Gideon – Overcoming Fear & Insecurities

2 Timothy 1:7 – For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Judges 6:2-3 – Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.

]]> http://blip.tv/file/2736919 Religion gideon Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:54:40 +0000 gideon Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsGideon622.jpg gideon ]]> The Classics: Gideon http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ 36.204079 -86.518276 jminton@friendshipcommunitychurch.org (Pastor Todd Stevens)no Gideon – Overcoming Fear & Insecurities 2 Timothy 1:7 – For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. Judges 6:2-3 – Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the IsraelitePastor Todd Stevens We think that church should be fun AND meaningful! Our church strives to be a place where people grow together in real relationships, becoming everything they were meant to be. That's why we're a relaxed church with a relaxed atmosphere. You'll experience teaching with contemporary music and video clips, conversation about real-life issues, and most importantly, a focus on growing in our relationship with God... because that's the most important friendship of all! B5FAA0A0-B6A9-11DE-B279-C3B4A2F7D6B9 http://blip.tv/file/2708453 friendshipchurch 259568 friendshipchurch Friendship Community Church Videocast http://friendshipcommunitychurch.org http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-picture128.png 2728340 2708453 file TV-UN 0.0 2009-10-11T21:04:48Z English Religion 0 0 0 2 2669 gdEcgabDeAI http://blip.tv/play/gdEcgabDeAI http://blip.tv/comments/?attached_to=post2728340&skin=rss Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsJoseph659.jpg http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsJoseph659-996.jpg Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

Joseph – Aware of God’s Presence

When I live as if I 100% believe that God is with me, I wil

]]> http://blip.tv/file/2708453 Religion joseph Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:04:48 +0000 joseph Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsJoseph659.jpg joseph ]]> The Classics: Joseph http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ 36.204079 -86.518276 jminton@friendshipcommunitychurch.org (Pastor Todd Stevens)no Joseph – Aware of God’s Presence When I live as if I 100% believe that God is with me, I wil Pastor Todd Stevens We think that church should be fun AND meaningful! Our church strives to be a place where people grow together in real relationships, becoming everything they were meant to be. That's why we're a relaxed church with a relaxed atmosphere. You'll experience teaching with contemporary music and video clips, conversation about real-life issues, and most importantly, a focus on growing in our relationship with God... because that's the most important friendship of all! 4732B71C-B158-11DE-B35B-E4977E89F366 http://blip.tv/file/2680781 friendshipchurch 259568 friendshipchurch Friendship Community Church Videocast http://friendshipcommunitychurch.org http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-picture128.png 2700672 2680781 file TV-UN 0.0 2009-10-05T02:39:17Z English Religion 0 0 0 2 2518 gdEcgaTrZAI http://blip.tv/play/gdEcgaTrZAI http://blip.tv/comments/?attached_to=post2700672&skin=rss Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsDavid357.jpg http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-TheClassicsDavid357-263.jpg Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

David – Dealing with Temptation

1. Recognize my weakness
   
   2 Samuel 11:1-2 – In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful.
   
   James 1:14 – But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
   
2. Understand the reality of spiritual warfare
   
   2 Samuel 11:3-5 – David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”
   
   1 Peter 5:8 – Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
   
3. When I blow it, confess and apologize
   
   James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
   
   Proverbs 28:13 – He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
   
4. Clean out my tank regularly
   
   Psalm 51:1-2 – Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
   
   Psalm 51:12 – Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Daniel – A Picture of Integrity

Proverbs 13:6 – Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Integrity: Doing what is right, as defined by God, regardless of personal cost.

1. Know what I believe
   
   Daniel 1:3-8a – Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service… But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.
   
