Messages and Notes

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Sermon Notes: Stability Through Oneness

Ephesians 4:7‭-‬16 NIV7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”  9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ?  10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,

1 Corinthians 12:4‭-‬6 NIV There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 

James 1:6‭-‬8 NIV But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

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Sermon Notes: Sure Foundation in Life’s Storms

Jesus did not come to make bad people good, but to make dead people alive.

Verses 20-26 Blessings and Warnings 

Verses 27-36 Love our Enemies 

Verses 37-42 Do Not Judge Others

Verses 43-45 A Tree and It’s Fruit

The Wise and Foolish Builders
Luke 6:46‭-‬49 NIV 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.  48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.  49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Like a Tree Psalms 1:1‭-‬3 NIV Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

Bear Fruit Galatians 5:22‭-‬23 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Luke 6:43‭-‬45 NIV “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Find Wisdom During the Storms of Life

James 1:5‭-‬8 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

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Sermon Notes: The Bond of Peace

Ephesians 4:1‭-‬6 NIV
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 

1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬7 NIV 4 Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 

James 3:18 NIVPeacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Matthew 5:9 NIV Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 3:6 NIV This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

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Hope Can Take You A Long Way

Hope can take you a long way. Check your hope-meter because when you have lost your hope, you have lost everything. Simply defined, hope is the belief that tomorrow will be better than today. David knew about the power of hope when life looked hopeless.

Read Psalm 42. As David pens this psalm, he is depressed and his soul is discouraged. Yet he says he is going to remember the Lord.

“The Lord will command His lovingkindness,” David writes (v. 8).

Though God has not done it yet, David has confidence that He will. So he talks to himself. He writes to himself—he journals about his faith in God. There are times when life crumbles around you, but do not be discouraged. Look yourself in the mirror, and speak God’s truth. Write notes to yourself, and leave them in places you will see them.

What changed David’s feelings of hopelessness and discouragement? He looked in a different direction. He looked at what God was going to do, even though he couldn’t see it at the time. In other words, he looked by faith.

Be encouraged today and keep your hope is God Alive!

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Sermon Notes The Throne of Grace

Hebrews 4:12‭-‬16 NIV
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  

  • God sees the suffering 
  • God sees the injustice 

Micah 6:8 NIVHe has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

  • Remember the Source of Battles

Ephesians 6:12 NIVFor 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.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

  • So what are we to do?

1 Peter 5:6-9 NIV6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

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Sermon Notes Protection in the Land of the Living

Psalms 27:1‭-‬14 NIV The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?  2 When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.  3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.  

  • God is our Protector (4–6). Because he was not a priest, David could not actually go into the tabernacle, but he could still rest in the Lord and trust Him as his refuge. The New Testament equivalent for this is “Abide in Me” (John 15:1–11). In Him is perfect safety.
  • “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

4 One thing I ask from the Lord , this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.  5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.  6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord . 

  • God smiles on you (7–10). You must go beyond merely seeking God’s help. Seek His face (Num. 6:22–27). The smile of God is all you need to overcome the scowls of men.

7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord ; be merciful to me and answer me.  8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord , I will seek. 9  Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.  10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.

  • God shows you the way (11–13). Satan wants to trap you, but the Lord will show you the safe way. Believe His promise and walk by faith. His goodness will be with you.

11 Teach me your way, Lord ; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. 12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.  13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  

  • God strengthens you (1, 14). We need strength for the battle and strength for the journey, and God abundantly provides. Be sure to take time to wait on the Lord (Isa. 40:31). If you run ahead of Him or lag behind, you will be a perfect target for the enemy.

14 Wait for the Lord ; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord .

The words of encouragement are reminiscent of Moses’ words to Joshua (Dt 31:7), of God’s commission of Joshua (Jos 1:6, 7, 9, 18), and of Joshua’s words to the people (10:25). Redemptive history did not conclude with the Conquest. It continues as long as God’s people “wait for the LORD” and do his will.
Deuteronomy 31:7  Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.

Joshua 1:6‭-‬8 NIV Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.  “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful

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Sermon Notes: Two Types of Wisdom

God honors our desires to seek Godly Wisdom:

2 Chronicles ‭1:6-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Solomon went up to the bronze altar before the Lord in the tent of meeting and offered a thousand burnt offerings on it. That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, possessions and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.””

