Impact Christian Church

As he [Jesus] walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.Mark 2:14 NIV

The greatest enemy to the life you want may be the life that you’re living.

TRUTH: If we follow an unrushed Jesus, we should be living an unrushed life.  

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

Why are we so rushed?

We are either running from something or to something.

 The solution is not  more time.

The solution is more of what matters most.

MY PRAYER: God, help me walk slowly enough to experience Jesus fully and love people deeply.

Be present in the moment. Choose what’s important. Eliminate what’s not. Sense God’s presence and recognize His voice

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“No one can serve two masters.  Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Matthew 6:24

Two Ditches That Need Guardrails:

Consuming Hoarding Greed is simply the assumption that it’s all for my consumption.

Three Actions to Overcome Greed:

GiveSaveLove

Supporting Scriptures

Matthew 6:31 “ so do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”Matthew 6:32 “ For the pagans run after all these things “ pagan :somebody who doesn’t believe there’s a God who intervenes in human affairsMatthew 6:32  “and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”

Question

Do you really believe that God knows and that God cares?

This guardrail

isn’t about giving. This is about “God, I’m inviting you in, and it’s not just a fix-it. “ This isn’t just kind of help me and then leave.  Or “Stay here God while go do what I want This guardrail is , “I’m reordering my life …You are first”. 

GIVESAVELIVE

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Guardrail a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of Conscience

Fact: ”I want others to have Guardrails” maybe not me? Fact:  “Guardrails may keep me from something I want.” Fact: “Having guardrails is good but there is still temptation there.”

Daniel’s Challenge

Daniel made up his mind  before he knew how his story ended Daniel 1:8

Daniel resolved- ENOUGH IS ENOUGH=GUARDRAIL

The God Factor:  Daniel 1:9  “ NOW GOD”    

Because Daniel said no enough is enough

GOD STEPS IN AND DOES  HIS PART “THE GOD PART “

“Saying no in Your life is the defining Moment when God steps in …..”

I will not compromise , I will not give in. No matter what others do

 Daniel Factor : He had no idea how the story would end, it could have been death!

 BIG POINT

 DANIEL’S “NO” ACTIVATED GOD WORKING

The rest of the story: Daniel is found to be right, He is  healthier and finds favor  

Prov. 11:3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

DANIEL’s “No” gave us stories about : •Daniel in the Lions den •Fiery Furnace 

The Story of us is still to be written: 

Where will you place your “No” in your life?

    Get started today putting up Guardrails in your life,  the story of you is just beginning ! 

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“Marriage should be honored by all, and husbands and wives must be faithful to each other. God will judge those who are immoral and those who commit adultery.”Heb 13:4

Guardrail–a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of Conscience

7 Cliffs of Marriage

Unmet needsUnmet expectationsUnderdeveloped self esteemUnresolved conflictUncontrolled thoughtsUnprotected lifestyleUnreliable commitment

6 Guardrails for a Stronger Marriage

1. Commit to god’s standard of morality. “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word” Psalm 119:92. Maintain your marriage“Do not cheat each other of normal sexual intercourse or you will expose yourselves to the obvious temptation of Satan.” I Corinthians 7:5Drink from your own well, my son, be faithful and true to your wife. Let her charms and breasts satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight.” Proverbs 5:15 & 183. Manage your mind“Turn your back on lustful desires and give your positive attention to goodness, integrity, love and peace in company with those who approach the Lord in sincerity.” 2 Timothy 2:224. Monitor your intake“I will set no wicked thing before my eyes.” Psalm 101:35. Minimize the opportunity to be tempted“So be careful if you’re thinking `I’d never behaved have like that’. Let this be a warning to you or you too may fall into sin.” I Corinthians 10:126. Magnify the consequences, Minimize the benefits“There is pleasure in sin for a season but it does not last.” Proverbs 6:32“The man who commits adultery it an utter fool for he destroys his own soul.” Proverbs 6:26

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Guardrail a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of Conscience

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1st Corinthians 6:18-20

Guardrails for married people

Don’t travel alone with members of the opposite sexDon’t eat alone with members of the opposite sexDon’t confide or counsel opposite members of sexWhen you feel Your heart drifting towards another confide in a special godly friendYour spouse needs to know your stated guardrailsPray together daily with your spouse

Guardrails for Singles & Teenagers

Treat a married person like you want someone to treat your spouse when you are marriedTreat your date like a sister or brotherDon’t start something you are not supposed to finish until marriageDon’t participate in sleepovers or cohabitatingPray every day for the person God has in store for you

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Guardrail a personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of Conscience

Intro

Why are relationships important?-Friends can actually determine the direction and the quality of your life.Proverbs 13:20“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”Definition of fool- a fool is a person who knows the difference between right and wrong but doesn’t care

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself”Proverbs 26:4

Guardrails for relationships from Jeff & Others:

your friend group isn’t moving in the direction you want your life to be moving in.when you catch yourself pretending to be somebody other than who you know you are.You feel pressure to compromise something you really thought you believed inYou hear yourself saying, I’ll go but I won’t participate.When you hope the people you care about most don’t find out where you’ve been or who you’ve been with.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself thru Love.Gal 5:6

Truth: Never confuse compassion with Wisdom

Question: Will you do what you know you need to do with what you just heard?

