The Ultimate Father.
Fatherhood is a very tricky subject. You would think that the examples in the bible of fathers would be all good examples. The bible actually is full of faithful fathers whose children turned away from God or horrible fathers that's children turn to God. Many examples of what not to be like.
God as our father is the only Perfect example that we have. As fathers we need to seek God qualities in being a father!
God qualities:
Exodus 20:1-5
God is a jealous father. God is not jealous of something but jealous for us. His love is so deep for us. God is perfect, complete and without sin. To be jealous for us is different from being jealous of something!
Gods motive are always pure! Our jealous motives come from selfishness. Gods jealousy for us comes from an intense love for us!
2 Corinthians 11:2-3
Godly jealousy also comes from zeal. Fierce indignation from anything that would harm you. God is jealous for us because he knows what the world will do to us. His jealousy is based on knowing how sin will affect us. He knows what idolatry does to our lives! Gods jealous comes out of an intense desire to protect us from harm!
God disciplines us out of love!
Exodus 20:5-6
The word punishment here comes from the word "paqad" which means something will be taken care of and not forgotten. Exodus 4:31 uses "concerned" to translate the word "paqad". God is going to do what ever it takes to rescue us whether that be through punishment or discipline. Gods discipline comes from deep concern for us. Again God is love and even in punishment he is love!
Hebrews 12:9-11
God want us to share in his holiness! Gods discipline has one motive. It is not based in anger or frustration. Gods discipline is calculated and done intentional with one goal in mind; to help us grow closer to him! God discipline produces a harvest of righteousness!
Exodus 20:5-6
Every sin is fully accounted for and no sin goes unpunished; however, God is saying his grace, mercy and blessings will continue for a thousand (infinite) generations!
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Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Sunday, June 12, 2016
The Holy Spirit part 2
The Holy Spirit part 2
How to live by the Spirit? What is my role in living by the Spirit? How do I listen to the Spirit?
Romans 8:1-4 The law failed. Only Jesus death and resurrection made it as though we lived in perfect obedience! We can either live by the flesh or by the Spirit! A life lived by the spirit has its mind set on spiritual things. What is your mind set on?
Galatians 5:16-18 these two forces are in direct conflict with each other. They are going in two different directions. Which nature are you going to listen to? Galatians 5:19-25 Am I living a life to please the flesh or the Spirit? The fruits of the Spirit are just as obvious in your life as the acts of the flesh. Which best describes you?
What direction am I going? This passage is about direction in your life and not living a perfect life.
Romans 8:12-14 our job is to keep up with the Spirit. To follow! Romans 8:5 I need to set my mind on what the spirit desires and not what the flesh wants. What am I pursuing? What am I listening too? What am I watching? What am I allowing to influence my life?
Galatians 6:7-8 what am I planting? What seeds am I sowing? I cannot sow to the flesh and expect to reap the benefits of the spirit! Ways to sow to the spirit: serving others, practicing generosity, being open about my life, sharing the gospel...etc
John 15:5 I cannot produce the fruit my self. It's not about the actions, staying connected to God and staying in the vine will produce fruits of the spirit.
Romans 8:15-17
How to listen to the Holy Spirit? Isaiah 30:21 God promises guidance! God is not just interested in telling us between right and wrong but also wants to guide us through better and best! When we go to God even with the small things he loves us enough to give us the guidance we need!
Matthew 10:30 even the small things are important to God! God cares about every single detail in my life! Acts 8,10,13,15,16 the Holy Spirit guided the apostles on where to go and what to do.
2 Peter 1:20-21 the bible is the clear had and fast way that God communicates to us. The spirit is not going to speak to me in a way that is in direct conflict with the Bible. The more I study out the word of God the more capable I am to identify the spirit when it speaks to me.
2 chronicles 20:14-15 the spirit also speaks through people! Do I allow the spirit to speak? Who do you know if a person is speaking the truth from God? Test what they are saying but the bible.
Zachariah 7:12 God gets angry when he sends people and we do not,listen. The message is more important than the delivery. Someone may come to you in the wrong way or a way that offends you but is the message true? Listen to the message and don't focus on the delivery!
Just because it feels good to me does not mean it is from God. My feelings should be disregarded and my focus should be on the truth found in Gods word regardless of the cost or inconvenience of my flesh!
Ephesians 3:14-19 am I listening to the spirit? Psalms 143:8-10 be open to the spirits direction, evaluate the scriptures, evaluate the circumstances, seek advice, listen to the spirits impressions. The spirit will not always lead you to where you want to go.
Jesus went to God with his desire in the garden and yet he was open to Gods answer and direction.
