Esther 6:11, 13

Esther 7:3-10

**Faithfulness is rewarded!

Esther 8:11

Jesus made the payment in full for all sin for all time.

Living the Christian life = 1% doing + 99% letting.

Esther 10:3

Jesus sits in the place of authority -- making intercession for us.

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Esther 1:1-3

Esther 2:7

Esther 4:14

Esther 5:1-3

Always set the stage for maximum impact.

When you focus only on yourself life is always out of focus.

Esther 5:13-14

Esther 6:2-9

Truth is stranger than fiction!

Galatians 5:22-23

SELF-CONTROL

Romans 7:19-21

Galatians 5:16-18

Proverbs 25:28

Freedom is not doing whatever you want whenever you want... freedom comes from having the self-control to do what you ought to do — for the good of yourself and your neighbor.

To have self-control is to be free from the tyranny of our automatic responses.

"Between stimulus and response there is a space.

In that space is our power to choose our response.

In our response lies our growth and freedom."

- Viktor Frankl

God can only use people who are free enough to be used.

A person without self-control is a person God can't use.

Practice #1: Making Space

A rhythm of life that regularly makes space for solitude and silence is meant to be a non-negotiable for followers of Jesus.

Practice #2: Looking Both Ways

The Prayer of Examen

- St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Prayer of Examen and Self-Control:

1) Reflect on the day

2) Take note of your responses (good and bad)

3) Pray

- thank God for forgiveness

- thank God for the grace to act wisely

- ask for guidance for the coming day

Psalm: 90:12

Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Galatians 5:22-23

GENTLENESS

~ Meekness: a mild, moderate, humble, or submissive quality

Psalm 37:11

Matthew 5:5

Proverbs 15:1

Proverbs 15:4

James 1:19

Gentleness is NOT our default mode!

Responding to harshness with harshness is the easiest response.

Gentleness is our witness to a generally harsh world.

Gentle words soften the hearer.

Gentleness stands out!

Gentleness is an expression of God’s grace.

Gentleness = Strength under control... of the Holy Spirit

Saul / Paul

Acts 8:3

Acts 9:1

Acts 9:19-20

Galatians 6:1

Titus 3:2

1 Timothy 3:3

2 Timothy 2:24-25

Ephesians 4:2

Philippians 4:5

1 Peter 3:4, 16

James 3:17

Isaiah 42:1-4

Isaiah 40:11

Matthew 11:28-29

Matthew 21:5

John 8:3-11

God can and will gently restore all that is broken!

What would it look like for you and those around you if you had the power to live your life with an unlimited amount of the Fruit of the Spirit?

We do have that power when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives!

Galatians 5:22-23

FAITHFULNESS

- dependable, trustworthy, reliable

- predictable, habitual, routine

**God's faithfulness evidenced in us!

What can we do to allow the Holy Spirit to grow faithfulness in us?

Matthew 25:14-30

1) Take stock of our God-given ability

2) Act on our God-given opportunity

3) Take note of our God-given accountability

Everybody is somebody

created in the image of God…

someone Jesus died for.

How do you respond to somebody who is that valuable?

1 John 4:9-11

HOW??!

Matthew 5:13

Salt always makes a difference!

At Faith Community,

servanthood is our operating style.

- in the church

- in our community

- around the world

GOODNESS

How do we define good?

We were created to be good

The Fall (Genesis 3)

Romans 8:5-8

We are helpless against our sin nature…without Christ!

God is good all the time and all the time God is good

Once sin is removed from creation, only goodness will remain

We become the kind of person that we wish everyone else was.

Challenge:

ask God to provide opportunities to let goodness win in your life this week

What is the value of salvation?

1) the beginning of a great adventure

2) a new relationship with the Creator

3) a life with sites, scenes, and scents we have never experienced before

Romans 5:1

TOP TEN:

#10 - Peace

Romans 5:8 & 10

Peace WITH God puts us on His side (salvation).

Peace OF God equips us with an indestructible joy (spiritual maturity).

Romans 5:2

#9 - Access

#8 - Grace

#7 - Rejoice in Hope

Romans 5:3

#6 - Rejoice in Adversity

#5 - Perseverance

Romans 5:4

#4 - Proven Character

#3 - Confidence

Romans 5:5

Romans 10:11

#2 - Love of God

#1 - Holy Spirit Within

Romans 5:6

Romans 4:5

Galatians 4:4

2 Corinthians 5:21

1 Corinthians 6:19

2 Timothy 1:14

KINDNESS

Humans struggle every day just to be kind to other humans.

False kindness: beneficial to you, manipulation, self-preservation

Ephesians 4:31-32

True kindness:

absence of bitterness; generous; flows to those we agree with and those that we don't; meeting the needs of others; self-sacrifice

"Niceness is more about fear, while kindness is more about love.” | Candace Cameron Bure

NICE actions motivated by fear:

fear of conflict

fear of rejection

fear of vulnerability

KINDNESS is seeing people.

Politeness: the simple expectation to be a good human by being good to others

Niceness: outwardly kind, but can be inwardly selfish

Kindness: seeing the other person; more concerned for others than the self

KINDNESS: a one-size fits all policy toward all people in the recognition that all people are made in the image of God.

John 4:1-30

KINDNESS towards ourselves...

Love your neighbor as yourself.

#1, It’s okay to not be okay → be kind to your emotions.

#2, Transition is temporary → embrace being a beginner.

#3, Interrupt the lies with truth → surround yourself with people who will speak truth.

#4, Treat yourself the way you treat others – extend that same grace to yourself.

KINDNESS is a reflection of God's relationship with humanity.

Titus 3:4-7

Questions for reflection:

When have I received true kindness? How did it make me feel?

Do I believe that Jesus sees me & knows me?

Do I see others with kindness in my eyes?

Do I see myself with kindness in my eyes?

Do I speak to myself with criticism or grace? What lies do I need to interrupt with truth?

Who am I regularly passing by that could benefit from true kindness?

Bob Crosthwaite, Pastor Emeritus

Joshua 4:1-8

We forget.

THINK BACK: When have you personally experienced the faithfulness of God?

God's faithfulness in the past gives us confidence in His faithfulness in the future.

________________________________

Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor

Acts 15:19

The church is a means to an end.

>>> Avoiding the DRIFT...

toward insiders and away from outsiders.

toward preserving rather than advancing

What do we do with this opportunity?

Acts 4:29-30

We have been given the stewardship of the message of a rich and satisfying and eternal life.

Influence is a stewardship.

Be bold in your INVITING.

Be bold in your VOLUNTEERING.

Be bold in your GIVING.

Be bold in your PRAYING.

Acts 28:31