   Matthew 18:15 – “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
   
2. Trust what I believe
   
   Daniel 1:8b-10 – (Daniel) asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
   
   Daniel 1:12-13 – “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”
   
   Proverbs 11:1-3 – The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
   
   Revelation 3:15-16 – I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
   
3. Live what I believe
   
   Daniel 3:17-18 – "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

1. Remember the ________________ God has done
   
   1 Chronicles 16:12 – Remember the wonders He has done: his miracles.
   
2. Remember that I’m ________________ into Christ
   
   Romans 6:3-4 – Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
   
3. Remember that Christ gave ______________ for me
   
   Exodus 1:26-27 – “And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”
   
   1 Corinthians 11:23-25 – The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
   
   Hebrews 9:22 – Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
   
4. Remember to ______________
   
   Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
   
   Matthew 18:23-27 – “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
   
   The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.”
   
5. Remember that God will always be ________ you
   
   Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Colossians 4:3-5 – And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

John 13:3-5 – 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.

How will I respond when God opens a door of opportunity?

]]> http://blip.tv/file/2377246 Religion servant Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:35:20 +0000 servant Friendshipchurch-MistakenIdentityIAmAServant546.jpg servant ]]> Mistaken Identity: I Am A Servant http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ 36.204079 -86.518276 jminton@friendshipcommunitychurch.org (Pastor Todd Stevens)no Colossians 4:3-5 – And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiderPastor Todd Stevens We think that church should be fun AND meaningful! Our church strives to be a place where people grow together in real relationships, becoming everything they were meant to be. That's why we're a relaxed church with a relaxed atmosphere. You'll experience teaching with contemporary music and video clips, conversation about real-life issues, and most importantly, a focus on growing in our relationship with God... because that's the most important friendship of all! 25A9D726-6F52-11DE-BEB7-91DDC6206C38 http://blip.tv/file/2350312 friendshipchurch 259568 friendshipchurch Friendship Community Church Videocast http://friendshipcommunitychurch.org http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-picture128.png 2370396 2350312 file TV-G 0.0 2009-07-13T02:09:07Z English Religion 0 0 0 2 2181 gdEcgZDXQAI http://blip.tv/play/gdEcgZDXQAI http://blip.tv/comments/?attached_to=post2370396&skin=rss Friendshipchurch-MistakenIdentityIAmAPeoplePleaser547.jpg http://a.images.blip.tv/Friendshipchurch-MistakenIdentityIAmAPeoplePleaser547-440.jpg Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0

1. Recognize that people pleasing is ________________
   
   Exodus 20:3 – “You shall have no other gods before me.”
   
   John 12:42-43 – Many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.
   
   Proverb 29:25 (NLT) – Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. People-pleasing Traps
   
   1) “I will ____________________ for you” trap
   
   2)“I will _____________________ for you” trap
   
   3)“I will not ________________ you” trap
   
   
2. Live for an audience of ______
   
   Colossians 4:6 – Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
   
   Galatians 1:10 – Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
   
   1 Thessalonians 2:4 – We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
   
   Matthew 6:2-4 – “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
   
   2 Corinthians 5:9 – So we make it our goal to please him.

Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

To experience freedom in Christ…

1. I must understand the ______________ of the law.
   
   Romans 5:20 – The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.
   
   Galatians 3:24-25 – The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.
   
   
2. I shouldn’t have a relationship with the ______.
   
   1 Timothy 1:8-9 – But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, fur the unholy and profane.
   
   Romans 10:9-10 – If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
   
   
3. I simply focus on ____________ God.
   
   Colossians 2:13-14 – He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
   
   Galatians 5:13 – You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
   
   Galatians 5:6 – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

I Am Weak 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Areas where I try to be strong, but often seem weak:

¤ Physical ¤ Emotions ¤ Relationship

¤ Providing ¤ On the job ¤ Spiritual

How to experience God’s Strength

1. __________ that I have limits.
   
   2 Corinthians 12:7 – To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
   
   Weakness: a ___________ that I inherited or cannot change
   
   2 Corinthians 1:4 – (God) comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
   
   
2. Be ____________, not stronger.
   
   2 Corinthians 12:8-9 – Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
   
   2 Corinthians 12:9 (PBT) – My divine influence is exactly enough for you, because my explosive power is complete in you when you’re broken.
   
