Faith

Christ is King Matthew 28:18-20a (ESV)“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”Genesis 1:26a (ESV)“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion…”Genesis 5:1-2a (NIV)“…he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them.”Genesis 2:17b (NKJV)“for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”Genesis 3:1-6 (ESV)“He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.”Genesis 3:15 (NIV)“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;he [her offspring] will crush your head, and you [Satan] will strike his heel.” Matthew 4:1-11 (NIV)“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” Have you ever wondered why Jesus didn’t say You idiot! You can’t offer to me what doesn’t belong to you? John 12:31-32 (ESV)“Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” Matthew 28:18-20a (ESV)“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”Colossians 2:15 (NKJV)“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”Revelation 1:5 (ESV)“Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.”Ephesians 1:19-23 (ESV)“what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV)“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

Walking in Spiritual Authority Mark 1:27 (ESV)“They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”Luke 9:1 (ESV)“He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.” Spiritual Authority Where do you get it? Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)“Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”John 12:49 (ESV)“For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has Himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.” John 14:10 (ESV)“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does His works.” John 16:13-15 (ESV) “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for He will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” “So, if Jesus and the Holy Spirit functioned under God’s Authority then naturally you and I as followers of Jesus and temples of the Holy spirit should also.” How do you get it? Matthew 21:18-22 (ESV)“In the morning, as He was returning to the city, He became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, He went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And He said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”How do you lose it? Matthew 8:5-10 (ESV)“When He had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to Him, appealing to Him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And He said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed Him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”James 4:7 (CSB) “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” How do you use it? 2 Corinthians 13:10 (ESV)"For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.”

Spiritual Warfare - Watch Your Mouth Ecclesiastes 10:12 (ESV)“The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor,but the lips of a fool consume him.” Ecclesiastes 10:12 (NLT)"Wise words bring approval,but fools are destroyed by their own words” Proverbs 18:20-21 (NLT)“Wise words satisfy like a good meal;the right words [chosen words] bring satisfaction.The tongue can bring death or life;those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” James 3:3-12 (NLT) “We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.” Matthew 12:34b (NLT)"For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”Matthew 12:34b (ESV)“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Genesis 35:17-18 (NLT)“After a very hard delivery, the midwife finally exclaimed, ‘Don’t be afraid—you have another son!’ Rachel was about to die, but with her last breath she named the baby Ben-oni (which means ‘son of my sorrow’). The baby’s father, however, called him Benjamin [which means ‘son of my right hand’ [or strength]).” Psalm 19:14 (ESV)“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heartbe acceptable in your sight,O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)“Death and life are in the power of the tongue,and those who love it will eat its fruits.” Psalm 141:3 (ESV)"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

July 23, 2023 // Pastor Mark Davies How to Wage Warfare in the Arena of the Heart Four Ways to Wage Warfare in the Arena of the HeartRecognize the value of your heart Proverbs 4:23–27 (ESV)“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” 2. Craft offensive strategies Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”Job 31:1 (NIV)“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman.” Question: If I were the Devil, how would I attack me? 3. Issue eviction notices Galatians 5:24 (ESV)“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”Colossians 3:5 (ESV)“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”Psalm 119:11-12 (ESV)“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord ; teach me your statutes!”Psalm 51:10 (ESV)“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”Psalm 119:10 (ESV)“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!” 4. Rest 1 John 3:19-20 (ESV)“we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”2 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV)“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”Psalm 37:4 (ESV)“Delight yourself in the Lord , and he will give you the desires of your heart.”2 Chronicles 16:9a (ESV)“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.”

