Life Community Church La Porte

Matthew 8: 23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”  Luke 7: When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people, he returned to Capernaum. 2 At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. 3 When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. 4 So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. “If anyone deserves your help, he does,” they said, 5 “for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us.”6 So Jesus went with them. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. 7 I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 8 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, “I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!” 10 And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.  26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” COULD YOU HANDLE CORRECTION IN THE MIDST OF YOUR STORM? REAL FAITH IS NOT SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY, BUT PLACING ONESELF UNDER AUTHORITY.  WE CAN HAVE APTITUDE AND UNDERSTANDING, BUT IF WE HAVE NO GIFTED TALENT OR ABILITY WE ARE IMPOTENT. GIFTED FAITH IS THE ABILITY TO PLACE EVERYTHING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST. WHEN IT’S UNDER JESUS AUTHORITY, HE HAS THE POWER TO EXERCISE HIS WILL.  LUKE 6: 46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 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. 49 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.” HEBREWS 11: 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.  REAL FAITH IS NOT SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY, BUT PLACING ONESELF UNDER AUTHORITY.  WHAT IN MY LIFE IS NOT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS? EPHESIANS 1: 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. COLOSSIANS 2: 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.  REAL FAITH IS NOT SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY, BUT PLACING ONESELF UNDER AUTHORITY.  

James 4: 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Corinthians 13:1 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. 2 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. 3 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.4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 13 Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. Chapter 14 1 Let love be your highest goal! WE DEFINE LOVE TO MEAN WHATEVER WE WANT TO MAKE IT MEAN. Mark 10: 17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.    IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LOVE SOMEONE YOU DON’T KNOW. WHY DO YOU CALL ME GOOD? ONLY GOD IS GOOD? HOW WE ADDRESS JESUS IS ALWAYS THE  BEGINNING TEST OF HUMILITY! JESUS HAS TO BE LORD IN ORDER TO CHANGE OUR HEART! JESUS AS MASTER AND LORD, GIVES COMMANDS, NOT RECOMMENDATIONS! Love is the missing ingredient. 1 Corinthians 8: Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. GOD’S LESSONS ARE NEVER LIMITED TO GREATER KNOWLEDGE! Deuteronomy 6: 4 “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” WE WILL ALWAYS SACRIFICE FOR WHAT WE LOVE! The Jesus Test! At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Would Jesus ask me to give up my loves to follow Him? OUR PRIDE OR HUMILITY, DETERMINES OUR ABILITY TO ANSWER THE CALL! Is Jesus the Lord and Master of my life?What other loves inhibit my love for Jesus?Am I willing to sacrifice my loves for my love for Jesus? 

