02.05.12 - Building Your Family

We are seeking God for wisdom to build our famlies -  specifically building up our children. We do that as parents, as a church, and in our community. The most important role in our lives is to raise our children in Christ’s way! 

Psalm 22:9 - Kids are learining before we think they are - they are learning to trust - right from the beginning. 

Isa 28:10 - With adults we are renovating, but with kids we are building. Line upon line, precept upon precept...

Lets look today about Jesus’ ministry & teaching about children in the book of Matthew:

1. Matt 9:18 - Jesus constantly ministered to children.

•  His first ministry to a child was raising a little girl from dead
• The gospels record 71 times Jesus that Jesus taught about or ministered to a child. As much as any other group.
• The same devil that oppresess adults oppresses children

2. Matt 10:42 - Everything we do for a child matters.

• It’s amazing how a small thing can make a big difference 
• We need to minister to our kids in body, soul, & spirit

3. Matt 15:21 - Our children depend on us. 

• 4 times Jesus healed children in the gospels - all 4 times the parents asked for help. 
• Their healing, deliverance and spiritual life is greatly dependant on us! God has entrusted them into our hands.

4. Matt 17:14 - The devil is bent on destroying children. 

• The doors of communication must be wide open.
• The doors of darkness must be slammed shut in your homes and your lives. 
• Everything we do in our lives effect our children. Ex 20:5

5. Matt 18:1-5 - When we receive kids, we receive Jesus

• Treat your family with the grace & faith of a child. 
• Walk together in the humility & forgiveness of a child.

6. Matt  18:6-14 - Let’s dedicate ourselves to raise up a generation of kids that follow Christ with their whole heart!

• Dedicated to setting the right example for them
• Dedicated to welcome, love and value every child
• Dedicated to seek and find those which are lost

7. Matt 21:14-17 - Let’s raise up a generation of kids that are unashamed worshippers of Jesus!

• In one decade about 1 Billion children are moved to Heaven
• The enemy is more concerned about kids praising God than he is about miracles.
• When a miracle happens - we forget after a while. But when a child loves Jesus the devil has to deal with it for the next 80 years! Let’s get the word in our kids when they are young. 

If you weren’t treated right as a child - would you open your heart and let God break that curse off of you now?

If you have never truly known the gentle, caring love of a dad would you let your Father in Heaven be that to you now?

Could we as familes, and as a church and community pray for our children and dedicate ourselves to raising a generation of children that love Jesus?

02.05.12 - Building Your Family

01.22.12 - Building Your Confidence

Today we continue our BUILD series - Everyone here is a builder. We are building homes, families, business - you need your confidence built!

Confidence is:

• The belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust, feeling certain about the truth of something.
• One of the single greatest assets of our life that allows us to try new things, accept challenges, take risks, step out of our comfort zone into an uncertain place with grace. 

*Pride is unmerited confidence, arrogance. God is opposed to the proud. Real confidence comes from humble trust in God. 

*There seems to be more people with heads hanging down, not gonna try again, dissapointed. If that’s you God has a new confidence for you. It’s time for you to get back up - to get your confidence back!

How do we gain confidence?

1. You gain confidence by experience. 1 Sam 17:32-37

•  Many times we think we’re ready for the Giant before our bear or our lion.  
• 10,000 hours of training to be a professional. 10 years of purposeful training. 
• When our practice stops, our confidence dissapears. 
• Many leave their field too early. People who are always going somewhere go nowhere. 

2. You gain confidence because God is with you. vs 37

• Self confidence because of experience - God confidence because of relationship!
• Something about knowing I am right with God. Rom 8:33
• Sin comes to steal your authority and your confidence. 
• God’s promises come to fill you with confidence. Ps 62 

2. You gain confidence when you live in the grace God has given you. vs 38

• Self confidence because of experience - God confidence because of relationship!
• Some are trying to fit into a grace that wasn’t made for them - out of their “grace zone.”
• God has a grace that is tailor fit for you. Rom 12:3-8
• If you try to wear Saul’s armor you’ll be weighed down. 
• Your little sling and rocks were designed for a giant that Saul could not kill and all others were terrified of!
• Safeguard your confidence - 2 Cor 10:12-18
  •  don’t fall into the comparison trap
  •  stay within the boudaries of God’s plan for you
  •  boast in the Lord knowing you are approved!
• You are an AWESOME you & a terrible someone else!
• God wants the authentic version of you to be shown. 

You have confidence because of experience...

You have confidence because God is with you...

You have confidence in the grace God has given you...

Today live in confidence - a confidence built by trust in God

01.22.12 - Building Your Confidence

01.15.12 - Building Your Character

Character is:

• your features and traits that form your individual nature
• your moral and ethical quality
• your reputation

There are no short cuts to character - it is the person you are today. But no matter where your character is today you can choose what your character will be in the future - you can choose to let God build your shape your character!

So what is my character built by?

1. Character is built by your choices

• Your character is your choice.  
• Your choices form your habits, your habits form your character. 
• Your choices always affect more than yourself.

2. Character is built by your response to circumstances

• God has a purpose for the circumstances in your life.
• Your character will be tested in many seasons.
• Your true character comes out when pressure is applied.
• This testing prepares you for seasons that are to come.
• God’s character is formed in you in the desert of testing. 

3. Character is built by your friendships - 1 Cor 15:33

• Don’t be misled or scammed, your friend choices matter! 
• “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”
• Bad company corrupts good character
• New friends means new direction, new influence, new character, new future.

4. Character is built by being close to God - 2 Cor 3:17-18

• The greatest agent of change is God Himself. 
• When you’re with Him, you’re changed to be like Him.
• Your character moves towards the nature of Jesus as you remain in His presence. 

Your character is built by your choices, life circumstances, your friends, and God’s presence. 

Choose today to let Him build your character - choose life! John 10:10

01.15.12 - Building Your Character

01.08.12 - Church on the Way Pastor Joshua Churchyard

We welcome our special guest speaker, Joshua Churchyard, Pastor of Church on the Way in Benoni, South Africa. Prepare to be encouraged and challenged as we begin 2012!

01.08.12 - Church on the Way Pastor Joshua Churchyard

12.11.11 - Home for Christmas

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

 

What would Christmas at God’s House look like? Christmas is a time for the Lord to speak strongly not only to His children but to ALL who will hear. Lets look today at the very first Christmas and all the people involved.

Joseph - young man of integrity, honor & righteousness

Mary - young lady with a heart of obedience to God and an unswerving belief that nothing is impossible with God

Zechariah - faithful preist who had seen too much

Elizabeth - the barren wife that the Lord remembered

Innkeeper - made room for a desperate family

Shepherds - working men who testified of a miracle

Simeon - prayer warrior moved by the Holy Spirit

Anna - prophetess, worshipper, and intercessor

Herod - driven by lust for power and fear

Wisemen - foreign kings seeking the one true King

All these people had something in common: the Holy Spirit was speaking mightily to them - even Herod who rejected the truth becasue of his heart controlled by self

LUKE 14 - A picture of God’s Christmas Banquet

Who has the right to be there? John 1:12

Who was invited? Who did the master send to invite them? How did they respond? 

What is the Lord teaching you this season about your home? What excuses go through your why you’re not able to participate in the Kingdom? As a servant do you understand the urgency to compel others to respond to the Master’s invitation? 

12.11.11 - Home for Christmas