ScriptureStream

Acts 8:1-3

Acts 9:1-2 – Paul was zealous for whatever he thought was right.

Acts 16:1-5 – Paul and Timothy strengthened the churches.

Hebrews 2:1; 1:1 – Warning against drifting away.

Galatians 5:1-4 – It is possible to fall from grace!

II Timothy 1:3-7 – Paul and Timothy came to faith by different routes. We have to make our faith our own.

I Peter 3:15 – We must be able to defend our faith!

There is a difference in perspective between first- and second-generation Christians.

First generation Christians hear the gospel for the first time from a vantage point of unbelief and error.

For first generation Christians, conversion is often a traumatic experience in terms of physical relationships. Conversion is generally not traumatic for second generation Christians.

First generation Christians see faith differently. Their loyalty is to the truth, not particular people. Second generation Christians have to be careful not to be loyal to people or tradition.

First generation Christians have a tendency to become radical about issues. Second generation Christians have a tendency to become liberal and rationalize innovations.

Introduction

Acts 14:22

II Corinthians 1:3-7 – God has comfort to offer!

Moses

Numbers 11:1-6, 10-15 – Moses was discouraged and overburdened.

Numbers 11:16-17 – God assigned people to help Moses.

Joshua

Joshua 6:18, 27 – God gives rules for the spoil.

Joshua 7:1-13 – Joshua became discouraged and complained to God. God told him to rise up and take care of the sin in the camp.

Elijah

I Kings 18:1, 17-21 – Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal.

I Kings 19:1-18 – God told Elijah to get to work on the tasks God gave him.

Paul

II Corinthians 11:22-30 – Paul had every reason to be discouraged.

II Corinthians 12:7-12 – Paul had to deal with a “thorn in the flesh.” He complained to God, but God refused to remove it. Paul went about the work God had for him.

II Timothy 4:5-8

What is common across all these men?

All these men struggled with discouragements and complained to God.

God encouraged them to repent and get back to work.

Money, continued:

Warnings about money, continued:

“Better is …”

Proverbs 3:13-14; 11:4; 15:16-17; 16:8, 16, 19; 17:1; 19:14, 22; 20:15; 22:1; 28:6

Many of these proverbs compare money to things we often give up to get money.

Money is not fulfilling on its own!

Develop a strong work ethic.

Be generous to those in need.

Proverbs 11:24-25; 13:22; 14:21, 31; 17:5; 18:23; 19:17; 21:13; 22:2, 9, 16, 22-23; 28:27; 29:7, 14

Luke 10:30-33 – The Samaritan used his material goods to help the man who had been beaten and robbed.

Ephesians 4:28 – We do not earn money just so we can selfishly hoard it.

Giving

Matthew 14:14-21; John 6:1-14 – We may only have a little, but with Jesus, it can go far. They boy was willing to give his loaves and fish.

Luke 19:1-10 – Zacchaeus was willing to give half his goods to the poor and restore his wrongs four-fold.

Philippians 4:14-16 – Churches are authorized to send support to preachers that need it.

James 1:27 – Sometimes giving involves more than just money.

Matthew 25:31-46 – Jesus defines giving as much more than just money. Most of the time, giving is not money. We are to serve each other.

Acts 9:36-43 – Dorcas gave much through her services. She used her skills to help others.

Light

Introduction

Matthew 4:21

Acts 4:13 – John was a regular man, but he had been with Jesus.

Galatians 2:9

John is an example of how evidence leads to faith.

John was present for many miraculous and important events with Jesus, including His transfiguration, crucifixion, the empty tomb, and seeing Jesus after His resurrection.

John 19:35; 20:30-31; 21:24-25 – John knew this was true!

Acts 4:19-20 – John could not stop speaking about what he’d seen.

I John 1:1-4 – John was convinced. Then he became a convincer.

John matured over time, and so should we.

Earlier:

Later:

Selfish (Mark 10:32-37, 44-45; 9:34)

Sacrificial (Acts 4:3; 5:18, 40; 12:2; Revelation 1:9)

Bossy (Luke 9:49-50)

Brotherly (III John 1:1-7, 9-10)

Hostile

Loving (Acts 8:14-15, 25; I John 2:1; 4:7; III John 1:4)

Righteousness, continued:

The approval of the Lord

God is trying to help us by instructing us in righteous living. He knows how we work and how we should live to have the best life.

What does the future hold?

Proverbs 10:24-25, 28, 30; 11:4-5, 18-19, 21, 23; 14:32

Wickedness brings punishment, but righteousness brings great reward (in eternity if not in this world).

Money

Money is not moral or immoral on its own. It is our attitudes and actions with and about money that matter.

I Timothy 6:10, 17-19

Warnings about money

Stay away from Get-Rich-Quick schemes.

Don’t let greed corrupt your morals.

Don’t put your trust in money.

Proverbs 11:28; 23:4-5

Think of yourself as a steward of your money, rather than an owner.

Ecclesiastes 5:10-15

Luke 12:33

Beware of how money can change relationships.

Hebrews 6:13-20

Many people are skeptical of their ability to live righteously enough to be saved.

Our salvation does not depend on living sinlessly!

The greatest command is to love God. What is the greatest sin? Not loving God.

Our salvation does not depend on being 100% doctrinally correct.

Romans 7:24-25

Our assurance is based on what Jesus has provided for us.

II Corinthians 13:4

Philippians 3:4-11

Romans 5:17

Our assurance is based on what the Holy Spirit has done for us.

Our assurance is based on what God has done.

Romans 8:28-39

Romans 8:31 – If God is on our side, no one can stand against us!

I John 5:10-14 – Here is our confidence!

Ephesians 6:10-12

II Corinthians 10:3-5

Ephesians 1:3

Satan is trying to capture …

The world

The church

Satan wants to attack the people of God. He does this in part by doctrinal error.

Satan turns Christians against each other by sowing dissension and bitterness. It only takes one with a sour disposition to tear up a church!

The home

We live lives of busyness. Satan can overwhelm us with busyness and crowd out the things of God.

Immorality or infidelity can ruin our relationship with God. I Corinthians 5:9-10

Us

How can we win?

Ephesians 3:14-19

Be strengthened, mighty in the inner man.

Know the immeasurable love of God.

Be filled with God’s fullness.

Allow God to use us to do exceedingly abundantly above all we think or ask.