The truth about money!

The truth about money!

The truth about money is that it does not really belong to me.

Job 41; psalms 24:1; Haggai 2; Deuteronomy 8:17-18

God is the owner of everything! He has never been the former owner of anything!

Principal #1: God owns everything and I am just his money manager.

A money manager manages the money and uses it in the best interest of the owner. God has in trusted me with his property to glorify him with!

At some point the money manager will be held accountable for the way he manages the money. How does God feel about my use of his money?

Principal #2: it is a joy to manage Gods money.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Obedience is when you do something that you don't want to do. When we give out of obedience there is joy in being obedient.

Exodus 36:6; 2 Corinthians 9:10-15

Giving is not the luxury of the rich. No matter what income level you may be on or how much do or don't have, everyone is able to give! Even in poverty it should be a joy to manage Gods money and to give.

2 Corinthians 8:1

Giving and grace are connected. Our giving should be a reflex response to Gods grace. My I tire motivation for giving should come from gratitude for Gods grace! When I give out of grace there is true joy!

God as the owner and possessor of all things is not asking us to do anything that he has not already done himself. God has giving us everything through Jesus Christ and I was purchased as a price!

The Treasure Principal: how to unlock the treasure

The Treasure Principal: how to unlock the treasure chest.

Philippians 3:20

Heaven is not my home. What is my address? Hebrews 11:13, 2 Corinthians 5:20. Do I really believe that my citizenship is in Heaven! Hebrews 11:16.

My heart will always go where I put Gods money.

Matthew 6:21 where your heart is there your treasure will be also. What we care about we invest in, right? It is not where your heart is your treasure will be. It is the exact opposite. Where is my treasure, that's where my heart will be! Give first and my heart will follow!

What or who am I investing in?

Roadblocks to giving: stress, doubt, selfishness, pride!

Mark 10:17 the rich young ruler was not able to give up his stuff. Although he was devote and obedient to scripture his heart was in his possessions!

True joy is only found in giving!

4 keys to pray about:
God is the owner, heaven is my home, where my treasure is there my heart is found, live for eternity and not my time on earth!

Fw: Made for each other -- Marriage Retreat

Made for each other....Lesson 1

Genesis 1:27

What does this mean? God is formless so he has no body. We are made in Gods image....his spiritual image. God made us different male/female but we are equally The age of God! A man only reflects one part of God and a woman reflects the other part. Together we reflect the full image of God.

Do I see how much we need each other? What makes the heart of my spouse come alive? What makes the heart of a woman come alive and what makes the heart of a man come alive?

Woman: romance, irreplaceable role, unveiled beauty! My wife want to be pursued and romanced. To feel like she is priority!

Song of Songs 1:15-17; Judges 4:17-21...there is something fierce in the heart of a woman and it was created by design. Fight together, my wife wants to be apart of the adventure and a part of the battle.

Psalms 45:11

What makes the heart of a man to come alive? A battle to fight, an adventure to live and need a challenge, a beauty to rescue.

1 Chronicles 12:8 a man wants to be a warrior and needs a battle to fight.

2 Timothy 4:6;

With out a beauty to rescue we just become lonely men fighting alone.

Made For Each Other...Lesson 2

There is a difference between temptation and sin. 

How gentle am I being with my wife? I have to learn how to treat her with sensitivity and compassion. Am i meeting my wife's needs and making sure that I am everything she needs.

Ephesians 5:25; Galatians 3:26

When Jesus looks at me he does not see my sin he sees his bride. I need to view my wife in the same way. I need to over look her imperfections. Love covers a multitude of sins. If I love my wife I should see her blameless and pure.

Things I love about my wife: she is very giving physically, deep convictions, strong willed.

Ephesians 5:28

We take care of our bodies so well because we know our needs. I can't put this scripture into practice unless I know my wife's needs.

1 peter 3:7 Weaker does not mean inferior. God has a special heart for the weak. Why would my prayers be hindered? You can hurt Gods daughter and be ok with him! My role as a husband is defined by the needs of my wife. I need to learn how to live out my role through meeting her needs.

I need to know my wife like I know my own body.

Proverbs 31:28-29 do I arise and call her blessed? Encourage my wife daily! My wife is not perfect but she is perfect for me. 

Ephesians 5:25-28 I am responsible for washing my wife in the word. I am her primary discipler! Everyday I need to be involved with how she is doing. I need to take responsibility.

Colossians 3:19

I cannot be harsh but never should be passive. Genesis 3 the first temptation for Eve was to want to be like God and mans first temptation was to be passive and not lead. A dame had a leadership role before the fall. He named the animals and Eve. Mans struggle from the curse is passiveness.

What makes a woman's heart come alive is when we are being the men that God calls us to be!

Made For Each Other.....Lesson 3

What makes God's heart ignite? The aspects of God found in women.

