The last few weeks, we have been talking about some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
Christ’s single-mindedness and His submission to God’s will; Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life; the lifestyle of faith that Job led; the compassion for people that Christ displayed; and we talked about the importance of the words we use and the things we say.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we finish up with Believer, we are going to wrap everything we’ve been talking about into what we should truly look like as a “believer” in Jesus Christ.
Focused, submissive, dedicated, faithful, compassionate, honest and truthful; these are all very important qualities of a true believer.
But someone who is a true believer doesn’t just know about these qualities, he practices them every day.
And these are not the only things a believer practices.
A believer begins his day with God.
The commitment he has to God shows in his dependence on God.
A believer is faithful to go to God in prayer; praying, not just for himself, but for those around him.
And prayer doesn’t just end in the morning.
Prayer should be happening all day long.
I Thessalonians 5:17
pray without ceasing.
This doesn't mean you should walk around with your head bowed down all day.
It means that you should take an attitude of prayer, that when situations arise, you should pray for them.
Pray for the ambulance as it goes by; pray for accidents you see; pray for people you meet; etc.
Prayer is extremely important in the life of the believer.
Not only does a believer immerse himself in prayer, but a true believer is a dedicated student of God’s word.
II Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
A believer spends time learning about the God he serves.
Is the Bible difficult to read and understand?
It can be in some areas, but we now have so much information available to help us understand what it means that we have no excuse for not looking it up.
A believer understands that the Bible is not just a collection of stories, but real events and priceless truths about God.
The believer knows that the Bible is the only trustworthy source for truth.
And being a believer is even more than this.
It’s about live and doing everything to the glory of God.
It’s about putting Christ first in your life and allowing Him and His word to guide you in your daily life.
If you are a believer, every decision, every place you go, every word you say, everything you do; is based on your faith and what Christ would want from you.
A believer’s life is totally given over to God; and it’s not without its rewards.
Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
The creator of the entire universe is calling each of you to become more than what you are; He’s calling you to be a believer.
What do you believe?
We’ve really covered a lot of ground in the last few weeks.
And it’s easy to talk about these things and discover what it means to be a true believer, but it’s much more difficult to add these things to your life.
But becoming a true believer is the most important thing you can do in this life.
More important than finding a cure for cancer, or earning billions of dollars, why; because the things you do for God’s kingdom are eternal.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is one of the most important elements of the Jewish faith. Verse 4 is called the Shema, or Jewish confession of faith.
Verses 5-9 comprise what is known as the V’havta, meaning you shall love…, and ending with the instructions to write the words on the doorposts of their homes.
And, as a believer, that what we should be doing.
God’s word should be so important to us and indwell us so much that they are etched on the very foundation of our being.
That is at the heart of every true believer.
How can you become a true believer?
Well, it all starts with one simple step to God.
Romans 10:9-10 tells us that if confess that Jesus is God and believe that He died for our sins and rose again, we will be saved.
We will become a part of God’s kingdom.
And that is not a final step; that is the first step.
After you’ve placed your faith in Christ, He calls for you to be baptized as a step of obedience.
Then comes the part of making Him Lord of your life.
And that is a continual changing, everyday laying yourself aside and putting on Christ.
What step are you on?
If you need help with any one of these steps, please give me a call and I will be glad to help you on your journey into becoming a true believer. (1-580-370-6613)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Believer part 6
The last few weeks, we have been talking about some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
Christ’s single-mindedness and His submission to God’s will; Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life; the lifestyle of faith that Job led; the compassion for people that Christ displayed, etc.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about the speech of the believer and how the believer is to be truthful and only speak things that build up others.
In Daniel 6:1-24, we find Daniel with an extremely high position in the newly formed Medo-Persian empire.
He had been appointed as a governor over his region so that the king "would suffer no loss", meaning so that the king would not miss any tax money that he was due.
Daniel had so distinguished himself in the eyes of Darius that he had planned to make Daniel the chief governor of the realm.
That's when the other governors got jealous and began to plan a way to take Daniel down.
These governors convinced the king to establish a royal statute that for thirty days any prayers offered to anyone but the king would be thrown in a den of lions.
And of course the king, being full of himself, decides that this is a good idea and signs it into law.
According to the law, once a royal decree had been issued it could not be revoked, even by the king.
So Daniel is caught by these governors continuing to do what he had been accustomed to since his youth, praying to the One true God.
The king is then forced to send Daniel to the lion's den as according to the newly created law.
And, if you read the Scripture, you will find out how God saved Daniel from the lions.
Daniel could have lied.
He could have told King Darius that these men were making this up and proved his loyalty by bowing to the king.
The king would then have a way to deliver Daniel, and nobody gets hurt.
Nobody would be physically hurt, but Daniel’s witness would be spiritually damaged.
Apparently, the king viewed Daniel as an honorable man; a man who was faithful to his God and the kingdom.
If Daniel would have compromised his faith by lying, he would have missed out on God’s blessing as well as damaging his faith.
Just as Daniel was honorable in what he said, we must also be honorable in how we speak if we are to be a true believer.
James 3:3-12
Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
We can do many things with our bodies.
We can hit, manipulate, tear down, etc; and yet of all the damage that can be done by our bodies, the damage the tongue makes is always the most destructive.
The words you use and the way you use them can do far more than physical damage.
No other thing can cause more pain than the tongue.
Think about it in your own life, how much pain have someone else’s words caused you?
James says that this one little part of our body can defile our whole self.
We must be careful how we use our words.
Christ desires a believer to be pure in speech.
That not only includes eliminating curse words from your life, but gossip, put-downs, or anything that does not build up a person.
We should be the ones who are honoring and encouraging people with the way we speak.
That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take a stand for Christ when necessary, but as we stand for Christ we shouldn’t be destroying others.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Every word that comes out of the believers’ mouth should be helpful.
Helpful to encourage, love, honor, and sometimes even to correct in a loving manner.
Everything you say needs to be wholesome; an easy thing to say but not such an easy thing to practice.
So, how do you change the way you speak so that your words are wholesome?
Below are some tips to help you use wholesome speech:
Tips for Having/Using Wholesome Speech
1. Set up a foul word system (1 cent for curse words; 5 cents for gossip; etc.).
2. Accountability.
3. Find words you can use to replace unwholesome words.
4. Exclude yourself from the dirty jokes/gossip.
Turn your life over to God and use your words in a SAFE manner.
Are you a true believer yet?
Christ’s single-mindedness and His submission to God’s will; Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life; the lifestyle of faith that Job led; the compassion for people that Christ displayed, etc.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about the speech of the believer and how the believer is to be truthful and only speak things that build up others.
In Daniel 6:1-24, we find Daniel with an extremely high position in the newly formed Medo-Persian empire.
