Church guide

No Shame Romans 10:11-15 – May 5, 2019 Video for communion and verses to share. You Are My Hiding Place - Selah ( With Lyrics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dR0H0tAYT8 Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Let’s share the bread 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Let’s share the cup. Let’s pray... Have you ever gotten caught in sin? Ills. I can remember my most blatant and dumbest lie, I was pretty young. I was playing outside in the snow. I didn’t want to take the time to go inside and use the bathroom. I wet myself. Not long afterwards I went inside the house and my mom asked if I had wet myself. I said, “No!” But there was the evidence plain and in sight. (Hope it's not too much of some self sharing.) It was a really stupid lie because it was so obvious that it was a lie, but little kids don’t really think those kinds of things through very much. How about you? When we was the last time you got caught in a lie or in sin? When was the last time you committed a sin? Some people are convinced that they can get away with sin. They don’t believe that God will either catch them or call them out for their sins. Have you ever seen some of the youtube videos where the little kid is lying about getting into the cookie jar? He has got the evidence all over his face but still denies that guilt. When we get older be become better at covering our lies sometimes… But they are never really covered unless they are brought to the cross of Christ. In John’s gospel Jesus is talking to His disciples about why He is going away and Who He is sending to continue His work... John 16:7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. When confronted with sin we have a choice about how we will deal with that sin. Often the world and some Christians try to down play it or try to convince themselves that it is really not that bad. Still others believe that what they are doing is their own business and that NO ONE has the RIGHT to tell them that it is WRONG. Sin is a serious issue, It cost the God of the universe that life and death of His Son to cover our guilt. God was and is serious about sin and that is why is cost Him so much to cover ours How much can we get away with? Is there anything that gets by the Lord’s eye? Psalm 139 A Psalm of David 1 You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Ills. As a parent, I was sometimes still a little un-sanctified. I got a little too much satisfaction form catching my kids doing something wrong and giving them a surprise spanking. Sometimes I would sneak up on them when they were doing something they knew was wrong, I would swat them on the behind. I believe a surprise spanking carried more correction ability. Not sure but it sure would surprise my kids. I believe it did one of two things. They were more careful when they did something wrong or they looked around to see where dad was before they did it. With God, we never get away with anything… He is always watching. Sometimes even He does a surprise spanking on us. David, when he was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba, was surprised spanked. He was found out. Numbers 32:23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out . I know that was a very long warm up to our scripture for this morning but I wanted to share with you two main things. First: When we stand before God on the day of judgment we don’t have to fear the shame of being “found out” if we are there under the cover of the cross of Christ. And second: We can play a part in helping others avoid the shame. We’ll get more into that next week... Romans 10:11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” W/ vs 11 Isaiah 28:16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic. When the world stands before the Holy God on the day of judgment, THERE WILL BE PANIC. But not for those who are believe in and have accepted Christ. When we accept and believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord He covers our sin. What does verse 11 say? ANYONE who believes on Him Will never be put to shame. Clear back in Psalm 103 we can read about God’s desire to provide grace. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Back to Romans 10: 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile— the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, The greatest blessing starts with His forgiveness of our sin and continues in us when He enters our lives and helps us to grow in our relationship with Him. 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Saved from what? Hell, saved from an eternity with out God. Saved from the embarrassment and shame of standing before a Holy God in our nakedness and sin. We don’t have to fear that encounter if we have a personal relationship with Jesus. That relationship starts with a prayer of admission of our guilt and sin and includes admitting our need for His forgiving grace. When we do that we are giving Jesus permission to enter our lives and help us become like Him. He saves us from something but He also saves us for something. Next week I will share what He has saved us for and we continue in the book of Romans. Let’s pray… Lord God, thank you for going to the cross so we can have a right relationship with Your Father. Thank you for covering our sins with Your perfect sacrifice. Help us to realize even more that you want an ongoing, life changing, life transforming daily relationship with You. Help us live in ever deepening and increasing sensitivity to the Holy Spirits leading and empowering. In Jesus Name, Amen.