Like a woman God is intensely relational. Women say 20k words a day compared to 7k for men. Emotionally God is more like a woman than a man. 

1 John 4 God IS love. Not just a description or adjective but a definition! 2 Corinthians 13:14 God wants to envelope us. To consume us. Psalms 139:7 there is great security in God because he is everywhere, in control of all things!

Like a Woman God longs to share adventures with us! Miracle of feeding the 5000. Jesus could have snapped his fingers and feed everyone but he didn't. He asked Andrew what do you have? God wants to take us with him on this adventure. He will use what ever we have to do amazing things! Not matter what we have God can use it!

Genesis 2:18 helper in the Hebrew means partner companion, life saver, life giver. This word is used again in the bible other than for women is for describing God himself.

Psalms 27:9 God is also described as our helper!

Like a woman God has a captivating beauty to unveil!

God created woman to be beautiful and wonderful. Sex was created by God and God created woman to be alluring! A woman is beautiful because God is beautiful. Do you think when we finally get to see God how stunning he will be! Look around at the beauty he has made on earth and we get a small glimpse!

Revelation 22:4 no one has ever seen the face of God but one day we will!  Psalm 63:1-7

The Parable of the Lost and Found

The Parable of the Lost and Found

Opening Questions:

Have you ever lost something that was very important to you? How did you feel during the time you were looking for it? What efforts did you take to find it? If your search was successful how did you feel once you found it?

Brenda Caunter's missing wedding ring ← http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc80dn3LZq4 →

Today we are going to read about two people that lost something that was precious to them in a few parable Jesus told. In the stories we will get to see God's heart for us and how much he truly loves us.

Body:

Luke 15:1-10

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

• Who were the Pharisees, Tax Collectors and Sinners?

1. Pharisees and teachers of the law (self righteous religious leaders of the day).
2. Tax Collectors (Dishonest and corrupt).
3. "Sinners" (non-pharisees who did not follow Jewish law).

• What do you think about the way the Pharisees and teachers reacted towards Jesus association with the Tax Collectors and "Sinners".

1. They thought they were better than them.
2. They looked down on Jesus because of his association with them.

• Who does the sheep and the lost coin represent in the parable?

1. All of us. We are all lost and in need of a shepherd.

• How persistent were the owner of the sheep and the woman in finding what they lost?

1. Completely focused.
2. They did not stop searching until they found what was lost.

• How did they react once they found what they lost?

1. Full of joy.
2. Called friends and neighbors to celebrate.

• These parables gives us a glimpse into God's heart on how he feels when we are lost or go astray. What do you notice about God's heart in these parables?

1. A God who longs to have a personal relationship with every person in this world.
2. A God who is obsessed with finding every lost person.
3. A God who rejoices over a person who turns towards him.
4. A God who is compassionate
5. A God who values each of us and views us as significant (leaving the 99 for the 1).

• The religious establishment (Pharisees & Teachers) called people to conform to their traditions and practices and rejected/excluded those who did not. What do you think Jesus called people to?

1. He called people to a relationship with him.

• God meets us where we are at.
• He wants our hearts – a heart that is obedient to him but not self righteous. Humble!

Jesus shows us a God who goes all out to find us and have a relationship with us. Yet, we can be reluctant to give our hearts completely to him.

• What are some things that stop us from giving our hearts completely to God?

1. Busy schedule (share about work/school)
2. Religious traditions (share about not just becoming religious)
3. Not wanting to change our sinful ways (Share about pride, ,selfishness, rebelliousness...etc)

Closing:

• Where are you at today? Are you a lost sheep or maybe one that has gone astray a bit?

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

• God is relentlessly searching for us and does not want anyone to go astray. God longs to rejoice with us when we turn our hearts towards him and repent.

• What do you need to repent of today? Are you willing to repent and give your heart completely over to God?

1 Samuel 18:10 Why would God Send an Evil Spirit?

• I've struggled over this my self several times. There are a couple of things that I think hang us up on this.
  
• 1.)We have an incorrect definition of evil. What is the true definition of evil/sin? In essence evil/sin is the absence of God inst it? You've probably heard this analogy before. Scientifically there is no darkness. You cannot measure darkness. What there is, is an absence of light. When you try to measure darkness you are really measuring how much light is not present in something. I believe it is the same with evil/sin. To say something is evil/sin is to say that God is present.

  2.)We have a hard time understanding why if God is the creator of all things is there evil/sin in the world. Evil/sin is really a by product of God creating righteousness. As soon as God said "this is right" he created the wrong way or sin. His purpose was not to create sin but to create righteousness. I hope i'm making sense...lol

  So back to your question: Why would God send an evil spirit to someone? Did God really send and evil spirit? If God turned his back on Saul and walked away what would Saul be left with using the correct definitions above? There is also more to the story. Saul was really the one turning his back on God by not obeying Gods commands. Saul was allowing sin in his heart and as a result he was drifting further and further away from God. Isaiah 59:1-2 says that our iniquities (sins) separate us from God.

