July 10th notes

Which of the things of God has caused us to turn away from Him? Jeremiah 2:5-9 God asks the question directly of us. When we think on the things of God we generally feel assured, comforted, so why then do we not meditate on them always (constantly doing His things)? Always in prayer?

Why do we acknowledge the goodness of God but yet don't follow His ways?

If the things of God are perfect, why don't we do them? Instead we do evil because we can (Jeremiah 3:5). We're wired for evil, we have a fallen nature that wants to be in control and not surrendered to God. Yet God surrounds us with the things of Him. We corrupt them- trying to have our way, and run our lives the way we want. In our imaginations we never see the possibility of anything but peace and goodness in our lives, its what we want, but its not actuality, evil happens. Jeremiah 23:17-18

We often put up a good front as followers of Christ everything is always "well", our secret things are well concealed from others. We don't share the struggles with the things we fail at. We fail at them because we try to do it in our own power and not His.

We are only what we are in the dark; all the rest is reputation. What God looks at is what we are in the dark—the imaginations of our minds; the thoughts of our heart; the habits of our bodies; these are the things that mark us in God's sight. OC

So where are you with God, when you're alone?

Lets look at marriage. God's plan - be fruitful and multiply, a life changing event that gives proper place to passions. Song of Solomon 8:4 As a result of those passions, multiplying happens, so both people entering a marriage should be ready for that possibility, and fully committed to each other. For her - willing to make the self sacrifice to be the mom of his children, for him willing to make the self sacrifice of being a father of her children. Indeed, marriage should be complete and unconditional surrender of each to the other. (1 Cor 7:4). In that context it is a life changing event, a leaving of one's family of childhood to cleave to another person creating a new family. Matthew 19:4-6

But as fallen people we have changed what God intended into ...

Think about the current politically correct definitions of marriage largely being forced onto us from those that think they are smarter than us. Or at the very least they have firmly rejected God in their own minds and have reasoned out in their imaginations what marriage should be, then used the authority we gave them to promote standards not of God. Definitely an opportunity for intercessory prayer.

Our relationship to God is like being married. We should completely surrender to Him. Be ready to be His bride, go where He takes us.

What often happens? We try and control God. Just like in a marriage where husbands and wives try to manipulate each other trying to control and impart their will, instead of submitting. We want to be married to God (want the benefits) yet we want other gods instead (our own selfish desires). We keep our own agendas, not fully surrendering to Him. We're willing to drink from a broken cistern versus a clear fountain. Jeremiah 2:13. Our actions shouting that ours ways are best, when with our lips we'll say His ways are best. He longs for us to become fully committed and surrendered to Him.

Instead of being selfless in marriage and putting our partner first we put self first. Yet selfish people who insist on their way are often the most miserable people you'll ever meet. Anything you do for the selfish is never good enough, they expect more, better, etc. Is God blessing you enough? Do you have to think about it?

Can a person in a marriage take advantage of the other? Yes, We'll gladly try to take advantage of God, but we fear giving up control to Him. The action of maintaining control drowns out our lip service of being committed.

May our actions show the desire of our hearts and our words be few, not really needed. Submit in your relationship to the Lord. Its the only one that matters, and will guide you into the other ones. Any and all your relationships can be helped, break the bad habits of years gone by, break out of the comfort zone. Don't let your pride stop you, from fixing the broken as you realize it.

Luke 13:6-9 non-fruit bearing fig tree one more chance. fertilized, watered, one more chance, the plant was given the best chance to grow. What would cause a fruit bearing plant not to produce fruit? Pruning and watering might make it healthy but maybe not fruit bearing. It may not be bearing fruit due to lack of sunshine, its needed for fruit bearing plants. It helps ripen the fruit.

The Lord has so many examples in our lives as to how to grow relationship to Him. Non- fruit bearing Christians- lack of Sonshine. They may appear to have full lives, but lack intentionality about following Christ, telling others what God has done for them in their life, letting Him be in all things. Just takes a small seed in a crack a thought of God and His ways to start someone toward the path of relationship.

Are we fully related to God, in all facets of our lives, submitting to Him? Are we focused on Him alone?

Mark 11:12-14 Fig tree cursed for not bearing fruit.