The Gate and Access Point of the Mind (thought life) 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV)“though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ”The Gate and access of our mind (thought life)John 8:44 (ESV)“…When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”Thoughts that destroy. - PrideProverbs 8:13 (NIV)“I hate pride and arrogance”- Criticism, judgment and negativity- Fear- Unbelief- Strife and contention- Inferiority - Condemnation Deuteronomy 27:26 (NIV)“Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’” Galatians 3:10 (NIV)“’Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them” Galatians 3:11-14 (ESV)“Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather ‘The one who does them shall live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”1 John 1:9 (ESV)“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Not Today Satan Ephesians 6:11 (ESV)“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Matthew 16:13-18 (ESV)“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’”Revelation 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will open then I will come in and have fellowship with him.” Gate is a Human Choice Three influences on this Gate of Choice.1. God2. Devil3. You- Prayer - Pray specifically against the influence of the enemy- Preach the Gospel- Stand for Biblical truth and righteousness Micah 6:8 (NKJV)“He has shown you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lord require of youBut to do justly,To love mercy,And to walk humbly with your God?” Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Anchored 1. Nothing Matters More Than Knowing ChristPhilippians 3:7-9a (ESV)“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him...”Knowing: GREEK: gnōsis - A first-hand experiential knowledge of Christ.1 Corinthians 2:1-2 (ESV)“And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”Galatians 6:14 (ESV)“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”Three BeliefsJuly 2, 2023 // Pastor Mark DaviesIt’s All GracePhilippians 3:9b-12 (ESV)“...not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”1 Corinthians 15:9-10a (ESV)“For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”Eternity Is HomePhilippians 3:13-16 (ESV)“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”Philippians 3:17-21 (ESV)“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”Lord: GREEK: kyrios (Coo Ri Os) the owner, the decision-maker1 Corinthians 15:48-58 (ESV)“As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written. ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”2 Corinthians 5:4-6a (ESV)“For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing

Victorious Weapons I believe the Lord would have us consider two points today.First Point:Jesus’ victory at the cross over sin, sickness and death has ushered us into the family of God as adopted sons and daughters. Therefore, our lives one to be lived in victory not victimhood.Romans 8:37 (ESV)“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”Romans 5:6, 8-10 (NIV)“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly...But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”In order to obtain the victory, Jesus secured for us at the cross He has given us weapons to combat our enemies.2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV)“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”Mighty in God .They pull down strongholds.Casting down arguments [which may also be translated imaginations]. Every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.Second Point:Romans 12:2 (ESV)“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”So, let us rehearse the truth our experience and standing with God.Romans 8:1 (NKJV)“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”Romans 8:11 (NKJV)“...if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”Romans 8:14-17 (NKJV)“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ...”Romans 8:28-29 (NKJV)“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”Romans 8:31 (NKJV)“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:‘For Your sake we are killed all day long;We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Knowing God as FatherWhat is the Father like? John 14:9 (ESV)“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father’?”The Father wants to be known by you.Father God Loves, Always Isaiah 40:10-11 (ESV)“Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”Father God Welcomes All Who Turn to Him Psalm 68:5-6 (ESV)“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation. God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.”June 18, 2023 // Pastor Mark DaviesLuke 12:32 (ESV)“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV)“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”2 Corinthians 6:16b, 18 (ESV)“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people...and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”Ephesians 2:18-19 (ESV)“For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”Father God Disciplines For Our Instruction John 15:1-2 (ESV)“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”Matthew 20:25-28 (ESV)“But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

Spiritual Warfare – Part 2 Ephesians 1:18-22 (NIV)“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church”Ephesians 6:10-20 (NIV)“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Putting On Your Armor 1. Belt of Truth Ephesians 5:6-9 (ESV)“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)”Ephesians 4:21 (ESV)“the truth is in Jesus”2. Breastplate of righteousness.Isaiah 59:17 (NIV)“He put on righteousness as his breastplate” 3. Gospel shoes. Isaiah 6:15 (ESV)“as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)“How beautiful on the mountainsare the feet of those who bring good news,who proclaim peace,who bring good tidings,who proclaim salvation” 4. Shield of Faith. Psalm 18:30 (ESV)“he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.” Psalm 28:7 (ESV)“The Lord is my strength and my shield” 5. Helmet of salvation. 6. Sword of the spirit.

