#sermonrecap

[epsombiblechurch]

Belief Determines Conduct Through my Attitude of Trials

Sermon Recap

What do you do when things don’t turn out as you expected? How do you respond when faced with a difficult situation? Do you grow stronger or grow bitter? Who do you look to when things happen in your life that don’t seem fair?

We continue our study of James with the second sermon in the series. Today Pastor Ric helps us dissect James 1, verses 1-4, considering each chosen word carefully and what they mean for us as Christians. 

                                     Scripture Focus: James 1:1-4

The human experience is filled with bumps, twists, and turns, some expected- others not.  One day you are walking along smiling, and humming, listening to the birds sing, life is just great, when suddenly you trip and tumble into a hole, a pit, its dark, and cold, and lonely. That pit is not at all where you planned to spend your day, month, year, or how ever long it takes you to get out. But there is where you find yourself. Now what will you do about it? 

James tells us exactly what we should do, what we must do: 

Consider. Choose what to focus on, what you will have faith in. Trials can either strengthen your faith in God, or grow bitterness in your heart. Remember the parable of the sower in Mark 4:1-20. We are the soil, and Jesus is the seed. Which type of soil are you?

Know. Know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. All Christians will endure trials, age old trials spun to a uniqueness that is only for you.  For a Christian trials are not to test whether you have faith but rather, to grow and strengthen your faith. Like a school teacher God tests our faith with a loving dedication. Faith is a belief system, the object of our trust.  Are you placing faith in something, or someone, other than God? 

 Let. And let the endurance have its full effect, so that you be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Feel the full impact of the trial, and let it shape you. Do not run from it, hid from it, or make excuses for it.  Feel the pain, heartaches, and hurt.  Let it redefine you. Let trials produce within you a character more Godly than you previously imagined was possible. 

God works in your life through trials. Trials are often painful, there are times when we cant wrap our heads around why God would have us endure something so hard.  Be strong in your faith, knowing that what you are experiencing is ultimately good for you, and is for a greater purpose, even when its hard to see that. Let the trials you endure bring you closer to God, not further away. Remember that even Jesus did not wish to endure his painful death on the cross, He prayed HARD that God would find another way but since it was the only way, Jesus endured, as it was a necessary step on His journey to become the Savior of all. We must face our trials in that same manner, with a strong faith, and knowledge that God only gives us what we can handle.  

It is said that true growth happens on the other side of our comfort zone. Life’s trials place us outside our comfort zone in so many ways. When we are secure in our faith in the God who loves us we can endure hard things, knowing that He always has a grip on our lives and our circumstances. Our loving Father never tempts us to sin. The difference between between a test, and a temptation is our attitude about it.  How are you looking at the trials in your life? Are you letting them shape you to be more like Christ, or are you letting them harden your heart?

[officialrevkelley]

Regranned from @ifortchurch_ - Power For Living Bible Study 8/10/2016 #Sermonrecap #revkelley #soarthenextgeneration

[officialrevkelley]

Regranned from @ifortchurch_ - Power For Living Bible Study 8/10/2016 #Sermonrecap #revkelley #soarthenextgeneration

[christcharm2316]