FAITH IS FOUNDED IN HUMILITY! 2 Corinthians 1: 8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, WE STOPPED RELYING ON OURSELVES AND LEARNED TO RELY ONLY ON GOD, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. WE HAVE PLACED OUR CONFIDENCE IN HIM, and he will continue to rescue us. THE KEY: WE STOPPED RELYING ON OURSELVES AND LEARNED TO RELY ONLY ON GOD! FAITH IS A TOTAL TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD. CONFIDENCE IN GOD, NOT CONFIDENT IN OUR OWN ABILITY! WE HAVE TO DIE TO OUR DESIRE TO CONTROL! PROVERBS 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.  REAL GOD CONFIDENCE IS NOT ESTABLISHED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF A REQUEST, BUT KNOWING WHO WE ARE TO GOD!  ROMANS 8: 35 CAN ANYTHING EVER SEPARATE US FROM CHRIST’S LOVE? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 NO, DESPITE ALL THESE THINGS, OVERWHELMING VICTORY IS OURS THROUGH CHRIST, WHO LOVED US.38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, NOTHING IN ALL CREATION will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. I AM LOVED! THERE IS NEVER A CIRCUMSTANCE DIRE ENOUGH THAT CAN DEFINE WHO I AM TO GOD!   THE FAITH LIFE IS FOUND ONLY THROUGH DEATH.  LUKE 9: 23 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. 24 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.  IS THE FAITH LIFE ALWAYS GETTING WHAT WE WANT ON OUR TERMS? JESUS HAS TO BE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY! 1 Peter 2: 13 For the Lord’s sake, submit to all human authority—whether the king as head of state, 14 or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right.  FAITH IS MORE THAN A BELIEF SYSTEM, FAITH IS A LIFE OF COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN GOD OVER EVERY AREA OF OUR LIFE.   ESTABLISHING FAITH THROUGH HUMILITY! FAITH IS TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN GOD!DO I USE GOD AS MY EMERGENCY PLAN, HOPING HE COMES THROUGH?KNOWING MY IDENTITY DETERMINES MY CONFIDENCE IN GOD.DO I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NO OR NOT NOW?I MAY HAVE AN AUTHORITY ISSUE!  MEANING I WANT TO BE THE AUTHORITY!DEATH TO MY CONTROL ENABLES LIFE TO MY FAITH!AM I WILLING TO RELINQUISH COMPLETE CONTROL TO GOD?WE STOPPED RELYING ON OURSELVES AND LEARNED TO RELY ONLY ON GOD!  JESUS AS LORD IS MORE THAN JUST A TITLE. CAN I GIVE JESUS AUTHORITY OVER EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE?

Luke 14: When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  LEARNING THE LESSON OF HUMILITY IS IMPERATIVE FOR BLESSING AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Jesus Truth!!! WE CRAVE FOR THE ATTENTION OF OTHERS TO HELP AFFIRM WHO WE ASPIRE TO BE! WHEN PEOPLE ARE THE SOURCE OF OUR VALIDATION, THEY THEN BECOME THE GREAT DETERMINER OF OUR IDENTITY! IF I ALLOWED YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF ME TO DETERMINE MY IDENTITY, I WOULDN’T BE PREACHING THIS SERMON TODAY! MATTHEW 6: 5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. IN ORDER TO CHANGE OUR PRIDE WE HAVE TO EXAMINE AND CHANGE OUR MOTIVATION. THE TRUTH IS: HUMILITY IS ENACTED BY OUR CHOOSING WHO WE DESIRE TO PLEASE AND HONOR. WE CANNOT APPLY OUR DIFFICULTIES WITH DYSFUNCTIONAL MAN TO A PERFECT GOD! SUBMISSION IS HUMILITY IN ACTION! Ephesians 5: 21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. James 3: 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.    PLEASING GOD AND WALKING IN HUMILITY BRINGS A GODLY REWARD. Proverbs 29: 23 Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.  Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. James 4: 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5: 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for     “God opposes the proud      but gives grace to the humble.” 6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  GOD SUPERNATURALLY GIVES PROMOTION TO THE HUMBLE. EPHESIANS 3: 8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PRIDEFUL ARE NOT ALWAYS CHANGED TO BECOME  HUMBLE! HUMILITY ENABLES US TO SERVE GOD WITH THE RIGHT MOTIVATION!   THE PATH TO SUPERNATURAL PROMOTION RECOGNIZE EVIL (PRIDEFUL) MOTIVATIONS AND REPENT.BY FAITH, ALLOW GOD TO BE THE REWARDER.YIELD TO RIGHT OF WAY TO OTHERS AND SHOW HONOR.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES WHEN WE SKIP IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL COURSES AND LESSONS?  AS CHRISTIANS, THERE ARE FOUNDATIONAL LESSONS THAT ARE A PREREQUISITE FOR GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION. COLOSSIANS 1: 6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. GOD’S END GOAL IN OUR LIFE IS SALVATION AND TRANSFORMATION!  EDUCATION IS ORDERED AND INTENTIONAL! GOD’S EDUCATION SYSTEM IS ALSO ORDERED AND INTENTIONAL! TRUTH: ROMANS 11: 36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Proverbs 11: 2 Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. James 3: 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 1 Peter 5: 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for    “God opposes the proud      but gives grace to the humble.”6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.  HUMILITY PRECEDES WISDOM!HUMILITY IS VITAL FOR SALVATION!TRUE OBEDIENCE AND SUBMISSION IS IMPOSSIBLE!HUMILITY ENABLES FAITH!HUMILITY EMPOWERS LOVE!  INTENTIONALLY PLACE YOURSELF IN SECOND PLACE! JOHN 5: 19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. PHILIPPIANS 2: 6 Though he was God,      he did not think of equality with God      as something to cling to.    7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;      he took the humble position of a slave      and was born as a human being.    When he appeared in human form,      8 he humbled himself in obedience to God      and died a criminal’s death on a cross.   HUMILITY PRECEDES SUBMISSION.SUBMISSION LEADS TO FAITH.WHICH IN TURN ENABLES OBEDIENCE.OBEDIENCE TO GOD LEADS TO BLESSING FOR GOD. CHANGE YOUR POSITION AND CHANGE YOUR CONFESSION!SERVE WITHOUT EXPECTATION OF HUMAN RECOGNITION!  IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE GOD!IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE GOD!IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE GOD! LUKE 17: 7 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? 8 No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ 9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. 10 In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’ ”  IS THE COURSE SO HARD, YOU JUST QUIT?THE ELEMENTARY IS IMPORTANT!GO BACK TO SCHOOL AND FOCUS UPON LEARNING!PRACTICE HUMILITY THEN LIVE IN OBEDIENCE!  