  God allowed Saul to be giving over to an evil spirit (Saul's own evil desires) which is what Saul was choosing anyways by not wanting to follow God and wanting to kill David.

The Treasure Principal

The Treasure Principal

Matthew13:44

The kingdom is not something that I add to my life. I give up everything in my life to enter the kingdom!

Over 15% of what Jesus talked about while on earth was related to this topic

Luke 3:7-14

Three principals...share with the poor, be honest, be content. All relating to Money. Why money? How we handle our money is central to our faith. There is a fundamental connection between our spiritual life and how we deal with money.

The difference between Cain and Ables gift was that Able gave the first and best of what we he had. Both gave to God but only one was pleasing to God!

My heart follows my treasure. Your treasure is your ledger and your measure.

Principle #1: Pride

Duetoronomy 16:16-9; Exodus 23:15; 19, 1 Chronicles 21:24....No one should come to God with nothing to give!

Romans 11:13; Galatians 6:4; James 1:9....we should take pride in our gift.

Principle #2: Trust

Luke 19:5-10

Zacchaeus's approach to money in his repentance proved where his heart was at.

Haggai 1:6

Principle #3: Conviction

Acts 19:19....value of the scrolls were close to 5 million dollars. The value of the scrolls did not deter their convictions.

Principle #4: A pleasing gift

Mark 12:41-44

An African making 3.00 a month wishing he was Chinese making 3.00 an hour and the Chinese man wishing he was American making 23.00 an hour and the American saying it's just not enough to give to The Lord!!

Matthew 19:21; 13:44-46

"In his joy" he sold everything he had to buy the field and the treasure!

Matthew 6:19-21; Proverbs 23:5....either it leaves us while we live or we live it. When we die!! Jesus wants us to store up treasure in heaven!

Psalm 49:16-17

Satan's lies!

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> Satan's lies!
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> Romans 7:21
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> When times are good we need to remember that evil is right there with us. Satan does not retreat...he doubles up the attack!
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> 1 Chronicles 20 shows the accomplishments David had and chapter 21:1 shows that Israel fell to satan! He is always attacking!
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> 1 Peter 5:8 this is the image of Satan that we have and only associate this with when he is attacking the weak. When Satan attacks the strong he wants to out wit us and deceive us.
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> By his nature Satan is a liar John 8:44. There are lies that Satan has been telling since the beginning of time! Lets look at some of those lies.
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> Luke 4:1-13
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> 1st, lie is to tell us that we need to take care of my self. God will not take care of us. Vs-3 turn that stone to bread knowing Jesus temptation.
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> God had a plan for Jesus to eat but His plan involved fasting for 40days. After the desert Jesus ate so much that people accused him of being a glutton.
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> God has a plan to meet our needs while Satan whispers lies in our ears that we need to take care of our selves!
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> 2nd, Satan offers us the world when the world is not his to give! When have I ever seen anyone focus on this world or the things of this world and actually see that person get anything of true value!
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> Jesus chose God and worshipping him over a lie. The world was not Satan's to give.
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> 3rd, Satan will use the truth of scripture to tell a lie. That's what good liars do. They sprinkle a bit of absolute truth weaver in a lie!
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> Jesus did not argue the truth of the scripture but address the lie by using another scripture! All scripture is true and will not disagree with other scriptures.
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> The better I know scripture the better I know what the lies are.
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> Romans 6:1-2 how much sin is too much? When will grace run out? The answer is the same as Jesus gave to Satan in the desert.... Do not put The Lord your God to the test!!
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> 1 Corinthians 15:55
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> If Satan does not have power over us in death the he has no power over us at all.

Let's Make A Deal

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> Let's make a deal
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> It's in our nature that we like to make deals. We like to negotiate.
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> Sometimes we think we can bring our negotiation into our spiritual life. We think that we can compromise our convictions or the truth. We cannot negotiate with God.
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> 1 Kings 2:2-5; 3:1-10
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> Salmon compromises and makes a treaty with the king of Egypt. With his borders secure and Egypt no longer a threat in his mind he makes this compromise.
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> How often do I compromise my convictions with the intent of taking a short cut with good intentions but yet negotiating with sin.
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> A deal with sin will always one acknowledge haunts.
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> 1 Kings 7:7-8
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> Solomon is in deep. He has to keep his alliance with Egypt. Not making his Egyptian wife a priority meant risking his relationship with Egypt.
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> How quickly does one compromise sends us down the wrong path to the point that we wake up and find ourselves completely off course.
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> Sin wants more and more until it has everything!
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> 1 Kings 11:1-11
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> The little deal he made years ago is killing Solomon now! The little compromise that he made with good intentions is the thing that is tearing him away from God!
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> Solomon's life ends in ruin because of that one decision!
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> 1 Kings 11:14-18; 40
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> Egypt is the one who helps raise up a man against Solomon and Israel....leading eventually to Jeroboam who split the kingdom of Israel in two! Sin does not stop until it has everything. What we believe is a small negotiation becomes a bigger and bigger consuming compromise until it becomes the end of us!
>
> In every measurable way David was the greater sinner than his son Solomon. David committed murder, adultery...etc. The difference is that David stayed close to God and repented by changing his actions, by cutting off those compromises and realigning himself with God.