DO IT AGAIN by Christine Epa | Sermon Recap | Feb. 26, 2017 |

Scripture: Joshua 24: 1-15 NLT Joshua wants to close the loop before he has no longer with the people. He wants to help them understand the magnitude and the meaning of some of what they've seen and experienced under his leadership. Joshua wants them to understand how God has fought for them so that they will be confident and will continue to do so. And he wants to leave no doubt about the reason for what God has done and the meaning of what God has spoken. - Sometimes to appreciate where you currently are in your life, you have to circle back to where God has delivered you from... - Sometimes you need to circle back to see how far you've become and to see how Jesus changed your life. - Sometimes you have to see things come full circle before you can fully understand them. - God always wants to use you to do something beyond you can imagine - sometimes you need to go full circle before you see what God has done in your life - we need to circle back to the place where we started to see how FAR God has brought you! - God will bring you back to where you started. - sometimes we can't see things till we come full circle - spiritual progress is NOT A STRAIGHT LINE- it's a Loop! - are you living in the LOOP? - growing in your Faith doesn't always mean you are in a new place, but a different person. - just because the situation doesn't change, doesn't mean your life isn't - you might want God to change the situation, but maybe He wants to CHANGE YOU First AND MAKE YOU BETTER! - Circling isn't the same of being stuck - The situation or challenges that you're facing right now is not permanent. Temporary lang yan. - Things above are eternal. Things on earth are temporal. - Colossians‬ ‭3:2-3‬ ‭ - you can choose what you FOCUS ON - we don't see miracles sometimes cause we don't know what to look for! - FAITH- I BELIEVE IT, THEN I SEE IT! - God has your back and also your front- he gets you out of your troubles and sets up your Success. - God has your front, back and sides. He has covered you in full circle. He makes a way where there is no way. - Exodus 14:13-14 - Sometimes what God is doing in me is more important than what I want Him to do for me. - Romans 8:28 - God is able to bring good out of those bad situations. He will cause all things to work together for your good. Take heart, put your trust in His unfailing love that will save and carry you through those difficult times. - God sees what we are going through. Jesus came down to handle it, died for us and rose again - He already handled our situation - Hebrews 4:15 - Close the loop in your heart knowing that the Battle is won and that God is in control of your situation. - John 16:33; Hebrews 6:19 - Hebrews 12:2 - Throughout the Bible God reminds His people again and again how He has help them in the past, and He also promises that He will continue to help them in the future. God knows that sometimes we need reminders in the difficult times of how He has led us in the past; these are faith reminders, they give us something to hold on to, something to keep us strong when the difficult times come. Joshua 23:8 (Easy English Clear Word) - “Hold on to the Lord and do what He asks you to do. He has helped you before, and He will Do it Again.” - the last part of this verse is a beautiful reminder of how God worked in the past and a solid promise that He will Do it Again. - God is always faithful to His promises to you and He will always be there to carry you through. - God has done it before and I believe He will do it again. - No matter how you may feel or what your emotions tell you during difficult times, God has a great future for you. Not only does He has a great future for you, He's also got the plan to get you there. - Jeremiah 29:11 - Don't allow your negative situations and emotions to alter what you believe. - Expect more of His favor, goodness, love and grace in your life. Believe that He will make a way when there seems to be now way. - Psalm 27:13

[kcoker]

GRACE

The Grace of God given to us through Jesus Christ changes lives!

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.”  Ephesians 2:1

... without Christ you are DEAD

“ remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.”  Ephesians 2:12

If you SEPARATE from Christ, you have nothing to anchor your soul to

People that don’t know Christ are FOREIGNERS and instead of trying to speak their language, we yell what we believe at them

People without Christ are HOPELESS - there is nothing outside of Christ that you can permanently anchor your soul in

WITHOUT GOD you have no peace, no assurance, no hope - apart from God everything is impossible

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.”  Ephesians 2:4-5

If you are not walking in freedom then you are probably not walking with Jesus

When you’re alive spiritually and together with Christ you can weather the storm

                        ALIVE & TOGETHER >>> CITIZENS

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.”  Ephesians 2:19-21

“He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.”  Ephesians 2:17

He preached peace and because of peace we can have hope!

He doesn’t always remove you from a situation but he places himself in  OUR lives to give us HOPE!

“And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”  Ephesians 2:22

Dead, Separate, Foreigners, without Hope, without Christ <<< Alive, Together, Citizens, Hope, In Christ

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:15

So what’s your next step?

PRAY; not only for your church but pray about your part in the church

INVITE

GET INVOLVED IN SERVING

GET INVOLVED IN GIVING

BELIEVE THAT THE BEST IS ALWAYS YET TO COME

[cravechurch]

Do your emotions determine what you do in life? Check out our sermon recap to find out the consequences. 

[theislandchurch]

Conquering Faith is believing God is, God can, and He will do it for me. Most people believe God is.They believe God can do anything. But they don't believe He will do it for them. 

They think... 

I'm not good enough. 

I didn't go to church last week. 

I'm not reading my bible like I should. 

I hardly ever pray.

We fall into a religious trap. But, I don't read my bible to gain favor with God. I read my bible because I am a Christ follower and I want to be more like him. I know he responds to faith and I know what Romans Says. 

Romans 10:17 - So faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ

I've lived most of my life in that religious rat race of trying to be good enough. I hate it. I've failed miserably. But when I realized God loves me not for what I do but for who I am in Christ. It was a freeing day.

[theislandchurch]

Ephesians 6:15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

In our culture shoes are more fashion than function. And here at the beach flip flops are all you need. But let me remind you, you don't play football in flip flops. There are different shoes for different purposes. 

The roman soldier this verse is referring to was wearing sturdy yet comfortable leather sandals with spikes on the bottom so he could last through long marches and keep his footing on the battlefield.

Often this verse is taught as being strictly about a readiness to go and share the gospel. But as you can see a few verses earlier there is a huge emphasis on standing firm.

Ephesians 6:13-14 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, 

We have to learn how to stand in peace before we can go in peace. Your standing in peace is a weapon of destruction against the enemy and an enticement to the world.