He had been appointed as a governor over his region so that the king "would suffer no loss", meaning so that the king would not miss any tax money that he was due.
Daniel had so distinguished himself in the eyes of Darius that he had planned to make Daniel the chief governor of the realm.
That's when the other governors got jealous and began to plan a way to take Daniel down.
These governors convinced the king to establish a royal statute that for thirty days any prayers offered to anyone but the king would be thrown in a den of lions.
And of course the king, being full of himself, decides that this is a good idea and signs it into law.
According to the law, once a royal decree had been issued it could not be revoked, even by the king.
So Daniel is caught by these governors continuing to do what he had been accustomed to since his youth, praying to the One true God.
The king is then forced to send Daniel to the lion's den as according to the newly created law.
And, if you read the Scripture, you will find out how God saved Daniel from the lions.
Daniel could have lied.
He could have told King Darius that these men were making this up and proved his loyalty by bowing to the king.
The king would then have a way to deliver Daniel, and nobody gets hurt.
Nobody would be physically hurt, but Daniel’s witness would be spiritually damaged.
Apparently, the king viewed Daniel as an honorable man; a man who was faithful to his God and the kingdom.
If Daniel would have compromised his faith by lying, he would have missed out on God’s blessing as well as damaging his faith.
Just as Daniel was honorable in what he said, we must also be honorable in how we speak if we are to be a true believer.
James 3:3-12
Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
We can do many things with our bodies.
We can hit, manipulate, tear down, etc; and yet of all the damage that can be done by our bodies, the damage the tongue makes is always the most destructive.
The words you use and the way you use them can do far more than physical damage.
No other thing can cause more pain than the tongue.
Think about it in your own life, how much pain have someone else’s words caused you?
James says that this one little part of our body can defile our whole self.
We must be careful how we use our words.
Christ desires a believer to be pure in speech.
That not only includes eliminating curse words from your life, but gossip, put-downs, or anything that does not build up a person.
We should be the ones who are honoring and encouraging people with the way we speak.
That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take a stand for Christ when necessary, but as we stand for Christ we shouldn’t be destroying others.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Every word that comes out of the believers’ mouth should be helpful.
Helpful to encourage, love, honor, and sometimes even to correct in a loving manner.
Everything you say needs to be wholesome; an easy thing to say but not such an easy thing to practice.
So, how do you change the way you speak so that your words are wholesome?
Below are some tips to help you use wholesome speech:
Tips for Having/Using Wholesome Speech
1. Set up a foul word system (1 cent for curse words; 5 cents for gossip; etc.).
2. Accountability.
3. Find words you can use to replace unwholesome words.
4. Exclude yourself from the dirty jokes/gossip.
Turn your life over to God and use your words in a SAFE manner.
Are you a true believer yet?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Believer part 5
The last few weeks, we have been talking about some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
Christ’s single-mindedness and His submission to God’s will; Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life; the lifestyle of faith that Job led.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about the heart of the believer and how the believer is concerned about the people around him.
Read John 11:1-44
Throughout the New Testament, we find Jesus’ compassion and love for people.
Here, we see that Jesus was genuinely concerned for Lazarus, he wept.
And for most of us, we might think that a little bit odd.
I mean, why was Jesus sad?
He knew that He had the power to raise him from the dead.
Jesus was not only concerned about Lazarus, He was concerned about the pain of His friends and their lack of faith in Him.
Look at Mary’s comment in verse 32, she failed to see Him as Lord over death.
But Jesus was troubled by their pain.
How many of you are troubled by other people’s pain?
As a believer in Christ, we should be concerned about the things that other people are going through and have a heart of compassion.
We have got to have compassion for people if we are ever to see them come to Christ.
Look at the life of Christ.
Christ had a heart for people; that’s why they flocked to Him.
We need to have that same compassion.
Nobody wants to be around someone who they think is uncompassionate.
I know this Pastor who sometimes asks about my well-being.
I’ll tell him what’s going on, then he says “I’m sorry” and changes the subject.
He puts an outward appearance of caring for me, but in reality, he doesn’t care for me at all.
Someone with true compassion not only cares to ask, but finds ways to help and pray with and for people.
There is a man in our church named Tim.
He is one of the best examples that I know of on compassion.
When you talk to Tim, he is genuinely concerned about you.
We went to lunch together at one of the local resturants.
As we walked in, all the employees said "hi" to him and were so friendly.
Tim talked to each of them and was truly compassionate toward each of them.
Tim also invited one of the guys to church on Sunday.
And this is not a rare action for Tim.
Tim lives like this everyday.
Tim is not a guy who is afraid to pray for you or talk to you.
That’s the way we need to be.
If we truly want to be a follower of Christ, we have to have a heart like Christ as well.
Tips for Being a Compassionate Believer
1. Ask God to give you a heart of compassion.
2. Look for opportunities that come your way.
3. Realize that you can’t solve everyone’s problems, but Christ can.
4. Listen to not only what people are saying, but how they are saying it.
5. Follow up with that person.
6. Include them in your prayer list.
Who do you need to show kindness and compassion to in your life?
Christ’s single-mindedness and His submission to God’s will; Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life; the lifestyle of faith that Job led.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about the heart of the believer and how the believer is concerned about the people around him.
Read John 11:1-44
Throughout the New Testament, we find Jesus’ compassion and love for people.
Here, we see that Jesus was genuinely concerned for Lazarus, he wept.
And for most of us, we might think that a little bit odd.
I mean, why was Jesus sad?
He knew that He had the power to raise him from the dead.
Jesus was not only concerned about Lazarus, He was concerned about the pain of His friends and their lack of faith in Him.
Look at Mary’s comment in verse 32, she failed to see Him as Lord over death.
But Jesus was troubled by their pain.
How many of you are troubled by other people’s pain?
As a believer in Christ, we should be concerned about the things that other people are going through and have a heart of compassion.
We have got to have compassion for people if we are ever to see them come to Christ.
Look at the life of Christ.
Christ had a heart for people; that’s why they flocked to Him.
We need to have that same compassion.
Nobody wants to be around someone who they think is uncompassionate.
I know this Pastor who sometimes asks about my well-being.
I’ll tell him what’s going on, then he says “I’m sorry” and changes the subject.
He puts an outward appearance of caring for me, but in reality, he doesn’t care for me at all.
Someone with true compassion not only cares to ask, but finds ways to help and pray with and for people.
There is a man in our church named Tim.
He is one of the best examples that I know of on compassion.
When you talk to Tim, he is genuinely concerned about you.
We went to lunch together at one of the local resturants.
As we walked in, all the employees said "hi" to him and were so friendly.
Tim talked to each of them and was truly compassionate toward each of them.
