Experiencing God

(a guide to knowing and doing God's will):

"Listening When God Speaks"

John 16: 12-15

For many of us we wish that God would just whisper in our ear and tell us what to do. As far-fetched as that sounds, the truth is God is always speaking to us, we just need the tools to learn how to listen. Big point: "God uses the Holy Spirit, which in turn uses many means to speak to us, the most common being the scriptures and fellow Christians."

Being the Church:

"Be A Witness Wherever You Go"

Matthew 28: 16-20

The gospel is a message to be shared. We are called (given authority) to be witnesses beyond the walls of the Church.

Experiencing God

(a guide to knowing and doing God's will):

"Accepting God's Invitation"

John 5: 16-19

To experience God is to join Jesus in his work. This means that we don't say, "God what is you will for my life?" No, the question is simply, "God what is your will?" big Point: "God invites you to join him in his work."

Experiencing God

(a guide to knowing and doing God's will):

"Going Deeper In My Relationship With God"

John 15: 1-5

You cannot experience God if you're not connected to God. God is with us all the time, seeking a deeper connection, but we have to put ourselves in the position to stay connected and grow in our faith. Big Point: "God pursues a relationship with us that is real and personal".

Experiencing God

(a guide to knowing and doing God's will):

"Discovering Where God is at Work"

Exodus 3: 1-7, 10-14

When we think of experiencing God we generally think of special places and times. One of the most powerful God experiences in the Bible is when Moses experienced God in the burning bush. But then he didn't see that Bush while he was worshiping or in a temple, but as he was working, and on a mountain. Big Point: "God is always at work around us".

Escaping the Cage of:

"Consciousness"

Matthew 19: 16-26

Stories of the Boy Jesus:

"The Right Resolution"

Luke 2: 41-52

On New Year's Day we sometimes make a new year's resolution. Usually it consists of exercising more or losing weight. In other words, we seek to make our self feel better physically. But notice that even as a young boy Jesus was not concerned about his physical well-being but his spiritual self, and doing what his Father had called him to do.

Stories of the Boy Jesus:

"The Wonder and the Joy"

Luke 2: 22-40

When we were children, we could not wait for Christmas and the joy of that day was intoxicating. But many of us get older and Christmas does not carry the glitter and shine it used too. In this text we see an old man look into the eyes of an infant and for a moment, he is a child again. Perhaps we too need to look into the eyes of that child so that we can remember we are still children, God's children.

"The Name is Important"

Isaiah 7: 10-16

There is a psychology to names. It has been suggested that our name can do much to shape our character. God was very specific when he first gave Jesus a name. He called him Emmanuel, God with us.

The Glory Of Christmas

"The Director"

Isaiah 9:2-6