Faith Community Fellowship

// God’s will // Ephesians 5:17 God’s will is not always crystal clear. We tend to assume that God's will is both important AND elusive. Blueprint: a specific set of instructions that spell out everything in detail. Game plan: general guidelines and principles, with lots of freedom and flexibility Are you sure you want a blueprint? We have a lot more freedom than any blueprint would allow. That's the main reason the details of God’s will sometimes seem hard to find – they often aren't there. In the New Testament, there is little emphasis on the kinds of decisions we commonly stress over. A blueprint approach: - paralyzes decision making - turns our focus toward the wrong things Decisions ultimately create destiny. But they aren't nearly as important as a life of daily obedience. - we treat God as a part-time blueprint consultant. Romans 12:2 Understanding God's Game Plan: #1, Obey what we know #2, Get the facts #3, Think biblically; master the basics Our responsibility is to become a r

“Children spell love: T-I-M-E” (Dobson) **Fathers from the Bible: 1) Joseph (Jesus) John 14:1-2 We learn to... - trust God - willingly surrender ourselves to God’s purpose & design - teach our children what we know about God - allow our children to experience God for themselves - trust that God will lead our children in their spiritual search 2) Paul (Timothy) The Roles of a Father: provider; protector; leader; teacher; helper; encourager; and friend. (Kendrick) Moses spent 40 years thinking he was SOMEbody; 40 years learning he was NObody; and 40 years discovering what God can do with a NObody. (Moody)

// UNFORGIVENESS // Ephesians 4:31-32 Forgiveness: > pardon >> graciously give the gift of forgiveness. "I can’t forgive and forget, but I can forgive." Forgiveness is choosing to live with the consequences of someone else’s sin. vs 32 I’m to forgive because I’ve been forgiven. At the cross, we lost our right not to forgive. Forgiveness is the only way I can get back into your life once I’ve hurt you. > If there is no forgiveness, there is no relationship. “Forgiveness does not settle all questions of blame and fairness, but it does allow a relationship to begin new.” ~ Philip Yancey We hold people hostage to things that they can’t give us anyway! Focusing on the source of your forgiveness will empower you to forgive. Forgiveness is what God is like. For the follower of Jesus, forgiveness isn’t just an occasional act – it’s a permanent attitude.

COMPARISON // CONTENTMENT Definition: a consideration or estimate of the similarities or dissimilarities between two things or people. “One of the biggest problems with comparisons is that we allow other people to define our values.” - Rachel Cruze Galatians 6:4-5 Death → Life Romans 6:23 Condemnation → Pardon Romans 8:1-2 Galatians 4:4-7 Philippians 1:6 "I am not who I ought to be. But thank God I am not who I once was." Contentment: a state of happiness and satisfaction. Peace of Mind Philippians 4:11-12 From Comparison to Contentment Be yourself Let go of the past Find joy in your life Be OK with other people living a good life Recognize the good things all around you Thank God for who He made you to be S.T.O.P. Set aside jealousy, covetousness and greed Think about what God has given to you Only compare yourself to the person in the mirror and who they were yesterday Purpose to be content

Why is being a servant an art? Webster: a servant is a person paid to wait on another (others). How are YOU letting your light shine? 1st: For Significance Matthew 20:20-28 Mark 11:24 What is our part? – spend time with God – be willing to say “yes” to God – spend time with those who cheerfully serve – don’t look at servanthood as a means to something greater... it already IS something greater!! Can you see yourself as MORE of a servant? 2nd: For Others 3rd: For “The Team/Kingdom” YOU are needed in your church. 1 Chronicles 26:18 Everyone has a place in God’s service. Every job is important. Every Christian must be “qualified” Ecclesiastes 9:10 The greatest ability is dependability It’s Your Serve!