Tim also invited one of the guys to church on Sunday.
And this is not a rare action for Tim.
Tim lives like this everyday.
Tim is not a guy who is afraid to pray for you or talk to you.
That’s the way we need to be.
If we truly want to be a follower of Christ, we have to have a heart like Christ as well.
Tips for Being a Compassionate Believer
1. Ask God to give you a heart of compassion.
2. Look for opportunities that come your way.
3. Realize that you can’t solve everyone’s problems, but Christ can.
4. Listen to not only what people are saying, but how they are saying it.
5. Follow up with that person.
6. Include them in your prayer list.
Who do you need to show kindness and compassion to in your life?
Believer part 4
Two weeks ago, we talked about Christ and His single-mindedness.
That Christ was completely focused on the will of God.
And we also saw that Christ was completely submissive to God’s will in His own life.
Last week we looked at Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life.
And we talked about how we could be dedicated to God in the areas of our family and in what we do every day.
These are some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about our lifestyle and whether it matches God’s plan for us or our own plan.
Read Job 1:1-22
Job was a guy who was known for his love and commitment to God.
People knew it; God knew it.
Look at the way he lived his life.
He was called a blameless and upright man; a man that no one could charge with anything.
Could people call you blameless and upright?
From what the Scripture claims, no one could go up to Job and say things like:
You lied
You cheated me
You gossiped
You drank, smoked, did drugs, etc.
You treated me bad
Job was blameless; from what the Scriptures suggests is that he may have been the closest to being like Christ.
Job lived a life that honored God.
And not only was Job concerned about his life with God, but he was concerned for his family as well.
He took extra precautions just in case one of them sinned without meaning to.
What a great guy!!
Job was the type of guy you want praying for you.
And really Job wasn’t anything special; we are supposed to be like that too.
When people look at our lives, they should see those things as well.
Tonight, we are going to look into our lives and discover ways to live our lives like Job lived his.
If there was anyone you would want to be like in Scripture it should be Job.
He was the greatest guy on the planet in his day.
Wouldn’t that be cool; to have God call you the greatest guy on the Earth?
It was all about how Job lived his life.
Look at him; even in the most difficult time of his life, he is still committed to God.
It says in everything that went on, Job did not sin.
Do you understand that? Do you know what sin is?
The word sin literally means to miss the mark.
In all that went on, Job did not miss the mark on God’s design for the way we live our life.
Job gives us a perfect example for us on our life as well.
Well, we can easily see that this man was a great man of God, but how can we get there as well?
Tips for Changing your Life for Christ
1. Accountability- Find someone to hold you accountable. It’s easy to turn away from your commitment to God when nobody knows about it.
2. Don’t stop- If you mess up, don’t give up.
3. Destination- Set goals. If you never decide on where you want to be, you’ll never be there.
4. Start gradually- It takes time to change your habits and time to grow.
5. Undo- Remove ungodly distractions and relationships from your life.
6. Pray- Prayer is the key. If you don’t have God’s help, then whose help do you have?
It all ADDS UP!! Practicing these things will help you to develop a Godly lifestyle for your life.
What are some areas of your life that you need to change to be conformed to God?
What are some steps that you need to take to get it there?
That Christ was completely focused on the will of God.
And we also saw that Christ was completely submissive to God’s will in His own life.
Last week we looked at Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life.
And we talked about how we could be dedicated to God in the areas of our family and in what we do every day.
These are some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to be talking about our lifestyle and whether it matches God’s plan for us or our own plan.
Read Job 1:1-22
Job was a guy who was known for his love and commitment to God.
People knew it; God knew it.
Look at the way he lived his life.
He was called a blameless and upright man; a man that no one could charge with anything.
Could people call you blameless and upright?
From what the Scripture claims, no one could go up to Job and say things like:
You lied
You cheated me
You gossiped
You drank, smoked, did drugs, etc.
You treated me bad
Job was blameless; from what the Scriptures suggests is that he may have been the closest to being like Christ.
Job lived a life that honored God.
And not only was Job concerned about his life with God, but he was concerned for his family as well.
He took extra precautions just in case one of them sinned without meaning to.
What a great guy!!
Job was the type of guy you want praying for you.
And really Job wasn’t anything special; we are supposed to be like that too.
When people look at our lives, they should see those things as well.
Tonight, we are going to look into our lives and discover ways to live our lives like Job lived his.
If there was anyone you would want to be like in Scripture it should be Job.
He was the greatest guy on the planet in his day.
Wouldn’t that be cool; to have God call you the greatest guy on the Earth?
It was all about how Job lived his life.
Look at him; even in the most difficult time of his life, he is still committed to God.
It says in everything that went on, Job did not sin.
Do you understand that? Do you know what sin is?
The word sin literally means to miss the mark.
In all that went on, Job did not miss the mark on God’s design for the way we live our life.
Job gives us a perfect example for us on our life as well.
Well, we can easily see that this man was a great man of God, but how can we get there as well?
Tips for Changing your Life for Christ
1. Accountability- Find someone to hold you accountable. It’s easy to turn away from your commitment to God when nobody knows about it.
2. Don’t stop- If you mess up, don’t give up.
3. Destination- Set goals. If you never decide on where you want to be, you’ll never be there.
4. Start gradually- It takes time to change your habits and time to grow.
5. Undo- Remove ungodly distractions and relationships from your life.
6. Pray- Prayer is the key. If you don’t have God’s help, then whose help do you have?
It all ADDS UP!! Practicing these things will help you to develop a Godly lifestyle for your life.
What are some areas of your life that you need to change to be conformed to God?
What are some steps that you need to take to get it there?
Believer part 3
Last week we talked about Christ and His single-mindedness.
That Christ was completely focused on the will of God.
And we also saw that Christ was completely submissive to God’s will in His own life.
These are some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to look at Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life.
Read Genesis 37:1-36
What a way to get started as a young man.
How would you feel after something like this happened?
Bitter, angry, depressed, etc.
I’m sure that Joseph felt all those things, but he didn’t allow those things to ruin his life.
Sure, he could have been bitter at the world, but I think that Joseph knew that God was in control and that all he needed to do was to be faithful to God’s plan.
Joseph’s life was not a cake walk.
Things were not easy for him, especially as he was growing up.
Joseph was a man who was dedicated to the things that God brought him in life, no matter what they were.
Joseph could have whined and pouted about how his brothers had sold him into slavery, but he didn’t .
He chose to make the best of the situation by being a strong, dedicated worker in his master’s house.
Joseph could have spit and cussed about being falsely accused by his master’s wife.
But he chose to be an honorable, trustworthy prisoner who assisted the jailor just as he had Potiphar.
Joseph gives us an incredible example of being dedicated to where he was.
