James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:1-5; Hebrews 11:4,5,7-9,11,17,23-27; Matthew 21:28-32
- If we have the faith that saves us, then that faith would be seen by our works.
- Simply saying be warm and be filled is not demonstrative of our faith. Faith is demonstrated by action.
- If we are really saved, we will have some works,
- Good works reveal what is going on in our hearts.
- There is a difference in knowing God and obeying Him.
- Faith requires a corresponding action.
- We need to have acts of obedience to back up our belief- our faith.
- The good works that we do complete our faith.
- Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is never alone. -John Calvin
- There is always a doing behind the faith.
- We pray for relief by faith, when God answers, we must do something.
- God looks for us to do something behind the faith we profess.
- God cannot say well done, if we're not doing anything.
- Apr 21, 2021Living By Faith, Part 11 “Doers of the Word, Part 2”
Apr 21, 2021Living By Faith, Part 11 “Doers of the Word, Part 2”Series: Bible Study
James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 4:1-5; Hebrews 11:4,5,7-9,11,17,23-27; Matthew 21:28-32
- If we have the faith that saves us, then that faith would be seen by our works.
- Simply saying be warm and be filled is not demonstrative of our faith. Faith is demonstrated by action.
- If we are really saved, we will have some works,
- Good works reveal what is going on in our hearts.
- There is a difference in knowing God and obeying Him.
- Faith requires a corresponding action.
- We need to have acts of obedience to back up our belief- our faith.
- The good works that we do complete our faith.
- Faith alone saves, but faith that saves is never alone. -John Calvin
- There is always a doing behind the faith.
- We pray for relief by faith, when God answers, we must do something.
- God looks for us to do something behind the faith we profess.
- God cannot say well done, if we're not doing anything. - Apr 18, 2021God in the Image of Man
Apr 18, 2021God in the Image of ManSeries: GeneralJudges 18; 17; 1:21,27,29-34- God provided a promised land for every tribe except the Levite. God expected the people to take care of the Levite, represented of Him.- Because the people did not recognize God as king, they made one themselves.- If we don't remove the sinful things in our lives, we will not recognize God as king.- When you are not committed to God you will go to the highest bidder.- There are too many hirelings in the vineyard of God.- We can have the right family name, the right spiritual heritage, lineage, a historical relationship with God, but do you acknowledge God as king?- When we do what we want and think it is okay to do something, we are making God in our image.- When God is not on the center of our heart, we create our own idols.- When we don't recognize God as the true and living God, we search for what is beneficial for us, instead of what God has ordained.- When God is not your king, it becomes all about self.- When you don't recognize God as king, your worship is counterfeit, you look for the easy way out.- Too many of us walking around like God didn't make commandments, He makes suggestions.- Can't be true worship if the God we worship is made in our own image (or somebody else's).- If you can pick your God up and move Him around, your God has no power.- We want to avoid, runaway from, any God made in the image of man.
- Apr 14, 2021Living By Faith, Part 10 “Doers of the Word”
Apr 14, 2021Living By Faith, Part 10 “Doers of the Word”Series: Bible Study
James 1:19-25; Proverbs 4:7; John 8:31; Hebrews 2:1; Luke 11:27-28; Matthew 7:21-26
- God saved us by His Word, so we should be quick to hear His Word.
- Our wrath will take us out of our right standing with God.
- Meekness, strength under control.
- The Word of God is a treasure that we need to receive with a gentle and humble spirit.
- Engrafted Word is a Word that is planted in our hearts.
- If we do not receive the engrafted Word of God the devil can come and steal it.
- A hearer only is forgetful of the Word heard.
The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9,18-23; Mark 4:1-9,13-20; Luke 8:4-8,11-15)
Acts 8:26-40, Philip and the Eunuch
- The care of things can choke out the Word.
- Being productive is more than being active.
- A doer of the Word keeps the Word.
- One of the biggest differences between a doer and a hearer is doers are committed to the Word.
- In consistency, lies the power.
- True disciples show themselves in doing.
- The one who is blessed hears the Word and puts it into practice.
- Hearer only deceives themselves, is forgetful and is foolish.
- The hearer only crashes, the doer of the Word stands. - Apr 7, 2021After the Resurrection
Apr 7, 2021After the ResurrectionSeries: Bible Study
John 20:11-29, 21:1-14 ; Mark 15:43; Isaiah 51:12; Luke 24:13-32
- No improvisation with angels, say what the Lord says.
- We need to crave Jesus, remember Joseph of Arimathea.
- One of the first things Jesus did after the resurrection was comfort someone when they were sad.
- Jesus knows everything, but He still asks questions.
- After speaking to sorrow, Jesus then spoke to confusion.
- Jesus speaks peace to those who are fearful.
- Jesus came back 8 days later just for Thomas. God gives us special attention.
- We have a God who is interested in giving us a new beginning.
- Sometimes we're on the wrong side of things; we just need to change sides.
- Jesus satisfied their need. They went from nothing to more than enough.