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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.Ephesians 5:15-18 NIV

Guardrail

A guardrail is a system designed to keep vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas.Three Uses of Guardrails: Bridges, Medians, Curves

Guardrail A personal standard of behavior that becomes a matter of conscience

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,Ephesians 5:15-18 NIV

Key Points

Vs. 15: Paul is saying out Loud: Live Your Life on Purpose, not on whim ..As Wise With EYES WIDE OPENVs. 16: WHY? Days are evilVs.17: Don’t be foolishVs. 17: I want you to understand what God’s will for your life is.Vs. 18: Illustration of a Guardrail: Do not get drunk, that leads to debaucheryDebauchery = “extreme indulgence that results in a loss of control.Vs.18: Instead, Be filled with the spirit

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“God’s hand formed and shaped me.”Job 10:8

Intro

Experiences teach me to rely on God2 Corinthians 1:9 “This happened so we might learn to trust not in ourselves, but in God.”You’re never going to know that God is all you need until He’s all you have.Experiences help to accomplish god’s purposePhilippians 1:12 “Whatever has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”TRUTH: SOME EXPERIENCES ON EARTH WON’T BE EXPLAINED UNTIL HEAVEN

Using your pain & Victories for God

Review your experienceGalatians 3:4 “Have you suffered so much for nothing !”Do something with what you learnPain & victories are great educatorsHARD KNOCK UNIVERSITY RULESIF you flunk the test the first time you just keep taking the test until you pass it.Just about the time you think you’ve graduated God makes up a new course.JESUS MATURITY IS FINDING THE LESSONS EVERYDAYLearn from the good and bad experiences of othersWarning: experiences are helpful and God does use them in your life, but they are not infallible. Experiences can be misleading. misinterpreted. Experience is not always reality.“ YOUR STANDARD IS ALWAYS GOD’S WORD”Use your experiences to encourage and help other people1 Thes. 5:11 “Encourage one another and help one another”

GOD MADE YOU UNIQUEHe did it so your life would matter.Use your unique to help others. That’s called ministry.

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“God’s hand formed and shaped me.”Job 10:8

Shape

Spiritual giftsHeart AbilitiesPersonality= Personality refers to the way you think, the way you feel, the way you act.Experiences

I. Why do others misunderstand me?

1 Corinthians 12:6 “God works through different people in different ways.”1 Corinthians 2:11 “No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like except that person himself. Or His spirit”IAM WEIRD: Point is: “We are all weird and We must learn to use our Weird for God

II. USING YOUR WEIRD FOR GOD

1. Be aware of what makes you tick (your personality)“A man’s wisdom gives him patience.” Proverbs 19:112. Train yourself to be okay with personality differencesRomans 15:7 “Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you.“Romans 14:13 “Let us stop turning critical eyes on one another. Let us rather be critical of our own conduct and see that we do nothing to make a brother stumble.”Ephesians 4:2 “Generously make allowances for each other because you love each other.”3. Begin to value your personality differences1 Corinthians 12:27 “All of you together are the one body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it.”Romans 12:10 “Have profound respect for each other.”

We don’t all have to be alike, thank goodness, it’s okay to be weird…

YOU’VE GOT PERSONALITY

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“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”Ephesians 2:10

SHAPE

Spiritual giftsHeartAbilitiesPersonalityExperiences

ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE WORD ABOUT YOUR ABILITIES

YOU HAVE WHAT YOU GOT FROM GODRomans 12:6 “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. “\YOU USE WHAT YOU GOT FOR HIS GLORY1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”USING WHAT YOU GOT SHOWS GODS PLAN FOR YOUR LIFEHebrews 13:21 “God will equip you with all you need for doing his will.

LIFE BOOST

WHAT GOD ASKS ME TO DO, HE GIVES THE ABILITY TO DO IT

I MUST USE MY ABILITIES OR LOSE THEM

“Take the talent from him who didn’t use it and give it to the one who has 10 talents”Matthew 25:28

PUTTING YOUR ABILITIES TO USE IN THE KINGDOM

KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOOD ATKEEP STRETCHING YOURSELF TO GROWProverbs 19:8 “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can. Then remember what you’ve learned and you will prosper.ECCL 10:10 “ If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.”•LOOK FOR WAYS TO SAY” GOD HERE I AM USE ME “1 Peter 4:10 “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other.”

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