And that example needs to be visible in the lives of each and every believer.
People should see our faith in the way we talk, in the way we live, in the places we go, and even in how we work.
Colossians 3:23
Everything we do should be done as if we are doing it for Christ Himself.
That means you should do your homework as you are doing it for Christ.
You should work on your job as if Christ was your boss.
You should treat your family with honor and respect as you would if Christ was your mother, father, sister, or brother.
Doing so shows the that you are ready and willing to follow the will of God in your life.
How to be a Good Family Member
1. Be ready and willing to help in any area.
2. Communicate, don’t pout.
3. Don’t say or do things to put down other family members.
4. Honor your father and mother.
5. Tell each of your family members you love them at least once a day.
6. Comfort family members when they are hurt or down.
7. Pray for each family member every day.
How to be a Good Worker:
1. Show up for the task 10-15 minutes early.
2. Come prepared for the task.
3. Don’t complain.
4. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Find something to always stay occupied.
5. Volunteer for duties when needed.
6. Don’t bad mouth the task, the job, the business, or the people you work with.
7. Follow Colossians 3:23
How can you show Christ in the following areas: school work, attitude, on your job, with your friends, in public, at home?
That Christ was completely focused on the will of God.
And we also saw that Christ was completely submissive to God’s will in His own life.
These are some of the most basic, and most important, traits of a believer.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight as we continue to dig down into this believer idea, we are going to look at Joseph and his dedication to God’s will and his dedication to the things that God put in his life.
Read Genesis 37:1-36
What a way to get started as a young man.
How would you feel after something like this happened?
Bitter, angry, depressed, etc.
I’m sure that Joseph felt all those things, but he didn’t allow those things to ruin his life.
Sure, he could have been bitter at the world, but I think that Joseph knew that God was in control and that all he needed to do was to be faithful to God’s plan.
Joseph’s life was not a cake walk.
Things were not easy for him, especially as he was growing up.
Joseph was a man who was dedicated to the things that God brought him in life, no matter what they were.
Joseph could have whined and pouted about how his brothers had sold him into slavery, but he didn’t .
He chose to make the best of the situation by being a strong, dedicated worker in his master’s house.
Joseph could have spit and cussed about being falsely accused by his master’s wife.
But he chose to be an honorable, trustworthy prisoner who assisted the jailor just as he had Potiphar.
Joseph gives us an incredible example of being dedicated to where he was.
And that example needs to be visible in the lives of each and every believer.
People should see our faith in the way we talk, in the way we live, in the places we go, and even in how we work.
Colossians 3:23
Everything we do should be done as if we are doing it for Christ Himself.
That means you should do your homework as you are doing it for Christ.
You should work on your job as if Christ was your boss.
You should treat your family with honor and respect as you would if Christ was your mother, father, sister, or brother.
Doing so shows the that you are ready and willing to follow the will of God in your life.
How to be a Good Family Member
1. Be ready and willing to help in any area.
2. Communicate, don’t pout.
3. Don’t say or do things to put down other family members.
4. Honor your father and mother.
5. Tell each of your family members you love them at least once a day.
6. Comfort family members when they are hurt or down.
7. Pray for each family member every day.
How to be a Good Worker:
1. Show up for the task 10-15 minutes early.
2. Come prepared for the task.
3. Don’t complain.
4. Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. Find something to always stay occupied.
5. Volunteer for duties when needed.
6. Don’t bad mouth the task, the job, the business, or the people you work with.
7. Follow Colossians 3:23
How can you show Christ in the following areas: school work, attitude, on your job, with your friends, in public, at home?
Believer part 2
Tonight, we are continuing to shift our focus to what a person looks like who believes in Jesus Christ.
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight, we look at our focus.
There are many things and many people in this life that want our focus.
For instance, for most of you right now, school wants your focus.
Sports, band, music companies, your job, etc. all want you to take your focus and put it on them.
Why, because something is in it for them.
There are very few things that want your focus without any glory for itself other than God.
And there is nothing that will be more rewarding than putting your focus on Him.
And as we discuss this topic tonight, we are going to look into the example that was left for us and how we can focus our life around Christ.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday.
It was a celebration of the day that Christ entered Jerusalem a week before He was to be crucified.
John 12:12-16
When we look at being focused and single-minded, we have to look at Christ.
Jesus was the single most focused individual in all of history.
He was so singly focused on God’s will and plan that He was willing to die.
Let’s look at some examples of Christ’s focus.
John 17:1-5
John 18:1-11
John 6:38
If I told you that when you go home tonight that someone was going to come and take your life, what would you do?
What if I told you that it was part of God’s plan, how would you feel?
What if I told you that by that happening, you would save the lives of those you love?
Jesus knew that He was going to die.
He knew when He stepped into Jerusalem that, even though the people were cheering for Him now, within a week He would be crucified.
So why did He continue on this path, because it was His Father’s will.
He was so focused on the will of God that His life did not matter to Him.
Such should be our attitude as well.
How can we have this type of attitude?
Until we realize that the things of this world are temporary, we will never be able to understand the eternal things of God.
It’s all about a readjustment.
It’s about choosing the best things instead of the things that are comfortable.
It’s about making a decision on your choices before they come up.
If we are going to be focused on God, we have to know what God says about certain things in our life.
About sex, gossip, friendship, lying, stealing, murder, cuss words, your witness, etc.
Being focused on God takes more than one day or one time planning.
You have to meet with Him daily about your life and how He wants you to live it.
Right now, I want you to take some time in your journals and make a list of the decisions you’re facing in your life right now.
How can those decisions be Christ focused decisions?
If we are to truly become that person who walks with Christ, there are areas that we must either add to or change in our lives.
Tonight, we look at our focus.
There are many things and many people in this life that want our focus.
For instance, for most of you right now, school wants your focus.
Sports, band, music companies, your job, etc. all want you to take your focus and put it on them.
Why, because something is in it for them.
There are very few things that want your focus without any glory for itself other than God.
And there is nothing that will be more rewarding than putting your focus on Him.
And as we discuss this topic tonight, we are going to look into the example that was left for us and how we can focus our life around Christ.
Last Sunday was Palm Sunday.
It was a celebration of the day that Christ entered Jerusalem a week before He was to be crucified.
John 12:12-16
When we look at being focused and single-minded, we have to look at Christ.
Jesus was the single most focused individual in all of history.
He was so singly focused on God’s will and plan that He was willing to die.
Let’s look at some examples of Christ’s focus.
John 17:1-5
John 18:1-11
John 6:38
If I told you that when you go home tonight that someone was going to come and take your life, what would you do?
What if I told you that it was part of God’s plan, how would you feel?