   2 Corinthians 1:8-9 – We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
   
   
3. Depend more on God’s power & trust that it’s ______
   
   2 Corinthians 12:10 – That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
   
   Isaiah 40:29 – (God) will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
   
   John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
   
   Isaiah 40:31 – Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I am what I do (a myth)

Two myths that lead to a mistaken identity:

1. I am what I’ve ________________________
   
   Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 – My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
   
   
2. I am __________________________ because I have…
   
   Luke 18:11-12 – “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”
   
   Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

How to reclaim your true identity:

1. Follow the “6 on - _________” principle
   
   Exodus 20:8-10 – “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God… For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day.”
   
   Mark 2:27 – “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
   
   Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God.”
   
   
2. __________ contentment
   
   Philippians 4:11-12 – I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
   
   1 Timothy 6:6-8 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
   
   
3. Consider whether you’re doing ________ than God intended
   
   Mark 1:35-38 – Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
   
   Matthew 11:28-30 – “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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Ephesians 5:15-17 – Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

1. See the big picture of what could be
   
   Acts 26:17-19 – “‘I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them’... So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.”
   
   Nehemiah 2:5 – I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”
   
   Nehemiah 1:4 – When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
   
   
2. Make everyday decisions based on the vision
   
   Nehemiah 4:16-18 – From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
   
   Acts 20:22 – “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.”
   
   
3. Refuse to be distracted
   
   Acts 20:23-24 – “I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
   
   Nehemiah 6:2-4 – Then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.

Romans 7:15,18-19 – I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do... For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.

Romans 7:24a – What a wretched man I am!

1. Acknowledge the ________ of my problem
   
   John 8:34 – Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”
   
   1 John 1:8 – If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
   
2. Believe that __________ can change me
   
   Romans 7:24b-25 – Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
   
   John 8:31 – “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
   
   John 8:36 – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
   
3. Confess my struggle to ______________
   
   James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
   
   Proverbs 28:13 – He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
   
4. Dedicate myself ____________________ to Christ
   
   Romans 6:12-14 – Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master.
   
   1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
   
   Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

1. Who do the crowds say I am?
   
   Luke 9:18-19 – Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
   
   John 14:6 – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
   
   2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
   
   
2. Who do you say I am?
   
   Luke 9:20 – “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
   
   Hebrews 4:15 – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
   
   John 1:1-3 – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
   
   
3. What good is it to gain the world and lose your soul?
   
   Luke 9:23-25 – Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?”

1. Make time for ____________________
   
   Matthew 20:29-34 – As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
   
   John 15:12 – “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
   
   
2. Make time for ____________________
   
   Luke 19:35-40 – They brought [the colt] 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 Corinthians 6:19-20 – Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
   
   Isaiah 14:13-14 – You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God… I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
   
   
3. Make time for ____________________
   
   Matthew 26:7-12 – A woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.”
   
   
4. Make time for a spiritual ____________________
   
   Luke 22:39-41 – Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed.
   
   Matthew 6:7-8 – “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
   
   
5. Make time for ____________________
   
   Luke 22:49-51 – When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
   
   Luke 6:27-28 – Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

1. Keep on paying __________________.
   
   1 Corinthians 7:32-34 – An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided.
   
   James 1:19 – Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
   
   Job 33:14 – For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it.
   
   
2. Keep on making ______________________.
   
   Philippians 2:4 – Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
   
   Ephesians 5:21 – Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
   
   Leading means ___________________
   
   Romans 15:5 – May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus.
   
   
3. Keep on showing __________________.
   
   Revelation 2:4-5 – You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
   
   R______________
   
   R__________
   
   R__________
   
   
4. Keep on giving ______________________.
   
   Hebrews 3:13 – Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today.
   
   2 Corinthians 7:4 – I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
   
   
5. Keep on praying ________________.
   
   1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray continually.

Ecclesiastes 3:9 – What does the worker gain from his toil?

