LWC Podcast

1. The first card that makes you is your chemistry.I Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)Galatians 4:13 (NASB)2. The second card that determines your identity is your connections.Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)3. The third card is your circumstances.I Thessalonians 5:8 (NLT)4. The fourth card is your consciousness.Proverbs 23:7 (NASB)Proverbs 4:23 (NCV)Job 3:25 (NLT)5. The fifth card is your choices.FIVE WINNING CHOICES1. I choose to get healthier.Psalm 119:73 (LB)2. I choose to deepen my relationships.I Corinthians 14:1a (NLT)3. I choose to trust God no matter what.Romans 12:2 (NLT)4. I can choose what I think about.Romans 12:2 (NLT)5. I can choose Jesus as my savior.II Corinthians 5:17 (LB)PRAYERDear God,There's some things in my hand that You've dealt me, life has dealt me, and others have dealt me that I don't like. But I thank You for the wild card, that You've made me in Your image and I can make choices and You've given me Your Spirit to guide me. Today, in Your power and in Your strength, I choose to get healthier. I choose to do things that willgive me more energy and a healthier body. Now give me sense to heed Your laws, and what I need to do in a practical way to get healthier.In Jesus' name,AMEN

1. Faith is choosing to believe in God's dream for my life.Dreamers dare to askBelive God's promisesDream BIGProverbs 29:18 (NIV)Ephesians 3:20 (LB)Jeremiah 32:27 (NLT)Psalms 2:8 (NIV)2. Faith is being willing to risk failure.Acts 15:26 (NAS)Daniel 3:17-18 (NIV)Proverbs 29:25 (MSG)Galatians 6:4 (NIV)3. Faith is expecting God to bless and use me.Philippians 1:20 (NCV)Psalm 27:2 (NAB)Matthew 9:29 (NIV)Hebrews 11:1 (GW)4. Faith is never giving up.Psalm 31:24 (MSG)Psalm 119:109 (LB)Proverbs 24:16 (CEV)Galatians 6:9 (LB)Mark 9:24 (KJV)PRAYERGod, Help me with my unbelief. I want to believe. Help me with my doubts. Give me the dream You have for my life. Put a burning passion in my heart to go after this dream. Kindle this dream like a fire when it begins to smolder. God give me an expectancy to fulfill it through the power of Your Holy Spirit and the guidance of Your Word.In Jesus' name,Amen

FIVE FACTORS THAT REINFORCE-WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER"It's not good for the man to be alone...", Genesis 2:18 NASB1. I need others to WALK with me.Colossians 2:6-7 ESVEphesians 5:2 NASB It's safer It's supportive It's smarterProverbs 28:26 CEVProverbs 11:14 KJVHebrews 10:25 TEV1 Peter 4:9 CEB2. I need others to WORK with me.Ephesians 2:10 NCVCONNECT-GROW-SERVE-REACHEcclesiastes 4:9 NCVGalatians 6:10 The Message3. I need others to WATCH OUT for me in life.Philippians 2:4 TEVHebrews 13:1 CEVwww.911commission.gov/report/911Report.pdfEcclesiastes 4:12 NLTEcclesiastes 4:10 NLT4. I need others to WAIT with me and to WEEP with me.1 Peter 3:8a Living Bible1 Corinthians 12:26 ESVRomans 12:15 TEV1 Thessalonians 5:11 GW5. I need others to WITNESS with me.John 13:35 NLT2 Timothy 1:7 Living BiblePhilippians 1:27 CEVPRAYER:Heavenly Father, Thank YOU for teaching us that community is YOUR idea! We embrace your love and fellowship! And Lord, we also embrace YOUR idea of loving each other, fellowshipping with one another and making community a priority. Forgive us for thinking that living an independent life is the key to happiness. Thank YOU for showing us that it's actually the key to loneliness and the key to happiness is dependence on YOU and interdependence on each other. We choose to make time for small groups as you lead us. Let us honor you and honor each other. May we be beacons of hope for those in our towns and communities. I commit myself to join a small group where I can learn about community your way. In Jesus Name, Amen.