EXODUS 26: 1 “Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. 2 These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide. 3 Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain. 4 Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set. 5 The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain. 6 Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece. WHY SO SPECIFIC? BECAUSE, WITHOUT ADEQUATE EXPECTATION THERE IS ALWAYS FRUSTRATION.   GOD IS A FIRST PLACE GOD WHO ALWAYS EXPECTS THE BEST! ROMANS 12: 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. DOES GOOD EXPECT THE VERY BEST FROM US? MATTHEW 22:11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”REVELATION 3: 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.  THERE IS ALWAYS AN INVESTMENT OF TIME AND ENERGY NECESSARY TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSITIES OF GOD’S KINGDOM.    THE DETAILS ARE ALWAYS IN THE INSTRUCTIONS! 2 Chronicles 16: 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, “Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram. 8 Don’t you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and charioteers? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them over to you. 9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” HERE IS THE KEY: EVERY MIRACLE STARTS WITH A PROBLEM! GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS ALWAYS REQUIRE FAITH! John 9: As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!  HERE’S THE LESSON NOT EVERY MIRACLE IS INSTANTANEOUS!SOMETIMES THE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS DON’T MAKE ANY SENSE!FAITH IS FOLLOWING DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T MAKE SENSE.THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE NEED HELP FROM OTHERS TO GET TO THE PLACE TO RECEIVE OUR MIRACLE!THE PROCESS IS  ALWAYS AS IMPORTANT AS THE END RESULT.  THE WRAP-UP GOD KNOWS ALL THE DETAILS OF YOUR LIFE!HE IS INTERESTED AND DESIRES TO BE INVOLVED!GOD HAS A DETAILED PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE! IT BEGINS WITH BELIEVING IN ORDER TO RECEIVE! GOD’S DETAILED PLAN INCLUDES DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS!    