What if I told you that by that happening, you would save the lives of those you love?
Jesus knew that He was going to die.
He knew when He stepped into Jerusalem that, even though the people were cheering for Him now, within a week He would be crucified.
So why did He continue on this path, because it was His Father’s will.
He was so focused on the will of God that His life did not matter to Him.
Such should be our attitude as well.
How can we have this type of attitude?
Until we realize that the things of this world are temporary, we will never be able to understand the eternal things of God.
It’s all about a readjustment.
It’s about choosing the best things instead of the things that are comfortable.
It’s about making a decision on your choices before they come up.
If we are going to be focused on God, we have to know what God says about certain things in our life.
About sex, gossip, friendship, lying, stealing, murder, cuss words, your witness, etc.
Being focused on God takes more than one day or one time planning.
You have to meet with Him daily about your life and how He wants you to live it.
Right now, I want you to take some time in your journals and make a list of the decisions you’re facing in your life right now.
How can those decisions be Christ focused decisions?
Believer part 1
Believe; we’ve been talking about Believe for quite a while now.
We’ve looked at some things that we can believe in and some areas where we need to change our lives.
Some of you have even accountability groups to hold each other accountable for your actions.
So, now what?
Where do we go from here?
Do we just believe in these things and that’s it?
Well tonight, we start a new twist into our concept of Believe.
As we continue to strive to place our lives under the authority of Christ, we are going to add one letter to our Believe, an “r”; Believer.
As we’ve looked at some things that we can believe in, we now want to shift our focus what a person looks like who believes in Jesus Christ.
How do they live their life; how do they make decisions; how do they stay strong; etc?
These are the issues that we are going to tackle.
Living your life for Christ is more than just a belief, it’s a change.
Merriam Webster’s dictionary says that the word “believer”, means to be astounded at; do you know what that means?
It means filled with amazement, surprise, bewilderment, or wonder.
Truly, those disciples who walked with Christ were true believers because they were constantly filled with amazement at Christ.
Mark 10:32
Luke 4:36
Mark 6:51
On and on; the disciples were amazed by Christ.
The feeding of the four thousand and the five thousand, bringing back the dead to life, walking on water, healing the sick, turning water into wine, and the way and the authority in which Christ taught amazed them.
The disciples became believers because they were filled with wonder and surprise because they knew that what they had seen was real.
They knew that the Man before them was the living Son of God, and they were amazed.
And that amazement and belief in Christ caused these men and women to align their lives after His teachings.
And these people give us a perfect example how to be a believer.
There is more to this “Christian thing” than just coming to church.
It’s about taking your life and placing it in the hands and under the authority of God.
It’s about:
-Changing your thought patterns (Single-minded)
-Having a desire to know more about Him (Studious)
-Being faithful, honest, and trustworthy (Faithful)
-Showing Christ in everything you do (Work Ethic)
-Living a consistent life (Lifestyle)
-Submitting your whole self to God’s control (Submissive)
-Being faithful with what God has given you (Stewardship)
Over the next few weeks, we are going to be talking about these things and determining how to add these attributes to our lives.
I Corinthians 11:1
Paul was changed by Christ.
Just as Paul imitated Christ, we are to imitate Christ and pass His truths on to others.
As we begin this journey, we’re going to make journals.
In these journals, I want you to write your prayers, thoughts, struggles, praises, and Scriptures that mean something to you.
And tonight, we are going to practice.
(Read the following Scripture and write out what it means to you.)
I Corinthians 9:19-27
We’ve looked at some things that we can believe in and some areas where we need to change our lives.
Some of you have even accountability groups to hold each other accountable for your actions.
So, now what?
Where do we go from here?
Do we just believe in these things and that’s it?
Well tonight, we start a new twist into our concept of Believe.
As we continue to strive to place our lives under the authority of Christ, we are going to add one letter to our Believe, an “r”; Believer.
As we’ve looked at some things that we can believe in, we now want to shift our focus what a person looks like who believes in Jesus Christ.
How do they live their life; how do they make decisions; how do they stay strong; etc?
These are the issues that we are going to tackle.
Living your life for Christ is more than just a belief, it’s a change.
Merriam Webster’s dictionary says that the word “believer”, means to be astounded at; do you know what that means?
It means filled with amazement, surprise, bewilderment, or wonder.
Truly, those disciples who walked with Christ were true believers because they were constantly filled with amazement at Christ.
Mark 10:32
Luke 4:36
Mark 6:51
On and on; the disciples were amazed by Christ.
The feeding of the four thousand and the five thousand, bringing back the dead to life, walking on water, healing the sick, turning water into wine, and the way and the authority in which Christ taught amazed them.
The disciples became believers because they were filled with wonder and surprise because they knew that what they had seen was real.
They knew that the Man before them was the living Son of God, and they were amazed.
And that amazement and belief in Christ caused these men and women to align their lives after His teachings.
And these people give us a perfect example how to be a believer.
There is more to this “Christian thing” than just coming to church.
It’s about taking your life and placing it in the hands and under the authority of God.
It’s about:
-Changing your thought patterns (Single-minded)
-Having a desire to know more about Him (Studious)
-Being faithful, honest, and trustworthy (Faithful)
-Showing Christ in everything you do (Work Ethic)
-Living a consistent life (Lifestyle)
-Submitting your whole self to God’s control (Submissive)
-Being faithful with what God has given you (Stewardship)
Over the next few weeks, we are going to be talking about these things and determining how to add these attributes to our lives.
I Corinthians 11:1
Paul was changed by Christ.
Just as Paul imitated Christ, we are to imitate Christ and pass His truths on to others.
As we begin this journey, we’re going to make journals.
In these journals, I want you to write your prayers, thoughts, struggles, praises, and Scriptures that mean something to you.
And tonight, we are going to practice.
(Read the following Scripture and write out what it means to you.)
I Corinthians 9:19-27
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Believe part 4
Tonight, we are continuing our study of Believe.
The last three weeks we have been talking about God and the evidence that God exists, the truth of His word, and the things that we place in our lives that hinder our relationship with Him.
Last week was really difficult as I asked you to share those things in your life that keep you from making Christ the Lord of your life with someone else.
Has it helped? Did you hold each other accountable?
It’s difficult to change, why because it takes constant action.
Most of the time, we make a decision to change and never follow through with it.
Change takes dedication, but we are not alone in changing our life for Christ.
If we were alone in this, no one would be able to do it.
We, by ourselves, can never correctly change our lives for Christ.
That’s why Christ takes us as we are; we could never do it without Him.
Christ is not asking you to come to Him with your life all straightened out.
We can’t do it and He is the only one who can straighten it out for us.
Christ has promised that He will be with us and help us move closer to Him.