A Jesus Perspective

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> A Jesus Perspective
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> I need a Jesus perspective in my life everyday. Not just in times of trouble or despair.
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> Jesus perspective had no racism in it. No pride in one culture or race.
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> What would Jesus say to anyone who has financial problems, health problems...etc
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> Philippians 4:7
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> 5 perspectives to discuss today!
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> 1 Peter 2:11-12
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> Any crisis we face on earth does not change anything for us eternally!
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> #1 this world is not my home!
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> We need to be reminded that we live in a broken world. Our world is not meant to be perfect. We get mad and upset when bad things happen. We think that we deserve all good things!
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> #2 Everything in this life is temporary!
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> 2 Corinthians 4:18
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> Jesus understood that this life was meaningless with regards to sufferings and blessings. True blessings and peace comes only in heaven.
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> What am I investing in? What has taken priority in my life. I should not be consumed with the next 50years but the next 50,000 years which is not even true eternity!
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> #3 Putting hope in money is bad!
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> 1 Timothy 6:3-12; Matthew 6:19-24
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> #4 Focus on the blessings!
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> 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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> #5 God is our only hope and he is always with us!
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> Philippians 4:4-7
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The Truth

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> The Truth
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> Truth is disappearing! Today truth is not something we believe is absolutely true. We are conditioned to expect broken promises and half truths.
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> Mark 10:13-16
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> Jesus would always call attention to the truth..."I tell you the truth". Jesus highlighted what was important to get people's attention.
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> Jesus points out how little children receive gifts. I must receive the gift of the kingdom of God the way a child does! A child receives any gift regardless of what it is with pure joy!
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> When an adult gives a gift there is an underline responsibility to give a gift back. Adults feel a responsibility or guilt to have to earn it or repay it. Children do not feel obligated. They except the gift without guilt or compulsion!
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> Children are excited about the gifts they receive and they tell everyone about it!
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> I have received the greatest gift from the greatest giver! Am I grateful for the gift of salvation. How am I showing my gratitude?
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> Mark 10:29-31
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> I cannot out give God. My sacrifice will never earn me anything. Regardless God is going to bless me with so much more than anything I could hold on to. Letting go of what ever I am afraid to let of go is what God is asking of me. As a result God will bless me.

The Full Measure!

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> The full measure!
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> Ephesians 3:14-19
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> It was Paul's prayer that we might be filled to our full measure of Gods love! How much time do I spend praying for others?
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> Do I feel like I am filled to the full measure of God?
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> Being filled to the full measure has three requirements!
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> God power!
> God insight!
> God moment!
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> Do I want to be filled to the full measure of God? Am I tried of feeling or living half empty? God want to change me continually from the inside out.
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> Vs. 17 - it starts from the heart!
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> The world does not live for the glory of Christ...the world lives for itself! Am I living to glorify Christ or living to satisfy myself?
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> With out Gods strength we cannot have Jesus in our hearts and without Jesus in our hearts we cannot be rooted in love!
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> Pray for a God moment in my life...vs. 19-21
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Demas Syndrome

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> Demas Syndrome......scriptures on Demas.....Philemon, Colossians, 2 Timothy
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> Demas was with Paul and was noted in Philemon and Colossians as a brother of God and in the faith. In 2 Timothy Demas leaves God to chase after the world!
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> Why do we chase after the world? We want to change some circumstance. We want ideal lives. We don't need to change our circumstances but flourish in the life that we are in.
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> 1 John 2:15-17
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> The things of this world may help make you better off but it can never make better men. The world is competing for my love. God on one side and the world on the other side trying to push for my life. Either God is either pushing the world out or the world is pushing God out!
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> We are all investing in a failing company. We either buy more and more stock in the world or we realize that the earth and the things of this world will all pass away!
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> Is there anything that brings me more joy in life than my relationship with God?
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> Is there anything I'm not willing to give up for God?
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> To love perfectly means to hate perfectly! God loves perfectly and he also hates perfectly! If you really love something then your really hate anything that threatens that love!
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> If I don't hate sin then I am not loving God.
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> What is my definition for success in life? Do I value more the definition of success defined by the World?
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> I need to live on this earth with eternity in mind!
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> Everything I do on earth will either bring joy or regret!
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> Am I caught in the Demas syndrome and don't even know it?
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Why Family?