What You Believe Romans 10:5-10 -- April 28, 2019 How have you ever tried to help God save you? Have you ever been tempted to believe that if I do my part and God’s does His part we’ll complete the deal and I’ll be ready for and allowed into heaven. Are you doing that right now? What did you do? What did you think? Did you make a deal with Him that if you stopped or started doing something He would allow you to have a restored relationship with Him? How did it work out? Have you thought, I’m going to church or giving to the church or praying to God so that I’ll make sure I have enough going for me to get to heaven? In out scripture for this morning we’ll see that even if we did almost everything perfectly it would not be enough. James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. It’s an all or nothing rule. Perfection is the requirement for entrance into heaven. Perfection in righteousness is the requirement for a restored relationship with God. Have you gotten to the place where you have realized the impossibility of the task of trying to help God get you ready and presentable for heaven? We cannot gain heaven by ourselves. We cannot earn heaven by ourselves. We do not deserve heaven by ourselves. We cannot get ourselves saved by anything we try to do. Ephesians 2:8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. We continue in the Book of Romans this morning… When I first read these verses I though, “What is Paul talking about?” I wish that there might have been some study guide that went along with some of His writings. But there was and is in the help of the Holy Spirit. John 14:25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” (Setting the context – reread verses 1-4) 10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. What does God require for us to get into heaven? What does God require for us to have a relationship with Him that allows to approach Him? It requires righteousness. How do we gain that righteousness? Glad you asked... 5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” One of the many challenges of preaching through a book of the Bible is that for us to fully understand what the author is trying to communicate we would need to read the whole book each week. We will not do that but I hope to give you enough background to help you understand what is going on in these 6 verses and why they are important for you to realize what Paul is saying to us from the book of Romans today. In verse 5 Paul is saying that if a person could live out the law perfectly he could live. Paul has told us earlier in Romans that we cannot meet requirements of righteousness that is by the law. Here he is saying, “IF we could we would live but we cannot so we die.” He is quoting, roughly from: Moses rights in: Leviticus 18 (NIV) 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD. Time and time again the people of Israel failed to keep God’s laws and decrees. Paul told us in... Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, We cannot meet the requirement of the law of righteousness. Because we cannot, we deserve hell. 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Paul now quotes from: Deuteronomy 30:10-14 if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. Keep in mind what I just read to you, it will help you to understand that is going on in these verses. Paul is saying, just like what God did for you in providing easy access to His Old Testament WORD for the people if Israel, God has provided easy access to the Living Word that is Christ. What Paul is doing here is using an OT text to teach a New Testament truth. He switches the concepts to communicate what God has done through Christ. God had worked through the Israelites to provide a way for them and us to benefit from Jesus’ finished work. 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). The two main reasons that the people of Israel rejected Jesus is being talked about in these two verses. They took issue with Jesus claiming to be God incarnate. And they took issue with the resurrection of Jesus. They did not accept that God could or would be born as a baby, live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death and be raised back to life. Verse 14 of Deuteronomy 30“the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). Why does it not say this? Because you and I could not do this. Because it was already done by the work and will of God. Jesus had already been brought down when He was born of a virgin. Jesus already had been brought back from the dead; it didn’t need to happen again. The price had been paid. The righteousness that is by faith does not say it because it’s already been done. Back to Romans 8 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: What is your need? We need a Savior that can provide what we need. We cannot earn heaven by ourselves. We cannot pay for any part of the entrance fee. The entrance fee is living in perfection from birth until death. Anything less makes us unfit for heaven. But God thought Christ did for us what we could no do for ourselves BUT we have to accept it on His terms. 1 John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. Back to Romans 10: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. When you profess these claims and express these truths you are accepting the whole gospel. When you say that Jesus is Lord it is assumed that you know what that means. That you accept His claim of being the only Begotten Son of God that died in your place. That He took on your sin and gave you access to His righteousness. The transaction of His righteousness into your spiritual bank account happens with a claim of belief in your heart. Ills. Do you remember being in upper math and not being able to wrap you mind around some of the concepts that the teacher tried to help you understand? The teacher would say, “Keep at it and it will come.” And most of the time IT DID.!” When I did understand it was wonderful, I felt like doing a little celebration dance, but I didn't. I was still in high school and it wouldn't have been cool. I’ve been there and felt the void of understanding. Many people feel the void, spiritually. It’s important to keep at it and IT WILL COME! You may not understand all that God has done for you through Jesus Christ, and there has been a lot. A good starting point is to the the book of John. It's a good summary of who Jesus really is and what He did for us while here on earth. 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. If you have the need to be right with God these verses are for you and for me... Let’s pray!

Invited to Your Cross Luke 9:18-27 – April 21, 2019 Who was/is Jesus? Luke 9:18-27 18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” Today, some say, He was a good teacher, He was a good example for us to follow. Some say He didn’t claim to be God or to be divine but He did and He is. He cannot be just a good teacher or a perfect example for us to follow, He either has to be the Only Begotten Son of God or insane, those are the only two choices we really have. 20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.” 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. As God’s Messiah He is our Deliverer. Romans 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. What did He do? 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” He was to: Suffer, Be rejected by: the elders, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, Killed Be raised to life. What does He want? 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. If we want to be His disciple there are conditions, we are not working for our salvation but working out our salvation. There is a BIG difference. The first says, “This is what I have to DO.” The other says, “This is want I have to BE.” He wants us to be His disciples… He really does. He wants us to Be His Followers but there is a catch... He went to the cross for us. He went to the grave for us. He rose from the grave for us. He wants an ongoing response from us. It’s not a once and done. It’s a daily, life long, continuing relationship with Jesus. 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. “The tense of the verbs is interesting: If anyone would come (present tense, continuous action) after me, he must deny (Aorist, single action in the past) himself and take up (Aorist, single action in the past) his cross daily and follow (present tense, continuous action) me. While the Aorist tense carries the idea of a single, punctiliar action in the past, in this sentence it is combined with the word "daily," so the sense is that the disciple is to deny himself and pick up his cross at the beginning of each day, so that he might succeed in continuing to follow Jesus throughout the day. Interesting! The Apostle Paul understood well what this meant and lived it out day by day until the day he was beheaded by the Roman emperor. In three classic passages he expresses this concept in different ways: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3) "And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day -- I mean that, brothers -- just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised...." (1 Corinthians 15:30-32)” Ills. It is said of some missionaries of the Nineteenth Century, embarking on missions overseas, that they often packed their belongings in a coffin instead of a trunk so they would have something to be buried in. They never expected to return. Later in Luke’s Gospel, Luke records a shorter version with a strange addition to the condition of being His disciple. Luke 14: 25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters— yes, even their own life— such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Back to Luke 9: 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Jesus does not just want us once in a while, He wants us daily to be on a walk with Him carrying a cross designed just for us to help make us like Him. It’s not a once and done it’s a daily self denial pick up of you cross, not somebody else’s but yours and just yours and follow Him. We celebrate Jesus resurrection because in it Jesus took on our cross and gave us one designed to help us become like Him. He took on sin and death and through Him they have lost their hold on us. He provided us a way, the only way to have a right/repaired relationship with His Father and now with our Father. The response Jesus is calling us to is to: Deny ourselves of our old sinful selves, Take up our cross daily, And follow Him. Will you accept His offer of carrying a cross made just for you?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/kenya/11513626/Kenya-attack-147-dead-as-Islamist-gunmen-target-Christian-students.html How much press will this get? Very little because they were Christian and not Muslim.

