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Recalculating

James 4:13-17 (NLT)
13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  14b Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that (fill in the blank).” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious (attempting to impress) plans, and all such boasting is evil. 17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.



Life’s too short — don’t waste it outside of God’s plan for your life



Proverbs 16:1-2 (NLT)
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.


Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)
9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.


Your greatest strategy doesn’t even compare to God’s ultimate plan



Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.


Psalms‬ ‭37:23-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬
“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.”



James 4:17 (NLT)
17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.



Luke 6:46-49 (NLT)
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.”



Disobedience leads to destruction



Obedience is less painful than regret.
—Christine Caine



James 1:22-25 (NLT)
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.



There’s blessing in obedience



Matthew 5:6 (NIV)
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

The Comparison Trap
Part 3: The Counter to Comparison

YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST


Genesis 3:1-3 (NLT) – The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”


Genesis 3:4-7 (NLT) – “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.


Genesis 1:27 (NLT) – So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

1 Peter 2:9a (NIV) – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession…



1 Peter 2:10 (NLT) – “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

“What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have in life.”
—Max Lucado


Matthew 3:16-17 (NLT) – After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

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The Comparison Trap
Part 2: The Cure for Comparison



Three Cures for Comparison:



1. Gratitude: Give Thanks for What You Have



Philippians 1:2-5 (NLT) – May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.



Key Thought: Jealousy makes us resent God’s goodness in other people’s lives and ignore God’s goodness in our own lives.



2. Celebration: Rejoice in the Success of Others



Philippians 1:15-17 (NLT) – “It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me.”


Philippians 1:18 (NLT) – “But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.”



Key Thought: “Stop being jealous of people in their winning season. You don’t know what they lost in their losing season.”


3. Contentment: Be Satisfied Where You Are



Philippians 4:10-14 (NLT) – How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.


Philippians 4:11 (AMP) – Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances.



I’m often asked if, given the chance, I’d live my life the same way again. I have wondered about that as well—for about five seconds. When I think of the juvenile delinquency, injuries, torture, and many near-death experiences, the answer is a definite no. That would be crazy. Of course, enduring and surviving those challenges led to many years of positive influence which helped neutralize the catastrophes and eventually delivered great rewards. I’ve been honored and blessed with impossible adventures and opportunities, a wonderful family, friends, and fans all over the world. That I’d gladly repeat. It’s obvious that one part of the story can’t happen without the other. And so I accept it. I am content.
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The Comparison Trap
Part 1: The Curse of Comparison



Ecclesiastes 4:4 (GNT) – I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind.



Comparison Always Results In:



1. Jealousy



Jealousy makes us resent God’s goodness in other people’s lives and ignore God’s goodness in our own lives.


1 Samuel 18:6-7 (NLT) – When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. 7 This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”



1 Samuel 18:8-9 (NLT) – This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” 9 So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.




2. Pride



Luke 18:9-10 (NLT) – Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.


Luke 18:11 (NLT) – The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!



Luke 18:12 (NLT) – I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’




Luke 18:13-14 (NLT) – “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”


Pride is man’s path to pursue favor; humility is God’s path to give it to you.

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At The Movies
Part 4: Four Lessons on Parenting
Movie: Cinderella Man

Four Lessons on Parenting:

1. Coach Your Kids When They Fail

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT) – Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.



FOUR STAGES OF PARENTING:
• Ages 1-5: Discipline Years
• Ages 5-12: Training Years
• Ages 12:18: Coaching Years
• Ages 18+: Friendship Years

2. Give Your Kids Character Worth Following


Titus 2:6-7 (NLT) – In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. 7 And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.

3. Have a Vision for Your Family

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NLT) – And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again 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. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.


4. Model for Your Kids a Strong Marriage

Ephesians 5:33 (NLT) – So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

At The Movies
Part 3: Four Dimensions of Marriage

Matthew 13:34 (NLT) – Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

Four Dimensions of Marriage:

1. Rejoicing: The Beauty of Celebration

Song of Solomon 4:9 (MSG) – You’ve captured my heart, dear friend. You looked at me, and I fell in love. One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!


2. Rivals: The Competition of Distractions

• Distractions are Never Satisfied



Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT) – So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.


• Distractions Hurt Everyone Involved


Matthew 16:26 (NLT) – And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

3. Reconciliation: The Pain of Restoration

James 1:19 (NLT) – Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.


Proverbs 18:2 (NLT) – Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.

4. Reordering: The Practice of Reprioritization

Matthew 3:8 (NLT) – Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

• Are you taking time to REJOICE in your marriage…to celebrate together?
• What RIVALS are competing for your attention, and how will you address them?
• What needs to be RECONCILED in your marriage… admitting you were wrong and making things right?
• How do you need to REORDER your priorities, and your schedule, to keep your marriage healthy?

At the Movies: Singleness

1. Marriage is NOT the end goal

1 Corinthians 7:32-35: 32 I want you to be without concerns. The unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But the married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. The unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But the married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.




1. Your Uniqueness is Discovered in Singleness


Single: Separate from others; individual and distinct


Psalm 139:13-15
13 You are the one who created my innermost parts;
you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb.
14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.
Your works are wonderful—I know that very well.
15 My bones weren’t hidden from you
when I was being put together in a secret place,
when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.


Wait - Hebrew (qavah)- wait actively with anticipation, hopefully watching for God to act.

2. When You Know Love, You Love Well


1 John 4:7-8 “7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Isaiah 58:11 “The LORD will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry
and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like an ever-flowing spring.


Matthew 5:6 ““Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.

John 7:38 “He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”


Matthew 6:33 “33 Instead, desire first and foremost God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

At The Movies
Part 1: Qualities of a Healthy Relationship

Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.



Three Qualities of Healthy Relationships

1. Enduring Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) – 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.



Ephesians 4:2 (NLT) – Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

2. Effective Communication


Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) – Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

3. Enriching Experiences


Experiences enrich the relationship, and the relationship enriches the experience.


Relationships – Experiences = Lifelessness
Experiences – Relationships = Loneliness

Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) – As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.


Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) – Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

“Time is measured in minutes; life is measured in moments.”
—Mark Batterson

The Three Scenes of Easter
Easter 2021

The Three Scenes of Easter:

1. The Cross…A Scene of Suffering

John 19:17-18a (NLT) – So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). 18 There they nailed him to the cross.”


John 19:30 (NLT) – He said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.


2. The Tomb…A Scene of Death


John 19:41-42 (NLT) – The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before. 42 And so, because it was the day of preparation for the Jewish Passover and since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Matthew 27:64-66 (NLT) – So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.” 65 Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” 66 So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.


Matthew 28:1-2 (NLT) – 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. The Garden…A Scene of Life

John 20:14-15a (NLT) – She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener.


John 20:15b-18 (NLT) – “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

Romans 3:22 (NLT) – We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.