WHY I NEED TO SET PERSONAL GOALS:1. Goal setting is a spiritual discipline.Ephesians 1:10 GWT2. Goals focus my energy.1 Corinthians 9:29 NCVEphesians 5:16 NLT3. Goals stretch my faith.Matthew 9:29Romans 14:234 Goals build my character.Philippians 3:12Ephesians 4:135. Goals give me hope.Job 6:11 NLTWHAT KIND OF GOALS DOES GOD BLESS:1. Godly goals, the kind that God blesses, bring glory to God.1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV2. Godly goals, the kind that God blesses, are motivated by love.1 Corinthians 16:14 NLT1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT3. Godly goals fulfill one of God's purposes for your life.Romans 6:162 Corinthians 9:26 NLT4. Godly goals are set in faith.Hebrews 11:6 NLT5. Godly goals are achieved with God's power.Proverbs 16:9 MSGZech. 4:6 NCVProverbs 3:5-6 NLTPRAYERHeavenly Father,Thank You for our church family. We love You and we love each other. We greet this new season with enthusiams. With God in us and in Christ, we desire to give you every aspect of our lives: our faith, food, fitness, friends, and our focus. May our goals align themselves with Yours!In Jesus' name,AMEN!

1. Commit my body to God.Romans 12:1 (NIV)Cleanse my body.Care for my body.Control my body.2. I must re-focus my mind.Romans 12:2 (NIV)3. I must humbly assess my current state.Romans 12:3 (NIV)4. I must get group support.Romans 12:4-5 (NLT)5. I must fill my life with love.Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)6. I must nurture my enthusiasm.Romans 12:11-12 (NIV)APPLICATION PRAYERGod, I don't want to go another day without You in my life. I give You control over every part of my heart. I offer You my body. I dedicate myself to You. In light of all You've done for me, I give mysel to You as a living sacrifice as an act of worship. Help me to renew my mind as I choose not to conform to my old ways of doing things. Transform me by Your power and make me the person that honors You with my body, my mind, my emotiions, my eating and drinking, and everything that matters. I humble myself because I know that prided will cause me to stumble. Forgive me for trying to change on my own. I want to fill my life with You so I can delight in honoring other people. I choose to nurture my enthusiasm by being in You. Because with You I can do all things.In Jesus' name,Amen

1. God expects me to manage my body.1 Corinthians 6:12-13a NIV2. My body is God's property.1 Corinthians 6:13b NIV3. My body will be resurrected after I die1 Corinthians 6:14 NIVMistakes we make:We rely on willpower instad of God's powerWe have wrong motivationWe try to change on our own4. My body is connected to the body of Christ.1 Corinthias 6:15a & 18 NIV5. Holy Spirit lives in my body.1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV6. Jesus Bought my body on the cross.1 Corinthians 6:20 NIVRomans 12:1 NIVPsalm 119:73 LBDeuteronomy 32:47 NLTProverbs 3:1-10 NIVAPPLICATION1. Trusting God is good for my health.Psalm 116:7 NCVProverbs 14:30 NIV2. Confessing my sins is good for my health.Psalm 32:3-5 NLT3 Giving generously is good for my health.Proverbs 11:25 NIV4. Haing fun is good for my health.Proverbs 17:22 NIVPRAYERFather, You created our bodies. You sent Jesus to pay for our bodies. Then you sent Your Spirit to live in our bodies. Help us to never forget that our bodies belong to you, not us. And that they're connected to the Body of Christ. And one day they will be resurrected in version 2.0. Forgive us for all the times we've misused our bodies and abused our health. We commit together to join in a jouney of health, to follow God's health plan for Your glory. In Jesus' name.Amen