Let us pray. Lord we submit to you in all things and lead us to let the knowledge of your blessings to us overflow out of us as a witness of You to those around us. Keep our eyes steadfastly on You.

July 3 2016 notes

What are the plans God has for us? What are our plans that we ask God to bless? What is the better way to show our surrender to Him? Jeremiah 29:11-13. Verse 13 says we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart, fully surrendered?

We cannot grasp the things God has for us. Isaiah 55:6-9 Its clear God has allowed us to determine our own ways and thoughts should we choose. Surrendering to Him means doing things His way not ours. If we reject Him and His ways we end up as described in Romans 1:24 and Ephesians 4:18. His ways are best His ways are truth and to go our way we reject Himand His truth.

Oh Lord that we would submit fully to your ways. The lord protects us as He remakes us as we surrender to Him. What did Jesus tell Peter? Luke 22:31 Simon, Satan hath desired to have you to sift you like wheat. The Lord kept Satan - doing things our way not God's from sifting through Peter. Each of us is sifted and must surrender as we submit to the Lord. He won't compel us He wants us to have relationship to Him of our own free will.

Often people get a certain distance with the Lord then stop, reserving places where they have not surrendered. Not focusing on His ways but our ways, turning from His ways, ignoring them. As if we are something special and we have figured out something the Lord of all eternity has somehow missed.

We attempt bend His truth to match our way but the reality is His truth is steadfast and our minds justify our actions. Little steps of self and pride. So as we allow focus on God and his ways to be ignored, or we avoid promoting the things of God, where does it all end?

Jeremiah 7:31, Jeremiah 19:5, Jeremiah 32:35

The truth: as we think on God and His ways He'll protect our thoughts and keep us focused on His ways. What happens when we reject Him - He turns us over to thoughts He has never thought of. Things that may seem beneficial to ourselves but clearly hurt others.

Beware of turning your back on what you know is true because you do not want it to be real. Jesus Christ never says that a man is damned because he is a sinner; the condemnation is when a man sees what Jesus Christ came to do and will not let Him do it. Oswald Chambers

Isaiah 40- who is teaching God? Can we teach Him will our "logical" "rational" thoughts lead us to a point where we can ever reject His ways? NO

Isaiah 48:17-19 The Lord is our instructor, how do we get that instruction? By submitting to Him. Not going our own way - the way that seems right unto man Proverbs 14:12

Job's friends gave him counsel that misrepresented the Lord. How did they get there ? They went the way that seemed right to them. Was it good counsel? Were they genuinely trying to help Job? Job 38:2, 40:2, 42:1-9

We must yield to Him who knows, which means we do no know. Except as He lives through us surrendered to Him.

All have relationship to the Father, embrace it make it the best.

Be fruitful and multiply- God's ways

Why do people seek Him? Why do they consider the things of the Lord. Because their own thoughts scare them and He has planted His truth among those thoughts. Parable of the sower - talking up His kingdom everwhere, putting good seed out. Grain among the tares. They realize there is something else or something missing. The something else as they ponder it they partially want to reject.

Talk up the things of God- if people are offended they'll leave, where will they go? Pray for them, pray pray pray that they don't get trapped in a web of untruths thinking they have the best answers. In His day Jesus looked on the city of Jerusalem and wept (Luke 19:41-42), the bulk of the people had rejected His Father's ways.

If we worry about them leaving, aren't we saying there is another place to go. When people walked away from Jesus- the disciples remained and he asked if they would leave too. What was Peter's response? (John 6:67-68) Was that the truth? Those who won't leave have come to the conclusion, He is the only way, and they repent of their ways in order to turn to His.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

Proper relationship to God does not unfit a person for their actual life.

Rituals in proper form can enhance relationship to the Lord. He gave us a form of prayer that being God He knew would get repeated. There are those so caught up in rituals that they leave Christ out and those that reject both ritual and Christ. Emphasis is on relationship to the Lord.

When do people get religious? Bereavement? caught in a wrong? fear of being caught in a wrong. What is the reaction- remorse? Probably- like a drunk waking up with a headache, sorry for what happened, but does that remorse cause him to change? Probably not. Repentance is the turning away from not an "I'm sorry I did that", which is often code for "I'm sorry you caught me".

