What’s the mess behind the door of your life?

Sin is a killer! 

“To be caught in secret sin is a horrible thing. There's only one thing worse: not to be caught.”

1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul

“abstain from fleshly lusts” - to hold oneself back constantly from evil desires, urges, and passions.  

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;

“If you will not have death unto sin, you shall have sin unto death. There is no alternative. If you do not die to sin, you shall die for sin. If you do not slay sin, sin will slay you.” - Charles Spurgeon

James 1:15  Evil desires give birth to evil actions And when sin is fully mature it can murder you!

#1. Sin Affects your Family

Exodus 34:6 “The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” 

#2. Sin Affects your Faith

James 1:6-8 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

#3. Sin Affects your Future

Listen to me…The only person that can thwart God’s plan for your life is you by the choices you make.

Satan has no power in your life, unless you give it to him. And when you sin, that’s what you do… If you choose to continue to walk in sin, you will never fulfill the destiny that God has for you.

John 8:3 The scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

#1 Jesus brings grace to the messed up 

#2 Jesus brings conviction to the stuck up

Put the stonedown! 

John 8:10 “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

John 8:11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; 

John 8:11 “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Repent- to turn away from sin. 

Your motivation has to be rooted in Jesus.<

Sustenance is the ability to provide people with what they need to make them strong and healthy

The refrigerator sustains what sustains us.It’s what’s on the inside that counts. 

1 Samuel 16:7 The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

1. Fill The Fridge 

What we put into something greatly determines what we get out of something.

- Fill Your Mind With God’s Word

Proverbs 3:1 The words of God giveth life.Proverbs 4:22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. 

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

• Have a plan

• Consult The Author

• Be On The Hunt

Hebrews 5:13–14 No one who lives on milk alone can know the ins and outs of what it means to be righteous and pursue justice; that’s because he is only a baby. But strong meat is for those who have come of age, for those who have learned through practice to distinguish good from evil.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think continually on these things 

- Fill Your Mouth With God’s Word

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:20 A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.

2. Stay Plugged In

Galatians 5:22-23 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. 

It’s not your fruit, it’s the fruit God produces through us.

John 16:7  It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you”. 

The Holy Spirit isn’t power, He is a person, But He is a person of power! 

Ephesians 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit

Luke 11:11-13 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” 

Our closets are places that we interact with on a daily basis. 

Closets accumulate stuff. 

All this stuff we accumulate in our closets… takes up space. 

When I push my closet to it’s limits, it gets chaotic. 

- People today sleep two and a half fewer hours on average each night than they did 100 years ago. 

- The average work week in America is actually longer than it was in the 50 years ago. 

- The average office worker, has over 36 hours of work piled up on their desk and they spend about three hours a week just sorting through it to find different things.

- 44% of Americans feel more stressed than they did 5 years ago

- 1 in 5 Americans experience EXTREME stress (hands shaking, heart palpitations, depression)

- 60% of all disease and illness is caused by stress.

- 3 out of 4 doctors visits are for stress related ailments.

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
* confusion - disorder, chaos, clutter

1 Corinthians 14:40 But all things should be done decently and in order. 

#1 MARGIN CREATES ORDER. 

#2 MARGIN ALLOWS INTERACTION

01. You have limitations 

Psalm 119:96 I have learned that everything has limits… 

02. Throw/Put Things Away Regularly

Hebrews 12:1 let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

The closet is seasonal. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…  

Ecclesiastes 3:6 a time to keep, and a time to cast away

John 15 1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 

1 Cor. 6:12 Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.

3. Give Jesus Closet Access 

Philippians 4:6 Never worry about anything. Instead in every situation let God know what you need in your prayers and in your requests.

Prayer Lets God In

Revelations 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 

“A day without prayer is a boast against God.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

God is an invite only God,

Prayer = A conversation with God.

Matthew 11:28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

The more you clear the mess the more you reduce your stress. 

The average American home has over 300,000 items inside of it.

Jesus simplified things.

Matthew 22:36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

The more you narrow your focus the more you broaden the impact of your life.

The Junk Drawer

The junk drawer stays a junk drawer and is treated like a junk drawer because we have labeled it “The Junk Drawer”

The devil is an identity thief

You are who God says you are

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. 17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

If you’re a Christian God doesn't identify you based on your junk, based on your sins, He identifies you based on his son.

You are extremely valuable

Deuteronomy 7:6 You are a people holy to the Lord your God his treasured possession.

Isaiah 43:4 You are precious to me.’”  

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.

Value is determined by 5 things: 

1. Condition 

2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

Ephesians 1:13 when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

2. Manufacturer 

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, recreated in Christ Jesus for good works 

workmanship - A thing of God's making, a Work of Art

3. Prominence

at John Lennon’s Steinway Model Z SLIDE)

1 Peter 2:9 “You are… a people belonging to God, 

1 John 4:4 You belong to God,

4. Rarity

Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

wonderfully - unique, set apart, uniquely marvelous.

5. Market

Galatians 3:13 Christ bought us with His blood 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.

1 Corinthians 7:23 “You have been bought and paid for by Christ 

Philippians 3:13-14 the apostle Paul writes… One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Paul gives us two things to do here… Here’s the first:

1. Choose To Forget

Easter - Because He Lives… Peace Is Possible

Because he lives Lyrics:

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living, just because He lives

Easter Egg - an artificial egg or hard-boiled egg that is dyed and often decorated as part of the Easter celebration. An unexpected feature included as a bonus.

 Here’s a picture of the field before the hunt

John 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Because He Lives, Peace Is Possible.

Peace is a person!

Ephesians 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one  and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Romans 5:10 We were God's enemies, but he made us his through the death of his Son.

Philippians 4:7 the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace with God leads to the peace of God, which leads to peace internally (peace with yourself), which leads to peace externally (peace with others).

01 A Promise

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,  “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

02 A Position 

Titus 3:7 Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and he gave us the hope of eternal life.

03 A Pathway 

John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one  comes to the Father except through Me.

04 A Power 

JOHN 14:19-21 19 Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. 20 When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” 

Ephesians 1:19-20 I pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead 

When I start talking about John Lennon START PLAYING “GIVE PEACE A CHANCE”