Why work? I work:

1. out of __________________
   
   2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 – For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
   
   Genesis 2:15 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
   
   
2. to develop ________________
   
   James 1:2-3 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
   
   Philippians 1:6 – Be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
   
   Colossians 1:10 – We pray that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.
   
   1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 – Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.
   
   
3. for ________________
   
   Colossians 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

As part of the church, I want to be:

1. A_________________
   
   Proverbs 12:22 – The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.
   
   Luke 7:36-38 – Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
   
   Proverbs 28:13 – He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
   
   James 5:16 – Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
   
   
2. A________________
   
   Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
   
   Luke 15:1-2 – Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
   
   
3. A__________
   
   1 John 3:17-18 – But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
   
   1 Corinthians 12:14-18 – For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

1. Think like a ____________________________
   
   Matthew 6:31-33 – “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
   
   2 Corinthians 8:14 – At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.
   
   Mark 4:18-20 – “Some, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
   
   
2. Make _______________ a priority & live off the left-overs
   
   2 Corinthians 9:7 – Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
   
   
3. See giving as an ______________ with eternal dividends
   
   Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
   
   Matthew 10:42 – “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”
   
   
4. Remember that my real ________ is in Heaven
   
   Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Recognize that seed is for ____________
   
   2 Corinthians 9:6 – Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
   
   Galatians 6:7-9 – A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
   
   
2. Decide who is _________________ for meeting my needs
   
   2 Corinthians 9:7 – Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
   
   Mark 12:41-44 – Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
   
   
3. Remember that good service results in ______________
   
   2 Corinthians 9:10-11 – Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
   
   
4. Fear the __________ thing
   
   Luke 12:4-5 – “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.”
   
   Matthew 25:24-25 – “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’”
   
   Matthew 25:30 – “Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

1. Know what I ________ and what I ______.
   
   Proverbs 27:23-24 – Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
   
   
2. Learn to be ______________.
   
   Luke 12:15 – “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
   
   Philippians 4:11-12 – I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
   
   Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.
   
   
3. Launch a ________ to get out of debt.
   
   Romans 13:7-8 – Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.
   
   Proverbs 14:23 – All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
   
   Proverbs 25:28 – Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
   
   
4. Connect with God’s vision for my ____________.
   
   Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
   
   Luke 16:11 – “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”

Proverbs 22:7 – The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

1. Live by God’s definition of ____________.
   
   Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
   
   Luke 16:11 – “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”
   
   
2. ________ my spending.
   
   Proverbs 21:5 – The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
   
   Proverbs 21:20 – In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.
   
   
3. ________ for the future.
   
   Proverbs 6:6-8 – Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.
   
   Matthew 25:16 – The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
   
   Proverbs 13:11 – Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.
   
   
4. Remember that it all __________________ God.
   
   James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.

1. Myth #1: Having a pile of money _______________________.
   
   Luke 12:15 – “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
   
   Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
   
   1 Timothy 6:6 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.
   
   
2. Myth #2: Having a pile of money _____________.
   
   1 Timothy 6:10 – For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
   
   1 Timothy 6:17-19 – Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.
   
   
3. Reality: I can _________________ as the Owner & Provider.
   
   Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
   
   Psalm 24:1 – The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
   
   Luke 16:11 – “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”
   
   Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17,20 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

Acts 1:8 – "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

1. I can ____________ those I know
   
   Luke 8:39 – "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
   
   John 4:28-29,39,42 – Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" … Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did…" They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
   
   
2. I can __________ those I don't know
   
   John 13:15-17 – I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
   
   Luke 10:2 – "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
   
   Matthew 25:35-36,40 – "'I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
   
   
3. I can ________________________ to the entire world
   
   Mark 16:15 – "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
   
   Mark 10:29-30 – Jesus replied, "Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything for love of Me and to tell others the Good News who won't be given back a hundred times over."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

1. Identify the ____________________ in my life.
   
   2 Timothy 2:26 – (I hope) that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
   
   John 8:44 – When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
   
   Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
   
   
2. Demolish the stronghold with ______________________.
   
   Galatians 3:3 – Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?
   
