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Sunday, September 13, 2009
Announcements -- Corrie McClary
Mt 22:37+
Frank & Tammika Dowd - now in Baton Rouge - had twin girls. Isabella Dominque 5 pounds 1 oz and India Jordan 3 pounds 8 oz All are doing well
Sally Lauren passed away last week - funeral service was on Sunday -- celebrate Sally's life
Communion -- Tim Lauren
it would be a horrible existence without the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
Prov 6:16-19 Six things God hates -- haughty eyes -- pride, arrogance, not wanting to take advice
He wants to do things his way, even now
Sally was a gentle spirit - he was harsh with his family, children, employers -- "Do you feel good about that? You'll apologize in a couple of days, why don't you do it now?"
He changed, he started to apologize right away
He's aware of what God wants from him and he's trying to do it, that's the difference
If you have low expectations, they will be met
If you have high expectations, people will come close
There's no wide path, it's a narrow path, God's way
Luke 22:14-20
Ron Drabot "Everyone will Amaze God"
Ruth 1
Three examples in the New Testament of people amazing Jesus
1 -- Luke 7:1-10 the Roman centurion -- the soldier has love, faith and humility
2 -- Matt 15:21-28 the Canaanite woman, your crumbs are enough for me (love, faith and humility)
3 -- Mk 6:5-6 Jesus was amazed at their lack of faith
Even in a recession, it's easier to make a living then to make a life
Have we lived a life that makes a difference? Have we amazed God with our faith, love and humility?
The heart of every problem in your life is your heart
If you really want to be victorious in life, you must guard your heart
Prov 4:23
People in life - when there were challenges
They were in Bethlehem (house of bread) and there was a famine
in Deut., God says he will bring a curse on the land if they don't obey - to get them on their knees
2 Chr 7:14 if my people would humble themselves, I will forgive them and heal their land
We will all be humbled with life, the choices we make, if we could go back in time and change our sin and actions
If life doesn't humble us, God will. We can be humbled, or we can choose to be humble.
in Ruth, we see Elimelech and Naomi and they leave during the famine
We face challenges the same way
1 -- we run
2 -- we try to hide (people run away from facing the truth and then we hide our problems)
3 -- we blame others
Three other ways we can face challenges:
1 -- endure it, good, not the best
if you only just endure, after a while, they become your master (the trials, problems and challenges) and then you lose heart
2 -- escape the challenges, erase them
Get away from it all; run away from challenges -- job, spouse, family, church
they think that leaving will change things; but you go wherever you go
The heart of problems is your heart, so the problems will follow you
3 -- embrace it
God will work this out for his glory
Elimelech and Naomi went to Moab - the enemy - descendents of Lot and his daughters
Judges 3 -- invaded God's people
What do we run to? What enemies of God? alcohol, drugs, false religion
We run to the easier road. We run to people who tells us what we want to hear. "you're ok, it's everyone else"
they left Bethlehem so they could go get more (food) with the enemy. They didn't trust God to take care of them in Bethlehem. They didn't want to die in Bethlehem, so they died in Moab.
vs. 1-5 run vs. 6-12 hide
Naomi was God's representative - she was telling her daughter-in-laws to go back to the false gods
a. They didn't have faith - they left
b. they disobeyed God's word - Jews marrying gentiles
Naomi wanted them to stay there so she could hide the fact that she disobeyed God. We hide things, don't get involved with people because don't want them to know.
Ruth was converted - she had love and humility. She was willing to give up everything. Your God is my God now.
There are those that will SHUT UP when it comes to the name of Jesus, those that will GIVE UP and those that will STAND UP
Faith is not just believing in a positive way despite the facts, that's positive thinking. Faith is obeying God's word no matter the consequences, you trust God.
Ron went to a funeral of his campus minister from over 30 years ago, he was a great man of God, preached with power, had a Godly wife, and converted people from all over. After 15-18 years, he made a bad choice, he committed adultery. His wife was willing to forgive him, but he left her. He married again, that marriage failed. Be careful, young people, don't flirt with nonbelievers. It's not love, it's lust. Brothers - set the bar high, watch how you act.
He started blaming people, he started blaming God. That funeral was one of the most painful things he had ever done. His young children grew up without their Dad. He had more children that Ron didn't even know about. You made the decision to leave God and the truths of his Bible, you fall under the rule of Satan. Parents - the greatest thing you leave your children is a legacy of love for God.
He couldn't talk to his sons because he couldn't forgive himself. It's not up to us, it's up to God. The prodigal son came back humble, ready to love.
Tim Lauren walked into a church service in Johannesburg, South Africa. Very sharp young man. Sally found the Bible amazing, she was excited, she knew she had believed God and he was showing her the truth.
Sally's first surgery was 12 years ago -she had 12 surgeries. She was ill much longer than that. The difference -- one man leaves God and destroys his life and family. Another man loved God and showed us how to love God and family. Timothy gave to us all. How many people here had time with Timothy and he encouraged them?
He didn't run, he didn't hide and he didn't blame God.
Timothy reached out to a man in Wal-Mart even while Sally was so sick. He's been coming to church for the last six weeks. Timothy still obeyed God, even during the challenges. He never stopped. A woman in the Post Office fainted, he was there to help her out. She's been coming to church.
How are we doing with the challenges? Are we running or embracing God?
God is dealing with the things in our heart and character - that's why challenges happen.
550 churches in the movement -- Denver conference last week. All over the world, people are being converted. (Ron shared about other church plantings around the world.)
God is working.