Chosen people Ministry
Olivier Melnick
August 29, 2010
Youth Sunday
Jason Lefebvre & Youth
August 22, 2010
God’s Word To Busy People
Pastor Cliff Bowman
August 15, 2010
Exodus 20:8-11
God say’s “Take a day off and get some rest.”
This is important. This is an order.
What is the Sabbath?
Sabbath = "Intermission, or time out for rest."
Why?
Mark 2:27
(NLT)
"The Sabbath was made to benefit people…
The Sabbath was made to prevent burn-out.
burn·out (
bûrn“out”) n. 3. a. Physical or emotional exhaustion, especially as a result of
long-term stress.
When?
Colossians. 2:16-17
(NLT)
So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not
celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. [17] For these
rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.
Romans 14:5-6
(NLT)
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while
others think every day is alike. Each person should have a personal conviction
about this matter. [6] Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are
trying to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the Lord,
since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who won't eat everything
also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
What’s important isn’t
which day, but
that there be a day, one day a week.
What does God want us to do on the Sabbath so that we get real rest?
“keep it holy”
holy means set apart,
different.
Three ways to use the Sabbath:
1.
Use the day to rest
your body.
Psalm 127:2
(Living)
It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at
night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get
their proper rest.
2.
Use the day to
recharge your emotions.
Two things that will help recharge your emotions:
(1)
Quiet.
Psalm 23:3b-4a
(NIV)
“He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my
soul.”
(2)
Fellowship.
Hebrews 10:25
(NIV)
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day
approaching.
3. Use the day to refocus your spirit.
Psalm 95:6
(NIV)
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
Matthew 11:28-30
(MsgB)
"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.
[29] 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. [30] Keep company
with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Slip Slidin' Away
Pastor Cliff Bowman
August 8, 2010
Deuteronomy 8
The Four Cs of Sliding Back
1.
Complacency
complacency
n.
1.
A feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction,
especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger or trouble.
Fact:
There is always danger of falling back in this life.
Complacency is forgetting that fact.
1 Cor. 10:12
(NIV)
So, if you think you
are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!
Two Situations where we have a tendency to be complacent:
1)
When we are enjoying
God’s blessing.
2)
Soon after victory.
2.
Confusion
We
get confused about who gets the credit for our recovery and who we are
meant to live for.
v.17 You may say to
yourself, "My power and the strength of
my hands have produced this wealth for me."
v.14
...then your heart will become
proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of
This is an attitude of pride.
Proverbs 16:18 (MsgB)
First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
Famous last words: I can handle it.
3.
Compromise
Two ways:
1)
“I don’t need to take all the steps.”
v.1 Be careful to
follow every command I am giving you today”
2)
“I can indulge in a
little of the “bad””
Galatians 5:9
(GW)
A little yeast spreads
through the whole batch of dough.
4.
Catastrophe
This is where we reap what we’ve sown.
This is where we experience God’s discipline.
The Remedy for the Four Cs
v.2
Remember how the Lord your God led
you all the way
v.11
Be careful that you do not forget
the Lord your God
v.13
But
remember the Lord your God,
Some things that help us remember:
1)
Daily time alone with
Jesus.
2)
Regularly meeting with
other Christians.
3)
Communion
1 Corinthians
11:24-25
(NIV)
and when he had given
thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you;
do this in remembrance of me." [25] In the same way, after supper he
took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this,
whenever you drink it, in remembrance of
me."
I’m Yours
Matthew
Pastor Cliff Bowman
August 1, 2010
Matthew 6:10
Starting with ourselves.
Background:
What is the #1 problem of mankind?
_______________
Romans 3:9b
(NLT)
…all people, whether Jews or
Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
A
good description of sin: self-
centeredness
The result of self-centeredness:
In
this life: misery
Ultimately: judgment (Romans 2:8)
Jesus came here to save us from sin, from self-centeredness and its
consequences. To do that, He calls us to make a choice to stop living for
ourselves and live for Jesus instead:
Luke 9:23-24
(NIV)
Christianity is not a self-help religion. It is death to self and
living for Jesus.
Galatians 2:20
(NIV)
I have been crucified
with Christ and I no longer live
[“My ego is no longer
central.”(
Becoming a Christian doesn't end the battle with self-centeredness.
Luke 9:46, Philippians 1:15-17
Matthew 6:10
(NIV)
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven
For ourselves, this is a prayer of personal surrender.
Surrender is going to the Lord, in prayer, and giving ourselves – all of us, all
of our rights, our ambitions, our desires – all of us, to Him.
Once isn’t enough. We need to do
this daily!
Luke 9:23
(NIV)
Not just day by day but
issue by issue.
Not just outwardly, with our mouths, but from our heart!
1 Samuel 16:7b
(NIV)
Lord does not look at
the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
at the heart."
Does it really make a difference whether or not I surrender?
Paul:
Philippians 1:12-21
One by-product of complete surrender over time: shalom (inner peace and
fulfillment).
Looking At The Finished Product
Assoc Pastor Elvin Miranda
July 25, 2010
We are all in the process of becoming a finished product. We are pupils, students and learners, great care must go into who our teachers are. In spiritual matters, the only teacher worthy to follow is Jesus Christ. If we follow him, we will look like him and become the finished product he desires us to be.
Luke: 6:39-40
Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall
into a pit? A student is not above his
teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Disciple: one who is a pupil of a teacher, who desires to look like their teacher and become more and more like him.
Apostle: one who has encountered God personally and appointed to preach and build the church.
If we are to be looking more like Jesus, what does Jesus really look like:
Point #1: Jesus prefers forgiveness over _________________.
Colossians:3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever
grievances you may have against each other. Forgive as the
Lord forgave you.
Are we forgiving each
other? Look for these realities in our own lives:
a.
forgiveness means surrendering our right
to get even
b.
forgiveness takes time
c.
forgiveness doesn't require
forgetting
d.
forgiveness is expected
Point #2: Jesus is merciful
to all who are in
_________________.
True mercy means we are
showing these:
Galatians: 5:22-23
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control
Judging by appearances will
cause us to judge unrighteously
John:7:24
Stop judging, by mere appearances and make a
righteous judgment.
Point #3: Jesus hates hypocrisy and loves __________________.
John:8:7
If any of you are without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.
Jesus chooses humility here but commands her to: Go now and
leave your life of sin
Jesus accepts us the way we are but loves us too much to let
us stay the way we are.
Humility: Can we remember our
condition:
James:2:10
For whoever keeps the
whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
Point #4: Jesus __________________
all who are honest about
who they are.
Romans:3:23
For all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God. God's wrath is being revealed to the ungodly.
Romans: 1:18
The wrath of God is being
revealed from heaven against all of the godlessness and wickedness of men who
suppress the truth of their wickedness.
God is showing his wrath by:
a. indirectly; violating natural law, disease, jail, prison,
accidents
b. directly; garden, flood, destruction, at Calvary
Point #5: Jesus __________________ all
who are honest about who he is.
Who is Jesus? He is the only Son of God, the One
who died for us, the Mediator between God and us, the One
who forgives sin and the One who gives us eternal life.
Matthew: 16:15-16
But what about you, He
asked, who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.
Point #6: Jesus does __________________
works and lie encourages his
followers to do the same. Think about this:
John:14:12
I tell you the truth,
anyone who has faith, in me, will do what I have been doing. He will do even
greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
The Holy Spirit would come to empower his people.
Acts: 1:8
But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Jesus is still doing amazing things in the life of the believer.
Will you let him do amazing things through you?
