FCWC13: Friday Morning

Glory: stunning perfection

"Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain."  

~1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (NIV)

Jesus died on the cross for you and for your sins. He offered forgiveness for penalty of sin.

Have power over the presence of sin in your life. Know how to pursue things. Do things, but do them for God. Have 1 supreme sacrifice and pursuit that stands above all: a passion for the glory of God.

Get the order right: God -> others -> self

"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. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 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, 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."

~Romans 8 (NIV)

FCWC13:Thursday Evening

⁷ So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
⁸     do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
    during the time of testing in the wilderness,
⁹ where your ancestors tested and tried me,
    though for forty years they saw what I did.
¹⁰ That is why I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
¹¹ So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ~Hebrews 3:7-13 (NIV)

There is great danger in the valley. It is easy to turn away from God, but He has instructed you.

Discharge Plan: Feed your spirit. Make it strong.  "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." ~Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

Ways to feed your spirit:

1. Be ready for spiritual warfare: Our flesh is drawn to Satan. It pulls us away from God. Do you want to win spiritual warfare? You need to give up being cool. Do not be worrying about your image and your self. "⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." ~1 Peter 2:9-11 (NIV).
2. Repent & Believe: This should be the rhythm to life. It is like a cycle to Christian life. You need to constantly have to take out the garbage in life to grow. You need to trust Christ to change. "“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”" ~Mark 1:15 (NIV)
3. Make hard decisions: "²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹ If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰ And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." ~Matthew 5:27-30 (NIV). Sometimes you need to cut off things that cause you to sin. You need to get rid of access to these things. Sometimes we have to drastic things or we'll be drug toward hell. These can be things like friends (you can wait to help non-Christian friends until you're stronger), job, porn, significant others. Even in biblical times, this was done. In 1 Kings, Elijah gives his ministry to Elisha, and he leaves his parents.
4. Read your bible: It is important to read the bible regularly. It's ok if it's not the most exciting every time you read. It won't be. It will become sweeter over time. Be in the word. "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." ~John 17:17 (NIV). The bible is like a double edge sword: "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12 (NIV). It will fully equip you: "¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." ~2 Timothy 3 (NIV). You need the spirit of God AND the Word of God. It's like a bow. If you don't have both, you're ready to shoot but don't know where to shoot. Read good books to encourage your faith.
5. Pray: Don't stop praying. Prayer will connect you to God. Journaling can also help in your prayers. It slows down your thinking, giving you more time to think about your prayers. "“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." ~Luke 11:9 (NIV)
6. Stones of Remembrance: "On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”" ~Joshua 4:19-24 (NIV). Give yourself reminders of who God is and what He has done for you. Have reminders of what we are called to do. Accumulate different items to remember your walk with God. Look to them often to encourage you.
7. Together in church: Find wise people in the church. In the New Testament, all of the disciples were connected and committed to a church. "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." ~Proverbs 13:20 (NIV). These people that you find at church are your faith family. Seek roots there. Connect with people your own age, but connect with wiser believers. Jesus works through the church. It is the hope of continuing faith.
8. Serve: Look for opportunities to serve. Look at places that you love, places that you feel need help or places that can utilize your talents. Do not neglect your gifts. You have special talents. Put them to use. " Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you." ~1 Timothy 4:14 (NIV). Serving eases being critical.

FCWC13: Thursday Morning

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 

~John 15:1-8 (NIV)

It is a continuous process to be a follower of Jesus. You invite Him in and constantly move and get rid of things so nothing messes up the vine and branches.

Remember: You are the branches, not the vine. You are the child, not the parent. You are the student, not the teacher.

You will die if you aren't fed with scripture. God wants you to be where the vine and branches meet.

We were given a packet of honey, a reminder of Psalm 119:103 (NIV): "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

Nothing is sweeter than the Word of God. It will change you if you allow yourself to get into it. It requires more than just reading. You need to meditate, memorize, pray, and practice. Have it on you. Internalize and personalize bible verses.

God wants you to abide in Him. Rest in the power of God's word. God has all of the resources because He's the true vine. The vine exists only for branches. Remain in him.

FCWC13: Wednesday Evening

Tonight Pastor Steve talked about continuum repentance. Continuum repentance is continually asking forgiveness and repenting for your actions. It is not an easy process, but it is practical and fruitful.

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God ~1 Thessalonians  1:9b (NIV)

 We need to keep moving away from all of the idols in our lives and toward God. It's like a bow. We pull back just enough from our sin, but there's still tension and we can feel ourselves being dragged back to our old ways. Pull all the way back (toward God), and you can relax in His strength and power.

How to turn to God from idols:

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ~Ephesians 4:28 (NIV)

1. Prophetic vision: "Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction." ~Proverbs 29:18 (NIV). If you have no vision, you will go back to sin.
2. This is the work of God. You are not enough to do it alone. "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." ~Philippians 2:12 (NIV)
3. Bring glory to God and others

Progress is not made in generalities. You do not just grow in faith. You need to work hard at it.

