Random Thoughts for May 28, 2013

• Why do people think that they can live like hell Monday through Saturday and show up for a worship service on Sunday and it's all good?  God will not be mocked!  Galatians 6
• If you are living like there is no hell, you better be right!
• I can't believe that I get the privilege of leading people to Christ in spite of my short comings. Grace is a wonderful thing, so I try very hard not to abuse it.
• God is up to something on the Hill at Shelby Christian.  I pray that I am always aware of His leading and don't miss a single opportunity.
• The Story is going to be incredible.  I pray that we are all able to grow in our story as it fits into His Story!
• This week is going to be special as we finish our two-part parenting sermon.  I wish I knew some of this stuff before I became a parent ... or grandparent!

Time To Make a Change

We have been working through a great series of messages on the Hill focusing on accepting that we are all sinners and the most of us have aSignature Sin that Satan keeps using against us over and over again.  I am so thankful to my friend Greg Johnson for sharing some of the ideas they had at Generations Christian Church as they worked through materials from Saddleback and Celebrate Recovery.  This week we put together what we called a recipe for transformation from that material.

Recipe for Transformation

1.    Tackle one change at a time.  Prov. 17:24

What is it going to be?

2.    Find victory one day at a time.  Mt. 6:9b-11

Where have you won?

3.    Depend on God’s Power! Phil. 4:13

Where have you seen God?

4.    Focus Forward. Phil.4:8

Where do you want to be?

5.    Try to do good, not just feel good.  Gal. 5:16

What is something good you could do?

6.    Find people who help you, not hurt. Prov. 27:17

Who make you feel special?

7.    Seek progress, not forgiveness. Phil. 1:6

Have you made positive changes?  Why or why not?

What I really love to see is how God is helping people to work through letting go of some Signature Sins and finding freedom that comes from turning it over to Him.  Maybe it would be good just to share a few ideas of secrets that you have learned that have helped you let go of something.   You don't have to share what it was, but maybe the principle would help others.

Until Jesus comes back, let's just keep on reaching!

GRACE DEMANDS A CHANGE OF HEART

We are doing this really cool sermon series this summer called "Summer Breezes".  We are looking at seven of the shortest books of the Bible.  They are ones that if we aren't careful we will "breeze" right over and miss some great teaching and some great truthes for our life.  This week we looked at the postcard of Philemon.  It was all about Grace and Forgiveness.  One of the lessons we pulled from the text was that "Grace Demands a Change of Heart".  Here is what we learned ...

1.     Paul’s heart was changed on the road to Damascus.

2.     Philemon’s heart was changed in a revival in Colossae.

3.     Onesimus’ heart was changed as he talked to Paul in Rome.

4.     One important question that we don’t know the answer to is, was Philemon’s heart changed toward Onesimus.

5.     The most important question today is one only you can answer, “When was your heart changed”?

6.     Once your heart is changed you can begin to really follow Christ.