Date:  December 9, 2018

Title:  B.C.  Before Christmas, Promise #2

Text:  Isaiah 8:6-9:6 (HCSB)

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

Four Common Causes of a Wrecked Life:

A willful rejection of God

Embracing the ways of the world

Failing to fear the Lord

Self-inflicted suffering

 

God’s Pre-Christmas Promises:

Promise #1 – His Presence!

Promise #2 – Hope!

 

 

Because of God’s fulfilled promise to us . . .

A wrecked life can become a restored life!

 

How?

Submit to Jesus

Embrace God’s Word

Fear the Lord

Repent and Change

Date:  December 2, 2018

Title:  B.C.  Before Christmas, Promise #1

Text:  Isaiah 7:1-17 (HCSB)

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

 

Before Christmas, God promised us . . .

His Presence!

 

And that promise offers us . . .

Prophetic Wisdom

Providential Care

 

And all that is required of us to receive this is . . .

Passionate Faith! (                         )

 

 

Sometimes the wrong things we place our trust in

become the source of our suffering in the end.

 

Place your trust in the promises of God.

 

Reflection Verses:

Exodus 14:14                          John 8:36                                James 4:7

Isaiah 41:10                            Philippians 4:19                      Romans 8:28

Isaiah 54:10                            Psalm 23:4                              1 John 1:9

James 1:5                                Psalm 34:17                            Proverbs 3:5-6

Deuteronomy 31:8                 Romans 8:38-39                      Jeremiah 29:11

Date:  November 25, 2018

Title:  Worst. Day. Ever!  Part 3

Text:  2 Samuel 17:16, 27-29; Philippians 1:12-30

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

 

Worst. Day. Ever!

And How to Overcome It

 

Step 1 – Change your Perspective . . . Pronto!

Step 2 – Choose your Counsel . . . Carefully!

Step 3 – Commit to Change . . . Immediately!

 

“If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results.”

Jack Dixon

 

Our Challenge

     We resist change!

Because . . .

It’s hard!

It’s scary!

 

Sometimes a bad thing is the best thing that could ever happen to us.

 

 

Reflection Questions

Three questions we need to ask ourselves when we are going through a difficult season of life:

What is God trying to accomplish through me?

What is God trying to teach me?

Where is God trying to move me?

Date:  November 18, 2018

Title:  Worst. Day. Ever!  Part 2

Text:  2 Samuel 15:30-31; 16:1-4, 9; 19:5-8

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

 

Worst. Day. Ever!

And How to Overcome It

Step 1 – Change your Perspective . . . Pronto!

Step 2 – Choose your Counsel . . . Carefully!

 

Below are real-life examples that are in our lives.

        Make sure to listen to the right voice! 

MANY so-called “friends” will quickly fail

         What do we do?

              Move on!

 

SEVERAL friends will tell you what you want to hear.

         What do we do?

              Ignore them!

 

FEW friends will tell you what you need to hear.

         What do we do?

             Find them!

             Listen to them!

 

Reflection Questions:

Is there a relationship in my life that I need to move on from?

Is there a relationship in my life that is causing harm to my life?

Is there a relationship I need to seek help from to overcome problems in my life?

Do I need to exercise the courage of Joab to someone who is struggling?

Date:  November 11, 2018

Title:  Worst. Day. Ever!  Part 1

Text:  2 Samuel 15:10-14

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

 

Worst. Day. Ever!

And How to Overcome It

Step 1 - Change your Perspective . . . Pronto! 

Tips to assist

Remember that bad news is rarely as bad as we perceive it to be!

Seek out the Facts before you React!

Conquer your Fear with Faith!

 

                                “You choose the life you will live!”

                          

Reflection Verses:

2 Corinthians 10:5

Ephesians 4:22-24

Philippians 4:8

Philippians 2:5

Psalm 118:24

Twelve Stones

Joshua 4:1-7; 19-24

Pastor Brian Hatcher

Listening Guide

 

God's Past Faithfulness to Israel:

After 430 years in slavery in Egypt, God brought the Israelites out. They crossed the Red Sea on dry land.

 

We can trust God for our future because He has been faithful through the past.

 

God's past faithfulness reminds us:

- God is mighty and aware of us and our lives

 

- Present troubles are fleeting and so are triumphs

 

- God will keep His future promise in His Word

 

Two warnings about God's past faithfulness:

 

- It is His work, not ours

 

- Don’t turn His past actions into present idols

 

What are your twelve stones?

1. Salvation (has to be #1)

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Date:  October 7, 2018

Series: The Discipleship Pathway

Title:  Grow Spiritually

Text:  Matthew 28:16-20

Pastor John Black

 

Listening Guide

 

South Gate’s mission as a church is:

Equipping Every Believer to Go and Make Disciples!

 

How do we accomplish our mission?

We must . . .

1. Change Believers’ False Self-Perception

There are two self-perceptions represented in the church today:

People who see themselves as . . .

Contributors (Right)

Consumers (Wrong)

Two types . . . Those who . . .

Refuse to engage

Are Afraid to engage

2. Embrace Christ’s Sovereign Provision

Jesus has been given

All Authority

 Jesus has given us

All Assurance

3. Deploy Christ’s Strategic Plan

Reach People

Teach People

Scripture

Obedience

Release People