NE MT Global Link Weekend Saturday, March 30, 2019 10:00 AM Opening Session 10:30 AM Seminar Sanctuary (Youth Seminar) Paul V. IW to Asia Fellowship Hall Nathan G. IW to Middle East Adult SS Room Jonathan Wiggins An Overview of C&MA Missions Room 1 Lori Wiggins Communicating Effectively with IWs Room 2 Denise Hammer Engaging Your World 11:15 AM Break 11:30 AM Seminar #2 Sanctuary Paul V. IW to Asia Fellowship Hall (Youth Seminar) Nathan G. IW to Middle East Adult SS Room Jonathan Wiggins An Overview of C&MA Missions Room 1 Lori Wiggins Communicating Effectively with IWs Room 2 Denise Hammer Engaging Your World 12:30 PM Lunch 1:30 PM Seminar #3 Sanctuary Paul V. IW to Asia Fellowship Hall Nathan G. IW to Middle East Adult SS Room Jonathan Wiggins An Overview of C&MA Missions Room 1 Lori Wiggins Communicating Effectively with IWs Room 2 (Youth Seminar) Denise Hammer Engaging Your World 2:15 PM Break 2:30 PM Closing Session 3:30 PM Depart for Home

Don’t Miss the Goal Romans 9:25-33 – March 24, 2019 What is your goal in life? What is your goal for this year? What is your goal for this month or this week or this day? Do you set any goals? Do you set any SMART goals? What are smart goals? SMART is an acronym for the 5 elements of: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goals. How about a bucket list? They can be viewed as goals, and the time frame is before you kick the bucket. I need to add to my list, I’ve only got one left on my list. I’d like to get to the top of Mt. Rainier, hope to do that this summer. Had wanted to try Mt. Denali in Alaska but took it off the list a few years back. It is a 21 day climb if you go with a guided group. What is on your list? What are some of the goals you have set for yourself? One that should be on all our lists is arriving in heaven just when we are supposed to. Do you want to go to heaven? Do you want to spend eternity with God? Have you done what is needed to secure that goal? Let’s look at Romans 9, starting at verse 25 to see what works and what does not work to accomplish that goal. Romans chapters 9-11 were written mainly to the Jewish believers in Rome. The early Roman church had a mix of both Gentile and Jewish converts. Paul was writing to both but included different aspects in the letter to help each group understand how God worked out His saving grace for both of them. Each one might have taken a little different path to the cross but ALL who hope to gain haven have to pass through the cross of Christ. Those are the rules if you want to succeed in gaining heaven. I didn’t make the rules I just hope to share them. Both Jew and Gentile needed God’s grace as we have read earlier in Romans. Romans 2:6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done. 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism. One group did not have an advantage over the other BOTH needed Jesus. The good that Paul is talking about here in verse 7 &10 is accepting by faith, the grace offered at the cross of Jesus. It is God’s goal to call ALL people to Himself. 25 As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26 and,“In the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’” These are verses from the OT that the Jewish believers would know about… He wanted to help them see that even way back then God was at work to provide His grace that was finished being secured by the work of the cross of Jesus. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God has set some rules in place, He can do that, He is God. If you want to spend eternity in heaven you HAVE to play by His rules. The rules are not that hard to follow if you kill your pride or get past your issues, and some people do than issues as I’ll share in a few minutes. God graced Israel in the OT 27 Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. 28 For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality.” Sometimes the most loving thing God does is allow us to suffer for our poor choices. Often by experiencing consequences we learn we really don’t want a life without God’s grace. 29 It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.” Both of these verses are from Isaiah and talk about God’s grace. Even God’s chosen people had trouble living up to God’s expectations and He was still gracious to them. He would with and in them even when they blew it. Sometimes He leads us forward despite ourselves. Don’t stumble the shot The Gentiles heard about the offer and jumped at it. 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; If you want to gain heaven, and there is only one other location that is available for eternity, you have to get there through becoming righteous by faith. The game in three rules: 1. You and I had a broken relationship with God that excluded us from heaven. 2. God fixed that broken relationship through the work of Jesus. 3. You, personally, have to admit your need and begin a personal, ongoing, relationship with Jesus. The people of Israel wanted to play by different rules... 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. They stumbled. Don’t stumble over the stone. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. What might cause you or others to stumble? Taken from Got Questions website: Question: "Why do people reject Jesus as their Savior?" Answer: The decision to accept or reject Jesus as Savior is the ultimate life decision. Why do many people choose to reject Jesus as Savior? There are perhaps as many different reasons for rejecting Christ as there are people who reject Him, but the following four reasons can serve as general categories: 1) Some people do not think they need a savior. These people consider themselves to be “basically good” and do not realize that they, like all people, are sinners who cannot come to God on their own terms. But Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Those who reject Christ will not be able to stand before God and successfully plead their own case on their own merits. 2) The fear of social rejection or persecution deters some people from receiving Christ as Savior. The unbelievers in John 12:42-43 would not confess Christ because they were more concerned with their status among their peers than doing God’s will. These were the Pharisees whose love of position and the esteem of others blinded them, “for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.” 3) For some people, the things that the present world has to offer are more appealing than eternal things. We read the story of such a man in Matthew 19:16-23. This man was not willing to lose his earthly possessions in order to gain an eternal relationship with Jesus (see also 2 Corinthians 4:16-18). 4) Many people are simply resisting the Holy Spirit’s attempts to draw them to faith in Christ. Stephen, a leader in the early church, told those who were about to murder him, “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 7:51). The apostle Paul made a similar statement to a group of gospel “rejecters” in Acts 28:23-27. Whatever the reasons why people reject Jesus Christ, their rejection has disastrous eternal consequences. “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” than the name of Jesus (Acts 4:12), and those who reject Him, for whatever reason, face an eternity in the “outer darkness” of hell where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). gotquestions.org/reject-Jesus.html 33 As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Two options only, to believe in the Stone or trip over Him... For the one who stumbles an eternity in hell. To the one who believes in Him, no shame. What is your choice, are you going to play by the rules and secure the goal of heaven through a personal relationship with Jesus? Video: Come to the Altar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpfuKKH_SCE

