Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Foundation Faith Part V: Loving God

Foundational Faith
Part V: Loving God
 
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Foundational Faith:
    Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, the conviction of what is not seen. (hcsb)
     James 2:17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (niv)

God’s Love:
     I Corinthians 13:8  Love never fails…

Lifestyle Change:
     2nd Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things[f] have come. (hcsb))..
     Romans 12:2 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. (niv)

Getting Rid of Sin:
     
Isaiah 59:2 - But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen. (hcsb)
     
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
Loving God:
Matthew 22:36-38
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.(niv)

Why is it so important?

How are we supposed to Love?

Deuteronomy 10:12-13
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? 13 Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. (hcsb)

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Foundational Faith: Part IV - Dealing With Sin

Foundational Faith
Part IV: Dealing with Sin
 
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Sin:
What is Sin? Disobedience

Hebrews 10:15-16 - 15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” (niv)

James 4:17 -  So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it. (hcsb)

We all have disobeyed our Heavenly Father (God).

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Why do we need to deal with it?
It Builds Barriers and Causes God to turn away from us.
Isaiah 59:2 - But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have made Him hide His face from you so that He does not listen.

It makes us slaves
John 8:34 - Jesus responded, “I assure you: Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. (hcsb)

The cost of sin is Death
Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 Dealing with it:

The promise from God that gives us Hope that we will place action on.
He will Redeem and Forgive.
Redeem - To buy out
Forgive - Only God can forgive what the sin against Him

I John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (niv)

Acts 3:19 - Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, (niv)

The action we must do based on the promise from God to deal with sin.
We must Confess and Repent
Confess - Admission
Repent - Turn away

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Foundational Faith: Part III - Getting Starting building a new life

What does it mean and how do we get Started
Building a new life based on
our foundational faith?
 
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Getting Started building a new life based on the foundation of faith.

1. It Starts with action-
James 2:17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (niv)

2. What does that mean for us? What does that look like?

Transformed
Romans 12:2 - 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. (niv)


New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. (hcsb)

Turn away from evil and do what is good

I Peter 3:10-11 -  For the one who wants to love life and to see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and he must turn away from evil and do what is good. He must seek peace and pursue it, (hcsb)
Walk by the Spirit not by the Flesh

Galations 5:16-18 - I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (hcsb)
3. Christianity = Lifestyle change
     
a) Its not just a badge
      b) It is a change in habits
      c) It is changing from a sinners lifestyle to a righteous lifestyle
      d) Its no longer leaning on our own understanding but trusting in God


4. Living Righteously
      Living righteously means living with the desire to do what is right.

5. Change is hard but we have been given tools
      a) Prayer and Meditation
             Phillipians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.(hcsb)

     b) The Bible
              2 timothy 3:15-17 - and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.  (HCSB)
             Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword (hcsb)

      c) Each Other
               Hebrews 10:24-25 -And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. And he has given us the church…our Christian community, our Christian friends… (hcsb)

               Colossians 3:16 - Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. (hcsb)

                James 5:16
-  Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. (hcsb)

      d) We must learn to use these tools skillfully!

6.  Change in lifestyle is Hard, Its scary, its difficult
         But if we don't want to end up back where we started, we must go through lifestyle change and not try to wear Christianity as a badge.
 




Monday, August 12, 2013

Foundational Faith: Part II - What's Love got to do with it?

What does love have to do with
Foundational Faith and our lives...
 
  Watch the following video to find out!
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1. Review
2. Don't forget to Meditate
3. Foundational Faith: Part II - What's Love got to do with it?
A) Hebrews 11:1 –Now Faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, the conviction of what is not seen. (HCSB)

B) Why does God make us Promises?
          -
Because of Love

          -God Loves us as a Creator -
                Ephesians 2:10 -For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good
                works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in
                them. (HCSB)

                Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s
               
declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a
               
future and a hope. (HCSB)
          -God Loves us as a Father -
                I love you - John 3:16
                I will never lie to you - Hebrews 6:18
                I will never leave you - Hebrews 13:5
                There are boundaries, don't cross them - Proverbs 3:12

C) Why is love important?
         - I Corinthians 13:8 -
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies,

                                  they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
                                  where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (NIV)

D) Love is what binds God's promises to our faith.
        
- God's love does not change (its force is constant and

                perfect like a magnetic force)
         - The bond between a magnet and large piece of steel is stronger

                     than between a Magnet and a small piece of metal
         - The bond created between God's promises and a small faith is weak
         - The bond created between God's promises and big faith is strong

E) How do we grow our faith?         
          - Step 1: Pray (Hebrews 12:2, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 21:21-22)
          - Step 2: Read the Bible (Hebrews 10:17)
          - Step 3: Exercise our faith (Colossians 2:6-7, Phillipians 4:9)
F) What does love have to do with it?         
          - God's Love is the binding force between God's promises (our hope)
                    and our belief.
          - It is what gives us assurance that His promises will come true
          - It is why we can confidently build a life on foundational faith,

                    His promises, and our actions.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Foundational Faith: Part I

Have you ever wondered about faith, how its supposed to work or
what role it plays in your life (whether or not you are a Christian)?
Or maybe you don't feel like you have a good understanding of the faith in your own life... 
 
I offer the following video and notes with the hope it might help!
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1. Do you believe the following verse?
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (niv)
2. Just what is Faith or Belief (they are Biblically the same)
Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is the assurance of what is hoped for, the conviction of what is not seen. (hcsb)
3. Does this belief make us a Christian?
James 2:19 - You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
 
4. Its not belief that means we are saved, its belief IN.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (kjv)
5. What is belief in?
James 2:17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (niv)
6. How do we "believe in"?
Proverbs 3:5 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding; (niv)
      A. We make faith the foundation for our entire life...we build our life based on the promises of God, bound by His love, based on our faith in Him.  This is why it is important that our faith be strong.
      B. Lean not on our own understanding... Our brain continually lies to us (just see any illusion or watch brain games on Nat. Geo.)...so we should not build our life on how we understand the world, because it will be based on a fallible understanding with a bad perspective.  Instead we should lean on God who is the creator and therefore knows all and has the truthful perspective.
7. What is the result of believing in? Comfort, No needs, living a life seeking truth, No fear,  goodness and mercy will follow you, Everlasting Life with Christ!
Psalm 23 - (hcsb)

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths[a]
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,[b]
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff[c]—they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in[d] the house of the Lord
as long as I live.[e]

 8. What is the result of living a life based own your own fallible understanding?
Fear, Anxiety, Stress, worry, Doubt