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> Why Family?
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> From the beginning "Adam and eve" two become one. Think of the power in two becoming one, united, unity....etc
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> Abraham was blessed through his children.
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> God chose to be know as the "father" of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
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> Before time even began....there was family in heaven. Father and Son in holy union. In Genesis it says " let US make man in our image."
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> Gods plan is that we have a family like his. But this does not mean that our physical family is perfect. Dysfunction is inherit in family. Our spiritual families and relationship with God is meant to fill the gap!
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> Why family....because God loves family. Family is what God compares his relationship with us and the church.
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Aim For Perfection.

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> Aim for perfection.
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> Basketball analogy....no matter how far away the basket is you aim for it. The further away the basket is the harder the shot. But I shot will never be made unless we aim for the basket!
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> Two opposing truths? Proverbs 26:4-5 for example. Faith vs deeds is another example.
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> Am I suppose to be perfect? Should I simple live my life on faith alone.
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> Matthew 5:43-48
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> Do I am for perfection in every area in my life? Aiming for perfection seems almost unchristian and works based.
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> Jesus does not call us to be perfect because he thinks we can be perfect but because without aiming for perfection we are destined to fail.
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> Am I aiming for perfection?
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> The standard is perfection and the bible has teaches the an opposing truth that when we do fail we grace is there but the standard is still perfection!
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> What is my standard and what am I aiming for?
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> 2 Corinthians 13:11
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> Every time I aim for perfection I will never reach perfection. But isn't that the point?
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> 1 John 1:5-7
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> Walking in the light does not mean that you are perfect and without sin. Walking in the light ensures that when we fall short Gods grace covers us with the blood of Jesus!
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> What areas in my life do I settle for less than perfection. Where I except "just good enough"?
>

Abraham's Faith

Genesis 12:1-20

God calls Abraham to leave everything, his home, his family and his security to go and posses a land that he didn't even know existed (from turkey to Israel). Abraham's relationship with God was founded on faith!

God doesn't always make it comfortable for us to follow him. It's not always easy to answer Gods call but through faith we can do it!

Vs ~ 10-16 Abraham trusted God when he wasn't afraid or scared. Scary situations will come up and our faith and out trust will be tested! Abraham answered Gods call through faith but his faith was shaking when things got tough. Am I allowing fear to keep me from trusting and having faith in God.

It doesn't say that God lead Abraham to Egypt. Abraham went to Egypt because of the famine. Abraham had to grow in his faith and God was his character thought these things.

Genesis 13:8-14:1-24

Abraham has grown in his faith. He gladly accepts the uncertain land and trust in God that he will take care of him and provide for him.

What Lot saw as a wise decision in choosing the path of prosperity finds himself in a desperate state. Abraham trust in God again in pursuing the men that had captured lot.

Genesis 16

Abraham goes from true belief to taking things into his own hands again by sleeping with Hanna. Abraham stopped believing that god was going to keep his word! What have I stopped believing that God can do in my life? Abraham gave up on God but God never gave up on Abraham.

Genesis 22

Hebrews 11:17-19

Abraham was able to trust God in sacrificing Isaac because impossible was more believable than to think God was not going to honor his promise! Do I trust God no matter what? Do I look for the possible or the impossible way to trust and have faith in God?!

God's Will

Wilmer McLain: refused to take part in the Civil war. He had friends on both sides. He moved up north to Virginia thinking he could escape the war. Ironically the war started in the battle of bull run that took places in the city near Mclain's plantation. McLain wanted nothing to do with war and it started in his back yard. He moved again south and he found himself in the same situation. The war ended and a deceleration of peace was signed in his house. He lost everything in his first plantation and lost everything in his second plantation as a result of the war.

We can't escape the war. I am in a spiritual battle that I cannot escape. Is Jesus Lord? Jesus is my commander and leader! Jesus has to be Lord in my life.

Joseph in the same way was giving a destiny that he did not ask for or was he seeking but he accepted Gods will for his life. To understand what Joseph went through we have to understand what it meant to marry in the Jewish culture.

1st stage included an arranged relationship. The family of the father had to pay the family of the bride. The 2nd stage was and agreement period and it was considered binding even though they were not officially married. The third stage was the actual ceremony of the wedding.

Matthew 1:18-25

Mary was pledged (2nd stage) to be married to Joseph and found to be pregnant! He was a righteous man who's character was being questioned because of Mary's pregnancy! Joseph could have abandoned Mary and totally humiliated her but chose not to! Joseph died to his pride and chose compassion instead of anger or revenge. He must have struggled with even believe Mary that she had not been unfaithful. 

In order for Joseph to for fill the will of God in his life he had to be broken. His heart had to be broken. Joseph surrendered his pride and accepted this!

Joseph surrendered his privacy! By taking Mary as his wife he subjected himself to public humiliation. Joseph life was going to public. He was to raise the messiah.

What has God asked me to surrender for him. What has been my response?

Joseph surrendered his personal priorities! What Joseph had in mind for his life had now changed.

