July 2, 2006 Enemies
July 9, 2006 Spiritual Help for The Parenting Blues
July 23, 2006 The Upside Down Kingdom
July 30, 2006 Lessons Learned Over 25 Years

 

July 2, 2006 Enemies

Matthew 13:24 - 43

1. We are in multiple wars

· A fight for physical peace

· A spiritual battle

2. We have two types of opponents

· Spiritual beings

· People

3. Fight strategically

· Don’t worry about numbers

· Grow the wheat

· Reconcile with human enemies

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July 9, 2006
Spiritual Help for The Parenting Blues

When your dreams are not fulfilled …

I Samuel 1:1-20

… Pour out your soul to the Lord!

When you feel inadequate or overwhelmed …

We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. … But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

… Trust in the Lord!

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
Luke 18:27
When you are not appreciated …

So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'" Luke 17:10

… Accept your servant role!

When you feel like a failure …

… Remember Eden!

When you feel unneeded …

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24

… Consider God’s plan!

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July 23, 2006
The Upside Down Kingdom

 

Matthew 18:1 - 10

Spiritual experience is for children vs. 2-3

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Luke 1:41-44

Importance is not an issue v. 1

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:33-37

Work on humility v. 4

1. Choose insignificant places

If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
Luke 14:9

2. Do the least desirable tasks

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:14-15

3. Befriend unimportant people

Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? James 2:5

Value God’s littlest ones

1. Welcome them v. 5

2. Protect them vs. 6-9

3. Admire them v. 10

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July 30, 2006
Lessons Learned Over 25 Years

Genesis 2:18 – 25

Pursue partnership v. 20

Appreciate gender difference v. 21 - 23

Accept the family v. 24

Cultivate your physical life v. 25

Start Slowly

If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. Deuteronomy 24:5

Learn to love deeply

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. Song of Songs 8:6-7

Fight Fair

Make it a work in progress

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