Harmony 

Part VII; August 6, 2023

“Friends and Enemies”

A Good Friend is ___________, 

A Great Friend ___________

Proverbs 27:17, Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another (ESV)

Mark 2:4-5, And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (ESV)

“Bad friends compromise your choices; your worst friends stunt your growth”

You Decide the __________ and ___________ of Your Relationships 

2 Corinthians 6:14, Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

We Only Have One Real __________

“Those who hate and betray aren’t our enemies, they’re victims of the enemy”

John 10:10, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (ESV)

Matthew 5:43-45, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (ESV)

Harmony 

Part VI; July 30, 2023

“Grief and Joy”

What is Grief? 

Why do I feel this way?

It’s Okay to Wrestle with God

Genesis 32:24-28, And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”  And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (ESV)

John 11:34, Jesus wept. (ESV)

Joy is Found in Jesus NOT in Circumstances

Romans 5:2-5, Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (ESV)

Psalm 33:20-22, We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need. What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you’ve got that’s what we’re depending on. (MSG)

God’s People Become the Visible Way We See an Invisible God

Galatians 6:2, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (NIV)

Romans 12:10-12, Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (ESV)

Harmony

Part IV; July 16, 2023

“Humility and Confidence”

Philippians 2:1-8

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Humility comes from our ­­­________________________

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.  - CS Lewis

Confidence comes ______________

1 John 3:20-21 

For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.

Luke 7:28 

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

The focus should be _________________________

John 3:30

He must become greater; I must become less.

Harmony 

Part III; July 9, 2023

“Dust and Divinity”

Genesis 2:7, The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (ESV)

There is a War Being Waged Inside of Us 

Galatians 5:17, For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (ESV)

Your Choices will Choose Who Wins

Romans 8:5-8, For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (ESV)

Galatians 6:8, Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. (NLT)

Let Imperfection Motivate Progress

Philippians 3:12-14, Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

When You Fall Short, Rest in Grace

Romans 5:20-21, Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (ESV)

Genesis 1:31, And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (ESV)

Harmony 

Part II; July 2, 2023

“Faith and Works”

Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (ESV)

James 2:17-18, Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in hand. (MSG)

The Cross is a Monument and a Mission

Matthew 16:24-25, Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (ESV)

Your Faith Should Fuel Your Works

Hebrews 13:20-21, Now may the God of peace who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. (NLT)

1 Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (ESV)

God Doesn’t Need You -- He Wants You

Isaiah 45:7, “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.” (NLT)

Ephesians 2:10, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (ESV)

Harmony 

Part I; June 25, 2023

“Logic and Emotion”

A Balance of Logic and Emotion is the Foundation of:  

Sustainable Relationships 

Logic fails to believe that everyone has value, Emotion fails to create appropriate boundaries 

Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 

Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 

Genuine Hope

Logic fails to believe in the power of the unexplainable, Emotion fails to remember that the valley is only momentary

Psalm 139: 23-24, Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting 

God’s Expression of Love

Logic fails to appreciate the gift of God’s compassion, Emotion fails to understand the purpose of conviction

God has two outstretched arms. One is strong enough to surround us with justice, and one is gentle enough to embrace us with grace. If God were only tough minded, he would be a cold, passionless despot sitting in some far-off heaven “contemplating all,” self-knowing but not other-loving. But if God were only tenderhearted, he would be too soft and sentimental to function when things go wrong and incapable of controlling what he has made, and helpless against the powers of evil. He is tough minded enough to transcend the world; he is tenderhearted enough to live in it. He does not leave us alone in out agonies and struggles. He seeks us in dark places and suffers with us and for us in our tragic prodigality. – MLK Jr. 

2 Peter 3:8, 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.

The Verse That Changed My Life

Part VI; May 21, 2023

“1 John 1:9”

1 John

We are All working on Something.

Romans 7:14-16, I

Romans 7:25, The

Confessing Creates

Through our confession, God

Micah 7:19, You will again have compassion on us;

Our Identity is not in our failures.

Romans 8:1, There is therefore

Lamentations 3:22-23, The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never

We can come to God anytime and anywhere.

2 Chronicles 7:15, Now my eyes will

1 Peter 5:7, Cast all your cares upon him; for he

Psalm 55:22, Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will

The Verse That Changed My Life

Part V; May 14, 2023

“Philippians 4:4-8”

Philippians

Even When You Feel Alone, The Lord is Near

Psalm 34:18, The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. (ESV)

Acts 17:27, That they should seek

Negative Attitude Can Be Changed with Proper Focus

John 6:11, Jesus then took

Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is

Our Kids Experience God Through Our Imperfection

Ephesians 4:2, Always be humble and

The

Pastor

James

James 1:2-4 NIV

Consider it pure Joy my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials

Main point: The greatest

Story of Joseph (Summary)

Genesis 39-45

1st point: Don’t back down.

Genesis 39:2 NIV

The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the

Genesis 39:21 NIV

the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in

2nd Point: God is up to

Genesis 41:16 NIV

“I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh

Genesis 45:7 NIV

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and

3rd Point: Every Season is

(Thomas Edison Slide)

Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 NIV

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has

TheVerse That Changed My Life

April 30, 2023

 Pastor Steve Chiles

“You will seek me and find

Two

God

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling

God

“And

– Ephesians 3:18-19 (NLT)

How

We make

We won’t serve a

and we can’t love

 “Open

We

“Trust

– Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

We

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship

– Exodus 34:14 (NLT)

We

and

“And you will know the truth, and the