Relationship is basking in our Lord, under His wing, quietly learning and doing things His way. Rejecting the temptation to make oaths, and promises we won't keep. There is a definite zeal of resolve when we make those promises but that zeal fades. If during a self righteous zeal we vow to men or God, we should keep it to our own detriment. Far better not to vow than to vow and not and not fulfill. What happens when we realize we aren't keeping those promises? Had we not made them to start with our tendency toward self pity would become a less well worn path.

Where is joy found, only in proper relationship to the Lord. With a constant focus on Him, which leads to a longing to be with Him. We often let our joy fade by looking form our relationship to our Father and toward the circumstances of life. This can be compounded by comparing our situations to those around us. Before long we're in a state of utter despair. At those times where is our focus? On what we think are our needs (really wants). In relationship to the Lord we need to drop our wants and focus on seeing things from His perspective. Self almost assuredly won't be a part of it.

Surrender yourself to the Lord, give Him the right to your self. People often make decisions for Christ but that can be done in an emotional zeal of the moment circumstance. Then what? the zeal fades and we realize we made promises and vows we don't keep. Solution- seek another zeal filled moment - make the same promises knowing this time it will different. Will it? Really? You know it won't. Rather surrender give up admit the truth that you can't do it without Him. Then surrender all areas of your life letting Him remake you in His own image. Its only when we admit our weaknesses that we gain His strength. If we try something out of our own strength, He will not be with us and we will fail.

So how is your life going? Is it going according to your plan or His? Are you focused on the most important relationship in life (with the Lord), or on all the other relationships. Are you miserably basking in the disappointment of relationships, trying to control or steer people and the Lord in the direction you want to go. Or are you quietly basking under His wing. What does He want you to do later today? Tomorrow? Do you know?

In our prayer life, quiet time we should intercede for others. While its true we often don't know the complete ins and outs of another's situation, we can pray that they and the Lord develop relationship. We can pray for their surrender to the Lord.

Another part of our prayer life should be the quiet listening to Him. Letting our perspective be bent to align with His permanently. Not just agreeing for a time but repenting (turning from) any way not of Him. Rejecting the ways in us surrendering to Him and taking His ways.

When we pray for self, there is a temptation toward trying to manipulate the Lord. A trying to explain our ways, justify them to the Lord. Or an attempt of bending Him toward our ways. At the very least bend Him away from His ways we don't want to surrender too. We must surrender self to Him even in our prayer life, listening during the quiet moments for His guidance as to direction, His direction. Not asking Him to go along with our thoughts and plans.

6-19-16

06/19/16

Galatians 5:22-23

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

We must have a relationship to God, All of us have one but the conditions of the relationship widely vary. Do we acknowledge Him, do we deny Him, are we seeking to be closer or pushing Him away. Any thing we dislike about relationship to Him indicates the hardness of our hearts and the stiffness of our necks.

Without a doubt, every other relationship will let us down at some point. Unless we are in Christ and those we're in relationship with are in Christ. We can't make anyone be in Christ, but must ONLY focus on our own relationship.

No relationship to Christ, or trying to manipulate others into one will certainly make us bitter, expecting, mean, cruel, hateful and generally all those things that have not the fruit of the spirit or the essence of love.

Of the fruits many say they have no self control. They can't help it, they were made a certain way. They must get drunk, they must steal, etc. Yet, is it an excuse for hurting others? DWI killing a child. What about the young man that killed 4 in hit and run and was given probation because his upbringing was such he didn't realize what was doing.

If you have no self control then question your relationship to Christ. If He lives withing you then the fruit will be evident, even self control. Doing things the Lord's (His) way not ours.

Why do we say we have no self control? We all seek fulfillment and we either embrace His ways, or reject His ways (self control) in order to seek fulfillment in some other fashion. The fulfillment we seek only comes in relationship to Him. Deep true relationship, more than the lip service we often see from others. We must cling to Him until we understand why- that grows the proper relationship.

Not having self control is a clear rejection of His ways, in favor of our wants. When we reject His ways long enough He'll still give us the desire of our hearts.

Romans 1

Galations 5: 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh [a]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you [b]please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [c]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [d]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

2Timothy 3

If the fullfillment we all seek is sought in the flesh we're doomed to misery. Yet the flesh will always have its tug in this life. If we could ever feel we have mastered the flesh then there is an opportunity for pride. The thorn in the flesh wasn't taken from Paul- there was something there he struggled with clinging to Christ and His grace.