Psalms 119:97-104 knowing the scriptures helps us become wiser and discern the will of God.
Acts 16:6 sometimes the spirit works through circumstances by opening or closing doors. Be careful, just because the door is open does not mean it's is from God. Proverbs 11:14; Romans 2:14-15; Philippians 4:6
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How to live by the Spirit? What is my role in living by the Spirit? How do I listen to the Spirit?
Romans 8:1-4 The law failed. Only Jesus death and resurrection made it as though we lived in perfect obedience! We can either live by the flesh or by the Spirit! A life lived by the spirit has its mind set on spiritual things. What is your mind set on?
Galatians 5:16-18 these two forces are in direct conflict with each other. They are going in two different directions. Which nature are you going to listen to? Galatians 5:19-25 Am I living a life to please the flesh or the Spirit? The fruits of the Spirit are just as obvious in your life as the acts of the flesh. Which best describes you?
What direction am I going? This passage is about direction in your life and not living a perfect life.
Romans 8:12-14 our job is to keep up with the Spirit. To follow! Romans 8:5 I need to set my mind on what the spirit desires and not what the flesh wants. What am I pursuing? What am I listening too? What am I watching? What am I allowing to influence my life?
Galatians 6:7-8 what am I planting? What seeds am I sowing? I cannot sow to the flesh and expect to reap the benefits of the spirit! Ways to sow to the spirit: serving others, practicing generosity, being open about my life, sharing the gospel...etc
John 15:5 I cannot produce the fruit my self. It's not about the actions, staying connected to God and staying in the vine will produce fruits of the spirit.
Romans 8:15-17
How to listen to the Holy Spirit? Isaiah 30:21 God promises guidance! God is not just interested in telling us between right and wrong but also wants to guide us through better and best! When we go to God even with the small things he loves us enough to give us the guidance we need!
Matthew 10:30 even the small things are important to God! God cares about every single detail in my life! Acts 8,10,13,15,16 the Holy Spirit guided the apostles on where to go and what to do.
2 Peter 1:20-21 the bible is the clear had and fast way that God communicates to us. The spirit is not going to speak to me in a way that is in direct conflict with the Bible. The more I study out the word of God the more capable I am to identify the spirit when it speaks to me.
2 chronicles 20:14-15 the spirit also speaks through people! Do I allow the spirit to speak? Who do you know if a person is speaking the truth from God? Test what they are saying but the bible.
Zachariah 7:12 God gets angry when he sends people and we do not,listen. The message is more important than the delivery. Someone may come to you in the wrong way or a way that offends you but is the message true? Listen to the message and don't focus on the delivery!
Just because it feels good to me does not mean it is from God. My feelings should be disregarded and my focus should be on the truth found in Gods word regardless of the cost or inconvenience of my flesh!
Ephesians 3:14-19 am I listening to the spirit? Psalms 143:8-10 be open to the spirits direction, evaluate the scriptures, evaluate the circumstances, seek advice, listen to the spirits impressions. The spirit will not always lead you to where you want to go.
Jesus went to God with his desire in the garden and yet he was open to Gods answer and direction.
Psalms 119:97-104 knowing the scriptures helps us become wiser and discern the will of God.
Acts 16:6 sometimes the spirit works through circumstances by opening or closing doors. Be careful, just because the door is open does not mean it's is from God. Proverbs 11:14; Romans 2:14-15; Philippians 4:6
Sent from my iPad
The Holy Spirit!
The Holy Spirit!
The spirit of God! Who is the Holy Spirit? How does it transform me? How do I listen to the Holy Spirit? How do I live by the Holy Spirit?
How important is the Holy Spirit? John 16:5-7 The advocate is the Holy Spirit and Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and the Holy Spirit to come. God's spirit was given to us to help us in ways that even the physical Jesus could not. Walking with the Spirit is better than walking with he physical Jesus.
Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:14;
The spirit coming to live in us is the one of the reason Jesus had to come and die.
John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; John 3:8; John 16:13
Who is the Holy Spirit? The spirit is the very should of God. God does not have a physical form and He is 100% God and 100% Spirit. God described the Spirit as a "He" and not an "It". Why is that important? The Spirit is not a thing. The Spirit is not a tool. The Spirit cannot be controlled or used. In the same way when we view a person as an object we abuse them. The Spirit is not an object. The Spirit is a being that deserves respect and worship!
Isaiah 63:10 The spirit can grieve. You cannot grieve and object.
Hebrews 10:27; Romans 8:11 Romans 15 The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead! What kind of power does that convey? The power of the Spirit is beyond our understanding! With all that power, is there anything He cannot do? This powerful Spirit lives in me!!! Is there anything that He cannot change in my life?