Matthew 1:22-23

God is in control. He chose Joseph for a reason. This is what Joseph needed in his life! Through surrender Joseph was able to for fill his destiny!

Doing Gods will is not about convenience but always about sacrifice! Am I shuttling between north Virginia and south Virginia to avoid the battle?

Matthew 1:24

When Joseph woke up...time to wake up!...Joseph did what God commanded him to do! Follow God and simply do what he commands me to do!

Joseph headed over his pride, priorities and his privacy....Joseph like Jesus said not my will but your will be done with my life!

What Price Will You Pay

What Price Will You Pay?

Can we be perfect? The bible calls us to aim for perfection but can we really accomplish this. The common excuse amount men in this is the excuse that "no one is perfect". When we are challenged in sin or something in our character it is tempting to make this excuse!

James 4:4-10

What is the price that we need to pay for a relationship with God? It's our pride! We have to humble ourselves and pay that price. In that he will lift us up and give us more and more grace. In his eyes we will reach perfection through Jesus! 

Romans 6:11-14

God has something for me that my pride and my own desires can never offer me! Through humility and drawing close to God we will have the life we were meant to have!

Philippians 1:27-2:1-5

What price do you have to pay to be closer to your brothers? The same price! Through humility and only through humility can we be devoted to each other! Humility breads openness and confession! My pride holds me back!

1 Corinthians 9:19-

What price will I pay to reject the world and at the same time love people enough to win as many as possible? Paul made himself a slave. What does that mean? He refused to view himself as his own master! God was his master first and he humbled himself to consider himself a slave to all men!

This what the church should be...a tight nit group completely devoted to each other with no regard for our own but for each other!

No Limits!

No Limits!

Mark 5:1-34

How far am I willing to go for God? How far was Jesus willing to go? He was willing to leave the comfort of his home, to be poor, to suffer and eventually sacrifice his life for God.

Do I have a limit for what I would do for God? There should be no limit. When there is no limitations, we allow God to open and close doors in our lives and we allow God's will to prevail in our lives!

When we think about Jesus we typically see four types of people around Jesus. There were gatherers or watchers. There were those who followed Jesus but only at a distance. There were those who pressed in and tried to get as close to Jesus as possible to check things out and see first hand what Jesus was all about. Then there was the one who would reach out and touch Jesus! To be one with Jesus. To be connected to him! This fourth person separates themselves from the crowd!

Jesus did not respond to the followers, gatherers but always responded to the ones that reached out and touched him. No one who touched Jesus left the same person. There was change. Their life changed!

Just as Christ had no limit to what he would do for us we too should have no limits for what we would be willing to do for God!

Devotion through strength and honor!

Devotion through strength and honor!

Daniel 3:8-12

Our world is in desperate need of men who are strong emotionally and strong leaders that are willing to stand up for him regardless of the cost! A real man is willing to take responsibility for his own life, for his house hold! A real man of strength and honor know how to handle temptation and how to glorify god in everything!

God is calling me to be a real man. A spiritual man of God full of strength and honor for him!

These three men had an opportunity to fold or stand up and believe that there is a God and that he should be served with complete devotion in strength and honor! The only way that we can follow this example is by relying on God through our relationship with him. Our strength has got to come through Him!

God always blesses us when we take a stand for him! Everyone around theses guys decided to bow down and worship these Gods!

Isaiah 14:13-14

Revelations 14:6-7

Satan wanted to be God. He wants us to worship anything but God....anything!! We may not quote unquote worship satan but when we chose to worship something other than God, what is the difference? Nothing can come between me and God!

Daniel 3:13-18; 19-30

I am not going to be Satans puppet! Through temptation and sin, satan wants me to be his puppet! God is my master and I am HIS puppet! 

Even in a hopeless situation with no way...God is God and he delivers! God will not abandon me! If I was threatened to bow down, what would happen? I have to be a man that refuses to bow down! These three men new death was not the end!

The bible says that anyone who wants to live a godly life will be persecuted! Sometimes serving god their is a cost and sometimes there are hard times but I cannot forget that God is faithful! God is in control and will deliver me at some point!

When I stand up for God he will stand up for me! Men that stand up in a bowing world! A&M I willing to pay the price? Until the day I die!

Recalculating

Recalculating!

Story recently about a woman in Belgium that was following her GPS and ended up 900 miles away in Croatia lost. She blindly trusted her GPS.

A construction crew showed up and destroyed the wrong house because they had the wrong GPS coordinance!

People in life are looking for direction. What am I following? How am I going to get there? This is not a knew thing...from the beginning of time man has been looking for something to follow.

Joshua 24:14-15

Joshua at the end of his days...wants to set Israel on the right path! He gives them a choice of two different directions. Serve God or tradition! What path am I on today? It's easier sometimes to trust in our past and in traditions of our past rather than trust in God!