What does God want you to do today? How does that fit with your normal routine? Come to Him without reservations, not a do and don't list, its living in Him. He can change us, celebrating sin is pride.

God is not powerless to change us, but He waits for the invitation. The truth is we don't want to change so we make a lame excuse. We can do all things through Christ, yet we are so self limiting, we say "I can't do that". Its a statement where we're either proclaiming ourselves god. or we just lied. He is God.

We want to identify with the strong, we want to be powerful, yet Christ came in meekness as a baby. His sole purpose was to do his Father's will, and He did that in all things. We switch between our different desires based on the situations we find ourselves in.

Why do we lament the dead? the lost opportunity at life? We are admitting and confessing we ourselves are not fulfilled. If we (or they) could just have another day, week, month year then we would find the fulfillment we all seek. Fulfillment which isn't there unless its in close relationship to Christ. We glaze over the facts that had the dead kept living then in all likelihood they would have hurt us, and tend to look at the missed opportunities for our own gain.

Yes mourn, blessed is he that mourns for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:4). The very spirit of God comes to us in those times longing to be let in. Longing to be acknowledged, longing to further deepen our relationship to Him. The only relationship that is fulfilling. The comforter is there, we're all mortal, we'll all die, will we die knowing Him?

message for 6-12-16

06/12/16

Ecclesiastes 3: 16-22

What happens when we reach our ambitions? If we do that is. Those that reach them will either become humble and know it wasn't based on their effort or become a tyrant, and make themselves out to be God. Others of us never realize our ambitions. Most of us will die not having the satisfaction of fulfilling several ambitions. Ambitions and their fulfillment don't make us, but rather our day to day relationship with the Lord. What ambitions do you have that will likely not be fulfilled?

If we don't get our ambitions filled - we can be sad and seek justice, feel there is no fairness in the world, getting into a mire of self pity. If we look for justice from man we will not see it. What we need to be focused on is that there no injustice due to our actions, and as we relate daily to Christ and His ways following there won't be. Are you in self pity over failed ambitions?

Jesus failed from a worldly standpoint (abandoned and killed), but yet had joy. This joy came from relationship to the Father and accomplishing exactly what the Father sent Him to do. That is where joy is, any other seeming paths to joy end in heartache. Where is your relationship to Christ?

God shall judge us, we often have sense of God as a mystical figure that doesn't know "how it is", but He does know "how it is". He came in the flesh with our limitations, and lived Holy and blameless. Do we compare ourselves to Him as the standard or other people. As we compare ourselves to Him and His standard our shortcomings are obvious, a means for growth. Yet when He judges we'll know its fair, its right and we will be in agreement. As we abide in Him agreement will happen and is part of it. Abide in Him. Are you abiding? Are you in agreement?

We'll all die unless Jesus acts. Our younger years we don't feel the certainty of mortality, but it creeps into as we age. We all were dust at one time and will be dust again. We can't will that it won't happen, we can only be thankful to the Father for creating us and that we had any existence at all. We thank Him also for the opportunity of relationship to Him. Often that comes through relationship with others. Others influence us, the best influence is from viewing others seeking a closer personal relationship to Him, rather than their conscious effort to help. Who have been your best influencers? Were they doing it consciously?

Birth year (1964 ) - death year (????). Will you be remembered for your accomplishments? your great amassing of wealth or things? Let it be that you loved the Lord had a close growing relationship to Him, that everyone saw that knew you. In a close relationship to the Lord we actually lose the care of what the memories of us will be, we'd rather each and everyone had a relationship to Him instead. What will your legacy be? Is legacy important to you?

Our fallen nature tries to lead us to ignore His ways. For us personally we have our "reasons" why we don't have to be like Jesus but at the same time there is no excuse for another not to be like Him so we preach fervently to them. Yet it starts with us, where are you in that relationship? Have you crucified self yet?

New heaven and new earth realized and filled by those who base their life on God and His Son Jesus. Walking in relationship with no care for self. Many today reject God as a concept, and as a consequence the possibility of relationship to Him. Others are growing and walking faithfully with Him, not caring of the growing ridicule they are subject to. Rejecting self, and being true to the source of joy they have found tried and true The joy that comes from abiding in the Father, and doing His will. Where are you with the Lord, where will you be tomorrow?