Psalms 139:7-10 our humanistic view of the Spirit limits his divinity and in reality the Spirit is everywhere. We cannot escape Him and He wants to lead every aspect of our lives! There is not any area of our lives that the Spirit cannot impact.
Revelations 22:17 the Holy Spirit is one of the most important part of our relationship with God. The Spirit is full of power, truth, and the essence of God!
Acts 8:36-39 the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized in one day and then Phillip left him, but God did not send the Eunuch home alone. God sent him back to Ethiopia with the Spirit!
Acts 2:38 -- the goal of repentance and baptism is so that you can become a pure vessel for the Spirit to live in! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 22:17; John 15:24-27; Titus 3:7. The Spirit transforms us as sinners into a pure and holy being that God can live in!
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 the Spirit is transforming me. The Spirit is the power that is allowing me to be more like Christ. It not about my power of what I do, it's about what the Spirit is doing through me! 2 Peter 1:3-9 also says to make every effort to but even our best effort is still short. We need the Spirit!
Galatians 5:22-23 the outcome of God living in you produces the fruits of the spirit! Love, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control!! If you are a Christian, God is living in you and transforming you into his likeness through these Godly characteristics!
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 we have received the Spirit so we can understand God more fully. Through the Spirit we have the mind of Christ! The Spirit revels who God is through scripture as well. Ezekiel 36:25-27
I need to learn to listen to the Spirit. The Spirit does not just take over and force us to do something that we don't want to do. I should allow myself to be moveable and be compelled by the Spirit. The spirit also speaks through other people in my life.
Sent from my iPad
The spirit of God! Who is the Holy Spirit? How does it transform me? How do I listen to the Holy Spirit? How do I live by the Holy Spirit?
How important is the Holy Spirit? John 16:5-7 The advocate is the Holy Spirit and Jesus said it was better for Him to leave and the Holy Spirit to come. God's spirit was given to us to help us in ways that even the physical Jesus could not. Walking with the Spirit is better than walking with he physical Jesus.
Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:14;
The spirit coming to live in us is the one of the reason Jesus had to come and die.
John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11; John 3:8; John 16:13
Who is the Holy Spirit? The spirit is the very should of God. God does not have a physical form and He is 100% God and 100% Spirit. God described the Spirit as a "He" and not an "It". Why is that important? The Spirit is not a thing. The Spirit is not a tool. The Spirit cannot be controlled or used. In the same way when we view a person as an object we abuse them. The Spirit is not an object. The Spirit is a being that deserves respect and worship!
Isaiah 63:10 The spirit can grieve. You cannot grieve and object.
Hebrews 10:27; Romans 8:11 Romans 15 The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead! What kind of power does that convey? The power of the Spirit is beyond our understanding! With all that power, is there anything He cannot do? This powerful Spirit lives in me!!! Is there anything that He cannot change in my life?
Psalms 139:7-10 our humanistic view of the Spirit limits his divinity and in reality the Spirit is everywhere. We cannot escape Him and He wants to lead every aspect of our lives! There is not any area of our lives that the Spirit cannot impact.
Revelations 22:17 the Holy Spirit is one of the most important part of our relationship with God. The Spirit is full of power, truth, and the essence of God!
Acts 8:36-39 the Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized in one day and then Phillip left him, but God did not send the Eunuch home alone. God sent him back to Ethiopia with the Spirit!
Acts 2:38 -- the goal of repentance and baptism is so that you can become a pure vessel for the Spirit to live in! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Revelation 22:17; John 15:24-27; Titus 3:7. The Spirit transforms us as sinners into a pure and holy being that God can live in!
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 the Spirit is transforming me. The Spirit is the power that is allowing me to be more like Christ. It not about my power of what I do, it's about what the Spirit is doing through me! 2 Peter 1:3-9 also says to make every effort to but even our best effort is still short. We need the Spirit!
Galatians 5:22-23 the outcome of God living in you produces the fruits of the spirit! Love, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control!! If you are a Christian, God is living in you and transforming you into his likeness through these Godly characteristics!
1 Corinthians 2:10-16 we have received the Spirit so we can understand God more fully. Through the Spirit we have the mind of Christ! The Spirit revels who God is through scripture as well. Ezekiel 36:25-27
I need to learn to listen to the Spirit. The Spirit does not just take over and force us to do something that we don't want to do. I should allow myself to be moveable and be compelled by the Spirit. The spirit also speaks through other people in my life.
Sent from my iPad
Monday, June 6, 2016
Sowing and reaping!
Sowing and reaping!
Sowing seed and reaping a harvest. What you reap is based on what you sow!
