Circle Maker

Embracing the Power of Prayer

October 2, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to Luke 11:5-10: (NIV)

Big Idea: Embracing the power of prayer in the everyday affairs of life

Question: Do we have the shameless audacity to ask?

The Power of a Single Prayer: Ephesians 3:20-21 AMP

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.

The Jericho Miracle: Joshua 6:1-16

Circle Maker: It’s the person who learns to draw circles of faith around his/her biggest dreams and greatest fears

A: Follow God’s command

B: By faith circle His promise

C: Watch God deliver

Circling Your Jericho: Matthew 20:29-34

“What do you want me to do for you?”

Matthew 20:32b

3 Things Michael is circling concerning Summit

1: Revelation 3:20: Lord, be at the center; we’re desperate

2. Matthew 4:19: 1: Lord we’re following, 2: make us

3: fishers of men

3: Joshua 1:3a: claiming the vicinity of the schools

Jesus to you, “What do you want me to do for you?”

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

Blessing in Giving

Sowing and Reaping

September 25, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to Philippians 4:10-19: (NKJV)

The Truth About the Harvest

A: Is God up to something here?

B: Will you respond in faith and obedience?

C: What is God specifically calling you to sow?

1: The Principle of the Harvest: it isn’t just about fruit, it’s about seeds

Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. Philippians 4:17

2: Guilt/manipulation: Never worthy motives for giving

3: Learning how to abound

A: To abound doesn’t mean no more financial trials

B: Seasons of immense blessing are also tests

4: Respond out of relationship

5: As you sow, you will reap

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2Corinthians 9:6-8

Blessing in Giving

Four Reasons Not to Tithe

Pastor John Stocker: www.truthwithjohn.com

September 18, 2016

“Tithe” = the tenth

1: “I just don’t like the idea of tithing”

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in

My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will

not open for you the windows of Heaven and pour out for you such

blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will

rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit

of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,

says the Lord of hosts…

Malachi 3:10-11 (NKJV) (ref. Luke 12:15 (GNT), 1Timothy (CEB))

“Blessing” (ber-aw-kaw) = A spoken benediction of blessing

2: “We are not under the law” (ref. Genesis 28:20-22 (MEV))

“Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear,

O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the

Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your

mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

Mark 12:29-30 (NKJV)

3: “I don’t like the idea of God ‘cursing us.’”

“ Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me.

But you say, “How have we robbed You?”

In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, your

whole nation, for you are robbing Me.”

Malachi 3:8-9 (MEV)

Something wonderful: When we tithe, God sees our entire

lives as holy unto him.

“If the first piece of bread is offered to God, then

the whole loaf is made holy.”

Romans 11:16 (NCV)

4: “I can’t afford to tithe”

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger

and abounding in mercy and loving-kindness and truth.

Psalm 86:15 (AMPC)

The Blessing of Giving, Part 1

The Heart of the Matter!

Matthew 6:21 (NIV)

21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Luke 6:37-38 (NLT)

1. Give and you will receive.

2. “The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Verse 38

3. Our heart is the core of this entire section of scripture.

4. What does our heart treasure most?

What does God need to do in your heart?

It’s not about your money! It’s about your heart!

Let’s look at God’s direction to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 15.

Deuteronomy 15:7-15 (NLT)

4 Ways to be a generous giver

1. Do nothing out of a selfish heart (Deut. 15:9)

2. Do nothing out of a grieving heart (Deut. 15:10)

3. Do all things with a generous heart (Deut. 15:13-14)

4. Do all things with a grateful heart (Deut. 15:15)

What did God give for you? John 3:16

It all starts and ends with our hearts.

Plant a seed and trust that God will grow a tree!

SET YOUR FAITH:

Living in the End Times

September 4, 2016

Please turn: 2Peter 3:14-18 (NIV)

Four Fundamentals for Last Days Triumph

1: Be Diligent (V 14): a zeal that empowers us to take whatever pains are necessary to finish the task that God has given us

Spiritual Breathing:

-Exhale: Confess (see 1John 1:9)

-Inhale: receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit

(see Acts 1:8, Ephesians 5:18)

-Give Thanks for His forgiveness and restoration

(see Romans 5:8)

2: Be Confident (V 15): “His patience means salvation”

“The kindness of God that leads you to repentance.” Romans 2:4b (NASV)

“…wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

1Timothy 2:4

3: Be on Guard (V 17)

4: Be Fruitful (V 18)

H.O.P.E.