Point #7: Jesus loves the
__________________
of God.
a.
He quoted God's word
b.
He lived God's word
c.
He accomplished
God's word
Jesus loves God's word and so
should we. If we love God's
word we will:
a.
be obedient to God's word
b.
be meditating on God's word
c.
be memorizing God's word
d.
be seeking to look like Jesus Christ
If Jesus is our teacher and we want to look more and more
like him, remember what He looks like:
#1: Apply
forgiveness over condemnation
#2: Apply mercy to those in pain
#3:
Apply humility not hypocrisy
#4:
Be honest about who we are
#5: Be honest about
who Jesus is
#6: Jesus does the amazing and so can we
#7: Jesus loves the Word of God and so should we
Jesus says: this is what you will look like, if you continue with me and
allow me to fully train you. You will be
different, you will be good, you will be both loved and
hated
and you will be both blessed and crucified.
ARE YOU UP
FOR IT?
Your Kingdome Come
Matthew, Pt.26
Pastor Cliff Bowman
July 18, 2010
Matthew 6:10
(NIV)
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Greek word, basilea, translated
“kingdom”
It
can mean a place.
But it’s primary meaning is rule, a king’s (or government’s) rule over
people.
For God’s kingdom to come is for all creation to
submit to God’s rule.
your kingdom come
=
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Background:
To live in this world is to live in occupied territory.
Example:
We
are “occupied” by Satan and his forces:
1 John 5:19b
(NIV)
We know that we are
children of God, and that the whole world
is under the control of the evil one.
Three levels of satanic influence and control:
1.
Demons
Ephesians 6:12
(NIV)
For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the
spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly realms.
2.
The World
Romans 12:2a
(NIV)
Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this
world…
3.
Our Sinful Nature
Galatians 5:19-21
(NLT)
When you follow the
desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results:
sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, [20]
idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is
wrong except those in your own little group, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild
parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that
anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the
Jesus came here as an “invasion”, proclaiming God’s Kingdom.
Mark 1:15
(NIV)
"The time has come," he said. "
Matthew 4:23
(NIV)
Jesus went throughout
Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom,
and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
Jesus brought change. He set
people free from Satan’s rule and brought them under the Lord’s rule.
Jesus called His followers to do the same thing.
Luke 9:1-2
(NLT)
One day Jesus called
together his twelve apostles and gave
them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. [2]
John 20:21b
(NIV)
"Peace be with you! As
the Father has sent me, I am sending
you."
So, when we pray…
1.
We pray as God’s ambassadors.
John 14:12-14
(NIV)
I tell you the truth,
anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even
greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [13]
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring
glory to the Father. [14] You may ask me for anything
in my name, and I will do it.
2.
We should not settle for any less than God’s best.
James 4:2b
(NIV)
You do not have, because you
do not ask God.
3.
We should stubbornly pray for God’s
Kingdom,
His will, His best, to replace the wrongs we see.
Luke 11:5-8
(NLT)
5 Then,
teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you
went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread.
You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine
has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’
7 And suppose he calls out from his
bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I
are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8
But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you
keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because
of your shameless persistence.
What Is The "Fear Of God"?
Pastor Cliff Bowman
July 11, 2010
The foundation for a successful life:
Proverbs 1:7
(NIV)
The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 9:10
(NIV)
"The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 19:23
(NIV)
The fear of the Lord
leads to life:
Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Two Sides of the Fear of God
1.
To fear God is to recognize that He is a God of justice.
This is fear
of the consequences of sin.
Galatians 6:7-8
(NIV)
7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be
mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap
destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap
eternal life.
People who close their eyes to God’s justice:
the wicked
Psalm 36:1
(NLT)
Sin
whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.
They have no fear of God at all.
A day is coming, when even the wicked will fear God.
Revelation 6:12-17
(MSG)
I watched while he ripped off the sixth seal: a bone-jarring earthquake, sun
turned black as ink, moon all bloody,
13stars falling out of the sky like figs shaken from a tree
in a high wind,
14sky snapped shut like a book, islands and mountains
sliding this way and that.
15And then pandemonium, everyone and his dog
running for cover—kings, princes, generals, rich and strong, along with every
commoner, slave or free. They hid in mountain caves and rocky dens,
16calling
out to mountains and rocks, "Refuge! Hide us from the One Seated on the Throne
and the wrath of the Lamb!
17The great Day of their wrath has
come—who can stand it?"
What about the Christian? Should we
fear God in this way?
On the one hand, no.
To be a Christian is to be someone who’s life is identified with Jesus.
He has taken all our sin on Himself and paid for it.
The result:
Romans 8:1
(NLT)
So there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 John 4:17-18
(NIV)
In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on
the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
18There is no
fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with
punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
On the other hand, yes.
The Christian need not fear God’s judgment. But we are called to fear His
discipline.
Hebrews 12:5b-11
(MSG)
Have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as
his children?
"My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,
but don't be crushed by it either.
6It's the child he loves that he
disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects."
7God
is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear
children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,
8the
normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend
for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?
9We
respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace
God's training so we can truly live?
10While we were children, our
parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us,
training us to live God's holy best.
11At the time, discipline isn't
much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course,
it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in
their relationship with God.
Bottom Line:
Proverbs 3:7
(NIV)
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
2.
To fear God is to
reverence Him.
reverence
n.
1.
A feeling of profound awe and respect and
often love; veneration.
Psalm 22:23
(NIV)
You who fear the Lord,
praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor
him!
Revere him, all you descendants of
Israel!
Psalm 33:8
(NASB)
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
Matthew 6:9
(NASB)
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
The Fear of God
Fear of Judgment
Fear of Discipline
Reverence
Our Choice
Proverbs 1:29
(NIV)
Since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord,
What It Means To "Hallow"
Pastor Cliff Bowman
July 4, 2010
Matthew 6:9
(NIV)
"This, then, is how you
should pray:
" 'Our Father in
heaven,
hallowed be your name,
For the Christian, coming to
our Father in prayer is coming to our Father in intimacy.
But
It is also coming to our God
in reverence.
"hallow"
= "to make holy"
In the Bible, for something
to be holy means that it belongs to God, it is set aside for God's
use.
When Moses met God on Mt.
Horeb, God said:
Exodus 3:5
(NIV)
"Do not come any
closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing
is holy ground."
To hallow something is to
treat it as holy, to treat it reverently.
“hallowed be
your name”
To
Jewish people, a name wasn't just a title, it represented the person.
Psalm
I will give thanks to
the Lord because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the
Lord Most High.
Jewish people were taught to
have a great reverence for God.
What's your attitude toward God and the things of
God?
Remember:
He is our Father in heaven! He is the King of Kings and the
Lord of Lords!
Hebrews 12:28-29
(NIV)
Another aspect of "hallow".
Military cemeteries, especially those at a famous battlefield (Ex.,
Gettysburg, Normandy), are often called "hallowed".
They are places to remember
the price soldiers paid for our freedom.
For the Christian, the
communion table serves the same purpose. It is a place for reverent remembrance
of Jesus.
"Jesus" = "Yehoshua" (Joshua) = "The Lord Saves"
The Bread
A reminder of the Lord's
great love for us. He loves us so much He died for us to pay our penalty.
Romans 5:8
(NIV)
But
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
The Cup
A reminder of God's
graciousness toward us.
