Are You a People Pleaser? Jan. 9, 2011

Are You a People Pleaser?

We all have free will - but yet we mess up our lives - so He sent Jesus to clean up our messes to give us a mulligan, so to speak....

Do you want to be healthy? Not just physically, but spiritually too?

God will bless you, but don't expect Him to be your 'personal banker' - yes, He wants prosperity for you, but you have to do your part too.

Read Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus stunned John by telling him that He needed to be baptized by John. What did John do? He back pedaled, he asked God and said it wasn't right for him to baptize his Lord and Savior.

How many of US back pedal when Jesus asks us to do something?

John DID figure out what he should do and when he did it,

he did this in order to FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS

There are 3 things you must do to fulfill all righteousness:

1. please God

2. look for the road signs of righteousness

3. bear the cross

1. Please God - this means to actively seek His will

People pleasers will distort the truth and follow others down the wrong path. This will cause you to look down, not up to God. They want others to follow them, not God. They are far from doing right.

Being a God pleaser, on the other hand, causes us to look up. You will be amazed at the change in your life when you do.

2. Look for the Road Signs of righteousness -

Is yours a dead end street or a fresh start? The difference is your attitude. Don't be 'why me, Lord?' all the time. Turn around and look for signs to get us back on the right road.

3. Bear the Cross - make God-delighting decisions

Stop wearing the cross just as an emblem and 'bury' the cross to please God.

Welcome those whom we least desire to be with....

"Dreaming" Dec. 26, 2010

Dreaming

Read Matthew 2:12-23

Joseph and Mary were approaching marriage and probably wanted it to be perfect.

The Angel appeared to Mary in a dream, telling her she would be pregnant with God's child, so much for the 'perfect' wedding!

Joseph then had the struggle of what to do, and then decided not to put her away. By law at that time, it would be legal to put her away, wherein she would be cast from society and possibly even stoned to death, legally. His decision was honoring to her and to his trust in God.

So, the 'perfect' wedding was interrupted by God - how many times have OUR perfect plans been interrupted by God?

Remember, righteous means doing the right thing.

How many of us would have made the choices that Mary and Joseph did?

Then they didn't name the baby with a family name, as tradition dictated. They did as God instructed and named him Jesus....

Joseph could have run or become proud, but he didn't. How many of US could have raised God's own child?

What kind of faith would it take to BELIEVE the Angel, the dreams and to wait on another dream for further instructions?

Dream sleep is called REM sleep - our deepest sleep, the sleep cycle is not complete if we don't dream. 1/3 of our life is unaccounted for - that is when we are sleeping!

Our brains keep our bodies safe while we have our dreams. Sleep rejuvenates our immune system; we need a good night's sleep to function.

Matthew was a dreamer. Joseph was a dreamer and knew his dreams were divinely inspired.

How many of us would believe our dreams enough to get up and go to another country?

Divine Guidance only comes to prepared hearts - is your heart prepared to receive God's guidance?

When we are asleep, our defenses are down - opening a pathway for God to speak to us.

Before you go to bed, open a new channel, ask God to talk to you while you sleep.

He will not abandon you, nor take you anywhere you're not ready to go. It's a gift when God talks to you in your dreams, not an achievement.

Start dreaming dreams - it won't be: self-serving, self-congratulatory, or self-glorifying. Divine dreams can consume our whole life.

Joseph never questioned God - when God spoke, He obeyed.

We need to listen to God - to dream of peace on Earth, of loving one other.

We could end up in places we never dream we would go....you can't dream that same dream once you meet that baby in the manger!!

You have to dream a different dream.

Where are YOU willing to go?

What are you willing to leave behind??

October 31, 2010 Amazing Grace

Matt. 3: 13-17

"The Bible can't touch you, unless you first touch the Bible."

Sermon Notes: Amazing Grace

Baptism - a Christian practice that symboblizes the washing away of the old, sinful self, and a rebirth to the new you in Christ.

What does righteousness mean? conformity to the divine and moral law. This is a model for us to follow...

Jesus took the sins of all mankind on himself just for us - for you and for me!

God's Riches at Christ's Expense

Jesus didn't say "I don't have time", or "This would be hard", or "I don't want to", or "I'll get to it later." He knew it would be hard, but He submitted to God anyway.

This is what makes it possible for us to live a life that is connected to God.