Don’t Be That Guy Don’t Die Because of Pride Romans 9:14-18 – March 10, 2019 Pride can kill you. Internet resource article: ”Pride Will Kill You – 10 Practical Ways to Kill it First” https: //bethanygu.edu/blog/guidance/pride-will-kill-10-practical-ways-kill-first/ What is pride? It’s essential to know our opponent in this war. We need to know what pride is and what it looks like. We must be able to identify pride from a mile away. Let’s take a look inside the camp of our enemy. Pride is that desire in you to receive more praise. It is the desire to be exalted rather than to glorify God. The proud person is confident in their own ability, and they do not rely on God’s grace. Here is a non-exhaustive list of indicators to be watchful of: • Frequently putting all of the attention on yourself • Struggling to empathize with the sorrows of others • Feeling self-pity when you’re not praised • Constantly considering what others think of you • Avoiding people who are better than you at something • Easily finding flaws in others This morning we are going to look at two people who had different perspectives on pride and how the Lord used both of them to accomplish His will. In scripture we see positive examples and negative examples. It’s often a good idea to not try to be a negative example. Last week our scripture ended with. 13 Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” God chose to do His work through Jacob and not through Esau. You and I, if we have accepted the finished work that was completed, with the help of Jacob can have a right relationship with God. This week we pick it up with verse 14 of Romans 9. 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! Sometimes people are tempted to question the fairness of God. God is God, He can do what ever He wants to do as long as it does not go against His character. I want to share a list of some of God’s characteristics found on the internet and in scripture... https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/15-amazing-attributes-of-god-what-they-mean-and-why-they-matter.html 1. God Is Infinite – He is Self-Existing, Without Origin 2. God Is Immutable – He Never Changes 3. God Is Self-Sufficient – He Has No Needs 4. God is Omnipotent – He Is All Powerful 5. God Is Omniscient – He Is All-Knowing 6. God Is Omnipresent – He Is Always Everywhere 7. God Is Wise – He Is Full of Perfect, Unchanging Wisdom 8. God Is Faithful – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly True 9. God Is Good – He Is Infinitely, Unchangingly Kind and Full of Good Will 10. God Is Just – He Is Infinitely, Unchangeably Right and Perfect in All He Does 11. God Is Merciful – He is Infinitely, Unchangeably Compassionate and Kind 12. God Is Gracious – God Is Infinitely Inclined to Spare the Guilty 13. God Is Loving – God Infinitely, Unchangingly Loves Us 14. God Is Holy – He is Infinitely, Unchangingly Perfect 15. God Is Glorious – He is Infinitely Beautiful and Great He cannot do things that would violate who He is. He cannot sin, He cannot tolerate sin, He is holy, He is just, He is merciful, He is compassionate. Paul picks up the monologue... 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! The leader of God’s people... for a time 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Numbers 12:12 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. 3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) God chose Moses to deliver His people and one of Moses’ characteristics was humility. God could have chosen a drama king (that’s a male drama queen) but He did not. God wanted to work through someone who really didn’t have to many pride issues. Moses was a very humble man. He was not prefect but he was humble. God was just with interacting with He people during the time Moses led them, there were times of frustration for God and Moses. 16 It does not, therefore, the “It” here is God’s choice of mercy and compassion. depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. God’s mercy and God’s compassion does not depend upon what I desire or hold onto NOR does it depend upon my effort. I cannot gain heaven by what I may claim as a birthright (by who I am or where I was born...) nor can I claim heaven but anything I have done (I cannot earn my way into heaven...). NASB reads 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. There is a certain way that we gain entrance into heaven, that we are given permission to gain heaven and it is through the cross of Christ and NO OTHER WAY. What was Israel’s issue? Romans 9:30-32 (NIV) Israel’s Unbelief 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone. There was a pride issue for many of the people of Israel... There is only one way to gain heaven, God’s way through His Son. John 12:30-33 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Three types of people drawn to the cross, those that ridicule, (those filled with pride) those that have repented, (those who followed and accepted Christ) and those that will be reborn. (the repentant thief on the cross.) God will be who He is even if our view of Him is wrong or skewed. Pride gives us a skewed view of God and of the world. Have you ever been around someone who was an example of what not to do? Ills. My step brother Joe… Don’t be that guy... There is another person in the OT that you don’t want to be like. If Moses was the most humble man ever then this guy was in the running for one of the most proud. The leader of the worlds people during the time of Moses 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” God could have taken many different approaches with Pharaoh. Exo 9:13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. God chose to use Pharaoh as a teaching tool in world history to show what happens when you mess with the people of the Living God... 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. Judicial hardening of heart… When pride enters the heart it’s hard to see it turned around... Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Lets talk about a hardened heart, did God violate Pharaoh’s free will? He just let it take it’s natural course. Exo. 8: 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Exo 8:32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go. Exo 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses. Exo 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.” 3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? The battle was not so much between Moses and Pharaoh but between Pharaoh and the God. Don’t be this guy, be like Moses, come to approach God in humility, letting go of everything else you might be holding onto or things you have done to try and earn heaven. How did the story with Pharaoh play out? Looking at Exo. 12:31… After all the plagues Pharaoh gave in... Exo 12:31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” When most all was over and done even Pharaoh was humbled and wanted a blessing from God through Moses. Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” God wants to have mercy and compassion of you and me, will you accept His compassion and mercy of His terms? Let’s pray.

For those who missed the last session (Session 9). Here it is.

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-name-shaddai.html Good read.