Spiritual WarfareEphesians 6:10-18 (NIV)“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”The normal Christian lifeThe Christian life is a life of spiritual warfare."There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan." - C.S. LewisEphesians 6:10 (NIV)“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”People are a distraction of the real enemy.Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood”3. Satan has plans and strategies to carry out His plan.June 4, 2023 // Pastor Jason KingMathew 4:1-11 (NIV)“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting fortydays and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God,tell these stones to become bread.’Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written:‘He will command his angels concerning you,and they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”James 4:7 (ESV)“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”Isaiah 14:13,14 (NIV)“You said in your heart,‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throneabove the stars of God;I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”John 10:10 (NKJV)“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”4. You have everything you need for this battle.Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Faith Romans 4:17-20 (NIV)“’I have made you a father of many nations.’ He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,” I. The Journey of Faith- The Promise (Age 75)Genesis 12:2 (NIV)“I will make you into a great nation,…”- The Choice Genesis 12:4 (NIV)“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;…” - The Delay (Age 86) Genesis 16:1 (NIV)“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children…”- The Challenge Genesis 17:17 (NIV)"Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?” - The Confusion Genesis 22:2 (NIV)"Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—….and Sacrifice him” - The Provision Genesis 22:12 (NIV)“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him….” Maintaining a Faith that endures. 1. Anchor your Faith in God’s ability not yours. Romans 4:17 (NIV)“he [Abraham] believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” Luke 18:27 (NIV) “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 2. Rehearse the promises of God. Romans 4:18 (NIV)“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)“no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”Hebrews 11:17 (NIV) “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.” 3. Approach the situation with Faith not denial. Romans 4:19-20“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,” 4. Remember obedience is our responsibility and the outcome is God’s. Romans 4:20-21 (NIV)“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

Love Each Other Romans 13:8 (ESV)“Owe no one anything, except to love each other”John 13:34-35 (ESV)“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)“as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”1 Corinthians 13:1 (NIV)“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:2a (NIV)“If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2b (NIV)“If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)“If I give all I possess to the poor…but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)“If I give…over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” John 13:34-35 (ESV)“ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Love one another is a choice.

Video Sections: 00:00 Start of Service01:03 Worship33:07 Message StartMessage Notes:King JesusActs 17:1-7 (ESV)“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.’ And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.’”Acts 17: 7 (ESV)”they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”---“Salvation is to be found in none other than Augustus, and there is no other name given to men by which man can be saved.”Acts 4:12 (ESV)“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”---Colossians 1:16-17 (ESV)“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV)“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”May 14, 2023 // Pastor Jason King1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (ESV)“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”Quote by Jonathan Edwards“There is a false boldness for Christ that only comes from pride. A man may rashly expose himself to the world’s dislike and even deliberately provoke its displeasure, and yet do so out of pride... True boldness for Christ transcends all; it is indifferent to the displeasure of either friends or foes. Boldness enables Christians to forsake all rather than Christ, and to prefer to offend all rather than to offend Him.”

Video Sections: 00:00 Start of Service01:03 Worship36:16 Message StartMessage Notes:Uncharted TerritoryActs 16:6-10 (ESV)“they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”Things to remember in uncharted territory.1. God directs you through both closed and open doors.2. God leads you personally and communally. 3. God often will lead you gradually and systematically, as well as suddenly and unpredictably.

Video Sections: 00:00 Start of Service01:33 Worship34:16 Message StartMessage Notes:Finding Our Identity1. Measurements of Success1. Early Years: Academic achievements, sports accolades, and social popularity2. Middle Years: Accumulated power and money, achievements, and contributions3. Later Years: Honor, reputation, and legacyPhilippians 3:2-10 (ESV)2. Failures1. Past Shame - “I can’t can’t believe I did that I’m just a…”2. Present Stumbling - “I can’t stop this… I’m just a…”3. Future Fears - “There’s no way I can… I’m just a…”3. Citizenship1. "My country is better than your country.”2. Our Citizenship is in heaven.Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT)Where do you get your identity?Ephesians 2:1-5 (ESV)Ephesians 2:13 (NIV)Galatians 2:20 (NIV)Colossians 3:3 (NIV)John 1:12 (NLT)Romans 8:15 (NRSV)Galatians 3:26 (NLT)1 John 3:1a (ESV)Galatians 2:20 (NIV)Colossians 3:1-2 (MSG)2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here.”

