Sabotage Part II; Discontentment Sabotages Generosity

Sabotage Part I; Circumstances Sabotage Joy

Para-Mount Part VI; Parable of the Wicked Tenants

Para-Mount Part III; Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

Para-mount Part II; Parable of the Good Samaritan

Para-Mount Part I; Parable of the Lost Son

Strategy of Satan 

Part II; May 26, 2024

“Destroyer”

What Kind of Suffering am I experiencing?

Godly

Satanic

Human

We All Suffer, But Our Faith Determines Our Response

James 1:2-4, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (ESV)

Matthew 5:16,  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)

Warren Wiersbe: God wants to use your body as a vehicle for revealing him to a lost world. Unconverted people are not likely to read the Bible to learn about God, nor books of Christian theology; but they will read our lives

In Order to Choose Patience, We Must Focus on His Promise

Warren Wiersbe: We do not live on explanations; we live on promises. God did not explain to Abraham everything that he was doing, but he did give Abraham all the promises he needed to keep going. 

Hebrew 6:11-12, we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (ESV)

Hebrews 11:13,16; These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.(ESV)

Grace Reminds Us that the End will Justify the Means

Hebrews 12:11, At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off big-time, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. (MSG)

Warren Wiersbe: God may not change the circumstances, but he will change you so that the circumstances will work for you and not against you. 

Strategy of Satan

Part I; May 19, 2024

“The Deceiver”

The Power of a Lie is Determined by Belief

2 Corinthians 11:3, But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (NIV)

Proverbs 23:7, For as he thinks within himself, so he is. (NASB)

Quit Talking and Start Reading

Isaiah 26:3, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT)

Psalm 119:147-148, I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. (ESV)

If an intelligent believer today does not know the Bible, it is his or her own fault – Warren Wiersbe

Knowing the Will of God Gives us Life, Joy, and Peace

Romans 12:2,  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)

John 4:34, Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. (ESV)

When you start to question or forget the grace of God, you will find it much easier to disobey the will of God. Christians who are ignorant of God’s will lose the enjoyment of God’s peace and power – Warren Wiersbe

Responsibility for Freedom

April 7, 2024

“Take a Stand”

Acts 12:6-8, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands and the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” (ESV)

NOT Our Responsibility:

Earn Freedom

Break Chains

Open Doors  

Our responsibility: Listen – Get Up – Follow

A Step Towards God, is a Step Away from your Chains

2 Timothy 2:22, Run away from youthful desires. Instead, direct your passion to chasing after righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord with pure hearts. (ESV)

Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (NLT)

When Standing Gets Weary, Lean on Hope

Isaiah 40:31, But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (KJV)

ForeShadow

Part III; March 31, 2024

“Abraham”

We cannot use Good ___________ to Rationalize _______

Genesis 16:2, And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (ESV)

2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (ESV)

Obedience is about ___________ NOT ___________

Deuteronomy 6:1-3, These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you (NIV)

Matthew 7:24-25, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. (NLT)

Those Willing to Sacrifice their ________ Find ________

Genesis 22:10-13, Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. (ESV)

Matthew 10:39, If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. (NLT)

The moment God stopped Abraham from killing his son, he condemned his own son to die

John 10:10-15, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (ESV)