PSALM 37: 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. MATTHEW 6: 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  DYNAMIC FAITH IS ESTABLISHED UPON THE BELIEF THAT GOD IS INTERESTED AND INVOLVED IN EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIFE. DYNAMIC FAITH HAS THE ABILITY TO GROW QUICKLY.  BUT, IT ALSO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE MANY CRASH AND BURN. OUR PERCEPTION OF OUR PROBLEMS DETERMINE OUR FAITH! Romans 5: 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. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  It’s never just the problem, but how we deal with the problem. OUR SOLE PURPOSE IS JUST TO SURVIVE!  When survival becomes our objective, our chosen distractions or COPING MECHANISMS often become the crutches we can’t live without. WHERE YOU GIVE ATTENTION, YOU GIVE AUTHORITY. Enduring or surviving is never God’s end objective, building strength and confidence is God’s end objective. HOW ARE YOU? AND WHO ARE YOU COMING OUT OF YOUR PROBLEM? A CONFIDENT HOPE IS SEEING GOD IN THE DETAILS. If God loves me and is interested in every detail, then why is this happening to me? We cannot allow our circumstances to continually determine our faith.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  THE PURPOSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HIS LOVE! BUILDING DYNAMIC FAITH!  BELIEVE THAT GOD IS INTERESTED IN EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES! GOD INTENDS TO MAKE US OVERCOMERS, NOT OVERWHELMED! ROMANS 8: 28 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. ENGAGE THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT THE COPING MECHANISM! HOW ARE YOU COMING OUT OF YOUR PROBLEMS?   

PSALM 37: 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly.      He delights in every detail of their lives.    24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,      for the LORD holds them by the hand.  GOD IS INTERESTED, AND DESIRES TO BE INVOLVED IN EVERY DETAIL OF THE LIVES OF THE GODLY.  OUR BELIEF THAT GOD IS IMMENSELY INTERESTED IN EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIFE, DETERMINES THE MAGNITUDE AND QUALITY OF OUR FAITH.  MATTHEW 10: 28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. 30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. GOD HAS OUR BEST INTEREST, ALL THE TIME!  IN ORDER TO OVERCOME FEAR, WE HAVE TO REPLACE IT WITH FAITH!   WORRY IS FEAR! MATTHEW 6: 25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?  WE HAVE BECOME A BONUS MINDED SOCIETY!  PSALM 37: 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly.He delights in every detail of their lives.24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,for the LORD holds them by the hand.   OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO RESPOND IN CONFIDENT OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S TRUTH.    WE WANT TO CHOOSE WHICH DETAILS WE WANT GOD TO BE INVOLVED IN!      SEEING GOD’S INVOLVEMENT IN DETAILS! BE CONFIDENT AND THANKFUL, EMBRACING GOD’S CARE AND PROVISION. INCLUDE GOD IN EVERY DETAIL.ASK WITH ASSURANCE, KNOWING THAT GOD REALLY WANTS TO BE INVOLVED!

