Journey Church, West Chester

When we don’t want to trust God, that is when we need to trust Him the most! Romans 11:33-36 (msg) “Don’t keep looking at the regrets behind you, the problems around you and the sin within you. Rather, lift up your head and see the help above you – walk with your head held high, and your eyes fixed on him.” - Bible in One Year

BUILDING STRONG FAMILIES 1. Strong Families - See Themselves as a Unit (1 Cor 12:7-12) 2. Strong Families - Value Individual Gifts (1 Cor 12:17-20)

Judges 6 & 7 1) The Hidden Options Requires God’s Perspective 2) The Hidden Options is often the Harder Option 3) The Hidden Options is often Revealed in our Limitations

1) THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER OPTION 2) HIDDEN OPTIONS ARE FOUND IN FAITH 3) GOD’S OPTIONS GIVE US AND OTHERS HOPE JOHN 8:1-11

The goal this week - everyone of us would determine some small steps we are going to take towards sharing Jesus with the people in our lives. 2 Cor. 5:20 CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD the WORLD NEEDS TO SEE & HEAR FROM US: 1) God’s GOODNESS 2) God’s FORGIVENESS 3) God’s TRANSFORMATIVE Power Rom. 8:14-16 1 John 1:9 Rom. 12:2

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 Luke 19:1-10 - WE ALL HUNGER FOR MORE - ZACCHAEUS GETS RADICAL - JESUS 1st STEP APPLICATION 1) Easter Invite Card 2) Pray for a Zacchaeus in your life 3) Extend a hand of friendship and see what God does

COMMUNITY is NECESSARY, not just a NICE addition. Mt. 22:34-39 ACTION STEPS: 1) Pray for a Soft Heart 2) Extended Grace to a Friend 3) Walk along Someone who is Hurting 4) Encourage Someone (Romans 16:22-43)

Matthew 18:3, 35 Matthew 6:12, 14-15 Simplistic Motives: Unless I forgive others, I will not be forgiven. I will forgive others so that I can be forgiven. Better Understanding: Until I forgive others, I won't be able to receive forgiveness. The Slave: The slave has been offered forgiveness, but he has note accepted forgiveness. Defense Mechanisms: Rationalization, Denial, Displacement/Projection Mature Motives: Accepting forgiveness enables me to offer forgiveness. The more I realize my need for forgiveness, the more I will be able to forgive others. Forgiveness is setting a prisoner free and then discovering the prisoner was you. -Robert Fulghum Grudges and grievances prevent you from being happy, making your life a living hell. Forgiveness heals, clean the slate and unburdens you. It sets you free. Key Learnings for the Day: 1. Let go of your past. 2. Release other from the hurts they have cause you. 3. Live in faithfulness.

Key Points for this week: 1) Anger is a SIGN of something DEEPER. 2) We ALL get Angry 3) How we RESPOND is what Matters “Live is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent of how I respond to it.” - Charles Swindoll Reading: Genesis 4:5-7 Ephesians 4:26-32 Proverbs 19:11, 15:1, 16:32 Proper Anger is Redemptive NOT Vindictive Proper Anger is Short Lived Proper Anger is Controlled NOT Controlling

“Learning most often be prodded by Unlearning.” - J.R. Briggs If you want to hide it or keep it a secret, it’s probably based in shame. Luke 8:40-48 JESUS PULLS US OUT OF SHAME: 1) Hearing our Story 2) Lifting our Head 3) Restoring us to Loving Community

There are people in our life who FILL US UP and those that DRAIN US EMPTY! 4 Ways Barnabas Fills Up those Around Him 1) GIVING 2) EXTENDING GRACE 3) SERVING 4) DEVELOPING OTHERS Acts 4:32-37, 11:22-26

EVERYONE has a part in God’s kingdom and they ALL MATTER. John 17:20-23 God has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on PRIDE Matthew 6:1-5 5 WAYS to BUILD HUMILITY 1) PRAY FOR IT. 2) Look FOR IT IN OTHERS. 3) FORGIVE. 4) STUDY IT. 5) WEED OUT NEGATIVE INFLUENCES

Matthew 5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “The heart wants what the hearts wants.” - Woody Allen “That word "pure" is used about two dozen times in the New Testament, and it suggests two things. First of all, when we say something is pure, it means that it's free from impurities. It has no contaminants, no germs, no dirt. It's clean. Secondly, when we say something is pure, we mean it's the same through and through. It is not a mixture of things; it is all one thing. Pure gold has no trace metals in it—it is all gold, and only gold. The pure in heart are people who are free from impurities, and the same through and through. They are about one thing, and only one thing. They are always about one pursuit, and every part of them is about one pursuit. The one pursuit they have is God. No matter where they are, no matter what they're doing, no matter who they're with, they put God first.” - Bryan Wilkerson Matthew 15:1-2, 7-9 "When you have an undivided heart, you don't think in ter

Matthew 11-28:30 Five ways To Find Rest: 1) Rest Begins with honesty 2) Rest is about finding your true self 3) Rest is often found in being vulnerable 4) Rest is slow 5) Above all else, Rest is found in God!

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