Many people make the mistake of believing that Christ could never change them because they’ve made too many mistakes or that they’re too messed up.
But Christ is the only one who can really make us right, so we have to go to Him.
But it takes us deciding to turn to Him and let Him take control.
Tonight, we are going to develop strategies and map out how we can make a permanent change for Christ in lives.
James 5:16
Last week, I asked you to do an extremely difficult thing.
I asked you picked someone to share your most private sins with; those things that keep you from letting Christ be the Lord of your life.
Last week, you made a confession that there were things in your life that displeased God.
That was an extremely bold step, but can we make a permanent change in those areas to get rid of that behavior altogether?
I believe the answer is yes.
I believe we can change with help of Christ and the help of other Christian believers.
Tonight, I’m challenging you to change.
I want you to pick someone to be your accountability partner for one month.
You an your accountibility partner should agree to meet or talk at least once a week for the month of March 2009.
You need to agree to share everything in your life with this person and be totally honest with your life.
You should share your struggles, your failures, and your hopes.
You should not hide any part of your life.
You should also read your Bible daily and attend church services as best as you are able to.
You should pray daily for your partner and his or her struggles and dreams.
It's an agreement you make between God, your partner, and yourself.
Doing this will help hold you accountable for your life in Christ.
I believe we can change for Christ, what do you believe?
The last three weeks we have been talking about God and the evidence that God exists, the truth of His word, and the things that we place in our lives that hinder our relationship with Him.
Last week was really difficult as I asked you to share those things in your life that keep you from making Christ the Lord of your life with someone else.
Has it helped? Did you hold each other accountable?
It’s difficult to change, why because it takes constant action.
Most of the time, we make a decision to change and never follow through with it.
Change takes dedication, but we are not alone in changing our life for Christ.
If we were alone in this, no one would be able to do it.
We, by ourselves, can never correctly change our lives for Christ.
That’s why Christ takes us as we are; we could never do it without Him.
Christ is not asking you to come to Him with your life all straightened out.
We can’t do it and He is the only one who can straighten it out for us.
Christ has promised that He will be with us and help us move closer to Him.
Many people make the mistake of believing that Christ could never change them because they’ve made too many mistakes or that they’re too messed up.
But Christ is the only one who can really make us right, so we have to go to Him.
But it takes us deciding to turn to Him and let Him take control.
Tonight, we are going to develop strategies and map out how we can make a permanent change for Christ in lives.
James 5:16
Last week, I asked you to do an extremely difficult thing.
I asked you picked someone to share your most private sins with; those things that keep you from letting Christ be the Lord of your life.
Last week, you made a confession that there were things in your life that displeased God.
That was an extremely bold step, but can we make a permanent change in those areas to get rid of that behavior altogether?
I believe the answer is yes.
I believe we can change with help of Christ and the help of other Christian believers.
Tonight, I’m challenging you to change.
I want you to pick someone to be your accountability partner for one month.
You an your accountibility partner should agree to meet or talk at least once a week for the month of March 2009.
You need to agree to share everything in your life with this person and be totally honest with your life.
You should share your struggles, your failures, and your hopes.
You should not hide any part of your life.
You should also read your Bible daily and attend church services as best as you are able to.
You should pray daily for your partner and his or her struggles and dreams.
It's an agreement you make between God, your partner, and yourself.
Doing this will help hold you accountable for your life in Christ.
I believe we can change for Christ, what do you believe?
Believe part 3
We are continuing our study of Believe.
The last two weeks we have been talking about God and the evidence that God exists.
Evidence of God is found in nature, in science, and in logic.
The fact that life exists at all is a testament to some kind of intelligent creator, and we know that creator to be God.
Last week, we talked about His Word and the fact that it is as true today as when it was first written.
Tonight, we are going to look into the truth of what we believe and see if that belief matches the way we live.
Most of us in this room have a strong opinion of what we believe.
Nothing you do can change our mind; we believe what we believe because we want to believe it.
But really how much do we believe it?
Is it just about having some stubborn belief system, or is about a life transforming belief that changes our inner being?
You say you believe in God and His word; it’s the truth, you say.
If that’s true then why don’t we follow Him?
Why don’t we do what He commands us?
John 14:15
If you have been changed by Christ, you are a new creation. (II Corinthians 5:17)
We are not to continue doing the same sins we used to do.
We are to take off the old man and put on the new man.
Ephesians 4:17-24
We are to stop living like the rest of the world and start living the way Christ has called us to live.
Some of you may think that I don’t know what’s going on.
I know what many of you are involved in.
Drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, etc.
Just the other day I had a parent come to me and share that they had caught their child involved in alcohol, smoking, sex, and lying.
They had taught their child the truth of Christ and the child claims to be a believer, but is still holding on to the things of this world.
The reality of these things is that they lead to death, a poor witness, and pain in the life of everyone involved.
Christ has called you to be different!!
He did not hang broken and naked on a cross so that you can live however you want.
He died to give you real life, not the life of this world.
If you have given Christ your life, sin is to be dead to you!
Romans 6:1-14
We are to put to death those things in our life that are not of God.
Sexual immorality, drugs, alcohol, lying, cheating, gossiping, etc.
Those types of things should be dead in our lives.
If we are going to say that we believe in God, it should be more than in word.
It has to be shown that we believe in God by the very actions of our life.
Our problem is that when we ask Christ into our heart, we too often fail to make Him Lord of our life.
We don’t want to give anyone else the throne of our lives.
So, instead of putting off the old man and keeping him off, we keep trying to put him back on again.
We keep trying to do these things that are unholy and claim to be a follower of God.
Christ tells us not only to make these sins dead in our lives, but to avoid even the appearance of evil. (I Thessalonians 5:22)
Tonight, I want to give you an opportunity to respond to this call of God upon our lives.
I want you to list those sins in your life that are keeping you from making Christ the Lord of your life.
And once you have made this list, I want you to find someone and share your list with them to help hold you accountable.
This maybe the hardest thing anyone has ever asked you to do.
Then, we are going to burn the lists in two weeks.
The question is, what do you believe?
The last two weeks we have been talking about God and the evidence that God exists.
Evidence of God is found in nature, in science, and in logic.
The fact that life exists at all is a testament to some kind of intelligent creator, and we know that creator to be God.
Last week, we talked about His Word and the fact that it is as true today as when it was first written.
Tonight, we are going to look into the truth of what we believe and see if that belief matches the way we live.
Most of us in this room have a strong opinion of what we believe.
Nothing you do can change our mind; we believe what we believe because we want to believe it.
But really how much do we believe it?
Is it just about having some stubborn belief system, or is about a life transforming belief that changes our inner being?
You say you believe in God and His word; it’s the truth, you say.