James 1:22-27

We have to intently look at Gods word and then DO WHAT IT SAYS! The bible is our GPS and does not recalculate. The directions that we receive is faultless and true. It will not leave us lost or uninformed!

A lot of us have our religion past down to us by our parents and regardless of what back ground we have or from where we come from. Our religion is worthless unless we live it out.

Where does what you beliefs come from? We cannot rely on anyone else for our convictions. They have to be grounded and rooted in Gods word. Spending time studying out the scriptures for our selves is the only way to accomplish this! 

Joshua 24:14-15

Am I going to serve the Gods of my past or am I going to serve The Lord? The call is the same today. Satan tries to deceive us and trick us into thinking that the way of the world has something better to offer.

1 Peter 4:1-6

These are the Gods of the land that we live in. Debauchery, greed, selfishness, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry! Satan loves to make these things exciting and glamorous.

How glamorous was the pain and damaged that these Gods have caused my family? How exciting is regret, self hate, shame, guilt and tortured souls? A life filled with these things lead only to death and destruction.

If I chose to suffer in sin the way Christ did; by putting sin to death...denying myself and taking up my cross, then sin cannot control me. I am done to it! Sin wants to in slave me.

If life to the full is not enough for me...it's not because it is not enough! It is because we are not content with what we have!

Joshua concludes..."as for me and my house we will serve The Lord!". We have to chose God because we love him, because we cannot live with out him. When we make a decision to serve God, it has an effect on the people around us. When Joshua made this decision, it impacted his house hold.

Luke 8:19-21

This was not Jesus turning his back on his family, this is an example of Jesus leading his family by example in Gods word. 

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah 40:1-16

Vs 1 ~ Jeremiah would have been carried off with the rest of Israel and yet he wasn't! God remembered Jeremiah's service and protected him. God is faithful to his servants and does not break his promises!

Vs 3-4 ~ The Babylonians knew that the fall of Jerusalem was from God. They knew that God was in control and that God had sent them to carry out his will! God had a relationship with the Babylonians!

Vs 4 ~ Through Israel's tragedy and Gods wrath, Jeremiah receives blessings! God has the power to weave blessings and curses with a single action. We have no way of knowing what God is doing....we can only trust and know that he is faithful and in all situations God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

Jeremiah 44

Jeremiah 44:1-30

Vs 2 ~ Don't take Gods discipline lightly! Remember it and allow it to remind you of the consequences of sin. Allow it to help you learn from your mistakes and avoid discipline and hardship in the future!

Vs 3 ~ Gods anger is always justified. It is always a righteous anger so accept it for what it is. We have no reason to blame God!

Vs 4-6 ~ Gods warning to Israel last over 800 years. With patience and love God tried to reason with his people. His discipline was gradual and escalated to the point of Israel's complete destruction because they refused to obey or repent!

Vs 7-11 ~ Some people will never change but yet that did not deter God from being patience, full of grace and mercy. At some point enough is enough and God will punish us for our sin but every example in the bible of this is always a case of rebellion! 

Vs 15-19 ~ Sin distorts our judgment and clouds our vision to see the truth. When we give into sin it numbs us of the truth and hardens our hearts. Stubbornness and rebellion are the sons of temptation and sin. My heart can grow just as hard if I do not put to death my sinful nature. Israel had given into spiritual immorality for so long that they were completely confused in their wickedness and perversion!

Vs 24-30 ~ What a scary thought to see men with no regard or fear of Gods authority and power. How stupid it is to even for us to fathom fighting against God. You can't do it! God will break you! Humble yourself before The Lord and submit to him as your master and you will live! The story of Israel's unfaithfulness to God and Gods reaction towards sin and rebellion should send a clear massage that my relationship to God should not be taken lightly! Everyday that I wake with breath in my lungs and life in my body will be a day that I will serve God and obey his commands!!!!

Jeremiah 39

Jeremiah 39:1-18

Vs 4 ~ You can't run from God. Zedekiah was only looking out for himself. Had he surrendered his throne he would have saved countless lives!

Vs 5 ~ God pronounced his sentence on Zedekiah through king Nebuchadnezzar!

Vs 6 ~ Zedekiah's story could have been drastically different. In Jeremiah 38:17-18...God promised Zedekiah that he and his family would live if he chose to repent and surrender to God! Zedekiah chose destruction for him and his family by not letting go and trusting God!

Vs 10 ~ All the oppressed and helpless people that God had warned the nobles of Israel to not mistreat were finally given justice! God always wants us to look out for the harassed and helpless among us. God does not turn a blind eye to thoughts who are mistreated or unfairly treated!

Vs 11-14 ~ God was faithful to Jeremiah as well. God never allowed him to die and protected him from all harm. There were hardships and Jeremiah did go through a lot of hard times as a result of doing Gods will but God never forsake him or abandoned him!