- We have a God whose kind. - Apr 4, 2021He Kept His Word
Apr 4, 2021He Kept His WordSeries: GeneralMatthew 28:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17- Three times Jesus spoke of His death and that He will rise again.- Jesus reveals things in greater detail the more we walk with Him.- The stone was rolled away not so Jesus can get out, but so that people can get in and bear witness that He had risen.- Our testimony is different from that of the world's.- The empty tomb gives us hope.- When Jesus got up from the grave it was a game changer.- Because Jesus kept His Word about the resurrection we can have confidence in everything else He said.- The empty tomb gives us hope that this life is not all that is.
- Mar 31, 2021Maundy Thursday
Mar 31, 2021Maundy ThursdaySeries: Bible Study
Luke 22:14-20, 39-43; John 13:1-15,31-35
- Jesus instituted Communion on Thursday.
- Communion can be taken at any time.
- Relationships are not about rules. Religion is about rules.
- Jesus gets upset when we make it harder to worship.
- We have to get comfortable with not knowing. God will reveal what we don't know hereafter.
- We have to avoid doing things just because of a ritual.
- We may be in authority over others, but God expects us to have a heart of servant leadership.
- God commands us to love one another as Jesus loved us.
- Communion, Servant Leadership, Love, Humility is what Jesus taught on Maundy Thursday.
- Humility is choosing God's will over our own,
- When we walk in humility, heaven shows up.
- Mar 28, 2021Jesus, the King of Glory
Mar 28, 2021Jesus, the King of GlorySeries: General
Psalm 24:7-10; Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-111; Luke 19:28-44; John 12: 12-19; Isaiah 62:11, Zechariah 9:4; Psalm 118:25-26; 2 Samuel 7; Habakkuk 2:10-11; Luke 19:41-44
- The people had a deep desire for God to be with them.- Jesus needed the obscure donkey. No matter how obscure we may seem to be, Jesus needs us!
- What the people were doing and how they received Jesus was based on Scripture.
- Those that knew the Word knew Jesus would come on a donkey.
- I don't need no rocks crying out for me, I will do it myself.
- There is no escaping from God.
- Jesus wept over the city because He knew that they would regret Him and they would be judged.
- The people did not recognize when God visited them, and that led to their demise.
- These questions are echoing through the heavens. We need to have an answer.
- Who is this King of Glory?
- Why do you desire to see Jesus in your life? Curious, miracle worker, to do for you?
- For what reason do you want Jesus?
- Who do you say that Jesus is?
- The King of Glory will come in but the doors have to be opened.
- Mar 24, 2021Overcoming Setbacks
Mar 24, 2021Overcoming SetbacksSeries: Bible Study
Romans 8:35-37; Psalm 32:2, 51:6, 37:23-24, 145:14:41:10; Galatians 1:10; Proverbs 16:18, 19:2; John 11:1-4,39-40,43; Micah 7:8
- If we love ourselves, we ought to be ourselves.
- One of the things we can do to avoid falling is being ourselves.
- When we try to be someone that we're not, we're operating in a spirit of deceit.
- We need to be true to who we are.
- We can please God by being who He made us to be.
- We can fall when we think we know more than God, by doing what we want, instead of what God tells us to do.
- When we fall, we have to realize there is a reason we fell in the first place.
- When we fall, we need to consider where we are before we try to get up.
- Glory takes time.
- There's no success without a failure.
- We don't need a lot of people; all we need is one.
- God will pick us up when we fall.
- We fall down, but we get up.
- Be Yourself.
- When you fall take your time getting up.
- If you fall, realize that you will rise again.
- Mar 21, 2021For Now I Know
Mar 21, 2021For Now I KnowSeries: General
John 3:16; Romans 8:32; Genesis 22:1-18; 21:12
- Love is an action that flows from a decision. God made a decision to create us,
- Because God is great, His actions are not fully appreciated.
- The best obedience is immediate. Delayed obedience turns into disobedience.
- Commitment is shown over time.
- When we have the opportunity to back out and we don't, our commitment is revealed.
- In the midst of our circumstance, purpose to continue to speak words of faith.
- Even though the situation looks contrary, we have to remember what God told us.
- We need to know God will provide Himself.
- Just because God told us something, we have to keep listening.
- Sometimes we don't know something, until someone shows you with their actions.
- For now I know that God loves me because He gave His son.
- Mar 17, 2021Living By Faith, Part 8 “Building Up Our Hope,” Part 2
Mar 17, 2021Living By Faith, Part 8 “Building Up Our Hope,” Part 2Series: Bible Study
1 Samuel 30:1-6, 7-16, 17-19; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Psalm 16:8-9; Romans 15:4; Colossians 1:27; Exodus 33:17-19
- If there is nothing to hope for, then faith has nothing to do.
- It's a blessing to have people in your life to encourage you. But it's even better when you can encourage yourself.
- Every time we share the Word, it presents an opportunity to empower.
- We have to know that there is a way out of our situation.
- We need to push past our pain and turn to God for encouragement
- God is orchestrating right now to make sure we have what we need.
- David encouraged himself by seeking out God.
- Even in our strength, we need to have humility.
- The idea of encouraging yourself is in the face of adversity.
- Affliction can either destroy us or be our growth agent.
- When we have that confident expectation in the midst of the fire, God will show up.
- It's better to forgo the pity party and get into the presence of God.
- Stay in the Word. It will give us hope and comfort.
- Christ in you, the hope of glory.
- Christ is the confident expectation of the revealed goodness of God, which is why we can encourage ourselves.