If that’s true then why don’t we follow Him?
Why don’t we do what He commands us?
John 14:15
If you have been changed by Christ, you are a new creation. (II Corinthians 5:17)
We are not to continue doing the same sins we used to do.
We are to take off the old man and put on the new man.
Ephesians 4:17-24
We are to stop living like the rest of the world and start living the way Christ has called us to live.
Some of you may think that I don’t know what’s going on.
I know what many of you are involved in.
Drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, etc.
Just the other day I had a parent come to me and share that they had caught their child involved in alcohol, smoking, sex, and lying.
They had taught their child the truth of Christ and the child claims to be a believer, but is still holding on to the things of this world.
The reality of these things is that they lead to death, a poor witness, and pain in the life of everyone involved.
Christ has called you to be different!!
He did not hang broken and naked on a cross so that you can live however you want.
He died to give you real life, not the life of this world.
If you have given Christ your life, sin is to be dead to you!
Romans 6:1-14
We are to put to death those things in our life that are not of God.
Sexual immorality, drugs, alcohol, lying, cheating, gossiping, etc.
Those types of things should be dead in our lives.
If we are going to say that we believe in God, it should be more than in word.
It has to be shown that we believe in God by the very actions of our life.
Our problem is that when we ask Christ into our heart, we too often fail to make Him Lord of our life.
We don’t want to give anyone else the throne of our lives.
So, instead of putting off the old man and keeping him off, we keep trying to put him back on again.
We keep trying to do these things that are unholy and claim to be a follower of God.
Christ tells us not only to make these sins dead in our lives, but to avoid even the appearance of evil. (I Thessalonians 5:22)
Tonight, I want to give you an opportunity to respond to this call of God upon our lives.
I want you to list those sins in your life that are keeping you from making Christ the Lord of your life.
And once you have made this list, I want you to find someone and share your list with them to help hold you accountable.
This maybe the hardest thing anyone has ever asked you to do.
Then, we are going to burn the lists in two weeks.
The question is, what do you believe?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Believe, part 2
Tonight, we are continuing to look at “believe”.
As people, we believe a lot of things and not all the things we believe in are true or real.
People once believed that the earth was flat.
We now know that belief was false.
When cars were first created, some people believed that if you went over 60 miles an hour, you would die.
We know that belief was wrong as well.
And there are some things that we say we believe that we believe in word only.
One of the definitions of the word “believe” is to have a strong convection of.
Now, there are a lot of things that sound believable, but do we have that kind of conviction in what we say we believe?
Last week we started with God and the evidence that God exists.
Evidence of God is found in nature, in science, and in logic.
The fact that life exists at all is a testament to some kind of intelligent creator, and we know that creator to be God.
Tonight, we are going to shift our focus to His word, the Bible.
Is it true? Is it trustworthy?
What do you believe?
If you believe that the Bible is true, it should be making a difference in your life.
In the truths in the Bible should be finding their way into your everyday life.
Like what the Bible says on lying, cheating, gossiping, etc.
The Bible gives us a picture of the heart of God.
It shows us who He is and His designs for this life.
It's easy for us to say that the Bible is true, but do we have proof?
It's also easy for someone to say, "The Bible is not true" or "It's full of errors", but do they have proof.
Check out this amazing discoveries from Archaeology that give us proof of the truth of the Bible.
1.) Ebla Kingdom Proofs : Northern Syria"Documentary Hypothesis" advocates have claimed that the time of Moses' writing of the first 5 books of the Bible was before any knowledge of writing and therefore erroneous. However the discovery of the Ebla tablets shows that writing existed 1000 years before Moses' time.
2.) The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date from 200 B.C. to A.D. 68, included a copy of every Old Testament book except for one. Comparison with the texts of a thousand years later shows little or no variation and change between them.
3.) Jerico was found and excavated. Upon examining the ruins it was obvious that : "there remains no doubt : the walls fell outwards so completely that the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins into the city." This is very unusual and because the wall of cities fall inwards not outwards during conflicts. This exactly verifies the account of Jerico in the Bible.( Joshua Chp. 6)
4.) Critics used to say that the biblical description of the Hittite Empire was wrong because the Hittite Empire (they thought) didn't even exist! Then archaeologists discovered the Hittite capital in 1906 and discovered that the Hittite's were actually a very vast and prominent civilization.
5.) For the New Testament, Dr. G.R. Habermas points out that within 110 years of Christ's crucifixion, approximately eighteen non-Christian sources mention more than "one hundred facts, beliefs, and teachings from the life of Christ and early Christendom. These items, I might add, mention almost every major detail of Jesus' life, including miracles, the Resurrection, and His claims to deity."
6.) The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date from 200 B.C. to A.D. 68, included a copy of every Old Testament book except for one. Comparison with the texts of a thousand years later shows little or no variation and change between them.
This is just a very small lists of how true the Bible really is.
People who say the Bible isn't true, just haven't put it to the test.
Look at the facts, what do you believe?
As people, we believe a lot of things and not all the things we believe in are true or real.
People once believed that the earth was flat.
We now know that belief was false.
When cars were first created, some people believed that if you went over 60 miles an hour, you would die.
We know that belief was wrong as well.
And there are some things that we say we believe that we believe in word only.
One of the definitions of the word “believe” is to have a strong convection of.
Now, there are a lot of things that sound believable, but do we have that kind of conviction in what we say we believe?
Last week we started with God and the evidence that God exists.
Evidence of God is found in nature, in science, and in logic.
The fact that life exists at all is a testament to some kind of intelligent creator, and we know that creator to be God.
Tonight, we are going to shift our focus to His word, the Bible.
Is it true? Is it trustworthy?
What do you believe?
If you believe that the Bible is true, it should be making a difference in your life.
In the truths in the Bible should be finding their way into your everyday life.
Like what the Bible says on lying, cheating, gossiping, etc.
The Bible gives us a picture of the heart of God.
It shows us who He is and His designs for this life.
It's easy for us to say that the Bible is true, but do we have proof?
It's also easy for someone to say, "The Bible is not true" or "It's full of errors", but do they have proof.
Check out this amazing discoveries from Archaeology that give us proof of the truth of the Bible.
1.) Ebla Kingdom Proofs : Northern Syria"Documentary Hypothesis" advocates have claimed that the time of Moses' writing of the first 5 books of the Bible was before any knowledge of writing and therefore erroneous. However the discovery of the Ebla tablets shows that writing existed 1000 years before Moses' time.
2.) The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date from 200 B.C. to A.D. 68, included a copy of every Old Testament book except for one. Comparison with the texts of a thousand years later shows little or no variation and change between them.