Having godly wisdom means we strive to see life from God’s perspective and act accordingly. Godly wisdom can be discovered in the Proverbs…

Proverbs 1:1‭-‬5 NIV

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:  for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight;  for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair;  for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—  let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance

James‬ ‭3:13-18‬ ‭NIV‬‬ (The Two Types of Wisdom)
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Worldly Wisdom

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 

Godly Wisdom

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Peacemakers (Leading others to peace with God)

Matthew 5:9 is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in which He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” The Greek word translated “peacemaker” is used in only one other place in the New Testament, in a slightly different form. Colossians 1:20 says, “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

God delights in those who reconcile others to Himself—those who bring the gospel are “beautiful” (Isaiah 52:7). God “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). 

A person must have a realrelationship with God before he or she can help someone else know God. 

This relationship is the true foundation to Wisdom 

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No Stinking Thinking

One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”  There’s an old saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”  While idleness can prove unproductive and give way to what Zig Ziglar calls “Stinking Thinking”, I think we can also become snared by worrying too much.  Without a doubt, COVID-19 presents an opportunity to take worry to an entirely new level. It is important to remember that  “Worry” and “Concern” are not synonymous… Be “concerned” but do not “worry”.

The Apostle Paul provides an antidote for the worry.  Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things….  The next time worry creeps in, make a list of what you consider true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy in your life. Take that list and recite it to the Lord as your prayer of thanksgiving in the midst of this season. What are you thinking about?

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Does Life Feel out of Control? Remember These 3 Things: – YouVersion

400 years. That’s how long the Israelites waited for God to deliver them from slavery. But after they left Egypt, God didn’t take them directly to their promised land.

Instead, they camped out at the base of a mountain while God instructed Moses. During that time, God’s glory rested on the mountain.

But after 40 days, the Israelites grew frustrated by the delay…so they rejected God and pursued whatever pleased them.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by an uncertain season that lasts longer than you anticipated, you’re not alone.

Waiting can lead to disappointment and frustration. In those moments, we can become so focused on our circumstances that we forget God is still in control. If God’s in control, we might ask, then where is He? Why hasn’t anything changed?

Here are three truths to remember:

  1. Waiting reveals what you worship. When the Israelites’ plans were delayed, they pursued instant gratification because that’s what they actually valued.When you find yourself dissatisfied with your situation, what do you turn to? What you focus on reveals what you value, and what you value determines what you worship.
  2. Waiting is never wasted. God wasn’t withholding His promise from the Israelites—He was preparing them for it.God’s timeline is different than ours, but your waiting might actually be preparing you for the plans and purposes God has for you.
  3. Waiting helps us focus on God’s faithfulness. God’s faithfulness hasn’t changed. The God who patiently protected and provided for the Israelites also conquered death so that you could experience eternal life.If you find yourself growing weary from waiting, look up and look back. Look for evidence of God’s presence, and look back on what He’s done for you. This will help you hold onto hope.

Hoping in God is never wasted because the One who conquered death is still in control, and He’s always at work in your waiting.

The Original Link

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Trusting or Testing God – Faith Alone – Martin Luther

I read this during my morning devotional and thought I would share. Bottom line is to stay engaged in life as you trust God to provide…

Genesis 42:1–2 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

Why did Jacob tell his sons, “Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die”? Why didn’t he trust God’s promise to protect and take care of him? Why was Jacob afraid of dying when, up to now, he had experienced God’s help and guidance throughout his life? God had protected him, his entire family, and all his servants in the foreign country of Canaan. Why did he stop trusting God’s promise when it was still fresh in his mind? He had always taught his children about God’s promise. Where is your faith now, Jacob? Where is the promise?

Here is how I reply to these questions: God orders us to believe and trust in his goodness, but at the same time, we should never test him. We must take advantage of opportunities that God gives us. If we don’t, we aren’t living according to his plan. But we must continue to maintain our faith and hope in God. That’s why Jacob didn’t say, “Stay here and wait. The Lord is powerful enough to make food fall right out of the sky. Maybe that’s the way he will choose to feed us.” No, that’s not what God’s promise means.

There’s no doubt that God can take care of you in a miraculous way. But you must not pass up opportunities that could provide the help you need. If you don’t use what is readily available to you, then you are testing God. Jacob was careful not to test God. He didn’t sit idly at home, hoping to get food some other way. He sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain, saying, “What are you waiting for? Food isn’t going to rain down from the clouds.

Go! Believe in God and do what you can.”