Ephesians 2:8-9
(NIV)
8 For it is by grace you have been
saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
“The Awesomeness of God”
Jason Lefebvre
June 27, 2010
“The Father We Talk To”
Pastor Cliff Bowman
June 20, 2010
Matthew 6:9a (NIV)
'Our Father in
heaven,
Jesus makes it clear that, when we pray, we are talking to a person.
So
prayer is more than meditating, it’s communicating.
'Our
Father in heaven,
Problem for many: their experience with an earthly father or
father-figure.
'Our Father
in heaven,
A
picture of our Father in heaven:
Luke 15:11-24
vv.11-20a
Three things we have in common with this son:
1.
We can't make it on our own.
2.
We don’t deserve any help.
3.
We have nowhere else to go but to our Heavenly Father.
vv.20b-24
Three things this parable shows us about the Father we’re talking to:
1.
He is a father who loves us and wants to be in a close
relationship with us.
2.
He is a father who is gracious to us.
3.
He is a father who has all we need.
“The Lord's Prayer”
Pastor Cliff Bowman
June 13, 2010
Matthew 6:9-13
For Jesus, prayer was a high priority.
Mark
The Lord’s Prayer
·
This is not a prayer just for reciting,
·
This is a model for us to follow when we pray.
·
These are not magic words.
The power of prayer isn’t in the words, but in God.
The key to answered prayer is praying for what He wants and trusting
Him.
" 'Our Father in
heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Focus:
The Lord
[10] your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
The first priority of prayer isn’t getting what we want, it’s focusing on
God and seeking what He wants.
Effective prayer begins with centering ourselves on the
Lord
instead of us.
[11] Give us today our
daily bread.
Focus:
[12] Forgive us our
debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors. Our
[13] And lead us
not into temptation, needs
but deliver us from the
evil one.'
for yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
The most effective way of learning to pray effectively is to pray!
“Are You For Real?”
Pastor Cliff Bowman
June 6, 2010
Matthew 6:1-8,
16-18
"Hypocrite" from Greek word
for actor who wore a mask, came to be used of anyone who wasn't genuine, who's
inside and outside didn't match up.
Two kinds of people often
thought of as hypocrites today: politicians and "religious " people.
On the one hand, this is
unfair. To some degree, all of us are hypocrites, religious or not.
On the other hand, Jesus
Himself said that there are too many hypocrites among those who are looked upon
as religious.
Three "religious activities"
that, too often, are done with hypocrisy:
1.
Giving to the Lord or to people in need.
Matthew 6:2a
(NIV)
"So
when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites
do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men.
The goal:
a reputation for generosity.
2.
Prayer
Matthew 6:5a
(NIV)
"And
when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in
the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.
The goal:
a reputation for spirituality.
3.
Self - denial (fasting)
Matthew 6:16a
(NIV)
"When
you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their
faces to show men they are fasting.
Goal:
A reputation for dedication
What Jesus say's the
hypoctrite will get from this:
Matthew 6:2b, 5b, &
16b
I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
They will get nothing from
God because He is repelled by hypocrites.
Are you for real?
How to make sure we do the right thing for the
right reason:
Matthew 6:1a
(NIV)
"Be
careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them.
As applied to giving:
Matthew 6:3-4
(NIV)
But
when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, 4 so that your giving may
be in secret.
As applied to praying:
Matthew 6:6
(NIV)
But
when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is
unseen.
As applied to self-denial:
Matthew 6:17-18a
(NIV)
But
when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 so that it will not be obvious to men
that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen...
The be way to make sure we
are doing the right things with the right heart is to do them privately,
for an audience of one, the Lord.
When was the last time you
did one of these things privately? How often do you do them?
Clarification:
The bottom line, here,
isn't secrecy, it's our motivation
If someone, somehow, finds
out it isn't ruined.
·
It's OK to recognize people for their
service.
·
It's good to pray
out loud with each other
What isn't good is doing
these thing so that other people will
see.
The best way to make sure
our heart is right is to often do
things things privately, between just us and the Lord.
The Lord say's that if we will do these things
genuinely for Him, He will respond to us:
Matthew 6:4b,
6b, 18b
(NIV)
...your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
What is the reward?
He doesn't say.
Will you trust Him?
“The Worth Of Your Word”
Pastor Cliff Bowman
May 30, 2010
Matthew 5:33-37
Our words are like maps.
Matthew 5:33
(NASB)
"Again, you have heard that
the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR
VOWS TO THE LORD.
Like bad maps, words can be
worthless.
One solution:
oaths and vows.
Oath - a commitment to
honesty.
Vow - a commitment to
faithfulness.
The Lord's command:
Matthew
5:34-37
(NIV)
But I tell you, Do not swear at all:
either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it
is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything
beyond this comes from the evil one.
This not a call to avoid all
oaths and vows. The Lord, Himself, has been known to do that (ex.
Heb.6:13).
What the Lord is saying here:
1.
Christian, be totally honest in your
communication.
Matthew 5:37
(NIV)
Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Obviously, this means "Don't
lie"
But it also means don't say
things that are technically true but deceptive.
The Lord wants us to have a
reputation of honesty.
Note:
To be honest doesn't mean saying everything we
think is true.
Proverbs 10:19
(TLB)
Don’t talk so much. You keep putting
your foot in your mouth. Be sensible and turn off the flow!
Honesty, alone, isn't
enough. We also need to be loving and gracious.
Our motive needs to be to bless and not curse.
Ephesians 4:15
(NASB)
...but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all
aspects into Him who is the
head, even Christ,
Colossians 4:6 (ESV)
Let your speech always be gracious,
seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
2.
Christian, stand by your promises and vows.
Matthew 5:33-34a,
37
(NLT)
“You have also heard that our
ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows
you make to the Lord.’
34 But I say...37
Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from
the evil one.
Measure of faithfulness:
Word is their
-------------------------------------------- Word means
bond.
----------------------------------------------------- nothing.
To be faithful with a
promise means
1)
Sacrificing to keep our word.
2)
Quickly seeking release if we can't keep our promise.
What would happen if we started living a life
like that?
1)
We would be tusted more.
2)
Our testimony about Jesus would have more credibility.
3)
We would be more careful about making promises
4)
We would benefit in other ways.
“Prayer”
Assoc Pastor Elvin Miranda
May 23, 2010
Who Is Your Hero?
Assoc Pastor Elvin Miranda
May 16, 2010
Pray for all those in authority over you and I: Because all in authority of us have been given that authority by God himself.
It's alright to look up to others in admiration. We must never define our heroes by their political views, their beliefs and their talents.
God has heroes in his word, people he has showcased:
Abraham; a man of faith
Moses; the lawgiver
David; a man after God's heart
Elijah; a mighty prophet
Peter; builder of the new church
Paul; the evangelist
These are people who God anointed for his work. They seem superhuman but are they? If they were really superhuman, few of us could qualify for God's service.
LET'S TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THESE SIX PEOPLE:
Abraham: a man who lied and was very impatient.
Genesis: 12.13
Say you are my sister, so that I am treated well for your sake and my life will be spared
Genesis: 16:1-4:
Sarah came up with a plan with Hagar to sleep with Abraham and he agreed, Who is your Mama?
What should Abraham have done?
Proverbs: 3-5&6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him
and he will make your paths straight.
Abraham was trusting in himself and leaning on his own understanding, what will you do when things get tough?
Moses: a man who committed murder and executed revenge upon his fellow man.
Exodus: 2:12
Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian.
Dueternomy: 5:17
Thou shalt not commit murder.
Romans: 12:19
Do not take revenge, my friends but leave room for God's wrath, for it is mine to avenge, says the Lord!
