Matthew 6: 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

THE ISSUES OF OUR HEART ALWAYS DETERMINE WHO WE REALLY ARE.

SALVATION IS INTENDED TO BE HUMBLING.

EPHESIANS 2: 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

IF WE DON’T EMBRACE HUMILITY, EVERYTHING IN OUR HEART WILL BE CORRUPT.

JAMES 4: 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

WE WANT TO BE SOMEONE, AND WE WANT TO BE AUTONOMOUS

AUTONOMOUS- having the freedom to act independently.

1 CORINTHIANS 6: 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

I DON’T NOT BELONG TO MYSELF!

PRIDE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT UPON OUR FAITH!

THE ENTITLEMENT TO EQUALITY

NUMBERS 12: While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the LORD heard them. 3 (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.)

IN ORDER TO LIFT OURSELVES UP WE HAVE TO PUT OTHER PEOPLE DOWN.

THE DECEPTION OF PRIDE!

NUMBERS 13: 17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.” (It happened to be the season for harvesting the first ripe grapes.)

31 But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” 32 So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: “The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too!”

DOES GOD NEED US AS CONSULTANTS?

WHAT REALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE BELIEVE OUR OPINION TO BE GREATER THAN GOD’S PROMISE?

HEBREWS 13: 5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 6 So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

WE CAN’T AFFORD TO BECOME HOPE KILLERS AND SPREAD THE PANDEMIC OF FEAR!

WE DEMAND DEMOCRACY!

NUMBERS 16: One day Korah son of Izhar, a descendant of Kohath son of Levi, conspired with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, from the tribe of Reuben. 2 They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders of the community, all prominent members of the assembly. 3 They united against Moses and Aaron and said, “You have gone too far! The whole community of Israel has been set apart by the LORD, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to act as though you are greater than the rest of the LORD’s people?”

GOD’S KINGDOM IS NOT A DEMOCRACY!

THOSE THAT GOD CHOOSES, HE CALLS TO BE HUMBLE!

PRIDE KEEPS US FROM SEEING THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISES!

HUMILITY DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN!

1. HUMILITY IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT AN UNWAVERING TRUST IN GOD.

1. HUMILITY ALWAYS RECOGNIZES THE DANGER OF OFFENSE.

1. HUMILITY UNDERSTANDS THAT PRIDE IS THE ROOT OF SIN.

HUMILITY IS DISCOVERED IN SALVATION AND MAINTAINED IN COMPLETE DEPENDENCE UPON GOD.

GOD SAVED ME, HE SUSTAINED ME IN LIFE, AND HE WILL SUSTAIN ME FOR ETERNITY!

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CHANGE OUR MIND WITHOUT GOD FIRST CHANGING OUR HEART.

OUR HEART ALWAYS INFLUENCES HOW WE THINK!

OUR HEART INFLUENCES HOW WE THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE AND GOD!

MARK 7: 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” 6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,  ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ 8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” 9 Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10 For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ 11 But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ 12 In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13 And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others.”

14 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 15 It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

17 Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used. 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

1. HOW AND WHY DID JESUS CHOOSE HIS DISCIPLES?

JESUS CHOSE MEN WITH HEART POTENTIAL!

HEART POTENTIAL IS SIMPLY HAVING THE PROSPECTIVE NATURE THAT ENABLES A HEART TO BE CHANGED AND TRANSFORMED.

OUR HEART ALWAYS DETERMINES OUR CAPACITY TO LOVE AND HAVE FAITH.

LOVE AND FAITH IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

20 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. 21 For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22 adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”

DEFILE- TO DESECRATE OR MAKE PROFANE SOMETHING INTENDED TO BE SACRED.

A DEFILED HEART LIMITS THE ABILITY TO TRULY LOVE AND HAVE FAITH.

MARK 11: 20 The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!”

22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

PSALM 51: 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.

1. GOD CREATING A CLEAN HEART WITHIN US IS AN ONGOING DAILY PROCESS, NOT A ONE TIME EVENT.

A RIGHT HEART PRODUCES THE RIGHT FAITH!

DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT HEART AND RIGHT FAITH?

EMBRACE THE HOLY SPIRIT PROCESS.

1. MAKE YOURSELF HUMBLE AND TEACHABLE.
2. LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AS HE REVEALS THE ISSUES OF OUR HEART.

(GOD MAKES OUR MIND AWARE OF THE ISSUES WITH OUR HEART.)

1. EMBRACE TRUTH!
2. MOVE IN A NEW FAITH AWARENESS.

LUKE 9: 23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND DESTROYED LEAVE NO REAL DIRECTION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, JUST THE MONUMENTS OF THEIR SELFISHNESS.

WE CAN DRINK OUR FILL IN THIS LIFE AND LEAVE NOTHING IN THE CUP FOR OUR CHILDREN.

GENESIS 50: 24 “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he solemnly promised to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.” 26 So Joseph died at the age of 110. The Egyptians embalmed him, and his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

HEBREWS 11: 22 It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

EXODUS 1: 8 Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done.

COVENANT ALWAYS ESTABLISHES FAITH AND FAMILY.

COVENANT IS GOD’S LANGUAGE!

ROMANS 9: 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

GENESIS 50: 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

KEEPING COVENANT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR GODLY CHARACTER.

OUR CHARACTER WILL ALWAYS DETERMINE OUR LEGACY!

EXODUS 13: 18 So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. Thus the Israelites left Egypt like an army ready for battle.

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel swear to do this. He said, “God will certainly come to help you. When he does, you must take my bones with you from this place.”

JOSHUA 24: 31 The people of Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him—those who had personally experienced all that the LORD had done for Israel.

32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought along with them when they left Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the plot of land Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor for 100 pieces of silver. This land was located in the territory allotted to the descendants of Joseph.

FAITH IS FOUNDED ON GOD’S WORD!

1. ESTABLISHING A LASTING LEGACY

1. MAKE GODLY COVENANTS.
2. KEEP GODLY COVENANTS, NO MATTER HOW YOU MAY FEEL!
3. TEACH GODLY COVENANTS.
4. LEAVE A BLESSING THAT IS VALIDATED BY YOUR WORD.

1. WE CAN CHASE OUR DREAMS AND WIND UP LOST AND EMPTY!

GENESIS 46: 28 As they neared their destination, Jacob sent Judah ahead to meet Joseph and get directions to the region of Goshen. And when they finally arrived there, 29 Joseph prepared his chariot and traveled to Goshen to meet his father, Jacob. When Joseph arrived, he embraced his father and wept, holding him for a long time. 30 Finally, Jacob said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen your face again and know you are still alive.”

IN THE END, BEING BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED HAS MORE TO DO WITH BLESSING OTHERS THAN JUST HAVING A BLESSING FOR OURSELVES.

EPHESIANS 2: 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

KJV 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

HERE IS THE QUESTION OF ALL QUESTIONS: WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING  TO SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO BECOME A GOD’S GIFT TO YOUR WORLD?

IT IS ALWAYS THE SACRIFICE THAT CREATES THE GIFT!

JOHN 17: 19 And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

HEBREWS 13: 15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

SACRIFICE- an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.

OUR IDEA OF A MIRACLE MEANS LITTLE OR NO EFFORT ON OUR PART.

SACRIFICE IS ALWAYS GOD’S WAY TO BECOMING A BLESSING!

GENESIS 45: Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was. 2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace. 3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

1. INVITE THE TRUTH!

DAILY, EMBRACE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN SCRIPTURE READING AND PRAYER.

ALSO, EMBRACE THE VALUE OF THE CHALLENGE!

HOW AM I BEING CHANGED? AM I BECOMING A GIFT OR A BURDEN?

1. ACKNOWLEDGE THE TRUTH!

UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLAN IS ALWAYS A PROCESS.

CHANGE DOESN’T HAPPEN IN A DAY!

CHANGE ALWAYS HAPPENS IN THE PRESENT.

1. MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND DO HARD THINGS!

SACRIFICE IS NOT A FUTURE EVENT, IT IS A DAILY PRACTICE!

BECOME THE GIFT GOD CREATED YOU TO BE!

BEING BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED IS A WAY OF LIFE LED BY WISDOM!

DESTINATION DISEASE – WHEN PEOPLE ARE SO FED UP WITH THEIR PAST THAT THEY IGNORE THEIR PRESENT! THESE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR “SOMETHING” AHEAD OF THEM.

LIVE IN THE NOW WITH WISDOM AND BE BLESSED IN THE NOW!

LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES DON’T DETERMINE BEING BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED!

GOD’S WISDOM DETERMINES BEING BLESSED AND HIGH FAVORED.

Genesis 39:1 When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.

Genesis 39: 19 Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. 20 So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. 21 But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. 22 Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. 23 The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.

Genesis 41: 37 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. 38 So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. 40 You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck. 43 Then he had Joseph ride in the chariot reserved for his second-in-command. And wherever Joseph went, the command was shouted, “Kneel down!” So Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said to him, “I am Pharaoh, but no one will lift a hand or foot in the entire land of Egypt without your approval.”

1. BE AWARE AND NOT OVERWHELMED BY THE PAST.

1. LIVING FOCUSED AND BLESSED IN THE PRESENT.

1. HAVING HOPE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

HEBREWS 11: Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

ROMANS 8: 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

GOD IS ALWAYS USING OUR PRESENT TO DETERMINE OUR FUTURE!

1. A.WISDOM – WISDOM IS MORE ABOUT CLARITY AND PERSPECTIVE THAN KNOWLEDGE.

WISDOM ENLIGHTENS NEW OPPORTUNITIES!

JAMES 1: 5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

1. WISDOM UNDERSTANDS GOD’S  NOW PURPOSE.

HEBREWS 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

GOD INTENDS TO BLESS US SO WE CAN BLESS OTHERS!

GENESIS 50: 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

WISDOM SEES GOD BIG PICTURE!

1. WISDOM IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT FOCUSED PRAYER.

COLOSSIANS 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

5 Live wisely (LIVE WITH WISDOM) among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

WE WILL NEVER SEE GOD OPPORTUNITIES WITHOUT PRAYER!

1. WISDOM IS KNOWLEDGE APPLIED.

JAMES 3: 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

WISDOM IS NOT JUST KEEPING YOUR MOUTH SHUT, BUT SAYING THE RIGHT THING IN THE RIGHT MOMENT!

GENESIS 19:16-17

26 But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.

LUKE 17:32-33

LIKE LOT’S WIFE, MANY BELIEVE THERE IS MORE HOPE BEHIND THAN IN FRONT!

JOHN 10:10 

THE ABUNDANT LIFE IS NOT MAINTAINING!

MAINTAINING LIFE IS ALWAYS KEEPING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF “NORMAL”.

TRUTH BE KNOWN, WE WANT TO BE IN CONTROL OF OUR LIFE, EVEN IF IT IS A DYSFUNCTIONAL MESS.

DEATH! GIVING UP LIFE AND RELINQUISHING CONTROL!

MATTHEW 10:38-39 

MATTHEW 16:24-25 

MARK 8:35-36 

LUKE 9:24-25 

LUKE 17:32-33 

JOHN 12: 25 

IGNORANCE IS NEVER A GOOD EXCUSE FOR DISOBEDIENCE!

DISOBEDIENCE IS SIN, AND SIN ALWAYS LEADS TO A BAD DEATH!

ROMANS 6:23 

ROMANS 6:1-4

ROMANS 8:12-14 

AS LONG AS WE PUT OUR HOPE IN THE OLD NATURE WE WILL CONTINUALLY TURN BACK AND FAIL.

WE CAN NEVER EMBRACE DEATH UNTIL WE TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS RESURRECTION LIFE!

LET GO OF THE CONTROL AND FIND LIFE!