LHIM Everything

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]The post Reaching LGBT+ People first appeared on Living Hope.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

1 Timothy 2:3   God’s desire is that all are saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Matthew 28:18-20   The great commission to the church is not only to help people receive salvation, but also to become disciples.

John 8:31-26   Those who accept the Lordship of Christ and continue in his word become disciples. We should want God’s desire to be ours also.

Matthew 22:14   Many are called, but few are chosen.

John 10:27   God is at work in the world reconciling people back to Himself.  The chosen hear His voice; this happens between God and the person. You cannot make that happen, nor should you try.

2 Chronicles 15:2, 4, and 15   God honors free will, and so must we.

Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:15-16   Light attracts people to, and hypocrisy drives people away from God.

John 13:34-35   Love is the light that attracts people.

Arrogance, condescension, superiority, judgmentalism, condemnation, being controlling, and being bossy are behaviors that will drive away most people, especially alcoholics and addicts who generally are very rebellious.

Humility, approachability, relatability, acceptance, compassion, and loving encouragement draw people. Very few people really care about others.

Numbers 13:24-33; Deuteronomy 9:13   People need help accepting four imperative realities:  1) I need help, 2) I cannot help myself, 3) the Almighty God of love wants to help, 4) I must seek His help. These vital points can be powerfully communicated by sharing your testimony and the Scriptures.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

John 11:47–50   The governing leaders saw Jesus’ popularity as a threat that they needed to eliminate.

Mark 11:18   Between the triumphal entry and the temple cleansing, Jesus sealed his fate.  The council worked to discredit Jesus before the crowds but failed miserably.

John 12:24–25   As difficult as it was, Jesus knew he had to stay in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He knew the paradoxical nature of his mission.

John 18:33–19:16   Pilate was flummoxed when Jesus refused to play the victim or self-advocate.  Everything in this trial scene is upside down.  The obviously innocent person seemed to have no interest in getting released.  The Roman governor repeatedly declared him innocent and tried to release him.  The Jewish leaders who generally despised their Roman overlords swore fealty to Caesar.  The whole scene was upside down and backwards, yet Jesus held his composure through it all.

John 19:25–27   Even while being crucified, Jesus remained loving and redemptive rather than spiteful and threatening.  He made sure his mother was taken care of.

Luke 23:35–39   Although the rulers, the soldiers, and even the criminal next to him mocked him, Jesus refused to get sucked into their hatred.

Luke 23:40–43   In another staggering moment, Jesus showed supreme love to his fellow crucified man by giving him a free pass to the Kingdom.

Luke 24:36–43   Without resurrection, Jesus’ death was at best a tragic martyrdom and at worst the just punishment of a false messiah.  However, when God raised him from the dead, it changed everything!

Philippians 3:8–11   Christ’s death and resurrection were not only events required to bring about salvation, they also serve as patterns for us to follow today.  Jesus’ paradoxical way of life calls out to you as hatred once again boils over in so many people’s hearts.  Will you be like Jesus or allow yourself to get sucked into the blackhole

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”John Cortright”]

John 11:45

John 11:46-53

John 11:54-57

John 12:1-11

John 12:12-18 – The Triumphal Entry

Here is what the people were doing and saying:

John 12:18-19, Luke 19:39-40 – The Pharisees were concerned about the crowd.

John 12:20-37 – They could not understand how Christ could be lifted up and die.

Luke 19:11-28 – Before making this triumphal entry, Jesus spoke this parable “because they supposed the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately”.  Be faithful – Jesus Christ is coming back!

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

1   “Weep and howl” are frequently used regarding the wicked in the Day of Judgment.

2   James 1:10-11; 2:5-6; Luke 6:24-25

Matthew 19:16-23   The unrighteous rich are the subject, not just the rich.

James 5:3   Their emphasis was on saving up for their last days, but their actions will be punished in “the

Luke 12:13-21   To make plans and save for the latter years of your life can be wise and compassionate in that you will not become a financial burden to your family or dependent on the government.

James 5:4   The Mosaic Law required that laborers were paid daily. Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Leviticus 19:13; Malachi 3:5

Lord of Hosts, Sabaoth, and Armies refers to Yahweh as the almighty, the commander of the armies in heaven and earth. These are often used when God brings judgment.

8   Those whom he addressed were doubtless suffering under such oppressions. The directions were to bear their wrongs without murmuring and without evil resistance. We have a hope that encourages endurance. Luke 8:15; Romans 2:7; 8:24-25; 15:4; Galatians 5:5; 6:9

9   Do not complain.  James 4:11; 1 Peter 4:9; Philippians 2:14-16

12   Vows tempt us not to be dependent on God and to avoid living for now.

13   The Greek word translated “cheerful” here is translated “be of good courage” in Acts 27.

14   Anointing with oil is also used in Mark 6:13. Oil was widely used in the ancient world as medicine.

15   The prayer of faith is with both the sick and elders. Some sickness can be caused by sin. Matthew 9:1-8

16   A powerful, evil weapon used by the devil is our unwillingness to expose ourselves.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”John Cortright”]

Wisdom from above vs earthly wisdom

Friendship with the world is hostility toward God

James 4:1 (ESV)

You lust or covet.  You don’t have because you don’t ask.  You ask and don’t receive due to wrong motives, that you may spend it on pleasures.  Friendship with the world is hostility toward God.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble

Do not judge

Don’t boast about tomorrow

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

Three subjects – 1) teachers, 2) control the tongue, and 3) wisdom

James 3:1   Based on the context, the primary qualification for a teacher is to be genuine, not a hypocrite. Teachers can lead people to or away from God, to eternal life or to death. They must discipline their tongue and have wisdom.