Nothing! Romans 8:35-39 – Feb. 17, 2019 Scripture in video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agHYGVxtr8A Stephen was one of the first men to suffered early Christian persecution. He was stoned to death outside the gates for the faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel. After this, a great persecution was raised against all who professed belief in Christ as the Messiah. The fate of the Apostles and close disciples followed in succession. • James the Great, the elder brother of John the Apostle, was beheaded in A.D. 44. • Philip, who served in Upper Asia was scourged in Phrygia, thrown into prison and later crucified (A.D. 54). • Matthew the tax collector served the Lord in Parthia and Ethiopia where he was slain with a halberd (a shafted weapon with an axe-like cutting blade and a speared end) in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60. • James the Less, the brother of the Lord, served the church in Jerusalem and wrote the book of James. He suffered martyrdom at the age of ninety-four by being beaten and stoned by the Jews. • Matthias, the man who was chosen to replace Judas as an apostle, was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded. • Andrew, the brother of Peter, preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations and was crucified on a cross at Edessa. The ends of his cross were fixed transversely in the ground, thus the derivation of the term, St. Andrew's cross. • Mark was converted to Christianity by Peter and served as amanuensis (he wrote for Peter). He was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria. • Peter, the apostle, was sought by Nero to be put to death. Jerome wrote that Peter was crucified with his head down and his feet up, because he thought himself unworthy to be crucified in the same form and manner as the Lord. • Paul was really persecuted several times. He was scourged, stoned, and finally, Nero had him beheaded by a sword. • Jude, the brother of James, commonly called Thaddeus, was crucified at Edessa in A.D. 72. • Bartholomew preached in several countries and translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India. He was cruelly beaten and then crucified by in patient idolaters. • Thomas, doubting Thomas, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India. He excited the rage of the pagan priests and was martyred by being thrust through with a spear. • Luke the author of Luke and Acts traveled with Paul through various countries and was suppose to have been hanged on and olive tree by the idolatrous priests of Greece. • Simon the Zealot preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even Britain where he was crucified in A.D. 74. • John, the Apostle whom Jesus loved, was sent from Ephesus to Rome where he was put into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by a miracle, without injury, but was then banished to the Isle of Patmos and there he wrote the book of Revelation. Nerva, Domitian's successor, said he was the only apostle who escaped a violent death. There are ten primitive persecutions mentioned in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. The first mass persecution occurred under Nero in A.D. 67. He was the sixth emperor of Rome and is remembered as the one who set Rome aflame and then blamed the Christians for the deaths and destruction caused by the fire. He had some Christians sewn up in skins of wild beasts and thrown to the dogs. Some Christians were dressed in shirts made stiff with wax, fixed to axle-trees, and set on fire in his gardens, in order to illuminate them. We are called to be a “light” for Jesus but I don’t think that was what He had in mind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agHYGVxtr8A Did Paul know what was ahead for the Christians in Rome? No but God did! God is like that, He knows what is ahead for each one of us. Often He prepares us to go through something by leading us in some small steps to get us read for some bigger ones. We will finish with chapter eight this morning. Paul has been asking the Romans a number of rhetorical questions. What is a rhetorical question? It is a question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer. Paul brings us onto the summit of God’s love by asking and answering his sixth and seventh rhetorical questions: Here is a list of all of them: (1) “What then shall we say to these things?” (8:31a) (2) “If God is for us, who is against us?” (8:31b) (3) “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” (8:32) (4) “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?” (8:33a) (5) “God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns?” (8:33b-34a) (6) “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (8:35a) (7) “Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (8:35b) 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble/tribulation or hardship/distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger/peril or sword? Ills. The closer we get to something the bigger it looks… First explorers approaching the Rocky Mountains from the east... They kept getting bigger to rise some eight thousand feet into the air from the valley floor... I believe that Paul was wanting the Roman Christians to get closer to God and His love so the other things they might have to look at or go through would be small by comparison… Let’s look at Paul’s list: First, he mentions tribulation, a general word for difficult trials. It has the meaning of pressure from without. Jesus used this word when He said (John 16:33), “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Paul used it when he taught new believers (Acts 14:22), “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Distress has the meaning of a narrow or confined place. Ills. Caving in Indiana – very confining.. It may point to the inward feelings that we battle when we go through tribulations. R. C. Trench (Synonyms of the New Testament [Eerdmans], p. 202) illustrates tribulation by an old English method of execution, where a prisoner had increasingly heavy weights placed on his chest until he was crushed to death. He illustrates distress by another ancient form of punishment, where prisoners were put into cages or cells where they did not have room to stand, sit, or lie at full length. This word was also found in Romans 2:9, where Paul describes the eternal punishment of the wicked as “tribulation and distress.” But in this text he is saying that believers often suffer trials from without or within because of Christ. Persecution literally means to pursue someone to harm him. It refers to the verbal or physical abuse that we suffer because of Christ. Jesus said (Matt. 5:11-12), “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Paul said in (2 Tim. 3:12), “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” While God has so far spared most of us in America from physical persecution for our faith, that is not so with thousands of our brothers and sisters in other countries who are being tortured and killed for their faith. We may yet see the same here. Famine and nakedness both point to extreme poverty and lack, especially because of our commitment to Christ. In some countries, if you’re a Christian you can’t get a job to provide for your family’s basic needs. And in some places, famine is a reality that believers suffer. Again, it could happen here. Peril means “danger.” (Some definitions taken from web site research.) Paul uses this word eight times in 2 Corinthians 11:26 to describe the many dangers that he had faced in his labors for Christ. 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers Sword refers to execution or death, which Paul finally suffered for his faith. 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Quote from Psalm 44:22 The quote from Psalm 44:22 (8:36) shows that it is for the Lord’s sake that His people suffer martyrdom. The world just considers believers as “sheep to be slaughtered.” And it shows, that such suffering is nothing new. God’s people have experienced it down through the centuries. 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, How do we become convinced? Like Paul, we often become convinced by going through personal experiences. Romans was written more than likely the winter of 57-58 a.d. II Corinthians was probably written around 55 a.d. What do I share that? By this point in time Paul’s personal sufferings/experiences had already taken place and HE KNEW that GOD’S LOVE WAS PERSONALLY FAITHFUL. Do you know that God’s love is personally faithful? I’m not trying to guilt trip you but to “GOD GRIP YOU”. Are you close enough to God that He is bigger than anything you might have to encounter in this life? If not, what do you need to do to get closer to God so that He is bigger? 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. God’s love is bigger than anything this world can throw at us. Do you believe it? Have you experienced it? Are you living in it? Who or what can separate us from the love of God? Nothing!!!!!

