From Sunday November 25, 2007 Biblical Authority

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.      II Timothy 3:16-17


The Bible is God's word!

1. All of it is God's word
2. Its instruction is alive and profitable
3. It is comprehensive,consistent and the creative action of God.
4. It can completely equip us for life and ministry.

Applying my Bible study in life:

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

1. Ezra prepared his heart to approach God's Word.
2. Ezra prepared his heart to study God's Word.
3. Ezra prepared to practice what he learned.
4. Ezra prepared to share what he learned.

Three Keys to applying God's Word:
  1. Learn it!
      2. Love it!
          3. Live it!

We must have convictions concerning the Bible:
     1. Even when I don't understand it:
            I will trust what God says.
     2. Even when it seems illogical:
            I will obey what God says.
     3. Even when human opinions vary:
            God's Word is right every time.

     Convictions come when God's Word Leads us.

     When we Learn what the word says on any given subject.
     When we Expose areas of life.
     When we Apply and obey Gods word.
     When we Decide what is worth living and dying for in life.
     When we Settle the issues before we are forced to face them in life.

From Sunday November 18, 2007Special Guest Speaker Bruce Rapp

From

Jews 4 Jesus

Visit www.jewsforjesus.org/about/phoenix

From Sunday November 11, 2007"Personal Integrity"

Influencing Community Values
Matthew 5:13-16


1. In these four verses, Jesus summarizes the believer's function. In a word, it is: influence.

2. Whoever lives according to the Beatitudes(vv. 3-12), will function in the word as salt and light

3. Jesus' focus was on being before doing.

4. The goal of integrity is influence.

Four Aspects of the Text:
1. The Presupposition: corruption and darkness do exist(vv. 13-14)

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"The world needs salt because it is corrupt; it needs light because it is dark." -G. Campbell Morgan

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Man's knowledge has greatly increased, but his morals have progressively decreased

Every generation has sinned and negatively influenced our world. The basic human desire is sin.

2. The Plan: impact society (vv. 14-15)
   We are to be salt to reveal the corruption of our society, and we are to be light to reveal God's truth.

   Being Salt Means:
    1. to add flavor
    2. to remain pure
    3. to create thirst
    4. to bring value
    5. we may cause pain
    6. we must preserve live

   Light Is Only Useful When It:
    1. shines in darkness
    2. remains visible
    3. burns brightly

Sociologists tell us that the average person will influence 10,000 other people in his/her lifetime!

3. The Problem: the threat of failure.(vs. 13-15)

   There's a danger that we, as Christians might lose our value to the kingdom of God (but not to God). In the New Testament, we find three cases where God had to weed out spiritual "cancers" or contamination, in the church, through death.

    1. the cancer of hypocrisy(Acts 5:1-11)
    2. the cancer of immorality(James 1:15)
    3. the cancer of unrepentance(I Cor. 11:30)

4. The Purpose: to glorify God (v. 16)
The purpose of letting our light shine and revealing our good works is not to bring attention to ourselve, but to God.

From Sunday Oct. 28, 2007 "Happy Peacemakers"

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God."

A True peacemaker must know real peace


Misconceptions about peacemaking:
  1. It is not avoiding problems.
  2. It is not appeasing another person.
  "Shalom" means order and well being
Peace is a result of obedienceto God and assurance that He is in control.

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"I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea." Isaiah 48:17-18

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Three experiences of peace for the believer:
  1.  Peace with God--A spiritual experience. Jesus said, "I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It is not lke the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid."

  2.  Peace of God -- An emotional experience. If we find no peace within ourselves it is useless to seek it elsewhere.
                                             Romans 8:28;Philippians 4:7

  3.  Peace on Earth --A relational experience.
    It is not just a peace that passes understanding, it is a peace that passes misunderstanding.

How to be a Peacemaker(P.E.A.C.E)

Plan a peace conference(Matthew 5:23,24; Psalm 34:14)
  How to plan a peace conference:
     1. take initiative
     2. work hard at it
Eempathize with their feelings(1 Peter 3:7,8;Romans 15:2;Philippians 2:4)
     How to empathize:
         1. Listen without lecturing
         2. Make an effort to understand
         3. Focus on the needs of others
Aattack the problem not the person.(Proverbs 10:10; Ephesians 4:15,25,29)
     Ground rules for Fighting Fair:
         1. Never compare
         2. Never condemn
         3. Never command
         4. Never challenge
         5. Never cotradict
         6. Never confuse
Cooperate as much as possible.(Romans 12:8;James 3:17;Psalm 37:37)             If you're wise, you'll compromise.

Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution
       Reconciliation: To re-establish the relationship.
       Resolution: To resolve the issue.Reconciliation.

From Sunday Oct. 28, 2007 Happy Holy

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."


The people were crying for a savior NOT more rules!

There are only two kinds of religion in the world:
1. The Religion of human achievement
2. The Religion of divine acomplishment

1. Why does this beatitude fall in this position?:
It is a flow...a natural progression

2. What does it mean to be pure in heart?
The Heart: always in scripture refers to the seat of his being
Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.


Mat. 16:19, James 4:8, Psalm 9:1, Psalm 26:2, Psalm 28:7


The word pure is "katharous" to cleanse from filth
a second meaning: unmixed, unalloyed

Five kinds of Purity:
1. Primative Purity..only God
2. Created Purity..created pure being
3. Ultimate Purity..glorification...heaven
4. Positional Purity..we have now through Christ
5. Practical Purity..
II Cor. 7:1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

3. How can my heart be made pure?
1. Know you can't do it on your own righteousness
2. Purify your heart by faith
3. Stay in the word.

John 15:3 "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you"


Finally:
4. What is the result of purity of heart?
"They shall see God"