September 12, 2004 The Politics of Truth
September 19, 2004 How to Pay Your Debts
September 26, 2004 What On Earth Am I Here For?

September 12, 2004
The Politics of Truth

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18;
12 I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. 13I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done in the world. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. 14Everything under the sun is meaningless, like chasing the wind. 15What is wrong cannot be righted. What is missing cannot be recovered.16I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.” 17So I worked hard to distinguish wisdom from foolishness. But now I realize that even this was like chasing the wind. 18For the greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.
12:9-14
9Because the Teacher was wise, he taught the people everything he knew. He collected proverbs and classified them. 10Indeed, the Teacher taught the plain truth, and he did so in an interesting way.
11A wise teacher’s words spur students to action and emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of the wise are like guidance from a shepherd. 12But, my child, be warned: There is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting! 13Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person. 14God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

Searching for truth apart from God will leave you frustrated and empty
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

There is only one religion based on fact and we must lead people to this truth

“… for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him John 18:37-38

When God is not in the center, pleasing people is more important than acting on truth

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. … Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. John 19:1, 16

Tolerating falsehood and immorality will damage people and our community

Revelation 2:18-25
18“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are bright like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze: 19“I know all the things you do—your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. 20But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She is encouraging them to worship idols, eat food offered to idols, and commit sexual sin. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she would not turn away from her immorality. 22Therefore, I will throw her upon a sickbed, and she will suffer greatly with all who commit adultery with her, unless they turn away from all their evil deeds. 23 I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am the one who searches out the thoughts and intentions of every person. And I will give to each of you whatever you deserve. 24But I also have a message for the rest of you in Thyatira who have not followed this false teaching (‘deeper truths,’ as they call them—depths of Satan, really). I will ask nothing more of you 25except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one … who correctly handles the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

… while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:13-17

Stand for truth and vote your values

· Life

· Family

· Freedom

Don’t get worked up with anger and hatred

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September 19, 2004
How To Pay Your Debts

Romans 13
1Obey the government, for God is the one who put it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. 2So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. 3For the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. 4The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong. 5So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience. 6Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid so they can keep on doing the work God intended them to do. 7Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and import duties, and give respect and honor to all to whom it is due. 8Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that! If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill all the requirements of God’s law. 9For the commandments against adultery and murder and stealing and coveting—and any other commandment—are all summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements. 11Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. 13We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don’t participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. 14But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires.

Pay Your Citizenship Debt 13:1-6

· Submission
· Service
· Taxes
· Respect

Pay Your Financial Debt 13:7-8

· Work hard
… we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." We hear that some among you are idle. … Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. II Thessalonians 3:10-12
· Spend wisely
Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom? Proverbs 17:16

Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow. Proverbs 13:11
· Give generously
" Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:8-11

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Pay Your People Debt 13:8-10
· Love is an obligation
·Love enables us to keep all the rules

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. James 2:8

The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Mark 12:31-34

Pay Your Spiritual Debt 13:11-14
· Recognize the bill due and you can’t afford it
· Apply for a grant
· Keep the lights on all night long!

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, Romans 8:9-13

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September 26, 2004
What On Earth Am I Here For?

We ask three great questions

1. Existence: Why Am I Alive?

Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame? Jeremiah 20:18

The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.
Proverbs 16:4 New Living Translation

Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 New Living Translation

I was created to be loved by God

2. Significance: Does My Life Matter?

I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Isaiah 49:4

This is what the LORD says — he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you Isaiah 44:2

When my bones were being formed, carefully put together in my mother's womb, when I was growing there in secret, you knew that I was there — you saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began. Psalm 139:15-16

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Psalms 33:11

I was made to last forever

We know that our body — the tent we live in here on earth — will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever.
II Corinthians 5:1 New Century Version

Stop your foolish ways, and you will live; take the road of understanding. Proverbs 9:6 New Century Version

3. Intention: What is My Purpose?

Why did you create us? For nothing?
Psalm 89:47 New Century Version

… understanding begins with knowing the Holy One.
Proverbs 9:10 New Century Version

I find my purpose by getting to know God

For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible
and invisible…everything got started in him and finds its
purpose in him.” Colossians 1:16 The Message

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1:11-12 The Message

It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if
you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.
Acts 10:35 The Message

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