Colossians 3:1-17If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Andwhatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Romans 8:28“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” 1.) RELATIONSHIP Revelation 3:20“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Proverbs 3:5-6“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Matthew 5:6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Psalms 27:4“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Psalm 119:10“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments” Psalm 9:10“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” 2.) FAITH Hebrews 11:6“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:1“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 1 Samuel 2:9“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.” 3.) OBEDIENCE John 14:15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” Romans 12:1I appeal to you therefore, brothers,a by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. John 14:23“But I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” 4.) LOVE AND FORGIVENESS Matthew 6:14-15For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 1 Peter 4:8“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 John 4:8“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 Corinthians 1:13 will sum it for us todayIf I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice atwrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Samuel 26: Now some men from Ziph came to Saul at Gibeah to tell him, “David is hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which overlooks Jeshimon.” 2 So Saul took 3,000 of Israel’s elite troops and went to hunt him down in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 Saul camped along the road beside the hill of Hakilah, near Jeshimon, where David was hiding. When David learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, 4 he sent out spies to verify the report of Saul’s arrival. 5 David slipped over to Saul’s camp one night to look around. Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army, were sleeping inside a ring formed by the slumbering warriors. 6 “Who will volunteer to go in there with me?” David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother. “I’ll go with you,” Abishai replied. 7 So David and Abishai went right into Saul’s camp and found him asleep, with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying asleep around him. 8 “God has surely handed your enemy over to you this time!” Abishai whispered to David. “Let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t need to strike twice!” 9 “No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the LORD’s anointed one? 10 Surely the LORD will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. 11 The LORD forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!”12 So David took the spear and jug of water that were near Saul’s head. Then he and Abishai got away without anyone seeing them or even waking up, because the LORD had put Saul’s men into a deep sleep.  IF WE BASE OUR LIFE ON “LUCK”, LIFE WE TAKE US PLACES WE DON’T WANT TO GO!  LIFE FOR A CHRISTIAN IS DETERMINED BOTH BY THE LORD’S DIRECTION, AND THEN OUR FAITH AND GODLY CHARACTER.   CHARISMA WITHOUT GODLY CHARACTER IS A DISASTER. WHAT MADE DAVID TICK? WE DON’T HAVE TO GUESS PSALM 63: A psalm of David, regarding a time when David was in the wilderness of Judah. 1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. 9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. 10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who swear to tell the truth will praise him, while liars will be silenced.   OUR PURPOSEFUL DETERMINATION ALWAYS ESTABLISHES OUR GODLY CHARACTER.   Determination- firmness of purpose; resoluteness.   B.LEARNING AND REINFORCING DETERMINATION COMES FROM CONVICTION, SELF-DISCIPLINE, AND REDUNDANT REPETITION.  DEUTERONOMY 1: 37 Because of you the LORD also became angry with me and said, ‘Not even you, Moses, will enter the land. 38But strengthen the determination of your helper, Joshua son of Nun. He will lead Israel to occupy the land.The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation DEUTERONOMY 3: 28 Give Joshua his instructions. Strengthen his determination, because he will lead the people across to occupy the land that you see.The Holy Bible: The Good news Translation  GREAT LEADERS NEVER ALLOW LUCK TO DETERMINE THEIR DESTINY!GREAT LEADERS ALLOW THEIR CONVICTIONS AND CHARACTER TO DETERMINE THEIR DESTINY!  IT’S NEVER EASY! BUT, BEING THE BEST IS DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN!  ACCEPTANCE BY OTHERS DOESN’T MAKE ANYONE A GREAT LEADER!   A.PREPARE YOURSELF FOR YOURSELF!   1.CHOOSE TO FIND THE HEART OF GOD. 2.ESTABLISH DAILY GODLY HABITS.  3.DON’T CHOOSE TO BE DIFFERENT, BE DETERMINED TO BE GODLY! 

1 Samuel 4: 2 The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men. 3 After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the LORD allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.” 4 So they sent men to Shiloh to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were also there with the Ark of the Covenant of God. 5 When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD coming into the camp, their shout of joy was so loud it made the ground shake! 6 “What’s going on?” the Philistines asked. “What’s all the shouting about in the Hebrew camp?” When they were told it was because the Ark of the LORD had arrived, 7 they panicked. “The gods have come into their camp!” they cried. “This is a disaster! We have never had to face anything like this before! 8 Help! Who can save us from these mighty gods of Israel? They are the same gods who destroyed the Egyptians with plagues when Israel was in the wilderness. 9 Fight as never before, Philistines! If you don’t, we will become the Hebrews’ slaves just as they have been ours! Stand up like men and fight!”10 So the Philistines fought desperately, and Israel was defeated again. The slaughter was great; 30,000 Israelite soldiers died that day. The survivors turned and fled to their tents. 11 The Ark of God was captured, and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were killed.    WE ARE NOT REALLY AS INTERESTED IN THE CAUSE OF DEFEAT, AS WE ARE JUST CHANGING THE RESULTS.  IDOLS ARE USED FOR SELF-ENHANCEMENT AND A CHANGE IN FORTUNE!  Matthew 22: 37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. THE 4 C'S THAT DEFINE RELATIONSHIP!  1.COMPATIBILITY2.CONSIDERATION (3.COMMUNICATION4.COLLABORATION  LOVE IS NOT A ONE-WAY STREET!   GOD LOOKS ON THE HEART!  1 SAMUEL 13: 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”   DAVID SLEW THE GIANT BECAUSE HE WAS THE RIGHT MAN WITH THE RIGHT HEART!  1 SAMUEL 16: 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”   THE REAL TEST - COMPATIBILITY AND CONSIDERATION.DOING WHAT PLEASES GOD IN SPITE OF HOW PERSONALLY ADVANTAGEOUS IT MAY BE FOR OURELVES. 1 SAMUEL 24: 3 At the place where the road passes some sheepfolds, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave! 4 “Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the LORD is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’ ” So David crept forward and cut off a piece of the hem of Saul’s robe. 5 But then David’s conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him.” 7 So David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul. After Saul had left the cave and gone on his way, 8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him. 9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the LORD placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the LORD’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me. 12 “May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you.   WHAT IF YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR DESTINY TODAY?   A RIGHT HEART IS NOT BENDING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS FOR OUR BENEFIT!  B.THE RELATIONSHIP TEST? 1.AM I COMPATIBLE?  DO I WANT A GOD OR A GOOD LUCK CHARM?2.AM I CONSIDERATE?  DO I DESIRE TO PLEASE GOD ABOVE PLEASING MYSELF?3.COMMUNICATION? DO I ASK GOD?  DO I LISTEN FOR AN ANSWER?4.COLLABORATION? DO I WANT TO DO GOD PROJECTS WITH GOD RESULTS?  PSALM 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,and make me willing to obey you.   