// FEAR // Psalm 56:3 yira: noun - respect, reverence Psalm 96:4-5 yare: verb - to fear, be afraid Fear: 188x Afraid: 78x Genesis 3:8-10 Sin brought fear. Fear is a strategy of the enemy to stop us. Wherever there is uncertainty, there is always fear. In your fear resides a desire. “We live guarded because we fear someone will use our weakness against us.” ~ Jennie Allen Psalm 118:6 Proverbs 29:25 Mark 4:38-40 Isaiah 35:4 Romans 8:38-39 Isaiah 41:13-14 Zephaniah 3:17 1 John 4:18 2 Timothy 1:7 Could fear be an invitation to trust? Psalm 91:2 2 Peter 2:19 John 8:32 Romans 8:15 Matthew 6:34 Fear is a roadblock to: - courage - intimacy with God and people

// INSECURITY // Most of us don’t feel great about ourselves. ...whispers from the past Guilt and shame are relatives in the family tree of insecurity. Guilt = behavior Shame = identity Romans 7:25-8:1 Moses Exodus 3-4 - sees only his own abilities - doesn’t know firsthand what God is like God to Moses: - I will be with you. - I AM who I AM. - Go, I will help you. Joshua Joshua 1:6-9 David - was continually seeking intimacy with God Paul Romans 7:18-24 "the image of God" created for community to be accepted, to be significant, to be secure 1, The Holy Spirit exposes our unbelief. Romans 12:2 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 Philippians 4:8 2, Our Heavenly Father changes who we are. 3, Jesus shows us who God is. Jesus is God's answer to our brokenness.

// SHAME // Brene Brown: Shame: intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed, and, therefore, unworthy of love and belonging. Being “made in the image of someone” means to “bear witness or to honor the one we represent.” Genesis 2:15-25 Genesis 3:8-13, 21 Sin: Hebrew, “khata”; to miss the mark; failure to fulfill a goal the failure to be truly human; redefining our bad decisions as good ones Apostle Paul, Greek: “hamartia”: a power or force that rules humans; enslaving; drives our selfish choices and behavior Romans 3:23 Will you look up and see his eyes of love looking at you? Whose am I? Who am I? John 1:10-12 Romans 8:14-17 Who am I? I am a child of God. Ephesians 1:1-6 Am I a child of God? How is the knowledge of God’s love, grace and mercy towards me allowing shame to be disrupted and God’s truth to set me free? Psalm 139:14-18, TPT) Hebrews 7:25 [ESV]

Message by Erin Francis HURRY // INTIMACY Matthew 11:27-30 [NLT] Vs 28-29 [TPT] John Mark Comer: “Hurry is incompatible with the way of Jesus.” Dallas Willard: "Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.” Jesus: Luke 5:16 → a habit of rest & prayer John 4 → physical rest Mark 6 → rest of recovery Mark 1:35 → rest of preparation and protection "ambition" Romans 15:20 2 Corinthians 5:9 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Ambition does not contradict rest. Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” call to action → rapha – be still the result → yada – intimate knowledge SPIRITUAL PATHWAYS Contemplatives draw near to God through personal adoration and heartfelt devotion. Naturalists draw near to God through nature. Sensates draw near to God through the senses. Traditionalists draw near to God through ritual and symbol. Activists draw near to God through bringing about social change. Solitude/Ascetics draw near to God through solitude and simplicity. Caregivers draw near to God through carin

The Apostle Paul was certainly a High-Impact person. Moving from Success to Significance. We learn by modeling others. Paul was extremely successful and powerful. A driven, type-A personality. 1. Who Was Paul? / Why Should We Care? - A contemporary of Jesus - An enemy of Jesus (Acts 7) - A fierce bounty hunter of Christians - A convert of Jesus (Acts 9) - An imitator of Jesus (Galatians 2:20) 2. How Paul’s Life Affects Us Today: One of the most influential people in all of human history. 3. Paul’s Goal / Our Goal Philippians 3:4-11 …to KNOW Christ Philippians 3:12-15 …to GROW in Christ “The race is not to the swift, but to those who keep running.” …to SERVE Christ …to SHARE Christ Phil. 3:17-4:1 Try on Christ, and what first came as awkward will become natural. “Think how precious a soul must be if both the devil and God are after it.” (C.H. Spurgeon)

OVERWHELM // CLARITY What's overwhelming you?? Psalm 142:1-7 When you are overwhelmed, all you can see is the problem. When you’re overwhelmed, what is true is more important than what you feel is true. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 Romans 8:35, 38-39 What we know is true: You have a Heavenly Father who loves you. Today isn’t the end of the story. There is hope.