Video Sections: 00:00 Start of Service01:26 Evidence by Ed Cash, Ethan Hulse, Josh Baldwin.07:12 Great Are You Lord by Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan and David Leonard13:12 King of my Heart by by John Mark McMillan and Sarah McMillan25:04 I Surrender All by Judson W. Van De Venter28:43 Message StartMessage Notes:Things to Remember When You Suffer for the name of Jesus1. Suffering disgrace for His name is not a punishment, it is a privilege.Acts 5:41 (NIV)“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”1 Peter 4:12-14,16 (NLT)“don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you...it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!”Philippians 1:29 (ESV) "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake”2. God will give you boldness stand for His name sake in the time of suffering.Acts 4:29-31 (NLT) “O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.”Ephesians 3:9-12 (ESV) “God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.”3. God will use your suffering for good and your blessing.1 Peter 4:14 (ESV) "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”Matthew 5:11-12 (ESV) “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven”

Video Sections: 00:00 Start of Service01:02 Graves Into Gardens - Elevation Worship06:55 Living Hope - Phil Wickham12:15 Worthy - Elevation Worship16:35 Son Of Suffering - Bethel Music29:11 Message StartMessage Notes:Easter – Because He Lives1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”Hebrews 2:18 (NLT)“Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”1. The day of difficulty and pain. Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”Matthew 26:38 (NIV)“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” 2. A day of chaos and confusion. Matthew 26:31 (NIV)“This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’”John 16:16 (NIV)“In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”Isaiah 43:1-3 (NIV)“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.For I am the Lord your God,”3. The resurrection of Jesus was for our victory and peace. John 11:25 (NIV)“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

Easter – Because He Lives 1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)“For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” Hebrews 2:18 (NLT)“Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”1. The day of difficulty and pain. Hebrews 4:15 (NIV)“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NIV)“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”Matthew 26:38 (NIV)“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” 2. A day of chaos and confusion. Matthew 26:31 (NIV)“This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’” John 16:16 (NIV)“In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” Isaiah 43:1-3 (NIV)“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.For I am the Lord your God,” 3. The resurrection of Jesus was for our victory and peace. John 11:25 (NIV)“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

Romans 5:12 (ESV)“sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men…” Psalm 51:5 (NIV)“I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Ephesians 2:3 (NIV)”Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.” Titus 1:15 (NIV)“those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.” Isaiah 53:6 (NIV)“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way” Genesis 3:15 (NIV)“He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” Luke 22:19 (NIV)“do this in remembrance of me” Exodus 6:6-7 (NKJV)“I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians”“I will free you from being slaves to them”“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm”“I will take you as My own people” Matthew 26:36 (NKJV)“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’” Matthew 26:37-38 (NKJV)“He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’” Mark 14:33 (NKJV)“He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.” Luke 22:44 (ESV)“being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:42 (ESV)“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” John 12:27 (NIV)“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.”Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

From Death to Life Revelation 1:18 (NIV) “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NIV)“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Romans 8:11 (NLT)“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.” Question:Is there anything dead in your life that God wants to bring back to life? John 8:44 (ESV)“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)“Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”James 1:13-18 (ESV)“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” John 11:1-6 (ESV)“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’”Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.”John 11:11- 26 (ESV)“After saying these things, he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’ So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’ Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”

The Significance of Communion!Matthew 26:26-29Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”1 Corinthians 11:23-28For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as youeat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.1. Communion Compels us to Look Backward.2. Communion Compels us Look Inward.3. Communion Compels us to Look Outward.4. Communion Compels us to Look Forward.

The Life of Humble Service Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” John 13:1-17 (NIV)It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. Values of God’s Kingdom 1. In my kingdom no one is above serving.Luke 22:14-16, 22-24 (NIV)“When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”For it has been determined that the Son of Man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him.” The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing.Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.2. In my Kingdom no one is below being served.