David: a man who coveted, a man who committed adultery, a man who murdered.
We like David have a sin problem and we should not be flirting with those areas that troubled David and trouble us.
Coveting: keep our eyes away from where they don't belong.
Alcohol: don't hang around with those who have the same problem and or store plenty, put safeguards in our lives.
Pornography: keep internet, cable and related publications properly guarded and put safety nets in place.
Adultery: stay in our own beds, with our own spouses. If you are single, stay in bed by yourself.
Scripture:
Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you
Elijah: a man prone to suicide, a man prone to great despair and a man prone to great discouragement.
We, like Elijah, forget too soon, that the Lord will always provide for his own; protection, provision and peace.
If thoughts of self- harm, despair and discouragement set in:
turn to someone you trust and prayerfully ask God's direction for help, wisdom, management and healing.
Sometimes we need chemical help when we have chemical imbalances. God is the
author of medical technology, medications and doctor's treatments.
** Follow the Doctor's Orders **
We rarely are able to make good choices, good decisions and practice good judgment, when we are hungry, tired or thirsty. We are no different from Elijah!
In order to maintain a good balance, we must:
a. maintain spiritual health
b. maintain physical health
c. maintain emotional health
Peter: a man who had problems letting his yes be yes and his no be no, especially under pressure.
Matthew: 26:34
I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, this very night, before the rooster
crows, you will disown me three times
Peter refutes what words come from the mouth of Jesus and says no matter what, he will stick by Jesus. Peter fails and he went outside and wept bitterly.
What causes you to weep?
a. denying Jesus
b. denying his power
c. denying your relationship with him
Peter, under pressure, denied his relationship with Jesus.
Matthew:5:37
Simply, let your yes be yes and your no be no, anything beyond this comes from the evil one!
Practice integrity: doing the right thing, when no one is watching or when everyone is watching!
Let's keep our oaths and promises no matter what.
Paul: a man who killed Christians, persecuted the church and brought much pain and suffering to the Holy ones.
Paul: In
Acts: 8.3
Saul began to destroy the church, going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Paul's chief guilt and ours prior to conversion:
a. ignorance of our own condition
b. ignorance of God's love for us
c. ignorance of Christ's death for us
Paul's destiny prior to conversion:
a. on road to hell
b. eternal life separated from God
The above six people were flawed and infected with human shortcomings. God displays them as ones who are flawed but also as people who he changed from the inside out, ones who finished the race well!
This news is encouragement to you and I because if the Lord used them, he will use us in his service, through his grace and delights in overcoming our flaws.
Finally, three things in the application phase that we must be doing, to show ourselves approved as ones wanting to also be called heroes at the finish line.
Point #1: Be confident of God's perfect Work.
Ephesians: 3:20
God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine
He will adjust us like he adjusted Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Peter and Paul. He will use situations, circumstances to change us and glorify him!
Point #2: Be confident in God's perfect Power.
Ephesians: 1: 20
The power He worked in Christ, when he raised Him from the dead.
The Lord uses that same power to sanctify us and season us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Point #3: Be confident in God's perfect Ability.
Philippians: 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on
to completion, until the day of Jesus Christ.
The Lord is preparing us for heaven, our real home.
When You Feel Under-Appreciated
Trust, Pt. 5
Pastor Cliff Bowman
May 9, 2010
Luke 10:38-42
A common experience of
Christians who serve the Lord by serving others:
Feeling overworked and underappreciated.
When we feel under-appreciated, there are three
questions that are worth asking ourselves:
1.
Am I on target with what I'm doing?
Sometimes we aren't being
appreciated because others don't want what we are working for.
Sometimes people feel
unappreciated by God because they aren't doing what He wants.
That's what Martha did.
Luke 10:41-42a
(NIV)
41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered,
"you are worried and upset about many things, 42
but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better...
2. Am I
looking to the right source for appreciation?
An, often, unreliable source
of appreciation: people
Note:
It is good and godly to show appreciation to people who
give of themselves.
A good example: Paul in
Romans 1:8 & 16:19
Expressed appreciation is a
good way to encourage people.
But it
is not good to depend on people for appreciation. We often fall short.
The experience of Jesus:
John 16:32
(NLT)
But
the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one
going his own way, leaving me alone.
Yet I am not alone because the Father is
with me.
Appreciation from people can
be like Southern California rain. It comes, but don't count on it.
Luke 10:40a
(NLT)
40 But Martha was distracted by the
big dinner she was preparing...
One dependable source:
The Lord
·
He's here:
Matthew 28:20b
(NLT)
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
·
He 's paying
attention:
Luke 12:6-7
(NLT)
6 “What is the price of five
sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.
7 And the very hairs on your head are all
numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of
sparrows.
·
He appreciates it
when we trust and obey Him:
Matthew 25:34-36, 40
3.
Am I home yet?
This world isn't our home,
so the answer is ______
The will express His
appreciation to us when we get home. As a matter of fact, His appreciation will
far outshine any discouragement or suffering we've experience here.
Romans 8:18 (NLT)
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing
compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
Trust And The "M" Word
Trust, Pt. 4
Pastor Cliff Bowman
May 2, 2010
Review:
Take
an inventory.
Recognize
God as you source.
Understand
God’s principles.
S
T
Seven Biblical
Management Principles
1.
The “Property
Ownership” Principle
2.
The “Give and Grow”
Principle
3.
The “Who is #1”
Principle.
4.
The “Big Shovel”
Principle
5.
The “River” Principle
6. The
“Cheerful Attitude” Principle.
The right management of things begins with
loving, not giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7
(NLT)
You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't
give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives
cheerfully.
We
can give without loving,
but we can’t love without giving.
It
is love that gets us past the prison of selfishness.
Selfishness & Love ask different questions:
Selfishness asks how little can I give.
Love asks how much can I give.
7. The “Who
Has Who” Principle.
Until God is in control of my life, I am out of control.
Matthew 6:24
(NIV)
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
both God and Money.”
“Stewardship
is more than the management of things - it is the refusal to let things manage
us.”
James A. Lollis
Surrender Everything to God.
John Maxwell:
“If only I had more...I would
give more.”
How often we've all said that. St. Luke had
something to say about such statements:
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much" (Luke
16:10).”
“What did Luke mean? If you aren't giving sacrificially with what you have
now, you won't give sacrificially when you have more. Why? Because there is a
spiritual principle at work in our lives. That principle has shown time and
again that it's not how much we have of
the world that dictates our generosity toward God, but how much God has of us.”
How much does God have of you?
Test
God’s Promises
Four People Who Passed the Trust Test:
1)
Noah
He trusted God, not the familir.
2)
Abraham
He trusted God, not his feelings.
3)
Joshua
He trusted God, not methods.
4)
David
He trusted God, not man's resources.
A Trust Test for Us.
Malachi 3:10-12
(NIV)
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my
house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw
open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not
have room enough for it. [11] I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the Lord Almighty.
[12] "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful
land," says the Lord Almighty.
God say’s, “Test Me in this way: You give the tithe to Me and see if I keep my
promises to you.”
Three Promises of
Malachi 3:10-12:
1)
God will provide for us.
V.10
2)
God will protect us.
V.11
3)
God will make our lives a light to others.
v.12
The Trust Test
Trust, Pt. 3
Pastor
Cliff Bowman
April 25, 2010
Will I trust God?
How to pass the Trust Test:
Take
a personal inventory.
Recognize
God as our source.
Understand
God’s principles.
Surrender
all to God.
Test
God’s promises.