Who is for us? Who is against? Romans 8:31-34 – Feb. 10, 2019 I want to talk this morning about your thought life. When or if you ever sit in a sim-vegetative state, what do you think about? What is your conversation with yourself about? What words play over and over in your head? If there was one sentence that you hear over and over again, what is it? Is it healthy? Is it true? Is it uplifting? Is it encouraging? What is your self talk? Maybe you don’t think you have a self-talk. What is self-talk? An internal monologue, also called self-talk or inner speech, is a person's inner voice which provides a running verbal monologue of thoughts while they are conscious. It is usually tied to a person's sense of self. Wikipedia In an online article is says... What is self talk? Self talk is the way you talk to yourself, or your inner voice. You might not be aware that you're doing it, but you almost certainly are. Self talk is important because it has a big impact on how you feel and what you do. How can self talk affect your mental health? If you mainly think negatively about yourself, you will feel bad most of the time. This can drag you down or if you’re down, it can be hard to get back up. But if you mainly think positively about yourself, you will feel good most of the time. Research shows that positive self talk can: • improve self-esteem, stress management and wellbeing • reduce any symptoms of depression, anxiety and personality disorders • improve your body image and can help treat people with eating disorders. • reduce your risk of self-harm and suicide. Tips to stop negative self talk There are many common ways people use negative self talk. To break that cycle: • be aware of what you’re saying to yourself (often it’s negative) • ask yourself - is it true? (often it’s not) • put your thoughts into perspective (so what?) • then ask yourself - what is a more helpful thought? It can take some time to recognize your negative thoughts, remember they have been part of you for a long time and it can take up to 3 months to change old habits. Tips to improve positive self talk Practice thinking good things about yourself. Very simply, practice seeing half a glass as being half-full, rather than half-empty. Identify your strengths as part of your self talk, and accept compliments for what you achieved. A helpful way to improve positive self talk is to look, think and act in a positive way. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/self-talk Before you start thinking that I’m bringing in worldly psychobabble hear me out… Philippians 4 challenges us to have the right thoughts running around in our minds... Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. This morning in asking the two questions in my sermon title we should try to understand what goes on in our thoughts and what and who is involved in those thoughts. Who is for us? Who is against? (Read Romans 8:31-34) 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all— how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died— more than that, who was raised to life— is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who is for us? 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? What shall we say to what things? The things in the last verses. What were those verses? 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? If God is for us, what chance does ANYTHING that is against us have? Paul will go on further in the rest of the chapter to give us a challenge to see if anything can take us away from the God that is for us. To be true, there are things against us. We are in a battle, it’s naive to not be aware of it. 1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. But who is the devil compared to God? He is a flamed out demon who can pretend once in a while. If God id for us, and He is, what has He done to help us in our battle? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all— how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? God gave His best to save the most helpless, you and me. He doesn’t do things half way, He didn’t bring us this far to leave us... How does He give us ALL Things? He gives them to us graciously. He says, Here is the gift of Salvation and here is everything you need to live a life in Me if you will but follow my voice and hold onto my truths and walk with me in an ongoing relationship. Who is against? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who might be trying to bring a charge against God’s chosen? There might be... The world’s condemning voice. It calls us a Hypocrite… take them to the cross The devil’s accusing voice. He calls us fake… take him to the blood Our own critical voice. Loser... (or fill in your word for self-talk) take that voice to the the promises of the Word God’s voice Sometimes we have a wrong view of God that needs need to be consistent with scripture. 1 John 4:9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. It is God who justifies. God has done the work we needed to be in a right relationship with Him. He did ALL the heavy lifting, all we needed to do was accept the gift and live in the ongoing, “ongrowing” relationship with Him. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died— more than that, who was raised to life— is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Romans 8:1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, If you sometimes still “feel” condemned or accused or discouraged read verse 34. What did God do to deal with our condemnation? Look at the list of four things found in verse 34... 1. Christ died for our sins 2. He was raised to life for our justification 3. He is at the right hand of God He is now above everything. 4. He is also interceding for us. Again, I go back to ask you what goes on in your head with your self talk? What tape plays over and over again? What does God want you to do with that tape in the light of today’s scripture? The Holy Spirit is there and willing to help over write a wrong self-talk... No Longer Slaves https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/self-talk

Session Seven video

What I am striving for, in Christ. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-strongest-men-are-gentle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y0WC6upY9k Some good truth on living for the future.

Your URL is https://yellowstone-community-church.business.sit e

What Love Covers 1 Peter 4:7-11 – Jan. 13, 2019 2019 YCC Theme: Seek to understand, experience, and share God's transforming grace. Love covers our thoughts Ills. The type of person a mugger looks for… the unaware. 1 Peter 4:7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. The word translated [self-controlled or] sane means ‘having a sound mind, thinking about and evaluating situations maturely and correctly’ (Grudem, 1 Peter TNTC, 173). Being sober-minded means having a clear head so you can accurately think about your daily situations. If you are thinking crazy, your prayers will be crazy. If your thinking is off your prayers will be off. If you are thinking poorly your prayers will be like minded. Peter is giving a warning here. Be alert--- Situational awareness… Later on in 1 Peter 5:8 He repeats the warning: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Do you want to be lion food? Do you want to be bear bait? Be alert and of sober mind. Don’t let the devil play you? Ask yourself, Lord what am I to do in this situation, and He will answer… Deep Love covers a bunch of sins 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Often, even as believers we want justice for others but grace for ourselves. That is not have it works in God’s economy. Matt. 6: 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. This love is to be "eager" or "earnest" (NIV "deeply"). Such love can be commanded because it is not primarily an emotion but a decision of the will leading to action. The reason for us to show love is that "love covers over a multitude of sins." This quotation from Prov. 10:12 does not mean that our love covers or atones for our sins. Prov. 10:12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. In the Proverb the meaning is that love does not "stir up" or broadcast sins. So the major idea is that love suffers in silence and bears all things 1 Cor. 13:5-7 Christians forgive faults in others because they know the forgiving grace of God in their own lives. 1 Cor. 13:5-7 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. In today’s world, even within the church, we want to scream when we have suffered a perceived injustice. At the first sign us someone doing us wrong we want to form a committee and have a forum on how to correct the great injustice. More often than not, Jesus would tell us to let grace cover it. When you look at the life of Jesus, how many times did He walk away from a fight? Eventually, He died for us so that we could live in His grace. We are called to live and give that same grace. You want to shake a non-believers world? Show them and live in God’s transforming grace. Theme for 2019 for YCC: Seek to understand, experience, and share God's transforming grace. My prayer and hope for us in this coming year is that we will: Seek to understand, experience, and share God's transforming grace. First we have to understand it deeply, then experience it personally, then share it generously. Love covers hospitable hospitality. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. I may be serving on the outside but I’m grumbling on the inside… Love covers using your gifts to serve well 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Using your gifts with the attitude of thankfulness. Use what God has given you as faithful stewards Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Are you using them as a follower of Jesus? Verse ten says that Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, In God’s grace He gave us gifts to use to serve others. It was God’s grace though the cross that provided the opportunity to be forgiven and restored. Once we pray the sinners prayer, God empowers us with spiritual gifts that He wants us to use to help grow the church, both inside and outside of these walls. Love covers our tongue 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. We should ask ourselves, when we speak or when we serve, what is the by produce of those actions? When we speak, are we speaking words that God would speak? When we serve, are we doing it in the strength the Lord provides? When we are doing either of these is God being praised? When we are doing these things is God being glorified? If not why not? If not what needs to change so that these two things will happen? What is the end results of our words and service? Have you ever asked that question? What is the effect of my words and actions on those around me? Is God praised and glorified? If not what should change? I’d like to share a video with you this morning that offers us a challenge that I hope you will accept and we: Seek to understand, experience, and share God's transforming grace. Here's My Heart by Casting Crowns (Lyrics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IxaEZD02wY

