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God Is Good

1/30/2017

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Sermon Scripture: James 1:12-18

1. God is good during your trials. verse 12

God rewards those who are approved through testing!
Endurance during trials is God’s process of revealing our love for Him and His love for us!
Two-fold Rewards of God:

a) The life of happiness/blessing/joy
b) The crown of life

2. God is not tempting you to sin. verse 13

God is not to blame for your temptations to sin!
Evil is not from God: We should not blame it on God!
God is not tempted to do evil.
God does not tempt any man to do evil.

3. Do not be led astray! Verses 14-16

Universally true of all people: No one is off the hook for their sin.
Temptation is derived from your own desires and cravings:
Your desires and cravings lure you like a hunter using a baited trap!
Your desires and cravings seduce you into sin: crafty, beguiling, cunning!
Sin GROWS and MULTIPLIES:

a) Desire takes root/conceives and gives birth to sin
b) Sin conceives and gives birth to death

4. Develop the gift of living for God! Verses 17-18

All good things come from God! All things that come from God are good!
God never changes!
God desired to make you His!
God birthed us through the Word of Truth!
God made us consecrated and superior in excellence through our birth in Jesus!

So what?

Seek the approval of God through the test!
Accept the blame!
Address the real source of your temptations to sin!
Acknowledge the goodness of God with everyone you know!

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Preparing for Blessing

1/23/2017

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Sermon Scripture: Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

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Bloom Where You Are Planted

1/23/2017

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Sermon Scripture: James 1: 9:12
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

1. Your Spiritual Condition/Soil & Stress of Life: Psalm 103:8-20

Brothers who are lowly should glory in their high position: Verse 9
The rich man is to glory in his low position: Verse 10
Every person will fade, fall, and be destroyed by the business of life over time! Verse 11

2. Your Spiritual Blessings as a Child of God in Christ! Fruit of Life

Reward in this Life!

a) Persevered under trial: remain under the trial!
b) Having Stood the Test: shown themselves acceptable/good
c) There is immediate gratification and strength that comes from humble faith in difficult circumstances.
d) There is a cumulative strength that grows and expresses itself through suffering.
e) This is expressed in HOPE!

Reward in Eternity!

a) Will Receive a Crown of Life: Rev 2:10
b) A reward for the believer from God that is handed out after death and resurrection. One of many, possibly five crowns discussed in the Bible.
c) Promised by the Lord to those who love him!

3. Your Hope is in Christ!!!! Strength of Life: Romans 5:1-5

Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus
Justification brings immediate peace with God!
We now have a new standing of grace in Christ
We can boast of the glory of God in hope!
Even suffering can be an occasion to glorify God
Sanctification occurs in suffering as we submit in it!
God’s love is poured out in us during this time through the Holy Spirit!

So What

Humble yourself, stay in touch with who you are!
Glorify God in all things!
Hold on until God produces His fruit in your life!

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Helpful Partnerships

1/16/2017

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Sermon Scripture: 1 Corinthians 16:5-17

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“God’s Field Guide for Difficult Days”

1/16/2017

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Scripture Reading: "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:1-8

1. Take command of your emotions! Verse 2

Choose joy! To say I can’t is in reality saying, “I won’t!”
At all times!
In the various types of trials!

a) Trials from God
b) Trials from Satan
c) Trials from Self
2. Take comfort in your knowledge of what God is doing! Verses 3-4

Trials are the proving grounds of faith.
Faith which is proven produces perseverance.
Perseverance over time produces purposeful completeness.

3. Take stock of your wisdom! Verses 5-8

Do you lack wisdom?
Crave it before God! Beg for it!

a) Ask in faith
b) Ask without wavering: Arguing with your self that it will happen.

God gives liberally with singleness of mind!
God does not despise you for asking!
The double-minded person will not be wise: Divided in interests.

So What?

Take Command of your Joy in trials!
Let Perseverance in the faith bring you to purposeful completion!
Seek wisdom from the Source!

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First Things First

1/2/2017

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Sermon Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34

1. Put God first
2. Practice the disciplines of the spiritual life
3. Prepare to be faithful with God's provision
4. Prevent worry by settling some simple questions of life

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God Is Good

Preparing for Blessing

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Helpful Partnerships

“God’s Field Guide for Difficult Days”

First Things First

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