Galatians 6:7-10
When a scripture opens with "do not be deceived" it means that in our nature we are deceived on this subject. God is very clear that he will not be mocked and what ever you sow, you will one day reap! It's not up for debate! What ever we invest in we will receive in return. What ever we sacrifice, give to, or commit to.
It is a promise! If I sow righteousness I will reap righteousness in my life! The converse is true, if I sow unrighteousness I will reap unrighteousness! Same is true athletically, academically, in our marriage, at work, and in every other aspect of our lives!
Too many times we try to reap a harvest where we have never sown. Some how we think that we can reap a harvest from where we have not shown and that is how we try to mock God. The great thing about sowing in God is that we receive so much more than we deserve. We can sow in a small area and God delivers a harvest that is multiplied expeditiously.
It's not cause and effect. God provides so much more and conversely when we sow in the wrong areas we reap too much of what we really don't want or need. When we sow in the spirit we reap the spiritual and when we sow in the flesh we reap all the damaging consequences of the flesh!
John 12:24
Sowing in the spirit requires self sacrifice. Galatians 6 also talks about that harvest coming at the proper time. Sometimes we have to wait. It does not depend on our time but it depends on Gods time! 2 Peter 3:8
We reap blessings only from the right kind of seed. We reap when we trust in the Lord of the harvest. If a farmer gives up on the harvest a week after he sowed the seed, he reaps nothing! We must trust God and allow the harvest to come in its due time.
Jesus learned obedience and patience in God by his suffering. Jesus sowed relentlessly for years without reaping. His life was filled with suffering and his harvest was reaped after his death.
Sent from my iPhone
Sowing seed and reaping a harvest. What you reap is based on what you sow!
Galatians 6:7-10
When a scripture opens with "do not be deceived" it means that in our nature we are deceived on this subject. God is very clear that he will not be mocked and what ever you sow, you will one day reap! It's not up for debate! What ever we invest in we will receive in return. What ever we sacrifice, give to, or commit to.
It is a promise! If I sow righteousness I will reap righteousness in my life! The converse is true, if I sow unrighteousness I will reap unrighteousness! Same is true athletically, academically, in our marriage, at work, and in every other aspect of our lives!
Too many times we try to reap a harvest where we have never sown. Some how we think that we can reap a harvest from where we have not shown and that is how we try to mock God. The great thing about sowing in God is that we receive so much more than we deserve. We can sow in a small area and God delivers a harvest that is multiplied expeditiously.
It's not cause and effect. God provides so much more and conversely when we sow in the wrong areas we reap too much of what we really don't want or need. When we sow in the spirit we reap the spiritual and when we sow in the flesh we reap all the damaging consequences of the flesh!
John 12:24
Sowing in the spirit requires self sacrifice. Galatians 6 also talks about that harvest coming at the proper time. Sometimes we have to wait. It does not depend on our time but it depends on Gods time! 2 Peter 3:8
We reap blessings only from the right kind of seed. We reap when we trust in the Lord of the harvest. If a farmer gives up on the harvest a week after he sowed the seed, he reaps nothing! We must trust God and allow the harvest to come in its due time.
Jesus learned obedience and patience in God by his suffering. Jesus sowed relentlessly for years without reaping. His life was filled with suffering and his harvest was reaped after his death.
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Sunday, June 5, 2016
Jesus perspective on leadership.
Jesus perspective on leadership.
Matthew 20:20-28
The world has a view of leadership that is in direct conflict with Jesus view. In Jesus view their is no personal ambition. Why do I lead? Why am I seeking a role in leadership? Why am I serving? These are the questions we have to ask to check our motives.
With Jesus there is no positional leadership. In Jesus view of leadership we should not be concerned where we sit or where we fit in. Jesus view of leadership is without worldly authority. As followers of Christ we lead by serving. We lead by example.
We need to lead with a sense of serving and sacrificing! It should cost me something to lead. There should be some level of sacrifice in leading. Vs. 28 -- tells us that Jesus is the example we should follow. WWJD!
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Matthew 20:20-28
The world has a view of leadership that is in direct conflict with Jesus view. In Jesus view their is no personal ambition. Why do I lead? Why am I seeking a role in leadership? Why am I serving? These are the questions we have to ask to check our motives.
With Jesus there is no positional leadership. In Jesus view of leadership we should not be concerned where we sit or where we fit in. Jesus view of leadership is without worldly authority. As followers of Christ we lead by serving. We lead by example.
We need to lead with a sense of serving and sacrificing! It should cost me something to lead. There should be some level of sacrifice in leading. Vs. 28 -- tells us that Jesus is the example we should follow. WWJD!
Sent from my iPad
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