3.) Jerico was found and excavated. Upon examining the ruins it was obvious that : "there remains no doubt : the walls fell outwards so completely that the attackers would be able to clamber up and over the ruins into the city." This is very unusual and because the wall of cities fall inwards not outwards during conflicts. This exactly verifies the account of Jerico in the Bible.( Joshua Chp. 6)
4.) Critics used to say that the biblical description of the Hittite Empire was wrong because the Hittite Empire (they thought) didn't even exist! Then archaeologists discovered the Hittite capital in 1906 and discovered that the Hittite's were actually a very vast and prominent civilization.
5.) For the New Testament, Dr. G.R. Habermas points out that within 110 years of Christ's crucifixion, approximately eighteen non-Christian sources mention more than "one hundred facts, beliefs, and teachings from the life of Christ and early Christendom. These items, I might add, mention almost every major detail of Jesus' life, including miracles, the Resurrection, and His claims to deity."
6.) The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which date from 200 B.C. to A.D. 68, included a copy of every Old Testament book except for one. Comparison with the texts of a thousand years later shows little or no variation and change between them.
This is just a very small lists of how true the Bible really is.
People who say the Bible isn't true, just haven't put it to the test.
Look at the facts, what do you believe?
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Believe, Part 1
Tonight, we begin our focus on “Believe”.
I’ve been talking about this to you for a while and it’s been kind of a mystery.
But as we look at this together, God is going to bring this mystery together.
And as the next several weeks play out, we are going to get a sense of who God is and who we really are.
As we look at this idea of believe, we realize that there are things that we all believe.
For example, most people believe that murder is wrong, drugs are bad, and that life has a beginning.
But what we believe is not always as cut and dry as that.
For example, we may believe that murder is wrong, but most of us also believe that it is okay to kill someone if you are protecting your or someone else’s life.
We may agree that drugs are bad, but we may believe that it is okay to allow terminally ill patients the right to use narcotics to ease their sufferings.
We may believe that life has a beginning, but we have a variety of avenues to follow on how we believe everything began.
Was it God, was it evolution, was it some random chance?
Although we may have similar beliefs, it’s those intricate details of what we believe that really define who we are.
Tonight, we are beginning a journey to discover what we believe and how that belief should define our entire lives.
Part of believing in something is knowing what that something is about.
You can believe that the sky is blue, but you can’t totally be sure of that belief until you have examined it and understand what makes it blue.
We can believe that God is real, but until we examine Him and seek to understand Him, our belief in Him will be minimal at best.
Matthew 22:37
Here, Christ tells us that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and for us to do that, we have to have an understanding of Him.
It’s a progression of moving from knowing and loving God with our heart, to discovering Him and the truth of who He is with our mind, to letting Him and His will control our lives.
That’s what believe is all about.
As we begin, we have to start with God.
Is God real, how can we know?
What do we believe about God, why do we believe it?
What proofs do we have?
Let's look at a few proofs we have in nature:
The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter. Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.
The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible.
The Universe...Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, "The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion...The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen."
Laws of Nature...Much of life may seem uncertain, but look at what we can count on day after day: gravity remains consistent, a hot cup of coffee left on a counter will get cold, the earth rotates in the same 24 hours, and the speed of light doesn't change -- on earth or in galaxies far from us.
How is it that we can identify laws of nature that never change? Why is the universe so orderly, so reliable?
"The greatest scientists have been struck by how strange this is. There is no logical necessity for a universe that obeys rules, let alone one that abides by the rules of mathematics. This astonishment springs from the recognition that the universe doesn't have to behave this way. It is easy to imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from instant to instant, or even a universe in which things pop in and out of existence."
Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, "Why nature is mathematical is a mystery...The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle."
We also have proof of Christ in the lives of the disciples. No one willingly dies for a lie. These early followers of Christ gave up their lives for what they knew was true. The Bible claims that after Christ rose from the dead, over 500 people saw Him alive.
The proofs are there, the question is what are you going to believe.
Join us next Wednesday night or check this post to discover more of who God is and who you really are.
Believe.
I’ve been talking about this to you for a while and it’s been kind of a mystery.
But as we look at this together, God is going to bring this mystery together.
And as the next several weeks play out, we are going to get a sense of who God is and who we really are.
As we look at this idea of believe, we realize that there are things that we all believe.
For example, most people believe that murder is wrong, drugs are bad, and that life has a beginning.
But what we believe is not always as cut and dry as that.
For example, we may believe that murder is wrong, but most of us also believe that it is okay to kill someone if you are protecting your or someone else’s life.
We may agree that drugs are bad, but we may believe that it is okay to allow terminally ill patients the right to use narcotics to ease their sufferings.
We may believe that life has a beginning, but we have a variety of avenues to follow on how we believe everything began.
Was it God, was it evolution, was it some random chance?
Although we may have similar beliefs, it’s those intricate details of what we believe that really define who we are.
Tonight, we are beginning a journey to discover what we believe and how that belief should define our entire lives.
Part of believing in something is knowing what that something is about.
You can believe that the sky is blue, but you can’t totally be sure of that belief until you have examined it and understand what makes it blue.
We can believe that God is real, but until we examine Him and seek to understand Him, our belief in Him will be minimal at best.
Matthew 22:37
Here, Christ tells us that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, and for us to do that, we have to have an understanding of Him.
It’s a progression of moving from knowing and loving God with our heart, to discovering Him and the truth of who He is with our mind, to letting Him and His will control our lives.
That’s what believe is all about.
As we begin, we have to start with God.
Is God real, how can we know?
What do we believe about God, why do we believe it?
What proofs do we have?
Let's look at a few proofs we have in nature:
The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter. Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.
The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible.
The Universe...Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, "The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion...The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen."
Laws of Nature...Much of life may seem uncertain, but look at what we can count on day after day: gravity remains consistent, a hot cup of coffee left on a counter will get cold, the earth rotates in the same 24 hours, and the speed of light doesn't change -- on earth or in galaxies far from us.
How is it that we can identify laws of nature that never change? Why is the universe so orderly, so reliable?
"The greatest scientists have been struck by how strange this is. There is no logical necessity for a universe that obeys rules, let alone one that abides by the rules of mathematics. This astonishment springs from the recognition that the universe doesn't have to behave this way. It is easy to imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from instant to instant, or even a universe in which things pop in and out of existence."
Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, "Why nature is mathematical is a mystery...The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle."
We also have proof of Christ in the lives of the disciples. No one willingly dies for a lie. These early followers of Christ gave up their lives for what they knew was true. The Bible claims that after Christ rose from the dead, over 500 people saw Him alive.
The proofs are there, the question is what are you going to believe.
Join us next Wednesday night or check this post to discover more of who God is and who you really are.
Believe.
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