1st Corinthians 13

Do you love? When you say you love someone do you mean the following:

you're willing to suffer long for that person (patient)? and remain kind?

you're not envious - going to try controlling them, putting them in bondage?

you're not boastful, prideful, self seeking- you realize you don't have all answers, but rather you put others first

you're not easily angered- anger should only come when things of God are made light of, never from personal attacks against you, we are all wretches after all.

you don't keep records of wrongs, (memory is a record), but rather always hopes for the best.

you always trust, even those who may have hurt you.

you always want and hope the best for everyone, and rejoices in truth.

you've kept all the above for everyone you've ever said you love.

Fallen short yet of your love proclamations?

Do you love self more than others? Often we're less likely to keep memories of our own sins than those of others. Pray - Father we have not loved You or others as we should.

We can't truly love anyone without relationship to Christ, and letting Him love through us. He truly loves us all even those who deny His existence, He truly longs to have a close growing relationship with us all.

Out of a close growing relationship to Him

reject self.

reject self.

reject self.

abide in Him

grow closer to Him daily.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

6-5-2016

Gospel- we are in need of a savior

Reading in Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Hebrew world view-there is a God, the Bible is true, got to go about living.

Greek world view must find origin of things, Bible not relevant.

As time limited beings we can take God's word for the past, OR that of other humans- records left. There maybe errors. People like to say the Bible is in error based on human record, but couldn't the reverse be just as true? The human record could be in error based on the Bible. What is the motive of the author of the biblical record?, the human record?

Don't think too long- its a distraction. You can't prove existence or non-exixstence of God beyond a shadow of a doubt. The Bible says this and even leading Scientists have to admit they don't know everything. You can't know for certain what happened before you existed just like you can't know what will happen after you die. The history of your family was told to you by someone you trust, you weren't there.

Five books of the Bible for how to live life.

Job - how to suffer

Psalms - how to pray

Proverbs - how to act

Ecclesiastes - how to enjoy

Song of Solomon - how to love

Greeks - things should be perfect, we all seek a Utopian world, but the reality is they aren't. The question becomes why? Then how to fix it?

We are not to serve God for gain, (Job lost everything) but to live in personal relationship to Christ. In each and every moment. If we are children then we need our Father readily near us to ask and to set us in the proper direction. What happens when children sneak off (try to hide from God's presence) ? Tries to figure something out without help?

God's order and His permissive will.

His Order - kingdom of heaven the Utopia we all seek,

His permissive will - the things as we have to deal with in this life. From dealing with what He permits we develop relationship to Him praying along the lines of His order and being changed from the inside out. We wouldn't seek relationship unless there was the things He allows in His permissive will. Life is ultimately a tradgedy.

The only thing that lasts is personal relationship through Jesus Christ. As we see our personal shortcomings in the day to day activities of life, will our desire to serve Him steer us in the right path?

Mature relationship to God sees hope- Hope in the God of the relationship, not in a creed or a word, but the person. We seek that relationship just like He seeks relationship with us.

We have the power to choose, what we do.

we don't have the power to avoid consequences of those choices.

we don't have the power to choose when we were born

we don't have the power to choose our sex

we don't have the power to choose our race

To discriminate against people based on age, sex, or race is a sign of just how fallen we are - apart from Christ. We can only choose within the confines we were placed. Our choices dictate our disposition.

A time for everything, what if we rush it? Consequences of choices. Some may not be so good. Awaiting for the proper time as led through your relationship with God, just enjoying that relationship until then. What happens when young kids get car keys? At some point however its the right time.

A time to get a time to lose. Be ever so careful not to be wrapped up in possessions. Absolutely they are of benefit, but its easy to value a possession more than the one who will inherit it - if you go to the Lord. Too much value on earthly possessions, can lead to you putting more emphasis on man's creations than God's (people). Lay up your treasure in heaven. Realistically what will happen to your things when you are gone?

If you lost everything you'd still have the relationship to God, because that can't be lost. And our thinking should be along the lines of "that relationship is enough".

A time to speak, control of the tongue. Jesus only spoke those things of His father, He never spoke to vindicate self. Don't we at times feel its necessary to vindicate ourselves? Don't, we are wretched sinners deserving death, speak the things God shows you through relationship to Him.