H: Hold onto what you already know (1:12-13, 3:1-2)

…as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so (continue to) walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV)

O: Open your eyes and ears (3:1-3, 3:17)

P: Purpose a godly lifestyle (3:11, 14)

E: Expect Christ’s return (3:12) (ref. 1Thessalonians 4:16-18)

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

SET YOUR FAITH

The Day of the Lord

August 28, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to 2Peter 3:8-13 (NIV)

V 8-9: A Long Time Coming

“A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has

just gone by, or like a watch in the night.”

Psalm 90:4

God is infinite, not limited by time or space

V 9: G.P.P: Great Patience Plan

V 10-13: Five Big Questions:

1: Why is the Lord coming?

2: When will The Day of the Lord come?

3: Where will that day happen?

4: How will it come?

5: What should we do in response?

V 12 says to “look forward to it and speed its coming.” We speed its coming by winning souls.

Summary: Clean up, Look up and Speak Up

-What areas of your life require some Cleanup?

(ref. Psalm 139:23-24, 1John 1:7-9)

-Look up: How can you live your life in expectation of His eminent return?

(ref. Matthew 6:19-21)

-Speak Up: Who do you know that isn’t ready?

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

SET YOUR FAITH

Warnings to Skeptics and Sinners

August 21, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to 2Peter 3:1-7 (ref. Malachi 4:1a-2, Matthew 24:42)

1: Something to see in the present (V 3-4).

-Scoffers: those who mock the truth and chase after their own desires

-Uniformitarianism (theory): by observing historical and

natural events, we can assume things will continue as they

always have

-Materialism (theory): only that which is physical and

observable exists

-Antisupernaturalism (theory): No supernatural being

has/will ever affect the course of human history

2: Something to recall from the past (V 5-6):

3: Something to count on in the future (V 7) (ref. Revelation 21:1-5)

What should we do in response to this?

1: Remember, remember

2: Be encouraged

3: Make peace with God

4: Keep your eyes on Jesus

5: Make it your purpose to make friends for Jesus

2 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will

give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the

Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:12-14

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

WELL GROUNDED FAITH

Dry Springs

August 14, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to 2Peter 2:12-22 (NIV)

1: False teachers are inspired by Contaminated Sources (ref. V 12, 22)

2: False teachers are driven by Corrupt Motivation (ref. V 13, 15)

3: False teachers offer Chaffy Substance (ref. V 17, 18)

John 2:19 (Speaking of a spirit of antichrist)

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.

For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with

us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

1John 2:19

(Ref. Matthew 10:22, Hebrews 4:13, 1Corinthians 15:1-2)

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1John 5:11-13

How to develop discernment: Be intentional about truth

 Go to your knees (Ref. James 1:5)

 Go to the Word (Ref. Psalm 119:98-100)

 Go to the Holy Spirit (Ref. John 14:26)

 Go to the wise

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

WELL GROUNDED FAITH

Wrath and Rescue

August 7, 2016

Please turn in Bibles to 2Peter 2:4-11 (NIV)

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to

those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in

His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

Romans 11:22

Why Talk About Judgment?

First: It’s Biblical

…just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Hebrews 9:27-28

Second: People need to know (ref. Ezekiel 33:1-20)

Third: It’s encouraging

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1John 4:9-10

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?

WELL GROUNDED FAITH

Counterfeits

July 31, 2016

Please turn in your Bibles to 2Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

False prophets (V 1c): deny the sovereignty of the Lord who bought them

Heresies (V 1b): to make a choice or to have an option: opinion

 Which is it: Love People or Love Truth?

 For the sake of unity we need Truth

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause

divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the

teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

Romans 16:17

 Truth based unity will be cause for some Truth based division

“If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you

shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.”

John 8:31b-32 NKJV

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every

respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Ephesians 4:15

1: There is a Truth we must hold onto

“…hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful…”

Hebrews 10:23

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

2: Don’t let Truth steal your joy

3: “Avoiding” still requires loving (ref. Romans 12:14a, 18)

 Remember: false teachers seem nice

What is God’s Spirit speaking into your life today? How must you respond?