Refuge Church | Craig Crosby | Walterboro SC

Series: Fear Factor

Message: Fear of Relationships

THINGS TO KNOW:

1. You were never meant to WALK ALONE.

(Genesis 2:18) (NIV) The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.

1. Lone rangers RARELY SUCCEED.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) (NIV) 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

(Proverbs 27:17)(NIV) As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

1. Every human relationship is RISKY.

How To Build Healthy Relationships?

1. Make Jesus your BEST FRIEND.

(Proverbs 18:24)(NIV) One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

(Deuteronomy 31:6)(NLT) So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

1. Realize no one is PERFECT.

 (Romans 3:23)(NIV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

1. Deal with your UNRESOLVED ISSUES.

(Ephesians 4:31-32) (NIV) 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

1. BE HONEST from the start.

(Leviticus 19:11)(NIV) “‘Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.”

(Matthew 5:37)(NIV) All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

1. Don’t let just anyone in your INNER CIRCLE.

(1 Corinthians 15:33) (NIV) Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

1. Guard your HEART.

(Proverbs 4:23)(NIV) Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

1. Never leave GOD OUT.

(Matthew 18:20)(NLT) For where two or three gather in my nam

Series: Leadership

Message: 7 Temptations Leaders Face

1. Satan tempts us to create our OWN RULES.

(Genesis 3:1-13) (NIV) 1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

4“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

11And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Integrity is seeking to do the RIGHT THING no matter what.

(James 4:17)(NIV) If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.

1. Satan tempts us to BUILD ON SHIFTING SAND.

(Matthew 7:24-27)(NLT) 24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 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. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Build on a FOUNDATION that won’t COLLAPSE.

(1 Corinthians 3:10-15) (NLT) 10Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid

Series: Leadership

Message: How To Take Care Of Yourself?

Things You Should Know:

1. God wants you to be healthy PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY,

       EMOTIONALLY, and SPIRITUALLY.

1. You must always consider your HEALTH before your HELP.

1. Jesus wants to be your PRIMARY PHYSICIAN.

(Mark 2:16-17) (NLT) 16But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum? 17When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

(Romans 3:23)(NLT) For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.

Things You Should Do:

1. Spend your time VERY WISELY.

(Ephesians 5:15-17) (NIV) 15Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

(1 Corinthians 10:23)(NLT) You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial.

1. Keep a close watch OVER YOUR LIFE.

(1 Timothy 4:16)(NLT) Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.

(Psalm 26:2)(NIV) Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;

1. Invite the RIGHT PEOPLE into your life.

(1 Corinthians 15:33) (NIV) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

(2 Corinthians 6:14)(NLT) Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?

(Hebrews 10:25)(NLT) And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) (NIV) 9Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

1. Make time to process your GRIEF & PAIN.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-4) (NLT) 1For everything t

Series: Leadership

Message: How To Lead Most Effectively

1. Operate with CLEAR VISION.

(Proverbs 29:18)(KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish:

(Luke 2:49) (NKJV) And Jesus said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

1. Let the TRUTH GUIDE YOU.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) (NIV) 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

(3 John 1:4)(NIV) I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

(Matthew 7:24-27) (NIV) Jesus said, 24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

1. Demonstrate God’s LOVE & COMPASSION.

(1 Corinthians 13:1-3) (NLT) 1If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

(Matthew 9:36)(NLT) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

(John 15:12)(NLT) This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

1. Meet people with AMAZING GRACE.

(Romans 5:8)(NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(John 8:1-11) (NLT) 1Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4“Teacher,” the

Series: LEADERSHIP

Message: X-Factors Of A Godly Leader

(1 Timothy 3:1)(NIV) Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.

Godly Leader – Someone in a POSITION OF INFLUENCE that chooses to POINT OTHERS to God.

1. Godly leaders put their HOPE IN GOD ALONE.

(Psalm 25:1-3) (NIV) 1In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. 2I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

(2 Corinthians 3:5)(NIV) Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

1. Godly leaders seek GOD FOR DIRECTION.

(Psalm 25:4-5) (NIV) 4Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

(1 Corinthians 11:1)(NIV) Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1. Godly leaders know God’s MERCY & LOVE.

(Psalm 25:6)(NIV) Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.

(John 15:12)(NIV) My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

1. Godly leaders CONFESS THEIR SIN.

(Psalm 25:7-8) (NIV) 7Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, he instructs sinners in his ways.

(James 5:16)(NIV) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

1. Godly leaders WALK HUMBLY WITH GOD.

(Psalm 25:9)(NIV) He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

(Micah 6:8)(NLT) O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

1. Godly leaders know GOD IS FAITHFUL.

(Psalm 25:10)(NIV) All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

(Romans 8:28)(NIV) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.