Take a
Personal Inventory
Psalm 139:23-24
NASB
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
[24]
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Three Observations:
1.
Only God knows
everything about me.
2.
Only God can lead
me correctly.
3.
We
need to ask God for His help.
Recognize God as Our Source
Deuteronomy 8:3
(NIV)
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna,
which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not
live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Deut. 8:18
(NIV)
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability
to produce wealth…
Understand God’s Principles
Three reasons Christians don’t give more to God than they do:
1.
We don’t know how
to give.
2.
We don’t think we can
give and meet our own needs.
3.
We lack planning
in our lives.
Management Principles that Make a Difference:
1.
The Property Ownership Principle
The issue of who owns my possessions
God is the owner. I am His
manager.
1 Corinthian 6:19b-20a
(NIV)
You are not
your own; you were bought at a price.
2. The Give and Grow
Principle.
First
we give, then we grow.
“Some say dedicate the heart
and the money will follow; but Our Lord put it the other way around. ‘Where
your treasure is, there will your heart be also’ (Matthew
(Stewardship,
G. Timothy Johnson)
Joshua 1:8
(NIV)
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to
do
everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
3. The “Who is #1”
Principle
God deserves the first in everything in our life.
Proverbs 3:9
(NIV)
Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
4.
The “Big Shovel” Principle.
You cannot out give God.
Luke 6:38
(NLT)
If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full
measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over.
Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure
what is given back to you."
God gives back to us according to what we give Him. But He gives
more!
5.
The “River” Principle
I
have one inlet of power in my life:
The Holy Spirit.
But I have four outlets of power (four ways the Holy Spirit shows Himself
in me):
1)
Through my lips - what I say.
2)
Through my actions,
what I do.
3)
Through my money,
what I give.
4)
Through my prayer,
what I claim in Jesus’ name.
Can God Trust Me?
Trust, Pt. 2
Pastor
Cliff Bowman
April 18, 2010
Luke 16:1-13
I. The Issue of
Accountability
(vv.1-2)
Two things God and I have in common with this owner and manager:
1)
God is the owner
and I am the manager.
If
you made $500 last week, how much of it is God’s?
Answer: All of it.
2)
God (the owner) has
expectations of me (His manager).
Some areas of God’s expectations:
(1) My possessions
Luke 14:33
(NASB)
"So therefore, no one
of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
(2) My time
Ephesians 5:15-16
(CEV)
Act like people with good sense and not like fools. [16] These are evil
times, so make every minute count.
(3) My gifts and abilities.
1 Peter 4:10
(NLT)
God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual
gifts. Manage them well so that God's generosity can flow through you.
(4) Myself
Romans 12:1a
(Msg)
So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday,
ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and
place it before God as an offering.
(5) The Gospel (Good News about Jesus)
1 Thessalonians 2:4b
(NIV)
… we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are
not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
II.
A Time for Assessment.
v.3
III. A time for Action
vv.4-7
Three lessons Jesus wants us disciples to learn from this parable:
1.
Use your opportunities wisely.
vv.8-9
We
can’t change the past, but we can change now.
Paraphrase of
v.9:
“You can’t take it with you - but you can send it on ahead!”
John Maxwell
2.
God’s trust must be
earned.
vv.10-12
How much can God trust you with?
God does not trust on the basis of what we promise or plan to do. He trusts us
on the basis of what we are doing right now.
3.
Be totally
devoted to God.
v.13
Who do you choose to live for?
Is
money going to be your god or is money going to be a means to serve your God?
Trust - The Key To Success
Trust, Pt. 1
Pastor
Cliff Bowman
April 11, 2010
Trust is the most important factor in…
1)
knowing God
and His will for my life.
2)
growing in
Him - reaching my potential in all He has me to be and do.
Proverbs 3:1-10
(NLT)
My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in
your heart, [2] for they will give you a long and satisfying life. [3] Never let
loyalty and kindness get away from you! Wear them like a necklace; write them
deep within your heart. [4] Then you will find favor with both God and people,
and you will gain a good reputation.
[5] Trust in the Lord
with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [6] Seek his will
in all you do, and he will direct your paths.
[7] Don't be impressed
with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn your back on evil. [8]
Then you will gain renewed health and vitality.
[9] Honor the Lord by
giving Him the first part of all your income.
10] Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with
the finest wine.
Three observations:
1.
These commands are
all inclusive, there are no exceptions.
2.
Each command is
followed by a promise.
3.
Each of these promises
is conditional.
Three things implied:
1.
God is trustworthy.
2.
God has entrusted
(placed in my care) the possessions, opportunities, talents and time that I now
experience.
3.
Therefore I am a
manager of everything God has entrusted to me.
Two questions to ask ourselves:
1.
Do I trust
God?
2.
Can God trust
me?
Three Examples of God’s Trustworthiness:
1.
God’s care is constant.
Hebrews 13b:5-6
(Msg)
God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,"
[6] we can boldly quote,
"God is there, ready to
help;
I'm fearless no matter
what.
Who or what can get to
me?"
v.5b literal
translation:
" I will not, no not leave you, neither will I not not forsake you”
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety
on him because he cares for you.
2.
God’s gifts are generous to us.
Ephesians 3:20
(NIV)
Now to him who is able
to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that
is at work within us
3.
God’s greatest gift to us:
Jesus
Romans 8:32
(NLT)
Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all,
won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
Romans 8:33-34
(NLT)
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is
the one who has given us right standing with himself. [34] Who then will condemn
us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to
life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading
for us.
Jesus Is Alive! Now, How About You?
Pastor
Cliff Bowman
April 4, 2010
Jesus Christ is alive!
Luke 18:31-34
Two things clear:
1)
Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen to Him.
2)
Jesus disciples didn't understand or believe Him.
Matthew 28:1-10
Why is this such a big deal for us?
We need Him. We need a living Jesus.
Romans 3:23
(NLT)
For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.
1.
We can be free from the guilt of the past. Jesus death pays for our
guilt.
Isaiah
53:5-6
(TEV)
5 But because of our sins he was
wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he
suffered, made whole by the blows he received. 6
All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own
way. But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us
deserved.
Isaiah 1:18
(TEV)
18 The Lord says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red
with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep
red, you will be as white as wool.
2.
We can have a new life.
Jesus offer:
Revelation
3:20
(NLT)
“Look!
I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will
come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.
A
model prayer to ask Jesus into our heart:
“Lord Jesus, I need You.
Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and
receive You as Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me
eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person
You want me to be.”
Open Doors
Guest Missionary
March 28, 2010
Respect And Respectability
Pastor Cliff Bowman
March 21, 2010
1 Peter 2:17a
(NLT)
Respect everyone…
What does it mean to
respect someone?
Greek word translated “respect” here – timao.
It
means to regard someone as very valuable and treat them that way.
Another word for respect - honor.
Who? Who are we to show
such respect to?
1 Peter 2:17a
(NIV)
Show proper respect to everyone…
Jesus:
Luke 15:1-2 (NIV)
Why?
Reason #1: Everyone is someone that
God identifies with.
Genesis 1:27
(NIV)
Leviticus 19:14
(NIV)
Matthew 25:40
(NIV)
Matthew 25:45
(NIV)
Reason #2: Everyone is someone Jesus
died for.
1 Peter 2:19
(NIV)
The key to being able to respect anyone:
Look over their
shoulder, to Jesus.
Paul:
Colossians 3:23-24
(NIV)
This does not mean agreeing with them or accepting evil as good. It means
respecting them because of Jesus.