2 Peter 1:19-2:3; 1 John 4:1; Matthew 7:15-20

Galatians 1:6-9   Teachers will incur a stricter judgment.

1 Timothy 5:17-18   All of us should teach our children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors, etc. The conversation here in James pertains to those who steer the congregation.

James 3:2-10   If a person can control his tongue, he has control over himself, just as a person has over a horse by the bit or a ship by the rudder.

Proverbs 4:24; 8:13; 10:11, 14, 20, 21, 31, 32; 11:9, 11; 12:13, 14, 18; 13:2, 3; 14:3; 15:1, 2, 4, 7, 23, 26, 28; 16:1, 13, 21, 24, 27, 28; 17:27, 28; 18:21; 21:23

Ephesians 4:29 and 21; Colossians 3:8

James 3:10-12, 8   How do we change the tongue?

Matthew 15:15-20   To change the tongue, we must change the heart, but it is impossible to change your heart. God must do it for you.

Ephesians 3:14-17; Psalm 51:10   We pray.

1 Peter 3: 15   We must also put on Christ as Lord in our hearts.

James 3:13   To speak words of life, we need God’s wisdom that He promises to give to those who ask. James 1:5   True wisdom, like faith, has corresponding godly actions.

James 3:14-16    We must be honest with ourselves regarding our motives.

James 3:17-18   God’s wisdom produces godly fruit.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”John Cortright”]

James chapter two continues with the context in chapter one.  The last topic covered was to be a doer of the word and not only a hearer (James 1:23-27).  Chapter two really expounds on this idea of what is a doer of the word.

Chapter two emphasizes two major points:

Do not be partial in your faith and love

James 2:2-7

James 2:8

James 2:9-13

Faith without works is dead

James 2:18-20 – Faith without works is useless.

James 2:21-26 – Faith without works is dead.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

The Epistle was probably the first written after Jesus’ ascension and before Paul revealed the mystery. Many themes correspond with the Sermon on the Mount. First sent to the Christian Jews who dispersed from Israel into Asia Minor, this letter contains many practical concepts of truth which are applicable to all believers.

Three vital principles we will focus on are: 1) trials can strengthen our relationship with God; 2) personal accountability; and 3) we must do the word, not just hear it.

1:1-2   Trials are something that test a person’s endurance or forbearance. This is translated in the KJV and in the NASB in verse 13 as temptation or tempted. Two major types are tribulation (John 16:33; Romans 8:35) and lust (James 1:14-15).

Every time we resist trials by seeking God’s help, we strengthen our relationship with Him, thereby causing joy.

3-4   “Perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” are 3 ways of saying the same thing.

5   James 3:13-17 – Two different kinds of wisdom

6   Godly faith is always founded upon God’s words, written or revelation.

8   Double-mindedness is switching back and forth between human wisdom and God’s wisdom, just like the waves of the sea.

9-11   The poor tend toward humility, and the rich toward pride. Even the rich will face the humiliation of death (Psalm 49). God works with the humble but resists the proud. James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5

12   Those who persevere under trial will receive the crown of life (zoe). Romans 8:35-39

15   One of the great keys to Christian living is personal accountability. People, nor circumstances, nor situations determine our inner life. We do by how we respond. The great deception we all face is believing that outside things determine our inside realities. Consider Jesus on the cross, Paul in Acts 16, and Philippians 1.

17   Father of lights – Psalm 36:9; No variation or shifting shadow. Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Lamentations 3:22-23

18-21   Anger does not bring God’s righteousness; the implanted word does.

22-27   Be doers, not hearers only. If your knowledge of God does not result in love for God and love for others, something is not right.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

We are created to be in relationship!

Genesis 2:15-18

From the very beginning, God saw that humankind needed companionship. For Adam, that was found in his wife, Eve. But our desire for relationships extends to every aspect of life. We desire to be in relationship with our family (parents, siblings, and children), with our friends, co-workers, and especially with those in our church (i.e. our

Our earthly relationships are influenced and ordered according to our heavenly relationships, and our earthly relationships are to be a reflection of our

1 John 1:3

1 John 4:19-21

How we perceive and function in our heavenly relationships with God and the Lord Jesus directly affects our manner of living out our earthly relationships. We cannot have a healthy relationship on only one side. How we behave on one side affects the other, and vice versa.

Our relationship with God is the most important relationship.

The foundation of all relationships in life is our relationship with God. The fulness of life and relationships with one another cannot be attained and experienced apart from a vital and healthy relationship with God.

James 4:8

Having our relationship with God as the basis for understanding how to have healthy relationships with others sets a standard that allows us to know why we are to love and treat others with respect, compassion, and grace.