The Journey- Collective

July 19, 2015

I. Your identity

Jeremiah 1:4-5 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Mathew 16:13-19 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is? "They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will befbound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beg loosed in heaven."

“You find yourself when you find God.”

II. God's faithfulness
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of God stands forever.

Ephesians 6:11-12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

III. Doing God's will along your journey

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

"Life's disappointments can be opportunities for divine appointments"

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding In all your ways acknowledge Him And He will make your paths straight.

The Journey- The Compass

July 12, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Hebrews 10:21-25 (NIV) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

The Compass of community
1. Adds clarity & stability
“Being well connected with a community of believers gives us consistent sense of direction.”
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess…
Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

2. Provides motivation

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on.
Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.

3. Must be a priority.
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.
Acts 2:42-43 (NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
“The church is what christians are not where they attend.”

1 Peter 1:22 You must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

4. Inspires Courage
Hebrews 10:25 ….but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

“Our endurance at the end of the age will be dependent upon our ability to live well connected to the community of faith!”

John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

Galatians 1:10 I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.

Galatians 6:10 (NLT) Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective

The Journey- Landmarks

July 05, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Landmarks:
1. Life Verse/ Scriptural Themes
2. Life Purpose/Vision/mission Statement
3. Standards
4. Patterns
5. Pivotal Moments
6. Mistakes & Success
7. Personal History-

Matthew 7:24-27 Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Realities concerning Wisdom
1. Wisdom is different than knowledge
Colossians 1:9-10 We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Knowledge-Information
Understanding-Comprehension
Wisdom-Execution
“Doesn't matter how smart and educated you are if you don't have the power to make good decisions you are foolish, not wise.”
2. Wisdom is costly
Proverbs 4:7 Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.

3. Wisdom > Fear
“Our experiences in this Journey are to deepen our dependability not increase our independence”

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

4. Wisdom visualizes before it verbalizes.
Proverbs 17:28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent

5. Wisdom lives in response.
James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Lack wisdom?
James 1: 5 & 6 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

The Journey- The Guide

June 28, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

John 16:12-15 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

How the Holy Spirit guides.
1- Activating the Word.
“You don't study the bible to know the bible…you study your bible to know God.”

John 5:37-40 The Father who sent me has testified about me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen him face to face, and you do not have his message in your hearts, because you do not believe me—the one he sent to you. “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.

John 6:63 The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

2- Subtle Leadership.
Psalm 32:8-9 The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

A- Quietly guiding
Isaiah 30:19-21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

B- Reminders & Cues
John 14:26 But the Counselor, 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.

3- Peace through Understanding
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom & understanding, the Spirit of counsel & might, the Spirit of knowledge & the fear of the LORD.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

“Through difficulty we are growing in our understanding of God, who provides peace in the midst of it, a purpose in-spite of it, and path trough it.”

John 14:16 I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.

John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

4- Developing Endurance
Matthew 26:41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, & you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Zechariah 4:6 Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.

The Journey- Fuel for the Journey

June 14, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV) May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever.

Ephesians 2:10(NIV) For we are God's workmanship(poetic masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Fuel for the Journey-
#1.The Word-
Matthew 4:1-4 (NLT) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

#2. The Call
John 4:31-34 (NLT) Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

4 ways to Recognizing your Call

1.What do you think that is?

2. What is in your heart?

3. What is your motivation?

4. Is it bigger than you?

#3. Our “Yes”
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NLT) It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant…

“The calling is what Qualifies us”

Ephesians 3:7-8 (MSG) This is my life work: helping people understand and respond to this Message. It came as a sheer gift to me, a real surprise, God handling all the details. When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God's way, I was the least qualified of any of the available Christians. God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ.

“My God takes great delight in equipping the unqualified"

#4. Nurturing what nurtures.
Matthew 13:33 (NLT) “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

The Journey- The Map

June 07, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV) May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you w/ everything good for doing his will, & may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever & ever.

Ephesians 2:10(NIV) For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NLT) But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

4 Realities about Gods word.
Psalm 119:105 (NLT) Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

1- Gods Word is his objective standard.
Galatians 1:10 (NLT) Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

2. The Word aligns our thinking.
Romans 12:2 (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3. The Word reveals Gods Ways
“The best way to know Gods will is to understand his ways!”
Psalm 36:9 (NIV) With you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Psalm 103:7 (NIV) He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel.
Colossians 3:16 (NIV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….
1 Corinthians 2:16 (NLT) “Who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

4. The Word builds our faith
Romans 10:17 Faith comes from hearing the word.

James 1:22 (NLT) But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

The Journey

May 31, 2015

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV) May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

There is an abundance of scriptures on instructing us to pray, fulfill, and do the will of God….
Matthew 7:21 (NLT) “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
1 John 2:17 (NIV) The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Matthew 6:10 (NIV) Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
James 4:13-17 (NIV) Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

3 core beliefs to understanding God’s will:
#1. The Common Will of God for Humanity.
1. Created for Dominion(Genesis 1:28)
2. Commanded to Love God(Matthew 22:37)
3. Called to Believe & Follow Christ.(John 6:29)
4. Commissioned to advance the gospel of the kingdom(Matthew 28:19&20)

“God isn't trying to fit onto your plan, he is fitting you into his!”

#2. We were designed for Him & for His purposes
Colossians 1:16 (NIV) For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

“We are most fulfilled in fulfilling his will!”

Psalm 139:13-18 (NLT) You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

#3. The Journey begins with trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

-Trusting what he says about you.
John 1:12 (NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Mark 1:10-11 (NIV) As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

-Trust that his journey is the best journey.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) 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.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV) As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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