Example: John 8:1-11
One common result of regarding and treating people with respect:
They are drawn to Jesus. We
were:
1
Peter 2:21-25
1 Peter 2:25
(NIV)
Look over their shoulder, to Jesus.
Enlightening The Heart
Paul's Prayer in Eph.
1:15-19
1) Background
a)
Reason for Prayer
b)
Subject of Prayer
2) General
Content
Give you a
Spirit of
a)
Wisdom
b)
Revelation
c)
Knowledge of God
3) Particular Content
That you may know:
a)
Hope of His Calling
b)
Riches of the Glory of His Inheritance
c)
Surpassing greatness of His Power
Serenity Now
Philippians 4:6-9
serenity. 1.
The state or quality of
being at peace on the
inside even if surrounded by turmoil outside.
Three Steps toward Serenity:
STEP #1:
Take it ______
______
, in other words,
______
Philippians 4:6
(NIV)
Three Steps of Prayer:
1)
______ your heart with God. ("prayer")
2)
______ God for ______ ("petition")
Fact:
So:
3)
______ God. ("thanksgiving')
Giving thanks
before God's answer exercises
______
Psalm 67:5-6
(NIV)
The promised result:
Philippians 4.7
(NIV)
STEP #2:
______ your mind on what is
______
Philippans 4:8 (NIV)
Why our minds
are so important:
Many of our
______ come from our
thinking.
Much of our
______ comes from our
thinking.
So: What we think
about effects how we
______
Eight Characteristics of
good "food" for our mind:
True
Lovely
Noble
Admirable
Right
Excellent
Pure
Praiseworthy
A good place to feed out mind:
______ ______
Psalm 119:11
STEP #3:
______ ______
Philippians 4:9a
(NIV)
Joshua 1:8
(NIV)
Important: The blessing is
in the
______
Promised Result:
Philip. 4:9b
(NIV)
Example: Joseph
Genesis 39:2
Genesis 39.19-21
The Heart Of A Peacemaker
There is a difference
between peacemaking (as God's Word uses the term) and conflict resolution. Not in technique, but in our
heart. As Bible uses the term, our
heart is not just the center of our emotions, it is the control center of
our life. A change of heart leads to a change of life.
Proverbs 4:23
(NLT)
We can lessen conflict by
doing the right outward things, but we can become peacemakers only by doing it
from the heart.
Three Key Heart Commitments for being a
Peacemaker:
First:
I must make Jesus the center of my life.
Jesus refuses to be just a
part of our life. He insists on being the center, the Lord, the highest
priority.
Luke 9:23-24
(NLT)
Matthew 10:37-39
(NIV)
A reason this is necessary:
Isaiah 55:8-9
(NIV)
We are like lambs who need
the Good Shepherd, like vine branches that need the Vine.
John 15:4
(NIV)
Are you keeping Jesus as the
center of your life?
Second:
I must take up my cross daily.
Luke 9:23-24
(NIV)
This means refusing
to live according to my preferences, but, instead, to trust and obey the Lord. This needs to be chosen and
lived out repeatedly in specific situations that kill us (the part
that needs to die). Ex.
Romans 12:19-21
(NLT)
Are you willing to die to
yourself?
Third:
I need to depend on God's strength, not my own. We can be religious in our
own power, but we can't be Peacemakers.
John 15:5
(NLT)
We need to ask God for His
wisdom to know how to respond in conflicts.
James 1:5
(NIV)
We need to ask God for His
strength to respond right in conflicts.
Ephesians 3:16
(NLT)
Are you asking the Lord for
His wisdom and power to be a Peacemaker?
The result of these living in these three
commitments: 1.
We will be at peace with God. 2.
We will know more peace within ourselves. 3.
We will have peace with each other and model peace to
conflict
ridden world.
Suggested Reading in The Peacemaker This Week
·
Day 1 - Pages 247-249
·
Day 2 - Pages 249-250
·
Day 3 - Pages 250-253
·
Day 4 - Pages 253-256
·
Day 5 - Pages 259-261
·
Optional - Pages 263-269
Which Son Are You?
What's Love Got To Do With It?
What's Love Got To Do With It?
The Peacemaker, Pt.6
February
14, 2010
Matthew 18:15-20
What does love have to do with confronting
someone with their sin or shortcomings?
Two answers:
First:
Love is the right reason for confronting. Confronting is not meant to
be about tidying up a spiritual mess. Confronting is not meant to
be an alternative to loving. Love is meant to be the
reason for confronting.
Matthew 18:12-14
(NASB)
Why is the Lord willing to
go to so much trouble for us?
John 3:16
(NASB)
Matthew 18:14 & 15
go together! Love is the right reason for
confronting even if the sin is against us.
Matthew 18:21-22
(NASB)
Second:
Love is our guide for how we confront.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
(NIV)
1.
Love calls us to be patient in our confronting.
1 Corinthians 13:4a
(NIV)
This patience needs to begin
before we confront someone. (Matt.7:3-5) Getting the log out of own
eye can take time. During this time we can 1)
Confess our wrong to them.
(Must be sincere, not a ploy to get them to
confess). 2)
Pray for them, for the Lord to open their eyes. This patience needs to be
shown in not rushing through the one-on-one stage
2.
Love calls for us to be gentle in our confronting.
1 Corinthians 13:5a
(NIV)
Confronting is usually
not a good time to vent our negative feelings and thoughts.
Do that beforehand with the Lord and someone trustworthy.
Galatians 6:1(NASB)
Begin by seeking to clarify
the situation and seek to understand the person who we think has wronged us. When it is a wrong against
us, it's better to begin with "__" statements than point the blame and attribute
motives. Not:
"You were mean to try and hurt me
by saying that." But:
"I was hurt (offended) when you
said this."
Assertiveness may be
appropriate, but not attacking.
3.
Love calls us to confront as part of an attempt to help someone.
Galatians 6:1-2
(NASB)
Restore = coach, train,
assist Confronting isn't just
standing back and demanding change. It is helping someone change.
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 2/14 - 2/20:
§
Day 1 - Pages
§
Day 2 - Pages
§
Day 3 - Pages
§
Day 4 - Pages
§
Day 5 - Pages
Criticism And The Cross
Whether or not we are
willing to listen to criticism is one of the biggest issues of life.
What is criticism? Criticism is a judgment that
we have that we have fallen short of a particular standard. Criticism may be Divine or
human, accurate or inaccurate, gently or harshly given, from a motivation of
love or impatience. But criticism is hard to
take for most of us.
Why is criticism so hard for us to take? The #1 reason:
pride Two kinds of pride:
1)
Healthy pride -
feeling good about something or someone.
2)
Selfish
pride. Life is all about me, my
glory, my way. It is making self an idol. Selfish pride reacts
negatively to criticism. Often not because we are
unaware of our imperfection, but because looking good is more important than
being good. What God's Word say's about
taking criticism:
Proverbs 12:1
(NLT)
Proverbs 13:10
(NIV)
Proverbs 13:13
(NIV)
Proverbs 13:18
(TEV)
Proverbs 15:32
(NLT) God calls upon us to
welcome criticism and to consider it rather than automatically shut
it out. Not because it's always
valid. It isn't. But we need to be humble enough to look and see if it's true. The problem for many of us
Christians isn't believing that the Lord calls us to consider criticism, but
doing it. Important verse:
Galatians 2:20
(NIV)
Two truths we need to embrace here:
First:
I am someone who, before the cross, was under God's
judgment.
Romans 3:23
(NIV)
Romans 6:23a
(NIV)
The "Criticism of the
Cross": The cross say's that we are
people who fall short of the most important standards of life, God's standards. How can we ever think we are
above criticism?