The Cross: Whole40 EditionMark 14 (NLT)Mark 15 (NLT)Isaiah 53 (NLT)Isaiah 61:1-4 (NLT)

Journey to the CrossLessons from the Triumphal Entry Luke 19:28-40 (NIV)going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”They replied, “The Lord needs it.”They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 1. Jesus invites the unlikely to be used for His glory. Luke 19:31 (NLT)“If anyone asks you ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)“Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! See your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey.” 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV)“I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself….It is the Lord who judges me.” 2. Jesus distinguishes wanters from worshipers. Luke 19:37 (NIV)“…the whole crowd began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:” Matthew 15:8 (NIV)“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” 3. Jesus makes those with a religious spirit very uncomfortable. Luke 19:39 (NIV)“Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’” 4. Jesus offers true peace. Luke 19:41-42 (NIV)"As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes." Luke 13:34 (NIV)Jesus said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

The Return of the KingRevelation 19 Hallelujah for being saved. Revelation 19:1-5 (ESV)After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,“Hallelujah!Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just;for he has judged the great prostitutewho corrupted the earth with her immorality,and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”Once more they cried out,“Hallelujah!The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants,you who fear him, small and great.” Hallelujah for what is to come. Revelation 19:6-10 (ESV)Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,“Hallelujah!For the Lord our Godthe Almighty reigns.Let us rejoice and exultand give him the glory,for the marriage of the Lamb has come,and his Bride has made herself ready;it was granted her to clothe herselfwith fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.The first and second coming of Jesus His First coming:He rode a donkeyHe came as the suffering servant.He came in humility and meekness.He came to suffer the wrath of God for sinners.He was rejected by many as the Messiah.He came to seek and save the lost.He came as God and many didn’t see it. His second coming.He will ride a white horse.He will come as king and lord.He will come and majesty empower.He will come to establish the kingdom of God for his saints.He will be recognized by all as lord.He will come to judge and rule as king.He will come as God and all will see His splendor. When Jesus the King returns:He will return in stunning glory and power.Revelation 19:11-16 (ESV)“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”He will judge all who rejected him.Revelation 19:17-21 (ESV)“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”

In the Last Days Revelation 1:3 (ESV)“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”Revelation 1:1-2 (ESV)“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”In the Last Days Revelation 1:4 (ESV)“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come,”1. Our heavenly father will sustain us by His grace. “who was and is and is to come!”Revelation 1:4 (ESV)“and from the seven spirits who are before his throne”2. You will be equipped by the Holy Spirit of God. 3. You have been provided for by Jesus the son of God. Revelation 1:5 (ESV)“and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth."Jesus is a faithful witness to us.Jesus was the firstborn of the dead for us. Psalm 89:27 (ESV)“I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades”Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth.Jesus loves us and freed us from sins. Revelation 1:5 (ESV)“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood…”Revelation 1:5-6 (ESV)“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”Jesus made us a Kingdom of priest.

Contend for the Faith Matthew 1:25 (NIV)“did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” Jude 1:1 (ESV)“To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:”Jude 1:3 (ESV)“Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”Jude 1:4 (ESV)“For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”Jude 1:5-7 (ESV)“Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” Now what?1. Remember what the bible says. Jude 1:17-19 (ESV)“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” 2. Keep yourselves in the Love of God. Jude 1:21 (ESV)“keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.”Jude 1:20 (ESV)“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit”3. Have mercy on those who doubt.Jude 1:22-23 (ESV)“And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”

So That The World May Believe John 17 (NIV)“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.”“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.”“Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV)“when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”Luke 17:21b (NIV)“so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”Luke 9:23 (ESV)“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”Luke 14:33 (NIV)“those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

Follow Me2 Peter 1:3-16 (NIV)“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Keep on Growing! We Have the Inheritance. Deuteronomy 4:20 (KJV)”But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day.” Ephesians 1:11 (ESV)“In him [Christ] we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” We Have Access to God’s Nature! Seven Qualities• Virtue• Knowledge• Self-control• Steadfastness• Godliness• Brotherly Affection• Love Love Exodus 20:18-21 (ESV)“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, 'You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.’ Moses said to the people, 'Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.’ The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.” Genesis 3:8 (KJV)“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” John 1:14 (ESV)“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Revelation 21:3 (ESV)“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’” Follow Me Apprenticeship “I do, you watch, I do, you help, You do, I help, You do I watch.” Hebrews 10:39 (ESV)“But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