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PART ONE: What We Can Learn from Paul's LifeACTS 20:17-211. "humility and tears"=BROKENESS...but not resignation...2. In the face of "severe testing," Paul doesn't GIVE UP. It's the challenge of giving in but not giving up. It's the counterintuitive power of the cross.2 CORINTHIANS 12:10Why Paul? How can you say this? Because the more you don't trust YOURSELF, the more you trust GOD, the STRONGER you are!3. "anything that would be helpful"...not HAPPY-FUL. Not everything that's helpful will make you happy. Sometimes what is helpful is hurtful. But often we need people in our lives who will tell us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear.HEBREWS 12:114. "repentence and faith"...back to BROKENESS and TRUST. To me, this is the simplicity of--and the biggest challenge--of following Jesus.5. Paul's life is not ruled by UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.ACTS 20:22-23Paul's life is not ruled by unrealisistic expectations, because he has ETERNAL expectations. His life is totally grounded in his relationship with God, and that gives him a great sense of peace no matter what happens. His relationship to God drives him, compels him to complete the task.ACTS 20:24PART 2: What Paul Teaches Leaders--and You and Me1. Being safe and happy isn't a bad thing, but it's better to be COURAGEOUS.ACTS 20:252. We need the whole counsel of God, not just bits and pieces, fragments, proof texts and sound bites. To me, this is how important it is to see the BIG PICTURE of God and life.ACTS 20:26-27 and 1 John 2:143. You can't help others if your life isn't together. So in a certain sort of way, life really is all about you!ACTS 20:28So why is it all about you? Because God wants your life to be full of love for the people around for whom Jesus gave everything. Jesus didn't just die for you, he died for them.ACTS 20:29-314. You can love people, but you can't fix them. You can't change the. But under the Lordship of Jesus, you can change. You can't change the future either, but we know that God's GRACE will always be sufficient.ACTS 20:325. As hard as it is, giving money is easy compared to giving your life for others. But this is why Jesus came, and it's why you are saved, why you are here. It is more blessed to GIVE than to RECEIVE.ACTS 20:35-38

"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." Psalm 23:4 NLTWith God, adversity leads to:1. An Enlarged STRENGTHRomans 8:26-27 NLT2. An Enlarged PURPOSE"Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope." Rick Warren: The Purpose Drive LifeRomans 8:28 NLTRomans 8:29-30 NIV1 Peter 4:1-3 NLT1 Peter 4:4-5 NLT3. An Enlarged CONFIDENCE"The most important thing for me is having a relationship with God. To know that the owner, the creator of the universe loves you, sent His Son to die for your sins; that's very empowering. Knowing Him and knowing that He loves me gives me encouragement and confidence to move forward."-Ben CarsonRomans 8:31-32 NIVPsalm 27:3 NLT4. An Enlarged LOVERomans 8:35, 37-38 NLTAPPLICATION:1. We all face challenges and hardships throughout our lives.2. But we don't have to face them alone.3. God alone has the strength to help us overcome our greatest difficulties.4. He is willing and desiring to be our rock and stability during these most difficult times.5. Make the choice today to trust Jesus and allow Him to calm your storms and enlarge your faith.PRAYER: God, I am a sinner who needs YOUR forgiveness! I am unable to overcome the adversity of life on my own. I need You to be my strength and my rock through these difficult challenges I am facing. So I am making a decision today to place my faith in Jesus. I confess that Jesus Christ died for my past, present, and future sins on the cross of Calvary. I believe He rose from the dead on the third day just like the Scriptures foretold. I choose to follow Christ in the fellowship of His church. Amen

"There is only one secure foundation: a genuine, deep relationship with Jesus Christ, which will carry you through any and all turmoil. No matter what storms are raging all around, you'll stand firm if you stand on His love."-Charles StanleyJeremiah 17:7-8Adversity allows us to dvelop confidence in the God who sustains us through life's greatest challenges.Ten examples of men and women of faith who were established through adversity!1. NOAHGenesis 6:22 NLT2. NEHEMIAHNehemiah 2:20 NIV3. JOBJob 1:22 NLT4. JOSEPHGenesis 50:20 NIV5. RUTHRuth 1:16 NIV6. ESTHEREsther 4:14 NIV7. DANIELDaniel 6:10 NIV8. ELIJAH2 Kings 1:159. PAULActs 9:15 NLTActs 21:10-14 NIV10. PHILIPActs 8:25-40 NIVAPPLICATION:1. Adversity allows us to develop confidence in the God who sustains us through life's greatest challenges.2. The Bible encourages us to consider it pure joy when we face the difficulties of life.3. For in these difficulties, God will establish a mature man or woman who will find encouragement in Christ and not live a discouraged life.4. Whatever you're going through--you can have assurance that God will give you the strength to prevail.5. I invite you to give your life to Jesus Christ and receive God's forgiveness by praying: God, I am sinner in need of YOUR forgivenss. I have tried to overcome the adverisy of life on my own and today, I admit--I need YOUR help, God! I am reaching out my hand to YOUR hand of comfort and strength. I acknowledge that I need to turn from my ways and receive YOUR forgiveness. I confess that Jesus died for all my sins (past, present and future). I believe HE was raised from the dead on the third day, just like the Scriptures foretold. Today, I am starting a new chapter in my life with Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Amen.