Pastor Bob Crosthwaite, Pastor Emeritus Pastor Todd Crosthwaite, Lead Pastor Worship: to recognize someone or something’s worth Human beings are worshippers. Sacrifice “What do we need to do?” ancient Jewish worship a covenant Deuteronomy 28 “To obey is better than sacrifice. ”1 Kings 8 Atonement... reconciliation – a temporary fix John the Baptizer: God is up to something new! Hebrews 10:1…forgiven once for all 1 John 2:2 Worship changed forever! Romans 12:1… a living sacrifice We gather & we go… reflecting the Light.

Message by Ben Crosthwaite Matthew 5:21-22 "Raca" means "worthless" or "empty" We label others to protect ourselves Jesus saw people, not labels. A Brief History of "Hell" Sheol Hades & Tartarus Gehenna Examples: Matthew 25 Luke 16 Matthew 5 and Mark 9 Matthew 18 ^ What is the context?How we treat others. Labels to avoid: Dehumanizing labels Always/Never labels If This, Then That labels Labels and Love are incompatible. The Labels we put on ourselves: Unable Unworthy A Prayer To Help Us Stop Labeling Others **see "resources" to download A Prayer For When We Feel "Unable" **see "resources" to download A Prayer For When We Feel "Unworthy" **see "resources" to download

2 Peter 1:5-7 The Christian life is a JOURNEY, and not a DESTINATION. Ways to Raise Your PQ (Perseverance Quotient) Grow up Select positive reinforcement Live healthy Ask: “What is true?” Getting advice... consider the source Avoid the “No Action” alibi Identify & Discontinue non-useful habits/thoughts Willingly forgive yourself and others Take reasonable risks Get support Don’t quit. Peter (in his first letter) Things That Will Happen As We Persevere: Our faith will be developed Our hope will be made complete Our desire to follow lust will die We become more personal in our relationship with Jesus Our lives become more holy The foundation is FAITH, and FAITH is the firm belief that God exists.—- Don’t quit on JESUS... because JESUS never quit on YOU!

Luke 24 CYNICISM // TRUST **Trust is a choice. Am I believing the BEST about others? The death of HOPE is where cynicism comes from. Romans 12:9-16 How do I choose trust? #1, Treat the people closest to you like perfect strangers. #2, Find the most charitable explanation. #3, Think about how you want to be treated. #4, Remember how God through Christ has treated you.

There's a difference between using Jesus and following Jesus. Mark 9:33-34 Judas Matthew 26:6-16 Matthew 27:3-5 When you say no to Jesus, ...you are responsible for the outcome of the journey. ...you will move in the direction of self-destruction. ...you'll be back.

...from CONSUMER to FOLLOWER Salvation is FREE. Following Jesus is going to COST you something. Mark 8:27-38 Your soul is of greater value than everything you’re holding on to. To follow Jesus is an investment in the condition of your soul. “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” ~ Jim Elliot (1949)

Think about FAITH. Everybody has some type of faith. F-A-I-T-H: Forsaking All, I Trust Him. Acts 4:12 Hebrews 11:1-4 2 Timothy 1:12 “Sub – stance”:0 what is holding up what is above it; unseen support Faith is: affirmative response to God’s will and Word (John 20:29) simple obedience to, and believing, God’s Word in spite of circumstances or consequences the foundation that gives the believer the confidence to stand “evidence”/conviction (Romans 10:17) John 1:29 John 3:16-17 Genesis 4:3 Genesis 3:17 Two Ways Back: God’s way / man’s way by faith / by imagination of grace / of merit of faith / of works Christianity / Religion what God has said / what man thinks what Christ has done / what man can do “Do” vs “DONE”!

**FOLLOW Genesis 37:18-20 Genesis 39:1-2 Genesis 39:6-16 Genesis 39:19-21 Genesis 40:8,14,23 Genesis 41:1,16,39-41 Genesis 45:4-8 Joseph was able to see God in the middle of the uncertainty. Joseph did exactly what anybody in his circumstances would do who was confident that God was with them. Live with confidence that God is with you!

**BE CONNECTED Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 When we feel overwhelmed, we respond to the circumstances of life better if there is someone there to walk with us through those circumstances. COMMUNITY is preventive. **We need some structure. **Community takes time and intentionality!