1 Samuel 4: 19 Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. 20 She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them. 21 She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. 22 Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”   THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT’S MORE THAN JUST A BAD DAY OR THE NORMAL HAPPENSTANCE OF LIFE.  GOD IS MORE THAN JUST A GOOD LUCK CHARM! SIN ALWAYS HAS CONSEQUENCES THAT SOMEONE HAS TO PAY!  THERE ARE SO MANY WHO LIVE AS PRISONERS TO THEIR PAST! 1.FAITH IS ALWAYS THE DETERMINER! GALATIANS 3: 13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. THE CURSED ALWAYS CURSE AND THE BLESSED ALWAYS BLESS!   WHAT WE BELIEVE NOT ONLY DETERMINES OUR LIFE, BUT THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW BEHIND US!     2.RECEIVE TRUTH AND BE HONEST!  MARK 2: 17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” 1 JOHN 1: 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 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. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.   IF YOU HANG OUT WITH SICK PEOPLE, YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE SICK!  3.GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE! BE THE BLESSING! LUKE 6: 37 “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. 38 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.”  THE MORE WE INVEST IN PEOPLE THE MORE WE ARE GIVEN TO INVEST!    

Colossians 3:1-4 & 12-17If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.1 Peter 5:8“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”Nehemiah 1:2-3Nehemiah 1:4 “As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days....”  Nehemiah 1:4-61.) PRAYER / TAKE IT TO GOD2 Chronicles 7:14if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.Proverbs 3:5-6“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”Matthew 18:4“Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”2.) TRUST THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR CHANGEMatthew 6:3“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”Nehemiah 2:11-12“So I went to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. And I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem.”3.) YOU CAN EXPECT WHAT YOU DON’T INSPECTNehemiah 2:13-15I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. Then I went on to the fountain gate and to the kings pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass. Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned.2 Corinthians 13:5“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”Psalm 147:3“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

