outline for 28 October 07

Using our Gifts Pt. 3 Who Does God Use?

He Uses: Younger People
He Uses: Older People
He Uses: Old People
He Uses: Women
He Uses: Men

Age, gender, & race are irrelevant to God
What matters to Him?

People’s heart: see 1 Samuel 16:7

God uses people with a:

Humble Heart
Enemy: Pride

Grateful Heart
Enemy: Self Pity


Willing Heart
Enemy: Resentment


Surrendered Heart
Enemy: Control

sermon outline 07-10-20

Using our Gifts Pt 2

God gives every believer a gift
(12 Corinthians 7:7)
Your gift is meant to benefit other people
(1 Corinthians 12:7)
One gift isn’t more important than other gifts

Not using our gift leads to a breakdown in our relationship with God (see Eph 2:10)
Why?

You must discover your gift

Prayer—ask God (1 Corinthians 12:31)
Reason—consider likes/dislikes, abilities etc
Education—study Scripture & take the survey

3 reasons people don’t use their gift

1. They think they don’t have one
(or that it’s not good enough)
Moses’ problem
Resolve: Read Exodus 3 & 4
God answers our excuses

2. They don’t recognize their gift as spiritual
The Corinthian church’s problem
Resolve: Read 1 Corinthians 12 & 13
God uses those who practice love

3. They are afraid to fail
Resolve: Read Matthew 14
God covers our faults

From the: "I Should've Thought of This Before" File

just about every week we include an outline for the sermon preached...in the future we will do our best to include it here.

sermon outline 07-10-13

Using our Gifts to Influence our World

The Christian’s greatest duty is to worship God
Every right choice in life is worship
(see Romans 12:1-2)

The 2nd greatest duty is to influence our world for Jesus
Evangelism & Discipleship

The un-churched--to help them know Jesus (evangelism)
Other Christians--to help other Christians Grow (discipleship)

Living life w/ this in mind helps us to live with purpose
You benefit from purpose

Purpose leads to meaning—Meaning leads to hope
Hope leads to change—Change leads to growth
(see 2 Peter 3:18)

Living an E.P.I.C. life

Everyday
Deeper study verse (DSV): Eph 5:15-16; Col 4:5-6
Key words:
Point to Ponder (PtP): What is my everyday life like?

Passionately
DSV: Gal 4:18
Key story: John 4
PtP: What am I passionate about?

Integrity
DSV: Prov 10:9
Key thought: Eph 6:13-18
PtP: What message do I give people with my choices?

Compassion
DSV: 2 Cor 1:3-5
Key thought: God gives, we receive; we give to others in return
PtP: Am I a vessel of God’s compassion?

620 update

the old saying "no news is good news" is true. very little has changed in the past few days...but that is a good thing. she is sedated and under medical care and getting stronger day by day.

620

at 6:20 this evening (saturday) we will all pause and pray for cindy, asking God for His mercy and grace.

May He perform a miracle.

pmike.

So, What Does This Mean?

i saw a mouse today…
it didn't make me jump.
i was about to jump anyway;
i just did so a little quicker...
and a little higher...
and with a little more noise.

Another Good Tunes Alert

http://www.myspace.com/closertotheburning

Notes on Stella Blue

one day we will walk the vale, as they say. our lives will hover, if even for a moment, between life and death. we've all heard the cliche's...and none seem to satisfy.

but because something is cliche doesn't mean it isn't true. most cliche's are true (or at the very least, have large elements of truth to them), that's why they've hung around for so long.

life flashes b4 your eyes. it's a dream...it's a song...it's so short, even if it's been so long.

that's what (tonight) i got out of stella blue.

cindy's life is hanging in that great balance between life and death. i write with hope she will live many more years...add more stanza's to her song...dream more dreams. but we've no guarantees.

so we pray for mercy and grace.

for cindy.
for her children.
for her husband.
for her grandchildren.

God, You who ordains our days and counts them up before one of them even is, we ask for mercy and grace. if You should lengthen days we are grateful for your mercy and grace. if You should not, we ask that Your mercy and grace speak loudly to those in need and bring grace and and comfort.

through Christ, our Lord,

amen.

Prayers for Cindy...

Stella Blue
lyric by robert hunter

All the years combine
they melt into a dream
A broken angel sings
from a guitar
In the end there's just a song
comes crying like the wind
through all the broken dreams
and vanished years

Stella Blue

When all the cards are down
there's nothing left to see
There's just the pavement left
and broken dreams
In the end there's still that song
comes crying like the wind
down every lonely street
that's ever been

Stella Blue

I've stayed in every
blue-light cheap hotel
Can't win for trying
Dust off those rusty strings
just one more time
Gonna make em shine

It all rolls into one
and nothing comes for free
There's nothing you can hold
for very long

And when you hear that song
come crying like the wind
it seems like all this life was just a dream

Stella Blue

simple = easy ?

Things that are simple but aren’t always easy:

Truth.
Honesty.
Relationships.
Gifts.
Sobriety.
Love.
God.
Right.
Wrong.