Some things to work on to be a man or a woman of God:

1. Words: Speak good, healthy words into other's lives. Give good words of encouragement, comfort or correction. Do not use vulgar words. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." ~Ephesians 4:29 (NIV). James 3 has great wisdom on the power of your words.
2. Hard/soft heart: Calm down. Get rid of your anger. "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." ~Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
3. Money/possessions: Don't find happiness or status in your money and possessions. If you find it glorious, it will draw you away from God. Develop a habit of giving! Break the power of greed. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." ~1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)
4. Relationship with parents: Even if you feel that your relationship with your parents is ok, there is still work that can be done. Don't be disobedient or semi-obedient. Stop giving them attitude and dishonoring them. Break your old habits: serve them. Be helpful and encouraging, speak well of them and appreciate their hard work. "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." ~Deuteronomy 5:6 (NIV)
5. Sex: Learn to control and honor your body. Abstain from sexual activity. God has called us for holiness. This activity is driving you away from God and killing you emotionally. Guys: See girls as your sisters to defend. Stand up for them. Pray for the purity of your future wife. Give your wife purity. and Girls: Pray for the purity of your future husband. Give your husband purity. Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost more than you want to pay. "As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." ~1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 (NIV)
6. Looks/appearance: Move away from clothes, hair, fashion and attracting the opposite sex. Move toward adorning the heart, your inner person. "She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." ~Sections of Proverbs 31 (NIV)
7. Entertainment: There are many crude and vial sources of entertainment that dragging is you down. A lot of entertainment is just mind numbing and mindless. There is no reading or discussions, and our minds need to be developed, or we'll remain on a low level. They are just a waste of time. Do you give God your time? You do have the time to do activities that bring you closer to God (pray, read the bible or a devotional, serve God and others). You just choose to waste it. Find time to fight a battle against Satan. Rest, but don't throw your time away. Show you love God and others.

Remember: God is bigger than the situation. He can help you work on any and all of these issues.

FCWC13: Wednesday Morning

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~1 Corinthians 10:31(NIV)

 Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Don't do things for your own comfort. Do it for God and to glorify Him. Have initiative and don't give your left over effort. Go hard or go home. Go all the way. Be fully engaged in everything that you do.

Do these in ALL aspects of your life: school, work, friendships, sports. When you do anything, do it fully to show God's glory.

Challenge yourself:
Are you doing it for your comfort or for the glory of God?

FCWC13: Tuesday Evening

Pain vs. Desire

Pastor Steve used the diagram from above to explain glory.

We need to start with giving glory to God, then we will be able to be good to others, then we can have joy.

If we start with giving glory to ourselves, we lose our life. Don't move to push past issues that cause you pain first. That's not why we are lost. We lost God and need to get Him back. To recover what was lost, go back to the core: God.

If you pursue your own joy, you will not find it. Pursue the glory of God, then you will find joy. Other things will lead you away from God. Jesus needs to be your greatest pursuit and joy. You must see Him as glorious and beautiful. Do not pursue lesser joys.

Matthew 13 gives a great example of how we should pursue God. The passage talks about doing everything for God. Take the time to do things whole heartedly to give Him glory.

Pastor Steve also compared a microscope and a telescope to illustrate glory.

• Microscope: Take something small and make it look big (things like worldly items and possessions). This perspective often has us look at something insignificant, but it makes us focus too much on it. It blows up the issue when it is really not an issue.
• Telescope: Take something big and look closely at the awesomeness of it (like you would look at a star or planet). This perspective has us looking at how amazing things are, and magnify something, in a way we should magnify the Lord.

Our telescope is the bible. It reveals the God who created everything- God, Himself. It shows us how wonderful He is. Magnify the Lord and exalt Him (teach about Him, be an example of Him, read the bible).

Alpha and Omega

 You will pursue what is most beautiful. If He is not magnified, you will not follow him. You'll just be concerned with microscope work.

You need to take ownership of your life and actions. You must learn to love God.

It's time to magnify the Lord.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
His love endures forever
sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant.
His love endures forever
For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, 
His love endures forever
Israel to be his treasured possession.

His love endures forever

I know that the Lord is great,
His love endures forever

that our Lord is greater than all gods.
His love endures forever

The Lord does whatever pleases him,
His love endures forever

in the heavens and on the earth,
His love endures forever

in the seas and all their depths.
His love endures forever

He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
His love endures forever

he sends lightning with the rain
His love endures forever

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

His love endures forever

 

Other passages used:

 

¹ I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together. ~Psalm 34 (NIV)

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and^[a] knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!
³⁴ “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”^[b]
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”^[c]
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
    To him be the glory forever! Amen. ~Romans 11 (NIV)

⁸ “I am the Lord; that is my name!
    I will not yield my glory to another
    or my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have taken place,
    and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
    I announce them to you.” ~Isaiah42 (NIV)

¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ~Colossians 1 (NIV)

¹ Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,
    because of your love and faithfulness. ~Psalm115 (NIV) 

 

 

 

FCWC13: Tuesday Morning

We want recognition for our hard work, and will often do just about anything to get it.

We need to remember that God also wants recognition for all of His hard work.

⁴ I am in the midst of lions;
    I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶ They spread a net for my feet—
    I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
    but they have fallen into it themselves.

⁷ My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
⁸ Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

⁹ I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
¹⁰ For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

~Psalm 54 (NIV) 

David (the author) sees his circumstances as existing separately from God's glory. David is going through many emotions, but is still giving praise when he is suffering.

God is true and God is real.

God is not more or less true because of your pain or your joy.

FCWC13: Monday Evening

The 7 Words of the Gospel:

1. Created: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ~Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
2. Sin: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God ~Romans 3:23 (NIV)
3. Death: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 6:23 (NIV)
4. Jesus: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8 (NIV)
5. Faith: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ~Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
6. Life: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ~John 10:10 (NIV)
7. Follow: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ~John 10:27 (NIV)

There was an invitation to come to "detox", a way to use this week to get close to Jesus. This will include moving away from sin and moving into a right way of living.

A few things to remember:

• Sin is still a poison, no matter how it is presented.
• Don't be ok with where you are. Don't compare yourself with others to decide where you should be. Don't say "I'm not doing what she's doing, so I'm not that bad."

Key passages:

 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. ~Mark 9:2-8 (NIV) 

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 ~Philippians 2:12 (NIV)