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?
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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
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