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:14-28

Vs 14 ~ why does the bible go into such great detail on things that seem to have no relevance for us today? Why does knowing the Jeremiah was brought to the third entrance of the temple of The Lord significant?

Jeremiah was known at this point to preach the truth...regardless of how his listeners would react! Why did Zedekiah feel he needed to encourage Jeremiah to tell him the truth? Maybe after being beaten and imprisoned, Zedekiah thought Jeremiah's story about what God was speaking to him would change?

Vs 17 ~ life through surrender! Is this not the choice that God presents to all of us? Surrender for Zedekiah meant giving up his kingdom. Giving up his plans for his life. Same cost that we face today in choosing God and his will for our lives.

As with us this choice of surrender not only affects us but the people around us. Zedekiah's decision to surrender would mean that his family would live!

Vs 20 ~ Obedience to God is always in our best interest. "It will go well with you" is found in multiple scriptures regarding obedience to God.

Refusing to surrender had a consequence. When we refuse to surrender to God there is also a consequence. When I rely on my own strength and try to do things my way it always ends in disaster!

Vs 24-26 ~ Jeremiah was ordered to lie by the king and he obeyed that order. Is that right? Did Jeremiah lie and disobey God because he was scared he would die? The threat of death never stopped him before from doing what was right. Was Jeremiah justified in lying before God in this case?

Devotion

New Years Midweek Service.

Devotion!

Acts 2:1-47

What better way to start off the years than with the good news of Jesus and Salvation. The whole reason we gather together is to worship God and remember the promise of God through Jesus.

As the first church was started, this is what was preached. The good news that Jesus was the son of God and that he offers salvation. The response from the early disciples were to be devoted. Devotion is the call today as well! Do you understand what devotion to God really means?

It is an unrelenting passion that does not give way. It's is really running the race and not growing weary! If you have true devotion then you will not let up. It's about attending to the one you love continually. Devotion never quits. Devotion is about loving people so much...even people that don't love you and other sending your son to die for them so that they may have salvation.

God is the ultimate example of devotion! 

Devotion cannot have two masters. You can't be devoted to Jesus and then Flirt with the world.

2 Corinthians 2:11

Jesus is not other only one that wants our devotion. Satan wants devotion as well. We have a choice. Am I going to be devoted to God and his will or to the world and its desires? Titus 3:3-15

Take movies for example: no one would go see a love story where one person is half way devoted to the other. We long for complete devotion from others. God is no different he wants complete devotion!

In Acts 2 we see that the early believers were devoted to each other as well. They stayed devoted to fellowship, the teaching, breaking of bread and to prayer and then ultimately they were devoted to God!

So why would we want to be devoted to God?

Joel 2:12

God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love! Why would you not want to be devoted to a God like this?

If I was to remove all of the convictions, courage and wisdom that God has given me in my life, over the years, where would I be today? Gods grace has been pored out on me with out measure! Genius is 6:6 says that good hurts for us and feels pain for us. Don't ever think that God does not care for us or understands what we are going through. Why not be devoted to a God like this?

There is nothing on this earth that deserves our devotion more than God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!

1 Chronicles 28:9-10

What Matters Most?

What would you run after?

Andre Johnson gives to charity every year by allowing 12 kids buy what ever they want from Toys R Us for 80 seconds.

What really matters most in my life?

Matthew 6:19-24

If I could persue anything or have anything what would it be?
There are some many things to peruse in this world...what is your heart set on? We can set our hearts on heavenly things or worldly things.

We chase after worldly things that can never truly be ours! We can not take anything with us! Our worldly possessions all will expire. We need to seek treasures in heaven!

How do you know if your are seeking treasures in heaven? I cannot store up treasures in Haven by accident. If I do not decided to store up treasures in heaven then it will never happen. Is about a choice and a decision to put more value in Godly things.

No one would ever say that they serve money and that money is there god! We justify it and mask our idolatry under the curtain of a savings account, a new card that we MUST have...ect.

A good barometer of where our heart is, is by looking at what we invest our time in. Am I investing my time to advance Gods Kingdom or am I investing in storing up treasures on earth?

Matthew 6:25-34

God warns us not to run after theses things! What things? Everything in this scripture is a need . We have legitimate needs and God knows this!

The pagans run after these things because they do not have a God to meet these needs. I serve a God that will provide these things for me! Trying to rely on my self and provide for my self by chasing after these things is a a form of atheism! With out faith it is impossible to please God!

God says seek his Kingdom first! Is there a dollar amount that would take priority over my relationship with God?

What about dating? If your single do you have faith that God will provide the man or woman that you need? It always come down to faith in God and trusting that he has our best interest at heart!

"His Kingdom and his righteousness"! Means his needs and his will before my own. It's also about Lordship. Who is Lord? I cannot serve two masters!

Seeking Gods kingdom...how often am I sharing my faith, giving to others and laying down my life for God? When we seek God first and when he is priority our life becomes what it was intended to be!