ROMANS 8: 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.  2 CORINTHIANS 1: 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. THE HOLY SPIRIT CREATES OUR IDENTITY AND GUARANTEES OUR SUCCESS! THE SECRETS OF GOD’S KINGDOM ARE NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS BUT HIDDEN. MARK 4: 11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’”  ARE YOU A SEEKER INTENT ON FINDING THE SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD?   WE LIVE IN A VERY ABNORMAL WORLD!THE TRUTH: DARKNESS IS ALWAYS CHANGING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF NORMAL. Isaiah 5:20 What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.  THE MORE NORMAL THE DYSFUNCTIONAL WAYS OF THIS WORLD BECOME, THE MORE THE WAYS OF GOD SEEM ABNORMAL. A.WE WANT THE REWARD WITHOUT THE PROCESS IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE THE REWARD.   A HOLY SPIRIT PROCESS IS THE SURRENDER OF CONTROL!   TO EMBRACE THE HOLY SPIRIT PROCESS WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THE UNCOMFORTABLE AS NORMAL, THEN TRUST THE PROCESS!   ROMANS 2: 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. THE PURPOSE: GALATIANS 5: 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!THE PROCESS: GALATIANS 5: 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.  THE BIGGER THE INFLUENCE, THE GREATER THE DIRECTION!  WE NEED A BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT!  ACTS 1: 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”   ACTS 2: 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.    WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP, AND FREAKED OUT BY THE PROCESS, AND MISS THE PURPOSE.   ACTS 2: 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. 18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.  PRESENTING THE CASE WHY YOU SHOULD BELIEVE AND RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT! IT’S GOD’S WORD.THE END PURPOSE IS WORTH THE PROCESS.SATAN WANTS TO KEEP YOU IN THE DARK.

LUKE 24: But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” 8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.   GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF TRANSFORMATION!  FEAR AND DISAPPOINTMENT CAN OVERWHELM FAITH!  LIFE CAN TRAUMATIZE OUR BEING AND OVERWHELM OUR FAITH!  LUKE 24: 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things. 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”   MOST OF THE TIME, WE PRAY AND DESIRE AN OLD TESTAMENT GOD!  GOD COULD NEVER PROVIDE ENOUGH EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF HIMSELF TO CHANGE A HEART! THE OPEN SECRET OF THE NEW TESTAMENT!  ROMANS 8: 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 1 JOHN 4: 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.  ROMANS 5: 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. GALATIANS 5: 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! THE POWER IS FROM WITHIN!  WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT HABITATION THERE IS NO TRANSFORMATION. LUKE 11: 24 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”   ACTS 3:12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness?   ARE YOU WILLING FOR JESUS TO CLEAN YOUR WHOLE HOUSE?ARE YOU THEN WILLING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO INHABIT THE WHOLE HOUSE?  TAKE IT HOME! INVITE JESUS TO CLEAN YOUR WHOLE HOUSE!THEN ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME AND INHABIT YOUR WHOLE HOUSE!EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION FROM THE POWER WITHIN.  

MATTHEW 28: Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen.  HOW CAN A VICTORY 2,000 YEARS AGO IMPACT MY LIFE TODAY?  EASTER IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE CELEBRATION OF VICTORY 2,000 YEARS AGO, BUT EXPERIENCING A VICTORY TODAY!  ROMANS 8: 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.  11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.   ONCE, THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES. NOW, WE HAVE BECOME THE TEMPLE OF GOD WHERE THE HOLY SPIRIT ABIDES. 1 CORINTHIANS 6: 19 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, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. THE VICTORY IS NOT JUST IN THE FUTURE!  THE VICTORY CAN BE FOUND TODAY!  11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.    THE ENEMY USES OUR WARPED IDEAS AND OPINIONS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO KEEP US FROM VICTORY! “I DON’T WANT TO BE A PART OF ANYTHING I CAN’T UNDERSTAND!”   ROMANS 1: 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” FAITH IS ALWAYS BELIEVING IN SOMETHING OR SOMEONE WITHOUT COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING. LIKE, BELIEVING IN A GOD WE CAN’T SEE! SALVATION IS THE GIFT THAT ENABLES THE POTENTIAL FOR VICTORY! STEP ONE: RECEIVE AND ACCEPT THE GIFT AND TERMS OF THE NEW COVENANT!   11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.  LUKE 11: 9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”  HOW OFTEN DO WE NEED VICTORY?  WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY AND THE CAPACITY TO BECOME THE HABITATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. POTENTIAL DOESN’T EQUATE TO REALITY! WE HAVE TO KEEP ASKING, KEEP SEEKING, KEEP KNOCKING!  11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.  THE ANSWER IS NOT IN OUR ABILITY TO ASK, BUT WHAT TO ASK FOR!   THE PATH TO VICTORY ELIMINATE IRRATIONAL FEARS ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT.BELIEVE IN SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION.ASK FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT.EXPERIENCE AND CELEBRATE A HOLY SPIRIT VICTORY!