Second:
I am someone who has had their sin paid for on the cross, I'm saved.
Galatians 2:20
(NIV)
Now life isn't about me but
about reflecting Jesus. Criticism is an opportunity
to find the blind spots of my life that need changing in order to reflect
Christ.
Important:
As someone who is crucified with Christ, who is saved, I can afford
to consider criticism. One cause of resistance to
criticism: to fall short in any area
of my life is to become worthless. But our value isn't
determined by our performance, but by what Jesus paid for us on the
cross!
Galatians 2:20
(NIV)
1 Peter 1:18-19
(NLT)
How much is Jesus' life
worth? That is how much we are worth! And it can't be taken away.
Romans 8:1
(NLT)
Far from being condemned we
are flawed people who can afford to listen to criticism without losing worth! "Lord thank You for paying
for me on the cross, I humble myself to consider any criticism to listen for
Your call to change. Please empower to listen and change."
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 2/7 - 2/13:
§
Day 1 - Pages
§
Day 2 - Pages
§
Day 3 - Pages
§
Day 4 - Pages
§
Day 5 - Pages
When Silence Isn't Golden
Psalms 32:1-2
(NLT)
One of the beautiful things
about being born again into a personal relationship with God through Jesus is
being "clean" in our hearts and free from guilt and shame close to
the Lord. Unfortunately, we don't stay
there:
Psalms 32:3-4
(NASB)
How can we so foolishly
choose wrong over that right relationship with God, worse yet, refuse to
face it? It is a dry and painful
thing to have the Lord hand heavy upon us. It doesn't have to
stay that way!
Psalms 32:5a
(NLT)
Confession is a sincere acknowledgement of sin
and a turning away from it.
True confession include three things:
1. It
must come from the heart. Just saying it isn't enough.
2. It
must acknowledge not only the fact of a wrong, but also our guilt. If we are justifying or
excusing ourselves, we are not truly confessing.
1 Corinthians 10:13
(NLT)
Nobody can rightly say "I
had to do it." Confession is saying "I did
it, I didn't have to do it, and I was wrong to do it."
3. It
must include repentance. In the Bible, repentance
means to turn away from evil, in other words, to choose to stop it.
To whom do I need to confess? To all we have wronged and
offened. This always includes God.
But where it involves other people, we must include them. (Matt.
5:23-26)
The Promised Result:
Psalms 32:5b
(NLT)
There is no guarantee that
other people will forgive us, but there is a guaranteed promise from God:
1 John 1:9
(NASB)
The appropriate response
from us:
Psalms 32:1-2
(NLT)
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 1/31 - 2/6:
§
Day 1 - Pages 117-119
§
Day 2 - Pages 119-123
§
Day 3 - Pages 123-126
§
Day 4 - Pages 126-130
§
Day 5 - Pages 131-136
§
Optional - Pages 276-278
Finding Peace
No, YOU
turn!
Luke 12:13-15 (NIV)
Three things God is showing us here:
When we feel that we have been wronged, our natural tendancy is to
focus exculsively on the wrongdoer and the wrong and blame it all on
them.
"Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
The man is calling on Jesus
to tell his brother to do what is right and share the inheritance. When it comes to blame, we
tend to be "other" oriented. Of course, so do the people we're blaming. Jesus' surprise response:
Luke 12:15
(NIV)
No,
YOU Turn
A "You Turn" is where we
take our eyes off of the person we are in conclict and look at ourselves. Normally when somen tells
us to "Watch out!", they are warning us about a danger that is "out there"
somewhere. When Jesus say's "Watch out" here, He's pointing us to a danger that
is inside us.
Matthew 7:3-5
(NIV)
Often we
do have something inside that needs
to looked out for. For this man (and many in
the crowd) that something inside was greed, valuing things more than God or
people, making it a higher prioity than being right with God. This was something that, if
left unchanged, was going to destroy his life no matter his brother did. Wrongs and conflict don't
create the wrongs in our heart, they expose them.
They show us where our hearts need to change.
James 4:1-3
(NIV)
Conflicts
among us show the sin (the
selfishness and pride) within us. No, this doesn't mean the
other person's attitudes adn actions are right. They probably need to change to. But to take a "YOU Turn" is
to deal with us first.
Jesus shows us that real peace between us and
real peace in our ourselves will only come from a changed heart. How do I get a changed
heart? 1.
Confess my heart sin to the Lord and ask Him to wash me clean.
1 John 1:9
(NLT)
This is
both something the Lord does
immediately and something He does over time. 1)
He takes our guilt away immediately.
2)
He breaks down and removes the pride and
selfishness and the bad habits over time. 2.
Surrender myself and my "issues" to the Lord. God will only change people
who give themselves to Him. He will only use situations for good in our life
when we surrender our agenda to Him.
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 1/24 - 30:
§
Day 1 - Pages 100-103
§
Day 2 - Pages 103-106
§
Day 3 - Pages 106-109
§
Day 4 - Pages 109-112
§
Day 5 - Pages 112-115
The Power Of Unity
Matthew 16:17-18
(NIV)
John 17:20-21
(NIV)
An important condition for
us to break down "the
gates of Hades"
: Unity
Ephesians 4:1-6
(NIV) We don't need to try and
become one, we are one (v.4). Paul is saying, "Since
you are one body (family), act like it. (v.3)"
Ephesians 4:7-16 Four Commitments: If we
are going to be unified, we need to commit ourselves to: 1. 1.
Center on Jesus.
Ephesians 4:15-16
(NIV)
Jesus is the only "glue"
that can hold us all together. 2. 2.
Uncompromisingly and lovingly hold to God's Word (the Truth)
Ephesians 4:15
(NIV)
Tolerance is not saying
there is no right or wrong. Real tolerance say's "I
don't agree with you at points, but I love you, and I'm willing to listen to
what you have to say as I hold to God's Word." 3. 3. Aim
for developing Christ's character in our lives, especially humility and
patience.
Ephesians 4:2
(NIV)
This means having the
humility to patiently listen to each other when we disagree and genuinely
evaluate what the other is saying.
Philippians 2:3-4
(Phillips NT)
4. 4.
Appreciate and respect our diversity (our differentness)
Ephesians 4:11
(NIV)
We need each others
different perspectives and strengths:
1 Corinthians 12:14-21 What will happen if we
do these four things?
Ephesians 4:13-16
( Central result: We
will break the cycle of conflict and grow up. The Cycle
of Conflict
The Cycle
of Blessing
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 1/17 - 23:
§
Day 1 - Pages
43-45
§
Day 2 - Pages
46-50
§
Day 3 - Pages
50-51
§
Day 4 - Pages
51-53
§
Day 5 - Pages
53-57
§Optional - Pages
270-275
Real Peace
Matthew 5:9
(NASB)
Peace is a popular topic! But
-
Jeremiah
6:14
(NIV)
Colossians 1:15-20
Five Principles for real PEACE
P is for
Priority.
Real peace is a priority with God. The higher the person
in the chain of command that get's involved with our problems, the more this
must be a priority.
Colossians 1:16-19
In sending His own Son, the
Lord has shown that real peace is a very very high priority! He wants us to have making
peace a high priority too.
Matthew
5:23-24
(NIV)
E
is for
Expensive:
Real peace costs a lot!
Colossians
1:20
(NIV)
Why was He willing to pay so
much?
John 3:16a
(NIV)
How does He want us to respond
to His love?