The Way of Wisdom James 3:13-18 (ESV)“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” The wisdom of man:Earthly/WorldlyUnspiritual Demonic James 3:15“This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.” (ESV)The fruit of the wisdom of man:James 3:14“bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth” (ESV)EnvySelfish AmbitionBoasting The result of the wisdom of man:James 3:16 “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (NKJV)The wisdom of God:1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV)“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” James 3:17“the wisdom that comes from heaven” (NIV) Decisions made from God's wisdom:Pure Peace loving Considerate SubmissiveFull of mercyFull of good fruitImpartialSincere James 3:18“will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” (NLT)James 1:5 (ESV)“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Don’t Go Back, But Do Go On Hebrews 6:6 (NIV)“…they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 11:1-40 (NIV)"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: 'He could not be found, because God had taken him away.' For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain and even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning, they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destit

The Influencers of your Steps Galatians 5:25 (NIV) “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” The influencers of your steps The culture of the god of this worldEphesians 2:2-3 (ESV)“you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”2 Corinthians 4:4 (NIV)“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ”1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”Romans 12:2 (ESV)“do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”Ephesians 5:25-26 (ESV)"…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word”2 Timothy 3 (ESV)“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings… Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)“we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.”Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NKJV)“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

The Power of Firsts Leviticus 23:10 (NKJV)‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.” Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV)“Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” Ezekiel 44:30 (NKJV)“The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your sacrifices, shall be the priest’s; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.” Genesis 4:3-5 (NKJV)“And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.” Romans 11:16 (NKJV)“For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.” Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Philippians 3:10-14 (NIV)“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

The Story of Christmas in Four Phrases 1. God with us.Matthew 1:23 (NIV)“the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[which means “God with us”]. Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”2. God for us. Luke 19:10 (ESV)“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Titus 2:14 (NIV)“[Jesus] gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” John 3:16-17 (ESV)“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 10:18 (NIV)“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again…” 3. God in us.2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV)“[God] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” Colossians 1:27 (NIV)“God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)“…your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 4. Us with God.Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God... And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”Revelation 22:20 (ESV)“Surely I am coming soon.”

Romans 7:5 (NIV)“For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death.”James 2:10 (ESV)“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” Romans 9:1 (NIV)“I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel.”Has God's word failed? God’s Plan of Salvation for the World Chapter 9: It’s been the same from the beginning. Romans 9:6 (NIV)“It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.”Romans 9:8 (NIV)“it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.Galatians 3:16 (NIV)“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.”Romans 9:17-18 (NIV)“For Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.’” Chapter 10: God’s plan has succeeded. Romans 10:4 (ESV)“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.” Chapter 11: God’s plan will continue to succeed. Romans 11:9-10 (ESV)“Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them;let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.” Romans 11:11 (ESV)So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.”Romans 11:13 (ESV)“I magnify my ministry in order to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them.”Romans 11:25 (ESV)“a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved”Romans 9:6 (ESV)“For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel”

The Impact of Your Life Acts 17: 1-7 (ESV)“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”Acts 16:16-19 (NIV)“Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.”

Descriptions of a Healthy Church Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)“go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”Matthew 18:20 (NIV)“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”Acts 2:38-41 (NIV)“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”Descriptions of a healthy church1. Devotion to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.Acts 2:14 (ESV)“Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them”Acts 2:42 (ESV)“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”2. Devotion to one another.Romans 12:10 (ESV)“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”Galatians 5:13 (NIV)"serve one another humbly in love.”James 4:11 (NIV)“do not slander one another.”1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)“clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”3. Devotion to God’s flow of leadership. 1 Peter 5:2-4 (NIV)“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Peter Three Noteworthy Characteristics 1. Peter Spoke his mind, even when no one else would. Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:13-19 2. Peter was zealous.Zeal = emotionally reacting without thinking about the consequencesAnd he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. Mark 8:31-33 3. Peter was H.O.T.Humble, Open, and TeachableGod opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5 Humility = Deep awareness of one’s own “littleness” For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service]. Romans 12:3 (AMP) Humbition = Humble, God-oriented ambition For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Question to ponder: Where in your thinking, speaking, and acting do you need to humbly invite the Holy Spirit to teach you, returning to a simple and genuine child-like faith?

