Recent Messages (Page 3)

PROBLEM All of us can choose to forgive or not.  If you were hurt you can choose to forgive everyone or no one. You can choose if you’ll be a victim or a victor. There is a story of a father and 3 siblings.  They resented their father for being so indifferent to them. One day as the father was dying he told the son that he gave his children a better life than he had.  His father would punish…

Problem What if our individual sins are not really the problem? What if the real problem for us is how others see us, whether they think we are good or bad? What is our response? How can I do better?  (recent examples) Bible – Adam and Eve  From the start they were perfectly loved by God and perfectly loved each other.  They could look at each other in the face. Then – “You will be like God”  You can do…

Luke 17:1, 3-5 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come… 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Matthew 5:43-44 “You have heard that…

PROBLEM – forgiveness fixes brokenness We don’t like conflict, and yet we have so much of it.  Forgiveness is an emotionally charged topic, especially when we’ve been deeply wounded. We sinful people who will regularly hurt and be hurt by other sinful people. Victim+izer Too many people dread learning about forgiveness. They fear they will learn what they ought to do and that what they ought to do will make them miserable. GOD – repeat offenders Only God’s Word helps…

PROBLEM Prayer as a wedge into our busy schedules vs the life we are already living Prayer is about how God welcomes us into what He is doing and how we welcome God into what we are doing. Our response to life: You can pray Illustration: Billy “Graham started praying when he got up this morning, he prayed while eating breakfast, he prayed on the way over here in the car they sent for us, and he’ll probably be praying…

PROBLEM It just feels like we can’t find the joy in things, like we are too aware to trust or hope. Everyone has an angle. Unlike our parents , we never believed in anything. Our defining characteristic is cynicism. But that’s a double – edged sword. It protects you from crushing disappointment, but it paralyzes you from doing anything. David Goliath. Answer to prayer I think it would have happened anyways. Pastor Mary. Paul in prison. You cannot go on…

PROBLEM Powerful and effective prayer is how God extends His kingdom, it’s how he defeats Satan and his empire of darkness and evil, and it’s how God brings His good will on earth. It is God’s means of covering the earth with His blessings. F.B. Meyer –  “The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” In 1952, Albert Einstein at Princeton, What is there left in the world for original dissertation research?  Find out about prayer.…

Some of us lack focus.  Some of us lack confidence. Some of us lack faith. Prayer isn’t just an action you do.Prayer is a way that you live.  At His baptism. (Lk 3:21-22)  In the morning before heading to Galilee. (Mk 1:35-36)  After healing people. (Lk 5:16)  All night before choosing His disciples. (Lk 6:12-13)  While speaking to the Jewish leaders. (Mt 11:25-26)  Giving thanks to the Father before feeding 5,000. (Jn 6:11, Mt 14:19, Mk 6:41, Lk 9:16)  Before…

PROBLEM – Why we don’t pray and why we should What motivates us to pray? Trouble. Fears: God’s not going to do it. Wonder if God doesn’t want what I want? God wants your best, can you trust him? Is there something you want so bad but you know God doesn’t want that for you? Psalm 88 asks, is God praised for the bad things? Answers to prayer glorify God. GOD – God has a purpose for us and he…

PROBLEM And even after walking with Jesus for quite a while I still find that when it comes to prayer, I’m a learner. I still feel like such a rookie sometimes. I’ve learned a lot about prayer, but I still also have a long way to go. But that is how everyone feels about prayer. It’s like asking Jacques Cousteau how much he knows about the ocean. But as important as prayer is, it is also pretty difficult, isn’t it?…

PROBLEM – Why is mercy so hard Grace is what God gives us – Mercy is what we give others – Compassion is what people deserve (fine line). Opposite- ruthless, cruel, inhumane. Judge and executioner Do you ever think to yourself, Is my life really pleasing to God? Mercy isn’t natural for me, complaining is. Pizza guy  GOD – But it’s what we do A story of mercy Matthew 18:23-35 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who…

PROBLEM Lots of people seek the spiritual for help. Apparently, the religious website Beliefnet sends out more than 8 million daily emails of spiritual wisdom in various flavors to more than 5 million subscribers. Generic inspiration is the most popular 2.4 million emails, followed by inspirations from the Bible with 1.6 million. But there are 460,000 subscribers to the Buddhist thought of the day, 313,000 Torah devotees, 268,000 subscribers to daily Muslim wisdom, and 236,000 who get spiritual weight loss…