1 John
4:11-12
(NIV)
It's expensive to respond this
way:
Philippians
2:3-4
(Phillips NT)
Ephesians
4:32
(NIV)
A is for
Ally. Real peace requires help! On our own, we can't love our
enemy or be peacemakers. But we aren't on our own. We have an ally: Jesus
Colossians
1:19
(NIV)
Galatians
2:20a
(NIV)
Philippians
4:13
(NLT)
C is for
Cross.
Real peace is found only at the cross.
Colossians
1:20
(NIV)
The Cross is absolutely
essential for ending conflict.
James 4:1-2
Two major blocks to peace:
pride and selfishness. The cross is not only where
Jesus paid for our sin, but where we die to ourselves.
Luke 9:23
(NIV)
E is for
Eternal:
Real peace has eternal consequences.
Colossians 1:19-20a
(NIV)
For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him
to reconcile to himself all things To be reconciled to Christ is
to be rigth with Him. Being right
with Jesus isn't just about this short life:
John 6:47
(MSG)
We're playing for "keeps." The peace issue is an issue
that counts for keeps, eternal keeps! Two questions: 1.
Have come into a peace relationship with God through Jesus .... The answer to that question is
an eternal issue! 2.
How are you responding to God's call to be a Peacemaker?
2 Corinthians 5:19b
(NIV)
Conflict is an opportunity to show others how to find real peace.
Suggested Weekly Reading in The Peacemaker
for this week 1/10 - 16:
§
Day 1 - Pages 11-16
§
Day 2 - Pages 17-22
§
Day 3 - Pages 22-29
§
Day 4 - Pages 29-34
§
Day 5 - Pages 34-41
More Than Meets The Eye
© Copyright 2002 Glendora Alliance Church
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear
him. [2] But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So
God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and
female he created them.
You must not curse a deaf person or put something in front of a blind
person to make him fall. But you must respect your God. I am the Lord.
"The King will reply,
'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers
of mine, you did for me.'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of
the least of these, you did not do for me.'1 Peter 1:18-19
(Message)
It cost God plenty to get you out of
that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. [19]
He paid with Christ's sacred blood,
you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb.How can I apply this teaching in a fallen world?
I Peter 2:18-20
For it is commendable
if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious
of God.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men, [24] since you know that you will receive an inheritance
from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
For you were like sheep going astray,
but now you have returned to the Shepherd
and Overseer of your souls.
Dave Rogstad
March 14, 2010
Pastor Cliff Bowman
March 7, 2010
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
1
Corinthians 6:19b-20a
(NIV)
You
are
not your own; you were bought at a price.
1
Peter 5:7
(NLT)
Give all your worries and
cares to God, for he
cares about what happens to
you.
May the peoples praise you, 0
God,
may all the peoples praise you.
6
Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.
And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding,
will
guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever
is true, whatever is noble,
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely,
whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthythink about such things.
I have thought much about
your words and stored them in
my heart so that they would hold me back from sin.
Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me,
or seen in
me--put it into practice.
Do not let this Book of the
Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written
in it. Then you will be prosperous and
successful.
.and the God
of peace shall be with you.
The Lord was with Joseph and
blessed him greatly as he
served in the home
of his Egyptian master.
After hearing his wife's
story, Potiphar was furious! [20] He
took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the
king's
prisoners were held. [21] But the Lord was with Joseph there,
too, and he granted Joseph favor with the
chief jailer.
Peacemaker, Pt.8
Pastor Cliff Bowman
February 28, 2010
Guard
your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life. 
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If
any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take
up your cross daily, and follow me. 24
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up
your life for my sake, you will save it.
37 "Anyone who loves his father or
mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me; 38
and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose
it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
8 "For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Remain
in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must
remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
23 Then he said to them all: "If
anyone would come after me, he must deny
himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever wants to save his life
will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge.
Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take
revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20
Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are
thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning
coals of shame on their heads.” 21
Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
“Yes,
I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will
produce much fruit. For apart from me you
can do nothing.
If
any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to him.
I
pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner
strength through his Spirit.
Peacemaker, Pt.7
Assoc. Pastor Elvin Miranda
February 21, 2010
Peacemaker, Pt.6
Pastor Cliff Bowman
February 14, 2010
12 "What do you think? If any man
has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the
ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?
13 "If it turns out that he finds
it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which
have not gone astray. 14 "So
it is not
the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little
ones perish.
"For
God so loved the world, that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal
life.
21 Then Peter came and said to Him,
"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven
times?" 22 Jesus *said to him, "I do
not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It
does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love is patient...
It
is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered...
]1 Brethren, even if anyone is
caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one
in a spirit of gentleness;
each one looking to yourself, so
that you too will not be tempted.
1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught
in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;
each one looking to yourself, so
that you too will not be tempted. 2
Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Peacemaker, Pt.5
Pastor Cliff Bowman
February 7, 2010
To
learn, you must love discipline;
it is stupid to hate correction.
Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.
He
who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.
18 Someone who will not learn
will be poor and disgraced.
Anyone who listens to correction is
respected.
If you reject
discipline, you only harm yourself;
but if you listen to correction, you grow
in understanding.
I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.
for
all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God,
For
the wages of sin is death
I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me.
I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself for me.
18 For you know that God paid a
ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors.
And the ransom he paid was not mere gold
or silver. 19 It was the precious
blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
So
now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Peacemaker, Pt.4
Pastor Cliff Bowman
January 31, 2010
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3
When I kept silent about my sin,
my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night Your hand was
heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as
with the fever heat of summer.
5 Finally, I confessed all my sins
to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
The
temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God
is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.
When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
Peacemaker, Pt.3
Pastor Cliff Bowman
January 24, 2010
13 Someone in the crowd said to
him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
14 Jesus replied, "Man, who
appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?"
15 Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be
on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions."
Then
he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a
man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
"Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye? 4 How
can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all
the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then
you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
1 What causes fights and quarrels
among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle
within you?
2 You want something but don't get it.
You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight.
You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with
wrong motives, that you may
spend what you get on your pleasures.
But
if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Peacemaker, Pt.2
Pastor Cliff Bowman
January 17, 2010
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed
to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you
are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will
not overcome it.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will
believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,
Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that
the world may believe that you have sent me.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the
calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be
patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4
There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when
you were called-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in
love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole
body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and
builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Instead, speaking the truth in
love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is,
Christ.
Be completely humble and
gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity, but in humility think more
of each other than you do of yourselves. None of you should think only of his
own affairs, but should learn to see things from other people's point of view.
It was he who gave some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors
and teachers, 
Peacemaker, Pt.1
Pastor Cliff Bowman
January 10, 2010
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
shall be called sons of God.
They dress the wound of my people as
though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace.
"Therefore, if you are offering
your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something
against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go
and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
...and through him to reconcile to
himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by
making peace through his blood, shed
on the cross.
"For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son..."
Dear friends, since God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another. 12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his
love is made complete in us.
Never act from motives of rivalry or personal vanity, but in humility think more
of each other than you do of yourselves. 4 None of you should think
only of his own affairs, but should learn to see things from other people's
point of view.
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him,
I have been crucified with Christ and I
no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
For I can do everything
through Christ, who gives me strength.
...and through him to reconcile to
himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross.
Then he said to them all: "If anyone
would come after me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and
follow me.
"I'm telling you the most solemn and
sober truth now: Whoever believes in me has real life, eternal life.
.... yet?
And he has committed to us the message of
reconciliation.
Pastor Cliff Bowman
January 3, 2010
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