A Change of Mind Philippines 2:1-13 New Year’s Challenge… A Change of Mind discerning the difference between fact and opinion. An opinion is not always a fact. My opinion is not always based on facts. Your opinion is not always correct. Our opinion is incorrect more than we are aware of it. How aware are you that, possibly many times in a given day, your perspective and opinion might be wrong and even contrary to the mind of Christ? Fact and opinion are really different in the sense that fact is something that is true and opinion is only a belief. A fact is supported by evidence and an opinion may have no backing of any evidence. A person who makes a factual statement knows that his opinion comes from facts. Where as a person who just shares an opinion may not have any facts to substantiate it. While Facts are true statements opinions may or may not be based on facts. An opinion is only a subjective statement and a fact is objective reality. Opinions can only be an emotional outburst of an individual or merely an interpretation. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-fact-and-opinion/ Left to ourselves, we do not automatically embrace the mind of Christ. We are called to: “Take up your cross daily: A condition for discipleship. “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23. What does Jesus mean when He says that you should take up your cross daily? To “take up your cross” is something that has to take place in your thoughts. When thoughts that aren’t pleasing to God come to your mind during the day, you “put them to death” on an inner “cross.” A judging thought toward your friend crops up, for example, or perhaps a grumbling thought of dissatisfaction for what you have to do today. As these thoughts come up in your mind, you choose to deny them. Your mind stands guard at the door of your heart, and you get to decide what comes through. When a sinful thought pops up in your mind the first time, it is only a temptation – a “suggestion” from Satan. But you can choose to deny that thought access to your heart! In practice, that means that as soon as you become aware of the thought, you disagree with it. You don’t dwell on it. The thought meets a firm “no” in your mind. You don’t permit the thought to pass through your mind and come into your heart. Denying these sinful thoughts is how you take up your cross daily.” http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-fact-and-opinion/ Philippians 2:1-13 (NIV) 1 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. If we desire to be united with Christ in our thoughts we often need to run them through a grid before we act on them or dwell on them... We should and can ask ourselves is this thought in keeping with the mind of Christ. The first step in that process is being aware that our thought are often contrary to the Mind of Christ. Asking ourselves, does this thought promote being like-minded in Christ? We can run our thoughts though the grid of the above verses. Paul continues the challenge... 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. How often do you check your motives against this list? We can even do some really good things with the wrong motives. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Do you know what your character flaws are? Left to yourself what sinful default mode do you go into? How often are the first thoughts in your mind things that should be put on the cross to die? How did Christ die to self? He did not need to fight the sin in His own life because He had none. But He did have a job to do while here on earth. That job was to pay for our sins and to purchase, for us the gift of eternal life with the Father. But how did He put Himself under the submission of the Father? 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! When He voluntarily submitted to the Father what happened? 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. It was a trust issue for Jesus. He trusted God with his all. What was Jesus mindset? At least three fold: 1. He resisted the world’s mindset to defend Himself. 2. He trusted God. 3. He wanted to accomplish what God had sent Him to do. Romans 12 tells us of the need for an on going offering of our bodies, and our minds and our thought and our opinions. Romans 12: 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God— this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will. If we spend too much time in the pattern of this world our minds get messed up. If we spend too much time in our old mindset we will fail to have God’s mindset. Psalm 139: 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Jeremiah 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 10“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” 12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed— not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence— continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. We are to allow God to do His work in you be renewing your mind when you find that your thinking is contrary to the thoughts of a Christ-like mind.

Session 4 of Experiencing God for those who missed it.