MARK 7: 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart. OUR HEART REPRESENTS WHO WE REALLY ARE. LUKE 6: 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. OUR HEARTS ARE THE REAL DETERMINER OF OUR FAITH! MARK 11: 22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. IT’S MUCH EASIER TO HAVE FAITH IN OUR EXPERIENCE, THAN TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD’S WORD! DISCIPLESHIP IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF TRAINING, BUT REVELATION THAT LEADS TO A CHANGE OF HEART. DEUTERONOMY 11: 13 “If you carefully obey the commands I am giving you today, and if you love the LORD your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, 14 then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. 15 He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat. 16 “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the LORD and serve and worship other gods. 17 If you do, the LORD’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the LORD is giving you. 18 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 20 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors. PROVERBS 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.  HERE IS THE TRUTH: GOD’S COMMANDMENTS BRING BLESSING! 1 JOHN 2: 3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth.  OBEYING COMMANDMENTS MEANS WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE!  WE DON’T WANT A PRESCRIBED ROLE OR OBEDIENCE! WE WANT THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE TO PLEASE OURSELVES.  OUR HEART HAS AN ISSUE WITH AUTHORITY, BECAUSE WE DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO RELY AND TRUST IN ANYONE OTHER THAN OURSELVES.  HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED DANGEROUS PRAYERS? PSALM 51:    10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.    REVEAL MY HEART AND MAKE IT PURE.MAKE CLEAR YOUR COMMANDMENTS AND OUT OF MY LOVE, I CHOOSE OBEDIENCE.LET ME WALK IN COMPLETE TRUST AND FAITH.REPEAT: REVEAL MY HEART AND MAKE IT PURE.

DEUTEROMOMY 4: 20 Remember that the LORD rescued you from the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt in order to make you his very own people and his special possession, which is what you are today. THE END PURPOSE WAS FOR GOD TO HAVE HIS VERY OWN PEOPLE! THE END PURPOSE IS NOT THE DESTINATION, BUT THE RELATIONSHIP!   1.ONLY GOD CAN DETERMINE THE TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FULFILL THE TERMS OF THE COVENANT WITHOUT LOVE! DEUTERONOMY 6: 4 “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.   1 CORINTHIANS 10:1 I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  MATTHEW 6: 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. LOVING GOD IS ONLY POSSIBLE BY A CHANGE OF HEART!   WITHOUT LOVE, I WILL ALWAYS SEE MYSELF AS A SLAVE AND NOT A CHILD OF GOD!   A SLAVE WILL ALWAYS BE A SLAVE, UNTIL THE HEART IS CHANGED.   A GOOD FATHER BLESSES HIS CHILDREN WITH THEIR CREATED IDENTITY AND PURPOSE.  A CHANGE IN HEART PROVIDES A CHANGE IN IDENTITY!   A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CHANGES BOTH OUR HEART AND IDENTITY. Hebrews 10:1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.   ONLY GOD BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT CAN CHANGE OUR HEARTS.   WE CAN NEVER BECOME A CHILD OF GOD AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE HEART OF A SLAVE.  INITIATING A HEART CHANGE! THE REVELATION OF THE NECESSARY LOVE CHANGE!THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ADAPTION NECESSARY FOR A LOVE CHANGE!THE APPLICATION OF DAILY SPIRITUAL MEDICINES  IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE LOVE CHANGE!LOVE GOD AND EMBRACE YOUR NEW IDENTITY AS HIS CHILD.BLESS OTHERS WITH THIS SPECIAL LOVE GIVEN BY YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.