We don't serve God to gain heaven, its not fire insurance to keep us out of hell. We serve Him out of relationship to Him, service develops relationship and gains the satisfaction of having Him as our friend.

Unrequited love- the one sided type. Its the one tha hurts the most and Christ knows all about it. Its the way we treat Him prior to starting an relationship with Him. We usually don't consider relationship with Him until we have exhausted all of our self .

Our disposition should relate to our relationship to God, and unless we relate our disposition to Him between birth and death, we will reap distress, and those after us will also. If our dispostion is out of relationship to Him then we 'll experience the joy of life.

Jesus never terrorized anyone into believing, that is an invetion of man to try and control and manipulate people. Jesus is there for us all, and unless we're rightly related to Him everything we try on our own will fall in despair. Have despair in your life? - its in the area where you need to grow your relationship to Him, give up right to self, let Him re-new you. If our fundamental relationship to Him is flawed our other relationships will be also. Focus on your relationship to Him, be carefully careless of other relationships.

Live for present, not past, not future and as God rebuilds everypart of you back into oneness with Himself, enjoy it. Feel God's guidance, His bit in your mouth. The alternative one is sin. He will lead us in His path the right path. We may be tempted by shortcut, but its not His way its sin.

All men seek a utopian world, with fairness, perfect equity of people, perfect harmony. Only God's path has a hope of getting there. We have to let ourselves be transformed from within through redemption in Christ. We can't control others. The other paths we see to utopia want the things of Christ without the giving up of self, so it becomes apparent they want people (usually other people) to exhibit the spirit of Christ without acknowledging Him. Without acknowledging the Creator any world, system, etc. not of His way will fail.

May 29

Pray to open hearts

Hosea 4: 1,6 As we reject the Law of God, He rejects us. As we forget the Law of God He forgets our children.

Ezekiel 33: 1-11 The sword of the Lord will come will we warn? Its not God's desire that any should perish.

Isaiah 62: 6-7 We are watchmen and give the Lord no rest (pray) until He make Jerusalem a Praise.

As we forget God's law He forgets our children. We are willing to sacrifice our children's future for our satisfaction now. 3000 babies a day are aborted, and we accept this, children are hungry in this country and the church Sunday school lesson tells us kids have never had it better. Today's society respects them unlike in Roman times when infanticide was a common practice. Isn't abortion infanticide? Root cause analysis of abortion issue- self focus of the father and mother.

Lots of talking about family, marriages, fix your marriage then your relationship to the Lord will be better. The advice is to study your wife or husband find out what they respond positively to, and focus on that. Yes, study your wife or husband - figure them out put them in a box such that in this situation you do this, in another situation you do that. Anyone in here old? What happens? people change- what worked in your 20s won't work in your 60s, and its a distraction from the one true relationship you MUST make First. God doesn't change, but yet His depth is such we'll never fully understand. We can't know what to do in every situation we must look to Him for that guidance- constantly, we must be in relationship to Him, active. Root cause analysis for marital issues- self focus of husband and/or wife.

Respect or Love do you do you deserve it ? Aren't you a wretch (Amazing Grace)? Jesus came and deserved our Love and respect and got death on the cross. We deserve death and think people owe us love and respect. Root cause analysis we put ourselves first.

HB2, see the pride, transgendered and sex changes. The unstated reality is those getting sex changes are taking themselves out of the gene pool, they make themselves eunuchs - they should get the Darwin award. The sad thing about this is a decision made in teens, 20s and 30s will have lifelong impact (and likely possible regret). How many of us knew everything in our 20s? If any of us looks back just a few years we feel we're more knowledgeable now than then. We'd probably even say it. Root cause analysis- self focus, its all about me.

Heard a sermon about potential church split UMC, but that was prevented by sending the issue to committee to "study it".

1 Cor 6: 9-11

We're all sinners, we all need the Lord so as the slogan says the UMC and every church should have open doors. Those that come are seeking, they know they can't do it without God. They maybe ready to reject self, admit they don't have all the answers.

What do they get in church, and are they really committed???

Most want fire insurance and don't want to really do what He might ask. They avoid it- reject Him. The big one is He might send us from our comfortable living in the USA to the far mission field. So we want Him to a point, but not fully. In the day we're living in He has brought the mission field to our doorstep, and we just can't believe it. We are watchmen - will we warn?