Regaining Your Hope? Advent 2018 Week 1: Advent is a time of hope, Week 2: Advent is a time of anticipation, Week 3: Advent is a time of waiting in the darkness, Week 4: Advent is a time which reminds us just how helpless we are. It had been four hundred years since God’s people had heard a prophet of God. They were under the strong arm of the Roman’s. They needed God’s intervention in ways they were not even aware of. They didn’t need just a Deliverer but a Savior. Now John the Baptist shows up: Matthew 3:3In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This morning I want to talk about Hope. Where is your hope level? Is your tank full or near empty. If it is near empty there are a few things we can look at to see if there is a leak in the hope tank. Let’s read Psalm 33:6-22 to diagnose a possible problem... (Read Psalm 33:6-22.) Have You Lost hope? 1. Where is Your Focus? There is Hope in His Power 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. Ills. I tried some “new” contacts over the past few weeks… They didn’t work out. They were some new toric type that was supposed to fix my stigmatism. They did not. What resulted was the inability to focus on anything. I drove to Sidney last week with them. By the time we came home it was dark. I saw two sets of headlights on all the cars. I could not wait to get home and take them out. I could not focus. They will not work for me. Often when we take our eyes off of what we should be looking at and focus on something else there are consequences. Our hope is based on keeping our focus on the Creator of the Universe. We often lose hope when we lose our focus. Think about it. Who is the One that we put our hope in? Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? There is Hope in His Power Have You Lost Hope? 2. Where Are Your Plans? There is Hope in His Plans 10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. If you have lost hope, take a look at your plans. Where they prayed about? Where they submitted to the Lord? If you are trying to work on getting something done with out the Lord’s help or approval it might fail. They might not even be wrong but they may be wrong for you if they are not in His will for you. If you want to have hope restored it Might involve making sure that the plans you have are the Lord’s plans for you. Some of us have started studying Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the will of God. The premise is: That God is always at work around us, we just need to discover where He is working and join Him in that work. If you plans align with God’s plans verse 11 says: “the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,” There is Hope in His Plans. Have You Lost Hope? 3. Where is Your Heart? There is Hope for His People 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth— 15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. Where is your heart? What is it focused on? How far down the List is the Lord in your heart? Do you know that He loves you? That He sent Hid Son, born as a baby, born to go to the cross to pay your debt? Verse 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; He saw that we needed a Savior. He sees what you need. He sees where you heart is and He wants your heart to be His, completely and undivided. When we give Him our heart our hope is restored and encouraged. Verse:15 15 he who forms the hearts of all, When we give Him our heart it is returning to the One who wants to make it beat for Him. There is Hope for His People. Is your heart His? Have You Lost Hope? 4. Where is Your Security? There is Hope in His Provisions 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. What do you really put your security? In your house, in your relationships, in your 401K, in your bank account. In these verses it says? No king is saved my the size of his army. A horse is a vain hope despite its great strength it cannot save. If we place our security in the Lord, we don't need to fear other things. Verse 18 says: But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, This type of fear is not disabling but empowering. It is reverential fear. It is giving God the honor due His name. It is placing our security in Him and Him alone. It is knowing that He has our back and we can know that He is able to handle what ever we are facing if we believe that His eyes are on us and we hope in His unfailing love to deliver us from death and famine. There is Hope in His Provisions. Have You Lost Hope? 5. Where is Your Trust? There is Hope in His Love 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Do you wait in Hope? Do you believe that God is our help and our shield? Or do you think that maybe He took a vacation for the last year when it comes to being involved in your life? Does your heart rejoice in Him? Do we really trust in His Holy Name? Ills. The tight rope and the wheel barrow… Do you believe that I can get your safely to the other side? Will you show me that you trust me enough to actually get in the wheel barrow and allowing me to take you to the other side? We can pray verse 22: "Lord, may you unfailing love be with us, even as we put our HOPE in You!" There is Hope in His Love Have You Lost hope? Where is Your Focus? Where are Your Plans? Where is Your Heart? Where is Your Security? Where is Your Trust? What adjustment do you need to make in your life to have the Lord restore your Hope? This morning as we share communion while the song is playing... I would like you to come up when you are ready and take the beard and drink return to your seat and when you have prayed take the cup and the bread. Then I’ll close us in prayer Just Give me Jesus, Jeremy Camp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFJGsBApIuk

Wait a Minute Romans 8:17-21 -- Nov. 18, 2018 Me I don’t like to suffer. Ills. To get a halibut. I went deep sea fishing with my oldest boy, he was not very old, about four or five. We went twenty seven miles out into the Pacific Ocean near Tillamook, Oregon. There were 15 to 20 foot swells. We were in a 65 foot boat… I got sick every fifteen minutes for five times over the course of nine and a half hours. That translates to “feeding the fish” 190 times over the course of that day. Now that suffering was my own fault, no one made me go deep sea fishing. We I think it is safe to say that none of us like to suffer. Often when we face something hard we are fast to ask God to take it away or at least let us know why it’s happening. Think about the something that would be really hard for you to face. What would it do to your faith if you had to face it? We can all jump to the story in Job and think, “I could never had handled it the way Job did.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 English Standard Version (ESV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Even the temptation to abandon your faith in the face of suffering. I’ve started to reread the Left Behind series again… Those who miss the rapture but come to Christ afterwords will have to face some tough times for their faith... To our text: It’s really hard to keep the whole picture of Romans 8 by preaching a few verses each week. I would encourage you to read the whole chapter at least weekly while we work our way through it. God What is Paul telling us in the two verses? (read verses 17 & 18.) 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs— heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. I think there was a time where the church would tell people, “If you accept Jesus your life will be wonderful, you will never suffer, and you will always live like a king or queen.” That is not true. We can read a verse like 17 and think not wait a minute... 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs— heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. If we are God’s children. We become His children by confessing our sins, accepting Christ into our hearts and deciding to life for Him each day... Hebrews 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. If we are His children, then we are heirs, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ. Now the verse takes a twist that some would like to eliminate. if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Why do Christian have to suffer? What purpose is served when they suffer? What are the causes of suffering? Lets look at some other verse to shed some light on these. 1 Peter 4:13 (NIV) 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Colossians 1:24 English Standard Version (ESV) 24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, John Piper says about Paul’s suffering: “Paul suffers, and he says that in his sufferings he fills up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions? What does that mean? Here’s my answer in summary: What’s missing is the in-person presentation of Christ’s sufferings to the people for whom he died. The afflictions are lacking in the sense that they are not seen and known among the nations. They must be carried by ministers of the gospel. And those ministers of the gospel fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ by extending them to others. Paul sees his own suffering as the visible reenactment of the sufferings of Christ so that they will see Christ’s love for them.” https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/filling-up-what-is-lacking-in-christs-afflictions In others words what Paul hopes is that in all the tough things that he went through people would see the love of Christ being shown to them. Aside from Job, Paul could claim to have the second biggest list to suffering next to Jesus. Paul didn’t die for us but he lived as an example of what a follower of Jesus might be called to do. Here is his list: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 (NIV) 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Skip...29 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. What are we to do when we face suffering? One thing, I believe is to keep an eternal perspective on it. To take a step back and say, “THIS TOO WILL PASS.” In the whole scope of our life and what we face and how LONG we will live with Jesus in eternity, we are only going to have to “suffer” for a little while. 1 Peter 1:6-7 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. When we suffer for Christ or in following Christ our faith is being tested and purified. It’s easy to follow Jesus when everything is going ok, but it’s hard to develop a deep faith without some deep testing... When we face suffering for Christ it can help us look forward to also sharing in the glory of Christ...

For those who missed the last session (Session 9). Here it is.

Session Seven video

Session 4 of Experiencing God for those who missed it.