   Spiritual weapon #1: ____________
   
   John 14:13 – “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
   
   Spiritual weapon #2: __________
   
   John 8:31-32 – “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
   
   Isaiah 61:1-2 – The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Luke 2:10-14 – But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

1. Accept what cannot be ______________.
   
   Philippians 4:11-13 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
2. Trust in God’s ______________________.
   
   Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
   
   Job 13:15 – Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.
   
   James 4:8 – Come near to God and he will come near to you.
3. Surrender to God’s ____________________________.
   
   Romans 8:6 – The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.
   
   Philippians 4:9 – Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
   
   1 John 2:3-4 – We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 6:9 – “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…’”

1. God is a Father who __________.
   
   Psalm 104:13 – As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
   
   Matthew 6:31-32 – “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
   
   Romans 8:15-16 – For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.
   
   Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) – Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
   
   
2. God is a Father who is ____________________.
   
   James 1:17 – Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
   
   Psalm 145:13 – The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
   
   
3. God is a Father who is always __________.
   
   Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
   
   Hebrews 13:5 – God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
   
   
4. God is a Father who is ________.
   
   Ephesians 3:20-21 – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 40:28-29 – The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

1. Admit my ________.
   
   1 Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
   
   2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
   
   
2. ________ into God.
   
   John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
   
   Jeremiah 32:17 – "Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
   
   1 Corinthians 10:13 – God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
   
   
3. _______________ in faith.
   
   Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
   
   Matthew 1:24 – When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
   
   Joshua 3:13 – “As soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

Isaiah 9:6 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Hebrews 4:15-16 – For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Luke 5:31-32 – Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

1. Be brutally ____________ with the Counselor.
   
   John 4:16-17 – He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
   
   Psalm 5:22 – Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.
   
   
2. ____________ to the Counselor’s voice.
   
   John 14:26 – The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
   
   James 1:5 – If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
   
   John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
   
   
3. Do what the Counselor tells me to ____.
   
   Mark 10:20-21 – “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
   
   Mark 10:22 – At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

John 13:3-5, John 13:15-17

When I serve someone by sowing seeds of kindness:

1. I should sow ____________________.
   
   Matthew 13:3-8 – “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
   
   Ecclesiastes 11:6 (Living) – Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow – perhaps it all will.
   
   
2. I trust God to ________ it.
   
   1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
   
   1 Peter 3:1 – Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives.
   
   John 5:19 – "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.”
   
   
3. I ________ not getting credit.
   
   Luke 22:27 – For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
   
   Mathew 6:4 – Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
   
   
4. I don’t expect __________________ results.
   
   Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
   
   
5. I must be ______________________ about it.
   
   Matthew 20:28 – “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
   
   John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.

Exodus 17:15 – Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.

Romans 15:4 – For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that To experience God as my defender, I need to:

1. Turn to God __________.
   
   2 Chronicles 20:1,3 – After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat… Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord.
   
   Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
   
   2 Chronicles 20:12 – “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”
   
   
2. Allow God to be ______.
   
   2 Chronicles 20:15 – “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.”
   
   2 Chronicles 20:17 – “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
   
   2 Chronicles 20:20 – “As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
   
   
3. Experience __________ in every area.
   
   2 Chronicles 20:24-25 – When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped… There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it…
   
   2 Chronicles 20:30 – And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
   
   Acts 2:45 – Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

Isaiah 40:11 – He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Psalm 100:3 – Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Sheep are: ____________, ____________, & vulnerable.

The Shepherd is the One who…

1. … cares for ______ with His provision.
   
   Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
   
   Philippians 4:11-12 – I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
   
   Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
   
   
2. … calms me with His __________.
   
   Psalm 23:2-3 – He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
   
   Matthew 6:31-33 – So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
   
   Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
   
   
3. … ________________ me with His presence.
   
   Psalm 23:4 – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
   
   Hebrews 13:5 – God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
   
   Psalm 23:5-6 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Matthew 19:4-6 – “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Key principle: If I want to go where I’ve never been, then I have to travel a road I’ve never been on.

