven Is Impossible"

Some of the issues we will discuss tonight is how some people believe

that Heaven is automatic. How some believe that is where you go when you die.

Maybe because they're good people or haven't committed a horrible crime.

But the bible tells us that the only way to the Father is thought Jesus Christ.

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Are we willing to share this gift of Christ with others so they may claim their home in Heaven?
John 14:2-3
There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Save A Place For Me – Matthew West

Don't be mad if I cry
It just hurts so bad sometimes
'Cause everyday it's sinking in
And I have to say goodbye all over again
You know I bet it feels good to have the weight of this world off your shoulders now
I'm dreaming of the day when I'm finally there with you

Save a place for me
Save a place for me
I'll be there soon
I'll be there soon
Save a place for me
Save some grace for me
I'll be there soon
I'll be there soon

I have asked the question why
But I guess the answer's for another time
So instead I'll pray with every tear
And be thankful for the time I had you here
And I wanna live my life just like you did
Make the most of my time just like you did
And I wanna make my home up in the sky
Just like you did
Oh, but until I get there
Until I get there

Matthew 6:19-21

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Wednesday Night Notes 3/2/11 - F.A.I.T.H.

We've looked at the letter F as it stand for Forgiveness
Tonight we moved on to the letter A in FAITH which stands for Available.
There's 2 key verses for this one: John 3:16 and Matthew 7:21

God’s gift of forgiveness is Available for everyone.

John 3:16

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The greatest gift of all, JESUS CHRIST.
Everyone loves to receive a gift, Right?
And what makes that gift even better is when its personal. Not just some item someone pick up at the store and wrapped for you. But a gift someone put time into picking out. They thought you and your interest, whether or not you'd like it and would need it or use it. Those are the good gifts. And that exactly what God did when he gave us the gift of Forgiveness. Look at the scripture of how personal he got. "He gave His one and only Son"
Jesus was the perfect gift.

See all humans were created to have fellowship with God, to be in a relationship with Him.
However, our sin wouldn’t allow us to have a relationship with God, so the gift of Jesus had to be given for our forgiveness.

Would you receive a gift and not open it?
See this gift is Available to everyone, but some don't open it.

God’s forgiveness is available but not automatic.

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

What does it mean to you that God’s forgiveness is not automatic?It is much easier to understand that God’s forgiveness is available for all than to recognize that His forgiveness is not automatic.

Many verses remind us that God wants all people to accept His forgiveness. Many of those same verses also indicate that not everyone will choose to accept it.

 Matthew 7:13-14 underscores this reality:

¹³ “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell^[a] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. ¹⁴ But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:21-23

 ²¹ “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. ²² On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ ²³ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Jesus' words remind us that its not about religion or keeping a set of rules. Its about an intimate love relationship with Him. And when you have that true relationship with Him you're willing to surrender all and let everything you do bring glory to His name.

"Stay Alert!" Be Equipped

Sometimes I find myself thinking of the “what ifs” and the “whys”.

Have you ever played that game with life?

It’s been a month now that my sister has went to be with the Lord.  Sometimes it doesn’t seem real, yet it is.

I find myself thinking about everything over and over, taking deep breaths once in awhile and trying to focus on other things.

For example; the thought of all the people that were in prayer for my sister.

I mean really… I had emails, text messages, phone calls from everywhere of loving people that were praying for my sister. 

Thank you for all the ones that have lifted up her and our family in your prayers during these times. Honestly it was a lot of prayer as people were having special services at church, prayer meetings, prayer chains at work, etc.

Matthew 21:22
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

And then it would pass through my head,

“With all those people praying…Why this outcome?”

I found myself almost to the point of doubting, like I was being tempted.

In a period of weakness from the loss of a loved one, would Satan attack?

Yeah he sure would, because he’s a coward and he’ll try any way he can.  

I pray for all that may be encountering Satan's schemes; I pray that you will put on the Armor of God daily as you walk through your week knowing that our God is our helper and that He is Victorious!

Hebrews 13:6 , Psalm 44:6-8

Look at Matthew 4:1-11 as he tried tempting Christ during his 40 days in the wilderness. He tempted him with hunger, having authority, power, ownership, and even tried tempting him with testing God. Each temptation was answered the same way—with the words “It is written.” Jesus knew the Word of the living God is the most powerful weapon against the temptations of the devil. If Jesus Himself used the Word to counter the devil, do we dare to use anything less?

This scripture teaches some crucial truths: we can only be strong in the Lord’s power, it is God’s armor that protects us, and our battle is against spiritual forces of evil in the world.

Ephesians 6:13-18  

¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

The spiritual armor God gives us is for us to use. We are to stand firm with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and by praying in the Spirit. What do these pieces of spiritual armor represent in spiritual warfare? We are to speak the truth against Satan’s lies. We are to rest in the fact that we are declared righteous because of Christ’s sacrifice for us. We are to proclaim the gospel no matter how much resistance we receive. We are not to waver in our faith, no matter how strongly we are attacked. Our ultimate defense is the assurance we have of our salvation, an assurance that no spiritual force can take away. Our offensive weapon is the Word of God, not our own opinions and feelings. We are to follow Jesus’ example in recognizing that some spiritual victories are only possible through prayer. 

Why wouldn’t I think that Satan would try and trip me up during these times?

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

You know I think Satan will try to trip us up as Christians, maybe he won’t always use the typical sinful desires, but those aren't the only tricks up his sleeves.

On Sunday mornings we've been on a series of the Armor of God, how true is this verse, knowing that Satan is out there with his schemes.

Ephesians 6:10-12
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”