What do they hear in church??

Whats missing is what they hear. They don't hear the Word of God, outlining His standards. They don't hear that we are wired such that the way which may seem right to us ends in death (Prov 14:12 and 16:25) and that we must submit our ways to His. People who have an agenda that is their own rather than the Lord's, will not preach about His standards or our hopeless condition without the Lord.

People preach things other than Gospel- easy to do, as part of agenda. What they do hear are nice stories, they hear they are doing their best, they hear it ok not to be obedient to God an example being "this section of the Bible was written for these people at this time".

Then why was most of the Bible written from memory and experiences?

And would a God who can see all of time - who is timeless write something for those He loves that is time dependent and not for all people. If you think about that then the statement "this part of the Bible was written for these people (not us) sounds more like what it is, an excuse for disobedience. Than sound teaching.

Where does Bible rejection end? With statements like the Bible "outdated, we're more sophisticated". Total rejection. " My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge". Pray for people that have come to that conclusion, its not a time to gloat, its a tragedy. Romans 1:28-32 Those without knowledge of God

Pray for renewed fear of the Lord and beginning of wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 Fear of Lord beginning of wisdom.

Or those coming to church seeking hear a partial gospel, God will take in everyone- true- everyone that sees their need for Him and turns to His ways. The hard part is for church people to not become the prideful Pharisee praying and thanking God he/she is better than another. The focus must be on the standard that is God.

We reject the whole truth, the part where obedience is necessary.

"Its too hard, God is mean and ready to zap us". Instead of thinking God is cruel think that He outlined what is best for us through all time, if we live according to His outline we'll have the fulfilled lives we all seek. God is tender He tells up front how to live the only cruel thing is the hardness of our hearts to want to do things our own way. The way that ends in death.

If we realize the only good in us is His spirit shining through us and we get together and promote His ways only. Then how can there be any discord? If there is discord we're too self focused.

If we're in the Lord, where do divisions come from? If we're in self its easy

False prophets, exonerate men.

True prophets condemn men.

If His standards are promoted then the darkness and self will not stay near the light.

-Gospel must be preached, so men can choose, their way or God's

-must call those in the congregation what they are - sinners, must condemn self in favor of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Must have a loyalty to God's word, we will meet them again and again as needed by the Holy Spirit

-moments will come where we have to decide His way or ours.

-We have to live to God's standards not men's, God won't coerce obedience

And also

-He doesn't accomodate His commands to Human compromise. We are disloyal to His truth if we try to compromise His word.

-We as people must agree with God's verdict with no desire to vindicate ourselves.

-All have fallen short

-Relationship to Christ is the Key - we all deserve death, the death He took upon Himself for us.

-Christ centered versus self-centered. His ways are best, our ways are sin

-We are His servants, when His issues come up in life we must choose, His way or our way. Issues of God will become clear in our mind we must choose

Great commision is to feed His sheep (His Word) not disciple them to our (self) way of thinking.

-Point them to Jesus, His standard, His ways, His verdict, then pray the relationship takes.

"It is only when we know that we are powerless that we are prepared to listen to Jesus Christ and to do what He says."-Oswald Chambers

"The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." ― Oswald Chambers

Only one we should take seriously is God- anything or anyone else will let us down.

Taking only God serious in all things gives us the proper focus for living.

-Fear God, fear no man. Even if that feels overwhelming, if you feel alone cling to the bridegroom.

Proverbs 8:13 World has labeled us as "haters" - not of people but of sin.

Did we raise our kids in the fear of the Lord? Prov 22:6 If so why have they seemingly departed from it. They don't think we mean it.

When did Jesus get angry? I'll leave that for you to figure out in your quiet time with the Lord, and if Jesus only got angry at those times then when should we be angry?

Be a watchman:

If we realize our helpless and hopelessness apart from Jesus then asking someone about things of God and getting blessed out, called a hater, etc. Should roll right off because we're really getting what we deserve.

Live fully for the Lord, in all things, Realize "Me", "my", and "I" deserve nothing but death promote His standards through living them out in your life (if you believe)- faith is actions.

Letting Him "have thine own way" will make "it is well with my soul"

Job 38:4- 40:2 Think you know something? Think again.