Thankfulness in Difficulty // Abundant Gratitude in Lack Three Fruits of Thankfulness 1. Protected from Impurity But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. [Ephesians 5:3-4] a) Gratitude and Greed cannot coexist b) “Gratitude looks to the past, and love to the present; fear, greed, lust, and ambition look ahead.” - C.S. Lewis 2. An Uplifted Heart How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:1-6 3. A more Enjoyable Person to be Around Pastor: And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 ALL: Lord God, our hearts overflow with gratitude! Thank you for life, it is such a beautiful gift! Father, it's clear to us that when we choose to go our own way, we end up in darkness and despair. Mature us, Lord! Teach us to stay close to you. Pastor:God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life. Psalms 23:1-6 (MSG) ALL: Yes, Lord, we agree with your Word. You are our good shepherd, leading us and having everything we need each day. Pastor:In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 ALL:You, God, were not content to leave us in our sin and filth, so You came and made your home with us! You are the one who was and is and is to come. Your light shines brightly in the darkness and the darkness will never overcome it, Let your light shine in and through us! Pastor:Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 ALL:The Lord is our strength and shield; our hearts trust in him, and we are helped. Our hearts leap for joy and we will give thanks to him in song. (Psalm 28:7) We will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness, and we will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 17:7) Pastor: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 And whatever you do, whether in Word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 ALL:Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name, not forgetting to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:15-16) Pastor: Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 ALL: Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Revelation 7:12b) Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57) Pastor: Thank you, God, for your everlasting kindness toward us. Jesus, thank you for the gift of your life on the cross. You opened the way back into a relationship with you. Holy Spirit, teach us to walk humbly and to love the things you love, modeling the father's heart t

The Finished Work of the Cross John 19:17-30 (NLT) “Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” What did Jesus finish on the cross? 1. The curse of sin. Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Galatians 3:13 (ESV) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— Isaiah 43:25 (NIV) "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness;” 2. Mankind's separation from God. Matthew 27:51 (NIV) “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 3. Our shame. Hebrews 10:1-10 (NLT) “The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” Ephesians 1:7, 9-10 (ESV) “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

You Matter To God Mark 5:24-34 (ESV)“a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”Malachi 4:1-2 (ESV)"the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Psalm 103:1-6 (ESV)“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”

Being Right with God Matthew 5:1 (ESV)“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.”Matthew 5:17 (ESV) “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”Matthew 5:18-20 (ESV)“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 23:25 (NIV)“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Matthew 23:26 (NIV)“Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV)“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”John 1:12-13 (NLT)“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” 2 Corinthian 5:21 (NIV)“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Philippians 3:9 (NIV)“[I am] found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

The virgin birth, does it really matter? Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” [which means “God with us”]. Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “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.”All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” [which means “God with us”].When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”Genesis 3:15 (NIV)“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Galatians 4: 4-5 (ESV)“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV)“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Salvation Is Here Matthew 1:1-17 Verse 1“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah” Jesus is… 1. The one sent to save us from our sins. Matthew 1:20-21 (NLT)“Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 2. The one who came for the morally outcast. John 3:16”God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 3. The one who came to bless the world. Verse 1"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham” Genesis 12:2b-3b (NIV)“I will make your name great and you will be a blessing… and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you” Galatians 3:16 (NIV)“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.” Colossians 1:16 (NIV)“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

