Revelation 19:1-6
Revelation 19:1-6 - "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
***Worship is a heart to heart encounter with the living God. What does worship mean? Why have we come?
***In worship, we learn to say, 'Yes, Lord,' 'so let it be in my life.' Trust Him -- from eternity's perspective, it is all going to be alright. True worship is the desire to know and accept the will of God.
***In worship, we commit ourselves to do the will of God. The will of God is not just something to be accepted; it is something to be asserted.
***In worship, we find the joy of our salvation. True worship is a testimony that the word of God is 'good news.'
***In worship, we find the assurance of victory - by looking to the past and seeing that the battle has already been won.
True worship finds its hope in the reality of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Loving Others
1 Peter 1:17-25 - "Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you."
***The storms of life are real and many people are just trying to survive.
***If you call yourself a Christian, God hears you.
***Your salvation cost the precious blood of Christ.
***You can love one another because God first loved you.
***Put aside excuses and care for one another -- find a way to bring joy to another.
***Do you say you love people or do you love them? Do you look for ways to bring joy to another? What would it be like if every believer were kind to one another?
John 13:3 - "It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
***People who are confident in their salvation have no trouble serving.
***We live in a tough world and people need a family to love them.
***Ask God to give you someone to love this week.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you."
***The storms of life are real and many people are just trying to survive.
***If you call yourself a Christian, God hears you.
***Your salvation cost the precious blood of Christ.
***You can love one another because God first loved you.
***Put aside excuses and care for one another -- find a way to bring joy to another.
***Do you say you love people or do you love them? Do you look for ways to bring joy to another? What would it be like if every believer were kind to one another?
John 13:3 - "It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
***People who are confident in their salvation have no trouble serving.
***We live in a tough world and people need a family to love them.
***Ask God to give you someone to love this week.
The Pillar of God's Word
Isaiah 66:1-2; Acts 6:1-7
Isaiah 66:1-2 -
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."
***Time given to study the Bible is not an academic experience; it is an encounter with God.
***There is only one way to honor God - OBEDIENCE.
***Your study of God's word is (1) a decision to live in the presence of God, (2) a decision to know the will of God, (3) a decision to join the (I missed this word..maybe community) of God.
Scripture reference:Luke 22:39 - Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.
***More than He feared the cup, Jesus loved the hand from which it came.
***It is only when you have confidence in the relationship that you will have the confidence to obey.
***Obedience is discovered when it costs something - Love is revealed when it hurts.
***Strength is not found in how courageously I struggle, but how completely I surrender.
***If you don't spend time in God's word, you will not know him; If you don't know him, you won't love him; if you don't love him, you won't obey him.
***How you honor God's word, you honor Him.
Isaiah 66:1-2 -
"This is what the LORD says:
"Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?"
declares the LORD.
"This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word.
Acts 6:1-7 - "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."
***Time given to study the Bible is not an academic experience; it is an encounter with God.
***There is only one way to honor God - OBEDIENCE.
***Your study of God's word is (1) a decision to live in the presence of God, (2) a decision to know the will of God, (3) a decision to join the (I missed this word..maybe community) of God.
Scripture reference:Luke 22:39 - Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him.
***More than He feared the cup, Jesus loved the hand from which it came.
***It is only when you have confidence in the relationship that you will have the confidence to obey.
***Obedience is discovered when it costs something - Love is revealed when it hurts.
***Strength is not found in how courageously I struggle, but how completely I surrender.
***If you don't spend time in God's word, you will not know him; If you don't know him, you won't love him; if you don't love him, you won't obey him.
***How you honor God's word, you honor Him.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Reality of Eternity
Matthew 25
***Sacrifice is a matter of perspective. Are you seeing your life from God's perspective?
***Evaluate your life and make adjustments to what God has just said -- He only reveals Himself to those He is abou to use!
***The world does not need to merely hear the good news, they need to see it --
James 2:14-20 - "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
***God does not reward the great theologians - He rewards those who do what He says
***Time is short and eternity is long. Do you have eyes for eternity?
***When your spiritual eyes are in focus, eternity is the backdrop of all you see.
***To invest in eternity is to invest in people.
***To invest in eternity is to partner with Jesus.
***To invest in eternity is to receive eternal rewards.
***Sacrifice is a matter of perspective. Are you seeing your life from God's perspective?
***Evaluate your life and make adjustments to what God has just said -- He only reveals Himself to those He is abou to use!
***The world does not need to merely hear the good news, they need to see it --
James 2:14-20 - "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
***God does not reward the great theologians - He rewards those who do what He says
***Time is short and eternity is long. Do you have eyes for eternity?
***When your spiritual eyes are in focus, eternity is the backdrop of all you see.
***To invest in eternity is to invest in people.
***To invest in eternity is to partner with Jesus.
***To invest in eternity is to receive eternal rewards.
The Pillar of Prayer
Acts 6:1-7
Acts 6:1-7 - "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."
Pillars of a church God can use:
--Prayer
--God's word
--Worship
***You cannot understand the ways or purposes of God unless you spend time with God.
***The mighty activity of God in history has come through fervent, united prayer among God's people.
Acts 2:42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 4:31 - After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly
Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
***The work of the kingdom is not done by our ability, but by God's power.
***The early church had nothing but God and they turned the world upside down.
***If we lose our sense of desperation for God, we are in trouble.
***Prayer is a clear reflection of your relationship with God.
Acts 6:1-7 - "In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith."
Pillars of a church God can use:
--Prayer
--God's word
--Worship
***You cannot understand the ways or purposes of God unless you spend time with God.
***The mighty activity of God in history has come through fervent, united prayer among God's people.
Acts 2:42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 4:31 - After they had prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly
Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
***The work of the kingdom is not done by our ability, but by God's power.
***The early church had nothing but God and they turned the world upside down.
***If we lose our sense of desperation for God, we are in trouble.
***Prayer is a clear reflection of your relationship with God.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
The Wonders of Tomorrow
Joshua 3:1-7
Joshua 3:1-7 - "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses."
***Keep your eyes focused on God's activity.
***If you want to see the wonders of tomorrow, prepare yourself today.
Joshua 3:5 - 'Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."
Jeremiah 33:2-3 - "This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord is his name. Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know."
Hebrews 2:3 - 'how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?'
***Everything God does in our life and in our church is thru relationship...not religious activity***
Joshua 3:1-7 - "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it."
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses."
***Keep your eyes focused on God's activity.
***If you want to see the wonders of tomorrow, prepare yourself today.
Joshua 3:5 - 'Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
Isaiah 55:8-9 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight."
Jeremiah 33:2-3 - "This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord is his name. Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know."
Hebrews 2:3 - 'how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?'
***Everything God does in our life and in our church is thru relationship...not religious activity***
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