Matthew 22:37-39 – Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

1. Make ______ your #1 priority.
   
   Exodus 34:14 – Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
   
   Matthew 6:33 – But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
   
   
2. Put _____ in right priority by reserving it for __________.
   
   Romans 12:2 – Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
   
   1 Peter 1:14-15 – As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.
   
   1 Thessalonians 4:3 – It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.
   
   Hebrews 13:4 – Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure…
   
   Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
   
   
3. Place _________________ as the next priority after God.
   
   Genesis 2:24 – For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
   
   Ephesians 5:25 – Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

1 Corinthians 13:5 – Love is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.

1. Be ______________, not just ________________.
   
   Proverbs 18:13 – He who answers before listening: that is his folly and his shame.
   
   1 Samuel 25:10-11 – Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is this David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants are breaking away from their masters these days. Why should I take my bread and water, and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men coming from who knows where?”
   
   Proverbs 16:21 – The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words make a man persuasive.
   
   
2. Be courteous, not __________________________.
   
   James 3:5-6 – Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.
   
   Ephesians 4:29 – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
   
   Colossians 3:8 – But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
   
   
3. Be ____________________, not foolish.
   
   Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
   
   Genesis 4:6-7 – Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
   
   Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

1. Realize that I have __________.
   
   a) “I am ____________________ than you” pride
   
   Luke 18:11-12 – “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
   
   Luke 18:14 – “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
   
   b) “I can handle it ____________” pride
   
   Luke 15:11-13 – Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”
   
   Proverbs 15:32 – He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
   
   c) “It doesn’t ______________ me” pride
   
   2 Samuel 12:4 – Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.
   
   2 Samuel 12:7 – Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”
   
   
2. __________________ my plans to God.
   
   James 4:6-7 – God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God.
   
   Romans 6:13 – Offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
   
   
3. Give preference to ____________.
   
   Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
   
   Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 18:21-35

1 Corinthians 13:5 – Love is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1. Understand what forgiveness ____ & __________. (23-27)
   
   Forgiveness requires 3 elements: injury, a resulting debt, & cancellation of the debt.
   
   Forgiveness is not…
   
   a) … pretending that it __________________.
   
   Romans 12:19-20 – Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him.”
   
   b) … forgetting.
   
   Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
   
   c) … resuming the relationship with no changes.
   
   d) … my right when I wasn’t the _______________.
   
   e) … going & telling the person.
   
   
2. Cancel the ________ that I think they ______ me. (28-34)
   
   Hebrews 12:15 – See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
   
   Luke 6:27-28 – “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
   
   
3. Remember ______________ God has forgiven me. (v. 35)
   
   Colossians 3:13 – Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
   
   
4. ____________ as often as necessary. (21-22)
   
   Matthew 18:21-22 – Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Luke 10:27 – “He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient, love is kind.

Kindness: the ______ of meeting someone else’s needs before your own.

Luke 10:29-33 – But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.”

1. Start ____________ the needs of people around me
   
   1 Corinthians 10:24 – Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
   
   
2. ____________________ with people’s pain
   
   Galatians 6:2 – Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
   
   2 Corinthians 1:4 – (God) comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
   
   
3. __________ the moment
   
   Luke 10:34-35 – “He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”
   
   Proverbs 3:27-28 – Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow” – when you now have it with you.
   
   Luke 6:31 – Do to others as you would have them do to you.

1 Corinthians 16:14 – Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love is patient.

1. Recognize that everyone is in ______________.
   
   Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
   
   Patience: allowing someone to be __________________.
   
   Proverbs 29:11 – A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
   
   
2. Listen more _____________ & speak more ___________.
   
   James 1:19 – Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.
   
   Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
   
   Psalm 103:8 – The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
   
   
3. Keep ____________ patience until it becomes a _______.
   
   Matthew 12:34 – For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
   
   Luke 6:32 – “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them.”
   
   1 John 3:18 – Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
   
   1 John 4:7,10 – Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.