The book of JonahMatthew 12:40 (ESV)“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”Jonah 1:1-2 (ESV)“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah… saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”Jonah 1:3 (ESV)“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”Jonah 1:4 (ESV)“the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea”Jonah 1:5 (NIV)“Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.”Jonah 1:9-10 (ESV)“I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.”Jonah 1:11-12 (ESV) “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.”Jonah 1:15 (ESV)“So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.”Jonah 1:17a (ESV)“the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” Jonah 1:17b (ESV)“And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”Jonah 2:6 (ESV)“you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.” Jonah 2:7-9 (ESV)“When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord,and my prayer came to you…what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” Jonah 2:10 (ESV)“the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land”Jonah 3:1-3 (ESV)“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh”Jonah 3:4 (ESV)“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Jonah 3:8 (ESV)“Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands”Jonah 3:10 (ESV)“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”Acts 3:19-20 (ESV)“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”1 John 1:9 (NIV)“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”Jonah 4:2-4 (ESV)“O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”Jonah 4:8 (ESV)“It is better for me to die than to live.”Jonah 4:10 (NLT) “Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

The Book of Hosea:The holiness and heart of God. Hosea 1:1 (ESV)“The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.”Hosea 4:1a (ESV)“Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.” Hosea 4:1b-3a (ESV)“There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.Therefore the land mourns…” Hosea 4:11 (ESV)“whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.” Hosea 4:12 (ESV)“My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles.For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.” Hosea 4:17 (ESV)“Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone.” Hosea 4:18 (ESV)“When their drink is gone, they give themselves to whoring; their rulers dearly love shame.” Hosea 13:2 (ESV)"they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images” Hosea 1:2-3 (ESV)“the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer…and she conceived and bore him a son.”Hosea 3:1-2 (ESV)“Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech [3 bushel] of barley.”Hosea 3:4 (ESV)“For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods."Hosea 3:5 (ESV)“Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”Hosea 2:14-17 (ESV)“I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.“And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.”Hosea 6:1-2 (ESV)"Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” 1 Corinthians 15:4 (ESV)“he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”Ephesians 5:25 (ESV)“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV)“I promised you to one husband, to Christ”1 Corinthians 6:20 (NIV)“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price”1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV)"you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Receiving Your Restoration Psalm 51:16-17 (NIV)You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Receiving your restoration Psalm 51:10 (ESV)“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The result of our honest and specific confession before God. 1. God re-creates our heart.2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)“…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”2. God reestablishes our joy.Psalm 51:12 (ESV)“Restore to me the joy of your salvation…”3. Re-experience communion with God. Psalm 51:12 (NIV)“grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” 4. Re-ignition of our calling. Psalm 51:13 (NIV)“Then I will teach transgressors your ways,so that sinners will turn back to you.” 5. Releasing of our worship. Psalm 51:14-15 (NIV)“Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,you who are God my Savior,and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.Open my lips, Lord,and my mouth will declare your praise.” 6. Restoration of your confidence.Psalm 51:18 (NIV)“May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.”

Jesus Our King and Priest Romans 5:12 (ESV)“…sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men…” (Anthropos - man kind, male and female)Romans 5:15 (ESV)“…many died through one man's trespass…”Romans 5:16 (ESV)"…judgment following one trespass brought condemnation…”Romans 5:17 (ESV)“…because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man…”Romans 5:18 (ESV)“…as one trespass led to condemnation for all men…”Romans 5:19 (ESV)“…by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners…”Luke 24:44 (ESV)“…everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”Psalm 110 (ESV)“The LORD says to my Lord:“Sit at my right hand,until I make your enemies your footstool.” The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments;from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind,“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at your right hand; He will shatter kings on the day of His wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses;He will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore He will lift up His head.” Jesus our Messiah is our great King and our high priest. Psalm 110:1 (ESV)“The LORD says to my Lord:“Sit at my right hand,until I make your enemies your footstool.” Matthew 22:41-46 (ESV)“Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls Him Lord, saying, if then David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?” And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask Him any more questions.”Psalm 110:2 (ESV)“The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies!” Psalm 110:3 (ESV)“Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments;from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.”Psalm 110:4 (ESV)“The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind,“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Psalm 110:5-7 (ESV)“The Lord is at your right hand; He will shatter kings on the day of His wrath.He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses;He will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore He will lift up His head.”